Losing Your Big Brother

 The role of Big Brother can't be an easy one. You go before, experience the uncharted and take the punishments that come with it. I've been fortunate to have a really great Big Brother, Dave. He passed onto perpetual life this past Monday.

  My big brother, David, was my first hero. He was athletic, smart, witty and was willing to drag his little brother along on some interesting excursions. The loss is unexpected and incredible.

  We grew up in half of a double house, the back yards separated by a sidewalk between them. Our yard was a world-class whiffle ball stadium and playground. David was a great pitcher in that grand ball park. When we moved to a newer (single family) home, our shared bedroom doubled as a model-building workshop. David, to me, was a master model builder of WWII aircraft and ships. He taught me a lot about following instructions and completing a project. Dave didn't like to leave things unfinished; I believe that's a good trait and the world is better for it.

  Growing up in Western Maryland, we had the full range of weather patterns. Dave taught me how to mow grass and shovel snow. As silly as it sounds to some, my family and neighbors have enjoyed the benefits of David's teachings. And the world is more beautiful for him.

  One of my fondest memories of David was when he took me to play baseball with a bunch of his friends. These were older kids, his age. To have my big Brother bring me along, well...it meant the world to me. I don't remember any of the games, or who won. All I cared about was that my big Brother took me with him. And it made my world better.

  Dave was smart and did well in school. While our Sister, set the bar high for academics, David kept that standard high. You got the impression he wouldn't be much of a risk-taker, post high school. But, you'd be wrong. While many were poring over the college books, he and his beautiful Bride Ellen, bought and renovated a small apartment building. Later on, he'd take a chance by moving to the North Carolina coast. After settling in, Dave and Ellen bought a piece of property on Topsail Island and built a waterfront home. Dave had built his own dinghy and floating dock for their sailboat. Eventually, they'd sell that property, purchase acreage on the mainland and trade that sailboat for a John Deere tractor.

Sidebar; While I recognize Dave wasn't perfect, God help us if we're all judged only on our faults.

  Dave has left this world far too soon. His accomplishments came without advanced college degrees or massive infusions of inherited wealth. Most of us take these things for granted and/or ignore their significance. We should take time to give thanks to God, for the good people who've helped form us. For me, Dave was one of these people, my first hero.

  The world was better while David was here. The world seems a lesser place without him.

  Please keep your faith strong and true; Dave would want that for you.

  

Why It Matters

 When I try to talk about the political direction of our country, I often get the response that; it won't matter or why does it matter?

  To the first, I'd say; thank God the Founders of this great nation didn't think it wouldn't matter! For a society of people, who are constantly talking of seeing the positive in things and people, it is infuriating to hear those same people take a defeatist attitude.

  To the second, here's WHY I think it matters; Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Liberty (according to Webster's) is freedom from arbitrary or despotic control. Our country's Declaration of Independence specifically points to Liberty as being a God-given right. That government is to secure that Right, along with others. Ergo, allowing government to impose arbitrary controls on We, The People, is antithetical to the foundation of our nation AND violates our belief that God, and God alone is the provider of our unalienable rights.

  As for the Pursuit of Happiness, it seems we've allowed various political groups, and individuals, use this as an excuse to pass or rescind all kinds of laws. Don't like government redistribution of your wealth? You must want to restrict someone else's pursuit of happiness. Disagree with same-sex marriage? Why, you're restricting someone's pursuit of happiness by telling others who they can and cannot love. That's not at all what We, The People, are saying. Maybe, we're saying we see where the slight move to a radically different path, is a small step in a long journey, down a path we're not intended to go.

  Unfortunately, I've seen in my lifetime, a willingness to go-along-to-get-along attitude that will (if it hasn't already) destroy the very foundation that has generated more prosperity worldwide, than any other form of government, in the history of the world. And, if you care about the future for our children and grandchildren, THIS is why it matters. 

  As always, I welcome debate. 

  

Yesterday's Man to Tomorrow's Man?

Last Sunday morning I listened to a message, from a Pastor I’d not heard before. The focus was 1 Samuel 16:1, The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

 

This was presented as an introduction to the importance of transition. In the passage of 1 Samuel, we find the transition from the past to present, from the present to the future. All right there in one verse; Saul being the one with God’s previous anointing, now having been removed, and God sending Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint God’s new chosen one, David, Son of Jesse.

 What follows are notes I made and my take-away.

“God’s anointing passes from one King to another.” This really struck me as I couldn’t help applying that logic to our political situation today. Full disclosure; I was not a Trump loyalist during the 2016 primaries, but became more so once he won the nomination and I realized just how far the haters were willing to go to destroy the man.

 Ever since the 2020 election and the recent mid-term elections, I’ve been extremely discouraged with the state of our nation. More specifically, the “leaders” of our nation. Sunday's message caused me to reconsider my frustrations.

 Pastor said something to the effect that, when you stop heeding God’s Will and direction, He removes His anointing. This made me think; has the United States of America lost God’s anointing? Were we (as I believe) anointed by God, because of the purity of our founding? And were we now losing God’s anointing?

Sidebar; I know we still allowed slavery at our founding and I’m not claiming our purity was without faults, but it certainly was more pure than previous nations who, by the way HAD NOT abolished slavery.

