One of my cousins, I swear is crazy, in a good way.
He has a little YouTube "channel" devoted to shooting and he has a great deal of fun with it! When I created my Bigfoot hunting site, he went out with his friends and got a hold of a Bigfoot suit and then had someone dressed as Bigfoot then doing the shooting as well. I laughed my head off at his antics!
So someone asked him, "How many Twinkies will a .22 bullet go through?" Actually an intriguing question!
Probably 25 years ago Dutchman and I created a pc based program to figure out just that kind of problem. But, Lord only know where that disk is in this house! And Dutchman is out of town as usual. So, I had to do this in my head.
Now there are plenty of variables involved in figuring out how far, how flat a bullet will travel. Speed of the bullet, shape of the bullet, length of the barrel, bolt action or semi-automatic rifle, distance from end of rifle to first twinkie. But no matter how you slice it, a bullet does not travel flat. First it will rise, then it will drop, it may rise again and then it will drop to the ground.
How long until the bullet hits the ground? Well if you could do this test you would know: fire a gun and drop a corresponding bullet from the same height as the barrel - both bullets will the hit the ground at the same time, if the barrel is perfectly parallel to the ground.
So, they loaded 40 twinkies into a piece of rain gutter and the twinkie always disappeared at the sixth twinkie no matter what they did! I expected more like 130 before the disappearance - but that is because I was forgetting one thing about twinkies, they are cream filled!
That cream filling is basically a liquid the bullet has to pass through, but more importantly is the change between the cake texture and cream texture and the angle at which that change occurs! The bullet was exiting after six twinkies because the cream filling is not symmetrical nor inline with the twinkie!
Silly Kris, you should have thought of that one! Oh well. All of the cool prizes go to someone else whom guessed six!
Next up, how many Pabst Blue Ribbon Beers will a .22 go through?
Yes, my cousin is having fun on YouTube and making some money surprisingly as well!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Getting Past Your Past
I had come to Seattle for spinal surgery in 1997, the world's inventor of the kind of neurosurgery I needed worked out of Swedish Hospital. My doctors only gave me a 5% chance of surviving surgery and then as a paraplegic at that. Hence why one would travel to the best of the best. So, in early 1998 I was allowed to take those first faltering steps and I went to church that week at a place near where I was staying. Everyone was friendly, everyone introduced themselves, but when this
attractive redhead said her name was "Louise" - in my mind I instantly
thought "Vonnie". Do not ask me, I often think I am crazy until proven
right even to myself later on.
Decades later, I was in Seattle and popped into that church for services and Sunday School. During the course of the class there was something said sort of inappropriately and "Louise" jumped in with both feet, swords drawn and leaving a trail of gutted men in her path. I was horrified by what she shared, no one should have suffered so. No one should continue to define themselves as the broken person they had been as a child ...
A decade later and I am back for my final cancer screening and Sunday, at that church, back in sunday school, and there is "Louise" and she had brought her mother as a visitor. Her mother was introduced and I just had to blurt out, "Louise, I know you! But your name was not Louise, nor was your hair red!" Everyone howled with laughter. So she said, "How would you know?"
"Vonnie" was a childhood friend whom I lost touch of in 1964 when my family moved to France. I liked her but lets face it a normal nine year old really does not care that much about females, especially if they are younger. However, Vonnie's mother was a teacher's assistant in my classroom in second through fourth grade! And I am sitting there seeing an ancient version of my TA! Why bring this up?
Well, Vonnie aka Louise defined herself as that 11 year old girl whom had been raped by her father for several years. She could not get past it, to her, it was all she was - a piece of meat incapable of ever trusting a man ever again, only being used. Lunch that day lost its savor, not because of what happened to her forty years earlier (which angered me) but because of whom she had become because of it.
Paul claimed he was the greatest of all sinners. Personally, I know he was a braggart, because I am the king of sinners. However, neither he nor I define ourselves by that sin life. If you are to be defined by your past, do not blame God - He came to put that past to death! It is the past - not the present and certainly holds no power over your future!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 12
Look Up!
Our hope is in God for our salvation.
Our hope is in Heaven for our future.
Jesus changes people!
Just think of Saul on the road to Damascus.
God gets the glory, God does it all!
Confess!
Admit all of the junk in your life!
The past, then the present.
Every weakness, every failure, every blasphemy against God.
(see Acts 26:9 - 11)
Trade His Mercy for Your Mess!
We are not "owed" mercy because we are ignorant.
God gives mercy to cover our messes.
Though in reality we are ignorant of the true consequences for what we do!
We receive mercy, but not because we deserve it.
God's Grace Flows Around You!
Grace is undeserved blessings.
Your past is past.
Put it at Jesus feet, turn around and walk away ...
Decades later, I was in Seattle and popped into that church for services and Sunday School. During the course of the class there was something said sort of inappropriately and "Louise" jumped in with both feet, swords drawn and leaving a trail of gutted men in her path. I was horrified by what she shared, no one should have suffered so. No one should continue to define themselves as the broken person they had been as a child ...
A decade later and I am back for my final cancer screening and Sunday, at that church, back in sunday school, and there is "Louise" and she had brought her mother as a visitor. Her mother was introduced and I just had to blurt out, "Louise, I know you! But your name was not Louise, nor was your hair red!" Everyone howled with laughter. So she said, "How would you know?"
"Vonnie" was a childhood friend whom I lost touch of in 1964 when my family moved to France. I liked her but lets face it a normal nine year old really does not care that much about females, especially if they are younger. However, Vonnie's mother was a teacher's assistant in my classroom in second through fourth grade! And I am sitting there seeing an ancient version of my TA! Why bring this up?
Well, Vonnie aka Louise defined herself as that 11 year old girl whom had been raped by her father for several years. She could not get past it, to her, it was all she was - a piece of meat incapable of ever trusting a man ever again, only being used. Lunch that day lost its savor, not because of what happened to her forty years earlier (which angered me) but because of whom she had become because of it.
Paul claimed he was the greatest of all sinners. Personally, I know he was a braggart, because I am the king of sinners. However, neither he nor I define ourselves by that sin life. If you are to be defined by your past, do not blame God - He came to put that past to death! It is the past - not the present and certainly holds no power over your future!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 12
Look Up!
Our hope is in God for our salvation.
Our hope is in Heaven for our future.
Jesus changes people!
Just think of Saul on the road to Damascus.
God gets the glory, God does it all!
Confess!
Admit all of the junk in your life!
The past, then the present.
Every weakness, every failure, every blasphemy against God.
(see Acts 26:9 - 11)
Trade His Mercy for Your Mess!
We are not "owed" mercy because we are ignorant.
God gives mercy to cover our messes.
Though in reality we are ignorant of the true consequences for what we do!
We receive mercy, but not because we deserve it.
God's Grace Flows Around You!
Grace is undeserved blessings.
Your past is past.
Put it at Jesus feet, turn around and walk away ...
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Live Without Fear
We have all of these gradient words for Christians: born again, convert, believer, follower, disciple, apostle - probably more exist, my mind is tired today.
So, we could argue that this is a growing through steps or stages kind of thing, but honestly I think that is a cop out to make excuses for all of the failures and lack of commitment we witness in the "christian" church of today. Nowhere are you called to be born again, a convert or a believer and oh, by the way, that is end for the requirement of God on you. And yet most inside this western modern "christianity" believe is to be true! God expects oh so much more ...
You are in fact to be a disciple of Jesus. You are to be someone whom not only follows Jesus, hence a follower, but you are to do as He did. This does not come naturally nor easily, but then God never said He would ever give easy assignments. He has to make a disciple out of your willingness to so. You get to learn.
As Christians, we are called to live in this world and yet not become a part of this world. What is that supposed to mean?!?!? No house, no car, no 401k, no stocks, no bonds, no marriage, no family, no anything?!?!?!?!? You would be mostly wrong - we are expected to pay our way in this world, pay for your housing, food, expenses, etc. But we are not supposed to be anything more than living in this world, not vested in it.
Of course, this means that we will have a greater requirement for dependence upon God in our daily lives. And that does not come easily - God will test you, bit by bit, it will be painful - you will question your faith - you will discover fear. And you are not to have a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:8 - 14
1. We are not supposed to be ashamed!
In Jesus
In the gospel
Of the Church
Of the messenger
2. I am willing to suffer!
For God
For Jesus
For His Gospel
You are called to suffer
You are called to do God's Will
You may or may not suffer ~ that is God's plan/will/lesson for you
Suffering is a blessing.
3. I will follow!
Christianity is not a list of do's and don'ts
Christianity is history
Christianity changed the world once, it can do it again!
Know what you BELIEVE!
4. I will guard!
God will guard what we give Him
We are to guard the message of the gospel God has entrusted to us.
Today, we find ourselves caught in the perfect storm!
We live a post-Christian world because of the failure of the Christian generations before us!
Our church no longer actually believes in God's reality!
Our church no long actually believes in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Our church questions if there really was a Jesus as the Bible describes!
Our seminaries crank out non-Christians as pastors!
Our seminaries no longer teach truth of the Gospel!
Our seminaries teach man's popular doctrines of the day!
Our seminaries have abandoned Christianity.
Our pastors are beset by immorality.
Our pastors are beset by the secularness of their congregations!
Our pastors are called upon to do all WE should be doing!
So how are you going to start to make a difference in taking the world back? The answer is to end the fear reigning in your life. But you have to begin to withdraw from the world system you have been sold out to.
So, we could argue that this is a growing through steps or stages kind of thing, but honestly I think that is a cop out to make excuses for all of the failures and lack of commitment we witness in the "christian" church of today. Nowhere are you called to be born again, a convert or a believer and oh, by the way, that is end for the requirement of God on you. And yet most inside this western modern "christianity" believe is to be true! God expects oh so much more ...
You are in fact to be a disciple of Jesus. You are to be someone whom not only follows Jesus, hence a follower, but you are to do as He did. This does not come naturally nor easily, but then God never said He would ever give easy assignments. He has to make a disciple out of your willingness to so. You get to learn.
As Christians, we are called to live in this world and yet not become a part of this world. What is that supposed to mean?!?!? No house, no car, no 401k, no stocks, no bonds, no marriage, no family, no anything?!?!?!?!? You would be mostly wrong - we are expected to pay our way in this world, pay for your housing, food, expenses, etc. But we are not supposed to be anything more than living in this world, not vested in it.
Of course, this means that we will have a greater requirement for dependence upon God in our daily lives. And that does not come easily - God will test you, bit by bit, it will be painful - you will question your faith - you will discover fear. And you are not to have a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:8 - 14
1. We are not supposed to be ashamed!
In Jesus
In the gospel
Of the Church
Of the messenger
2. I am willing to suffer!
For God
For Jesus
For His Gospel
You are called to suffer
You are called to do God's Will
You may or may not suffer ~ that is God's plan/will/lesson for you
Suffering is a blessing.
3. I will follow!
Christianity is not a list of do's and don'ts
Christianity is history
Christianity changed the world once, it can do it again!
Know what you BELIEVE!
4. I will guard!
God will guard what we give Him
We are to guard the message of the gospel God has entrusted to us.
Today, we find ourselves caught in the perfect storm!
We live a post-Christian world because of the failure of the Christian generations before us!
Our church no longer actually believes in God's reality!
Our church no long actually believes in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Our church questions if there really was a Jesus as the Bible describes!
Our seminaries crank out non-Christians as pastors!
Our seminaries no longer teach truth of the Gospel!
Our seminaries teach man's popular doctrines of the day!
Our seminaries have abandoned Christianity.
Our pastors are beset by immorality.
Our pastors are beset by the secularness of their congregations!
Our pastors are called upon to do all WE should be doing!
So how are you going to start to make a difference in taking the world back? The answer is to end the fear reigning in your life. But you have to begin to withdraw from the world system you have been sold out to.
(naturally, there are many specific examples of wonderful Godly men in the pastorate and a few solid seminaries as well - but I am addressing the 90%, not the 10% of what exists)
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Birthday Bucks
I spent quite a bit of time this past weekend spending my birthday money. It is not usual for my friends and family to give cash, and yet, they did this year! Well, I am not going to complain, I think my tastes are so eclectic that everyone has given up one! And yet, I think I am quite easy to shop for!
