Marriage and Death.

This week I will be officiating a funeral, and reafirming vows of a couple who have been married 25 years. This is a first for me on both .
One of the reasons I became an ordained pastor was to help those who have been alienated from their churches. This is the case in both the funeral and the reaffirmation. This is how I know that God is leading me.

Sunday's Muskegon Chronicle had an article about a family that donated film and diaries from the start of Nazi occupation of Austria. This occupation was not military and was at first welcomed by Austrians. The persacution of the Jews started with half truths and deceptive political messages. Todays politicians use the same methods. It give me a chill when I see republican and democrats using history as their advertising platforms. They seem to think that if it worked for the nazis it will work for them. Our political parties today are as bad as the early nazi party. They lie to the people, and the people believe them because they want something better. Don't give away your rights to a political party. If a person running for office, hasnt done the job, replace them. Don't listen to excuses. DON'T VOTE ALONG PARTY LINE. Granholm hasn't done the job, replace her. Legislature hasn't done the job, replace them. It is that simple.

I was just listening to the Edwin Hawkins Singers singing "o Happy Day." A simple song with a simple message. The message is, "O happy day when Jesus washed my sins away." This song made the top ten pop songs many years ago. Today the message would be lost as well as the song. It would be deemed offensive and politically incorrect.
I saw a show on TV that was called the Black Actors Awards. Now if they had a White Actors award it would be called racist and politically incorrect.

Dr. King said to judge a person not by the color of his skin. University of Michigan apposes this by favoring blacks over whites. Even though they are against the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, they consider themselves racially sensitive and politically correct. They call it affirmative action. This was a tool used to level the field for all people.

This past week has seen three sports announcers removed from their jobs for make racially insensative remarks. Freedom of speach is for everyone, as long as it does not violate laws .

Maybe we should see how we can get along with our brothers, instead of finding a wasy to piss him off. Lets not pick out our shortcomings, but rejoice in this melting pot we call freedom.

Governor Granholm and Dick DeVos had the last of their debates. By their picture above, I think that everything went as planned

A friend of mine had a terrible accident at the sappi paper mill. His arm got caught in a conveyor belt. After being trapped for 5 plus hours, he was found. He was flown to Grand Rapids, and had to have his arm amputated at the shoulder. Just thought you might want to give a prayer for him and his recovery.

This is a manager. He is a chain smoker. He tells pitcher that he will tell them when they will pitch, hitters when they will hit, and doesnt care who they are, or who they think they are. He runs the team, and gives credit where credit is due. The minute the Tigers beat the A's, he walked over to their dugout to congragulate them for their success this year.

Did I get your attention? Sometimes I wonder if anybody reads my dribble. Sometime I feel that the world needs a shot and sometimes the world thinks I should be shot.
My son, is in Baltimore training for a job selling cleaners. He found out today that it is door to door primarily, but he doesnt mind it. He gets to travel on someone elses dime, and hopefully pay off his bills, go back to get his degree, and enter the seminary.

This week has been a challenge for me medically, nothing severe, just emotional which challenges my heart and forces me to take it easy. In my head, I would love to go out and run a marathon. My heart health tells me that if I do, I'm a dead duck.

The good things this week are that my son is making an attempt to progress in life, and is not just playing it safe. My wife is back in school and working full time.
It snowed, but didnt stay on the ground. The wind didnt blow me away.

When you think you have it bad, just picture this nurse coming at you and be thankful.

Did you ever feel that everyone was pissing on you. In the news it was shown that major prescription drug compnaies are giving millions of dollars to companies who make cheaper substitute prescriptions, to keep their product off the market. This forces people to buy more expensive drugs.

Banks can float your money for up to five days, but you can't float a check for 24 hours.

Gas companies can raise their prices for what ever reason, when ever.

Insurance companies can charge a perfect driver more if his credit is less then perfect.

You can't pray in school, but you can on national tv.

Democrats are suppose to be for the poor, but the major democrats are multi- millionaires. ( big business)

Republicans are suppose to be the moral standard keepers, but look where the pedifile is hiding. (big business)

You loose your opinion when you vote along party lines. The party in charge will piss on you.

#1- Stupid people are allowed to vote.

We have cats. Most of the time they are calm, once in a while one of them steals my prozac. I'm still trying to figure out which one. I suspect it is Pauwz.

What is hammertime. It the time for politicians to start telling the whole truth. It the time when all bills come due. It is the time to grow up and join the human race. Its time to practice what you preach. It the time for the Tigers to win the world championship. If you owe me money and avoid me, its hammer time. If you insult my wife and family, it's hammer time. If you hurt my friends, it's hammer time.

