Here are some articles from the web to describe the true meaning of the 12 days of Christmas.
The 12 days of Christmas in Christian tradition signifies the time between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the three wise men, also known as the Magi. It starts on December 25, which is celebrated as Christmas Day, and lasts until January 6, which is the Epiphany, also referred to as Three Kings' Day.
12 Days of Christmas Carol - Lyrics Meaning and History (christianity.com)
Twelve Days of Christmas - Wikipedia
Merry Christmas!
In a recent survey of Americans, they believe __________
This is where you fill in the blank. The news media controls what you think based on surveys. However, they do not emphasize only 100 people of probably like-minded individuals of the same political party with a +/- degree of error.
Is this a fair assessment of how the American people think?
As of 2021, there were 331 million people in the United States.
100 people surveyed do not determine the general opinions of millions of Americans.
We often see surveys telling us we are either in the majority or minority, but this is not the reality. Decisions are being made at a corporate and government level to manipulate what you should believe, and that propaganda is destroying America.
Wake up, America. Think for yourself. Do not let someone else tell you how to think or what you should believe.
Photo - pixabay - Mohamed_hassan
December is the darkest month of the year. The days are shorter, and the dark hours take over the night. Waiting for the dawn of morning, we feel the renewal of a new hope.
Every year, my wife and I have an advent wreath. There are many symbols and rituals around the lighting of the candles. Four candles represent the weeks leading up to Christmas day and the lighting of the fifth candle for the Birth of Jesus Christ.
"The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas." What is Advent? | USCCB
Waiting for the light of Christ gives us hope just as we wait for the dawn of a new day. And beyond Advent and Christmas, this hope will continue throughout the year as we are in constant preparation for the second coming of Christ.
What is preparation?
We must have our souls ready. We are both body and soul and when Christ comes again, He will be here to judge the depths of our souls to determine our worthiness to meet the Father in Heaven.
In the next few weeks, take the time to reflect in prayer and prepare for Christ's coming.
Photo - pixabay - fincayra0204
It has been a long time since I posted something about all the world's current wars. Mainly Ukraine and Israel. About a year ago, I gave my opinion about the war in Ukraine primarily because of my opinions about the tactics and strategies. But with the two current wars, much of the politics goes deeper than the general public hears. I don't have any inside information on this. It's just my opinion.
Ukraine, the bottom line here, it's about the equipment, supplies, and money. Once this war started, it seemed everyone was on board with supporting their efforts, but now the bottomless pit of draining the American dollars into the war efforts does not have an endpoint. It's time to stop the funding of this war. It is mainly because it is exhausting not only dollars from our economy but is now depleting our military supplies, making us more vulnerable.
Israel, the United States, has always been in support of this small country in the Middle East. It ties with the Judo-Christian values of America as the main focus, plus it's an excellent ally to have in that region. The countries surrounding Israel are not allies with the United States. American involvement should be limited. Israel was attacked, and it is their war. They seem to be advancing and have the military strength to finish.
The United States needs to stay out of any significant conflicts. Our economy is in a shambles. The politicians in Washington are fighting among themselves. The citizens have been divided politically, and morality does not exist.
God help us all.
I haven't posted anything in a while. I'm trying to catch up on things I haven't done in the last several months. I'm not looking forward to the upcoming months. It's winter in the South. The colder temperatures are not something we generally have to cope with, but it can get frigid here. There was a time last winter when it was sub-zero for almost a week. Rolling power outages didn't make the situation any better. The winter sets in from the end of December to the end of February.
The end of November is here. I wanted to post more about Veterans and Thanksgiving. Still, we can do that any time as we all should in giving thanks for the many blessings and gratitude for the Armed Forces of the United States and the veterans that have contributed to the military might that America has known for 248 years.
This month is dedicated to the Veterans and Thanksgiving.
They both seem to go hand in hand.
Also, the last month of fall. I will probably post more pictures of the fall trees. In this part of the South, November's colors are always brighter.
Morning Offering Prayer
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians,
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month.
Amen.
The leaves here have not changed overall. I'm guessing it will probably be another week.
Here is a picture from last year at about the same time.
The month of October.
The changing of color and season.
This month is the time of the year when the temperatures are almost perfect and the transformation of the color of leaves on the trees begins.
I'm considering posting pictures of trees this month to capture the color transformation of the trees.
The Two Ways
Hear, my son, and receive my words,
and the years of your life shall be many.
On the way of wisdom I direct you,
I lead you on straight paths.
When you walk, your step will not be impeded,
and should you run, you will not stumble.
Hold fast to instruction, never let it go;
keep it, for it is your life.
