WHEN IT GETS HARD AND HEARTBREAKING!

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

Psalm 143, verse 10; from the New Living Translation (NLT)

This morning is one of those morning’s I don’t like! No, the coffee pot didn’t fail me, thank God! Yesterday afternoon was busy for me. I packed my bags for a trip I don’t want to make. My wife Debbie’s cousin, Michelle, is in a hospice center in Auburndale, Florida. She is dying from a rare and rapidly advancing form of cancer. We are leaving this afternoon for that 12 hour trip to be with the family. A little background here. Michelle’s Dad, Wiley, has been and is more of a Dad to Debbie than her own Dad. So Wiley’s daughters are more like sisters to her. So they are like sisters-in-law to me. We just need to be there.

We are in a very hard moment of life. And though I am “just” an in-law, some may say “outlaw”, they are my family, too. And their friends are our friends. I’m trying to process all this pain, and yes some anger, and it’s. . . well it’s just plain hard! So I’m reminding myself that sometimes life IS hard. It’s the nature of this fallen world we all live in. And even after 66+ years of living here, I still don’t like it.

And is it OK with you if I’m honest with you? Well, I’m going to be honest with you, like it or not! I am struggling right now. More than struggling, I’m in a quagmire. Now I’ve got a choice: I can wallow in this quagmire like a pig wallows in mud. Or–I can do something different. Being covered in this muck isn’t desirable for me. I’m not the brightest person in the world, but I sure ain’t the stupidest either. So, the only option is to do something different. And what would that be? I’m so glad you asked me this question.

I can do what the most prolific song writer ever did when he found himself in the mud hole of life. “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.“ I know this thing called cancer isn’t His Will. Sorry fundamentalists and Calvinists. Not everything that happens in life is God’s will. It’s OK to disagree with me on this point. But you’re still wrong. And I am going to be blunt with you: I haven’t a clue as to what God is teaching me in this hard and difficult season!

But there is something I do know. I know that God is Good! I know that He loves me. I know that He is faithful to me. He proved it to me on that Cross and a gazillion times since then. And I know that whatever it is He is teaching me, it’s good, good for me, and will bring Him honor and glory. What am I doing right now? Checking the list of things we need to pack, making sure they will get into the car, and I am saying the very same prayer David did when he was in the muck and mire of life as it happens: May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. God, I sure need some firm footing right now! And if you can spare the time, please pray for our family and that I will be a good student of Jesus–paying attention to Him and applying what He is teaching me!

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Time To End P.C. And Send It Back To H-e-double toothpick, Where It Came From

When I say “P.C.” I’m not talking about Microsoft Windows 10 or any microprocessor platform. This late Sunday afternoon I’m about to go on a rant about Political Correctness, hereafter simply called PC. And here’s the reason why.

Before 3:00 a.m., I woke up to the sound of my wife Debbie falling. I jumped out of bed to check on her. She was incoherent and disoriented. I finally helped her to her chair in the living room. It reminded me of when she had double pneumonia and her oxygen level had dropped to 72 percent–critical. Her oxygen level was good but she wasn’t. I called 911 for an ambulance, and of course, I couldn’t go with her because of the COVID-19 protocols.

She is diagnosed with a serious urinary tract infection. Over the past 16 years I have been at her side through 7 stents, even more arteriograms, 1 heart attack, 5 days in a pulmonary intensive care unit, and a few other surgeries. And this evening she is alone in the hospital getting treatment and I cannot be there. And here’s why:

We have an over preponderance of idiots in this nation. These idiots have cleared shelves of hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, and disinfectants; leaving the most vulnerable without necessary supplies. These idiots walk the aisles of Walmart, Sam’s, Costco, and grocery stores like nothing is going on. These idiots bring their children by the carload. These idiots have proven they do not care about anyone but themselves. By now the curve of COVID-19 cases should be going down. But. . . these idiots out there are making life difficult. I have a friend who told me this morning on Facebook that her grandfather is in ICU, alone and they can’t be with him. People have family members in skilled nursing facilities and unless their relative is dying, they can’t visit with them. And it is ALL BECAUSE OF THESE IDIOTS.

