Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [All Graphics Design Tutorials]

Link: [Animeals' Weblog]

Link: [Aronil]

Link: [AskCherLock.com]

Link: [Beltran Studios]

Link: [Creatively Written]

Link: [Diary of An Airman.]

Link: [Extraordinary Intelligence]

Link: [Good Old Rock]

Link: [Hokey Hollow]

Link: [House Panthers]

Link: [Jottings From Jersey]

Link: [Keeping The Kingdom First]

Link: [Live From Waterloo]

Link: [Life of an Investor]

Link: [My Sports Rumors]

Link: [Notes Upon The Wildwind]

Link: [Poetic Expression]

Link: [Seeing God Do Immeasurably More]

Link: [The Ancient Digger]

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Highlands]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Once And For All
WhiteHeart
Oh won’t you come with me
To a hill called Calvary
See the face
Of a bruised and dying man

Can anyone explain
The mystery beyond the grave
Of this place
Where love is born again

Once and for all
That He gave His life
He bled and died
The sacrifice for all
Who will take His name
Once and for all

Oh won’t you come and see
The tide of all humanity
Every race
They come on bended knee

We cannot close the door
There is a why He fought the war
Of this place
Everyone can be free

Once and for all
That He gave His life
He bled and died
The sacrifice for all
Who will take His name
Once and for all
Open wide the doors
There’s room for more
To all the world
That a heart can sow
When you call upon His Holy name

Once and for all
There is freedom
Once and for all
There is freedom
Love’s here
Love conquers all

Once and for all

Who will take His name

Once and for all

Call upon His name

Once and for all
It goes on and on
Unto everyone
When you call upon His name
Once and for all
End time will tell
How much fruit you yield
In a heart that loves in His name
Once and for all
It goes on and on
Unto everyone
When you call upon His name
Once and for all
End time will tell
How many wounds will heal
In a heart that burns with His name

Once and for all
It goes on and on and on

It goes on and on

Once and for all

Oh I want to feel it
Once and for all
It goes on and on
Unto everyone
Once and for all

Link: [WhiteHeart]

TWO FOR TUESDAY {REDO}

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

Link: [On YouTube]

Eleanor Rigby
The Beatles
Ah
Look at all the lonely people

Ah
Look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby
Picks up the rice
In the church
Where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream

Waits at the window
Wearing the face
That she keeps
In a jar
By the door
Who is it for

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong

Father McKenzie
Writing the words
Of a sermon
That no one will hear
No one comes near

Look at him working
Darning his socks
In the night
When there’s nobody there
What does he care

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong

Ah
Look at all the lonely people

Ah
Look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby
Died in the church
And was buried
Along with her name
Nobody came

Father McKenzie
Wiping the dirt
From his hands
As he walks from the grave
No one was saved

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong


Link: [On YouTube]

The Fool On The Hill
The Beatles
Day after day
Alone on the hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he’s just a fool
And he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning ‘round

Well on the way
His head in a cloud
The man of a thousand voices
Is talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him
Or the sound he appears to make
And he never seems to notice
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning ‘round

And nobody seems to like him
They can tell what he wants to do
And he never shows his feelings
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning ‘round

Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
‘Round
‘Round
‘Round
‘Round
‘Round

And he never listens to them
He knows that they’re the fools
They don’t like him
The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning ‘round

Oh
Oh
‘Round
‘Round
‘Round
‘Round
Oh

Link: [The Beatles]

Lyrics From: [The Beatles Lyrics Archive]

Come Monday...Troop 76

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

The following is another chapter from the rewrite of The Crackerhead Chronicles. Please, don’t offer any suggestions about where my “stuff” may be. For I am still not in the mood to appreciate any help that you may have to offer with that at this time, but I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have about this chapter.

The Eighth Crumb
(Troop 76)

I found out much of what I know about the Wolf Pen Gap area while compiling a history of the Eagle Rock area for the purpose of completing a Boy Scout community service project, and what a project it turned out to be. For one of the most highly respected leaders around, Emory Melton (of Cassville), included my findings in a book that he had published about the history of Barry County, MO.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. For aside from getting to know people of the stature of Emory Melton, who later became a Missouri State Senator, Cassville’s Boy Scout Troop 76 was recognized as being the best troop in all of the land in 1970.

Okay, to be honest about it, I could be mistaken. For I do remember that we did receive some sort of national attention, but in regards to it being named the best of the best, I am not absolutely sure.

Nonetheless, I cannot imagine being in a better troop. For our Scoutmaster, Charlie Vaughn, was truly a giant amongst men, and this was not just in the eyes of young boys, neither.

Hero worship is one thing, but what I personally felt for Charlie went way beyond that. For I loved him as much as any son could love their own father.

No, my feelings for him were not reciprocated. For he kept me at arms length to a certain extent, but I still cherish the memories of being around him back then.

Just to be clear, it was not that I chose to become a member of Troop 76 in Cassville over a troop from Eagle Rock. For Cassville was the only town around that was big enough to sustain a Boy Scout troop, and even at that, close to half of its membership was made up of boys from Eagle Rock, Shell Knob, Jenkins and Horner.

Now, to say that I excelled at Scouting would be an understatement. For I made Eagle Scout (the highest rank) on October 10, 1972.

Making Eagle was almost expected in Troop 76 back then. For over 50% of its members made it, and everyone who did not was considered to be a real loser.

Quite obviously, that was a extremely unfair assessment of the situation. For the national average for making Eagle is only around 5%.

No, it should it be assumed that the Scoutmaster must have been really bending the rules in order to record such a high rate of success. For if anything, some of the things that Charlie did made the goal even harder to achieve.

Case in point is Raymond Jagger. For he is one of the finest individuals I have ever had the privilege to meet, but he was a poor swimmer. That was a problem. For one must earn both a swimming merit badge and a lifesaving merit badge before they can become an Eagle Scout, and Charlie was reluctant to cut him any slack. Raymond finally made it before he turned 18 (the cut-off point), which added even more to his legend.

Another example of Charlie doing things his way involves myself. For I was held back from making Eagle for 2 years.

Being held back was something that I was not quite used to yet, but the reason given did mollify the pain a bit. For my father told me that Charlie had said that the reason why he held me back was because of him not wanting to lose me so soon. For when someone made Eagle they usually quit Scouting soon afterward.

Yeah, like that was going to happen in my case. For who could be Charlie's shadow any better than me?

Besides, there were still things to do in Scouting, and many were indeed done by the time I finally left in 1976. For I earned the God and Country Award, and I received 3 Gold Eagle Feathers (which are to be attached to the ribbon portion of the Eagle Scout Medal) for earning 45 additional merit badges (21 are required for Eagle).

I was also tapped (nominated) to become a member of O/A (The Order Of The Arrow), which came as quite a shock. For I do not remember knowing all that much about it before then.

I soon learned that O/A was an honorary group, who held their own meetings and activities separate from regular Boy Scout meetings and activities. The first of their activities that I participated in was a weekend long initiation into the Ordeal level at Camp Arrowhead, near Marshfield, MO (around 70 miles northeast of Cassville).

I suppose that O/A could be thought of as being like a college fraternity—minus the wild parties, which was not a problem at the time. For I was still a good boy then.

Come to think of it, it could also be said that O/A has some similarities with Freemasonry. For there are 3 levels to it: Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor, and one must be nominated by another in order to reach each level.

I think it was a year later that I was tapped to reach the Brotherhood level, and then things started to get really interesting. For after completing what was required for joining the Brotherhood ranks, I was asked to serve as Chief of the O/A chapter that represents the Frontier District (headquartered in Branson, around 45 miles east of Cassville) of the Ozark Trails Council (headquartered in Springfield, around 55 miles northeast of Cassville).

Yes, being named Chapter Chief was a very great honor—both for myself and my troop. For I was the first to hold such a high office from Troop 76.

Not very long afterward, things got even more interesting. For I was informed that I had been “elected” First Vice-Chief for the Ozark Trails Council!

Again, being named to an even higher office was a very great honor, but I found it all very strange. For I had not sought to hold either office, and I was certainly unaware of being on any sort of an election ballot.

Around a year later (I think), I was tapped to reach Vigil Honor, and this is when some cracks in my foundation began to show. For after getting into a rather heated dispute with the Council Chief at the time over something or another, I resigned from my office, and then I declined to reach the level of Vigil Honor.

Why did I do that? Quite frankly, I do not know, and this goes above and beyond merely not being able to remember. For I have absolutely no idea why I would do such a stupid thing, and I count it as being one of the most bitter of my many regrets.

Later on, I was informed of some news that gave me even more to be bitter about. For I was told by some high officials that I would have been the next Council Chief.

No, not every day as a Boy Scout was a good one for me. In fact, it started out that way. For the first Monday after I reached the minimum age of 11 in 1968, I attended my first meeting of Troop 76 at the Scout House in Cassville with my father, and I was absolutely scared to death.

A classic case of a parent making their child do something that they did not want to do for their own good (in the parent's opinion, of course)? Absolutely not! For I really wanted to be a Boy Scout, but there was a matter of being quite insecure about my physical abilities that had to be overcome.

No, I would not have lasted very long with Troop 76 unless a drastic change took place. For they held outdoor activities at least every 2 months back then, and that involved a whole lot more than just sitting around a campfire.

These activities included several weekend camping trips in Broken Arm Valley (an area owned by Troop 76 around 10 miles northeast of Cassville). There were also a couple of Frontier District Camporees per year, a play weekend at Buzzy Snider's on Flat Creek near The Stackyards (an old logging site around 20 miles east of Cassville and 10 miles north of Shell Knob), and an annual week at Camp Arrowhead.

