I'll Be Home For Christmas.

    One of my favorite songs during the holiday season has always been I'll Be Home For Christmas. This year I find that it has an even deeper meaning to me.Somewhere, in a dark no doubt dirty cell in Mexico,sits a lonely former Marine Jon Hammar.He is guilty of nothing except being an American bringing a gun that was given to him by his grandfather, into Mexico,  a gun he personally registered when he entered Mexico.Due to supposedly a clerical mistake the gun was measured incorrectly and therefore the Mexican government threw former US Marine Jon Hammar,  in jail he has been there since August.Despite the valiant efforts of his parents at this moment Jon Hammar,  remains in jail in Mexico and although efforts are finally  being made to gain his release, I find my self asking, why has it taken this long?

    Here is a man who served  bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan and has been awarded a purple heart for his outstanding courage in the line of duty and he sits in a Mexican jail on trumped up charges and his parents literally have to beg the American Consulate,  to help them. Obama, should have sought Hammar's immediate release. I find it impossible to believe that the American Consulate,  did not inform him of Hammer's plight before now. There is something else I find very strange the Obama administration, at times exhibits what one might call a selective ignorance as well as a  selective impotence when it suits their political purpose.Obama, was so filled with charisma and personal charm when he was running for President in 2008 indeed, when he spoke crowds were spell bound and he even boasted that he could slow the rise of the oceans that is of course,  after he finished walking on the water first! Obama,  was to be the new Messiah,  yet for years later,  he seemingly knows nothing about what went on  in operation Fast and Furious, in the latest report on the tragedy of Benghazi, the report acknowledges mistakes were made but no one seems to know just who made them now John Hammar's parents,  seek help from the leaders in government and once again Obama and Hilary Clinton,  are selectively ignorant of the situation and the entire Obama administration clams to be powerless when it comes to dealing with the Mexican government this demonstrates politically speaking, a selective impotence on the part of the Obama, administration.I say this because thus far the American Consulate,  is telling John Hammar's parents there is nothing more  they can do.

    I suspect that now that public pressure is being applied that Obama, will now get involved and behind the scenes as it were will seek to have Hammar,  released but it's a shame that it has taken four months to get to this point and if Hammar,  does get released and thus, makes it home for Christmas,it may only be because Obama,  doesn't  want to look bad in the eyes of his adoring liberal public. I hope and pray that I am right about this because if I'm not, the only way former US Marine Jon Hammar,  will home for Christmas, will be only in his dreams. As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just some words, to think on.

Law Is One Thing, Morality, Is Quite Another.

    I recently received an important email  from the Christian school that my daughter attends.The email stated that due to the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, new school security measures would go into immediate affect. The new measures were as follows; all doors to the school will remain locked until the end of the school day anyone  coming to the school before the normal pick up time must ring a special door bell system and then wait to be greeted and each person must show a photo ID and state their  reason for being at the school before they will be allowed to enter.The school is also installing surveillance cameras.When I first read the email I thought to my self what other security changes will all schools have to make as a result of the horrible tragedy at Newtown Connecticut? Will parents have to pass through metal detectors as the public does when one goes to an airport? Should schools hire armed security guards? At this very moment Present Obama,  is appointing a special panel to try to determine what steps can be taken to  insure that needless massacres like Newtown never happen again.I have no doubt that some new legislation will be proposed that will make the acquisition of of any kind of gun a lot more difficult and to be sure some guns will be outlawed altogether. As important as security measures such as these may be they may help but they will not entirely solve the problem of the out break of violence in American society.
    I have often heard it said, one can not legislate morality. I would submit that many of a nations laws do nothing to change morality the only serve to keep those who would choose to be immoral in check. To change a society's  morality, one must change a society's moral values. I noticed in the mist of the horrific tragedy of Newtown there were stories of teachers praying while hiding in closets. How ironic that prayer in school has been all but outlawed  for the past forty years.I am not suggesting that having prayer in school would in anyway have prevented the tragedy at Newtown, but I am suggesting it may teach a society that that there are far better ways to deal with a person's personal   frustration issues besides grabbing a gun and creating a needless blood bath.The Ten Commandments are forbidden to be placed on the walls of the nations schools.To me one thing is clear separation of church and state does not and should not mean separation of God, from American society. Charles Carroll, is perhaps one of the lesser known signers of the Declaration of Independence but he expressed his thoughts on morality in government as follows;"Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who decry the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure and which insures the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments." Secular liberal progressives in this nation boast that reason not religious traditions or principals are what truly advances a modern society but if tragedies like the one at Newtoun Connecticut,  are an example of such progress in American society I  choose to back to the old fashioned Christian principals this nation was founded on all I know is this sixty years ago one did not even have to lock there doors in most cities or neighborhoods now children are afraid to go to school. I do not know if America has the moral will to put God and the Bible and the true principals of the constitution, back in the class room but I for one will continue to pray that America as a nation may find it. As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just, some words, to think on.

