Honest Illegals

Rick Perry says it's heartless to oppose his scheme to give illegal immigrants a break on college tuition. He's close--it's mindless. Perry seems to find it easy to play fast and loose with his constituent's money. That's not a trait I look for in a president.
In a way Perry's idea makes sense in Texas. They've always had a certain affinity for outlaws. Personally, I have trouble making the subtle distinction between illegally slipping over the border and slipping a bank teller a stick-up note. I'm a bottom line kind of guy and the demand is just the same:
"Hand over the money and nobody gets hurt."
I know we're suppose to believe that illegal entry to America is a victimless crime. And it is--if you don't go to school or hospitals; pay taxes; or vacation at Turner Falls.
I'm told illegals only take jobs Americans don't want. There's a lot of those around nowadays---right? Illegals are honest, hard working, family men/women. Honest illegals; isn't that an oxymoron? The real problem with illegal immigrants is not that they might pay extra to attend a state college, but that they are in the state in the first place.

Mourning Cujo

            There’s a scene from To Kill A Mockingbird in which a rabid dog staggers down the street toward a group of kids. The sheriff, unsure of his aim and skill with a rifle, hands the weapon to Atticus Finch. The lawyer, and father of two of the children in the story, kills the dog with a single shot. Afterwards, he is the only one not celebrating.

            Killing a rabid dog is a distasteful, dirty job. There’s always a lot of hoopla in the aftermath, but after the dust settles, there’s no real use for either the dog or the shooter. I’ve done a few distasteful jobs in my time. You know, the kind folks want done, but don’t want to dirty their hands or reputations doing. Trust me on this, it’s no fun and there’s no glory.

            I have no objection to hunting down terrorists and tyrants like dogs. Nevertheless, I find something despicable about those that rejoice over the death of another human being even if he is seen as no better than a rabid dog. The world is likely a better place without Colonel Gadhafi, but you won’t find me dancing in the street or campaigning for chief dog catcher because he’s gone.  

Do You Know What Time It Is?

Telling Time

               “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace… I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

               Perhaps, the real secret to life is nothing more than knowing what time it is. 

What the Blind Man Saw

What the Blind Man Saw

I’m either extremely myopic or a greater pessimist than I ever imagined. Somehow I failed to see a peaceful, democratic nation in the mob that dragged Muammar Qadhafi into the street and shot him. The man was a tyrant. He had no qualms about torturing and killing his own countrymen. He was without mercy and so deserved none.

Yet, what did the Libyan people do to demonstrate a shade of difference between them and their former leader? What I saw was a bloodthirsty, violent people without restraint. The chance that a civil nation capable of the peaceful transfer of power will ever grow out of that mayhem are slim and none.

A still more frightening prospect is the trillions of dollars our government will spend on Tripoli before they find out the Libyans have no democratic notions. The President is hailing our role in the overthrow as a foreign policy victory. Real victory will only come if we leave that murderous mob to their own devices.

Let Allah sort it out.

Well Done

Glendon Allen

"There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools."

I've grown weary of hearing and rehearing the tragic tales of the drug-induced, deaths of the rich and famous who lived only to gore their appetite for adulation. I find nothing to admire or inspire in their lives, nor yet, anything to mourn at their passing. There is, however, consolation in knowing the dead have their reward.

The world will not likely hear of the passing of Glendon Allen. Nevertheless, the world will be poorer for it. There are so few souls like his whose life flowed upward to God and outward to others. The sadness I feel this morning is not for Bro. Allen; it is for myself and for all those who already miss him. Well done, good and faithful servant.

"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

Do In Lunch

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are...?." When you take the devil's money; there's hell to pay. I hear the government is planning to restrict the number of potatoes kids eat at school. To be honest nothing the government dreams up surprises me these days. What troubles me is how easily people accept intrusion upon their lives.
When Christians suggest people "do what's best for them," we're trying to force our standards on everyone. But when Uncle Sam does it, like obedient puppies we all follow along. We darn well better go along with Sam; he's paying the bills and as long as we live under his roof...well, you know how the rest goes.
We are raising a generation indoctrinated in the proposition that government has the right to tell us all what to eat; what to weigh; what habits are bad; what advertisements are safe to see; which companies are too big to fail; and even whether or not we can get a toy with that Happy Meal.
I don't know the answer to the question: "How stupid can a person be?" I've done some study on it, but haven't found the bottom. However, I can tell you exactly where the government is driving the herd--into the branding pen.
"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind...Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."      

Content and Blessed

            I’m not rich (by American standards); not even well to do. Middle class lies somewhere just beyond the next hill. I have some experience with being poor. However, that was some years ago and I was never very good at it. I had to modify some dreams to escape, but so far, I have avoided going back. I’m not complaining. I’m just telling it like it is. Wealth is a poor way to judge the quality of one’s life or to predict future happiness.

               For my oldest son’s fifth Christmas I drew him a picture of the Starship Enterprise. It was a 2x3 foot crayon on butcher paper. Rather well done if I do say so myself. Almost certainly youthful poverty shaped his character. However, given the curse of paternal genes he had to overcome, he’s reasonably well adjusted; which is a good thing since he carries a gun.

It may be cliché, but there really are some things money can’t buy. Contentment comes from a steadfast pursuit of that which transcends time. Contentment fills without envy; satisfies without regard to quantity; and brings peace without surrendering vision. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”