The New Year

I suppose it’s fitting to again write something for the end of one year and the beginning of another. On the one hand, there’s nothing magical about January 1. Our year could just as easily start on October 10 or May 22. We have chosen (or rather someone has chosen for us, and we have not changed it) the stroke of midnight between December 31 and January 1 as the beginning of the New Year.
There is something to be said for the length of the year, however. It approximates the time it takes to travel around the sun on planet earth. And the length of our day is also something that probably should remain as it is as it approximates the time it takes the earth to make one rotation on its axis. But the notion that January 1 should be the start of the new year is an entirely man-made idea.
Not that there’s something bad about that. I suppose the year has to begin some time. I’m not sure it deserves all of the attention it gets, however. It seems to me it’s an excuse for us to spend money, stay up late, and over-indulge.
I’m not really a Grinch, although I am wearing my Oscar the Grouch shirt today. And I’ll gladly be part of the Plank gathering here later tonight. There will be food and drink, games and talk. And we’ll celebrate the New Year, clean up, say good-bye, and head for bed, wondering what this next year has in store for us.
If I can be serious for a moment, I’d like to say what you already know. We haven’t a clue what the new year holds for us, or if we’ll even be around for the entire year. We don’t know what funerals will take place, who will get married, who will have a child. We don’t know the state of the economy, nor do we know what various people in power in the world will do militarily or through terrorism.
What we do know is that there will be enough evil and mayhem in the world this coming year, that we would do well to live at peace with all men insofar as it lies within us; to offer a cup of cold water; to visit those who are sick and in prison; to give a coat, a meal, and a safe place to sleep. We would do well to offer a kind word, encourage a child, pick up someone else’s trash, slow down and drive more civilly, and hold a door or an elevator for someone. We would do well to remember the God who made us; to visit the teachings of Jesus and absorb and practice them. We would do very, very well to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We can’t fix everything; neither do we have to contribute to the mayhem. We can do our part to civilize our sphere of influence. And we can work to make the lives of others better even as we ponder our own frailty and mortality. Have a blessed 2012.

End of Year Musing

Today is Tuesday. Two days after Christmas Day. Hopefully, things “out there” will at least begin to become somewhat more normal so I will feel like I can venture out to the store to pick up a few things we need. I don’t participate in the frenzy of buying and shopping this time of the year, and don’t even like to go pick up the ordinary things (milk, fresh fruit, canned goods, etc) that we need from the supermarket this time of the year. However, it appears I’ll have to go shortly as we’re running low.
I did get several books for Christmas that I’ll enjoy. Also a sweater, portable clip-on light, and the unusual gift of a personal geo-cache. Haven’t found it yet, but am planning to do so later this week. I have an idea where it generally is located and am looking forward to finding it.
The weather promises to be mild and sunny for the next several days, so I’m thinking about taking down the outdoor display on Friday or maybe Saturday of this week. It was kind of fun to put up and enjoy from night to night, but even with good things, there comes a time to put it back into the boxes.
The train is up and running in the garage. Hopefully, there will be some who stop by during the mild weather and run it. The garage tends to heat up in the afternoons when the sun shines on the west doors and it’s downright pleasant in there during that time. I have a propane heater that takes the chill off, but often don’t have to run it because of the solar heating.
These days after Christmas and before the New Year seem to be similar, in many ways, to what we used to call the slow days of summer. Of course it’s cool out and not hot, but these days for those of us who don’t work over the holiday break are gifts of time that at once stretch for a couple of weeks, yet all too quickly seem to come to an end.
I hope your remaining days of 2011 are pleasant and 2012 will be kind and gentle to you and yours.

Renewal & Hope

The winter solstice is hard upon us. On December 21 at 11:30pm Central Standard Time, the earth will be tilted at the maximum away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere. That means that the days will generally become longer after that date.
I always enjoy it when the winter solstice comes because I know that there is an end to winter, cold, ice and snow. I know that spring is coming and things will again turn green and start growing. I also know that it will be a long haul from the winter solstice to the warm days of late April. There will be plenty more ice and snow storms…times of zero degrees or lower, and almost endless cloudy, dreary days and nights. But the solstice brings hope. Hope of renewal, refreshment, and the beauty of the creation as it grows and flourishes.
And isn’t that really what the hope that Peter describes in his first letter, chapter 3 and verse 15…isn’t that really kind of what that hope is? Not some kind of wishful thinking, but rather a longing and looking forward to, with the assurance of things present that what is hoped for will come to pass.
When the solstice comes this year, rejoice in the hope that is within you as you hope for the warmth and renewal of the spring to come.

Ten Reasons

I’m going to share with you something written on Facebook by one of our young women at our church. She is a freshman in high school and has given me permission to use what she wrote.
I’m sharing this because all too often we look at teenagers as lazy, insolent, undisciplined, uncaring, and selfish. We know they don’t have a clue how real life is lived and have had everything handed to them on a platter. We abhor their driving habits, knowing they are out to intentionally kill and maim. We see them sag in some places and show too much everywhere. We think all they do is thumb texts all day and hook up at night. They eat too much, don’t eat vegetables, live in garbage dump rooms, and leave the bathroom such that we have to don gloves and a mask to enter.
We miss the reality…a lot. Listen to what she has to say about her day. (By the way, I know both this young woman as well as her friend Carrie (name changed), who she mentions in her writing.)


Not a very good day (or week)...at all. But here are ten reasons I'm smiling and thanking God for the blessed life I have:

1) Spanish, Literature, Music Appreciation, and Math finals are DONE. Only the first three went well though ;)

2) I got a Steelers Terrible Towel today. This alone gave me hope that maybe my week will end better than it started.

3) Yesterday I got to volunteer at Botanica!

4) After I volunteered, my girl scouts and I got to see Botanica's lights for free then grabbed some ice cream at Braums! Yum

5) I talked to one of my ex best friends earlier this week and we agreed to be friends again and out the past behind us. It feels good not to have so much tension!

6) Music. It has kept me awake when I started falling asleep doing homework

7) Kids. They make me smile in every way possible

8) My bestest friend ever (Carrie Austin) came to Wichita this past weekend!!

9) Carrie gave me "12 days before Christmas presents", so each day I open a thoughtful gift and a handwritten note reminding me why I love her and why we are best friends! ♥ you sister!

10) And my final reason I am smiling is because I know all of these things couldn't have been possible without my ever forgiving God. Thank you, God for my wonderful Terrible Towel.

Wisdom beyond her years, and far beyond anything most people may think in general about teenagers today. I’m tearing up as I write this hoping that some day I will have the maturity to write ten reasons why I should smile and thank God for the blessed life I have, even in the face of a not very good day.

A Greater Appeal

I got to thinking this morning about life several years ago when our boys were still in school. We lived in a small community to the southwest of here then, in the home where I grew up. Life was certainly different from my growing-up years in many ways. We had the Internet, cell phones, and many modern conveniences that we did not have in the 1950’s and 1960’s. But some things didn’t change.
The one thing I was thinking of that hadn’t changed between the 1960’s and the 1990’s was that we never pulled the keys from our vehicles. And we left them parked outside in the drive. We never pulled the keys when we went somewhere, unless it was to Wichita or some other “foreign” place. We never were stung with a stolen vehicle, and to my knowledge, none of our vehicles was ever bothered in any way. Now the keys are pulled religiously.
As a corollary, when we lived in western Kansas a few years ago, we never locked the front door to our house, except at night when we had retired for the night. Even if we left town for a week or more, we wouldn’t lock the front door. And as far as I know, that was never a problem. Now, we keep the doors locked even in the daytime, whether we are home or not. And we live in a “safe” neighborhood in the Wichita area.
So what makes the difference? Is it that as we grow older, we grow more cautious? Is it the environment? Do larger cities mean more danger? Maybe it’s because we have more invested in our vehicles and homes than we used to have. Or maybe it’s because we don’t know our neighbors like we used to. Or is there something else at work here? I don’t really know the answer to that, but suspect it has something to do with all of the above.
Is it better? Well, in many ways it is. There is an element of risk in leaving something unlocked, whether in a small or large town, whether in the 1950’s or the 2000’s. There is an inherent safety factor that’s at play here. But in other ways, it’s a little sad that it has to come to this. It’s sad that I have to mentally note whether I’ve locked a door or not and check it to be sure. It’s unsettling to think that I feel like I have to have a loaded weapon at the ready in my home. It’s unnerving to know that not everyone who comes to the door will be coming for an innocent purpose. And although it was unthinkable some years ago, with the new concealed carry laws on the books, I’ve told more than one person who has visited with me about the subject, “If I had a concealed carry permit and a weapon on me, I wouldn’t tell you.”
I know that this blog may be troubling to some, especially for those who know this Mennonite boy who wants nothing more than to live at peace with everyone. It’s unsettling to know that I have even thought such things, let alone have written them. But that’s the world we seem to live in. And it only makes the new heavens and the new earth even more appealing.

When?

