The Three Little Pigs Revisited in 2012

Once upon a time there were three little pigs who were trying to make their way in the world. The first little pig didn't think he was smart enough for college, so he found a job that paid minimum wage. The problem was he didn't make enough to cover living expenses so he lived at home with his parents. The second little pig went to college and got good grades, but when he graduated he couldn't find a job and he owed a lot of money for his student loans. He found even getting a low paying job challenging since now he was "over qualified" or else had the education, but not the experience. He too found himself living with his parents.

The third little pig went into business and made a lot of money. He then decided to go into politics and soon found himself making laws that affected the lives of all the little pigs. He figured out that if he worked it right, he could make laws to benefit his business and make him even more money. Unfortunately, the laws made life more difficult of the other two little pigs. Pig #3 was doing really well when the big bad wolf of depression came to call. Pig #3's business and interests were only marginally affected by the wolf, but the other two little pigs lost the jobs they had and their parents struggled to keep their homes. Pig#1's parents lost their home to foreclosure and they were getting ready to have to live on the streets. The wolf had taken so much from them.

Pig#3 didn't seem to care much about what was happening to the other little pigs in the country. He was busy trying to find ways to cut spending to help the other pigs while enhancing the businesses of himself and all the other business pigs. He, if asked, would rationalize his actions by saying that helping business pigs would be the best way to help the non-business pigs. So, the business pigs got richer and all the other pigs got poorer. Eventually, because the non-business pigs had no money, the business pigs started to not make as much money as before, since, if no one has money to spend, they stop buying. Business pigs started to have their businesses fail. Some of the business pigs were able to get Pig #3 to make laws and to "borrow" money from the National Pig Association to keep them afloat. The sad thing is, while these business pigs told everyone they were having money trouble, the business pigs continued to pay their top business pigs bonuses. The now poor pigs felt so helpless, for they had worked hard and lost everything, yet the business pigs with the right connections were getting bonuses while telling everyone how bad they had it. There were some really angry little pigs, but they also felt helpless to fix things--they didn't have the right connections and now they hear that Pig #3 was trying to pass bills to take away the few things they did have, all the while telling the other little pigs that this is the only option and not to worry everything will be fine.

Doors and Windows

The door opened. Should I walk through it? Liz was busy trying to get in another way. I was reminded of the saying, "If God closes a door, He opens a window." Doors are ways to go through, windows ways to see through and open windows bring air as well as vision. However, open windows without screens also let in bugs and dust--as do doors. So, if you go through an open door it should behoove you to close it behind you. Closing the door prevents easily going back and can for a time, make you feel trapped and vulnerable in this new space. Choices now need to be made.

1. Should I stay near the door?
2. Should I look for a window?
3. Should I explore the room?
4. Should I sit on the floor feeling sorry for myself and wondering what to do next?
5. Should I look for another way out?
6. Should I try to discover why I am in this particular room and make the best of it?

So many questions to answer. Life can be a lot like a murder mystery. You must examine the clues to discover the chain of events, thus eventually what or who caused the murder. Sometimes, for a period of time, the murder is in cold case status, then amazingly a piece of evidence ties everything together resulting in a viable solution.

I don't know why my life has turned out the way it has, but maybe that "missing piece of evidence" will turn up soon and I'll have an answer. In the meantime, I will continue to look for open doors and windows and for how I can best spend my time where I am until a door or window opens for me.

Taking back America or Becoming One of the 1%

I have been listening and watching the frustration of Americans with their difficulties. America seems to be going back to the Middle Ages, with the Kings and Lords controlling the lives of the Serfs. The Serfs pay taxes so the Kings and Lords can go about their lavish lifestyles. How is that so different from  the wealthy 1% and the 99% that are struggling? I have determined that everything boils down to money and power. He who has one or the other or even both controls those who have less. Therefore, since trying to get the attention of the 1% by demonstrations doesn't work; they just laugh and go about making life even more difficult for the 99%, I propose using their own weapons against them. Why not develop a type of think tank to bring people together with abilities and talents to create their own businesses? There is no reason why the 99% can't band together and at least make the 99% drop to, say 50%. If I have a good business idea, and you are good at bookkeeping, Suzy is good at working with people, and Dan is great with working with his hands, why not bring them all together in a corporational structure, and start making their own money and power? Just like some of these social media websites bring together friends and others, create a website to connect innovators. Let's stop allowing the 1% to dictate our lives. Let's take our lives back.

When our ancestors moved to America, they anticipated having to work hard to get ahead and many made fortunes. Unfortunately, it seems like there are so many laws now that starting a business can be challenging, but it can be done, with enough determination. We need to pull together and help each other succeed.

We also need to find a way to make sure Congress plays by the same rules we do. This not having to partake of the healthcare, social security, etc. plans that they vote for us, but do not participate in is ridiculous. We may not have a monarchy, but our Congress has set itself up in a similar fashion, by setting itself apart from the people. AND politicians must think we are stupid and that we don't know that they are lying to us. I listen to both the Republican and Democrat campaign ads and seriously, I wish the American people would as a whole boycott the November election. Both parties are accusing the other of lying and you know what, they are right. They are both taking each other's comments and actions out of context and trying to tell the American people, not how they would fix the problems, but how the other person MIGHT screw up the problem. Where are the specifics? Also, it seems like it doesn't matter who the president is, it's Congress that makes the ultimate decision. How many times has, during this term, has Obama or the Democrats proposed something and the Republicans shot it down because it was proposed by the other party and vice versa. We are NOT in middle school, you guys! Get it together. Stop trying to spend money on stupid stuff, like bridges to nowhere, and focus on using our resources to advance our country and to help our people. To be honest, Congress clearly comes across as unsympathetic to the average American. Look at what they are doing now. This idea of sequestering is STUPID. What is boils down to is blackmailing Americans. If the government does the sequestering, MILLIONS of people will be out of work and, think about this, if government workers are out of work, who will cut the Social Security checks, or in general, provide ANY of the services the government now takes care of. Think: parks, schools, state governments, disability, defense. . .  We, Americans have been led to believe that government we can see is the only government there is. The truth is, the federal government is involved in so many aspects of American life, that to shut all of it down would bring the entire country to its knees and believe me, the Great Depression would look like years of prosperity, if that happened.

