I've got something to say, but maybe I'll take a tip from Freddie at Warts and All

If all bloggers did this, I'd have to renew my magazine subscriptions.

I went over to a friend's house noon Saturday to reroute some gas lines to her water heater.

While I was finishing up, my cell rang. Scherie had gone to work and while she was there she had a seizure. Her coworkers called an ambulance, which they've done in the past.

Scherie typically comes out of the seizure (in her case she just zones out) and they send the ambulance away. While we were talking, I was told she was coming to. Before I could get there, I got another call. The ambulance took her to the hospital.

When I got to the hospital, they said they didn't have her. I talked to some EMTs there and they called their dispatcher, who told them that he didn't show a call for her!

I called her coworker who verified she'd gone. After a while I got ahold of the ambulance ops supervisor. He told me she'd been delivered just before I got there. I went back to the receptionist and firmly stated that they had my wife. This time she agreed and sent me back to her.

45 minutes of wondering where she was!

They had tranqued her in the ambulance, and from experience, I knew she was out for the night. After a few hours they got a bed for her and I went home to clean and change. I went back for a few hours, but I couldn't sleep in the chair they provided and went home.

This morning, I went back. When she woke up, she was upset. She had come out of the seizure at work and the EMT was checking her for a stroke. WTH? (what the heck?). Because she didn't grip him as tight as he thought she should, and because her arthritis wouldn't allow her to raise her arms the way he wanted, he insisted that she go with them. She said no. They threatened to call the cops to make her go. WTH? That's the last she remembers.

At his point, we don't know if they tranqued her then, or if the stress seized her out again and they tranqued her. We do know that today, when I went to get her clothes out of the bag that ER had put them in, they had cut off her very loose sweater, her shirt and her bra. Sixty dollars of damages to clothing that I know, having been through this a few times, was totally unnecessary to cut off. The doctor and nurses we talked to agreed that they had no right to force her to go, and no need to cut off her clothes.

It's Sunday afternoon now. We're home now, thank you Lord, and thanks to our friends who were praying for Scherie. She's woozy and tired but OK.

Listening to Midnight Truckers Radio Network last week (and I think the last opportunity I'll have to listen to it, thank God), a caller summed up Obamacare:

I want to got to the doctor, and I want someone else to pay for it.

Brilliant!

One of the reasons I write here is to vent. Another is to entertain. Yet
another is to share some insight I believe I may have been given (which
implies that Someone gave it).
I am of the pentecostal persuasion of committed Christianity.

What that means to me is that God is still active in peoples lives on a personal level. He provides, He directs, He hears and He speaks to and through humans.

This is the prophetic.

He also gifts people with special abilities: the ability to teach well, to lead and guide people, manage and administrate, and to counsel.

Joseph, in the Book of Genesis, was an early example of this.
He had a vision of being in a leadership position in the family (he's the
youngest).

His older brothers decide to teach him a lesson. They attempt to kill him, but relent, sell him to some passing slavers and report him dead to their father.

Following Godly principles, he rose to managing a rich man's household from being his slave.

The boss's wife found him attractive and he rejected her advances. She accused him. He got thrown in prison, and ended up running the place.

He came to Pharoah's attention (through supernatural means) and eventually he was administrating the Egyptian kingdom.

We see Godly Business Management Techniques best exemplified in the Book of Daniel, one of the most successful business administrators ever.

The man is taken away to "business school" as a captive. He's supposed to eat what's considered the best food in the land but he argues to be given what his God requires instead, challenging his superiors to monitor the results.

They approve and concur.

Most of the other students are "going with the program".

Daniel communicates with his God frequently (prayer) and is led and guided by his God.

This later gets him in some hot water (a lion's den) but it's all resolved to his advantage (he isn't eaten, his rivals are).

Church and State issues, I guess.

Eventually, Daniel is given administrative control of the Empire.

Different political challenges arise, but he deals with them well, demonstrating that the godly mangement techniques are superior.
The owner's son  inherits the business and is not the same man as his father. Party, party, party.