My Lesson From Newtown.

    As I watched the the news  four days ago and I along with millions of others, saw the horrific tragedy that occurred in Newtown Connecticut unfold, I must tell you,  even though I am a Christian,  who loves and tries his best to obey God and live my life in accordance to his will, I found myself virtually unable to understand what good could come from such a terrible act of pure evil. I confess, I am still seeking the answer to that question and I do not know, if I will ever find it. Lately, I find my self hugging my daughter Cassandra, for know particular reason and telling her over and over again how much I love her. At night some times, I sit by her bed just to watch her sleep. Suddenly, the words I love you daddy, are the sweetest words I've ever heard.Suddenly, I find I don't care if my daughter wants pizza at every meal because I'm just glad she is there at the table with me to eat it.It suddenly seems like a wonderful idea, to stop what ever I may be doing and be part of whatever my daughter may be doing even if that means getting my nails painted pink that seems a small price to pay to see my daughter smile.I find that I want nothing for Christmas,  accept the blessing of hearing her joyful contagious laughter forever.

    The truth is,  maybe now for the first time I realize, just how much I love my daughter and just how often I allow my self to get busy doing nothing that really matters and in a sense push her aside and take her unconditional love for granted that I assure you is one mistake I will never make again.I now realize that the blessing of my daughters love that I in my pathetic ignorance so often take for granted could in an instant be only a memory.I know that no matter how much time may pass, the people living in Newtown Connecticut, will never be the same and 20 parents will never hear the laughter of there children again until they see them in Heaven. Perhaps if I have learned that My daughter and her constant love for me is the greatest blessing God,  could ever give to me and nothing I could ever own will be worth  just one hug from her and nothing I may have to do will ever be more important than hearing what my daughter did each day then perhaps, some good can come from the lesson  I've learned from Newtown.. God,  help me to always remember how precious all life is and strive to be the best father I can be to my precious daughter.As always, my friends, these thoughts  remain, just some words, to think on.

Getting Ready To Do Without.

    Last night,  my wife and I were sitting around our kitchen table. Like many others in this country right now we found ourselves wondering what 2013 will be like economically speaking,  if no deal is achieved between the House and the Senate and as a result the nation is plunged into economic free fall.I suggested to my wife that perhaps we had better get ready to do without and learn to live on less since I was pretty sure her take home pay would be less than we were accustomed to if all the tax increases go into immediate affect the morning of January 1, 2013.She asked me how we could do this since that was what we were supposedly doing now. I told her I didn't know but we should probably start by cutting our budget right now so we could be used to what our life could be like at the first of the year.My wife and I decided that we would cut back to just two meals a day and the money we would have spent on that meal to go into our new emergency savings fund. My daughter Cassandra, will continue to eat all three meals because the Christian school she is blessed to attend provides a lunch for her.

