WORSHIP ME I AM LGBT

I just finished reading an article in CHARISMA NEWS.  The article is about the new law the Democratic led government in California passed (SB 40) and Governor Brown signed.

SB 40 goes into effect in California public schools in January 2012.  You can view the CHARISMA NEWS article here http://www.charismanews.com/culture/32431-ads-urge-california-parents-to-rescue-children-from-sexual-indoctrination.

I find this to be very disturbing!  Social engineering is NOT  what the government should be doing with our children.  Why don’t we try actually concentrating on the science, math and reading skills of our children?  How much further down the scale will we allow our public schools to slide before we stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

And just how do you explain to a child in kindergarten, first or second grade about LGBTs?  Is that really what classroom instruction time should be used for?  Well according to the lawmakers in California it is!

You see first those of us in the “straight camp” were expected to tolerate the LGBTs.  Then we were expected to accept the LGBTs.  Now it seems we are supposed to allow our children to be taught to worship them?! 

I will admit I am Old School.  I remember learning about events in history.  I remember learning about people in history.  I don’t remember learning about what sort of sex people were having in school.  And you know what?  Things were okay too.  But now we have to have our children taught about what sort of sex people are having and that they (the children) need to be okay with that or they will be in BIG TROUBLE!

Why can one class of people force their views down the throats of those with differing views?  And don’t try to give me that bull about, “If I don’t openly endorse your life style I am, somehow, intollerant of you.”  Big deal.   I can’t make anyone have sex or stop having sex!

 

A CRITICAL SPIRIT?

Due to an injury I sustained several weeks ago I have had the fortune to be able to spend some time alone.  It’s a rare thing.  Having been able to just sit and think about my life has been revelational.  More so than just a fleeting thought would provide.

I have figured out what surely everyone else around me has known for years, that I am one heck of a critical person!  And the joke has been (on me) that I don’t even need to try to be critical.  It comes easy.  How sad is  that?

You see for more than two decades (literally) I have been one of the people on the Neighborhood Committee who sends you the letter about your lawn maintenance, your broken down car, your green slimed house and god forbid you don’t put your trash receptical away in a timely manner!

After all, we all knew when we moved into The Neighborhood that there were restrictive covenants.  Right?  So that’s the justification (for me).  You knew the rules coming in to the game, so don’t cry about you can’t do this or that.  Just fix it!  Your inability to adhere to the restrictive covenants is not only affecting your property values but it is affecting mine, your neighbors and the entire neighborhood as a whole!  Right?

Believe it or not I used to be such a positive person.  I even used to listen to positive motivational tapes “back in the day.”  Back then, if you didn’t actually like being around me you at least didn’t mind having me around.  But who in the world wants to hang around a guy who is critical about anything and everything.  If you have a wart it’s my responsibility to point it out.  After all, you’ve had the wart for a while now and no one else has pointed out.  Surely you want to get that wart treated.  Don’t you?  So now I find myself being the Wart Police and I don’t like it!  The thing is though, that I have allowed this criticalness to become sp deeply seated.  And I hate it!!

So I have determined that I need have to change the way I view life.  I have to change the way I interact with people.  I have to change the way I speak with people.  I have to change ME!

It finally dawned on me that this was one of the plans of the enemy for me (to become so critical).  You see that is how he does it.  He lies to you.  “What you are doing is a good thing.  People need to have their property investment protected.  You can make a worthwhile contribution.”  The enemy knows that if he throws something up in front of me that I can readily recognize as being ungodly or sinful that I will shy away from that.  But give me something that seems worthy and productive that I can slowly pervert and I can and will likely fall for that.

So change is coming.  I know it won’t be easy.  In fact it may be pretty darned difficult.  In fact in the days since I made known to the Neighborhood Board that I will no longer be involved with The Committee I have received no less than two phone calls and one email regarding some ongoing issues.  Sorry but I can no longer help with that.

I don’t recon that this change will be easy or happen over night, but change I must.  I must become the man my Creator imagined me to be when He intentionally created me.  I’ve lost too many years and damaged too many relationships.  I must love my neighbor.  I must speak life to my acquaintances (maybe a couple will become my friend in the process).