We need to band together and take back America. Demonstrations and writing our Congressman have not helped. It's time we got involved in the process. Most of us don't want to expend the energy to try to get something changed and we have only ourselves to blame when Congress comes up with yet another stupid thing. Okay, the real question to ask is, Who has a better idea? Instead of complaining, get together and come up with an idea that is better. How can we fix Social Security? How can we fix the healthcare thing? How can we get out of debt? A better question perhaps, is how can we hold our Congressman accountable?  Voting a new person in is the way we have always done it, but what I see happening is that one person has almost no say and that eventually that person ends up joining the "good old boys club" because if you can't beat them join them.

Unless something major changes, America is not facing a very good future. We are seeing other countries struggling with their economies and nowadays everything affects everyone else.

My Pretend Friend Phil

I've been thinking. Remember when we were kids and we knew kids who had invisible friends. If, as an adult, I had an invisible friend, I think I would name him Phil. I realize that Phil is a guy's name and that I probably should pick a female pretend person's name, but maybe I could have two pretend friends. I will stick to Phil for now, though, at least until I get to know him better. Let's see what Phil might be interested in. Phil is an intellectual and enjoys culture and history as much as I do. He wants to have fun, but learn something new too. He is well set financially which is great because he loves to travel and see new places and make new friends. The thing that drew me to Phil is that he makes me feel important and included. Phil and I are soul mates, of course, being a pretend made up person, he would be. I can talk to him about anything and he knows just how to respond. Unlike so many guys I've met, he doesn't try to "fix" things unless I want him to. I am thinking about taking him with me when I go to a movie next week. It is some much more fun to share adventures with someone, than to just go alone. Phil enjoys a nice dinner out now and again, but is an awesome cook and likes to experiment in the kitchen too. He and I cook together. He would rather go to a museum than a sports event and I like that. There is still so much I need to learn about Phil, but since he is a pretend person, I can make him into whatever I like.
Sometimes I wish pretend people were real and I suppose that somewhere there is a real Phil that is very much like my pretend one. In fact, his name may be different than Phil.
Sorry guys because my brain goes constantly, I do a lot of "what if" thinking. I really don't have a pretend friend, but if I did, it would be Phil.

Desiderata - Les Crane

Children's Story: Do You Like Bears?

     

   It was a wonderful day. It was Benjamin Theodore Bear’s birthday. It was not just his birthday. It was his eighth birthday. It was the day in a bear’s life when he must leave Toyland and seek an owner. Benjamin T. would have to hurry, the Toyland Trolley leaves in just one hour. While he was dressing and eating breakfast Benjamin T. was wondering what his new owner might be like. Rebecca B. Rabbit promised to walk with Benjamin T. to the Trolley stop. Rebecca and Benjamin T. had spent many hours playing together and Benjamin T. would miss Rebecca B. Rabbit. As soon as Rebecca arrived, Benjamin and she started for the Trolley stop. It was a short walk, and they had timed it perfectly. The Trolley was on time. Benjamin T. hugged Rebecca good-by and climbed aboard. He was not the only toy with his eighth birthday today. The Trolley was nearly full. Benjamin T.’s ticket was for Someplace, Peopleland. It was the fourth stop. Benjamin T. rode for nearly two hours before the conductor announced his stop. Suddenly, he was afraid. As he climbed down the Trolley steps he could feel his heart pounding. The Trolley pulled away and Benjamin T. was alone. Gulping hard, he began walking toward town. He had only gone three blocks when he saw a small boy playing with his trucks. “Vroom. Vroom” The little boy was making noises for his trucks and cars.

            “Excuse me, excuse me, little boy.”

            The boy looked up and said, “What do you want?”

            “I was wondering if you like bears.”

            The boy looked at him strangely and said, “No, but I like lions and tigers”, and he made the sounds of lions and tigers going “Grrr and roar”. He started jumping around and waving his arms. Benjamin T. took a couple of steps backward and decided that he didn’t want this boy for his owner. While the boy continued to make these growling sounds, Benjamin T. started down the street.

            He walked, and he walked, and he walked. He approached a little girl playing with her dolls. “Excuse me, little girl.” The girl looked up. “Do you like bears?”

            Seeming to ignore Benjamin’s question she said, “We’re playing tea-party. Would you like to play tea-party with us?”

            “Certainly, what do I do?”

            The girl said, “Sit down and I’ll pour you some tea and get you a piece of cake.”

            Benjamin T. was getting a hungry by now and cake sounded wonderful. He sat down. He looked at the tiny cups and saucers and the small pieces of cake and thought he might like having this girl for an owner. The girl handed Benjamin his piece of cake. While she poured the tea, Benjamin took a bite of cake. He stopped. “Oh dear, on no, what can I do?” he thought, “This cake tastes an awful lot like sand. If I spit this out the girl’s feelings will be hurt. Yet, what can I do? I can’t swallow it.” The girl continued chattering about her tea party. Benjamin T. was going to have to do something with the sand in his mouth, but what? He had an idea! The girl looked away and he upset his teacup. “Oh my, I seem to have spilled my tea!”

            She didn’t notice Benjamin T. spitting out the sand as she cleaned up the spilt tea. She said, “Let me pour you more tea.” After she poured the tea she asked, “How was the cake?”

            Benjamin T. Bear said, “It tasted a bit like sand.”

            The girl was offended that Benjamin T. Bear did not care for her cake replied, “But it was sand. Everyone knows that when you play tea party you don’t really eat the cakes. You just pretend to eat them.”

             Benjamin T. stood up, “I seem to be running late for something and must go. I hope I didn’t ruin your tea party too much. Good-bye.” The girl didn’t even notice Benjamin T. Bear start down the sidewalk. She just went on playing tea party.

