ELEVATORS

Now they're an experience. Elevators have one thing they do well and that's elevate, and of course they're good for let-downs too. Up and down, that's what they do and where they go ... but they're free! (If your mood's a little low or you're depressed, jump into the nearest elevator ... and be elevated for free.)

When the elevator doors close on that little room it creates it's own very small environment. A unique and mysterious dynamic. We enter a collection of total strangers crowded together, packed in, with nothing in common but going up ... or coming down.

The room is ever so small and ever so quiet.

What does one do on this short trip. First, the button! A panel of do-it-yourself buttons are there and then of course you push your button for your floor, that is if no one has already pushed it. The ride, like the environment, is totally unnatural. Each person vaguely looking at something, but, of course, no eye contact.

One just doesn't do that!

While I'm on my trip I look at things like the emergency button, or if there are a good number of fat people with me, I look at the plaque that tells me the maximum load in pounds. (On occasion this can be unnerving!) Often I'll count down the floors by their lights; that's another thing one can do on the short trip. Every now and then there's a bit of brief excitement when the doors close on someone that's a tad bit late, that's a highlight.

I actually saw an elevator commercial on TV the other night that just blew my mind.

Camera! Action! The doors close on this elevator full of people and inside is this cheerful young lady that is excitedly telling her fellow travelers that her bloating has stopped and she is no longer constipated.

Now there is a conversation starter.

Next we'll see a muscle bound young man bounce into the elevator and when the doors close he'll cheerfully tell everyone how Viagra has changed his sex life, and how for four hours he ... well, I'll not go there.

Boy, these commercials are convincing! Makes me want to rush out to the nearest Drug Store and buy ... well,

A laxative!!!

THE DIRTY LITTLE BASTARDS!

The times I was with my father, I never heard him curse or use foul language; come to think of it, he did use the word bastard on occasion. Bastard? Well, as far as I knew, it was a ... "dirty word". I remember being surprised one day in woodshop when I found a file called a "bastard-file" ... wow! I really didn't know what a bastard was.

You see in my day people married and it was animals that mated.

It's sure changed now ... with more bastards on the horizon.

For years now I've been working with dirty little bastards across the border! Kids on the streets, or running in the barrios, children in the orphanages. Girl bastards, boy bastards, young men and young girls.

Bastards all!

Bastard is such an ugly name for these neat kids. They had nothing to do with how they got here but in time they find out the ugly truth. They are a bastard, not because of what they did, but what was done to them! And in time that bastard feeling cuts right into their heart! Worthless, makes a deep wound.

On occasion, to the boys I know well enough, I'll ask that painful question. "Do you know your father? In a silent answer, the boy often shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head, looking at the floor; avoiding my eyes. The answer is no. On more than one occasion, I've hugged the kid and whispered in his ear, you're my son and I'll be your Papa. The smile I get as he looks up into my eyes is worth more than money can buy.

The return hug, is a long one.

I've found that bonding with a bastard kid isn't hard at all, and love makes a mighty strong glue.

I'm convinced that God loves all the bastards in the world, and that God intends to love them through people who love Him.

I intend to be there for God's little bastards!

CHRISTIANS?

The original Church at Antioch was an unusual Church in many ways. It was a very young Church, a Church of Gentiles more than Jews and more importantly a living moving visible body of Believers. A Church as it was made to be. Make no mistake, the term Christian was coined by non-believers, the people of the city of Antioch, as they watched the Believers in action.

The world called visible Believers, Christians! They were Christ-like in their behavior.

The Believers place of meeting wasn't even in the equation.

Indeed the Believers were the visible living Church. The Lord intended it to be that way.

How different the Church today. The Church of today is defined by the world, and Christians alike, as a building. The building with a cross on top!

The where they meet rather, than who they are.

Today Believers do their thing inside a building or facility. The key word here is INSIDE! The key word 2000 years ago was OUTSIDE!

Something to think about!

Today inside the "Church facility" we are "evangelized", "saved", "fed" "baptized," "discipled," "married," and by the Church we are "buried" Key word here is INSIDE!

In some cases there is little difference between the box with the cross on top in the cemetery and the box with the cross on top in the neighborhood! Ouch!

Today the world sees the Church as a large, strong, permanent and visible building in the community. Beautiful but lifeless.

And today, it's the Christians that call themselves Christians; not the world ... it seems Christians are not visible today, only their Church building. And the beauty of Christ is limited to architecture

Where have all the salt-less Christians gone?