Change is in the air and I am taking deep breaths of it!

MEMORIAL DAY 2011 – WE STILL REMEMBER!

Sgt. Buddy James Hughie

HUSBAND, FATHER, SON, FRIEND

KILLED IN ACTION FEBRUARY 19, 2007

TWO BRONZE STAR (medals) WITH VALOR, PURPLE HEART

Entered into eternal rest serving in Operation Enduring Freedom

Afghanistan, Asia

Killed in Action (KIA) with a single shot from a Taliban sniper while rendering aid to Afghan Army Nationals.  Sgt Hughie went where no other dared.  He saved the lives of two men who were of a different race, a different religion, who lived in a foreign land and they spoke a different language. In the process, his heroic actions cost him his life.  Sgt Hughie stepped out and went where others refused go.

We love him and miss him dearly.  If you have not visited  the links “Our American Hero” and “Sgt Buddy James Hughie” on this home page please take time to do so and get to know our American Hero.  He is the one we knew as Buddy, the one with the radiant white smile who was always willing to help you with whatever needed to be done.  The world is a little darker without Buddy Hughie.

Today as you storm the beaches remember those whom stormed beaches long ago.

Enjoy your freedoms for they are bought with the blood from our American Heros.

THE SEASON OF LENT

Much has been written about the Lenten season  I don’t suppose my little ramblings will change much.

In my personal opinion the Church Doctrine of Lent has become a means of allowing many people who say they are Christians to pretty much do as the please throughout the remainder of the year.  However when Lent rolls around these same “sayers” will give up some food group or stop using some technology that consumes a portion of their day or heck, some may even practice acts of benevolence!  But what are these same people replacing those voids in their life with?  During any other time of the year if someone gives up a specific food group what is it called?  It’s a diet.  Right?  If someone takes a break from  technology what is that called?  Maybe a vacation?  If someone practices sporadic acts of benevolence what is that about?  Making the giver feel good about what they are doing?

On the other hand, when people determine that the Holy Spirit (not the calender) is calling them to change destructive patterns of behavior in their life and they obey His leading then there can be true, daily and lasting transformation(s).  The old has passed away…

I think if you approach the season of Lent with the view of “look how bad or slack I’ve been” the enemy has already won.  Guilt does not come from the Lord.  On the other hand, if you approach the season of Lent with the view of  “what daily changes can I make in my life to reflect the teachings of the Savior and too become more Christ-like” then you may be heading in the right direction.

So, are you being lead by the days on a calender or some Church Doctrine?  Or are you seeking The One Who created time?  The former leads to spiritual death.  The later leads to Life eternal.

The choice has always been ours to make.  Choose wisely.

 

MODERN DAY PARENTING

The following is a glimpse into how some parents are…. well you read it and let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Below is text that I copied/pasted from one of my Facebook friends.  I have changed the names.  Everything else is just as the commentors have written it.

CAST OF CHARAC TERS;  Haley is the daughter of Alicia.  TEEN GIRL is friends with Haley and Alicia and apparently not very fond of how Haley speaks to Alicia (her friend’s mother).

TEEN GIRL: @ Haley, I dont know you other than seeing you with Betty or at Alicias. But i just want to say that i have known Alicia for going on 2 years and she does not lie. She is an adult and doesnt have to explain her self to you. If anything she tells it like it is and you are being rude and ugly to her when all she does is …try to help people. She doesnt deserve the way you are talking/messaging her, and she doesnt have to put up with it. She doesnt let her kids talk to her like that, so why should you be any different? Again she is the adult you are not. Im sorry, but this had to be said. Hope you have a good night.    Thursday 10:48pm 

THE MOTHER: well, as Hellens mother, I know that Hellen gets angry and says things she shouldnt but I also know that I kind of understand how she feels. Its not nice to keep secrets and be the target of the secrets. It is also not nice to purchase phones… for children and have them keep it s secret from their parents. But maybe thats considered the same thing they are telling Hellen….you didnt ask so we didnt tell. As a parent, I think that is unacceptable! I shouldn’t HAVE to ask my child if someone purchased her a phone or anything else. If she doesnt have one, then maybe I, as her parent, have a reason for that. You think?    Friday at 8:19am

