Philippians 2: 6-11
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
A couple of days ago Major League Baseball had their opening day, the return of the baseball season.
The last few years I have not followed any sports at all, because of all the BLM, wokeness, and any other political wind that might be blowing on any particular day. It seems when all of this started the left was using a captive audience to spew their message.
But here is the important point that people miss. Sports should be a uniter not a divider and especially not a political platform. In the past, fans came to the games from all races, creed, religions, male, female or different political views and no one made statements to lean the fans in a particular direction. The only part of sports that should be controversial is who will win the game, because it's about competition. So, the people should only be comprised of the fans cheering for their teams.
The reason I'm making this statement is I miss watching the game of baseball and for all the negative above statements, I willing to give it another chance. So, this year I will be following my team again - the Alanta Braves.
And also following the Nashville Sounds Minor League Baseball team.
More blog posts to come from a more hopefully optimistic baseball fan.
Some tactical thoughts on the war in Ukraine.
I believe Ukraine should focus on the defense of Odesa; it is the last port city. If Russia takes over this city, Ukraine will lose a vital supply port cutting off even more needed supplies. I realize the advancing Russian military occupying the eastern side seems to be an area to defend, but logistics is the key to winning any war.
I'm looking forward to the Spring and Summer months. It is a time for renewal, like most folks will do in January with resolutions. The outdoors is being renewed daily; something new is growing and thriving, and the critters are multiplying.
I try to renew myself every morning - the start of a new day because yesterday was history. I will admit it has been difficult with all the bad news, and I have expressed much of that here. And too much bad news makes it challenging to have a positive outlook daily. Most of the information we get is fed to us - not much of choice. I realize some folks only get their news once daily, and the odds of getting some good news are slim. So, you must try searching for good news and renewing yourself in several ways.
First, try to find some good sources online for the good news content that works for you, social media pages, hashtags, blogs, or websites, and go there every day.
The second is to establish a prayer life. Connect with your Creator, read the Bible, reciting your prayers at a minimum in the morning and evening. Re-connect/Renew your relationship with God daily.
Sirach 36: 1-22
A Prayer for God’s People
Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
and put all the nations in dread of you!
Raise your hand against the foreign people,
that they may see your mighty deeds.
As you have used us to show them your holiness,
so now use them to show us your glory.
Thus, they will know, as we know,
that there is no God but you.
Give new signs and work new wonders;
show forth the splendor of your right hand and arm.
Rouse your anger, pour out wrath;
humble the enemy, scatter the foe.a
Hasten the ending, appoint the time,
and let people proclaim your mighty deeds.
Let raging fire consume the fugitive,
and your people’s oppressors meet destruction.
Crush the heads of the hostile rulers
who say, “There is no one besides me.”
Gather all the tribes of Jacob,
that they may inherit the land as in days of old.
Show mercy to the people called by your name:
Israel, whom you named your firstborn.
Take pity on your holy city:
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty,
your temple with your glory.
Give evidence of your deeds of old;
fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name.
Reward those who have hoped in you,
and let your prophets be proved true.
Hear the prayer of your servants,
according to your good will toward your people.
Thus all the ends of the earth will know
that you are the eternal God.
(1997)
Movie Trailer
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi920715545?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
The movie scenarios could easily fit into the current political environment as well as past presidencies. It was about an election year and the current President poll numbers were falling due to a sex scandal. So, the President calls in a specialist (Robert De Niro) to sweep the scandal away and improve his poll numbers. He recruits a movie producer (Dustin Hoffman) to create a fake war to distract the American public by using the news media to help convince the public to re-elect a failing President, sound familiar.
I watched this movie for the first-time last night. I will have to say it was thought provoking and at times funny and other times alarming.
I will usually take what I hear in the news with some analysis of history, some knowledge of politics, past experiences (comes with age) and critical thinking. Watching it I could not help thinking, could this happen in real life? And especially now with the current president (not my president).
Take a look that the pictures from a recent Press Conference with Biden.
Bluebird eggs - picture from a couple of days ago.
Stay tune for more updates.....
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
- Charles Dickens -
Does anyone feel like we are going through both good and bad times?
I try to have those days of hopefulness; some days are really good and then the next day it seems to vanish and the reality of the worst of times settles in for the remainder of day. And I go back to 2019/2020 it was like someone flip a switch and everything drastically changed overnight.