Then the ultimate hostile takeover occurs. A rival "corporation" raids the enterprise (not in the Wall Street sense), removes the current owners (heads) and asks Daniel to continue managing the enterprise for them.
That's impressive.

There's something to learn there.

If you read it.

As usual, we got into Sunday School late this morning.

The topic appears to be about animals in God's scheme of things.

If God can make a donkey speak (think democrats), does that entail that they have souls?

I propose that dogs can have a conscience, because mine acts guilty long before I see the evidence. Yet until God comes down in the form of a dog and dies in a pound for the sins of my dog, my dog may not make it into heaven.

As of right now, I'm ready to send him ahead to find out.

My dog is an escape dog.

I have a large fenced yard that is surrounded by "invisible fence" wire. Typically, he won't go near the fence because his collar zaps him, even when the kind neighbor lady offers him scraps. He has his own entry to the heated mud room where his food, water and bed are.

I take him for walks.

Every now and then I get a call from the neighboring tanning salon that they have Petey.

One day, while at work, I got a call from a neighbor that she had Petey. While talking to her, I get a second call from another neighbor saying she has Petey. Sure enough the first lady has lost him. Then I get a third call from a DPW worker saying he has my dog.

I need to check the batteries on the collar more frequently.

Yesterday, I took the collar off to check the batteries to see how he got out. That's when I found the poop smeared under her collar between the electrodes, shorting the zap out.

No poop anywhere else, just packed between the electrodes. That's a smart dog.

Should have named him Papillon.

The dog is not intimidated by a pistol pointed at it's head. You didn't hear me say that.

Today, we drove halfway across the state to meet some close friends for dinner.

Their anniversary fell on Valentine's Day this year.

Almost there, I get a call. The caller has our dog. I advise they let him go since I'm in no position to retrieve him. An hour later, another call. And as we're finishing dinner, another call. From the Humane Society.

$35 to get our dog back today. Another $25 tomorrow.

So we rush back to find out the Township has started a licensing program and our dog is not. $9 for the license if the dog is sterile, $125 if not. WHAT????

My tax dollars hard at work again.

So they'll sterilize the dog for $75 and sell us the license for $9.

Now if I shoot the dog, I'll have wasted all that money.

All the while, the Humane Society worker is offerring to take the dog off our hands.

I'm looking at a price sheet on the wall, and they charge $250 as an adoption fee for a dog. $100 for a cat! I must not take the chance of insulting one of my few readers by suggesting that it is a sign of incipient idiocy to BUY a cat. It seems to me, though that as a dog nears it's expiration date, the price should reflect that.

I'm thinking that if I surrender the dog as he wants, he'll sit in the pound til they kill him or they'll make $250 off him.

I had the same moral dilemma once before when my kids ran away from home.

My wife insisted that there was no weighing the pros and cons of my getting them.

1. You couldn't possibly know all that it does. You congressman certainly doesn't.
   Would you enter into a contract you don't understand?
2. It's a rush job. That means it's shoddy or it's shady. Or both.
3. Some senators got bought off with tax dollars. Their states will get better deals than yours.
4. If you have good insurance right now: kiss it goodbye. 
   Your employer will be charged a 40% tax on your premiums if you are not unionized. Either you go or your insurance goes. 
   Why should unionized employees be treated differently under law than non-unionized?
5. You will be forced to buy health insurance if it is not provided to you.
6. If somes states, or some employees, get different deals under Federal Law, what's the point of a federal government?
7. What right does the government have to get involved in this at all?
   Europe might do it, Canada might do it, but they are not under the US Constitution.

What the "other" Jeremiah Wright who's been visiting the White House looks like.

The defeat of "Health Care".

A conservative rout of the legislature.

The salvation of my loved ones.

The birth certificate, not that it matters.

On the birth certificate:

It is important to be assured that Constitutional provisions for presidential elections are followed.

However.

