A cause I could get behind

The late 20th Century onward was the time in which the national press became the greatest threat to freedom, life and the national well being.   Its shameless exploitation of human suffering and lies by suppressing truth and crucial knowledge for the sake of its agendas has become one of the great evils of the modern age.

A happy Fathers Day present

My wife and I went to a local winery that has become a sort of hangout for us.  Friday night, we went there for an Alzheimer's fundraiser.  Since my Dad had that, and my Mom has moderate onset dementia, this is an issue we more or less support. I'll be honest, I'm not always happy with blank checks for research, since you never know how they are doing it.  But that doesn't seem to be a big thing with most religious leaders anymore, so who am I to buck the system?

In any event, the fundraiser and the fun and just hanging at a place where more are learning your name, was a worthy cause.  So we planned it ahead of time.  Our boys made sure they were all able to step in and watch our youngest and take care of my Mom.  One is taking summer classes, the other is trying to find new employment (having had to quit his restaurant job due to his food allergy, which is not related to the vaccines he got right before his allergy developed).  Our other son just finished the better part of his first week of Police boot camp (or so we call it).  Nonetheless, they blocked their Friday to be together and tend to things.

When we got home, our budding police officer went to bed, since he had early rise the next day for scenario and weapons training.  Our youngest wanted to wait until we got home before he went to bed, and it being summer, that was fine.  Our oldest reported that they made some tailgate vittles for everyone, and made sure my Mom got her fill.  They also made sure she got her medications before going to bed.

They watched Guardians of the Galaxy with the young one (not my preference for a nine year old, but I'll let it slide).  They then played a game of Monopoly.  They do have to learn the art of playing on a curve when playing with one so young.  You don't want to let them win, but you don't want to take advantage either.  You play at 'basic levels'.  But the thought was there.

Finally - and this was the big part - they let us know that they still did Bible study and prayer time before breaking up and sending our third boy off to bed.  We try to do that every night.  Often the time spirals into an hour long discussion about everything from the latest Marvel movie, to the history of slavery or politics or the historicity of Scripture or moral theology or the ethical vacuum in today's discourse.  Even when all the boys aren't there, we do it with those who are.  So it was nice to hear, on their own, they made sure Bible study and prayer were done in due course.

For Father's Day, the boys didn't try to outdo last year, since that would necessitate buying another dog.   So they settled for a cool retro-game for the PS4 (my youngest's idea), as well as some books, goodies, and an ordered copy of Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old (I'm anxious to see that).  A steak dinner is planned, but we didn't try to push that into an already event-filled weekend.  As soon as the weather breaks, my former (but still awesome) gourmet will grill me some nice medium-wells and accompanying yummies.

I've often told the boys that the test of their character will come when they are out on their own.  Any kid with brains demonstrates good character when their parents are in the room.  It's what they do when the cats are away that's the proof.  If this weekend is even a minor indicator, I'd say we at least have a little bit of room to breath easily.  My kids are far from perfect.   They're not completely out on their own yet either.  All things considered, however, and times being what they are, I'd say they're not bad at all.  And that makes for a pretty nifty Father's Day present.

Ready to hear the live music as the fundraiser begins to pack in the people

My adorable wife enjoying a drink with me after the fundraiser

The boys pick up the game the next day (our future police officer (bottom right) won)

The boys get together for our son's 'end of first week of boot camp' celebration

His choice: Cajun crawfish boil and fixens

For no other reason than I love our deck: It's our own little tree-house 

2 of the gifts the boys bought for me for Father's Day; the steak dinner is forthcoming

Prayers for everyone impacted

By the hurricanes, the earthquake, and all natural disasters. 

I don't pretend to know what is causing it.  It is.  We pray, and seek ways to help.  Contrary to the skeptics, who seem to believe people of Faith are torn between to opposing options - to help or pray - we can do both. 

So prayers, and also open to the best ways to help those who will be impacted by this, and future calamities. 

Save Baby Joseph

A more heart wrenching story I've not heard of recent months, and that's been in a period of heart wrenching stories.  Brave young baby is fighting for life.  It doesn't look good.  Parents would like him to come home and be with the family. Canada, in following the footsteps of every great, post-Christian socialist society, has decided it knows how to define and handle what is and isn't valuable life.  Ordering Baby Joseph removed from his ventilator, he has been condemned to die.  In addition, he will not be allowed to go home with his family in keeping with the parents' wishes.  Typical.  Canada is, after all, keeping the faith of the post-liberal left that in all things sex, drugs, and vulgarities total freedom; everything else, including human life, right to religion, speech, and thought, will be controlled and suppressed by the government that gave you unfettered access to the aforementioned sex, drugs, and bathroom humor. 

 

You can go to Save Baby Joseph on facebook.  Do what you can.  Remember, before the Nazis were slaughtering Jews and other minorities by the millions, they were training Germans to believe that some life just isn't worth the keeping.  And we all know how that turned out.

A petition to Steve Jobs

In reaction to the decision by Apple to censor the Manhattan Declaration because it fails to conform to the Left's dogmatic definitions of diversity - chief among these being the celebration and veneration of homosexuality - a petition has been put together for those who still labor under those old 60s and 70s liberal ideals of a free and open society.  Go here to sign it.

This whole thing has brought up some interesting commenting on the ol'blogosphere.  If we really live in this grand information age, where peons like me can start a blog and say anything I want, or others like Assange challenge nations as he recklessly tosses about anything he wants to make what ever point he makes, consequences be damned, then what about our sources?

All of our 'information' and communication is via this or that company or provider.  If those companies begin to demand conformity to this or that ideal or belief system or else they pull the plug on you and prohibit you from getting your message out, are we really a free society?  Are we even worse than before?  Certainly worth thinking about, especially since Bill Gates has long since convinced us that interpersonal relations by way of electronics is the only way to relate to our world.