A Small Glimpse of the Future

We saw a small glimpse of the future this past week in Berlin when presidential candidate Barrack Hussein Obama went to Europe to prove that he could speak in public well.
He hasn't really done anything yet.
But, notice that the crowd of 200,000 came to here a man that not of office but a curiousity.

In the last days there will come a man in that will be like Obama in his speaking ability. He will be the anti-Christ. When he will come we don't know but it just showed me how people haven't changed since the Old Testament and that Solomon was right. (See Ecc. in your bible)

It just goes to show you that if people will come out for someone from the West, how easily they will be lead by someone promising them peace and things that their heart desires during trying times.

There are literally hundreds of people in the U.S. that are part of Toastmasters that can speak better than Obama on any given day and on their feet too by the way. The media wants change in this country. The people want change too. Leadership in Washington is weak. Leadership is weak in many places.
In this time we have to figure out how to get men of integrity out of business and into politics.
Men who don't need attention, they just want to get things done for change. Men who have values but can sit down and have good conservations about our country's future and lead others in that thinking. You really have to come to the end of yourself sometimes before change can happen.
If mind you, If the Obama goes before the world and can only stay 8 points in front of a candidate like McCain the Dems have to be worried. They ditched the Clintons to win. They threw it all for this run and if they don't win, the problem is that the Republicans in the Senate are so weak it won't help.
The VP candidates will be an interesting pick won't they? Wouldn't you like to have been a fly on the wall with the Clintons when Obama was speaking in Berlin. I sit here and laugh thinking about how they were saying nice things....probably.

Looks like Promise Keepers in Atlanta will be sold out again this year. Fletcher and I head that way Friday.

May you have a blessed week and remember that in all this craziness that there is a God that is there and He loves you. Hebrews 13:8

We Need To Start All Over in Washington

This picture is of the Charles B. Rangel for Public Policy- this article for John Fund sitting in for a vacationing Peggy Noonan is very sobering click on the link and read it and then we can talk.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121642241569366643.html?mod=todays_columnists

Kinda of grabs you doesn't it? Takes you back to modern Rome doesn't it? Politicians have become more consumed with gaining attention to themselves than ever before and true leaders aren't anywhere to be seen. We have a leadership crisis at every level of government to the local level. People are going to have to get involved soon or we will really be in trouble.

It is not a secret that today more people that attend church are biblical illiterate. This is spreading more and more to pastors, I give you two examples from the recent California movement to same sex marriages and it's profound effect on the United Methodist Church:

"I'm tired of being part of a church that lacks integrity," said the Rev. Janet Gollery McKeithen of Santa Monica's Church in Ocean Park, who plans to conduct weddings for two gay couples in August and September. "I love my church, and I don't want to leave it. But I can't be part of a church that is willing to portray a God that is so hateful. I would rather be forced out."

Janet, bless your heart but Jesus Christ is the most inclusive thing in this world. He asks all of us to repent from our sinful ways. Homosexuality is one of those ways that the word has spoken of. It was man and woman from the beginning. Jesus taught about marriage between a man and woman. (He didn't have to teach the Jews at that time about homosexuality-the McAbees had things pretty straight during that time)

And:
The Rev. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett of Claremont United Methodist Church joined a retired deacon from her congregation to co-officiate at the July 5 wedding of two longtime members, Howard Yeager and Bill Charlton. The wedding was held off site -- at a Claremont complex for retired clergy and missionaries -- to avoid violating the rule against such ceremonies in churches. Rhodes-Wickett, who led the Lord's Prayer and gave a homily, said she hoped to avoid discipline by stopping short of actually pronouncing the couple married. That action was performed by the retired deacon, who also signed the marriage license. Rhodes-Wickett said she did not want Yeager and Charlton to leave her church to exchange vows. "This is my flock," she said, adding that the men have been together 40 years, 22 of them as members of her Claremont congregation. "It's a matter of integrity and a matter of what it is to be a pastoral ministry."

No, Sharon I am afraid you have the gospel according to Sharon there in front of you. The apostle Paul would like to have a word with you in his letters. So sad that there are people following teaching here. But alas, in these last days Paul said there would be years like this.

Forgive us Father for our sinful ways as a nation. Please have mercy on this once great nation founded on your principles and law. Lord, rise up leaders to take on the mantle of your word, your love, your message of forgiveness to the nations.

Review of Saturday:

We went to Hobby Lobby today and they already have their Christmas and Thanksgiving merchandise out. Some good looking stuff. It was weird.

We then went to Barnes and Noble. They are moving to a larger location in November and it will be a ginormus size store next to a Red Robin. Everybody was busy.

Ended at Publix. Got a black and white. nothing quite like a good black and white with a nice glass of milk. The check out lady knows our kids and remarked how they are growing. You can tell we shop alot there.

DCI San Antonio is tonight. Watched Troopers before we left in prelims. Carolina Crown performs last tonight at the AlamoDome. Web streaming starts in mere minutes here is a post performance shot of them playing "Before the Throne of God Above," after a win over Cadets this past week.

I believe Blue Devils will win tonight. I am looking at who has added stuff to shows this week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuDSHr7QoIg&NR=1

Dr. Michael DeBakey Died this past week. He had a profound affect on my dad's life and my father's in laws life and if genetics is any indication, mine too. Here is the story:

http://www.kansascity.com/811/story/702281.html

More later on VW coming to Nooga.

The Question is Moot

Back Several years ago, Jesse Jackson hosted SNL and somewhere in the show he hosted a gameshow called, "The Question is Moot." This was a catch phrase around campus at college the whole next week and still is just laying there for me today.

This week Jesse Jackson the modern misery merchant was caught by an intern screening tapes late at night saying something about Barrack Hussein Obama that was just plain wrong.

