These are times that are trying many souls

Over the course of the past year or so, we have witnessed catastrophic earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, New Zealand and Japan.  We have seen a tsunami suddenly kill thousands of people and cause turmoil and anxiety even unto this present hour due to the problems at a nuclear power plant in Japan.  We have seen volcanoes erupt in Iceland and ice storms in places that rarely see them.  Through it all, the United States of America was basically unscathed.

Over the past few weeks, the forces of nature have unleashed their fury upon the very heart of America.  Through wildfires burning in Texas, flooding along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and the current incredible outbreak of tornadoes; there is no longer any feeling of invincibility in this land.  As if the current situation were not bad enough, a very active hurricane season looms just ahead.

In due time, all the damage being done by all these natural disasters will act as a financial stimulus as people will find jobs rebuilding houses, businesses, churches and other facilities.  But, in the short term, the current situation is too much for many to bear.  Losing one’s home or business is a traumatic experience that leaves deep scars in someone’s hearts for years to come.  Obviously there are many hurting people around right now.

The frustration people go through dealing with insurance companies, government agencies, financial institutions and employers is hard to understand unless a person has lived through a major disaster or worked with those who have.  People can talk about “trusting God” all they want, but when your home is a pile of debris, your place of employment is demolished and your creditors want payments NOW; the pressure many times literally breaks people and demolishes families.

In 2006 I took a very long and difficult trip to Cameron, a little town on the coast of southwestern Louisiana, which had been utterly destroyed by hurricane Rita the previous year.  The area was a ghost town as it had been literally forgotten due to most of the emphasis being placed on Katrina damage.  As I trudged through the sand looking at the destruction I came upon a few very haggard people hanging around a white tent.

When I inquired as to what was going on, I was told of how there used to be a church ministry that brought food to that tent twice a week but had run out of resources and had to stop.  My heart ached for these poor people who received no aid from FEMA, the Red Cross, Salvation Army or any other group except one lonely ministry who could no longer find the resources to get food to them.

I was not able to do much but the pictures I took of the people and their plight did make their way to some agencies which in due time were able to get some resources down there.  The town had literally fallen through the cracks due to all the other needs.

As people attempt to put their lives back together in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia; I pray that those of us unaffected by the current onslaught of floods and tornadoes remember those whose lives have been turned upside down.

These are very troubled and turbulent times and many of our brothers and sisters are hurting right now.  If ever they needed a friend to lend them a hand or a shoulder to cry on it is NOW.  If there was ever a time to redouble our prayers and “stand in the gap” it is NOW.  If there was ever a time to intercede on behalf of those who are struggling to stay sane and alive, it is NOW.  Truly this is a time to pray for and reach out to all those engaged in the worst battles of their lives.

Escape from the concrete jungle of wrong assumptions

A few weeks ago I flew from St. Louis to Chicago and then on to Minneapolis.  With each stop, the surroundings were the same; cement, asphalt, cars, homes, stores and warehouses, in other words–normal city “stuff”.  As unremarkable as this sounds, it was actually quite profound.

See, I did not fly back to St. Louis bur rather I drove a vehicle I had flown to pick up.  The difference between flying and driving was incredible to say the least.  Instead of only seeing cities and thinking of all the problems cities have, I saw mainly farmland as far as the eye could see.

Many years ago a famous “know it all” wrote a bestselling book claiming that the world’s population was going to explode to the point that by the year 2000, there would be no food to feed it.  Hmmm, I just made a trip where I did not so much as see one human (except in another car) for miles on end.  Hmmm, I just made a trip through the fertile farmland of Iowa (and other states too), where there were thousands of acres of corn and beans in the fields.

Right now I am looking out the window at my home at the most awesome looking bean field I have ever seen in my life.  These beans are such a rich shade of green and nearly 30 inches tall.  Yes, this is the same field that had been planted in corn, tilled and replanted in beans in June.  The point is, there is going to be an incredible harvest of beans shortly out of that field along with hundreds of others just in our county alone.

A person can sit in an ivory tower of learning, looking out on the cement world of a major city and invent a crisis.  This has been proven over and over again in different realms.  But, the only way to know if there really is a crisis is to climb out of that tower and get out of the concrete jungle to where the common people live.  It is out there, in the thousands of tiny villages, towns and communities that the “real world” lives and moves and has their being.

When I was stuck in Chicago for an unanticipated ground delay the other day, I was struck by the number of business people using their laptops and talking on cell phones the whole time.  They were oblivious to the situation and were thinking of only dollars and cents.  One day later I was eating at a diner in the middle of nowhere surrounded by truckers and farmers whose only concern was the weather and the food they were eating.

Life is as complicated, messed up and hopeless as we allow it to be.  Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are doing in life we forget what life is really all about.  Sometimes we become so engulfed in the affairs of this life that we lose sight of the Lord who gave us a life to live.  Sometimes we become so obsessed with the daily grind that we totally forget that without the Lord there is nothing in life but pride and problems.

Perhaps some of you need to take a nice long drive and get away from the pressures and warped perspective that comes from the stress of work/kids/etc.  Sometimes a quiet drive through fields of plenty or the woods or up a mountain or to the beach is all it takes to refresh, rejuvenate and realign our thinking with God and His way of doing things.

The United States of America–The twilight of a once great nation

There was a time when if the President of the United States spoke things to the world such as have been said recently, such a President would be tried for treason and if convicted be put to death.  Of course times such as those no longer exist in the mad dash to destroy any credibility this country had remaining after the fiascos of the past twenty years.

Every President who has taken office since George Washington recites the following oath at their inauguration:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

A President is under oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  What does the Constitution say the President’s job involve.  Article II sections 2 and 3 lay out the authority and responsibilities of the President of the United States.  Anything a President does now that is not within the Constitution has either arisen through amendments, legislation, executive orders or tradition.  Herein lays the problem.

