Saturday, December 22, 2012

Letter to Santa

Had to share. Wishing all a merry Christmas!

Dear Santa, How are you? How is Mrs. Claus? I hope everyone, from the reindeer to the elves, is fine. I have been a very good boy this year. I would like an X-Box 360 with Call of Duty IV and an iPhone 4 for Christmas. I hope you remember that come Christmas Day. Merry Christmas, Timmy Jones * *

Dear Timmy, Thank you for you letter. Mrs. Claus, the reindeer and the elves are all fine and thank you for asking about them. Santa is a little worried all the time you spend playing video games and texting. Santa wouldn’t want you to get fat. Since you have indeed been a good boy, I think I’ll bring you something you can go outside and play with.* Merry Christmas,* Santa Claus*** * *

Mr. Claus, Seeing that I have fulfilled the “naughty vs. Nice” contract, set by you I might add, I feel confident that you can see your way clear to granting me what I have asked for. I certainly wouldn’t want to turn this joyous season into one of litigation. Also, don’t you think that a jibe at my weight coming from an overweight man who goes out once a year is a bit trite? Respectfully, Tim Jones * *

Mr. Jones, While I have acknowledged you have met the “nice” criteria, need I remind you that your Christmas list is a request and in no way is it a guarantee of services provided. Should you wish to pursue legal action, well that is your right. Please know, however, that my attorney’s have been on retainer ever since the Burgermeister Meisterburger incident and will be more than happy to take you on in open court. Additionally, the exercise I alluded to will not only improve your health, but also improve your social skills and potentially help clear up a complexion that looks like the bottom of the Burger King fry bin most days. Very Truly Yours, S Claus * *

Now look here Fat Man, I told you what I want and I expect you to bring it. I was attempting to be polite about this but you brought my looks and my friends into this. Now you just be disrespecting me. I’m about to tweet my boys and we’re gonna be waiting for your fat ass and I’m taking my game console, my game, my phone, and whatever else I want. WHAT EVER I WANT, MAN! T-Bone * *

Listen Pizza Face, Seriously??? You think a dude that breaks into every house in the world on one night and never gets caught sweats a skinny G-banger wannabe? “He sees you when you’re sleeping; He knows when you’re awake”. Sound familiar, genius? You know what kind of resources I have at my disposal. I got your shit wired, Jack. I go all around the world and see ways to hurt people that if I described them right now, you’d throw up your Totino’s pizza roll all over the carpet of your mom’s basement. You’re not getting what you asked for, but I’m still stopping by your crib to stomp a mud hole in you’re ass and then walk it dry. Chew on that, Petunia. S Clizzy * *

Dear Santa, Bring me whatever you see fit. I’ll appreciate anything. Timmy * *

Timmy, That’s what I thought you little bastard. Santa

Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Angel on top of the tree

Had to share this. LOL! When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where. Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered. Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor.. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom. Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?' And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree. *Not a lot of people know this.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Adults Only

A friend sent this to me and I had to share. LOL!

Adults Only Once upon a time there lived a king. The king had a beautiful daughter, The PRINCESS. But there was a problem. Everything the princess touched would melt. No matter what... Metal, Wood, Stone, Anything she touched would melt. Because of this, men were afraid of her. Nobody would dare marry her. The king despaired. What could he do to help his daughter? He consulted his wizards and magicians. One wizard told the king, 'If your daughter touches one thing that does not melt in her hands, she will be cured.' The king was overjoyed and came up with a plan. The next day, he held a competition. Any man who could bring his daughter an object that would not melt would marry her and inherit the king's wealth... THREE YOUNG PRINCES TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE. The first brought a sword of the finest steel. But alas, when the princess touched it, it melted. The prince went away sadly The second prince brought diamonds. He thought diamonds are the hardest substance in the world and would not melt. But alas, once the princess touched them, they melted. He too was sent away disappointed. The third prince approached. He told the princess, 'Put your hand in my pocket and feel what is in there.' The princess did as she was told, though she turned red . She felt something hard. She held it in her hand. And it did not melt!!! The king was overjoyed. Everybody in the kingdom was overjoyed. And the third prince married the princess and they both lived happily ever after. Question: What was in the prince's pants? M&M's of course. They melt in your mouth, not in your hand. What were you thinking?? I WORRY ABOUT YOU SOMETIMES !!!!

Friday, November 30, 2012

Friday Prayers

Pakistan—Court Dismisses Blasphemy Case Against Teen Sources: VOM Sources, Release International Proverbs 15:29 The blasphemy case against Christian teenager Rimsha Bibi was dismissed last week by the High Court in Islamabad. Rimsha, a 14-year-old with an apparent learning disability, had been accused of burning pages of the Quran. After her arrest, however, a Muslim cleric from her neighborhood was accused of fabricating evidence against her in an attempt to drive Christians out of the area. The cleric himself was then charged with blasphemy. In dismissing the case against Rimsha, Chief Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur Rehman cited a lack of witnesses and warned against making blasphemy accusations lightly. Although the charges against Rimsha have been dismissed, there are still concerns for her safety. Other Pakistani Christians have been murdered after their release from prison, and Rimsha and her family are now living in an undisclosed location. Pray for the protection and restoration of Rimsha and her family. Pray that this case will help bring about positive change in Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are often misused against Christians. Sudan—Christians Threatened by Islamist Attacks and Famine Sources: Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission, VOM Sources Psalm 10:12 Thousands of Sudanese Christian refugees face a severe food shortage in the disputed border area of Abyei as Sudan and South Sudan debate its status. In addition, the Islamist regime in Khartoum continues its attacks against the non-Muslim and non-Arab residents in southern Sudan, which includes Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The Sudanese government wants the region’s oil and water resources but not the “infidels” and “blacks” who live there. In recent weeks, the government has increased its aerial bombardment of Christian towns in southern Sudan, and famine is spreading. Pray for Christians in southern Sudan. Nigeria—Eleven Killed in Church Bombing Source: Release International, VOM Sources 1 Peter 3:12 At least 11 people were killed on Sunday, Nov. 25, when suicide bombers attacked a church inside the Jaji Military Cantonment in the northern state of Kaduna. Suspected Islamists drove a bus packed with explosives into the St. Andrew’s Military Church during a service, causing a large explosion. Although the initial explosion apparently caused no casualties, a second car bomb was detonated just outside the building about 10 minutes later, after church members had gathered around the site of the first explosion. In addition to the 11 killed, 30 people were injured, many of them seriously. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is suspected in the attack. On Nov. 24, Nigeria’s army offered 290 million naira ($1.8 million) for information leading to the capture of 19 leaders of Boko Haram. The group, which is intent on overthrowing the government and enforcing Sharia, or Islamic law, throughout Nigeria, frequently targets Christians. Continue to pray for Nigerian Christians. Pray that their faith will remain strong and that they will respond in a Godly way to the continual violence. Laos—VOM Project Pray for the pastors and evangelists who received VOM-provided motorbikes and bicycles. Pray that they will be able to expand their ministries and reach out to villages where there is no pastor.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday Prayers

Thought I would share the prayers from VOM.