My sister sent me money to buy new art brushes with, well my brushes are fine but there is a thing called a shader used in pastels that I use and managed to lose somehow! The stinking little brush handled nibs of soft rubber are expensive and I have been using Q-Tips and toothpicks dipped in maskit to keep areas of my watercolor paintings white. So, I picked up a set with that money.
My last remaining step-mother's gift I used for buying some cotton water color paper. I sure wish I had stocked up three years ago when I read about the Egyptian cotton failure! Seems everyone now is having crop failures and the price of cotton has tripled - and paper being a secondary market has become almost untouchable! But, now I have 36 sheets, so that will last me quite a while!
Dutchman gave me what turned into two instructions books. One is how to evaluate something you have painted in order to make it a better painting on your next attempt. At first I snorted when I saw the title but then as I leafed through the book I realized that their advice was quite valid. The other is something which is nothing but examples on how to do more realistic painting.
My mother's gift was spent at a woodworking store. I am very pleased with some cheap wood I managed to scarf up as it was on sale! Sweet! I love sales!
And even Gaelic Girl gave some money with which I picked up the Art of the West from the Cody Museum, in Cody, Wyoming. I had gone to this museum back in 1992, taking my American "nephew" to see Yellowstone and the museum was next door to the hotel. The heck with the park! I fell in love with the museum! So everyday we did the free movie showing, wandered the incredible exhibits and somehow still fit all of Yellowstone in! Very happy to find the book!
I even bought myself a book as well, since the birthday money ran dry, an exercise book. Yuck! But, when I leafed through it I saw all of my old back exercises in there as well as knee exercises. Plus it had a section of what to set you goals on. Sure someone, somewhere can do 10 minutes of jumping jacks but I think I will start with 30 seconds and work my way up from there! Gotta do something if I am to survive the Bigfoot Hunt this August with my cousins and friends! (Though I am betting I will be the only one to actually do it and be forced to work out of a campground. But, I will be in better shape and still have fun all on my lonesome.)
My sister sent me money to buy new art brushes with, well my brushes are fine but there is a thing called a shader used in pastels that I use and managed to lose somehow! The stinking little brush handled nibs of soft rubber are expensive and I have been using Q-Tips and toothpicks dipped in maskit to keep areas of my watercolor paintings white. So, I picked up a set with that money.
My last remaining step-mother's gift I used for buying some cotton water color paper. I sure wish I had stocked up three years ago when I read about the Egyptian cotton failure! Seems everyone now is having crop failures and the price of cotton has tripled - and paper being a secondary market has become almost untouchable! But, now I have 36 sheets, so that will last me quite a while!
Dutchman gave me what turned into two instructions books. One is how to evaluate something you have painted in order to make it a better painting on your next attempt. At first I snorted when I saw the title but then as I leafed through the book I realized that their advice was quite valid. The other is something which is nothing but examples on how to do more realistic painting.
My mother's gift was spent at a woodworking store. I am very pleased with some cheap wood I managed to scarf up as it was on sale! Sweet! I love sales!
And even Gaelic Girl gave some money with which I picked up the Art of the West from the Cody Museum, in Cody, Wyoming. I had gone to this museum back in 1992, taking my American "nephew" to see Yellowstone and the museum was next door to the hotel. The heck with the park! I fell in love with the museum! So everyday we did the free movie showing, wandered the incredible exhibits and somehow still fit all of Yellowstone in! Very happy to find the book!
I even bought myself a book as well, since the birthday money ran dry, an exercise book. Yuck! But, when I leafed through it I saw all of my old back exercises in there as well as knee exercises. Plus it had a section of what to set you goals on. Sure someone, somewhere can do 10 minutes of jumping jacks but I think I will start with 30 seconds and work my way up from there! Gotta do something if I am to survive the Bigfoot Hunt this August with my cousins and friends! (Though I am betting I will be the only one to actually do it and be forced to work out of a campground. But, I will be in better shape and still have fun all on my lonesome.)
Monday, January 27, 2014
Fashion Attire
Women's fashion across the past several years has gone so far downhill, here in the northwest of America, as to be - why did they even dress at all? Honestly, had these women gone out in public in the smallest bikini possible, they would have been more appropriate!
I was at a funeral not so long ago and the woman seated in front of me was dressed rather oddly for a funeral, but hey this is the northwest, a lack of convention is expected at times. But, she was not very appropriate! As it was an Episcopal service, there was lots of standing and sitting. The more standing and sitting, the more the woman's sweater rode up, revealing an ever higher climbing thong. Eventually it was to the point where I had to wonder exactly how much higher that thong could go before she gave herself the ultimate wedgie and ran screaming to the bathrooms! I have to admit I missed most the later part of the ceremony as I was fighting with every resource to reach out and give that purple strap a mighty tug. It also intrigued me as to why she could not tell that her sweater was just about reaching her neck by the end. Yeah, her escort was fascinated as well, so I am not thinking husband material there.
Saturday night I was at The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner with my youngest daughter. It was fun, she spent most of the time on her cell phone clicking away and I was watching these two college age women whom were obviously picking out people to make comments about. They were having a good time. At the next table further from them, was a young couple, he obviously smitten, she more relaxed. As they got up to leave - it seems her dress was not designed to ever cover her crotch. But, it was all okay, she wasn't wearing any underwear either. Well, that one was a shocker, but the two girls just exploded in laughter, turned bright red, covered their mouths, etc! The young blonde girl did not even notice ... Yeah, I thought of a smart ass remark at the time, but I would never say such a thing! Someone called the cops whom arrived about 10 minutes after the couple had left. The female officer then made the rounds looking under tables for other offenders ... I was so trying not to explode in laughter myself! As for the young couple, well they moseyed out to their car and the alarm rearmed itself and was still going off when my daughter and i left .... and the officer is just checking out crotches under tables rather than being curious as to the flashing lights and honking horn.
And at church the women, young and old alike, have taken to wearing stretch pants. I am sure they have some modern fancy name but they are basically just a 1950's style stretch pant made out of some low grade body contour hugging nylon weave. How low grade? Well, if you wear any form of underwear they are plainly visible through the weave! And oh by the way, many were not wearing any. So, imagine the look of that one! I feel for women so stupid as to ignorantly be wearing anything so revealing and immodest. I feel for the young men of the church - visually driven with no ability to deal with it. I really wanted to take the stage, stop the program and give a lecture ... I would probably start by naming colors, panty styles and then mention a mole I doubt many knew about. Yeah, we are talking revealing here. Of course, I am the evil one here by even thinking of being so insensitive!
The guys do not manage much better in church. There are the guys for whom the mysteries of buttons were never explained and it always seems to be hairy chested men whom suffer from this affliction. I am not sure what the lure is of a hairy chest, personally I think it is disgusting and should be combed and/or straightened. Amongst the younger crowed through whom do not understand that if you put a belt on, pull your pants up, they will stay in place and not have to be held up with both hands, while bending over. And I have only seen one guy ever come wearing stretch pants ...
Sure we live in a free for all society, almost anything is acceptable these days and shame on you if you have a problem with how I choose to live my life! But, God created sexual attraction, otherwise the human species would have died out at Adam because he would be organizing unicorn football events and figuring out how to brew beer. And with that attraction comes our own responsibility to treat with consideration any situation which could be uncomfortable or enticing to a member of the opposite sex.
Of course this evil culture we live in says it is your problem if you can not deal with how we choose to live our lives or display ourselves. But, then we live in both a God-less (there are no standards) and Love-less (I do what I want to do) societies. Yeah, that translates to the term EVIL in God's book.
I was at a funeral not so long ago and the woman seated in front of me was dressed rather oddly for a funeral, but hey this is the northwest, a lack of convention is expected at times. But, she was not very appropriate! As it was an Episcopal service, there was lots of standing and sitting. The more standing and sitting, the more the woman's sweater rode up, revealing an ever higher climbing thong. Eventually it was to the point where I had to wonder exactly how much higher that thong could go before she gave herself the ultimate wedgie and ran screaming to the bathrooms! I have to admit I missed most the later part of the ceremony as I was fighting with every resource to reach out and give that purple strap a mighty tug. It also intrigued me as to why she could not tell that her sweater was just about reaching her neck by the end. Yeah, her escort was fascinated as well, so I am not thinking husband material there.
Saturday night I was at The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner with my youngest daughter. It was fun, she spent most of the time on her cell phone clicking away and I was watching these two college age women whom were obviously picking out people to make comments about. They were having a good time. At the next table further from them, was a young couple, he obviously smitten, she more relaxed. As they got up to leave - it seems her dress was not designed to ever cover her crotch. But, it was all okay, she wasn't wearing any underwear either. Well, that one was a shocker, but the two girls just exploded in laughter, turned bright red, covered their mouths, etc! The young blonde girl did not even notice ... Yeah, I thought of a smart ass remark at the time, but I would never say such a thing! Someone called the cops whom arrived about 10 minutes after the couple had left. The female officer then made the rounds looking under tables for other offenders ... I was so trying not to explode in laughter myself! As for the young couple, well they moseyed out to their car and the alarm rearmed itself and was still going off when my daughter and i left .... and the officer is just checking out crotches under tables rather than being curious as to the flashing lights and honking horn.
And at church the women, young and old alike, have taken to wearing stretch pants. I am sure they have some modern fancy name but they are basically just a 1950's style stretch pant made out of some low grade body contour hugging nylon weave. How low grade? Well, if you wear any form of underwear they are plainly visible through the weave! And oh by the way, many were not wearing any. So, imagine the look of that one! I feel for women so stupid as to ignorantly be wearing anything so revealing and immodest. I feel for the young men of the church - visually driven with no ability to deal with it. I really wanted to take the stage, stop the program and give a lecture ... I would probably start by naming colors, panty styles and then mention a mole I doubt many knew about. Yeah, we are talking revealing here. Of course, I am the evil one here by even thinking of being so insensitive!
The guys do not manage much better in church. There are the guys for whom the mysteries of buttons were never explained and it always seems to be hairy chested men whom suffer from this affliction. I am not sure what the lure is of a hairy chest, personally I think it is disgusting and should be combed and/or straightened. Amongst the younger crowed through whom do not understand that if you put a belt on, pull your pants up, they will stay in place and not have to be held up with both hands, while bending over. And I have only seen one guy ever come wearing stretch pants ...
Sure we live in a free for all society, almost anything is acceptable these days and shame on you if you have a problem with how I choose to live my life! But, God created sexual attraction, otherwise the human species would have died out at Adam because he would be organizing unicorn football events and figuring out how to brew beer. And with that attraction comes our own responsibility to treat with consideration any situation which could be uncomfortable or enticing to a member of the opposite sex.
Of course this evil culture we live in says it is your problem if you can not deal with how we choose to live our lives or display ourselves. But, then we live in both a God-less (there are no standards) and Love-less (I do what I want to do) societies. Yeah, that translates to the term EVIL in God's book.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Musical Saturday Morning
I was actually looking for another Zombie hit, trying to find an original copy of the video - with solid soundtrack - when I saw this and I just had to crack up!
Okay, Norman Greenbaum, wrote a lot of music, played in many well known bands (like Iron Butterfly) and listening to Porter Wagner one day decided to crank out his version of a gospel recording!
At the time, we were dying of laughter! Greenbaum was Jewish, not a great Jew, but still none the less. And his life was hardly something to model a Christian one after! I remember reading that even Alice Cooper was left slightly speechless and he hated Christians at the time!
So, what it is worth, a modern gospel song, written by a Jew, and fed through a fuzz box ...
Okay, Norman Greenbaum, wrote a lot of music, played in many well known bands (like Iron Butterfly) and listening to Porter Wagner one day decided to crank out his version of a gospel recording!
At the time, we were dying of laughter! Greenbaum was Jewish, not a great Jew, but still none the less. And his life was hardly something to model a Christian one after! I remember reading that even Alice Cooper was left slightly speechless and he hated Christians at the time!
So, what it is worth, a modern gospel song, written by a Jew, and fed through a fuzz box ...
