Although I get few likes and comments on this site and I’ not going to lie, it’s nice to hear back from readers, I still continue to post things that I feel people enjoy reading and things that Jesus lays it on my heart to say. As I mentioned on my home page, I’m not monetized, so there’s no pecuniary motivation for me, but I still appreciate knowing that my posts are reaching folks.
I have readers all over the world, but to be honest, it’s because of the great sites I link onto and I often wonder how many folks just click on the link because it’s there. It would be wonderful to know that I’m saying things that give people pause to think about deeper spiritual things and help to provide hope to fellow travelers who’ve become mired in trepidation, but with little to no feedback, I just have to hope.
I’m a big-time dog lover and have 4 pups who are a big part of my life. I’ve written earlier posts about them, especially my girl, Little Britches. They all have unique personalities, but hers is really kind of special. She’s harmless and loveable, a little shy until you get to know her, and she has retained some of the border collie wildness – just a tad, but it comes out at times, like when I give them treats. If I don’t remind her to be easy, she forgets her shyness and snatches the treat (usually chicken jerky) so fast it’s like trying to feed a shark or alligator. I’ve learned to always be cautious and remember to tell her to be “EASY!” because she’s nipped my fingers more than once.
I know you’re wondering where I’m going with this, but I suppose there’s some similarity in writing posts – especially posts that attempt to encourage folks to get or stay engaged with Jesus, in that I always expect to get bitten. There are folks out there who genuinely abhor anyone talking about the Lord and they can be vicious. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at times, though, because sometimes after an especially deep spiritual post and I’m left wondering what kind of nasty comments it will evoke, it seems that I get one of those pleasant feedbacks – always from a non-believer! From such experiences I’ve come to understand what Jesus meant when He said He didn’t come to save the righteous, but sinners. I believe the nice, respectful words to be coming from the hearts of folks who profess to be non-believers, but to whom God is obviously speaking, and I pray for them that they will lend Him an ear. I choose to believe that they will – eventually. These are genuine folks who enjoy the treat without biting.
Although it’s rare to get any feedback at all, it’s even more so to hear back from people who are believers. Odd, that. Jesus warned us about casting our pearls (His wisdom we learn) before swine, but He didn’t go into exactly who the swine are. In His day it was probably the Pharisees, the religious lawyers of the day who imposed all the man-made doctrines on everyone. I guess they were the biters, because He warned His sheep that those guys would trample your treasure and turn on you, so I suppose we should be careful with whom we share. And don’t take it that I’m saying believers are mean, either. I just don’t hear much from them. It’s hard to be cautious with whom you share, however, when you post on the internet. Fortunately, though, I have only been assailed rarely in comments, and I guess I really need to grow some thicker skin, because I have a tendency to let negativity get to me.
If we are to be prepared for the bad times that the prophets warned us are coming, we’ll have to come to grips with the fact that the Lord has some genuine enemies in the world and once they know where we’re coming from, there’s no reason to expect that they won’t declare war on any and all known Christians. But then, we don’t have to be afraid of them because, “…though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me…” if we stay focused on Him. Otherwise, a person could start to feel like the Old Red Rooster when he hears she’s coming ’round the mountain. No, I think the thin-skin thing is more about personal acceptance (a fault from a human desire for friendship with the world) than fear, and I need to be able to conquer it without becoming arrogant.
I imagine this post reads like I think I’m some kind of saint, but trust me, if not for the mercy and grace of Jesus, I would already be in the fires of hell. I don’t know anyone who has committed more offenses to the Lord than I have in my former life. Jesus told a parable about a guy who summoned a couple of people who owed him money. One only owed him a little, but the other one (me), owed him a big debt. He forgave both debts. Jesus asked, “which one of them would love him (the debtor) more?” That’s why I don’t have a problem with getting on my knees and thanking Him from the bottom of my soul. That’s why He’s the best friend any human could ever have, because even after the horrible lives some of us have lived, He still loves us profoundly and wants to sit beside us under the shade tree at the river and spend the day in our company or give us that gentle elbow when we see someone who needs our help. He waits at the very gate of Heaven with open arms for us so that one day we may hear Him utter the greatest, most profound and wonderful words that will ever have been spoken in human ears, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy lord!”
Jesus Christ is with us, so you keep that chin up! Even if you and I never meet in this life, I will definitely see you on the other side!
We are now seeing the end times. Of that we can be assured, and it is the mandate of those who have received the gift to discern that Entity upon the cloud with the sharp sickle to shed such inhibitions as restrain our determination and endeavor to give aid to those whom it pleases Him to invite to His Kingdom. Those who have been blessed to understand, and are thankful for His blood, which cleanses the soul, understand that we live with a mandate to share our Divine inspiration, our knowledge gained through His mighty gifts of faith and love, and more so as His return approaches. He increasingly rids us of those restraints and gifts us with such words and thoughts as He deems necessary to fulfil our directions along with giving us the determination to do so.
These words are intended for those souls who have become embittered, who might become lost in hopelessness at the power of evil that we see and feel overcoming the world. Know that these times have to be upon us so that we, as faithful servants of Jesus Christ, may perform our sacred obligations to Him who shed His blood for us. Although we can never repay Him for what He has done for us, we can and shall serve as lights as best we are able to those who seek refuge in this world gone mad. Know also that there is hope, and as the dark clouds gather do not marvel that this Hope patiently abides to allow us time to help gather His sheep.
courtesy: pngtree.com
Our Heavenly Father has provided His servants with everything they need to enter His Kingdom, but He has instructed us that the gate is narrow that leads to life. As we watch so many who live in error, so many who follow false teachers, that lonely feeling of doubt ever threatens. There is a line in a popular song of faith that speaks of a star that becomes increasingly visible as the surrounding darkness increases. We must strive against the gathering darkness and be that star! What a privilege and an honor to have been chosen by the great Shepherd Jesus Christ to help tend His flock!
When He thrusts in that sharp sickle, may we have helped to make ready much for Him to harvest! While He was in the flesh among men, He asked His trusted disciple Peter if he loved Him, and if he did to please feed His sheep. If one studies the New Covenant, he comes to understand that mandate has been inherited by all who would seek Him. We cannot keep our lamp hidden under a basket if we are to please Him. It is our sacred duty to help our fellow travelers to find that narrow gate, thus preparing His field for the Harvest.
There is no doubt any longer that the evil one, that dragon who opposes Christ, has gained control of the world, and in so many ways. The fear and intimidation that threatens Jesus’ followers is the reason for this post. There is hope! Believe it! Jesus said [Matthew 28:20] “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Even to the end of the age! That’s now, friends. Take courage, He is with us.
Those who do not know Jesus, yet are distressed to endure the malignity that permeates the world, are in danger of becoming lost in the tumultuous sea of despair, but only because they have not yet taken refuge on the Rock of Ages. You don’t belong to the evil one, or you’d be able to tolerate his evil. Since the Lord has opened your eyes and you will to resist the evil, you have much Hope! See to it that you look into salvation that comes through Faith in Jesus – you still stand to win an awesome victory that will strengthen your heart! Find Jesus – He’s very easy to find. When you lay down to sleep at night you’ll rest peacefully with a joyful heart – perfect Love – which comes from God – casts out fear! He’s not the hard-core executioner you may have been taught – He’s a perfect friend to have beside you in troubled times who loves you with an incredibly profound love. You’ll never regret getting to know Him, getting to love Him – don’t ask me how I know, I don’t even understand it, but I do know – for sure.
