DEATH!

It's not a fun kind of subject, but it's part of life. For each of us personally, the end, in terms of this earthly existence. God's Word tells us that it's an "appointment" and following that comes the Judgement (Hebrews 9:27) For the believer in Jesus Christ to exit this body we live in now, is to be present forever with Him (2Corinthians 5:8)

Sometimes, and recently for me, someone dies and the HUMAN understanding tends to dwell on how "unfair" it is for someone to live a short life here, but when you get to know the character of God, and I'm just starting to get to know Him, you see that first of all, He is in control, and you can believe that if something happens that seems to be "unfair" there is a good reason for it that we more than likely won't know until we're in Heaven with Him. I can just about guarantee you that when someone dies "young" as we understand it, had they continued to live, something bad was going to happen and God in His mercy spared them from it.

You may say, "well then, why are there people who suffer long, painful diseases." That one's EASY to answer. I don't know. And none of us do. But we can put our complete faith and trust in God knowing that He's not some big mean old man in the sky who's out to prevent fun. He INVENTED fun. He created a sense of humor. He's not angry with you. Amazingly, though I give Him ample reason to be, He's not angry with ME. His mercy endures forever.

I will never regret having come to know Him. That doesn't mean I'm perfect by any means, but it DOES mean that He accepted me...weird old me just as I was. He's still got a lot of work to do on me, but He's changed me quite a bit, too. Yeah, it hurts, death does, but I've found the Lord to have the best set of "shoulders" to cry on. He is where compassion originated.

Hope what I've said will help you to stop hurting, or at least to hurt less. You'll find that sweet memories will eventually come and you'll tend to only remember the good times.

I love you

My brother in law shares this from God's Word Deut 29:29--

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Matters of the Heart: At SOME Point You Have to Use Your Brain

If there's anything I believe in with all my heart it is the concept of redemption. We ALL sin, make mistakes, mess up or whatever you want to call it. No one deserves a second chance. Did you hear me? I said NO ONE DESERVES a second chance, but the funny thing is the ONE Person Who is capable of forgiving forgives freely. Therefore, I don't have the right to not forgive. Forgiving is not an emotion. It is a decision. You can decide to forgive someone and feel zero manifestations of it, but eventually, if you've decided to do so, you will.

What does this have to do with matters of the heart? Plenty. But first, let's not forget the concept of fool me once, shame on you. Fool me TWICE, shame on ME!

Forgiving doesn't mean becoming one's door mat and letting people continue to abuse you, no!

In the "relationship" arena, (this expression cracks me up, because there are all kinds of relationships besides romantic or lustful ones) hopefully one learns. I am single. There are a lot of reasons for that.

1. If someone is giving out "samples" eventually they will run out of them. Who's to know how low the supply is running out? How few are left. How many other guys (girls) has this person given a "sample" to.

2. If someone tells you they are damaged goods believe them. Beyond that, it's your choice but be ware...You can try to convince them of redemption, but if they feel they have a right not to forgive someone in their former "relationship" they are not capable of being at square one with you and it will be totally unfair. You will probably wind up hurt. Now, if you know redemption and live it before them and are patient enough, they may catch on, but God will not violate the will of a person. Hear me, He will NOT make someone trust you who is in this condition. He WILL NOT MAKE THEM LOVE YOU, no matter how you pray. PERIOD.

3. No one can make you hate someone. It, too, is a decision. Choose not to. This may require a little distance between you and the one you are tempted to hate.

4. Being single is not the end of the world. You may be misunderstood as a horn toad, or a number of other things but you can function without a "help meet." That doesn't mean it's all that fun, but you DO have the freedom to flirt. Do it, too much, and you'll be categorized by some, but you know what? Those people don't count!

Commentator vs Newsperson

There is some confusion about the difference between a news person and a commentator, to the point that a ridiculous question is asked in a poll about Sean Hannity. Hannity is a COMMENTATOR and as such gives his opinion. That's his job. He will re-enforce political things with which he agrees and attempt to disprove those with which he does not. I've said many times that journalism is a lost art and rare these days.

The so called "main stream" media that I refer to as DINOSAUR is so slanted to the left, that a truly balanced approach would appear to be right wing, simply because from the left the center is to the right.

I have seen times when Sean Hannity has gotten obnoxious on his shows both on radio and televison, but I have to hand it to him, he DOES bring in people with differing opinions. Were it not for talk radio and Fox News Channel Americans would be under the impression that most everyone disagreed with them, because this view of things is the majority. The left is afraid of that. A left-slanted talk show can only exist in the land of taxpayer-funded broadcasting because it's been eliminated for the most part in the free market of ideas.

I've yet to totally make up my mind about NPR, which is under new scrutiny. I will admit, that I pretty much wrote it off as yet another leftist media outlet, so when the Congress began to examine whether to continue to fund it, I began to listen more often. I do not rely on any one single source for information, but I can identify a lie when I hear it, because they are usually repeated ad nauseum.