Friday, January 24, 2014
At The Movies
Been playing catch up with the releases I have been interested in:
Jack Reacher, I honestly did not want to see this film, turned down a dozen offers to see it with people, I DO NOT LIKE Tom Cruise! Yuck! Yet, Swede gave it to me for my birthday so I was sort of honor bound to watch it finally, under his snoring gaze (one eye open, mouth slack, etc). Yeah, I now know why so many wanted me to see it with them - to point out the holes an eighteen wheeler could be driven through! Plot is utter nonsense. Shooting is wish full. Nasty old Russian guy - well done but a little over the top since he was cast opposite Tom "I have not talent" Cruise. In spite of this, it was entertaining and I laughed heartily several times. I really dislike Robert Duvall however he did well in this movie and obviously he spent some time learning from a trainer, because he did it "right" for those of us of the old iron. It is an owner as long as you can understand that those whom behave this way in real life will be the first to die - no matter how high your lifts are in your shoes.
Ender's Game, was another Swede recommendation - but you know, I really do not need anymore children movies where only they can conquer the universe and oh by the way, check out our plush stuffed toys for Christmas ... Yeah, burned out on Spielberg and Lucas forever. But, this movie was rather well done. I understood the main character too well, I loved Ben Gazzara's role (i think that was him anyway!) but still flying saucers where leaping between the fictional fabric holes in this story. I seem to have read this as a short story back in 7th grade, so I guessed the ending rather quickly. Still a good film, not sure an owner, but ... not bad at all.
Secret Life of Walter Mitty, was an utter surprise! I remember the first two well. The first circa 1930-ish was delightful and I remember almost nothing of it - it has disappeared to history. The 1947 version was a little darker as we are talking espionage and not really an owner either. And now this one left me completely unprepared for one of the best efforts I have seen on film in quite a while. Not only is this a must see, it is a must own as well. Well paced, good use of humor, a clean film, and a well done eruption sequence! (just saying because i was in one) If you only own one film in the next six months or so, this is the one more than likely. Good job gold stars to Ben Stiller! And as a spoiler, the Greenland sequence, wasn't. I know the driving scene was filmed on the road out of the Reykjavik airport to the city of Reykjavik.
So time to go hit the $1.00 theaters if you have any in your town!
Jack Reacher, I honestly did not want to see this film, turned down a dozen offers to see it with people, I DO NOT LIKE Tom Cruise! Yuck! Yet, Swede gave it to me for my birthday so I was sort of honor bound to watch it finally, under his snoring gaze (one eye open, mouth slack, etc). Yeah, I now know why so many wanted me to see it with them - to point out the holes an eighteen wheeler could be driven through! Plot is utter nonsense. Shooting is wish full. Nasty old Russian guy - well done but a little over the top since he was cast opposite Tom "I have not talent" Cruise. In spite of this, it was entertaining and I laughed heartily several times. I really dislike Robert Duvall however he did well in this movie and obviously he spent some time learning from a trainer, because he did it "right" for those of us of the old iron. It is an owner as long as you can understand that those whom behave this way in real life will be the first to die - no matter how high your lifts are in your shoes.
Ender's Game, was another Swede recommendation - but you know, I really do not need anymore children movies where only they can conquer the universe and oh by the way, check out our plush stuffed toys for Christmas ... Yeah, burned out on Spielberg and Lucas forever. But, this movie was rather well done. I understood the main character too well, I loved Ben Gazzara's role (i think that was him anyway!) but still flying saucers where leaping between the fictional fabric holes in this story. I seem to have read this as a short story back in 7th grade, so I guessed the ending rather quickly. Still a good film, not sure an owner, but ... not bad at all.
Secret Life of Walter Mitty, was an utter surprise! I remember the first two well. The first circa 1930-ish was delightful and I remember almost nothing of it - it has disappeared to history. The 1947 version was a little darker as we are talking espionage and not really an owner either. And now this one left me completely unprepared for one of the best efforts I have seen on film in quite a while. Not only is this a must see, it is a must own as well. Well paced, good use of humor, a clean film, and a well done eruption sequence! (just saying because i was in one) If you only own one film in the next six months or so, this is the one more than likely. Good job gold stars to Ben Stiller! And as a spoiler, the Greenland sequence, wasn't. I know the driving scene was filmed on the road out of the Reykjavik airport to the city of Reykjavik.
So time to go hit the $1.00 theaters if you have any in your town!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Shadow of Evil
Quietly, in the background of my life, I have been trying to figure a problem out. The problem is, the answer I keep coming to, is in direct opposition to something I know for fact.
People, anyone, you, me, your momma will during course of our lifetimes have problems or make decisions which will affect others around us. How are we as onlookers to deal with these times?
First off, there are problems, Problems and then there are PROBLEMS! So from normal to abnormal, is how they are arranged.
Everyone has normal problems - our own stupidity causing harm and to perhaps an inconvenient proportion of others around us as well.
Problems are more difficult because something has gone wrong inside of the person and we are now dealing with prayer and spiritual damage control.
PROBLEMS, well, yeah - we are talking plain and simple demonic activity. Somewhere, somehow, the person fell off of the spiritual bandwagon and the demons have been rejoicing ever since. Everyone is damaged in the resulting carnage!
You might remember that one my flippant interview questions I did on my birthday last week, I listed one of my natural talents as getting to the bottom of the causes for problems in my friends' lives. It is also one of the greatest separators of my friends and I - no one likes having what only they know, no one else could possibly know, known - especially by me. And then, have me address this with them. Sigh ...
So, a family with PROBLEMS. By what right would demons dare to attack this family? Well, God could have said, "Hey Satan! You did quite a number on Job. Wanna have a go at another family?" But, I do not think so.
Demons could be picking off the family members individually, but again doubtful. Not a big enough exposure to give Satan the praise he seeks in disqualifying God and His power on Earth. Satan likes vulnerable targets with lots of public exposure! Not you or me.
So, we are going to think parents here. Something went wrong with the parents, during the twenty years I was mostly away. And that sort of makes me angry!
Both parents are currently quite insane if you ask me. Nothing makes any sense, it is random, it is irrational - it is all of the things demonic activity is based off of - except for the smoking gun of sin. And that is the hard one. If it was based on sin, it would be public, it would be discrediting other Christians. Instead just this drumbeat of insanity destroying a family quietly in the dark.
I have been praying concerning this quite some time - with no direction, answer or hints. Until tonight.
My heart was again broken from what I heard, no rational person would do, would say, or could have ... ever. We are discussing hate here, which is not one of the gifts of the Spirit. So, now we have a direct observation of salt water claiming to come from a fresh water spring. Ain't, gonna happen!
And my mind wandered back to a stand-off between the father and I forty years ago. What he did is not so important as that my reaction was quite violent. He was going to die, make no mistake here, that old Kris had driven hundreds of miles to offer him a chance to change or to die. It was that simple. He chose wisely and did turn his life 180 degrees around. And he held that course for decades. Then something happened, somewhere, somehow, sin had regained control!
When I look at prejudice, hatred, judgement - all the "classic" adjectives used to describe an American Christian, we are no longer talking God in control. These three are in fact the root cause for the problems in his life, they go back to happenings in his life long ago, now boiling over due to resentment of others and his own physical condition as well as sinful nature.
And here is where I have been praying for knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
I now know, I now understand, but I have no wisdom as how to precede! In fact I really need Miss Manners to contact me, if she even still reads this blog! Wisest person I have ever encountered and this is Kris' SOS to you out there ... !
So, mitigating damage inside of the family I can nibble at the edges of and pray for changed hearts.
Praying for wisdom and God's words in addressing this with him, if I can ever get him alone because I think I know - but dear God I hope not!
And if you would join me in prayer, this is a badly damaged family of 6 and honestly, they are in need of a major God intervention ...
I truly believe God has His hand of judgement on them, trying to call them back and most seem obvious.
People, anyone, you, me, your momma will during course of our lifetimes have problems or make decisions which will affect others around us. How are we as onlookers to deal with these times?
First off, there are problems, Problems and then there are PROBLEMS! So from normal to abnormal, is how they are arranged.
Everyone has normal problems - our own stupidity causing harm and to perhaps an inconvenient proportion of others around us as well.
Problems are more difficult because something has gone wrong inside of the person and we are now dealing with prayer and spiritual damage control.
PROBLEMS, well, yeah - we are talking plain and simple demonic activity. Somewhere, somehow, the person fell off of the spiritual bandwagon and the demons have been rejoicing ever since. Everyone is damaged in the resulting carnage!
You might remember that one my flippant interview questions I did on my birthday last week, I listed one of my natural talents as getting to the bottom of the causes for problems in my friends' lives. It is also one of the greatest separators of my friends and I - no one likes having what only they know, no one else could possibly know, known - especially by me. And then, have me address this with them. Sigh ...
So, a family with PROBLEMS. By what right would demons dare to attack this family? Well, God could have said, "Hey Satan! You did quite a number on Job. Wanna have a go at another family?" But, I do not think so.
Demons could be picking off the family members individually, but again doubtful. Not a big enough exposure to give Satan the praise he seeks in disqualifying God and His power on Earth. Satan likes vulnerable targets with lots of public exposure! Not you or me.
So, we are going to think parents here. Something went wrong with the parents, during the twenty years I was mostly away. And that sort of makes me angry!
Both parents are currently quite insane if you ask me. Nothing makes any sense, it is random, it is irrational - it is all of the things demonic activity is based off of - except for the smoking gun of sin. And that is the hard one. If it was based on sin, it would be public, it would be discrediting other Christians. Instead just this drumbeat of insanity destroying a family quietly in the dark.
I have been praying concerning this quite some time - with no direction, answer or hints. Until tonight.
My heart was again broken from what I heard, no rational person would do, would say, or could have ... ever. We are discussing hate here, which is not one of the gifts of the Spirit. So, now we have a direct observation of salt water claiming to come from a fresh water spring. Ain't, gonna happen!
And my mind wandered back to a stand-off between the father and I forty years ago. What he did is not so important as that my reaction was quite violent. He was going to die, make no mistake here, that old Kris had driven hundreds of miles to offer him a chance to change or to die. It was that simple. He chose wisely and did turn his life 180 degrees around. And he held that course for decades. Then something happened, somewhere, somehow, sin had regained control!
When I look at prejudice, hatred, judgement - all the "classic" adjectives used to describe an American Christian, we are no longer talking God in control. These three are in fact the root cause for the problems in his life, they go back to happenings in his life long ago, now boiling over due to resentment of others and his own physical condition as well as sinful nature.
And here is where I have been praying for knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
I now know, I now understand, but I have no wisdom as how to precede! In fact I really need Miss Manners to contact me, if she even still reads this blog! Wisest person I have ever encountered and this is Kris' SOS to you out there ... !
So, mitigating damage inside of the family I can nibble at the edges of and pray for changed hearts.
Praying for wisdom and God's words in addressing this with him, if I can ever get him alone because I think I know - but dear God I hope not!
And if you would join me in prayer, this is a badly damaged family of 6 and honestly, they are in need of a major God intervention ...
I truly believe God has His hand of judgement on them, trying to call them back and most seem obvious.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Stay
I once worked for a boss so despicable, that you would not even believe the stories I could tell concerning him! He is the stuff legends are made of in the industry! The only protection he had was that his mother had married one of the senior vice presidents of the company and he suddenly not only shot up to management but also now had the ability to inflict himself on some 86 people on my project. And he brought his friends with him, whom suddenly were all made the leads over the rest of us and not of one of them could manage to comb their hair in the morning, they were pathetic.
I hated my job! I hated him - not the extent of wanting to kill him or anything but to the extent that one of us was going to have to go. In the end it was 86 whom left and he was able to blame us for the disasters he was causing. And this project was a big deal! We are talking country fortunes were tied to our success - but he made it so that no one could succeed!
And I imagine that Timothy found himself in a similar situation in Ephesus. The book of First Timothy was written to encourage Timothy in his assignment at the church of Ephesus!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 11
Stay In Place!
Remain in Ephesus
Stay where you are
Keep giving it your all
Do not run
Stay On Message!
Do not twiddle your thumbs
Keep the church on target
Beware of universalism
Stay In Love!
Our goal is Love
Demons hate God's Love
Stay With Jesus!
Verses 8 - 11 gives us a list of sins
The Law was for law breakers, not for the doers of the Law
It all comes down to living your faith...
So, at wits end with a manager whom padded billing accounts and time sheets to overcharge the customer, a manager whom put his friends names on our work to make them look better, I finally walked. I had enough to live comfortably the rest of my life. I always wanted to get into mining and the American Southwest had several good opportunities, so I went for it.
