When I was young racial unrest was at a peak.  Selma, Dr. King, Rosa Park,Bobby Kennedy were in the paper.  Along with that was the Vietnam war, the protesters, Kent State, and many other deplorable things.  Richard Nixon was president, and then he wasn't. Just about every day there was some type of protest on a college campus that the police had to quell. Whites and Black were beaten by the police and the local authority.  Our answer was to smoke refer and sing kumbaya around a fire. Another answer was to burn the town down, engage is conversation that fell on deaf ears.  Many a great speech was spoken but very few were listened to. We blamed the police for not being tough enough, and the government prying into our private live. Supposedly the FBI had a file on everyone, and those people were referred to as communist.  The cold war was at its height, and everyone was afraid of a nuclear war. Not only were we in Vietnam, but also in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, middle east, and even some spots you could not find on a map.  There was the Cuban Missile conflict, and many assassination including a President,a senator,  and a civil rights leader. Plants were spewing toxins into the air and into the ground. Car did not have seat belts and they were a major pollution contributor.  Unions were doing their best to stir the pot for rights and wrongs. And we still sat around smoking reefer and singing. The democrats blamed the Republican, and the Republican blamed democrat.  Our government was corrupt as were many of our leaders.  There were payoffs and bribes.  The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. The TV consisted of 3 or 4 station with reporter twisting the truth. People went to church on Sunday, God was allowed in public places and if you were gay, you kept it to yourself.  Today we have it a lot better? We have improved as a human race?  Our health care and poverty is not a problem?  We are still at war. We have sanctioned assassinations? The computer has made life easier for everyone? Computers will do the work and we will sit around smoking reefer. We come a long way baby, to get where we got to today. Policemen are not shooting as many black people and Big Business and Insurance companies grow,paid for by our tax money. Our educational level is one of the worse in the free world and yet we claim to know more then those who preceded us. People, left and right, everyone, pull your head out of you donkey and wake up.  You don't have a better idea, as a matter of fact the only thing coming out of Washington are lies and BS.  Can we really call those days of old"The good ole days". It must be that I just felt better because the reefer was "out of this world man". Did I ever use the word "groovy"? Blame it on the pot. As Walter Concrite and Paul Harvey would say, "And thats the way it is".

Blasting the liberals and conservatives

I love to share observations without making judgements. I am putting myself in a conservatives shoes

Social security is a hand out. People on welfare are black, unwilling to work, are cheating the system, and  uneducated . There is nothing wrong in our police depts.  Social programs are making us communist. The government should tell you what to do (unless it is liberal). Big business should not be governed, they will never do anything wrong.  I know I have missed alot. Our medical system is great.

Liberals
Republicans love war because it is profitable.  It's my money.  I get to tell you everything. Money dictate law.  All whites are racist. HGBT is just an excuse for a weak mind. War is always wrong if it is not profitable.  Unions are a joke to take away my money.  If we cure the problems in Ferguson everything will be ok.

Confusing?  It is to me.  I believe that we have mixed observation and judgments. I do believe both side have a part of the solutions, but don't understand the problems. News seems to be determined by how many papers it can sell.  What we determine is proper news, or a ratings boost. These are my beliefs and they cannot be argued.  However, they can be discussed rationally.  What I believe should not be considered true or false.  My beliefs should be one that includes all, not just mine.  I doesn't matter if it is religious or political,  Is it right or wrong for everyone?  If you disagree with me, let talk about it.  My only request is that you use your brain and not what your political party tells you.  I love to ask questions and how you come to that conclusion.  Let have fun and throw political correctness out the window.  If you want to argue, go talk to a political party addict.  They are happy to argue with you.

Money doesn't solve the problem, but I wouldn't mind trying to solve the problems with money. Money seems to always dictate the problem.  

