And You Survived...

Perhaps you have had a recent brush with death; a glimpse of your own mortality. Perhaps you've survived some kind of health issue that could have killed you. Perhaps you are a member of Arapahoe high school in Littleton, Colorado wherein two people were shot and wounded recently. Perhaps you walked away from one of the other, all too common, shootings that seem to plague our world. Perhaps you're a service member who made it home alive and are struggling to understand why your friends didn't. Perhaps you are an older person whose lost so many friends and family members over your life while you're still here. You've likely experienced some form of survivors guilt. You've wondered why you walked away when others weren't so fortunate. It may not seem like it right now...but life has handed you a gift.

Remember how you felt when you realized you survived. Remember how the things you thought were important didn't seem to be so after walking away. The things that are really important in your life seemed to crystallize and become clear. Remember that. Use it to become a better person.

If it made you want to go home and hug someone you love...remember to hug them every day. You never know how much time you have left. None of us knows how much time we get. Life is short. It's shorter for some than others. We only get one shot at this life. Time only moves one way. How we spend our time, how we spend our lives is entirely up to us. Life can be cruel. It can break your spirit...if you let it. Pain will  happen to all of us. Physical pain, emotional pain, spiritual pain...they are all a part of life. Like the saying goes, however, suffering is optional.

We all have it in our power to choose how we deal with the pain that will come. We all have it in our power to be the person we want to be right now. We don't have to wait for some big event in our life. We don't have sell everything we own and move to the other side of the planet in some kind of search for the meaning in life. We can find it right where we are....right now. Use the pain life presents you with to become a better person. Be worthy of being the one who walked away.

Remember what's really important. Whether we know it or not, we're all a part of one family. We're all in this together. Choose to uplift instead of tearing down. Choose to forgive everyone for everything. Choose to love. Open your eyes to the miracles that are all around you every day. If you've lost someone you cared about, fold them into the person you are becoming. Keep the best of that person alive by holding their memory in your heart. Allow people to see the person you cared about through you. Be the best you can be for them. Work on making the world the kind of place it should be.

Make the fact that you walked away mean something. Remember what's really important.

Iran, The Growing Threat...Updated

While the current occupant of the White House attempts to appease Muslims, runs our economy into the ground and fails to lead this country, there is a threat growing in the Middle East that could plunge the world into war. While our media and politicians’ dicker and debate over what to do about Iran’s growing nuclear ambitions, the Iranians plow ahead claiming to the world that they only want nuclear power, not weapons. Everyone knows that’s a blatant lie. Iran refuses to allow inspectors to see their facilities…because they have something to hide! Unfortunately no one seems quite sure what to do about it. The best option any of our gutless politicians can come up with is more sanctions. The trouble is Iran trades with Russia and China and they won’t support sanctions so the Iranians know they have powerful friends. And they keep purifying Uranium.

Many claim that a madman rules Iran but Mahmoud Ahmadinejad isn’t mad, he’s a devout Shia Muslim. Until our state department comes to understand the psychology of the religiously devout, especially devout Muslims, they will never understand what motivates this man or his actions. There is no such thing as a ‘radical’ or ‘extremist’ Muslim…there are only devout Muslims and those who aren’t devout. To actually practice what Islam teaches is to be seen by non-believers as ‘extremist’. That's why we rarely hear of  'moderate' Muslims condemning 'extremists'. Silently moderates believe that their extreme counterparts are more devout. Muslims cannot be judged by Western standards of morality. Islam has to be understood in its own light. What the West needs to understand about Iran is that they want to be the dominant power in the Middle East. They want to resurrect the Persian empire in the name of Allah.

The fact is Islam and Western ideals of personal freedom are at odds with each other. The two cannot peacefully coexist. They are incompatible philosophies. We, in the West, believe the state of Israel has a right to exist and its citizens have the right to self-determination. The West acknowledges the turbulent history of the Jews in the last century. Hitler attempted the genocide of the Jews in the Holocaust. Ahmadinejad, like many other Muslims, has denied the Holocaust ever happened. He has openly advocated the destruction of Israel. He does this because he believes he is serving his god. The Israelis understand this even if the president and state department do not.

Ahmadinejad has faith that the Mahdi will return and that Iran can hasten that coming. The Mahdi, or Mehdi, is a messiah-like figure that is prophesied to come and unite the lands and peoples of Islam. He will come in a time of great turmoil. He is believed to be the one that will usher in the end time and forcibly convert the world to Islam. He is prophesied to destroy Zionism and the people of Israel. The leadership of Iran believes they can hasten his coming by threatening, or even starting, a nuclear conflict with Israel. That may sound insane to a secularist Westerner but that's because most don't understand the mind of a religiously devout Shia Muslim.

In Shia Islam, the Mahdi is closely related to the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. In Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s public addresses he frequently closes with a blessing on the coming of the Twelfth Imam.

There is a great deal of turmoil in the Arab Muslim world right now. The so-called ‘Arab Spring’ finds the people in many nations overthrowing the dictators that have ruled them for years. The result is leaving a power vacuum that devout Muslim groups have been quick to take advantage of. The mass psychology of people in unstable times has historically shown them turning to their faith for stability. The Arab Muslim world is headed, not for democratic reforms but for a new wave of religious zealotry. That will endanger all in the Middle East, especially Israel. And, since the Middle East is one of the major players in supplying oil to an energy hungry world, what happens there affects the rest of the world.

For Iran to actually procure nuclear weapons would mean a very real threat to Israel’s existence. Israel will not allow that to happen. They have proved that they will use military strikes to remove such threats. They have done so in Iraq and in Syria.

When, not if, Israel strikes Iran…Iran will retaliate by unleashing a wave of terror attacks via their surrogates in Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran will punish the world putting pressure on them to retaliate against Israel. This will drag other nations into the conflict and could very well trigger a world war.

Israel doesn’t want to go to war but they are being forced to weigh the threats of a war against an Iran with or without nuclear weapons. While the latter is undesirable, the former is unthinkable. They would prefer to have the US on their side in the final decision but we have a president and an administration who are putting more pressure on Israel not to preemptively strike Iran than the pressure they are putting on Iran not to develop a nuclear arsenal. The Obama administration has shown a sympathy to the Muslim world in their appeasement approach that the Muslims simply interpret as weakness. Combined with Obama's veiled hostility towards Israel it shows the Israelis they cannot depend on our president and current administration.

Our strongest allies are those who share our values. There aren’t many in the world that do so. In the Middle East there is only one country that shares our democratic ideals. Israel is our strongest ally in the region and one of our strongest allies in the world. We need to stand firmly by them in the coming trouble.

In addition to the growing instability in the Middle East and the rise of Muslim fundamentalism, much of the Western world is on the verge of economic collapse. It is a fact of history that great economic upheavals tend to precede major wars. We are living in VERY DANGEROUS times. America, like Israel, has enemies waiting to pounce when they sense weakness in us. We need a president who the world sees as a strong leader, not the wishy-washy socialist we have now.

Though Muslim rhetoric accuses Israel of Zionism, the intent to expand, it is in fact the Muslims who are determined to expand Islamic territory. Historically it was the Muslims who invaded Europe and Asia to forcibly convert followers. The Jews have never tried to convert anyone forcibly or not. It is a fact that the goal is Islam is to dominate the world. They want to institute Sharia law everywhere on earth. That's their stated purpose. Ahmadinejad, a faithful Shia Muslim, believes that he can hasten the return of the Twelfth Iman by causing a time of great turmoil. That is why Iran is intent on gaining nuclear weapons. With nuclear capability Iran can physically threaten the existence of Israel and intimidate the surrounding Muslim nations. With nuclear capability Iran can supply terrorists with the materials to make dirty bombs. Israel knows what our president and state department don't seem to. Iran cannot be allowed to attain nuclear capability.