And it was a disaster!
I returned home and was lamenting my frustrations with a friend and he said something interesting, "God can not use you somewhere else, until you are willing to stay where you are." It was so uncharacteristic of Dutchman, it caught my attention and I have remembered that one.
As life has shown me, God continually returns me to the Seattle area. Everytime I leave, I end up back here. I might be gone for months thinking I will never return, or it might be for a decade, but He continually drags me back - sometimes kicking and screaming! And I would have not have ever come back, given the choice ...
I know once it was because I had not learned an important lesson, because I ran.
I know once it was because I had something He needed me to do, so I stayed.
I know now He wants a new me, so I am learning.
And I know I need to share this story, because no one would ever believe it ...
I hated my job! I hated him - not the extent of wanting to kill him or anything but to the extent that one of us was going to have to go. In the end it was 86 whom left and he was able to blame us for the disasters he was causing. And this project was a big deal! We are talking country fortunes were tied to our success - but he made it so that no one could succeed!
And I imagine that Timothy found himself in a similar situation in Ephesus. The book of First Timothy was written to encourage Timothy in his assignment at the church of Ephesus!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 11
Stay In Place!
Remain in Ephesus
Stay where you are
Keep giving it your all
Do not run
Stay On Message!
Do not twiddle your thumbs
Keep the church on target
Beware of universalism
Stay In Love!
Our goal is Love
Demons hate God's Love
Stay With Jesus!
Verses 8 - 11 gives us a list of sins
The Law was for law breakers, not for the doers of the Law
It all comes down to living your faith...
So, at wits end with a manager whom padded billing accounts and time sheets to overcharge the customer, a manager whom put his friends names on our work to make them look better, I finally walked. I had enough to live comfortably the rest of my life. I always wanted to get into mining and the American Southwest had several good opportunities, so I went for it.
And it was a disaster!
I returned home and was lamenting my frustrations with a friend and he said something interesting, "God can not use you somewhere else, until you are willing to stay where you are." It was so uncharacteristic of Dutchman, it caught my attention and I have remembered that one.
As life has shown me, God continually returns me to the Seattle area. Everytime I leave, I end up back here. I might be gone for months thinking I will never return, or it might be for a decade, but He continually drags me back - sometimes kicking and screaming! And I would have not have ever come back, given the choice ...
I know once it was because I had not learned an important lesson, because I ran.
I know once it was because I had something He needed me to do, so I stayed.
I know now He wants a new me, so I am learning.
And I know I need to share this story, because no one would ever believe it ...
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Life
Features drawn and grey
Her face so familiar
Yet so distant
One of my girls of 40 years ago!
Her name was Laura
Or similiar
Yet not her
It is her mother I realize.
Once the mother
Had been a cherub
And Now?
Just a shell sat there.
What had come to pass?
What had drained the life?
Both mother and daughter
Shells.
The arrogant naivety of life
Showering some
Drowning others
Along the path.
Is it all random?
Or is pain the plan?
Ebbs and flows
Good and bad.
Choices we make
Impacting
What we can not
Control.
Cherubs destroyed
Demons appear blessed
Randomness
Or is it all by design?
(Yes, I finally understand ...)
Her face so familiar
Yet so distant
One of my girls of 40 years ago!
Her name was Laura
Or similiar
Yet not her
It is her mother I realize.
Once the mother
Had been a cherub
And Now?
Just a shell sat there.
What had come to pass?
What had drained the life?
Both mother and daughter
Shells.
The arrogant naivety of life
Showering some
Drowning others
Along the path.
Is it all random?
Or is pain the plan?
Ebbs and flows
Good and bad.
Choices we make
Impacting
What we can not
Control.
Cherubs destroyed
Demons appear blessed
Randomness
Or is it all by design?
(Yes, I finally understand ...)
Monday, January 20, 2014
Time Travel
I love movies, books and stories about time travel - they are fun and completely entertaining because it is not possible! But, the question was asked Thursday of me, where would you go?
"Where would you go, Kris, if you could time travel?"
What a question! And I considered this carefully, for real, for the first time in my life ... Forwards? Backwards? See Jesus in action? What would I do? Stop the Lincoln assassination, put a pillow over baby Adolf's face, return fully armed and splatter my cousin's killer the day before he murdered Bernard, physically (beat the tar out of) my father to show him the error of his ways the night he ran away from home to join the Nazi movement? So many possibilities ...
Yes, historically, there are many possibilities to observe or to change so that evil would not win the day. But, assuming that God is in control and nothing actually can be changed because His determinative will, then His will always come to pass - so then that leaves what would Kris do seeing or warning younger Kris of in the past?
That was not an easy question. I am whom I am today because of where I have been and what I have been through. I might not do something or chose to do it differently, but ultimately that would require a different Kris. I could warn me against trusting females, that would have saved some unaccounted years of anger, pain and zillions of tears of frustration. I could tell me about what lay ahead, but would I even listen?
The old Kris would have a problem viewing this shell as him that exists today. He would not listen because the changes to form this new Kris are impossible! God is not known to have ever worked this way, old or new testament! Old Kris would have known it all and blown off new Kris. Not a nice thing to realize about yourself - you were an utter dolt, unfortunately a dolt that was more right than wrong, so I got a way with it!
In the end of all of the mental exercises put through over this idea, I came to the realization that if I was not whom I was, last year would not have been, the New Kris would not now exist - and I would not trade moments of last year for anything.
But, I might tell Old Kris that some medical anomalies he noted had long term affects, only I now know about. I might have to take a brick or two back into the past with me just to make me listen ...
"Where would you go, Kris, if you could time travel?"
What a question! And I considered this carefully, for real, for the first time in my life ... Forwards? Backwards? See Jesus in action? What would I do? Stop the Lincoln assassination, put a pillow over baby Adolf's face, return fully armed and splatter my cousin's killer the day before he murdered Bernard, physically (beat the tar out of) my father to show him the error of his ways the night he ran away from home to join the Nazi movement? So many possibilities ...
Yes, historically, there are many possibilities to observe or to change so that evil would not win the day. But, assuming that God is in control and nothing actually can be changed because His determinative will, then His will always come to pass - so then that leaves what would Kris do seeing or warning younger Kris of in the past?
That was not an easy question. I am whom I am today because of where I have been and what I have been through. I might not do something or chose to do it differently, but ultimately that would require a different Kris. I could warn me against trusting females, that would have saved some unaccounted years of anger, pain and zillions of tears of frustration. I could tell me about what lay ahead, but would I even listen?
The old Kris would have a problem viewing this shell as him that exists today. He would not listen because the changes to form this new Kris are impossible! God is not known to have ever worked this way, old or new testament! Old Kris would have known it all and blown off new Kris. Not a nice thing to realize about yourself - you were an utter dolt, unfortunately a dolt that was more right than wrong, so I got a way with it!
In the end of all of the mental exercises put through over this idea, I came to the realization that if I was not whom I was, last year would not have been, the New Kris would not now exist - and I would not trade moments of last year for anything.
But, I might tell Old Kris that some medical anomalies he noted had long term affects, only I now know about. I might have to take a brick or two back into the past with me just to make me listen ...
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Musical Saturday Morning
Songs like: School's Out, 18, No More Mr. Nice Guy all defined us as troubled teenagers of the early 1970's. 18, may be one of the best song ever to portray the teenage mind and problems, at least it was my mindset. Numerous other songs of his are still troubling because Vincent looked at a very dark side of life. Billion Dollar Babies, Poison, Halo of Flies - I think they are all incredible (and no I am not recommending them!). And his lyrics always literal, always beyond face value, had a message if you were willing to find it.
Just as a "For Your Information", at one point I knew him personally, he was already famous and slowing down. He was a quandary to me - his public appearance was not his private life - it was all show. I liked him because there was no hidden anything about him - what you see is what you got. At that point an alcoholic trying to kill his pain. So it did not take much to understand that this song is about his father (a pastor), his church as a child and his own youthful struggles ... I understood all too well.
Several years ago, I was back in the southwest doing something or another and just for laughs wondered if he even remembered me. He often was off at golf tournaments, hobnobbing with the rich and famous you know. But, it seems someone had become a Christian and was away at church. I was stunned! Vincent Christian?!?!? And then I rejoiced. He had some mighty hard feeling for his father and Christianity. Guess God got to him. I never could have thought it possible! God is awesome ... :) And now he was a father, patched things up with his wife and just AWESOME!
Last year he did a concert in Germany I was able to watch. Yeah, the songs were all there, words had deviated a bit to fit with where he is in life now. And I am looking at him and thinking, okay, this guy is 7 years older than me and he looks so much like my mother it was freaking me out! I am not sure what that means ... maybe mother uses too much eye shadow?
Just as a "For Your Information", at one point I knew him personally, he was already famous and slowing down. He was a quandary to me - his public appearance was not his private life - it was all show. I liked him because there was no hidden anything about him - what you see is what you got. At that point an alcoholic trying to kill his pain. So it did not take much to understand that this song is about his father (a pastor), his church as a child and his own youthful struggles ... I understood all too well.
Several years ago, I was back in the southwest doing something or another and just for laughs wondered if he even remembered me. He often was off at golf tournaments, hobnobbing with the rich and famous you know. But, it seems someone had become a Christian and was away at church. I was stunned! Vincent Christian?!?!? And then I rejoiced. He had some mighty hard feeling for his father and Christianity. Guess God got to him. I never could have thought it possible! God is awesome ... :) And now he was a father, patched things up with his wife and just AWESOME!
Last year he did a concert in Germany I was able to watch. Yeah, the songs were all there, words had deviated a bit to fit with where he is in life now. And I am looking at him and thinking, okay, this guy is 7 years older than me and he looks so much like my mother it was freaking me out! I am not sure what that means ... maybe mother uses too much eye shadow?
Friday, January 17, 2014
Well Wishes
My birthday had some interesting results, unexpected people popping up all day long and getting in touch.
One of "my boys" from 1977 called from New Mexico with well wishes. Found out he is unemployed and now doing piece work for a moving company. Um, he is 50 years old! That is mighty hard on the body, even if you are in reasonable shape! A very surprising first for him, wishing me a happy birthday. I was impressed that something is changing inside of him.
Another first was my second oldest god-daughter calling with well wishes as well. She is now an actress and I guess making a living of it. So that was unexpected and cool. Plus she was named for me, so she has always had a special place in my life. That also means one of these days, her and me are going to have the "talk" - because fame and fortune are not being handled well.
Of course, lots of local well wishers called and texted all day long. Those that chatted did so for 30 minutes or more, now consider that I had 29 calls and wow! Talk about how quickly a day can disappear!
Even my sister, whom rarely is in touch and disappeared for days after Marge died last week, sent probably 8 texts and goofy ones at that! This was also very much out of character for her.
Equally out of character, were those whom usually are the only ones to send birthday wishes but were absent this year. I guess those are people for whom I need to be praying for. Dutchman has his hands full with a disaster of his youngest son's making and since this was the first birthday of mine he has missed since 1974 - always making a big deal out of it - it was noticed.
I took my mother to lunch at an Ivar's Chowder House, we share the day of our birth. It was totally whacked. Mother was deep into one of her fantasy/manic/paranoid delusions - this time that father was murdered by the US government and they were paying her and me off to keep us silent. Well, mouth hanging open time. I just agreed, getting into it would have lead to her going off like a bomb and with my grandson with me, he did not need to see that one! I have no idea what is going on inside that head but yeah, thorium time I fear but in Washington state you can not force anyone to have a mental health evaluation without their permission. I know, I tried several years ago to have her on court ordered meds but ..... she has to kill someone first the state informed me!
I had dinner at one of my favorite Chinese places here in town. It was great and I had a good laugh at my fortune: "You are on the road to perfection." Really? Oh I laughed hard because I am on the road to insanity it seems some days! But, yeah, as a Christian I can read into that one - that I am on the road God laid out and at the end - His perfection ... :)
One of "my boys" from 1977 called from New Mexico with well wishes. Found out he is unemployed and now doing piece work for a moving company. Um, he is 50 years old! That is mighty hard on the body, even if you are in reasonable shape! A very surprising first for him, wishing me a happy birthday. I was impressed that something is changing inside of him.
