“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT)

Excerpted from full article * Never again will America win a land war! Never! Prediction With DADT unreasonably favored by the president with his signature, the strength, support and admiration for our present uniform services will slowly begin to decay from within. Notwithstanding that same-sex sexual behavior is demonstrated to shorten life by 25 to 40 percent through higher rates of AIDS, hepatitis, other infectious diseases; cancers, depression, alcoholism, other substance abuse, suicide and domestic violence. Medical literature is replete with documentation, and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association website confirms most of this. Unit cohesion, order and discipline are sure to suffer. These serious drawbacks just touch on the concerns and demands of historical unity and reliability essential to military life. The people that silently supported inordinacy were revealed when they participated in public debate and voted, expressing their position on the matter of phasing out the current rules governing DADT. Their support remarks show them as unethical, staining their position of leadership, and showing weakness in their moral character. It made me wonder how they are able to live with themselves. As we continue on this road of arrogance, thinking we are gods and can do without Him, it would seem reasonable to think that America can expect the unexpected. Anyone who scoffs at these suggestions is part of the problem. I wonder if being bogged down in a never-ending conflict, trying to be correct, at the expense of our young troops, have any significance. We would all be wise to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” ask His intervention before America, once recognized as a strong Christian nation, now obviously in the grip of the prince of darkness, becomes a Sodom and Gomorrah. Those of us with lives caught up in weak, foolish leadership policies without a say, in the name of reason and common sense, have no place to withdraw and escape God’s wrath. However, we have God’s promise to “Fear not,” and are consoled knowing that God knows all and sees all; with God, nothing is impossible. Draw comfort in giving Him some of your time. The future is here. A few months postponement before implementing “Ask and Tell” will make little difference. The decision to do away with DADT is a deathblow to America’s military might that, in time, will reduce it to a memory. The president was speaking tonight (22 Dec 2010) on the subject of allowing gays to marry. Do you not know that this was his first step to “condition” the public to hearing about that possibility? Believe it. Let us not forget gay and lesbian antics outside the military that inside the military can anticipate in the future. When the inordinate ones do not like what you say or do, they plan revenge. (Also see full article*). A number of Catholic Churches have been unruly attacked inside, and Mass services disrupted (California, Minnesota, et al.), all because their lifestyle and their apparent lack of faith are in disobedience to God’s words that their acts are an abomination. Here is how liberals think; a recent example that did not make the news as it should have. To repeat the sentiment of many others, the president, his administration, most members of Congress today still do not get it. This is how unselfish, heroic deeds are now irreverently treated: Click this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/claythe1?feature=mhum You see that the military and their families are taken for granted, a hero does not deserve a salute by the president, rather, hands over the crotch is his normal salute to the military and anything affiliated with them. We have seen this before. Genuine respect for our military is history. Unbelievable! You will not see America ever win a land war again. Naturally, it will take time for our “straight” military to fall apart as I predict, but it is inevitable. There will be no mass exodus - no one expects that, for sound reasons. Today’s military members, as in the past, from necessity, will act responsibly to plan their future actions. Most have always been high caliber, patriotic, thoughtful, caring individuals. Prudence often came with the sort of disciplinary team training received and undertaken, from their first haircut and their first unified military steps in cadence. * Full article posted at www.http://fourwinds.blogster.com “In God We Trust” Let us pray... Thanks for visiting. - Bob John 8:32

O Holy Christmas-A pass-along story

More than 2000 years ago a decree went forth from the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, commanding a general census in which all the people of the empire should be enrolled, “each in his own city,” that is, in the place to which his tribe and family belonged. Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a city of (King) David, because they were of the family of that king. Bethlehem is situated about five or six miles south of Jerusalem, and nearly seventy-five miles south of Nazareth. There, in a stable, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, was born, according to tradition, at midnight, or soon after, on December 25th. It came to pass that, when they were there, Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The history of the first Christmas is made familiar to Catholics by the devotion of the “Christmas Crib.” In the year 1226, St. Francis of Assisi, with the permission of the Pope, set up the first of these cribs for the purpose of instructing the people and increasing in their hearts love and devotion for the Infant Savior. Christmas takes its name from the central and supreme act of Christian worship. Christmas means “Christ’s Mass,” the Mass offered in honor of the birth of Christ. Nearly all European languages, except English, use a word signifying nativity or birthday of Christ to designate the feast of Christmas: In Latin, Dies Natalis; in Italian, Il Natale, and in French the Latin form is soften into Noel. In all lands and languages the great fact commemorated is the birth of Christ, and the great action by which that fact is commemorated and renewed is the Mass. On Christmas, priests may celebrate three Masses to honor the threefold birth of the Son of God. His birth in time and in our humanity in the stable of Bethlehem; His spiritual birth by faith and charity in the souls of the shepherds, and in our souls, and in the souls of all who earnestly seek Him; and lastly, His eternal generation in the bosom of the Father. Jesus, God made Man, came to us to bring us back to God the Father through the ultimate gift of salvation. That was the single message of the Good News then, and down through the ages; accept the cure He has since provided through His birth, death and Resurrection. I capsulate it this way: Life is uncertain, death is sure; Sin the cause, Christ the cure. - Anon. At Christmas, a Birthday, it is only proper to say “Merry Christmas!” Thanks for visiting. - Bob Christmas is for everyone