THE MOTHER: Personally, I love Betty and I love that she is my daughters friend. And I try to stay out of Hellens business, but I still know her business at the same time….but I feel she needs to live her life and make her mistakes, I will be here to help her through tham. But I was already a teenager….I think I’ll let her be one too. However I am not sure if Betty will be allowed to remain friends with Hellen now and if not…it will not be my doing….. Friday at 8:24am ·

TEEN GIRL:  i understand and get all of that, and like i said i dont know Hellen except for passing by. But it seems to me a child should never talk to an adult the way she did alicia. Thats just my opinon. and you can let her be a teenager and at the same time have rules. Friday at 8:39am ·

THE MOTHER:  yes, I agree. She should not talk to an adult like that AND I told her that….to her face, not on fb. But as you said you dont know Hellen, NOR do you know me. However, it sounds like you have already formed an opinin of me, but I will say that I have rules! Fortunately, they donot include lying to the parents of my childs friends or sneeking around them with the “dont ask, dont tell” theory.  Friday at 11:00am ·

TEEN GIRL let me just say that I have not formed an opinin of you, i dont know you. I was simply stating that I thought it was rude for her to talk to an adult like that.   Friday at 11:33am

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SOMETHING IS BASS-ACKWARDS!

 

                                                            

In the United States of America you can be fined $5K and jailed for tampering with an American Bald Eagle egg.

In the United States of America a female may (under the Obama Health Care Plan) be entitled to receive Federal (tax payer) money to remove the baby growing inside of her.

In other words, it is NOT your right to pluck out a bird but it is your right to pluck out a baby!

Why are Atheists so hateful toward people of faith?

 

I have, upon occasion, visited Blogs written by Atheists.  When I take the time to leave a (respectful) comment I am always blasted by other commenters.  And they don’t approach me with the slightest bit of civility either.  Name calling seems to be one of the most used forms of communicating.

I won’t try to get into all the “whys” that Atheists are so mean to people of faith.  Except that one of the most common themes seem to revolve around the “Look at how religion has played such a role in violence over the centuries.”  I must agree that they do have a very valid point with that argument.    But then again you don’t have to believe in any religious god to have a violent following.

It has been my personal observation that there are “haters” on both sides of this issue.  Like any disagreement each party can become very hateful, vindictive and down right cruel.  I will say that the Atheists have a valid argument when they say that religion’s role in violence over the centuries has been abhorrent.  However, they (the Atheists) are confusing the humans who claim to be followers of their religion’s diety with the founder/diety of  that very same religion.  

Mankind, for the most part, has been selfish since Adam and Eve.  Of course that was not the Creator’s intent.  However, He gave Adam and Eve the ability to choose and they each chose self over loving obedience.  The rest as they say is history.

I’m getting a bit off track here.  The purpose of this Blog post is not to proselytize but to try to determine why it is that Atheists must resort to such crude, hateful and denigrating forms of communicating to people of faith.

Surely no one can expect to “convert” a person by berating them.  It matters not what the subject matter is (politics, religion, alternative life styles) I think it is better to communicate in a polite and respectful manner if you want the other person to try to see the point you are making.

I have some childhood friends who (as children under their parents’ supervision) were full participants in their local churches.  Now, as adults, they could not be further from those beliefs and practices.   I must say that, for the most part, they have been pretty-much respectful of my faith… for the most part.  Of course they tend to throw little jabs by trying to get them in through the back door, so to speak.  I notice them and ignore them.  But it makes my heart ache (proverbially speaking of course).   I wonder how it is that an individual can get from “here to there”.  I do know that the One True God had nothing to do with them taking that journey. 

I suspect that people develope deep-seeded negative views toward God based on how they have been treated.  SOMEONE had to betray or even abuse them to chase them from their former beliefs.

