Category Archives: Uncategorized

by | February 10, 2011 · 2:14 pm

Pictures, Puke, and Payback

The Preface

Recently, like this morning, I was giving some thought to using images from the web on my blog. Some pictures that I have used are in the public domain. Others are ones that I have taken with my own camera. However, most are others which I have pulled from Google Images and linked back to the original poster/photographer…most of the time.

Well, in an effort to better comply with the Fair Use Act, not to mention avoid copyright infringement, I am going to ween myself of such abuse, intentional or not, by DRAWING my images…..at least for this post.

The Start of the Story

There must be a virus going around. It either started with an episode of “NCIS” that showed two of the lead characters, Ziva David and Tony DiNozzo, sifting through the puke of drunks; or it started after everybody in the city ate at the same Chinese resturant. I really have no idea. All I know is that there is something causing people everywhere to start throwing up.

The Nasty Part

Just yesterday, my wife called me on her cell, her voice high-pitched and quivering, “Anthony (it’s never good when she calls me by name), Haley just threw up…in the car…and it is bad! What should I do?” I responded with a suggestion sure to go down in the annals of history as one of the most logical and reasonable statements known to man….”Clean it up!”

“Oh, Honey (now she calls me ‘Honey’), it’s all over…the seat…the dash….the carpet……..the window and door…and it smells reeaaalllyy bad!”

Does anyone want an old Cadillac? How do you clean a mess like that? Fortunately, for some reason, like as if she was transporting a toddler with a potty-training problem, Valerie thought to bring a change of clothes (for Haley) and some cleaning wipes.  Unfortunately for the Cadillac, it now smells like puke AND diaper wipes. Honestly, you could probably get it cheap.

The Worst Part

I put my bus in gear (I had stopped to talk on the cell phone), drove to the elementary school, then picked up my 25+/- kids. Wouldn’t you know it, as soon as they got on one yelled, “Eeewww! Somebody puked!”

One of the problems with children regurgitating on a school bus is that you have multiple other children with weak stomaches. Need I say more?

The Payback Part

So, now I have a Cadillac and a bus flowing with virus-laden, acid-laced chicken soup.  It happened again on the bus this morning. I blame it Obama. Why? Why not? It’s either that, or it’s payback for my wife having to clean the car and the daughter on the side of the road.

Yep, I’ll just blame Obama. My payback for his blaming President Bush for everything.

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by | January 20, 2011 · 2:52 pm

Was John R. Rice a Heretic?

On the 400th aniversery of the 1611 King James Version of the Bible, I would like to pose a question to my brothers and sisters who refuse to recognize any other translation: was John R. Rice a heretic? If you do not know of whom I am referring, let me give you a little background information.

Dr. John R. Rice

Dr. Rice, who died in 1980, was one of the most well-known fundamentalist writers and evangelists of the 20th century. He wrote more than 200 books and booklets which were published in many languages and sold all over the world. He condemned the compromise, liberalism, and apostacy being taught at major denominational colleges and seminaries.  He fought for a return to holiness and the fundamentals of the Christian faith. But what I think he will always be remembered for is his founding of the weekly paper, Sword of the Lord.

For the record, I highly respect Dr. Rice. I have in my personal library several of his works published back in the 1960’s. He was a great writer and a great preacher; however, he was not flawless. He said some things back in the day that I have a hard time with. On the other hand, he had some things to say that would shock the average reader of Sword of the Lord and the typical legalist who believes the KJV is the one-and-only perfect, preserved text for the English-speaking world.  Unlike the Sword which continually decries any other translation as dangerous and confusing, Dr. Rice actually recommended the 1901 ASV. OK, would somebody get a glass of water for the fainting KJV-only person on the floor? Dr. John R. Rice, founder and editor of the Sword of the Lord newspaper, actually said that the…

“…American Standard Version, translated in 1901, is perhaps the most accurate of all versions… It takes advantage of the three great manuscripts – the Sinaiticus, the Vatican, and the Alexandrian manuscripts – which were not available when the King James Version was translated.”   from, Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question (Wheaton: Sword of the Lord, 1962), p. 59.