A President can fulfill his obligations as laid out in the oath of office and spelled out Article II of the Constitution and still be a traitor because so much of what a President now does is NOT spelled out in the document he is obliged to preserve, protect and defend.  Under the broad blanket of “Commander in Chief”, a President can do just about anything he wants.  Outside of an actual declaration of war, a President can command troops be sent to fight battles all over the world without Congressional approval.

Many years ago Presidents started putting more and more emphasis on “Executive Orders” and less on the specifics of what the Constitution says.  President Nixon was the first to more or less conduct the nation’s business via executive orders and most presidents since have done the same.  When a President feels he cannot get Congress to approve his requests, he can usually find a way around such a roadblock through orders and proclamations issued through his office.

When the President and the majorities of both Houses of Congress are of the same party there remains little, if anything to block the full and total passage into law of whatever is desired by that party.  Politicians who feel they are popular enough to withstand criticism or who do not face re-election for a number of years become very bold and outspoken in their plans.  When this happens, with either party in control, sweeping changes take place in American government.

President Franklin Roosevelt had this ability in the 1930’s, and he used it to enact more Federal programs and changes to American society than any president before him.  President Lyndon Johnson again had this same ability and he used it to launch his “Great Society” welfare state in the 1960’s.  Although he didn’t have control of the House of Representatives, President Ronald Reagan had enough of a mandate given to him through the election in 1980 as well as control of the Senate to push through a conservative agenda unequalled before or since.

As significant as these times in the past were, they pale in comparison to what has happened and is getting ready to happen in this country NOW.  Despite only winning the general election by a very modest amount of votes, President Obama is capitalizing on the huge majorities his party holds in Congress to totally change America once and for all.  Whether the changes being instituted are the “change we can believe in” that enchanted the multitudes during the campaign, they are coming fast and furious regardless of whether they were wanted or not.

The changes in foreign policy, monetary matters, business, moral issues, the environment and health care are huge.  These are not just little tweaks to the system; these represent a whole new system.  By the time the crown jewel of change (nationalized health care) is slammed through Congress this fall, pretty much the America we knew just a year ago will be gone with the wind.  What we will find starting in 2010 is State run health care, media, business and education.  Those who oppose will be in jeopardy of being traitors and national security risks.

American foreign policy will soon become one of total pacification.  Give everyone exactly what they want and they will leave us alone is the philosophy ruling American decisions abroad.  Doing everything possible to make the USA out to being the evil monster responsible for all the world’s woes is allowing ruthless dictators to arise and conquer helpless people in nation after nation.  To say that a country such as the USA has no right to be powerful or assert her influence on other countries (except Israel) would have been in the past cause for impeachment.

It is time to wake up and realize that the United States of America as it was only a few years ago is quietly slipping into oblivion.  The nation that is quickly arising is one lacking strength and resolve to be anything other than a spectator in world events.  The new USA may still win gold medals in the Olympics, but will have even fewer friends than now due to being perceived as an international weakling.  God help us all as we transition into this new World Order.

When the caretakers become the ones needing cared for; the collapse of most small charities

When I first started meeting people and looking for supplies to haul to Katrina victims, even though it was 9 months after the disaster, there was still plenty of compassion in the hearts of people who just wanted to “love their neighbor as themselves”. The outpouring of donations of food, furniture, clothing and money was astounding, even to me.

As the summer of 2006 wore on, so did the uniqueness of what I was trying to do. The early offers of help and assistance were replaced with excuses and a building resentment toward those who were still suffering. Somehow their plight was now their fault since it had gone on for so long. By November of 2006, all of 24 months after Katrina; the pipelines of aid were pretty well exhausted and people everywhere were tired of hearing about Katrina, period.

In the two years since, the level of compassion expressed by Americans toward their neighbors who are suffering as dropped dramatically. Calls for volunteers and donations after various disasters were still acceptable a year and half ago, but have dropped in direct proportion to the problems in the economy. The level of spontaneous free will giving now has now reached the point where there is basically nothing in any pipeline for anyone.

This situation has caused me great pain and suffering for I know how one group after another has had to curtail its activities and eliminate programs altogether. When people who used to donate faithfully are contacted, they are told there is nothing left to give. When faithful supply lines are called, those lines are no longer available. What has happened is that most small groups have increased their government dependence and in so doing have lost their autonomy.

As we approach the Holidays, I am alarmed by the downturn in programs which normally provide turkeys to those who normally would have NO Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. I am saddened to hear of the lack of donations for toy drives which are the lifeblood of small independent charities Holiday work.

Those I used to contact have no means to help in any capacity. What money they give, they donate to their church or the United Way or in red kettles in front of Wal Mart. Gone are the days when people had excess money they gladly gave at this time of year. Fundraising drives of all sorts and kinds are running far short of the amounts needed to keep programs afloat another year. There is a true crisis among charities of all sorts and kinds. Except one, that is.

I noticed that the new President’s people are setting up a “non-profit” 501 c4 to handle donations to assist in the transition of Presidents. I frankly do not understand how a group which already collected over 700 million dollars to run its campaign out of the pockets of donors, now has it hand out wanting another couple hundred million to move from Chicago to Washington.

The Federal Government can, has and will bail out banks, insurance companies and automobile manufacturers to the tune of 2 trillion dollars but can’t find a couple hundred million to move the new President and his staff to Washington? Of all the stupid things, this one takes the cake. While hundreds of worthwhile charities cannot find donors because all available money has gone to the Presidential campaign; those same people will gladly cough up hundreds of millions for transition.

Many of these same people will curtail giving during the Holidays due to needing to save their money for the gala at the time of the Inauguration. While these people blame America for not giving more to help the suffering, all their personal money goes to political campaigns, transitions and Inaugurations.

Normally at this time of year I would mellow and talk about the nice aspects of the upcoming Holidays. Not this year, and probably not ever again. As much as I hate to admit it, there is really nothing I can do anymore except pray for the few remaining independent groups trying to “hang on” in their commitment to helping others. All I can do is act as a middleman in trying to match needs with resources.

