Timmy Tebow & John 3:16

      There has been an incredible amount of controversy over Tim Tebow's public show of faith on the field.  It amazes me that the only thing he has done is knelt during a game. Really, folks? Is it that threatening to "your" way of life? Is it that audacious that Tim  would humble himself before God and a national television audience for a few seconds? Is it really that threatening to the general public that Tim simply gives thanks to a higher power for his very  existence before a game? 
(and no, billybob maher - despite your advanced knowledge and superior intellect, Tim does NOT pray for victory before the game, you self-aggrandizing, monolithic pile of pidgeon poop).   
Obviously the grass stains on Tim's knee must be doing irreparable harm for some out there in TVland... just one quick example, and then I will leave this particular soap box... 
And for that, we'll go back to that hero of over 900,000 billy-bob-tweeter-twits ~ Bill Maher, that artisan of atheistic dogma, the Dalai Lama of all things pathetic and crude... lets take a peek at a tweet from a few weeks ago from the legendary bigbill...

      "Wow, Jesus just f****d Tim Tebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere in hell Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler 'Hey, Buffalo's killing them'." 
(Gosh Billybob... you are my hero, the world couldn't exist without your mensamind... you are a god in the land of comedic genius).
Hmmm... I will refrain from further teeing off at this time on a man that makes his living off of comments like this... but it WILL indeed be a separate post...
In the meantime, you are in my prayers Maher...
(even Billy is not exempt from salvation...) 

(All apologies... Christians are humans too... I needed to get that off my chest). 


Re: the article below... take a moment to read the article, and watch the 30 second spot, I am curious as to the responses... (I know that 2 of my 3 followers won't post publicly, nor wish to be even identified as following me... haha... email me as usual, you shadow-stalking hoodlums ) 


P.S. ~ By way of unofficial stats (but you can bet someone is counting), there were millions of Google hits on John 3:16 during the game after this commercial was shown.

P.P.S. ~ In Denver's previous game with the Steelers, Tebow threw for a season-high 316 yards and set an NFL record with an average of 31.6 yards per pass.  Coincidence? (hmmm...)


Tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor...

If you didn't get the chance to see the commercial during the Denver game... here it is. Click on the link below...

Click HERE to view 30 second spot from this weekend's playoff game...



P.S. - I used to believe that Jesus was just another fictional character in the Bible, and was there to set examples of how one should live. Was I ever wrong...
It is time to start talking a wee bit about God, which I will be doing right here, on occasion. I have a tendency to keep to myself concerning my relationship with Christ. It is no excuse to keep quiet just because I've come across some hostile characters in the past. That, plus the fact that I am not good at debating issues (one learns debate skills by debating, not  by reading debate books). Nonetheless, I still have a duty to do more than I am doing now. And I owe it to people who have asked honest questions about my relationship in the past. My answers have been less than forthcoming at times. 
Just because one doesn't believe in God, doesn't mean that God doesn't exist, nor that He doesn't believe in you.  And for those who've (thusfar, privately) asked questions or who have questions now, consider opening yourself to a gentle and respectful chat, at your own pace, of course. We can respectfully exchange ideas, sort through some of the clutter and misinformation. And it may just get you thinking, and it will certainly benefit my understanding of God.
 I would also appreciate you sharing with me the thoughts & hurdles that prevent you from delving into the possibility that Jesus just might be who He says He is. I may have an answer, or at least some food for thought for you, or maybe not. Either way, you are welcome to come visit and enjoy some healthy dialogue.  Not a bad topic to kick around, huh? - chatting about eternity... and by golly, we have the rest of our lives to do so! 


God bless you... and thanks for spending some time...
By the by, you don't have to post here on the blog. Send me thoughts and questions if you wish at...
bayhawk@nts-online.net

Now it feels like Christmas...

          Since my early days as a red headed kiddo, I remember sitting with our family in front of the TV and watching my two favorite Christmas shows - "A Charlie Brown Christmas" & "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Last night, our two youngest grandkids sat with us as we watched them on DVD. I could see the look in their eyes - much the same magic as i felt as a child. An incredibly content feeling, cuddling with them and singing along. 


  Two scenes that have always struck a chord in my heart (one from each show) - 


The first is from "Rudolph...", in which Clarisse (Rudolph's young doe girlfriend) tries to console a dejected Rudoph by singing to him.