A True Friend is God’s Gift to You

So you have friends, you say. Get on your knees and thank God. Your friend will stand by you through thick and thin, will even die for you, right? Oh, no? Then you do not have a true friend; you have an associate. A friend is someone that would die for you, and an associate is someone you know quite well, someone you know better than an acquaintance. They may stand by you in some troubles but not all. Instead of referring to associates as “friends,” what would you say when introducing them to others? How about, “this is my associate, Jake Wont.” Truly, “friends” and “love” are related. The sort of friend one can consider “true” has the element of love in it, love that comes from the heart, sincere, genuine. Now that I am alone in the shadow of life, having lost my best and only earthly friend (my spouse), it occurred to me how people misuse and, yes, even abuse the word “friend.” Somehow, as a youngster I virtually held sacred two things close to my mind and heart – and this is ever since I was young, a youth. That will tell you something about the way we thought as opposed to attitudes today. One, I never made a promise that I was not sure I could keep. I believe this stemmed from a promise made to me as a child that was not kept; I can still remember the incident some 70 years later. Two, the word friend was substituted for the reality of the association. That is, the word friend was not used, instead “fellow worker” “Fellow member" "Associate" “Acquaintance” “Team member” “Compatriot” “Neighbor” etc., whatever the real situation was is how I handled it. Why? Because somehow I came to know early in life, what “friend” meant. In my teen years, I learned that everything in life fluctuates, i.e. nothing of importance remains static. Close fellow associates, or myself, would relocate and never be seen again. As a career professional in the United States military, frequently moving from one place to another, one country to another, meeting people and developing friendships would often be avoided because of partings that would inevitably happen. Everyday life in the past, say from between ages 8 and 15, when the chance of moving was less prone,it was possible to establish a friendship, possibly started in a school or neighborhood. Unless you never moved, by the mid to late teens, life would cause changes putting distance between you and that “temporary” friendship that in time fades away. Note what the Bible says about friends: “Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity “A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality: and they that fear the Lord shall find him. “He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship: because according to Him shall his friends be” Ecclus 6: 14-17 Fast forward. Mature, wise people will tell you honestly, what the Bible will tell you, and that is: “A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found him hath found a treasure. “Blessed is he that finds a true friend,…Ecclus 25:12 Also: “Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul” Prov. 27:9 “It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society. “If one fall, he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he has none to lift him up” Eccles 4:9, 10. Of course there are cautions in the choice of friends, e.g. …one in a thousand would be a friend (Ecclus 6: 6,7). There are many reasons why anyone would be a false friend. A friend must have fidelity (be faithful). (Prov. 17:17) A friend must not betray confidence. (Prov. 3:39) This is but a brief introduction to a prized, but grossly misused, abused, and misunderstood subject by people in general. It is pure wisdom to understand and apply to ourselves the lesson Jesus gave us to respect the word “friend.” He once referred to the ultimate sacrifice as that of giving one’s life for his friends. Due to my self-imposed conditions and choosing to settle in a place other than where longevity had prevailed, and circumstances altered those conditions, for me a friend, as described in this article, is remote to non-existent. If you have read closely, you will see that I care dearly about what a friend means, and would mean to me personally. The Bible quotations reinforce my belief in the priceless value of a friend and the difficulty of finding one. It appears that I must continue to pray God for the gift of a God-fearing, worthy person, I can call a true friend. My standards and values are high, but God’s is infinitely higher. In these times, I can only pray and hope God answers; He always does. Right now, He is saying “no.” He has his reasons. Here are a few quotations of what others say about a friend: “Actions, not words, are the true characteristic mark of the attachment of friends.” - George Washington “…friendships are treasures that last forever.” - Mart De Haan, RBC Ministries “It would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends.” - Dennis Fisher, RBC Ministries “Of all the things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.” - Epicurus “One of the most beautiful qualities of a true friend is to understand and be understood.” - Seneca “I didn’t find my friends; the Good God gave them to me.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson “A single true friend is a treasure worth more than gold or precious stones. Money can buy many things, good and evil. All the wealth of the world could not buy a true friend or pay for the loss of one.” - C.D. Prentice “What is the secret of your life?” asked Mrs. Browning of Charles Kingsley. “Tell me, that I may make mine beautiful, too.” He replied: “I had a friend.” Wonderful quotations on this subject are truly without end. More recent, contemporary descriptions of a friend go like this: “Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.” “Best friends are like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.” “Some people make the world special by just being in it.” “When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.” “True friendship never ends.” “Friends are forever.” “Good friends are like stars…you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.” “Most people walk in and out of your life, but only a friend remains in your heart.” Common sense and the Bible tells us that friendship demands reciprocal love. Holy Scripture repeatedly presents God as the friend of man. God spoke with Moses as a friend (Ex 33:11). He called Abraham His friend (Is 41:8). It is recorded that both men loved God and would do anything God asked, with the emphasis on “anything.” Other prophets of the Old Testament could be mentioned if space here permitted. In my not so deep research on the subject of friend, I quickly recognized that there is an abundance of wisdom concerning “friend,” in Scripture alone; too much for the space of a blog. I may need to consider pursuing a future booklet on this subject to render it the justice it deserves, for the wonder of its literal meaning and reasonable understanding. Misuse of this almost sacred word is appalling. I believe humankind needs to know the true meaning of friendship so as not to be suddenly disappointed when what they expect from someone they call friend does not happen. The following prayer-poem with our one True Friend is one I say before the the Holy Cross. I am sure the anonymous author would welcome you to say the words I find here that expresses gratefulness for His friendship: I would converse with Thee from day to day, With heart intent on what Thou hast to say, And through my pilgrim-walk, whate’er befall, Consult with Thee, O Lord! about it all. Since Thou art willing thus to condescend To be my intimate, familiar friend, Oh! let me to the great occasion rise, And count Thy friendship life’s most glorious prize! †