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for November 9, 2012 On Thu. Nov 08 2012 at 03:09 PM Moderator wrote: North Africa--Seminary Classes Delayed Source: VOM Sources 1 Peter 3:14-16 The latest seminary class for a group of North African pastors has been delayed because of unrest in the region. A VOM partner reports that the students involved are very eager to continue their studies. In the meantime, they continue to study God's Word and prepare themselves for leadership in their local churches. Because of government restrictions, all churches in this region must meet in secret. "We feel confident that classes will resume in the very near future," a VOM partner said. "Please make this an urgent matter for prayer." Pray that the class will be able to resume soon and that the work of these ministers will bear much fruit in this region. Uzbekistan--Refugee Pastor Jailed While Seeking Protection Source: VOM Canada 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Uzbekistan is seeking to extradite a refugee from Kazakhstan on charges that carry a maximum 15-year jail term. Pastor Makset Djabbarbergenov, who fled to Kazakhstan and was recognized as a refugee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has been charged with exercising freedom of religion or belief in his hometown of Nukus. On Oct. 15, a court in Almaty, Kazakhstan, authorized detention until Nov. 5 and claimed the Uzbek charges could be equated to terrorism-related charges under Kazakh law. The Supreme Court claims it cannot find an appeal that Makset filed in August. Please pray that Makset will not be deported. Pray that the Lord will give Makset and his wife the strength to remain faithful. Eritrea--Believers Arrested and Citizens Armed Source: VOM Sources Colossians 2:6-8 Christians in Eritrea are alarmed by an increase in Christian arrests and by the fact that the government appears to be arming citizens for unknown reasons. Authorities have continued to arrest Christians throughout Eritrea, holding them for several months before releasing them. The most recent arrests have occurred on the outskirts of the capital, Asmara. In addition, the government is arming citizens between the ages of 18 and 70 with AK-47 rifles. "The latest report I have from Asmara is that now, for a few hours every day, everyone is taking some kind of a basic training [with the weapons]," wrote a VOM contact. "There is rumored speculation [that the distribution of arms] started when the late Ethiopian prime minister was sick; there is a tense fear that the new Ethiopian political situation might trigger another conflict. [The other possible explanation is that] as usual it is a diversion that the government creates to occupy its citizens," the contact said. Pray for God's protection of Christians in Eritrea and for stability and political reform in the country. Bangladesh--VOM Project Pray for families in need of emergency funds for court fines and fees. The relief will go to persecuted families in remote house churches who have urgent needs. Pray also for the workers involved in delivering the funds.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Friday Prayers

Wanted to share the below from VOM.

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for November 2, 2012 On Thu. Nov 01 2012 at 12:08 PM Moderator wrote: Indonesia--Church Ordered to Move Source: Church Ordered to Move Psalm 22:27 The Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) in Bogor, West Java, was recently ordered to relocate to a neighborhood three miles from its current location. The church, which was forced to meet outdoors for years because of Islamic pressure, believes it would face strong opposition at the new site and has firmly rejected the order. It has instead called on officials to respect a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that reinstated the church's building permit. Under pressure from local Muslims, authorities have closed nine "illegal" churches in Banda Aceh. Two weeks ago, the churches' leaders were forced to sign statements agreeing to close their church buildings. Authorities have warned that they will continue to monitor these congregations to ensure that church activities are not resumed. Please pray for GKI and other churches in Indonesia as they struggle to worship God amid severe persecution. Iran--Church Leaders Sentenced to Prison Sources: Mohabat News Luke 22:33 On Oct. 15, an Assemblies of God pastor in Ahwaz, Iran, and three of the church's ministers were each sentenced to one year in prison after being convicted of "converting to Christianity, inviting Muslims to convert, as well as propagating against the Islamic regime through promoting Evangelic Christianity." Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh; his wife, Shahnaz Jeizan; Naser Zamen Dezfuli; and Davoud Alijani received the maximum penalty for the charges, and they may appeal the ruling. Pray that God will give peace and strength to these pastors as well as other imprisoned Christians still awaiting trial. Tanzania--Christian Guards Protect Imprisoned Teen Source: VOM Contacts Numbers 6:25 A Tanzanian teenager charged with desecrating a Quran has been blessed with the protection of two Christian prison guards. A VOM contact who visited 17-year-old Eva Abdullah this month said the female Christian guards promised to care for Eva and help keep her safe. Eva converted from Islam to Christianity three years ago and was subsequently disowned by her family. When a group of radicals couldn't persuade her to deny her faith in Christ, they falsely accused her of desecrating a Quran. Although many Christian leaders were afraid to defend her, compassionate attorneys have taken her case. Pray for the continued protection of Eva and her Christian guards. Praise God for these two guards, who are a comfort to Eva as she awaits trial, and pray that Eva will continue to shine the light of Christ. Colombia--VOM Project Pray for 25 widows supported through VOM's Families of Martyrs fund. They and their families are provided food, utilities and fellowship with other believers.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Voting Independently

Yesterday I went and voted early. Although most anyone who has had any type of political conversation with me for more then three minutes is likely to know exactly how I voted, because I used an accessible voting machine no one but me can be certain of how I voted. Since the introduction of accessible voting machines in 2006 I have been able to vote independently. For those who take this for granted I would suggest they think how they would feel if, no matter how well meaning, they had to rely on someone of the opposite political view to mark your ballot. For some this is a necessity, but not for the blind. The accessible voting machine I used had buttons clearly marked in Braille, and I was able to operate it easily in mere moments. The selection of my choices on the machine was straightforward, and once I understood the layout of how each race was run I was able to quickly and easily select my options. I reviewed the ballot and submitted it, all within twenty minutes.

I am happy to have voted in 2012, and I am almost as pleased to have been able to do so independently and easily. I hope everyone who votes, particularly the blind, may have an equally straightforward experience. Remember, if you don't vote, you can't rant.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Friday Prayers

Sharing prayer requests for this week from VOM.

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for October 19, 2012 On Thu. Oct 18 2012 at 03:26 PM Moderator wrote: Philippines--Philippine Government and Rebels Make a Deal Source: BBC News Colossians 1:11 The Philippine government reached a peace deal with the largest Muslim terror group last week, ending 40 years of conflict between the two groups. The government conceded another autonomous region in Mindanao to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). While most Filipinos are Catholics, in the Mindanao region, Muslims are the majority. The MILF has long agitated for an independent state, but the agreement to give Bangasamoro leaders more political and economic freedom appears to have pacified them. What is not clear, is how this will affect Christians in the Mindanao region. Christians have long been the victims of violence and land-grabs. Pray for the protection of Christians in the region, that God will strengthen them in his power. Iran--Another Christian Convert to Spend Six Years in Evin Prison Sources: VOM Contacts Romans 5:3 A Christian convert from Islam was sentenced to six years in prison after he was charged with crimes against the regime and caught trying to flee the country. Alireza Seyyedian, 37, has been a Christian since 2006. Last year, authorities found a video of his baptism in Turkey on his laptop, which had been seized in a raid. In December 2011, he was charged with crimes against national security and propaganda against the regime. The judge cited his baptism in Turkey as evidence that Alireza was trying to express dissatisfaction with the regime. He was also accused of hosting a house church and distributing Bibles to youth. In March, Alireza was caught fleeing to Turkey, and was brought back to Iran to Evin prison. He is being held in the section for political prisoners. Pray for Alireza. Ask God to strengthen his faith and give him endurance. Indonesia--Bomb Attacks Revive Church Fears Source: Release International, BBC News, The Jakarta Globe 1 John 4:18 Bomb attacks on Christian targets in the city of Poso have revived painful memories of religious violence in Central Sulawesi. Explosives were detonated outside a Christian's home just after 8 p.m. on Oct. 9 -- then, about an hour later, a bomb went off outside Imanuel Church in nearby Taripa, Pamona Timur. Police said the house targeted in the first attack was that of Okrifil Mamuaya, a Christian working for the local government. No one was injured in the blasts -- but they have alarmed Christians in an area blighted by religious conflict in the past. Groups such as Laskar Jihad have carried out jihad, or holy war, against Christian communities, particularly in the Moluccas and Central Sulawesi between 1999 and 2002. Pray that Christians in Poso and other parts of Central Sulawesi will know God's peace and love. Thank God that His perfect love drives out fear. Vietnam--VOM Project Pray for tribal Christian training centers operating in Vietnam. The centers provide materials and training for 400 rural and tribal Christian pastors with the goal of strengthening house churches in rural areas, which face more persecution.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday Prayers

Wanted to share the below.

