Social ills

Much of the angst conservatives have against liberals are related to social issues. I read somewhere that 40% of pregnancies are now with unwed girls. You see example after example of young people finding themselves in jails which are now overcrowded. You now see gay parents and gay marriage and children raised in broken homes with odd parents. It seems that rather than building up families, we are tearing them down and enabling failure, in fact our society is encouraging it. This is what conservatives dislike.

It was Larry Crabb I think who said "Perhaps if you learn to honor your parents, you will find yourselves equipped to handle all other relationships." The fifth commandment stands at the beginning of the six other commandments that have to do with human relationships, relationships with your spouse, your children, and your friends.  One reason it may be hard to believe in God's goodness (something which is helpful for loving others), is the failure of parents to provide a normal and stable home, filled with love, kindness, respect, encouragement, discipline, and care.

After all, the Bible's fifth commandment does say, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

Our divided nation

This morning Nancy and I sat down with a cup of coffee and reflected on the outcome of the election. Our country is terribly divided and seems to be moving in the wrong direction. It is becoming more secular (as was clearly noted on TV last night). The decision made by our citizens yesterday wasn't just about a ruined economy or a failed foreign policy. It was just as much about partial birth abortion, you and I paying for it, infanticide (post birth abortion), assisted suicide (they call this patient rights, I call it murder), legalizing pot (which is now legal in Colorado), and a host of other things.

Christians are being marginalized and pushed aside, and now are forced to pay for things which we find reprehensible and conflicting with our beliefs. The world is not getting better, it's getting worse and it's just not friendly anymore, much less to those of us who believe in God.

However, we do find solace in knowing Jesus Christ our Savior and the plan he has in mind for us. Here is what we read this morning at 6:00a in Romans 5:2-6

We have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out with our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

My early prediction

I thought I would beat the Democratic, socialist media, to the punch and declare a winner. The good news is that President Obama can play all the golf he wants. He doesn't have to go through any more debates or jet around the country campaigning. No more meetings either, not that he attended very many of them though.

Obama will leave office and leave us with so much debt we'll have more attachments than a vacuum cleaner. Romney will come in and have to make sense of all the bills he's left. My friend in Canada called me and said, "I have to give your country a lot of credit, you have no cash."  Yes it's true, Romney will owe money that hasn't been minted yet!

So, if you haven't voted I suggest you get out and do so, and I urge you to vote for Romney! We can't afford four more years!

Today's Poem

Barack be Nimble

Barack be Quick

Barack be Gone

On November 6

Only 3 days kitty!

Nowadays, Washington never says that the percentage of unemployed is going up. The government merely announces that there is a downward trend of an upward tendency. I think everyone, including our pets have had enough!

NHL circling the drain

I once went to a fight, and a hockey game broke out! Now I go to a hockey game and a strike breaks out! We're a pretty great country though aren't we. We've got more people striking than other countries have working. A good union man believes that time heals all wounds. In hockey it means you're in the penalty box... with the fans! So what's the point of unions anyway? Is making millions really unfair labor? Here's what I think: charging $75 a ticket is unfair pricing!

May your ice thaw and then circle the drain!

Benghazi sayings

I just couldn't resist. BHO is almost poetic in his approach to the world; "If you can keep your head about you when all others around you are losing theirs, you're probably the cause of it all!"

I prefer another saying: "If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your thing!"

Or, how about this: "Truth may be stranger than fiction, but in his mouth it's much scarcer!"

Or, "A liberal is the man who leaves the room when the fight begins."

And, for those of you concerned about the economy...

        "What you don't owe won't hurt you."

Storm Sandy, my humble report

My co-worker in New Jersey called me early this morning (on Skype using his iPad because he has no power in the house and hasn't since the storm hit). We talked about the storm and how they're coping through it all. He said he "never worries about insurance companies paying off." I told him, "It's good to know that after you're gone they'll still be here." I asked him if he was staying warm without electricity. He said, "I have a wood burning blanket at the cabin, but nothing helpful here." We laughed hard!

My friend also told me his wife has been driving all over town looking for gasoline to put in their generator. He said they ran out of gas and everything in the freezer is thawing out. I asked him why he didn't go out and look for gas himself. I got no answer and thought, well it is his second marriage, you'd think he'd learn.

My new Halloween mask

On Halloween, I really know how to scare people now. But this lady never should have shown it to this little boy. Way too scary if you ask me. I'm surprised Target carries this kind of stuff.

So, what's my plan on Halloween, you ask? Well, I plan to knock on doors all over the place wearing this mask, and I'm expecting people to give their neighbors candy.

Devils Head Fire Lookout

Nancy and I hike to Devils Head Fire Lookout last week with our friends. When we were there it was closed. I found this photo of the lookout while it's being used. Last year, I am sure this was a pretty busy place in Colorado. I read that the Wetmore Fire (not too far from here) is now 95% contained. You would think after the snow we just had it would be completely out, but I guess not.

Before it's too late!

Many of you have said President Obama is a cheap politician. Well, how can you call him a cheap politician? He's cost the country a fortune! Remember all those promises he made during the last election? Which one's did he keep?  All I have to say is, people who don't know why America is the Land Of Promise should be here during an election. So... before it's too late, you should vote to change it back!

Looking out my back porch this morning

Here is what I woke up to this morning, snow! It's about 25 degrees outside and snow! So, I got up early this morning and immediately walked out on the back porch combing my hair. You know its wintry when you comb your hair outside and it breaks. Anyway, I'm guessing the hens at the Johnson ranch are laying their eggs standing up this morning!

The trouble with solar

I decided to install a solar light at our house this weekend. The problem with me having to do the installation is that 1) I have to do it, 2) I have to actually read the instructions, and 3) it always takes more time than I thought it would.  For example, waiting around for the sun to charge up the batteries just didn't make sense to me. Couldn't I just plug it in? NO, the sun had to do it! At one point, I was going to hire an electrician to do the work and one of them dropped by to give me an estimate. I decided not to use him because he had singed eyebrows!

Why did I do this you ask? I believe that you should save up for rainy day. Of course, you're stuck if it rains.

We hiked with our friends up to Devil's Head Lookout today. It was beautiful 65 degree weather up in the mountains at around 9,000 feet in elevation. We only hiked a little over a mile but it was a 900 foot hike up to the lookout.

The final hundred feet involved these awesome steps to the top. Going up was no problem, it was coming down that was slow, mainly because the views were so outstanding.

Behind Nancy is the West slope of Pike's Peak. If you looked the other direction, you could see Mount Evans. Look off to the East and you could see Castle Rock, Sedalia, and Denver.

The fire lookout is closed now, but it is still active. There is a small cabin at the bottom of the stairs for the forest rangers who watch for fires during the summer months. We could see the Hayman Fire burn from 2002 but we could not see the scares from the fire last summer in Colorado Springs.

Eleven of us made the short hike and then stopped at the Bud's Cafe and Bar in Sedalia for really scrumptious cheese burgers. But don't ask for fries, they get mad. And leave your credit cards at home, they don't take 'em, cash only, the sign reads; "WE HONOR CREDIT CARDS, BUT WE ONLY TAKE CASH." I suggested to them that if someone pays cash, don't you worry that their credit is no good? "Not at all," they replied, "we only worry about the country that printed that stuff." Great burgers!