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It may be taking over the blog world and this blog possibly, but this post from a preacher friend was great and had to be shared. Like it or not, it is great in my opinion.

Happy birthday to the stimulus package. 6% believe it worked. More believe Elvis is alive & we never landed on the moon...really.

Why # 7

We have returned from California and a short trip to Las Vegas, and now the summer is drawing to a close for this coach and his family. On the plane coming home I found the June 29 issue of Time Magazine, and read a great quote that caused this blog in the "Why" series.

Quoting from Time, June 29, 2009:

"Everyone Guessed Wrong": Joe Biden, Vice President, acknowledging that the Administration's $787 billion economic-stimulus plan has failed to reduce the unemployment rate.

Why did we guess on $787 billion economic-stimulus plan?

Why # 6

Why are we freaking out about the dreaded Swine Flu here in the states, when not 1, at this moment American has died from this new flu?  With roughly 35,000 Americans dying yearly from the "regular" flu, why is the Swine Flu such a concern to our government?

Come on Jason, you can do it!!!

SEALS!!!

This is the most recent cool thing that the SEALS have done that we get to hear about.  I would have to say that this is the only positive press I have heard about the military in a long time.  You can read the story here if you are unaware of the events over the last few days.

My dad was in the Navy.  26 years active duty and my sister and I loved growing up military.  I was a special childhood, partially because of the Navy but mostly because of my dad in the Navy.  He had a great friend who was a Navy SEAL.  I vividly remember going to his graduation and being so amazed at the ritual and tradition that ruled these special soldiers.  The military itself always grabbed my attention but the SEALS were different and even at a young age I could tell.

This is one more opportunity for me to say thanks to my dad for serving, and surviving what he did.  This is one more chance for me to say thank you to the countless soldiers who serve daily without the gratitude that they deserve.  

Why # 5

"We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation," he said at the news conference. "We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values." President Obama, April 6, 2009

It bothers me that this proclamation is made by the president, and yet every morning we stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance in my class, and we still say "one nation under God". I know it was added later and so on and so forth, but I think the message given is a mixed message, to say the least.  

Just for a thought.  Where do these ideals and values come from?

Why # 4

There are current members of our countries administration that are questionable to me.

Pakistan, March 31, 2009, (CBS/AP) The top Taliban commander in Pakistan promised an assault on Washington "soon" - one he says will "amaze" the world.

and

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered an olive branch Tuesday to Taliban fighters who reject Al Qaeda...... (March 31, 2009, AP)

Why # 3

How does a President, and a Congress supportive of his party, push an 870 billion dollar stimulus bill through Congress, and then that same President speak to the nation about not leaving a debt to our children and their children that they will be unable to pay?????  

And the comment about "the debt that we inherited" really makes me stir.  

Politics will always be the same.  It is a popularity contest at best.  

I am still grateful for the process.

Why # 2

Why are we (government) giving money (tax dollars) to people who did not make a good decision with their money in the first place?  

We have a house with a mortgage and we bought what we could afford.  It was not a difficult decision.  So the guy who bought more than he can afford, because the government (some agency) pressured a bank to loan out money to unqualified persons; this guy will now receive help in rectifying his bad decision.  

Make a mistake, don't pay the consequences, get a bonus for your error.  That's good government.

Why? #1

I am concerned about the Economic and Defense policies that President Obama is wanting Congress to pass.  

I am concerned about the near future or our country.  

Concerned, Not worried.

I was bothered that Pastor Rick Warren did not ask God to protect the soldiers that stand in harms way on foreign soil, during his inaugural prayer before the entire country and half the world.

I was bothered by Rev. Lowery's near final benediction statement "when white will embrace what is right."  

I am still pleased that this country elected a new leader and violence did not erupt.  

Go Democracy.

Goodbye Mr. President

George W. Bush gave his final speech tonight to our nation.  The President gave a good, brief speech listing his successes and admitting that not every decision that he made was a perfect one.  The speech was a humble one, with congratulations to the incoming leader, and with hope and warning for the days ahead.  

I liked President Bush as a leader of our nation.  I do not claim to be a strong or even good political analyst, but I did always look at President Bush as an honest leader who tried to do what was right for the country.  

No leader of our nation has ever been perfect, and that goes the same for President Bush and for President elect Obama.  There will be many who question the legacy that President Bush leaves behind and there will be many that adore it, and the same will be true for our future leaders.  

I do have some worries about the direction our country will take in the next 4 years and I worry about the policies and ideas that President elect Obama expresses at this time in his political career.  I do not think that everything Bush did was perfect, as I equally will not believe that everything Obama does will be wrong.  They are both human, and full of flaw and error.  

I am talking in circles and without a clear point, but I am going to wrap things up by saying that I appreciate the job that President Bush has done and I am trusting that God will guide the men and women that lead our nation in the coming years.

Election Night

I am really blown away at how biased our media sources are.  The news commentators are so pro Obama and anti McCain that it is difficult to listen to.  What ever happened to non-biased reporting?  9:30 p.m.

I have a great memory of being invited to an election night "party" (church of Christ) that Shar and I were invited to when we first moved to Temple.  It was for the 2000 election and we went to Barry Perkins house and ate pizza, cookies, brownies and watched the numbers come in. Barry was a huge political fan and loved the debate that went along with it.  The Berry Family (Nathan and Lisa Lee) were also there and some other couples that I can't recall right now. Maybe the Stirmans were there.  Anyway, it was a fun night and a good memory of that election.  9:55 p.m.

It looks like Obama will win the Presidency of the United States.  I have some problems with that, but nothing earth shattering.  I will share those later.  I have always felt bad for the guy that lost.  It is sad to put so much of yourself into something and not succeed.  I'm going to bed, because whoever wins the election tonight, I have football game this Friday that we have to win to get to the playoffs.  Sounds lame and unimportant - ask the 62 boys that dress in our varisty locker room.  9:59 p.m.

Third Try

Well, the intro to the sermon that I had mentioned to you in the previous post was not in the podcast of the sermon. Still the sermon from last Sunday was great and dealt with the priority we (Americans) give to being busy and to work. Good stuff if you have time. If you have extra time, the Cardboard Testimonies is great to watch.

The short version of what Rick was saying is that the election this Tuesday will change our countries leadership for the next 4 years, and we should count that as a blessing. We should count that as a blessing because no matter who wins there will be no war, no revolution involving military action, there will be no uprisings of radical groups trying to demand control of the country through force. It will be a peaceful changing of the guard and we are bless to live in such a country that allows that to happen.

Second, Rick explained that the purpose we as believers have on this earth is not to get overwhelmed and consumed by who will "rule" the country for the next 4 or 8 years because 1) we are called as Christians to respect and honor our leaders and 2) we serve and worship the Creator of all that is known and unknown and the leadership of this country for the next 4 to 8 years is not near as significant as the leader and ruler of our heart, lives and the eternity that we long for.