 Back to the message; Pastor said; “you never drift anywhere worth going.” Have we drifted? Whether or not, I somehow felt that maybe I need to accept what has happened (politically) and move forward. For the point of the message was still to come.

 The “tragedy of Yesterday’s Man” is that you get stuck there. Maybe I’ve been stuck there. Yesterday’s Man was the man previously anointed. Maybe Yesterday’s Man (Trump) had strayed just a hair too far and God was moving on, maybe not (just me considering it). That’s not to say today’s leaders are the best for God’s Will, but maybe they are simply a transition (there’s that word again).

 In 1 Samuel, Saul is seeking to preserve his kingdom, while Samuel was seeking to prepare for the future anointing of God. It sounds like Saul was drifting from God’s Will to retaining his own power. Don’t we all experience that sometimes? We think our life is good, or just or right, and we try to retain that moment in time?

 We can choose to be Saul or Samuel. Will we choose to preserve our power or prepare for the future anointing of God?

 Samuel was listening to God. Here, the Pastor made an excellent point; “if you quit listening, you don’t hear it anymore.” Certainly, he said it more eloquently than I can AND with a story attached. Suffice to say, when you live by a railroad, you eventually don’t hear the passing trains. I.e. you stop listening to them. Ergo, you no longer hear them. Have we stopped listening to God?

 All of this to transition to the “triumph of tomorrow’s man.” Tomorrow’s Man is the man with God’s anointing. God commanded Samuel to anoint David. We know the giant that David brought down.

 1 Samuel is Old Testament. We have the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Isn’t it possible we have been anointed by God? But, A BIG BUT! Could it be we only have the anointing, as long as we LISTEN?

Pastor’s message seemed to be; WORK TODAY TO IMPACT TOMORROW. He offered these three encouragements;

1.    Keep listening to God. If you quit listening, you won’t hear Him anymore.

2.    Keep risking! Regardless of the backlash, keep risking favor from the mere mortals, to move God’s Will forward.

3.    Keep blessing! The future of the church is not dependent on living in the past. The future of God’s Will does not rely on maintaining man-made traditions, but embracing younger people and their commitment to God’s Plan.

 You can choose to be Saul (trying to maintain the past or present) or, you can choose to be Samuel (preparing for the future anointing of God). Which do you choose?

What's wrong with America?

 "The problem with America is..."

   I've heard those words for many years now, uttered them myself numerous times. This week I got to thinking long and hard, about what really is wrong with the United States of America, and came to some conclusions that surprised even me.

   You know what I rarely, if ever, heard people say as a kid? "What's wrong with America is..." Oh, there were the occasional "kids today, they don't make 'em like they used to" and things like that. But, it was generally believed that The United States of America was good. That it was a place where anyone could succeed. 

   This was a nation going through struggles for sure; it was the 1960's and 1970's. At the time, there was a societal work ethic that said; whatever you do for work, do the very best you can. For hard work and perseverance are rewarded in this great country. It was generally believed, and usually proven, that products built in the U.S. were of the highest quality in the world. Other countries may have had better engineered products, but none could match the combination of quality with quantity of output of the United States.

   During the 1960's and 70's, politicians would campaign on the greatness of the United States and what they'd bring to continue our advancement and improvement. Fast forward to now, when you hear politicians and newsies speak of nothing but what's wrong with the United States. Listening to these people, you'd think there is nothing good about these United States.

   Wouldn't it be nice to hear interviews, of political candidates, start with; "what do you love about the United States of America?" or "what's RIGHT with America?" 

   You probably know, but may have been encouraged to forget some of the following;

    The United States was the first major western nation to abolish slavery. Yep. Even though slavery was a stain on our society, most other nations didn't even start getting rid of it until after the U.S. Civil War started. Our Founding Fathers were not all rich white guys, soaking the poor. John Adams, Vice President to Washington and second President, nearly went broke while serving. Thomas Jefferson, though he had many slaves and a vast property, died so deep in debt it took his family decades to clear the debts. After WWII, it was the United States that sent people and materiel to Japan to rebuild. We helped build Japan into the manufacturing powerhouse that it became. Against incredible odds, we restored Civil Rights to people who had truly been oppressed. We've even taken it so far that people of any race or ethnicity can own housing, businesses and sit in the highest levels of corporations and government. 

   We became the nation others look to when disaster strikes. Our military doesn't just exist for purposes of war. It responds with ships and personnel, in times of disaster, to provide food, water, medical treatment and infrastructure rebuilding. Just ask the people who've survived tsunamis. When tyrants brutalized entire groups of people, on foreign lands, we've welcomed refugees and gone to fight their battles for them; all in the name of Liberty and Freedom.

   Back to what I think is truly wrong with America. We simply forgot why we were formed. 

   The United States declared its independence and was formed, to preserve individual liberty; free from government's imposition of its will over our God-given rights. Read that again; our rights come from God and government is not to infringe on those.

   Individual liberty means we should not be dependent on government. That means it's our responsibility to provide food, clothing and shelter for ourselves and our family. Finding a job or paying for medical services? Yes, our individual responsibility.

   See ours is a system of government where there's no pile of money to draw from. If I ask "government" to provide, I'm really asking my neighbor to provide. For it is their tax dollars that will provide for me if my wish is granted. How many of us would walk around the neighborhood, asking for donations for our grocery run, or doctor visits? But asking "government" allows us to remain somewhat anonymous while doing just that.