    One wonders,  if Obama,  will ever consider the possibility that perhaps,  it is time to make some real spending cuts in the nation's budget especially in the area of entitlements.This would be the responsible course of action to take but thus far it seems, Obama, is rather allergic to being  responsible and sometimes considering the nation's debt is so so much more then even  Obama,  has the ability to count, perhaps that's why he accepts no accountability for it! Ben Bernanke, has already said he is now prepared to print money at the rate of 85 billion dollars a month while keeping interest rates at near record lows until such time as unemployment drops to 7.7 percent  or better.I can not say if  measures like these will cause a drop in the nation's unemployment rate to the desired 7.7 percent or not but one can be assured measures like these will indeed cause the worth of the American dollar to drop the the very point of collapse.

    As I compose these words and consider the economic future of all who may read them,I confess there are times when as a writer I wonder if the words of any one man can make any real difference as far as the the future of this nation is concerned. There are those days in fact when I am tempted to give up and willingly,  surrender the future of this country into  the hands of the ever ready lunatic liberals but right when I consider doing just that I look into the eyes of my beautiful daughter and my heart beats with new purpose and I remember these words from Everette Hale,  he said the following;"I am only one but I am one.I can not do everything but I can do something.What I can do, I should do and with the help of God, I will do." Based on these words then, I shall continue to write so others stronger and wiser  than I can find the courage to  continue to fight for the future of this nation and if there are those fellow patriots who ask for a greater inspiration than my words alone I would suggest, that they need only look into the eyes of there hope filled children, and this should provide all the the inspiration any true patriot,  could ever need to continue to fight. As always, my friends, these thoughts, remain, just, some words, to think on.

America Bashing, I'm Tired Of It!

    I grew up during the seventies. Disco,  was all the rage then and I can still remember the dark brown  seventies leisure suit I had and those silk shirts that no guy I knew could ever seem to manage to keep buttoned up. I suppose that was so one could show off some kind of gold chain or some other piece of outlandish jewelry. Yes,  I remember Disco but it was the music of the fifties and early sixties that I enjoyed my sister was eight years older than I was and they were her records. I still enjoy Elvis and the Beatles Chuck Berry,  I have to admit  to you though I am not a fan of much of today's music. I have noticed a growing trend in popular music today. It seems to be the latest craze for some rising star in the music industry to gain fame and notoriety in America,  and then once someone has this fame and notoriety then they use it to bash America. As I see it,  if an artist is willing to take America's  cash then they should shut up and sing and they shouldn't bash the country that feeds them.
    I have seen the media coverage of this so called music artist Psy.This pathetic excuse for a human being in one since owes his possible existence to America.He was able to grow up in South Korea, if it wasn't for many brave Americans,  at the close of 1953 there wouldn't even be a South Korea, your welcome Psy! Yet this same idiot has the nerve to stand in in South Korea in 2004 and because he thinks it's popular and hip to be against the war in Iraq that America was waging then, he writes a song bashing America, and regarding American soldiers, the lyrics to Psy's song went something like this, "Kill the Yankees kill them all slowly and painfully, kill their daughter's and their mothers and their mothers in law kill them all slowly and painfully kill them all.  Now that Psy,  has become famous and rich from taking America's money he wanted the prestige that comes from sing in front of the President so Psy ponied up an apology. He said he has learned the power that words can have and he is sorry if his words of protest in 2004 against the war in Iraq were misinterpreted. Can some one please tell me how some one misinterprets lyrics like kill their daughters and their mothers and mothers in law kill them all slowly and painfully kill them all? I t seems to me one would have to be pretty dense to misinterpret lyrics such as these.
    You know sometimes, I think the Libertarians may be right maybe America, should just pull out all of her troops all over the world and maybe America, should just tend to her affairs at home and just let the rest of the world fend for themselves Maybe the next time there is a natural disaster in Haiti or Japan, maybe Americans,  should just just stay home after all I didn't see other countries helping America when Katrina hit New Orleans or Sandy,  Hit New York And New Jersey and much if not most,  of the east coast.Americans,  won't do this however, because that's not who we are as a nation. I an not always proud of my country's president but I am Always proud to be an American. To all the Hollywood liberals and particular those in the movie and music industry I would say this if  you built your career here and you took  our American money shut your mouth or give the money back because I find your bashing of America,  anything,  but funny.As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just some words, to think on.