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for October 12, 2012 On Thu. Oct 11 2012 at 03:47 PM Moderator wrote: Central Asia--Sewing Machines Help Make Gospel Outreach Possible Source: VOM Contacts James 1:17 Ten Christian women in a Central Asian country received sewing machines that will help them generate an income for their families. "Thank you for your blessing," wrote one of the sewing machine recipients. "We wanted to buy a good sewing machine for a long time, but we didn't have funds. It will help us to earn money and to bless other church members." Nearly all the sewing machine recipients mentioned that they will also use the machines to bless other church members with clothing and linens. These families live in an area where potential employers first ask if job applicants are Christians. If the job applicants say they are, they will not be hired. Each of these families is involved in ministry. The sewing businesses will also allow them to be flexible with their work hours so they have more opportunity for ministry. One mother of four who received a sewing machine wrote, "I will teach my children, and we will serve our church and neighbors with a practical gospel." Thank you for your part in blessing these women with sewing machines. Praise God for his work in Central Asia. Kenya--Boy Dies in Al-Shabaab Attack on Church Sources: VOM Contacts, Release International 1 Peter 1:6–7 A grenade tossed near the Sunday school area of ACK Polycarp Church in Nairobi on Sunday, Sept. 30 took the life of a 9-year-old boy and injured several more severely. John Ian Maina suffered fatal injuries in the explosion that happened as he waited around 10:25 a.m. with a group of other children for Sunday school to start. Police had just warned the previous day that al-Shabaab was planning retaliatory attacks in the country following the capture of Kismayu port by the Kenya Defense Forces in southern Somalia. St. Polycarp's is near Eastleigh, a district of Nairobi popularly known as "Little Mogadishu" due to its many Somali immigrants. The bomb left a six-inch deep, 12-inch wide hole in the floor. Pray for Christians in Kenya, who are increasingly subject to harm at the hands of al-Shabaab militants from Somalia. Nigeria--Students Shot to Death in Apparent Boko Haram Attack Source: BBC News, Release International Mark 13:24 Twenty-two students were shot dead or stabbed at a Federal Polytechnic University in northeastern Nigeria in Adamawa state Oct. 2 by suspected Boko Haram militants. Just after midnight, men in military uniform entered a residence hall and called some students by name. The students were marched out of their rooms and lined up outside the building. Some were shot, and others were knifed. Their bodies were left lying in lines. Some of the dead were Muslims, while others were Christians. Police aren't sure why the 22 students and three security guards were killed, though the military arrested dozens of people suspected of Boko Haram links days earlier. Cell towers in the area were recently attacked by Boko Haram, making getting information out of the area difficult. One of the students told BBC News, "Everybody is scared." Pray God will show his power in defeating Boko Haram and that members of the group will turn to Christ. China--VOM Project Pray for those involved in a digital Bible project. Digital music players are loaded with audio New Testaments, portions of the Old Testament, VOM books and hymns.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Meet the Blind on the 16th Street Mall

Wanted to make all aware of the below. Got to love Meet the Blind Month!

Meet and Greet on 16th Street! Monday October 15th 7:30am-6:00pm As many of you are aware, October is Meet the Blind Month. This is OUR opportunity to show the community that we are CONFIDENT, COMPITENT, AND INDEPENDENT individuals who share way more similarities with our peers than differences! In order to show off our AWESOMENESS to the downtown dwellers of Denver, the Mile High and Denver chapters are working with the NFB of Colorado state affiliate to have an ALL DAY Meet and Greet on the 16th street mall. On Monday, October 15th, we will be meeting at 16th Street. and Stout at 7:30am and will be set up until 6:00pm. During this time, we will have a booth where we will hand out NFB of Colorado and Colorado Center for the blind literature, Brailing names, giving away candy, and may even have some fun tasks for folks to try out under sleep shades. People who are not working the booth will be sent with literature to nearby light rail stations where they can work the crowd and spread the GOOD word about blindness! This will be a WONDERFUL opportunity for members in the community to learn more about our organization and most importantly learn more about US! This is such a fantastic event, but it will only work if we have CONFIDENT, COMPITENT, and INDEPENDENT members available to represent our organization. Please consider signing up for one of the following shifts 7:30am-10:30am 10:00am-1:00pm 12:30pm-3:30pm 3:00pm-6:00pm Your support will make a HUGE impact on our ability to share the message that blindness is not a tragedy and that with the proper tools and training, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical nuisance. If you will be able to assist, please contact Jessica Beecham at jbeecham@cocenter.org or by phone at 303-778-1130 extension 223. In your correspondence, please be sure to include your name and the shift or shifts that you will be able to cover. LET’S MAKE THIS MEET AND GREET ON 16TH STREET THE BEST MEET THE BLIND EVENT IN THE NATION!!!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

A Blown Call and the Battle for Truth

Great entry from Crown. Had to share.

Blown Call Illustrates Battle for Truth If you think that truth is irrelevant and unwelcome in our culture today, consider this modern-day parable from professional football. Fans of America’s largest and most lucrative sport struggled with poor officiating through the first three Sundays of the 2012 season. But the faithful finally had enough of the “replacement referees” last week when the poorly trained fill-ins blew a game-changing last call on Monday Night Football. Packer defensive back M.D. Jennings clearly made a heroic interception in the end zone as time ran out, but the replacement refs awarded Seattle with a phantom touchdown and the win. It was the second, observable bad call in the play that should have favored the Packers. Game over. But not forgotten. With that single event, the sub-par officiating that had been evident across the league during the union referee lockout, suddenly mattered. For the league, the financial stakes were no longer limited to the union refs’ compensation demands. The dispute was causing even the most devoted fans to walk away, putting at risk the estimated $9 billion the NFL earns in annual revenue. Even President Barack Obama found time during his busy schedule to weigh in on the issue saying, “We’ve got to get our refs back.” Just three days after the infamous bad call, now referred to by pundits as “the Inaccurate Reception,” the regular referees were back on the job. All was considered right again in the world of big sports—fans happy, players happy, advertisers happy, owners happy. It is almost refreshing to be reminded on such a grand stage that the American people, and certainly NFL fans, appreciate truth when it counts. Christians can learn something from this. First: Consider the recent challenge to Chick-Fil-A owner Dan Cathy’s right to operate his business according to his personal religious beliefs. The Constitution protects Dan Cathy’s right to free speech and the freedom to practice his religion. Customers who are offended by his statements are free to eat lunch elsewhere. These freedoms should be championed and defended because they are derived from standards given to us by God. And if Dan Cathy can be attacked for his views and bullied, then so can any one of us. Media elites and even some politicians justified their trampling of Cathy’s Constitutional rights in the name of “tolerance,” defined and practiced as intolerance of faith. Yet the rule of law is the cornerstone of a free and orderly society. Without standards that are consistently and fairly applied, order becomes chaos. Leviticus 19:15 warns, “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” When there are no longer common standards to determine right or wrong, might makes right and the freedoms we all enjoy are threatened. Second: Consider the difficulties that are arising as biblical standards of righteousness are removed from our schools, our courts, our businesses and our public policy and replaced with new standards of “tolerance” for everything but biblical values. Without reliable standards of right and wrong moderating our choices, we are vulnerable to the whims of political correctness. We can clearly see that inept referees calling an interception a touchdown is not good, and we can all understand the far greater threat to society if evil is celebrated as good and good punished as evil. That bad call cost replacement referees their temporary jobs. Will making man the central authority for moral judgments permanently cost us our nation that was founded on Judeo-Christian values? Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” This past weekend, I experienced a wake-up call. My wife, Ann, and I with our two youngest sons attended a conference on Creation at an evangelical church. The talk was interrupted repeatedly by a man and woman who appeared to be there solely to mock the presenter, and throughout the course of the event they would applaud references to atheists, as self-appointed referees against biblical truths. Earlier, this couple even deceived the speaker into having his picture taken with them so they could boast about their exploits on social media. They were cheerleaders for a culture attempting to deconstruct our national basis for Truth, the Bible. As believers, we have a choice—to remain apathetic to these attacks or to become active. I, for one, am choosing to step up my game. My heart has been quickened to do more, to fight for what is worth dying for and to take a clear stand. I ask you to join me. Put on your spiritual armor and together let’s stand for God’s truth. To become active, we must be wise as serpents and gentle as doves. This is a call to combine courage, humility and love, but we must all use our voices. But make no mistake; if you take on this challenge and speak up, you will be putting a target on your back. Prepare to be labeled intolerant, hater, fundamentalist, idiot, bigot, racist—the other side uses the powerful tool of embarrassment and humiliation to discourage and defeat you. Upholding a standard for Truth is an issue far more important than the outcome of a football game. If we lose the battle to preserve Truth as our common standard, we not only lose America, we lose everything. It is not time to wave the white flag of surrender. This is not a game; it’s a battle that demands our all, and we are on the winning team.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Meet the Blind Month 2012