I was absolutely miserable the first time I spent a week at Camp Arrowhead in the summer of 1969. For on top of being woefully homesick, I was terrified of having to pass swimming and canoeing tests in order to earn merit badges that were needed for advancement in rank, and going to pieces on Thursday night (with camp ending on Saturday) was icing on the cake.

My psychotic break came as a result of being told about The Legend Of Green Hands. Later on, I found-out that it was an old tradition to tell rookie campers about the legend, but it took some time before I could fully appreciate the significance of such a rite of passage.

Just imagine being in a darkened tent late at night hearing about an Indian brave who had his hands chopped-off by the father of the maiden he loved because of how much he disapproved of her seeing him, and as if that was not bad enough, his hands were then buried inside of Soapstone Cave. This cave was (of course) not very far from our encampment, and what made it even worse on me was the date. For according to the legend, the glowing green hands of the brave would leave the cave to search for a body to attach themselves to on the 4th day of the 4th week of every month during years when there was an abundance of “4-trees” (trees with limbs shaped like a 4).

Yep, the time of my demise was surely at hand. For it all lined-up, and several 4-trees had been pointed-out to me by older scouts throughout the previous days.

Adding even more to the drama was that I had to “go” really bad a couple of hours before the end of the 4th day of the 4th week. For the last thing I wanted to do was to leave the safe confines of the tent that I was in, but I wasn’t about to let it all hang out in front of the other boys, nor was I going to go in my pants.

So, I summoned up the courage to sneak outside for a quick second, I hoped, and what happened next may still be talking about in certain circles. For I had just stuck my head out of the tent flap when I saw someone coming into camp with half of his face still covered in darkness.

I went absolutely berserk. No, that does not do it justice. For by the time my hysterics subsided somewhat, I had torn down three tents, and my screaming had been heard over a mile away.

Some speculated that I may have even been speaking in what is generally recognized as being tongues by Pentecostals and some other Christian denominations—despite being raised a good Southern Baptist. For several eye-witnesses testified that I was screaming, “YA YA YA,” over and over again.

No, I never did live that down amongst those who were there, but I eventually came to laugh along with them. For it was just one of those things that happen along the way to adulthood, and as an added bonus, no one in the troop ever messed with me all that much after that.

Yes, many of my insecurities were gradually overcome, and when the summer of 1971 came around, I actually felt more excitement than dread about going to the Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, NM (around 50 miles northeast of Taos). For the excursion promised to include a 20-mile hike over mountainous terrain with a 60-pound backpack almost everyday for over a week, but that had become little more than a leisurely walk in a manicured park to me by then.

Alas, I do not have the words to adequately describe what a wonder Philmont was. For from the French Henry Copper Mine near the top of Mount Baldy (where lightning strikes ran along the ground for yards) to active archaeological digs down in a valley that I cannot remember the name of, it was certainly quite a sight to see, and I hope that it still is.

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.

Link: [Viaggiare Giornalismo]

Link: [Dethmama Chronicles]

Link: [Studio 25 News and Happenings!]

Link: [Pepper Spray Me]

Link: [Lawyers, Guns and Money]

Link: [SillyGrrl]

Link: [Surfer Jerry]

Link: [Textile and Decor]

Link: [The Inspired Elements]

Link: [Andaman & Nicobar]

Bittersweet Refinements: XXXVI

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.

Chapter XXXVI
In The End

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

[2 Peter 3:3-18 NAS]

Even though I was well aware of what a foolish undertaking it was[1], I still felt compelled back in 1995 to try to figure out when the return of Christ Jesus in glory would be[2]. For with the year 2000 looming ever closer and closer upon the horizon, discussions concerning the imminent rapture of the church[3] had reached a fever pitch on Christian talk radio programs up and down the dial.

Sorry, I can’t remember just exactly how I got there. For a critical piece of the equation is that I took the year of an established Hebrew calendar as being current actual year, and I can’t remember which calendar that was.

What I can remember is that “I” figured that the end of this world was tied to its beginning, and that the reference made to a day being like a thousand years to our Heavenly Father[4] was the key. For He took six days to make this world and then rested on the seventh[5], and that meant that this world was meant to last just as long—only with each day being a thousand years.

Anyway, after all of “my” calculations were over, the end of the first six thousand years would come in May of 2152, according to our Julian calendar, and the Sabbath would be reserved for the thousand year open reign of Christ Jesus over this world[6].

Therefore, it will not be until 3152 before the end of this world actually comes. That is, of course, if “my” calculations are correct.

No, I cannot speak with any authority about the subject. For our Heavenly Father has not told me just when the end of this world would really be.

There is something related that He has personally revealed to me[7], however, and that is that we would all do well not to worry about such. For unless you have been told otherwise[8], your own end of this world could come at any second, and it is for this that you should be prepared for[9].

Yes, it could be argued that being prepared for the possibility of physical death being imminent would also apply to a pre-tribulation (pre-trib) rapture of the church. For if the rapture comes in the middle of the tribulation (mid-trib), we would know that it would be coming three and a half years after the identity of the antichrist is revealed[10]. Then if it doesn’t happen at that time, the rapture would be coming to pass at the end of the tribulation period of seven years[11] and just before Christ Jesus utterly destroys the armies of the antichrist (post-trib)[12].

I was taught in church that the rapture would occur pre-trib, but I have been leaning more and more towards the time for the time of the rapture actually being just before the utter destruction of this world[13]. For at the end of the thousand year open reign of Christ Jesus over this world, the devil will be set free to deceive the nations again[14], and it will be those who stay true[15] who will not sleep[16].

Yes, this is another thing that I cannot speak with any authority about. For our Heavenly Father has not personally revealed to me just when the rapture will come, but He has made it abundantly clear that far too many have no reason to hope that it will come anytime soon. For it is written: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” [Matthew 7:21-23 NIV]

Alas, has not the silence that has surrounded me all of these years not served as sufficient proof in and of itself? For who from amongst us can afford to just ignore what I have been given to say if it truly is of our Heavenly Father[17], and if it is not, who can honestly say that they truly are one of His children by faith if they could care so little about my own spiritual welfare[18]?

No, not everyone has been given ears to truly hear what I have been given to say at this time. For in many cases, what they have their faith in is sufficient[19], but in far too many other cases, it is because of the wickedness of their own hearts[20] that they have not heard. For it is written: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” [Matthew 13:1-23 NIV]

To be honest, I must admit that it tastes much more bitter than sweet to me right now[21]. For even those who openly profess to hunger and thirst after His righteousness[22] are looking for something other than what our Heavenly Father has given me to say[23], but there is comfort in knowing that it will be as it should be in the end[24].

{1}Matthew 24:36; {2}Revelation 19:11-21; {3}Matthew 24:40-41; {4}2 Peter 3:8; {5}Genesis 1:1-2:3; {6}Revelation 20:1-6; {7}Jeremiah 33:3; {8}Luke 2:26; {9}Matthew 25:1-13; {10}Revelation 13:1-18; {11}Daniel 12:11-12; {12}Revelation 19:11-21; {13}2 Peter 3:10; {14}Revelation 20:7-10; {15}2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; {16}1 Corinthians 15:51-52; {17}1 John 4:1-6; {18}2 Corinthians 5:20-21; {19}Romans 9:16; {20}Isaiah 29:13-14; {21}Revelation 10:8-11; {22}Matthew 5:6; {23}Jeremiah 20:7-9; {24}Isaiah 65:1-66:2.

NOTE: This is the end of this book. I will post a notification of when it will be made available on another site in the order that it is meant to be read.

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [Black Is Beautiful]

Link: [Adobe Photoshop Tutorials]





Link: [Current Events and Bible Prophecy]

Link: [ExChristian.net]

Link: [Darpan]

Link: [Dark Novels]

Link: [We Live To Tell God's Amazing Grace]

Link: [Deleted Spam]

Link: [Whitewolfe's Pack]

Link: [Diary of a Hope Fiend]

Link: [Dogs Deserve Freedom]

Link: [Because Someone Cares]

Link: [Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife]

Link: [Deer Mountian Wood Art]

Link: [Vistaphotography]

Link: [Travels In The 10-40 Window]

Link: [Sendai Photo Blog]

Link: [Unsolved Mysteries In The World]

Link: [My Trips]

Link: [Worldman]

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Hotline]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

In His Name
WhiteHeart
The eyes of the young are crying
Sorrow is an old familiar tune
But with a light in our hearts
We can shine through the dark
There is so much that we can do

In His name
His name
We can dry the child’s tears
Calm the widow’s fears
In His name

In His name
His name
We can feed those who are hungry
Listen to the lonely
In His name
In His name
In His name

He is the vine
We are branches
The power that we have
Comes from Him
It is His hope we live
It is His love we give
Apart from Him
We are just men

In His name
His name
We can dry the child’s tears
Calm the widow’s fears
In His name

In His name
His name
We can feed those who are hungry
Listen to the lonely
In His name

In His name
We’ll give hope to the hopeless
Find homes for the homeless
In His name

In His name
We’ll overcome the darkest mountains
Love will flow like fountains
In His name
In His name

In His name
His name
We can dry the child’s tears
Calm the widow’s fears
In His name

In His name
His name
We can feed those who are hungry
Listen to the lonely
In His name
In His name
In His name
In His name

Link: [WhiteHeart]

TWO FOR TUESDAY {REDO}

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

Link: [OnYouTube]