Satan took Jesus up to a high place where He could see the whole world and offered Him kingship of it all if Jesus would worship him. Of course, Jesus denied him, but how many humans has he taken up to that place and made them similar offers? From the rampant evil in the world, we can see that indeed many have accepted his offer. Those who are in charge of nations and kingdoms of this world tend to be very evil men and women, and a time will soon be here, very soon, when posts like this one will be against the laws of men.
Another sign of the times are the new religions springing up around the world which teach a return to the old covenant of Moses, with its adherence to dietary regulations and observance of the old Holy days and other tenets of the old law. This is the leavening of the Pharisees about which Jesus warned us and is possibly one of the most insidious of all blasphemies due to its being part of the Bible but taken out of context, a practice which Satan has mastered. If followed to its logical conclusion, this dogma will, as intended, strive to completely remove Jesus Christ from any possible relationship with God. That is a twisted attempt to reestablish a covenant which no longer exists, and Christians should avoid it – Satan has employed many false teachers with silver tongues who can persuade all but the most faithful that since the old law is in the Bible, they still need to follow it. They forget or ignore the fact that Jesus fulfilled the law and it no longer applies to us. You have to twist and pervert the gospel of Jesus to believe otherwise. As of this writing, there is word that the Synagogue of Satan intends to rebuild their temple and reinstitute animal sacrifices which would completely obviate the precious sacrifice of Jesus, the one which was made to remove our sins.
This whole attempt to return to the old covenant is designed by Satan to eliminate faith in Jesus Christ. Can you see that this growing cult is serving to widen the gate that leads to destruction? I’m quite sure that since this belief system has grown on them, many “Christians” will be perfectly ok with animal sacrifices when they start – which will have the effect of absolute denial of Christ’s sacrifice.
Another closely related false religion is the evangelical “Judeo Christian” movement. Folks, there is no such thing as a Judeo Christian. There are Christians and there are those who still practice Judaism. They’re like oil and water – they don’t mix and if you try to make them mix, you become guilty of false teaching and denial of the power of Jesus. Every step one takes to return to the old covenant is another step away from Jesus Christ. He told us this would happen but many of those who consider themselves to be Christians will do it anyway.
The fast-growing and false teaching of the mega churches that they are Judeo Christians further serves to demonstrate that a big majority of people are abandoning Christ. A big part of the deception is because there’s money at the root of it, and lots of it, and there are more and more people who are trying to somehow contort it into a belief that they’re staying on God’s side while they are in fact leaving Jesus. You can’t mix the old covenant with the new – remember the part about sewing a new patch on an old garment? Or new wine in old wineskins? It ain’t going to happen. Jesus said He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him. What? Do you think Jesus Christ was lying?!! Do you imagine you can approach God more directly by adding pieces of an old covenant that serves to exclude Jesus? Do you believe that you can come closer to God by observing old laws that don’t even apply anymore? In fact, those old laws never were given to the Gentiles at all. The apostle Paul demonstrates to us, however, that the new covenant was handed down to the Jews and Gentiles and is intended for the whole world.
The gate is wide that leads to destruction and it’s getting wider all the time. Many are called, but few are chosen. When that big sickle hits the harvest, there are going to be a lot of folks taken, for sure, but proportionally the number will be small. Jesus will tell many that He never knew them and that’s a shame, but it’s the price they will pay for following false teachers. I personally believe most of those ones will be self-deceived members of the mega churches.
Think about this: There is a vast majority of people in the world who, because of their sinful behavior, immorality, pride, etc., that are in the wide gate. Then there are millions of people who ascribe to false religions. There is, as mentioned, a growing majority of “Christian” people who ascribe to the many corrupted versions of Christianity. The gate to destruction is wide indeed!
There are many, but still a comparative few who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for our sins, and that if we put our faith in Him, get baptized and live like He taught us, love God and love our neighbors, we will be saved. That’s the pure, unadulterated Gospel, and Jesus is all we need. That’s the narrow gate, and we need to go through it.
Perhaps we could get America back on its feet and out from under the threat of nuclear annihilation by electing a sane leader who would help us get back into the sane world. Folkpotpourri would like to suggest a search for the ideal candidate for the upcoming presidential election. This site is prepared to endorse a hitherto unannounced candidate whose platform contains the following guidelines, or one who is willing to adopt them:
Our ideal candidate must commit to the absolute and undeniable pursuit of international peace, especially with those nations with whom former administrations (including the current one) lacked the initiative, ability and/or foresight to maintain amicable relationships. Especially applicable to this pursuit are the sovereign nations of The Russian Federation, The Islamic Republic of Iran, The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, The Republic of Cuba, The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the People’s Republic of China.
As a gesture of goodwill and sincerity towards Russia and Germany, this candidate would propose initiating an effort to repair the Nord stream underwater gas lines – at the expense of the U.S. government and other countries ascertained to have taken part in the sabotage of the pipelines, with teams of American engineers and construction companies assigned to assist in the restoration. Along with this commitment would be a formal apology listing all countries who participated in the criminal destruction of other countries’ assets. The funds required for this undertaking would come from the budget of the Defense Department as one of many steps toward reduction of the military budget. The International Criminal Court will have the fullest consent and cooperation of the United States government in the investigation and prosecution of individuals who participated in the pipeline sabotage – regardless of whomever may be indicted.
Once it is established that restoration of relations is of preeminent importance and the affected nations are convinced of his sincerity, this president, once in office would initiate a new effort to reduce the threat of war, especially nuclear war, with all involved nations. The new administration would also commit to a sincere one-China policy, and to demonstrate its sincerity, all American military assets would be removed from Taiwan on inauguration day, or as soon thereafter as possible, and there would be no further need for negotiations regarding China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. All military incursions into the Strait of Taiwan would cease without permission of the PRC. Freedom of navigation is not applicable in waters where the same nation owns all boundaries of such waters. Following restoration of amicable relations, the ability of United States private corporations to continue and explore ways to increase trade with both entities, while recognizing that Taiwan is a territory of China and no transactions with the island would be made without China’s consent. Other similar measures would be taken with regard to Iran and North Korea.
The United States defense department would immediately remove its military assets from the Ukraine, along with any personnel that might be there. All other NATO countries would be strongly advised to follow suit, leaving the ultimate resolution of the affair in the hands of the Ukraine and Russia exclusively. All sanctions would promptly be lifted which affect the Russian Federation and the Department of State would be directed to appoint a committee to work with Russian officials to reestablish trade with Russia and assist the European Union in doing so. Mutually beneficial commerce among nations would be of preeminent importance, the United States would commit to working together with Eurasia to enhance global interaction to the benefit of all. Reluctance on the part of Russia to cooperate on such an endeavor would be completely understandable, thus the United States would take whatever measures appropriate to demonstrate genuine good will.