Taking the Sting and Mystery Out of Wills, Etc.

We all procrastinate as a matter of course due to one reason or another. When it comes to estate planning, doing nothing brings unnecessary agony on those we leave behind – often suddenly. In fact, doing nothing to protect them is next to criminal. When you love someone, you want to take care of that person or family. This message applies to both husband and spouse, as you work together as a team to protect what you work for – and do not want the one left behind to lose everything. You may know, you may have heard, the State will step in and help themselves to what you have, whether little or not so little, and make it tough on the one who must deal with them. They care little to nothing about you. All they are interest in is getting what they do not deserve, even if it is the law. Without proper documents, as a Will for example, everything is “frozen in place and untouchable until the Courts handle your estate through Probate. That could be some months before either of you left behind can touch. In either case, you need to step up to the plate and act to protect each other. It was by the grace of God that my spouse passed to her reward before me. I couldn’t believe the mess she would have had to face had I passed on before her. Any money she would have had to take care of things she would have paid out to lawyers (on the advice of the Bank) and would have needlessly lost a great deal of money. Had I not had some real experience about personal affairs beforehand, it would have been difficult even for me. While in the throes of grief, your mind does not act as when you are with the one you love. You change with this crises and never return to where or what you were before grief grabbed hold of you. Now, I am speaking from dire personal experience. Important things that needed to be attended to came in spurts, my mind kept getting weak signals of thing that needed to be taken care of. The first thing I noticed when paying bills was the joint names on the check I was making out. My visit to the Bank was to change “our” account to “my” account. (Not so easy to do without a death certificate, I learned.) Then other matters begin to come in play. One thing leads to another is how it works. You do not want to go through these important matters in an emergency setting, it’s best to do them together, the way you both decide you want things done when (not if), when something happens to change your marital situation. It makes no difference what you need to do to get your affairs the way you want them. The link below will get all of what you want done at the least expense. I can tell you what I did to forego the huge expense of a lawyer and facing the annual payment for a lawyer to handle your affairs. You can do as I did. After listening about this organization on the radio over a hundred times, it finally hit me (so to speak) what they were saying. It hit me because I needed their help. It’s like wanting to buy a silver colored car because you do not see many silver colored cars. After you have it, it seems all cars are silver in color. (Strange, but things do work out that way.) After contacting them via computer and, if necessary to speak with someone, via toll-free, what would have cost me around two-thousand dollars plus annual fees to maintain my estate (which is ridiculous by any well to do standards), ended up around $500. This was not only for a Will (which would not cost half as much), but included a Trust, a Last Will and Testimony, and a Health Directive that tells everyone how I want to be taken care of by Health and Medical people, and Instructions on how I want to be taken care of regarding burial. (There are names for these paper instruments; it just escapes me now.) Whatever you need should be done for way less than your local lawyer would charge you. Another thing, their assistance in preparing these documents is for each State. So it makes little difference where you live. I have been telling people about this service ever since I used them. You see, when I find something good, with equally good service, I have always (I truly mean always) shared it with others as far and as wide as I possibly could. Trust me, that’s quite a territory as I am from New England and live in the southwest, and have travelled most of our lower 48 contenental states. People know me as “Paperboy” since the 1930s. So when I say I share, I share. It is so rare nowadays to receive good service; this is one service everyone needs, and except for the link I provide below, everyone is at the mercy of overpaid lawyers. Recently something occurred to make me think about sharing this information with you in my blogs. It dawned on me that I ought not to fail to share this because everyone will save. I may not remember to do this again. (You can prove that you will save to yourself after you download the information. Compare it with a local attorney. You do not need to see a local attorney face to face; just review the Yellow Pages of your telephone book and see what they say they charge for, say, a simple Will. Do it if only to satisfy yourself.) If you can sit down and answer questions asked of you on a computer that deal with important family matters (even an individual with assets has a need), this is your discovery. Just do as I did and go to: http://legalzoom.tellapal.com/a/clk/qZK0L (You may need copy and paste to your URL address line to activate it.) It couldn’t be easier. Just take your time, no one is waiting in line for you to finish anything. Read carefully, it’s not entirely technical. It applies as you want it to apply. Choose what you want. There’s no commitment until you say there is. Keep in mind the tremendous savings while at the same time you are taking care of things you may have been procrastinating about for a long time; as you knew you should not have put things like this off from getting it done. I repeat, take your time; no need to rush. This is important to you and those that love you and you love. Nothing could or should be more important. Ask yourself, if you don’t take care of these things, who will? Thanks for visiting. – Bob Merry Christmas