There is a war coming and it will, to be politically incorrect, be with Islam. There are no Muslim extremists, contrary to what far-left American liberals would have us believe. The Muslim world will sees us as weak and growing weaker thanks to the current administration. This only emboldens them and makes the world a far more dangerous place. Make no doubt about it….We are living in VERY DANGEROUS times...

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Update: November 2013...The Obama administration and other European powers have now signed a deal with Iran to relax some of the sanctions against them...while allowing Iran to keep it's enriched uranium. They believe the new leader of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, is a 'kinder gentler' leader. They are WRONG. The Mullahs control Iran and they control the head of state. Their goals have NOT changed. This is a BAD deal!! The West...the world, will come to regret it! Those sanctions were the only leverage the West had against Iran. The Iranian leadership will LIE, CHEAT and STEAL to get what they want! They can see America is weak under Obama and the Europeans are just tired of dealing with the issue. Only Israel seems to clearly see the threat. The world has just become a more dangerous place...

Term Limits NOW!!...A Re-Post

The founding fathers of our nation had the wisdom to design a system that provides checks and balances to the powers of the federal government. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of government were instituted to keep each other in check. They were intended to be co-equal branches of government. Unfortunately, what the founding fathers never conceived of was the abuse of power the legislative branch was capable of.

The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators that would serve their constituents for a time then go home and back to work. Serving in Congress is an honor, it was never meant to be a career.

Because of the lack of term limits, like the one Congress imposed on the President, many men have turned it into a career. Some have served for decades and, in the process, become politically very powerful. In doing thus they lose perspective and their contact with ordinary Americans. They are supposed to represent their constituents and ACT FOR THEIR COUNTRY. What they do instead is focus on bringing home tax dollars for their pet projects in an effort to buy off their voters to stay in power! They cease to do the will of the people who elected them and stroke their own egos...and line their own pockets in the process.  That is exactly what was NOT supposed to happen!

Congress has the power to tax the citizenry, and the power to exempt itself from the laws it passes. With the abuse of those powers the U.S. Congress has become a cesspool of corruption that is destroying the ideological foundation of this nation! Most of its members want only one thing…to stay in power. Because there are no term limits, the majority of the time and effort that most congressmen and senators expend is on being re-elected.

Every one of them is a servant of the American people. Their guiding directive should be to “speak for their constituents and act for their country”. What they do instead is represent whatever special interest donates the most money for their re-election. Lobbyists are the most powerful people in Washington…they are the ones who finance the men and women who have been corrupted by power.

What we need now, what would be Real Change we can believe in, is a reformation of Congress!

One possible solution could be the establishment of a Citizens Oversight Committee. Just ordinary citizens elected only once, for say, one year at a time to oversee the actions of the House and Senate. These could have to power to veto any special favors that congressmen try to give themselves.

The guidelines could be something like these:

1.) A 12 year Term Limit imposed on all elected public servants. That allows a member of the Senate to serve two six-year terms and a member of the House to serve six two-year terms. (Additionally there should should be an age limit of 70 years old.) No public servant may serve more…period! (Let them get real, productive jobs!)

2.) Congress will no longer have the power to vote themselves raises…period! They may receive the same cost of living increases that everyone else does. They may receive NO other financial perks. That includes being able to profit from the laws they pass. Such profiteering should be a FELONY! (My grandmother would call what they do now "Letting the fox guard the hen house"!)

3.) All contracts with past and present congressmen are to be made null and void effective immediately. The American people didn’t make such contracts with these people; congressmen made all these contracts for themselves...without citizens oversight.

4.) No Tenure / No Pension: A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office...period!

5.) Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just like all other Americans.

6.) Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the one they vote on for the American people.

7.) Congress (past, present &and future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund should be moved to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

8.) Congress may NOT touch the money in the Social Security system…period!

9.) Congress must abide by a balanced budget. A constitutional amendment requiring one should be passed now! (Let's make them play by the same rules most families have to!)

10.) If a congressman wants to run for another office, he or she must resign first…period! (Why should they receive taxpayer salaries/subsidies while they look for another job?!)

11.) If a congressman decides to change parties from the one his/her constituents elected them in…they must resign first…period! (No more scum-bags like Arlen Spector changing horses in mid-stream in a feeble bid to stay in office!)

12.) Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people…period! (This would mean that Congress members do NOT get paid in the event of a government shut-down and there would be NO reimbursement upon it's re-opening!!!)

13.) Congress MAY NOT raise any taxes until they can demonstrate the programs and departments now receiving them are WORKING! There should be a citizens review of laws passed say...one year after being passed. If it is NOT doing what it was designed to do or has unintended consequences it becomes null and void. If it is working it can be reviewed again in five more years.

14.) For every law Congress passes they must eliminate two more laws.

15.) Congress has the authority to declare war. When they exercise that authority and declare war any family members that they have of a suitable age MUST enlist and go to the front lines! Those with the power to send young Americans to die in a war should have a personal stake in the conflict.

16.) As employees of the American people, Congress may NOT engage in any frivolous pursuits like spending the peoples time apologizing for slavery or declaring a day for some sports figure. We have REAL problems they need to address!

17.) In drafting a bill to be passed into law they should NOT be allowed to add on their pet projects (PORK) that have nothing to do with the bill itself. This would do away with the deals they make in private. Any bill passed by Congress should be short enough and plain enough for the average American to read and understand. THEY GET NO FINE PRINT!!

18.) Any change in rules or procedures in the House or Senate must be approved by both parties before going into effect. The party in power at the moment shouldn't have too much power.

19.) Any investigation, either civil or criminal, on any member of the House or Senate may ONLY be conducted by individuals affiliated with both parties. Such an investigation may not be led by the party of the member being investigated. 

20.) No convicted felon may serve in office. No one found in violation of congressional ethics, as determined by a panel of citizens, may serve in office. Any congressman convicted of a felony immediately loses his / her office; forfeits all pay and benefits and receives the same punishment as any other citizen. Any congressman found in violation of congressional ethics must lose his / her seat immediately and forfeit all pay and benefits of office.
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When your only tool is a hammer the whole world looks like a nail. Passing a new law is NOT the way to solve all problems. Throwing money at a problem is NOT always an answer. "Calling for" a committee to investigate some problem is NOT DOING ANYTHING.These men and women need to stop acting for their party and act for their country! Instead of paying back some political favor they need to find the best people for the job of fixing problems and not worry about what party they belong to.

The politicians of our time have turned their offices into careers and, in so doing, many have sold their influence to the highest bidders corrupting everything they were meant to stand for. Political office was NEVER meant to be a vehicle for the office holder to line their own pockets!! Congress was NEVER meant to be a ruling class!! They are employees of the American people...just like the president. They were ALL meant to be ordinary citizens who served for a time then went home.

Whatever happened to the statesmen that put their country before their own interests?

Stupefied!

That's what I am! I can't begin to understand the main-stream media and it's liberal mind set that has gripped this country. What ever happened to honest, unbiased reporting?