The Unforgiven (I)
Metallica
New blood joins this earth
And quickly he’s subdued
Through constant pain disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on he’s known
Avow unto his own
The never from this day
His will they’ll take away

What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shine through in what I’ve shown
Never be
Never see
Won’t see what might have been
What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shined through in what I’ve shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

They dedicate their lives
To running all of his
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is
Throughout his life the same
He’s battled constantly
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me

What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shined through in what I’ve shown
Never be
Never see
Won’t see what might have been
What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shined through in what I’ve shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

Unforgiven

Oh
Unforgiven

What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shined through in what I’ve shown
Never be
Never see
Won’t see what might have been
What I’ve felt
What I’ve known
Never shined through in what I’ve shown
Never free
No never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

You labeled me
I’ll label you
So I dub thee unforgiven

Never free
Never me

Unforgiven


Link: [On YouTube]

One
Metallica
I can’t remember anything
Can’t tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel to scream
This terrible silence stops me
Now that the war is through with me
I’m waking up
I cannot see
That there’s not much left of me
Nothing is real but pain now

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God
Wake me

Back in the womb it’s much too real
In pumps life that I must feel
But can’t look forward to reveal
Look to the time when I’ll live
Fed through the tube that sticks in me
Just like a wartime novelty
Tied to machines that make me be
Cut this life off from me

Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God
Wake me

Now the world is gone I’m just one
Oh God
Help me
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God
Help me

Darkness
Imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell

Landmine
Has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my arms
Taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with a life in Hell

Link: [Metallica]

Lyrics From: [Dark Lyrics]

Come Monday...Wolf Pen Gap

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

The following is another chapter from the rewrite of The Crackerhead Chronicles. Please, don’t offer any suggestions about where my “stuff” may be. For I am just not in the mood to appreciate any help that you may have to offer with that at this time, but I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have about this chapter.

The Seventh Crumb
(Wolf Pen Gap)

Wolf Pen Gap? Yes, one would think that there must be a very interesting story about such a place, and I suppose there is. For what I know about the area is that an early settler in the 1830’s built some wolf traps in a holler (hollow) not far from a trail through a particularly mountainous part of the Ozarks about 10 miles northwest of Roaring River, MO, which was founded in 1832. The trail came to be known as the Ridge Road, and around a ten mile long segment of MO Highway 86 now follows it.

As a side note, the town of Roaring River was later renamed Eagle Rock when it was moved farther downstream from the huge spring at the mouth of Roaring River in order to avert being flooded out during times of above average rainfall in the area. Considering the fact that the new site was located on top of a bluff overlooking the river, it is not hard to imagine how they came up with the new name—especially since bald eagles can still be seen around there.

Be assured that I am not talking about a trap for coyotes and/or wild dogs. For there really were timber wolves in the area back then, along with black bears, black panthers, mountain lions, lynx, bobcats, wildcats, elk, wild turkey and several types of deer, and all but the wolves, elk, and some of the types of deer still remain to a certain extent.

Yes, I am being serious about there still being some mountain lions, black panthers, and black bears in parts of southern Barry County, MO. For what I have not personally encountered myself, my brother has.

One of those personal encounters of mine is even worth expounding upon (in my humble opinion, of course). For it involves coming face to face with a black bear when I was I was checking out an old hollow tree that was still standing tall while squirrel hunting not far from the house. Now, the tree had to have been at least 5 feet in diameter, and when I started to circle around it, there was a bear about as tall as I was (around 6 feet). I know this because our eyes met when the bear stood up.

Evidently, the bear was as shocked to see me as I was to see it. For we both took off in opposite directions almost immediately after our eyes met, but wait—there’s more! For after I had ran like I had never ran before for about 50 feet, I stopped and looked back to see that the bear had also stopped after going about the same distance and was looking back at me. It finally turned and ambled off down the hill, and I went back to the house with my heart still stuck in my throat.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I was armed, but I figured that the .22 rifle I was carrying would have only succeeded in making him madder. So, instead of making fun of me, you should be marveling at what wisdom I displayed in the face of great possible danger!

Another noteworthy encounter with the more exotic wildlife of the area that I had around that time was not so close at hand, but was every bit as intense. Well, at least it was to me. For it happened when I had to take a whiz really bad while riding with my mom towards Cassville. Since it was after the sun had gone down, I was finally able to convince her to pull over on to the side of the road. I had to go so bad that I did not even take the time to close the door before letting it rip, and then I heard a mountain lion cut-loose somewhere off in the distance.

Now, if you have ever heard one, you can probably understand why the cab of my mom's pick-up truck had to be cleaned afterward—regardless of how far away that big cat may have been. For it sounds like a woman screaming, and I was not about to wait until I had finished my business before jumping through that open door and locking it securely behind me!

No, where we lived at the time was not all that close to the Wolf Pen Gap area. For we were probably around 2-3 miles to the southwest, but a couple of very significant things (at least to me) are directly associated with it. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to distinguish it from the rest of the story to living in the Eagle Rock area.

The first thing involves no physical trauma, but in regards to the psychological side of things, it was worse on me than the great bike wreck. For I still bear the scars of finding out that my dad had been married when he had entered into the army during WWII, and that he had also left behind a daughter when he was sent overseas.

No, it was not that he was leading some sort of a double life. For he had been estranged from his daughter for a long, long time.

Neither was it that he had failed to return to his former family after his time in the military was over. For his wife she had left him while he was still overseas. In fact, he even got a “Dear Fred” letter, and all of his efforts at reconciliation had been rebuffed.

It was, however, the thought of Terry and I having a half-sister over in Kansas that was at the heart of my psychological trauma. For I was of the opinion that this is something that parents should not hide from their children—regardless of the circumstances involved.

Oh, but I did not know the half of it yet. For after I kept asking if our half-sister looked anything like Terry or I, I was finally informed that she did not. When I asked why not, I was then informed that we had been adopted.

Perhaps it was an overreaction, but the image that I had of myself turned to dust right before my very eyes the moment I learned that I had been adopted. For I could no longer think of myself as being half Dutch and Danish from my dad, and half Cherokee and Irish from my mom, and for the first time, I started to question just who I really was.

No, it did not have to go that far. For if my parents had of had some answers to my questions about who my biological parents were, along with the circumstances involved, the news of my adoption would not have been so devastating to me, but all of my questions were left unanswered.

Making it even worse was their reaction to my questions. For they took them as being a personal affront, and they became very angry with me for not acting like it was no big deal.

Yes, their anger would have been most definitely justified if I had of been disrespectful, but I wouldn’t have dared at that time. For I was afraid of my parents, and it was simply on account of asking too many questions after I had been told to shut-up about it that I got into so much trouble.

Yes, I am quite sure that a very great many would still be of the opinion that my parents were justified in their reaction to what they would consider my overreaction. For gaining knowledge about their ancestry is not high on their list of priorities.

Nonetheless, I was (and still am) a very serious student of history, and I would spend hours fantasizing about who was in my family tree, and what part they may have played in the shaping of the times and places that they lived in. I mean, were any of them Vikings? How about great warriors or explorers of any kind? Poets, preachers, princes, or paupers? The list appeared endless, but like dust in the wind, all of that was now blown away.

Well, at least in regards to the established starting points, it had. For I would have to start all over with my fantasies, which was really not such a bad thing, I suppose. In fact, I had a strange “feeling” that there was actually a lot of Hebrew blood running through my veins, and I found that to be most intriguing.

Of course, I now understand that it really doesn’t matter either way. For we are all the work of our Heavenly Father’s hand, and any thought of being more special in His eyes because of a specific bloodline is pure folly.

Now, Terry was most definitely a different story. For I do not remember him having any reaction to the news of his adoption at all, and years later I found out that where he actually came from really didn’t matter to him.

No, I do not remember just how it came up. Neither do I remember just exactly when my little world came to an end. Since I was riding with my mom heading south on the Ridge Road through the Wolf Pen Gap area coming from Cassville towards our home, it may have been in the fall of 1970, which would have made me almost 13 and Terry almost 8.

The other incident associated with the Wolf Pen Gap area involved a “dream” that I had about a Tyson Foods semi-truck (a tractor-trailer rig with 18 wheels) pulling a refrigerated trailer headed south on the Ridge Road. Now, the reason for why “dream” is in parentheses is because of how real it was to me. For it was as if I was watching the truck as it started down a particularly steep portion of the road. The driver geared-down and applied the brakes, but for some reason, he had no brakes to apply! So, he tried riding it out by driving the rig into the ditch next to the cliff-face on the northbound side of the road, but he hit a whistle (a galvanized water drainage culvert), which caused the whole rig to flip completely over the road and then roll over several times before coming to rest about 100 feet down the side of the mountain.

A couple of days later (I think), my mom was heading south on the Ridge Road when she “heard” someone calling for help. When she stopped to investigate, she saw the wreckage of a Tyson Foods semi-truck about 100 feet below here.

Believe it or not, it was the driver of the rig who was calling for help. Hence, the reason for why “heard” was in parentheses. For my mom driving down the road with the windows of her pick-up truck rolled up, and he was trapped in the crumpled-up cab of his truck at least a 100 feet away. After he called out again, my mom told him to not go anywhere (like he could) while she went for help.

By the time she got home, my mom was babbling quite incoherently. In fact, I was told that my dad had to give her a good shake in order to calm her down enough to find out what was going on. It took a few minutes, but she was able to eventually call the Barry County Sheriff’s Office in Cassville. For there was no 911 service in that area back then, and after several hours of work, the driver was finally freed from the coffin that had been the cab of his truck.