As an overall explanation of his beliefs on the topic of multiple translations, Dr. Rice also stated:

“[There] are many, many translations. The differences in the translations are so minor, so insignificant, that we can be sure not a single doctrine, not a single statement of fact, not a single command or exhortation, has been missed in our translations. And where the Word of God is not perfectly translated in one instance, it is corrected in another translation. And if the Word of God is not perfectly portrayed in one translation, it is portrayed, surely, in the winnowed sum of them all… Have copyists passed on to us any major errors so that in any particular matter we miss the Word of God? There is abundant evidence that they have not. Do the various translations differ materially on any doctrine, any fact of history, any Christian duty, on the plan of salvation, or the Person of Christ, or any comfort or instruction? No, they do not! God has preserved His Scriptures. – from, Our God-Breathed Book, the Bible (Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1969), p. 355.

Now, according to many legalists, at least to those who refuse to read or use any other translation of the Bible than the King James 1611, Dr. Rice, who had probably been one of their heroes, is now a liberal. Poor guy! He did so much!

I believe that God inspired His Word (2 Timothy 3:16). I believe He gave it to us in the original autographs. I believe that He has preserved copies of those originals in the examples we have of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic manuscripts. What I do not believe is that the King James Version was the one-and-only, forever-settled-as-pure-and-inspired translation. It is ONLY a translation. To say that no other English translation is the Word of God is to say that the Geneva Bible, 51 years older than the KJV, was just a book.

The Kings James Version of the Bible changed the world. We should all be grateful for it. I still use it many times when preaching, and especially when memorizing verses. But even though the KJV was and is a blessing of God, His Word is preserved in the ORIGINAL TEXTS. Anything other than the original languages, including the King James, is a translation.

Our goal should be to use the best translations of the texts at our disposal when we are preaching and teaching, comparing them with each other and the originals, when possible, so that we can better understand how God’s Word should be understood in today’s language. After all, if you can’t understand it, doing you no good is the least of your worries – doing harm because of a faulty understanding based on a changed vocabulary is far worse. That is where the REAL heresy comes from.

But hey, it doesn’t matter which translation, if you are not reading it and studying it on your own, you might as well be reading Harry Potter and the Temple of Whatever. READ your Bible. STUDY your Bible. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you read and study and then a wonderful thing will happen – you won’t be ashamed in the end (2 Timothy 2:15); you will find light for your path (Psalm 119:105); and you will know how not to sin against God (Psalm 119:11). Even the ASV, ESV, HCSB, or the NIV will tell you that….right, Dr. Rice?

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by | January 6, 2011 · 10:13 am

The Raelians are Coming!!

About the time that I thought the only thing I had to worry about was Islam and LGBT marriages, along comes a new threat –

UFO cults. It’s not science fiction, folks.

As times change, pastors are having to battle change. It’s not that we oppose changing styles, or stuff like that. We oppose those who are attempting to change the truth of Scripture in order to accomplish their own goals.

People have always tried to twist the words of the Bible to meet their own needs. That is nothing new. The problem that we face today is the ever growing desire to make those changes legal; to force pastors, under threat of lawsuits, to accept sin and place a stamp of approval on it. An example of this would be a gay or lesbian couple trying to force a pastor to marry them, rather than face discrimination and/or human rights charges. If you don’t think they are serious, just check out this article from NPR written just a couple of years ago (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486340). Things haven’t gotten better.

"I come to sue."

Now, get this, a Catholic school in Canada had been forced to pay damages to a group of UFO cultists! Even though you can go to their site, let me print it below (http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/ontario-tribunal-finds-catholic-school-board-guilty-of-religious-discrimina).

TORONTO, Ontario, December 20, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ordered a Catholic school board to compensate three members of a prominent UFO cult after finding the board guilty of religious discrimination.

Daniel, Michel, and Sylvie Chabot, members of the Raelian cult, were hired in November 2006 by the Conseil Scolaire Catholique Franco-Nord to offer ‘emotional pedagogy’ training sessions for teachers.  They delivered such sessions through what they call the Academy of Pleasurology and Emotional Intelligence (APEI).

The Catholic board chose to end the contract in January 2007 after discovering their membership in the cult, which claims that humans were planted on Earth by benevolent extraterrestrials.

On December 15th, Tribunal vice president Michelle Flaherty ruled that the board had discriminated against the three siblings on the basis of their beliefs.  The parties had agreed to mediation, but asked the Tribunal to determine if the human rights code was violated.  The decision does not reveal how much the board must pay in penalty.

The Raelian sect was founded by former French sports journalist Claude Vorilhon, now known as ‘Rael’, in 1973 after he claimed that he had an encounter with aliens.  The cult is known for its strong support of human cloning, which is based on their belief that cloning will usher in a paradise where people live forever.

