"Fresh Fire"

One of my favorite songs sung at our church is called "Fresh Fire" , the verse says ,"Fresh fire let it fall , Oh Lord hear our call, send your Spirit like a rushing wind, we need fresh fire." Don't all of us at one time or another need a boost in our spirits when things seem to be getting unbearable? Those of us who believe in a strict constitutional government with a minimum of interference of the central government have not had an easy time of it this year. This year we have been plunged into a massive debt, government takeover of the auto industry, government regulation of the banking industry, promotion of a socialized medical program, and a submissive attitude toward U.N. influence on our own constitution. If anybody has a right to be a little depressed this year it is conservative America. As the Christmas Season approaches I'm sure we will be bombarded with the usual parade of Jesus haters who want to destroy His holiday. Have I said enough for you to call the suicide hot line yet? Take heart America things are not terminal yet, the wind is beginning to shift. We must all try to remember last summer when throngs of American citizens, at their own expense, protested against the socialist agenda toward which this administration is pushing our nation. We have witnessed the A.C.O.R.N. debacle, showing just how corrupt and partisan they have been revealed to be. We have seen Van Jones forced out of a place of influence in our government when his questionable radical beliefs were revealed by Glenn Beck and FOX NEWS. Just recently we have seen the myth of global warming shown to be an elaborate conspiracy of perverted facts and spurious science. We have also seen the "Anointed One" drop in popularity as America awakens to the fact that Barack Obama isn't what he has touted himself to be. Sarah Palin has become a breath of fresh air on the political scene, she has a common sense attitude that is already viewed as a threat by the left-leaning media and the Obama administration. We are approaching a new year and as we enter 2010 we should take heart, we must remember career politicians are animals who crave survival over ideology. Those who have been around Washington see that the President's policies are not being received as happily as the administration would like, hundreds of thousands of citizens are visibly upset, and some off year elections have sent a message to those who are up for re-election next year. America is getting some "fresh fire" from those American conservatives that have stood up and shook their collective fists in the face of a government that is refusing to listen to reason. 2010 is the year when we can get back some of the America that was given away in 2008. As citizens lets get some "Fresh Fire", America is ours let's take it back!

"America Responds"

December 7th. 1941,a date so significant even our current crop of college students might remember it. I know I'm a bit sarcastic, but every time I have seen the coming generation questioned about who government officials are and what their duties are the students usually have the "deer in the headlights" look.To get back to today's topic , the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that launched our involvement in World War II. This war dictated the direction our nation would take for the next 70+ years. After World War I we, as a nation, thought we were finished with dealing with world conflicts. Hitler , Mussolini , and Hirohito were far in the future we had an economic boom and everything was "hunky dory"in the good old U.S.A. . Then we had a rude awakening, the Stock Market crashed plunging us into the "Great Depression"and all American faces turned inward, paying little attention to the affairs of the rest of the world. Germany was in economic collapse,Italy was being wooed by the fascist dream of a return to the glory of Rome, and the Japanese were serving their "god"ruler Hirohito, and , like Cassius they all had a "lean and hungry look" toward the rest of the world. Hitler used the economy and anti-Semitism to beguile the German people , Mussolini preyed on ethnic pride, and Hirohito used his "deity" to order his people into deadly conflict. America was caught flat-footed as Japan bombed our Pacific Fleet on a hazy Sunday morning in our beautiful Hawaiian territory. Suddenly America was shocked into reality as we were attacked on our own shores. President Roosevelt roused the nation with one of his finest speeches and Congress responded quickly to mobilize the country into a war mode. From 1941 through 1945 the people of the United States responded as never before, or since, to a threat to our way of life from a foreign invader. The people willingly submitted to rationing food , gasoline, and un-necessary travel all for the good of America's war effort. When the "Towers" were destroyed by un-Godly terrorists, for a little while, we re-captured the spirit of that generation of years ago, proud and determined to show those who would threaten us that we would not allow it. Today four Navy Seals are facing a court-martial board, charged with giving a bloody lip to a Muslim terrorist who was ranked as one of the most sinister of his ilk. Can you imagine members of the O.S.S. being prosecuted for roughing-up a Nazi collaborator during W.W.II, it wouldn't even have been considered. As an American, and someone that has worn my country's uniform I'm flabbergasted that we are persecuting our heroes. When will we come to the reality that we are at war, not a police action, sometimes people will get hurt. A split lip is a small thing when we consider that four Navy Seals trained as commandos with weapons could have easily beaten him to a pulp and left him for dead, exercised extreme restraint in his capture. We are not a nation of killers, remember we captured Nazi war criminals and none of them were ever mistreated after they were taken into custody. Let's spend today remembering what this day means to countless Americans who responded to their greatest generational challenge , and hope that we can emulate them as we face those who's mission is to destroy us. God Bless America!