A few days ago, we again celebrated Pearl Harbor Day. The number of veterans who were there, and the number of WWII veterans in general, are declining at a great rate. In a few short years, there will be no WWII veterans around anymore. It won’t be many more years until the Korean War veterans are gone…then Vietnam…and so on. When that happens, we tend to lose some perspective on what happened in those eras, and we also tend to forget any lessons those experiences may have tried to teach our society and the human race.
I know that all wars are messy, miserable, and result in many people being killed, societies disappearing or forever changing, and other consequences that we may or may not always see right away. The Second World War, however, seems to be a kind of watershed event for the United States, the free world, and the way we see and fight war. Hopefully, we will not as a race of people (human race) rush to forget the horrid, horrid atrocities and the extraordinary sacrifices of ordinary men and women who literally made the world safe for humanity again in WWII. And hopefully, we won't rush to forget the rebuilding of Japan, the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Air Lift, and everything else too numerous to mention here.
We didn’t deal with everything perfectly. We committed our share of atrocities and had those in our military who were not the paragons of virtue we’d like to think they were. However, we acquitted ourselves well in the 1940’s and were an example to all nations on many, many fronts. We have nothing to be ashamed of in the great scheme of things when it comes to our collective behavior in the War.
We sacrificed. We worked. We got involved. We learned. And we prevailed. We did what we had to do, and many did more than they thought they were capable of doing. We survived and thrived, and we brought the world back from the brink of total despair and destruction through our rebuilding efforts and our leadership in forming the United Nations, NATO, and other efforts.
As I look at this post, I have to wonder if Washington politics would call the nation to great and lofty expectations, we would positively respond as we did then. Instead of a call to serve, it now seems we're being relegated by Washington to the lowest common denominator of malaise and parasitic living. And that relegating has been going on for much longer than the current administration. On July 9, 2004, President Bush said, “I want the American people to live a normal life. It’s my job to worry about it. It’s your job to go about your business.” That was his call from the very beginning of the war on terror. We didn’t sacrifice as a society. We didn’t pay for the war (All major expenditures were “off-budget” and therefore we borrowed the entire amount). We didn’t have to do anything except continue about our business.
Who is bold enough to issue the call and provide the leadership? Who is brave enough to be honest with the American people? When will we be asked to give, support, and encourage? When will we be part of the solution?

Those Who Don't Know Better

Richard C. Hottelet. Marvin Kalb. Robert Trout. Winston Burdett. Eric Sevareid. Charles Collingwood. Howard K. Smith. Douglas Edwards. Robert Pierpoint. Daniel Schorr. Do any of these names sound familiar? No? What about Walter Cronkite? OK, now you have an idea.
These men (yes, they’re all men) are former news correspondents who worked during television’s golden age of news reporting. Most of them worked for CBS News, but not all. Several of them were Murrow’s boys, a phrase that described those who worked for the legendary Edward R. Murrow.
There were more than these, of course. Most of these men were World War II correspondents, and stayed with news reporting into the age of television, and on through the 1960’s and 1970’s. They worked at a time when the news was expected to be a money-loser. They worked when it was thought that the news needed to be independent of the politics of the organization. They worked when news was indeed news and not someone’s opinion masquerading as legitimate news. All have passed on except, as of this writing, Hottelet, who is still active in life.
Sometimes these reporters would give a commentary. When they did, it was clearly labeled as such. Sevareid and Cronkite immediately come to mind as two whose commentary I clearly remember. I’m sure others did the same. We didn’t always agree, but I respected their opinions, and knew they came from a deep and abiding knowledge of the events of the day and a great respect for the journalism profession and the code of ethics that guided them.
It saddens me to think that the likes of some of these men may never be seen again, or that the independence of a news organization from its owner/company may never again be known. It saddens me that it takes great effort to find anything in any kind of news reporting that even comes close to pure news reporting, and not pandering to profit or politics. Those of us who have experienced the golden age of media journalism are understandably turned off by Fox, CNN and the others who have hijacked something that served well the American people and the world and have created a faux world that is nothing at all like it should be.
And what is even sadder is that those who don’t know better think this is the way it should be.

The Right Thing

You’ve probably seen the ad, or seen one like it. State Farm Insurance this evening, during the OU/OSU game had a commercial where the only sound was a musical score where the singers sang “You wanna go where everybody knows your name,” several times during the 30 second spot. Of course, the song is from the TV show “Cheers.” And the theme of the commercial was that people like to do business where they are called by name.
I’ve noticed many commercials in the last couple of years that have this theme. Not the song from “Cheers” necessarily, but the general theme of the commercial is that you will be somebody besides a number if you do business with us.
It’s sad in a way that commercials even have to have this theme. I know that in this modern world, it’s a little arcane to think that the mom and pop grocery store, the local banker, the hardware store guy, the clothing store women, and the meat market butcher would all be friends and neighbors who know you and you know not only them, but also their spouses, kids, and grandkids.
However, there are ways that we can meet the need for recognition without having to patronize a particular insurance company, supermarket, or bank. A couple of ways that I can think of immediately are to volunteer your time to a worthy organization and to become connected with a loving church community.
Think about it before you dismiss these suggestions out of hand. Someone who volunteers is appreciated just for their willingness to serve. These folks fill needs, provide additional support, and generally make life better and easier for those they serve. And that service is noticed and appreciated, making the volunteer a sort of celebrity, if you will.
And to attach oneself to a loving church community is to inherit a “whole ‘nuther family,’ as it were. Folks are generally glad you are a part of the group and enjoy the time they spend with you. You have additional opportunity to volunteer through the church as well.
You don’t have to attach to a church, if that’s not your thing. Civic groups, non-profit organizations and the like many times are formed around a community structure and would welcome you to the fellowship. I would ask, though, that you seriously consider your Creator, His continuing love for you and your response to that. No, not all churches are loving. No, not all people in the church are committed to the cause. Yes, some are hypocrites. You’ll find that, however, wherever you go because people are imperfect by nature, and so are you. Don’t let those lame excuses keep you from doing the right thing.

No Easy Solution

I helped our teens (church youth group) last night as they served an overflow homeless shelter by serving a hot meal to the men that came in for the night. We served sloppy joes, fruit, mac & cheese, cookies, and drinks. The men were grateful and several came to the window to thank us for what we provided for them.
As I looked over the men who were eating during a lull in the serving, I had to wonder about some of them. One of them said he had been a Marine. Another was rather young…looked like age 30 or less. Some looked as if they had been homeless for years; others looked like they came on hard times in just the last few days or weeks. I don’t know if I can rely on looks and brief conversations to draw any particular conclusions, however.
What I did think about was how these men would get out of the situation they were in. How were they going to find jobs, get to and from work, obtain a vocational education, etc?
Think about it. To get a job today requires (usually) a mailing address or permanent address, email, access to a computer, a telephone number, transportation, clean clothing, neat appearance, a way to create a resume, adequate identification, and decent health. Many employers also check one’s credit report, driver records and other such records. Enrolling in and attending school requires much the same resources in addition to a method of paying for the schooling.
So how are these guys going to make the arrangements for these things? How will they get (and pay for) transportation? Where will they wash their clothes? Where are they going to type out a decent resume? What do they do first? Where do they look? Who do they ask?
Now, I’m not turning into a flaming liberal. I know some of these guys have mental and emotional issues that may preclude them from holding down a job. But that begs the question of how they will obtain treatment for their condition, or will they just continue being unbalanced? Other guys have made poor choices in the past that have worked against them to result in their being in the overflow shelter. I get that. We’ve all made poor choices in life. But that also begs the question of how they are going to get out of the hole they’re in, and the truth that “But for the grace of God go I.”
Maybe I also look at this a little differently than some because my wife and I were homeless for a time not that long ago. Except for the generosity of family who took us in and gave us basic support (computer access, an address, washer and dryer, bathroom, warmth & comfort, and would have provided food, transportation, and clothing if needed), and for a church family who helped with continuing medical insurance and provided other support, we too would have had to go to the overflow shelter for an evening meal and place to sleep.
I am not one who thinks government has the solution to all problems of society. Nor do I think that throwing money at a problem necessarily fixes it or makes it better. I do believe, however, that in general we are woefully ignorant of not only these kinds of societal issues, but we are also woefully ignorant of the complexity of many of these issues and the difficulty in finding an adequate solution or solutions.
I don’t pretend to know the answers. I don’t even know what questions to ask. I do know that I’ll be much more cognizant of some of these issues as I go forward in life, and will continue to “do something” even if I can’t “do everything”. I hope you will too.

Thanksgiving

I got up this morning feeling OK, but not “normal”. My gut was growling and my throat was a little ticklish. I wondered if I was coming down with something after this holiday period when I rubbed shoulders with lots of people I don’t normally see very often. Turns out I feel fine now. Maybe it was just something I ate that didn’t quite agree with me and wanted me and my gut wanted me to know it wasn’t happy.
But as I was sitting this morning before church, thinking about my situation, I heard the furnace come on. I didn’t think much about it except to think that I was glad I didn’t have to head out back to the woodpile in this wind and cold to fetch wood for the stove or fireplace…especially feeling the way I was at the time.
A few minutes later, I went into the bathroom and had the occasion to run the water there. Again, I thought that I sure was glad I didn’t have to go out to the well and lower a bucket or pump the pump jack, or walk a mile or so to the nearest stream and carry water back to the house. The thought came to me again regarding hot water. I was glad I didn’t have to heat water over the stove or fireplace to get hot water for a bath.
Then I thought, “How did people survive in the olden days when they got the flu or a serious illness, and didn’t have automatic furnaces, running water, or hot water, or had animals that needed tending to?” Can you imagine yourself with a bad case of the stomach flu and having to chop wood, pump water, or milk the cow anyway? People in those days didn’t always have other family members to help, and had no way to contact someone else (neighbor or friend) to come help them.
And I can certainly imagine someone living by himself who gets really sick, cannot do those daily things that meant survival, and died of cold or dehydration. People of not many generations ago had to do things every day to assure survival for that day.
Nowadays, we don’t have to worry that much about it. The furnace will cycle on and off without our constant attention. The water faucet will run without our having to make it do so. Our waste will be flushed down the sewer and out of sight and mind. And we probably have enough food in the house to last for many, many days. If all else fails, we can call, email, or contact someone to come help us until we can get on our feet. If we have no one else, 911 is always available.
Do we understand the blessings we enjoy and the comfort, security, and safety that comes just by having potable water come out of a faucet whenever we want it? Little House on the Prairie was a feel-good show, and in some ways we’d like to reclaim some of that innocence. But those times were also tough and hard, unforgiving and even merciless toward those who were weak, infirm, or incapacitated in some way. I don’t think we want to go back there.
You don’t have to feel guilty because you have these blessings, and you don’t have to sell everything you have and go live under a bridge somewhere. But I would ask that you stop for just a moment and look around you, and breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for those things that are so routine and part of your life; yet are so vital to your well-being and health. And then I’d like for you to consider sharing this year with some of our number who may not have running water, automatic heat, or weeks worth of groceries. You might just find that you come to appreciate these things even more.