At this moment, news reports of mask mandates possibility being lifted, some local governments are working on cutting taxes to ease the cost of inflation. People are getting out more going to sporting or music events. But then you hear the reports of doom and gloom of war, food shortages, and mass migrations of illegal immigrants crossing the US border.
I think we are at the point of just taking one day at a time, to enjoy those brief moments where all seems right with the world. And for those bad times, just pray to God and hope for the best.
photo - Alexas_Fotos - pixabay
First, I did not watch the Oscars last night and have not in years.
I saw the Chris Rock vs Will Smith exchange. I really don't care if it was fake or real.
I am a fan of classic movies from silent film of the 1920's up to movies in the 1960's. After the 60's, movies seem to go downhill from there, with some exceptions.
Why does everything have to be dramatized. This incident, fake or not was not good for the movie industry. The Oscars have been struggling to get there ratings up and this didn't help. And for those who watched it and thought it was good entertainment, your acceptance of this is why our country is in the shape it is in.
We cannot continue to go down the path of just accepting everything as it happens, there has to be consequences to actions. I realize this was just one show but when does this type of action result in some form discipline. I would believe if this happened in the 1950's the actors involved would be banned or fined from the film industry.
Just my opinion.
photo - onkelglocke - pixabay
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”
2019 was the last year we knew of a "somewhat normal" way of life.
Since then, we have had the following:
All of this has affected us in some way or another. It is important at this time to be thinking about preparedness. Actually, if you are just now thinking about it you are already behind. So, without going into some major details about preparedness, which will be a later post, think about how the above list of events affected you.
Did you feel at any time you were un-prepared?
What could you have done differently?
Thinking about current events, could our country be affected?
Has the supply chain and the increase cost affected you?
If you could not get supplies, do you have enough now to last at least month?
What if all utilities (water, electricity, gas) were cut-off?
What would you do if all communications collapsed?
And the last question, Are you Ready?
photo - ArtTower - pixabay
The last day for hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson has clearly demonstrated how political this whole process has become in the last several years. The Dems are set to confirm her as the next Justice on the Supreme Court. They have not criticized her at all. But the last three Justices, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Gorsuch were questioned so much to the point of almost classifying them as criminals. And to be fair, the conservatives have done their part in questioning her ability to do the job.
I think these positions should be elected positions because they represent America in the interpretation of the Constitution. Judges in the lower court systems are typically elected.
Why not have the highest court in our country be elected by the people?
The leaders of the world's largest nations are playing a chess game as everyone watches the events in Ukraine.
Russia is wondering where to make their next attack.
China is thinking which the is best nation to become allies with them.
United States is trying to only give assistance to Ukraine but not really get involved.
North Korea is just waiting to see who wins and then join team.
Iran is just waiting from someone to make them a nuclear deal.
All of this year's events have been overwhelming with mandates and vaccine enforcements, supply chain issues, high gas prices, the trucker rebellion, elementary and high school curriculum wokeness. And "men" having babies and competing in women's sporting events. I also, should mention the threat of World War.
How crazy does this sound?
2020 was bad, but 2022 is not the best of times so far.
A bit of all this chaos has continued on from the last couple of years and seems to be getting worst. Our politicians from a local level all the way up to the Biden Administration need to get out of the way and let a preferably conservative leader take charge.
This madness has to stop!
I watched President Zelensky speak to the US Congress.
I have mixed opinions about the situation. On one side I feel the humanitarian aspect to help those in dire need. The US has always been the go-to country for aid to those in need either by disasters or any other high casualty situation.
On the other side is, any assistance beyond what we are already doing will clearly draw the United States into WW III. In the most recent wars, the US has fought many years to defeat a single country. The possibility of WW III will bring us into a war fought on multiple fronts including air and naval battles with not only Russia, but China, Iran, and North Korea, and all of these countries have nuclear capabilities.
The only resolve to this situation, if we agree to the no-fly zone, which will then fully commit us to fight Russia and their allies - the strength of the United States military will have to combine forces with our allies in Europe. The added military muscle of our allies would absolutely crush Russia.
WW III would be catastrophe to the world. The advanced weapons technology systems of today would make the casualty rate much higher than WW II. The United States would have to activate the military draft system, for casualty replacements and this would now include women.
I pray to God this will end soon.
