The Month of Thanksgiving – 13

Today I will be thankful for our second born child and daughter, Monica.  Monica was born in the cold and icy month of January 1977 at the Baptist Hospital in Louisville, KY. She was born while I was a student at Boyce Bible School, part of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Monica is a great daughter, mild mannered, loving, and kind.  She is married to a fine man by the name of Sam. Monica and Sam are hard working, and devoted to one another and the care of their two children Addyson and AlexZander. They also have a great love and respect for Madge and I; and Sam’s mother Kathy too.

I am thankful to the Lord that I was and I still am blessed to have such a daughter, and her fine family.

Thankful from the banks of Flat Creek

`tim

Quotes From Thomas Jefferson

Reportedly from Thomas Jefferson. Whether they are or not they are quite pertinent for the day. More will be coming.

“When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .” –Thomas Jefferson

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” –Thomas Jefferson

“It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.” –Thomas Jefferson

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” –Thomas Jefferson

“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” –Thomas Jefferson

“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” –Thomas Jefferson

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” –Thomas Jefferson

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” –Thomas Jefferson

“To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” –Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

‘I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered..’

From the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

Amendments 16 – 27 of the United States Constitution

Amendment 16 – Status of Income Tax Clarified

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Proposed 7/12/1909
Ratified 2/3/1913

Amendment 17 – Senators Elected by Popular Vote

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Proposed 5/13/1912
Ratified 4/8/1913

Amendment 18 – Liquor Abolished

1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 12/18/1917
Ratified 1/16/1919

Amendment 19 – Women’s Suffrage

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 6/4/1919
Ratified 8/18/1920

Amendment 20 – Presidential, Congressional Terms

1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Proposed 3/2/1932
Ratified 1/23/1933

Amendment 21 – 18th Amendment Repealed

1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 2/20/1933
Ratified 12/5/1933

Amendment 22 – Presidential Term Limits

1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 3/21/1947
Ratified 2/27/1951

Amendment 23 – Presidential Vote for District of Columbia

1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 6/17/1960
Ratified 3/29/1961

Amendment 24 – Poll Tax Barred

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 8/27/1962
Ratified 1/23/1964

Amendment 25 – Presidential Disability and Succession

1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Proposed 7/6/1965
Ratified 2/10/1967

Amendment 26 – Voting Age Set to 18 Years

1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 3/23/1971
Ratified 7/1/1971

Amendment 27 – Limiting Congressional Pay Increases

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Amendments 1 – 15 of the United States Constitution

Amendment 1 – Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 3 – Quartering of Soldiers

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 4 – Search and Seizure

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 5 – Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 6 – Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 7 – Trial by Jury in Civil Cases

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 8 – Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 9 – Construction of Constitution

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 10 – Powers of the States and People

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 11 – Judicial Limits

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.
Proposed: 3/4/1794
Ratified 2/7/1795

Amendment 12 – Choosing the President, Vice-President

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
Proposed 12/9/1803
Ratified 6/15/1804

Amendment 13 – Slavery Abolished

1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Proposed 1/31/1865
Ratified 12/6/1865

Amendment 14 – Citizenship Rights

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Proposed 6/13/1866
Ratified 7/9/1868

Amendment 15 – Race No Bar to Vote

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Proposed 2/26/1869
Ratified 2/3/1870

Conspiracy Theory USA

The following is something I posted in 2007 on another site.

The day of September 11, 2001 is forever sketched in my memory. It should be in the minds of every true American Patriot. If we forget we will pay dearly in the years to come. I am about to tell you a story. It is a true story. It is a somewhat sad story, and done in a little sarcasm.

A preacher friend and I were in Cape Giraurdeau, Missouri in late October 2001 for our Missouri Baptist Convention’s annual Convention. We were sitting, eating lunch in a seafood restaurant, and there was something which had came into my thinking concerning September 11 of the month before. I have no idea why I was even thinking such a thing, and I certainly had no thought that it would actually be true. I had actually given it to an over active imagination, which sometimes I do have.

My thought was, and I presented it to my friend, “What if…”. Don’t you love “What if”‘s? “What if our President was in on a plot to destroy the Twin Towers in New York City, and by doing that blame the terrorists organizations for it, thus striking out at those nations supporting terrorism?” Now, remember this was only a thought that came to the mind of my overactive imagination. I did not then, nor do I now believe such a thing, but Lo and behold, there are some ignorant, amusing, loudmouthed people who do believe such idiocy.