Another first was my second oldest god-daughter calling with well wishes as well. She is now an actress and I guess making a living of it. So that was unexpected and cool. Plus she was named for me, so she has always had a special place in my life. That also means one of these days, her and me are going to have the "talk" - because fame and fortune are not being handled well.
Of course, lots of local well wishers called and texted all day long. Those that chatted did so for 30 minutes or more, now consider that I had 29 calls and wow! Talk about how quickly a day can disappear!
Even my sister, whom rarely is in touch and disappeared for days after Marge died last week, sent probably 8 texts and goofy ones at that! This was also very much out of character for her.
Equally out of character, were those whom usually are the only ones to send birthday wishes but were absent this year. I guess those are people for whom I need to be praying for. Dutchman has his hands full with a disaster of his youngest son's making and since this was the first birthday of mine he has missed since 1974 - always making a big deal out of it - it was noticed.
I took my mother to lunch at an Ivar's Chowder House, we share the day of our birth. It was totally whacked. Mother was deep into one of her fantasy/manic/paranoid delusions - this time that father was murdered by the US government and they were paying her and me off to keep us silent. Well, mouth hanging open time. I just agreed, getting into it would have lead to her going off like a bomb and with my grandson with me, he did not need to see that one! I have no idea what is going on inside that head but yeah, thorium time I fear but in Washington state you can not force anyone to have a mental health evaluation without their permission. I know, I tried several years ago to have her on court ordered meds but ..... she has to kill someone first the state informed me!
I had dinner at one of my favorite Chinese places here in town. It was great and I had a good laugh at my fortune: "You are on the road to perfection." Really? Oh I laughed hard because I am on the road to insanity it seems some days! But, yeah, as a Christian I can read into that one - that I am on the road God laid out and at the end - His perfection ... :)
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Curing All Problems
All of us are flawed. Everyone you hold up on a pedestal as whom you admire, or want to be, is just as flawed - if not so than you are. Everyone ... means everyone! Your family, same as you. Your religious leaders, same as you. Your politicians, same as you (probably worse than you!).
All of us are flawed and if you join any form of an organization, you are going to take your flaws with you. Unfortunately, that is especially true of churches. My church, your church, all churches are teeming with 1000% flawed people.
And flawed people cause nothing but problems with other flawed people ...
Philippians 4:1 - 5
The church in Philippi managed to encounter a run in between two flawed women. Does not really matter whom they are, they are the same as you and I only the church became embroiled in their fight.
Paul does not tell us what the fight was over, bad coffee choice during fellowship snack time, fighting over how baptisms are done, not being allowed to sing in the choir, etc - ad nausem, as I have encountered through the years in very flawed churches! And since Paul said nothing as to what the problem was - we can apply his solution to all situations!
All Christians are a part of God's family and we must handle conflict God's way ...
1. Love
If you know Love, if you love, then you will fight less amongst yourselves.
2. Stand
Stand firm in the Lord and His word in Love, not your opinion.
3. Plead
Unity is a big deal to God. We must find a way to get along with one another! It is important and that lack of our effort is evidenced by the lack of blessings we have from God corporately.
4. Help
When one fails, we all fail. When one falls, we all suffer for it. We are to lift up one another in all regards, without consideration except for our debt to Jesus for what He has done for us.
5. Rejoice
Criticism lives where praise does not - and visa-versa! So, guard that sharply barged tongue of yours and learn to praise others convincingly in truth!
6. Calm
Gentileness is needs to be reflected in your attitudes towards others in the church! It can really make a difference in a family as much as in a church!
All of us are flawed and if you join any form of an organization, you are going to take your flaws with you. Unfortunately, that is especially true of churches. My church, your church, all churches are teeming with 1000% flawed people.
And flawed people cause nothing but problems with other flawed people ...
Philippians 4:1 - 5
The church in Philippi managed to encounter a run in between two flawed women. Does not really matter whom they are, they are the same as you and I only the church became embroiled in their fight.
Paul does not tell us what the fight was over, bad coffee choice during fellowship snack time, fighting over how baptisms are done, not being allowed to sing in the choir, etc - ad nausem, as I have encountered through the years in very flawed churches! And since Paul said nothing as to what the problem was - we can apply his solution to all situations!
All Christians are a part of God's family and we must handle conflict God's way ...
1. Love
If you know Love, if you love, then you will fight less amongst yourselves.
2. Stand
Stand firm in the Lord and His word in Love, not your opinion.
3. Plead
Unity is a big deal to God. We must find a way to get along with one another! It is important and that lack of our effort is evidenced by the lack of blessings we have from God corporately.
4. Help
When one fails, we all fail. When one falls, we all suffer for it. We are to lift up one another in all regards, without consideration except for our debt to Jesus for what He has done for us.
5. Rejoice
Criticism lives where praise does not - and visa-versa! So, guard that sharply barged tongue of yours and learn to praise others convincingly in truth!
6. Calm
Gentileness is needs to be reflected in your attitudes towards others in the church! It can really make a difference in a family as much as in a church!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
The Interview
So, today I turn 59. I have outlived all previous male members of my mother's family, now by 19 years. Whom could have thought! I am the last male left from my father's side as well, as much a woe to my Swiss family as it is to me! No one, not even my doctors thought I could have lasted this long - their doom and gloom goes back 28 years! Which just goes to prove my argument through all of these years, God is not quite done with me yet! And who really needs a liver or kidneys after-all?
I was challenged by one of my readers last year to do a humorous pseudo-interview of myself. I am sure they have forgotten, until this very moment, and I hope my wit holds out as I do this interview now cold and in one take! Not sure if I am going to be a smart ass or serious, maybe a combination? But, what ever it is - it will be a one shot off the cuff, natural Kris! So, here goes:
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finding Bigfoot, teaching him how to play cards and being accepted into the Bigfoot tribe.
Freedom to just be me, time to relearn what humanity is, absence of all of my constraints.
To know I served my God well.
What is your greatest fear?
Spiders, I hate spiders, I will scream like a three year old girl and "jump" on top of a table if you do not save me!
Which historical figure do you most resemble?
Samuel Richardson, most famous as a Captain in the Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate States of America. A man whom although having no stake in the situation in America, at the time returned to the land of his birth, served his men and country with distinction then quietly disappeared from public history.
His death in a Union prisoner of war camp was greatly exaggerated. He went on to live his life, traveled to Oregon, at some point crossing the er, tarnished path of my great-aunt, his stories via her, becoming a part of my own knowledge and character.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Any thing that others can do better than me!
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Anything they can do better than me!
When and where were you the happiest?
Since most of my life was lived without any such emotion, here are some highlights:
The quiet and solitude of closing down a ski area at -80 degrees.
Summiting Longs Peak at -20, in 60 mph winds. Cold granite, cold steel, total conquest.
My first car, a 1969 Fiat 124 Spyder body on an Alfa Romero drive train.
Taking an impossible shot and succeeding!
Adopting each one of my children, in court or before God.
When each of my children were able to say "I love you", often not even in words.
The rarity of having a boss say "Well done."
When one of "My Kids", gets it, and suddenly understands.
At the honesty of a moment with no walls, only truth and total commitment.
Knowing I have someone watching my back.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
abecedarian, calamanco, morioplasty, worsification and of course, zum!
But, I am trying to cut back on each and everyone of these daily words across this next year! (yes, those are all real words!)
Which living person do you most despise?
There is no one less qualified to continue living than Ratko Mladić, the murderer of my cousin Bernard, whom was a medic in Bosnia. Sorry no mercy for a coward whom whom would kill a medic, no mercy for each of the NATO troops whom would withdraw to allow the slaughter of 1,100 women, children, old people and seven NATO medics performing surgery at the time! No mercy for Ratko from me, but as a Hutterite and a Christian I am required to let him know about God's forgiveness for what he has done - but if he accepts before his well earned execution, do not expect me to even look his way once in Heaven ... It shames me that I am counted in his number, as no better before my God.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?
A fortune telling machine, where I can give out the real fortunes to the user of the machine. Usually, the message would read something like: "You are soooooo stupid!".
What do you see as your greatest achievement?
Problem is, all of my greatest achievements have been surpassed by others, now hollow victories no one cares to remember today - I am just a historical relic. Better technologies, more money, better sponsors, etc. But, back in the day ...
So, I can then only say that God used me, often in odd ways, to reach His own ... even to others utter amazement. And it is the Church's condemnation of me that I hold closest to my heart as proof of having done what was right in God's eyes, not what was politically correct in man's. I did as I was told.
What is the lowest depth of misery for you?
Listening to the ten thousandth person at an antique show telling me all about how their grandparents had boxes full of "these", usually my neanderthal tool collection on display, and how they used to sell them for only a penny a piece. I was just unaware that neanderthals lived in North America, or perhaps it is just one of their family problems ...
What is your most marked characteristic?
My ability to entertain. Mind you, the last thing on Earth I want to do but it is the wall I hide behind. And everyone thinks I am hilarious by nature, no - just a really really really insecure clown.
The real me? To think through all of the fluff in life which blinds us and to ferret out what the real causes for problems are. To desire to help my friends overcome their causes ... Yeah, then that brings up some other problems too.
What do you most value in your friends?
My friends are my family - no hidden warts, everything out in the open - a no holds barred free for all! And we still respect and love each other.
Who are your heroes in real life?
People, not so unlike Theodore Roosevelt. Those willing to just stand up and do something to take on the status quo of the day, to set right wrongs in this world. Of course, as history has shown, the bureaucrats will always destroy what was accomplished for good, in the end. But, even small gains are better than being ground down without a fight!
How would you like to die?
Peacefully in my sleep, but then I did that one once - there is no such thing!
Kicking, screaming and in a sea of spent brass - but I vowed to God I would never take human life.
Someone unplugging the machine while I am drooling on myself and wondering if I still have toes - that would be okay.
Just nothing as meaningless as being backed over by a bread truck, please!
What is your motto?
Determination and Persistence will always trump Education and Skill.
I was challenged by one of my readers last year to do a humorous pseudo-interview of myself. I am sure they have forgotten, until this very moment, and I hope my wit holds out as I do this interview now cold and in one take! Not sure if I am going to be a smart ass or serious, maybe a combination? But, what ever it is - it will be a one shot off the cuff, natural Kris! So, here goes:
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
 | |
| July in Arizona making crab legs! |
Freedom to just be me, time to relearn what humanity is, absence of all of my constraints.
To know I served my God well.
What is your greatest fear?
Spiders, I hate spiders, I will scream like a three year old girl and "jump" on top of a table if you do not save me!
Which historical figure do you most resemble?
Samuel Richardson, most famous as a Captain in the Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate States of America. A man whom although having no stake in the situation in America, at the time returned to the land of his birth, served his men and country with distinction then quietly disappeared from public history.
His death in a Union prisoner of war camp was greatly exaggerated. He went on to live his life, traveled to Oregon, at some point crossing the er, tarnished path of my great-aunt, his stories via her, becoming a part of my own knowledge and character.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Any thing that others can do better than me!
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Anything they can do better than me!
When and where were you the happiest?
Since most of my life was lived without any such emotion, here are some highlights:
The quiet and solitude of closing down a ski area at -80 degrees.
Summiting Longs Peak at -20, in 60 mph winds. Cold granite, cold steel, total conquest.
My first car, a 1969 Fiat 124 Spyder body on an Alfa Romero drive train.
Taking an impossible shot and succeeding!
Adopting each one of my children, in court or before God.
When each of my children were able to say "I love you", often not even in words.
The rarity of having a boss say "Well done."
When one of "My Kids", gets it, and suddenly understands.
At the honesty of a moment with no walls, only truth and total commitment.
Knowing I have someone watching my back.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
abecedarian, calamanco, morioplasty, worsification and of course, zum!
But, I am trying to cut back on each and everyone of these daily words across this next year! (yes, those are all real words!)
Which living person do you most despise?
There is no one less qualified to continue living than Ratko Mladić, the murderer of my cousin Bernard, whom was a medic in Bosnia. Sorry no mercy for a coward whom whom would kill a medic, no mercy for each of the NATO troops whom would withdraw to allow the slaughter of 1,100 women, children, old people and seven NATO medics performing surgery at the time! No mercy for Ratko from me, but as a Hutterite and a Christian I am required to let him know about God's forgiveness for what he has done - but if he accepts before his well earned execution, do not expect me to even look his way once in Heaven ... It shames me that I am counted in his number, as no better before my God.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?
