My Detroit

Augustus Woodward’s plan following the 1805 fire for Detroit’s baroque styled radial avenues and Grand Circus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m a Detroiter, I was born in the city, and I love the city. I no longer live in Detroit, I now live about 30 minutes outside of the city, but still consider myself a Detroiter. It pains me to hear negative news stories of Detroit, but it seems that’s all we ever hear. Murder, Rape, miss use of Government powers, Kids killing Kids, Drugs and other horrid actions. It saddens me when I do venture to the City to see all the majestic buildings and homes is shambles to see the empty lots filled with trash and the parks and streets empty of life.

Detroit is a shell of its former self, many do not know the true Detroit, they only know the current Detroit. The one that is on a path to self destruction, the one that fills the national news with murder and deception. Detroit is more than that, Detroit has 300 years of history, of pride and accomplishments. No, not just Cars and Motown, but Art and Architecture, Culture and Innovation. Detroit is a city of many first, The first expressway, phone book and more. Detroit is not what you think she is, she is a diamond in the ruff.

Detroit…

• is home to the Motown sound founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1957

• is home to the first Van Gogh painting in a public collection in the U.S. at the Detroit Institute of Arts, "Self Portrait," Vincent Van Gogh, 1887

• installed the first mile of paved concrete road, just north of the Model T plant, on Woodward Avenue between McNichols and 7 Mile Roads in 1909

• built the nation’s first urban freeway, the Davison, in 1942

• is home to the oldest state fair in the nation — the Michigan State Fair, first held in 1849

• is the potato chip capital of the world, based on consumption

• has country’s largest island park within a city — Belle Isle Park

• is home to the world’s only floating post office, the J.W. Westcott II, can be found on the Detroit River

• is north of Canada

• is second in the nation in fishing rod sales

• shares the world’s first auto traffic tunnel between two nations – the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel

• is home to the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere – the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, at 727 feet/73 stories

• the nation’s first soda — Vernors — created in Detroit by pharmacist James Vernor in 1862. Detroit is also home to Sanders hot fudge, Better Made Potato Chips, Faygo soda pop, Stroh’s Ice Cream

• has the most registered bowlers in the United States

• was the first city in the nation to assign individual telephone numbers in 1879

History of Detroit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ste. Anne de Détroit, founded in 1701 is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States. The present Gothic Revival cathedral styled church was completed in 1887 and serves a largely Hispanic community.^[1][2]

The city of Detroit, Michigan, developed from a French fort and missionary outpost founded in 1701 to one of the largest American cities by the early 20th century. As reflected by the emblems on its flag, Detroit has been governed by three world powers: France, Great Britain, and the United States. The city, settled in 1701, is one of the oldest cities in the Midwest. Detroit experienced a large scale fire in 1805 which nearly destroyed the city. After the fire, Justice Augustus B. Woodward devised a plan similar to Pierre Charles L’Enfant‘s design for Washington, D.C. Detroit‘s monumental avenues and traffic circles fan out in a baroque styled radial fashion from Grand Circus Park in the heart of the city’s theater district, which facilitates traffic patterns along the city’s tree-lined boulevards and parks.^[3] Main thoroughfares radiate outward from the city center like spokes in a wheel.

During the 19th century, Detroit grew into a thriving hub of commerce and industry, the city spread along Jefferson Avenue, with multiple manufacturing firms taking advantage of the transportation resources afforded by the river and a parallel rail line. Beginning in the late 19th and early 20th century, many of the city’s Gilded Age mansions and buildings arose. Detroit was referred to as the Paris of the West for its architecture, and for Washington Boulevard, recently electrified by Thomas Edison.^[1]

Following World War II, the Detroit area emerged as a global business center with the metropolitan area becoming one of the largest in the United States. The Detroit area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area linking the Great Lakes system. Immigrants and migrants have contributed significantly to Detroit’s economy and culture. In the 1990s and the new millennium, the city has experienced increased revitalization. Many areas of the city are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and include National Historic Landmarks.

Beginnings

The first recorded mention of what became Detroit was in 1670, when the French Sulpician missionaries François Dollier de Casson and René Bréhant de Galinée stopped at the site on their way to the mission at Sault Ste. Marie.^[4] Galínee’s journal notes that near the site of present-day Detroit, they found a stone idol venerated by the Indians and destroyed the idol with an axe and dropped the pieces into the river. Early French settlers planted twelve missionary pear trees "named for the twelve Apostles" on the grounds of what is now Waterworks Park.^[5]

Statue of French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac commemorating his 1701 landing along the Detroit River.

Siege of Fort Detroit during Pontiac’s Rebellion in 1763.

The British surrender, following the American Siege of Detroit during the War of 1812.

The city name comes from the Detroit River (French: le détroit du Lac Érie), meaning the strait of Lake Erie, linking Lake Huron and Lake Erie; in the historical context, the strait included Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River.^[6] Traveling up the Detroit River on the ship Le Griffon (owned by La Salle), Father Louis Hennepin noted the north bank of the river as an ideal location for a settlement. There, in 1701, the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, along with fifty-one additional French-Canadians, founded a settlement called Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit, naming it after the comte de Pontchartrain, Minister of Marine under Louis XIV. Ste. Anne de Détroit, founded July 26, 1701, is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States and the church was the first building erected at Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit.^[1][2][7][8]

France offered free land to attract families to Detroit, which grew to 800 people in 1765, the largest city between Montreal and New Orleans.^[9] Francois Marie Picoté, sieur de Belestre (Montreal 1719–1793) was the last French military commander at Fort Detroit (1758–1760), surrendering the fort on November 29, 1760 to British Major Robert Rogers (of Rogers’ Rangers fame and sponsor of the Jonathan Carver expedition to St. Anthony Falls). The British gained control of the area in 1760 and were thwarted by an Indian attack three years later during Pontiac’s Rebellion. The region’s fur trade was an important economic activity. Detroit’s city flag reflects this French heritage. (See Flag of Detroit).^[1]

The City of Detroit (from Canada Shore), 1872, by A. C. Warren

During the French and Indian War (1760), British troops gained control and shortened the name to Detroit. Several tribes led by Chief Pontiac, an Ottawa leader, launched Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763), including a siege of Fort Detroit. Partially in response to this, the British Royal Proclamation of 1763 included restrictions on white settlement in unceded Indian territories. Detroit passed to the United States under the Jay Treaty (1796). In 1805, fire destroyed most of the settlement. A river warehouse and brick chimneys of the wooden homes were the sole structures to survive.^[10]

Father Gabriel Richard arrived at Ste. Anne’s in 1796. While the local priest, he helped start the school which evolved into the University of Michigan, started primary schools for white boys and girls as well as for Indians, as a territorial representative to U.S. Congress helped establish a road-building project that connected Detroit and Chicago, and brought the first printing press to Michigan which printed the first Michigan newspaper. After his death in 1832, Richard was interred under the altar of Ste. Anne’s.^[1][2]

Detroit was the goal of various American campaigns during the American Revolution, but logistical difficulties in the North American frontier and American Indian allies of Great Britain would keep any armed rebel force from reaching the Detroit area. In the Treaty of Paris (1783), Great Britain ceded territory that included Detroit to the newly recognized United States, though in reality it remained under British control. Great Britain continued to trade with and defend her native allies in the area, and supplied local nations with weapons to harass American settlers and soldiers.