Agricultural, educational, and industrial institutions of the United States would be encouraged to participate with such nations India, North Korea, several of the African nations, and Pakistan in assisting the development of beneficial practices and methods to improve those countries’ ability to sustain their populations as well as working to improve their living standards. The emphasis would be on nations such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and the Ukraine where US actions have caused substantial infrastructural damage. This effort would include cleanup of war materials such as depleted uranium and land mines to the greatest extent possible. In light of water shortages worldwide, funds from the former budgets of the defense department would be redirected to such United Nations projects as desalination plants for countries in need.
Massive Desalinization plant in Dubai (Popular Science)
As a result of improved relations with former adversaries, our country would presumably develop a commensurate reduction of need for military armaments and finally accept the reality of a genuine peace dividend. By extending a genuine hand of friendship and achieving the goal of reestablishing good relations with other nations, there would no longer be a need for NATO, and the participation of the United States in that organization would be reduced, and as our former allies and adversaries commit to arms reductions and other measures to demonstrate their own commitments to improved relationships, NATO would be disbanded, or at minimum the US would leave the treaty – per advice from George Washington:
So likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained, and by exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld. And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favorite nation), facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding, with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation, a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.
FAREWELL ADDRESS | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1796
Can you believe the wisdom of that man? My emphasis in red – anybody see anything familiar?
Tackling the budget deficit would be among the priorities of the new administration. Although this measure would undoubtedly meet stiff resistance from powerful interests, the entire banking system would be reviewed by government auditors with an eye towards nationalization of all banks. The Department of the Treasury would be repurposed and authorized to investigate banking activities of all entities involved in appropriations and government expenditures.
By executive order, all private funding of candidates for national elections would cease, and just as President Roosevelt threatened to appoint several justices to the Supreme Court, the new president would reserve the authority appoint whatever number of justices deemed appropriate to review all recent decisions of the politically appointed benches, with emphasis on such constitutional travesties as, and including Citizens United for blatant constitutional incongruities.
The department of Justice would be instructed to investigate significant Congressional campaign donations and their sources for illicit activity and comparisons of voting records to campaign contributions with the goal of discovery of impropriety and bribery. Improprieties would include stock purchases and sales during times of pending legislation that would affect the prices of said stocks, or insider trading. All political action committees who financially support candidates would be required to publicly disclose who they represent, what monies they contribute, etc. and AIPAC, if allowed to remain in the United States, would at a minimum be required to be registered as a foreign lobby. New laws would be encouraged that would prohibit contact between lobbyists and congresspersons or senators outside the presence of appointed civilian committees who would be assigned to monitor such contacts. The Epstein contact logs would be made public.
The policies and practices of government agencies who spy on American citizens would come under the highest scrutiny with an eye toward completely eliminating the DHS, DNI, NSA and other agencies whose primary activity involves espionage against American citizens. The FISA court and warrant scam would be immediately declared unconstitutional and abolished and the Fourth Amendment protections stringently reinstituted and rigorously enforced.
The new presidential candidate would ideally be an independent with no former association with either of the two main political parties, at least to the extent possible. Associations that included the candidate’s membership in either party in an official capacity would automatically disqualify him/her from running. The complete elimination of political parties would become a goal of the nation – as was intended by George Washington himself:
“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
FAREWELL ADDRESS | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1796
We really need a president like this – again!
The Defense Department would be required to nationalize all major defense contractors under the direction of the DOD and all future profits from said entities would go to the coffers of the federal government – the former defense contractors would thereby become able to supplant the burden on taxpayers from defense department expenses. All American troops would immediately begin repatriating to American soil and all foreign bases would be closed and their properties turned over to the nations in which they are located. This alone would be an incredible reduction of unnecessary military expenses. New initiatives would be commenced to eliminate or further reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles of all nations possessing them. If any country possesses nuclear weapons, they would be required to declare themselves to be in possession of them and sign on to the NPT Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or they would be forced – using whatever measures necessary – to relinquish their nuclear weapons.
The State Department would be required to set up a team to work with China to explore ways to enhance bilateral trade, with the expectation that China would contribute to the improvement of bilateral trade considering the interests of the United States as well as their own. The People’s Republic of China has done this with many other nations who have sought their assistance, and there is no reason to suspect they wouldn’t be willing to extend the benefit of improved trade relations with America, once they become convinced that our efforts are sincere. In all transactions, the US will consider and strive to ensure benefit to other countries as well as our own.
A new investigation into the events of 9/11/2001 will immediately be reopened with any entity objecting to such investigation being placed on a list of “interested persons” or nations who, by their objection will become suspect of culpability and will be thoroughly investigated. This applies to any and all members of the US government who may have taken part in the commission of the attack. If persons or entities are found to have participated in the attacks, they shall be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of whether or not they were government employees including elected officials up to and including the president and vice-president.
A similar investigation will be undertaken on all aspects of the Covid pandemic and the development and administration of MRNA vaccines. If the vaccines are determined to have been knowingly created to be harmful to humans, especially American citizens, all who were involved in their research, manufacturing, and compulsive vaccinations at the risk of job terminations or other penalties will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law up to and including the death penalty.
The United States will opt out of any recognition of authority of any entity or organization outside the government of the United States, including the WEF, WHO, IMF and/or any other entity that poses a threat to the sovereign authority of the United States, nor will the United States recognize the authority of any such organization or entity inside any other sovereign nation. The United States will shun any and all attempts at globalization which would infringe on US sovereignty. Recognition of the United Nations’ authority will be limited to areas congruent with national sovereignty of the United States and the sovereignty of all other states which might be subsumed by unelected entities. No entity, global or foreign, will be allowed to supersede the sovereign authority of the US or the United States Constitution.
Upon inauguration of such a candidate and in order to begin the process of restoring relations with countries in the Arab world, the United States will recognize the nation of Palestine and it shall encompass all property that existed as Palestine prior to 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital. The United States would immediately stop supplying arms and weaponry to Israel should the massacre of civilians in Gaza still be in progress when this president takes office. The United States will ensure that all hostilities in occupied Palestine cease. The United States and Israel will share the expense of rebuilding the Gaza area of Palestine, and the United States will once again only recognize the city of Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel. If the new president chooses to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, the US embassy will be returned to Tel Aviv. Those citizens, including dual citizens of the United States, who object to this provision and attempt to undermine it will risk having sanctions enacted against them which may include seizure of all financial assets and property in the United States as well as possible criminal penalties, depending on the nature of their objection if actions have occurred. Funds which were once directed to the country of Israel will be redirected to rebuilding Palestinian properties. No further economic assistance to Israel will be forthcoming from the US government, but the US government will not prohibit private donations to Israel. Financial assistance to foreign countries will be based on compelling need, and in no circumstances will US taxpayers be required to support or assist any country with an equivalent or higher per capita income than Americans.
All Civil Asset Forfeiture legislation will be immediately suspended with full reimbursement to citizens who have suffered loss of assets or have been financially penalized, i.e. robbed by the authorities without criminal convictions.
Folkpotpourri recommends that we find this candidate and talk coerce him into running this November.
Feel free to add more qualifications in the comments – maybe we can find a candidate.