People whom I will not name, because of their present notoriety, and I desire to give them no space or credit at all; but will give their name’s initials.

There is R.O. who is probably the loudest, and most boisterous of the lot. She actually believes that our President conspired, and had people go in and do a demolition preparation for those planes to destroy the buildings. Now there is C.S. and he has evidently came to the same conclusion as R.O.. These two fit in the realm of those who think that man has never landed on the moon, and that it all was like a Hollywood production deceiving the people. Maybe even in the same category with the one’s who believe that everything revolves around the earth.

Do I believe these Conspiracies are real? Not at all. They are from the minds of overactive imaginations, and that is where they should stay. To actually bring a charge of such means against our President ought to be considered a treasonous act. He does represent our Nation. An attack of such proportions against him is an attack against not only him, but every Senator, Congressman, and every citizen of the Nation.

Let’s pray for our President. He has burdens we know nothing of. This war against terrorism must be won, or there will be more terrorists coming to our land, and the next time they hit will probably make 9/11 pale in comparison.

Think about it. Our President had nothing to do with the destruction of the Twin Towers. He is about defending U.S..

The Bible’s Impact 3

This is the concluding remarks in Mark Noll’s artilce in the Opinion Journal from the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

“THE AMERICAN BIBLICAL TRADITION The King James Version used to be our common text.”

“Yet if the KJV was sometimes abused, nearly universal use also meant that its spiritual themes of reproof and liberation, its stories of human sin and divine grace, also exerted a great influence for good. In the 1890’s Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other aggrieved feminists published “The Woman’s Bible” in an effort to counter interpretations of Scripture that had done women harm. When they asked others to comment, Frances Willard of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union made a telling response: ‘No such woman, as Mrs Elizabeth Cady Stanton, with her heart aflame against all forms of injustice and of cruelty… has ever been produced in a country where the Bible was not incorporated into the thoughts and affections of the people and had not been so during Many generations.’

It was the KJV that Willard meant as the Bible ‘incorporated’ in American consciousness ‘during many generations.’ Today the legacy of the KJV remains fixed in the common speech, even if awareness of the languages debt to this translation is fading (another KJV word). Whether any modern translation of the Scriptures, or any other moral guide, can anchor the culture as the KJV once did, is a question worth serious consideration in the run-up of 2011 and the 400th anniversary of this unsurpassed cultural force.”

Mr. Noll, professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, recently lectured on “The King James Version in American History” at the Library of Congress.”

The value of the KJV has not been exaggerated in this article by Mr. Noll. The Word of God is important in every age. Versions of Scripture which leave out verses important for teaching the place of faith and baptism will be weak in promoting morality, and holiness before holy God. Though I am not a KJV only man, the KJV is the only version I place the utmost confidence. I will use other versions as commentaries, but the KJV is the one which I have the most peace using in study and preaching.

My hope and prayer is that the Christian of 2019 will; if they are not daily reading and hearing the word; that today they will begin anew to take it up each day, and read it to hear the voice of God, and apply it to their lives.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we would see a mighty move of God into our lands, tribes, nations, homes and churches around the world.

The Bible’s Impact 2

The following is the second part from an article by Mark A. Noll’s editorial page of the Wall Street Journal, Friday July 7, 2006. I give you only a portion:

“Because the KJV was so widely read for religious purposes, it had also become a source of public ideals. Because it was so central in the churches, and because the churches were so central to the culture, the KJV functioned also as a common reservoir for the language. Hundreds of phrases (clear as crystal, powers that be, root of the matter, a perfect Babel, two-edged sword) and thousands of words (arguments, city, conflict, humanity, legacy network, voiceless, zeal) were in the common speech because they had first been in this translation. Or to be more precise, because they had been in the KJV or in the earlier translations, like those of John Wycliffe’s followers (1390s) and William Tyndale (1520s), that King James’ translators mined for their own version.

But during the past half-century, we have come into a new situation. For believers who read the Bible because they think it is true, a welter of modern translations compete for the space once dominated by the KJV. For the public at large, the linguistic and narrative place that for more than two centuries had been occupied by the KJV is now substantially filled by the omnipresent electronic media. The domains that have been most successfully popularized by television, the movies and the internet are sport, crime, pornography, politics, warfare, medicine and the media itself. Within these domains there is minimal place for biblical themes of any sort, much less the ancient language of the KJV.

