Thanksgiving 2011, Lockhart

Thanksgiving 2011

trying to get used to new Google Dashboard for Blogger

Trying to figure out how to post to Google Blogger from Photobucket.  Don't like the look of this new dashboard.  Oh well.

No One Beats God at ‘Name That Tune’- from an article in The Abilene Reporter News byDoug Mendenhall

no one beats god at ‘name that tune’

Theologians like to argue about whether God hears all prayers.

What about a child’s prayer for bubble-gum-flavored rain?

What about a hate-filled man’s prayer for revenge?

What about the deathbed prayer of a killer?

Let the theologians argue. Whatever system God uses to filter, categorize and react to all those prayers is surely the best possible.

So forget about it.

Instead, think about this for a minute:

I believe that God has heard every song ever sung, every tune ever played.

All of them.

We know from the psalms and other biblical passages that God is honored by the raising of “joyful noises” in his direction – that’s a lot of leeway, and that tells me that God is a music lover with broad tastes.

So, I boldly assume, God has heard it all.

Not just “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Amazing Grace,” but even devilish stuff such as “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Devil With the Blue Dress On” and the old Barney theme song.

I’m not sure what God makes of some of the songs, but I think he knows them, knows the story of how they were written, by whom and under what circumstances.

I think he knows the sadness that went into “O Sacred Head” and “All By Myself.”

I think he knows the confidence and camaraderie of “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “We Will Rock You.”

He may very well tap his foot to a good mandolin riff as well as to Handel’s “Messiah.”

I think he gets the hate-soaked despair that’s behind a lot of rap.

I think he gets the beer-soaked lust that’s behind a lot of country.

I think he gets the reckless, total abandon of rock.

God is ancient, and I know that each new generation tends to think that it is more musically astute than the previous generation, but God defies that principle.

If you are, say, 17, God has heard all 3,547 songs on your iPod. He knows why you chose each one. He knows what the lyrics are and what they mean. He knows what your mind associates with every verse. (He even knows whether you actually paid for each song, or just found a way around the iTunes fee … although that’s another topic for another day.)

You know what a cool thing it is to share a song with a friend – crank it up on the car stereo, share a pair of ear buds with your heads bobbing together, croon the words while your bud plays guitar around some campfire.

I just want you to consider the possibility that God has, for your entire life, been sharing every song you’ve ever loved.

And I don’t say that to warn you to hold it in or just listen to stuff you think won’t shock him.

I say it because how well God knows your music is a just a feeble example of how well God knows you – whether you’re quietly praying or like, totally rocking out.

Doug Mendenhall, who teaches journalism at Abilene Christian University, has written this weekly column since 2000. He enjoys talking about it to church and civic groups of any size. E-mail him at doug.mendenhall@acu.edu.

Kangen Water

This truly is miracle water.  Although this water does NOT cure anything, I have experienced how it has helped my immune system.  I used to have tendonitis in my hands, arm, and shoulders.  I've been to countless clinics.  I've had neck surgery.  Still had the pain.  I was getting to the point where I could no longer work out at the gym.  Now I can work out with no pain whatsoever, including full weights.  This water is anti-inflammatory and I don't have the muscle spasms I used to.

Another huge benefit from drinking this Kangen Water is that I no longer need to sleep with a cpap machine.  My sleeping has gotten better and I am getting more oxgyen.  My O2 levels rose 10 pts.  Also, the water has taken away the acid reflux so I sleep much better.  I can't tell you how calm my stomach and digestion are now. 

I am eating better, sleeping better, and feeling better.  I've dropped 25 pounds since starting drinking Kangen back in December 2010.  I have more energy than I know what to do with. I also no longer have the severe allergy reactions I used to have to all kinds of things:  mountain cedar, pollen, dust, mold, etc.  This is the first year I have not gotten a sinus infection and put on antibiotics.

I am also not buying any more chemical antibacterial sprays or household cleaners.  I am using the 2.5 ph acid water from the Enagic machine.  It kills 99% of the bacteria and its chemical free.  I'm also using the 11.5 Strong Kangen water in place of laundry detergent, and my clothes are coming out clean and fresh, with no chemical smells.  I just started using it in my dishwater in lieu of detergent.  The dishes are clean and sparkling.  The Enagic machine will have paid for itself easily long before 15 years, which is the usual life expectancy of the machine.  I can then send it back to Enagic and for a nominal fee they will rebuild it and send it back and should last another 15 years.  wow.