In 1794, a Native American alliance, that had received some support and encouragement from the British, was decisively defeated by General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Wayne negotiated the Treaty of Greenville (1795) with many of these nations, in which tribes ceded the area of Fort Detroit to the United States. Detroit passed to the United States under the Jay Treaty (1796). Great Britain agreed to evacuate forts held in the United States’ Northwest Territory. In 1805, a fire destroyed most of the settlement. A river warehouse and brick chimneys of the wooden homes were the sole remains of the structures.^[10] Detroit’s motto and seal (as on the Flag) reflect this fire.

God Bless

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

 

Related articles

• Right-sizing the city of Detroit: Good or bad? (sustainablecitiescollective.com)
• MyMove™ – 7 Things to Know for Moving to Detroit Michigan (mymove.com)
• Motown Becoming The New Silicon Valley? (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• LTU Students Take On Real World Detroit Design (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• Detroit neighborhood still littered with trash (clickondetroit.com)
• 2nd Annual Detroit Prayer Walk (myfoxdetroit.com)
• Detroit Prayer Walk to be held Saturday (clickondetroit.com)
• Kilpatrick Makes Heftier Restitution Payment To Detroit (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• What’s In The Future For Detroit? (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• Ruth to the Rescue captures repair of problematic utility pole in Detroit (clickondetroit.com)
• Detroit City Councilman Kwame Kenyatta calls it quits (clickondetroit.com)
• Inside Hudson Mansion With Local ‘Rehab Addict’ (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• Vernors Ginger Soda (retrorambling.wordpress.com)
• Man Charged In Detroit Apartment Building Arson (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• 2 In Custody In Connection With Detroit Trunk Murders (detroit.cbslocal.com)
• Detroit City Councilman Kwame Kenyatta will not run for re-election (clickondetroit.com)
• Detroit unions weigh strike option as layoffs loom (clickondetroit.com)

 

My thoughts on Trayvon

Trayvon Martin Protest – Sanford (Photo credit: werthmedia)

Up until now I have not posted about the Trayvon Martin case. I was waiting on facts to come out and hoping for civility. But it seems civility is lost and facts are slow to come. The murder of Trayvon is sad, the murder of any young life is sad, but that does not mean the life of George Zimmerman’s is fair game. We have a nation of laws, and we must follow the laws and allow the laws to work. We cannot and must not allow vigilantly style justice prevail in the case. The American justice system, all-be-it imperfect, is the best system there is. And the death of Trayvon will have its day.

But the rhetoric of many of the left has to stop! We cannot allow the media to create a polarizing political social situation out of Trayvon. MSNBC knowingly edited the 911 tape to make Zimmerman sound racist:

What MSNBC reported:

“This guy looks like he’s up to no good … he looks black,” Zimmerman told a police dispatcher from his car.

 

What Zimmerman said:

ZIMMERMAN: This guy looks like he’s up to no good, [begin ellipsis] or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.

911 DISPATCHER: Okay, is this guy, is he white, black, or Hispanic? [end ellipsis]

ZIMMERMAN: He looks black.

Big difference, don’t you think. Look, I don’t know if Zimmerman is a racist or not, but what I do know is that MSNBC went out of there way to portray him as such. And that is wrong! The news is suppose to deliver factual reporting, not make it up to fit there narrative.

We have the New Black Panthers offering a bounty on Zimmerman’s head, dead or alive, we have Spike Lee tweeting an address to what he thought was Zimmerman’s house and others with in the black community adding there own fuel to the fire. How can any of this be helpful? How can any of this be in any way, shape or form, a good thing? We had students ransacking a Walgreens drug store, to show there support and solidarity with Trayvon, really, that’s how we want to keep his memory alive? That is how we want to honor this young mans life, by offering bounty and ransacking drug stores.

To me, a simple white man, I would have to argue that no, that is not the way to honor Trayvon, to me the best way to honor him, let justice prevail, and as a nation, let us look at how we can better understand violence. Let us set up the Trayvon center for understanding. Let us look into how we can help youth let us research ways to stop the youth on youth violence, Let us use Trayvon as a lesson in understanding.

I am not, in anyway suggesting that Trayvon was doing anything wrong on that night, nor am I suggesting that Trayvon was an angel. He was a 17 year old youth who, as it seems, was involved in drugs and as it seems, had issues in school. Does this mean he was a gangster no, but it does me he was not the angel either. Trayvon was a teenager, and like most he was discovering himself, but to show him as this pure and innocent youth is just wrong. Show him as he was, who he was.

Trayvon was 12 in this photo

 

Trayvon is 16 or 17 in this photo

In both photos he is Trayvon, he is a young man who’s life was cut short, and it is sad and I pray for him and his family. But to show the 12 year old Trayvon is miss leading, and it was used to make the narrative stronger. In the day and age of internet searches, it was only a matter of time before other photos of Trayvon show up.

This case will either divide America or unite her. We will either be a black vs. white America or we will be America. I hope and pray that Trayvon will heal America, bring us together and allow his memory to be used as a unifier and not a divider. But I fear it is already to late, I fear that the media and the activist have already created an atmosphere of hatred and revenge. I fear the nation will become more divided as this case moves along, that the eyes and ears of the people have already been tainted and our hearts and souls have been assaulted.

But this is America, and we can learn from this, we can grow and become a better nation, a better people, if we allow it. But the rhetoric, speculation and hatred has to stop! We cannot achieve justice if we close our eyes to facts, what ever they may be.

This is a defining moment in American history, will we move forward or will we move backwards? Will American justice be allowed to work, or will vigilant justice prevail?

One comment I heard that really struck me was this:

“You tell our justice department and Eric Holder and our President Obama to get off up their ass and do the work and the rest is done!” Muhammad went on to say. When pressed by Cooper on the legality, he responded that he could make a citizen’s arrest of Zimmerman, who has not yet been charged for anything, because the New Black Panther Party member doesn’t “obey the white man’s law,” but rather the “street people’s law.” (source)

White mans law? Street people’s law? What is this, I only know of American Law. This kind of statement is made for one reason only, to create hate to make people see red and to insight violence. This has to stop!