I think it can be much like a dog that becomes so vicious that the only choice is to quarantine it or too put it down.   And NO I am not saying that Atheists should be quaranteened or put down!  That vicious dog was someone’s little puppy one day.  Full of love and promise.  Everyone loves a fluffy little puppy.  But because the puppy isn’t properly cared for as it is growing up it developes some bad habits.  Rather than spend the time to lovingly show this puppy better ways to correct its unwanted behavior it is neglected or even worse abused.  The more neglect and abuse the puppy receives the more ardent it becomes in its beliefe that whenever “those people” come around its bad news.   And after a while the puppy has grown into a dog that knows (based on repeated abusive treatment) that when “those people” come around they are going to make life miserable.

I think there is a significant number of us who claim to be Christian who will have some answering to do about the way we interacted with or fellow created beings when we find ourself at the Bema Seat.

God help us all.

An Attitude of Gratitude

The last few months I have allowed myself to become so busy that I got caught up in what can be the every day drudgery of life.  Bad me.

However, just over the last few days or week or so I have been more reflective in nature.   As I have (intentionally) gone over some of my life long issues of hurt and woundedness I have realized that in spite of my bad habits and poor choices I have found myself in a place of blessing.

For many years I lead a life of self-indulgence.  I used to have the tendency of compartmentalizing my life.  For instance if I was not deliberately abusing my children then I was a good father.  After all I was better than those fathers.  If I could feed my (former) drug use without actually having to spend money then, of course, using drugs was not a problem.  If I could still hold down a job then there certainly was nothing wrong with drinking two quarts of Jack Daniels a week!  I was good at compartmentalizing.  Or perhaps the more professionally accepted term would be “rationalizing.” 

I ended up in Alcoholics Anonymous for a while.  However, I never did like their “One Day at a Time” philosophy.  To me that was saying that, ” I betcha one day I’m going to fall off the wagon.”   I did do at least two meetings a day for the first ninety days.  Some days I would do three meetings!  I got all the cute little chips and listened to all the stories about why others drank.  It was their spouse’s fault.  The kids drove them nuts.  Their boss didn’t like them.  They were abused as a child.  The wind was blowing.  The lighting was bad.  Their mother didn’t breast feed them but did breast feed their siblings.  And on, and on, and on.   But in fairness to all the story tellers I haven’t been to an AA meeting in a couple of decades or so, so maybe the tone has changed.  But I doubt it.

It’s a wonder I didn’t end up needing treatment for depression!  At first I latched on to the “I have a disease” thing.  After all if I wasn’t responsible then I would have no responsibility for my past actions.  Heck, I just couldn’t help myself.  I mean have you ever heard of anyone blasting a cancer patient for losing their hair?!  I have a disease!  I just can’t help myself!

Man this post is starting to go all  over the place here.

Anyway, I lost a significant portion of my life because of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and mostly too SELF PITTY!!  I’m actually still trying to work through and figure out how it is that I (specifically) came to feel that I always got the short end of the stick!  I can go down the list.

1.  My dad travled out of town 4 or 5 nights a week.  So I basically had an absentee dad.

2.  I was the only boy with 4 sisters.  I did get a brother when I was 13 but for all intense and purposes, poor me was raised in a girl’s dormatory.

3.  Teachers and other adults would (almost) always tell me what beautiful eyelashes I have!  Why the heck would you tell a little boy he has beautiful eyelashes!  That can scar a kid!!

4.  My dad used to just beat the living tar out of me!  I mean BEAT ME!!

5.  My grandfather was an alcoholic.

6.  My father was an alcoholic.

7.  My grandfather was a womanizer.

8.  My father was a womanizer.  Heck he even took me with him one Saturday to visit his girlfriend.  Well he didn’t tell me that’s what we were doing but when we pulled up in his green Plymouth I had to wait out in the car while he went to “visit.”  I can still see her standing on the backdoor stoop holding the screen door open for my dad.  She had blonde hair put up in a bun and had on a pretty tight-fitting yellow dress.

9.   Where the hell did that blonde haired woman in the tight-fitting yellow dress think my mom was?

10.  Don’t hit your sisters.  You don’t know your own strength.  It doesn’t matter that they hit you first.  You’re a boy and they’re a girl.