A fortune telling machine, where I can give out the real fortunes to the user of the machine. Usually, the message would read something like: "You are soooooo stupid!".
What do you see as your greatest achievement?
Problem is, all of my greatest achievements have been surpassed by others, now hollow victories no one cares to remember today - I am just a historical relic. Better technologies, more money, better sponsors, etc. But, back in the day ...
So, I can then only say that God used me, often in odd ways, to reach His own ... even to others utter amazement. And it is the Church's condemnation of me that I hold closest to my heart as proof of having done what was right in God's eyes, not what was politically correct in man's. I did as I was told.
What is the lowest depth of misery for you?
Listening to the ten thousandth person at an antique show telling me all about how their grandparents had boxes full of "these", usually my neanderthal tool collection on display, and how they used to sell them for only a penny a piece. I was just unaware that neanderthals lived in North America, or perhaps it is just one of their family problems ...
What is your most marked characteristic?
My ability to entertain. Mind you, the last thing on Earth I want to do but it is the wall I hide behind. And everyone thinks I am hilarious by nature, no - just a really really really insecure clown.
The real me? To think through all of the fluff in life which blinds us and to ferret out what the real causes for problems are. To desire to help my friends overcome their causes ... Yeah, then that brings up some other problems too.
What do you most value in your friends?
My friends are my family - no hidden warts, everything out in the open - a no holds barred free for all! And we still respect and love each other.
Who are your heroes in real life?
People, not so unlike Theodore Roosevelt. Those willing to just stand up and do something to take on the status quo of the day, to set right wrongs in this world. Of course, as history has shown, the bureaucrats will always destroy what was accomplished for good, in the end. But, even small gains are better than being ground down without a fight!
How would you like to die?
Peacefully in my sleep, but then I did that one once - there is no such thing!
Kicking, screaming and in a sea of spent brass - but I vowed to God I would never take human life.
Someone unplugging the machine while I am drooling on myself and wondering if I still have toes - that would be okay.
Just nothing as meaningless as being backed over by a bread truck, please!
What is your motto?
Determination and Persistence will always trump Education and Skill.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Making A Difference
Last week was fairly horrible. I learned a great deal, I learned a great deal about me, I learned a great deal relationally.
Apparently, God felt I had grown enough to take both barrels of a shotgun to the guts, or He was gracious enough provide the body armor needed to not kill me - just my angel.
So, with lots to think on, pray over, remember, analyze, and come to either a prayer list item on, learn from or understand how to clear up miscommunications. Yeah, it was quite a few days there, the past five years playing a prominent role in this self evaluation.
And today, I thought on this. What I just went through has not so bad a lesson for each of us to consider this year!
Pray
We each need prayer, all of us, no matter how well you think you have a handle on life!
Our family members need prayer.
Our religious leaders need prayer.
Our civil leaders need prayer.
Our children's teachers need prayer.
Our government leaders need prayer.
All nations need prayer.
We need to pray for a war against Satan and his inroads into our daily lives. Sorry, I am not talking denominational anything, bad Biblical theology anything! I am talking a war on the corruption at virtually all levels in our lives!
You literally would not want to see my prayer list!
Mentor
Not only do we each need mentoring in some capacity, but we also need to mentor others around us.
None of us know it all, if you think you do - guess what! You are wrong, I have proof.
We need, in varying capacities, interpersonal relationship help, knowledge and application in dealing with God and others.
Swede beats me up regularly concerning interpersonal relationship, Niece has been driving herself crazy helping this mess of a man learn how to be human, Dutchman keeps my feet firmly on the ground and my eyes on the future and not the darkness of the past, and yes, I have those whom I turn to bounce my thoughts on God off of and visa-versa. I need lots of help it seems day to day, reaching out to become ... ? Something, when I grow up, I guess.
Encourage
Everyone needs help in most areas of their lives, whether that is physical or financial help, or just a kind word.
The world is full of people willing to kick your teeth in, praise God when you find one whom believes in you, says the kind word, shares a word of wisdom, etc !
Equally, you can easily be that source of encouragement in another's life - especially with youth! Everyone appreciates an atta-boy, everyone enjoys a smile and a well wish. Sure there are those whose are beyond encouragement but 99.9% would like a kind word.
As for youth, they have a world of negatives out there, they hear the constant drone of the drum chanting out how stupid, incompetent, etc they are. Usually it is just their mind set, translating all messages that way.
So, be the unexpected, do the unexpected, be an encourager.
Apparently, God felt I had grown enough to take both barrels of a shotgun to the guts, or He was gracious enough provide the body armor needed to not kill me - just my angel.
So, with lots to think on, pray over, remember, analyze, and come to either a prayer list item on, learn from or understand how to clear up miscommunications. Yeah, it was quite a few days there, the past five years playing a prominent role in this self evaluation.
And today, I thought on this. What I just went through has not so bad a lesson for each of us to consider this year!
Pray
We each need prayer, all of us, no matter how well you think you have a handle on life!
Our family members need prayer.
Our religious leaders need prayer.
Our civil leaders need prayer.
Our children's teachers need prayer.
Our government leaders need prayer.
All nations need prayer.
We need to pray for a war against Satan and his inroads into our daily lives. Sorry, I am not talking denominational anything, bad Biblical theology anything! I am talking a war on the corruption at virtually all levels in our lives!
You literally would not want to see my prayer list!
Mentor
Not only do we each need mentoring in some capacity, but we also need to mentor others around us.
None of us know it all, if you think you do - guess what! You are wrong, I have proof.
We need, in varying capacities, interpersonal relationship help, knowledge and application in dealing with God and others.
Swede beats me up regularly concerning interpersonal relationship, Niece has been driving herself crazy helping this mess of a man learn how to be human, Dutchman keeps my feet firmly on the ground and my eyes on the future and not the darkness of the past, and yes, I have those whom I turn to bounce my thoughts on God off of and visa-versa. I need lots of help it seems day to day, reaching out to become ... ? Something, when I grow up, I guess.
Encourage
Everyone needs help in most areas of their lives, whether that is physical or financial help, or just a kind word.
The world is full of people willing to kick your teeth in, praise God when you find one whom believes in you, says the kind word, shares a word of wisdom, etc !
Equally, you can easily be that source of encouragement in another's life - especially with youth! Everyone appreciates an atta-boy, everyone enjoys a smile and a well wish. Sure there are those whose are beyond encouragement but 99.9% would like a kind word.
As for youth, they have a world of negatives out there, they hear the constant drone of the drum chanting out how stupid, incompetent, etc they are. Usually it is just their mind set, translating all messages that way.
So, be the unexpected, do the unexpected, be an encourager.
Monday, January 13, 2014
In Passing
This post brings me no joy.
Father married eight times. Two of his wives have been favorites of my sister and I. Gwen, whom I showed you a photo of some time back this summer, and Marge, who I really have no good photo's with.
Marge was wife number eight, one of only two father's age (most of them were my age!). They had just celebrated their second anniversary when father's body gave out on him.
Now she too has passed away.
It is with sadness I say this as I had been working on a biography for her of my father's life - with the help of my aunts, something to give her on what would have been their wedding anniversary. And I am at a loss for words.
She had been diagnosed with liver cancer back before Christmas, however she had the will and the money to see a long fight through. I had no question she was going to make it. My children, whom also knew her and stayed in contact with her are equally stunned.
When last we spoke, at Christmas, she was bright and chipper. Everyone thought, "All is well."
And so the first death of someone I cared for, with this new nature fully in control. I barely survived Edvard's death in March - it was only my ability to temporarily shut down that I did make it; I am now without a reaction. I have no words, no witticisms, nothing with which to deflect this pain. A dear lady in my life has died and I am left defenseless against emotion.
All prayers appreciated for her families, all of whom need to make their peace with their creator ...
Father married eight times. Two of his wives have been favorites of my sister and I. Gwen, whom I showed you a photo of some time back this summer, and Marge, who I really have no good photo's with.
Now she too has passed away.
It is with sadness I say this as I had been working on a biography for her of my father's life - with the help of my aunts, something to give her on what would have been their wedding anniversary. And I am at a loss for words.
She had been diagnosed with liver cancer back before Christmas, however she had the will and the money to see a long fight through. I had no question she was going to make it. My children, whom also knew her and stayed in contact with her are equally stunned.
When last we spoke, at Christmas, she was bright and chipper. Everyone thought, "All is well."
And so the first death of someone I cared for, with this new nature fully in control. I barely survived Edvard's death in March - it was only my ability to temporarily shut down that I did make it; I am now without a reaction. I have no words, no witticisms, nothing with which to deflect this pain. A dear lady in my life has died and I am left defenseless against emotion.
All prayers appreciated for her families, all of whom need to make their peace with their creator ...
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Musical Saturday Morning
It was the fall of 1973, I had just become a Christian, and not having much time for radio listening back then - I managed to listen to this piece of music just by chance while hitch-hiking from from Tacoma up I-5 to Kent. It captivated me and I had no clue why ...
Friday, January 10, 2014
Historical Secrets
It did not take much to establish who his real family was, they actually had set out to find me. He was believed to have been dead by then, so they were looking for me. His mother had died and her estate needed settled. My response was one of overjoy at having found them! And, since they had loved and cared for their parents, anything of value was theirs. I only wanted copies of photographs and to learn to know them.
And across the years we have a fairly close relationship. I am happy.
But, in my readings this week, I suddenly found myself choking on what I was finding! It was a British book I had picked up, just never read. It was a hard week, I needed rest and a book would be good - especially one that deals in conspiracy, government cover-ups and of course space aliens! What more could one ask for relaxation.
I expected humorous readings, something so easy to laugh off that Dutchman and Swede would be jumping up and down to read it next!
Instead, I found my father.
Oh make no mistake, he is whom I found him out to be, there is just a problem with his story - I had assumed a piece of information as to the project he had worked on. Yeah, I had the designations right, I just did not know there were three V-3 projects. Father had a great love for rockets, so I had assumed that must have been the V-3 he was on, and he did have extraordinary knowledge of that project.
However, he also had knowledge of another V-3 project, one which probably outside of this British book has not been documented well.
And as the story reads on, places come up which father had a strong knowledge of and I have to admit I wondered at how since I knew he was the Swiss guy and his WWII stations were in the north not central areas. Then the list of names started ticking off of my sister and I's list - I knew almost all of them. Some were decades old family friends even!
And I was given reason to now pause.
No wonder my simple questions had caused an NSA uproar, father beyond having been a Paperclip Scientist and US citizen, was involved in some German programs so secret that there is virtually nothing known about their programs even to this day. The paperwork disappeared, the physical items built can not be found, we are talking Black Box here. Shut, silent, sealed.
Then I finished the book. I realized that the man was not a crackpot! His story all too possible and true - he named names, backed up with copies of records from the Russians: dates, places, even the question of what was going on in America was stressed. He nibbled the edges, my father had lived it.
I was stunned. Were my father still alive I would be in Denver right now kicking his butt until I got some truth out of him. Yeah, I know understand what the Germans had been up to, I understand why they had needed my father's brain so badly, I can even understand how a youth could have been lured into the field of theoretically research on time, gravity and the folding of both of them. But, like me the author also hit a brick wall at the US shores, all stories dead ended once the US military becomes involved. Almost all of my father's friends are now dead, the projects' knowledge lost in so far as availability is concerned, end of story.
And I sit here and remember those early years of mine, father's long absences, his letters from locations now I know associated with the US pursuit of what the German's had failed to succeed at. Then I looked at my work career and I realize now how silently I had been moved around to work on projects far advanced from what father had worked on - yet we shared the same goal in our work, in fact the same project! And now I realize at how the bean counters in charge of the black box have failed - they observed the trick of physic we used, but still do not understand that this is a side effect - there is much more involved then they allow for in science.
I knew at the time this was a side effect, but none of us understood - of what?
I am stunned. The potential of what we did could change aerodynamics for real, not as a magic trick because of the side effect we utilized buy on a larger scale - the creation of energy for transportation. How we failed to even understand what we were doing amazes me ...
