Ahh how nice.

Ok so I recently reread all my posts.

I saw a few oopsies (spelling errors etc...) but overall I think I have done fairly well.

I would like it very much if all you out there would read at least one of my older posts though.
That would be my post about sandwiches. (2008)

It is a really good one and I think it deserves review.

I am not sure how I feel about the dream one... (I do not remember having the dream now)

But all in all I think I have done well.

Just remember these posts (all of them) are opinions. They are my opinion. and some of them might not match your views as well as you might like.

That is the beauty of Being an American. We are all allowed to be individuals we can each be ourselves. I hope... no I pray That this is something that will always remain true!

Favorite Media

Soon theater's around the country will have the newest Star Trek Movie on their screens.

I find myself a little excited (although after getting my hopes up so much about Star wars episode 1 and being slightly let down I am wary.)

and this makes me think... what are some of my favorite movies?

I realized long ago that there wasn't any ONE movie which was my all time favorite, at least not yet.

So here is a list of movies which I have liked.

Star Trek 4 the Voyage home. A fish Called Wanda. Star Wars (the whole set overall is good with a few lapses) Star Trek Insurrection.(and pretty much all the other Star Trek movies though I have misgivings about the first one) Swing Vote. The Postman (Kevin Costner's). Dances with Wolves. Rat Race. R.V. The Chronicles of Narnia. Lord of the Rings. (the whole trilogy) Wild Hogs.
E.T. The adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Elijah Wood version) the Replacements. The Rookie. And others too numerous to count. (even if it isn't here I might still like it.)

I also have liked a lot of different T.V. Shows...

Frasier, Northern Exposure, Due South, MacGyver, Pushing Daisies, J.A.G., Emergency, the original Battlestar Galactica (not the new one though I feel they ruined the franchise), Stargate, Star Trek/DS9/TNG/Voyager/Enterprise, Knight Rider, the A-Team, the Andy Griffith show, and so on.

I like to read...

The Bible, Tolkein, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchet, John Piper, C.S. Lewis, David Webber, David Feintuch, Tony Hillerman, Eric Flint, Harry Turtledove, Andre Norton, Piers Anthony, Mercedes Lackey, Dee Henderson, Jack Cavanaugh,and so much more.
(History, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, etc...)

As for other favorite things you will have to wait till the next time I get it into my head to post something like this, I am tired now and ought to get some rest.

Family

I love my Family.

I love my Wife, I love my daughters and I love having the chance to be with them.

They can be funny, they can be loving, they can also hurt me but no matter what I love them.

I am posting this because I felt the need to have something positive on here again. I want my blog to be at least a little even in such things.

So there.

BTW

I also love my friends. So if you are my family or friend I love you.

if you are not my friend... well I am sorry for that... BUT since I am a Christian, I WILL LOVE YOU ANYWAY!
And so does God.

Honesty and deception.

I seem to remember reading or hearing a conversation that went something like this...

One man says, "I wish I did not have to live to see such a time." and the other responds, "so do all to whom such times come."

This is something that happens a lot.
There is a Chinese curse which states "May you live in interesting times."

Life is not easy but we seem to enjoy making it harder than it has to be.

Many people throughout the past have pointed out that people who wish to deceive use "honeyed words" they speak in such a way that people like to listen to them and believe what they say.

This is the trap that Theoden, in the "Lord of the Rings," fell into. This is the trap that allowed his son to die.

Theoden didn't want to hear about war and danger. He didn't want to face reality! so he listened to Wormtongue and he paid the price for it.

He also refused to listen to the Counsel of Gandalf and much evil came of it.

Grima Wormtongue only wanted to receive ill gotten gains but he spoke the things Theoden WANTED to hear. Gandalf wanted righteousness and Justice to prevail so he spoke the truth. He was "plainspoken".

He told the truth even though it might hurt a little! because the little hurt was NOTHING compared to the result of lies told by others.

I think there is a very important lesson to learn here. Sometimes people will talk to us about things we do not wish to hear. They will tell us how much we have messed up or whatever.
But they really have our best interests at heart.
Others will tell us what we want to hear and we think they are the ones who are really loving but in the end we will hurt more than ever because of them.

I ask you all to keep this in mind. someday you too will be approached by someone who wants something from you.

They might sound good and they might say what you want to hear but they are your enemy.

Thank you Mr. Bush

Today as we face the inauguration of our 44th president I tend to look back in time at the office of George. W. Bush.

I know I have said it before and I will probably say it again… I really believe that history will be far less harsh in it’s judgment of this man.

I honestly believe that George Bush is a good man and served us well, possibly better than we deserved.

I also see what he is doing/has done during this transition and I cannot help but be struck by the Dignity, respect and integrity Mr. Bush has displayed in this transition.

When George Bush took office the Clinton’s staff apparently got up to some serious highjinks. They glued down the staplers, removed the “w” off all the keyboards etc… the damage estimate was around $10,000.00 worth.
Yet here we see Bush opening the way for the staff of Obama’s to get a headstart. The two staffs have worked together in the past few weeks to understand what is going on, to make a smooth transition. This alone indicates how Bush was better than we deserved.