Today kicks off the 2012 Meet the Blind Month. During this month public outreach is done to educate the sighted public about blindness, what it is and isn't, and generally increase acceptance about blindness. Several activities will be held this month in Denver, one of which I have posted below.

Please Join Us for an OPEN HOUSE as we celebrate National Meet the Blind Month! Thursday October 11th, 3pm to 6 pm at the Colorado Center for the Blind Please come and see how we spend the day learning and practicing blindness skills at the Colorado Center for the Blind • Learn about Braille and even how to write your name. Pick up Braille alphabet cards to share with friends, family, co-workers • See the latest technology that is used: Braille displays, screen readers, iPhones and much more • Step in to our woodshop where blind students will show you their projects and talk about how they use power tools • Learn why you always see us wearing sleep shades (black blindfolds) • Talk to our students about independent travel; find out how they cross complex intersections and much more • Meet our blind seniors and let them show you how they handle everything in their lives now that they are blind • Stop by the kitchen for some delicious light refreshments and discover how our blind students prepare all kinds of foods • See our plans for the future and learn about our upcoming capital campaign Our Open House will be filled with demonstrations and provide you with a whole new understanding on the abilities of blind people. The Center is located at 2233 W. Shepperd Ave. Littleton, 80120. For information or directions please call 303.778.1130 or visit www.cocenter.org

What To Do?

I think the below needs an answer. Any of my Liberal friends care to have a crack at it? What do you do when someone doesn't want to help out the little guy or the poor? How do you deal with those who disagree with you that government is the solution to all man's ills and it is our duty to contribute to the effort? How do you respond to the idea that if we should be able to have porn published freely we should also be able to discuss Jesus in the public square? Questions and thoughts that deserve a serious answer IMO.

"Liberals have never answered the question: what of those who do not choose to join in a 'common end' that government has chosen for them? What of those who refuse to 'belong to government'? These unfortunate souls must be dealt with, as Obama's departments and agencies are dealing with them: by silencing them, litigating against them, jailing them, and ruining their businesses and reputations. Those tactics, and more, were exactly what European leftists from Mussolini to Stalin resorted to. ... Obama's rationale for a second term is that he wants to govern, and that should be enough. Or as Jay Carney suggested, just shut up. ... George Washington called government 'a dangerous servant and a fearful master.' Thomas Paine called it 'a necessary evil.' For Obama, government is the thing we all belong to, the thing that 'made this country great.' Four more years of Obama will not make this country great, but it will ensure that we belong to government to an unimaginable extent. Obama's message is: 'You and everything you own belong to me.'" --columnist Jeffrey Folks

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Will Your Church Pray?

I was unaware that 11-11-12 was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, so thought I'd share the below.

Will Your Church Pray on Nov. 11?

Dear Friends:

When we ask persecuted Christians in hostile and restricted nations how we can help and bless them, their first response is, “Pray for us!” The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, on the second Sunday in November, is an important way of answering their request. It is a day for the worldwide Body of Christ to unite in prayer for members of the Body who suffer for their faith. To assist your church in praying effectively on IDOP Sunday, The Voice of the Martyrs is offering the 2012 IDOP Church Resource Kit. The kit includes a 5-minute DVD that shares the story of Bounchan, who was imprisoned in Laos for almost 13 years because of his Christian faith. It also includes a variety of other resources to help your church “Remember those in bonds” (Heb. 13:3) on this important day. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR CHURCH RESOURCE KIT FOR ONLY $9 While IDOP is set aside as a special day of prayer for the persecuted, it is vital that we remember our persecuted family throughout the year. A VOM prayer banner is available to help remind your church family to pray for the persecuted throughout the year. CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE 2012 PRAYER BANNER Our brothers and sisters of the persecuted church ask that we pray for them. Will you and your church answer their request this November? For those in bonds, The Voice of the Martyrs

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Twin Towers

I received the below from Crown, and thought I'd share. The thoughts are valid and worth considering.

America's Next "Twin Towers"