11.  You have to go to mass on Sunday and on Holy Days of Observation.  Now go get me a beer out of the refrigerator and get the lighter fluid for my lighter.

12.  We don’t have the money for that.  Do you want to ride with me to get some beer.

13.  We don’t have the money for that either.  You can go to the golf course with me if you are quiet.

I doubt my childhood was much different from most of my classmates.  But I sure did like more attention than the other kids.  Any attention really, good  or bad, just please notice me.

ENOUGH!!  My wife and I just celebrated out thirty-sixth wedding anniversary!  Our thirty year old daughter is married to a great guy and they have a five-year old son and a fourteen week old daughter.  Our twenty-six year old daughter (although widowed three years ago) has a great guy who looks at three-year old Cooper as his son and Coop to him as his daddy.  Our twenty-one year old daughter has been in a relationship with a young man she went to highschool with and there is talk of marriage (come day).  Ummm Brindon don’t forget to talk to the father first.    After much discussion between my wife and I and our three older children we then prayed about what God has in store for us in this season of life.  So in November of 2009 we adopted.  So in addition to the aforementioned daughters we also have an eight year old daughter and a five-year old son!

I am in very good physical health.  I am in good mental health.  I believe my spiritual life is on track.  I have a wife that not only loves me but is also committed to me.  I have five wonderful, happy and healthy children.  I have two very active grandsons and a beautiful little granddaughter.  My peach trees are doing well.  My plum-tree is loaded.  Our vegetable garden is going gangbusters.  We have a fantastic church family.

LIFE IS GOOD AND I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THESE BLESSINGS!

Keep The Children – Send The Parents Back

I can not begin to tell you the range of emotions I have felt since this sad and tragic story broke.

First of all, we have close personal friends who adopted three children from Russia.  The children were two brothers and a sister ranging in ages from six to eleven.  This was more than a decade ago.  None of the children spoke english and the adoptive family did not speak Russian.  To say it was difficult from the beginning would be accurate but would not really give you any sense of what life was like for the adoptive children or the adoptive family.  I must say that I truly admire the adoptive family.  The children posed more than cultural challenges.  But I think that most people fail to step back and try to look at things through the eyes of adoptive children.  Really think about that for just a minute.  They have hopes and dreams too.  They want to be love and accepted.  They want to be safe and to feel secure.  They want some sense of belonging.  They want to not have to worry about their day-to-day life… where will they live?  Who will they live with?  What will they wear?  What will they eat?  Just imagine not having any control over a single aspect of  your life.   Is it any wonder that many adoptive children are less than what adoptive parents dream of adopting?!

Can I just get real.  When I heard about the mother sending that young Russian boy back to Russia… alone on that long plane flight and then a two-hour ride with a stranger to his final destination it made me so angry that if there were absolutely no consequences what-so-ever (legal or spiritual) I would find that woman and beat the living crap out of her!!  Seriously.  But fortunately for her I am bound by legal restraints and (most importantly) spiritual edict.  And yes I know that since I even had the thought… Forgive me Father.  Thank You.

I think there are a whole lot of adoptive parents who are just selfish, foolhardy individuals.  They have this fantasy dream of what their life would be like if they could just adopt a perfect little “Johnny” or perfect little “Suzy.”  Guess what folks, you are messed up in the head!  What sort of chance do you think your adoptive child stands since your head is messed up beginning this process?!  Properly caring for (adoptive or birth) children takes sacrifice!  When you determine that you are going to raise a child what you really should be saying is, “I hear by give up my rights as an individual.  I will make all future decisions based on what is BEST for my child.  I will be selfless.  I will provide for my child in every way needed.  If my child needs extra help in a certain or specific area that I am unable to understand or provide, I will seek out those who can provide that help.  I will learn what I need to learn to help my child through whatever he/she needs help with.  I will nurture my child and teach he/she discipline.  I will demonstrate to my child how to succeed by helping him/her succeed.  I will be the rock that my child can always count on.  I will not be perfect but I will faithful to him/her.  When I screw up I will tell him/her that I screwed up and I will try to do better.  I WILL BE THE PARENT!!”