 For whatever reason, the tune "There's Always Tomorrow" always gets me tingling. After tucking the grandkids in for the night, I did a little research on Clarisse. A little known singer named Janet Orenstein was the voice that tried to encourage Rudolph  to see the bright side. What struck me is that Ms.Orenstein had passed away just last year, on December 30th. I would've enjoyed writing her a simple letter, thanking her for such a beautiful melody that has played in my head a myriad times since first hearing it in the 60's. I also took some delight in telling my wife about my discovery that CBS had just aired the show an hour or so before we had viewed it with the kids on DVD. Useless info, I know... but it tickled me... (and this, being MY blog....)  (I'm just sayin'...)


Clarisse singing to Rudolph...


The other scene that is near and dear to my heart is from Charlie Brown - poor Charlie Brown can't seem to do anything right, and is ridiculed for picking a seemingly pathetic Christmas tree for the stage play the kids are performing. Yelling in frustration, he asks, "...isn't there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about!?" Linus grabs his blanket, walks to the center of the stage & quietly explains the story, quoting Luke 2:8-14.  Seeing this played on public TV each year gives me chills.

 It would be enough for me to see a cartoon character explaining Jesus' humble beginnings & the story behind Christmas, but adding to my appreciation is the fact that Charles Schultz, the creator of the Charlie Brown characters, was upset with the network executives who were to air the special, who wanted to 'tone down' the biblical references, including the actual quoting of scripture. Schultz threatened to pull the show completely if it weren't allowed to air as written, stating "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"


Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas...


Thank you, Charles Schultz... in a day and age when there is a movement across this country to eliminate crosses and any reference to biblical scripture, you are a pillar among men. Your creation continues to send a simple message that the world so badly needs these days. 
I've strayed from the original intent of this entry... but to recap - 
* Thank you, Janet Orenstein and Charles Schultz...
* Despite the snow last week, despite putting up Christmas lights on 4 different houses, despite the music, and  the packed parking spaces at the mall.... it just didn't seem like Christmas until I watched my 2 fave shows with the grandkids...


Merry Christmas, my friends...may God bless your holidays! 


NOW it feels like Christmas...

There are days in life where you are presented with such a simple scenario – a quiet Monday morning (one in which you are NOT required to go into work), some rainfall, a cup of coffee, and a comfy patio chair…throw in a few window shaking cracks of thunder, and I am a happy boy.

On this particular morn, I noticed some blackbirds squawking away, enjoying the Fall showers from their perches atop a dormant tree. They ruffled their plummage, squawked songs of joy, leaped & bounced from limb to limb.

They truly seemed to enjoy each other's company... at least until a sparrow had the audacity to land in what must surely have been ‘their’ quadrant. As the sparrow came to light on a scrawny branch opposite the other birds, all activity ceased. No squawking, no wing flapping, no tail feathers shaking. Everyone simply stared. 

There seemed to be a head blackbird in the pack, because he looked at the sparrow, then hopped one branch toward him. He squawked out some orders, and another blackbird took flight and chased after the sparrow.  The remaining soldiers seemed satisfied with the results, and went back to their showering.

Wow, a simple act of unwelcomeness amongst fellow feathered flying critters, and I became unsettled.

Now, being one of those dark grey, ethereal type Monday mornings- coffee in hand, hooded sweatshirt, cozy in my patio chair- I thought about that little sparrow & pondered his fate and how that little guy just wanted to rest for a moment, on the opposite side of that bare-branched tree. Surely he meant no harm, but he didn’t belong, plain & simple. And on went the unsettling thoughts- contemplating the state of humanity & injustice & righteous indignation! So much for the foggy joy that had been mine moments before.

In the course of these ruminations & pathetic worry over the sparrow’s well being, I hadn’t noticed that the blackbirds had taken flight, leaving the tree quite abandoned. Maybe to terrorize earthworms, or to take up the chase with their comrade in the hunt for the infamous sparrow that dared to encroach on their domain.  What I did notice a few moments later, though, was that little sparrow return and light on that lifeless tree. He settled nicely on the same branch that he had been so rudely chased from earlier, ruffled his feathers, looked around, and chirped.

I couldn’t help but smile, and as I raised my coffee mug, 

I thought “Way to go, little dude…way to go”.

Pure joy injected into this November Monday…simple & crisp, with a dash of victory…

Cheers to the little guy that now rules the roost!! 

