It Has Been Awhile

Last November 16 was when I shared my last thoughts on this site. I shared one someone else had posted on April 7th, 2020, but nothing of my own.

Since about March 16 of this year things have really gone crazy, we have had quite the adventure; unlike anything I have ever seen. I have not heard of this nation being shut down due to anything. I know about the “Great Depression”, but things were shut down because of other things, and people could still get out and work.

There have been worse sicknesses, and viruses that have hit our Country, and the nation has closed up everything except the government bureaucracies and needed hospitals.

I know, I am like most of you. I am tired of hearing about this stuff.  I prefer to trust my government, but when things like this happens it causes me to ask questions and doubt their intent.

I have no intent of attacking anyone, or trying to get anyone in particular to agree with me.  When government agencies are allowed to continue working; why is it the populace cannot? It seems to me to be more of a power grab, than protecting the people.

How many millions have lost their jobs. Families are hurting, and it  is not the govs responsibility to bail us all out – personally, or business, or State wise.

I pray for all those who have gotten ill from COVID-19 to get well and for full recovery. For family who has lost love ones to this enemy, my prayers to Almighty God goes up for you, your comfort, and encouragement.

My last thought is to pastors and churches it seems we have given cause for those who are out for a power grab, to make a precedent for this time, and who knows what it will be next. God our Creator has it in His hands.

O, by the way. The Church of which I am pastor has not closed its doors.  We have been meeting every Sunday regular services; except one Sunday night that was scheduled anyway. God has blessed. It was because I had no clear direction otherwise.

From the banks of Flat Creek,

~tim

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

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

I Am A Country Boy

I was country from the day I was born.  Born in a little rural town called Cassville at the age of newborn.  Raised on a family farm.  Learned how to handle a rifle, at the age of 8 – 10 Do not remember the age.  I think I was deer hunting alone by the time I was 12.

Hank Junior used to have a real popular song, “A Country Boy Can Survive”; and I do have a shot gun, a rifle and four wheel drive.  The four wheel drive is a Ford Super Duty F250.

The farming is my brother’s work now.  I live on my grandparents place.  It is the place where my Dad was born.  The house he was born in is still here.  I believe it is over 100 years old.  I still use the well that was drilled in the early 1900’s.  Not sure of the year, and it is only 30 feet deep.

No!  The well does not have the old hand pumper.  It does have an electric submersible pump, and still does a fair job of pumping water.  Thank the Lord for that every day.

As a Country Boy I have learned my survival is not dependent upon having that shotgun, rifle, or the four wheel drive.  My survival is dependent, every day, upon God the Father giving me my next breath of air, and the next beat of my heart.  Without Him I would not be living.

My survival is not dependent upon government either.  What they give they can take away.  Just ask the Native American we have called “Indians”.  Yes sir, and Yes Mam.  I survive as a Country Boy because the Creator of this Universe, and everything in it has me in His hands.

Thank God I am a country boy.

From the banks of Flat Creek

`tim

Think About This before Voting…

I received this on an email group I am on.

Think About This Before You Vote …

In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress. — John Adams

If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. — Mark Twain

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. — Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. — Winston Churchill

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. — James Bovard

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. — P.J. O’Rourke

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. — Frederic Bastiat

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you!– Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. — Mark Twain

Talk is cheap…except when Congress does it. — Anonymous

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. –Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. — Edward Langley

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. — Thomas Jefferson

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. — Aesop

Some pretty wise thoughts.

-Tim

Survival in the USA

Several years ago Hank Williams jr. sung a song with the words, “I’ve got a shotgun, a rifle and a four wheel drive; and a country boy can survive.”  That is the way I feel concerning the threats coming out of D.C.  I have a new definition for D.C.  (Dipstick Compartment)

The debt ceiling thing has nothing to do with individual survival.  If the debt rises or falls we can and will survive.  My survival is not dependent upon anything the D.C.’s do.  My survival is dependent upon my GOD and Savior Jesus Christ.  My life, my all, my finances come from His provisions; not D.C.’s

For all who may be interested; I do have a rifle.  I have three of them, and know how to use them.  I do not have a shotgun or a four wheel drive; but I can still survive.

How about you?  You can too.

Living here on the banks of Flat Creek we have access to fish, and there are other forms of wildlife to hunt, for sustenance, and life.  Oh, by they way I may seem cynical, but I am thankful for the freedom we still have in this country.  Where we can still tell our gov what we think of them; and without fear of reprisal.

We do need to be more concerned about personal debt.  We need to be out of it as soon as possible on the family level.  That will be a wonderful blessing for all.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.”

-Tim