Congress

Just wanted to post a quick note on the latest shenanigans coming out of this country's legislative body. I am primarly referring to various Democrat leaders taking to the House floor to denounce Rush Limbaugh's "phony soldier" comment. This is sickening on so many levels. First, when did it become the business of Congress to go after talk show radio hosts? Aren't they supposed to be working on passing legislation to better the lives of Americans? Or is that too antiquated of a notion? Second, it's not like they just publicly condemned the comment...oh no...not these pillars of society. Tom Harkin decided to turn it into a personal attack and wondered aloud whether or not Rush was on drugs again. Well done Tom. The majority of potheads vote for your party so you might want to be careful not to alienate your constituency.

Of course, the comments of Harkin and Majority Leader Reid are even more deplorable because they have no basis in fact. Rush was referring to Jesse Macbeth when he issued his "phony soldier" comment. It was in no way an overriding indictment of the US military that so many Democrats claimed it was. Jesse Macbeth claimed to be an Army Ranger and to have witnessed many atrocities in Iraq at the hands of the American military. The leftists trotted him out as the latest example of how evil our country is. One small problem. Jesse wasn't an Army Ranger and he was never in Iraq. He is a liar, a fake, a charlatan, a...what was the word?...oh yes...PHONY.

I think Reid and Harkin probably knew the truth but they don't care about truth. They will simply lie to further their cause and the cause of those who dump millions into their coffers. That group would include George Soros and two of the worst purveyors of this kind of crap - MoveOn.org and Media Matters. The latter claims to be out to expose misinformation sown by conservatives but instead it makes its living off of distortions and fabrications. They are trying to take down every conservative commentator in this country. They've even gone after one of their liberal friends, Juan Williams, when he vouched for Bill O'Reilly in their latest witch hunt.

Many politicians have been bought in this country's history - both Democrats and Republicans. Neither party has been a beacon of truth. However, Democrats have reached a new level of absolute depravity. If you can't win the war of ideas and debate legitimately then simply try to eliminate the other side altogether.

Absolutely pathetic. No accountability. No honor. No shame.

Misery Loves...Misery?

"I simply want to thank you for telling the truth. I'm a missionary who just struggled through 2 years of depression brought on by physical problems. I don't think I'd ever been depressed a day in my life before, and had no idea how to deal with the negative thoughts and temptations that accompanied those dark days. Many days, your devotional was my lifeline. Some days it was an encouragement to me and some days it was a wake up call to keep me from sin. I thank God for walking me through this difficult time. I have a new love and understanding for those who lose their foothold. And I have a new awareness of the hand of God that reaches to the lowest valley."

The above paragraph was part of the praise reports that Bill Keller receives and occasionally shares with his readers. Pretty powerful, huh? I think I like this part the best..."I have a new love and understanding for those who lose their foothold." What a wonderful insight. I wonder if he was thinking that way in the midst of his depression. It was most likely a truth that was only clear after he had come through his ordeal and was once again viewing life through a healthy prism.

But what if we were able to grab a hold of that kind of thought in the middle of a crisis...whether it is emotional, financial, physical, relational or something else? When we feel like our world is caving in around us and our hope for the future is dimming...what if we had the foresight and wisdom to discern that God is allowing these circumstances to ultimately grant us better understanding of not only ourselves but those around us? I think it could offer quite a lift to our soul as our perspective would be widened to those around us instead of suffering from the myopia that can be so severe during those times.

I didn't have many moments of that type of clarity during my depression. I was more consumed with my own plight. I don't beat myself up for that. I think that is a natural part of what I was going through. However, I want to be prepared for the next time I deal with something of that nature. I want to be cognizant of the fact that God works for the good of those who love Him...even when He feels a million miles away...that maybe I am being refined by fire to be better able to serve Him and others. When I view it in that light, maybe some misery isn't so bad after all. Can we truly be happy if we have never been sad? Can we understand joy if we have never experienced sadness? It took utter loneliness and desperation for the prodigal son to realize what he was really missing. I have a feeling his life was much more fulfilling and meaningful after that horrific experience.

I pray that mine will be as well.

Tonight's Thought

Good care group tonight. My first question of the night is always, "What's new in your life?" as we get caught up with each other and no one answered. So I told them that we need to recruit at least one extrovert so someone will answer my questions. They seemed to get the hint after that and talked more tonight than usual.

So, anyway, onto my subject header. Eldredge was talking about our inclination to use God as a means to our end rather than an end in and of Himself. Or to put it another way...Am I asking God to bless the path that I have decided to take or am I asking God to show me the path He wants me to take? I am afraid I do way too much of the former and not nearly enough of the latter.

Are You Finished With That?

Have you seen the recent commercials from Dominoe's Pizza and Pizza Hut? Where they are apparently competing to see who can offer the most calories to their customers? Dominoe's is now offering a chocolately Oreo dessert pizza or some such monstrosity. The goal of this dessert is to apparently shove it into your mouth with such ferocity that the remnants form a gooey moustache on your face, or better yet, the coveted full beard. Then there is Pizza Hut which is now offering it's pizza in strips so you can dunk them into one of three sauces. Are there a lot of people out there who feel the urge to submerge their pepperoni pizza into a vat of ranch dressing? These are apparently the same people who like to pour melted cheese onto their string cheese.