__________________

P.S. - I am not sure what it says about me that my Nikon goes everywhere with me these days, but I even have it with me to go into my own backyard, with a hot cup of coffee. It is my constant companion (sshhh... not sure how my wife would view that statement).

I no longer keep a gun by my bedside (moving from Cali to Texas has given me a certain sense of freedom, in that respect), but I do indeed have my camera snuggled in it's case near my bed.

Charley Reese was a journalist for over 49 years; he is now retired. He has been on both the Replublican & Democratic sides of the fence at one time or another, & has been a syndicated columnist who speaks his mind. He was associated with the Orlando Sentinel from 1971–2001. 

Below is his final column for the Sentinel, and well worth reading. 

As with many things in this life, if we choose to let inertia be the force behind the excuses, then shame on us... for we only have ourselves to blame.

P.S. - As if this article needs "icing" on the proverbial cake, read the list of taxes at the end....

~ mind boggling.

bob 

 ______________________________

545 vs. 300,000,000 People

-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House now? He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.

This might be funny if it weren't so true.

Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,

Tax his bed,

Tax the table,

At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for

peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he

Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won't be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he's laid...

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

'Taxes drove me

to my doom...'

When he's gone,

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL license Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)

Gross Receipts Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service Charge Tax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!

Welcome Mat Perspective

Like most things associated with Texas, the winds in this great state also tend to be on a Grand scale.

(Henceforth, we shall discuss this new measuring instrument within future Boblog posts in terms of “TGS”, or the “Texas Grand Scale”. Please feel free to adapt the TGS for your own purposes!)

The recent TGS winds brought with them a measure of red-flying-dirt-stuff (“RFDS”)  (kidding… no more ridiculous acronyms or other such useless Mnemonic devices, I promise…)  The reddish dirt that flies around here gets on everything, as you fellow Texans well know.  Over the weekend, my youngest grandson Joshua joined me in a ritualistic sweeping of the front porch. We tossed the welcome mat aside, and then he watched as Grampa Bob swung the mighty bristle-stick with the greatest of ease, kicking up more red dust clouds in the process.  As the red fog billowed around us, Josh raised his arms in the air and stomped around with glee. For some odd reason, he found this amusing. I found it hard to breathe.

We wrapped up the sweeping chores, and my little helper decided he would handle the task of replacing the mat in front of the door. With scrunched brow and a tongue of determination curling up the side of his mouth, he triumphantly slid the mat back into place in front of the front door. We cheered his success, shared a root beer to celebrate, and finished the job.

As we closed the garage door and walked to the front door of the house, I noticed that the Welcome mat was upside down. I brought this to the attention of my grandson, and turned the mat around. He took a good look at it, and with a troubled tone, emphatically stated, “No! Th’other Waayy!"  It became obvious that he was adamant about his original placement of the mat ~ and after all, who am I to have a battle of wits or opinion with a 3 year old? Stalemate, at best… I just won’t play those odds. I returned the mat to its new position in life and we entered the house - after wiping our feet of course.

So ended Sunday…

Now, Monday is a different critter all together – back to “official”, grownup-type work. With my coffee and 8 hours of sleep in hand, I headed for the front door and the start of the work week. After opening the front door I happened to look down at yesterday’s handiwork, and couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear… 

I’d like to think that Joshie knew what he was doing yesterday. And as I stood there grinning at the front door, he ran up behind me, sporting his Spiderman P.J.s and cheerio cup in hand. He pointed at the mat and announced cheerfully “That’s mine!”

Strangers walking up to our house now, may find it odd that we placed the mat facing the wrong direction. They may wonder just how confused the family behind that door is.  But anyone who knows us already, knows they are welcome here at this home, despite the upside down greeting. What tickles me is that now each day when I go to work, when I step out of my door in the morning, I am immediately welcomed into my day, and am reminded of just how special little kids are, and the fresh eyes they use to look at this big ol’ world of ours.

Matthew 18:2-6

A child sees everything, looks straight at it, examines it, without any preconceived idea; most people, after they are about eleven or twelve, quite lose this power, they see everything through a few preconceived ideas which hang like a veil between them and the outer world.
          - Olive Schreiner (The Letters of Olive Schreiner)

...of Hummers and Ponds

T

here is a promise from a good & just God, who tells us things are going to be alright after all.