I just finished Joel Rosenberg’s excellent new book, Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges In Time? Rosenberg’s sobering work is filled with data to support the very real decline of America’s spiritual and economic strength—what I’m calling our next “Twin Towers”—both of which are under attack. The greatest threat to our economic tower is self-inflicted—our national debt. The U.S. government now officially owes $16 trillion, much of it to unfriendly nations. Remember, the Bible tells us that the borrower is slave to the lender. We hit that woeful mark at the end of August with surprisingly little fanfare, save for a few items in news outlets like The Wall Street Journal: Total U.S. government debt eclipsed $16 trillion for the first time Friday [Aug. 31], new government data show, as total federal borrowing continues marching toward the $16.394 trillion borrowing limit…The government is projected to run a deficit of between $1.1 trillion and $1.2 trillion in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, meaning that spending will outpace tax revenue by that amount over 12 months…The government is currently running an average monthly deficit of $100 billion and is likely to hit the debt ceiling sometime in late December. We often complain that politicians in Washington don’t know what they’re doing, but that’s a myth. They know exactly what they’re doing. The $16.394 trillion debt ceiling passed in the last “compromise” agreement isn’t exactly a round number. And both parties are responsible for it. That number was skillfully chosen to kick the issue just past the coming election, so politicians of either party wouldn’t be forced to take a stand on raising the debt ceiling in the current campaign. Of course, the issue is not going away. The debt ceiling mess will hit again right at the end of a lame duck session of Congress. Expect little, if anything, to be done about it. The Treasury Department can juggle the books for several months to keep the bills paid, but sometime next spring, the federal government will be legally constrained from borrowing unless the debt limit is raised yet again. Sixteen trillion is just too big a number for the average person to comprehend. So let’s break it down into a more manageable amount. The 2010 Census showed that we have a residential population of roughly 309,000,000. Divide the $16 trillion that we now owe by that number and you’ll discover your individual share of our national debt—$52,000. For the average family, the share is $135,000. Now ask yourself, what exactly did you get for taking on that kind of liability? We’re told by politicians not to worry. The liberals believe that the solution to this debt is to get the rich to pay their “fair share,” but this is a straw man argument at best. The idea that we can solve our problems by getting the so-called rich to pay their fair share, whatever that means, is a complete fraud designed to get the votes of the uninformed. President Obama’s defines “rich” as anyone making over $250,000 a year. He wants us to believe that raising taxes on these people will solve our deficit problem. But according to Kevin D. Williamson, writing for National Review Online, the numbers just don’t add up: In fact, in 2006, the Census Bureau found only 2.2 million households earning more than $250,000…The 2012 deficit is forecast to hit $1.1 trillion under Obama’s budget. (Thanks, Mr. President!) Spread that deficit over all the households in Club 250K and you have to jack up their taxes by an average of $500,000. Which you simply can’t do, since a lot of them don’t have $500,000 in income to seize: Most of them are making $250,000 to $450,000 and paying about half in taxes already. You can squeeze that goose all day, but that’s not going to make it push out a golden egg. Believing that raising taxes on “the rich” is the solution to our deficit and debt problem means you have to ignore cold, hard facts. As Williamson points, out, we’re going to need an awful lot more rich people to tax our way out of a deficit hole this deep. And that’s just to break even this year—never mind making a dent in the $16 trillion debt. Any politician who tells you that taxing Americans more will solve our problem is simply wrong. If you still believe that the federal government has a revenue problem and not a spending problem, perhaps this thought might change your mind. After they tax everything from the rich and still can’t balance our dangerously bloated federal budget, who do you think they’ll come after next? Remember, you already owe a $52,000 share of that $16 trillion national debt. For that kind of money, you’d expect to get a “free” college education, or “free” health care for life, or maybe half of your house paid for. Last time I checked, those things weren’t free. Students are still graduating with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of student loan debt, Obamacare is loaded with new taxes, and millions of Americans are still underwater on their mortgages. Meanwhile, Christianity is under siege in the western world, even right here in America. While we see events unfold in Libya and Egypt, mobs attacking our consulates and killing our diplomats, all purportedly because of an affront to Islam, our State Department apologizes for something we haven’t done. At the same time, it’s open season on Christian beliefs. God is booed at one of our own party’s national conventions. Our spiritual tower is becoming as wobbly as our economic tower. It seems their fates are entwined, just as the World Trade Center Towers were 11 years ago. So what exactly do we need to avoid a spiritual and economic collapse? Joel Rosenberg argues that there is still good reason to hope for America’s recovery. Many times in our short history we have pulled out of a downward spiral, evidencing God’s grace on this nation. The New York Times bestselling author advocates that we need a revival or the Third Great Awakening to change the self-destructive course of our nation. Rosenberg cites the definition of a revival by Charles Finney who was himself a part of the Second Great Awakening to sweep America at the dawn of the 19th century. It was “the renewal of the first love of Christians, resulting in the awakening and conversion of sinners to God.” Yes, we need to see Christians returning to their first love. Perhaps our misplaced dependency upon our money and wealth is being destroyed for that very purpose, to get our attention and to move our hearts back to the Giver and off the gifts. Rosenberg also notes that we have a voice in the political process. While we should never place our hope in government or the next President or the next election, we should speak up and expect a return to fiscal sanity in Washington. We need real cuts in federal spending or we will have those cuts forced upon us by our lenders. In two months, we’ll have the opportunity to choose new leaders. I pray you’ll use your vote wisely to elect men and women who are prepared to make the tough choices we need to solve this crisis. Regardless of the outcome of the election, join me in praying with Joel Rosenberg for the Third Great Awakening to sweep our nation before our next “Twin Towers” collapse.

Friday, September 7, 2012

The DNC

Found the below article on the DNC so apt that I had to share it here. Vote in November! Read this on the Web at http://patriotpost.us/editions/14671/ Subscribe to The Patriot Post — It's Right and It's Free The Picture They Painted in Charlotte "It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth -- and listen to the song of that syren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty?" --Patrick Henry An elderly Spanish woman recently set about the work of restoring a 102-year-old oil painting of Jesus. To put it generously, her work was less than successful. Just as she attempted to refurbish the cracked and peeling fresco, however, Democrats at their North Carolina convention tried -- and failed just as miserably -- to improve the image of their own tarnished and faded messiah. Restoring the Obama fresco In a video produced for the opening of the convention, Democrats succinctly summed up their entire philosophy: "Government is the only thing we all belong to. We have different churches, different clubs, but we're together as a part of our city, or our county, or our state, and our nation." Everything separates us but government. Indeed, the rest of the convention paid homage to government as the be all and end all, the Alpha and Omega, the solution to every problem. Because, let's face it, as someone once said, "You didn't build that." The Obama campaign quickly denied having anything to do with the video, but no one doubts it's Obama's vision. And nothing could be further from what our Founding Fathers established -- a republic with limited and enumerated powers in which "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" were the rights and values to be cherished, not the bureaucratic labyrinth at the Department of Health and Human Services. It was also no small irony that the gavel came down on the convention just as our national debt passed $16,000,000,000,000. Democrats have done more than their "fair share" to help us reach that horrendous number. With all that in mind, we chose a few of the more egregious quotes from the DNC floor -- and believe us, the choosing was hard -- with concise rebuttals to the various attacks, distortions and outright lies. Barack Obama: "[T]hose of us who carry on [FDR's] party's legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government program or dictate from Washington. ... We don't think government can solve all our problems, but we don't think government is the source of all our problems -- any more than are welfare recipients, or corporations, or unions, or immigrants, or gays, or any other group we're told to blame for our troubles." Except George W. Bush. He's definitely to blame. Obama has yet to offer a single solution to anything that isn't top-down government control. Ronald Reagan once said, "[G]overnment is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Reagan was right. You can choose a future where we reduce our deficit without wrecking our middle class. Independent analysis shows that my plan would cut our deficits by $4 trillion." His plan will further increase our debt by about $10 trillion, regardless of a nominal "cut" in the rate of growth. "I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 -- the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president ... [W]hen Governor Romney and his allies in Congress tell us we can somehow lower our deficit by spending trillions more on new tax breaks for the wealthy -- well, you do the math. I refuse to go along with that." Letting people keep their own money by leaving tax rates where they've been for 10 years is NOT a spending item. "You didn't elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth." He should try that some time. "[Republicans] want your vote, but they don't want you to know their plan. And that's because all they have to offer is the same prescription they've had for the last 30 years." Yes, conservatives have offered a working free-market plan for more than 30 years. By contrast, the Left has offered the same failed governments solution since the 1930s. Forward!™ Joe Biden: "After the worst job loss since the Great Depression, we've created 4.5 million private sector jobs in the past 29 months." Who created those jobs? "Mitt Romney grew up in Detroit. His father ran American Motors. Yet he was willing to let Detroit go bankrupt." Barack Obama, on the other hand, had "the guts to stand up for the automobile industry" by ... letting it go bankrupt. The only difference was, Obama protected the unions. Bill Clinton: "In Tampa, the Republican argument against the president's re-election was pretty simple: We left him a total mess, he hasn't cleaned it up fast enough, so fire him and put us back in. In order to look like an acceptable alternative to President Obama, they couldn't say much about the ideas they have offered over the last two years. You see they want to go back to the same old policies that got us into trouble in the first place: to cut taxes for high income Americans even more than President Bush did; to get rid of those pesky financial regulations designed to prevent another crash and prohibit future bailouts; to increase defense spending $2 trillion more than the Pentagon has requested without saying what they'll spend the money on; to make enormous cuts in the rest of the budget, especially programs that help the middle class and poor kids." No doubt the economy Obama inherited was a mess, but that certainly wasn't due to conservative policies, which didn't exactly dominate the Bush administration. Fiscal responsibility didn't cause the mess -- there was none. Free and truly deregulated markets didn't cause it -- regulation increased. Lower taxes didn't cause it. Exploding government spending and over-regulation caused it -- recall Clinton's own expansion of the Community Reinvestment Act that played a critical role in the housing crash. Obama then multiplied these failed policies to prolong the economic malaise. Michelle Obama: "I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as 'us' and 'them.'" Except when he's demonizing "The Rich" or those awful Republicans. "Being president doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are." We can all agree on that! Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth "One-Sixty-Fourth" Warren: "[F]or many years, our middle class has been chipped, squeezed and hammered. Talk to the construction worker I met from Malden, Massachusetts, who went nine months without finding work. Talk to the head of the manufacturing company in Franklin trying to protect jobs but worried about rising costs. Talk to the student in Worcester who worked hard to finish his degree, and now he's drowning in debt. ... People feel like the system is rigged against them. And here's the painful part: They're right. The system is rigged." Wait -- isn't this Honest Injun supposed to be helping Obama? Who's running the system? Obama's been president for the last three-and-a-half years, and Democrats took Congress in 2006. "Mitt Romney ... wants to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. But for middle-class families who are hanging on by their fingernails? His plans will hammer them with a new tax hike of up to $2,000." Actually, that's the Democrats' plan if the GOP won't agree to hike taxes on the "rich." Romney plans to cut taxes across the board by 20 percent. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick: "We believe that freedom means keeping government out of our most private affairs, including out of a woman's decision whether to keep an unwanted pregnancy and everybody's decision about whom to marry. We believe that we owe the next generation a better country than we found and that every American has a stake in that." Every American has a stake in our future, all right -- about $51,000 in debt per citizen, in fact, thanks in large part to redistribution for things like paying for those "most private affairs." "In Massachusetts, we know Mitt Romney. By the time he left office, Massachusetts was 47th in the nation in job creation -- during better economic times." National Review's Patrick Brennan replies, "While the 47th number has some basis in reality (over his four years, that was Massachusetts's rank), Patrick actually insists on distorting it anyway: He implies that Romney took a state with robust job growth and ran it into the ground. Exactly the opposite happened: Romney inherited the dot-com disaster, but boosted the Commonwealth from 50th in job creation in his first year to 28th in his final year." Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer: "When a politician doesn't want to be honest about a tax hike, he calls it a fee." Sort of like a health care "reform" law we've heard of... In conclusion, Barack Obama once again: "[W]hen all is said and done -- when you pick up that ballot to vote -- you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington, on jobs and the economy; taxes and deficits; energy and education; war and peace -- decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and our children's lives for decades to come. On every issue, the choice you face won't be just between two candidates or two parties. It will be a choice between two different paths for America. A choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future." Truer words were not spoken at the DNC. All things considered, we drew one overarching conclusion from the Democrats' week in Charlotte: Their messiah is awfully small. If you could stand to watch a minute, what did you think of the DNC? Publisher's Note Patriots, we encourage you to set aside any and all divisive criticism of the Romney-Ryan ticket and form a unified front to defeat Barack Hussein Obama and his socialist regime. If we have the opportunity to hold a "President Romney" to the high standard of Liberty after inauguration day in January, we will be grateful!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Dining in the Dark?