And across the years we have a fairly close relationship. I am happy.
But, in my readings this week, I suddenly found myself choking on what I was finding! It was a British book I had picked up, just never read. It was a hard week, I needed rest and a book would be good - especially one that deals in conspiracy, government cover-ups and of course space aliens! What more could one ask for relaxation.
I expected humorous readings, something so easy to laugh off that Dutchman and Swede would be jumping up and down to read it next!
Instead, I found my father.
Oh make no mistake, he is whom I found him out to be, there is just a problem with his story - I had assumed a piece of information as to the project he had worked on. Yeah, I had the designations right, I just did not know there were three V-3 projects. Father had a great love for rockets, so I had assumed that must have been the V-3 he was on, and he did have extraordinary knowledge of that project.
However, he also had knowledge of another V-3 project, one which probably outside of this British book has not been documented well.
And as the story reads on, places come up which father had a strong knowledge of and I have to admit I wondered at how since I knew he was the Swiss guy and his WWII stations were in the north not central areas. Then the list of names started ticking off of my sister and I's list - I knew almost all of them. Some were decades old family friends even!
And I was given reason to now pause.
No wonder my simple questions had caused an NSA uproar, father beyond having been a Paperclip Scientist and US citizen, was involved in some German programs so secret that there is virtually nothing known about their programs even to this day. The paperwork disappeared, the physical items built can not be found, we are talking Black Box here. Shut, silent, sealed.
Then I finished the book. I realized that the man was not a crackpot! His story all too possible and true - he named names, backed up with copies of records from the Russians: dates, places, even the question of what was going on in America was stressed. He nibbled the edges, my father had lived it.
I was stunned. Were my father still alive I would be in Denver right now kicking his butt until I got some truth out of him. Yeah, I know understand what the Germans had been up to, I understand why they had needed my father's brain so badly, I can even understand how a youth could have been lured into the field of theoretically research on time, gravity and the folding of both of them. But, like me the author also hit a brick wall at the US shores, all stories dead ended once the US military becomes involved. Almost all of my father's friends are now dead, the projects' knowledge lost in so far as availability is concerned, end of story.
And I sit here and remember those early years of mine, father's long absences, his letters from locations now I know associated with the US pursuit of what the German's had failed to succeed at. Then I looked at my work career and I realize now how silently I had been moved around to work on projects far advanced from what father had worked on - yet we shared the same goal in our work, in fact the same project! And now I realize at how the bean counters in charge of the black box have failed - they observed the trick of physic we used, but still do not understand that this is a side effect - there is much more involved then they allow for in science.
I knew at the time this was a side effect, but none of us understood - of what?
I am stunned. The potential of what we did could change aerodynamics for real, not as a magic trick because of the side effect we utilized buy on a larger scale - the creation of energy for transportation. How we failed to even understand what we were doing amazes me ...
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Digging In Historical Secrets
My adventure to find out whom my father really was/is began in 1984. I was moving and had some old boxes I had never been through and honestly I thought of just throwing them await. A letter fell out of the bottom of one of them and it was from my father's mother. I was stunned. She was dead, how could she have written? Then I saw that it was dated 1968, it was a birthday card for my 13th birthday and my father had thrown it away, but it seems mother had saved it secretly, she just never thought I would find it.
I wrote a letter to my unknown grandmother, and nothing ...
So, I talked with my sister and we wrote out everything we knew about our father, every story, every piece of a comment we could remember. And and then I set out to sequence and locate the history behind those stories.
I filed with the US Immigration and Naturalization Service for a copy of father's original paperwork.
I wrote the Red Cross in Germany, asking for their help and verifying his stories about being from what is now Poland.
I wrote the Canadian and British War Time Archivists for copies of manifests for the camp father had said he was held in after the war.
It was all I could do, the internet did not exist as a tool to search for such information back then. And, I waited.
The US Immigration and Naturalization Service responded almost instantly with a letter refusing me access to his paperwork and suggesting that any further attempts would result in my US citizenship being revoked.
For one and a half years my phone was tapped, my mail searched, we found a listening device had been drilled into the side of my new house! A major storm had ripped off the bad job of covering it up.
I went to the police and the Postal Inspector, showed them what I had and they both commented I had apparently pissed off someone in spy land.
I received calls from both of my parents, they had been "visited" and interviewed by the US NSA, first I had ever heard of them! Mother thought it funny, father was furious.
The Canadians and British politely declined to provide the requested information, but did offer to allow me to search their records personally after 20 more years had passed.
The Red Cross provided me with all I needed to know that father was not from what is now Poland.
My letter to my grandmother was returned; no such person or address.
I received a letter from the Swiss government offering to meet with me, as they too had a strong interest in finding my father. And, they learned that one how?
I sat and review what I knew: father was not whom he claimed to be, the Swiss tale appeared to be a dead end and something in the spy community had been awakened by simple questions.
My conclusion? Father was a Russian mole - and I became very quiet on the subject.
But, there was a problem with the Swiss dead end, I had a picture of his sister, and she was a dead ringer for my sister facially. Interesting.
I wrote a letter to my unknown grandmother, and nothing ...
So, I talked with my sister and we wrote out everything we knew about our father, every story, every piece of a comment we could remember. And and then I set out to sequence and locate the history behind those stories.
I filed with the US Immigration and Naturalization Service for a copy of father's original paperwork.
I wrote the Red Cross in Germany, asking for their help and verifying his stories about being from what is now Poland.
I wrote the Canadian and British War Time Archivists for copies of manifests for the camp father had said he was held in after the war.
It was all I could do, the internet did not exist as a tool to search for such information back then. And, I waited.
The US Immigration and Naturalization Service responded almost instantly with a letter refusing me access to his paperwork and suggesting that any further attempts would result in my US citizenship being revoked.
For one and a half years my phone was tapped, my mail searched, we found a listening device had been drilled into the side of my new house! A major storm had ripped off the bad job of covering it up.
I went to the police and the Postal Inspector, showed them what I had and they both commented I had apparently pissed off someone in spy land.
I received calls from both of my parents, they had been "visited" and interviewed by the US NSA, first I had ever heard of them! Mother thought it funny, father was furious.
The Canadians and British politely declined to provide the requested information, but did offer to allow me to search their records personally after 20 more years had passed.
The Red Cross provided me with all I needed to know that father was not from what is now Poland.
My letter to my grandmother was returned; no such person or address.
I received a letter from the Swiss government offering to meet with me, as they too had a strong interest in finding my father. And, they learned that one how?
I sat and review what I knew: father was not whom he claimed to be, the Swiss tale appeared to be a dead end and something in the spy community had been awakened by simple questions.
My conclusion? Father was a Russian mole - and I became very quiet on the subject.
But, there was a problem with the Swiss dead end, I had a picture of his sister, and she was a dead ringer for my sister facially. Interesting.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Paul's Letter To Timothy
Paul had a special relationship with Timothy. He might have been the only father figure to Timothy, certainly he was on the only source of Hebrew teaching the lad had! So, Timothy, half Jew, half Greek, but a heart sold out to the God of his mother's people. And Paul wants him to pastor the Ephesus church and writes him a letter of instruction ...
1 Timothy 1:1-2
1 Timothy 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.To build a strong church, you have got to take your directions from this little book. Paul had the authority of an apostle - one sent by Jesus, one whom had seen Him risen, one whom had devoted his life to the Gospel of Jesus. That authority then is of God. And as such, Paul taught, as Timothy was to, the Bible - not popular opinion. What generally got Paul in hot water and may have even brought him death at one point!
We can only find our hope in Jesus. There is no other basis for hope in this life, nor in the next. And that hope is in the resurrection from death, as demonstrated by Jesus. Not in a faster chariot, better horses, more concubines, wealth, etc - all of the things man seeks and brings sin with it!
Basing all upon Jesus, we are actually reaching ahead into the days of prophesy but also reaching back into the Torah and Jewish tradition. Did I hear someone choke out there? Yes, Christianity is supposed to be Judaism extended to the Gentile as well as the "completed" Jew! For all of the horrible theology of the western world today, the thought that salvation is not extended to the Jew is flat racist! The thought that Christianity is anything other than the continuation of what God started under Judaism can only be defended without the Bible! The Bible is clear - you as a Gentile believer have been been grafted in to the root stock of the vine God planted - His people. We are not replacements, we are not now "His People", the Jews still are! But, we have got to reach out to the Jew and show them the way back to their God!
We are to rejoice in what God has given us. And He makes available to us all we need but we often confuse desires with need and His plans. It is the self satisfying ways of Western Culture which have led today's believe away from God and into the trap of materialism and once there it is darn hard to escape! Even if your eyes are finally opened, just the task of getting out past debt can be a life long challenge.
The point of this post is that I had been speaking with a guy from my church, whom is burned out on Church, on people, on everything. Why? Because he has forgotten the basics of what the Church is based upon and now must reorient himself back to the basics. It also means he is going to be kicking some tushes at the next business meeting because we have placed encyclopedias of trash upon the very basics of what we are to be ... :)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
What We Know
As my discussion with my friend the other day continued, at times fruitful, at others leaving me to question what on Earth is it that any of us can know for certain! Different cultural backgrounds, life experiences, even an age gap creates misunderstanding and miscommunication galore! Yesterday's post was the product of our original discussion, social inequalities, but it became philosophical and I always strikeout at that point!
So what can you, I, or anyone know for certain? Back to the basics -
1 Timothy 1:15-17
We can know that the story about Jesus is true.
We can know the very plan of God.
So what can you, I, or anyone know for certain? Back to the basics -
1 Timothy 1:15-17
We can know that the story about Jesus is true.
- He was born
- His stated goal was to break the cost of sin
- We each must agree
We can know the very plan of God.
- To save us out of our sin
- Paul declares himself the greatest sinner
- Jesus' coming to this world was personal
- The gospel should therefore be personal to each of us
- To demonstrate Jesus
- To show evidence of our own sin and failings
- To show evidence of God's Grace
- To show that God's Grace can reach even you!
- All praise is God's
- All praise is only God's
Monday, January 6, 2014
The Sin of Nothing
Please read Matthew 25:14 - 30.
So I was talking my friend and we started talking about privilege and how it pushes some down and raises others up. Well, the conversation went sideways and my points were used outside of their context and all became a mess, however it set my mind to working on a real issue in this age in which we live, by way of application ...
Doing Nothing With What You Have Been Given Is A Sin
You are to take risks!
Being a SLOTH is a sin. consider Proverbs 22:13
Being overly cautious with what you have been given is a sin.
Being fearful of failure is a sin.
I am allowing for some common sense here in this discussion!
Take Inventory!
What are your assets?
What assumptions do you hold that stand in your way?
Take Responsibility!
We each have 24 hours in a day, but we choose to use them differently. consider Proverbs 19:3
So, the above is all well and good. But ...
And this is where it gets hard in this culture to understand - there is no but! If you disagree, just read on.
If you claim to be a Christian,
If you really are a Christian,
If God is using you (and He will if the other two are true),
Then know that this world is not the end all to anything!
You were not created for this world! You are a representative of God - an ambassador for His coming Kingdom, anything/everything you have is supposed to be God's. Anything you earn is because of God. Anything stolen from you was God's. God will put you where you need to be. God said that He is responsible for providing your needs (assuming you are working!). It is when we forget any of this we fall into failure, then sin.
Because we are not a part of this world, those of the world will be exalted before us in the eyes of all and richly rewarded by the world!
We will be cheated, we will be passed over for raises and promotion, we are guaranteed the short end of the world's stick!
If you live your faith (not obnoxiously) you will be the "queer" one of your work organizations. Expect not be invited to parties, nor to lunch. You get to be the one gossiped about and to have extra work reviews - because you are just not "right". If you over produce, your work will be credited to others because you made them look lazy (which they are!).
No, you will not be treated fairly or justly - because they did not treat whom you represent fairly or justly!
And, nothing need ever be said, what is in them is opposed to what is in you!
It is just that simple.
And where Dave Ramsey and his ilk fail:
Yes, God provides for you, He may even bless you abundantly - But, those are His provisions and are to be used by you for HIM and HIS efforts.