Daniel Chabot, who calls himself a bishop, said they have filed dozens of human rights complaints, but this is the first to side with them.  “It took us 17 years of relentless battles and one case before a Human Rights Tribunal in Ontario to finally have our voices heard,” he stated in a press release.  “This sentence was ironically delivered on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2010 and was, needless to say, a sweet victory.”

Ronald Demers, the school board’s chairman, told the Catholic Register that they will not appeal.  LifeSiteNews.com did not hear back from the board by press time.

The aliens, I mean the Raelians are coming! The Raelians are coming!

P.S.   I don’t want to bash the poor Catholic folks in Canada, but why didn’t anyone see a HUGE RED FLAG when the board hired people from the “Academy of Pleasurology and Emotional Intelligence (APEI)” to conduct “emotional pedagogy” training? Just asking. What ever happened to Theology?

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by | January 5, 2011 · 2:37 pm

“Let God be True, and Luther a Liar”

Last week I went to Florida to perform a wedding. Here are some thoughts on God and Martin Luther, based on what I saw while sight-seeing.

Forgive me, but I am not a big fan of St. Petersburg, especially in the winter when it is 45 degrees. To me, Florida is supposed to be HOT. The warmest it got last week was in the low 70’s. The water on both coasts was terribly cold; therefore, sightseeing was more appropriate than sunbathing on the beach (which I don’t prefer, anyway). But aside from all of that, I still don’t think I would have liked St. Petersburg, even if it had been in the dead of summer.

However, they did have a few nice museums.

From books to IPhones

One museum we (Katie and I) enjoyed was the Museum of Fine Arts (http://www.fine-arts.org/). Believe it or not, it was the first time that I ever had the chance to stand in a room full of paintings by Monet. It was impressive, especially when you consider how close a teenager could stand next to objects worth multiple millions of dollars. Fortunately for the paintings, teenagers have touch-screen phones to keep their fingers occupied.

Another place we went, at my insistence, was the Florida Holocaust Museum (http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org/). I felt that it was important for the girls to see with their own eyes what true hatred and bigotry, even false religion can do. Not as big, nor as impressive as the museum in Washington, D.C., this museum still told the story well and featured an original cattle car that once carried Jews to the concentration camps.

When we left St. Petersburg, in order to find another beach to help Haley with her science project, at the advice of my brother-in-law, we went to Amelia Island in Fernandina, Florida. Now THAT was a change from St. Petersburg. Through priceline.com we even got a 3-star hotel for $52 a night! Not bad for a place with a huge, clean beach and a small-town feel.

“Big Guns on the Wall”

The highlight to the trip, for me, was when we got to visit Fort Clinch on Amelia Island. The fort was built back in the 1800’s and served both the Conferderate (1861) and the Union troops. It was a massive, red brick fortress overlooking the Atlantic ocean, and was meant to protect the Cumberland Sound. Fully restored, with reenactors playing the part, it was meant to give you the feel of stepping back in time to 1864.

I was really impressed with the fort. Even my wife was amazed. As I stood on its walls with huge canons, or on its proud bastions, I could not help but remember the words to the famous hymn by Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress.”

 

“A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.”

Then a painful thought struck me.

Just the day before, my girls were able to read other words from Martin Luther in the Florida Holocaust Museum. You see, even though Luther has been regarded as the father of the Reformation, he was a rabid anti-semite. In one display chronicling centuries of hatred toward the Jewish people, the words from Luther’s book, “On the Jews and Their Lies,” was written in bold for every Christian to see. Here are some quotes from that book:

“He who hears this name [God] from a Jew must inform the authorities, or else throw sow dung at him when he sees him and chase him away.”

“If we wish to wash our hands of the Jews’ blasphemy and not share in their guilt, we have to part company with them. They must be driven from our country.”

“Moreover, they are nothing but thieves and robbers who daily eat no morsel and wear no thread of clothing which they have not stolen and pilfered from us by means of their accursed usury. Thus they live from day to day, together with wife and child, by theft and robbery, as arch-thieves and robbers, in the most impenitent security.”

“My essay, I hope, will furnish a Christian (who in any case has no desire to become a Jew) with enough material not only to defend himself against the blind, venomous Jews, but also to become the foe of the Jews’ malice, lying, and cursing, and to understand not only that their belief is false but that they are surely possessed by all devils. May Christ, our dear Lord, convert them mercifully and preserve us steadfastly and immovably in the knowledge of him, which is eternal life. Amen.”