How do we know it’s a lie? I think the saying is something about if their lips are moving, and maybe that’s true for a lot of them from whom we expect to hear fabrications, and the lie itself is often not as diabolical as the damage it causes. For instance, there is one circulating here in the US about how much more advanced we are technically and economically than “anywhere else”. Well, if anyone cares to look around, China and Japan have some really beautiful sleek bullet trains whizzing about Asia, but we still have the old diesel antiques putt-putting on our dilapidated railways and over shaky bridge trestles that the Amtrack riders hope will hold up for one more pass. The ultimate damage from this one is that since we are convinced of our technical prowess, we don’t see a need to invest in improvements, hence we fall further behind the rest of the world – including our adversaries.
The mainstream media of America try to studiously avoid stories about places like Philadelphia’s Kensington and the tent cities of Denver and San Fransisco, slums on downtown streets which incidentally we did not see on the many recent videos of Moscow – what a nice, clean place. Cities in the US look more and more like Mumbai or the poverty-stricken slums of Islamabad.
The lies Americans are fed beggar the imagination – we are convinced of our military superiority in the world, yet we don’t have the hypersonic missile that even Iran and purportedly Yemen have, and Russia has already been using them in the Ukraine. There are several places in the world where we started wars that we’ve had to leave with our tails tucked between our legs as we loudly proclaimed our “victory”. Such is the deplorable state of our government’s space program that our astronauts have been hitching rides to the space station for years with our “underdeveloped” adversary, Russia. It seems they are continuously improving their space program and assets as American defense contractors shovel taxpayer dollars into their accounts – whether their products work or not is not even a consideration anymore. Although they might be billion-dollar boondoggles, they are determined to be successful if they make money.
I was an American sailor, one of many selected to form the nucleus crew of the USS Nimitz, the pride of the fleet during the 70’s. How proud I was to see pictures of us “manning the rail”, when she left the shipbuilding docks and put to sea. Manning the rail is done on special occasions when hungover sailors put on their dress blues and stand side-by-side lining the weather decks, typically in waters near enough to shore that people can see the show from land. Incidentally, the Eisenhower was being built next to us in the shipyard, next in line to be commissioned and of the same class as out Nimitz. One little (totally irrelevant) tidbit that few people know about the Nimitz is that her class was originally designated as CVAN, instead of CVN, having dispensed with the A, such as carriers are designated nowadays. C- carrier, V – fixed wing aircraft, A – attack, N – nuclear powered. I guess to keep selling the notion of “defense”, the attack part had to be dropped.
We were commissioned in 1975, before we all realized the Vietnam war would soon wind down and try as they may to get her in service in time to get a campaign ribbon, she did not become seaworthy, or better yet, battleworthy in time to get to the West Pac to kill her share of Vietnamese peasants, who at that time were still horrendously threatening American freedom. More lies. There were a lot of underhanded things going on in which vast profits were gained by American defense and construction corporations. We didn’t know all of this at the time, though. We were all told that Vietnam was the key domino that was about to fall and lead to a communist takeover of Asia. Another lie, but such was the effectiveness of their propaganda, I and the thousands of other naive military boys actually believed we were somehow “serving our country”, or worse, “defending freedom”. What a crock! What a bunch of morons we were! We were explicitly serving the likes of Henry Kissinger and a bunch of millionaire businessmen right here in the good old USA.
Once the Vietnam debacle was over, (the hot part – it will never be forgotten by those Vietnamese folks who survived it). Just when it looked like peace might be here to stay, the liars in charge found a new bogeyman in Iraq – new lie – who had ‘weapons of mass destruction” and was ready to attack Americans in Hoboken. A woman named April Glaspie was sent by HW Bush to sell Saddam the lie that the US would not interfere if he wanted to invade Kuwait as payback for stealing Iraqi oil, so he did just that. April who?!! In no time, Saddam’s soldiers were grabbing babies out of incubators and slamming them into the wall! The horror! Another big lie – Nayirah Al-Sabah, a young Kuwaiti girl who tearfully recounted this BS had been tutored to deliver this convincing story to garner public support so ex-CIA chief Papa Bush could send the boys to attack Iraq. Turns out, she was the daughter of the Iraqi ambassador and was coached to give this testimony. And everyone bought it. It was later revealed that the story was false, but since it helped lead to war, it serves as another example the damage of the lie. It would be easier to fix a baby that has been slammed than to undo the lie.
As these execrably dishonest narratives began to gush into the American media, most of us who had been raised on Walter Cronkite and David Brinkley didn’t realize we had any reason to doubt them. We had no way of knowing why, we just knew Moammar Khadafi was evil. We weren’t told that he was an extremely popular leader in Libya who was beloved by his constituents. We weren’t apprised (by CNN and FOX) that he had improved the standard of living in his country. The leaders of our country saw him as an imminent threat mainly due to the fact that he had the temerity to locate his country on top of American oil, and they disliked his popularity in Africa. He had to go. So did Daniel Noreiga. Wonder how many remember Hasenfus, a pilot who worked for the CIA running drugs to the US and shipping arms to evil right-wing cartels in places like El Salvador. He crashed his plane in central America and if not for this, we probably would never have heard of the operation. He was smuggling arms that were purchased with money from Iran and from the drug business. This Palestinian genocide is not the first one that the US has sponsored! Google Operation Condor.
After the evil puppet masters installed Bush Junior, they were able to pull off the crime of the century – maybe the greatest crime of all time – to be committed right in front of millions of people. Before you think this episode is a “conspiratory theory”, just consider all of the lies we, the public have been subjected to in the preceding paragraphs and then try to come up with a reason why we should all of a sudden start believing our leaders’ narrative on 9/11. There are so many holes in the official story of those events, a block of Swiss cheese would blush with envy. It just boils down to this, “Are you going to believe us or your lying eyes?” We saw it, and there are those of us who will not be convinced of the flimsy narrative, we know what we saw. This event was probably the central turning point when sane and reasonable people finally said, “ENOUGH!” Everyone else seemed to be willing to let it go. Let’s just pretend we believe the story – who knows, if we can make them think we believe their story, maybe they will suddenly turn from their evil ways and life in America will be good again. That may have been the biggest lie of all, and incredibly, it’s the one we are telling ourselves!
Since the 9/11 lie succeeded in birthing “forever wars” in the world, it brought Lockheed, the Carlisle Group, Raytheon, and all the other blood-dripping entities such good fortune, and as a further gift, the liars in charge have learned that they can abandon any semblance of truth anymore. Americans will believe anything, or at least pretend to, to the extent the public is no threat to them. They can murder with impunity. There are no international laws to which they pay heed. There is no lie too big for them anymore. As long as John Doe public is willing to allow them to do so, they will encroach on our Constitution, our property, our very lives. And we keep our heads buried in the sand.
The lies they have graduated to in this perilous time in our history have grown to become an existential threat, as Bible prophecies reveal to us. Revelation 19 gives us a perfect description of what is about to happen to the United States. We are about to be burned to ashes, and all of us stand by and watch, afraid to say anything which might attract the attention of the beast, lest it devour us, but we will be devoured anyway, so maybe it’s time to at least acknowledge that we don’t believe any of their lies anymore.