I will state here and now, if George Zimmerman is guilty of murder or hate crimes, than he should pay the price, but if not, than he should be left along. Time will tell, and we have to allow the system to work, we can not arrest Zimmerman just because Trayvon happen to be a young black boy, and Zimmerman white. By the way, when did the term white-Hispanic come it to our vocabulary? Oh ya, when it fit the narrative. If the politically correct term for black Americans is African-American, then should it not be  Hispanic-Americans for Hispanics, and not white-Hispanic? See how silly and dangerous this all is. We all allowing the media to create a new group of Americans, the dreaded white-Hispanics, who of course, because they are white first, must hate all blacks, and must be racist. SICK! Just Sick!

I, as a white male, do not hate anyone because of there skin color, in fact I really don’t think I hate at all. I do  very strongly,dislike some people, but not because they are black or yellow but because the are ass’s, they are evil  and hateful. Nothing to do with skin color, everything to do with character.

We need to stop this hatred now, we need to grow up and move on. All the hate talk going on concerning Trayvon is a disgrace to Americans, all Americans regardless of skin color. God willing it will soon end and justice will prevail.

God Bless and Happy Lent

Paul

Guided Insight Life Coach

Related articles

• Trayvon Martin killing raises loaded racial terms (cnn.com)
• George Zimmerman: Victim of Racist Hatred and Liberal Ignorance (thecollegeconservative.com)
• Is Trayvon a “Racial” issue or a “Justice” issue or neigher (onemorecup.wordpress.com)
• Pictures and Prejudice in the Trayvon Martin Case (themoderatevoice.com)
• Limbaugh Warns Audience To Consider Future Racially Divisive Stories Are ‘Manufactured And Made Up’ (mediaite.com)
• The Left’s Trayvon Martin Narrative Falling Apart at the Seams But Obama May Still Get His Race War (nicedeb.wordpress.com)
• Of Michelle Goldberg Part 10: To Her Justice For Trayvon Martin Means Ignoring Facts, Inventing Myths – And Stirring Racism (neosecularist.com)
• Drudge Report: Zimmerman is a Democrat? (donny-wise.com)
• The Trayvon Martin case stirs racial tension, and parents are concerned about the safety of our youth. (shesourrock.com)
• Why the Trayvon Martin killing isnt racist, its the truth. (youngliberalandfat.wordpress.com)
• Zimmerman-Martin It’s not always Race (sacratomatovillepost.com)
• Rick Scott responds to New Black Panther Party “bounty” on Trayvon Martin’s shooter (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• Trayvon Martin Shooting – New Facts vs. Media Bias (marchoftimes.wordpress.com)
• Daily Caller Sees Possible Head Injury In George Zimmerman Police Video (mediaite.com)
• The Trayvon Optics So Far: Less Idealization is a Good Thing (bagnewsnotes.com)
• Is Trayvon Martin Our ‘Bubba Effect?’ (disclose.tv)
• Biography: Trayvon Benjamin Martin (1995-2012) (bazaardaily.com)
• Blood Lust Won’t Bring Justice in the Trayvon Martin Case (usnews.com)
• The Bridge: Racist Dogs On Notice: You Can Not Have Another Trayvon! (bmia.wordpress.com)
• Anderson Cooper and New Black Panther debate the Trayvon Martin case (thegrio.com)
• New Orleans Cop Suspended After Trayvon Rants (newser.com)
• Allen West condemns New Black Panthers for Zimmerman ‘bounty’ (thegrio.com)
• Trayvon Martin Family Attorney Tells Bill O’Reilly: ‘We Are Not Seeking An Eye For An Eye Here’ (mediaite.com)
• Video Shows No Blood, Bruises on Zimmerman (newser.com)
• Trayvon Martin case: Frank Taaffe justified racial profiling that killed Trayvon Martin (thegrio.com)
• Trayvon Martin and Dred Scott (feministphilosophers.wordpress.com)
• What Everyone Should Know About Trayvon Martin (1995-2012) (powersthatbeat.wordpress.com)
• CCTV Of Trayvon Killer Casts Doubt On Scuffle (news.sky.com)
• Zimmerman’s father decries ‘hate’ from Obama, others; says son threatened and beaten by Trayvon (thegrio.com)
• Joe Oliver: Who is Zimmerman’s black friend and chief defender? (thegrio.com)
• Lead Cop Wanted Zimmerman Arrested (newser.com)
• Trayvon’s mother: ‘They’ve killed my son, now they want to kill his reputation’ (thegrio.com)

 

Attitude, you got one?

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.

~William James (1842 – 1910)

Attitude…. What a powerful word.

manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude; group attitudes. (Source)

Notice the one little section that states “Especially of the mind” our attitude is just that, ours. We control it, it does not (or at least should not) control us. Yet all too often, we allow it to just that, our attitude all too often becomes a commentary on outside forces. We allow forces that we cannot control, friends, work, and weather, to control us. Attitude is not beyond our control, it is within our control, if we would only take control.

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.

~Martha Washington (1732 – 1802)

Martha Washington, the wife of George Washington lived a hard life. A life of service to her country, a life of war and peace a life that called upon her many times to sacrifice. You will not read it in the history books, but she did. She had to be a woman of great courage and one of positive attitude. She had to be selfless in all she did, for she allowed her husband to go off to war and lead a revolution that, by all accounts, could not be won. She left to take care of the farm. She again offered her husband to our new and struggling nation to attend the constitutional conventions, a thankless and long task, leaving Martha to tend to the family farm, once again. Still more was asked of her, as she and George we honored with the task of becoming the first leader of this Great Nation, no simple task. No, hers was not a life of leisure and pleasure; hers was a life of service and attitude. Yep, Attitude… Martha, based on what I have read of her, was a remarkable woman, one of strong opinions and full of positive attitude. We all can learn a lot from not only George Washington, but his wife Martha as well.

Jesus has something to say about our attitudes as well, He provides us with the Beatitudes as a guide to follow.

• Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 3)
• Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. (Verse 4)
• Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Verse 5)
• Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. (Verse 6)
• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Verse 7)
• Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. (Verse 8)
• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Verse 9)
• Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 10)

(Source)

Reading the Beatitudes can be a hard task, if you do not understand how to read them. If you do not understand the meaning behind them. However, put simply, Jesus is telling us, we are in control or our outlook, our attitudes towards life and self. To the poor He promises the Kingdom, to those that mourn, comfort and so on. But what is He saying? Is Jesus saying that the poor are the only ones to see the Kingdom and the mournful the only ones to receive comfort? Nope, not at all. The poor is not referring to the lack of money, but rather the lack of faith, yet in this lack I should not despair, for Jesus states I will see the Kingdom. So rejoice and be glad, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

It is our attitude we control, we have the power to see the glass as half full or half-empty, and the Beatitudes are lessons in seeing the glass as half full. What a valuable lesson. A lesson that has been taught over the centuries by many a great teacher, none greater than Jesus, but still many a great teachers. Yet it is a lesson we still need to learn. Knowing that I am poor in Spirit, yet will still see the Kingdom of God does not mean I stop trying to deepen my faith, sit back and just wait, rather it means I double down and study, learn and grow in my spirit, knowing that it will always fall short, but also knowing that Jesus understands, and the Kingdom will still be at hand. That is the power…

Dr. Wayne Dyer states, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you are looking at will change”, so true and so powerful, yet most of us refuse to do so. Changing our outlook, our attitude, is not easy, we have been programmed to accept that this is the way it is, outside forces determine our attitude, and we have no control over it. Such a false understanding, yet it is the understanding the majority of people have. How often I have heard “They can’t help it, that just how they are, that’s who they are”… To state it directly and simply, that’s just bull crap, a cop-out, we all have control of our lives, we all can change out attitudes, our outlook, and determine for ourselves what our future will be. We just have to work at it…

The task is hard, the journey long and the pitfalls will be many, your drive will wane and your ego will protest, but it can be done, you can change your attitude, you can see the glass as half full, if you only work at it. Yes, sometimes I do see that 1/2 empty glass, but in moments like this I know it is my ego driving my attitude and not my soul, not my being. At times like this I step back and breathe deeply, re-focus my thoughts and realign my attitude, and re-image the glass as 1/2 full yet again. It is a mammoth task at times, but the pay-off is always worth the effort. The feeling of control over the ego, the knowledge that I am in control on myself are well worth the effort.

Attitude, you got one. I am sure you do, but the bigger question is, Attitude, you like the one you got? Is it a healthy attitude? Does it contribute to your overall happiness or is it a source of depression and discontentment? Try this, try taking an attitude assessment, simple write down your attitude towards things, family, work, life, politics, religion, faith, money and so on, rate them based on a 1 to 10 scale, 1 being extremely bad attitude and 10 being extremely positive attitude. Once you have completed this, look at your list, anything with a 6 or more score, consider good for now. Everything with a five or below score consider as areas that need improvement. Start with the 5’s, pick one, let us say its Job, and create an action plan to help you change your attitude. What can you do to create a new and better attitude concerning your current job? To help with this, write down all the aspects of your job that seems to be the source of your bad attitude. Look at each one and determine what action you can take to rectify this. It may be as simple as having a conversation with your boss or as complex as having to try and be transfers to a new department. Nevertheless, whatever the solution, whatever the problem, remembers you are in control of your attitude, no one else is!

Once you have fixed the first on your list continue through the rest of the list, and before you know it, your attitude will be better. However, your work is not done yet, nope… Because you know that, your coworker or whatever the source off your discontentment was will not just roll over and play dead. So now, you need to learn tools to help you cope with issues that will pop up. Best advice, find a saying or prayer that you like, one that reminds of your ultimate goal, a more positive and productive attitude, make a copies of it, place on all your office wall, put one in your purse or wallet, tape one to your bathroom mirror and one on your car visor. Frame one to hang in your hall, in other words place this reminder all over the place, so when the need arrives, just look at, read it and take a step back to contemplate it. Refocus your thoughts and realign your attitude. It takes practice, but it can be done.

 

Good luck and God Bless

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

(Something to read, and help you with your attitude)

Related articles

• Blessed: One Thousand Gifts #229-240 (graceformymess.com)
• Poor in spirit; great in reward (lifereference.wordpress.com)
• What does it mean to be blessed? Scripture for Nov. 6 (plymouthspirit.wordpress.com)
• Seeking the Kingdom of God (apmadriaga.wordpress.com)
• The Beatitudes of Jesus (#8) (theupwardcallofgod.wordpress.com)
• The Sermon on the Mount (brakeman1.wordpress.com)
• Can a Camel fit through a Needle? (christianpf.com)
• FEAST of ALL SAINTS DAY / leonard oprea – THE WAY OF THE NINE BEATITUDES (magultheophil.wordpress.com)
• What Can I Say? (earthismyclassroom.wordpress.com)
• Jesus Teaching of the Beatitudes Was a Lesson in How to Be Blessed (vineandbranchworldministries.com)

 

An Equal and Fair America

Image via Wikipedia

What is fair? What would you consider fair? That is the big question, and it seems Obama is going to use that as his campaign theme. No longer is Hope and Change the charge, but now Fairness. But really, what is fair?

fair

/fɛər/   [fair]  adjective, fair·er, fair·est, adverb, fair·er, fair·est, noun, verb

adjective

1. free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice: a fair decision; a fair judge.

2. legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules: a fair fight.

3. moderately large; ample: a fair income.

4. neither excellent nor poor; moderately or tolerably good: fair health.

5. marked by favoring conditions; likely; promising: in a fair way to succeed.

(source)

Free from bias, dishonesty or injustice, that is the most common use of the word fair, yet many people distort this word to mean equal. Fair and equal are not the same thing

e·qual

/ˈikwəl/  [ee-kwuhl]  adjective, noun, verb, e·qualed, e·qual·ing or ( especially British ) e·qualled, e·qual·ling.

adjective

1. as great as; the same as (often followed by to or with ): The velocity of sound is not equal to that of light.

2. like or alike in quantity, degree, value, etc.; of the same rank, ability, merit, etc.: two students of equal brilliance.

3. evenly proportioned or balanced: an equal contest.

4. uniform in operation or effect: equal laws.

5. adequate or sufficient in quantity or degree: The supply is equal to the demand.

(source)

Equal, as great as, the same as… Hmmm, that does not sound at all like free from bias, dishonesty or injustice, but maybe its just me… So let see, the argument goes something like this, the Constitution guarantees fairness.. so lets look at that…

The Preamble: 

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

(source)

Nope it’s not here.. general welfare doesn’t state equal or fair, just general… So maybe it was the Declaration of Independence…

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,^[75] that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

(source)

Ok, so this time the word equal is here… “…That all men are created equal…” but you have to read on, “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

Yes, we are all created equal, by God, we all are Gods creation, and love by him. We all have the right to pursuit happiness, but the pursuit of happiness does not mean that we will ever achieve it. That is up to us, as individuals. This does not change the fact that we are all created equal. This truth remains.

The current use of the word Fair as Equal is misleading and unjust. It is divisive and corruptive, it is poison to the mind of millions of people who are taught that fairness means equality and that equality redistribution and punishment of the successful.