"Dad"

I would like to spend time today remembering my father. Ten years ago today my Dad passed away and a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him. My Dad was the youngest of three brothers , born in 1925 of immigrant parents from Sicily. Even though he was the youngest my Dad seemed as if he was the eldest brother , as he assumed the caretaker roll in the family. My grandmother , Nona , lived with us as did my great-uncle Salvatore. As the oldest of seven children I spent alot of time with Dad . My Dad and I were the only early risers in the family , we would wake up on Saturday mornings have some coffee and after a while my Dad would inevitably say, "Nobody else around here is getting up let's go for breakfast!". I remember countless breakfasts with Dad as some of the best times of my life. We would talk about life in general , growing up in the "Great Depression" , being Italian , or how a man should act. After breakfast we would hit discount stores and look at fishing equipment , or army surplus clothing.It's funny the things you miss as you get older , I'd trade a Bears Super Bowl for one more breakfast with Dad. He never complained and was always good and kind to everyone. He held down two jobs for many years , denying himself so his children would never know want of anything . Not that we were spoiled , we all knew how hard Dad worked , he would often come home and fall asleep in the bath tub from exhaustion. Whenever we went anywhere everyone wanted to be around him , he had a quick smile and an amazing sense of humor. When he looked at my mother you could almost touch the love he felt for her. In over fifty years of marriage I never heard a cross word exchanged between them. My Dad wasn't much for shedding tears , the only time I saw tears in my Dad's eyes was when my uncle Sammy , my Grandmother , and my brother Bill died. He was the strongest person I've ever known , we always knew we could count on Dad no matter how bad a situation appeared. His children were his pride and joy , he always seemed happiest when surrounded by his family. As we got older and produced grand-children he was really in his glory. My daughter still talks about times she spent with "Gramma and Grampa" with a light in her eyes and a smile on on her face. I wish I could tell him today how important he has been in my life , anything I learned about being a man I learned from him.Of the many blessings I've had in my life I count my Dad as one of the greatest.I could probably go on and on about Dad and his impact on, not only my life, but, the lives of all those he touched. I hope by this small tribute those who read this can remember some fond memories of their parents and treasure them. Have a great day,I will because I took time to remember Dad.

"Class President"

I remember high school , at the time it seemed to be the most important thing I would be doing in my entire life . As a freshman all you wanted to do was fit in and be cool , and stay away from juniors and seniors who had a tendency to use freshmen for their own amusement. As an adolescent my first concern was not to be a "dork" in front of the girls , after all that was the reason I showered every day and used "Brill-cream" to make sure my hair looked "cool". Every thing I did back in high school was about my image. Of course underneath the "cool exterior" was a kid without a clue. By the time my sophomore year came around the freshmen of a year ago were finding their identity as to who they were in the social strata of high school's pecking order.The main thing was popularity , more important then grades , more important then your family , it was the "be all and end all". The boys gravitated toward sports , the girls were most interested in how to impress each other. Everything that was done in those early years as we approached adulthood was about making an impression , presenting an image. Barack Obama is the most image conscious man who has ever sat in the "Oval Office". Every move that comes out of the Obama administration is about image and control. When he spoke at West Point he wanted to convey his commitment to the war in Afghanistan without giving the image of a man who wanted war ; he failed miserably. He failed to convince those on the right of his commitment to victory , and he failed to convince those on the left of his commitment to troop with drawl . Barack Obama wants to be all things to all men , yet by doing so he is losing his identity , the right will never believe him and the left is rapidly losing their belief in his dedication to their socialist agenda. Barack is quickly becoming a man of ambiguous statements and cloudy decisions , no way to be the most "popular boy in class". With "G.W." there was little doubt as to his commitments , or his position on issues , like him or not. Barack Obama seems to be campaigning for his re-election rather then behaving like a sitting president doing what is in the best interest of our nation. As Barack Obama continues in his term in office when will we see this man as he truly is , a man possessed with image and power , a man who holds those who oppose his ideology as enemies that he must destroy?As of now we don't really see him clearly, as if we are looking through clouded glass , not quite able to discern what he is , as he tries to convince us that he his all things to all Americans. Barack Obama wants to be our "class president" forever , yet we don't know who he is. He's tall , well spoken , and handsome . These are great traits for a high school class president , but not good enough for President of the United States . Remember this is not a popularity contest!

"Don't Be Fooled!"

