Friday, January 8, 2016

Rod's Reflections for the Entire Year of 2016


I would seem remiss if I did not continue my collection of cogitative reflections as at any moment, something could play across my mind.  It took until the 8th day of the new year to tranquilize enough thoughts important enough for me to place in a collective format that I might enjoy reading in some distant place at some given time.  After all, I think my "reflections" for 2015 actually ended with my last post on December 2nd, as nothing really "bookmarked" in my head the rest of the year.  And at my age, what good does staying up until midnight really do for me except bite into my personal sleep time?  So let me see how this year goes.  I'll try to encourage myself to write these postscripts of sorts to myself as this year progresses...  After all, I will be 65 in just a scant few days and it may not be many days longer until I may need to read something to remind myself  that some of the things I may have written down, actually happened.  In the Month of May, I realized my blogging collection was slowing way down, so I changed the name to Rod's Reflections for the Entire Year of 2016.   P.S.  It Starts with the Month of January...  Scroll to the bottom for the most recent post.  It isn't that far down.   

January 2016

          I am guilty of surfing the pages of Facebook on a regular basis.  I have been known to run across things that leave a serious impression on me. This is the month I am to began the 6th year of my 7th decade as an American.  Having reached this age, I have personally witnessed, as well as experienced, the slow decline of this once great America which we are no longer.  I could share hours on this subject and touch on the "so many" why's but let us remember it was our parents that allowed someone elected on their behalf to kick God out of our school systems.  The family structure soon followed as more children were born to unwed mothers than those that were married.  And the Church?  The majority of them supported these unwed mothers with showers and blessings.  So slipped the third institution instrumental in my early development. 

          Oh yeah, that continued with my generation's approval too.  I cannot just blame my parents now. They may have allowed Satan himself into every home in this country as a television set but it was us Baby Boomers that embraced it and set it up as a roll model for our children!

          So as I fast forward through memories of the Spring, Summer and Fall of my life, I can sit with a handful of collected wisdom in the Winter of my life and understand why we have become who we are today.  Think about this, Chris Kyle is called a racist murderer after saving the lives of countless warriors that wore our country's flag, yet in the same breath, these progressives call Bowe Bergdahl a hero! Speaking of that flag, remember the debate that swept our country about our colors being worn as a swim suit, shirt or improperly displayed, while it was perfectly "okay" for anyone to burn and trample on these colors in protest of what exactly?  Some of you may remember my July 4, 2015 post of the American Flag Shirt I purchased and wore that day.  Was it un-american for me to do that?  Find the post and read it. And so the question about this photograph is being passed around today as un-american.  Here is the picture and here is my response:



           This photograph is absolutely, profoundly, solid American. That child will know one day how fortunate he/she is to have been born American and to be wrapped in the colors the world emulates with the Field of Honor surrounding the baby's head.  This baby, our future and the world's hope, is being supported in the representative arms of every person that shed their blood for our freedom.  This Marine's promise to this child's tomorrow speaks loudly, "I am the sword that stands in harms way for you!" What greater love??  That is the America I grew up in.  People that would give their today for my tomorrow. 

Posted January 8 from my afternoon home




FEBRUARY

          A bright Wednesday morning. The center of our solar system remains constant as my side off the earth turns her face to this source of life. Rotating on her axis ever so slightly, yet consistently, each day gives us more light which stimulates the daffodil to come forth and promise us Spring. Already the Tulip Magnolia's have displayed their soft blooms so often covered in fading seasonal frost. I ponder life often times. The fragility of such balanced with time. I look at my river and see change. Consistent as the stars we exist in yet different still. Close enough to touch yet still far enough to remain who she really is. A part of life. Giving only what is needed and sometimes desired. You know, that balance of need and want we as humans always battle? Yet her own identifying message. I too am consistent. Silent, constantly moving, deep and very cold. Maybe that is why I spend less time here beside her most mornings. There is change. In both of us actually. At least in our passing we know each other are safe and content inside of our designed universe.