Too many people have gone out of their way to vilify the president; when all he was trying to do was lead our country in difficult times.

Thanks to Mr. Bush we have remained the United States of America. We have not been attacked by terrorists a second time. We have not been destroyed by the forces out there who do not like us. We still retain our sovereignty. And we did not shirk our duty as a country nor did we let the enemy see us as weak or soft. These are all important aspects.

So I tip my hat to you Sir. And I will raise my glass today in a quiet toast to The Honorable George W. Bush. I pray that you and yours will have a much more peaceful and enjoyable life. Well Done Mr. President, and thank you.

What's the deal?

One day when I was going through basic training in the army we were having an inspection in the barracks, the Sergeant Major himself was our inspector.
During the inspection he stopped in front of me and requested my weapon. (M-16 service rifle). I handed it to him and he asked if I had cleaned the weapon. I stated that I had. He asked if I had any "Q-tips". since I did (and since they were a standard part of our toiletries so he also knew I had) I said yes I did.
He asked for one and when I provided him with the "Q-tip" he swabbed inside the trigger mechanism and managed to get about 5 grains of dust in a corner I had not been able to access. He showed this too me and gave me a helpful, friendly suggestion on an easier way to clean that part.

After he left the rest of my Squad bay came down on me like a ton of bricks.
"Why didn't you lie to him and tell him you didn't have any "Q-tips"?"
"Why did you help him to get you in trouble?"
"Dude you are an idiot."
were a sampling of the questions I faced.
My response was, "why are you worried about it?" no one got in trouble, all of us passed the inspection, there was no reason for the fuss.
If anyone was going to suffer for the attention it would have been me and me alone.
However had I lied and said I did not have that Q-Tip then either he would have found out about that lie, or I would have been in trouble for not having an item I was supposed to have.

And EITHER of those scenarios could have put all of us in the dog house.
So I have to wonder what is the deal with our society? when we are so ready to compromise our selves for a potential gain that is really only perceived?
And why do we feel we have to dump on people who have the courage to be truthful and honest? Even when we are not affected? That is my question.

My Faith

I gotta tell you, I am a Christian.

Some are offended by people who believe as I do, but let me tell you about one of my experiences.

When I was about 15 I had an experience that I call my "road to Damascus" experience.

You see, just like what happened to Paul on his way to Damascus, I was also one day walking along a road and I felt the need to accept Christ as my savior.

The sensation I had was more than just a feeling to me.
The experience I had was very much like a voice speaking directly to me, to my heart or soul if you will. And I knew what that voice was.

A few weeks later I was hit by a car while I was riding my bike. the car was speeding and my bike was in poor condition to begin with.

I saw the car coming at me at the last second and that same voice as before told me to turn my wheel away, I did and because of that move, the car caught my back tire and threw me on the hood of the car instead of taking me under.

While rolling around on the hood I briefly lost consciousness, when I came to again I was standing at the side of the road, slightly stunned.

This all occurred at a corner where the local fire department had a shed where it stored "extra" fire engines. (the fire Department was all volunteer). Usually they did not ever need to take the engines out for much, by chance on the day in question, they had taken one of the fire engines out.
This is why about 2 minutes after the accident there was A fire engine on the scene. the only one in it was the engineer but He pulled over to the side of the road and turned on his lights.
An Ambulance was driving by at the top of the hill on the way to the ambulance drivers house so he could get some lunch, he saw the fire engine with lights on and he and his partner decided to investigate, within Three minutes of my accident the ambulance was there.

A neighbor heard the ruckus and came to investigate recognized me and went to call my mom. THE ONLY CALL MADE.

soon she too was on the scene.

I was given all that I needed in that moment, and there were way to many "coincidences" for it to NOT have been planned.

When I arrived at the hospital I was checked by the doctor who found several skin abrasions from traumatic contact with a rough surface (road rash) and a mild concussion.

I believe right there that God Stepped in and worked in my life.

Recently I started reading a book by John Piper titled Future Grace.

In this book I have read that we sometimes fall into the "Debtor's Ethic" where we feel like we have to repay someone for times when they do something nice or give us gifts. But the gratitude we feel towards God for the gifts, the grace, he gives us can not be repaid.

The only "payment" we can make on such a thing is to expect the continuing of his work in our lives or "Future Grace".

I think this is easier for me to understand because in the event's of my car accident I see All these different ways that God worked.

First, he started getting things ready before I would need them, Having the fire Department pull an Engine from that location which would need returning.

Second, he met me in my need WHEN I NEEDED it. Not before not after but When I had a need he provided it.

Third, the provision he gave was full and complete to the last amount necessary. There was no more nor less then I needed.

When I see that Grace then, According to Piper, I need to realize I can never repay God for that. All I can do is to thank him for that grace. And Always trust in him that he will know my need and provide for it... When I need it.

Now that is a great thing.