   This individual liberty thing may be a hard pill for some to swallow. We've spent decades handing over so much power, to career politicians who've been more interested with lining their pockets and their own families, to the detriment of an entire populace that gave them their wealth. However, if we are to return to the greatness so many used to speak of, shouldn't we get started proclaiming our real foundational principle; INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY?

   

Should We Be At War?

As a nation, we fought to free millions from the horrible killings under Adolf Hitler. We defeated Saddam Hussein in part, because of his killing of innocent civilians in his own country. We've fought numerous times in foreign lands to free oppressed people and liberate many from atrocities most consider unthinkable. Yet here in America, we've lost our backbone.

Think about the sacrifices made by our ancestors to free themselves from the tyranny of England. Yet here in 2015, we have video evidence that unborn babies are killed and their body parts distributed or sold. I challenge anyone to prove these are not living beings. The simple fact the body parts must be functioning is, by definition, an admission that they are alive. How could they be functioning if they were just "tissue?"

I say we've lost our backbone because I see no evidence of a society willing to rise up in defense of those unable to defend themselves; the babies.

Where are the clergy on this? I'm sure many will say the clergy stay out of politics and I say that is pure bullshit. First, this isn't a political issue. It is an issue of life. Second; if the clergy stay out of political issues, how do you explain them jumping in knee-deep to the gay marriage issue long before it was decided by the Supreme Court? If there's ever an issue the clergy should be championing the cause of, I'd think it would be protection of the unborn; "whatever you do to the least of these you do to me." I mean no disrespect to the members of the clergy that are fighting this battle, but it just seems the silence is deafening.

Technology has come a long way since Roe v. Wade. We have the ability today to see, via 3-D sonograms, the unborn child inside the womb as it develops. How can we deny the evidence that is right before our eyes? Yet we do.

As I've posted on facebook, this abortion issue is one I've been willing to sit on the sidelines over, leaving the decision to the parents and medical professionals that knew much more than me. We justify it and use the word abortion to make ourselves more comfortable than if it was called murder. I even went so far as to consider those who protested outside abortion clinics, lunatics and no better than those they opposed. Now, after seeing Planned Parenthood's own doctors admitting they send out functioning body parts of the unborn babies, I have to admit we've failed in protecting these children.

So many people march when a policeman shoots some bad guy, but where's the outcry over these children being killed? What's even worse is our tax dollars are used to fund Planned Parenthood under the guise of "women's health." But what "women's health" services does Planned Parenthood offer that aren't made available due to Obamacare? In fact, the President and his administration argued the need for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in part, on the need to provide birth control and other services to women.

As a member of the military, I took an oath to defend the country against all enemies foreign and domestic. How do we turn our back on this domestic enemy of the unborn child?

We may only need to voice our opinions to elected officials or we may need to do more. Do we have the will to go to war?

Gay Marriage

I figured since there are so many people out there trying to ride the middle of the road on this issue, I'd post my position and why I feel this way. I'm writing this on the fly without letting it sit the normal day or two and making edits/revisions.

My position is simple, but not for the same reasons so many spout off about. I'm against it. Pure and simple, there is no reason for it and there are many reasons for not having it.

Some people say; "people should be free to love whoever they want." Well, it's "whomever," but that's besides the point. Nobody ever said you couldn't love whomever you want. In fact, even the hard-core religious would agree we are called by God to love everyone.

But what will you say to the 30+ year old who wants to marry a 15 year old? If they both profess their love for each other, who are we to say they aren't in love? What about the guy or gal who wants to marry 15 brides or husbands? Why is that so ridiculous? If they all agree, who are we to condemn or deny their legal marriage? This is no more ridiculous or outrageous than gay marriage was considered 20-30 years ago.

Some people say that same sex marriages allow for benefits and property sharing not otherwise allowed. Not true! I worked for a company that as of 1999 had implemented health insurance benefits for same-sex couples without any marriage license being required. Many companies, hospitals and other institutions have made changes as this became more of an issue. Also, legal documents can be drawn up that specify beneficiaries/legal partnerships. But even still, where will we draw the line? What if where we draw the line today is deemed too strict by a future generation?

The real reason most people want gay marriage legalized (which apparently it now is) is so that they can now be a "married" couple and recognized as such by the entire world. Well good for you. What does that accomplish? If you are a God-fearing person, do you think it changes the way God sees you? If you believe God loves us all, the court-sanctioned marriage doesn't matter. If you believe churches should conduct same-sex marriages, that's a whole different discussion I won't go into here.

The United States of America has been a nation that, until recently, had a way of life that was very unique. People who came here, didn't forget their heritage, but they assimilated and ours was a uniquely moral culture. This is quickly deteriorating.

Here's the thing; I am supposed to love my neighbor regardless of their differences from me. I attempt to do that and sometimes I'm good at it and sometimes I fall short. I believe God made us all and each of us is a child of God. Therefore there is nothing about me that makes me any better than anyone else as a child of God. And so, I love you no matter what your sexual orientation/preference is. My prayer is that you will know God and be known by Him.

Charleston Shooting/Racism

The recent murders in Charleston, SC have lots of people screaming about how racism is persistent in America. People are calling for stricter gun laws and some are even saying we won't do anything.