Forever Changed

Normally this time of year, I’d blog about being thankful and the family get-togethers and the food and all the blessings we enjoy each day. And that’s all true, of course, and the traditions continue this year as they have for many years past and gone. This year, however, is a little different as far as my internal thinking process goes. Now, that may sound a little strange to some, but for some reason I seem to have to process things that are internal to me, especially as they may relate to external circumstances, and especially as they may relate to things like holidays, trips, etc.
This year, while I attend family get-togethers, listen to the wife in the kitchen, hear Christmas songs on the CD player, and put the finishing touches on the outdoor display, I am thinking especially about those I’ve had in my life that are in more trying circumstances. I think especially about some of the children I see in latchkey each day (I volunteer as a tutor in an after-school latchkey program). I think especially of those in our church who have gone through and are going through tough times right now. I think of family that are having medical issues and are having to make adjustments to their lives and living because of it. And I think especially of a pastor who was at our church when I was a teen, who now is in Via Christi with cancer and may be in his last days and weeks.
I suppose I could think about the good things that are external…good health, as far as we know, with our grandkids, our kids, and most of our family. Plenty to eat and wear, and a place for everyone to be under a roof with comfortable surroundings. Good friends and neighbors who would do for me if needed, without question. But somehow, this year, I am more contemplative, more thoughtful, more reflective.
Even as I praise my God for His wonderful love, care, and compassion, I am somewhat restive knowing that there is a lot of pain and suffering in this world, and there’s not much I can do about a lot of it. I know, I know, I can’t fix everything, but I can do something. And I’m glad that I am doing something, and am looking for more somethings that I can do. Somehow, I think I won’t have to look very long or hard before another something plops into my lap.
So, as you continue to enjoy the holidays, know that I will enjoy them too. Just be aware that there are those in the world that aren’t having the same enjoyment as you, and if you’re not doing something to help, look around a little. Something will fall into your life and you’ll be forever changed and grateful for the opportunity.

Make Someone's Day

We went to Pratt today to see my cousin. She’s in her 80’s and in an adult care home. She has only a son in her close family, who does not visit her or seem to care for her. So we make the trip from Wichita, my sister and I, about once a month usually on a Saturday to see her, visit a few minutes, play and sing some hymns, and come back to Wichita.
Today we took my niece with us…a nice addition and a very welcome visitor. The folks who live at the home know us by now and several gather in the sitting room when we start to play and sing and sing along with us. We enjoy these folks and would like to visit there about once a month if we can.
We visit during travel, and usually stop in Kingman for a bite to eat at about noon. Today, we stopped at the Kingman cemetery to check on the grave site for a friend of my niece. We found it after a few minutes of looking. Getting back to Wichita about 2pm, I then put the Christmas lights up outside. That took me until about dark.
As I think back to our visit in Pratt, I am reminded that there are many, many people in facilities like that, or home bound for some reason who would love to hear from someone. You may well know someone who is shut in in some way. Maybe all you can do it phone. But probably, you could visit if you really wanted to do so. Think about it, then act. You’ll be blessed, and you’ll lift the spirits of someone who may go day after day without social contact.

That Old Feeling

A day or two ago, I decided to clean out the storage space we have in our basement…you know, the place with the pipes, electrical panels, etc. That’s the space where everyone stores Christmas decorations, old photos, boxes of assorted “stuff”, and whatever else that doesn’t otherwise have a place.
I came across a box that had cassette tapes in it. Now, I’m not that modern, as I have a cassette deck in my pickup (1998 model), and our stereo in the basement has a cassette deck in it, along with a CD player/changer. So cassettes are still fine with me. I looked through the tapes and threw away a lot of them, but came to a few that weren’t labeled and were homemade. So I put them into the player to see what they were, so I would know whether I wanted to save them or not.
One tape, when I hit the “play” button, sounded like some kind of “911” conversation. Not knowing what it was, I listened some more. Turns out it was a copy of the tape (they had tapes at that time, not e-storage) of an auto accident in Harper County that resulted in three injuries, one serious. Dispatch recorded (and still does) all conversations, radio traffic, etc. at all times, and this was a copy of about two hours of that traffic in the 911 center. I haven't a clue how or why I have the recording.
I happened to be on duty for EMS that day and took the first-out ambulance to the scene. I drove. I don’t recall who my crew mate was…probably someone who also worked at the hospital. We had a one-vehicle accident and three victims. We had plenty of help as the fire department’s Rescue Squad 3 and Engine 8 responded along with several bystanders, including an RN who was also an EMT.
We ended up calling for two more ambulances to help transport the wounded and called a helicopter to the hospital from Wichita to transport the serious victim. Everything is caught on the recording, and I can be clearly heard several times on the EMS radio frequency. Another man I worked with, now deceased, was on the second-out ambulance and can be heard as well.
The thing that struck me was how easily I was transported back some fifteen years ago to that time. Suddenly, Bill was our EMS director, I was on the ambulance, Terry was the sheriff, Pam was the nurse on duty, and Guy (the now-deceased) could be absolutely relied on, as usual, to fill any of a multitude of roles…this time as the second-out unit driver. The adrenaline started up again, just as it did those years ago. My 60-some year old body was again about 45 and more able to run, lift, and carry. And, that old feeling came back for a short time as I listened to the tape. There’s a certain feeling…some describe it as a rush; others as a satisfaction. Still others describe a sense of well-being and camaraderie that happens when diverse people with different abilities work together under pressure for the common good. Thinking I had gotten rid of it long ago, surprisingly, now I know I didn’t, and probably never will.
It was also good to hear, for the first time, the EMS director tell the 911 dispatcher at the conclusion of the incident that things went well; that he did not feel the need to personally go to the scene, and that it was handled well by competent volunteers and staff. As I was part of that staff, it made me feel good to receive validation, even at this late date, for a job where I know we had done our best.
There are things I’ve done in the past for which I wish I had tapes. I could easily have made a tape of my last DJ (disk jockey) broadcast back in 1981, but didn’t. I could have made a tape of one of my weathercasts on television during that same era, but didn’t. And until now, I had only some EMS pins, a nametag, and my old EMT state certification card to remind me of some of the best moments of my life…those times when I was able to make a difference in the life of someone else. I probably won’t play that tape more than one or two more times in my lifetime, assuming I live to a normal age. But it’s satisfying just to know it’s there, and to know also that our work then was truly appreciated by the Director.
I continue to try to make a difference in someone’s life, I think. My EMS and probably my healthcare days are over. In a way, I mourn that because I enjoyed it so. But I can help out in other ways. I don’t always succeed, and sometimes fail miserably, at least in my view. But as long as I’m given breath and life, it seems like it’s my responsibility to use what few abilities I have to help make someone’s corner of the world just a little better.

A Special Time

Yesterday, we had the first of several sermons on thanksgiving and giving thanks. The sermon was not a sermon; rather, it was the preacher sitting on the platform with a couple from our church who had been through a healthcare issue this past year and have so far come out on the other side.
At one point, Vernon was given a 2% chance of survival and had received something like six surgeries in about as many days. He’s been fighting cancer. He’s had most of his digestive system removed and has suffered mightily from the chemo and radiation. Yet he survives. He and his wife sat down with our preacher and talked about that time and about the things that happened, things they thought, things that have changed for them.
Without hesitation and many times through the interview, they talked about the power of prayer and the effect that prayer, encouragement, and support from the congregation had on them and their family. They are a changed family, and have changed for the better, even though Vernon walks slowly and with a cane, and is still in rehab.
They are a thankful family, and seem to appreciate every day as a gift from God. The world looks different now, and things taken for granted are given new meaning and purpose. It’s a whole new day.
I don’t know about you. I don’t know if you’ve been through the fires of trial and trouble or not. Nor do I know how you reacted or how you would react should something like that happen to you. I would hope, however, that you would rejoice with thanksgiving regardless of the circumstance because you know you are a child of the living God and that you know that regardless of the outcome, you will never be forsaken by Him, nor will you be forgotten or tossed aside.
Should God give me the breath of life these next several weeks, this promises to be a wonderful time of the year, and an even more wonderful opportunity to give thanks and rejoice in my salvation and deliverance. To God alone be the glory!