For some purposes, it is well that the KJV has lost its hold. Roman Catholics and Jews were once victims of coercive discrimination when they were forced to recite the Protestant translation of the Bible in the nation’s public schools. And at many moment, like the Civil War, free use of this one version made it all too easy to transgress the boundary between the proper business of the churches and the proper business of the public sphere.”

I personally know of no time when Catholics and Jews were “forced to recite” a protestant translation of Scriptures in public schools. They at any point should have had the freedom to leave the classroom or the room where the recitation was taking place.

The Bible in the KJV has been a prominent part in making this nation a nation with morals, the further we get from the Bible the further we will get from God Himself.

The Bible’s Impact

The following is a quote by Mark A. Noll’s editorial page of the Wall Street Journal, Friday July 7, 2006. I give you only a portion:

“THE AMERICAN BIBLICAL TRADITION The King James Version used to be our common text.

In 1911 the English-speaking world paused to mark the 300th anniversary of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, with American political leaders foremost in the chorus of exaltation. To former president Theodore Roosevelt, this Bible translation was “the Magna Carta of the poor and the oppressed…the most democratic book in the world.” Soon-to-be president Woodrow Wilson said much the same thing: “The Bible (with its individual value of the human soul) is undoubtedly the book that has made democracy and been the source of all progress.’

‘Americans at the time mostly agreed with these sentiments, because the impact of the KJV was everywhere so obvious. It was obvious for business, with major firms like Harper & Brothers having risen to prominence on the back of its Bible publishing. It was obvious in the physical landscape and in many households because of the widespread use of Bible names for American places (95 variations on Salem) and the nation’s children (John, James, Sarah, Rebecca). It was obvious in literature, as with the memorable opening of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick: ‘Call me Ishmael.” And it was obvious in politics, with no occasion more memorable than March 4, 1865, when four quotations from the KJV framed Abraham Lincoln’s incomparable Second Inaugural Address: Genesis 3:19 (‘wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces’); Matthew 18:7 (‘woe unto the world because of offences!’); Matthew 7:1 (‘judge not that we be not judged’); and Psalm 19:9 (‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether’).”

Now where our friend Mark A. Noll, or Mister Lincoln got that quote from Genesis 3:19, I havn’t got a clue. It is certainly a misquote of the text, and from something other than the KJV.

The Preamble of the United States of America

I am posting this, and as time permits the Constitution as well, a bit later on.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The government of the USA is its people. Let us never forget though that all government belongs to God, our Creator.

-Tim A. Blankenship

From Nov. 07, 2008, and for a reminder on July 03, 2019

Being A Patriot

From April 26, 2007.

Being A Patriot

Sometimes I think we misunderstand what a patriot really is. A true patriot is not someone who never finds fault with their country or their leaders, including the President. A patriot is someone who will stand with the leaders during times of turmoil, similar to those we are in now.

There is one thing for sure concerning our President, and I am not always in agreement with him. I believe him to be a strong individual who will stand his ground when he believes he is right about something. He appears to have convictions about things. He is not led by the opinion polls, and does not lend and ear to the wind, and make decisions based on which ever way it blows. I like that in President Bush.

There are many who are trying to malign him, and accuse him of playing politics. He has nowhere to go. He has reached the highest office in our country. How can he be trying to play politics. The one’s who are playing politics are the ones who accuse him of it.

Being a patriot is about loving your country, praying for its leaders; even those you disagree with, and do not like; and supporting their decisions when they do not conflict with your own person convictions of God, holiness, righteousness, and good, but you endeavor to change things through prayer, and discourse, rather than violence. Other people’s opinions, and lives are at stake.

I do not know if what I have written here makes a whole lot of sense to you, the reader, but it does to me. A patriot is also someone who will love his country enough to speak out when something is not right. We must do that. We can do it and still be a citizen. At least for the time being.

Our trust must be in the LORD God who has made all things. He has put the USA in place for a time like this. Let’s first be faithful to Him.

Freedom At Stake

From April 21, 2007

Freedom At Stake

With the tragedy of Monday April 16 lingering freshly in our minds we must remember September 11, 2001. You may wonder why, but it is necessary for maintaining our freedom as a nation.

On that eventful, catastrophic day, nearly 3000 people died (2973 with 24 still missing and unaccounted for). There is one event I think of which reminds us what is necessary at times of facing things and people which are evil.