THE OFF BUTTON

There are buttons of every color, size and shape. Official buttons, buttons with symbol's and of course, common buttons. Buttons are mostly on clothing; fasteners that keep things ... well, together. Oh yes there are still doorbell buttons or buzzers. Press the button and get the chime. Buttons of some kind are found almost everywhere. Shirts, skirts, whatever.

Buttons are an important part of my life. For instance, I'm looking at my TV remote; it's full of buttons, forty-four to be exact. If you have two remotes you've doubled the buttons. Between my computers, printers, radio and remote I live in a wild world of buttons!

Of all the buttons I have, there is one that's my favorite! The little button of peace, the button of control; the button of power!

Ah ... the OFF button. Thank God for the OFF button!

THE AMERICA I ONCE KNEW

I'll admit I'm "retro". I'm over 80 now and I should be retro. I've lived a life most of you have never known and I've lived in a free country you've never lived in and enjoyed "America the truly beautiful"; it was much different than today's "America the confused."

Back then there were well established boundaries, we knew who we were and where we were. In my day there were absolutes. We knew our history and where we were going. A proud people.

Perhaps a little too proud.

Similar to what the Scriptures say in Proverbs 22:28, America had a legacy of well-defined boundaries that our forefathers established. Good and clear boundaries which gave us a sense of security and a certain context to the living of life.

God and truth brought ethics and morality. Ethics from the inside out!

The establishing of these wise boundaries made us who we are ... or rather, who we were. (Proverbs 22:28, )

Along the line of time we got careless and content and we forgot to heed the warning of God. "Don't let those boundaries be moved!" Maintain them!

The America of confusion, infighting and chaos that we live in today is in part the result of changing and re-arranging those old boundaries. We've let fools have their way!

What audacity!

A load of young, inexperienced and intellectual ideologues have decided to lead us ... decided to re-arrange the old boundaries. They came in under the label of change and change they did!

They are out to change the very foundations of our Country.

It's hard for us old timers to live in the new America when we knew what real America once was.

Pardon me for hungering for retro! I lived in America the beautiful, America the great!

THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

Maybe it's because I've worked with youth for more than a half a century that I notice the growing exodus of American youth to join the radical Muslim cause. To some the attraction of youth to Muslim religion and jihad is a puzzle.

It's no puzzle!

In a purposeless society like ours, we can expect our kids to be attracted to purpose; better said, "a cause." Muslims recruit activist kids and give them a cause they're willing to die for, Key here is "a cause" ... and they're finding them.

Our failure to install healthy "purpose" into our American youth makes them drifting candidates for gangs or Muslim jihad. I predict more and more American males will leave for the Muslim life and war. Looking at a young American Muslim convert, dedicated to the purpose of Jihad ... I think, what a powerful activist Christian he could have become!

However we continue with the living for Christ mantra, while many youth would rather die for Allah! They "have a cause" they believe in.

Today's honey coated purposeless living for Jesus just isn't doing it. Where are the Christian activist willing to die for the Jesus, who died to save them. Where are the Pastors and Youth-workers willing to set the example?

We don't see any on the horizon.

Today we're into sit and listen, watch and applaud. Platform stars and music gigs rule. Hollow entertainment at a time of war.

Where are the youth men with the courage to define our cause and challenge their best kids to grab their Bibles and head into the world sharing our Gospel, even if it means death. Where?

I know by experience that "honey dipped" Christianity doesn't attract the strong activist type. It's the tough talk of reality and a challenge that attracts and sends out the true activist.

How can a weak youth-worker talk tough. Good question!

It's time we throw out this secular "politically correct" mentality, along with the soft Christianity, and level with our kids ... 2000 years ago we were called to a cause, it's about time we get back to what we were created to be and what we were created to do ... and it wasn't fun and games!

Every time an American youth leaves his country to head to the Muslim cause ... the Church and youth-workers have failed.

THE HEAVENLY CITY

Having lived in San Diego for sixty-eight years, I have seen it by day, by night, and from every angle; from the shopping malls to the restaurants, through my windshield orderly traffic, and from the air many, many times, however the most impressive view of San Diego I've ever seen was from the hills of Grupo Mexico three miles south of our border. In a slight fog and when the sun is just right, San Diego looks like a heavenly, celestial city in the sky. Maybe it's the dirty, cluttered frame around this awesome sight that makes it so impressive, especially to the Mexican poor who view this city of San Diego day after day.