            Benjamin T. Bear asked everyone he met, “Do you like bears?” One lady he asked told him she did not have time for that kind of silliness. What was he to do? There was a park bench near the sidewalk and Benjamin T. decided to rest and think. When he left on the Toyland Trolley this morning to look for an owner he didn’t think it would be this hard. What could he do? There is no way to return to Toyland. Here he was, it was going to be getting dark in a couple of hours, he was hungry, tired, discouraged, and still without an owner. It wasn’t because he hadn’t tried. He had asked everyone he saw if they liked bears. No one seemed to have time for him. As he sat a tear started down his furry face. A voice, coming from beside him said, “Oh my, little bear, what’s the matter?”

            “No one likes bears. Do you like bears?”

            Oh yes, I love bears. Why do you say no one likes bears?”

            Benjamin T. told the lady his story. When he finished, the lady had a tear running down her cheek. “I was waiting for someone to meet me for lunch, but it doesn’t look like they are going to make it. Do you think, perhaps, you would care to have lunch with me? I know you are tired, and I’m sure your feet hurt, but if you think you might be able to walk to that green house with a picket fence we could lunch together.”

            “Could I?” Benjamin said, with just a ray of hope. In answer, the lady reached out her hand and said, “Here, give me your paw.”

            Benjamin knew that he had found his owner.

Reunions

I came away from my 25th college reunion with the overwhelming desire to have answered questions like "What do you do?" (having gone to a Christian college) with "Oh, I'm a striptease dancer" or maybe, "I'm a professional hobo". I'm sure the reactions would be just as dramatic as if I had said, "I'm a multimillionaire." Why do we feel we need to define ourselves by what we do? We would never consider answering the "What do you do?" quest with, "I am a chair," yet we have no problem saying we are a mechanic, engineer, lawyer or teacher--all just as much nouns as chair, table, car or book. Having established which noun those in our circle represent, we, categorizing them by our personal order of importance, find ourselves directing our attention to those whose order of importance tops our list. We merely acknowledge the existence of those toward the list bottom. Does the asking of "What do you do?" serve the purpose of weeding out those worthy of our attentions?

Take a look around, you will see people shifting restlessly and nervously, carrying on superficial conversations in which they really have no interest. It's like they are bored with their lives and assume others are not. The bragging is done merely because they are not so much trying to impress, but to convince themselves they are happy with their own lives.

Reunions should be a place to relive the past, a place to realize the history that brought us to the today. The path we began may have changed directions many times on our way, yet vital to the present are the footprints of yesterday and the friendships that helped shape our character of today.

Internet Dating

Internet dating is like entering a science fiction book--some truth and a lot of fiction. After trying it several years ago, I swore I would never do it again. Well, I must be a glutton for punishment and thought I'd sign up for a month again. Truthfully, I usually only can stand it about a week or two before I bow out. I have had a few dates courtesy of a couple dating sites. Maybe it's just me, but I seem to be able to connect with the most unusual people. Let me tell you about my dates. The first one was 55 and went home to mama every weekend. I think it is admirable that he liked to spend time with his mother, but EVERY weekend!. Date number two suggested I make a meal, rent a movie and he would come over to enjoy it. Okay, since I had other company at the time, I cooked and got the movie. He showed up half an hour late (mind you, I mean it when I say we are eating at such and such time). He then told me he had almost not come, as he handed me a rose which he had so squeezed the life out of that it wilted over his hand. So we ate, and he and I attempted to watch the movie. At least I attempted. He was busy petting my arms and legs like I was a puppy dog. (This happened for the ENTIRE movie) That was our last contact, if you haven't figure that out already. I waited for a while before trying the dating thing again. I wish I would have waited forever. The third date and I met at a movie theater for our first contact and after the movie stopped at Applebee's. We ordered some appetizers and while eating he asked me if I liked the show Fear Factor. I don't really like those kind of things and REALLY don't like to think about them when I am eating. It seems that he found a large spider on his desk at work and followed his impulses to scoop it up, take it into the next room where his co-workers were and ceremonially ate it. He then asked me if I thought I could eat bugs because he liked it. There went my appetite. Time to go. Okay, the fourth date was much better than the first three unless you are bothered about the guy talking nonstop about the awesome female he met at church that morning. The bike ride was nice, the conversation, not so much. I say all that to say this. I have waited several years to try internet dating again and so, in a moment of insanity, I signed up to meet what may turn out to be an alien from Mars. Here's how it has been going. I started communicating with a guy whose profile said he was in Virginia, but it turns out he lives in Colorado and supposedly works in DC. His profile also said he was 62. His picture didn't really line up and I asked him about that. Of course, his answer was he actually was 63 (remember the profile said 62 and it also said he was a new member). By this time, I am wondering more and more about the veracity of his profile.  Once he gave me his name and I knew he was in Colorado, I could do a internet search on him. The search turned up that he was actually 77 years old, not 62 or 63. How do I do this? Oh, you know the best part, on his profile he wrote:"I trust people until they show me otherwise".

Am I the only one who has such strange things happen when they try internet dating? I keep telling myself that even if I met the person at church, on the street or wherever that I they same type of thing could happen. I don't know, but it makes for an interesting blog.

If you try internet dating, I hope yours turns out better than mine. My sister and her daughter met their husbands online. Perhaps I have too high standards. I expect honesty, faithfulness, liking to travel, a passion for learning, and an interest in cultural activities. I don't want a drunk, someone who smokes, has tons of issues, is married/legally separated, or someone who is a control freak. I also have discovered that I don't want someone who is tied to mama, pets me like a dog, only wants to talk about other amazing women, or pretends to be 15 years younger than what they are.

In a science fiction book you never know what the alien will do or be like. You also never know what planet they are from at first. Perhaps they are shape shifters or transformers. Do you really want to get into their UFO before you find out a lot more about them? Do you see how I think internet dating is like a science fiction story in the making? If you wish to enter the sci-fi world of dating, I wish you more luck than I have had.