Three commercial airliners had disastrously struck their evil designers intended targets. The North and South buildings of the World Trade Center; and the Pentagon. One other airliner; United Airlines flight 93 was over Philadelphia, and here is an except from Wikipedia concerning that mornings flight –

“On United Airlines Flight 93, black box recordings revealed that crew and passengers attempted to seize control of the plane from the hijackers after learning through phone calls that similarly hijacked planes had been crashed into buildings that morning. According to the transcript of Flight 93’s recorder, one of the hijackers gave the order to roll the plane once it became evident that they would lose control of the plane to the passengers. Soon afterward, the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, at 10:03:11 a.m. local time (14:03:11 UTC). Al-Qaeda leader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed mentioned in a 2002 interview with an Al Jazeera journalist that Flight 93’s target was the United States Capitol,[18] which was given the code name “the Faculty of Law.”[19]”

The reason I mention this is because of the heroism which was shown on that day. Where was that on Monday morning at Virginia Tech? Thirty two people died. There was heroism in the Professor of one class who willingly gave his life to protect his students, and allowed them to escape from the madness of Cho Sueng-Hui.

Understand, I am not blaming students at the College. They did what students are pretty much trained and taught to do in such incidents. They protected themselves. We have bullies in our world, and the students and people who are bullied by them are taught and told to go and tell an authority – a teacher, a principal, or a policeman. What if the people on United Airlines Flight 93 had done that on that disastrous day? The events would have been more catastrophic, and many more lives would have been lost.

It was people defending themselves against tyrants, and bullies which bought the freedom of our nation. We need to get back to the idea of defending ourselves, and others. It is right to do so.

I believe that if there would have been a couple of young men and women who would have determined to take Cho Sueng-Hui down there would have been less people murdered. If there is blame to be placed it should be at the feet of those who have taught us to “Protect ourselves” rather than fight the bullies, and evil.

Someone, I believe it was a man named Edmund Burke said, “All it takes for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing”, and I believe him to be correct. Our freedom is at stake, if we just continue to teach our children, students, and others to just get under your desks. That is good advice during a tornado, but not against evil men and women.

Storms, and Flooding Last Night

The State of Missouri,  Southwest Missouri for my part was inundated with wind, storms, and lots of rain.  There was flooding in Cassville, and I heard reports of Roaring River State Park evacuating campers,  and rightly so.

Flat Creek which is on the edge of our back yard anyway is up into a part of the yard.  I will share with you a couple of pictures I took a few minutes ago.

Just for your assurances; it is several feet from our residence, so we are not concerned with flooding of our home.

This morning as I considered the night I thought of Nahum the prophet chapter 1 verse 3.  He is in charge.

That is the way it is today on the banks of Flat Creek,

~tim

In the Year 2019

I pray all had a great, and thankful Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas; and truly a Happy New Year for at least the first two days of it any way.

I perceive myself to be a happy man, a happy married man to my wife of 45 plus years, a happy father of five, and the five of their spouses; also a happy grandfather 0f twelve.  I see that as a very happy man.  What I am is a very blessed man.

The blessings of happiness are from our Creator who has made all things.  By the very word of His mouth He has made all things that are.  The seen and the unseen were made by Him.  Without Him there was nothing made that is made.

To the Creator I give thanks and praise and glory and honor.

I am looking forward to this New Year.  It is a blessing from Him who has given it to us.

I do not believe God is well pleased when people are always in conflict with one another.  Tale telling, backbiting, gossiping, lying about another, being a false witness – what a shame.  According to some wiser men and women than myself we are not supposed make others feel “shamed”.  My thought on that is Shame, Shame, Shame on you.  If there was more shame for our actions, our unwise, even evil words there just might be less of it.

I am a Christian.  Not because I am a good person, but because a Man went to a cross and died for me, was buried carrying my shame and sin away, then arose from that grave to save me from my sin and evil life, and way of life.  He delivered me from condemnation and death.  He changed my life and gave me eternal life through Him.  He is my God and Savior.  He is also the Savior of the world.

Do you want to change the world for the glory of God?  Then go to Jesus the Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son.

Make the year of 2019 the most blessed and happy and prosperous you have ever experienced. In the word “Prosperous” I do not mean materially necessarily.

from the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

October Fifth Twenty Sixteen Rain

We have been receiving a blessing of some much needed rain today.  It started falling sometime after midnight, and has continued intermittently since then.

Thank the LORD of all creation for this blessing.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

~tim

Driving a School Bus

Where I live the new School year for ages K – 12 began on August 13; so we have been in school now for two weeks.

I have been driving for the Cassville R-IV School District in the southwest part of the State of Missouri now for the last 9 years, and started my tenth year.  I have a total of 16 years driving with the Cassville School District.  With the first stint being from 1984 – 1990.