Learning, Studies and Discoveries

Individually, we ought to be wise enough to realize that we will never know all there is to know. Couple that fact with the idea that we ought to never stop learning. Many of our brothers and sisters seem to be satisfied with what little they know, or criticize others because they cannot answer their question on the spot. Not being able to answer a worthy question is nothing more than an opportunity to learn the answer. “Perfection” is in the purview of a similar concern. Wisdom tells us that we cannot attain perfection. Nevertheless, we are instinctively urged to strive for perfection. The reasoning is that striving for perfection motivates us to do our best in all our thoughts, words and deeds. In other words, we cannot go wrong doing right (the best we can). It is highly acceptable to learn at least something worthwhile each day, no matter what it may be, as long as it is worthwhile (in your estimation). It not only keeps your mind alive, it also will help make you more self-confident. EXAMPLES Out of curiosity (of which I usually am not), confirming whether or not I was pronouncing the word Wednesday correctly was important to me. People are often heard to mispronounce Wednesday or Wenezday, or Wednezday, or Wenz’day, with this last, according to my old “The New Century Dictionary,” is the correct pronunciation. After this checking, I was satisfied that my pronunciation of the word is correct. To my surprise, however, while exploring this word, I further discovered that I had a misconception of the place “Wednesday” held as “the” day of the week. My visit to the dictionary was fruitful in another way besides confirming the correct utterance of Wenz’day. I learned that Wednesday is the FOURTH day of the week, not the THIRD as I, all of my long life, believed. I just never gave it much thought. Imagine that! It may not seem important to you, but to me accuracy equates with order, and order makes for acceptance in utterances and the written word. Much of which I do both. Accuracy, i.e. to the best of my ability, is vital to me. When I compose tracts regarding the unseen spiritual, and the seen religious world, and its deism, (the principle reason for our living), accuracy is paramount. God would not forgive any error when I attempt to bring readers matters dealing with His Good News. There is no way I would dare go that way and place my soul (and yours, by misleading you) in danger. I am no theologian, no ordained minister, not even a Deacon, just a person as most of you, likely much older. In my almost quarter century writing of religious tracts, my first step is quiet prayer to the Holy Spirit. It is critical in my prayers requesting support from above to do my homework. Then I combine my research to my life’s traditional faith belief, knowledge, and abundant personal experiences, all of which converge before composing. In other words, it is important for me to know that what I am saying or referring to anyone is true. Otherwise I would pass on false information or be seen as unlearned, i.e. ignorant. That is and would be entirely unacceptable to me, and should be to you, too. The lesson here is: When you have any doubt (about what is in front of you to read), check it out. God has given each of us a mind to use. Use it to the best and fullest to optimize your life as you walk and travel this great, glorious and wonderful ball called earth; and as you walk among your fellow humans, who spend too much time trying to impress, express yourself by applying what you learned from intentional and natural studies and discoveries. Be wise, know that you will not learn all there is to know. Nor do you have all the time in the world; be assured you will not be repeating your walk through this life. Right now is all the time you have, right now you are alive, wiggle your body, prove to yourself that you are alive, and then truly come alive! Discovering why you are here is a good start. Then live your life accordingly. Tomorrow may be too late. Learn through studies and discoveries, and then share with your fellow man. Like me, you, too, will pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that you can do, any kindness you can show - to any human being, do it now, do not defer nor neglect it, for I guarantee, you will not pass this way again. † Thanks for visiting. - Bob Eph. 5:1-17