I, like many of you, grew up in America.

I had a love of our country instilled in me.

When I was taught "Civics", it was American "Civics", not sharia law or Indonesian civics.

I watched TV, and saw inspiring stories of American Heroes, and Founding Fathers.

The kids I played with, and grew up with, had that in common with me.

Our president grew up in a foreign land, taught in foreign (not embassy) schools, playing with foreign kids, only vaguely aware of America.

He "returned" to America, only to hang out with his mom and grandparents' certifiably communist friends, learning how bad America was.

He moved to Chicago and hung out with more of the same.

That's not what the Founding Father's had in mind.

The Constitution specifies the purpose of the Census:

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct.

That's it.

Enumeration.

Not 'How many bathrooms do you have?"

If they can find a right to privacy that allows the slaughter of innocent children in the womb, you'd think we might be able to avoid answering intrusive questions from the government without fear of prosecution.

Pastor Gregg asked that this morning:

"It's 2010. Where's My Flying Car?"
I told him it's in South America.

Seriously.

In WWII (that's when we fought the Russians in Vietnam for you Public School grads), there was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force named Nate Saint.
Nate ended up as a missionary pilot in Ecuador in the 50's.
He met some other missionaries down there, and together they plotted an outreach to a tribe of killers so fierce that they drove out plantation owners and oil exploration companies. Nate was flying out of an abandoned Shell Oil airfield.
They eventually spotted the tribe from the air, but couldn't land close to them.
Nate invented a way to fly above the tribesmen in a tight circle while a basket with gifts was lowered. This resulted in the basket slowly twirling in a stationary position. (It's been said that this technique led to the development of the "Spectre" and "Spooky" gunships.) The tribesmen reached in, took the gifts and left some of their own.
Eventually, Nate flew the guys and they landed on a beach next to a river. They waited for the Indians to show. When they did, they exchanged gifts and interacted for a couple days.

Due to some lies and manipulation by a jealous tribesman, the tribe attacked the missionaries and killed them.

The missionaries were armed. They refused to kill the men they were reaching out to. When the indians discovered this, they were curious. You can read about this in, "Through Gates of Splendor" by Elizabeth Elliot. Elliot, widow of one of the missionaries, with Rachel Saint, Nate's sister, made it a point to reach out to the Auca tribe, eventually leading to their conversion.
Steve Saint, Nate's son, lived with the members of the tribe and was adopted by his fathers killer.
I had the blessing of going to a concert a few years ago to see Steven Curtis Chapman. In the middle of the the concert, Chapman brought out Steve Saint, who then introduced (and translated for) his adoptive Auca father Mincaye.  Wikipedia: Steve_Saint
The Love of God, exemplified.

A couple months ago, I was in an office and read a copy of Popular Mechanics. This issue had an article about the top ten inventors of 2009. Read here about your flying car: http://www.popularmechanics.com/

Being flown by Stone Age Indians.
Invented by a real Saint of God.
I bet his dad's proud.

The guy who got elected president, stands behind a podium with the sign "President-Elect of the United States". Unprecedented.
The same guy appoints a bunch of left wing socialists and communists to key positions in the government.

The economy goes further into a tailspin.
GM and Chrysler declare bankruptcy.
The government takes them over.
And some banks, too.
Sort of like Venezuela.

The people of Honduras get fed up with their socialist president's shenanigans and oust him.
Our president tries to pressure them to take him back.
Sort of like Venezuela.

Air Force One flies incredibly low over NYC (accompanied by fighters) on a photo-shoot, scaring the daylights out of the inhabitants. "Sorry."

The Obama logo replaces the presidential seal.

A prominent baby-killing abortionist is murdered by a lone wolf anti-abortionist with no ties to a larger conspiracy.
The murderer is declared a terrorist by the media.
A jihadist terrorist in contact with al-quaida kills American soldiers on an American street.
The man is refered to as a murderer by the media, if mentioned at all.