Movie Thoughts: Red Tails

Awesome movie! It is about time we recognized some of the lesser known heroes. The sad part is that once the war was over it took an awfully long time for even a small bit of equality to happen. There were a couple spots that the acting was a bit rough, but by the time the movie ended, I felt like standing and clapping. Of course, I am ex-Air Force and was active duty on the tail end of women in the Air Force being WAFs--which, to those who don't realize it, women, like the Tuskegee Airmen, had their own division of the Air Force. It was just months before I went active duty in 1977, that women became "service members" and not WAFs. When I got to my first duty assignment, my OIC turned to me and said he told MPC not to send a woman--women were lazy and did a poor job. I was in an all male office, and no one would speak to me. I put up with the nonsense for a couple of weeks, hoping things would change. It finally came down to me slamming a route folder down in front of the NCOIC and saying, "How do I do this?" This "lazy woman" turns out was the best radar predictor on base and when it came time for me to ship out to a new duty assignment, was given an Air Force Commendation Medal.
Red Tails was well done. I'm glad it was presented in such a positive way and not just in the style of a documentary. The dogfights were great--makes me wonder how they did all the special effects. I know there aren't that many WWII aircraft around anymore, nor would they want to blow them out of the sky like that.
Go see this movie. I bet you'll like it.

Movie Thoughts:Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The movie begins with a scene from Budapest. I'm not a big fan of Budapest, but at least they could have told us that the shooting was done in Buda, but I suppose that most people would not know that Budapest is actually two cities--Buda and Pest (pronounced Pesht). I felt like I was watching a movie from the early 60s or 70s which had the European approach of not much action in a great amount of time. I actually contemplated taking a nap and wondered if I would miss anything. If a person was paying attention, they could have figured out the ending within the first fifteen minutes. In general, this was a ho hum slow moving drama.

BUT on the other hand, if you get a chance to see Sherlock Holmes DO IT! Loved the movie. Lots of action and kind of reminded me of the excitement of the Indiana Jones movies mixed with a little James Bond. I hope they do more. My daughter liked this Holmes movie even better than the first one. There is a few glitches, but only those who have been to Paris would realize. When it was said that Moriarty was going to the Gare du Nord because it was the closest train station, Sarah and I beg to differ. The closest train station would have been the Gare D'Orsay or Gare du Louvre. The Hotel du Triumph that they blew up would have been located near the Arc d'Triomphe not near the Louvre. There is a Hotel du Louvre right there that looks suspiciously like the destroyed hotel. As long as you don't get caught up in the nit picky details the film rocks.

Book Thoughts: The Ghost Mountain Boys

It is apparent that James Campbell did a great job of researching information in the writing of his book, The Ghost Mountain Boys. This writing adventure covers the story of the taking of New Guinea during World War II and in particular follows the 32nd Battalion from the Wisconsin  and West Michigan area. It had an interest to me since I have lived in West Michigan for 20 some years. What these soldiers endured was horrific and Campbell uses diaries and interviews as resource materials. There were some very brave soldiers that spent most of their time in New Guinea sick and/or injured, yet continued to fight. Malaria, Jungle Rot, ingenue fever, dysentery, fleas, poor equipment (or no equipment), heat, rain, and starvation were some of the trials they faced. If you were a fan of General Douglas MacArthur prior to reading The Ghost Mountain Boys, you might have to adjust your impressions. MacArthur pretended to the rest of the world that he was right there leading the troops into battle, when in actuality he was miles away in a protected compound and had no real idea about the battles that were fought. He did not know, or care, that, in the jungle environment, there would be days that the troops only made a couple hundred yards of headway and that planning an attack could be impacted by the inability of the soldiers to make it to the battle area. He seemed to be convinced that the reason New Guinea was taking to long to overtake was that the troops were poor and uncommitted, when in actuality they were sick and starving with little or no outside support.
I came away from this book with a new appreciation of the sacrifices our troops made for us. There is so much that we don't know, I'm sure that the casualties go way beyond the end of the war in the impact on the soldier's lives and also on the lives of their families. No one who fought in New Guinea remained unchanged by the experience. I also came away with  negative feelings toward MacArthur. This guy seemed to like the spotlight so much that he did not consider anyone else. At least, when MacArthur left New Guinea to take back the Philippines, his commanders used the lessons learned on New Guinea and because of that, many soldier's lives were saved. It is so sad that a good share of those who fought in New Guinea also died there and things could have been so different.

Occupy

Here in Washington, DC, like in several cities in America, and even overseas,we see a group of people trying to force the ruling entities to listen to their voice. Frustration with how things are going in our country is not a new thing. The impression that politicians, who promised to fix the problems, are themselves part of the problem, is growing. The everyday news that portrays our government leaders as a glorified group of middle schoolers adds to this impression. Why do the politicians from one party spend more time trying to shoot down ideas from the other party, just to "make the president and his party" look bad? These people are supposed to be looking after the country's interests, not playing stupid games. They seem to think that the American people don't really know what is going on. Reality check. The people outside with their Occupy signs are not just poor, ignorant people. There are doctors, nurses, engineers and a plethora of other professionals mixed in with the homeless, under-employed, and the young. This is more than the sit-ins that occurred in the Sixties, where the protesters were portrayed as hippies, and naive college students. The politicians give the impression that if they ignore the Occupy people, that they will get tired of protesting and will go away or winter will come and it will be too cold for them to want to hang around. Even if they do go home for the winter, don't forget politicians, next year is election year.