Just a few short weeks ago everyone in America knew the names Travon Martin and George Zimmerman. Even though there was no charge of racism in the Zimmerman trial, and the Martin family said there was no racism, black 'leaders' across the country insisted there was an undertone of racism throughout the entire episode. The media was all over the trial. Race pimps like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Barak Obama and Eric Holder all had press conferences on it. Some claim that there is an open season on young black men in this country.

Now that the trial is over three incidents of murder have made the recent news. Two young black men murdered a white infant in it's mothers stroller during a robbery attempt. In an international incident, two more young black men, and one young white man, murdered a white Australian national because they were "bored". Still two more young black men murdered an old white man...a decorated World War II veteran. None of the race pimps have come out with any press conference statements. The President and  Attorney General have remained strangely silent about all three incidents. There have been no cries of racism among them, even though they were all as racially motivated as the Travon Martin case ever was. Those who once cried: "No justice, no peace" have now thrown justice out the window. They do this thinking there will be no backlash. And the mainstream media has barely covered the stories. One media figure even stated that the reason the media has mentioned these events at all is out of revenge for blacks clamoring over the Travon Martin case!

We now let the media tell us what we should be upset about. We ignore the fact that young black men commit murder ten times more often than whites and Hispanics combined! But, the media would have us believe there is an open season on young black men! The real truth doesn't fit the "poor victim mentality" liberals and race pimps have used to keep blacks down for decades!

Also in the news, three Democratic politicians have recently been, very publicly, humiliated by accounts of sexual impropriety against women...but the media tells us it is the Republicans who are in a 'war against women'! It seems a politician can be as sleazy as an ally cat...as long as they're liberals! This is just more evidence of dishonesty in the media.

We have a president that has demonstrated he is a rigid ideologue, and a Chicago-style thug, in pushing his far left political agenda. He has demonstrated he knows nothing about good economic policy or foreign policy but he wants to redistribute the wealth and...the media loves him...because he is an articulate and charismatic black man!

We have sworn enemies in the Arab Muslim countries that will stop at nothing to kill Americans but our liberal politicians...especially our president...think the way to get them to 'like us' is to appease them and throw one of our strongest allies in the world, Israel, under the bus. And our media says we, Americans, are the bad guys! It is no wonder our enemies have become emboldened!

What has happened to the 'Forth Estate'? Politicians and the media used to look out for the American people. Now, it seems most are hell-bent on destroying everything that served to make this country great. They attack capitalism...like it's evil. The praise Socialism...like it has actually worked anywhere in the world before. They push the liberal agenda of murdering innocent unborn children while setting real convicted murderers free. They push the Sodomite agenda to to call their unions "marriage". (Liberals are big on what they call things...) They want any mention of God to be left out of public places and public discourse. They promote an anti-Christian agenda at every turn! And all this is done in the name of Political Correctness and modern enlightenment!

Most of the modern American media is anti-American and wholly given to pushing an agenda that is destroying the very fabric of this nation. Americans are starved for God in their lives but we allow our politicians to cater to a fraction of the population and throw God out because some moron may be offended by having to hear the word god. They are helping to destroy the very things that made this country great. We are allowing our media and our liberal politicians to turn this country into something the founding fathers never envisioned...a godless, morally bankrupt free-for-all!

We are allowing our politicians and our media to get away with all of this!! I don't get it?? Where is the outrage of honest, decent people? Is anyone paying attention?!

No country on earth could beat us militarily and soon they won't have to...we will have collapsed under our own policies of throwing out our moral center and embracing evil...all in the name of being 'Politically Correct'. We are on the highway to hell...

Woe unto them who call evil good and good evil... Isaiah 5:20

The Mind of God

Comments like Albert Einstein's wanting to "understand the mind of God" have always garnered my attention. I've always shared Einsteins sense of awe at the universe. That we are capable of understanding it with our three-pound brains sometimes boggles my mind. Physics and mathematics seem to be the key in understanding the 'hows' of the universe while religion is only capable of addressing the 'whys'. I, personally, don't look to one for answers found only in the other so I am endlessly fascinated by both subjects.

There is an old saying: "Chemists only talk to physicists and physicists only talk to God". Unfortunately I was born without the gene that groks advanced mathematics so there is a whole body of knowledge that lies beyond my grasp. That's never stopped me from reading everything I could get my hands on on the subject. I have come to rely on physicists that are adept at making themselves understood by lay folks. Fortunately there are quite a few that can talk down to my level...when not conversing with God that is!

Physics might be said the be the study of the laws that govern the extremely large, the extremely small...and everything in between.The former would include astronomy and cosmology. The study of the latter is has come to be called quantum mechanics. While physicists like Einstein focused on the Big issues quantum physicists focus on the subatomic world. While both have offered accurate pictures of parts of reality their current theories are incompatible with each other. The Holy Grail of modern physics is finding a theory that unifies both...a theory of everything. The idea that there is one organizing principle that allows us to understand something infinitely large and unimaginably small at the same time is very enticing. The search for it has lead to some fascinating stretches of the human imagination...and to some very advanced mathematics. The history of physics and physicists is a fascinating subject in itself. One has to consider all the known phenomena, and think outside the box, to come up with the formula to tie everything we know into one unified theory. There are some promising theories on the horizon. String theory or M-theory is worth note but the mathematics involved are still years away.

Many Christians balk at some of the dominant theories in physics. Many balk at the Big Bang theory of the beginning of the universe for example. I have no problem with the theory. It seems to me to be completely logical given the evidence available. It also seems to me that the universe had to begin somehow. And, in as far as I know, the only place God wrote down how He did it is in the very fabric of the universe. He certainly didn't intend for the first couple of chapters of Genesis to be a scientific treatise on How He did it. God has given us minds capable of comprehending a great deal of how He did it. Science and mathematics are the tools to do so.

What boggles my mind about the Big Bang is that space, time, matter and energy were all created at that moment. Think about that for a second...there was no space or time before that event! And all that 'is' came from something smaller than a point in space?? The Big Bang is the point where the infinitely large and the unimaginably small converge. Quantum mechanics is the study of the latter and it will really boggle your mind!

Quantum mechanics has completely done away with the 'box' that many physicists used to think in. On our level of reality we are used to some 'laws' being absolute. Gravity, for example, dictates that when I drop an apple it falls to the ground. In the quantum realm it doesn't work that way. In that realm of reality there are only probabilities. Dropping ones apple there might mean that it simply floated there or even fell up! I know, it makes no sense based on the reality we know but QM has been one of the most successful theories in the history of physics. It has accurately predicted results untold numbers of times.

One of the more unusual aspects of QM is called quantum entanglement. Roughly speaking its says that when particles are related, what happens to one automatically affects the other, even if the other is a universal distance away. Think about that one! What happens to a particle right in front of you can affect a change in it's partner on the other side of the universe at the same moment with no discernible connection between them! The quantum realm is a place where weird is normal!

Einstein had a hard time accepting quantum mechanics because he was used to dealing with grand laws that everything obeys. He said of QM that "God does not throw dice!" He may have been wrong as it appears that, on a sub atomic level anyway, God may throw dice!

One of the most fascinating things about the quantum realm is that our observation of things can change them. That is to say that our act of observing say, where a particle is, can actually change where it is. This is something most physicists will tell you they know happens but they are very hazy on why it happens. Most physicists don't even care to address 'whys'.