Posted February 10 at 0645 from beside the Red River




          Well folkses, my heart almost stopped this morning and that sick nauseating feeling of revulsion overtook me. As I was taking my 15-year-old granddaughter to high school this morning, we stopped at McDonald's for a quick before school snack. She selects a single hash brown and a caramel cold coffee latte (?) and we are again off to the re-learning camp.  As this short trip unfolded, I thought I would ask her a question. Baby, if you could vote today, who would you vote for. Immediately she hits me with three names. Bernie Sanders, Trump and Cruz.  I remained calm and encouraged her on. She didn't say much about Trump, Cruz or any other candidate,  but she did tell me if she had to vote today, it would be for Bernie Sanders. I did well keeping my composure and actually kept my car in the correct lane of travel when I asked why, and listened for her reason. Sanders will give me a free college education which will allow me to make a lot of money and he said, he would take care of our veterans. We pull up to school and I have managed to maintain my composure.  No melt down.  I ask her how much is a lot of money? $10,000 a year, she said. I felt a heart beat of hope but then realized she had no concept of what "how much" really was or maybe, just maybe, this institute of higher learning or re-education center had already conditioned her into this "sharing the wealth" mentality. So, as she prepared to get out of the car, I asked her to look at three things and get back with me. Capitalism, socialism and communism. As a quick reminder, I sent her off with this thought. Capitalism gives you the chance to make $50,000 a year (a number I picked much higher than her anticipated $10k) while you give five of your friends a $10,000 dollar a year job. Socialism allows you to keep $5,000 of your $10,000 and gives the other to your friends enabling them to stay home and watch TV or play video games, whatever they chose while you work. Communism on the other hand,  takes all of your money and gives you what you need to get by, like housing, public transportation and food. I asked her to look into that and she said, "Okay, Poppy," and got out of the car. I'm still sick to my stomach.  And yes.  This is happening on my watch.  Like waiting for someone to die so they can move in with their momma...  

Posted February16 from my morning office




MARCH

          And February faded with this years 29th day as did the entire month of March.  I was reminded I had a few days remaining to share my thoughts with my blog, yet nothing seemed to move me into that moment.  Maybe the days of the blog and short stories taps its fingers in discernment as the sun sets on the season I enjoyed so much?  Who holds that key?  So many things to say and share.  Who am I?  Does anyone really know?  I often wonder if I know who I am.




APRIL


          Sometime tomorrow our new stainless fridge will take the place of its predecessor that existed in that spot for 18 years +\-. What surprised me was that Linda managed to paint the wall red when we repainted that area 4 years ago! 18 years... Linda found stuff in that thing we had to specially package and send as hazardous waste to the Center for Disease Control just to see if the contents could be disposed of in a proper landfill. Imagine that. Oh well. We haven't killed a grandkid yet and most of them that have blessed this house found the good stuff to munch on at the bottom of that refrigerator as it watched them grow up and me grow older.

Posted April 17 from my afternoon home




          What a beautiful Sunday evening. I am sitting on my patio under a comfortable, overcast, post sunset as a light breeze teases the tender new leaves of the large red oak beside my house. A Whip-O-Will sings her familiar melody across the pipeline as another three pounds of Cajun shrimp comforts my hunger. The amphibian choral ensemble picks up its performance as a momentary break in the overcast sky gives me a glimpse of a beautiful waxing gibbous moon as Jupiter smiled at me over her right shoulder. What could be a more settling definition for contentment?