Romney is Obama’s lattes example of this, Romney is now the poster child of an Unfair America, an America

where he makes millions and you and I do not. The Obama mantra is this, take what he has, give it to those who do not… But how is this fair? How is this American? Do you not think that is the Founding Fathers had wanted to create a governmental system that redistributed wealth, they would have written it into the governing documents? They did not do this for the very simple reason that they believed in the individual, they believed in fairness, they believed in the words they wrote “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,^[75] that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….” They believed in freedom, freedom from the government, freedom to succeed or to fail. freedom to live life and to define your own happiness.

The Obama attack on wealth is as anti-American as J. Edgar Hovers attack on Hollywood stars for their political interest (source).  Freedom does not mean equal, but it does mean fairness, we, as Americans, al have the same rights, we all can achieve greatness or we all call remain mediocre, the choice is ours, and ours alone. History is full of people, disadvantaged people, who have stepped up and achieved their dreams and goals.  History is also full of people who have lost their wealth and become one of the marginalized. This, my friends, is freedom at its best, no government picking losers and winners, but rather, everyday Americans working hard to achieve there dreams, some making it and others not, that is Fair, that is equal, equal rights to try and equal rights to fail. That sounds fair to me…

This election, the election of 2012, is an election were we, the people, once again have to chose how we define America, do we define America as the founding Fathers defined her, as a nation of Free People, Free to follow their dreams, Free to achieve their Dreams or do we define America as a nation that punishes success, that takes from some to give to others. The rewards hard work with taxation and redistribution. The Founding Fathers fought a war, and shed their blood for the privilege to define their own destiny, to make it on their own, or to fail on their own. Yet, today we see a new definition emerging, one that wants to redefine America as a nation of people who want the government to define who makes it and who does not. They wish to recreate America into a Nation that no longer believes in humanity, but rather believes in Government. We have to fight for the preservation and restoration of America, to get back to the basics of what made this Nation the greatest Nation ever to adorn this Earth. A Nation that is blessed by God, as the Founding Fathers believed her to be. This November I, without a doubt, the most important election in the history of our great nation. This election will decide the fait of generations to come, as Ronald Reagan said

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

~Ronald Reagan

This election we will decide if Reagan was right, will we be telling out grandchildren and great-grandchildren what America use to be, how freedom use to be…. God will, no, instead we will be telling them how we saved freedom, preserved it for them and how they must always be diligent and alert in the cause of freedom.

God Bless

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

Related articles

• The Promise (nomadmax.wordpress.com)
• Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (debbie915631.wordpress.com)
• End Republic or Restore America? (justicemusings.wordpress.com)
• Life is unfair (jackrich.wordpress.com)
• Occupy Forgets the Roots of American Wealth (jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com)
• The Danger of “Entitlement” (robertsitalia.wordpress.com)
• David Walker’s Appeal (tcmag.wordpress.com)
• Christian Citizenship (ddhope.wordpress.com)
• My Country tis of thee? (dannys365thoughts.wordpress.com)

 

 

Could Boys Town work today? And other thoughts on Charity and Social Justice.

Cover of Boys Town

‎“What’s “just” has been debated for centuries, but let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then, tell me how much of what I earn “belongs” to you — and why?”
– Walter Williams

Williams was born into an AfricanAmerican family. His family during childhood consisted of himself, his mother, and his sister. His father played no role in raising either child.^[3] He grew up in Philadelphia. The family initially lived in West Philadelphia, moving to North Philadelphia and the Richard Allen housing projects when Williams was ten. His neighbors included a young Bill Cosby. Williams knew many of the individuals that Cosby speaks of from his childhood, including Weird Harold and Fat Albert.^[4]

Williams was a talented high school student who displayed a very inconsistent performance in his studies. Following high school he came out to stay with his father in California, and attended one semester at Los Angeles City College, in regard to which he would later state that he was not ready yet to be a serious student.^[5] In 1959 he was drafted into the military, and served as a Private in the United States Army.^[4][6] While serving in the Army, he “waged a one man battle against Jim Crow from inside the army (where he was nearly court-martialed for challenging the racial order).”^[4] Williams:

wrote a letter to President John F. Kennedy denouncing the pervasive racism of the American government and military. “Should Negroes be relieved of their service obligation or continue defending and dying for empty promises of freedom and equality,” Williams demanded of the president. “Or should we demand human rights as our Founding Fathers did at the risk of being called extremists….I contend that we relieve ourselves of oppression in a manner that is in keeping with the great heritage of our nation.”^{[4]  (Link)}

^{The above article, or at least part of the article from Wikipedia and the beginning quote should be an inspiration to all Americans, it talks of Faith, faith in the American system, faith in self and faith in humanity. It talks of self-reliance and justice, not handouts and welfare.  It talks about picking yourself up and taking care of business, your business, and not relaying on the government to do it for you. I like that!}

^{So what is “just”?}

^{As a Catholic, social justice is a huge part of my faith, we have Bishops and everyday pew sitters working on this issue daily, we have documents coming from the Vatican and our local Church. I could spend hours reading and re-reading the documents, many of them online and available for free. I can read the words of many a great men, saints and some not so saintly. But in the end, I think that simple quote above states it very distinctly:}

^…I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then, tell me how much of what I earn “belongs” to you — and why?”

 

^{That about states it all… Now I can hear everyone asking, what about the poor, who is going to help them… We need to take and give to them.. True, I agree, you are correct. But… And this is a big but… It’s not the government’s job to decide who or what charities I want to support, it is not the governments job to decide how much is too much. That my friends, it totally up to me… That is “just”.}

^{Humanity will, if allowed, care for herself. In the United Stated we have proven this, prior to big government stepping in, it was left to the local communities to care for one another, and they always did. During the many recessions and depressions this country has gone through, the local community always cared for their own. As it should be. The “Great Society” and the “New Deal” and all other forms of Social Engineering has done nothing to change the simple fact that we will always have the poor. But what it has done is created a whole generation that is now dependent upon the government to fix and provide for all there needs. No longer is it a community coming together, but now it laws and regulations and dependency.}

^{The local out reach programs, Faith based community services and alike are now governed by the Federal Government, bogged down with regulations and paperwork that much of there “good deeds” go undone due to lack of resources to meet the ever-expanding hands of Big Brother. Prior to the government handing out the tax payers money, the local community gathered its resources from the community itself, depended on the community and thrived with in the community it served.}

^{The Catholic church was the prominent provider in many communities, depending upon the Church and the community at large to provide free services to whomever needed them, regardless of their faith. Look at Boys Town as a perfect example. Fr. Flanagan did not ask the Federal Government for moneys to build his Town, nope, he depended upon the common person to send in donations, and the work of building the town, well that was left up the him and the boys. In todays “regulated” world this could never happen, the government would not allow the young men who made up the community of Boys Town to do the labor, they would consider it “degrading” and “child labor”, were as Fr. Flanagan and his boys considered it “Character building” and “Edifying” . How times have changed.}

^{The government would have required trained social workers were as Fr. Flanagan required love and respect. There is not law or regulations for love and respect, so the government would not consider them to be important. How times have changed…}

^{“Charity” and “Social Justice” and not be regulated or forced, they have to be organic in nature. they have to come from the souls of the ones offering. When government sticks its hands into our pockets and forces us to “give” the act of Charity and Justice has just become an act of redistribution and extortion.}

^{In the books “Who Really Cares” and “Gross National Happiness”} Arthur C. Brooks, the author, makes the case that charity is a human act, not a governmental act. That it is the benevolence of man and not the redistributionist of government that keeps charities rolling. Both books are well worth the reading.