First, we all know the shooter was motivated by some racism and hate in his heart. However, is it really fair to say America hasn't done anything about racism? Is racism really as prevalent in America as it used to be?

I submit America has come a long way regarding racism. Overwhelmingly we live and work together across many races. You see it in offices, hospitals, laboratories, call centers, automotive service centers and just about anyplace else you do business. I recall visiting the Mall of America (Minneapolis, MN) some years ago and noticing a significant number of muslims working there. Talk about an area you'd not expect to see that.

During my early military years many black Americans were rising to positions of leadership and authority. I dare say the US Military was one of the earliest institutions to aggressively promote minorities to higher level positions.

Here in America you can venture into any middle or upper class neighborhood and find all different races and ethnic backgrounds. Go to any hospital for care and you're likely to see doctors from all races.

I make all these points to show how we are doing something about racism in America. I believe America does most things better than any other nation in the world. Even race relations have improved significantly since the Civil War and even as recent as the Civil Rights movement.

Hagerstown Experience

I usually wouldn't post about this, but I just had to air this.

My wife received a citation for speeding that was issued via mail, using three photos (of the rear of the car) from a city we visited. This wasn't a case of running a red light, merely speed enforcement. My wife couldn't have been driving as she was somewhere else at the time (and yes, there are witnesses to her whereabouts), but she received the citation as the owner of the vehicle. The ticket was for $40 for doing 40mph in a 25mph zone.

Although I may have been driving the car, it could've been anyone as the photos have no front views. Seeing as we were in from out of town for a wedding, we could've let someone else use the car who was driving. Being a very good driver with no citations in over 20 years, I find it hard to believe I would've knowingly been doing 15 miles over the speed limit. Of course if we want to defend ourselves, we must travel to the city (900+ miles away) and make our case. Since it doesn't go against anyone's driving record it isn't worth the cost of fighting it. And that's where I think municipalities have figured out this money-making opportunity.

What is infuriating is this method of "speed monitoring" is done for the sole purpose of revenue generation. There clearly is not an interest in using speed enforcement as a safety matter as there's no officer involved and no warnings issued of potential dangers in that area (if any exist). Also, I grew up in that town and as long as I lived there, I couldn't tell you what the posted speed limit is on any of the roads anymore. For all I know there may not have even been a posted speed limit.

As a matter of principle, what the City of Hagerstown, Maryland doesn't realize is that I will no longer purchase any goods or services from businesses there. Which means no taxes collected from me. While I have reasons to visit there on occasion, I will be certain to refrain from contributing anything to their tax base. Also, I have no interest in buying anything from a community that supports money grabbing tactics like this.

I may only be one person. But I recognize greed pretty quickly and it is apparent to me that the city where I grew up is more interested today than ever, in greedy tactics to feed their government coffers.

You'll get my $40 City of Hagerstown, but it'll be the last $40 anyone in Hagerstown gets from me.

Education or Economy?

While I was doing a little business research, I went to the website high-schools.com. There you can put in a school district or city and get information like the names of schools, whether they're public or private, enrollment and percentage of students on free or reduced lunches. This last statistic is very interesting.

What I learned is that my school district has seven public high schools and all have a free/reduced lunch percentage greater than 33%. Five of the seven are 44% or higher. Just for comparison, I looked at an area I know to have a fairly strong economy (Virginia Beach, VA) which had 9 of it's 11 schools below 33% free or reduced lunch.

Next I looked to Mobile, AL, an area considered by many here in Pensacola to be booming economically. Not a single public high school lower than 42% on free/reduced lunch. In fact only two were below 50% and some were 90%. Astonishing!

This told me a number of things. Among them;
1. People in this area aren't working.
2. While we complain that parents are apathetic about their child's education, it shouldn't surprise us when the majority of those people are receiving government benefits and not working in positions sufficient to support their families.

Often times people will complain the school system and teachers aren't doing enough. I say; if those kids are going to graduate having few to no local business/job opportunities from which to gain experience, what do we expect the school system to do?

So, what to do from where we are? I would suggest we offer major tax incentives to bring manufacturing jobs to the area. Start there. Yes those jobs may be dirty. But do we have a ready workforce for high-tech jobs? I think not. So bring in the plants that will offer skills and labor to start building from.

Once the process is started it is up to the local workforce to get moving and take up those jobs. This may require cutting benefits to people who could be working, but aren't. A controversial move for sure, but without these measures, we face generations of unemployed people and kids with no hope for a bright future.

What do you think?

New Cars

Thought I'd write a little on a subject I love; cars.

My 2003 Cadillac DeVille gets a fair amount of repair work done these days and it has caused me to rent or take loaner cars while the Caddy is in the shop. It's also caused me to consider what I'd replace it with. Aw who am I kidding? I have always loved cars and if I could afford it I'd have a fleet of different models for different driving pleasures.

Anyway, two cars I recently had the use of I'll discuss here.

First the brand spankin' new Chevrolet Traverse. I think it was the LT version so it wasn't fully loaded, but nicely equipped. It had a rear-view camera and various steering wheel controls. First thing I noticed was it is made for big people. I've always thought I was large, but apparently not as big as the ideal candidate for the Traverse. Remember, I drive a Caddy DeVille. The arm rests on either side of the driver's seat in the Traverse felt a mile away. They were so far away I didn't even use them.

