On this solemn day of remembrance, may we be thankful to and be in prayer for all those who have served their country ... In honor and memory of those who have given "the last full measure of devotion" [Abraham Lincoln] that others might be free, I remind us all of the following words, penned by Katherine Lee Bates in 1904:
O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
that "fire in my belly"...
"I think my problem is that I have that fire in my belly... I struggle with it every day." ~Sarah Palin
Sarah, Sarah, there is no need for you to have to continue struggling with such pain ... there are medications available these days for that type of problem ... even over-the-counter ones. But if the Rolaids, Tums, Pepto Bismol, or Milk of Magnesia don't help, and you continue to have that sensation of "fire in [your] belly" then I would suggest you seek the help of a Gastroenterologist [a tummy doctor].
He or she can suggest some medical tests ... for example a CT scan with contrast, or a barium swallow [I hear that the stuff doesn't really taste that bad], or a barium enema, or maybe even a colonoscopy, to name only a few possible tests, that might help to determine the cause of the "fire in [your] belly." Your doctor might even decide that you need some type of surgery to relieve you of the "fire in [your] belly."
Of course, I do realize that these medicines and medical procedures, and the time you would spend in the hospital if you ended up needing surgery for the "fire in [your] belly" could run your medical bills pretty high ... and you might be one of the few thousand people who do not have good health insurance, and therefore struggle to have enough money to be able to pay your medical expenses ... in which case it might be difficult to get the problem of the "fire in [your] belly" quickly diagnosed and properly treated.
Oh, you're that Sarah Palin ... well, I guess you do have enough money and/or insurance to take care of the "fire in [your] belly". Well, as I said at the outset, don't continue to struggle with such pain day in and day out ... see a doctor. But please, don't pass the pain on to the American people by running for President of the United States in 2012. No one in America has enough money or good enough insurance to help with the pain that would cause, in the very remote chance that you might win.
Sarah, Sarah, there is no need for you to have to continue struggling with such pain ... there are medications available these days for that type of problem ... even over-the-counter ones. But if the Rolaids, Tums, Pepto Bismol, or Milk of Magnesia don't help, and you continue to have that sensation of "fire in [your] belly" then I would suggest you seek the help of a Gastroenterologist [a tummy doctor].
He or she can suggest some medical tests ... for example a CT scan with contrast, or a barium swallow [I hear that the stuff doesn't really taste that bad], or a barium enema, or maybe even a colonoscopy, to name only a few possible tests, that might help to determine the cause of the "fire in [your] belly." Your doctor might even decide that you need some type of surgery to relieve you of the "fire in [your] belly."
Of course, I do realize that these medicines and medical procedures, and the time you would spend in the hospital if you ended up needing surgery for the "fire in [your] belly" could run your medical bills pretty high ... and you might be one of the few thousand people who do not have good health insurance, and therefore struggle to have enough money to be able to pay your medical expenses ... in which case it might be difficult to get the problem of the "fire in [your] belly" quickly diagnosed and properly treated.
Oh, you're that Sarah Palin ... well, I guess you do have enough money and/or insurance to take care of the "fire in [your] belly". Well, as I said at the outset, don't continue to struggle with such pain day in and day out ... see a doctor. But please, don't pass the pain on to the American people by running for President of the United States in 2012. No one in America has enough money or good enough insurance to help with the pain that would cause, in the very remote chance that you might win.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
no... he didn't really say that... did he?
Record flooding of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Killer tornadoes through Joplin Missouri, Tuscaloosa Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and numerous other states wreaking havoc and horrendous destruction, death, and financial loss to citizens of the United States. Always, at least before today, in these situations, the federal government has done what it could to send aid, in the form of experienced disaster personnel and money, in order to augment state and local emergency personnel, secure damaged areas, save lives, and help in the rebuilding of what "Mother Nature" has destroyed.
But maybe, this will no longer be the case... Eric Cantor, Republican Majority Leader in the United States House of Representatives, announced that emergency funding to help those devastated by the recent tornadoes and storms, should certainly be sent, but only as long as there is an equal corresponding reduction of monetary assets taken away from other federal programs... in the interest of deficit reduction, of course.
When, oh when, will Republicans quit holding the American people hostage in the guise of deficit reduction?!! And when will they quit trying to "reduce the deficit" on the backs of those who are least able to bear the burden - the poor, the needy and those who are "powerless" and have little voice in our society?!!