Try Kangen Water for yourself.  If you'd like, I'd be happy to demonstrate the Enagic Unit.  This water has been around for about years.  It's in about 35 countries around the globe.  It comes from Japan where they have the highest life expectancy on the planet.  This unit is in many Japanese homes and in over 250 hospitals.  It's been approved as a medical device there by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Wellness, the counterpart to our FDA, and has been prescribed by thousands of Japanese doctors for their patients for overall wellbeing and for treatment of various diseases.

I hope this has been helpful.  If you have more questions or want to give the water a try for yourself, fill in the form at the top of this page for a free demonstration.  Also, feel free to visit http://www.thewatergage.com/ for more information or http://www.kangendemo.com/

Food Cravings Sugar Cravings and Salt Cravings – What They Mean And How To Stop Cravings In Their Tracks

Food Cravings Sugar Cravings and Salt Cravings – What They Mean And How To Stop Cravings In Their Tracks

I just experienced Texas...

I just experienced Texas fried barbecue for the first time. Wow. What a place... Its called Texas Pride BBQ.. If you live in Texas you really need to experience this place. It's bigger than life, with one section for BBQ, the other for Fish Fry.  Check out their website:  http://www.texaspridebbq.net/
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Great way to learn guitar chords and progressions

This DVD set is a great way to learn chords using the Caged Method.  I highly recommend it for any guitarist who has at least a moderate understanding of the guitar.  Useful for the intermediate or advance player.  Highly recommend it.  Easy to follow and understand material.
http://guitar-music-theory.com/

Whole Body Armor

Whole Body Armor

Alternative to YouTube: LiveLeak.com (More Tolerant than Google's YouTube?)

Alternative to YouTube: LiveLeak.com (More Tolerant than Google's YouTube?): "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

I had no idea Google was this liberal. Just a little research (on Google) shows me incontrovertible evidence of its left leaning stance. I use Google for everything. omg.

Google's Liberal Bias

Google's Liberal Bias

Fwd: Fw: This is pretty cool

--- Forwarded Message ----
Sent: Fri, August 20, 2010 12:43:02 AM
Subject: Fw: This is pretty cool

 

BY A 15 yr. Old SCHOOL KID IN   ARIZONA         New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!     Since the Pledge of Allegiance   And   The Lord's Prayer   Are not allowed in most   Public schools anymore   Because the word 'God' is mentioned.....   A kid in   Arizona wrote the attached     NEW School prayer:     Now I sit me down in school   Where praying is against the rule   For this great nation under God   Finds mention of Him very odd.     If scripture now the class recites,   It violates the Bill of Rights.   And anytime my head I bow   Becomes a Federal matter now.   Our hair can be purple, orange or green,   That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..   The law is specific, the law is precise.   Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.     For praying in a public hall   Might offend someone with no faith at all..   In silence alone we must meditate,   God's name is prohibited by the state.     We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,   And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...   They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.   To quote the Good Book makes me liable.   We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,   And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.   It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,   We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..     We can get our condoms and birth controls,   Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..   But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,   No word of God must reach this crowd.     It's scary here I must confess,   When chaos reigns the school's a mess.   So, Lord, this silent plea I make:   Should I be shot; My soul please take!   Amen     If you aren't ashamed to do this,  Please pass this on..   Jesus said,  'If you are ashamed of me,  I will be ashamed of you before my Father.'     Not ashamed. Pass this on.                The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Get started. No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3066 - Release Date: 08/12/10 01:34:00 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.441 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3071 - Release Date: 08/14/10 08:48:00

--
Gage Pope

ORCHESTRION When you're smiling /one-man-band MIDI JAZZ

Fwd: Fw: HB 1388 PASSED

Please be informed about what President Obama is doing with our tax dollars. And pass it on so others will be informed.