1. Let's look a bit at exactly why these people are protesting, shall we? The American government has bailed out the car companies and the banks. Fine. There is a bit of a rub when the typical American can barely feed their family and many are losing their homes and jobs, only to see on the news that the very banks that were bailed out have given their top executives bonuses in the millions of dollars. I'm sure that a share of the wealthier population see the protest as one that would take their wealth away to evenly distribute among the masses i.e. communism. I recall that one of the Presidential contenders, Herman Cain, basically has said that the protesters should get off their butts and work hard like he did to get his money. Granted, there are some people that expect to live off the backs of others, but I propose that a good share of those protesting are not asking for a hand-out, but a chance at making a better life. I had a good job, until they eliminated my position to cut costs. Let me tell you, it was not easy to find another job and I have a graduate degree. It does seem awfully unfair that the wealthy get wealthier and the poor get poorer. Okay, wealthy person, if you want the protesters to go away, give them a job and a chance to do well. Don't just hoard your wealth or flaunt it, use it to make the world a better place. Oh, and I think that Congress should share some of the pain. Right now, they seem to be immune to the rise and fall of our economy. Vote in a caveat that, if the budget is not passed, they can be looking at not getting a paycheck with the rest of us. Tie their paychecks to the way the government is going. It has become extremely obvious that Congress is in the pockets of those who hold the most money and influence. "Money talks"--let's let it talk for the 99% of Americans too.  

October Thoughts

Who hasn't had a good deed toward them tainted with the realization that the other person only did the deed to enhance themselves? How does that make you feel? Have you ever done the same thing?

Love supercharges action and brings true meaning to it.

Perhaps God allows His children to go through trials in an attempt to train them as "wounded warriors" in order to better serve others.

God "gentles" a person to do things His way, but we like to grab their life reins out of their hand and drive their "life coach" for them especially when we think God is going too slow. We must stop and think before we grab someone else's reins. Ask: How would we like someone doing this to us? AND Is our "life coach" under control? Even if ours is under control, it is impossible to drive two coaches at a time.

If you tell the mountain to move, don't forget to get out of the way so it can.


Remember the grass may LOOK greener on the other side, but you might want to check into WHY that grass looks greener. The beautiful new car or house the neighbor has might have been purchased from  insurance settlement money paid out because of the death of a loved one.

We can spend our days wishing for something, but the days would be more profitable if we worked toward that thing instead of sitting around wishing.


Are we so focused on getting somewhere that we do not enjoy the journey? What would it take for you to enjoy your life? REALLY?!

Never Alone

There are times in life that God, who we are taught has everything under control, seems to be absent and powerless. Here we stand, alone with the elements beating and battering, barely able to endure the onslaught, wondering where God is in all this. We feel like the picture, that we are caught in one storm after another. God seems so far from the personal God that we are taught He is. It is difficult to imagine that anyone cares and even more so that God cares when our lives move from "tornado watch to "tornado warning" to touchdown. Perhaps it is not so much that God has abandoned us, but that we have lost any control that we had over our lives. Face it, the issue boils down to whether we can trust a God separate from ourselves. God doesn't leave us. We step away. He still has everything under control. The person that does not have everything under control in these difficult circumstances is us. We have a choice at this point. Trust God or trust ourselves. Which do you think is more reliable? We can attempt to handle all our own situations, but there will come a time when that is impossible. I guess the greatest advantage in trusting God is the amount of stress that relieves. I am not advocating giving up and taking the approach that God does all the work in resolving the issue. Give the worrying over to God, and push up your sleeves and get to work helping Him to help you. I recognize that when you work alongside God to fix your problem, it is tempting to take all the credit for getting through the difficulty. If you do, who do you think is acting as if they are God? Who do you think is controlling your world? Be careful that you are not your own god. What is most important to you? Whatever it is, is the god of your life. Is it money, power, control, family, job. . . . ?

Movie: Midnight in Paris

    Ah Paris. Paris is a city that you either love or hate. Some see it as filthy and old; others see it as romantic and captivating. I've heard some say the Parisians are a rude lot; however, I've not experienced that. The rudeness is not any worse than in the States. This movie takes you all over Paris. You see the steps up Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysee, Arc de Triumpe, and Versailles. .. . I even saw the top of the building that houses my favorite fabric shop. I recognize some of the streets that Sarah and I have explored and the museum where they have the room with Monet's Water Lilies. If you love Paris, this is the movie to see, if for nothing else, but the visual trip through the city.

    The city doesn't change much over time and that is part of the magic. Midnight in Paris makes you revisit the times you wished you lived in another era. It seems that almost every generation looks back and sees a different time as a "golden age". What would it have been like to rub shoulders with the literary and artistic community during another century? I think that it would be very difficult to resist the temptation to change history. We would know already that, for example, Picasso's work would be valuable, that Hitler would come to power, and that Coco Chanel would play both ends against the middle. If 100 people were allowed to go back in time, wherever they chose, and each one managed to change one small thing, how different today might be. It reminds me of when I was drawing route folders for fighter aircraft. If the route was off by two degrees, it wouldn't matter much if the aircraft was only flying one hundred miles, but if it was flying 4,000 miles, it would be a great deal off course by the time it was to reach its destination. The further it flew the more there would be a variance. It could literally turn out to be a hundred miles off course. So, how much change would happen if these 100 people change one thing?

    I can't wait to go back to Paris. It is perhaps my favorite city. I like Rome, New York City, Oslo was nice, and I've been to several other "nice" places, but Paris is my favorite. I don't speak French, but I enjoy the history of a city that sparkles in the rain. The narrow cobblestone streets, the small cafes, and of course, the patisseries are those things I miss most. You must go to Paris, at least you will be able to say whether it is a love or hate for you. Let the charm of the city enfold you. Paris has had some rough spots in its history, but that has served to make the city unique. Don't compare Paris or France with the United States; let it be the magic place it is without tainting it with the comparisons of another totally different culture. You should compare the good of the culture and recognize the differences as not bad, but merely different. Americans can be so arrogant. My question is, if you go to another country to visit, why would you want it to be like home? If it were just like home, you might have better saved your money and stayed home. I go especially to experience the country's culture. I dress to fit in and enjoy the times that I am privileged to interface with the citizens. Go with an adventure in mind, and don't be afraid to step out of the guided tour box.