The path of the wicked do not enter,
nor walk in the way of the evil;
Shun it, do not cross it,
turn aside from it, pass on.
For they cannot rest unless they have done evil;
if they do not trip anyone they lose sleep.
For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is like shining light,
that grows in brilliance till perfect day.
The way of the wicked is like darkness;
they do not know on what they stumble.
Most of the time, I will look at the various news feeds to find articles. But yesterday, I watched several videos of trains on their way to the US border with hundreds or probably thousands of illegals on board to make their way to eventually cross over into the United States. This is an absolute invasion of the United States. The term invasion means they are coming here illegally to take over this country. The only difference between this and a military take-over is these are not organized military units with commanders leading the charge to take over. But it still holds true the United States is being overrun. Our social systems will be overburdened, costing the U.S. taxpayer millions to pay for someone illegally here.
I come from a long history within my family of immigrants coming to the U.S., but they came here legally. This country has always been built on the foundation of people from other countries from the early days of the English colonists. We are the melting pot of the world. But the one thing that should be absolutely enforced is the legal process of entry.
Follow the link for the new story
Mexico railway halts train operations after viral video showing migrants riding to the US (msn.com)
Photo - pixabay - 12019
We go through a lifetime of gathering stuff. The stuff is the things you buy in the stores that are non-food items. At some point, we all buy things that get our attention. And we go through the phases of the stuff that caught our eye to be discarded or put into a closet and forgotten about. Not all folks have this luxury. We all have to think of those who do not have those things some of us take for granted; with that said, if you happen to be cleaning out your closet, think about the stuff you might give away because it could be a true treasure to someone who doesn't.
We all must try to keep in focus where our true treasures are.
Treasure in Heaven.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
Matthew 6: 19-21
The governor of the State of New Mexico recently stated a proclamation to put into effect a temporary ban on concealed and open-carry firearms in public.
This is a direct attack on the 2nd Amendment. She is facing backlash, and rightly so; I believe this is just another way for the Democrats to "test the waters." How much can they say or do to add to the liberal agenda? The interesting thing about this is that the only people it will affect are the law-abiding citizens. Does anyone really believe the criminals are going to follow the law? The answer: of course not. If criminals followed the law, they would not be criminals. Plain and simple.
For more information on this story follow the link below:
"Controversial Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico recently made headlines for placing a temporary ban on concealed and open carry of firearms in public." (American Insider)
Enraged Democrat Governor Says She Doesn’t Need Sheriff’s ‘Lecture’ on Constitutionality (msn.com)
Following up on my last post.
In the last few days, the world experienced a catastrophic earthquake in Morocco, and we in the United States were reminded of the 9/11 attacks.
The world is an ever-changing place from one day to the next. One minute, our daily routines are all set in motion, and the next minute, the world, as you know, is changed forever.
We should all think that our lives could drastically change forever any day. We should thank God every morning that we made it to another day. Just as the people in Morocco and those in New York City on 9/11 all started their day thinking it would be the usual daily routine. Their lives were changed forever. Prepare your soul now.
Lord, we pray for all those in Morocco who lost loved ones and for healing those who lost loved ones in New York.
Photo - pixabay - ELG21
Over the last year, more and more reports have come out about war among the world's superpowers.
This is of great concern because it is not only because of the loss of life for those fighting in it but also affects those not involved. These superpower countries all have one thing in common. In multiple ways, they depend on one another, especially in manufacturing. No country is entirely independent. Although the United States should be completely independent from other countries. But those decisions have already been made, and nothing can be done now.
The effects of a global war will severely affect underdeveloped countries, the poor, those with medical issues, and the elderly. The only thing we can do is to prepare for the worst-case scenario. First, get right with God. Second, prepare as much as possible with food, medical supplies, or anything you need if the supply chain is shut down.
Also, follow current news as much as possible. We cannot know when it will actually happen, but it will be soon.
Photo - pixabay - Zaimful
Our lawmakers' mental and physical ability in Washington has reached a point where someone has to step up and make some decisions. If a House or Senate member is not physically or mentally capable of doing their job, they should leave the office.
If anyone in any occupation has moments of a mental freeze or has turned their decision-making ability over to a power of attorney. They would be asked to leave. We have heard the term career politician, but this doesn't mean a lifetime politician, meaning they are in office until they die.
Politicians, especially the ones in D.C., should be under term limits and be subject to evaluations if they show signs of any decline. These positions represent thousands of people in America, and they are passing laws that affect us.
If you live in a State and you question the capabilities of your representative, you should vote them out. Don't vote for them because they have always been in office; this hurts our nation.
Make a reality check on who represents you!
Photo - pixabay - WOKANDAPIX
The month of the beginning of the Fall season.