See, in my zeal to give away everything I owned to help others, I managed to succeed in doing just that. I now am only a couple of months away from joining those I tried to help for so long. The debt incurred in trying to launch a failed charity has finally caught up with me. Since the sum and total of all donations this year to my little group amounted to $100, I cannot do much except do as I have done in giving every penny I didn’t need that instant to others. Even today I gave a guy wondering around begging for money the last $20 I had.

I will never stop giving even if I have nothing to give. I will never stop trying to help even if I can find no one willing to lift a finger. I will continue to do all I can do even if no one in this country sees fit to ask where or how they can help. I pray God has a few others out there who are so committed and whose lives are not their own.

I do thank all who have added comments to the blog which has turned into a resource place for Ike victims. What was done with Ike this year is the greatest tragedy since the civil war. I promise to write more on that in the coming days.

For anyone who reads this, I am in desperate need of selling a 1994 Dodge conversion/camper van which has a little over 100,000 miles on it. I used this van traveling all over the United States in my attempts to find resources for those helping the suffering. I lived in this van and put thousands of dollars into its upkeep and maintenance. Selling that van now would buy me a couple of months more in this house.

Thank you for listening and praying for thousands who are silently hurting and deeply suffering due to the inability of people to give. I ask your prayers and supplication for my friends at Tri Coastal Community Outreach in Grand Bay, Alabama. I ask your prayers for my friends at the Giving Tree Outreach Program in Tucson, Arizona. I ask your prayers for my friends at the Cornerstone Children’s Ranch in Quemado, Texas.

I ask for your prayers for myself and my wife. Times are getting really tough for us just as they are for many of you. Our God is good and our God is great. Into His gracious hands I commit all of us trying to help and serve and all those who are in such desperate need. Thank You.

Great; A bunch of liberal democrats, weak kneed republicians and money men give us a package to “save our economy”–Yea sure

This is not your normal political post. This is a brutally honest discussion of the boondoggle getting ready to be trumpeted as the salvation of the American economy. Let me say at the outset, I am staunchly independent in my politics and despise both of the major political parties as being sold out to special interests and to those intent on usurping the wealth and resources of this country. Read at your own risk.

God help the United States of America. Whatever the details of the massive bail out measure that will be worked on today end up being, there is no way it is anything but the final coup d’état of a process which has been going on for well over a year. Those intent on the destruction of the United States as it has been known for hundreds of years have finally succeeded in their mission.

The “full court press” that is usurping all other news is quickly gaining momentum and will surely end up creating more governmental control in more areas of our lives than ever thought possible only a few years ago. Those who have tirelessly worked to turn the United States into a socialistic state are finally seeing the fruit of their labors. The transfer of wealth from private to government is nearing completion.

In quick succession, the entire landscape of the financial world has gone from A to Z with no stops in between. One huge financial institution after another has been gobbled up by the United States government and will soon be under the direct supervision of people who only care about the consolidation of governmental wealth and power and not the welfare of the people.

How much does anyone really think Medicare “cares” about the needs of the elderly or disabled? How much does anyone really think Social Security cares about the “security” of those who receive its benefits? How much does anyone really think the Veterans Affairs Department cares about the “affairs” of those who have served in the Armed Forces?

The government, as everyone knows, is woefully inefficient and wasteful when it comes to overseeing what it does. By the time the smoke clears and details of what will get hammered out regarding the bailout package become public, one thing will be perfectly clear; the United States government will own just about every mortgage and/or piece of real estate in the country. When the realization finally hits Americans that the government owns all the mortgages; perhaps only then will they wake up to what has happened.

Those people and groups whose only desire is the full and total domination of this country and its resources are preparing the ballrooms for their grand celebration even as I write this. Whether these people are the Rothschild’s, the Bilderberg Group, Illuminati, the Russians, the Chinese, the Jews or whoever one’s conspiracy theory demands they be; they will soon win the war they have been waging for generations to gain control of the bountiful assets of this country.

Daily our freedoms are being stripped from off our backs. Every day we enjoy less and less liberty both individually and collectively. Governmental interference has made many very simple tasks become week long adventures in frustration. Government regulations on everything imaginable do little good except to bind up transactions and business dealings in never ending quagmires.

A revolution in American politics almost took hold this presidential cycle with the likes of Ron Paul. But, the powers that be would not allow his campaign to ever get off the ground. Despite great enthusiasm for his Libertarian leaning politics and tremendous fundraising abilities; his campaign was sunk before it started. The last thing those who control American politics will allow is someone like a Ron Paul to ever lead this country.

Instead, we are stuck with the choice of two people who are sure to be nothing more than puppets carrying out the orders of those with far bigger agendas than the hollow campaign promises made to get votes. Just as our current President, whoever wins the election in November will be only a figurehead dutifully obeying the marching orders of his superiors. Those orders are, and always will be designed for the maximum benefit of the few at the expense of the many.

I honestly never thought I would live to see the day the people of the United States of America would willingly lay down and allow their government to take control of their homes, bank accounts and soon their jobs. Yet, I know that there is nothing that motivates Americans faster to relinquish their freedoms than fear of losing their homes, money and jobs.

America, be not deceived. What is taking place in Washington today and tomorrow is nothing but a huge smokescreen to hide a much greater and devious agenda. What will be announced with great fanfare as the salvation of the American economy is nothing more than the beginning of the end of American economics as we have come to know it. Before popping the corks on the champagne bottles in great celebration, pause and consider not only the monetary cost of this plan ($10,000 per family) but more importantly the cost to our freedoms.

Anyone so naïve as to think Sen. Obama or Sen. McCain is going to solve all the country’s problems is sadly mistaken. It makes little or no difference which of these two men end up being elected. By the time they take office in January, the entire landscape of this country will be far different than it is now. Even if by some stretch of the imagination one of these men is truly independent and not sold out to whoever pays them, there is little a president can do by himself to change America. God help us endure what lies ahead and God help us survive as the land of the free.

Ike and Wall Street; 2 Days, 2 Places, 2 Equally Devasting Storms

This just in–water is available in Liverpool, 30 miles from Galveston!