Now I would love to say that I have been perfect and true to all of that but that would be a lie.  I have learned most of what I know by not doing it right the first or fourteenth time.  But I know it now.

And if you haven’t read any of my previous Bolg posts our family has also adopted two children.  We know first hand the difficulties.  But we also know first hand, the rewards of staying true to our beliefs and working through the less than perfect scenarios.

Be a blessing to your children.  They need and deserve nothing less!

THE DAY OUR LIVES WERE FOREVER ALTERED!

 

Sgt. Buddy James Hughie was shot and killed by a Taliban sniper while (serving as an army medic) rendering aid to wounded Afghani Army National soldiers.  Buddy went to the aid of men who had darker skin, were of a different religion, had different customs and spoke a different language.  He was credited with saving the lives of two of those foreign soldiers.  Perhaps those men are with their children today. 

Buddy was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars with Valor for his selfless acts of heroism that day on a foreign battle field.  He was to rotate home in less than three months to rejoin us, his bride of two years and baby Cooper… age thirteen weeks and three days.

We will always remember the two weeks Daddy Buddy was home for the birth of baby Cooper.  He was up night and day with his little boy, feeding him, changing his diaper and cradling him in his arms as he looked lovingly into his eyes.  I can clearly remember Buddy holding Cooper while looking at his newborn pink skin and saying in an awe-struck, loving voice (almost a whisper) “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for him.

This video still makes me cry when I watch it:  http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=6648845

Sgt Buddy James Hughie (right)

Sgt Hughie personally volunteered to go on every mission into the local villages to inoculate local children like these.

Sgt Hughie’s Memorial Service in Afghanistan

NOW FOR A PERSONAL MESSAGE:

Thirteen weeks and three days after this picture was taken….

I remember meeting Buddy for the first time.  He looked me in the eye, shook my hand and had that big smile he was famous for.  At that time we had three daughters that were of dating age so I had done the drill of “meet this guy” a few times.  I knew there was something different about Buddy because I did not dislike him right off.  There was just something about him that was appealing.

Eventually Buddy became more than my daughter’s boyfriend.  He became my employee, he became my friend.  For nearly a year we rode side by side in my work van everyday.  We talked about everything.  I was very fortunate in that I was able to closely observe him in a daily basis.  I was able to watch how he interacted with people, how he treated them and how he did not treat them. 

One day when we sat down for lunch and the waitress brought our food Buddy looks across the table to me and says, “Before we eat I need to ask you something.”  What’s up, I replied.  “I would like your permission to marry Alexis.”  I smiled and told him that of course he could have my permission and that I was happy to move our relationship to the next level.  Buddy was just an old-fashioned guy and I liked that.

Whenever we would see Buddy and Alexis together they always looked so happy and full of life.   Their love for each other was obvious.  He treated her like a queen, always doing all the little things that a young man does when he adores his woman. 

A little over a year after they married Buddy deployed to Afghanistan, Asia.  While he was deployed Alexis moved back in with us.  By now she was pregnant so we converted our diningroom into a bedroom for her and the baby.  Buddy scheduled his leave to coincide with the birth of their baby.  He so wanted to be there for every moment he could with their baby.  You see, Buddy never met his father.  He was determined to be the daddy that he never had.  He was home on leave two days before Alexis went into labor and infant Cooper was born.  I wish you all could have seen the radiance on both of their faces.  The way they looked at each other and infant Cooper is etched into my mind’s eye.  I can still see Buddy feeding Cooper, burping him, changing his diaper, talking to  him and snuggling with him in the bed.

After feeding and changing Cooper’s diaper it’s time for some sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddy holding Cooper and Carter. 

 

Buddy holding Cooper with Porter.

The man who many others would eventually come to know as a bona-fide American Hero was the man we knew as:

HUSBAND, DADDY and FRIEND.

Our lives are richer because Buddy James Hughie became a member of our family.  He loved us and we love him.  I only wish I could have better appreciated  just how close we all are back then.