I quit driving a bus for 12 years, even gave up my CDL for a regular license for a while until I decided I needed to go back to driving a bus.  That was in 2003, and I have been driving a bus ever since then.

Actually I am driving for Cassville for my third time.  When I came back in ’03 I came in as a sub driver, then was given a route in the beginning of 2004 (January).  I left at the end of that school year, moved to Farmington, Missouri, and drove a School bus for the Farmington District for two years, then moved back to Cassville.

Driving a School bus is a challenging job; yet it is rewarding.  The reward is watching those kids grow up.  I took the route I have now in March of 2007.  I now have one student who is the only original student who was riding when I started it.  She is a Senior this year.  She was a third grader when I started.

It is a difficult job while you are driving, watching the road, tending misbehaving children, and watching for other drivers who are not watching what they are doing.

I guess I am writing this because I know many School Districts are in need of good bus drivers; people who love and care for kids.  If you are one of those go to your local School District and talk to them about driving a bus.

If you do it for the money you will not make it.  If you do it because of the kids, and you enjoy it.  You will do great.

I am writing this from the banks of Flat Creek.

-tim

The Tomatoes

I do not know what has happened to my tomato plants, but they have fizzled out.  Some one told me that they may have gotten too much water with all the rain we received earlier in July.

The plants have died, or are dying.  There is one lone living plant out of ten planted; with one lone, small green tomato coming along.

The first tomatoes I picked were large and firm, and they were really good eating.  Great on sandwiches, and just to eat along with chicken, mashed potatoes and such.

Well, we did get to enjoy a few.  Thank the Lord of all Creation for that wonderful blessing.  Thank you Lord Jesus.

Tick Season ‘Again’

It is that time of year. I have already had a few on me. Thanks to Town & Country Gardening.

Town & Country Gardening

There are few places on planet earth that are tick free.

Protect yourself by taking a few common sense precautions. When working, playing or entertaining out of doors, apply a tick repellant and check yourself,children and pets for ticks after outdoor activities.

Use repellents that contain 20 to 30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.

Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings.

Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
Conduct a full body tick check using a hand held or full length…

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Sunny Day

It is a lovely Spring day here on March 25, 2015.  The sun is shining brightly, the temp is at 64 degrees hear only the rolling Flat Creek.

This morning as Madge and me were eating breakfast I was looking out the patio door watching a couple of geese down on the creek swimming, frolicking around, and enjoying the morning coolness.  I told Madge, “It is pretty neat to be able to sit at the table watching wildlife at play”  or something like that.

It is.  It really is neat to watch God’s creation through our door, and it is even better to get out in it when we can.

I do enjoy Spring.  I can practically hear the grass growing :).  It is grand.

From the banks of Flat Creek

-tim

Predictions

I am not a fan of prognostications; especially early ones.  A farmer cannot make a decision to not plow the ground because it looks like it might rain; or even if the weather people have predicted that it is going to rain.  The field would never get plowed.

What set this off I guess is because our School for which I drive a School bus, cancelled school today with only rain falling; upon the prediction of ice and snow on the way.

I know it is a safety issue.  We do  not want to get caught on the road with hundreds of children on the school bus, with a possibility of sliding into the ditch or another vehicle.

I will applaud their decision when the ice and snow, or snow and ice come.  I just do not like making decisions like this based on the predictions of faulty people, and their man made equipment.

It was probably a good decision, but that is yet to be seen.  From the banks of Flat Creek.

-tim

Spring Is On the Way

Here we are in the middle of Winter, and I am thinking of Spring.  I do not think that I am alone.

It has not been a hard Winter or anything like that, but I am still longing for Spring.  Spring is a time of renewal, hope, life.

Yesterday I went out to burn trash, and noticed the singing of the birds in the trees in our backyard.  My what lovely music they were making.  I then noticed hundreds of birds fly from the tree tops, and they were Robbins.  There were many of them on the ground.  I guess they were looking for food, or something.  I do not think I have seen a larger flock of Robbins together at one time as then.

There were many of them on the ground in the backyard today.  Not near as many, but several, scattered over the whole yard.

I always see the Robbin as the hope that Spring is just around the corner.  I know what Phil said the other day.  I however do not need Phil to tell me there are six more weeks of Winter.  If you look at the calendar for the year; Spring begins on March 20, and it is about six weeks from February 02 through March 20 with only a four day difference.  So what?  Spring is on the way.

I am very glad.

From the banks of Flat Creek.