Here and There

Things I’ve experienced recently:

Driving along McLean Blvd. along the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita, I noticed an older man in the riverbed, sitting on a lawn chair, with a fishing line thrown into the stream portion of the river. They’ve lowered the river’s water level in order to work on a bridge, so there are portions of the normally covered riverbed that are dry. Whether he caught anything or not was probably not his biggest issue. I rather imagine he was thoroughly enjoying the experience.
I went to a new supermarket a few days ago (Wal Mart Neighborhood Market). When I checked out, I had about a dozen items, so went to the self-checkout. I got through about three items when the checkout machine told me I had an “unknown item” in the bagging area and refused to continue. A woman came by and reset the machine. I continued and got a couple more items scanned when the machine did the same thing. This time, no one came by and I had no way to call anyone over. I threw everything I had checked out back into the cart, backed out, and went to a checkout with a person manning it. I looked at the non-working checkout as I left the store. On the screen was, “Please wait for a manager.” I didn’t bother.
At a local store today, as I completed my purchases, both clerks I dealt with said, “Thank You,” after we completed our business. My, that was refreshing…sure beats a, “There ya’ go,” or the “stare” which says, “You can leave now.” What ever happened to, “Thank you, we appreciate your business?”
The Texas Roadhouse was giving veterans a break on the noon meal today. At 11am, the line went out the door, down the sidewalk, and around the back of the building. At 12:30 it was shorter, but still out the door and down the walk. Good for Texas Roadhouse and all the others who provided some kind of “kindness” for veterans today.
I recently saw a dog being walked by a man who had his canine friend on what must have been a 40 foot leash. The dog was happy to have that much room to run around in, but I wonder what the man would do when he came near someone else.
In going to a large supermarket (Dillons) a few days ago to get a large can of ground decaf coffee, I discovered that they had none. And there was no place on the shelf for any. Dillons has lots of “stuff”, but not that much “variety” in some departments unless you’re wanting sushi, organic soy milk, or tomatoes that bounce on the floor when dropped. There are several other items Dillons does not carry, which other stores do have. I guess I’ll go to the other stores.
How difficult is it to look and see what direction everyone is walking on the walking track at the “Y”, then walk in the same direction? Besides, there is a sign on the wall that has arrows which point the right way to walk. Sheesh.
I woke up this morning, was able to get out of bed, and have enjoyed the day relatively pain free and comfortable. Thank you, Lord.

One thing in this very uncertain world that is not at all uncertain is the following: Public school certainly is not the way it used to be.
I signed up to volunteer at a local public school in a lower-middle class neighborhood in Wichita. Our church partners with this school in many ways, and volunteering there is one of those ways. I was placed in the afternoon latchkey program as a tutor for any students that needed help with homework.
I knew from having family who works and has worked in the school system that things are different. And they indeed are different. My teachers of years ago wouldn’t have a clue what to do and how to teach today. Mrs. Pearl, Mrs. Drouhard, Mr. Mayberry, and all the others would have a difficult time recognizing the school of today.
When I went to school, not that many years ago:

• There was no latchkey program. We were all sent home after school and a parent or older sibling was expected to be there.
• Teachers did not hand students off to parents at the end of the day to be certain that no one “unseemly” picked up the student. We were just all sent out the door and left to fend for ourselves, so to speak.
• We had no prepared lunches. Those who ate lunch at school brought their own.
• We did not eat snacks, except for milk in Kindergarten.
• Those who ate lunches when I was in school prayed, “God is great; God is good. Let us thank Him for this food. Amen.”
• Students didn’t ask “Why?” when asked to do something by a teacher. To do so would result in an immediate punishment, followed by added unpleasantness at home that evening.
• Students didn’t have to have a “pass” to go to the bathroom when I went to school. We just went down the hall.
• When I was in school, the school doors were not locked with only one entrance open. All doors were unlocked (except those few that specifically were fire escape doors).
• When I attended school, parents or other adults could come in the building any time. They did not have to stop by the office first and register.
• Teachers ran their classrooms without much “help” from the office, administration, or “downtown” many years ago. They often had upwards of 30 kids in their classes, and managed to teach even at that. A para was unheard-of.

No, I don’t want to go back to the “good old days”. There’s much to be said for computers in the classroom, brightly-lit and pleasant rooms, and today’s teachers are some of the best. However, I wonder if there is any way we could take some of the best of the past that may still be useful and apply it today. Wouldn’t that be a novel idea!

Interesting Things

I’ve come across some interesting (at least to me) facts about the universe in which we live. I’ve compiled several having to do with space and the elements. I’ve tried to verify the truth of what I’ve presented, not relying on Wikipedia as a sole source (although I’ve credited Wikipedia a time or two). I’ve not sourced all of what follows, as some are compilations from several sources.

Enjoy.

How much plutonium in the Fat Man bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki was converted into energy? About a gram, or a piece of plutonium about 1/3 the size of a penny, says Wikipedia.

How much hydrogen does the sun burn? According to NASA, about 600 million tons a second. Of that, 596 million tons of helium is produced, leaving 4 million tons a second that is converted to energy.

According to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, there are over 10 million distinct compounds of carbon, more than any other element.

Argon, on the other hand, along with several other gasses, is quite inert, not reacting with any other known substances and having no compounds.

A parsec is an astronomical unit of distance equal to about 19 trillion miles (3.26 lightyears). Wikipedia.

Helium is the only substance known that cannot be in solid form. Liquid helium cannot be made cold enough to solidify.

Under standard conditions, Lithium is considered to be the lightest metallic element, and is one of only two that can float on water.

When the moon is directly overhead, a person weighs slightly less on earth than when the moon is elsewhere, due to the gravitational “tug” of the moon on the human body. Moral: Always weigh yourself with an overhead moon.

Astatine is the rarest of the naturally-occurring elements, with only about an ounce naturally occurring in the entirety of the earth’s crust at any given time. It is continuously formed by the decay of heavier elements and itself decays into lighter elements, having a half-life of a little over 8 hours.

According to Roger Penrose, English physicist and Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, the total number of atoms in the known universe is about 10 80 (10 to the 80th power).

According to the Astrophysical Journal, about 65 billion neutrinos pass through a square centimeter of space on the surface of the earth every second. Most of these particles are generated by the sun.

The coldest place in the universe is on Earth. In Wolfgang Ketterle’s lab in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). 0.000000000001 degrees Kelvin.

In 1999, NASA estimated that it would cost 62.5 trillion dollars to produce one gram (about .03 ounce) of anti-matter hydrogen, making it the most costly substance known at the time.

Osmium is generally considered to be the heaviest metallic element with a density about twice that of lead.

Light coming from the sun is actually about 30,000 years old. It takes that long for it to work its way from the core, where it is formed, to the surface.

One teaspoon of matter from a neutron star would weigh more on earth than the entire human population together.

Make a Difference

We had Halloween yesterday, and today is November 1. The days, it seems, just seem to be hurtling by, and with them go the last vestiges of summer warmth and color. The leaves are coming down in torrents and the out-of-doors is becoming more drab and gray. It’s time to earnestly plan for long winter nights, indoor activities, and the cold that bites.
It’s also time to remember that there will be some for whom the long winter nights are exercises in survival; that there will be no indoor activities except what can be accomplished inside a cardboard box or dumpster, and that the cold does more than bite. I am becoming more and more convinced that there is something to this “politically conservative-socially liberal” philosophy that we are hearing more and more about as the months and years go by. I don’t know if I can classify myself in that “box”, or if I want to classify myself as anything. And that is not the topic of this blog. It is, however, a sort of paradox to see such opposite terms said about one individual and tends to mess up our neat labels we put on folks.
I would ask, though, regardless of any labeling or self-assessments that may be yours politically or socially, that you consider this year how you might be able to make a difference somehow, somewhere, in some way. You won’t be able to fix the world. You may not be able to do much more than donate a coat or a few dollars to the homeless shelter. But you can, if you yourself can look forward to a roof, warm room, and clean food and toilet facilities, make someone’s struggle to survive this winter a little easier.

Dig a Ditch

Yesterday our minister told us the story of the King of Israel and the King of Judah going to war together against the King of Moab. That’s found in II Kings chapter 3. Jehoram, King of Israel and Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, band together and march toward Moab. On the way they run out of water for their troops and animals.
The King of Judah asks if there is a prophet of God anywhere around who might invoke the Almighty’s help in solving this dilemma. The story is rather intricate and has the possibility of many points and lessons; however, the sum is that God tells Elisha the prophet to tell the kings that the water will come…if they dig ditches in the valley.
Our minister’s point was that God is often willing to do for us, but we must do our part as well. We must dig the ditches, so to speak. My guess is that had the kings not had the ditches dug, the water would not have appeared.
He and the story in the Bible are correct, of course. How often do we get ourselves into some kind of pickle, then ask God to magically fix it all for us? One of the examples he used to illustrate this is our getting into a financial mess through overspending, over borrowing, and greedy selfishness, then when the chickens come home to roost we ask God for a magic fix, like winning the lottery. God is more than willing to help; we must, however, dig some ditches. That is, we might develop a workable budget, find extra work, sell some things we don’t need, start giving to God’s work, start saving, etc. We then often find that God was right there all along, just waiting for us to come to our senses.
I’m not certain what your issues are for which you’ve asked God for help. I do know that most of the time He expects you to do something…to dig a ditch…in faith that deliverance will come.
Speaking of digging ditches and the example of giving to God’s work, I heard recently that the Barna Group discovered some time ago that overall church giving is about 2% of American income. And that giving to missions efforts are about 2% of that 2%, or 0.04% of total church giving. I’ll not comment on those numbers except to ask that you take them in and examine your own church giving in light of the command found in Judaism to tithe of the gross, and additional opportunities for offerings on top of that. The New Testament does not give any certain percentage for Christians to follow; however, it does talk a lot about being generous and giving joyfully. Is 2% generous in your opinion? Just asking. Would you answer with just a “yes” or “no” and not couch your answer in excuses and convoluted reasoning? Then perhaps it’s time you started digging a ditch.