Next were the humungous wheels and tires. Maybe 19" are small by today's standards, but they seemed big to me. That translates into higher replacement cost than say a 16" tire.

There was no shortage of room in the Traverse. This thing reminded me of my parents' 1974 Caprice Estate wagon in terms of room. Dad used to brag that you could put 4'x8' sheets of paneling in that car...and we did. For a car over $30k I would have liked it to feel a little more luxurious in the driver's cockpit.

Second was the Cadillac ATS. The Traverse was a rental. The ATS was a free loaner. It had less than 5,000 miles on it. This car is SMALL. The footwell is so small, there's nowhere to put your right foot once you engage the cruise control.

This is another car that sells for over $30,000 but Cadillac expects it to go up against the BMW 3 series and other small imports. Maybe people shopping for these cars don't care how much they get for their money, but this IS a Cadillac. It oughta come with auto-dimming rearview mirror and memory seats.

The infotainment system in the center looked and felt cheap. There's a bunch of glossy black and cheap-looking chrome.  It wasn't real clear whether you needed to touch the word (e.g. Radio) on the glossy black, or push what looked like the cheap chrome button just below the word Radio.

The car was small, but tight. I mean real tight. It accelerated well and although the ride was a little rough for my liking, I got the impression the suspension would be right at home on a road course. Only problem is; nobody who buys this will be driving it on a road course.

The ATS felt so cheap, I wanted to test drive a new Hyundai Elantra to see if it would feel the same or better. I know the ATS is not the same car as the Chevy Cruze, but the quality of construction felt like Chevy. The back seat was one of the cheapest I've seen in any car, regardless of cost.

If Cadillac doesn't sell tons of ATS's to rental fleets, I don't think they'll be around long, in their current form. The Chevy Traverse on the other hand, is the new family-mobile for large people. I think they'll sell lots of them.

Whatchathink?

"Mid-Life?"

As you may notice, my posts come few and far between. Typically that's because I give great thought to what I write. Unfortunately that means I'll write, save, rewrite, save, revise, save and then (finally) publish. Sorry for that, but I hope that means what you read is well thought-out.

Today I cannot hold my tongue any longer on the concept of what I'll call; living the dream. So here goes.

Growing up I somehow got the impression that living the dream meant big house, fancy cars, lots of money, kids and vacations. My parents didn't do this to me, I just think I must have seen so much of those things around me, on tv and in movies that I believed that must be what would bring happiness. This belief resulted in my going through many financial ups and downs over the years. I've accumulated lots of nice things and had to relinquish some of them in order to get through some of the lean times. Every "lean time" showed me how little all those "things" really mattered. It has taken a long time (and lots of money) to get where I am today; getting by, but not exactly wealthy.

***Right here I want to stop and say that my early perceptions played a role in my having high expectations and high standards. That, to some extent, has been a very good thing. I've been fortunate to hold positions normally filled by people with more education than me. It has also meant I pursue knowledge where some might not be concerned and I love having a great deal of knowledge. It has also translated into attracting some very intelligent people into my life…and that is a good thing.

Today I believe firmly in financial guru Dave Ramsey's "live like no one else today so you can live like no one else tomorrow" philosophy. Now, that doesn't mean I'm actually doing everything Ramsey suggests.

I say all of the above, to segue into the meat of what I now realize.

The farther you can live below your "means" and still be happy, the better off you will be in the long run. See, when I was going through the years of becoming a homeowner (the 1990's) we were told to buy the most house we could qualify for (re; mortgage payment). Being a veteran, I had the benefit of not needing any down payment. Most people would consider that a blessing and I've really liked both houses we've owned. However, it also means minimal equity for a longer period of time. Furthermore, you are then pressured to always make at least as much money as you were when you bought the house. So much for surviving a down economy, major medical illness or just wanting a career change.

Take stock of your long-term goals early. Work for them. Once you get married, it ain't as easy as Dave Ramsey says. A married couple must agree on finances, just like parents must agree on decisions for their children. Getting two minds to agree is not always as easy as the young-and-in-love couple thinks.

I really believe most of us have been duped into believing we should be able to eat out a lot, take lavish vacations, have 3+ flat screen tv's, expensive cars and the latest clothes.

I say "duped" because we now have all these "conveniences" that are supposed to make us more productive and free up time, but we spend less time together as a family. We are living so "high on the hog" in our everyday life, we often can't afford to take even the cheap vacations, hence the "staycation." We also are spending so much money on today, that I fear much of the American population will be dirt poor in their retirement years. This will be a major shift from today's seniors who  saved and in some cases, had pensions (before the advent of the 401k).

After living with many of the luxuries my parents would've thought out of reach, I'd be willing to live in a double-wide (or manufactured) home for less money, if it meant I got to be with my family more, take vacations and had more disposable income.

I've had the benefit of living above my means and below my means. I can say with absolute certainty, living below your means has numerous benefits all the toys in the world can't make up for.

Latest Political Correctness

I realize many people will hate me for saying this, but LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) has NOTHING to do with whom you love. It has to do with whom you choose to have sex (yes verb) with.

This has again been made an issue because Phil Robertson, Originator of Duck Commander (ergo the Duck Dynasty) talked about homosexuality, and it being a sin, in an interview for GQ magazine. Then A&E, the television network suspended Phil from appearing on the Duck Dynasty show indefinitely. A&E said they support the LGBT community.