His own son came back at him, almost made me laugh by telling his own dad to "Keep Hope Alive," this was Jesse's saying back in the day.

Here is a link to the story if you have been under a rock:

http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/jackson.obama.comments.2.767252.html

What is sad is Jesse's press conference as he was trying to circumvent the media of Fox News breaking the story on O' Reilly. (that ploy was for MSNBC and CNN-to cover the ratings spread for the evening) anyway, it is a man that has issues. Here is man about to be crowned king in a stadium in Denver and it isn't him. YOU can only imagine the Clinton's feelings.

This is what should be asked of him. He should be asked to give up his "reverend" title. Look, Barrack's comments on Fathers in America, (black and white) are dead on. It hit Jesse hard because he had a child out with a woman other than his wife a few years ago. It hits hard.

The other thing is the media should be asking for him to give up his title, these comments this week were worthy of it. Someone asked me this week, what if James Dobson had said those words? yes, what if?

The question is moot though. They won't ask for this. He will still go around and create news off of people's misery, it's all he knows about his gospel.

His apology was weak, full of pride and words that he likes to use but none reflected his heart.

Jesse Jackson had his Sister Souljah moment and is fading out of American politics because of his own jealousy of another man. Cain and Abel to today.

AS a man today, how do you handle anger? How do you handle things when they don't go your way or someone else gets the promotion? Is it about title and things?

Jesus Christ is at the center of why you have a job or career. He should be the focus on your steps, your direction and not man. When man gets in the way he will fill him self with jealousy, anger, bitterness, want, and it is all self wanting and lusting.

That is not what we need today.

Also we are sad of the loss of Tony Snow. God, Family and his Career. Good Man. Will be missed. Classy and not self promoting. Peace be with his family.

Would you take time today to pray for those families around you? It is a good thing but in these tough economic times the financial strain is going to lead to a lot of divorces in America, which will affect them and their children. You won't hear the media talk about this. We need to pray.

Santa Clara Vanguard's new unis

From Stanford, California at DCI West on Saturday night.

Click on image to see up close the subtle changes for this year. Blue Devils won West, now everyone heads to Denver this weekend.

Santa Clara's show is called "Three." It is divided into three parts, Mind, Body and Spirit.

Spirit has not been added yet, drill was given this week and should be ready by Drums Along the Rockies on 7/12.

Good Brain Food from Fred Smith

This week I really enjoyed these memories shared from Fred Smith and it is over 10 years old!You can get ideas from his teachings on leadership at Breakfast with Fred.com. His family keeps his website going with weekly e-mail gems like this each week.


Fred would often “scattershot” while dictating or sitting at his vintage Selectric typewriter. In 1989 he listed ten thought starters and gave thumbnail sketches. These are good brain food.


1. Hurt opens the heart – Often the best and maybe the only time a person will open up to help is when the hurt is too great to bear alone.

2. Gratitude cures depression – There is no stronger medicine for depression than genuine gratitude. If we find ourselves saying, “Yes, but,” we are not fully grateful. The truly grateful say, “Yes! Yes!” The Bible says, “In all things be grateful.” When it says, all – it means all.

3. Sit loose to things – Oswald Chambers is not against having things, nor enjoying them. But he is against getting so stuck to them that if they go, they take you with them. So long as you own them and not vice versa, everything is in right perspective. Develop the “sit loose to things” reflex.

4. Beware the spirit of fear – There is a great difference in being perpetually afraid, and having specific fears. It is alright to have particular fears, but not the spirit of fear. Our general disposition is not to be one of constant fear. “I have not given you the spirit of fear, but of love and of a sound mind.” Is your first reaction to every situation fear? It doesn’t have to be. You have a Promise to shield you.

5. The power of bonding – Experts tell us the greatest benefit of gang membership for kids is bonding – the sense of family and someone to stand with them in trouble. The church should be our bonding fellowship. We should share sufferings and provide acceptance for good. We should all be bonded as fellow members of the body of Christ --- that is the true bond.

6. The power of light – We dread the dark, but it has no power. It can’t put out the smallest candle, or even a flicker of light. There is no darkness so deep that a tiny light cannot penetrate it. Christ is the eternal lamplighter and He will re-light your lamp, no matter how small or how unused it has become. Darkness never owns the light; light always overcomes the dark.

7. Enjoy the challenge of change – Every situation is either a challenge or a threat. To the confident it is a challenge; to the fearful it is a threat. The situation is the same, but the reaction is different. Would you like to change from threat to challenge? View every new potentially threatening experience as an experiment. Be objective like a reporter and become interested in watching yourself go through the experience. Gain understanding as you step outside yourself.

8. New Age is old stuff – It is like the late night advertisement for wallets made out of “genuine synthetic leather.” Its promises have no guarantor. The Bible promises are the promissory notes given and guaranteed by God. New Age gives claims to a promised land they do not own…they are spiritual squatters.

9. The beauty of balance – All things in moderation – fanatical about nothing – everything getting its due – and everything in its season. A time for everything, even winning and losing.

10. We are promised ultimate victory – There is no sudden success. Ours is ultimate joy even while going through hardship and struggle. We look forward in hope , but we do not hope in hope. Our hope is in the promises of God and in the life of Christ.

Things to consider this week: 1) Which of the ten stretched me most? 2) How can I apply one of them this week to help others? 3) When do I do my best thinking?

Where is your "flesh" vulnerable? We all have these issues. We are all human. Watch this teaching from Todd Wagner at Dallas Theological Seminary's spring conference on being real:

http://www.dts.edu/media/play/?MediaItemID=bd3318d7-3b3f-4500-b0ec-91ec380410bd

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you!