I have been amused in the past by various stereotypes involved with the sighted and the blind. I have found this amusing article particularly helpful in aiding me to laugh.

event however brings it to a whole new level of dark amusement, if you’ll pardon the pun. The chief highlights are the following:

•Coffee, tea and other hot drinks are not served in the dark, for safety reasons, but are available in the lighted lounge at the end of the experience. •Wine is served with a special sleeve to prevent the bottle from breaking.

Now the last time I checked drinking hot beverages did not require sight, and although I love iced coffee I don’t drink it for the safety. Although I may or may not have been known in my college days for breaking a wine bottle or two with my head, my friends assure me that my blindness had absolutely nothing to do with any such events. I understand the need to have those who are not trained in alternative techniques to be careful, and in our sue happy society one can never be too careful, but I wonder how much of this can be chalked up to the need to cover one’s donkey and how much points to a misunderstanding about blindness. Thoughts?

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Are the Rich Patriotic?

In this article the President makes the argument that having the rich pay more tax is patriotic. He suggests that with this "modest" amount added to the federal income we can invest in things that create jobs like education. I would suggest to the President that education that results in a job at the end is indeed a good thing, but why then shouldn't the families and individuals who would benefit from this education not be willing to make that investment themselves? Additionally, the President seems to think that education, regardless of the goal of said education, is of value. I think that a degree in underwater basket weaving, while fun, is not worth investing in. Then again I have come to appreciate eating on a regular bases.

In regards to the President's larger point on it being patriotic for the rich to pay more, if they wish to do so they may without being forced. All those wishing to pay off the public debt, and here I particularly look to my liberal friends who believe so much in the goodness of big government and its ability to fix problems, may do so by the following.

There are two ways for you to make a contribution to reduce the debt:

•You can make a contribution online either by credit card, checking or savings account at Pay.gov •You can write a check payable to the Bureau of the Public Debt, and in the memo section, notate that it's a Gift to reduce the Debt Held by the Public. Mail your check to: Attn Dept GBureau of the Public DebtP. O. Box 2188Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188

So why should the rich, or anyone else for that matter, be forced to pay more when they may do so voluntarily?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Swimming in Shark Infested Waters

The NFB National Convention of 2012 was a blast. During the day I attended meetings of interest, including the computer science division and Meet the Blind Month 2012, and attended general session. At night I got to spend time with friends, both old and new, and had a great time. Sleep was a fleeting commodity, but at convention I adopt the attitude that I'll sleep when I'm dead. The exhibit hall and Independence Market were wonderful, as ever, and the banquet was the highlight as it always is. The food was surprisingly good this year, as I normally look forward to the company at banquet rather then the food, and the keynote address by Dr. Maurer was the best I've heard live.

I broke down in the exhibit hall and upgraded my JAWS Service Maintenance Agreement (SMA) and bought the Focus 14 Blue Braille display. Although I have and will continue to support the outstanding work Serotek is doing, I believe JAWS will be able to meet my screen reading needs more efficiently then System Access. The Focus 14 Blue was a no brainer, as it is a sleek and beautiful machine. Will be great to have both for my iPhone and portable Braille reading needs.

It's hard to believe we're already at July 7th. Where did the summer go again? Last time I checked my colleagues and I were prepping for the goombas to arrive. Now we're half way through the program. Amazing how time flies.

Speaking of we have a great class this year. Between my colleagues and the high quality students we have it's no wonder that the summer program has been such a success up to this point. One of the best feelings in my life is watching students grow into independence, particularly with their blindness skill set. Seeing the fantastic improvements in my students thus far has been a treat, and I look forward to seeing them grow even more over the remaining time they have here.

Post summer I start work for the Colorado Center for the Blind as an adaptive technology instructor. I am eagerly anticipating the work of assisting my students with their independence in adaptive technology. The job will be a complete 180 from my soul killing work with the IRS. Here I will provide a needed service, and one that presumably the student wants, as opposed to dealing with me only because they have absolutely no other choice. Additionally, as mentioned above I enjoy this type of work, so I think it will be a great match.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day I wanted to share the article below.