Several members of the Missouri Highway Patrol were also dispatched to the scene, and they started their investigation almost immediately upon arrival. Nothing appeared to make sense to anyone at first, and the driver was of no help at the time. For he was drifting in and out of consciousness, and he was quickly whisked away to the Southern Barry County Hospital in Cassville with some very serious injuries. He was later transferred to a hospital in Springdale, AR, which is where Tyson Foods is headquartered, as well as where he and his family lived.

After coming home from school that day, my parents told me about the wreck. I then told them about my dream, and after his condition had improved some, the driver was able to give his statement about what had happened. Lo and behold, his account matched what I had seen in my dream exactly, and I got chills down my spine when I was told what he had said. Furthermore, the official accident report issued by the Missouri Highway Patrol confirmed that what I had dreamed was what really happened.

Over the years, I have had many other very real “dreams.” Those will have to wait to be told about later, however.

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.

Link: [My Black & White Photography]

Link: [Predator Press]

Link: [CrAzy Working Mom]

Link: [The Conservative Post]

Link: [This Ain't No Effin Mom Blog]

Link: [Snitterdog]

Link: [Razorbloggers Network]

Link: [Section Hiker]

Link: [The Birds In The Meadow]

Link: [A Beer Sort Of Blog]

Bittersweet Refinements: XXXV

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.

Chapter XXXV
Civil Rights

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! [James 2:12-13 NIV]

As if lumping abortion, capital punishment and suicide together was not bad enough, this segment is even worse. For issues over the separation of church and state, homosexual marriage and illegal immigration fit quite nicely under the banner of civil rights.

Let us begin with prayer in schools—shall we? For it is not as much of a political issue now as it was a few years back, but there are still far too many who believe that laws are needed to be enacted in order to insure its return to the classrooms of our public schools.

Yes, it is indeed a shame that it is no longer welcome, but how is this preventing anyone from praying to our Heavenly Father at any time they want to? For it is not like it must be done openly for all to see and hear.

In fact, it would do us all well to do just the opposite. For it is written: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” [Matthew 6:5-6 NIV]

Yes, it can be argued that prayers offered openly can have a good influence upon others—especially upon those who have not come to know our Heavenly Father yet, but cannot a Muslim say the same thing about offering prayers to Allah? After all, we do live in a free society, and what is allowed for one should be allowed for another—right?

No, this is not to say that we would do well to protect our children from such influences. For our Heavenly Father’s absolute Truth[1] shines the brightest in the midst of the darkness of spiritual ignorance[2], but of what comfort is that to those who refuse to accept that it is the work of His Holy Spirit to seek and to save the lost[3]?

Alas, is this not also a driving force behind the fight to keep our Heavenly Father’s Ten Commandments[4] prominently on display in public places? For it has been widely taught that it is the duty of the Christian church to make a stand against the evils of this world[5], and this is something that far too many want to believe is true[6].

Add opposition to legally-recognized homosexual marriages to the list, as well. For far too many have been led to believe that this will be detrimental to the covenant that our Heavenly Father instituted between a man and a woman[7].

No, this is not to deny that homosexuality is a sin[8], but to believe that making it legal for Adam to marry Steve instead of Eve will cause irrevocable harm to the institution of marriage is utterly ridiculous[9]. For Chuck and Larry or Thelma and Louise getting officially hitched does not make Joseph taking Mary as his lawfully wedded wife anything less than it is—certainly not in the eyes of our Heavenly Father!

Yes, it can be argued that making homosexual marriages legal sends the wrong message to those who want to experiment with their sexuality, but can it not be also argued that making it easier for more to come out into the open also makes it harder for them to deny what is truly in their hearts[10]? For our Heavenly Father established His Law in order to make it easier for us to recognize sin[11], and no man-made law can make that any less true[12].

No, the same cannot be said for illegal immigration. For the great cry for more secure borders has nothing to do with concerns over the spiritual welfare of our children.

Nonetheless, does it not have something in common with the other issues? After all, are they not all matters of us versus them, and should this not be of grave concern to all who fear the demise of this country? For it is written: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. [Proverbs 16:18 NIV]

Yes, there is most definitely a great need for improvements to be made. For gangs of hardened criminals slip across the border like packs of ravenous wolves in search of prey, and then avoid prosecution by slipping back across before our law-dogs can catch up to them.

There is also the threat of terrorism hanging more over our heads with each passing day, but even this is of lesser concern to most than someone from another country taking what is ours. “I’ve worked hard for everything I have, and I’ll be dipped if I’m gonna let some yahoo from God-only-knows-where get welfare that my tax dollars pay for!”

Sound familiar? Of course it does. For such sentiments apply to more than just illegal immigrants. In fact, they apply to anyone who is judged to not be earning their keep[13].

On the other hand, who has what that wasn’t given to them by our Heavenly Father? For it is written: So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? [1 Corinthians 4:1-7 NIV]

In other words, none of us have any reason to act like we have earned our keep because everything we have (including even our desire to work[14]) was given to us by our Heavenly Father, but even if that cannot be accepted, there is another thing or two that should not be ignored. For it is also written: “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [Matthew 25:31-46 NAS]

{1}John 14:6; {2}John 8:31-36; {3}John 16:8-11; {4}Exodus 20:3-17; {5}Proverbs 14:12; {6}2 Timothy 4:2-4; {7}Genesis 2:23-24; {8}1 Corinthians 6:9-10; {9}Ephesians 6:10-12; {10}Jeremiah 17:9-10; {11}Romans 5:12-13; {12}Romans 5:20; {13}2 Thessalonians 3:10; {14}Ecclesiastes 5:18-20.

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [Some Christian Guy .Com]

Link: [Culture Shock]

Link: [Lets Jump Together]

Link: [Happy Steps Travel Blog]

Link: [BMW F1 Blog]

Link: [Plow and Pony]

Link: [Ugly Mailbox]

Link: [The Holley Herald]

Link: [Stories - Frame of (a Muslim) Life]

Link: [Chicago Photos]

Link: [MY HANDYCAM]

Link: [LinGZ.spot]

Link: [Ramblings of a Psychic]

Link: [Thyme2dream]

Link: [Of Cabbages and Kings]

Link: [Sandritocat's Vintage Pattern Blog]

Link: [Pat's Encaustics]

Link: [Random Animals]

Link: [Donssite]

Link: [The Hinge]

Daily News

Yes, I have attempted to make it clear that I have been rather distracted lately—too distracted to post stuff as usual, but it was brought to my attention that this was important. For it is another paid advertisement through [ReviewMe], which would provide some desperately needed revenue for my family.

Besides, I was very impressed with the [Daily News] on [Thoughts.com] from the first glance. For the front page is visually attractive and very easy to navigate.

It is set up like a top newspaper should be—minus having to fight with all of the pages. For the front page has the top news stories clearly displayed, and links to different sections are provided at the top.

Those different sections are Oddly Enough, Politics, Sports, Business, Life, Technology, Top News and Most Popular. As you scroll down the front page, the headlines of the most recently posted stories in each section are displayed.

Oh no, the news does not stand still here. For each section is updated frequently. In fact, the top headline on the front page changed several times just in the amount of time that it took to prepare this piece.

Another quite impressive thing about this [Daily News] site is that it appears to be devoid of any of the political biases that have so tainted news reporting elsewhere. Well, at least that is the way it looked to me, but you might be of a different opinion.

Of course, there is only one way to tell. So, why not go see for yourself? I believe that you will be very glad that you did.

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Inside]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Even The Hardest Heart
WhiteHeart
Draw a little closer now
Take somebody’s hand
Put into your heart and mind
A long lost friend
Everybody knows someone
Who just can’t find their way
Gotta keep on prayin’
Believin’

Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest heart
Will break like the dawn
And be changed by the song of love
Even the hardest heart

Days and even years go by
We wonder why or when
There can be no judgment here
‘Cause He knows where we have been
Remember all the loneliness
Then we felt the fire
‘Cause someone else was prayin’
Believin’

That even the hardest heart
Even the hardest heart
Will break like the dawn
And be changed by the song of love
Even the hardest heart

For those who have gone astray
And those who have fallen away
Let’s all stand together
And pray for a shower of love
Even the hardest heart

Shine shine oh Holiness
Fill their hearts of emptiness
Just the way that you did for us
Prayin’
Believin’

That even the hardest heart
Even the hardest heart
Will break like the dawn
And be changed by the song of love
Even the hardest heart

For those who have gone astray
And those who have fallen away
Will exalt together
And pray for a shower of love
Even the hardest heart

Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart
Even the hardest
Even the hardest heart

Link: [WhiteHeart]

TWO FOR TUESDAY {REDO}

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

***WARNING***
Some may find the lyrics of the songs, and the imagery of the videos, quite disturbing. So, be prepared to close your eyes and ears at any moment, but please keep your heart and mind open.


Head Like A Hole - Nine Inch Nails

Head Like A Hole
Nine Inch Nails
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve

God Money
I’ll do anything for you
God Money
Just tell me what you want me to
God Money
Now nail me up against the wall
God Money don’t want everything
He wants it all

No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take that away from me
No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take that away from me

Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control

Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve

God Money’s
Not looking for the cure
God Money’s
Not concerned about the sick among the pure
God Money
Let’s go dancing on the backs of the bruised
God Money’s
Not one to choose

No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take it
No
You can’t take that away from me

Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control

Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve

Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve

Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control
Head like a hole
Black as your soul
I’d rather die
Than give you control

Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve
Bow down
Before the one you serve
You’re going to get
What you deserve


Hurt - Nine Inch Nails

Hurt
Nine Inch Nails
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real

The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of sh**
Upon my liar’s chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time
The feeling disappears
You are someone else
I am still right here

What I have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

Link: [Nine Inch Nails]

Lyrics From: [LyricsDownload]

Come Monday...Eagle Rock

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

No, I haven’t found where I put my “stuff” yet. So, another chapter from the rewrite of The Crackerhead Chronicles will have to do.