What a contrast! One moment I am being inspired by a fortress that reminds me of the greatness of God, the next I am being reminded of the painful truth that men are sinners – all with the same song. How could the words of one man inspire both the Church and the Nazi party at the same time?

Martin Luther

Martin Luther wrote “A Mighty Fortress” based on Psalm 46:11, “The LORD of hosts [is] with us; the God of Jacob [is] our refuge. Selah.” God is our refuge and our hope in time of trouble. The Psalmist also said, agreeing with Luther,

I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. – Psa 91:2 KJV

What are we to make of this, then? Is my hope in God supposed to be dashed all because of the actions of some (or all) of his followers? Are we to assume the truth of God is a lie because of the hateful words of Luther, as opposed to his hymns and 95 theses? Martin Luther was terribly wrong in his observations of the Jews. For that matter, David wasn’t perfect, either. No, God is God. Man is man. That is why it is so important to keep in mind the following words from the Apostle Paul:

“…[Let] God be true, and every man a liar…” – Romans 3:4 KJV

When Peter got it right, Jesus called him “blessed” and praised the fact that the Father gave him the words (Matthew 16:17). However, when Peter spoke in the flesh, out of his own selfish desires, Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” (verse 23). When we speak out of hand about God, that does not change the truth about God.  Luther got some things right.  Luther also got some things wrong in a very bad way.

My God IS a mighty fortress…and He loves the people of Israel.  He has made that abundantly clear, despite the ramblings and false doctrines of men. God said, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” – Gen 12:3 KJV  Nothing has changed.  Let God be true, and Luther be a liar. Let God be true, and Peter a liar. Let God be true, and every one of us a liar. God is Who He is, whether we get it right or not. But because of Luther’s mistaken words, may we be ever more diligent to heed these words:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2Ti 2:15 KJV

Why? Because Jesus said it right, and He ALWAYS got it right, when He said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” – Jhn 17:17 KJV

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. – Pro 30:5-6 ESV

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by | December 16, 2010 · 11:05 pm

What’s Your Life Worth?

So, I get a phone call from a reader who asks, “Is everything on your site serious?” Well, obviously, no. Even my chili recipe contained humor. But this post may be more serious than others.

This one is serious.

What would you die for? What is so valuable that you would risk or even sacrifice your own life? Have you ever stopped to think about that? You should.

The typical things in life that are considered so valuable, when put in perspective, aren’t really worth that much. Even the most “priceless” treasures are not worth your life – or are they? Would you fight a thief for your purse or car? Then you are saying those things are more valuable than your life, for you are willing to risk your life to keep them. It is how people die every day in the pursuit of, and the keeping of earthly possessions. Foolish, frankly.

Even more than concrete items, some value their pride more than life. They are willing to fight to the death, or kill others when insulted or “dissed.” Perception is NOT reality, just as integrity is not determined by opinion; yet, some would rather risk death than be thought of wrongly. So many have yet to learn that what people think of them does not determine the reality of who they are.

From the perspective of family, I would say that most believe life is worth risking life. If my loved ones were in danger, then it would be natural to put my life on the line. Really, there is no argument against this one. But on the other hand, society is very fickled when it comes to how it determines the value of one life. One life is not as valuable as another, after all. Life is not as valuable to some if convenience or personal pleasure is at stake.  I would die for my children, but many kill their own children before birth.  It seems to me that values gold more consistently than life itself.

What about beliefs? Are you willing to die for what you believe? Now this, I know, could open up a whole can of worms; but that’s ok. Just stop and think about it for a moment. Do you believe in anything so much that it is worth more than your own life? When your life is on the line, knowing the difference between what you believe and what is only opinion is of key importance. A martyr is one who will die for what they believe, rather than deny it.  Is your faith worth dying for?  If not, then how much do you really believe?

But here’s one more thought…how much is YOUR life worth?

Value is determined by what someone is willing to give for it, right? That’s typically the way it goes. So, if nothing on earth is more valuable than your life, does that make your life valuable? Well, maybe to you. Think about it, to someone else your life might not be as valuable as their own. Would you value the life of a total stranger so much that you would offer your own in exchange? I mean, really? Someone may even be willing to give all of the world’s riches in order to obtain your life, but are you worth it? Who would even have that kind of wealth? That leaves you with nothing more than your sense of value compared to another’s. Your worth against theirs.