Posted April 17 from my evening Patio




MAY

          Today was just another Friday. I had made my mail pick up for city hall and had returned to my code enforcement unit to spot check a few places that I had addressed earlier in the week. As I proceeded down our typically normal city streets, I slowed somewhat as I observed an older couple (remember i'm 65) stopped on a sidewalk adjacent the street I was driving. The elderly gentleman was supporting himself on two of those older metal crutches that you slip your hands through before gripping the handle while the crutches then form a solid embrace around your forearms giving you stability. For some reason I focused on the aluminum frame wraped around his left forearm as his short sleeved shirt and overalls clad back was to me. Kneeling before him with one, possibly both of her knees on the hard sidewalk was an equally aged woman, I assumed was his wife of many years. I noticed her long dress and grey hair as the picture of both of them froze in my mind. His head was bowed as if in prayer as he was looking down at his helper. Helpless was he, yet able she was as she knelt before him to simply tie a shoe lace... As quickly as I saw them I had passed them as I turned at the next intersection continuing my purpose. Yet here I sit in my late afternoon home with a picture of that moment in time still plesantly dancing in my mind. As I continue to polish this picture in my mind, the words, He gave him a helper continued to echo in my mind, so just a few minutes ago, I googled it. This is what I found in the book of Genesis. God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." How much more could that picture frozen in my mind be more perfectly defined. I don't reckon any Friday is just another Friday if you just allow yourself to see the picture... Yes... They are all around us...

Posted May 20 from my evening Home



 JUNE


         Look close. I am a generous man. This is nothing more than the remaining bone of my supper time pork chop. I deliberately stirred up a thriving red ant bed in my back yard as I dropped it onto their mounded dwelling in the midst of my St Augustine grass as I left for choir practice around 1740 this afternoon. As I settled on my patio to take in the sounds of a once blistering and now fading day around to 2010 hour, I checked to see if my generous "manna" was appreciated. Enlarge and look closely. The ants are in a glutinous stupor and I realized this has to be a Christian colony. Those certainly ain't Muslim ants on dat poke chop!



I simply could not help this post.  Tomorrow morning, I will go out there and urinate on their fattened, gloated asses and kill off their queen with my excess uric acid and not lose a moments rest. How dare any of their kind bite any human in their indifference, especially my innocent grand children!  They must know I am superior for this time being even knowing at some distant time their species will feast on what remains of my earthly temple.  Again they will know I am superior remembering my moments of kindness yet once again realizing that as they feast upon my carrion, the embalming fluid that remains, will add thousands more of their numbers to the darkened depths they fed only to return to dust with what is left to time.

Posted June 29 from my afternoon home.




JULY

          So with the meeting between Bill and Loretta, I was not as surprised as I was disgusted when Comey came out and said the FBI was not going to prosecute Hilliary.  So, despite the fact that she did have several violations of federal law against her along with numerous misleading statements we as the conservative public recognize as lying and Comey recognized as perjury, she walks away unscathed and accepted by the liberal public as the rightful aire to the presidency. Well folkses,  Heah be da deal. Me thinks everything and I mean EVERYTHING has already been set into motion  to guarantee a Hilliary transition into the white house.  Barry has violated the constitution and smothered us with executive orders his entire stay in office all of which will expedite this transition as not one voice of opposition was raised by those the majority of us elected to do just that!  Now, here is my prediction.  What you won't see, if by honest chance Donald Trump wins the election, is his transition into the white house. Federal agencies, if you have not been paying attention, from homeland through the Hoover group to include the already tested BLM are prepared to enforce a total sweep toward a new USSA or United Socialist States of America.  Okay, you're all ready to laugh and dismiss me to a total right wing nut case.  Go ahead, but despite the secular left leaning media's attempt to feed all of us the propaganda this administration wants us to hear, some things are placed on our plates that we just ignore.  Such as the fact that all General Officers of our armed forces that we expected would defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies foreign and domestic have been fired or retired. Every thing is in place. If you feel slightly bruised from this "slap?" You wait. Hilliary, if she absolutely has to,  will mark her time if the Republicans keep the house and senate in this coming November election. Give her two years, and the life we have all known will be all hers to do what she wishes as she has already publically said she would appoint a disbarred lawyer to the Supreme Court!  Remember his name?  Barack Hussein Obama?   Do not forget now, Donald Trump has already revealed to us the TRUE COLORS of the Senate and House Republicans as some of these elites have openly endorsed Hilliary.  We have heard conservative pundits refer to these Republican lifers as RINO's and without doubt,  will join forces with the Progressive Democrat Party to become an elite sort of politburo as they have already sold their soul to gain the world.

