cairns

When I am gone, if you bring me back it will be a wasted miracle. As soon as I see you, I will be headed for the electric chair. Just saying.
peace

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Really, it’s OK.
I am.
You are.
There is One author and finisher.
We do not have to add any words to these.
peace

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Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.  For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.

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Today a group of citizens sent notice to the occupying empire. ‘Protecting us from local tribes and foreign instigators does not give you the right to maintain a military presence among us forever.  You must leave.  We claim the rights of self-governance and sovereignty.’  And the US was born.  Am I the only one who sees some irony here?

Then they declared that we have freedom of speech.  But, I did not post this to FB in order to avoid the Southern Indiana furor which would result.  The government still will not come and arrest me for saying it.  But, we have given our freedom over to whatever version of thought is currently considered politically correct and a total lack of civility during disagreements in public discourse.  That is a painful irony!

peace

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If any human being is actually looking at the sites where you are posting your garbage, this blog does not allow spam to pass through for public viewing.  None of your ads will be published.  Give it up.  Of course its probably all automated which makes this post idiotic.  May your power surge and blow your chips out! lol

peace

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For my recent life journey and for remembering the loss of faith 40 years ago in a government that cared about all its children, both the uniformed and the angry ones.  A song for the people who live in countries with no pretense of benevolent government at home or abroad (this version is from Haitian relief, if you like it you can still contribute and the need is dire and ongoing).  A song for mankind’s lonely moments looking into the vastness of the universe and for a Savior crying out in the moment of greatest unity between God and man.

06 Motherless Child

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It was beautiful to see all of the loved ones who came, some from far away; the excellent weather on top of the little hill at Garrison Chapel Cemetery; and to share in the hope and challenge of a life lived in service to God.

I thought I would include a link to my marked copy of what we shared for some who could not be there.

Moms funeral

Thanks to everyone who attended, who prayed, and who loved our parents.

peace

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This started out as a warning from somebody who learned about our country’s methods of dealing with frightening dissent back in the day.  So, I put together this list of names and places anyone speaking in terms of violence should know.

Daniel Shay, John Brown, Benedict Arnold, Kent State, Jackson State, Wounded Knee, Fred Hampton, David Koresh, Orangeburg, Tim McVeigh, SLA

They have one thing in common.  The US has never been a country where revolution or loose talk about revolution are safe activities, even for bystanders.

Both the Jeffersonian and the Reagan revolutions were achieved with the ballot, not the bullet.  So was the election of 2008.

But, as I have thought about it more, there is a deeper level that has not dawned on the folks broadcasting their support for either party.  Anyone who believes that our national government only taking care of the wealthy while waging war on the rest of the world will add up to a better life is just not paying attention to the constant decline in standards of living experienced by working people under those policies.  The only thing trickling down is the condensation on CEO’s golden shower curtains.

Anyone who believes that the Democrats can come up with a large national plan that will meet everyone’s needs while not taxing the working man to death, is probably still in the bonds of modern thought.  It was a nice dream, that man could invent grand answers that would eliminate suffering and injustice.  But, man is not God and the experiment failed. One of the biggest lies in American public policy is known by all common folk to be, “I am from the government and I am here to help you!”

I now see myself politically (and in all other areas) as a post-modern.  Answers work best on small scales, near the point of need, with ownership and empowerment of those affected most by the problem and proposed solutions.  Neither national party promises that, even though the GOP would like you to believe that they do.

So two last names for anyone selling your soul to any part of the political machine — P.T.Barnum and Jesus Christ; duly warned and Kingdom come.

peace

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I keep reading and seeing writings by American Christians about the gifts of God. They aren’t wrong… completely. God loves to give and everything that exists does so by the continuing gift of creation and grace of God.

But, there is a bottom line. No other gift compares to it in any way. And it should not be transformed to sound like any other gift by verbal gymnastics. To do so is nothing less than sacrilege.

God’s greatest gift is God.

not God’s healing, saving, blessing, wisdom, church, supposed war power, affluence, poverty, transforming love……………………….. or even life

God’s greatest gift to us is God.

But, God is by definition beyond our definitions, our grasp, our full comprehension even as revealed in Jesus. I am grateful that God is revealed in all other true gifts — the creation, the face of our loved ones, the face of strangers, when we do not blind ourselves even in the face of our enemies.

But, we must not confuse those glimpses as the ultimate, final, all transcending gift of God. I can do without many things. But, my only hope for tonight, tomorrow, or eternity is that God blesses me with God.

peace

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Early emails coming in from players on both sides indicate our upcoming Senate race may get very ugly. I begin to wonder if we will ever see political races again where two or more quality candidates express their views and positions, followed by the vote and the determination of which person best matches the wishes of the people.

Sad, that we have descended into a system of block anything the the other side can take credit for, tolerate any flaw in the system that can be blamed on the other side, and broadcast any lie or twisting of the truth you can convince people to believe.

Meanwhile, the whole situation stays in infuriating gridlock, paid for by too high taxes, with too little help to those who truly need it rather than rich friends of rich officials, and makers of six million dollar missiles.

The percent of Americans still willing to vote should be a warning. The quality of men leaving politics from Indiana should be a warning. The tea parties here, the violent protests in allied countries, and the growing number of people at every part of the political spectrum who do not believe their government represents or even understands their needs should be a warning.

I think I am watching for a candidate with the guts to stand in the US Congress and read our own Declaration of Independence into the record before the next day’s game of blame, defame, and inflame begins.

Here is to those who still remember that regardless of party, their job is serve us all by doing something the sides can agree is right.

Bring back the Statesmen (or women) or start paying much closer attention to the causes of our own revolution. “It is the right of the people to…..” [scary stuff in a country that only blames the other side and never takes the initiative to solve our problems, or free us from their ineptitude.]

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