Here's the thing; you can love anyone and everyone, but that doesn't make you gay or lesbian. It is your sexual attraction and actions that make you Lesbian or Gay. That's according to Webster's Dictionary. As for Bisexual, Webster's says that is "body parts of both male and female" or "sexual attraction to both sexes." And Transgender is nothing more than "attempting to appear as a member of the opposite sex, e.g. a habitual cross-dresser."

I'm not arguing whether or not someone is born with a gene that gives them a greater potential of being gay. That is for the scientists to argue and/or prove.

What amazes me about this whole issue is that we seem to cater to the wishes of a group that is less than 4% of the US population.

Consider;  "The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, a sexual orientation law and public policy think tank, estimates that 9 million (about 3.8%) of Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (2011). The institute also found that bisexuals make up 1.8% of the population, while 1.7% are gay or lesbian. Transgender adults make up 0.3% of the population."

I pulled that information from About.com by typing the question; what percentage of the US population is gay.

If you believe in God, you know He wants us all to love each other. That doesn't mean we have to agree that everything everyone does is okay. But we are called to love each other. And so Phil Robertson communicated that same thing. He said he wouldn't treat someone differently. But it seems most people (when talking about sexual orientation), ESPECIALLY the gay community, are afraid to admit that what they call themselves is about what they do in the bedroom.

Again, loving your fellow man or woman doesn't make you gay or lesbian. Because I love my male friend, that doesn't make me gay. Just as a sister's love for her sister doesn't make her a lesbian.

Thanksgiving 2013

On this day I give thanks especially to my family. I love you all! You have blessed me and my family with such wonderful memories and great times when we can be together.

Things I miss;
- The entire family around Mom's table with every good, hot food at the ready.
- The Turkey Bowl
- Brothers imparting their wisdom and knowledge on me…and one particular Brother making us laugh with repeats of funny movies.
- My Sister's love, listening and continuing of traditions.
- My Sister-in-Law's and Brother-in-Law's perspective on lots of things.
- The Black Friday round of par-3 @ Yingling's w/the guys…especially when Number 1 Son is with me.
- English Muffin bread.
- Grandma Utz's potato chips.
- Having plenty of room to keep drinks cold 'cause it is so freakin' cold they sit on the back porch and still stay cold.
- Mom bagging up leftovers for the trip home.
- Mom.
- Most of all I miss the warmth there always was when we had so many people and so much love filling any house we occupied.

To all my family; I hope you know I will always love you no matter how far apart we may be. I take great comfort in the love I know you have for me and our family. I hope some of these memories make you smile.

To all my friends, I give thanks you've let me be a part of your lives. You make me a better person.

To God be the glory and on this uniquely American holiday, may we all give thanks to God for all His blessings.

Birthday Blessing

On this day many years ago, God blessed me by bringing me into His creation. He breathed life into me. Okay, with a little reminder from the doc that it was my responsibility to breathe.

On this day so many years ago I was blessed to come into a wonderful family. One that I'm sure I've not praised or appreciated enough. No doubt my parents thought I was a blessing (at first) but it was me who enjoyed a solid roof over my head, nice clothes on my back and lots of food in my belly. They taught me so much and I am so grateful.

On this day all those years ago I began my journey with a Sister and Brother and we were later joined by another Brother. This sister and these brothers are amazing. They love, laugh and live with vigor and are another of God's blessings on me and those around them.

Throughout my life I've been blessed with many great friends, co-workers and neighbors. All of whom have provided me great wisdom and friendship. Some have been there in my darkest times. All have been there at the point God meant it.

I've also been blessed (yes I'm using that word a lot here, but I don't use it casually like so many do) with a wonderful Wife and two terrific children. The children have brought great joy, laughs, entertainment and enlightenment. And I could go on forever about my terrific Wife, Stacye. Without her, I'd be a wandering wreck.

On this day I give God the praise and thanks for all these blessings and those that will come in the future.

On this day I thank all of you who are in my life. If you are reading this, you are in my heart. I love you for all those things you do day in and day out. Those challenges you've overcome and that beacon of hope, faith and love you have been to me (and likely many others).

On this day, I hope that you all take comfort in the goodness that you are and continue to be.

On this day...THANK YOU!

Man Up!

I'm convinced that some men are still trying to prove their manhood, well past their 40's.

As a child of the 60's & 70's, we boys were always trying to show our masculinity. I got into some scrapes with other young boys. It was part of what we did. We defended our family's honor. Sometimes that meant a fist fight. I did okay on one or two occasions and not so well on one or two other occasions. I learned from those experiences, it was better to avoid those situations whenever possible.

Then came the 80's and things changed. It started in the late 70's actually. Men and boys started getting their hair done in salons, like the ladies. Then came a whole litany of characteristics men were supposed to adopt.

We were told men should get in touch with their feminine side. Men were considered Neanderthals and needed to change. Keep the chivalry, but lose the brashness. Men were referred to as "chauvinists." But the women kept gravitating to the "bad boys." Women still wanted a man that could protect them. For many guys this made things confusing.