Some Thoughts on Spiders and the Creation

Each fall, I look forward to the orb spiders spinning great webs over a span of several feet across some opening. They catch insects in those webs, lay their eggs and die, having provided for the continuation of a cycle that has gone on for millennia.
I’ve blogged before about the engineering that goes into these webs and the massive undertaking that it is for the spider to create these marvels of nature. I even blogged one year about a spider that created a horizontal web across our little fish pond in our back yard just inches above the water…I would have given my eye teeth (one of which has a crown on it anyway) to see her do that. I still wonder how it got done.
But this year the spiders weren’t that plentiful. The wife didn’t have to leave the garage door open (or closed) in order to not disturb a web. No sidewalk was taken up with a web across it. I only saw a single web in my yard…at the southeast corner. And it was there only one day as far as I know.
I don’t know if the harsh dry summer had anything to do with the dearth of spiders, or if it was something else that kept their numbers down. I do know that I missed seeing them this year, and usually have three or four webs at any given time in the fall, even in my smallish yard.
The cycles of nature, reproduction, population, weather, and so on are continuing miracles to watch and track. Many people, I suppose, don’t care for such observations, preferring the television, the I Pad, or something else to occupy their time. And I must admit I spend my share of time on the computer and watch some TV. But there’s just something about seeing the intricacy and fragility of the natural world, right alongside the toughness and resilience of the same that causes a sort of worshipful attitude in my soul. I am at once humbled and amazed at what I see, even in today’s modern world, of the beauty and spectacular wisdom that is a part of this universe and a part of my present tense experience.

An Idiotic Response

Let’s say you worked at a job where you weren’t offered health insurance as a benefit, or your portion of the monthly premium was too much for you to afford, and you went to the doctor one day because of an ache in your side. You had some cash money, so you let the doctor order a scan and some other tests. He tells you that you have cancer in one of your internal organs (just choose one…it doesn’t matter). He tells you that he wants you to schedule a consult with a cancer specialist and that you’ll have to have surgery, radiation, chemo, blood transfusions, special medications for at least a year or more, follow-ups, more scans, and many, many doctor visits.
The costs associated with these things are well into the six figures, just for the next three months of treatment. Scans are $2,000 each. Each consult or office visit is $150 or more, and there are far more office visits and consults than one can count on both hands, both feet, and using all teeth. Radiation and chemo therapy are well into the four figures each time (and there are many such therapies). Surgery costs around $1,000 a minute. Transfusions, even using Red Cross blood, are four figures each. Medications cost from $1,000 to $10,000 dollars a month or more depending on what they are.
You’ve managed to save up four or five thousand dollars for health concerns. You see the potential two to five hundred thousand dollar bill. You’re an intelligent person, worked all your life, paid your taxes, and happen to have a job that doesn’t help you with health insurance (there are millions of jobs out there like this).

To which charity or charities do you go to obtain the means to pay for the services you need for your cancer?

What, you haven’t a clue? Neither do I. Yet that is the answer given by some people running for and in national and state political office regarding health care in this nation and the fact that some people are uninsured. One former office-holder even said that they could go to the emergency room and get care. Yeah, emergency rooms are equipped to handle cancer therapy…right. They’d escort you right back out where you came from, and legally, too, I might add. All emergency rooms have to do is provide life-saving treatment for an immediate life-threatening event and an exam to determine whether or not you need immediate, life-threatening treatment.
Can your church afford a half-million dollar bill? Can your family? What about the Salvation Army? Or maybe the local United Way. Probably not.
Listen to one lady as she responds, No "charitable organization" would have helped pay for my mastectomy and the unexpected additional surgery thirteen days later, three and a half days in the hospital attached to a morphine drip, my reconstructive surgery or the Tamoxifen prescription that I need to take every day for the next five years. Nor will they pay for my follow up mammograms, Oncologist appointments, or any other necessary treatment and preventative measures. I am lucky - I have a good job and am able to afford to pay for my health insurance.
I don’t know what the answer is. I do know what it isn’t. It isn’t what it currently is, and it isn’t the idiotic response given by some in public office, and running for public office. Nuff said.

Short and Succinct

I was out running some errands today and had occasion to have to cross the railroad in north Wichita. I got to the stop light on 29st Street Eastbound at Broadway and the railroad cross arms come down. Long train coming, it looks much like the one pictured, and it’s moving about 20 miles an hour.
Smugly, I make a right turn on to Broadway and head South down to 21st Street. By the time I get within about ¼ mile of that intersection, the train clears and the arms go up at 21st Street. I head on to the intersection and manage to make a left turn from Broadway onto 21st Street just as the light turns yellow. I no sooner take my first look onto 21st Street eastbound when I see the lights on and the arms about half way down again. Mindful that the police sometimes ride the rails or sit so they can see, I decide not to gun it across the tracks with the arms on their way down. I slide to a stop just before the arm comes down in front of me. As I peer to the south, I see the lights of another engine coming rather slowly, but deliberately.
Waiting what seemed like an interminable amount of time, the train finally gets to the intersection…another mile and a half long train speeds by at about 15 miles an hour, not more than a mile or so behind the last one that came through. I would have been better off waiting at 29th Street to cross!
OK, what’s the lesson here? Is it “Smugness comes back to haunt you?” What about “Those who don’t want to wait end up waiting longer?” OK, how about “Be sure your attempts to beat the system will find you out…and get back at you.” Could it have been, “If you hadn’t run that yellow light to make the turn, you could have gone down to 13th Street.” Or maybe if I’m super-spiritual, it could be, “You didn’t listen to the Spirit tell you to just wait at 29th Street.”
Would someone just let me know what I need to learn so I don’t have to go through this exercise yet again? I’m getting old enough that I may not have time for the extended lessons and need the short and succinct.

Heaven

I don’t often do a religiously-oriented blog anymore. I’m not sure why not. The inspiration just doesn’t come all that often anymore. However, I’ve been reading a book, which is sometimes a somewhat dangerous thing to do. The book is an older one titled Heaven by Randy Alcorn. In the book, Alcorn makes the argument that what we think of as eternal life in heaven, or going to heaven when we die is in reality a melding of the new heavens and new earth as mentioned several times in the Bible. We will, he says, be in an eternal existence on a renewed earth that has combined with heaven, an existence much like that of Adam and Eve before the fall. We will inhabit incorruptible bodies much like the one Jesus had after his resurrection, Alcorn says, and we will be active, thinking, rational human beings…except there will be no sin to mar the perfection.
I don’t know what I think of this just yet. I’m not finished with the book. But I must say he makes a compelling argument from scripture and from what we know of God’s creation and His intent for His creation. I’ve always thought that there was something to this new heavens and new earth thing, and I’ve always thought that when Paul says we will be like Jesus in our resurrections, he means it. But I never took the time to take apart the Book to the extent Alcorn has, and develop the arguments he has developed.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t really wish to float in some ethereal, wispy-ghostly state on a cloud (or anywhere else, for that matter). And eternally having nothing to do except singing and falling down before the throne of God appeals to me not one iota. Don’t misunderstand that last statement, folks. I’ll do more than my share of praise to the God of Heaven. I think there’s more to it than that, however, and am looking forward to finding out what it is.
Whatever you think about death, heaven, hell, eternal life, etc, know that in all probability you will be in error. Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard what we have in store for us as God’s elect. Soli Deo Gloria.

The Fiftysix Star Flag

I was perusing the children’s section at a local library recently. I came across a book that told a story about the liberation of a concentration camp at the end of World War II in Germany. Curious how the book was written so that children could understand, without being too graphic, I pulled the book (40 pages) from the shelf and read it.
It tells the story of the liberation of Mauthausen Concentration camp by a platoon of Americans led by Staff Sgt. Albert Kosiek. The book didn’t hide any of the atrocious and heinous acts of the Germans, but tells about them in such a way that children can at the same time understand, yet not come away from reading the book with fright or terror. The book does a great job of reminding even the children of today of such things so that we as a society may never forget—and never allow or condone such to happen again.
I checked other records for accuracy of the account in the children’s book when I came home that evening. The book, although simply written, was accurate in its account. One of the book summaries I found says this about the flag you see pictured here. “On May 6, 1945 when the 11th Armored Division of the U.S. Army marched into the Mauthausen Concentration camp, they were presented with an extraordinary gift. Despite their desperate and starving conditions, a group of prisoners had surreptitiously sewed scraps of sheets and jackets together to make a U.S. flag. Even though the inmates had added an extra row of stars (they weren’t sure how many stars the flag had…they put 56 on the flag), Colonel Richard Seibel had the flag flown over the camp as a tribute to the humanity, perseverance, and spirit of the survivors of Mauthausen.”
The name of the book is The Flag With Fiftysix Stars; A Gift From the Survivors of Mauthausen. There are a hundred lessons for humanity in this account of the liberation of Mauthausen, and there are thousands more lessons for the human race in the history of World War II. I’m not Jewish. You probably aren’t either. Nevertheless, we must never, ever forget. And we must continue to pass down the history…all of it both good and bad…untainted by political correctness, bigotry, ignorance, or narrow-mindedness.