 

---

From: Subj: Fw: HB 1388 PASSED

 

 

 

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Subject: Re: HB 1388 PASSED

 

 

               HB 1388 PASSED

 

---   > You just spent $20,000,000 to move members/supporters of Hamas, a terrorist organization, to the United States ; housing,  food, the whole enchilada. > > HB 1388 PASSED > > Whether you are an Obama fan or not, EVERYONE IN THE U.S. needs to know.... > > Something happened.. H.R. 1388 was passed, behind our backs. You may want to read about it... It wasn ' t mentioned on the > news... just went by on the ticker tape at the bottom of the CNN > screen. > > Obama funds $20M in tax payer dollars to immigrate Hamas Refugees to the USA . This is the news that didn't make the headlines... WHY  ? > > By executive order, President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in "migration assistance" to the Palestinian refugees and "conflict victims" in Gaza . > > The "presidential determination," which allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States , was signed and appears in the Federal Register. > > Few on Capitol Hill, or in the media, took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food > allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the > parliamentary election of January 2006. > > > Now we learn that he is allowing thousands of Palestinian refuges to move to, and live in, the US at American taxpayer  expense. > > These important, and insightful, issues are being "lost" in the blinding bail-outs and "stimulation" packages. > > Doubtful? To verify this for yourself: www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488 > > PLEASE PASS THIS ON... AMERICA NEEDS TO KNOW > > WE are losing this country at a rapid pace.

Fwd: Fw: The President Without A Country. By Pat Boone

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Greg Sigvaldson <gregsigvaldson@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 2:07 PM
Subject: Fw: The President Without A Country. By Pat Boone
To: aa8392@yahoo.com, aalderete10@att.net, AbbyGarza <abbygarza2000@yahoo.com>, althea@fasttracktofatloss.com, angelicasalgado31@hotmail.com, angelrespinoza@sbcglobal.net, annettemendez@nisd.net, april@fortresschurch.org, attorney@jrplaw.net, auoragarcia@nisd.net, beth_andrews@tsco.org, Bethany Movassaghi <bethany@timesharesaroundtheworld.com>, bkirwan@usmd.edu, bluechild3001@yahoo.com, bmoreno@higgscarterking.org, bnashawati@yahoo.comcarlitacontreras, carlos.teran@harlandclarke.com, carvic@gvtc.com, CBARTELLI@satx.rr.com, charlesmiksch@hotmail.com, chris.sigvaldson@gmail.com, cindyraji@hotmail.com, cyarbrough@higgscarterking.org, Cyndy@5dollardining.com, daisy.molina@nisd.net, danahale1@aol.com, danelsa232009@yahoo.com, danthemansaldana@hotmail.com, daveandsuehowell@yahoo.com, dennis@fortresschurch.org, dina_aguirre78@yahoo.com, edmond.lopez@dshs.state.tx.us, ewingedu@sbcglobal.net, fabysigvaldson@yahoo.com, fireman16@hotmail.com, frequentflyher@yahoo.com, gage.pope@gmail.com, ginahale10@aol.com, Groussman1@yahoo.com, harold.j.lootens@lycos.com, iamdiego@hotmail.com, igustafson@comcast.com

I am forwarding this to you because I feel we should all be aware of the contents of this letter and forward it to everyone in our contacts list.   Greg Sigvaldson