Some of the men who took seriously to the getting in touch with their feminine side, were acting in traditionally female ways. By this, I mean they started having whine sessions (that's not a misspelling) with their "girl" friends. I'm going to call these men Talkers just to make this easier to discuss. You see, men listen to women's problems and want to fix them. Women sometimes just want to talk and have someone listen. Many men (the Talkers) started doing what women do. And who do you think they turned to? That's right, women. I believe this is a dangerous path for most men. Many women will view the Talker as weak. If the Talker is in a position of authority and/or responsibility, some women will take advantage of that weakness. Add to that, if a Talker happens to befriend a married woman or, well, you get the idea.

Even more dangerous than a man appearing weak to controlling women, is the Talker will almost certainly feel threatened by other men. Yep. Men (Talkers) who confide their feelings to women, other than their Wife or closest friends, will lash out at other men when legitimately questioned on various matters. This is especially true of Talkers in positions of authority and responsibility.

If you challenge a Talker's decision on just about anything of importance, they will take it as a personal affront to their manhood. They will then list various reasons why you should respect their manhood. They'll present a past achievement or their title as the reason you should respect them or their manhood. Having served in the military, we used to often say; I may have to respect the uniform, not the man. The man must earn my respect.

Have we gone so far down the path of appeasing the desires of some women and psychiatrists that young men are no longer men? Are men just another animal that can no longer be chivalrous, masculine and different than women? I mean, we had a wildly popular book in the 90's called Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (John Gray, PhD, Harper Collins). The whole premise was that men and women are different. Really? We needed a book to tell us that?

Hmm. What do you think?

Racist or Logic?

We now have a President that, while campaigning for office less than 7 years ago, stated it was "un-American" that President George W. Bush had allowed the national debt to increase from $4 trillion to $9 trillion in his eight years as President. Here in 2013, President Barack Obama has allowed the national debt to go from $10 trillion to $16 trillion in 4 years.

President Obama had a Democrat-controlled House and Senate the first two years of his presidency. The Senate also passed the Affordable Care Act (ACA but referred to as Obamacare, by many) late at night on a Christmas Eve. Candidate Obama said all legislation would be posted online for Americans to review before passage and signing into law. President Obama's supporters (Specifically, Nancy Pelosi D-CA) said the ACA needed to be passed and signed into law so we would know what was in it.

There are other examples of President Obama's contradicting statements, such as saying his proposals wouldn't add "one dime" to the debt or deficit. But as stated above, that has proven to be a lie.

Until recently, I had always been bothered by the statements some made about Obama criticizers being called racists. I hadn't heard anyone directly state it. Now however, Robert Redford has actually said (during an interview w/CNN) people in Washington DC are purposely working against President Obama because there's a body of people in DC that are intentionally crippling the system because, underneath "there's some racism."

Robert Redford may be a great actor, director and lots of other things, but I'm fed up with these morons who proclaim to be experts in fields they have no education and very little experience. These people completely ignore the contradicting statements the President has made. They can't debate the issues and blame all opposition to the President's policies, on racism.

I am disgusted that Hillary Clinton can scream; "we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration," but when people try debating and disagreeing with the current administration, they are called "racists."

Sadly, people are buying into the President's rhetoric. Strangely, I am wondering if those people who ignore the lies and contradictions of the current President are the ones who are really racists because I can't believe they'd make up the same excuses if President Obama where a white man.

What do you think?

More Than A Golf Buddy

This is written from a man’s perspective. Feel free to translate as necessary, to fit your perspective.

Many of us have friends in life. People we share dinners, weekends and sometimes, vacations with. There are those rare people we turn to in our darkest times and they help lift us out. Often these are the people that make us better people.

Recently I got to thinking about how these types of people influence our lives. For me, the specific person I was thinking of, was my golf buddy. For you it might be your fishing, swimming, tennis or shopping buddy. For me, my golf buddy. Some guys will go out to the golf course (or favorite fishing hole) with their friend and commence drinking while they swat the ball around the course. I’m talking about the kind of buddy that is more significant than that.

Now, if you’re into sports of any kind, it is often said that a good playing partner will raise your skill level. I submit that if you have a real good golf buddy, they will not only raise your skill level on the golf course, but off the course as well as they will help you be a better man.

The really good golf buddy finds the best in your game. He learns quickly when to laugh it off and when to keep his mouth shut. The really good golf buddy gives you a pat on the shoulders and encourages you to hang in there. “Hole by hole” he’ll say. He picks the one good shot you’ve had over the last three holes and reminds you how great it was. He IS; a great example.

A really good golf buddy will engage you in “small talk” as you play. Lest you take your golf game too seriously. He’ll remind you of the beautiful surroundings. He has the ability to laugh at himself when he’s having a pitiful round. That is not easy, but he does it anyway.

The really good golf buddy is someone you want to be around. Chances are this person is this way in all aspects of life, not just golf. Yes, this is the kind of person we used to call “salt of the earth.”

I was thinking of this person recently as I began to pick up the sticks again. For financial reasons, I had had to give up regular play a few years back. Although I played when I could, my golf buddy continued to play with others. Then my golf buddy suffered a brain seizure that would end his golf-playing days. I only played one round of golf after my golf buddy’s seizure. I haven’t played in nearly two years and I haven’t played “our course” since he and I last played together.

My golf buddy had the greatest of outlooks right up until he passed away a few months back. I have longed for a return to the game of golf and recently started going to hit balls at the driving range. To me, the flight of a well-struck golf ball is a thing of beauty. As it sails into flight, I recall my golf buddy and wish he were here.