Value is relative to the thing for which the buyer will exchange.  That’s a disturbing thought, isn’t it?

On the other hand, what if the Creator of the universe offered to die for you?

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Rom 5:8 NIV

That would make you of incalculable worth! The King of Heaven, the Son of God, gave His own life in exchange for yours, even accepting your guilts and failures as His own, and paying the death penalty for sin on your behalf.

For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. – 2Corinthians 5:21 KJV

That makes you valuable. That makes Jesus pretty unique. How many others have done what He has for you? Most of us would die for our children or spouse.  Some of us would die for a friend or maybe a good person.  But how many of us would give our own life to purchase the life of a stranger, much less a convict, drug dealer, murderer, etc?  Jesus did.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Rom 5:6-8 NIV

That’s the whole reason for Christmas, you know.  Jesus had to come to earth as a baby to grow into the Man that would willingly go to a cruel cross.  The gift of Christmas is the gift of life, purchased with the life of the Giver of Life. How ironic is that; and how wonderful?

What is your life worth?  Well, it was worth the Messiah suffering the most excruciating death Rome could conceive.  It was worth the Prince of Peace being shredded by a “cat of nine tails.” It was worth God becoming flesh so that we could know Him.  If you are worth that much, and if that kind of price was paid, don’t you think giving your life to Jesus is a fair exchange?

If you would like to know more about Jesus, and how he loves you and died for you, then call this number, 1-800-NEED-HIM. Or, if you would like to talk with me, just send me an email.  Your life is worth it.

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by | December 15, 2010 · 2:55 pm

Being Judgmental of Angels

People, who act like heathen, when they have their actions questioned, seem to always respond with the creme de la creme of rebuttals, “Christians aren’t supposed to judge.”  It really does not matter that they have no earthly idea what they are talking about, or where they get that phrase.  Yet, with a sense of pride, they just sneer, and boldly attempt to showcase their Biblical expertise – riiiight.

Sadly, many Christians do not understand what Jesus meant when He said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). It had nothing to do with reproving the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).  It had everything to do with not expecting to be judged with any less of a judgement than one meets out.  It is a shame when unbelievers, who know enough about Jesus to use Him as an excuse, intimidate Christians into silence; but, it happens every day.

It is also sad when we Christians REALLY do what we’re accused of (make assumptions from which we cast judgment).  It happens all the time when we see someone on the side of the road with a sign that says, “Will work for food.” It happens when, as you are sitting in your car, a woman walks up and taps on the window, only to ask if you have some spare change.  Who are we to say that what they tell us is a lie?  Is it possible that they really do need money for a fan belt, a gallon of milk, or a bus ticket home?  Is it possible that the scruffy-looking, unkempt fellow or madam you’re looking at is, in actuality, a heavenly messenger?  An angel? 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. – Hbr 13:2 KJV

During this time of world chaos and financial uncertainty, it is far more likely that the bum on the side of the road is actually a bum on the side of the road.  Who knows for what reason he/she is there?  Are we to pass judgment upon them?  Maybe we should just love them and do what we can to help when we are confronted – or before.  In one of the same chapters that talk about not judging another unjustly are found the following verses:

Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you. – Luk 6:30-31 NLT

By not giving that dollar or two to the one who asks, are we not, in actuality, disobeying a direct command of Jesus?  Really, by not giving, are we not committing two sins? One would be that we did not give when asked; the other that we judged them unworthy.  It would seem to me that it would be the better part of wisdom, not to mention a display of our faith in action, to entertain the “stranger.” Who knows, he may just be taking notes for his Boss in heaven?  God will be the Judge.

 

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by | December 13, 2010 · 6:20 pm

Making Winter Warm with Chili

I swear, I start a blog about living a life free (as much as possible) from paralyzing legalism, and now I might as well start a food critic/cooking show!  What is happening to me?  Before long, I will preaching about pepperoni, sermonizing about sirloin, or pontificating over pot roast.  I need to go hunting for furry animals, or something….anything to get my masculinity back.

Oh, but wait! There is one thing I can do – MAKE CHILI!

With winter officially around the corner, but in all practicality now freezing our tails off, I felt the need to make a pot of chili. There are some things that a man should be able to make on a stove top that aren’t stuffing, cream of wheat, or pudding.  A real man needs to know how to craft a pot of chili that can keep you alive in an ice storm. Real chili, mind you; not the watery beef-and-tomato chili-flavored soup that some try to pass off to unsuspecting desperadoes. So, if you want to make a respectable version of my chili, feel honored to have, for the first time ever, my recipe. Please try to send all thanks in the form of monetary contributions.