A paradise so near ... and yet so far away. Spawning impossible dreams.

Contrasting this is the view south from San Diego. The masses of little unkempt buildings and rabbit-trail roads on dry dirty hillsides where the invisible poor live out their lives; barely surviving. A sprawling unkempt city held together with graffiti.

Can we call this living ... or existing? Or do we even care?

Unfortunately the contrast is becoming more apparent. Pressure continues to grow.

To many, but not all, Tijuana is simply a staging area where potential illegals nightly amass to storm the border. To others farther north, it's simply Mexico's problem.

For those of us who work in Tijuana with these poor families, it's a huge field of ministry with countless opportunities. Unfortunately with little or no funds we are limited.

People are people and God sees no fences. People are eternal and they are our treasure. As I read the Bible, God loves the drunk laying on the sidewalk of Zona Norte in his own vomit as He does the educated clean hard working Doctor in his office in San Diego. As a Christian I have to see people the same way.

The unwanted truth is becoming a growing pressure. Tijuana is pretty well bankrupt. At this point the trinity of drugs, prostitution and robbery are holding it together. Employment? There is a high turnover of police, so they continue hiring but ... few factories, no construction, family clans moving in together and pooling their resources ...

And things are not improving!

All of that makes that northern paradise they see every day more inviting then ever.

LOOKING FOR A PATRIOT

This morning we arrived about thirty minutes before the school graduation began. Julio, seventeen, was graduating along with his class and I was to be his "padrino." We found three empty plastic chairs and sat down among the parents and friends of the graduating class. I have been to many, many graduations both here in the United States, Mexico and even South America.

Mexican graduations are different!

The set up area was a large rectangle of people. To my right was the long platform where the school dignitaries sat behind a long decorated table. The speakers podium was located to the right of the dignitaries. Across from us the graduating class sat quietly in their school uniforms. To my left, and where I sat were hundreds of parents, relatives and friends.

Graduations in Mexico are radically different from the graduations here in the United States. The impacting difference is pure patriotism. Mexicans are patriots! (That word may not be familiar with some of you; look it up.)

At the beginning of the ceremony all were asked to stand as the bugles and drums signaled the flag presentation. Six marching girls in uniform marched around the open field proudly presenting the flag of Mexico. Then there was the salute to the flag, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The flag team then paraded back to their original position. This was a big part of the program.

I was actually witnessing something America lost years ago.

After a couple of speeches the graduates were called one by one to accept their diplomas and shake hands with the school dignitaries. Pretty much standard in graduations.

Then a dozen dancers, guys and gals, danced into the center. Mexican music, Mexican kids in costume ... folkloric at it's best. Cute. Colorful. Another dozen patriots.

Make no mistake, Mexicans are patriotic and they bring their patriotism with them. When they come north, they enter the United States, a country with little or no patriotism left. A vacuum they gladly fill.

Many just don't understand this; primarily because they don't know what a patriot is ...

Along that line, the fourth of July is coming; so this afternoon I went into a large store and saw a small assortment of patriotic items. As I was selecting a small American flag, I felt a flush of guilt and bought an even smaller flag. I wished I had my dark glasses on so no one would recognize me. You see I live in progressive California, the "Left Coast" ... where it's dangerous to be seen a patriot.

THE LEAVEN OF CELEBRITY!

I'll admit it gives me a good feeling when I walk up on the platform and people applaud, and it's a real rush when hundreds of people give you a standing ovation. I know, I've been there. However deep inside me there is an uncomfortable feeling. Applause. Platform. Status. How does this all fit into the picture of a group of Believers? Does it belong in the Church?

Is it because I'm old, and in those olden days we didn't applaud in Church? It could be simply a glitch in adapting to today's culture. In that day applause was reserved for the secular; For entertainment like the theater, opera or sports.

When I hear applause in the church I sometimes wonder if the congregation is applauding the vessel or the creator of the vessel and it's contents ... or maybe both.

Frankly I'm worried about the secular leaven of celebrity. It's that five foot platform and those who act upon it. The performers we look up to. The platform that hosts our Christian Celebrities. Speaker, preacher, soloist, worship leader in a sense become Celebrities.

In the secular world I had no problem with applauding the performers but somehow I find it hard to applaud a brother in Christ who is simply and honestly sharing his gift. Applaud the man or praise God for his gift?