There’s an impending election coming up this year. Look at the disasters of human beings we have for candidates! For real, who said these creatures are the only persons we must choose between for a president? Who controls this debacle? We all know, don’t we? There are people out there like Scott Ritter, Larry Johnson, and Douglass McGregor who are risking a lot to try and draw America’s attention to what’s going on. There are college kids out getting their heads banged for trying to get our attention. There are old geezers like me who have been watching the demons take charge for years and are willing to speak up. We’ve got to figure out a way to get through all the lies, we have to seriously get people’s attention before they get us nuked. Now I don’t personally believe Americans have it in them anymore to step up to the plate, but that’s no excuse for not speaking up.
Seeing is believing. Or so I thought until 9/11/2001. When we were told 19 hijackers with box cutters took control of extremely complicated modern jet airplanes and flew them hundreds of miles and were able to control the direction and altitude to hit buildings, especially the one that hit the pentagon at a speed that a passenger jet can’t fly that close to the ground, we should have demanded a real investigation – that’s one lie that sticks in my craw. Around four thousand Americans were slaughtered that day and there’s ample reason to believe organs of our government and that of at least one of our “allies” were involved. If you choose to believe the approved narrative on the events of 9/11, by all means, go ahead. It’s far from the only lie they have told, but the cumulative effects of that one might eventually take America down – as surely as those buildings came down. It ain’t over yet.
Liquefaction – possibly one of the least understood, yet one of the most dangerous processes of nature. The definition from Dictionary.com is the act or process of liquefying or making liquid, and it’s fairly easy to understand. When something we regard to be solid, i.e., for the purpose of this article, the ground transmutes from its solid state to a liquid or fluid. Imagine walking across the yard and just sinking as though you stepped out of a boat into the lake. In the illustration below, the poor house on the right from https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/soil-liquefaction is sinking in sand – one of the problems this earthquake causes. Keep in mind though, that with the New Madrid event, little water proportion of the mass is involved.
Liquefaction is what makes quicksand, because when ground water from a spring flows up through typically sandy soil, it causes the individual grains of sand to become loosened from each other with the space between them becoming filled with water and anything solid, such as a human foot, leg, or torso simply succumbs to gravity much the same as if you were being submerged in Lake Powell. The only problem is, even though the resistance to motion in quicksand is easily overcome by gravity, it is too great for a person or animal to swim in, so we sink. There are ways the experts teach to slow the sinking process, depending on the fluid consistency, even to possibly escape from it, but that information is outside the scope of this article.
There are other soil types which can allow liquification, or liquefaction, such as particular clays found in the fiord country of Norway, and in fact this soil, called quick clay has caused some particularly catastrophic events over there. An informative documentary on how it works can be found here: Bing Videos. The ground where people had built their homes and farms just simply turned into the consistency of mercury and washed itself away.
This property of sandy soils to become liquified by water can also occur as a result of intense vibration of the earth, in which the water is replaced by air between the sand granules, and it can be just as destructive as actual water quicksand, as happened during a catastrophic earthquake, the epicenter of which was near New Madrid, Missouri back in late 1811 and early 1812. There’s a lot of material available with eyewitness accounts of that disaster, and from what I’ve seen, it may have been one of the most horrifying earthquakes ever endured by people. A lot of them seriously thought it was the end of the world. For many of them, it was.
The Mississippi delta country rests on unimaginable amounts of sand laid down over the millennia by that Old Man River. The sand extends down to great depths with no bedrock, so when the ground shakes, the whole delta becomes one vast ocean of loose, flowing liquid sand and some of the accounts of folks who were unfortunate enough to be caught up in the maelstrom were truly horrifying. Giant canyons opened up swallowing forests, buildings, and the river itself. In places great volumes of sand were flowing and spewing out high into the air from the subterranean pressure. It was estimated to have been of a 7 or 8 magnitude, so it was powerful indeed, but less so than some quakes we’ve experienced in our lifetime on different types of earth.
The fountains of sand that occurred during that quake left layers of sand in places interspersed between layers of deposited soils of different types, so as geologists drilled down in these areas, they noticed there were several layers of sand thus separated by forest loams and such from which it could be determined by its thickness how long it took to deposit it. One of the ominous things they found from this is that our respite time has reached its “use by” date and the area is due for another shake any time. This fairly accurate timeline as to the frequency of the New Madrid earthquakes created a whole new dimension to the threat of this earthquake reoccurring.
Several big cities, Memphis in particular, but St. Louis and even some as far away as Detroit, Minneapolis, and yes, New York depending on the magnitude of the earthquake, have grown up since the last major earthquake on the New Madrid fault. These metropolises were not built guided by earthquake codes as they are in, say, California, a state with considerable and recent seismic activity. There are engineering techniques that are required to minimize damage from shaking, but in Memphis in particular, these measures might not be much help anyways, because due to the liquefaction described earlier, Graceland and its surrounds might just sink into a vast, sandy soup. What an image! The other eastern cities would probably sustain a lot of damage due to rocking and rolling, but a lot of towns in the delta country might just disappear! A lot of useful information that explains things better can be found here 1811-1812 New Madrid, Missouri Earthquakes | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)
Those quakes in the early 1800s were horrific in their own right and did terrible damage, but if a quake of that magnitude were to hit (and scientists unanimously agree that it will, there is debate, however on how severe it will be) it will likely be catastrophic to the entirety of the eastern United States. The shaking was so violent it caused the Mississippi to run backwards and that’s a lot of water to turn about face! Most of the eastern US that’s not on the sand ocean sits on ancient seabed, so it’s like a contiguous limestone rock with little distortion to dampen seismic waves, so they would be able to travel unimpeded through hundreds of miles without losing a lot of seismic strength. That is another reason such a large area will be in danger from a Mew Madrid temblor.
The farm on which my family and I currently live is just over a hundred miles from New Madrid. Oh, and for those who are pronunciation Nazis like myself, it’s not New Madrid’, as in the capitol of Spain with emphasis on the last syllable, it’s pronounced around here, and now generally nationwide as New Mad’rid – emphasis on mad, like our politicians. Anyways, I guess when that thing goes off, we’ll get some serious action here. At least we’re far enough into the Ozark upthrust that maybe we won’t get swallowed up by the tsunami of liquid sand!
My thoughts are with those souls who live in the vast Mississippi delta country and who are at greatest risk from this quake.
Imagine if you can, being in a place, a dimension of utter darkness. This could be a place where the senses you once enjoyed would be of absolutely no use to you – for all of eternity. You now understand that you will never again taste or smell anything, but you’ll always remember the wonderful aroma of a fresh hot apple pie. In this overwhelming darkness, your eyes will be of no use whatsoever, never again will you enjoy a magnificent sunset, or watch autumn branches sway in a gentle breeze. In that horrible place, there isn’t, nor will ever be even a pinprick of light. Never again will there be bird songs, nor music. Complete silence. But you will remember all of those things and long for even a hint of them. Forever.
This dreadful place will hold unimaginably terrifying thoughts – fear will abound in measure that right now seems incomprehensible. Think of the worst nightmare you’ve ever had and imagine it lasting forever, one from which you can never awaken. There will be immense pain from which there will be no relief. You can’t even look forward to dying to escape the terror. And you will be utterly alone. Then, to add to the horrors, you realize you have been completely forgotten – no one knows you ever existed, yet here you are in a place and situation that will last for all of eternity. Utter darkness.