This is one of my favorite months of the year. The cooler temperatures, harvesting, and the changing color of the trees. The last few months have been hot, to say the least. I'm looking forward to working outside more because once we come to the winter months, we will retreat indoors and hibernate until spring.
The Super Blue Full Moon
This was taken last night. I'm hoping to capture a better picture tonight. My understanding is the next one will be eight years from now.
Some thoughts on the Holy Spirit.
First, The Holy Trinity - all in one
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit
God revealed himself in the Old Testament, and as years passed, He brought into the world His Son, who fulfilled the prophecy revealed in the Old Testament. Jesus was born, died, resurrected, and ascended into Heaven. And now the world waits for His return.
So, is that it?
No, because we have God, the Father, And Jesus, our Savior, with us daily. How is this possible? The Trinity is three in one. Once Christ ascended into Heaven, he did not leave us. The Holy Spirit came to Mary and the Apostles and has been with us ever since. The Holy Spirit works in our lives daily, just as Christ did.
Something to think about.
1
Of David.
I
Bless the LORD, my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name!
2
Bless the LORD, my soul;
and do not forget all his gifts,
3
Who pardons all your sins,
and heals all your ills,
4
Who redeems your life from the pit,
and crowns you with mercy and compassion,
5
Who fills your days with good things,
so your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
II
6
The LORD does righteous deeds,
brings justice to all the oppressed.
7
He made known his ways to Moses,
to the Israelites his deeds.
8
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
9
He will not always accuse,
and nurses no lasting anger;
10
He has not dealt with us as our sins merit,
nor requited us as our wrongs deserve.
III
11
For as the heavens tower over the earth,
so his mercy towers over those who fear him.
12
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our sins from us.
13
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
14
For he knows how we are formed,
remembers that we are dust.
15
As for man, his days are like the grass;
he blossoms like a flower in the field.
16
A wind sweeps over it and it is gone;
its place knows it no more.
17
But the LORD’s mercy is from age to age,
toward those who fear him.
His salvation is for the children’s children
18
of those who keep his covenant,
and remember to carry out his precepts.
IV
19
The LORD has set his throne in heaven;
his dominion extends over all.
20
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
mighty in strength, acting at his behest,
obedient to his command.
21
Bless the LORD, all you his hosts,
his ministers who carry out his will.
22
Bless the LORD, all his creatures,
everywhere in his domain.
Bless the LORD, my soul!
I will chime in on the latest music sensation, Oliver Anthony.
I will not go through a detailed analysis of him and his music. But I will say that the song appeals to the conservatives, and I'm sure somewhere, someone will turn his overnight popularity into some kind of prejudice about certain groups of people, and he will be canceled. And because he has not signed onto a major record label, the liberals will go after him to shut him up because he is spreading the truth.
Here is the music video. You decide.
Disrupting a daily routine is one thing, but when it goes on every day for weeks, it can be stressful. We all have moments when this happens, and the stress can be overwhelming because our standard mode of daily business has been replaced by something else. It's sometimes unavoidable.
And the only way to drive through it is to take one day at a time. Anticipating what might happen next only causes more stress, which is easier said than done because our minds constantly try to resolve issues.
Stay focused on the day and tackle issues as they arise.
And always pray to the Lord for help.
August
The month of August is the hot month of the year. It is a time of harvest and State Fairs.
If I had to pick my least favorite month, it would be August. So, there is not much to say beyond this point.
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
So many books out nowadays would have never been published 40 years ago. Books that target specific immoral issues infecting our society. Some would say I don't read books anymore. Any information I need is online. But here is the main difference. Books can be around for hundreds of years. Online information can change almost daily. The books printed today could still have an impact on those who read them later on. The unethical, unrighteous, and evil words on the pages of some books will possibly influence future societies.
One book has been around as long as 600 B.C., and a newer version about 1,800 years ago. It has all the information one would need to live a good and moral life and learn from the mistakes of others. It is in some way, an encyclopedia of life and death. And today, it is the most popular book ever printed, which is the Bible.
If you have one, pick it up and re-read it. If you don't, find one, because it will change your life forever.
Photo - pixabay - bohdanchreptak
Light bulbs, Water heaters, Pizza oven, and Jason Aldean.
What do all of these have in common? They are overly regulated or banned.
First, I realized that some items will be regulated by the federal government, mainly when it involves safety. But the four things mentioned above pertain to emission and what some consider the wrong message.
Let us decide.
I don't believe the wood-burning pizza ovens in New York City will affect the world or, conservative lyrics will affect society. And the same goes for recently in the news of water heaters being regulated for the same reason as pizza ovens.
Let us decide!