Or do we know the difference between being entertained or being edified?

Is this a cultural problem, or an indication that little by little the leaven of secular celebrity is becoming normal part of the evangelical church.

Are special speakers and popular musicians a cut above the rest of us? It seems so. In conferences and camps, as a speaker, I was often invited to special occasions where only we Celeb's were invited to fellowship with each other. A special time with us special people ... Christian celebrities.

Are there really Christian celebrities today? You better believe it! Christians that are a cut above the rest. Could there be "status" in the family of God?

Dangerous secular leaven slowly creeps into a lukewarm church.

Fortunately in the future there will come a day when we will all become family; we will all become one, where there will be a celebration with out celebrity.

Next time you applaud, think about it!

THE SILENT MINORITY

Some years ago I was in LaPaz Bolivia holding some Bible studies for Christian English speaking teens and bilingual Bolivians. Most of the kids in the room were Christians. It was a Friday night and I was concluding the series. The large room in which we were gathered was full and most of the kids were seated while some were standing against the wall. I was comfortably seated in an easy chair near the corner of the room.

At the conclusion of my message, I asked the group if there were any questions or comments. One older teen, a Bolivian kid, stood up and slowly looked around the room making eye contact with each person. He was a newcomer I had never seen before ... I thought, "This should be interesting." and it was.

He addressed the room full of Christians in good English. "How many of you believe the garbage this guy's been telling us tonight?" (I knew pretty well where I fit in his opinion.) "Let's see the hands of you guys who believe this stuff." There was a painful silence; everyone dropped their eyes. A few slowly raised their hands about halfway but none looked him in the eye.

I was witnessing the truth about so many professing Christians. This one young enthusiastic Communist was challenging the whole room full of "Christians" ... and not one person countered him.

When I dismissed the group, I went over to the young Communist, shook his hand and said the following. "As you know, you and I differ on our philosophies, but may I commend you on your courage! You have more courage in your little finger than this whole room full of so called Christians."

As I see it, things haven't changed much even in the USA. Where is our example? Where is our distinction? Where is our commitment? Where is our courage?

Maybe we should take some lessons from the Muslims. They have a cause; they are not only willing to live for their god, but they are willing to die for him too!

The Muslims make us Christians look like what we really are ... lukewarm, weak and silent ... so silent!

CONQUORING THE DARK!

A group of about thirty near nude Yanowamö were in the small room listening to me explain, through an interpreter, darkness and light. This is a subject that fascinates them. Yanowamo's, like most tribal people, fear the dark and the prince of darkness. We missionaries teach that our God is a powerful light that illuminates the trail we walk.

It was dark outside and the little gasoline generator next to the building was pumping out enough power to light the room.

I find that Indians like examples and remember them.

To make my point about the power of God's light over Satan's darkness, I asked the people to watch what I was about to do.

I went over to the door of the room, slowly opened it and simply asked the question ... "When I opened the door did the light in the room shine outside or did the darkness come inside?" Several took a look and they all concluded that when I opened the door the light in the room shined outside and the darkness was defeated. Fact experienced!

The lesson was so simple and so powerful!

Light always conquers dark! Light is the result of power and darkness has no power of it's own. Indeed darkness is simply the absence of light.

God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all.

We are people of light, God's light, for God, not Edison, is the author of light. As Matthew says, we not only are people of light and have the light but we are lights! We are here on earth to turn back the darkness.

CHALLENGE: Go, find a dark corner somewhere and shine, baby shine!

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

~ Matthew 5:14-16 (New International Version)

SHOWING LOVE

Last Saturday a little girl at the orphanage with a cute smile offered me a small sucker. A Mexican sucker; they're weird! Salty, sugary and pepper hot! Not the first piece of candy I've been offered and I'm not into candy! But seriously, what does a little kid give to a person who has everything? In their world, as a Gringo, I have everything including a car full of candy. What can they possibly give me?

In the Bible I'm asked to love almighty God with all my mind, heart and soul; but how do I show God love. When God is Spirit, made it all and has it all, what could I possibly give him to show my love?

Interesting thought.

Sunday while waiting to speak to my teens in another orphanage, The kids were watching a blood 'n guts video, I was sitting on a couch with a street teen on either side. One was sleeping, (so much for the blood 'n guts.) As I was sitting there, out of the dark comes this little thirteen year old and sits next to me, then he turned and looked at me and gave me a big hug ... a long hug, an honest hug. I felt his love for me.