In less than 72 hours, two hurricanes slammed into America. The first one hit Friday night at Galveston, Texas. The second one hit in New York on Monday. In both cases, millions of people were dramatically affected by the storm and hundreds of thousands were devastated by the storm surge.

When Ike hit, everyone knew he was coming and had days to either leave or prepare to stay. If staying, provisions had to be obtained which would allow survival for days if not weeks. If leaving, a place to go had to be established as well as the means necessary to get there and stay for as long as needed. There was no way of knowing ahead of time how bad the storm would be or how long life would be disrupted.

The storm which hit Wall Street on Monday was not unexpected. Watches had been posted on Friday and warnings were flying on Sunday. The actual storm which hit yesterday was intense and for those who never prepared for it, devastating. Even today, there is no way to know if the storm which hit the markets yesterday was a category 1 or a category 5.

The general effects of Ike were felt by millions of people in Texas and Louisiana. At this time, there are still millions without electricity, very few gasoline stations opened, long lines at distribution centers to obtain water and ice and nowhere to find food and other supplies. There are still vast areas unreached by rescue personnel and only now is the true strength of Ike being seen in places wiped off the face of the map by the storm.

The general effects of the storm on Wall Street yesterday were felt all through the economy by anyone owning stocks in a mutual fund, IRA or investment package. With the general loss of around 4%, everyone in the country who invests in the stock market found themselves 4% poorer at the end of the day than at the start. Whereas the vast majority of people will simply “weather the storm” and hopefully see their portfolio bounce back later; for some, yesterday was equivalent to living in West Galveston.

Ike slammed ashore Friday night. By Saturday night Ike’s remnants were pounding Arkansas with deadly tornadoes and flooding rains. By Sunday, Ike was swamping St. Louis, Missouri with worse flooding than in the great 1993 flood. Chicago, Illinois was inundated with upwards of 9 inches of rain and major flooding was occurring throughout the city. Places in Indiana and Ohio received hurricane force winds, doing in some cases as much damage as in parts of Houston. Truly Ike’s power was felt thousands of miles away from his epicenter.

People who do not even own stocks will feel the effects of the storm which hit Wall Street yesterday. As everyone’s money tightens, they are less willing and able to buy things and give to charities. The ripple effect of so many people losing so much money in one day will be felt from the retailers to the Salvation Army. In fact, the effects could produce more problems than just the obvious loss of worth felt by those owning stocks.

Where Ike came ashore, the damage is unimaginable. Only yesterday did rescue crews finally make it to “ground zero”. Just as in any major hurricane, the damage exceeded anyone’s expectations. Where the storm surge was greatest, there is nothing left of what once was houses, businesses, churches and schools. The surge came in and took out everything in its path. Those silly enough to have dared defy the power of nature paid the ultimate price, whether they ever officially are counted as a fatality or not.

Those either working for Lehman Brothers stock or who worked for the company were at ground zero of the storm yesterday. An associate of mine who works a block from the building that housed Lehman Brothers, said the line of workers stretched for blocks as they waited to enter and clean out their desks. All these people had jobs Friday and come Monday they were unemployed. Those who owned stock in Lehman found their “investment” worth 18 cents by Monday afternoon. Truly anyone closely involved with the company had the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane go over their house.

This week will determine how much of the rest of this fall will go both in Ike effected areas as well as the stock markets. Depending on what the Fed does today, they may opt for a “quick fix” by way of lowering interest rates to stimulate more borrowing at the expense of the dollar, or may continue their hands off policy and allow the markets to naturally shake down. Depending on what they decide, Wall Street will either rally or tank; and the effects on the economy will flow behind.

This week is the week when either Ike victims start to see genuine disaster relief or we find yet another gigantic FEMA boondoggle. So far, using the government’s socialistic approach to relief, those who have deeply affected by Ike remain in a state of hunger, thirst and growing frustration. I will save my scathing editorial opinions of FEMA for another post; but suffice it to say, I am not a big fan of the government hijacking the disaster relief and recovery operations away from the private sector. I fear that is exactly what is happening in the economic sector even as I write this.

Of Leaky Rowboats and Messiah Politics

I feel like a person far out in the lake in a rowboat when a leak suddenly develops in the boat.  It is too far to the shore and the water is too cold to swim in.  There is nothing to plug the leak with and there is no one else around to offer help.  This description of “helplessness” defines the present state of the United States of America.

I have never, in my 55 years on this earth, seen such a disgusting series of events take place as I have witnessed in the year 2008.  There appears to be an agenda being pushed upon us all which no one is capable of stopping or even wants to.  We are being daily conditioned to accept certain things to be true, whether they are or not.  We are daily being told what to believe, who to believe and if we don’t believe the dire consequences.

Whether dealing with the environment, oil, war or the economy; there is a growing realization that either no one knows what the hell is going on or it makes no difference if anyone does, for it is going to happen anyway.  There appears to be a systematic plan being carried out to first confuse and then indoctrinate the masses as to what they are supposed to believe if they are good citizens.

Take for instance the speech before Congress yesterday by Mr. Hansen who started the “Climate Change” movement twenty years ago.  He can somehow have the right to stand up and advocate hauling heads of corporations to courts to be charged with high crimes against humanity; but if the other side of the environmental argument did the same, they would be removed and thrown in jail.

Never have I seen a movement of any kind take off like the climate change movement.  Never have I seen an idea become so deeply rooted and grounded without absolute data to back it up as this movement.  Honest scientists know there is much room for doubt as to many of the reasons stated for the supposed turn to warming this planet is headed for.  Many very good scientists believe that contrary to warming, we are heading to a period of cooling on this earth.

The point is that the issue is far from being resolved.  It is still an open argument which needs to be debated and worked on together instead of one side demanding everyone believe they are right.  In any category, the minute one side assumes this position, there is going to be trouble.  Honest discussion of an issue ceases the minute one side assumes they are right and nothing will change their mind.