The Catholic Church, like many organization, has its fair share of redistributionist, who feel that humanity in-of-its-self is not able or capable of caring for each other. To me this is a travesty and a slap in the collective face of man kind! But, truth be told, we allowed this mind-set to happen, we, as a nation have become “dependent” upon the government to not only govern our national affairs, but also our personal affairs.

A return to a simpler time, a time when communities cared for each other, relied upon each other and depended upon their neighbors was when true social justice existed in this nation. We now live in a nation of not social justice, but a nation of social engineering, other wise know as socialism, tyranny or any other work to describe personal liberties and personal responsibilities being replaced by group think. We are teaching our children not to depend upon themselves and the community at large, but rather to look to and depend upon the government. We have generations of Americans that have no concept of charity and giving, of time, talent and treasure. But we do have generations of Americans who understand the concepts of give me, I deserve and “fairness”. Using the term “fairness” not as it was meant, “Equal opportunity” but rather as “Equal treasures” regardless of effort put forth.

The America of pre-New Deal and The Great Society is not yet lost, but is quickly becoming so. We have the opportunity and obligation to change the course of this great nation. To right the wrongs and return American and her citizens back to personal responsibility and community minded obligations. We have a unique opportunity in America, the opportunity to wage a revolution with our guns and blood, a revolution that uses the most powerful weapon ever know to man, the vote. This November we must vote to return America back to Americans, to restore Charity and Social Justice back to the people. It is time to take up the mantel of liberty and forge a new path to prosperity by returning to the founding principles of this great nation. Principles spelled out in our founding documents, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Documents that outline the path to prosperity and freedom, documents that never, not once, call upon the Government to care for the personal lives of its Citizenry. But rather call upon its Citizenry to care for the Government.

God Bless

Paul

Guided Insight Life Coach 

 

Related articles

• Thoughts on Social Justice (littlepatuxentreview.org)
• Arcus Foundation Gives $23 Million for Social Justice Leadership (bilerico.com)
• New Book Delves into Specifics of Successful Social Justice Efforts (prweb.com)
• Urgent Appeal to Occupy and All Social Justice Movements: Mobilize to Defend the Egyptian Revolution | Ad-Hoc Coalition to Defend the Egyptian Revolution (fourbluehills.com)
• Gay Philanthropist Drops A Cool $23 Million To Endow New Social-Justice Center (queerty.com)
• Call for social justice especially valid today (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Short Comment / Thoughts on Social Justice, Generations & Memory (waterchildren.wordpress.com)
• The Salvation Army Daily Cup Mobile App Named Finalist for Effective Mobile Marketing Awards (prweb.com)
• Social Justice Unit Study (free!) (livingasoftheday.com)
• Discussion about race, social justice and police January 28 (centraldistrictnews.com)
• We must not forget! (myvoicewasheard.com)
• A New Way for the Faith Based Market to Fund Causes and Creative Projects: Faithfunder.com…Fund Your Dreams (faithinspires.wordpress.com)
• UK govt ‘ll support Boko Haram victims, says Archbishop of Canterbury (vanguardngr.com)

 

Weeping is the new laughing

Image via Wikipedia

As I was searching for my daily positive quote to post on my Facebook page I ran across this one:

"Laugh and the world laughs with you,
weep and you weep alone."
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I liked it, it struck me for some reason. My first reaction to it was, this is not true anymore, the world loves to weep with you. The world has moved on, and weeping is the new laughing. And I feel, in someway, that this is true. We seem to have become a society that thrives on the negative, that looks for opportunities to feel slighted or misused. We want to be able to feel like a victim, even when we are not.

What proof do I have of this, none really, just my observations. Watch TV in the late morning early afternoon and you will find TV courtrooms with people pleading there cases for all the world to see. Tune into the nightly news and watch as our neighbors and fellow citizens play the race card or demand equality were no equality is guaranteed.

The Casey Anthony trial is a perfect example of weeping over laughing. People lined up hours before the door opened to the court room, rushed in, pushed people out of the way, all to get a seat in the belly  of one of our nations shameful moments. We clamored to out TVs to get updates and to see her reactions. When we as a nation should have been ashamed of what was done, we turned it into a media opportunity, a mini-series of reality. And when the not guilty verdict was announced,  we yet again showed out national obsession with weeping. Hundreds of people made pilgrimages to the shallow grave site where she was found, setting up a makeshift memorial.

Why is that bad, in-of-it-self it is not, feeling emotion for the loss of life and feeling that justice was not served are both valid. But what is not valid is the obsession of the nation, the pushing and shoving of people, who did not even know her or anyone in the family. Had no ties to the case, yet they felt compelled to miss work, stand in line, shove and push to get a “good” seat, as if it was a rock concert of some sort. The fact that thousands left gifts at a makeshift memorial, spent hours in lines to do so, yet has never had any dealing with the family in the past.

The weeping to the point of obsession is the replacement to laughter. We as a nation have become obsessed with the need to feel slighted and put out. We look for and find, how ever obscure it may be, reasons to weep, reasons to feel oppressed and put upon. We avoid reasons to laugh and to make light of situations. In fact if we do make light of situations we are looked down upon, we are considered cold and uncaring. If we do not make opportunities to weep we are considered odd or aloof.

Find a reason to laugh today…

 

God Bless

Paul

Related articles

• Weeping Web (booguloo.wordpress.com)
• Jesus Weeps (obsecrations.wordpress.com)
• My Medugorje Testimony: The Weeping Knee (loyaltothemagisterium.wordpress.com)
• Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (dawnmarie4.wordpress.com)
• Good stuff: Parental heartbreak, of a sort. (emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com)
• RUHCUS Day Three Willing to Weep Ceremony (onlyconfidence.wordpress.com)
• Who wants a weeping President? (vanguardngr.com)
• We Weep (inherview.wordpress.com)
• Legend of the Tengu Prince: Chapter Seven "Weeping Crane" (lediarunnels27221219.wordpress.com)
• Weeping Willow (squee.icanhascheezburger.com)
• Weep Tears of Understanding (tawheedfirst.wordpress.com)
• RUHCUS Day 13: Are You A Hoarder? (onlyconfidence.wordpress.com)
• ~My Friend~ (khitiilaeahn.wordpress.com)

 

American short term memory loss

Image by wmrice via Flickr

The American people have a tendency to forget quickly…. This past November we held local, state and national elections all over our great nation. Overwhelmingly we voted for conservatives,  we told the powers that that be that we no longer wanted our government to spend our money freely, that we wanted accountability.