Former Lt. Col. Oliver North, USMC, wrote of Memorial Day "As a crowd of high-school students offloaded from the tour bus for a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial aka 'The Wall,' he yelled, 'There are no good wars!' ... He held a sheet of cardboard, hand-inscribed with the words 'I'm the 99 percent' on one side and 'Help me, I'm Homeless' on the other. ... "'The Wall' is like that. The V-shaped black granite panels with 58,282 names inscribed upon them attract visitors like no other place in our nation's capital. ... "[T]his year, our countrymen who pause from travel, shopping, sporting events and auto races on the last Monday in May will see a very different observance: the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War. "For the 2.7 million Americans who fought for our nation in Southeast Asia, the Gold Star families who lost loved ones there and those who still yearn to know what happened to the 1,350 who still are unaccounted for, Monday's ceremony is a long-awaited requital for unacknowledged sacrifice. It's an overdue but welcome event. "What is less certain is whether this commemoration finally can bring closure to the most polarizing armed conflict for Americans since the Civil War. Will it end the false mythology of the Vietnam vet as a pothead marauder, a homeless, unemployed dropout who couldn't fit in after coming home? "The Occupy protester I confronted on my way to 'The Wall' this week probably won't be convinced by this single ceremony. It's unlikely he ever will grasp the innate decency, unstinting perseverance, quiet courage and true humility of those whose names are engraved on those black granite panels. There are no good wars. But there are good warriors. ... "Like most Vietnam War veterans, they still are giving more than they ever asked in return. They aren't dropouts. They are American heroes -- and I'm blessed to call them friends."

Friday, May 25, 2012

Sage on the Stage?

The below is from the Patriot Post. I found the PC insanity amusing enough that I had to share. Talk about tollerent.

A North Carolina teacher has been suspended with pay after she flew off the handle when, during a discussion about Mitt Romney's alleged high-school bullying, a student pointed out that Barack Obama had admitted to bullying someone in high school, too. Telling the student that he "will not disrespect the president of the United States in this classroom," the teacher launched into an angry diatribe, going so far as to claim that people were arrested for criticizing President George W. Bush. (If that were the case, undoubtedly the vast majority of the media would have mug shots on file.) In response, the student accurately noted that criticism alone isn't grounds for arrest. We're not sure what's worse: that a social studies teacher understands constitutional liberties less than her student; that the teacher spun high tales of arrested Bush-era discontents; or that the taxpayers of North Carolina are still paying her salary.

Friday, May 18, 2012

The Power of Braille

This outstanding article sums up well my thoughts on Braille and its importance.

Being the Tech God I am (Drop Box and Hey Tell not withstanding) I still believe that Braille is vital to be literate and involved in today's society. Spelling and formatting errors do not add to a positive image of blind people.

I only hope that with falling prices for Braille displays (Perkins is doing a bang up job on this with their displays) this tool for literacy will become more widely available.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the below requests from VOM.

"Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray"praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for May 11, 2012 On Thu. May 10 2012 at 08:10 AM Moderator wrote: Mauritania --Muslims Demand Investigation of ChristiansSource: VOM Contacts Psalm 36:10-12 Muslim protesters in Mauritania have called on the government to investigate all Christians in the country, claiming that Christians were involved in the burning of a Quran after Islamic prayers on Friday, April 27. The protesters said other Islamic books were burned on the same day and that many copies of the gospel were distributed, insinuating that Christians had some part in what they consider one of the worst offenses possible. The protesters called on the government to investigate Christians to determine their part in the event and, if found guilty, to punish them. Desecrating a Quran is punishable by life in prison or even death in some Islamic countries. Our VOM contact in Mauritania asks that we pray for Christians there. Pakistan --Families Turn to Christ Through Evangelist’s WitnessSource: VOM Contacts Acts 16:30-31 A VOM-supported evangelist in Pakistan has requested prayer for several people who have recently shown interest in the gospel. The evangelist, “Sam,” had been praying for his good friend Hadi for many months, but they had never spoken about Christ. A few days ago, Hadi asked for a copy of the New Testament. He has been reading it, and Sam asks that we pray for Hadi’s salvation. Recently, Sam was invited to pray for a girl who has chronic kidney pain. After Sam prayed for her in her home, the pain suddenly left. Her whole family was amazed and asked how this was possible. Sam told them, “Everything is possible in the Lord Jesus Christ.” The whole family decided to become followers of Jesus. Several Sundays ago, Sam preached in a church service. Afterward a man confessed to him that he was feeling suicidal. His family was pressuring him to divorce his wife because they had no children. After talking with Sam and praying with his family, the whole family gave their lives to Jesus Christ. Pray for the two families that have turned to Christ, and pray that Hadi will also come to know him. Nigeria --Worshipers Killed in Three AttacksSources: VOM Contacts, AFP, Release International 2 Corinthians 5:18 About 30 Christians were killed last week when suspected Islamic extremists attacked three church services in two states. Attackers armed with guns and bombs opened fire on two church services at a Nigerian university on Sunday, April 29. Worshipers reportedly were gunned down as they fled, and at least 26 people were killed. Meanwhile, in Forno state, gunmen attacked and killed Rev. Albert Naga and three church elders during a Communion service at the Church in Christ in Nigeria, in Simari. Although no group has claimed responsibility, the attacks are similar to previous attacks by the Islamist group Boko Haram. Pray for Christians in northern Nigeria. In the last few months, attacks on churches, Christian neighborhoods and villages have been relentless. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. Philippines VOM ProjectPray for those involved in the production, printing and distribution of Hearts of Fire in the Cebuano language. Pray also that the pastors, leaders and Christians who receive the book will be encouraged to be bold in their faith.*************•

Thursday, May 10, 2012

From the Mouths of Babes

How true. LITTLEGIRL ON A PLANE An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane and he turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with yourfellow passenger." The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, "What would you want to talk about?" "Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly. "OK," she said. "Those could beinteresting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?" The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea." To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death, when you don't know shit?" And then she went back to reading her book.

Monday, May 7, 2012

The Life of Julia

From the Patriot Post. The general outline of the life of Julia is depressing in general, and all too true for the blind in particular. Oh to be taken off the government tit and be a useful member of society.

Obama's 'The Life of Julia' "Barack Obama has a new composite girlfriend, and her name is Julia. Her story is told in an interactive feature titled 'The Life of Julia' on the Obama campaign website. ... As a toddler, she's in a head-start program. Skip ahead to 17, and she's enrolled at a Race to the Top high school. Her 20s are very active: She gets surgery and free birth control through ObamaCare regulations, files a lawsuit under the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and pays off her student loans at a low interest rate. We get updates at age 31, 37 and 42 -- and then the narrative skips ahead 23 years when she enrolls in Medicare. Two years later, she's on Social Security, at which point she can die at any time. ... [N]othing happens to Julia between 42 and 65. That period includes the typical peak earning years -- the time at which, assuming Julia is gainfully employed, she will be paying the biggest price for 'Obama's' generosity. ... The most shocking bit of the Obama story is that Julia apparently never marries. She simply 'decides' to have a baby, and Obama uses other people's money to help her take care of it. ... In 1999 Lionel Tiger coined the word 'bureaugamy' to refer to the relationship between officially impoverished mothers of illegitimate children and the government. 'The Life of Julia' is an insidious attack on the institution of the family, an endorsement of bureaugamy even for middle-class women." --Wall Street Journal columnist James Taranto "Alas, Team Obama has omitted a few milestones from the life of Julia." --National Review's Kevin D. Williamson, who has them covered here . What do you think the "life of Julia" should really look like? For the Record "I don't know what's creepier. The idea that Julia owes her entire life to government beneficence -- or that Barack Obama is an integral part Julia's life from the time she's a small child until at least age 42. ... And then there are the inconvenient facts. Like the fact that Head Start has demonstrated no useful improvement in a child's educational future. The fact that our public schools have become an international embarrassment. The fact that Obamacare may be declared un-Constitutional, or the fact that this administration has a miserable record of job creation -- or the fact that funds underwriting Julia's retirement and medical expenses won't be there because the trajectory of the Obama administration's current spending habits leads inexorably to national bankruptcy. ...