Loving God? Hugging won't do, nor will giving God any "thing" do as a gift of love. We love Him in Spirit and in truth. Loving God? ...

How about responding to His gifts?

Yesterday I gave a little ten-year old boy a top! He was literally smiling from ear to ear and jumping up and down ... he took the yellow top, looked at it and then looked up at me and gave me a big "thank you!" and off he ran to get to school. Now that's the way you respond to a gift you really love!

That "thank you" really made my day!

A simple part of loving God is not just obedience, Worship and Praise, but a simple thing like thanking Him regularly for all the little blessings He sends our way. Blessings we often overlook. Thanks, is simply showing an attitude of gratitude ... showing love and appreciation for all He has given us.

Often in my morning prayers, I can spend half an hour just thanking God for blessings He has given me.

Showing God love? ... It isn't hard!

WANTED: GRANULATED CHRISTIANS!

My favorite cow was Daisy and she lived on my uncle's ranch, her wanderings were pretty much limited by a long rope. Within her circular world was a salt-lick; about an 8 inch block of solid salt. When Daisy felt a need of salt, she would come to the block of salt and take a few licks.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus spoke of salt.

We have a record here of Jesus telling us that we are the salt of the earth. Salt, a uniquely different substance. Salt an essential to life. We are to be a distinctly different people, with a distinctly different purpose, created to spread out and flavor the whole world.

I wonder if He was talking block or granulated? What is the lesson He is trying to give us?

Through the hundreds of years we seem to have created two "salt" philosophies; The granulated Christians and the big block Christians. Those granulated Believers who believe we should be a little piece of Godly salt spreading throughout the world ... then there are the salt-block Christians that believe in becoming a part of the solid block, that will draw those needing our salt to the big white block. Lets be a little creative and put a steeple on our salt-block and call us a church.

It seems the majority of Christians today are content to have the salt of the earth while the other few Christians are happy and content to be the salt of the earth ...

... and isn't that the point?

THE DEADLY DISEASE OF HATE

Working years in the dark recesses of society where the criminal is formed; I've had the dubious privilege of being privy to the birth and creation of criminals. Future social misfits, future social predators. Don't kid yourself, the future hard core criminal begins at a very young age. I've watched the young criminals at play, and studied them as they traveled through puberty and then went on to become adults and later become inmates. I've been able to gain a confidence and a relationship with many even though I don't agree with what their doing. We have many criminals here in Mexico and millions more on the way. A child born into a purposeless and loveless liberty will find his way into crime and destruction. Drugs will make wrong worth the risk. In most cases an absent or dysfunctional father seals the young criminal's direction ... and destiny.

Take little good looking Alex at seven.

I remember, some months ago, at the end of the work day in Pana, we were sitting on a bench in the shower room. Martha had brought in her little four-year-old daughter Juana, pointing out some sores on her legs. I was rubbing some cream on the sores she had shown me. Alex, her seven-year-old son, was standing there watching me.

In casual conversation I asked Martha where her husband worked. At that she threw up her arms and said, "That man! That beast! He's gone ... look at what he's done to me," and she showed me scars on her arms and legs. Then she said to little Alex, "He beats me doesn't he? He gets drunk and hurts me!" Alex looked over at me with a slight smile and hit me, not hard. Then his countenance seemed to change and he hit me again harder. Then, in an uncontrollable rage, he began seriously beating me. His mother started yelling at him to stop, but it did no good. I quickly grabbed his wrists and held them tightly together. Looking in his eyes, I shook him! "Look at me Alex," I said quietly. "Calm down!—Calm down!"—"Calm down." I continued holding him. In about a minute he calmed down.

Little Alex isn't the only boy hating his father, he isn't the only boy who is loaded with a deep, explosive anger. He hates the very person he will grow up to be. Alex hates men because the men that he has seen are angry, worthless drunks who beat their wives, girl friends and kids. Where and when is the next time Alex is going to unload this anger? ... and on whom?

IN GOD WE TRUST?

Remember years ago when in GOLD we trusted ... and in the founding of our nation we trusted in Almighty GOD? Now things have changed big time! Now, It's in God we trusted and in valueless paper we trust!