In my great state of Michigan we did just that. We voted in a man who promised to make the hard decisions, to fix our broken system and to make Michigan great once again. We voted for the self proclaimed nerd, Rick Snyder, and he won with overwhelming support. And he has submitted his first budget as governor, and, wait for it, he did what he said he was going to do, he make the hard decisions, made cuts and shared the sacrifice. And now the people are complaining… Go figure!

Why are they complaining? They voted for him (I know not everyone did, but most did). They are complaining because the sacrifice has hit them also. Unlike other politicians, Rick did what he said he was gong to do, to share the burden, to cut from everywhere and fix what was broken. Michigan was not working, it was broke, and doing business as usual was not an option. So now is the time to fix it and move on. But the fix has to be, wait for it, “Fair”. Yes I know, I just used a liberal word here. But I mean truly fair, as in everyone helps to fix it, everyone gives something up, every one pays the price. Not just the “rich” or the “fat cats” but everyone, including the unions. Yes I said it, even the unions. But Rick went even further, he also included the golden calf, the state workers and there beloved pensions…

It is time for Americans to wake up, the liberal social point of view, the idea of a nanny state is bankrupting our cities, states and this nation. The government, be it local or national, was not established to care for your every needs, yet we expect it to. And when the money runs out, like it is now, we are shocked and dismayed. Silly us….!

We, like the rest of the world, are having our own uprising, we too are fighting to take back our government. God willing, it will not become violent, and we will have ourselves a silent revolution, one done through the power of the vote. Yet we must also remain steadfast in our convictions, and our American short term memory loss needs to be fixed. Fixing what took decades to create is not going to be easy, nor is it going to be fun, but it needs to be done.

It is time for Americans to grow up at decide to take care of themselves. The whole idea of interments is a flawed idea, an idea that takes way our freedoms and or own personal responsibility. We have become a nation of give me, and no longer a nation of doing. Well my friends it is time we start doing! It is time that we, the citizens, take care of each other, a time the we the people fight for our God given right to choose our own path, to forge anew and reawaken our American spirit. It is time to reclaim America, reclaim our states and our dignity.

God Bless

Paul

Related articles

• Michigan workers to oppose "anti-labor" state proposals (reuters.com)
• Wheels: For Gov. Rick Snyder, Little Competition for Detroit Spotlight (wheels.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Michigan State Rep Calls For Removal of Civil Service Commission Members Who Voted For Same-Sex Partner Benefits (lezgetreal.com)
• Michigan State Rep Calls For Removal of Civil Service Commission Members Who Voted For Same-Sex Partner Benefits (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Snyder’s budget could halt Michigan film industry – Detroit Free Press (news.google.com)
• Mich. gov. to take $1 salary in ‘shared sacrifice’ (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• MI Rep. Peter Lund Can’t Stand To See Taxpayer Dollars Go Toward Homos’ Health Benefits (queerty.com)
• Michigan Gov. Says He Won’t ‘Pick Fights’ With Unions (online.wsj.com)
• Michigan Governor Proposes Big Budget Cuts, Lower Taxes (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)
• "Gov. Rick Snyder gives first State of the State address" and related posts (statenews.com)
• Gov. Rick Snyder names Michigan Supreme Court justice today – The Detroit News (news.google.com)
• The state of Michigan: Send in the nerd (economist.com)
• "Gov. Snyder unveils his budget plan" and related posts (michiganmessenger.com)
• Mich. gov. to wrap tax cuts, exemptions together – BusinessWeek (news.google.com)
• On Location: Michigan to Hollywood — ‘Get off my lawn’ (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• Conservatives lose effort for deeper spending cuts (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• WSJ: Unions about power, not democracy (hotair.com)
• Still voting for these hypocrites and liars. Why? by Philip A. Farruggio (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• "US House passes sweeping cuts to domestic programs" and related posts (toledofreepress.com)
• African Americans and the struggle for socialism, 1901-1925 By Abayomi Azikiwe (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• 17 reviews of Ronald Reagan (rateitall.com)
• CPAC: It’s Not a Schism; Social Cons Still Attending (minx.cc)
• When Reagan was (much) less popular than Carter (salon.com)
• Democrats Court Hispanics with Promises, Pleas and the ‘Dream Act’ (politicsdaily.com)
• "Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand" and related posts (balloon-juice.com)
• "Wisconsin union protests update: Round-up of weekend action" and related posts (feeds.dailykos.com)
• "Revolution Sweeps Libya As Muammar Gaddafi Flees" and related posts (warnewsupdates.blogspot.com)
• "BREAKING: Carmelo Anthony TRADED To NEW YORK KNICKS!" and related posts (theybf.com)

 

Lessons for a Centurion

“Surely he was the Son of God!”  ^{Matthew 27:54}

The above quote is from the Gospel of Matthew. It is a simple quote, only 7 words, but the depth of the statement has sounded through-out history. It transcends time and is forever resonating in all times.

Last night I read this passage, and for the first time it struck me how much is stated in only a few simple words. Let set the scene:

Jesus is on Calvary, he is nailed to the cross, suffering and near death. All his friends have run off, abandon Him in His time of need, save a few, Mary, his mother, John, the beloved and Mary Magdalene along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. Mostly the woman in Jesus life are there to comfort him. His crucifixion is a mockery of justice and the roman centurions are making light of it by casting lots for His few earthly belongings. On either side of Him are criminals, one mocking Him, the other asking for forgiveness.

The moment of death arrives, and Jesus offers up His sacrifice, His life for our sins. Most continue to mock but one, the centurion, He feels something, sees something that the others do not, he is moved by a the winds that whip around this place of death, this place of the sculls, Golgotha. The spirit of God descends upon him as the last breath is exhausted from our savior.

Jesus cry’s out it is done and the loan centurion cry’s out it has begun.

A chilling moment for sure. One that I ma sure had a profound effect on all who were there. For some it was shame and guilt, for others it was satisfaction and yet others one of loss. Our centurion, the first convert to the faith, he, I am sure, felt all of the above emotions and more.

Shame for what he has done, for his participation in the crucifixion of the Son of God. Guilt in his understanding of who Jesus was, he was too late to save Him, his conversion was post-mortem. His satisfaction in knowing his life will be forever changed and his sense of loss for not seeing Jesus for who he was when Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem as a free man.