          So here is my conclusion?  If Trump wins, the oppression will begin immediately.  Black Lives Matter, active LGBT groups, Islamic terrorist cells or ISIS radicals, millennial activist on college campuses all over this country will start the riot, loot and burn routine and Barry will simply put this country under Marshal Law.  I didn't even mention major cities that are controlled by gangs, did I? Anyway, when this happens, our president will not have to step down from the presidency.  You see, ole  Barry ain't giving the white house to no one but Hilliary.  Now, if  Hillairy wins, and according to the media she will, we will slowly be stripped of our freedoms over the next two to four years.  Israel will all but be forgotten and without the help of the United States will find her hands full with every muslim country in the middle east.  In the 21 Century you will see Ahab and Jezebel and the prophets of baal all over again folkses,.  Now maybe those fatalist amongst us will say it is time for our Lord to return and He will put a stop to this.  Two quick points here from a non-biblical scholar.  No one knows the time of His return and secondly, our God's time table has a whole bunch to do with his chosen people, Israel.  In the meantime imagine the appointed successor of Hilliary and Bill?  None other that Chelsea Hubble Clinton her majesty.  Well, maybe the last is a little far reaching but I suspect it is time for people to start dying unexpectedly from suicides, plane crashes, car accidents or armed robberies... I mean seriously, haven't we seen this already with these two?  Absolutely.  They are above the law of this once Godly country.  

          One parting thought.  The last time I ever saw this country this divided was Professor History's account of our Civil War.  Both the Union North and Confederate South believed that Jehovah God was on their side.  This was what President Lincoln was responding to, when asked, "Mr. President, do you believe that God is on your side?"  And his response to the reporter was historic.  "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."  With that said, the division that exist in this country now is not questionable.  There are the people of God and the Godless.  Oh, and by the way, I did not misspell Hilliary.  The word liar truly applies to this person and name. 

Posted on my Blog Only, July 6, 2016




          A friend of mine posted an email she received from her brother a few days back and I was disappointed that I could not "share" the contents on my wall. I asked if she could email the contents and she agreed. This is part of a sermon I believe that the Reverand Franklin Graham delivered at somepoint central to this existing time and I felt like sharing with the few people that still had my newsfeed posting on their wall. So much truth. This time from a biblical scholar. What think ye?
Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because
the flow that has passed will never pass again.

           Franklin Graham was speaking at the First Baptist
Church in Jacksonville, Florida in January, 2015, when he said America
will not come back.  He wrote: The American dream ended on November 6th, 2012 in
Ohio. The second term of Barack Obama has been the final nail in the coffin for the legacy of the white Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest republic in the history of mankind.

          A coalition of blacks, Latinos, feminists, gays, government workers, union members, environmental extremists, the media, Hollywood, uninformed young people, the "forever needy," the chronically unemployed, illegal aliens and other "fellow travelers" have ended Norman Rockwell's America. You will never again out-vote these people. It will take individual acts of defiance and massive displays of civil disobedience to get back the rights we have allowed them to take away. It will take zealots, not moderates and shy, not reach-across-the-aisle RINOs to right this ship and restore our beloved country to its former status.

           People like me are completely politically irrelevant, and I will probably never again be able to legally comment on or concern myself with the aforementioned coalition which has surrendered
our culture, our heritage and our traditions without a shot being fired.  The cocker spaniel is off the front porch, the pit bull is in the backyard.   The American Constitution has been replaced with
Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" and the likes of Chicago shyster David Axelrod along with international socialist George Soros have been pulling the strings on their beige puppet and have brought us Act 2 of the New World Order.