For the present, however, we have Light. We also have a Way that has been benevolently made available for us – at unfathomable cost – to approach it. Though we live in a dark world full of evil, this Light shines brightly, and we are beckoned to come to it, realize and appreciate what It means for us.
The light shines into the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend it. The Light of man shines, yet mankind does not comprehend, nor does he make a sincere effort in the Light’s direction, lest he see with his eyes and hear with his ears and so understand that which could lead him to repentance. There are some though, who are sincere as they seek to enter the Light, although they quickly realize the gate is narrow through which they must enter if they are to realize its meaning, its substance, its reward. A great part of comprehending the Light is recognizing one’s own fallibility, one’s weakness for those things in this life that stand to defeat all of one’s efforts, for human pride is an insidious obstacle for all of us. This is an uncomfortable, often implausible circumstance for most. To be unwilling, and therefore unable to see our true desires, motives, and faults is to lose the opportunity to see the Light. Another consideration for those who might become believers, one that arises as a result of discovering the narrowness of the gate, is the necessity of overcoming a natural fear, that of traveling alone. This fear is unfounded however, as one’s faith will attest once he endeavors to follow Jesus. He is always with us.
Regardless of our apprehension, the Light that beckons does not portend the lonely journey we fear, although there are times on our trek when it seems so. This body of dust with its mind of dust cannot easily understand His companionship – we were not designed to comprehend such unfathomable concepts as the presence of His Spirit with us (at all times). The essence of victory therefore, of overcoming the threats we fear, is a voluntary faith in things unseen. Faith is the redeeming quality that levels the field for all of us. Faith is the treasure that endows the lowly beggar with riches only a true believer can understand as the wealthy man looks on with amazement and confusion. The beggar is thus able to see and comprehend the Light, the rich man is not. Indeed, a melancholy darkness, a real journey alone, is the fate of the man who pursues worldly riches, for he becomes enslaved to his desire, he can never have enough. The poor man is free with a lifelong Companion, the rich man is enslaved and spiritually alone. Is it any wonder that those of earthly wealth regard the poor with otherwise inexplicable contempt?
The Son of Man came to the world to provide us with a means to attain a relationship with our God, wherein we shall receive eternal life in His magnificent presence. He is that Light that shines the way for us. God in His divine benevolence will provide for all of our needs while we are here. Earthly pleasures and wealth have no place in God’s plan, we must not allow our attention to be distracted by such, we must strive to be above these things. If we are sincere in our effort, God will provide the strength we need to avoid them. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure at heart, for they shall see God.” Where and how, then, can we see God? After all, the Bible says that man cannot look upon God’s countenance and remain alive, so what did Jesus mean? Folks who are truly pure at heart, meaning those who honestly seek God, those who have the proper conscience, who admit their fallibility and truly seek His direction, His forgiveness, will be able to see God in ways other than with their eyes. If a person really stops trying to gloss over his faults and admits he has shortcomings and seeks God’s forgiveness and guidance, once he accepts who Jesus Christ is, he will become able to see God in ways that only a true believer, one who is indeed pure at heart is able to see – in a beautiful spring day, in a bluebird singing high in a tree, in a Godly person he meets. There are many ways to encounter God, but to be able to “see” Him requires a level of humility and honesty achievable only by those, as stated, of pure heart.
This world we live in has become difficult to endure. There are threats to our freedom, our very survival as humans, threats we have little hope of overcoming in this life, especially as we become aware that our enemies’ true motivation for enmity with us is our faith in Jesus Christ. This notion hasn’t sunk in to most “Christians” yet, and in fact for some it may never. Those who profess to be Christians will encounter a time when they will either declare themselves to be His servants come what may, or they will abandon any pretense of following Him due to the trials they will face if they choose to be steadfast. What a dreadful time that will be! But if we maintain our faith and do not succumb to the fear, the tribulations that will be upon us, Jesus has already promised that our reward will be great. We should strive, above all else to hear those precious words from our precious Savior, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” The alternative will be that horrifying place of darkness.
Enduring in our faith until the end can be a difficult proposition, but it can, and it has, been done. We have a Source of strength to lean on. We have the examples of the apostles, think of Stephen, who endured persecution, we have men like Diedrich Bonhoeffer who kept his faith to his end at the hands of Nazis. What about those Christians in the coliseum of ancient Rome who faced death at the hands of gladiators or hungry lions? Above all, we have the supreme example of Jesus Christ himself who died on the cross at Calvary because of His love for us. It’s amazing what the Holy Spirit can do to buttress one’s courage in those times. If we can but keep in mind that this life is only a proving ground – the next one is the real deal. We must be steadfast in our convictions and live a morally upright life, one of faith in the unseen, for only then may we behold the magnificence of His glory, His light that shines to guide His sheep. Hang in there, brothers and sisters – it’s probably not going to be much longer until we will be able to rejoice when we see Him. He said He would come for us – and He will.
I guess the readers of folkpotpourri probably think the old man who posts here has finally gone off the rails, but I’ve been trying to get a couple of points across lately, and it’s my heartfelt intent to communicate them in a way that sinks in. Never mind then, that you might be reading an essay written by a crazy old codger from the hills, and just pay attention to what he is saying.
While the US has been relatively unaffected by most of the events going on in faraway places thus far, if people think it’s going to stay that way, they are tripping. Our leaders have gone stark-raving mad, and it’s just a matter of time until they make the granddaddy of all mistakes. Right now, as you read this in the comfort and safety of your living room (assuming the incredible tornado outbreaks, floods, and other weather anomalies of late have left you with a living room in which you may sit and read) there are human-designed processes taking place which threaten to turn our world into nightmarish hellscape, a horrific series of events which could transpire within any given few minutes. I did a post a while back on what it might be like. A Time of Unimaginable Sorrow is Upon Us – Folk Potpourri
Go ahead and change the channel if you don’t like confronting your likely future if things continue as they are going. It’s understandable that one might prefer not to think about such frightening possibilities, and much more desirable to turn to the latest distractions, the reality TV shows that the US congresspeople have begun to air where some AIPAC shill congressman or senator pretend to tear into some hapless cabinet member in a “congressional investigation”. Or there’s always football. Whatever bread and circus you choose – until the very end. Or stick around and see where I’m going with this.
The truth is, that if the governments of NATO and other western nations continue to push the Russians, there is going to be hell to pay. Same thing for aggravating Xi and the Chinese. The whole world is thoroughly fed up with the US and Israel, who controls the US, dictating to everyone how things are going to be. They will all get enough. There’s not a living soul in the world with a functioning brain who still believes the US didn’t blow up the Nordstream pipelines. Germany, or at least the German people watch their country sinking in the ocean of global economics because of the loss of cheap Russian gas. How long will Scholz and the rest of his servants of global Zionism be able to keep up the facade? What I’m trying to say is that our brilliant leaders and think tanks are going to be unpleasantly surprised when the SHTF and they find that many of our trusted allies, even in NATO, have chosen to join with our adversaries. Türkiye is already alluding that they will not join any aggression against Russia.