My son is off again. In his search for employment he has landed a job with Protek Chemical. He will leave tomarrow by bus to Baltimore. They will pay for his lodging and food while he is trained. They are paying everything up front with a base salary during his training. After he is trained he will work on commision. I guess when you are young, single, and no ties, the world is your playground

This friday is "FRIDAY THE 13TH."
This congers up images of black cats, walking under ladders, horseshoes, throwing salt over your shoulder, luck rabbits foot (unlucky for the rabbit), and lucky charms. How about peoples fear of black magic.
I continue to read articles where people are trying to ban Harry Potter books because they has a black overtone. They deal in occault and should be banned.
As a pastor and a christian, I enjoy these books and movies. They are entertainment. If I feel offended I close the book, turn off the TV, or walk out of the movie studio.
The picture of the black cat, is my son's cat,Samantha. I don't think she is bad luck. What are your superstitions?

How does it feel. Everyday our political leaders are kicking us off the building. Most people agree that the middle class is getting kicked out. The rich and the poor are supported by the middle class.

Tomorrow night, there will be a debate between Granholm and DeVos. On the other channel will be the baseball playoff. (Go tigers)

Donald Trump is selling another book on how to get rich. If people keep buying his books he doesn't have to worry about keeping his secret. He stays rich because people keep buying his books.

The national GOP is in trouble over Folleys sexual problems. It has to be the Democrat fault. They kept it secret until just before the elections.

North Korea tested a atomic bomb underground. The US is pissed off because someone else has the bomb. Russia is upset because there could be one more country competing for nucular sales. China is upset because they are next door. Japan is upset because they did not build it. Iran is upset because there is another idiot with the bomb.

The Dems blame the Republican, the Rep. blame the Dems, the govt blames the world, and we get kicked off the building by our leaders and their political parties.

Hackley Hospital is losing money. They just gave everyone a raise, and laid off a bunch more. Mercy Hospital is importing nurses in an effort to save money. Major companies are leaving Michigan in droves and we want to re-elect the current administration. Vote them all out and start over. Kick them off the building.

I found out today from a friend that John W. Peterson has passed on. He wrote some great christian music that many christians have enjoyed. Last night, before the worship service we sang a few of his songs. (we had not heard of his passing) God does work in mysterious ways.

It was sad new this week about another school shooting. This has been and will continue to be a problem. I pulled my daughter out of Mona Shore High School because of death threats, kids carrying knifes and box cutters, and un authorized people roaming the halls. Drugs are readily available and the administration does nothing. They are a problem waiting to happen and I pray that they will get smart soon. These are not days of old. Time have changed and so must we.

This may sound like a real sexist remark, but so be it. Most of our problems started when both parents had to go to work. This started with the women movement. I have no problem with women working, but when this started, there was no consideration for the children. Now you have two equally important jobs, and no one to watch over the kids. Now that the baby boom is over, there will be a shortage of jobs, because of less demand. Household incomes will drop, and the middle and lower class will lose out.

Your elected officials then raise the minimum wage. This is great, except that everything else will go up. If an employer has to pay his employees more, he will raise his prices, not cut into his profit. Many companies just hire part time help. They don't have to pay benifits.

You women may have come a long way, but it all about greed to the males.

Politicians just want to be the fat cats.

Tiger pride is back in Michigan. The Tigers are even with the hated New York Yankees in the best of five series playoff. The Tigers are a team of mostly young players who are playing the game together. This is team work. They just might want to take a clue from last years Pistons playoff. They stopped playing as a team, and got their butts handed to them in the playoffs. Tigers. get your work done first and all the rest will fall into place. The team got you here . Go Tigers

This is my father and me. He is in a rest home in Grand Rapids. He has had Althimerz since 2001. For the last three years he has been about the same. He doesn't really know anyone, can't walk, can't hold a conversation, and can't remember what he just said, and can't hold his bladder. He has to be changed, and has to have help feeding himself. When he is awake, he sits in his chair and watches everyone.
The reason I bring him up, is that when I feel down, I look at him and thank God that I am better off.. In that same breath, I wish I could take that away from him because he does not deserve it. After all he goes through, he always has a smile for everyone.
With my disablilities from high blood preasure, heart desease, and depression, maybe I need to smile alittle more. Maybe that is what my Dad is still teaching me.

I can't find my dog. We were playing fetch with the frizbee and he disappeared.
This is the democratic version. The truth is I lost my dog years ago. Yes, we did play fizbee, and the picture I found on line. The Domocrats and Granholm are doing the same thing with their advertising. They are not lieing, but they are not telling the truth.