Libertarians release top 10 disasters of 2009 Obama administration

Note similarities to previous administration

Top 10 disasters of the 2009 Obama administration (in no particular order):

1. Cash for Clunkers
2. War escalation in Afghanistan
3. Giant government health care expansion bill
4. Post office loses money hand over fist
5. Stimulus package
6. Expansion of "state secrets" doctrine
7. Big increase in unemployment
8. "Bailout" Geithner as Treasury Secretary
9. Skyrocketing federal spending
10. Huge federal deficits

Top 10 disasters of the 2001-2008 Bush administration:

1. Cash for Car Companies
2. War in Iraq
3. Giant Medicare expansion bill
4. Post office loses money hand over fist
5. Stimulus "rebate" checks
6. PATRIOT Act
7. Big increase in unemployment
8. "Bailout" Paulson as Treasury Secretary
9. Skyrocketing federal spending
10. Huge federal deficits

Marvelous Monday - 12/28/09 - late

Yeah, I'm a day late, but I have a good reason.

John capped off Christmas by having a stroke in the wee small hours of the day after Christmas. He's had mini-strokes before, but this is his first full-blown stroke. (If you want more specifics, it was in the pons portion of his brain which is part of what is commonly called the brainstem.) Being as pig-headed and stubborn as anyone in his family he refused to go to the doctor. Sunday morning enough people told him to go to the hospital, particularly Jefawfaw, that he agreed to call the doctor on Monday.

Well, of course, as soon as he told the receptionist what was going on she told him to get to an ER. NOW. He finally agreed to go. We spent Monday in the ER and last night they admitted him. Because they had him on a wonderful BP drug that requires close observation they wanted to move him to the neurology unit but there were no beds available there so they put him in ICU.

He's still there but he's doing very well. The slurred speech has cleared up and his BP has stayed down even after after stopping the IV. He's still unsteady when he stands up, but the physical therapist is working on that.

So how is this marvelous? One, we have some incredible friends. We knew that, but they are really shining right now. Two, the neurologist thinks he will recover completely. Three, I'm being reminded of just how important he is to me.

High Church Revisited

I first posted most of this three years ago. I feel the need to update it.

It's 1 am and we just got home. At 8 pm we attended a candlelight Christmas Eve service at the Northlake Church of Christ. It was simple, reserved, and quiet, patterned after the traditional Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols of the Anglican tradition. The people directly involved were prepared and performed their parts well. It was a good atmosphere for reflection.

The service ended around 9 or so, and we went to Applebee's for coffee and dessert. Then we headed for Eastminster Presbyterian Church for their 11 pm Christmas Eve service. When we are in town for Christmas Eve we do this with the Collins family.

When we arrived, people were quietly taking their seats. At 10:30 the organist started playing a half hour or so of Christmas music that you don't hear so much. Then the lights dimmed and one of the men did the call to worship from the rear of the room that was followed by a processional. Everyone in the processional was wearing robes or suit & tie. The service included lovely music, responsive prayers, a short message, and communion. Another good time for reflection.

Slowly I came to the realization that what I had just witnessed left me thinking upward. And what we normally do on Sunday morning leaves me feeling rather hollow.

So what is the point of worship? It's not entertainment. It's not emotion. It's a statement that God is God, The Creator, The Savior, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omnicient. God is not casual and relaxed. And I don't believe we should be casual and relaxed about Him. Worship should leave us more aware of how high, how great, how powerful He is, and how magnificient that He should care about us enough to become mortal and die for us. Worship should leave us thinking upward. If we are thinking upward, the outward will automatically follow.

Yes, we want people to be comfortable in worship regardless of where they are in their spiritual walk, but if we give the impression that they are already ok what reason do they have to look higher?

I'm not saying we need organs and robes and dramatics. I'm saying we need to take God seriously and acknowledge that we are struggling to be what we ought to be. We should be offering our best to God and praying for His mercy. I'm afraid instead we've decided that we are really ok already because God's grace will take care of us. We've lost the reason for worship.

Ten Tips for 2010

1. Stay out of trouble.



2. Aim for greater heights.



3. Stay focused on your job.



4. Exercise to maintain good health.



5. Practice team work.



6. Rely on your trusted partner to watch your back. Take your time trusting others.



7. Save for rainy days.



8. Rest and relax.



9. Always take time to smile.



AND

10. Realize that nothing is impossible.



THE SENILITY PRAYER :
Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do, and
The eyesight to tell the difference.


And remember this:
"You don't stop laughing because you grow old,

You grow old because you stop laughing!!!"

Marvelous Monday - 12/21/09

Christmas is Friday. That means I've been baking. Over the weekend I finished three kinds of cookies and made some Chocolate Flour Fudge. I still don't make it as well as Mom did, but it turned out pretty well this time.

Once I finish today and get through two more days, I'm out of here until Jan. 4. I am ready for a break.

from the Christian Chronicle

OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

OKLAHOMA CITY — The campus received a special delivery recently: 1,300 trees.

The donation came out of a partnership between the Tree Bank Foundation and the Apache Foundation.

Most of the trees will line the planned walking trails that will encompass the campus and connect with trails in the nearby city of Edmond.

Pendleton Woods, director of the American Citizenship Center at Oklahoma Christian, has served as a member of the Tree Bank board for 15 years and played an integral part in securing the donation.

The university honored Woods, a former World War II prisoner of war, by naming a grove of the trees in his honor.

Marvelous Monday - 12/14/09

Our ensemble sang at the church's Classic Christmas last night. I thought it went quite well.

Us vs. Them

If a conservative doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t buy one. If a liberal doesn’t like guns, then no one should have one.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, she doesn’t eat meat. If a liberal is a vegetarian, she wants to ban all meat products for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat his enemy. A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, she quietly enjoys her life. If a liberal is homosexual, she loudly demands legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic is conservative, he sees himself as independently successful. His liberal counterpart sees himself as a victim in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, she thinks about how to better her situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of her.

If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels. A liberal demands that those he doesn't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, she doesn’t go to church. A liberal wants any mention of God or religion silenced.

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it. A liberal demands that his neighbors pay for his

True Meaning of Christmas

Forwarded to me by a friend - klc.

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor.

This is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . .

"TEACH THE CHILDREN!"

I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children!

Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days has been forgotten. "Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of the One who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep. The candy cane is the symbol that each of us is our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL,. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our LORD, our GOD."

Marvelous Monday - 12/07/09

It's harder to come up with today, but here goes.

For the last week or so I've been fighting a sinus infection or something along that line. After polishing off an entire box of DaQuil and most of a box of NyQuil, I'm actually feeling better. I'm not entirely over it, but I am definitely improving.

And, so far, John hasn't come down with it.