Past Wars and Present and Future Terror

December 7, 1941 … …”the day that will live in infamy” so declared then president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt. Of course, he was referring to the sneak attack on the United States Navy in Hawaii (not a State at the time), by the Imperial Empire of Japan. Their action plunged the entire world into World War II that was already raging in Europe because of Hitler’s insanity. For the benefit of the modern day uninformed, War in the Pacific, began at Pearl Harbor with a (questionable) surprise attack on our naval fleet in the Pacific. Because the United States’ founding is (was) based on Christian principles, defeated countries, such as Japan, were aided with tremendous amounts of American resources and human support to renew themselves to rejoin world nations in peace. For many years the “…day that will live in infamy” has gone the way of the annals of history. We, rightly, enkindle the bad memories of the many Pacific Campaigns year after year, because we have with us still, Pearl harbor survivors. As life would have it, they, naturally have become fewer and fewer. On a good calendar, the attack on Pearl Harbor now is referred to as Remembrance Day.” In time, I suspect it will become obscure, as most other awful wars. Like most important dates that we should never forget, it will not be known for what happened, just a date, with no one able to adequately explain the event behind it. If you think that this cannot happen, ask young adults about the Korea of 1950, that keeps raising its ugly head in current times. Has any young or mid-aged parent asked, “what is this all about?” Those involved in the global war of WWII are dying out faster than a bullet can hit its target. Soon there will be no one to understand that terrible, horrifying, horrendous, still unbelievable, terror that murdered millions in the horrifically evil schemes of a solitary mad man. Worse still, no one will remember how one man from Austria could terrorize another country, Germany, and make everyone so fearful to obey his madness. Countless joined in his plans of one world order of puritans, and helped him murder their fellow human beings. He did it. It happened. And, not all that long ago. These scars are still showing, but only in some places, and by fewer and fewer people trapped in the horror of the times. A great sadness is that people in America (and possibly most cosmopolitan locations of the world) today do not have the same quality of values as people of only, say, 50years ago. Remembering priceless values in cost of human life so people in general today can continue to care less, is frightening, to say the very least. Frightening for the new generation, not necessarily for those of us that have been through it or vividly remember what our brothers and sisters had to endure. Equally bad is that American History is no longer a school curriculum, has not been for far too many years. Few American young adults and their mid-aged parents know or care little about America’s demanding history. I am not any sort of a prophet, but I recall the wisdom of the past when I say: “Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it.” That in itself is scary to me because the face of war has changed. The Changing Face of War Now, the demand for even more alertness is needed. War is no longer a battlefield event. Despite Iraq and Afghanistan that is proving my point. And despite all of those generals with as many combined stars on their shoulders as there are in the heavens, we have not learned. Vietnam was the last battlefield war, that once again authenticated “War is hell.” Now the enemy is likely to be in your neighborhood with his or her intent on ridding you from the face of the earth. Are you aware of this or are you indifferent to what is happening. If you are indifferent you are unmistakably part of the modern-day, cultural problem we face. Your indifference compounds our problem because our Legislative Government is dumb down to reality. They have gotten so out of what is real that they find good evil and evil good. Whether you consider yourself an infidel or not, makes no difference to your new enemy. Like Hitler causing fear of death, most of the German population joined him. The Muslim radicals want to convert you; will you be converted? They have had years of brainwashing and want you dead. As we should have learned, brainwashing goes on inside and from outside this country. Immigrants are allowed into this country, without security checks, as once upon a time was required, and then allowed to emigrate to regions within this country silently infiltrating right where you are to get their dirty work done. In other words, our own government is complicit, has been cooperating with our new enemy by bringing them inside the country, and, you can say, behind the lines. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day December 7, 2010 For all military and civilian Pearl Harbor survivors and maimed and wounded personnel, and in memory of our lost brothers and sisters who faced the brunt of the “surprise” attack by the Japanese Empire’s numerous, heavily armed aircraft and miniature submarines sent to destroy the United States Naval Fleet, on an otherwise quiet, unsuspecting Sunday, I invite my fellow Americans to join me today in rendering a generic salute with utmost respect and gratefulness. Our Warriors and Freedoms’ Defenders: United States Navy United States Marine Corps United States Army United States Air Corps (at the time) United States Coast Guard And now, the Joint Special Forces representing each branch of the military (colors representing each branch ->)Salute, Go with God, Bob Soucy, USAF, Retired