The same thing is happening with oil and the economy.  Instead of putting heads together and figuring out solutions; there is nothing but the same old political “I’m right and you are wrong” attitude coming from all parties.  Until and unless those who are supposed to be educated and trained in these matters honestly come together and seek solutions; the pre-set plans of those calling the shots will happen unhindered.

Isn’t it amazing the absolute power the Federal Reserve Board has over determining the direction an entire country’s economy is going?  Isn’t it amazing that a Board which no branch of government controls, can steer a mighty country whichever direction it wants it to go and no one can stop them? 

One of the scariest scenarios I have heard recently was one of nationalizing the oil and gas industries.  If people do not wake up and see what is coming, one of these days they will realize there is no freedom left in the United States of America for everything has been nationalized (socialized).  When the day comes that our health care system is nationalized, our banks and financial companies are run by the government and our oil and gas companies are government agencies; maybe then people will figure out that it was all a mistake.

The heir apparent for the office of President of this country has let it be known that when elected there will be great change in this land.  The government will save the country.  Massive government sponsored employment will come.  Government sponsored training and education will come.  Government hand outs of all kinds to “help” people will come.  And yes, government health care, gasoline, crops, insurance, and financials will come too.

We are presented with the worst of all choices this election year.  We can either vote for pure 100% socialism or pure 100% hypocrisy and greed.  No matter who wins the election this fall, this country will never be the same.  Freedoms we have cherished for generations will be lost, personal liberty will perish and “Big Brother” will become infinitely more intrusive in our daily lives. 

We are truly out in the middle of the lake in a leaky boat with no one to save us from our folly.  In many respects, the best thing we can do is simply pray.  Pray to be ready for the inevitable disaster soon to overtake us.  Pray to be ready to meet our Creator and pray that past foolishness will be forgiven and forgotten. 

I think I will have a bumper sticker made which reads:  “Jesus for Messiah”.  No man, no matter how great he is, can lay claim to the title “Messiah”.  No man and no political party or platform is able to save this country from what it has gotten itself into.  We need to individually let Jesus be our Messiah and not some Politian who claims to have all the answers that lead to bliss and utopia. 

Every four years we have men parade around for months and months claiming to be able to solve all the problems confronting this country.  Every four years we find out no man can be the Messiah of the United States of America.  There is but one Messiah and His name is Jesus and only HE can save us from ourselves.

 

The Skewed American Perspective of Disasters

In the United States last weekend, there were around 25 people who lost their lives in the horrible tornadoes that hit Oklahoma, Missouri and North Carolina.  To us in this country that seems like a high number and arouses great sorrow and empathy for those affected, which it should, for they were our fellow citizens and countrymen and women.

In Burma, no one will ever know how many people lost their lives in the cyclone catastrophe and ensuing mess brought on by the government’s failure to allow relief supplies and workers into the country.   Despite the howls of despair from all around the world, those in charge of that country made decisions to protect their own power even if it meant the suffering and death of its countrymen and women.

A few years ago, the incredible earthquake in China would have been handled in the same manner Burma has handled the cyclone.  The world would have known few details of the scope of the disaster and national pride would have not allowed any outsiders to come into the country to help.  Now that China is a world power, there is no longer the need for secrecy and strict government control over everything.  Thus, the world is able to see, to a limited degree, just how devastating the earthquake and continued aftershocks are.

When all is said and done, there will probably be between 50,000 to 100,000 thousand people perish in both the Burma cyclone and the China earthquake.  Estimates of 2 ½ million homeless people in Burma are probably accurate.  No one knows how many people lost their homes in China.  What is known is that perhaps never in history have there been back to back disasters of such magnitude happen within a week of each other and so near each other geographically. 

To put these disasters in perspective all one needs to do is think in terms of our United States of America.  The number of people left homeless in Burma roughly equals the population of Chicago, Illinois.  Can you imagine the response if suddenly lake Michigan sprung a leak and flooded the entire city of Chicago?  Can you imagine the incredible problems resulting from having 2 ½ million people suddenly without a place to live or a job to work at?

Everyone who follows NFL football has heard of the Green Bay Packers.  The population of Green Bay, Wisconsin is right at 100,000.  Can you imagine the impact it would have if suddenly the entire population of Green Bay were killed by a meteor falling from the sky?  The shock of losing that many people all at once would throw the country into a state of depression and utter helplessness.

In the United States, if 25 people die from a flaw in a product, the company is forced to do a re-call to fix the problem even if it forces them out of business.  In many countries of the world, 25 people could die and literally no one would know or care except the immediate family.  In the United States one of the biggest problems is finding space for landfills to bury the tons and tons of waste thrown away each day by millions of families.  In most countries of the world there are no landfills for there is no waste.

In the United States, if Lake Michigan flooded Chicago, there would actually be headlines in sports sections of newspapers lamenting the season ending for the Cubs or White Sox.  If Green Bay vanished the headlines would lament there no longer being any Packers to play on Sundays any more.  We have a warped view of life in this country brought about by our lack of any huge disasters ever plaguing our country along with the abundance of wealth and leisure time.

Whatever good has come from this, it has bred ignorance and a skewed perspective towards those places which do have to deal with overwhelming disasters.  There is simply no way Americans can relate to images such as have come out of China.  Our earthquakes have never brought about such devastation and loss of life.  Americans cannot relate to Burma because they remember Katrina and how in spite of terrible mistakes made along the way, still only a few thousand people lost their lives from the storm.  It is simply inconceivable for Americans to fathom the scope of destruction such as in Burma.

God blessed, protected and spared America from having to deal with the kind of catastrophes we have seen the past two weeks in Asia.  God has protected and spared America from ever having enemy soldiers tred on her soil.  America never has had to endure a war such as World War I or II in Europe.  God has protected and spared America from the combination of natural and political disasters such as have plagued Africa for centuries.  Americans have no clue what it means to live in a land with 125,000% inflation or a government devoted to the destruction of half the population.

