Black Friday

Steely Dan, 'Black Friday'

God's A Funny Guy.....

What do I mean by 'God's a funny guy'? I mean He uses humor, irony and otherwise ordinary circumstances to open our eyes and give us not just 'teachable moments' but the occasional rebuke. Case in point:

I just returned from a short vacation to Las Vegas - one that included a plethora of little screw-ups, inconveniences and disappointments. Minor problems all, but annoying and frustrating nonetheless.

My friends and I stayed at a five-diamond resort in the lap of luxury and opulence. We had fine food and wine, gambled a little, shopped a lot and had fun despite the 'issues'. Yesterday, as we traveled to the airport in a Lincoln Navigator stretch limousine, we discussed what we didn't like about the resort and why we wouldn't stay there again. 'I didn't get the bed I requested.' 'The doorman didn't even help with the luggage!' Stuff like that. Then I had my first 'God's a funny guy' moment of the day...

As the limo driver unloaded our mountain of luggage, a pickup truck pulled up to the curb in front of us and a young couple got out. He was dressed in full desert camo and put an enormous pack on his back that looked like it must have weighed 200 pounds. They embraced and kissed for a few minutes before he turned and walked away. She cried. He cried. I cried. Then I thought, 'Will there be a doorman to help with the luggage where this soldier is going?' Of course not. I am free to ride around in fancy limos and whine about hotel doormen because brave young men like this one are at war for me.

Talk about God slapping you upside your head!

Later, as I sat on the small plane that would take me from Detroit to Flint, I commented to my friends that it was odd the seat next to me was vacant.  Just minutes before, the airline had asked for someone to take a voluntary bump due to the flight being over-sold by one passenger. At the last possible minute, a handsome young man rushed down the aisle, stuffed his things in the overhead and sat down next to me. He told me how happy he was that he had made the flight so he didn't have to rent a car and drive home.

I asked if he had a long trip. 'Yes.', he said, 'I've been in Saudi Arabia for a year.' 'Are you military?', I asked. 'Yes.'

I shook his hand and said 'Thank you for what you're doing for me. I appreciate it.' It seemed to surprise him a little, so I told him I don't think our troops hear that enough. He agreed. (They don't.... so thank a soldier every chance you get!) The conversation then went something like this:

'Are you home for a while now?'
'Until after Christmas. Then I'm headed to Germany.'
'Well, Germany isn't home, but it's a lot better than Saudi Arabia.'
'That's for sure.'
'Germany has nice people and good beer.'
'Yeah! I was stationed there for a while before.'
'I've been to Germany. I liked it a lot. Never been to Saudi Arabia, though.'
'You wouldn't like Saudi Arabia. Worst country in the Middle East for women.'
'Yeah, I don't want to wear a Hefty bag.'
'Ha!'

After takeoff, he started to doze, so I shut up and started thinking about my second 'God's a funny guy' moment of the day. This fine young soldier spent a year in Saudi Arabia - where women are chattel - so I can have the freedom to travel across the country with four girlfriends to enjoy the luxuries of one of the world's most extravagant cities. That really puts things in perspective!

God is indeed a funny guy... and I'm listening, Lord.

The Government Can

Tim Hawkins, 'The Government Can'

Thursday Jazz Interlude

Soulstice, 'Fall Into You'

20 Years On: How To Deal With Tyrants

Barack Has A Truth Ache

This NY Post headline says it all...  Even people who voted for Obama's hopey-changey squish are realizing he didn't mean a word of it.  It's all about HIM, his agenda, his radical friends and fundamentally changing America into something none of us recognizes or wants.

Quite simply, the president is squandering the trust the American people vested in him. It could not be otherwise when so many suspect he pulled the wool over their eyes to get elected.

[snip]

One telling fact is that Obama has lost ground with every group except those who self-identify as liberal Democrats. Moderate and conservative Dems, along with independents and Republicans, are registering complaints. In that sense, it is unanimous he has turned left.

Sorry to say this, but I told you so....

Coming Soon To A Home Near You: Canadian Family Raided At Gunpoint By 'Health Canada'

Earlier this year, a Canadian doctor and his family were held at gunpoint for 11 hours while Health Canada agents and the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) searched his home.  Papers, business files and his inventory OF VITAMINS were seized.  His international business associates were questioned.  His 'Access of Information' (FOIA) requests have been denied and even his lawyer cannot obtain records and files relating to the search.

Dr. Eldon Dahl details his story in this letter to the Canadian legislature, presently considering even broader powers for the Health ministry.

No Canadian family or home based business should have to endure what my family endured.  On January 15, 2009, my wife Agnes answered the front door of our home and 4 RCMP officers, one with his gun drawn, burst through, the brute force even damaged our locking device.

I will never forget the terrifying look on the face of my wife; I have never seen her so afraid.  To describe the panic that I felt is near impossible; I saw as my wife’s hands were raised over her head in surrender because an armed RCMP officer had a gun pointed to her chest yelling; “That is not cool, that is not cool.”  I thought she was going to be killed.  That day’s events have permanently scarred my memory and I live with the terror, thinking that it will happen again.  I heard my wife say, “Please put the gun away!  We are no harm to any of you. We are humanitarians, not criminals.”