Brown two pounds of ground beef in an iron skillet, or preferably an iron kettle (good stuff, not the lean, cardboard type). While it is browning, add a little Worshtishire sauce and a little chopped onion, if you desire.

Brown one pound of boneless pork chops in extra virgin olive oil.  When done, slice and dice into little cubes of pork chop joy.

(Optional – fry some bacon and chop it up into fine bits and add that, along with a tad of the grease)

When all the meat is done, start adding two (2) 15oz cans of tomato sauce, along with three (3) cans of Luck’s pinto beans. If you like kidney beans, and you are weird, then replace the pinto beans according to your lousy taste.

Add one cup of strong, black coffee.  Yep, I said coffee.

Now, start adding all of the spices.

  • 2 tablespoons Chili Powder (or maybe three)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Sage
  • 1 teaspoon Crushed Rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons Paparika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 4 teaspoons Ground Roasted Cumin (powder)
  • 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (more or less to taste, depending on whether or not you like your tongue)
  • 1-1 1/2 teaspoons of salt (don’t use sea salt, because that is just, well, not manly)
  • 1/4 teaspoon (maybe a tad more) of Liquid Smoke.
  • 1 tablespoon Oregeno

Being that I had to use what I had, and not everything I actually wanted (pastors cant always afford a fully-stocked fridge or spice cabinet), I didn’t have any onions, so I used a little onion salt.  Keep in mind when you do that, you have to adjust the actual salt in the recipe.  Also, I did not have any fresh garlic, which is why I used garlic powder, instead of 3-4 cloves (put through a garlic press). Ideally, I like to saute the onions and garlic together in an iron skillet, then add them to the beef and pork.

A final ingredient that really makes chili stand out, if you want something different, is about a half ounce of Lime Juice.

Well, there you have it.  Just bring this collection of real chili ingredients to a boil, then let it simmer for a couple of hours on low heat. Have some to eat at that point, but the best will be after you let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

 

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by | November 18, 2010 · 10:27 am

Should I be Shocked?

What the...?

Do I have the look of shock written all over my face? It shouldn’t surprise me, but sometimes I can’t help being dumbfounded by the insanity that is so common in our country?

First, there was the story of the acquittal of a terrorist:

Jurors in New York City on Wednesday convicted Ahmed Ghailani of conspiracy to blow up government buildings in the al-Qaida attacks on two U.S. embassies in 1998, but they acquitted him on more than 280 other charges. – AP

Then there was this from the New York Post:

A squad of cops in bulletproof vests swooped into an upper Manhattan park and charged seven men with the “crime” of playing chess in an area off-limits to adults unaccompanied by kids — even though no youngsters were there.

And finally, from The Australian:

A WOMAN is suing over an incident where airport staff allegedly pulled down her top and joked about her breasts in public view.

The 23-year-old traveller, from Amarillo, US, is suing the US Government for the emotional distressed she says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents caused.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/airport-staff-exposed-womans-breasts-laughed/story-e6frg8ro-1225955345734

Innocent women can be assaulted in public by “public servants.” Quiet, brain-expanding, chess-playing thinkers can be taken down by weapon-toting SWAT teams.  But when it comes to people who want to blow up America, send THEM to a New York court and they get acquitted on all but one account, the crime of which was less than what Bill Ayers, friend of Obama, admitted to actually doing.

I’m going crazy.

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by | November 16, 2010 · 2:52 pm

Bumper Stickers

"The Ride"

My wife will not let me put a bumper sticker of any kind on her car.  Even if she was driving a rusty Chevy Vega which desperately needed the qualities of something with adhesive properties to keep her bumper stuck to her car…no bumper stickers.  Not so with my Ride.  I don’t need no stinkin’ sticky things!  Just staples and zip ties, thank you.  Really, what I mean to say is that “The Ride” is not too good to advertize TheRecoveringLegalist.com, even though my wife thinks her car is too special.  HA!

Bumper stickers are something akin to free advertisement…

…They promote whatever you want other people to know about you and what you think, or for that matter, how well your kids think.  Plastered to the back of a rolling billboard, they catch the eye of total strangers who have the random chance to find themselves behind you and I in traffic, or who catch a glimpse in a parking garage.  Some people, I have come to realize, are advertizing more than they know, for some bumper stickers betray a hidden (at least to the owner of the car) stupidity.