The Sixth Crumb
(Eagle Rock)

It was also in 1967 that the time had come for us move our home base again. For after lodging a complaint with the authorities over people sunbathing on our lawn next to the lake, it was discovered that the property line between us and what was under the control of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers went across our cellar door. So, a move to another two-room school district about 20 miles to the west was made soon after.

No, it was not on account of the school district that we moved to the Eagle Rock, MO area. For I am quite sure that my parents would have preferred a bigger school with greater opportunities for Terry and I, but my mom loved to fish. Therefore, getting a place close to the lake was a priority, and even though where we moved to was not right on the lake, it was close enough.

Yes, that makes my mom sound rather selfish, but be assured that it wasn’t like that. For she had been asked to give up plenty over the years, and I have many fond memories of our stay in the stucco house on F Highway (now EE) between Eagle Rock and Mano.

Just to be clear, we didn’t actually live in Eagle Rock, and I am not really sure that we could have if we had of wanted to. For the city limits consisted of maybe 40 total acres along MO Highway 86, with a general store and a separate post office on the westside, and a real estate office directly across the road from the Post Office on the eastside. There were also five or six houses on both sides that might have been available at the right price for the owners, but we settled on a place around five miles to the northeast.

Yes, I suppose that qualifies as a fond memory, but it does not compare with thoughts of how thrilling it was to get to go to Jenkins, MO (around 30 miles to the northeast) once a year to play in a softball tournament against the other two-room schools in Barry County at the time. Those were Jenkins, Shell Knob, Horner, Golden, Mineral Springs, and another school that I cannot remember the name of.

It was an even bigger thrill to get to go to Cassville, MO (around 20 to the northwest) to play basketball in a real gym with bleachers, locker rooms, and a hardwood floor against the Cassville Junior High team. For our home court was outside and made of dirt, with the poles that the backboards were nailed to being somewhat less than straight up and down.

Yes, we always got our butts kicked good by the “big” (population 1,910) city boys, but they did have an unfair advantage. For it was easy for them to steal the ball since we were so used to looking for rocks while we were dribbling.

Of course, one would think that we might have had somewhat of an advantage. For one of our best players was Charlotte Maloney, who was not bad looking at all.

In fact, Horner actually did beat Cassville a couple of times when Caroline Vaught was on their team, but I suspect that might have had as much to do with intimidation as anything else. For she was every bit as tough as she was beautiful, and she wouldn’t think twice about knocking the snot out of anyone who even thought about making googly eyes at her when she was not in the mood. Well, at least that is what I heard.

Anyway, our softball field was in just as sad a shape as our basketball court. For there was no backstop behind home plate, and our bases (including home plate) consisted of burlap feed sacks filled with sawdust from Mr. Fogg’s sawmill across the road that marked the right field foul line. Anything hit over the barbed-wire fence around his cane field was considered a home run.

During one winter, a few of us boys (there weren’t many of us to start with) gathered up a bunch of cane stalks and made ourselves a fort, which looked more like a teepee than anything else, out in the middle of center field. Be assured that it only happened once. For Mrs. Davis, who sometimes substituted for Ms. Walters, who was the regular big room teacher, threw a genuine hissy fit over the fact that we might be playing dice and other stuff out there. This brought confused looks to all of our faces. For none of us had any idea what playing dice was.

No, there were not many of us boys at Eagle Rock at the time. Neither were there very many girls, for that matter. For my grade class consisted of two boys, me and Randy Tinsley, and three girls, Mary Ann Farwell, Cindy Tichener and Cindy Apperson, and the rest of the grades had similar numbers.

I do not remember much about the class work—other than that I was the smartest kid, of course. For that is something that I would most definitely want to remember.

Evidently, my teachers concurred with my humble assessment of myself. For they were soon asking my parents to allow me to be promoted at least two grades, and again my parents declined.

Other memories of living in the Eagle Rock area include having my first taste of being around cattle, and I fell in love with all aspects of the enterprise. Since my dad could not do all that much because of his bad back, we ran a very small operation ourselves, but our next-door neighbors to the east and west of us had fairly large cow/calf finishing operations for the area.

A cow/calf finishing operation is one that keeps the home-bred calves with their mothers until time for weaning, and then the calves are often kept on the place until they reach full size before they are shipped off to market. This is very different from the way it is mostly done today. For most weaned calves are now sold at auction to be finished in commercial feedlots, which is supposed to be a much more efficient system.

Despite his severe disability, my dad did teach me how to build what he considered to be a proper fence, and I actually enjoyed it, which is more evidence that there probably is something seriously wrong with me. For building the kind of fence that my dad wanted was very hard work, but in all fairness to my sanity, I did get very tired of hearing my dad repeatedly say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing right!”

In case you are curious, what my dad considered to be a proper fence consisted of hog-wire (at least 3o” tall) on the bottom, and at least two strands of barbed wire over that. Cedar corner posts with a lot of heartwood (reddish centers) had to be at least a foot in diameter, and at least eight feet long. For that would allow for them to buried around four feet deep. In fact, all the posts had to be buried at least four feet deep, which was a lot of fun to achieve when you usually run into ledge rock less than a foot below the surface.

Yes, I now know that they did not have to be so deep, but my dad learned how to build fence on the eastern Kansas prairie, where one can dig for several feet before finding a single rock. In all fairness to his way, however, most of the fences that he had a hand in building around our places are still standing strong forty years later, and the ones that are not were torn down on purpose.

Besides cattle, we also raised chickens, ducks and rabbits. Well, okay, we didn’t really “raise” the ducks. For we did have some, but they pretty much had the run of the place.

Looking back, I have no idea why we had them in the first-place. For we got plenty of eggs from the chickens, and none of us liked eating duck because of the meat being so dry.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard plenty about how to cook them so that it is not so dry, but my mom must have never mastered the technique. For what I remember is trying to swallow a ball of meat that kept getting bigger the more I chewed it. Besides, being able to cook an edible duck doesn’t do anything about having to watch every step you take while outside.

Be assured that excessive fertilization was not the only problem we were having with ducks around. For the ones we had evidently could not tell the difference between a newborn chick and a large grasshopper.

An especially bittersweet memory of mine is of taking the head clean off of a duck with a rock thrown from around 30 feet away after seeing it gobble up one of my favorite chicks. What makes it so bittersweet is that I do not relish the memory of killing an animal that was supposed to be under my care in a fit of rage over doing just what came naturally to it, but it was an amazing throw.

Be assured that my memories of butchering our rabbits are also troubling to me, but those are different. For it was because of being contracted with Pellfreeze out of Rogers, AR to provide dressed rabbits for consumption that we had them.

Before moving on to something else, I must mention that our rabbits were housed in cages hung from the rafters on one side of what I thought at the time was our huge barn. For it came as quite a shock to me to go by and see years later that it was actually not much bigger than a good-sized shed (30’ x 20’). Could it be that it shrank over the years?

Another memory that should be included before moving on is of another encounter with bloodletting that I was involved in. For it occurred when Terry walked up behind me while I was batting rocks across the road, and my backswing took a chunk of flesh out of the top of his head.

Oh, I thought I had killed him for sure this time. For he was most definitely a tow-head (having snow-white hair) back then, and he quickly begun to look more like a strawberry sundae than my little brother with all the blood streaming down.

No, he was not screaming in pain. In fact, Terry was more concerned about me than himself. However, that came to a screeching halt after our dad got a look at him, and he really got scared after hearing our mom scream at me, “WHAT DID YOU DO?”

Thankfully, the only real damage that was done was a quarter-sized patch of skin and hair missing from the top of Terry's head, and I did not even get a whipping out of it. I was, however, a lot more careful about batting rocks across the road after that—be assured!

Moving on, it was while we lived in Eagle Rock that I had my first experience with playing music. What led to that was hearing Ruth Ann Thompson play Beethoven’s Fur Elise in a piano recital by the students of our next-door neighbor (about a half-mile away) to the east, and after taking lessons from Mrs. N.W. Ford for a couple of years, I also played that same piece in one her recitals. I eventually became the substitute pianist for the Roaring River (Southern) Baptist Church in Eagle Rock, but after my Singer (yes, the sewing machine company) upright piano could not make the next move with us, I pretty much stopped playing piano all together.

Last, but certainly not the least of my pleasant memories of living in Eagle Rock area, is the starting of the family tradition (minus my father) of being there on the banks of the river with pole in hand when the horn sounded signaling the opening of the Missouri Trout Fishing Season at Roaring River State Park (around 8 miles south of Cassville). For it was one that I personally observed for 14 consecutive seasons, and my brother even won the trophy for catching the largest trout (5 pounds, 14 ounces, I think) by someone under the age of 12 one year.

Now comes a couple of not-so-pleasant memories, and the worst one is of racing Billy Easley, who was the youngest child of our next-door neighbors to the west, on my super cool 3-speed bicycle and winding up in a heap. It all started when we were going downhill on a gravel-covered dirt road not far from the house. He was on his Honda 90 mini-bike, and I had just pulled even when I looked over at his speedometer. It read 45 MPH, and I felt like I was flying. Then my bike hit a good-sized rock sticking-out of the dirt, and I really did go flying. For as my bike went sideways, I went straight over the handlebars, and after sliding face-first on the gravel for 15-20 feet, I was one big scrape from my forehead to my knees. For my shirt had been torn completely off, and my jeans were in shreds.