American Affluence A Portrait Of Vanity.

    Christmas, is always a busy time of year. I admit I look forward to almost  every aspect of Christmas,  with the possible exception of  shopping. I must admit to you shopping to me is a form of personal torture. I don't like shopping most of the time because I already know before I even go shopping that I can't afford most of the things I might like to buy so to me there is no sense at looking at a bunch of things I can't have. My wife on the other hand can window shop for hours and when I am forced, I mean , have the privilege of going shopping with my wife it's a joy in fact when I go shopping with my wife what can I say,she seems to make time stand still either that or my watched stopped or maybe it's supposed to take three hours to go to five stores look at ten dresses and then go back to the first store and buy the first dress that she saw at the first store.
    I have noticed something strange during the holiday season. In spite of all the talk of the nation's national debt and the devastating peril of the pending fiscal cliff of certain tax increases the country could face on the first of January of 2013 people seem to be spending money like crazy. Some of the nation's bigger department stores,  are cranking up the holiday music because sales studies show louder Christmas music induces warm feelings and as a result customers buy more.Some stores are giving out free samples of scotch because sales studies show that it lowers customers spending restraints because it makes them feel relaxed and thus they will spend more than they usually would.There is another trend I have noticed customers don't want just one of anything here is what I mean. Customers,  seem to be saying why buy just one big screen TV when I really need one for every room. One girl cried because she didn't have the latest version of an i pad and it seems she really needed to get it after all shew had had her current i pad two whole months! One person's whole word was coming to and end because someone before her had just purchased the last pink carrying case for her ipod my goodness, what a terrible tragedy.
  Some times, I think Americans,  need to step back from there petty affluence. Think about it do we really need all the things we we think we do? I can still remember when I didn't have a cell phone or a computer or a TV never mind not having the newest versions of all three and I have lived to tell about it. Funny,  how our grandparents never had these things and they did just fine.
    Solomon, said in Ecclesiastes,1:2 that such a desire for constant acquiring of new things an exercise in futility he expressed his thoughts on the matter with these words, "Vanity of vanities saith the preacher, vanity of vanities all is vanity. All I know for certain is it is one thing to get to give to others but it;s quite another to get just for the sake of gain for that type of compulsion is the essence of vanity As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just some words, to think on.

Doing Unto Others.

    Most  people no doubt have heard of the golden rule. The concept of the golden rule is found in the Bible,  in the book of Matthew chapter seven verse twelve. The passage reads as follows' "Therefore all things, whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." As I consider the meaning of this verse and the biblical principal it teaches, I wondered why Jesus,  said that  this basic principal sums up all the law and the prophets and I now believe I just may know why. Even in the modern world of today the concept of the golden rule still can be seen in many aspects of American society. Here are some examples. In the area of business the first rule of good customer service is for any business to treat their customers as they would like to be treated. America's  judicial system is set up on the premise that everyone has certain rights and there fore every Americans,  can be assured they will be treated fairly and equally under the law. the concept of fairness is a direct link to doing unto others as others would have done unto them. In the area of medicine Doctors, take what is called the Hippocratic oath which basically says first and above all do no harm. Why because all life is precious and doctors are taught to treat anyone who may need medical treatment and each person is to receive the quality of care, Thus,  the idea that all doctors should treat anyone who may need medical treatment with equal caution and equal care is indeed a link to one doing unto others as one  would have others do unto them.In the area of education America has the belief that anyone who wishes to be educated should have the chance  to go to school and receive an education. Thus the concept that no one should be forced to remain ignorant is a gain a direct link to doing unto others as others would have done unto them.
    I have found that the truth affect of doing unto others as others would have done unto them is demonstrated again and again in everyday living in American society. Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace and good will towards men. A time to remember that all life is precious and all life has worth and the idea that all mankind should be treated with good will, you guessed is once again another way of doing unto others as others would have done unto them. as always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just, some words to think on.