  Sometimes, that’s all we have to bank on. And it can be frustrating, because… well, it just doesn’t seem quite enough, not convincing enough, especially during our darkest hours. We are asked to trust, to persevere and to have faith, even at our lowest times. This from a God who won’t announce His presence in more tangible ways – at least from our human, and rather limited, perspective. Is it that He doesn’t ever approach us and make Himself known? Or is it we in our lack of faith who won’t open our eyes enough to see that which is right in front of us? Allow me to illustrate through a personal story.

Over the years, a couple of dear friends and I have had chats about God, about how easy it is to hold ground on our faith when things are sunny and warm, and how quickly that same faith can dissipate when the storms roll in; when the bills pile up. This is a very personal, subjective experience that I shared with them both, and as such, it may or may not seem adequate to you, dear reader. And yet for me, it resonates deep within my soul to this day.

I love ponds…something about water trickling over rocks, gurgling and spilling into a Lilliputian lake of my own design that satisfies me to the very core. As part of a spring break project, I was intent on building such a pond. It had been a frustrating few weeks at the end of the semester; some of my students had been intent on making under-achievement their goal. I was having doubts about my life’s direction, and God seemed so distant the last couple of months. I pondered all the usual rhetorical questions as I grabbed my pick ax and shovel and took out my festering frustrations on the ground below me. As I broke ground for the new pond, I tried praying, I tried whistling, but the gray cloud that crept over me only grew darker. Just like Lieutenant Dan up on that mast riding out the rough seas, I mentally shook my fist at God, challenging Him as I hacked away at the earth. After all, I really wasn’t asking for much! Sweat dripped from my face as I quietly pleaded for Him to simply show up and say hi. Simple reassurance that would take all of ten seconds! Then He could go on his merry way (as if He would need permission from the likes of me!) A quick pat on the back from the Creator, and I’d be a brand new man.

The dirt and debris flew, but repeated swings of the pick axe did little to alleviate my angst. Around mid afternoon I stopped digging long enough to admire the blisters for which I had worked so diligently. I leaned against my shovel and took stock of my progress. Part of the backyard décor at that time included a hummingbird feeder that glistened red in the sun, attracting numerous Hummers that afternoon. One such little guy caught me completely off guard, pulling up right in front of me. He hovered 3 feet from my face, invisible wings making that insane buzzing noise. He hung in the air, motionless, and studied me for a good 10 seconds. I became a statue; all breathing ceased, my mind went blank and I simply stared back. With nary a drop of effort and incredible grace, he floated before me, staring at me, almost as if asking permission to drink from the feeder. After what seemed minutes, He finally slid backward toward the feeder, studying my face the whole time. He turned his thumbsized body on a dime, took his fill, and shot up into the sky. I had yet to move a muscle…It took a conscious effort to remember that I was supposed to breath.

Within those few seconds of exchanged glances, I felt an implied understanding right then... that was simply God stopping by to say howdy ~ and by the way, thanks for the nectar.

Admit it or not, whether I believe it or not, whether it sounds hokey or not; call me gullible… that face-to-face meeting was a tangible God saying hello. That was him letting me know that He is there, and hadn’t gone anywhere. The weight on my shoulders lifted just that quickly, and a feeling of peace and a subtle but unmistakable joy came over me. Nothing had changed, and yet, everything had changed.

For months, I had asked God for a show; I had asked for the skies to announce His presence in grand fashion… but there was no crack of lightning to knock me off my feet. His voice didn’t hail from the clouds, such as He did with a loving father’s sense of pride when his son stood before John in the river to be baptized. God didn’t resort to silly parlor tricks just because I stomped my feet and shook my fist like a three-year-old, wanting my way.

This was His way, and it always works, whether I believe it or not. Hindsight always seems to show us that he had the right idea all along. He knows what He’s doing. He knows what we need, and when we need it…whether we agree or not. He used one of His miniature messengers to visit me, a lowly soul, and because of it, life has never been quite the same… nor do I want it to be. God believes in us, even when we don’t wish to reciprocate.     

So there you have it, a source of my inspiration for years now. It is just meant to be a reminder that clearly, a tangible God stopped in and said hello in a way that let me know that He is there for us and He's always watching and always caring about us and what we're going through. To this day, hummingbirds humble me, and remind me to glance skyward and thank Him for every moment of this blessed life…