First we went off the gold standard in favor of paper then a little later we went off the GOD standard in favor of physiologists. Since then the consequences of our decisions are becoming apparent ... we are becoming lost in the very complexity we created. Problems are growing everywhere, while solutions continue to elude us. The new wave of paper, plastic, philosophers and physiologists can't seem to put Humpty Dumpty together again. The omelet he created is a stinking mess!

What fools we've been to put our trust in man.

Fortunately there's still some gold around! And fortunately for us there's some God around.

Not all of us have fallen for the secular's synthetic solution.

When things get bad, and things will get bad! When it hits the fan ... and it will hit the fan. The wise will uncover their gold and reveal their God.

GOOD OLD HYPOCRISY!

Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Martin Luther King, the black trinity. Of these three, in my opinion, only one stands out as an honest champion of the blacks and that was the martyred Martin Luther King. King was one who was for the blacks lifting themselves from their accepted status, and seeing themselves as having as much potential as any other American. Head held high!

Jackson and Sharpton, quickly attaching themselves to King's legacy and are proving themselves cheap fakes making their fortunes off the backs of their own black people.

Two cheap political Reverends content with their stature and competing for power over their black community. Two self appointed political spokesmen for the blacks under them; which they keep chained to their color, history and status.

These two find it quite profitable keeping blacks segregated, disconnected, discontented and enslaved to their past. You will never hear Jackson or Sharpton encourage their people to leave their slavery and history behind and become the people they could be.

Quite a successful strategy!

Keeping blacks diverted from a successful track upward is the goal of these two pundits; their blacks are only to hear what they can't be and will never be. Keep them down and controllable.

Be their savior!

Isn't it interesting to put this in perspective. Look through history at different ethnic groups Like Pollock's, Italians, Irish, that have come to America to make a new life and how they made it. It was tough. Were they persecuted? Of course ... What about the Chinese. Really tortured and persecuted, yet they didn't bitch and complain, they quietly climbed above it. Group after group came over went to school and climbed above it. None of them with the “help” of Jackson or Sharpton

However ... the blacks and Hispanics continue to bitch about their persecution and treatment.

Time for certain cultures to grow up ... and solve their own problems.

I for one, am tired of the constant bitching of blacks ... It's getting old!! ... and I'm tired of being blamed for my great, great grandfather in Germany's involvement in the slavery that existed in early America.

This is so insane!

Have you ever heard anything about the Blacks in Africa that collected and sold their brothers into slavery. Blacks never speak about them. (I wonder why?) Of course not they were black. They're black selling their own, to the blacks that seems O.K. iI's the big bad whites that bought these people that are the problem.

Ahh, good old hypocrisy!

FOR THE SAKE OF THE POOR?

On this health care thing it seems the tune is love and the lyrics are compassion. From every politician's mouth comes, "for the sake of compassion" ... "for the 30 million not covered by health care." From that point on, the heart wrenching narratives roll. From a closed-door meeting, I bet someone suggests, "lets sell this bill on compassion for the poor! Go for the heart ... compassion will sell it!" And they did.

Is that what sold the bill? Of course!!

I for one am tired of heart wrenching rhetoric. The stories may be true but using them to obligate the masses isn't right.

I don't know if you are like me, but I wonder if there isn't a dirty little secret Obama, Nancy, Harry and their bunch of politicians are holding in their personal histories.

I guess you could call me skeptical.

I for one would like to have each one of them open up their personal lives and show us how much they have personally given of their own time and resources to charity for no motive other than compassion for the poor. How much they personally have sacrificed for the poor. How much (proportionally) of their own money they have given to charity. Show us your history of personal charity.

Are these guys true examples of what they preach?

When it comes to generosity and true concern for the poor it seems they all have a great ability of taking other peoples money and distributing it to the poor ... under their own name and for their own political good!

If what they're doing isn't wrong, why they're doing it is. I think we the people have every right to question the motives of the whole crew, from the top man down!

Controlling and manipulating people for their own political ends, and using our money to do it.

It just isn't right.

THE GANG RAPE OF UNCLE SAM!

It seems that our revered congressmen have morphed back into what they were all the time, a pack of dirty dogs! These sleazy politicians had planned a gang rape all along, they just needed a leader ... and so we were dumb enough to deliver the great leader! While we thought all along that his "Yes we can!" was a call for change in America, we didn't think of it as a change of America! Now we find "Yes we can" takes on a whole new meaning. Yes we can! ... and Sunday, we will!

Roll over America, relax, this won't hurt. America screams no!, No you can't do this!! The pack reply's "Yes we can!" "Yes we can!"