The American people themselves are rapidly waking up to the fact that they have long been deceived by their own government. Now that the genocide lies are buzzing around the noisome cesspool that is the US government, folks are asking the obvious questions, such as, “Now that we realize they constantly lie to us about everything from the Minsk accords to Israel acting in “self-defense” in Gaza, what else have they been lying to us about?” Could 9/11 actually have been an inside job? What about Covid and the horrific results of the inoculations? It’s becoming plainly obvious for everyone with eyes and ears that EVERYTHING that comes from the US government is a bald-faced lie. And who, pray tell has been named as the father of all lies?
The second major point this post is aiming for is that there is a way to defeat this evil. This dark and ominous cloud that threatens to enshroud the world will eventually bring about the total destruction of human existence. It’s going to happen – you can see it coming like the proverbial slow-motion train wreck. We continue to live as though it won’t affect us, but it assuredly will. There is however, a sure way to avoid this catastrophe that is coming upon the world, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the only way. We have been warned over and over that the tribulations of the end times will bring about the ultimate destruction of our world, yet we try and convince ourselves that somehow things are going to go back to normal. They won’t! With all the mistrust that has been sown, there’s no way they can.
We have infallible prophecy in the Bible that predicts exactly what is going on right now. The love of many grows cold, and there are those who do not love at all. Wars and rumors of wars – Jesus warned us of these things, and He said not to fear them, yet all we see in the world is fear. Perfect love casts out fear. Love is what we should strive for, because love is the most potent force in all of creation. It is the consummate weapon that will prevail over all of the destructive efforts of Satan and his minions on earth. God is Love. His love was on full display on Calvary Hill over two thousand years ago when He allowed His Son to be sacrificed for each and every one of us. From Highland shepherds, African truckers and rickshaw drivers in Mumbai to fishermen in Japan and Russia, Jesus stands ready to accept us into a Kingdom not made by the hands of men, we can trade this ominous fear of the happenings in the world today for a new expectation of a life of unimaginable peace and joy if we but give Him the keys to our life and follow His cross.
Satan has worked since the advent of mankind for exactly what the world is right now. He is spreading hatred and fear, destruction of nations and deaths of people, just as he has planned for centuries. He has no love or loyalty to anyone, but his servants don’t know that, or maybe they’re just ignoring it like so many people are ignoring the horrible future of this world. How can people be so deceived as to follow entities that could not care less for their well-being? Look at Diem of South Vietnam, Khadafi, Saddam Hussein, Daniel Noriega, Ferdinand Marcos, Shah Pahlavi, and all of the other (former) friends of the US and how things turned out for them. They all met with bad endings when the US was through being their ally. Look at Germany now, sans Nordstream, with the devastation to their economy. My point is that evil entities such as Satan or the US government care not for anyone, even their friends or servants, and when things get thick, they invariably abandon them or even turn on them. None other than the first-class war criminal Kissinger said that being an adversary of the US is dangerous, but being a friend is fatal.
What you need is a friend who will not abandon or turn on you but stick by your side, especially when things go south. Jesus is that Friend and considering that He is THE MOST POWERFUL BEING in all of creation, He is the very best Friend we can have. A Friend Who loves us enough that He willingly laid down His life for us. Now that we are facing these hard times, we need a Friend like that, but there’s only One who can be that Friend – Jesus Christ.
Give Him your trust – you have a lot to gain when you do and everything to lose if you don’t.
God bless all – it’s going to be a rough ride – at least for a while.
There might be a link from the physical world to the spiritual. I’m neither a scientist nor a preacher, but just from the layman’s POV, I’m starting to think there’s some kind of connection to the work of scientists nowadays and the rapid spread of evil in the world. I’m talking about the extreme malevolence of some world leaders and the wealthy guys who are running the world, the ones who tell the “leaders” how to lead and tell the scientists what they should be studying, and of course the malevolence of the scientists themselves. Though the plandemic also fits in this discussion, it’s not what’s this post is about.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s noticed the absolute insanity of western leaders and the kinds of inexplicable decisions they’ve been making lately. It’s beginning to look like they’re dead set on driving our contentious relationships with countries like Russia, China, and Iran – all the way to nuclear war. For real, even a kid could understand that the things they are doing are headed for bad consequences. In fact, judging from the actions on college campuses, I think kids do see it.
Right now, our illustrious leaders are playing a game of chicken with (thankfully) sensible counterparts in Russia. They’re pretending to make the rules up as they go, each stupid step they take toward war. “Ok, we can give Ukraine weapons that might incinerate Moscow, but we won’t let Zelensky hit targets inside Russia, therefore we won’t be technically participating,” or ” We can send advisors and technical experts, but as long as they’re not on the front lines, they can’t be considered combatants.”
Now we’ve graduated to “Ok, y’all can hit inside Russia, but only just across the border.” These imbeciles fully expect that Vladimir Putin recognizes and abides by their “rules”, but I don’t think he does, in fact he doesn’t even recognize western powers’ authority to make such insane rules to start with. Never mind that he doesn’t for a moment consider abiding by them. Mr. Putin reserves the right to contravene whatever passes for western military doctrine if and when he decides to, he’s shown himself to be that kind of leader up to now, and there’s no reason to expect him to change. Putin knows, as does anyone else, at least those with above room temperature IQ, that although today they only allow Ukraine to hit border regions, tomorrow it will be ok to hit targets 500 miles into Russia, the next day 1,000 miles, and so forth, until they get to that red line – the final one. Then all hell breaks loose on western targets worldwide.
The madness I’m speaking of is apparent for all to see, throughout the US congress, the white house, and in all departments concerned with foreign policy. It’s becoming the norm in European governments, Japan and Australia too. But how did this insanity all of a sudden become so prevalent in western leadership?
When Jesus was in the countryside of the Gergesenes, He encountered a demon-possessed man who had several demons. He was totally insane, ran around naked and cutting on himself with sharp stones. No one could subdue him, such was the power of the demons inside him, but when Jesus approached him, the demons recognized that a higher power than theirs was present, so they begged Him not to send them to the pit, but release them into a herd of pigs, which He did. Now interestingly, the pigs decided they weren’t going to tolerate being possessed by these abominable beings, so they immediately committed mass suicide by running down into the lake and drowning.
A few years ago, the scientific community decided that we should build this large hadron collider, a souped-up atom smasher, ostensibly to study the origins of the universe, or some such nonsense that would have absolutely no value to humanity. They had dancers at the opening, performing a ritual dance to a Hindu goddess – I think it was Shaiva or something, anyways it was for a false god of some kind, which was a curious thing, especially for those scientific types to do.
The project started, and at enormous expense, to do whatever they claimed humankind so desperately needed to do, but there were those who doubted the professed intent of the project, myself being one. Some even believed they were trying to create a portal to another dimension, from which they might possibly receive “visitors”. What if they did just that? What if this whole CERN thing was a plot to gain access to demons and release them into the world? Is the collider the “key” to the bottomless pit, spoken of in Revelation?