 

Trains

I love trains. I have no idea why, I just do. The first time I rode a train, I was fourteen years old and it was a trip my eighth grade class took. We drove to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and took the Agawa Canyon train into Canada. It seemed like a really long ride. I suppose it kind of was, especially to a teen. It was a challenge to get used to walking around the train, with it gently rocking from side to side as we rode down the track. At one point, we travelled over a railroad trestle that had a curve in it and we could see both ends of the train as it went around the curve. Looking down was not especially exciting. When you think about the fact that you are perched on a set of relatively narrow rails above a several hundred foot drop, it is a bit disconcerting. I was able to make a second trip up Agawa Canyon, this time with my family. It seems kind of strange to drive several hours just to ride a train for several hours, but I'm wondering if it might be the gentle rocking of the train car that intrigues me.

Originally, the train was made up of stagecoaches. I'm sure that even though cinders, ash and sparks flew onto the first passengers, it was intriguing to them too. It probably felt like they were flying along compared to being pulled by horses that tired easily and needed rest. I understand that some of my ancestors used the rails to travel from Arkansas to Indiana more than once. They didn't ride the train; however, they loaded their wagon and set the wheels on the train rails. It was pretty risky, if you ask anyone. It would definitely mean being on alert to when the trains were running and getting off the tracks in time.
Train robberies became quite common in the days of the old west. Jesse James and other outlaws kept the local law enforcement busy. Payrolls and mail were prime targets. So much has changed since the early days of the train, now most trains run on diesel fuel—not many use wood or coal anymore. The speed has increased to the point that there are trains that can travel over 300 mph. Until the widespread use of the automobile, towns grew up primarily along the train route. There were, and still are, hobos that follow the trains. It used to be they had their own codes and they also had a unique brotherhood.

Have you ever met any of the people who build model railroads and ride every chance they get? A train is more than just a means of transportation or of hauling goods from place to place; cars and planes do the same thing, but don't have quite the same appeal. Trains hold a special place in the history of our country. Thousands of people worked to lay the rails from Missouri to California. Good shares of those people were immigrants and yes, they weren't treated very well, but they came to America to live out a dream and many did eventually. Many also died in the process. 
Whenever you ride a train, there is so much history that is encapsulated within the ride. E. M. Forster expresses the appeal of the train so well:

 "Railway termini ... are our gates to the glorious and the unknown. Through them we pass out into adventure and sunshine, to them, alas we return."


 

 

Life Lived Via Book or Reality?

                I love a good mystery and growing up I used to think about how exciting it would be to have a job like James Bond. People do, you know—they actually do the spy thing, facing danger and risking discovery every day. These people thrive on heart-stopping terror and the stress of being discovered and what that may entail. The short time I was privy to doing undercover work in the Air Force terrified me and I determined that my extreme risk taking would be confined to the printed page. A good writer has the ability to suck you into the action in such a way that it seems like you are actually in the story. However, reading about the hairs standing up on the back of your neck because you sense someone following you is quite different than actually having it happen. If the action gets too intense in the book, you can set the book down, and walk away. Real life doesn’t come with an escape clause. The pounding of your heart, difficulty breathing, and the sweat running down your face make the fear you feel come close to paralyzing you.

 If we would not want to face danger in real life, why might we want to read about it? It makes us feel like heroes for a few hundred pages. No, seriously, we go along for the ride, and when the story wraps up, the protagonist rises to the top. We like to pretend we are the protagonist and even the weakest personality, for a moment in time, feels strong and in control.

                There are some, who, read exciting adventures and use them to “spice up” what is perceived to be an extraordinarily boring existence. I personally have known at least two people who, finding their lives to be hum-drum, created a back-story that, over time, they not only convinced themselves it was true, but shared their story with others as if it were truth. The inconsistencies began to rack up when they added too many “heroic” deeds into the mix. We are hesitant to tell someone who it seems is embellishing their life story that their story appears to be “horse hockey”. What if their story is true? Some of it may be. Most untruths have a grain of truth in it in order for it to have even a grain of veracity. What should we do if we aren’t sure about a story? Do we confront, make an effort to avoid the person, or what? I had a person tell me that they flew a special aircraft designed only for them. It was a futuristic pre-curser to the SR 71, and was called, “Dragonship”. The aircraft operated via voice command keyed to the person’s voice. It could fly around the world in a matter of minutes and was used to conduct super-secret missions in the dark of night for a clandestine organization. The person had himself convinced this was true and had enough details to make one wonder if, indeed, it was true. Granted, it almost sounded like a mish-mash of science fiction books. The person enjoyed science fiction, by the way.

                Another story this same person told was of how he flew fighter aircraft for Israel in the Six Day War. Small detail, he would have been sixteen years old and living in California. I asked him about his mom not knowing about this adventure. His explanation? The Israelis sent a clone to take his place so he could, as a lieutenant, fly critical missions in the war.

                I would like to be able to say those were the only stories he told, but they weren’t. Looking back at these and the other “life stories” he told, I should have run as far and as fast as I could from him. I grew up with the naiveté of one who cannot conceive of why someone would attempt to pass off a falsehood as truth. Therefore, I suppose, the word “gullible” was figuratively tattooed on my forehead. You may say, “How could you have believed such outrageous things?” It does seem quite incredible that I did, but people fall for cons every day. There are those that weave stories in such a way that even though one can feel that question in the back of their mind, there is not quite enough there to be a glaring falsehood. I bet everyone has at least one time in their lives been lied to or conned. Sometimes we find out and sometimes we don’t.  Perhaps we want it to be true so badly we are unwilling or unable to see the “forest for the trees”.

                I hope that I have learned to question the niggling in the back of my brain, instead of brushing it aside. I will continue to read my risky adventures, living vicariously through them and once in a while I may be daring enough to add excitement to my life. I’m not quite ready for white-water rafting, or jumping out of an airplane, but I’ve done other interesting things. Everyone needs a little excitement in their lives, just enough to get the adrenalin pumping, but not enough to paralyze you with terror. Get out there and live!