One quantum physicist who did speculate on the subject was Eugene Wigner. His writings, while very tough on us non-physicists, are worth reading. Wigner speculated on the affects of consciousness on our physical reality. He wrote: "It was not possible to formulate the laws (of quantum theory) in a fully consistent way without reference to consciousness." His work has me speculating now too.

Modern physics recognizes four fundamental forces in nature:1.) the strong nuclear force, that which binds protons and neutrons in the core of an atom. 2.) the weak nuclear force, that which binds electrons in orbit around the core of an atom. 3.) the electromagnetic force, that which causes chemical bonds and holds most things in our world together and 4.) gravity, that which holds the universe together.

I believe it is worthy of note that some Eastern philosophies hold that consciousness is fundamental force in the universe, while modern physics does not. Consciousness, among most Western scientists, is thought to be only a product of chemical interactions in our brains. My question is: if that is so then why would our observation of a phenomenon affect it? I sense on an intuitive level there are some pretty major things here that we don't understand. I also sense that, on some level, space, time, matter and energy are more closely related than we understand. No doubt some of my religious beliefs affect my thinking here. My faith teaches me that there are broad areas of reality that we don't understand because we don't believe in a spiritual realm that interacts with our realm.

Sadly, I don't understand the math that might serve to enlighten me to some of these things...But I have every hope that one day God will teach me both how and why He created the universe the way He did! You know...what was on His mind! And I can't wait!!

Black and White

In the aftermath of the George Zimmerman trial, wherein he was found 'Not Guilty' in the shooting death of Travon Martin, the race hustlers are now clamoring for air time. Benjamin Todd Jealous of the NAACP, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and other race pimps are calling for the Justice Department to bring federal charges against Zimmerman. They skirt over the fact that, during the Zimmerman trial, over 60 young black men were murdered in Chicago alone. In interviews after the fact none of these race pimps could name even one of those murdered. I will believe the outrage of the black community, the most racist segment of American society, when I see the same outrage at the murder of blacks by blacks by the hundreds every year!

It is time America wake up and dump "PC", Political Correctness, as dishonest and harmful to our society! It's time we have a serious, frank conversation about race. The Civil War ended slavery in 1865 so I don't think slavery has any relevance to our current predicament. Drugs, out of wedlock births, a culture that values "cool" over education and "entertainment" that devalues human life...and especially women...are what need to be addressed head on. With a very few exceptions, most notably Bill O'Reilly, most journalists are too gutless to even address the issues for fear of being labeled: 'racist' or unsympathetic to the plight of blacks.

The label 'racist' has been thrown around so much that it's becoming irrelevant if not a bad joke. The word 'nigger' has become so overused by black rappers with no talent, other than being bad poets, that it has become a bad joke. White people have become afraid to say it so it has become: the "N" word. That's just more dishonest 'PC' crap! If we're afraid of words we'll never solve any real problems. So much for the First Amendment!

We've heard one black 'leader' after another simply ignore the fact that young black men are TEN TIMES more likely to commit murder than Whites and Hispanics combined, the facts of black on black crime, the 70 percent out of wedlock birthrate among blacks and the rampant illegal drug use among blacks in the inner city to claim the 'real' problems in the black community are poverty and unemployment! Those are issues that CAUSE poverty and unemployment!! Statistics have proven that over and over! And yes, there are a disproportionate number of black men in prison...because they commit a disproportionate number of crimes!!!

You would think the fact that WHITE people elected a back man for president...twice...would signal that the attitudes of White people have changed! But no.... Black 'leaders' want the government to do more! We're talking about a government that can't even effectively deliver the mail! All so-called black "leaders" really want is more power for themselves and they wouldn't have it if we all got along!

And what have our black President and black Attorney General done? They've made things worse! They've set race relations back, at least, a decade! In racial math, two wrongs don't make a right! No one alive ever owned a slave and no one now alive ever was a slave. We can't 'make up' for the past by coddling the great-great-great grandchildren of slaves. Blacks in the United States have a higher standard of living than ANY other black people on earth! Even those in poverty are better off than 90 percent of Africans! You don't hear that truth from any black 'leaders'! The reason is simple: black race pimps and white liberals NEED for blacks to feel downtrodden to maintain their own power!! If / when blacks wake to to realize they've been duped by white liberals and their own 'so-called' leaders...Jackson, Sharpton  and the rest will be dumped like yesterdays garbage!

I, like most, non-liberal, White people I know, am sick of turning on the news and hearing allegations of racism every day! Slavery ended a hundred and fifty years ago! The government has thrown billions and billions of dollars at the problems only to change nothing! It's time black people clean up their own  communities and stop blaming us for all their problems!

I am NOT a racist! I have too many other things to worry about to be concerned by skin color. Most people do!  There are too many problems in life already to manufacture another one where one doesn't need to be. SO GET OVER IT!!

Ramblings of an Old Guy Pt. 6

One thing I've noticed about growing older is that my perception of beauty has changed / is changing. While I still love looking a shapely, pretty woman I can't  help but see her in a kind-of time-lapse way in my mind. I wonder what she looked like as a little girl and what she will look like as an old woman. I realize now...very well...that physical beauty is fleeting. If you have it, it's usually only for a few years. It's the kind of beauty that fades away all too soon. There is another kind that grows with the years though.

While some older men chase young, beautiful girls I wonder what in the world they find to talk about?! Yes, youth and beauty are attractive but now having seen the world through the prism of some age other things have become much more important to me. First, I've found that there is almost always something beautiful about every woman. Real beauty, however, can only come from the inside.

I heard a quote attributed to Robert Redford once that said something like: "Women don't really get interesting until after 40." I'm pretty much in agreement with that sentiment. I'd much rather have someone interesting to talk to than an empty-headed beauty queen. It's not that I don't think a man should find a woman physically attractive at all. It's just that there are things that last much longer than pretty faces. Character leaps to mind here. A woman of Godly character is a much more rare, and more beautiful, creature.

As we go through life it seems to me that the only thing we really take with us are our fellow time travelers and our common experiences. It's just nice to be able to talk to someone who "remembers when". For example, it's kind of nice to be able to ask a woman where she was when Kennedy was killed and not have her think I'm talking about John-John! (My old joke is that I remember exactly where I was standing when it happened...on the grassy knoll reloading!! It's a little twisted, I know!)  Young girls just don't have enough life experience to have much to talk about.

The young, unconsciously, seem to think that they will be young forever...despite all evidence to the contrary. Young, beautiful women quickly learn the power they have over men. And, they learn to use it very effectively to get what they want. The danger in that, it seems to me, is that some only focus on their looks and forget that they will grow older someday. As these women grow older they don't have the other assets that some develop. Some older women, like 'we' ugly old men, learn to rely on intelligence and a good sense of humor, among the other weapons in their arsenals, instead of relying solely on their physical charms. And, truthfully, I prefer talking to an intelligent woman!

As a man I've never thought much about being physically handsome. Being handsome is not something I've ever been burdened with! (Oh, I know some men do focus on it but...they're the ones that don't get invited on hunting trips!) Most men would rather be thought of as strong in some way while most women would rather be thought of as beautiful. There are different kinds of strength like there are different kinds of beauty. The truth is strength is a quality of really beautiful women too.

In some ways I feel sorry for women who rely so much on their physical charms because such things always fade. In a similar way physical strength always fades. Character remains. Our character is the light that shines in us. As we grow older, good character can shine more brightly. I believe all people, men and women, should focus first on good character. It is only what we can take with us when they close the lids of our coffins that really matters after all.