The RCMP were clearing the way for Health Canada agents; they entered our home looking for vitamins, including Folic Acid and L-Carnitine, both ultra safe supplements.  We sat restricted in our own home for 11 hours while Health Canada agents searched our entire residence, even violating the privacy of our bedroom.  Our home safe was opened with RCMP supervision and our personal contents were photographed by Kim Selling (a Health Canada agent).

This, my friends, is what you get when the government is in charge of your 'health care'. Now is the time to protest, call, write, fax, e-mail.... anything you can to STOP the destruction of the American health care system.

Unless, of course, you really WANT to explain to a federal officer why you have that bottle of vitamins.....

Did Fort Hood Shooter Have 9/11 Ties?

The UK Telegraph is reporting that Nidal Malik Hasan attended the same Virginia mosque as two of the 9/11 hijackers and had expressed his admiration for the radical imam.

Hasan, the sole suspect in the massacre of 13 fellow US soldiers in Texas, attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Great Falls, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists..

[snip]

The preacher at the time was Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni scholar who was banned from addressing a meeting in London by video link in August because he is accused of supporting attacks on British troops and backing terrorist organisations.

[snip]

Hasan's eyes "lit up" when he mentioned his deep respect for al-Awlaki's teachings, according to a fellow Muslim officer at the Fort Hood base...

[snip]

Al-Awlaki moved to Dar al-Hijrah as imam in January, 2001, from the west coast, and three months later the September 11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour began attending his services. A third hijacker attended his services in California.

Wow. Do not, however, jump to conclusions about connections between Islam and the murders at Fort Hood. The President said we can't.... unlike his response to the Cambridge police officer who arrested his friend....

I don't know about you, Crumb Crunchers, but I'm not a big believer in coincidence. The Army, and apparently the FBI as well, had ample reason to be suspicious of Major Hasan for quite some time. By ignoring the warning signs - can't 'profile him', Islam is a religion of peace, wouldn't be PC and all like that - they may yet be proven complicit in his murderous rampage.  Lord help us.

Rabbi Baruch's Parasha

The Rabbi is teaching on ancient Torah, or 'Old Testament', stories that are as current as today's newspaper.

Parashat Vayeira (and He appeared) Genesis 18:1 – 22:24
Haftarah: II Kings 4:1-37

In last week’s blog, I spoke about G-d’s faithfulness to supply the resources that His people need to fulfill their obligations to Him. In this week’s prophetic reading, we learn that not only does He supply what we need to be faithful to Him, but He also supplies for our physical and emotional needs. In the Haftarah, there are two stories that focus on two families. In the first, the husband dies and leaves the family in debt. G-d meets this family’s needs through a unique miracle. In studying the scripture, not only is the miracle itself important, but also the manner of the miracle. Hence, it’s not only important that G-d miraculously met this family’s need, but there is revelation in how G-d met their need. Elisha was used by G-d to perform the miracle for the family. Notice that the creditor was never asked simply to forgive the debt, but G-d supplied what was necessary to fulfill the obligation. In other words, don’t ask G-d for a way out; but a solution to your problems that fulfills your obligations rather than beseeching one to set aside this obligation. One maintains a positive testimony; the other damages this testimony.

Elisha asked the woman, “What is in your house?” II Kings 4:2. In other words, Elisha used what the woman had in meeting the need. What does this reveal? Oftentimes the solution is before us. Notice that the miracle was not provided apart from the family engaging in labor. G-d greatly prefers to work with us in obtaining the solution rather than having us stand idly by. In other words, G-d does not bless idleness. If you carefully read this account, the amount of money that was provided to the family was directly related to the labor they performed.

In the second account, Elisha miraculously provides a child for a barren couple. The mother and father enjoyed their son for many years, until suddenly he died. Rather than being overcome and paralyzed by grief, the woman sought G-d in this time of emotional need. She departed from her home to find Elisha. In approaching Elisha’s home, the man of G-d saw her from afar. He inquired concerning her through his servant, asking, “Is all well with you?” Despite losing her only son, she answered, “All is well.” The word translated “well” is the Hebrew word “Shalom”. Her answer reveals that physical hardships should not be allowed to hinder our relationship with G-d. They may be the very means that G-d wants to use to deepen our relationship with Him. In the end, the son was raised from the dead and the family was reunited. Obviously this was quite the miracle. Unfortunately today, parents lose a child and they don’t see their child resurrected. However, for the believing family, it is only a matter of time. I believe the words of King David, when he lost one of his sons, are most relevant. David said, “Can I bring my son back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” II Samuel 12:23. Obviously this verse is a testimony of David’s faith in the resurrection of the dead in the last days and the great reunion that will take place in the Kingdom of G-d.

The man of faith knows that it is not a question of if G-d is going to meet my needs, but only a matter of when He will do so.

Shabbat Shalom