The Farm Never Left the Boy

While visiting my cousin today, who is in an adult care home in a neighboring town, we (my sister and I) had opportunity to visit some with a few of the other residents who were there and were gathered in the “visiting” room along with us. One of the ladies remarked that she liked my shirt, which had the words “Wheat Farmers” on the front of it (It’s a long story). We visited some about farming, wheat, etc.
One of the residents overheard the conversation and asked me where I farmed. I told her I haven’t farmed for years, ever since I was a teen. We visited a little about that and about her farm, and then I told the lady that the boy may have left the farm, but the farm never left the boy.
After we had left the facility, I recalled something former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said. His comment was, "I will always consider myself first and foremost a kid from Kansas who got lucky. I have now worked for eight presidents. Whatever I have accomplished I believe has been due to my Kansas roots and heritage -- a heritage of family, friends, mentors, and values. The boy left Kansas, but Kansas never left the boy."
We don’t hear that kind of thing said all that often anymore. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the place we were raised, the work we did, the family we came from, or something else. I have to wonder just how much we appreciate our past and the things and people that were a part of it.
The newspaper where I obtained that quote (The Hays Daily News) also quoted Gates as saying this, "We must never forget the ideals and the beliefs that make us a nation; we must never forget the hopes and aspirations of our people; we must always keep the faith. In addition to a wonderful home, my youth in Kansas was rich with good and modest people. Character, and integrity, Kansas values and Kansas common sense became the bedrock of my life, a bedrock that has been my touchstone no matter how far I have traveled or how long I have been gone from Kansas."
I don’t cite this to say that Kansans are somehow better than Texans or Californians, but rather to say that who we are is more a function of our past, and who and what we interacted with as younger people than we might think (or like to think). Yes, we can change. No, I don’t want to go back to the “good old days”. And yes, we can embrace the new and different.
Some of us celebrate our history. Others of us wish to eliminate it from our memories. Still others just don’t remember much at all. But we all are affected by it regardless and in spite of it all. We live in the present, look to the future, and recall the past. Somehow, thanks to the God of heaven and earth, it all gels together and we are able to function, work, play, and live and love.

Some Politics

For the Republican debate this evening, Bloomberg News ran a blog showing some of the claims made by the candidates, along with a “reality check” of the background and the facts of the matter (at least as Bloomberg sees them…I make no representation that these are “really” the facts, but it’s interesting to get another opinion.) By the way, if I find something similar for Democrats, I will do the same. I have reprinted that blog below:

The Claim: Mitt Romney said that the federal government, using its “friends” on the National Labor Relations Board, is telling Boeing Co. “you cannot build a factory in a non-union state.”
The Background: The NLRB’s acting general counsel sued Boeing in April over its decision to locate a 4,000-job factory in South Carolina, saying the move was intended to punish union activity at its base in Washington.
The Facts: The NLRB didn’t say Boeing had to close the South Carolina plant. It called for increasing production at the plane maker’s commercial hub in Washington state to an equivalent level as planned for South Carolina.

The Claim: Mitt Romney said that President Barack Obama's health-care law raised spending by $1 trillion.
The Background: The 2010 health-care law that Obama signed included a mix of pending increases and cuts.
The Facts: The law increases spending by $788 billion over 10 years, while cutting spending by $931 billion over the same time for a net deficit reduction of $143 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated in March 2010.

The Claim: Representative Michele Bachmann said that she was a "lone voice" in Washington urging Congress not to raise the federal debt ceiling this summer. Bachmann said she opposed giving "Barack Obama another $2.4 trillion blank check to spend."
The Background: Following a contentious and partisan debate, Congress voted to raise the federal limit on government borrowing this summer by as much as $2.4 trillion, in exchange for an agreement to find at least that much in budget savings over the next decade. Bachmann and many other Republican lawmakers opposed the agreement, saying government needed to curtail spending in order to stop borrowing.
The Facts: The debt ceiling, which stood at $14.3 trillion before being raised this summer, covered obligations and spending Congress had already authorized. If Congress hadn't raised the limit by early August, the government wouldn't have been able to meet up to 40 percent of its obligations. President Obama would have been forced to decide whom to pay -- choosing among Social Security recipients, veterans, investors in U.S. government debt and others. Although the debate has often been testy, Congress had always raised the debt ceiling.

The Claim: Herman Cain said Bloomberg News' analysis of his 9-9-9 plan is incorrect. "The reason it's incorrect is because they start with assumptions we don't make," he said.
The Background: Cain's proposal would eliminate the current U.S. Tax code and tax sales transactions and gross income for individuals and businesses at 9 percent while eliminating levies on capital gains. It also ends the payroll tax that funds Social Security and corporations wouldn't pay a tax on dividends.
The Facts: Cain said his campaign has received an independent revenue analysis of his plan, though that analysis hasn't been publicly released. He also hasn't detailed the specific assumptions his campaign is using. Working with the only data publicly available, Bloomberg News calculated that the 9-9-9 plan would have generated about $2 trillion if it were in place in 2010, compared with the $2.2 trillion the government collected that year. Cain's plan would generate $922.1 billion from the sales tax, $912 billion from the individual income tax and $127.7 billion from the tax on corporations. Cain said that his plan would win passage in Congress. Congress has been reluctant to eliminate some of the most popular tax benefits currently in the code, such as the mortgage interest deduction, which survived the 1986 tax code overhaul.

The Claim: Michele Bachmann said Obama's health-care law will be run by a board of 15 political appointees who will "make all the major health-care decisions for over 300 million Americans."
The Background: Bachmann was referring to the ``independent payment advisory board," a panel of 15 health-care authorities established by the 2010 health-care law to help curb Medicare spending. Beginning in 2015 the panel will begin proposing cuts to Medicare if yearly spending exceeds targets set by the law. Congress could overrule the panel only with a supermajority in the Senate or if it comes up with an alternate plan that saves an equivalent amount.
The Facts: The board only has authority over Medicare, in which about 48 million elderly and disabled Americans are now enrolled, not the 300 million Bachmann mentioned. The law doesn't grant the panel power to make health-care decisions and prohibits the group from cutting benefits, changing eligibility rules or increasing beneficiaries' premiums or cost-sharing. Instead, the board's main tool for cutting spending will be reducing payments to providers. Link to the law: http://docs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf

The Claim: Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, said the economic meltdown "can be traced back" to federal government housing policies like the Community Reinvestment Act and the implicit backing of mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. She also said that the Dodd-Frank Act ``institutionalized all of these problems that were put into effect by the federal government.''
The Background: In 2008 the U.S. financial system was on the brink of failure in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis. A $700 billion bank bailout was required and lawmakers, economists, academics and federal regulators spent much of the next three years attempting to identify the causes of the crisis, which accelerated in 2007 and reached its height with the September 2008 failure of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
The Facts: While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were seized in 2008 by the federal government, played a large role in the mortgage crisis due to the volume of loans they purchased that went sour, nine of the 10 commissioners on the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission agreed that the two mortgage firms were not the cause of the crisis. The majority FCIC report, signed by six Democratic appointees, blamed banks and federal regulators for the crisis. A dissent by three Republican members blamed the crisis on 10 factors, with the inflation of the credit bubble by the Federal Reserve serving as the leading catalyst. Fannie and Freddie were not a primary cause, the three Republicans said.
Research published by the Federal Reserve Banks of San Francisco and Richmond concluded that the Community Reinvestment Act, a 1977 law aimed at increasing mortgage loans to lower-income Americans, had little to do with fueling the subprime mortgage crisis.
The Dodd-Frank Act, enacted by President Barack Obama in 2010, did nothing to institutionalize a government guarantee in the mortgage market. The law largely ignored the mortgage giants.

The Claim: Republican candidate Herman Cain pledged to present a balanced budget a year after taking office. He said the only way to bring down the national debt is ``the first year that I'm president and I oversee a fiscal-year budget, make sure that revenues equals spending. If we stop adding to the national debt, we can bring it down.''
The Background: Cain, the former chief executive of Godfather's Pizza with no experience in elective office, is seeking to demonstrate a command on the economy and fiscal issues to compete with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
The Facts: A proposal by the heads of President Barack Obama’s debt commission to cut the budget by $4 trillion wouldn’t wipe out the deficit for more than 25 years. According to a research group, the Bipartisan Policy Center, there will be an $830 billion deficit in fiscal year 2013 assuming current policy such as the extension of tax rates. To balance the budget in fiscal year 2013 through spending cuts alone, it would require a reduction equal to 25 percent of all spending, the policy center said, citing Congressional Budget Office projections. That would be more cuts than it would take to eliminate one year's spending on Medicare and Medicaid.

The Claim: Michele Bachmann said that ``nine years from now the Medicare hospital Part B trust fund is going to be dead flat broke."
The Background: Medicare Part A pays for inpatient hospital services. Medicare Part B pays for outpatient services such as doctor visits.
The Facts: The hospital trust fund is Part A, not Part B. Part A is estimated to be exhausted in 2024, not in nine years, according to the Medicare trustees' annual report released this year. Under one set of estimates by the trustees, the Part A trust fund's expenditures begin to exceed income in nine years, but will not be ``broke.'' In the report, the trustees said the Part B trust fund is ``adequately financed over the next 10 years and beyond.''

The Claim: Texas Governor Rick Perry said he will offer a plan “for getting America independent on the domestic energy side.”
The Background: Presidents since Richard Nixon in 1973 have set a goal of U.S. energy independence. Oil imports have risen since then and accounted for 49 percent of U.S. consumption last year.
The Facts: The U.S. had proven reserves of 19.12 billion barrels of oil, compared with 1.33 trillion barrels in global reserves as of 2008, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency forecast in April that the U.S. will rely on imported fuels for 42 percent of consumption in 2035.