America has had its fair share of problems and has suffered the consequences of them.  The Civil War still produced more causalities than any other war fought in or by this country.  America is still reeling from its sins of slavery and discrimination.  America is far from perfect and millions of its citizens are suffering in hellholes called inner city slums.  Yet, America has remained largely immune from the levels of pain, suffering and death that grip many other countries in this world.  Why, because God blessed America for the giving heart she used have.

Americans still race to disasters, whether down the block or around the world, but for everyone who still runs to help, there are 100 who sit at home and either “think about helping” or complain that others do.  Americans still open their wallets and give many dollars to help those who have lost everything, but those dollars don’t buy much anymore and most Americans give out of compulsion not out of true compassion.

God blessed America as no nation ever was blessed in the history of man.  But, I fear America has become lost and disoriented like a drunken sailor.  Her excesses have caused her to be bloated and unable to respond to situations quickly as she used to.  Her compromises on one Godly principle after another have caused God to take His mighty hand of blessing off her and leave her to her own devices.  Evil and self-serving people have swooped in to fill the void left by the removal of God’s hand.  Those very people now run America and are driving her straight to hell itself.

We cannot save America but we can help save the neighbor next door.  We cannot undo what has happened in this country but we can undo error in our own lives and help others do the same.  We cannot stop whatever has happened and is going to happen environmentally or politically in this country or world, but we can stop the apathy or fear that causes inaction or retreat.  We cannot change the world but we can, with God’s help, change ourselves to be fully equipped to handle whatever the future holds.  If there ever was a time in history God needs His people to arise and stand it is now.

 

CRITICAL SITUATION: Fuel Costs Killing Small Charities

Welcome to the Real World.

As the vast majority of Americans continue to sit back pretending nothing to terribly wrong is going on with the country, the lower echelons of society are feeling the first huge waves of the coming economic storm.  There are hundreds of thousands of upper middle class Americans who honestly can’t say it makes a bit of difference what gasoline is selling for since they never look at the bill; they have enough money to not be bothered.

On the other end of the spectrum are hundreds of thousands of lower income people, many trying to survive working minimum wage jobs, who are daily having to make choices between food and gas or medicine or electricity.  With more and more of their income being devoured by ever escalating prices for food staples and gasoline; there is no disposable income left for any emergency. 

In many of the bigger cities as well as along the Gulf coast, many food pantries and shelters have already closed and what few are left cannot find supplies.  As more and more of the last elements of the social safety net are withdrawn it leads to desperate people doing more and more desperate things.  Crime is dramatically rising in areas which only a few months ago had little or no crime.  Petty thefts as well as armed robberies are increasing at an alarming rate.

If the shelters, community outreach programs, food pantries and other services designed to help people get through the tough times until they can stand on their feet again collapse; who is left to cover the needs?  Fewer and fewer churches play an active role in helping the poor.  Fewer and fewer charities have the resources to offer more than a referral service to other agencies.  State and local governments are strapped for resources and do not have the means to step in and help.

If within a few days a mid-sized community has several bank robberies, numerous dollar stores held up and even the school cafeteria broken into to find food; is this not a pretty clear indication something is wrong?  The numbers of hurting people are climbing each day.  The numbers of homeless are increasing daily.  The numbers of frustrated people who are at their wits end and ready to snap is dramatically increasing every day.

Fuel Costs Make Transporting Food Difficult

One of the most frustrating situations to have arisen is that there is still food in the warehouses of major charities who send tons of food every year overseas and to outreach centers in this country.  The problem at the moment is finding the money to pay the sky high fuel costs to transport food from the warehouse to the destination it is needed.  With diesel prices well over $4.00 per gallon, even the truckers who want to help cannot afford to run an empty semi to a warehouse, pick up a load of food, take it to the outreach center needing it and then run an empty truck back home—all for free.

There used to be many truckers willing to pick up a load if it were on their way and their truck was empty.  It is even getting difficult to find those able to do this anymore.  Independent truckers are just barely making enough to stay in business running full loads all the time.  As much as they want to help, the cost of diesel is making it extremely difficult to provide “free hauls”.

A case in point is Tri Coastal Community Outreach in Grand Bay, Alabama.  They have a full semi of food available to them if they can pick it up in Nashville on April 24^th.  It is a one time and one day shot.  All attempts to find anyone to help have failed.  The best offer from a trucking company was close to $1,500 to transport the load less than 500 miles from Nashville to Mobile.  Where on earth does a small community outreach center find $1,500? 

For lack of any better way to do it.  Members of the group will drive to Nashville, rent two 26 foot trucks and one car tow bar, load the two trucks, and then drive them (with one towing the car) back to Alabama.  The estimated cost for all this will be $700-800.  But, being good stewards, this is the only way to get the food.  Or is it?

The Need for Fuel Sponsors

There is an urgent need for sponsors to step up and help with fuel costs to transport food and other supplies to destinations in need.  I see no reason why groups of professionals could not pool their charitable gifts together and make them available to groups such as Tri Coastal to provide for proper  transportation of goods instead of the kind of arrangement they must do this week.   Even doing it as they are, the cost is still staggering.  Transportation costs are quickly becoming a huge issue for not only non-profits but many charities doing construction and other services.

If you are a professional and desire to really see your charitable giving do the most good, consider making a special fund that is to be used strictly for the transportation costs of getting resources from supply houses to outreach centers.  Any group doing full scale community outreach is in desperate need of food and other supplies that many times are located all over the United States.  Any of these groups who are 501 (c) 3 charities should be able to develop a program where donations can be received specifically designated for transportation costs.

The Need for Consistent Resources

The directors of most community outreach/homeless shelters/food pantries and other service charities spend most of their time trying to locate money or resources.  Instead of being able to oversee case work or develop plans and programs to better serve the people in need; too much of their time has to be spent tracking down the means to meet the needs.  They all need consistent and reliable sources for food, clothing, furniture, building supplies and other vital resources. 

Church groups, service organizations, clubs and societies as well as schools and businesses can all do drives on a regular basis for some of these groups.  Many of these groups have programs in place for organizations or individuals to systematically give on a regular and set basis.  To stick around for the long haul, these groups need to know where supplies are coming from next.