I have renamed my blog to "Lost tribe of Westwood"

Months ago Westwood Reformed Church in Muskegon Michigan closed it's doors.  Although the congregation did not have a money problem, it's problems were in it's declining membership, and a congregation that had lost touch with it's community.  There were very few children in the church and the future did not look good.  It was decided to give the church back to the RCA, close the doors, and tell what people that were left that they no longer have a church to call home.  The "plan" was to keep it closed for a least a year and then reopen it under another name.  The worship service would target the younger crowd with loud music, flashing light, and a regular road show.  Some how this will attract new people to attend this new church. Our memberships will be held by the RCA until they deem it necessary to remove it, or a transfer is requested. No church, no people, and no outreach for a while..  In theory this sound good but on closer examination ....well I'm not sure

For years the RCA has been losing membership. Some of the reason could be that fewer and fewer people are attending church.  This society is a computer, glitzzy, and attached to the TV.  Another reason could be that the RCA has outdated itself.  It fails to approach subjects like homosexuals, and alternate life styles. Why do most people go to church. in one word, "tradition". As children they went, their parents went and their parents parents went. Once the tradition was broken for something new, the numbers started to dwindle. Our churches have become social clubs, which by the way, are losing membership also.  Why meet face to face when you can do it by keyboard.  If a church is not a mega church, there must be something wrong. We lost our simple faith.  We forgot that we are not there for the show.  We need to define why we go to church. We need to ask why we need mega churches when the simple country church has worked for soo long. We need to realize we are there to serve and assist our communities. I truly believe that The Reformed Church in America has lost it's faith and it's way.  So with that in mind, let the side show begin.

back again

After along time of nothing to say, just thought I would start up again.  Medical problems have been on the fore front .  My heart with it's 5 stints is now doing fine.  Two day before Thanksgiving I awoke from a nap unable to move anything from my neck on down.  After "millions" of test, nothing could be found.  It was like I had a stroke, but there was no eveidence of having one.  I was transfered to Saint Marys hospital is GrandRapids , and they could find nothing.  By this time my hand were back with tremors and with the help of a therapist my legs were starting to work. I was discharged to home and started physical and speech therapy. for the next 5 months I started to improve with a lot of hard work.  I still have no answers, just a lot of guesses. Just about everything is back except short term memory.  Some days my legs hold me up and some days they don't. My balance is still off so I use either a cane or a walker. Last visit to the neurologist showed nothing except to plan a needle test in three months. Although I see a psychiatrist for stress, they claim that in no way could stress could cause this. I am now taking things into my own hand and am trying to see a orthopedic surgeon. I have been told that i have had bulging disks and maybe this has something to do with this. My family doctor has to refer me to him before I can do anything. So now I have good days and bad days.

Our house insurance company will drop our coverage to F1 unless we re roof. We don't have the money, but it looks good for getting a grant. I can't get on my facebook because I couldn't remember my password to facebook or to the email acount that I formed the page from.  I think I might have it solved, I will know in 24 hours.

We have brought another dog into our house.  He is bulldog and american healer.  Vinny wanted his own dog, so I gave in.  Guess who gets to take care Leo.  He is 5 months old and very friendly, just not completely house broken. We had to get a tree cut down before it fell down, and we had to buy a new car last year. We went to New York last year to visit liz's aunt, and then down to Jersey to visit with Don and Akiko who have returned from Japan.  We now have a total of 5 grandchildren.

Because of damage done to the brain, I can't remember alot of things which has caused some problems.  Liz does her best to help me when i can't find the words.

Our church decided to shutdown.  We were not getting any younger people, and us older ones were dying off. Before we went broke we shut the doors and the RCA will try to transform this church to better serve this community.  The 70 or so of us will have to search for a new home church. The transformation to our church should take about a year. i assume alot of loud music and great lighting and sound system that will blast your ears off.

For the first time since last year the temperature is rising above 60.  It feels great.

Our stove decided to stop working, so my brother had one from a house he was turning.  It was in pretty rough shape.  A lot of elbow grease, sanding, and cleaning it looks like a brand new kitchen stove with everything working.

My computer quit and thanks to friends we were able to piece one together that is working pretty good.  The passwords I didn't write are lost in my brain forever.

For those who care, I think I am caught up.  A lot of work to do this summer for the body, the house, and the family.  With God's help we will make it through.