A veteran pilot "miraculously" lands his plane safely on the Hudson river, saving all passengers aboard and the press doesn't find that he beats his wife, kicks his dog, smokes crack, etc. That's the miracle.

Iranian citizens rise up in protest against their nutjob government.
American citizens do, also.
Obama takes no notice of either event.

Obama bows to the Islamic Saudi King who directed the Arab Oil Embargo in the 70's.
Obama ignores the National Day of Prayer.
Obama celebrates Ramadan in the White House, obviously familiar with the tradition (unlike most Americans who don't listen to NPR).

A Muslim Terrorist masquerading as an Army Officer kills 14 people (shooting more) on an Army Base.
Obama gives a "shout-out" to a liberal amerind activist before remembering to mention the shooting, rejecting the "Muslim Terrorist" aspect.
It turns out that this guy should have been on a "no-let-on-an-Army-Post" list, much less a "no-fly" list.
The terrorist, I mean.

Obama bows to the Emperor of the nation that attacked Pearl Harbor and conquered China.
Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
Even he admits he hasn't earned it.

A "Stargate" or "Wormhole" or some such thing is observed over Oslo the night before the Nobel is awarded ( read more here ).

The Chinese premier stands up Obama in Copenhagen.

The American Congress votes to enact socialist healthcare legislation into law despite an overwhelming opposition by the American People.

A jihadist terrorist in contact with al-quaida attempts to blow up an airliner on Christmas day.
Obama, when finally speaking about it, says that the jihadist terrorist in contact with al-quaida was acting alone.
His Homeland Security Chief says "the system worked".

The White House Christmas tree has a Mao ornament on it.

Welcome to Bizzaro World. Can we use that 'wormhole" to get back?

Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Rush Limbaugh are in Hawaii.

Rush suffers a heart attack.

Coincidence?

OK, so some people got scared.

A burning airplane did not land on my house (yeah, it's that close).

An Islamic Terrorist got his junk burned off.

An idiot (Napolitano: color in that "Morticia" streak!) was exposed as incompetent.

Obama's team takes a hit.
Nobody died.
There is a God in heaven.

May God bless each and every one who visits here,

even if you don't read this til July!

God has given us much.

He has given us Himself.

Ed

I saw something today at the Cracker Barrel that warmed my heart. Actually I was so blessed, that tears came to my eyes later.

A tall older gentleman was being helped out of the door by a small older woman and a tall younger man. They were kind of stuck there. The man's feet weren't cooperating. I asked the lady if I could help. She informed me that it was under control. After a while I realized that it wasn't. There were some other people standing around also, looking concerned.

I finally insisted to the lady that she should move and let me support the man.

She aquiesced (I like that word).

A short black gentleman (he was wearing a suit) went to the other side. The son stayed in the middle.

I suggested that we could carry the man to the waiting van.

His wife said that there was no way we could carry him.

The black gentleman then asked someone to bring one of those rockers to us.

We sat our friend down and picked him up by  the chair arms and carried them to the van.

The black gentleman climbed in to get the buckle. The son and I helped situate his dad and pass the buckle.

I prayed for the man in Jesus' name and after a number God Bless You's and Merry Christmas's all around, we parted.

The black gentleman's wife thanked the mom for letting us help.

For letting us help.

Christian's all around.

It was later, at our table, that Scherie and I were recounting the incident. I told her how grateful I was to be of use. Then I realized how blessed the family must have been to think that God had sent them help in their time of need.

We serve a great and mighty God.

And there are good people all around us, yet.

Announcing (with great pleasure) our selection for Person of the Year.

In going over the candidates considered this year, the judge took into consideration the following criteria:

Who has seen me through a tough year and encouraged me?

Who has cooked my meals?

Done my laundry?

Smiled at me as if she really loved me?

Prayed for me and those around her?

Baked me stuff?

Sent me off to work in the morning with breakfast and a thermos?

And a lunch?

Been my sweetheart and companion?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present this years award to:

Scherie Bonderenka!