I think it's possible to continue to grow spiritually, and as a person, for as long as we live. That means there's always room for our character to grow. There is always something new to learn or experience. People who live thus are always more interesting to me. Perhaps it's because they are less focused on themselves than young, beautiful people tend to be.

Of course there is always the reality that, as an old and ugly guy, I'm never going to attract a young, beautiful woman again so....out of self defense I guess I needed to change the way I see beauty anyway! Finding pretty women is easy enough. I've seen some grow up. It's learning to see myself as old enough to be their father that has been a little harder. It's a sad fact that I don't feel older! Like I said, I don't know that I'd have much to talk about with a young lady at any rate. I'm just learning to appreciate them as beautiful...young....ladies...in a paternal way of course!!

I think there is nothing more beautiful than a mature, Godly woman who is at peace with herself. There's no question there's a strength in such a woman. I also admire the strength of a Godly, mature man at peace with himself. There's a beauty in that. I know something about the difficulty on the road that leads there and I admire all those who have developed the character to travel it. I  have no desire to be rich or famous, and I'm never going to be pretty! I just want to be a man with strength of character; one who appreciates real beauty. If only it was that easy to find...

Impulse Control

Did you ever consider exactly what constitutes personal growth and maturity? It strikes me that a big part of maturity is learning impulse control. We are all born with the 'desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life' but the mature person knows that controlling those desires is necessary for the 'long game.' That is to say that that giving in to our desires for our immediate gratification as a way of life never allows us to fully mature.

I've been pondering boundaries the last couple of days and realize there are two sides to the coin. Society must set boundaries/rules of behavior for it's members so as to provide stability. These are the boundaries imposed on us from the outside. On the other side of the coin are the boundaries that we set for ourselves. These are the boundaries that come from within. These boundaries help us to control our impulses. They are also the lines we draw for other people in dealing with us too. These boundaries are closely related to integrity.

Our impulses can be almost anything. Spending money, losing ones temper, being violent, controlling ones tongue and controlling ones desires...all of these can be impulse control issues. The most obvious weaknesses in impulse control are seen in addictions.

It has been my observation that people with addictions, those that give in to their impulses, in one area of life often lack control in other areas of life. That is to say that alcoholics, for example, are often drug and sex addicts as well. Other addictions, like gambling, are less desires of the flesh than they are psychological addictions that, no doubt, influence endorphins and other brain chemicals related to those 'high' feelings.

While some addicts will tell you they were 'born that way' and their addiction is not a matter of character weakness like was once commonly believed. If that were true pharmaceutical treatments would effectively treat addictions...but they do not. Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are more effective exactly because they address the character issues in a way not unlike religion.

I do not believe that anyone is a born addict. We can be born with predilections or weaknesses but too many people born with the same predilections make different choices. That's the key to addiction as far as I'm concerned...choices. The alcoholic chooses to put a bottle to their lips. The drug addict chooses to take their drug of choice. Regardless of how good an addiction feels, it can still be controlled by choice. To exercise our choice is to exercise our will power. The more often we do it, the stronger it becomes.

No therapy helps an addict until they decide that they want out. Again, they make the choice. When an addict does make the choice to end their addiction...almost any therapy will work to help them. Alcoholic Anonymous is effective precisely because it addresses character.

What some folks don't realize is that when an alcoholic or drug addict begins their addiction they stop growing and maturing at that age. They don't resume again until they stop using their drug. A thirteen year old who uses alcohol every time something upsets them and does so for twenty years is still thirteen emotionally when they stop using. The rest of us have to deal with life's upsets and pains every day without a drug to anaesthetize us. The only way to grow and mature in life is without chemicals to alter our perceptions.Therein lies the greatest danger of intoxicants.

Controlling our impulses, those that can be destructive to us, is an essential part of the maturation process. As children we are restricted from giving in to our impulses from the outside. A child, for example, might only eat candy and other sugary treats to the exclusion of more nutritious choices if left on their own. A wise parent sees to it that their children don't give into such impulses. They make sure that their children eat their vegetables! This is why it's critical that parents make the decisions, draw the behavioral boundaries, for their children until their children demonstrate the maturity to make wise choices for themselves.

We create boundaries for our own behavior/ impulses and boundaries we expect others to respect in interacting with us. For the sake of our psychological health we need to make these boundaries clear. The more clear these boundaries are the more fluid our interactions are. When we have strong personal boundaries that guide our own behavior we are more stable as individuals. When society has clear boundaries that dictate the behavior of its members it becomes more stable.

A big part of the Social Contract is having clear boundaries we can expect others to respect. We have the right to expect that they control their own impulses, at least in as far as we are concerned. For example: it is inappropriate to touch people we don't know in some ways. This assumes one can control ones impulses to do so and it assumes that other people accept this as a clear societal boundary.

One issue that must come up in any discussion about boundaries is, what I have come to refer to as, the mathematics of relationships. It is a very simple principle that simply says: X causes Y. When I treat someone X and they react Y I've learned where their 'button' is. Every time I want to elicit a Y response I know what to do...just treat them X. Since the formula is a relationship either side can change. That is to say that when someone doesn't want to be treated X anymore they need to stop reacting Y. That will take away the incentive of someone treating them X. Because all interactions between people are relationships they are fluid...either party can change.

We set our own boundaries. We need to make those clear. When we allow someone to cross those boundaries...we are, at least, partially at fault. The need for clarity in society and in our own lives is vitally important. You see there is a very simple psychological truth here...we teach people how to treat us. For our own sakes, and for the sake of society, we must draw clear boundaries of behavior. We must learn to control our own impulses within those boundaries. Until we learn to do those things we will not mature as individuals or as a society. Unfortunately this is something that can't be passed down like some other forms of knowledge. Every generation has to learn the importance of this principle. If ours does not we are headed for a great fall...

Boundaries

It is interesting to me that so many older cultures put such an emphasis on the rules of etiquette and behavior. The correct forms for ones various relationships draw clear boundaries for ones behavior. That is to say that one should treat a parent thusly, a grandparent is treated thusly, a friend, a neighbor, a stranger, a person of higher social status, one of lower social status etc., all are treated with different boundaries in mind. All the ancient cultures have clearly defined rules regarding how people should interact.

The Bible has been the primary source for rules of conduct between people in Western culture for centuries. It was accepted by our founding fathers as THE source of moral authority because they saw the common sense in it's laws regardless of whether one believes in it's theology or not. Our constitution nowhere says: "Thou Shalt Not Murder"...what it says is: "If a citizen commits murder, the state has the right to take away their life or liberty. Our founding fathers realized the NEED for a standard beyond the constitution that we can agree on. We need a common set of standards/boundaries that we can all live by.

There are a lot of people who hate the Bible because of it's assertion that it contains God's laws/boundaries. What the Bible says, and what most older cultures believe in some form, is that freedom only lies in the willing acceptance of the rules that govern life. Take sexual laws for example: The Bible outlines strict laws against incest, homosexuality, adultery, fornication and bestiality. Those that have the desires to engage in these practices hate to be told that their behavior is sinful. These are people who simply do not want to be told what to do or not do. They believe they should be "free".