I am a huge proponent of taking responsibility for your own actions. I don't have a lot of sympathy for you if you injure yourself by being a moron. So if you are obese and have been shoving too much of the wrong kind of food in your face for the past several years then you have come to the result you should have expected all along. However, I am also starting to believe that there needs to be some sense of responsibility on the part of restaurants, particularly those that provide easy access to food...meaning drive-thru windows or home delivery. Wouldn't it be wrong for someone to continue to place an open bottle of beer under the nose of an alcoholic and saying, "You really shouldn't have this but it's here just in case you want it."?

Just because some segment of the population wants to drown their Supreme Pan Pizza in garlic sauce doesn't mean you HAVE to create the menu option. Let them go to the store and complete the ensemble on their own if that is what they really crave. Yes, this is America and I do believe that if you want to eat until your arteries close shop than you should be able to...but that doesn't mean American business has to be an accessory to the process.

Labor Day

"It gives me great pleasure to pay tribute to the working men and women of America on Labor Day. This occasion brings deserved attention to those who have toiled to build our nation and shape a prosperous life out of the dreams of early immigrants. Today we recognize the honor and value of all work and the great distinction that flows from a job well done. From those who first carved a nation out of the wilderness to those who helped cross, settle and build this country, the working people have made immeasurable contributions to the advancement of our way of life. Through their spirit, minds, and muscles, America's workers have created a modern industrial giant. They have sustained the traditional values of family, work, and neighborhood while serving as the bulwark of American democracy and lending support to the fundamental tenets of our free enterprise system." - Ronald Reagan

Well, I've Got Gonorrhea!

Breathe Mom...that's a line from a Seinfeld episode. At least it gave my brother a chuckle.

Everyone miss me? Hello? Anyone? Bueller?

My bro was wondering if my lack of postings was due to the proverbial well running dry. Not so fast. This noodle is always working. However, I often feel like my existence is tethered to a computer and the blogging is one facet of my life that can be put on hold to offer some break from the world of cathode ray tubes.

So anyway, I will try to be back more often now. Let's play a little catch up (pronounced ketchup).

Before I forget, I bought two bananas and ate them both before they turned black. It's a big day in my world.

Had care group tonight. Good discussions. We focused on what happens when we no longer truly know who we are and the repurcussions of that. God created us with specific intent and incredible detail and attention. We were made to fulfill a certain purpose...to do those good works prepared for us in advance. Why are we then so willing to create our own little world with our own mission statement and our own sources of validation? Do we really think our way is better or did something happen to us along the way that made us no longer believe we were good enough or strong enough to handle the responsibilities that come along with being an ambassador for Christ? It's pretty incredible how God continues to believe in us when we are so reluctant to believe in ourselves. He must see something we don't...and that is very encouraging.

So I bought a new scale a couple weeks ago. It's got all the readings...body fat, hydration, etc. Only focusing on the weight aspect at this point. That was a frightening figure. I think it has finally scared me into action. It's not that I eat unhealthy. It's more of a function of a daily soda and weekly beer and lack of exercise. The shin splints have put a real crimp in my workout routine so I will just have to find other avenues. But something has to happen. I can't make fun of fat people anymore if I am going to be one myself.

You will love this. Still doing the eharmony thing. Here is the question that a woman asked me yesterday..."If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be?" Oy vey. You gotta be kidding me. And people wonder why I am single? I don't know what kind of cookie I would be but I am willing to bet that she would be a cookie that is quite nutty.

Getting ready to head to Chicago for a fantasy football weekend. We have the draft Friday night at the house of one of the guys in the league and then head out Saturday to watch Iowa play Northern Illinois at Soldier Field. Never been there before so looking forward to that. Then it will be on to Carmine's (great Italian place) and Rush Street until the bars close or we go to jail. Maybe both if it's a really fun night.

That's all for now. Gotta watch the USA basketball team finish their Puerto Rico beatdown. Great to be back.

Peace out.

This is How Congress Works

Congressional Democrats are demanding greater oversight in virtually every facet of government and the private sector, but they are pulling the leash tight on the government watchdog when it comes to unions. In a none-too-subtle nod to their faithful friends in labor, House Democrats have proposed to cut 20 percent from the budget of the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS), the Labor Department agency tasked with reviewing union-fund disclosures. Congress has added close to $1 billion to the president's 2008 budget request for the Labor Department as a whole. Every other Labor Department enforcement agency is due for an increase, but OLMS is losing $11 million. It's not for lack of effort; the office has aided in the convictions of 775 corrupt union officials in the past six years. By reducing its budget, the House hopes to lighten the scrutiny OLMS exercises over how unions spend their members' dues, which often go into the campaign coffers of Demo candidates nationwide.

No wonder the latest Zogby poll has the Congressional approval rating at 14%.

Anyone up for a third party? I think I am becoming a Libertarian.