Passion

Color of passion—red                        

Symbol of passion—fire

Erasmus—passion is the intelligent balance between reason and emotion.

Passion (from the Ancient Greek verb πάσχω (paskho) meaning to suffer) is a term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something.

The term is also often applied to a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love - to a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion, a positive affinity or love, towards a subject, idea, person, or object.--Wikipedia

Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night.  ~Terri Guillemets

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.  And then go and do that.  Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.  ~Attributed to Howard Thurman

You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough.  You must want it with an exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world.  ~Sheila Graham

The opposite of passion—boredom.

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.—Oprah Winfrey

If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you. ~  T. Alan Armstrong

Passion requires focused direction, and that direction must come from three other areas: your purpose, your talents, and your needs. ~  Steve Pavlina

A musician can play perfect technically, but without passion the music is mere noise. It has no feeling. The passion of the piece is expressed through the passion of the one who performs it. Passion can be seen as well as heard.

Passion is what keeps our lives from boredom. The amount of passion in a person’s life is relative to the amount of boredom. A person with a great amount of passion is so focused on the thing they are passionate about it almost consumes them. You can see it in their eyes, their actions, and hear it in their words. What do they seem to talk about most? Their passion makes them animated when they are talking about it. This feeling of excitement draws others to them, almost as if they too want to share the fire from the torch of passion. It can be like the Olympic torch carried around the world.

The Bible has a verse that says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” I say, where there is no passion, the people perish. They have no goal in life, and in fact, some see no reason for living. Granted, passion requires a lot from a person. It requires commitment, work, and sometimes self-sacrifice. What kind of a musician would Mozart have been, or what would the world have been like if Marie Curie had not followed her passion? We complain about being just another cog in the wheel of life, but we don’t have to be “just another cog”. Think. What is it that you love? Is it something that you could be passionate about? Look for your passion. Light your torch. Lead the way. Make a difference. Most likely you will need to start small, but hold onto that torch, even if it is raining. Thomas Edison learned from all the failures he had trying to invent the light bulb, but we now have incandescent light because he kept going. It will not always be smooth sailing. An Olympic athlete trains for years to just get a chance to compete.

Perhaps you can find another person that shares your passion and you can make the journey together. What is important is to make that journey. Boredom saps your energy and makes it difficult to get up in the morning. Not so when you have a passion to follow. So, find your passion and get going.

Water Walking

Matthew 14:22-33  

1.       Immediately after the 5,000 ate Jesus made the disciples leave. Why?

a.       (Jn) The people wanted to make Jesus king by force

2.       Jesus wanted some time alone to pray. He prayed after ministering.

3.       There were two evenings in a day 3:00pm and sundown. The people were fed at about 3:00pm (v. 15) Verse 23 was sundown—the 4^th watch was between 3:00-6:00pm.

4.       Jesus must have been exhausted after ministering all day. Perhaps the reason Jesus withdrew to this solitary place (v.13) was to pray but the crowds prevented it, therefore rather than telling the crowds to leave he ministered THEN prayed.

5.       Jesus sent the disciples into the boat (knowing there would be a storm)

6.       Perhaps Jesus told the people a storm was coming and they should head home, of course, the disciples would not have heard this since they had already left in the boat.

7.       Sometimes God send us knowingly into a storm and had we known the storm was coming, would we be willing to go into it?

8.       The disciples had left before sundown and were still on the lake at 3:00-6:00am. What should have been a couple hours of rowing turned into an all night affair?

9.       The boat was 3-3.5 miles from land.

10.   The disciples in the boat were probably those closest to Jesus and would have been fishermen; therefore, they were not unfamiliar with the quick way storms came up on Galilee. It does not mention that the disciples were afraid of the storm but only of ghosts. (Things they did not recognize).

11.   What were the disciples thinking?

a.       Where is Jesus?

b.      Why did He send us out here?

c.       We are never going to see land again?

d.      When is the storm going to stop?

12.   They had been fighting the storm for hours and when they saw Jesus walking on the water they may have4 figured that because of their fatigue they were beginning to hallucinate and that at that point they were doomed for sure.

13.   Jesus went to them at the 4^th watch (3:00-6:00am.)

14.   Jesus IMEDIATELY told them not to fear.

15.   Peter wanted to be sure it really was Jesus.

16.   How many people do you know walk on water?

17.   Mark 6:48 Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars even before He went to pray, but He did nothing about it.

18.   Why didn’t the disciples turn around and head back if the storm was coming up while they could still see land?

19.   All that time they had rowed only 3-3.5 miles (Jn6:19)

20.   Peter many times spoke impulsively and this is no exception. Peter asked, “If it’s you prove it”. Do we ask, “How do I know it’s you, prove it, Lord”?

21.   Peter could have said (after Jesus said come) that’s okay now I know it’s really you and not walked on the water.

22.   The disciples had three choices (just like we do).

a.       They could have turned around.

b.      They could have given up fighting the storm and let it win.

c.       They could keep on rowing into the storm hoping to reach the other shore, hoping the storm would stop, hoping for a miracle.

23.   This is the second time the disciples were caught in a storm (Mt 8:23-27) the first time Jesus was in the boat with them.

24.   Even though they were doing Christ’s will they still meet with a storm.

25.   Jesus manifested himself to them in a great way IN the storm.

26.   Demonstration of Jesus’ power over nature—the storm did not cause Jesus to hesitate, He walked into it on the water.

27.   We cannot “walk on water” under our own power.

28.   The effect of sear—sinking.

29.   The effect of faith—walking on water—doing the humanly impossible.

30.   The solution to sinking (fear) Prayer.

31.   Peter saw the wind and had fear—the next time he experienced the wind 3000 were saved.

32.   The wind was as strong in the boat as it was outside/

33.   Peter was the only one that wanted out of the boat and the only one that got out.

34.   Mark and John do not mention Peter walking on the water.

35.   If God says, “Come”, He will provide the means. He will also be right there if you have problems however, there was no reason why Peter should have had a problem unless he started thinking about what he was doing, resulting in him focusing on self instead of Christ.