CHRISTMAS WARS

CHRISTMAS WARS IGNITE; NEW BATTLE WITH ATHEISTS The following report is from the "home front," the Catholic League who knows first-hand about these things. Quote: “The atheists are out in force this year trying to neuter Christmas. But they are being met with stiff opposition from the Catholic League. The battle lines were drawn early. On November 10, news reports stated that several atheist organizations were seeking to use the Christmas season to garner new recruits. Their weapons of choice: billboards placed on highways and bus shelters, and TV advertisements. The billboard campaigns run the gamut from the benign to the malicious. Some merely ask those who don’t believe in God to join them, but others are a direct assault on Christianity. American Atheists, for example, is currently featuring a billboard with a picture of a nativity scene which reads, “You Know it’s a Myth. This Season Celebrate Reason”; it is prominently displayed in New Jersey near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel that connects to New York City. As soon as news stories surfaced about the American Atheists’ billboard near the Lincoln Tunnel, we were contacted by an anonymous donor who wanted to do something about it. We suggested placing a graphic of a nativity scene on a billboard on the New York side of the tunnel, one that read, “You know it’s Real. This Season Celebrate Jesus.” He liked our idea immediately, so we made the arrangements, and he paid for it. This was a very Catholic League kind of rejoinder. Knowing how aggressive these activists have become in recent years, we were more than ready with a strong response. So on the same day of the news stories about the atheist campaigns, we pulled our trigger: we announced that we had just mailed a Holy Family Nativity Scene (crèche) to the nation’s 50 governors. We quickly heard from Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley thanking us for the gift. In his letter to the governors, Bill Donohue explained that it was our “sincere hope that it (the crèche) will be displayed in the Capitol Rotunda alongside secular symbols (e.g. a Christmas tree) this coming Christmas season.” It is up to Catholic League members to follow through by contacting the chief of staff serving their respective governors;… The atheists are not happy about our counter-campaign. But we are proud that we led the Christian community nationwide with an immediate response. Moreover, unlike their negative campaign, ours is entirely positive. And that is exactly how it should be.” (Unquote.) Unless you are blind or do not know how to read, you must hear and see an increase in ignorant activists depreciate Christianity in particular and Catholicism specifically throughout the year, but they get energized over our Christmas celebrations. Christianity is too tough for them to bear, so they must attack us. God always wins out. We must stand firm wherever we are against their antics to upset the weak among us who do not know what they can and can't do about Christmas decorations and symbols. Stay alert to what is going on against or derogatory toward Christians, as the Catholic Leageue has been fighting for many years in defense of religious and civil rights. Check them out at www.catholicleague.org (you may need to place that address in your browser then click Go. This is NOT an email address which must have an @ in the address.) It is a www. address that must go in your browser. Simply highlight, copy and paste in your browser. Thanks for visiting. - Bob Rom. 15:13 Merry Christmas to you and yours

December

I liked this when I read it; it seems to offer optimism in the face of true conditions, which started in November and increasingly affects many of us during December; perhaps you also will like it. If you do, please share it with others who may be depressed from the early dark of both morning and night. Remember, Winter begins December 21st and the days will begin to slowly lengthen once again. There often is a light at the end of the tunnel, and a time to smile once more. A dreary month of weeping. Of cloud and fog and rain, Is sorrowful December, And all the winds complain. For trees are bare and flowers are gone, And birds have hushed all song, And days are short and sunless, And nights are dark and long. But let us wait in patience, The days are swift to go, And even sorrow does not stay Long on the earth below; Some days must be for weeping, But God and heaven remain, And after nights of darkness The sun will shine again. - Marianne Farmingham (From an old manuscript) Thanks for visiting. - Bob Phil 1:21