Shame!!! Shame on you, Eric Cantor, for trying to use the sufferings and the hardships of thousands, sufferings that have resulted from "Mother Nature's" destructive forces... shame on you for trying to use them for political ends!!! In making a statement, you had a chance to give an encouraging word, to show some compassion for the people who will now be trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after the utter devastation they have been blessed enough to survive... but no, you had to make it into a political point, at their expense.... Shame on you!!! I have no doubt that your mother tried to teach you better, but you must not have listened to her lessons very well... I will say it again... Shame on you!!!
But maybe, this will no longer be the case... Eric Cantor, Republican Majority Leader in the United States House of Representatives, announced that emergency funding to help those devastated by the recent tornadoes and storms, should certainly be sent, but only as long as there is an equal corresponding reduction of monetary assets taken away from other federal programs... in the interest of deficit reduction, of course.
When, oh when, will Republicans quit holding the American people hostage in the guise of deficit reduction?!! And when will they quit trying to "reduce the deficit" on the backs of those who are least able to bear the burden - the poor, the needy and those who are "powerless" and have little voice in our society?!!
Shame!!! Shame on you, Eric Cantor, for trying to use the sufferings and the hardships of thousands, sufferings that have resulted from "Mother Nature's" destructive forces... shame on you for trying to use them for political ends!!! In making a statement, you had a chance to give an encouraging word, to show some compassion for the people who will now be trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after the utter devastation they have been blessed enough to survive... but no, you had to make it into a political point, at their expense.... Shame on you!!! I have no doubt that your mother tried to teach you better, but you must not have listened to her lessons very well... I will say it again... Shame on you!!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
the end of the world...today?
It was only recently that I became aware of a street sign on one of the major roads through my city. It simply proclaimed, "The Lord is coming. May 21, 2011". Also seen on the sign was a website, which I confess that I have not looked up, and will not mention in this post. I wondered at the sign, but didn't really think much about it until yesterday when my colleague at work mentioned that his pastor friends were posting on facebook that they were going ahead with their sermon preparation for Sunday just in case the world didn't end on Saturday, the 21st of May.
So, last night I watched some of the cable news shows, and was not disappointed to see that each of them had a short piece on this supposed momentous upcoming "end of the world" event... granted, there were not any who were taking this apocalyptic prophesy seriously, but they covered enough of the story for me to learn what was behind the sign I had seen.
In short, an elderly Christian gentleman, through his study of the Holy Bible, believes that he found passages that enabled him to calculate the exact date that Jesus will return and take the faithful believers to heaven, and at the same time that the judgement of the world will commence... that day being sometime today, Saturday, May 21, 2011.
A few thoughts about this:
I am Christian and do believe that at some time, Jesus will return, as He promised. That being said, I do feel it is important to point out a couple of things about this event:
1. When Jesus' disciples ask when the time will be that He [Jesus] will return, and what will be the sign of His coming, and of the end of the age, Jesus speaks of many events that must happen before His return [see Matthew 24]. He cautions that there will be many who will try to mislead believers [Jesus calls them false prophets], but in answer to His disciples' question of when He would return, He says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." [Matthew 24:36]
2. The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians, echoes this, as he tells the believers, "... the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night" [1 Thessalonians 5:2]... In other words, suddenly and without warning.
3. When this event does happen, it won't be in secret... all will know and see it take place. Jesus tells His disciples, "...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory." [Matthew 24:30] We will not need to be told that He has come... when it happens for real, all will know... there will be no questions or doubt in anyone's mind.
I think that there are far too many people who focus on and worry about the exact date and time the Lord will return. In the past, people have come to my house to tell me that they know when Jesus will return, and to ask if I wanted to know. My answer to that type of question is, "No." I would rather do my best to live as a faithful servant of my Lord, Jesus the Christ, so that when He does return, if it happens to be in my lifetime, He will find me living a life that brings honor to His name and doing the things that He has called me to do.
Do I believe that Jesus will return again? Yes.
Do I think he will return today, May 21, 2011? I don't know... it is always a possibility.
Am I ready for His return? I believe this is actually the most important question that each person needs to ask themselves... However, I can only answer that question for myself... You have to examine your own heart and relationship with the Lord, and answer it for yourself.
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