Leaving aside the questions of sin and eternal life, the laws that the Bible advocates draw clear boundaries on the, very powerful, sex drive in human beings. To adhere to these laws provides the observant society greater stability.  There would be very few unwanted pregnancies and still fewer sexually transmitted diseases in such a society. Children in such a society would know who their parents are. There would be fewer divorces with less of the destructive impact on children and society that divorce creates. There would be less need for time in the court system to interject itself into the lives of families. The stability that such a society had would be felt in many areas of life.

But, there are too many people who want to follow their impulses...because they want to follow their impulses. They give no thought to what kind of society would develop if everyone did the same. We humans are naturally hostile to being told how to live...regardless of the logic of it. We 'think' we want a life without boundaries...until some of us think it through to it's logical conclusion...chaos and confusion. Many people simply don't care what effect such behavior leads to. They want what they want.

Many such people are hostile towards anything that tells them they are wrong and anyone or anything who attempts to enforce such standards. They hate the police, they hate the Ten Commandments, they even hate God.

Some of them advocate for anarchy, believing that all men can live in peace if allowed to do what they want. The lessons of history prove otherwise. Experiments in anarchy have typically ended in disaster.

Such thinking is immature and ill-reasoned and such people should never be allowed to be in authority over other peoples lives. Such people don't think about the long range implications of their behavior. The reality is many such people ARE in in authority in this country. The results have already proven disastrous...

A great many of the problems people have in relationships comes from having unclear boundaries. This is a simple truth that most counselors can tell you. It's a little harder to actually maintain those boundaries though. All of us have impulses. Not all of us have the same degree of control over them.

As Americans we like to think we are above such rules. We argue that we should be able to do what we feel. We may think that recognizing no such rules of etiquette/behavior gives us a greater degree of freedom. I posit here that all it gives us is a greater degree of chaos. History and psychology are on my side of the argument.

We NEED to bring back a common set of values that guide all our lives. I argue for the Bible, of course, because I believe it is God's Word. I don't believe it's necessary for every individual to believe that. I do believe that, as a society, it can only help us to have a belief in God. Just think of how the behavior of individuals changes when they believe they are being watched. I know we are being watched.

And I know I have to stand before God one day. That hasn't made me a perfect person...but it has made me a better person. It has given me a standard of behavior to aim for. I have a clear template for personal and spiritual growth in the scriptures. Not everyone will agree with me but the logic that we NEED a common standard is undeniable. We need boundaries...

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Finding Magic in the Mundane

There are many people who spend their lives going from one thrill to another. We sometimes call such folks "adrenaline junkies". It is as if they live their lives sporadically jumping from one thrill to the next. Their 'filler time' is mainly spent anticipating the next thrill. It seems to me that such folks miss out on most of life. They seem to only engage their awareness during what they consider their high points.

The rest of us know that, by far, most of life consists of the little things. It is finding joy in those little things that makes for a richer life to me. To live this way one must engage ones awareness.

Boredom seems to be the greatest curse in life for some people. When you find the joy in the little things boredom is never an issue. Washing the dishes or sweeping the floor may not be the most exiting parts of ones day but they are a necessary part of ones day...so finding joy even in them adds to the richness of life. The greatest benefit is, when you do find joy in the little mundane things...most of life becomes a joy!

In thinking about Zen of late, I've come to focus on the little, mundane things. Now when making my bed, or vacuuming my floors I don't think: "my life will start today when I'm finished with this". Now I extend my awareness to sense the small things. I take note of shapes, colors, textures, weights, sounds, smells and flavors. I accept them for what they are. Now I think: "this is my life". Thinking thusly has allowed me to slow down, smell the roses, and enjoy my days much more.

Zen teaches that we fully embrace the moment and not live in the past or the future. My faith teaches me the best way to let go of the past, that's where guilt and resentment reside, is to forgive everyone for everything. Don't let pettiness tie you down to the darkness. Reach for the light!

We can't live in the future either. So the best way to avoid worry and anxiety about the future...is living in the moment. When we do focus on the future, focus on hope! These tools and love...are the best ways to live in the present.

Learning to love, at least, something about where you live, what you do for a living and the people around you helps you to find some joy in the simple, daily things. Real love helps us to accept things and people as they are...not as we want them to be.

This way of seeing things allows us to uplift the mundane, to find life in it. It's a simple thing, not worth mentioning to most folks I suppose. But, it allows us to find a quiet joy not to have any greater expectation of the little things in life.

Quiet joy is what I live for these days. Forming something new in steel. Playing with my dog/best friend Sarah Belle. Watching the sunset. Enjoying a good meal. Playing Scrabble with the best person I know on earth...my mother. Feeling the cool of the evenings. Having a good conversation. Reading a good book. Helping a friend. Entering into my private, intimate walk with God through prayer. And, I can't forget laughter! These are the things I've come to look forward to. They're nothing great or exiting...but they make up the biggest part of my life.

There is a kind of magic in the ordinary things that we seem to miss until we slow down and take note. This means more than just being awake...it means being aware.

Living life is like enjoying a good book, every page should be relished. There are miracles all around, every day, if we'll reach out and notice. Living otherwise really isn't living...it's just hitting the high points. And, reading the Cliff notes edition means missing all the good stuff!

Zen

As a devout person I shun those practices dedicated to false gods and those teachings that are contrary to my faith. As a thinking person I recognize that every culture and every religion has some truth. I try to embrace truth wherever it comes from. As a martial artist I was exposed early on to Zen and the practice of meditation. While I am devout in my Christian faith, I believe Zen offers a traditional wisdom that has been discovered by many cultures in many ages.

Zen is partially a school of psychology and such aims at the direct experience of life. Zen postulates that there are three 'thought actions', the first is sensation, the second perception and the third conception. Our sensory systems receive data but it's not until we become aware of the data that we perceive it. Our conception is what we think, how we feel etc., about our perceptions. I can pick up an apple but until I perceive that I have done so it is only un-interpreted sensory data. Once perceived..."it is an apple" I then process...I like apples, they taste good, so I think I'll bite into this one.


It is the last, our conception stage that can become a problem. I can harbor preconceived notions about my apple that can alter my perception of it. That is what can interfere with my direct experience of life. The person who thinks of bears as warm and cuddly will conceive of them quite differently than someone who thinks of them as wild animals that can rip your arm off. The reaction that these two people have when they encounter a bear could be very different based on their conceptions.

Zazen, or seated Zen meditation, aims at allowing sensory data to arise in the mind, it can then be perceived but one learns not to attach any conceptions to the perception. That is to say, I am aware that I'm holding an apple...I feel the weight of it, the shape of it, the texture of it, the temperature of it but I don't go on and make any judgments about it.

Now our minds are trained to go on and make judgments about our perceptions so we have to un-train them by allowing those thought actions to simply arise and drift away instead of attaching to them. I will naturally go on to think "I like apples" or whatever judgments I have of apples once I've perceived an apple. It takes the discipline of meditation to let go of those conceptions / judgments and simply stick with our perceptions.

The idea is simple, I can miss things about life by attaching conceptions / judgments to them. My preconceived notions can interfere with my perceptions so Zen aims at letting them go.

One thing that I find quite fascinating is that we all naturally experience the mind-set of stopping at perception. When we go for a walk or a run or some other common activity we can lose our sense of self in the activity. We cease to think: "I am walking" and the activity simply becomes: "walking". We become so engaged in the activity that we lose our sense of "I".