Friday, May 4, 2012

Weekly Prayer Update

Please pray for the requests below. "Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray"praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for May 4, 2012 On Wed. May 02 2012 at 02:03 PM Moderator wrote: Sudan --Muslims Destroy Evangelical ChurchSources: VOM Contacts, Reuters 1 Peter 3:14 Muslims ransacked a church in Khartoum on Saturday, April 21, in another signal that the northern government intends to eliminate both Christians and ethnic Africans from the country. About 500 Muslims from a nearby mosque attacked and destroyed the Presbyterian Evangelical Church after a Muslim cleric preached an inflammatory sermon calling for jihad against Christians. The attackers ransacked buildings, knocked down walls and burned Bibles while security police looked on. Christians from Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, South Sudan and Sudan worshiped at the church, which has filed suit against the attackers. The church compound also included a Bible school and student housing. “It seems no one cares about us here in Sudan after the independence of South Sudan,” a VOM contact wrote. “What I know is that the church will remain and continue to operate, though there will continue to be challenges.” Algeria --Kabyle Bible Reaches New ReadersSources: VOM Contacts Psalm 119:169 A new Bible translation in the Kabyle language is enabling many more people to read God’s Word in Algeria, according to a VOM contact there. Our Algerian contact had been using French translations for a Bible study he led, but many of the older believers didn’t speak French. Since Kabyle is the area’s native language, the VOM contact began using the new Kabyle translation when it was published last year with VOM support. “We prayed for a long time that one day God would provide the Bible in Kabyle,” he said. More people are now attending the Bible study, and more understand God’s message of hope. Algerians who read Kabyle can now read the Bible for themselves and share its content with others. “We want to thank you, because God heard our prayers,” the VOM contact said. Thank God that his Word is now accessible to more people in Algeria. Azerbaijan --Update: Judge Rules to Liquidate Protestant ChurchSources: VOM Contacts, Forum 18 News 1 Corinthians 15:23–24 In the first known case of a church closure under Azerbaijan’s new religion law, a judge in Baku ruled on Wednesday, April 25, to liquidate Greater Grace Protestant church. Under terms of the ruling, religious activity by the church or its members is illegal and is subject to punishment. The church intends to appeal the ruling. Although Greater Grace registered with the state in 1993, it did not re-register in 2009 when the new religion law passed because leaders believed the church was already registered. Hundreds of churches that re-registered in 2009 are still waiting for the State Committee to respond to their applications. In some cases, churches were denied registration because of unspecified errors in their applications. Christians fear that the ruling against Greater Grace sets a dangerous precedent for other churches in the country. Indonesia VOM ProjectPray for those training 50 pastors to share the gospel with Muslims.*************•

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Useful or Useless?

This article talks about a developing technology that may one day allow some of the blind to see.

Although I find the concept interesting my concern is that it will have a negative impact in the interim on those having trouble dealing with their blindness. The societal norm towards the hierarchy of sight is problematic enough. From my own experience I know that before I got a handle on my blindness through the positive philosophy of the NFB I would have neglected much needed alternitive techniques in favor of dreaming of full sight.

A friend of mine who is blind (she calls herself night blind) refuses to use a cane and insists on relying on her children and husband to assist her in various situations. When I have spoken to her about blindness skills and their importance she has stated that her family doesn't mind assisting her and one day her vision will be correctable so blindness skills don't matter. Apart from the diminutive impact this line of thinking must have on her sense of self worth (not to mention the tention this must create with her family) her level of independence is lessened by belief in a technology that at this point is in an infancy stage at best. Articles like the one above only increase my friend's belief that blindness is horrible and can only be mitigated by restoration of sight. In the meantime she dreams about "useable vision," misses out on life, and causes unneeded tention with her family.

I also must point out that "useful" vision is a subjective term. Being able to see dark shapes on a white background is hardly useful. I prefer Dr. Kenneth Jernigan's definition of blindness- if you have to change a substantial amount of daily activities in order to function because your vision is poor then you are blind. With this definition the patients in the above article are still functionally blind. Why rely on scanty amounts of vision to complete a task when you can do so more quickly without? When I was in high school I insisted on useing a CCTV as opposed to useing Braille. My work was slower and even painful as I tried to squeeze every drop of useable vision I had out of a set of increasingly nonfunctioning vision. I should also add it was somewhat sad to read of the latter patient's thrill at having colored dreams again. Do I object to his joy? Hardly, I merely think it a sign of a deeper problem- notably clinging to the hierarchy of sight.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Spiking the Football

I read the below article from the Patriot Post, and thought I would share. "We must take human nature as we find it, perfection falls not to the share of mortals." --George Washington Editorial Exegesis Have you heard? Obama killed Osama! "'You know, we don't trot out this stuff as trophies,' Obama said last May 4. 'Americans and people around the world are glad that [Osama bin Laden] is gone. But we don't need to spike the football.' Two days earlier, the notorious terrorist and backer of the 9/11 attacks had been killed in a raid for which Obama had given the thumbs-up. ... With his chances at a second term increasingly uncertain, Obama's campaign has begun hyping the bin Laden raid. The most overt instance is its release of an ad extolling Obama's decision, with Bill Clinton as narrator and featuring multiple pensive images of the commander in chief. The ad employs an out-of-context quote ... to question whether presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney would have shown the same gutsy leadership if the same opportunity had arisen and he was president. 'Which path would Mitt Romney have taken?' the ad asks. ... It is almost as though the president's campaign has forgotten the famous '3 a.m.' ad from the 2008 presidential campaign, in which Hillary Clinton tried to sow doubts about Obama's leadership and aptitude. Obama's spokesman, Bill Burton, responded indignantly, comparing Mrs. Clinton to the occupant of the White House at the time, George W. Bush: 'It's ironic that she would borrow the president's tactics in her own campaign and invoke bin Laden to score political points,' Burton said. 'We already have a president who plays the politics of fear, and we don't need another.' No, but it looks like we got one after all."

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The below is from a daily devotional I receive from www.crown.org. I found the message powerful, and thought I'd share. Enjoy.

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia." (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 NIV)


Struggling Well
by Larry Burkett


Because of sin’s impact on the world, you will face diffi culties, pain, and challenges. Th e
way you handle these struggles is a testimony to non-Christians that there is something
diff erent about you.


Th e end product of struggling well will not be the complete elimination of hardships in
your life. Quite the contrary, hardships will come, but your mindset will play a major role in
your success.


One key to success is to know God’s purpose for your life. Th is is important, because
you will be willing to struggle more, harder, and longer for a purpose that will make a
diff erence.


You also need to contextualize your struggle according to your purpose. Paul went
through unbelievable struggles, but he viewed his problems within the context of his
purpose and found the strength to keep going.


Finally, you need to understand that God uses all things for good and never wastes
anything. He may be using your suff ering to make an eternal diff erence in the life of
someone else.


No matter what we face, we have the assurance that in the end, God’s Kingdom will be
victorious. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the
world” ( John 16:33 NIV).