God, Youth, and You

Satan may have done more to destroy this generation of young people then any generation in history. He is so fearful of what the Lord can do through this new generation that he has arranged for humanity to kill millions upon millions – one-third- of them before birth. Those babies that make it to birth Satan tries to abuse, brainwash, debilitate, and enslave through dysfunctional families, cults like secular humanism, substance abuse, and sexual promiscuity saturating all forms of media. Pay attention to the youth that say “no.” Satan’s major effort is to keep our young people from knowing God’s love and believing in Him. Those who survived the devil’s onslaught are those who give their lives totally to Jesus; by the Holy Spirit of love they will be the one’s to renew the face of the earth. For too many years, I have been alarmed, noticing first-hand while visiting home after home, the way children were being raised. Parents generally lost their own faith and belief in God (even when their parents did pass their faith along to them, the secular world was more attractive),consequently raised their offspring’s without faith. This terrible situation has existed for at least 50 years. Man’s most important thing in life is to know and love God with all of one’s mind, strength and soul…instead God was, and is, placed in the “back” of things in one’s life. That is a precarious state for the human soul to be in. Consider this: God said: “Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee and made thee a prophet unto the nations.” And Jeremias said, “Lord God, behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. And the Lord said to me: Say not: I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak….” Jer 1:5-7. (Note to remember: God does not change, He is the same today as yesterday, and will be the same tomorrow. Man is the one that changes; man is fickle, seeking transitory “stuff” and conditions that will have an end. Now, with that out of the way, please continue …) “This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, that I will pour forth my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams….” Acts 2:17. Why, you may ask, is this important now. Dear reader, the more knowledgeable, i.e. learned, among us know and say that according to Scripture we are in the last days. That is not to say that the end is imminent, on the contrary, we also know that according to St. Peter, a blink of God’s eye is as a thousand years. However, being aware of this does not take away the conditions found in God’s Holy Book. Jesus told us that the time is known but to God, Jesus also said, “Be ready, as you know not the hour.” “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are….” I Jn 3:1ff The preceding quotation supports my recently being made aware through writings that God’s Spirit is being poured out on mankind. A new Pentecost has been taking place in recent time. For those of you that do not know the meaning of Pentecost: For Christians it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It is the harvest-feast of Christ, since on that day Christ’s Apostles, through the power of the Holy Spirit, lost their fear, went forth and preached courageously, baptized thousands – a great harvest of souls for the early Church. Since the time the WWJD craze swept the Christian community, around the globe, not so long ago as you should have forgotten, it was a reminder to many people that we should have the heart and mind of Jesus. From that time good seed flourished among the youth that understood the message, “What would Jesus do?” and matured further into WDJD – What did Jesus do?” Understanding this more important question depends our salvation. Understanding WDJD is vital as described in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4ff. The claim that the Lord is raising up young people in a special way to renew the face of the earth, empowering new Jeremias’ “to root up and pull down, to waste and to destroy, and to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10), is a joy of real satisfaction for years of yearning for the good of our youth’s accounting. A new era is in the making. For our young to acknowledge their true God and, with His guidance, begin the healing peoples everywhere need to return to Him, has much to do about our salvation. These young “Jeremias” are not too young by God’s standards. St. Paul wrote to Timothy: “We must tell our young people: ‘Let no man despise thy youth, but be an example to the faithful in speech, in conduct, in charity, in faith, in chastity’” 1 Tim 4: 12. We all need prayers; from their birth, our young need our prayers, as they grow, they need our encouragement. As adults and parents, it is no less our duty to know and understand our God and do our duty to fulfill our natural, instinctive obligation to Him and His Commandments. God created everyone you know and meet. No one was made by anyone else. Your eternal salvation and the disposition of your soul depend on your willingness to know Who is in charge of your life and how you ought to live. God is Pure Love, God is merciful, God is patient, God knows whether you know right from wrong. He sees all and knows all. With God, nothing is impossible. Believe it! You were sent from heaven to your mother’s womb. He placed you on earth to do a certain something. You must find out what that is; we often need to commune with God to find out. There is no one quite like you. You are one of a kind. God wants to welcome you home when He calls you to return. As you reside temporarily on this planet, you have total freedom to decide and choose the destination of your soul. Your Judgment will be between Him and you alone. A major determining factor will be by the way in which we live, and whether or not we abide in Him. We cannot ignore the truth of God’s desires, we cannot ignore God and expect Him to allow us to enter Paradise and be with Him. It does not work that way. Earth is where you prove your worthiness. God sent His only Begotten-Son, Jesus, to earth where He not only taught, guided and suffered dearly for us, but established His one