Asian philosophers took this very natural phenomenon and asked how they could achieve that sense all the time. Most schools of seated meditation began in a such a way. The aim was losing the sense of "I" in an activity. This is why Zen became so popular with the Samurai and other warriors. When one loses ones sense of I in an activity one can react much faster because conceptions / judgments don't enter into the picture. You react quite differently to an attack when you don't stop to think: "I can be injured or killed"...you simply react to the moment.

In Japanese this sense of losing oneself in ones activity is called Zammai. (Called Samahdi in India) It is a natural state of mind that comes from knowing ones activity so well one no longer has to think about 'how to' do it.

In the path to mastery it is a natural progression that comes with practice. We begin in an Unconscious / Unskilled phase...we don't know what we are doing and don't have a clue how to do it. We progress to a Conscious / Unskilled phase...now we know we don't have a clue! With continued practice we reach a Conscious / Skilled phase...we now know what we are doing but have to think about it while doing it. Finally we reach the Unconscious / Skilled  phase...we know what we are doing so well we no longer have to think about it. We just push the 'activate button' in our brains and the action follows. We no longer have a sense of "I" in the action. It comes automatically.

One can only experience this way if one is fully in the present. If one lives in the past or future in ones mind it is impossible to experience correct perception because we are living in our conceptions. One only experiences guilt and resentment by living in the past. One only experiences worry and anxiety by pre-conceiving the future. Zen teaches one to live fully in the moment where such conceptions / emotions are impossible. Such conceptions keep us from fully perceiving the present. They keep us from fully living.

That's part of the beauty of Zen... It isn't really a religion in the Western sense. It is a way of approaching daily life. It allows us to directly connect to life instead of our preconceived notions about life.

The ultimate of aim of Zen, of the zammai experience, is Satori...enlightenment. That is to lift the veil that Buddhists believe clouds the mind from perceiving the ultimate reality...that everything is one. Therein lies the faith that Buddhists have...another way of perceiving reality.

On Faith

Faith is one of the most fascinating subjects in life to me. I believe it is essential to a good life. It comes in forms that we, sometimes, don't immediately recognize. We normally think of religion as being the only realm where faith resides. That is simply not the case. Science, and many other fields, require a degree of faith.

Superstition, too, is a kind of faith. Religion and superstition are related but they are not the same despite the claims of some non-religious skeptics. A superstition is an unreasoned belief in supernatural causation. That is to say that a superstitious person has no evidence for believing one thing causes another. When we believe that walking under a ladder causes bad luck, we have no natural law or evidence that we can point to that makes us believe in such a relationship. We just believe it anecdotally.

Modern science may be described as an effort to find the natural laws that connect cause and effect. When we drop an apple it falls to the earth. We've discovered that gravity is the natural law that governs the way our apple falls. Now we understand the cause-effect relationship that exists between our dropping an apple and that apple falling to earth. With that understanding we can accurately predict what will happen when we drop our apple. Faith is removed from the equation...unless you consider our belief in the law of gravity a kind of faith. (Quantum mechanics makes the claim that the law of gravity and other natural laws are a matter of probabilities...there is a one in a trillion, trillion...or some such high number...chance that our dropped apple will simply float away.)

Those that believe in evolution as the explanation for the beginnings of life on earth are usually quick to tell you that they believe in science not faith. Now, I have to say that I believe in the scientific method. But the scientific method is rigorous and demands that proof only exists in reproducible results so, the theory of evolution is not, strictly speaking, good science. Believers in the theory have the faith that it is true. They go forth with that faith to see what supports their view and often dismiss what does not. Faith creates in the believer a world-view that allows them to make sense of the world around them. The faith of an evolutionist tells him something quite different about the natural world than the faith of a creationist does. The facts are the same. It is our interpretation that is different because of our different faiths.

Faith imparts an expectation in the faithful. Those that believe in ghosts, for example, are most often the ones to see them while non-believers rarely have such encounters. Those with the faith that such things exist expect to see them so their minds may fill-in-the-blanks when a different explanation isn't immediately apparent.

Our minds impose order on the world around us when we hold such views. We tend to only see what supports our world view and ignore what does not. That's something that all human beings do. It can be both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that it allows us to make some sense out of the world. It helps us to explain things that we might not be able to otherwise. It also allows us to make some predictions about the future. It can be a curse in the sense that our world view may not allow us to perceive things that don't neatly fit into it.

For example, the scientist that doesn't believe in UFO's may dismiss any evidence to the contrary as something in his world view...like swamp gas. For those who are believers it's no stretch of the imagination to see one. The believer may even jump to the conclusion that they've seen one because of their belief. Now some flying objects are unidentified but whether or not they are alien spacecraft or some other unknown phenomenon is the question. Starting off as a skeptic seems to me to be the most prudent approach.

A 'reasoned faith' is one that starts off with some measure of skepticism. That's what separates it from superstition. A reasoned faith has something in common with science here. While I'm a firm believer in 'good' science...I don't believe the scientific method can answer everything. Some things require a leap of faith.

It becomes obvious from the above that faith is even more tricky a subject than it may first appear.

As a man of faith, I believe that the Bible is the revealed word of God. That is to say first that there is a God and He cares for what goes on here so much that He revealed knowledge to us that we wouldn't easily find otherwise. My faith may be considered simple superstition by some skeptics but my belief in the causal relationship between say...disobedience to God's commandments and our misery is a reasoned belief. Still...it requires a leap of faith.

I can't 'prove' God exists or that He left us a written 'users guide' for our benefit. Where I see a clear thread between the 66 books of the Bible, written by 40 different authors over the course of some four thousand years...others see only a collection of myths and plagiarized materials from other cultures. I  have faith that God had His hand in guiding the authors and compilers of the Bible. I can't prove it to someone who doesn't want to believe but I am absolutely convinced of it. There are so many ways that the Bible is not like any other book in the world. But, I'll never convince a non-believer of any of them. And, that doesn't bother me in the least.

My faith gives me the certainty that neither the universe nor life are accidental. My faith assures me that history has a beginning, a purpose and an end. My faith tells me that there is a missing dimension in human psychology, one unknown to most people. That missing dimension is the influence of a spiritual realm on our reality. Science can't prove or disprove that. It takes a leap of faith.

What I know is this...without my faith I don't know if life would be bearable. I see people all around that seem to live hopeless, cruel and unhappy lives without any faith and I honestly don't know how they do it.

Am I deluded? As a person who tries to be intellectually honest I have to allow for the possibility that I may be. And, that doesn't bother me in the least either.

My faith has added so much to my life that I can't begin to communicate it all. I live with the quiet assurance that what happens on this little blue planet means something more. My faith tells me that love is the best way of life. My faith tells me that other people are my extended family. My faith tells me that every one of them matters. This is not all there is. My faith tells me that God will not allow us to destroy ourselves. My faith gives me hope for the future. My faith tells me that there is a better world coming.

My faith prompts me to work on becoming a better man because it tells me I have to stand before God one day. What we do matters.

While other people describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious", I'm not really sure what that even means. What I am is a man of faith in God.

I can't imagine living life any other way.

Dr. Warren Donworth

I saw a book years ago that was titled: Meetings With Remarkable Men. While I only skimmed the book, it has struck me over the years that the direction of our lives can change overnight by our encounters with such people. I believe God sometimes puts such men in our paths to teach us about life. I've been very fortunate in my life to know a few remarkable men. One of the most remarkable I've known is a man named Warren Donworth.