Thankfully, I suffered no serious injuries, but that incident effectively ended any joy that I could receive from riding on 2 wheels from then on. For whenever I have ridden a bike (or a motorcycle) since, I have always been way too nervous to really enjoy myself.

Another not-so-pleasant memory of living there involved learning that it is not always wise to come running to the house after finding a chicken egg in the woods if you are not sure just how long it has been out there. For I found out what a rotten egg really smells like when one that I had found exploded all over me just before I reached the back door of the house.

Yes, I suppose that it was good that it exploded before I got into the house with it. For at least I did not bring the wrath of my parents down on me for making a mess in the kitchen, but…

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.

Link: [A Bumpy Path]





Link: [Did I Miss Something?]

Link: [Red State Update]

Link: [HillBilly Brand]

Link: [Gone Mild]

Link: [Right Wing News]

Link: [Crooks and Liars]

Link: [Margie and Edna's Basement]

Link: [Flatbadger's]

Link: [Daily Kos]

Bittersweet Refinements: XXXIV

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.

Chapter XXXIV
Aborted Values

The Lord says: “These people come near me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” [Isaiah 29:13 NIV]

No, it is not that they are being disingenuous. For in most cases, they are being quite sincere in their convictions.

Nonetheless, be assured that all who support the illegalization of abortions based upon their belief in sanctity of physical human life have been woefully deceived[1]. For it is written: But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?" You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one {flesh} of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the {glory} of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable {body,} it is raised an imperishable {body;} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual {body.} So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam {became} a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. [1 Corinthians 15:35-50 NAS]

In other words, it is spiritual life that our Heavenly Father holds sacred—not physical life[2]. For physical life is meant to end[3]. Whereas spiritual life in His only begotten Son[4], who truly is the Lord Jesus Christ[5], will last forever and ever[6]. AMEN!!!

No, physical death has nothing to do with spiritual life. For it is written: “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.” [Luke 12:4 NAS]

Oh yes, this opens a can of theological worms that many would rather be left on a shelf deep down in an abandoned root-cellar with a thick coat of dust covering its label. For they have been led to believe that one must be at least baptized into the church before being able to enter into the very presence of our Heavenly Father in His Kingdom of Heaven, and that is not a belief that is shared by others in their coalition.

Surely it would do us all well not to share in such a belief. For the soul of every aborted baby goes straight to the bosom of their Creator[7]—be assured[8].

Yes, there is still plenty of common-ground for them to stand upon, and part of that has to do with lost potential. For it is preached from pulpits on both sides of the Catholic/Protestant divide that the next aborted baby may hold the key to the cure for cancer or world peace, but who in their “right-mind”[9] would want to believe any of that[10]? After all, is there anything good about any of us apart from our Creator[11]?

Besides, is not preaching such the height of hypocrisy? For who is to say that the next executed convict does not hold the key to the very same things by that sort of reasoning, and is it not true that many who ferverently oppose abortions also see nothing wrong with capital punishment?

Oh yes, there is a big difference between an innocent aborted baby and a duly convicted felon, but we are talking about hidden potential here—are we not? Besides, who from amongst us can guarantee that the next aborted baby would not make Adolph Hitler or Josef Stalin look rather harmless by comparison if allowed to live?

No, none of this is meant to deny that abortion is murder. For what is generally considered as being life in the eyes of this world does indeed begin at conception[12], and the taking of an innocent life is indeed murder.

Subsequently, it is those who see nothing wrong with the practice that are much more in need of saving than the aborted babies, and this cannot be accomplished through the enactment of any laws[13]. For everything really is in the hands of our Heavenly Father[14], and if it is accordance to His will that there will come a day when no one will want to have an abortion, whether or not it is legal to have one will not matter[15].

Is this to say that we should be in favor of abortion? MAY IT NEVER BE! For to do so would be to support premeditated murder, but in regards to political action, it would be in the best interest of all concerned for the Christian community to stay neutral.

The same cannot be said of capital punishment, however. For to lock someone in a cage for the rest of their natural life truly is cruel and unusual punishment[16]!

No, this is not to say that stoning should be reintroduced, but even if it was, would that not be more merciful than keeping someone incarcerated for life—even if in one of our modern facilities? For the sufferings of this world would be over for them at the instant of their physical death.

Alas, does this not speak to the crux of the issue? For in far too many cases, being in favor of life sentences is more about punishment than keeping society safe, and that warrants an eternal death sentence[17].

Yes, it can be argued that life sentences stand as a strong deterrent, but do they really? For that would only work in the case of someone in their right-mind, and no one in their right-mind would want to do anything that would warrant such a harsh sentence in the first-place.

No, this is not ignore the suffering of the victims and their families, but vengeance is our Heavenly Father’s to repay[18]. Besides, prolonging the physical lives of those who face eternal damnation just prolongs when the real punishment will begin (naturally-speaking, of course)[19], but woe be it to all who would want to think in such as way as this[20].

Yes, much of that sounds like grounds to be in favor of the legalization of suicides and assisted-suicides, and I must admit that this is jar of some really disgusting stuff that I would rather be left on a back-shelf, myself. For I have been there. That is, at least in regards to suicide.

In fact, I am still there. For if it was not for knowing that anyone in their right-mind who kills (even themselves) when it is not in accordance to the will of our Heavenly Father commits murder, I would kill myself. For my life in this world has been one of intense pain and anguish—both physically[21] and spiritually[22], and I have not received any assurances that my sufferings will end anytime soon.

A terrible thing to say, I know. For it would cause my wife an enormous amount of grief, but that would pass soon enough. Whereas the suffering that she endures because of my infirmities keeps going on, and that is something that I can honestly say that I do not want to be a part of[23].

Please, do not misunderstand. For I know that everything that I have had to endure is for our Heavenly Father’s glory[24], but that does not make it any less painful[25].

Oh yes, I am naturally a gutless wonder, but that does not mean that I do not know what I am talking about. For what I have been given to say is of our Heavenly Father[26], and if you don’t want to believe it, I beseech thee to seek His counsel for yourself[27].

{1}Ephesians 6:10-12; {2}John 6:63; {3}Hebrews 9:27; {4}John 3:16; {5}Matthew 3:16-17; {6}2 Corinthians 4:17-18; {7}2 Samuel 12:23; {8}Matthew 19:14; {9}1 Corinthians 2:6-16; {10}Jeremiah 17:5; {11}Psalms 16:2; {12}Psalms 139:13-16; {13}Romans 8:3; {14}John 16:8-11; {15}2 Corinthians 5:17; {16}Leviticus 24:10-23; {17}James 2:12-13; {18}Deuteronomy 32:35; {19}Revelation 20:10-15; {20}1 John 4:20-21; {21}Job 10:18-22; {22}Jeremiah 20:7-9; {23}John 21:18-19; {24}1 Corinthians 10:12-13; {25}2 Corinthians 12:7-10; {26}Galatians 1:11-12; {27}James 1:5.

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [The Journeys of Cactus Jack Splash]

Link: [Merry Meet]

Link: [Goliatho825]

Link: [Emm In London]

Link: [Family Matters]

Link: [Be Your Own Detective]

Link: [Can't Remember Diddly!]

Link: [Faux News Network]

Link: [Jesus, How Deeply I Need You...]

Link: [Recycled Frockery]

Link: [Roses and Thorns]

Link: [The Conservative Cloakroom]

Link: [Signe Says]

Link: [CrackedWorld]

Link: [Kay's K9s...& Kritters!]

Link: [Jill Terry]

Link: [Rockerchic]

Link: [Postcards From Miss Igorota]

Link: [Hindia Atresses]

Link: [AVCr8teur Photo Blog]

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Highlands]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

The Flame Passes On
WhiteHeart
Fire on the arena floor
The swords are drawn
Hear the lions roar
The Coliseum laughs and shouts
And screams for more

They tried to crush this mutiny
In the crimson tide of history
But when people have seen the Truth
It sets them free

And the flame passes on
The flame passes on and on

From the heart of the people
Comes love for the people
Love that is burnin’ strong
Oh from one to another
This dream of forever
The flame passes on

Because of them
We know His name
So let’s lift the cross
And do the same
An unbroken line of believers
Building a human chain

And the flame passes on
And the flame passes on and on and on

From the heart of the people
Comes love for the people
Love that is burnin’ strong
Burnin’ strong
From one to another
This dream of forever
The flame passes on
On and on
Oh the Light of the ages
Who illuminates the pages
The words of an ancient song
Gonna sing the song
Oh Faith is the fire
That burns ever higher
And the flame passes on

Mothers to sons
Fathers to daughters
Everyone
Pass it on
Won’t you pass it on

From the heart of the people
Comes love for the people
Love that is burnin’ strong
Oh from one to another
This dream of forever
The flame passes on
They passed it on
Oh the Light of the ages
Who illuminates the pages
The words of an ancient song
Won’t you join in the song
Oh faith is the fire
That burns ever higher
And the flame passes on

On and on

It’ll go on
In your heart
Pass it on

Pass it on

Link: [WhiteHeart]

TWO FOR TUESDAY {REDO}

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world. For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion. Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

***WARNING***
Some may find the lyrics of the songs, and the imagery of the videos, quite disturbing. So, be prepared to close your eyes and ears at any moment, but please keep your heart and mind open.