How many of us are like that centurion, we always seem to come to it, what ever it may be, late. We come to our understanding of forgiveness after we have suffered loss. Loss of a friendship or a loved one. We come to our shame and guilt after the act, what ever act it may be, is completed and we feel the loss when utter despair has set in.

The emotions of Calvary are played out daily in our lives, they are part of our personal, family and faith life. And we too, like the centurion, often times have our conversion once the death has taken place.

But like the centurion, we too can feel a great joy in our hearts knowing that all is not lost. Knowing that Jesus has died so that me may live. Knowing that forgiveness is always there, all we have to do is ask. And knowing that the things of this world are nothing without the King of this world, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

We too can feel the winds that whip around this place of death, this place of the sculls, Golgotha. The spirit of God descends upon us as the last breath is exhausted from our savior. For this last breath is a timeless breath, one that is exhausted for us for all times…

God Bless

Paul

 

Restoring Virtue

As I stated n one of the last few blogs, I am reading a great book, The war on Prosperity, and the book, as I stated, is one of the best books I have read in a long time. But that’s not what this blog is about, it’s about what I have learned from the book.

Last night I was reading on restoring virtue to American and Americans. The concept is easy, if we are a nation of virtues  we will prosper. A very sound concept, and might I add a proven one. It is biblically based and time proven. The Fathers of our nation had it and we, as a nation use to, but we have seemed to have lost it over the years. Oh, sure, some will argue that we have not, that he have grown and the virtues of our fathers are no longer the same virtues we hold. But that is silly and bull!

Virtues are a constant, they do not change, they do not evolve and they are not organic in nature. They are consistent and ever-present, it is only humanity that “changes” and “evolves”. sadly we, humanity, has done just that, we have “evolved” and “changed” our ways from being virtues to being tolerant and progressive, from being conservative to being liberal.

This great nation of ours was built on the backs of virtues people, people who were willing to stand tall for their faith and their nation. People who were willing to die for a cause that was much bigger than them. They understood that to be taken seriously they had to be virtues, an understanding that we have lost, don’t belive me, just look at our current politicians and leaders. Look at our teachers and religious leaders, look at the family unit or lack of. The lack of virtue is a lack of integrity and, in time, it takes a toll on humanity.

We, as a nation, as individuals need to restore virtue, we need to reconnect to our founding fathers and the principles they stood for, fought and died for. America was once a great nation of principles and had high standards, we were once a virtues nation, but no more, we are a nation that believes in the latest trend and bends with the wind. We need to stand tall, and with stand the winds of corruption and once again be that nation that all others look to. American is the greatest experiment known to man, and she will survive, but only if we return to virtue.

Faith is belief in the right things (including the virtues!).

Hope is taking a positive future view, that good will prevail.

Charity is concern for, and active helping of, others.

Fortitude is never giving up.

Justice is being fair and equitable with others. 

Prudence is care of and moderation with money.

Temperance is moderation of needed things and abstinence from things which are not needed.

They are not lost on us for ever, we can return to them, but we must work at it, as individuals and as a nation.

God Bless

Paul

 

Thoughts and Views

Just a few random thoughts and views expressed here…

The heat wave of 2010 is here, and in Michigan we have been feeling it, with the temps in the upper 90’s but feeling like the 100’s. It’s been a  hot few days, but it looks like it is over, for now. The stupidity of some people never stops amazing me, just the other day on the news was a story of a grandmother who left her three year old grandson in the car, in a parking garage in downtown Detroit for a few hours. Thank God someone saw him and contacted the police. She is now being charged with child abuse, we need to add a law on the books called “Your just plane stupid”.

This Arizona law on immigration and the federal governments lawsuit is just stupid. The federal government is taking to court the state of Arizona for enforcing the very law that the federal government enacted but fails to enforce. Does anybody else see the silliness of this action, or are you to blind from so called “social justice” to see that this law is not only necessary but good for all who come here legally.

The more I read about President Obama and the more I hear the more sad I get. Our nation is under attack from within, and we voted the attackers in to office. Not only the open and blatant attack from the oval office but also from the house and senate. We are being attacked not with guns and dirty bombs but with ideology and rhetoric from the extreme left. This November we must mount our counter attack, and vote out the aggressors.

The current state of the Catholic Church, as I see it, is one in flux. We are experiencing a sort of growing pain. The scandals and continuing debates that have plagued our Church for the last 50 years or so will soon die out, as the faithful become more conservative and the liberal wing of the faith begin to subside. Some will rejoin the fold and others, sadly, will fall away from the true faith. Why do I think this, simply because it is time. God had plans for all things, including His Church, the cleansing is taking place now and soon a rebirth of sorts will happen. Not a rebirth as the liberal Catholics would like to see, woman priest, less sacredness and such, but a rebirth of piety, devotion and the sacraments. This rebirth is the new springtime that the Holy Father talks about.

The other day I attended a Town Hall event for Rick Snyder, who is running for Governor of Michigan. What I was most impressed with was his positive attitude, he never bad mouthed the other candidate and he never was doom and gloom. Sure he was realistic in his assessment of the current state of affairs in this Great State of Michigan, but he always was upbeat and positive about what could be. He was also very humble in the fact that he stated, several times, that he, as governor could not do it alone, that we all needed to help in the salvage mission (The salvage part are my words not his). It was refreshing to hear such positive talk from a candidate for any office. He had my vote before the Town Hall, but now he has it even more so.

I have run across many people who think this way: “I know my child is going to have sex or drink so I will allow them to do it in the house, that way I know were they are” or “ I know they are going to have sex or drink, so I will not only allow them to do so in the house, but I will also provide them with the necessary needs, such as the beer or birth control.” Simply put, this boggles my mind! How can a parent, who is charged with caring for that child, allow and indorse such actions? I know there is nothing you can do to prevent the child from making bad choices, sex and drinking being only two such examples. But to encourage it, to help it along… Come on…. To me it is no different than saying “I know my child is going to cheat so I will show them the best way to do it” or “I know my child is going to murder, so I will get them the gun to do it with”. Yes I know some of you are saying murder and drinking or cheating and sex have no correlation, they are completely different. I am not saying they are on the same level, but the concept is the same. No parent would encourage there child to cheat. They would explain to them that cheating is only hurting themselves and that if you cheat you will never learn anything. That same parent would not allow their child to murder, they would do everything with in there power to prevent such actions, knowing that the action itself would cause not only the death of whom ever the child murdered, but also the death of there child. Not a physical death, but one of the soul. The same is can be said for both sex and drinking, the parent who allows and encourages such action is allowing harm and the possible death too come to that child’s soul.

God Bless

Paul

Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies: Issue by Issue Responses to the Most Common Claims of the Left from A to Z

Psalm 138:2“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Related articles by Zemanta

• U.S. sues Arizona over immigration law (cbc.ca)
•