As for Jason Alden, much as the music industry has a political agenda against anyone who has a conservative message in their lyrics. And to add a musician similar to Jason. Charlie Daniels has been composing songs with a conservative message like this for years. There are far more progressive musicians spreading the socialist message without any controversy.
Let us decide!
Stop regulating want we buy, and stop trying to shut down free speech.
Here are some songs with a conservative message; you decide.
Jason Aldean - Try That In A Small Town (Official Music Video) - YouTube
The Charlie Daniels Band - Simple Man (Official Video) - YouTube
Today's news will be entirely about a former President and the current president. Both are under criminal investigation. But depending on which primary news channel you watch. You will more than likely only see one side of these two stories.
I'm speaking of the Biden-Hunter hearings and the Trump indictments.
The President of the United States was once a respectable office where the young would aspire to one day become the leader of the most powerful country in the world. But if you have a son who is a drug addict and has illegal financial dealings with China or former President Trump is under investigation by anyone with progressive imagination who can conjure up a fake charge to possibly be indicted and put in jail.
Who would want to be President?
So, if you are guilty (Biden/Hunter) or innocent (Trump), there will always be the ones who want the opposite of who is currently in office.
Who do you currently want as President of the United States?
Photo - pixabay - chayka1270
It's either a male or female, not both.
Nowadays, this topic is in the news every day. The world is in an identity crisis. We have the male/female crisis, and some people identify as animals, and this is only naming a few of the hundreds of identity profiles.
Just this week, a transgender female, who is a biological male, won a female beauty pageant in the Netherlands to represent that country in the Miss Universe pageant. And let's remember the women's sports championships where biological men have dominated women.
The gender identity crisis has influenced so many people that businesses are marketing their products to show the world they accept this gender confusion (Bud Light).
But, as much as it is accepted in society, most of the world does not accept this trendy wave that will eventually disappear, or at least that is my hope for future generations, but wait if this trend grows, there will not be a future generation of males and females in our world society.
NATO or not?
The question is whether World War III will begin once Ukraine joins NATO.
My opinion is yes, without a doubt. The number of NATO countries obligated to support Ukraine, especially the United States and England, will overwhelm the Russian forces. But there is one factor to consider the Russian nuclear opinion, which Vladimir Putin will use if backed into the corner.
The war in Ukraine has been going on for over 500 days with no clear ending. And just as the world is recovering from the pandemic, the next big worldwide catastrophe is about to happen.
So, start preparing now - food, water, medical supplies, generators, etc. Think of any you might need once supply chains are broken. We went through it recently, and you know what you need.
Prepare now!!
Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Boycotting is a powerful statement of protesting.
It doesn't involve violence, or harm to anyone. It's merely the refusal to buy or support any product or service that goes against your moral values. Within this blog, I have a short list of companies I boycott and companies I support.
More posts to come on boycotting is a topic that clearly makes the news, for example, Bud Light and the LA Dodgers baseball team.
This could be the summer of boycotting.
This is the last picture because they are soon to fledge.
The picture was taken on June 19th. I have been watching the nest and occasionally see one taking a look outside the box.
I'm unsure if there will be more nests after this, as the temperature here is getting into the 90s.
The month of June is the beginning of the summer days.
June has a few days that should be recognized and acknowledged.
June 6
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II.
June 8
Corpus Christi The Feast of Corpus Christi (Ecclesiastical Latin: Dies Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi, lit. 'Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord'), also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ,[2] is a Christian liturgical solemnity celebrating the Real Presence of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in the elements of the Eucharist.
June 14
Founding of the US Army U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which was formed on 14 June 1775 to fight the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)—before the United States was established as a country.
June 17
Bunker Hill Day The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War.
June 18
Father's Day Father's Day is a holiday honoring one's father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.
June 21
First day of Summer
I live in a city where everyone from all over the United States seems to be moving here. I was born and raised in this city. Occasionally, when my wife and I are out and about, we will sometimes have conversations with people we meet, and it will come up in conversation. Where are you from? And our response is here. Their reply is no, where are you really from? And as we repeat ourselves, it seems hard to believe that they have actually met someone who is a native of the city.
I live in a conservative state but live in a liberal city. The problem is that so many people are moving to the city from other states that it drives the people who have lived here all their lives to leave.
I understand if you live in a state or city with political agendas against your values to move out. But this needs to be considered in political moves; if moving out to another town, one should assimilate into the culture of that area. Refrain from bringing the customs of your previous home state. So, why would one leave an area they hated and move to another only to create the same environment they just left.
Stop this insanity. If you are from the North and move to the South, you should assimilate to the South's customs and values.
Photo - pixabay - mohamed_hassan
Braveheart (1995)