The Need Will Only Get Worse

As the economic situation is this country continues to go downhill, the needs among the poor will only skyrocket, and this is due to a dramatic increase in numbers of people in need in addition to greater and greater need.  The first round of failures among care givers is staggering and quite discouraging.  Those left are handling far more case loads than they were expecting.  Budgets and resources are being stretched to the absolute limit. 

Before the situation gets much worse, please consider providing assistance where you can to those still involved with trying to help those in the lowest socio-economic levels.  If there is anyone who deserves a helping hand and someone to aid them in their times of intense personal and financial turmoil it is those who through no fault of their own have “fallen through the cracks” of our social welfare system.

Believe for the Best and Prepare for the Worst

As the great and mighty Titanic slowly sunk, evidently the band continued to play until their last breath.  Those people who spend their days buying and selling stocks strike me as much the same.  They grasp at any hint of a positive to somehow justify a one day “rally” in the stock market.  On a day when the economic news was predominantly bad; one CEO of one financial institution makes one positive statement and the market shoots up over 200 points.  This, ladies and gentlemen is called “delusion”.

I was listening to an “expert” who advises other “experts” on what to expect on commodities.   The interviewer asked him to please explain the current run up of the price of oil.  There was a lot of hemming and hawing and finally the guy said he had no explanation.  He then went on to say that no one can account for huge quantities of missing oil and gasoline.  There was a long pause and finally the host simply said “huh”.

It seems that all the experts were expecting a jump in the supply of oil and gasoline supplies.  Thus, they were advising everyone that the price of oil was going to go down.  Lo and behold oil just keeps going up to new records every day and instead of the supplies of oil and gasoline going up they went dramatically down.  What is very interesting is that no one has a clue as to where all this oil and gasoline went.

Now, pardon me for being a little sarcastic here, but how on God’s green earth do you “lose” oil and gasoline?  Did someone forget where they placed a few tankers full of oil and a few hundred trucks full of gasoline?  I am sorry, but I cannot believe you can simply “lose” large quantities of oil and gasoline.  Evidently not only naïve common citizens, but also “experts” do, for no one is asking any questions.

Meanwhile, the price for a gallon of gasoline just keeps going up and up and up.  Today, I had the unfortunate job of having to fill four 5 gallon cans with diesel fuel for my lawnmower.  I also had to fill up my minivan with unleaded gasoline.  The final bill for 20 gallons of diesel and 15 gallons of gasoline was almost $130.  Last year it would have cost about $75.

1 Thessalonians 5 says that people will be saying “peace and safety” all the way up to the end.  Jesus said that, just as in the days of Noah, people will be living as they always have up until the end.  It is not surprising at all to hear various “experts” keep telling people that “the worst is over” or “all will be well financially by summertime” in this country.  Anyone willing to entrust their life’s savings to people who can’t even tell you how huge quantities of oil and gasoline managed to disappear may deeply regret it.

We are one major event away from $6 or even $7 per gallon gasoline.  If a major political leader were assassinated or any kind of war broke out in the Middle East or a major earthquake hit California or in a few months if a hurricane hit the Gulf Coast or a major refinery closed down; the immediate spike in the price of gasoline and diesel would push the prices to near $5 per gallon.  Many believe if a hurricane like Katrina hit again this summer, gasoline could hit $7 per gallon.

I do not tell you these things to be a “fear monger” or an “alarmist”; I share them so that we all can seek to prepare ourselves for what could be a very difficult time ahead.  If I were at liberty to share even half of what I know is going on or soon will be; I would either be hauled away to “facility” or you would not be able to sleep for a week.   Since I do not want either of those things, I will for now simply speak of “what ifs” and in vague terms.

The missing gasoline and oil had to go somewhere.  Either the oil companies aren’t being honest in their reporting of supplies thus causing prices to keep going up (along with profits); or massive amounts of petroleum products have been diverted secretly to another location.  Keep in mind it takes a lot of gasoline and diesel to conduct a war. 

Something to keep in mind today and for the next four or five days; one year ago yesterday was the shootings at Virginia Tech University.  In 1999 at this time were the shootings at Columbine.  In 1995 was the Oklahoma City bombing.  In 1993 was the invasion at Waco.  Many profound events have taken place during this period of April for it is a high and holy time for witchcraft.  Lest anyone think otherwise, much of what goes on in this country is directly or indirectly related to things being practiced by the many people in high positions of leadership who are involved with various forms of witchcraft.

Something of profound importance is going to happen either within the next few days or weeks.  Neither I nor anyone else knows exactly what is “coming down”; all anyone knows is that something is scheduled to take place which will dramatically change the landscape of the world.  Whether natural, economic, political or military related; do not be surprised or alarmed to hear or see something take place very soon that will truly alter your life.

Looking back to the morning of September 11, 2001 the reason the events that day were so profound was because they were totally unexpected.  The shock value was magnified by those who planned and carried out the attack perfectly.  Since no one expected what happened; no one was prepared to handle the mental, financial and other repercussions that followed.  Always remember the object of a terrorist attack is to produce terror.  Also remember that terrorist don’t just have to be from a foreign country.

The secret to the devil’s success is the secrecy of his moves.  Once exposed, he has no choice but to retreat and plan a new strategy.  Please look upon the information in this post as simply vital information that is being given to expose ahead of time certain things the enemy may or may not be up to.  We live in perilous times 2 Timothy 3 tells us.  Because we do, we CANNOT allow ourselves to either become deluded into thinking all is well when it is not, or to become afraid and act irrationally out of fear.

These are times to think things through and make plans and provisions for various scenarios.  As very wise people have said many times; “Believe for the best but prepare for the worst.”  Those who live and make their plans by this motto will not be caught off guard or cast into a panic by anything that might arise in the days ahead.  Those who invest a little now to be prepared are the ones who will have much to share with others who didn’t prepare.  After all, wasn’t this the exact thing God had Joseph do in Egypt which allowed ultimately his very family to reunite with him? 