           The curtain will come down but the damage has been done, the   story has been told. Those who come after us will once again have to risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor
to bring back the Republic that this generation has timidly frittered away due to white guilt and political correctness...

           If you have the forsight to pass this on, please do. If not, I understand. We were not willing to risk our lives to save what the prayers of God fearing me asked for and received from an Almighty Creator.  I am not talking about you. I am talking about us.   Collectively.   Like Reverend Graham said in his last paragraph. It will be those who come after our time has gone, that will once again, have to risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to bring back the Republic that this generation has timidly frittered away due to white guild and political correctness..

Just saying.

Posted July 20 from my home




          Tremendously disappointed in Cruz. He was in my top four from the very beginning.. I understand the disgusting joust of political positioning and feel that any canidate that seeks the office of president should be able to rise above the garbage after it is dumped and move on. He folded. He redefined everything I had hoped he was and still could have been in his defeat. Ted Cruz has proven he was in and is still in this political position for personal gain. Not as a representative of you and I, but himself. He has defined himself as the RINO he has always been and is now positioning himself to be part of the progressive democratic and RINO elements of both the house and senate that very easily could become the ruling politburo under the continued presidency of Obama if Trump wins outright, or if Hilliary wins and dismantles the Constitu;tion of the United States as she has promised to do. Continued presidency of Obama? Yes. If Trump wins, regardless of by how much or how little, this country is going to explode from coast to coast and he will declare marshal law. And we just saw Mr. Cruz position himself to be among the ruling socialist as all of thiis unfolds before us.

Posted July 23 from my afternoon home




           Facebook is teasing me with a new bio feed update window.  I actually thought I would engage their request and typed away. After compiling what I thought to be a different twist to my personality, I found that I could not update the "new bio," so I copied it onto here. So here is what my new bio would read had the "add a new bio," allowed me to print:

           Sitting at my kitchen breakfast bar on the last day of July, I find myself  one of many seasoned senior citizen's of a once great, but rapidly declining country. Like many of us, I have allowed my lips to remain silent and my actions civil while at the same time, being led a very long way from where I actually belonged.  See, in my heart I saw what was happening, but to keep peace like law abiding citizens do, I found myself adjusting to changing social mores that grated against my moral boundaries.  So now, when I am forced to drink the cool-aide, I am positive I will resist to the best of my physical abilities and transform back into the mold I came from. I am a white Christian male who sins but knows that Christ is my intercessor with Jehovah. I was born and raised in the solid south  where I learned that a firearm was part of my heritage! I proudly became a Democrat when I turned 18 the same day I registered for the draft.  Thanks to old Jimmy Carter, I became a Republican in 1973 when I returned to Louisiana as a US Army veteran. As of this posting, I have seriously considered becoming part of the conservative Independent Party because the 2016 Presidential contest opened my eyes helping me to realize my treasured Republican party has begun to sip the cool-aide of progressiveness and is no longer as conservative as it once was! So who am I then? Well, it appears I fit my own governments definition of a domestic terrorist. Go figure.

Posted July 31, from my late evening home




AUGUST

          The dog days of August struggled through its designated time on the calendar.  Uncomfortable heat, humid afternoons accented with accumulating heat cells that could drop two inches of rain in 15 minutes and be gone.  As with last month, I did not hear the first song from my Mockingbird.  I guess like me they sought the solace of cooler places and saved their energy for gathering food.  I do miss their comfort in song during these testing days knowing they are still present as they reveal themselves to me occasionally as the move across my visual.  The too know the fall equinox cometh.   As for me?  There was nothing of significance to share except for that stupid Sciatic Nerve Viper that bit me.  Oh my word.  Maybe shingles would be more tolerable??  Oh yeah, forgot.  I had that vaccination.  Besides,  I an the only one that reads this anyway. 