There are so many bumper stickers that scream “MORON!”

Here is one that I saw.  What a profound question.  Why do we kill people that kill people?  Could it be that we don’t want them to killpeople again?  Could it be that they deserve to die for taking an innocent child’s life?  Could it be that there are those out there on parole who would love to shoot your stupid…..(calm yourself, Anthony)…..well, they would love to steal your car and leave you beside the road in a ditch, then drive away with your false advertisement on THEIR bumper.

The one that I would have to say gets me the most, maybe because I see it the most, is COEXIST.  I just love all the little symbols that are used to make up the happy little plea for love and harmony.  Too bad what it tells me is that the owner of the car is a blooming idiot, at the very least, or somehow an ostrich has learned how to drive with his head in the sand.  The message behind the little sticker is really, “Hey you Christians!  Can you quit being so narrow-minded and hateful?  Don’t you know that we all just want to get along, but you keep screwing it up?”  All religions are the same, you know, or that’s the idea.  We are all worshipping the same god, just by a different name.  All paths lead to heaven, it’s just that some choose to take a shortcut by blowing themselves to Allah in the name of Jihad…is that so wrong?

Tell that to the "C"

I like the following verse. Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy…”  As Christians, we should be speaking out about the goodness and mercy of our God, not trying to seek favor with false gods by “COEXISTing” in perfect joy and mutual admiration.  People in this country have the right to free speech and to freedom of religion, but if you haven’t noticed, we are in a real religious war.  The “C” doesn’t like the “T” in that bumper sticker.  If you’re going to put something on your bumper, make it something that points people down the narrow road, not the wide one that leads to destruction.  Show your intelligence and advertize your faith…just don’t be tacky and weird about it…or then we get back into the looking-like-a-moron thing that my wife so desperately wants to avoid.

Now here's an idea for the "perfect" bumper sticker!

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by | November 8, 2010 · 7:29 pm

Bring On the Space Aliens…We Could Use Them

I was driving my school bus today….

….and then I began to think of all the different kinds of children that must be transported.  I have had to chaufer quite a few children over the last 9 years (I first started driving in 2001), some in Kentucky, the rest in Tennessee.  Most have been good kids, while others have not.  Some have made me question a lot of long-held beliefs, like every child is precious……are they?  Well, of course they are! All children are gifts from God above. Psalms 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” But, please forgive me, I’m beginning to believe that some of the “fruit” spoils easier and quicker than others.

Typical little angel, just like my middle and high school kids

I never wanted to work in a daycare.  I hate daycares – not the people that work there, mind you; just the screaming and crying children (I have bad memories of abandonment).  So, why do I drive a school bus? For the most part, I love children, especially if I don’t have to feed them, take them to the bathroom, change their diapers, wipe their noses, suction their noses, or pay their way through college. Little kids can be sweet and innocent.  Little boys, for example, ask great questions like, “Why do you drive a bus?” or, “Is a bus hard to drive?”  Little girls ask questions like, “Mr. Baker, are you going to have a baby?”  or, “Are you really old, or do you just shave your head so we don’t see your gray hair?” Oh, they’re loads of laughs.  But  on the other hand, they do keep nerve pill manufacturers in business.

Typical elementary child on a school bus...at least that's the way they seem

Have you ever had the desire to be attacked by an alien spacecraft?

I have.  There are some children on my bus that have caused me to suffer from daydreams that may cause me psychological harm.  Today, I actually grinned as I contemplated an alien space craft hovering over my bus.  From this technologically advanced craft I could almost imagine a mechanism lowering down, ripping open the top of my bus like a sardine can (or spam, actually…I hate sardines).  Then, I could envision a long, green arm with long, pointed fingers and sharp claws reaching into the bus and snatching out one or two of the “darlings” like dill pickles out of a jar.  Now, before you get too upset with me,  I said to myself, “Oh, that would really be horrible!”  But then, in a moment of pity, I said to myself , “Their parents have probably had the same dream, poor folks.“

God gave me the privilege of bringing up three beautiful girls.  I love kids, really I do; but there are some kids on this earth that can make even the most loving parent question whether or not the human race is worth continuing.  Now, I won’t go so far as to say that, though.  However, even though most of the kids on my bus are angels, if you do see a low-flying UFO…..well, do you know my route number?  Just kidding….REALLY.

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