I pray that regardless of what may or may not transpire in the coming days and weeks that we, as God’s people are ready for anything and equal to everything through Him who infuses us with power and strength.  I pray that we remain vigilant, watchful and ever on our guard so as to never get be caught by surprise and thus become vulnerable.  I pray that as end times events unfold, we are rejoicing in the realization that we know what is happening and where we are going.

 

 

 

As the great and mighty Titanic slowly sunk, evidently the band continued to play until their last breath.  Those people who spend their days buying and selling stocks strike me as much the same.  They grasp at any hint of a positive to somehow justify a one day “rally” in the stock market.  On a day when the economic news was predominantly bad; one CEO of one financial institution makes one positive statement and the market shoots up over 200 points.  This, ladies and gentlemen is called “delusion”.

I was listening to an “expert” who advises other “experts” on what to expect on commodities.   The interviewer asked him to please explain the current run up of the price of oil.  There was a lot of hemming and hawing and finally the guy said he had no explanation.  He then went on to say that no one can account for huge quantities of missing oil and gasoline.  There was a long pause and finally the host simply said “huh”.

It seems that all the experts were expecting a jump in the supply of oil and gasoline supplies.  Thus, they were advising everyone that the price of oil was going to go down.  Lo and behold oil just keeps going up to new records every day and instead of the supplies of oil and gasoline going up they went dramatically down.  What is very interesting is that no one has a clue as to where all this oil and gasoline went.

Now, pardon me for being a little sarcastic here, but how on God’s green earth do you “lose” oil and gasoline?  Did someone forget where they placed a few tankers full of oil and a few hundred trucks full of gasoline?  I am sorry, but I cannot believe you can simply “lose” large quantities of oil and gasoline.  Evidently not only naïve common citizens, but also “experts” do, for no one is asking any questions.

Meanwhile, the price for a gallon of gasoline just keeps going up and up and up.  Today, I had the unfortunate job of having to fill four 5 gallon cans with diesel fuel for my lawnmower.  I also had to fill up my minivan with unleaded gasoline.  The final bill for 20 gallons of diesel and 15 gallons of gasoline was almost $130.  Last year it would have cost about $75.

1 Thessalonians 5 says that people will be saying “peace and safety” all the way up to the end.  Jesus said that, just as in the days of Noah, people will be living as they always have up until the end.  It is not surprising at all to hear various “experts” keep telling people that “the worst is over” or “all will be well financially by summertime” in this country.  Anyone willing to entrust their life’s savings to people who can’t even tell you how huge quantities of oil and gasoline managed to disappear may deeply regret it.

We are one major event away from $6 or even $7 per gallon gasoline.  If a major political leader were assassinated or any kind of war broke out in the Middle East or a major earthquake hit California or in a few months if a hurricane hit the Gulf Coast or a major refinery closed down; the immediate spike in the price of gasoline and diesel would push the prices to near $5 per gallon.  Many believe if a hurricane like Katrina hit again this summer, gasoline could hit $7 per gallon.

I do not tell you these things to be a “fear monger” or an “alarmist”; I share them so that we all can seek to prepare ourselves for what could be a very difficult time ahead.  If I were at liberty to share even half of what I know is going on or soon will be; I would either be hauled away to “facility” or you would not be able to sleep for a week.   Since I do not want either of those things, I will for now simply speak of “what ifs” and in vague terms.

The missing gasoline and oil had to go somewhere.  Either the oil companies aren’t being honest in their reporting of supplies thus causing prices to keep going up (along with profits); or massive amounts of petroleum products have been diverted secretly to another location.  Keep in mind it takes a lot of gasoline and diesel to conduct a war. 

Something to keep in mind today and for the next four or five days; one year ago yesterday was the shootings at Virginia Tech University.  In 1999 at this time were the shootings at Columbine.  In 1995 was the Oklahoma City bombing.  In 1993 was the invasion at Waco.  Many profound events have taken place during this period of April for it is a high and holy time for witchcraft.  Lest anyone think otherwise, much of what goes on in this country is directly or indirectly related to things being practiced by the many people in high positions of leadership who are involved with various forms of witchcraft.

Something of profound importance is going to happen either within the next few days or weeks.  Neither I nor anyone else knows exactly what is “coming down”; all anyone knows is that something is scheduled to take place which will dramatically change the landscape of the world.  Whether natural, economic, political or military related; do not be surprised or alarmed to hear or see something take place very soon that will truly alter your life.

Looking back to the morning of September 11, 2001 the reason the events that day were so profound was because they were totally unexpected.  The shock value was magnified by those who planned and carried out the attack perfectly.  Since no one expected what happened; no one was prepared to handle the mental, financial and other repercussions that followed.  Always remember the object of a terrorist attack is to produce terror.  Also remember that terrorist don’t just have to be from a foreign country.

The secret to the devil’s success is the secrecy of his moves.  Once exposed, he has no choice but to retreat and plan a new strategy.  Please look upon the information in this post as simply vital information that is being given to expose ahead of time certain things the enemy may or may not be up to.  We live in perilous times 2 Timothy 3 tells us.  Because we do, we CANNOT allow ourselves to either become deluded into thinking all is well when it is not, or to become afraid and act irrationally out of fear.

These are times to think things through and make plans and provisions for various scenarios.  As very wise people have said many times; “Believe for the best but prepare for the worst.”  Those who live and make their plans by this motto will not be caught off guard or cast into a panic by anything that might arise in the days ahead.  Those who invest a little now to be prepared are the ones who will have much to share with others who didn’t prepare.  After all, wasn’t this the exact thing God had Joseph do in Egypt which allowed ultimately his very family to reunite with him? 

I pray that regardless of what may or may not transpire in the coming days and weeks that we, as God’s people are ready for anything and equal to everything through Him who infuses us with power and strength.  I pray that we remain vigilant, watchful and ever on our guard so as to never get be caught by surprise and thus become vulnerable.  I pray that as end times events unfold, we are rejoicing in the realization that we know what is happening and where we are going.