Changes

As you can see, the site has changed. It was pretty much offline for a while as I foolishly tried to use Wordpress's import feature which trashed this site. I've decided to use this site again as my experiment with hosting my own is not yet where it should be. Free, as they say, is for me. I hope to be posting regularly again, but then again with my readership, it really doesn't matter.

Book Review

I decided while I was at the library with my youngest son picking out books for his science fair research, that I would grab a couple of new titles. One of the books I checked out was God's Politics by Jim Wallis. He starts off with a number of religious references, and why it is important for Christians to stand up and be heard on more than just gay marriage and abortion, which I agree with him on. The problem is, within the first 15 pages you realize what his perspective really is. Anger. Anger at George W. Bush, Republicans, and the so-called religious right. He is a Democrat, and although he attempts to strike hard at the left, he always returns to bashing Bush, the war in Iraq, and Republicans. I do like a lot of what he says, especially about poverty and the environment, but whenever he makes a point, he goes very easy on the left, and attempts to crush those of us who are more conservative leaning. He does state that he is against abortion, which I respect, but then tries to find a middle ground with those Democrats who are Pro-Choice. Hmm, don't think there is much ground to be had on that one. For me, the author seems to be a caring serious Christian, but he constantly leans too far to the left, and his message suffers for the constant bashing of conservatives to be taken at face value. If he had stuck with his premise that God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, and followed that train of thought, the book would be much better. Just my two cents worth.

Damned Democrats

Before I start this post, let me say that I am a registered Democrat, so it is with great displeasure that I read this. Three years ago, we finally got our Congressmen to reform the Tort system of no fault auto coverage. I save an average of $440 dollars a year under the new system. Now of course since we elected another group of tax and spend Democrats, they want to fix what ain't broke. Somebody cries about how ambulance companies can't make money under the new system, and so our representatives have to fix it. How to fix it you say? Screw the taxpayers out of their hard earned money is the answer. Unfreakinbelievable! Only in Colorado could we the voters do something as dumb as allowing the Democrats to control our Congress. This is the price we pay...

You're from Colorado if...

You have absolutely no recognizable accent. If the humidity gets above 25%, you consider it "muggy". You have been skiing less than 10 times in your life. You are the third car to run a red light after it has changed. You say things like "I don't care how big Golden is, it's still a one-horse town". When giving directions, you never say "Turn left, turn right", it's always go West, then South. During a thunderstorm you wonder "which I-25 underpass is flooding". If it rains more than 2 days straight you compare the weather to being in Seattle. You have a broken windshield. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike on top of your $500 car. You have a business degree and are frying burgers at a McDonald's in Vail. You've never seen the tourist attractions in your own city. You think a pass does not involve a football or a woman. You are 82 years old and take up snowboarding. The entire top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail. You get depressed after one day of foggy weather. You think that formal wear is ironed denim. North means "mountains to the left;" south is "mountains to the right;" and east and west are where all those damned liberals keep moving in from. You consider a three-piece suit to be a pair of shorts, a sweatshirt and Birkenstocks. You think gun control is a steady hand. You know what the "Peoples Republic of Boulder" means. You can drive over a 12,000 foot pass in 4 feet of snow, but can't get to work if there are 4 inches of snow. You know the correct pronunciation of Buena Vista. Your car insurance costs more than your car. April showers bring May blizzards. You know what a "Chinook" is. You know what a "rocky mountain oyster" is. You know what a "fourteener" is. But you don't know what a "turn signal" is. A bear on your front porch doesn't bother you nearly as much as a Democrat in Congress does. Driving directions usually include 'Go over ____ Pass... You've gone skiing in July. You've gone sunbathing in January. They were both in the same year. You know the elevation of a town, but not its population. You or someone you know plays golf 12 months of the year. You don't have AC in your home, but you use it in your car all winter long. If it snows in the morning you expect it to be gone by lunchtime.

Discovery

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things. Sometimes after many years, couples grow apart. They may not realize it, but it happens. You may be further a long on your spiritual walk then your spouse, or the things you once found interesting, you now find annoying. Because of so many things, you don't recognize the signs of a dreary marriage, you just know that you are uncomfortable and or unhappy. Re-discovering your spouse, focusing on their positive aspects instead of dwelling on the negative is one step in avoiding the rejection of your spouse that leads to divorce. Look at the way the differences in the two of you complement each other. I know I am sometimes too loose with money, spending it on the things I choose, my wife on the other hand always knows the balance in the checkbook. Find the beauty in your spouse, and you find the reasons to work on your marriage. Focus on the negatives, the things that annoy you, and you risk losing far too much. I've been married now for almost 23 years, and I appreciate my wife more now that I ever have. I look at her with a new respect, a love that has grown stronger despite her faults (and mine too). I see a woman who has grown in herself and the Lord over the years, a woman who has given birth to five children, and lost one. A woman who has recently suffered an illness that came out of nowhere, and devastated us, but a woman who has fought through it and won, something I'm not sure she could have done ten years ago. Graciousness in accepting the Lords gifts in our lives is sometimes difficult, but I am certainly grateful for my wife's strength and love, in that I am truly blessed.

Reminds me of Caddyshack

No offense to the Dalai Lama, but traveling to Israel to see if he can get an open dialog with Hamas and the Israeli leaders is a bit much (snappy analogy missing, sorry I'm tired). Oh the Hamas will more than likely have their picture taken with him, lots of warm fuzzy talk, then after he leaves, start in with the violence. He says: "The prophet Muhammad should not be blamed for the violence, said the Dalai Lama, adding that the problem is the lack of separation between politics and religion, a situation which creates violence because emotion is involved. " So even the Lama thinks separation of church and state is a good thing. I'd sure hate to let my beliefs influence how I act towards others. Just ask John Kerry where that got him (hint, he couldn't even carry the Catholic vote). So what should the Lama do? He should go back to Tibet and try and work on the problems they are facing, seeing how he is their leader.

The Stang

So I have the following left to do on my 1968 Mustang project car: Suspension - replacing the upper and lower control arms, should have the parts this weekend. Still need to replace some steering system bushings and get an alignment. Engine - Figure out why the choke is sticking... Interior - Get new floorpans welded in, order underlay, carpet, dash components, door panels, armrests, etc... Get it all put together, yea! Exterior - Weatherstripping all around (the old rubber is D-R-Y), complete etching primer and paint. This will wait for a while (until money is found that is). I drover her to see my Dad in the hospital, felt soooo good to get her out on the road. Nothing quite like driving a V-8, especially a 300 HP engine in a 1700 lb car!!! God has blessed me each time I seem to lose my patience with how fast the restoration is going, recently more money became available so things can be done. I just need to stay the course and not get anxious. Easier said than done.

Stupid Wal-Mart Law

So Colorado is trying to pass the same brain-dead type of law Maryland did just last year that pretty much only affects Wal-Mart. When will politicians learn that these types of laws only have a negative effect on the economy. "HB1316 would require large corporations that employ 3,500 or more people to provide health insurance to their workers, the workers made clear the measure was aimed at Wal-Mart." Guess what will happen. Wal-Mart will raise prices to cover the cost of the 11% medical set aside, a cost you and I (including the employees of Wal-Mart) will wall pay going forward. Hmm, let me think how that will help again... Oh, that's right, it won't, it will only hurt everyone because either prices will go up, or employees will be let go (or both). I hope the Colorado Legislature doesn't bow to the unions on this one.