Exceptionalism

I am a firm believer in American Exceptionalism. I believe that good men (as good as humans CAN be) founded this nation according to standards laid down in God's Word, the Bible. In other words, the United States is an EXCEPTION to other countries and cultures as God has uniquely guided and had His Holy Hand on us. We, as a nation used to welcome Him, but years ago, at the protesting of one, single Atheist woman, we DIS-invited him first in our schools, and now there are those who wish to remove His Majesty from every public expression. Strange, for a nation who's motto was "No King but CHRIST the King" just after the Revolutionary War.

We have more than one generation that has been indoctrinated into another school of thought. One that the only Europeans who are worthy are the one's there currently, but the one's who founded this country were somehow evil, greedy people. We are facing a greater tyranny today than the original Tea Party participants (all those years ago in Boston) faced and yet we do not hear the cries of outrage. Make reference to any of them of the Mayflower Compact and they will look at you like a mule looking at a new gate!

That is a whole different subject than the one I am writing about here. The exceptionalism of which I speak is the idea that rules exist for everyone ELSE. There is a type of person who reads, "Fire Lane" and interprets it "Special parking for me and mine!"

An African American friend of mine once said that there is a school of thought quite prevalent in his world that laws are "white man's laws" and only apply to them. This would explain some bizarre behavior I've witnessed. Before you start thinking this is a criticism of a particular race, let me hasten to say that many "crackers" act in this same way about different things. The computer in front of which I sit says "QUIET ZONE...*NO* CELL PHONES" and yet I continually hear them go off and people loudly say, "HELLO" with impunity. My eyes wander to the librarians who ignore this behavior. I can just hear them saying "We're not babysitters!" No doubt, but you certainly have some babies here. One of my teachers used to say "lack of maturation."

Many speak of culture and simply have none. People in the words of Robert W Dunburg, my 6th grade teacher , 7th grade Art and Senior year Art teacher, they are "rude, crude and unattractive!" Why people are so in love with remaining on this planet is a mystery to me. I'm ready for Calgon (read that JESUS) to take me away!

Can it be said enough? Yesterday I saw a group of Sheriff's Deputies having lunch and walked over and said, "Not to interrupt your lunch, gentlemen, but I just wanted to thank you for all that you do." To my surprise, one of the Deputies was a friend of mine I didn't recognize initially.

I don't think we can thank these brave, selfless individuals enough for their service, whether they be in law enforcement, of the military, they deserve our gratitude.

Yes, there are many who have made politics and government a "career" choice and that is not what was originally intended by our Founding Fathers. But today, there still exists, just as it did when my Dad was working a civilian job for the Federal Government a few true civil SERVANTS.

This is a salute to them!

Things Heaven Will Have to be Better Than

Heaven will have to be better than that feeling I'd have when I'd come home from delivering potato chips and my son would run up and say "Daddy's home on his big ole truck!" I tell you, that kid made me feel like a KING!

Heaven will have to be better than that.

It will have to be better than that feeling when you're cuddling on the couch with the love of your life watching some sentimental movie or a music video and don't have to say a word.

It will have to be better than that feeling when my big sister was nursing my neck, when I hanged myself on the ropes riding my bicycle up to where they were trying to keep people away from the bowling alley that had collapsed under the weight of the snow. I knew my big sister loved me.

It will have to be better than the feeling of acceptance I had when my cousin defended me to his friends who called me names.

It will have to be better than that feeling when my dad skipped the first part of church with me to walk across the street and share a Dr Pepper. "You want the first half, or the second?" I took the first. He kept saying, "Drink a little more. That's not quite half." It had shivers of ice in it. The Geeze and I shared so very much.

It will have to be better than the feeling when it seemed the world wanted me hung out to dry for some infraction of their stupid way of doing things and Mom let me know I messed up without condemning me because she didn't want to give those who would the satisfaction. A Mom's love.

Heaven, I know, is better than all of this. So worth being determined to get there!