The return to golf and especially “our course,” will be a challenge. There’s the need to put the past behind and the desire to find a new golf buddy. A really good golf buddy.

As I have thought much about this, I have come to the conclusion that in order to find a really good golf buddy, I need to be one to someone else. And that, is what a really good golf buddy taught me.

Healthcare System

Got the bill for a recent hospital trip. All is pretty well. No complaints with the treatment or charges. However, the bill raises one significant question;

How much does the healthcare we receive really cost?

My bill arrived and the total charges were $15,279. The "contractual adjustment" was $11,719. Now, either the battery of tests, observation, care and diagnosis costs fifteen grand or it doesn't. I could understand if there's a slight adjustment in the charges because my insurance company may be a fast payer. But this is a 77% "adjustment."

Some might say; "well you're welcome to pay the full amount if you want to complain about it." That isn't my point. My point is that if the true cost for the services was in the neighborhood of $13,000 - $15,000, how are the doctors, nurses and the hospital itself expected to operate for very long if the insurance companies strong-arm the providers into submission? And if this is how current insurance companies operate, will it get even worse when the Federal Government takes over even more of the paying responsibility?

I was in the hospital overnight and I got great care and treatment. I don't have a clue as to what it cost to provide the services I was afforded. One of my fears is that most of the American population has the same ignorance of the cost of medical care. In my case, either the prices are grossly inflated because the providers know they'll receive less or the prices are much higher than the provider is receiving for their services. If the latter is the case, how long can we expect such good care/treatment with pathetically low payments to the providers?

If you are knowledgeable of the healthcare costs/payment systems, please chime in.

PC or Mac?

I am writing this for current Windows-based users who've questioned whether or not to invest the money into an Apple Mac computer.


DISCLAIMER; this is all just my opinion, based on 25 years of using computers and I am not a technical expert on the specifications of each manufacturer.


When considering whether or not to spend the additional money that a Mac typically costs compared to a PC (Windows based computer), it is easy to wonder what the major advantages are to justify the expense.

For me, the biggest benefit of a Mac is the lack of virus issues. Beyond that the Mac offers lots of technology that many of us just don't use. If your daily computer tasks mostly revolve around surfing the internet, working w/spreadsheets, word processing and general business applications/software, you are probably better off saving your money, getting a good PC and investing in a good anti-virus software that is updated regularly.

My 20+ years of computer use has mostly been with PC's and Windows-based computers. Therefore, my comfort zone is in using MSOffice products. Even moving up from Windows XP to Windows 8 was not that difficult of a transition. However, even after a few years of owning a MacBook, it is still difficult to navigate opening downloads on the Mac. Maybe it is because I continue to use my PC for work and the Mac more for pleasure.

Some will argue that the Apple products now can open MSOffice documents, but it still doesn't seem as easy, plus there may be issues if a document is updated using the Mac and then trying to reopen it using the PC. Again, it mostly is a matter of what you're most familiar with.

If you are looking for a device that works well with your iPhone, no question the Apple products have the edge there. And no question that the iPhone is an amazing piece of technology that is very easy to use. I use an iPhone and like that I can sync my iTunes w/the Mac. However, with the popularity of sites like Pandora, iTunes may not be as important to as many people as it once was.

Bottom line to me; if you've been using PC's for 10 years or longer and you like them, keep on. If you grew up w/Apple computers in school and continue working with them, you might be best served to stay with the Apple line.

Easter & Religion

Today the local paper ran an AP article about how Easter is losing its attachment to religion. The story focused on about four people who will be feasting or getting together with friends and family on Easter but not going to church.

In the article people claim they don't "need" to go to church to have religion. One person interviewed did say she will attend church on Easter because it is about being a part of something bigger than yourself.

What was most interesting to me was the claim by some that religion is about relationships, but they never discuss their need for a relationship with God. These people seemed to claim they are good, religious people because they nurture their relationships with friends and family.

Well, great for you in your quest to have good family and friend relationships. But what are you doing to further the Kingdom of God? Maybe you are polite, caring and donate to charities on occasion. But there is something about belonging to a church that does make it about something bigger than yourself and that is important.

Here are some things I've experienced in belonging to various churches throughout my life;
1. As a child, I developed a love of music, an appreciation for it and a desire to sing out with joy to God and anyone who wants to listen.
2. I have learned, from talks with well-educated people, great amounts of knowledge and how science does tie in with biblical history. Had I not been a churchgoer, I likely would have never been exposed to these learned people.
3. People greater than myself have befriended me and taught me great restraint about issues and have taught me to be tolerant of those with whom I disagree.
4. Volunteering to go out and actually feed the homeless is much more effective (in teaching ourselves about their plight) than writing a check or dropping off a few cans of beans at the local food pantry.
5. Without being a part of a church there are plenty of volunteer opportunities that I just wouldn't have been a part of because I wouldn't have known about them.
6. Being a part of church has afforded me more time with God and motivated me to study the Bible more than I would've had I not been involved in church.

I could go on and on. But I think you get the point.

What is truly sad about Holy Days and religion is that we want to keep the Holy Days to celebrate and have an excuse to get together, but we don't want the religion part which requires action on our part.

So I say; go to church on Easter Sunday. Think about the positives associated with God and Jesus Christ. Leave the worrying at the door. Listen to the message, the good news.