The Claim: Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has ``in secret spent hundreds of billions of dollars'' on bailouts of financial institutions and that nobody in the news media has demanded transparency from the central bank.
The Background: The Fed stretched its emergency powers during the financial panic of 2008 to rescue Bear Stearns Cos. and American International Group Inc. It also created unprecedented lending tools to provide funds to banks, mutual funds and large corporations.
The Facts: The Fed made loans to financial institutions -- it didn't spend any money, and has said it has incurred no losses. While the central bank kept much of the information on the identity of borrowers confidential at the time, the Dodd-Frank Act and lawsuits by Bloomberg News and Fox News resulted in disclosure of the recipients in late 2010 and early 2011. The Fed has separately spent $2.3 trillion purchasing housing and government debt as part of monetary policy.

I don't know about you, but I have seen these codes, called QR codes, in many places. They are, as one descriptor says, two dimensional analog equivalents to bar codes. I don't have a phone (or anything else) that can scan or utilize these codes...yet.
As an older person, I'm always a little skeptical of things like this, fearing that somehow I'll be carried somewhere I don't want to go or that someone will find out something about me that I don't want them to know. Yes, I know they are, for the most part, innocuous. But one never knows, and maturity also carries with it a sort of built-in skepticism meter that tends to go off when things like this present.
I wasn't aware until not long ago that there are free URL's where one can make his own QR code. That's what I did here...it's my own.
I don't know if you'll want to scan it to see what it is or not. I won't tell you, though, just in case.

The Test of Time

James Dobson, in an old video called “A Father Looks Back”, tells of one time when he was playing Monopoly with his family. As the game progressed, he became more and more wealthy and successful in the pursuit of the game. He talks of having hundred-dollar bills tucked away here and there…of his opponents landing on his properties with hotels and houses on them, and generally being quite the bragging winner.
Then the game was over. He had won handily, and by this time the rest of his family wasn’t too interested in helping him put the game away, so he began to do it himself. As he began to dismantle the game and put the pieces back into the box, he was struck by the similarity to real life.
We work hard. We accumulate much. We win at the game of life in terms of what most people would call win. Then one day it’s over. We die. And it all has to go back into the box. We take nothing with us. We use none of our accumulation of things to pay our way anywhere. Our money, houses, automobiles, jewelry, and all the rest are useless to us. Someone packs it up and puts it all back into the box.
Dr. Dobson ends this segment of the video with these words, “The conclusion that I’ve drawn that outranks all others is, ‘Nothing in life matters except love for God and His Son Jesus Christ, and love for mankind, beginning with my own family.’”
I don’t know about you, but in my view, the lesson here is crucial and the message here is timeless. And it applies not only to fathers, but to all who live in this creation. Yes, it is important for us to care for ourselves and our families as God blesses us. Yes, it is important to be good stewards of what God gives us. And yes, it is important to work and be productive.
But when all is said and done; when I enter into eternity on the other side of death, what will matter is not whether I have accumulated a certain amount of material possessions or whether I have a great retirement plan. What will matter is my relationship with the One who made me and has my eternal destiny in His hands. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” is the one thing I want to hear. Nothing else really matters and nothing else can stand the test of time or of eternity.

Are We Listening?

The monarch butterfly migration has been in full swing for a few weeks now. It will continue on until about the end of October, or the first freeze, whichever comes first. I was interested in the migration cycle of the butterfly as I knew that most butterflies only live a few weeks at the most in the adult stage. What I found was incredible.
Monarchs winter in either central Mexico or, for those west of the Rockies, in southern California. Those butterflies start northward in the spring, and while on the way lay eggs and die. The eggs hatch and form butterflies in three stages (caterpillar, pupae, and adult) in about a month. Those butterflies continue on their northward migration.
Those adults live just a few weeks (six to eight), mate, lay eggs, and die. That cycle repeats itself at least three times during the summer months. The fourth generation of monarchs is somewhat different from the other three in that the adults of that generation have the ability to live as adults for six to seven months.
They do that because they are the ones that begin the migration south, winter over, and start back north. They lay eggs and die sometime after they start back northward and the generations and the cycle continues.
It is not known how the butterflies that are born in the north know where to migrate to, when to leave, or how the fourth generation knows it is different than the others and will live for several months rather than just a few weeks. It is known that the butterflies can possibly utilize the earth’s magnetic field, although they cannot tell the north magnetic pole from the south. It is also thought that they can utilize ultraviolet light in some way.
I don’t know about you, but this is another one of those “gee whiz” scientific truths that just boggle the mind. Oh, we mostly just shrug off these things, but I think they are in our universe for a reason. You may disagree with me, but it seems that Someone is trying to tell us mortal humans something. I wonder if we are listening?

Down By the Riverside

I had to take a book and some papers in to our church office today. In case you don’t know, our church abuts the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita. They have put walking paths, etc. along the river behind our building and it’s a rather nice place.
After I finished my business, I went back to the river and sat on a rock and just enjoyed the cool breeze. It was a little after the noon hour and there were several folks using the facilities at the river.
There were all kinds of folks there. Some were walking solo. Others were in groups of two or three. Some jogged. One or two were pushing baby carriages as they walked or jogged. One stopped across the river and rested for a short time. Some acknowledged me as they went by with a smile or a turn of the head. Others pretended I didn’t exist.
One old man shuffled very slowly up the walk. He was carrying a bucket in one hand and dragging something on the sidewalk with the other. I thought at first he might be homeless, as we have some of those in that area of town. As he went past, however, I noticed that the bucket had fishing stuff in it and he was dragging a couple of fish behind him. They were 15 or more inches in length, and appeared to be some kind of carp, although they didn’t look quite like the carp I’m familiar with. They weren’t catfish; they were scaly.
I sort of wondered where he was shuffling off to. I watched. In what seemed like an eternity, he got to the end of the walk and went to an old car that was parked in the back corner of our church lot. He put his stuff in the car, but stuck around doing not much of anything.
I enjoyed the time outside. I enjoyed as much (or more) being able to watch people as they exercised on their lunch hour, walked from this place to that, or dragged fish to their car. It didn’t really bother me that some didn’t acknowledge me. That happens in a larger urban area.
As it cools more on into the fall, the number of walkers/joggers will diminish, but not completely go away. The river is used a lot, it seems, and I’m glad I have a place I can easily access it.

Do Something

I got tired of not feeling like my voice was being heard when I contacted my congressional representatives (Senators Roberts and Moran, and Rep. Pompeo) with some comment on an issue. I wondered what I could possibly do to at least feel like someone was listening. It seemed that when I sent an email I would get a letter or email back that was canned and not really on topic.
I looked up the local offices of each of the representatives, (they all have offices in Wichita) and decided to make a personal visit to each of them. I had called an office once in a while in the past and knew that there were people there whose job it was to visit with constituents and answer questions and pass along concerns.
My first stop was Senator Roberts’ office downtown. I told the woman at the first desk that I had a question or two and would like to visit with someone. She was that someone. I found her to be engaging, knowledgeable, and interested in what I had to say. She said that they talk with the Washington office a couple times a week and she would summarize our conversation and send it on.
Next, I found Senator Moran’s office on the far east side. It wasn’t nearly as easy to find, and when I asked the young man if I could visit, he was somewhat tentative as if he thought I would yell at him (can’t understand why he would have thought that). We too had an engaging and beneficial conversation regarding the issues I brought up and digressed more than once to other issues.
Today I went to Rep. Pompeo’s office. The young man there was not nearly as knowledgeable regarding the opinions and positions of his employer, but readily visited and hopefully took some notes. He said he appreciated my stopping in and would pass along my comments.
I asked the same questions of all representatives. Responses varied, but I came away from each encounter with the belief (albeit perhaps false belief) that I had at least been heard and that I engaged with someone who had the ear of the representative.
It took some time and energy for me to find the offices, and a little nerve to walk in and ask for an immediate audience. I was well-received, however, and was able to immediately visit with someone. I think it pays to have some factual information (info from Fox News doesn’t count, folks) in mind and a pleasant attitude. It also helps to be able to converse with someone you don’t know well, and listen engagingly to responses. Those I visited with were refreshingly candid and did not often spout the party line or the same tired catch phrases one hears on news sound bites.
I know some are not close to a congressman’s office. I know it would be quite a trip to go to the nearest one. But some day when you are close, stop in and pleasantly engage the person there. You might come away surprised and a little better informed, besides feeling like someone really does listen.

My Heroes

Major Heather Penney. Colonel Marc Sasseville. Do you know either of these people? You should if you don’t. These were the two fighter pilots who took off from Andrews Air Force Base on September 11, 2001 to find and if necessary take down what later would be known as Flight 93, the other airliner that was still in the air and heading for Washington D.C. that day.
The only thing is, they took off in jets that were unarmed. They didn’t have time to arm them, and didn’t have any that were already armed at the time. So the two pilots made the decision that one would ram the cockpit and the other would ram the tail section in order to assure the flight did not complete its mission.
Major Penney stated that she would essentially be a Kamikaze pilot in order to complete her mission. The interviewer pressed her and asked her specifically if she was prepared to sacrifice her life in order to take down the plane. She looked at him and only said, “Of course.” Nothing else.
She’s not the only hero of that day, or of other days for that matter. The world is filled with heroes that never make it to C Span, MSNBC, or the New York Times. She, however, epitomizes the concept of hero.
There are knuckleheads on the Internet that are downplaying or discounting her story. Let them. Feel sorry for them. They need to get a life and get a grasp on reality. People really do things that are sacrificial and beneficial to society. People really consider others more important than themselves. People really know what it means to be a human being.
Ms. Penney said her daughters do not yet know her story. They are relatively young, and I understand why they don’t fully know yet. But one day, they should know. They should hear of their mother’s sacrifices, her willingness to go all the way, to assure the safety of hundreds of people at the risk of her own life. They need to know what their mother is made of and that they too have within them what it takes to follow in her footsteps.
This is for all of the Heather Penneys and Mark Sassevilles. Thank you so much. You are my heroes.