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT COMMENTARY AND SHOULD BE READ BY EVERY AMERICAN ! The President Without A Country.   By Pat Boone The President Without A Country By Pat Boone "We're no longer a Christian nation." - President barack obama, June 2009 " America has been arrogant." - President barack obama "After 9/11, America didn't always live up to her ideals."- President barack obama "You might say that America is a Muslim nation."- President barack obama, Egypt 2009 Thinking about these and other statements made by the man who wears the title of president. I keep wondering what country he believes he's president of. In one of my very favorite stories, Edward Everett Hale's "The Man without a Country," a young Army lieutenant named Philip Nolan stands condemned for treason during the Revolutionary War, having come under the influence of Aaron Burr. When the judge asks him if he wishes to say anything before sentence is passed, young Nolan defiantly exclaims, "Damn the United States ! I wish I might never hear of the United States again!" The stunned silence in the courtroom is palpable, pulsing. After a long pause, the judge soberly says to the angry lieutenant: "You have just pronounced your own sentence. You will never hear of the United States again.. I sentence you to spend the rest of your life at sea, on one or another of this country's naval vessels - under strict orders that no one will ever speak to you again about the country you have just cursed." And so it was. Philip Nolan was taken away and spent the next 40 years at sea, never hearing anything but an occasional slip of the tongue about America. The last few pages of the story, recounting Nolan's dying hours in his small stateroom - now turned into a shrine to the country he fore swore - never fail to bring me to tears.  And I find my own love for this dream, this miracle called America , refreshed and renewed. I know how blessed and unique we are. But reading and hearing the audacious, shocking statements of the man who was recently elected our president - a young black man living the impossible dream of millions of young Americans, past and present, black and white - I want to ask him, "Just what country do you think you're president of?" You surely can't be referring to the United States of America , can you? America is emphatically a Christian nation, and has been from its inception! Seventy percent of her citizens identify themselves as Christian. The Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were framed, written and ratified by Christians. It's because this was, and is, a nation built on and guided by Judeo-Christian biblical principles that you, sir, have had the inestimable privilege of being elected her president. You studied law at Harvard, didn't you, sir? You taught constitutional law in Chicago ? Did you not ever read the statement of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and an author of the landmark "Federalist Papers": " Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers - and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation - to select and prefer Christians for their rulers"? In your studies, you surely must have read the decision of the Supreme Court in 1892: "Our lives and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian." Did your professors have you skip over all the high-court decisions right up till the mid 1900's that echoed and reinforced these views and intentions? Did you pick up the history of American jurisprudence only in 1947, when for the first time a phrase coined by Thomas Jefferson about a "wall of separation between church and state" was used to deny some specific religious expression - contrary to Jefferson ' s intent with that statement? Or, wait a minute . were your ideas about America 's Christianity formed during the 20 years you were a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ under your pastor, Jeremiah Wright? Is that where you got the idea that " America is no longer a Christian nation"? Is this where you, even as you came to call yourself a Christian, formed the belief that  " America has been arrogant"? Even if that's the understandable explanation of your damning of your country and accusing the whole nation (not just a few military officials trying their best to keep more Americans from being murdered by jihadists) of "not always living up to her ideals," how did you come up with the ridiculous, alarming notion that we might be "considered a Muslim nation"? Is it because there are some 2 million or more Muslims living here, trying to be good Americans? Out of a current population of over 300 million, 70 percent of whom are Christians? Does that make us, by any rational definition, a "Muslim nation"? Why are we not, then, a "Chinese nation"? A "Korean nation"? Even a "Vietnamese nation"? There are even more of these distinct groups in America than Muslims. And if the distinction you're trying to make is a religious one, why is America not "a Jewish nation"? There's actually a case to be made for the latter, because our Constitution - and the success of our Revolution and founding - owe a deep debt to our Jewish brothers. Have you stopped to think what an actual Muslim America would be like? Have you ever really spent much time in Iran ? Even in Egypt ? You, having been instructed in Islam as a kid at a Muslim school in Indonesia and saying you still love the call to evening prayers, can surely picture our nation founded on the Quran, not the Judeo-Christian Bible, and living under Shariah law. Can't you? You do recall Muhammad's directives [Surah 9:5,73] to "break the cross" and "kill the infidel"? It seems increasingly and painfully obvious that you are more influenced by your upbringing and questionable education than most suspected.. If you consider yourself the president of a people who are "no longer Christian," who have "failed to live up to our ideals," who "have been arrogant," and might even be "considered Muslim" - you are president of a country most Americans don't recognize. Could it be you are a president without a country? All who love their Christian Belief's and your Country. Forward to all in your address book. http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/patboone.asp

 

--
Gage Pope

Les Paul vs ES 339

Michael Burks at Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio

Michael Burks at Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Charlie Schmidt's "Keyboard Cat"!

Avatar: Great Effects, Anti Christian, Anti American Message

just saw Avatar. Wow. Amazing visual effects. But I could have done without the left wing agenda present throughout movie. America and her military and corporations are portrayed as evil, while pagan , tree worshipping native peoples are true heroes. There's even a dig on the war on terror. It's just more liberal, environmentalist speak: 
The images were fantastic and very entertaining, but the references to earth deities and paganism were unfortunate. Oh well, getting used to such drivel. Otherwise good movie. 
http://www.infowars.com/movie-review-avatar-and-paganism/

From Gage

Excerpt from Ben Stein’s 2005 Commentary about the Observance of Christmas

Ben Stein’s 2005 Commentary about the Observance of Christmas

October 11, 2007 by Lance

While this Ben Stein piece is a couple of years old, I thought it was well worth posting here given that Christmas is near.

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: ...


Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.


I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.


Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

Ben Stein

Stein, a lawyer by training, has also served as a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon, has to date authored sixteen books (both novels and non-fiction efforts), and continues to write editorials and columns for a number of prominent publications. He is perhaps best known to the world at large, however, for his in-front-of-the-camera work as the dreadfully dull economics teacher in the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (and his similar role as the monotonic science teacher Mr. Cantwell on the TV series The Wonder Years) and as the keenly competitive host of the Comedy Central game show Win Ben Stein’s Money.