Blind Man - Aerosmith

Blind Man
Aerosmith
I took a course in hallelujah
I went to night school for the blues
Well I took some stuff they said would cool ya
But nothing seemed to light my fuse

But it’s all in the past
Like a check that’s in the mail
She was a tall whiskey glass
I was an old hound dog
That just loved to chase his tail

Until I met a
Blind man
Who taught me how to see
Yeah
A blind man
Who could change night into day
And iffa
I can
I’m gonna make you come with me
Yeah
Because here comes the sun
And we’ll be chasing all the clouds away

I’ve had some lovers like a joy ride
Some things are never what they seem
My heaven’s turned into a landslide
I thank God I woke up from that dream

I met a
Blind man
Who taught me how to see
Yeah
Blind man
Who could change night into day
And iffa
I can
I’m gonna make you come with me
Yeah
Because here comes the sun
And we’ll be chasing all the clouds away

The bees chase honey
And drink all the flowers dry
We’ll be saving us a little money
And if that don’t do it
Then I know the reason why

Don’t make no sense lightin’ candles
There’s too much moonlight in our eyes

I met a
Blind man
Who taught me how to see
Yeah
Blind man
Who could change night into day
And iffa
I can
I’m gonna make you come with me
Ah
Ah
Ah
Ah
Yeah
Because here comes the sun
Ain’t no surprise
Ain’t no doubt about
Gonna open up your eyes


Livin On The Edge - Aerosmith

Livin’ On The Edge
Aerosmith
There’s something wrong with the world today
I don’t know what it is
Something’s wrong with our eyes

We’re seein’ things in a different way
And God knows it ain’t His
It sure ain’t no surprise

Yeah

We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge

There’s something wrong with the world today
The lightbulb’s getting’ dim
There’s meltdown in the sky

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister you’re a better man than I

We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself from fallin’
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself at all
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t stop yourself from fallin’
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
Everybody
Everybody

Tell me what you think about your situation
Complication
Aggravation
Is getting’ to you

Yeah

If Chicken Little tells you that the sky is fallin’
Even if it wasn’t
Would you still come crawlin’ back again
I bet you would my friend
Again and again and again and again and again

Yeah

Tell me what you think about your situation
Complication
Aggravation
Is getting’ to you

Oh

If Chicken Little tells you that the sky is fallin’
Even if it wasn’t
Would you still come crawlin’ back again
I bet you would my friend
Again and again and again and again

Something’s right with the world today
And everybody knows it’s wrong
But we can tell them no
Or we could let it go
But I would rather be hangin’ on

We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself from fallin’
Everybody
Everybody
We’re living on the edge
You can’t help yourself at all
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t stop yourself from fallin’
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
Everybody
Everybody

We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge

Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah

We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself from fallin’
We’re living on the edge
You can’t help yourself at all
We’re living on the edge
You can’t stop yourself from fallin’
We’re livin’ on the edge

We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself
Everybody
You can’t help yourself
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself at all
Everybody
Everybody
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself
You can’t help yourself
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself
You can’t help yourself
We’re livin’ on the edge
You can’t help from yourself from fallin’

Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah
Yeah

Link: [Aerosmith]

Lyrics From: [LyricsDownload]

Come Monday...Shell Knob

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

Be assured that I really do have my “stuff” together, but the problem is that I cannot remember where I put it. Therefore, instead of what is supposed to posted here, another chapter from the rewrite of The Crackerhead Chronicles will have to do again.

The Fifth Crumb
(Shell Knob)

In 1965, our parents moved our home base from the Branson, MO area 30 some miles west to the Shell Knob, MO area. The first stop was in a trailer park near the Campbell Point Boat Dock on Table Rock Lake, and then they bought a small green house directly behind the Skelly Gas Station a stones throw from the Central Crossing Bridge over the lake.

Yes, Table Rock is a big lake. For it is around 65 miles from Beaver Dam (around 15 miles west of Eureka Springs, AR) to Table Rock Dam (around 10 miles southwest of Branson, MO.

Obviously, it is not a “natural” lake. For it is part of a chain of lakes (Beaver, Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals) that were formed when several dams were built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers across the White River that naturally flows back and forth across the Arkansas/Missouri border on its way to the mighty Mississippi River.

Yes, I suppose it could be argued that this move was mostly on account of me. For it was because of how much our semi-retired neighbors complained about the school bus (yes, I was still welcome to ride it) picking me up early in the morning when we were there during the school year that my parents thought that it would be everyone’s best interest for us to just move somewhere else, but my parents were never really comfortable there, anyway.

Talk about a blast from the past—Shell Knob was a “two-room” school back then. The “little” room held grades 1 – 4, and the “big” room held grades 5 - 8.

With there being no high school, most of that age were bussed around 25 miles to Cassville, MO. Others were bussed around the same distance to Blue Eye, MO.

Be assured that my bout with Rheumatic Fever took a lot out of me. For aside from a parentally-sanctioned fight with a fellow second-grader over a chair at a PTA (Parent/Teacher Association) meeting, one could say that I was relatively well-behaved at the time.

In fact, it could even be said that I was being a really good boy in school for a change. For within just a few weeks of being in attendance, my teacher wanted to promote me to the fourth grade!

No, it was not because of her being sick of me already. For my second grade teacher, Mrs. Redding, would have also been my fourth grade teacher.

Now, as far as my own feelings on the subject of my grade promotion were concerned, I thought that it was only fair. For I had been held back from graduating from Kindergarten to the first grade a couple of years before.

No, it was not that I had “flunked” Kindergarten. For it was because of there being different age policies in different school districts back then that prevented me from moving on to the first grade after I had completed a year of Kindergarten.

In other words, I had started Kindergarten somewhere down south (Harrison, AR, I think) when I was four and turning five in November, but at the start of the next school year, we were up in Minnesota. Therefore, since I was only five and not turning six until November, I had to enroll in Kindergarten again.

My parents did not want me to feel any more physically intimated than I already did, however. For by the time I was diagnosed with Rheumatic Fever, I already weighed 105 pounds, and not being able to exercise properly just added all the more to my weight problems. Therefore, the offer was declined.

I don’t know if my parents ever had any second thoughts about their decision, but they sure had reason to. For I started the second semester of the second grade in Oklahoma City, OK, and I almost didn’t get to go on to the third grade.

No, I was not acting out because of being denied rapid academic advancement. For I was just starting to feel much more like myself, and that should have been taken more into account. After all, if they really were that serious about not wanting me to check out all of the stuff that was in the gallon jars on the top shelf around that classroom, they shouldn’t have had them out in plain view!

I seem to recall also getting into trouble for another thing that was really not my fault. For I loved watching Superman on television, and when I smacked the heads of two classmates together during recess one day, I was just imitating the actions of my hero.

Oh yes, steps were most definitely taken. For I started receiving a spanking from a teacher at school, another from my mom after she picked me up from school and yet another from my dad after he came home from work almost every school day until just before graduation time.

No, I was not being beaten bloody. In fact, the look of disappointment upon my parent’s faces was more of a punishment than what physical pain was involved.

Yes, it could be said that I was obviously not mature enough to skip any grades, but I wouldn’t. This is, after all, my story, and by the very next year, I was being recognized as being a model student.

Meridian, MS was where that happened, but it was not all good. For I was treated as a leper by my fellow classmates after the teacher pointed out that they would do well to follow my example of quietly reading at my desk while she was out of the room.

Included in that group was a beautiful blonde southern belle, whom I had a huge crush on. Not that she would have anything to do with me before, but I still held out hope until the teacher took care of that.

On the other hand, my parents sure were proud, and this made me happy. For all of the trouble that I had been in was never about rebellion.

After testing at a college level reading aptitude during the first semester of the fourth grade back in Shell Knob, both Mrs. Redding and Mrs. Reaser, who was the “big room” teacher, strongly recommended that I be promoted to the sixth grade, but there was no changing the minds of my parents. So, I remained the smartest kid by far in my fourth grade class, which wasn’t all bad.

What was bad happened in 1967. For a doctor in Oklahoma City, OK told my dad that he faced permanent paralysis if he did not quit running heavy equipment immediately, and after receiving basically the same opinion from several other highly respected doctors, he finally accepted that he may really have a problem with his back.

Alas, to say that my father had a problem with his back would be like saying that someone with an inoperable brain tumor has a problem with headaches. For after over 30 years of running bulldozers and ditching machines over all sorts of terrain in all kinds of weather, one vertebra had completely disintegrated, along with the discs on both sides of where it was supposed to be.

Needless to say, it came as a great shock to find that my dad had lost around two inches from his six foot tall frame, but that was the least of his problems. For with bone grinding against bone, the pain was becoming more and more unbearable, and it certainly did not help matters much that the only surgical option available at the time was to have his back fused in either a sitting or standing position.

No, back surgery was not at all acceptable to my dad. He did, however, go ahead and retire from pipelining.

As if his physical infirmities were not enough, it was at this time that he found out that the work that he loved so much did not love him back. That is, at least not the ones in charge of the different aspects of it. For after paying dues for over 30 years, the International Union of Operating Engineers informed my dad that he was ineligible for retirement pay because of not being 65 yet. Adding all the more to it was that he was ineligible for any workers compensation from the companies that he had been working for, nor for any disability benefits from the union, because of his condition being the result of many years of hard labor instead of any one injury.

Now, in all fairness, my dad was offered an office position at a fairly high salary with one of the companies that he had worked for, but he was just in too much pain by then to do even that. Therefore, we lived off of the selling of assets until the decision of the Social Security Administration to deny my dad’s disability claim was reversed in 1969.