(By the way, if you want to see the entire interview, go to C Span's website and download it.)

The Adventure Continues...(It Never Ends)

Sometimes I wonder why I say “yes”. Let me explain. A few weeks ago, one of the church staff asked if I would be interested in starting a new life group for our church. Now, for those who don’t know, a life group is a small group. Our church has a small group ministry where groups of folks get together regularly, usually Sunday evenings. The agenda can be Bible study, a service project, food and fun, or whatever the group would decide to do. The group usually consists of eight to fifteen people.
Of course, I said yes. I’ve been part of a small group for several years, and we enjoy the time we spend with our groups. This group, however, will be a little different in that it will consist primarily of families with teens. The object will be to involve all members of the family in group activities and study. That is going to be the hard part, I think. And it’s just a little bit scary.
We’ve raised our family. Our boys haven’t been teens for over a decade. Things change. I’m not real certain just what this is going to look like or what we will be doing. We will have to have a lot of help from the rest of the members of the group, and I hope and trust that will come about.
On the one hand, I am somewhat nervous about this; on the other, it is an opportunity to be involved in an aspect of life I am no longer used to, and a chance to stretch a lot of things that have not seen much exercise lately. Being in a rut is comfortable, but tends to lead to isolation, stagnation, and inner rot, in my view. I’m not ready to rot (not just yet), and am looking forward to the possibility of this relationship with the small group to keep me energized and active.
Our first meeting will be this coming Sunday. We’ll have burgers and fixins. I plan to visit with the group to see what they might like for us to look like as we forge ahead with this. Hopefully we all will be able to put something together that glorifies our God and at the same time edify and encourage us.
The Adventure Continues!

No Complaints

It has been a tough summer. For some, that could mean they were unemployed, lost jobs, or are under-employed. For others, that could mean they lost a friend or loved one. Still others may relate to loss of health, wealth, or some other asset. While I readily agree that these are all relevant to the statement, my intent is to talk about the weather.
Yes, the weather. Many places set records this year for the highest temperatures, the most temperatures above a certain level, the highest average temperature, or some other heat-related record. Air conditioners ran at peak capacities, electric utilities were strained, budgets were strained, and everything seems to be exhausted from battling the heat of the summer.
Trees don’t look good. Grass is dry. Animals are stressed. It seems that the whole creation outside has aged several years in just a few months. Many areas are short of rainfall. What rain that fell was quickly evaporated or absorbed by the thirsty environment.
Humans too had to fight. Yes, many of us have air conditioning nowadays. Many of us spend thirty seconds in the Dillons parking lot walking from our air conditioned auto to the air conditioned store and complain about the heat. I know many of us have it a lot nicer and better than even a generation or two ago. Yet not all people had the advantage of air conditioning. Not all were able to hibernate in cool lower levels of nice homes while the heat raged outside. Not all could avoid excessive sweating and the general wearing-down of the elements. Some had to work outside in the daytime. Others lived outside all hours of the day and night. And some, although they had a home, did not have air conditioning. It happens…regularly.
Today was beautiful. The front came through during the evening past. Today was dry, not a cloud in the sky, and cool. Refreshingly cool. I wasn’t even certain that these kinds of days existed anymore. And it looks as if it will last awhile.
“Thank you, God,” seems to be so little and so trite. Yet that’s all I can think of to express my gratitude that perhaps the 100 degree days are over for this year. Yes, it will get warm again before it gets colder. No, the weather won’t be ideal very often the rest of the year. Yes, I’ll complain again. But today, there are no complaints. Only gratitude.

Sick Again

I was reading the Monday edition of the Wichita Eagle today and noticed an article regarding FEMA diverting funds originally set aside for the Joplin tornado over to the East Coast hurricane relief. As I read through the article, it was apparent that FEMA funds for disasters were beginning to run low.
This past Saturday, according to the article, House Appropriations Committee Chair Harold Rogers of Kentucky said this of the Obama administration: He said that the Administration “has let the fund reach critically low levels, putting continued recovery at risk, without a plan for the future or a clear method for dealing with new disasters.” Mr. Rogers is, it seems, lambasting the Executive for not having more funds in the FEMA account.
OK. Let’s have a Civics lesson here. Last time I knew anything, it was the Congress that authorizes expenditures, appropriates money, and lays and collects taxes in order to fund those appropriations. The Executive branch, to my knowledge, although it may request funding, does not have the authority to provide that funding. The job of the Executive is (in a perfect world) to see that the laws of the United States are “faithfully executed”. The Executive doesn’t make laws; it enforces them.
“Well,” you might say. “If the Congress doesn’t know that the Executive needs more money, how can it appropriate more?” Good question. Except the article goes on with these words: “In anticipation of a shortfall, FEMA began providing congressional appropriators with weekly updates on funding levels in May; daily updates began this month.”
So, if the article is to be believed, Mr. Rogers has known since May on a weekly, and now daily basis, that FEMA funding is running low; yet he blames the Administration for allowing the account to go under the recommended amount (one billion dollars). Business as usual.
This is what I talk about when I say I am sick to death of the politics going on right now. I don’t care if Mr. Rogers is a Republican or Democrat; nor do I care if the Administration is Democrat or Republican. This kind of talk serves no useful purpose. It only inflames. It is counter-productive. It does not provide more funding for disasters. It only tells part of the truth. It is deceptive.
The more truthful comment from Mr. Rogers would have been something like this: “Although the Administration has provided weekly, and now daily updates on the status of FEMA disaster funding, Congress has not yet acted to fill that gap. I call on the Congress to shorten their month-long congressional vacation, and provide funding for the natural disasters that have plagued our nation this year, and do so as quickly as possible.”
No wonder the congressional approval rating is sitting at 13%.

The War of all Wars

I was talking with Scott, our minister to adults at our church recently. Our conversation got off-track, and we started conversing about the unseen world that is described in places in the Bible. A little background is in order here.
Paul and Peter both talk about God delivering his people out of darkness and from the power of evil (I Peter 2:9 and Acts 26:18). This occurs when we become Christians, followers of Christ by the power and grace of God.
Paul in Ephesians chapter 6 talks of putting on the armor of God so that we may stand against the principalities and powers (world forces) of darkness (Ephesians 6:11-12). Other places in the Bible also allude to or talk about this unseen spiritual world in which there is great struggle between good and evil. It is this unseen world of the principalities and forces of darkness and the struggles that go on there that we were discussing.
It is interesting to note that R. C. H. Lenski in his commentary on Ephesians 6 says this about this struggle: “The darkness is not merely the absence of light; it is the absolute antagonism to light and thus denotes the fearful power that is hostile to god who is ‘the light’ and whose are the ‘children of light’ (Ephesians 5:8). From ‘this darkness’ and the dominion of these ‘world tyrants’ Christ has delivered us; hence their war is waged in order again to subjugate us under their tyranny.”
Scott and I were talking specifically about a passage in Daniel 10 where Daniel had received a vision, but didn’t understand it. He prayed, asking God for understanding (10:12). The entity that came to Daniel (evidently an angel of God) told Daniel that from the first day, he had been sent by God to Daniel, but had been delayed 21 days in coming because “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” was withstanding him. Although we don’t know exactly what was going on here, most scholars agree that what was being described by the angel of God here was a conflict in the unseen spiritual realm that prevented him from completing his mission as sent by God until Michael, another angel of God, came to his aid.
Just think of that for a minute. If the scholars are correct, here is an angel of God, given a mission by God Himself, yet was unable to fulfill it until given help by another angel of God. Can you imagine what kind of conflict that must have been to have prevented this angel from completing his mission for three weeks until someone came to help?
Scott and I also talked of Paul saying in the first Thessalonian letter (2:18) that he wanted to come to see the Thessalonians, but “Satan thwarted us.” What that consisted of we don’t know with certainty. But we do know that Paul wouldn’t have written this had it not been true…evidently, Satan somehow kept Paul from going back to these people. You may be able to think of other places in the Bible where the “principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness,” and so on, are mentioned.
I don’t know what you think, but there is enough in scripture, including the armor of God passage in Ephesians 6, that tell me that there is one hellish war going on in a realm we only glimpse faintly through the words of the inspired writers. I have to wonder if one reason we see things happen in our reality that seem to defy logic or explanation (mass killings, abuse, torture, etc) is that these are times when that war breaks through the barrier, so to speak, between the spiritual and the material worlds, and we see the results.
I don’t have the answers, and working with topics like this brings more questions than I originally had before I started. Yet, it is worth a look from time to time; if for no other reason than to understand that we don’t understand...we don’t know. We do know, however, that God loves us passionately, intensely, and forever. Ours is to return that love as best we can and know how, and to work just as passionately and intensely to bring God’s kingdom to every place we go and to every person we meet. For when we do that, we help in the great battle going on in the unseen realms…the war of all wars.