36.   Why is it that Peter had faith enough to get out of the boat but not to walk on the water? The first step is always the hardest. Is it like us many times when we agree to do something, take the first step and suddenly realize what all is involved, then want to back out? Where is our commitment? The same place Peter’s was—sinking! We, like Peter are yelling to be saved from the situation.

37.   In order to get closer to Jesus we need to commit ourselves to walking on the water and to following His commands.

38.   Sometimes we are not absolutely sure that it is God speaking to us, if we are fairly certain we should be willing to step out on faith.

39.   Christ promises peace when He saves us (the wind died down).

40.   Even if everyone else stays in the boat—you follow Christ.

41.   When Jesus got in the boat they were at their destination.

42.   By saying, “Truly you are the Son of God”, the disciples were more likely meaning to say—only God could have done that!

43.   The crowd was out to get what they could from Jesus—most had no long range plan to follow Him. Do you ever remember reading where Jesus complained to His disciples that He wished the people would go away if all they wanted was to take advantage of Him? I don’t, I know that if it were me in Jesus’ place I probably would have said that.

Small Town America





            Garrison Keillor’s tales of Lake Woebegone have struck a chord in the hearts of many Americans. Even though we are ferociously proud of our individual independent spirits there is something about small town America that warms us heart and soul. Perhaps we recognize that within our individualism is a small spot that cries for the fellowship of community. It is in time of pain or hardship that the veneer of individualism cracks, exposing our need for the touch of a caring spirit. The community in which I have lived has more than once reached out with its small town heart and embraced the hurting of the community. Raising funds for the expenses of a mom suffering with cancer, pulling together to make a home possible for a woman who was defrauded by a contractor and ministering to the families of two high school boys killed in a car accident. The pain of those hurting became the shared pain of the community.

            Beyond concern for its citizens, the small town exhibits community pride and camaraderie. Take for example, the hundreds of people lining the streets for the Christmas parade. The parade portrayed little more than local kids, tractors and local organizations, yet the frigid weather keeps few away. It is a time to see friends and neighbors and to swell with pride when a child or friend passes in the parade. I firmly believe that the types of things happening in my small town are mirrored across America. Still, America has lost a lot of the small town caring and in this time of terrorism, wars and uncertainty we need to cultivate what we have lost and to nurture that part we so tenuously still maintain.

            I’m sure that those who lost so much in the recent tornadoes are thankful for the help coming to them from the small towns across America. Their family and neighbors are just a little more precious to them and I bet that even though they lost everything, you will find them helping where they can.

            John Mellencamp captured the uniqueness of the small town in his song lyrics:

No I cannot forget where it is that I come from

I cannot forget the people who love me

Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town

And people let me be just what I want to be.

Yes, the big city holds an important place in America too, and we need both big city and small town in order to embrace the world with the heart of American caring, but for those who have lived there, there is nothing quite like the small town.

An Entry in John's Diary

Photo: Nuttakit

            Thursday was a long day, Peter and I didn’t intend to fall asleep in the garden, but we had been sent early to prepare for the Passover feast that evening. Finally, when everyone arrived, we began to eat. Jesus appeared stressed. The Jewish leaders had been particularly hard on Him lately. My first indication of His stress came when He took bread and wine, and called it his body and blood. He was difficult person to understand at times. One of us would betray Him He said. Why? We loved Him. Naturally, we wanted to know who the traitor was, but when Judas asked who it was, the rest of us were arguing over who was greatest and we didn’t catch Jesus’ reply. Peter motioned me to ask Jesus. When I did, Jesus dipped a piece of bread in wine and handed it to Judas. That didn’t seem like an answer to us. Strangely, Jesus told Judas to leave; we figured Judas was on a special errand.

            Jesus said some strange things that night—what did it mean that Satan wanted to sift us like wheat? Peter was offended when Jesus announced that he, Peter, would deny Him. We went to the Mt. of Olives after supper. Jesus wanted us to wait and pray with Him. We, being tired from the long day, fell asleep. A short time later, Judas appeared with a crowd of armed people who took Jesus to the house of the High Priest. Because of family connections, I was able to enter the High Priest’s home. It was a cold night and Peter was outside, so I asked a servant girl to let him into the courtyard. Meanwhile, in the house, Jesus was being questioned. Since He admitted being the Son of God, Jewish Law said He must die. The Jewish leaders were powerless to sentence anyone to death. In order to carry out the death sentence, they needed to convince the Roman authorities that Jesus should die. Pilate did not want to kill Jesus, but it would have been political suicide to do otherwise. The true issue had been unveiled. Jesus was a threat to the power base which the Jewish religious leaders had carefully nourished. They played their cards carefully, taking Jesus to Pilate knowing that Pilate would not risk an unfavorable report to Caesar.

            The sign over Jesus’ head was in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. These were the languages of the common people, the aristocracy, and the religious. Interesting. It was difficult to watch Jesus on the cross, yet I felt I had to be there. Even in death he was more concerned about others than He was about Himself. Just before His last breath, he committed His mother’s care to me. The next day was a High Sabbath so He was taken down from the cross. It was late in the day, and we had to hurry with the burial. We did only the absolutely necessary. The women would finish the burial requirements after the Sabbath.

            I remember passing people coming from the Temple as I made my way home that evening. Word on the street said that about the time of the afternoon earthquake, the veil of the Temple was torn completely in two—from top to bottom.

            That Sabbath was a long one for those of us in grief. What would happen to us? Our whole lives had been devoted to a man who did not meet our Messianic expectations.

            At sunrise, the women went to the tomb with spices. How my heart leapt when they came running to Peter and I crying, “He’s Alive!” We found it difficult to believe. Even entering the empty tomb left questions in our minds. Reality did not set in until Jesus came to the room where we were staying. He was the same, yet different. He had tried to tell us what was going to happen, but until we saw with our own eyes that He had risen from the dead, we did not realize that the teacher from Nazareth was our Savior and God.