One by one the politicians that are lurking around the sidelines are turning from their morals join the pack, excited about their opportunity to enjoy the big rape!

America, relax, don't fight it? You might as well get used to it, we'll have you on the floor again soon.

The dogs are barking, panting with anticipation! "We want our satisfaction and you're going to give it to us!"

Hold on, the raping won't start until Sunday! When? Sunday.

Where? ... All over America.

Remember folks, this is for your own good.

DANIEL AND HIS NAUGHTY LIONS!

Today as I was leaving the church office, my eyes came across a black and white picture laying on a work desk. I looked again; it was a picture page out of a children's coloring book ... depicting the courageous and cruel story about a man of God. This was a story from the Old Testament showing Daniel in the Lion's den.

A rather scary time for Mr. Daniel!

Way back when I was a kid in Sunday School, well, we weren't so politically correct. The way I recall it Daniel was to be placed into a dark smelly den of hungry lions to be cruelly killed and eaten alive.

Chills!

But God intervened! Teaching points, faith in God and courage.

In my day our illustrations were so vivid and detailed you could practically smell the den. These pictures were the result of courageous illustrators who dared to illustrated the truth.

I think that's what caught my eye was today's new type of Curriculum; the difference was so obvious.

In this politically correct color-book picture you see chubby young Daniel with a smile, next to this well-fed and relaxed lion with a smile and a mischievous look. Two friends and a den.

No fangs, blood and broken bones. No skin and bones or lions ready to jump on Daniel and turn him into meat. Nice kitty!

I wonder how the other pages of this Old Testament coloring book were illustrated. How did this sensitive illustrator handle David chopping off Goliath's head? Way too bloody to show kids! Lets just follow David as he walks along picking up his rocks. That will be nicer and isn't nice what truth is all about?

On Television and Cable parents get an advance warning, a disclaimer of sorts protecting their little darlings, lest they catch a picture of reality.

It seems truth is not as important as the spin you give it! Keep life ... smiles, and Happy! Happy! Happy!

And the book will sell well.

OKAY. SO I'M DIFFERENT!

Do you ever think about sameness? Is it something we want to be, or is it something we just become? Do you ever get tired of "sameness" Even God seems to fight it, everything and each thing He makes, is divinely unique. Not so with man; ... Manufactured in Detroit or 'made in China' building millions of identical parts and products, that's man.

Sameness? Not just our people boxes ... sterile condos and apartment styles; people, like so many penguins, driving their SUV's and filling the Malls with a colorful variety of sameness. It seems everywhere there is social sameness, cosmetic sameness, entertainment sameness creating a fog of human sterility.

We've created a politically correct society where we've been encouraged to become one of millions of brainless and 'opinion-less' lemmings, content to follow the south end of the lemming in front of us, hoping the lemming he's following is going the right direction.

Unfortunately the bottom of the cliff brings us to an abrupt but short lasting reality.

Whether we become the waddling penguin or committed lemming, we're content to be, well, the same as everyone else.

Different could be dangerous.

Funny, within our sameness we dare to try and be unique in a sort of subtle safe way. I have a Nisson like a million others, but mine is white like thousands of others but WOW!!! ... my seat covers, now they are different! And look at my bumper stickers! My suit may look like anyone else's, but WOW! ... look at my tie, and here, check my socks out! Oh Oh, my teeth are a bit crooked, better get to an orthodontist quick; so I can look like everyone else.

Most of us strive to be comfortably common and content to located somewhere in the middle. I guess that's not wrong, it's ... normal.

While some of us just don't fit the common mold; not that we really try to be different, but that we simply are unique and quite comfortable with being that way. A refreshingly different person!

Is it a talent? Is it a gift? Is it genetic?

Many things could be said about my father Wolo; a puppeteer, artist, book writer, actor, entertainer, "Mr. San Francisco," but most of all he was a totally unique person. All that knew him would agree. He looked different, dressed different, thought different, spoke different even had a different name; yet somehow he fit into the society of sameness, and even more, was loved by society. In part because he was uniquely fresh. Indeed my father was different!

On rare occasions I'll pause to study myself, and I have to come out with the same observation ... the same conclusion; I'm a totally unique person like my father. I don't know why; I don't consciously try to be different, but maybe, just maybe, I'm different because my father was Wolo. The one and only, Wolo

Ref: http://www.woloart.com/