SEPTEMBER

          Birthday wish to my niece, Tracy Borden Whitaker in Kansas.  My dearest Tracy. Life, like time, moves forward. Nothing makes it go faster, while at the same time, the same Source that controls the day and night, never slows it down. Not so true in the hearts, mind and life of His most treasured creations. As children, it took, it seemed, a lifetime for Christmas to ever get here. We could not wait to be in the first grade, 6th grade, a teen ager, get our drivers licenses and what ever else we wanted. Just took so long for us and we were so impatient for things to happen, we wished our life away. Now here we are. Let's just you and I say, at this age in our life. Isn't it amazing now that we have wished our life away how everything comes and goes so fast now. Wasn't it just yesterday we were still in the spring of our life?   Wasn't it just yesterday we looked forward to Thanksgiving dinner at Maw Maw and Pap Paws house? Wasn't it just yesterday I actually had this birthday, yet it was a year ago? Who is this person I am looking at in this mirror? Where has time gone now that it is moving so fast? I reckon you need to let me know when you figure it out. Being the 20 some years ahead of you, I have more or less accepted the fast pace life has taken. In fact, I became so consumed in living it I overlook simple things like a birthday. Like I did yours. Well, I didn't overlook it, I just did not take the time to post on your timeline a simple, Happy Birthday, Tracy... Why? I was busy and that time evaporated so quickly. Thought of you now... But we always "think" of others... Thinking of others gives you and I a peace in our head and it helps "resolve" our intentions of communication. Doesn't do a thing for the person we were thinking about though, does it? So, with having said all of that, allow me to tell you Happy Birthday for all of those I actually missed and especially for the one I just missed last year and yesterday. I love you, sweet niece and despite time vacating a void within us and between so many we think about, never doubt that I love you. I doubt not your love for me as well. After all, we are family. For a short time here, which is just an eye blink between the two eternities we are currently existing in. Go figures. Wipe the tears and smile. There is still life to live!

 And of course, her beautiful response.

          What a sweet and thoughtful birthday sentiment. I thank you, love you, and appreciate you and your taking the time to read this. Wipe my tears? Well.. I haven't been crying much lately and I have "thought" of you. (lol!) Yes, it's all going by too fast so there is nothing left to do but hurry up and live it. Right? I had a great birthday. About 4 days of joy, then a real life struggle reared its ugly head again. Thank God it will pass fast too. Though the rough times seem to stand still, there is an advantage to the ticking clock with hands that only more forward. The sad and bad stuff will be over soon enough as the good. Always remember that part. I love you, Uncle Rod. Love, Tracy

Posted September14 from my early morning office




OCTOBER



NOVEMBER

          Has been a while since I've sat by my rivers edge in the predawn hours of a new day. A firm wind from the south extends the highlighted colors of America's iconic symbol, reminding me of the very reason we should celebrate thanksgiving everyday. It was just this past July conservative voices of all spiritual denominations across this country lifted our voices in a unison plea for Jehovah God to hold true to his written word. "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."   It was around the 4th of July that this verse from God's Holy Word was lifted to Him in a plea from all of us to help save this country from the coming election a short four (4) months away.  Sides have never been more politically divided along party lines since State Rights plunged brother against brother in the Civil War.  This time is was not slavery, taxation or anything else that could or would divide us.  This time it boiled down to Conservatism vs Liberalism;  Capitalism vs Socialism; Republican vs Progressive Democrat; Black vs Asian vs Hispanic vs White; Christian vs Agnostic vs Islam.  And yes, for awhile most of us "humbled ourselves"  and "prayed" while we "sought His face," for a while...  As I pondered this verse over and over in my mind on this windy morning, my river simply confirmed in this early morning hour that if Our God did in fact hear our prayers as evidenced by so many of us that gloat on the outcome of the political landscape today, then it is OUR turn.  We must Turn From Our Wicked Ways! If you humbled yourself and prayed to Our God while seeking His face, then it is YOUR turn to do exactly that.  How Stand ye on His request of us/you?

Posted November 28 from my early morning River.




DECEMBER