Where would the demons go in order to create the most destruction and death? To the most powerful nation on earth of course, and one whose leaders would be amenable (for the right price) to whatever mayhem the evil creatures decided to perpetrate. What if those demons promptly possessed western leaders and proceeded to commit acts of unspeakable evil? Are our congressmen the new herd of pigs? They certainly seem to be headed for the suicide part! And have you noticed the seemingly uncontrollable anger and snarls from guys like Graham when they speak of people whom they deem their enemies? Are they possessed, and is that the reason behind all of this insanity, and that so recently as the opening days of CERN?
Now I already know what you’re thinking – this could be (a tad bit) over the top, but in this day of lies and deceit and incredible evil, it might be something to chew on. I’m not even saying this is what’s happening, but these people are acting strange – evil strange! I mean, for crying out loud, we’re watching wholesale murder and starvation of little kids, and our leaders think it’s all ok, even get mad at you and put you in jail for disagreeing with it. Something ain’t right, folks.
The goldfinches are putting on a show this spring. It’s wonderful to see the little guys out flitting about like they used to do when we first moved here.
When I came to the Ozarks, it had been a very long time since I had lived out in the country. I probably didn’t learn enough about how rural life worked, nor about nature and God’s creation, so I made a lot of hasty moves that cost me the enjoyment of watching lots of birds and woodland critters. There was a swampy area behind my house that really wasn’t good for anything, or so I thought, so I set out to clear the cat tails, berry vines, and willow saplings, hoping I could put the area to better use. We had an abundance of thistle plants all over the property, and I recruited my daughter to help me do war on them. There were big thickets of autumn olives, a “nuisance” shrub that I spent hours attacking with a machete. A person couldn’t walk through those jungles – they were a waste of property. Unless you enjoyed wild bird songs.
As I worked to make the farm more “livable”, I had no idea of the environmental importance of overgrown thickets and willow saplings. But sure enough, after a few years of my war on nature, I began to notice there were less and less indigo buntings, goldfinches, squirrels, and rabbits around. My farm was becoming sterile, and it took me a good while to understand that it was because of my determination to turn the land into a parking lot that things were becoming quiet here, at least as far as bird songs were concerned.
I started reading about some of the environmental issues around the place and began to realize that God knew what He was doing after all, when He set things in motion. Those autumn olive groves made perfect nesting sites for several species of birds and produced a little fruit in the fall for them and the deer to eat. I learned that the favorite food of the goldfinch is thistle seeds, which I had almost entirely cleared out. That old bog that had been a pond basin was still being fed water from a spring behind my house, and those willow trees and cattail and briar patches that had proliferated out there was perfect habitat for birds and countless other critters and beautiful wild flowers.
I noticed when I was clearing the marshy area that there was a delicious scent of mint out there, and lots of plants that grew little orange flowers – I later learned that this was jewel weed, reputed to be a good natural remedy for poison ivy and other skin ailments. Once when I walked out into the woods at another place wearing Bermuda shorts, I went through some nettle plants that stung my bare legs – bad! I’m a fairly tough old codger, but that pain was extremely uncomfortable, and remembering what I had read (and what my daughter had told me) about jewel weed, I started looking for some that I had previously seen nearby. I found it and picked some and crushed it up till it was a slimy mess and applied it to my burning legs. The pain was gone instantly! I have frozen jewelweed paste in my freezer now. And I have a healthy supply growing in my marsh, once a nuisance swampy area, now has become a nature preserve – right behind my house, snakes and all.
We call it “the fen”. If you have one on your property, you should keep it. Pond frogs make a pretty sound.
“A gift from God of inimitable beauty, the sigh of high grass of ochre glade in slow dance to the sweetest of a southern breeze of spring delight. Bouquets of dame’s rocket and wild mallow watch intently and from the dank, dark forest wends earthy, delicious scent of jasmine. How I absorb and thrall to such enormity of sylvan passion as do the pristine bluebirds regaling awing o’er a benevolent scape! What more I ask, dear one, shall heaven be?”
I read where some bigwigs in the banking system up in New York are threatening the Colombia students with their becoming unemployable because of their participation in the genocide protests. It looks like corporatists in other places are following suit. As usual, the pathetic media they control are playing their part, this time by amplifying this loss of opportunity as being the end of the world, at least the end of their opportunity to participate in the banking and corporate scam for which they were being groomed.
The young folks, to the utter dismay of said elites, are in fact, gaining a far more profitable education by their participation in the opposition to evil and they seem to realize it. If someone were to walk up to me and tell me that I am foregoing the opportunity to spend my working life in some office on the 50th floor of some corporate entity, scheming to rob and steal from ordinary folks – for this is what the big banks do, I really don’t think I’d get too depressed about it. There’s a big world out there, and those kids are showing the grit to tell the big boys to stuff their “job opportunities”, they won’t accept slaughter of innocent people so that they can spend their working lives as corporate criminals.
You gain your education in life in many ways, so don’t allow the servants of darkness to convince you that preparing your future so that you can exist in a murky world of criminally minded corporatist elites is the only way to go. In fact, the world that sees what you kids are doing is looking on with astonished admiration. One of my pet peeves in life has been the misuse of the word “success”. Almost everyone has come to believe that it is almost always involved with, and in most cases totally subsumed, in the volume of a bank account. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the real world, success means different things to different people, there is no single definition.
What the young people on the college campuses across the nation are doing right now is telling the elites they will not allow them to delineate what their successes in life will evolve to be. They are clearly saying that they will not allow moneyed interests to influence them to compromise their human principles, and this is the elites’ greatest fear – losing the narrative. Losing control.
If the reader has paid attention to Folkpotpourri posts, they will already know that this old hillbilly relies heavily on the Word of God as the guide, the lens through which I view the world. The events taking place today on those college campuses should give us all great encouragement that we have a new generation coming along whose values are far superior to those of our current “leaders”, or especially those of the wealthy people of our society, those Satanic cowards whose curtains are being torn down.
The college kids are truly emerging with the right stuff with their drive and will become the (deserved) leaders of the next generation, if the cesspool of corruption that has become our congress and corporate loonies don’t blow everything up before the young folks take control. This sort of thing has happened before with the Vietnam protests, for example, as I noted in an earlier post: Wisdom of the Children – Folk Potpourri.
How hard would it be for some congressperson to say, “No, I do not support mass murder nor intentional starvation of innocent women and children, and I’m willing to refuse your money and stand up against this evil.”? A precious few have leaned in that direction, but far too few. They might lose their coveted position in the next election, but at least they could do so with honor and dignity. Look at real men like Josh Paul. When people consider men of principle, he will be remembered. As things stand now, none of our congresspersons are demonstrating any semblance of honor and a lot of their country is ashamed of them, including this old veteran. The college kids are sacrificing just as much as politicians would be, but to them, their honor, their principles are apparently more important, and furthermore the world sees their sacrifice. But profoundly more crucial to their future, the Almighty God sees it.
To me, at the end of this human existence, hearing the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”, from the Lord Jesus Christ, will be the only success that will ever have mattered. Don’t fret over what the rich people that run the colleges might do to you – those people are insignificant. There’s an uncorruptible education to be gained elsewhere – i.e. from your Bible – and it is much more profitable to the human soul.
You kids just keep on doing what you’re doing and disregard their threats. There’s great reward in keeping your honor. It’s a sad day in America when our kids are showing greater courage and moral leadership than our pathetic congressmen and senators.