Dr. Donworth is a professor of Welding Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. A few years ago I decided to go back to school to learn welding and blacksmithing. I looked all around only to find that the best program in the country was 20  minutes from my doorstep. ACC, like most community colleges, has a welding program that was started to fill a need in the community. When Dr. Donworth took over the program it was set to be discontinued. He was tasked with rejuvenating it. In what can only be described as pure genius, Dr. D expanded the welding curriculum to include classes in Art Metals. He reasoned that some people who would like to learn to weld didn't necessarily want to go into technical welding. Some people just want to use welding skills to make metal art.

The program has proved to be a tremendous success. The Art Metals program expanded to include blacksmithing and jewelry making. The energy in the welding department now is palpable. People are just plain excited to take classes there! The addition of art metals has proven to be synergistic as well. Technical welders look over and see artists making metal sculptures and want in on it. Art students look over at technical welding classes and see the potential for a new career and want in on that! People now come from all over the country to join the program. And all of this because of a remarkable man thinking outside of the box.

Dr. Donworth holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration and wrote his dissertation on welding technology in Texas community colleges. Sitting in on one of his classes makes a few things immediately apparent. The man is a genius. He loves what he does and he instills that love in his students. He is the kind of teacher that makes learning exiting, fun and practical. He uses his deep, resonate voice and his vast knowledge and experience to make difficult concepts crystal clear. This man is a true teacher and motivator.

While Dr. Donworth and his lovely wife Koma have no children of their own, Dr. D has become a father-figure to hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of students over the years. His logic is simple...the college experience exists to get people into the work force. Taxpayers subsidize the students he teaches and he figures that they deserve to get a return on their investment. With that in mind Dr. D connects both former and current students with the work force opportunities in welding and welding inspection. He maintains the relationships and connections he's made, in some cases, for many years. When asked what his favorite thing is he is quick to answer: “Launching careers.”

One of the most remarkable things about Dr. D is the fact that he could go anywhere he wants and do anything he wants but he chooses to teach at a community college. He even stepped down as the department head of the program he created...just to teach. He was born to do it. He's probably launched more careers than any other instructor I've ever met. Any of his students will tell you how lucky they feel to have had him in their lives. I'm certainly one!

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Dr. D is that, despite his higher education,  he has maintained his common sense! ( The old joke is that BS doesn't mean Bachelor's of Science, it means: BS! MS means: "More of the Same", and PhD means: "Piled Higher and Deeper"! ) Dr. D doesn't live in any Ivory Tower. He's often been referred to as a "Blue Collar PhD". He's one of those rare men that has maintained his connection to reality despite his lofty education.

One need only get him talking about politics to see that his common sense guides his thinking. More rare yet is that he is a conservative in world known to be mostly inhabited by liberals. That in it's self is enough to tell you he is his own man. He embodies the American spirit through and through. He's innovative, he's independent, he believes in giving back to his community and he's a light in a dark world...the kind American students need desperately. ( Now if we can just convince him to run for office!...Or, at the very least, clone him!! )

One may read this and think that it's only about Dr. Donworth. That isn't true. You see, I've been blessed not only to have this remarkable man as a teacher but I have the honor of knowing him as a friend as well. In a sense this is about how my life has been rewarded because of him. I am able to do what I do, and live where I live today, because of my friend Dr.Warren Donworth.

Thanks Warren...

Onward and Upward into the Light!

We Remember...

This nation has poured out the blood of it's sons and its treasure to free the oppressed in every corner of the globe. The American Man-at-Arms has helped to end slavery, Nazism,
Communism, petty dictatorships and oppressive regimes all over the earth. They did it out to the belief that all men should be free. That's an American ideal.

 It is true that I could simply give God the credit and ignore the men who have died in the wars that we've fought. But, the scriptures tell me that there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friend.

As a Christian, I don't believe it is appropriate to honor all holidays. National holidays, however, are another matter. I am an American and as an American, I believe we all should acknowledge the sacrifices others have made on our behalf. Holidays like Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day are a part of our national heritage. On our national holidays I believe we should acknowledge the sacrifices of the men who have given so much for us...

Christ gave His life for all of us. He lived a sinless life and He gave His life's blood to pay for my sins. My first duty, above and beyond anything else in life, is to honor and serve God. But, I am not blind...There have been too many others who have sacrificed their own lives for the liberty of their countrymen. It is the very least we can do to acknowledge those sacrifices.

I have no doubt that God's hand was in the founding of this exceptional nation. I have no doubt that we have had divine guidance and protection in our history. God has used this nation to do a part of His work on earth. He has used men and women knowingly and unknowingly to fulfill His purpose. What other nation in the history of the world has been so selfless in freeing oppressed people? What other nation has been so generous? What other nation has beaten it's enemies then rebuilt their countries and forgiven their debts? What other nation has shined so brightly? What other nation has been such a beacon of freedom to the world? It is the American Man-at-Arms that has selflessly served as an instrument of peace and freedom in the world for over two centuries.

On this Memorial Day we remember all those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. On this day we honor their sacrifices.  Like the old saying of veterans goes... "All gave some, some gave all". We honor them because it is the right thing to do.

I know one day all those who died for our freedoms will breathe again. They didn't all know that...and still they fought.

We Remember...

Greater Love has no man...

In Praise of MBFTND

Man's Best Friend The Noble Dog...

I am constantly in awe of dogs. I sometimes hold them in higher esteem than I do other human beings. Dogs understand love, loyalty, affection, friendship, joy, forgiveness, gratitude...all the good stuff! Internet news is full of stories about dogs saving people, becoming friends with some other animal and showing loyalty to their friends, some even after death.

Dogs are capable of unconditional love. They don't judge someone by their race or economic standing. They don't care what someone looks like or how intelligent they are. Dogs see through to the core of people. If my dog doesn't like someone, that's reason enough for me to hold them suspect.

Dogs are beings that live to please the person or family they live with. They are capable of bringing so much love and joy into a home. My girl, Sarah Belle, has made my house a home because of the goodness she brings to it.

I can't understand why some people get dogs only to chain them up or put them in a fenced enclosure and only pay attention to them when the mood hits them?
Some people get them as puppies and them virtually ignore them when they're grown? There are some people who just don't seem worthy of a dogs love to me. Then there are those who get them to intentionally abuse them or fight them.

It breaks my heart to hear someone has abused a dog. I've heard and seen dogs that have been abused, tortured and neglected. I've seen dogs who have had their legs cut off. I've seen dogs who have had acid poured on them, some that have been set on fire and some that have been wrapped in garbage bags and thrown into the trash. I've even seen a couple who have had all that happen to them. All of those things were done out of heinous cruelty...a cruelty that most animals aren't even capable of...only humans are.


I'm ashamed to admit it but, when I was young, I was cruel to the dogs around me. I didn't torture or kill them. I was just mean to them. I had a childhood filled with alcoholism, anger and violence. It all seemed to roll down on me because I was the bottom of the totem pole. Only dogs were lower so I took out my helplessness and my anger on them.

I didn't know that a dog would have been the very answer to my prayers.
I didn't know that I could have had a best friend. I could have had unconditional love and affection from the very ones I was cruel to... It breaks my heart to think about it. My Sarah Belle has taught, is teaching, me so much...

I've already learned things about love and loyalty that I never knew. All from my Sarah Belle...

Dogs are a gift from God I'm sure of it! I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn one day that my Sarah Belle is actually an angel. I know she's a blessing...

Thank You God...