Some of you may think I am being way too harsh. The PC rules say I am being mean for simply telling the truth. “They say” you can draw more flies with honey than vinegar. Well, what has all this honey done but create a sticky mess with dead flies everywhere. And that’s exactly what PC has created in our culture! We are so afraid of “offending” someone that Idiots are given free-range against society. It’s time we started calling things as they really are and stop pretending that being nice will change people. If you know a COVID-19 Idiot, be they family, friend, coworker, neighbor, or stranger, do them, and the rest of us a favor: Call them out for being an idiot!

And if someone reading this is offended that I called them an idiot, then I apologize because I thought you knew you are an idiot! Yes I’m angry and for good cause. Now, do I love idiots? Absolutely! But they are still idiots and I will no longer contribute to their delusion they aren’t idiots! Now excuse me while I find something to calm me down!

When Hate Is Allowed And Acceptable–Throw It Out There Thursday 6 February 2020

After watching the evening news yesterday, there was no doubt about today’s Throw It Out There Thursday! There were 2 events that prompts more than just “Throw It Out There”–but this definitely qualifies as a rant. So please put your trays in their up position, have your seat in the upright position and buckle your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Tuesday evening Kimberly Police Officer Nick O’Rear was shot and murdered while on duty. I once served the Kimberly Community and my heart breaks for them. You can read about it HERE. Officer O’Rear had a family, 2 children and one on the way.

And on Wednesday, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Bullock was gunned down when he stopped to assist a disabled motorist on Interstate 95 at a rest stop in Martin County on Wednesday. He was shot and killed by a person who was with that vehicle.

In 2019, 48 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty. This number does not include those morons who weren’t paying attention while driving and “accidentally” hit an officer with their auto. So far in 2020 there have been 12 deaths. I have many friends in law enforcement. And I have a son who is law enforcement. And it seems that a certain segment of society has put a target on anyone and everyone who carries a badge. And now, I have placed the Throw It Out There Target on that certain segment of society.

I’m not going to call out by name a certain political party, so I’m only going to refer to them as the FAH Party. FAH is the acronym for Fear, Anger and Hate Party. They are influencers of our culture creating, you guessed it, FEAR, ANGER AND HATE! Their recent debacle in Washington D.C. is not even the tip of the iceberg of chaos they are promoting. This has been going on for some time.

I never joined the AARP because of their use of FAH. Years ago I let my NRA membership lapse because of their use of FAH. The FAH influencers have turned this nation into a culture where the value of human life means nothing, especially towards those in law enforcement. The FAH Party has nurtured and promoted the value of distrust of authority beyond the level of the 1960’s.

Everyday that Deputy Matthew Burbank and those who wear the badge with pride and dignity goes out to Serve and Protect, there’s someone with a smartphone who wants to take out of context what he HAS to do in order to Serve and Protect. Everyday someone who distrusts authority is out there who would like nothing more than to end his and his brothers and sisters existence.

And the FAH Party followers even target innocent people simply trying to live their lives. FAH Party stirs up jealousy against those who work hard. Heck, we can’t even worship in peace. I am doing something I never thought I would have to do. Each and every Sunday I carry a concealed weapon just in case a FAH follower decides they don’t like what we say or do.

FAH blinds people to the consequences of their actions. It causes them to whine and throw temper tantrums when they don’t get their way. Those operating under the influence of FAH believe they are right and the rest of us are not just wrong–we are mean racists, sexists, bigoted, misogynists, and are the problem. If we would just become FAH Believers then everything would be hunky-dory!

Not to minimize the tragedy from the Coronavirus, but FAH is doing far more damage to the fabric of human civilization than any disease or virus. So to the FAH Party Members I say:

• Thanks for putting my son in more danger than he was in the hell holes he went to as a committed member of the U.S. Army.
• Thanks for creating the fog of chaos that is blinding people.
• Thanks for pointing out imaginary problems.
• Thanks for always pointing out what’s wrong but never offering solutions.
• Thanks for nothing!

But what can be done to end this vile, lecherous, odoriferous plague set loose upon civilization by the FAH Party? We can refuse to Fear, be Angry, and we can certainly stop Hating. We can be examples of courtesy and respect, especially with those with disagree. We can pray for ourselves to become the best examples for the human race. We can not give money to any organization that promotes Fear, Anger or Hate. And in the good, ol’ U.S. of A., we can vote!

And it’s on this last point, voting that I encourage you to PTP—Pray, Think and Participate by going to the polls to vote. Don’t let polls and the FAH news outlets determine who to vote for. Speaking from experience, sometimes the septic tank needs to be pumped out and cleaned.