Even this latest poll, which I took but twice now have received one of those famous 404 messages when trying to send it, is asked in such a way as to slant the outcome dishonestly.

For now, I will continue monitoring NPR (National Public Radio) and let you know my opinion.

Nearly Missed

Okay, so my distance vision has deteriorated to the point that last night, I was headed out of L&L lr Trivia and I swore I saw a friend of mine at the end of the bar and didn't have a chance to go over and bug her, so when I was leaving there she was (I THOUGHT) on this bench outside and I walked over and just as I went to tweek her cute little nose, WHOOPS! It wasn't her!. It was this other incredibly delicious looking woman and her boyfriend was very understanding--thus, I'm still alive to tell this tale. Just as I connected I said, "Oh, my GOSH it's not you! I thought you were (mind blank)" couldn't even think of her name. Trying to save the situation I looked at her and said, "You think he bought it?" She said, "Yeah" I wen "Shew! GOT to be moe careful!" and made it safely to my car, looking back occasionally for fear of getting a can of whomp- "butt" opened on me.

Southern Accent: A Thing of the Past?

I don't mind Southern accents unless they're too extreme and just sound like the person's purposely trying to sound ignorant. They swear they can't help it, but when their mouths have to contort to say certain words, it would be much more simple just to talk and forget about the "hey, Andy!"

Mom "hailed" from Goldsboro and was given grief for in her words, "putting her best foot forward." I know another lady in my church who's like that and that's what I call true Southern Belles. Ladylike with no trace of "fiddle dee dee!"

On the other end of the spectrum is the "ebonic" accent, yom sane? Why do people want to sound ignorant? Beats me. All you have to do is listen to the content of my speech some times to give away my flaws. I surely don't need to add a weird accent to it.

Of course, as a kid, spending my summers and every other weekend in Wilson (NC) I would pick up the accent and kids back in Falls Church would say, "Why are you talking funny?" I guess it comes with being a mimmick. You start off doing a character voice and wind up just speaking that way.

In radio, when I started, it was a "non-regional" sound they were looking for. Johnny Dunn, a deejay on then, WRNC in Raleigh told me I didn't have a regional accent and that would be in my favor. To me, deep southern accents only work on like a bluegrass show or something. But a local talk show co-host woman has a pretty thick accent and when she laughs, my Lord, she sounds like the Wicked Witch of the West!

Then you get these guys like her partner who has no bottom to his voice so he grunts to try to make up for it. Sound's ridiculous.

I hope the charming, southern accent never dies, and the Gomer Pyle thing goes the way of television re-run syndication. Shizzayam!

Must Have Been...

When Josh Turner accompanied (Turner fans will get the pun) Scotty McCreery to Garner for the concert Saturday, it must have been quite a dream come true for the lad. I could just imagine, (and still do) if I'd made it as a recording artist and had had Elvis come. I really share his enthusiasm. Just hope the machine doesn't make him do too much of what he doesn't want to do.

In a sense, becoming an on air disc jockey playing someone else's songs was a sell out for me. But, then again, so was playing top 40 songs in a couple of the bands I fronted. It's difficult to find anyone who completely does not sell out. But if Scotty can sing a good number of things that are true to himself, he'll be fine. That's MY definition of success. You can sell all the records in the world, and fill the largest venues and still be empty, if you feel like you're selling out. Karen Carpenter wanted to be a rocker, but I can't imagine that. But what she did was nothing to be ashamed of.

I don't figure I need to be voting on American Idol even though there's a place inside me that hopes this kid does well. You wouldn't believe the number of people from Garner who've told me their version of "I knew him when." Well, we ain't past when just yet, but it sure looks like we're going to be.

Everyone knows I'm just not an American Idol fan, even though against all odds I have to admit they've produced some real talent. They've also produced something far less.

Good luck, kid

(picture Scotty at Garner Saturday courtesy A Scott Honeycutt)

Tipping...Yesterday and Today

The practice known as "tipping" came from "to insure PROMPTNESS." But the law allows owners of restaurants, bars and the like to pay something less than minimum wage and servers, waitstaff, bartenders, etc., are then expected to be paid tips ACCORDING TO HOW THEIR SERVICE is. Minimum service-minimum tip. Excellent service-excellent tip is the way it is supposed to go.

But over the years, it's become customary for patrons to be expected to pay fifteen percent regardless. Some people, we'll just call them SKUMBAGS don't tip at all. Some folks OVER tip for a variety of reasons. (everything from trying to impress the waitress to older guys with the dream of a one night stand)

One trend I found really interesting, was the practice of leaving a penny face up when one gets terrible service. The message to the wait person is "FACE UP" to what you did. You stunk.

I used to be told by wait staff at a certain Holiday Inn in Fairfax when a non-tipper was around. Sometimes I would "accidentally" spill a drink on them. I'm not proud of that.