Nowhere is there even a hint of tying up HIS assets in CD, Bearer Bonds, become a slum lord, stock market baron, etc. If God allows you a buck you need to use that buck wisely in supporting yourself and HIS work as well. If God allows you a million buck, exact same principle, but can you live at the same level and allow God to have the excess?
Nope, gotta invest for tomorrow, because I have no faith He can supply those needs tomorrow, like He did today.
And for all of the Ramsey-ites out there, once you are out of debt, you are now burying God's money rather than investing it in His business! And when He returns, which of the slaves with the talents do you think He will apply to you? Hint: He does not care about your accumulated wealth - He gave so you could too. And, you did not, you invested in materialism and accumulated wealth, not in His Kingdom ...
So I was talking my friend and we started talking about privilege and how it pushes some down and raises others up. Well, the conversation went sideways and my points were used outside of their context and all became a mess, however it set my mind to working on a real issue in this age in which we live, by way of application ...
Doing Nothing With What You Have Been Given Is A Sin
You are to take risks!
Being a SLOTH is a sin. consider Proverbs 22:13
Being overly cautious with what you have been given is a sin.
Being fearful of failure is a sin.
I am allowing for some common sense here in this discussion!
Take Inventory!
What are your assets?
What assumptions do you hold that stand in your way?
Take Responsibility!
We each have 24 hours in a day, but we choose to use them differently. consider Proverbs 19:3
NOW THE IMPORTANT STUFF!
So, the above is all well and good. But ...
And this is where it gets hard in this culture to understand - there is no but! If you disagree, just read on.
If you claim to be a Christian,
If you really are a Christian,
If God is using you (and He will if the other two are true),
Then know that this world is not the end all to anything!
You were not created for this world! You are a representative of God - an ambassador for His coming Kingdom, anything/everything you have is supposed to be God's. Anything you earn is because of God. Anything stolen from you was God's. God will put you where you need to be. God said that He is responsible for providing your needs (assuming you are working!). It is when we forget any of this we fall into failure, then sin.
Because we are not a part of this world, those of the world will be exalted before us in the eyes of all and richly rewarded by the world!
We will be cheated, we will be passed over for raises and promotion, we are guaranteed the short end of the world's stick!
If you live your faith (not obnoxiously) you will be the "queer" one of your work organizations. Expect not be invited to parties, nor to lunch. You get to be the one gossiped about and to have extra work reviews - because you are just not "right". If you over produce, your work will be credited to others because you made them look lazy (which they are!).
No, you will not be treated fairly or justly - because they did not treat whom you represent fairly or justly!
And, nothing need ever be said, what is in them is opposed to what is in you!
It is just that simple.
And where Dave Ramsey and his ilk fail:
Yes, God provides for you, He may even bless you abundantly - But, those are His provisions and are to be used by you for HIM and HIS efforts.
Nowhere is there even a hint of tying up HIS assets in CD, Bearer Bonds, become a slum lord, stock market baron, etc. If God allows you a buck you need to use that buck wisely in supporting yourself and HIS work as well. If God allows you a million buck, exact same principle, but can you live at the same level and allow God to have the excess?
Nope, gotta invest for tomorrow, because I have no faith He can supply those needs tomorrow, like He did today.
And for all of the Ramsey-ites out there, once you are out of debt, you are now burying God's money rather than investing it in His business! And when He returns, which of the slaves with the talents do you think He will apply to you? Hint: He does not care about your accumulated wealth - He gave so you could too. And, you did not, you invested in materialism and accumulated wealth, not in His Kingdom ...
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Musical Saturday Morning
Well, it is the first of the month again and what better way to open up the new year than with some of the worst of the 1980's?!?!?!?
Before there was Miley Cyrus, Bananarama was.
Before there was Elizabeth Hurley, Bananarama was.
Before Twilight anything was known, Bananarama was.
Before lip-sync was fully understood by bands doing British video, Bananarama was.
Before choreography was attempted on British film, Bananarama was.
Before music videos were understood by the British, Bananarama was.
What does all of this mean? Each of them is a clue as to just where I rate this group! Think in terms of someone, a kid at the time, watching this video and then said, once they were an adult in the cinema industry, "Hey you know a female devil sure would be cool, I wonder if Elizabeth Hurley is available ..... It would be epic!"
Well, no not really, it is just that Bananarama was that bad and so were all of the other ideas above! So, as I was sniffing around for November's musical selection I stumbled on this forgotten gem and well yeah, I had to post it sometime!
And still a more believable vampire romance than Twilight anything...
Before there was Miley Cyrus, Bananarama was.
Before there was Elizabeth Hurley, Bananarama was.
Before Twilight anything was known, Bananarama was.
Before lip-sync was fully understood by bands doing British video, Bananarama was.
Before choreography was attempted on British film, Bananarama was.
Before music videos were understood by the British, Bananarama was.
What does all of this mean? Each of them is a clue as to just where I rate this group! Think in terms of someone, a kid at the time, watching this video and then said, once they were an adult in the cinema industry, "Hey you know a female devil sure would be cool, I wonder if Elizabeth Hurley is available ..... It would be epic!"
Well, no not really, it is just that Bananarama was that bad and so were all of the other ideas above! So, as I was sniffing around for November's musical selection I stumbled on this forgotten gem and well yeah, I had to post it sometime!
And still a more believable vampire romance than Twilight anything...
Friday, January 3, 2014
Peru
"Have a little fun for a change!" With these words from my friend I was left to wonder what kind of fun! What I think is fun, others find mind numbingly boring. And really, what fun is there around here? But, my friend has been proven to be wise, often in advance of when that advice was needed. So, wise words, best heeded. I guess.
But, there is one thing I have not done, have promised I would do in October but just never had the money to - the Peruvian Exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. So, I went.
I did not know that as a museum member, I get into the exhibit for free, so cool start for an evening!
The exhibit was well worth pretty much any price. The artifacts covered roughly 3,000 years of Peruvian history. Artifacts in gold, silver, copper, shell, wood, ceramics, terracotta, exotic feathers, wool, cotton weavings, etc. The pre-Inca exhibit was incredible for all of the gold and silver and the bits of culture they have discovered. They worshipped the sun and moon. The sun was gold, the moon silver and it seems an awful lot of people lost their heads in their ceremonies.
One group of 30 something guys was stuck on the ritualistic sex artifacts. Really? I might expect that of junior high schoolers! So they made it easy to avoid that section.
The Inca presentation was devoid of metallics - thank you Pizarro! But the ceramics were outstanding!
Then the Spanish era, heavy with its ornate forms of pseudo-Christianity. Again outstanding at the work the natives produced for a pagan god the Spanish had beaten into them.
The post colonial exhibit was sort of a yawner. Nowhere near the workmanship levels their ancestors had produced in the past. I would have been embarrassed to have any of my work shown next to the treasures of this exhibit - and yes, I can do much better than 80% of those modern pieces! (so why don't you!?!?!? Hint, I am not an Inca descendent, lol ...)
It took me exactly one hour to do it all, the museum recommends 20 minutes! It closes on the 5th so if you are in the Seattle area - DO IT!!!!!
Afterwards, i took myself downstairs to the gift shop and bought the book of the exhibition, then off to dinner at the SAM Taste (bistro?).
Their menu had been modified to provide Peruvian experiences and I did order and eat one of everything Peruvian! It was outstanding ... simply outstanding!
So my dear friend, your suggestion was right on the money as usual.
Thank you.
:)
But, there is one thing I have not done, have promised I would do in October but just never had the money to - the Peruvian Exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. So, I went.
I did not know that as a museum member, I get into the exhibit for free, so cool start for an evening!
The exhibit was well worth pretty much any price. The artifacts covered roughly 3,000 years of Peruvian history. Artifacts in gold, silver, copper, shell, wood, ceramics, terracotta, exotic feathers, wool, cotton weavings, etc. The pre-Inca exhibit was incredible for all of the gold and silver and the bits of culture they have discovered. They worshipped the sun and moon. The sun was gold, the moon silver and it seems an awful lot of people lost their heads in their ceremonies.
One group of 30 something guys was stuck on the ritualistic sex artifacts. Really? I might expect that of junior high schoolers! So they made it easy to avoid that section.
The Inca presentation was devoid of metallics - thank you Pizarro! But the ceramics were outstanding!
Then the Spanish era, heavy with its ornate forms of pseudo-Christianity. Again outstanding at the work the natives produced for a pagan god the Spanish had beaten into them.
The post colonial exhibit was sort of a yawner. Nowhere near the workmanship levels their ancestors had produced in the past. I would have been embarrassed to have any of my work shown next to the treasures of this exhibit - and yes, I can do much better than 80% of those modern pieces! (so why don't you!?!?!? Hint, I am not an Inca descendent, lol ...)
It took me exactly one hour to do it all, the museum recommends 20 minutes! It closes on the 5th so if you are in the Seattle area - DO IT!!!!!
Afterwards, i took myself downstairs to the gift shop and bought the book of the exhibition, then off to dinner at the SAM Taste (bistro?).
Their menu had been modified to provide Peruvian experiences and I did order and eat one of everything Peruvian! It was outstanding ... simply outstanding!
So my dear friend, your suggestion was right on the money as usual.
Thank you.
:)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
To Stand in Faith
Satan had a hay day with me on the first, a very hard day.
It was klutz day from beginning to end.
I was upset for my in my spirit, I guessed at something I would have no way to know.
I was injured because this weighed upon me and distracted me.
Car after car I touched, died.
Finally, I almost had one ready again for the road - when the screws and then the screwdriver - simply disappeared. And I do mean disappeared, "poof"!
I stopped. I realized Satan was beating on me again - we had left the realm of reality ...
He had hit me last night and though it hurt, I could try and shrug it off.
And each hour of the first got harder and harder.
Finally, I could no longer shrug off the elephant in my brain, spirit and emotions.
And I caught myself.
I realized that under my old nature, faith was quite simple - God will do what God will do - I will follow.
Under my new nature of last year, faith is not so simple. God will do what God will do - I will bleed and/or follow.
I stopped and put down my flashlight - it was no use in finding my lost screwdriver - it was gone.
I realized that I can be the natural man and go with what I "know".
Or I can stand in faith upon what is not obvious at all, but what I have been "told" in direct opposition to all knowledge and common sense.
God never called me to stand where it is convenient or safe.
He never promised anything to me.
He did however call me to be and to do what He commands.
No matter how illogical it all appears.
No matter how badly my new nature is damaged.
No matter whatever the fallout.
I can cut and run.
I can stand and burn.
Sorry Satan, I choose to stand.
And yes, I do fully understand that cost.
I only worry that others may be scorched, whom lack all understanding.
It was klutz day from beginning to end.
I was upset for my in my spirit, I guessed at something I would have no way to know.
I was injured because this weighed upon me and distracted me.
Car after car I touched, died.
Finally, I almost had one ready again for the road - when the screws and then the screwdriver - simply disappeared. And I do mean disappeared, "poof"!
I stopped. I realized Satan was beating on me again - we had left the realm of reality ...
He had hit me last night and though it hurt, I could try and shrug it off.
And each hour of the first got harder and harder.
Finally, I could no longer shrug off the elephant in my brain, spirit and emotions.
And I caught myself.
I realized that under my old nature, faith was quite simple - God will do what God will do - I will follow.
Under my new nature of last year, faith is not so simple. God will do what God will do - I will bleed and/or follow.
I stopped and put down my flashlight - it was no use in finding my lost screwdriver - it was gone.
I realized that I can be the natural man and go with what I "know".
Or I can stand in faith upon what is not obvious at all, but what I have been "told" in direct opposition to all knowledge and common sense.
God never called me to stand where it is convenient or safe.
He never promised anything to me.
He did however call me to be and to do what He commands.
No matter how illogical it all appears.
No matter how badly my new nature is damaged.
No matter whatever the fallout.
I can cut and run.
I can stand and burn.
Sorry Satan, I choose to stand.
And yes, I do fully understand that cost.
I only worry that others may be scorched, whom lack all understanding.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy New Year
Well, welcome to 2014 ...
If that seems strangely put, well, all is not well in my spirit.
I stood only blocks away from the fireworks, with binoculars watched ...
And I trembled for what I had long guessed.
If that seems strangely put, well, all is not well in my spirit.
I stood only blocks away from the fireworks, with binoculars watched ...
And I trembled for what I had long guessed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)