Church, (placing imperfect men in charge) so all would have a “House of prayer,” a holy place to adore, praise Him and commune with Him. His purpose has not changed; man alone complicates matters by going his own way, as if Jesus did not know what He was doing. Jesus prayed, “that they be one, as we, Father, are one.” What are your thoughts about that? Today it is as if the tables were turned; where parents are suppose to train and teach the youth, it appears that the young people will be the one’s within the home and among their peers to do the teaching, stepping up to the plate after a serious lapse of many years. This must be recognized and nurtured wherever and whenever possible. God’s will be done. Love and humility must be the guiding lights for our salvation unto Him Who made us. Our young have organized themselves into Christian Youth Groups. Encourage this and carefully listen to their words. Parents, neighbors and associates could find enlightenment by their discussions, activities as individuals, and as a group. Remember, too that “actions speak louder than words.” Many years ago, in retrospect, when it was the “thing” to discover and teach oneself right from wrong (which was really normal, and neither complicated nor difficult), and after all my teen years as a wonderer and adventurer, I responded to my inner “tug” toward God. I always tried to do what was right at the time - admittedly, with some human frailty. In time and in sporadic moments on my own, I learned more and more about why I am here among my fellow human beings, called brothers and sisters. One of many streams of personal learning came by way of living subjects of The Christophers News Notes. The term “Christopher” comes from the Greek word “Christophoros” which means “Christ-bearer.” The Christopher motto, since 1945, is famous the world over, “It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." (www.christophers.org) (If you will consider this article to be from a Christ-bearer I would be humbly pleased.) The meaning of Christ-bearer is mightily important. It sums up our objective as children of God encouraging individual initiative in taking into the mainstream of life the truths that can bring lasting peace. Peace to our country, to our families, to us, and to the world – truths that naturally are “there” in our hearts, minds and souls, and have come down to us through 2000 years of Christianity and Jesus; in addition, there are those truths kept alive by the Jews alone for ages before the birth of God’s Son, Jesus. Parents and Guardians With respect to the youth around you, it is imperative that you show genuine interest in their interests. You either have the respect of your sons, daughters, grandchildren, etc., or you do not. You naturally want their respect. Know this: That by your love they know you. Make Jesus, the Son of God, your Guide, let Him come into your heart then your mind will take on thoughts worthy of Him; then your demeanor will speak for you, perhaps in ways unfamiliar to you. If you are at a loss about it all, ask (the Lord in prayer of your own words), and it shall be given to you; seek (the Truth) and you shall find; knock (on helpful doors if need be and doors) shall be opened to you. As a parent, guardian, grandparent, or another charged with guiding the young entrusted to your care, you are responsible for, not only your soul, but also the souls of those around you; you are a messenger – a Christ-bearer; honest and true, you are. Normally I would say to you to blow the dust of your Bible, open it and discover what you have been missing. But I will not recommend that just now. Sometime small steps are best before taking strides. Rather, begin by wanting to know God. You cannot love Him when you do not know Him. Set your mind on reading good, sound literature about the religion’s who, what, why. There are volumes of good books available for you to read, but avoid them – for now. Just be brave and stop by the literature rack in the Church, usually in the entryway. Look over what is available. Help yourself to what interests you or piques your interest. Choose judiciously so as not to be overwhelmed. Above all, you must understand God’s commandments, especially the First. Then everything that is supposed to be will makes sense. Life takes on meaning or new meaning – you comprehend life, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, those in your life’s space, your neighbors; you acknowledge the existence of heaven, hell, just as you accept a rainbow, true, false, black and white, right and wrong, the reality of imperfection in all people. All fit; peace and happiness sets in your heart and mind without deceiving yourself. Another fact that cannot be disputed is that we walk this way but once. What I have just described are powerful truths! They are likely matters that have been subordinated for other things in your life, or been allowed to slide out of your heart and mind altogether. Know that, as you continue to walk the face of the earth, our patient and merciful God desires your return to Him in Paradise in due time. Everyone, I repeat, everyone, regardless of what they temporarily call themselves, feel or experience the tug of righteousness and God in them, and makes a conscious decision about how to respond. That is God’s way. He allows you total freedom to do as you will. He also provides ways to heal errors made as He, above all, knows human nature. You must ask, seek, find. Jesus assured us that He would always provide help from on high. The more we act as His messenger the more we can say with Christ as He spoke to Pilate: “This is why I was born, and why I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears my voice” Jn 18:37. For the young and not so young, it is more prudent to walk with God than without Him and find yourself in the alternative to heaven. The more you learn, the more you come to realize that you are in this world but not of it. You are God’s creation and come from God’s Kingdom and should care for your soul in such a way as to want to return. Lastly, the expression “all the time in the world” is without meaning. “You never know.” †