No, I had no idea just how financially well off we were before my dad had to quit pipelining. Not that it really mattered. For our parents did a wonderful job of shielding Terry and I from feeling the effects of the strain that they were under.

In fact, the only memory I have of something directly related to my dad losing his livelihood is of the shame that we felt after he announced that he had not smoked a cigarette in over two weeks one night at the supper table in the little green house by the Central Crossing Bridge over Table Rock Lake in Shell Knob, MO. For none of us had noticed that he had quit a four pack a day habit cold turkey.

Perhaps I was not nearly as smart at the time as I would like to think. For how could I have not noticed that my dad was no longer smoking since it was such a thrill for me to be allowed to walk down to the Skelly Service Station around 100 yards in front our house to buy a cartoon of Kools for him all by myself?

No, that may not sound like much to most, but my parents were very protective of me—to put it mildly. Therefore, anytime I was given an opportunity to be out of their sight (as far as I knew) was something very special to me.

Much to my chagrin, there is other evidence of me being more bonehead than brainiac back then. For I can remember making a sandwich out of waffles, cold turkey meat, mustard, and about a half of an inch of salt on top of the meat. Be assured that I still have trouble eating waffles.

There is also my first experience with getting poison ivy. It happened during a visit by some of my father's relatives, and after expressing their fear of being anywhere near the stuff, I grabbed a double handful of the leaves and proceeded to smear them all over my face to prove that I had nothing to worry about. With my eyes being swelled shut for the next two weeks, I had plenty of time to reflect upon the fact that it would do me well to also have a great fear of being anywhere near poison ivy from then on.

A Sunday Drive

Back during my childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and I after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived. Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a weekly series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.

Link: [American Poets Portraits]

Link: [Black on Grey on White]

Link: [Life Is A Poem]

Link: [Souls Release]

Link: [Eyes, Mind, Heart]

Link: [The Natural State Hawg]

Link: [The Online Discernmentalist Mafia]

Link: [Afyonkarahisar City Daily Photo]

Link: [ThirteenEleven]

Link: [Kundalini]

Bittersweet Refinements: XXXII-XXXIII

Bittersweet Refinements is another book that I have been given to publish. If it gets to sounding an awfully lot like a broken player stuck on repeating the same old wrong song over and over again that is because it is to a fairly great extent. For most of it contains rewritten parts of the Bitter/Sweets that were published here before. Hopefully, it will get to sounding a lot better to you very soon, and for the benefit of those who do not have access to multiple versions of our Heavenly Father's Holy Bible, numbered Scripture references in the text (for example, [1]) provide links to such through Bible Gateway this time around. The same also applies to verses included in the text.

XXXII
Political Correctness

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. [Romans 13:1-7 NIV]

Needless to say, many have employed that passage to justify their desire to rule and to reign as they wanted to in the past, and it is no different today—be assured. For even in the case of those who do not openly profess such, the thought of their authority being ordained by the Lord God Almighty is most pleasing.

No, I am not here to dispute that it is indeed true. In fact, I am here to take it step or two farther. For it is written: The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. [Proverbs 21:1 NIV]

Nonetheless, there is another thing to consider. For our Heavenly Father will sometimes give us what we want, and that is not always a good thing in regards to what is generally considered as being good in the eyes of this world[1].

Take King Saul of ancient Israel for example. For he was chosen to rule over the land in answer to the prayers of the people[2], and his wickedness before our Heavenly Father is well documented[3].

Yes, the choice appears to be clear to many. For they want to support those who openly profess to serve the One who truly does rule and reign over our nation—even in this day and age of post-modern sophistication[4], but do they truly want to bear His fruit[5]?

Therefore, let us be mindful of this in the election of our governmental leaders. For it is not just over the realm of religion that false prophets seek to reign[6].

{1}Proverbs 14:12; {2}1 Samuel 8:1-22; {3}1 Samuel 9:1-15:35; {4}Job 12:13-25; {5}Galatians 5:22; {6}Matthew 7:15-27.

Chapter XXXIII
Heal The Land

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV]

No, none of this is meant to discourage participation in the political process. For that is all part of what it means to be a good citizen in a country with a government that is meant to be of the people, by the people, and for the people—a country that was indeed established by our Heavenly Father[1].

There is, however, a proper way of doing things that goes far beyond the apparent political process. For it is written: “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” [Isaiah 46:8-10 NIV]

Hence, the significance of 2 Chronicles 7:14. For in spite of what has been so widely taught, this world still belongs to our Heavenly Father[2], and only He can fix what has He has allowed to be broken[3].

Therefore, let us want to truly humble ourselves before Him[4]. For it is also written: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” [Jeremiah 29:11 NIV]

No, it cannot be denied that there is much about this country that is broken, but let us keep in mind that there is more at stake than just the here and now. For a law cannot change what is in a person’s heart—not even His Law[5], and it is the condition of a person’s heart that is what our Heavenly Father is concerned with[6].

Yes, it is true that laws are meant to define what is harmful[7], and it is in that regard that laws are most certainly good[8]. For how can someone with very poor judgment know that they are driving way too fast in a particular area unless there is a speed limit clearly posted (naturally-speaking, of course)?

The question is, however, is it the safely of all concerned that is what we are truly concerned with[9]? For in far too many cases, the laws that we want enacted and enforced are more about power and control over this one and that one for this reason or that reason than anything else[10].

{1}Romans 13:1; {2}Job 41:11; {3}Job 12:14; {4}Isaiah 45:5-12; {5}Romans 8:3; {6}Ezekiel 18:31-32; {7}Romans 5:13; {8}1 Timothy 1:8-10; {9}James 2:12-13; {10}Matthew 23:23-28.

Sites To See

This is the new version of FIVE FOR FRIDAY. As with the former, it is the SOLE purpose of this weekly series to call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another. Please, go see for yourself.

Link: [Day Break]

Link: [Arkansas Church]

Link: [Christy DeKoning]

Link: [Another Day of Grace]

Link: [Stuff and Nonsense]

Link: [Angels On Your Shoulder]

Link: [Witchetty Art]

Link: [Arash's World]

Link: [What I Think?]

Link: [Conservative Belle]

Link: [Uncommon Photographers]

Link: [Amazing & Unbelievable Pictures]

Link: [The Midnight Writers Secret Portal]

Link: [Your Dark Passenger]

Link: [Young Women Writers]

Link: [An Electricians Notes]

Link: [Babyboomer Flashback]

Link: [Words To The Wise]

Link: [Bible Money Matters]

Link: [365 Bulgarian Adventures]

Top Entrecard Droppers For June, 2009

Again, I do not have much to say. However, I am still most thankful for all who have taken the time to make an [Entrecard] drop here, and the following is a list of the top droppers last month in alphabetical order.

Link: [Beethoven Midi]

Link: [Beyond Left Field]

Link: [Comatised]

Link: [Current Events and Bible Prophecy]

Link: [Denford Magora's Zimbabwe Blog]

Link: [Frugal Healthy Choices]

Link: [Funky Town Disco Music]

Link: [Go Las Vegas Baby!]

Link: [Grampy and You]

Link: [Hello Kitty Gifts]

Link: [I Love/Hate America]

Link: [Isker's Blog]

Link: [MamaFlo's Place]

Link: [Maria Michelle's Furkids and Animal Rescue]

Link: [Momspective Reviews]

Link: [My Reflections and Impressions]

Link: [Photography by KML]

Link: [Proud Mommy]

Link: [Random Ramblings]

Link: [Scripture of The Day]

Link: [Secondary Roads]

Link: [Sound of a Soft Breath]

Link: [Split Rock Ranch]

Link: [The Ad Master]

Link: [The Way I See It]

WhiteHeart Wednesday

Link: [Power House]



MP3 Audio Player From: [BlogDumps Video]

Independence Day
WhiteHeart
Look it, Daddy
Look at that parade
They got a marchin’ band

Ask not
What your country can do for you
Ask
What you can do for your country

You got to know the truth
If you wanna be free

What is freedom anyway?

Let freedom ring
From every hill and mole hill in Mississippi
From every mountainside
Where all of God’s children
Black men and white men
Jews and Gentiles
Protestants and Catholics
Will be able to join hands
And sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual
Free at last
Free at last
Thank God Almighty
Free at last!

Listen to our declaration
Listen to our testament
We’ve been given a revelation
We’re sure of where we stand

So let the banner
Be unfurled
We found a Light of hope
In a dying world

Hear the myth of modern man
You’re the god of your own land
Call your weak spineless fools
You’ve given up your right to rule

But I’ve been to the land of me
And I know I was never free
Freedom came
When I gave it all away

So we’re callin’ it Independence Day
I call it Independence Day
Let the rockets blaze across the sky
Raise the flag of praise way up high
Let the doubters call it what they may
It’s Independence Day

You can work to crown another hundred kings
But I believe in a better dream
They may call it slavery
But the biggest chain I knew was me

So let the idols tumble down
The walls of lies crumble to the ground
I know where salvation can be found
Let the idols tumble down

That’s why they call it Independence Day
I call it Independence Day
Let the rockets blaze across the sky
Raise the flag of praise way up high
Let the doubters call it what they may
It’s Independence Day

So join in the celebration
It’s a birth of a holy nation
It’s people alike
We are proud to say

It’s why we call it Independence Day
I call it Independence Day
Let the doubters call it what they may
‘Cause we call it Independence Day

It’s Independence Day

Independence Day

Link: [WhiteHeart]