How many of you remember "Millie Vannilie" they won a "Grammy" for the best single release several years ago. After the ceremony to the surprise of the music world it turned out that the two-some had "lip-sinc'd" their music and someone else had actually done the singing.It was a standing joke for a very long time.I find it amazing that two phonies managed to fool the entire music industry so well that they were able to achieve the industry's highest award.I can almost see them standing at the podium , wide smiles , waving their awards in the air to cheering throngs of admirers;the cream of the music industry.We have all heard the term "egg on your face",well I guess the omelettes were flying pretty good after the realization that so many "experts" were fooled by the acts of simple con-artists. Americans as a rule don't take too lightly to those who try to fool them. I don't think too many "Millie Vannilie"c.d.'s were flying off the shelves after their deception was revealed.Something new was revealed this week in the world of science , it seems that all of the panic over "Global Warming" is turning into a massive con-game of managed information neglecting all proof of the spurious nature of the claims of it's supporters. We all remember Al Gore , the "Guru" of global warming , as he received the "Nobel Prize" for his work on the issue climate change. He had the humility of the Pope as he accepted his award , what a great moment in human history; or at least the history of the confidence game. Not long after receiving the Nobel Prize Mr. Gore was nominated and received an "Academy Award" for a movie called "An Inconvenient Truth", based on his best selling book. As more facts are being revealed about this conspiracy of deception perhaps his book should be viewed as a work of fiction , not fact. As we have seen those who question Mr. Gore's credibility are dragged away from open forums , and denied the ability to bring other views into the argument. The pseudo-intellectuals of the entertainment industry will now have their moment of embarrassment as they will see how easily they were led by the "All-Knowing" Al Gore. I only hope that this realization opens up some of the minds of our citizens in regards to other issues where facts have been turned and managed to appear as something they are not. We should not be fooled into believing we need programs that in reality are not in our best interests. Beware America , remember the spurious figures about job growth , how opinions on health care have been twisted to virtually eliminate opposing facts. America let's not be fooled , let's listen to all sides of important issues ; otherwise we may be buying a load of baloney we won't be able to digest!

"Game Plan!"

Anyone who has followed my blog already knows I'm a football fan , it's a great game filled with strategy , kind of like chess with bruises. The history of the game is filled with great coaches , each of which have left their imprint in coaching history. It is well known I love the Chicago Bears , sometimes not an easy thing to do. In the early 70's the Bears got into the play-offs for the first time in many years , Jack Pardee was the head coach , it was early in the career of Walter Payton. As usual the Bears relied on dominant defense to control the game. The offense was pretty limited , Walter Payton and a cloud of dust! Their introduction to the play-offs was against the Dallas Cowboys , Roger Staubach , Tony Dorsett , and the legendary Tom Landry as their head coach. The Bears play-off hopes ended after one game as the Cowboys defeated them , with a 35-14 victory. The Bears were too easy to figure out. Several years later a much different Bears team entered the play-offs , Walter Payton was still the anchor of the offense , he was surrounded with talent at the other skill positions and a head coach who would not tolerate poor effort on any level , Mike Ditka . Opponents were never sure what the bears would do on any possession , thus they became a very difficult opponent. Prior to practices during the Bears Super Bowl run security at their camp was very tight . The logic behind this is , never let your opponent know what is coming at them. Last night Barack Obama gave a speech about his military plans in regards to our situation in Afghanistan . He said he was giving the minimal amount of troops possible to re-enforce our men and women , who have been waiting since August for some help in their efforts. He also did something which I personally consider very irresponsible , he announced a date for with drawl! I can only imagine what the leadership of the Taliban and Al Qaida were saying after Obama said when he was bailing out in 18 months. Obama just sent our game plan to our enemy , what a brilliant move?! I would love to hear what career soldiers were saying behind closed doors after Obama cut them off at the knees. I don't think even Jimmy Carter was dumb enough to make this kind of mistake, of course he had some military experience. All our enemies need to do now is sit on their hands for a few months and wait for our troops to leave , then they can launch their band of terrorists loose on the rest of the world with little to no opposition . America we will now reap the results of putting a man in office who had no military experience , plus a man with a left-wing base that hates the armed forces. What other decisions will this weak President make? It seems he is more interested in not offending the world's Muslim population then defending us from the threat of re-newed terrorism. I believe Mr. Obama should remember who he represents , not Islam , the people of the United States of America ! You are the Commander-in-Chief , ACT LIKE ONE!!

"The Money Tree!"

I'm a home owner , who has never had a bail-out of any kind , I live within my means. I was taught not to spend more then I make. My mother used to say ," Go out in the yard and shake the tree and see if any money falls out", I soon found out we didn't have a money tree in our back yard. As we enter the Christmas season Americans are facing an economic situation that doesn't favor much discretionary spending , most of us are minding our finances carefully.Over Thanksgiving our church donated dinners to several families who are facing a severe financial crisis at a time while their children look to them for some simple Christmas presents. The "horn of plenty" that once was America seems to be disappearing before our eyes as un-employment continues to climb our Congress has been pushing a health-care bill that will give us an added debt unprecedented in U.S. history. We have suffered as a nation because of "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac" , giving out loans to those who couldn't afford them , then watching the bottom fall out of the market because of these spurious institutions. We have troops in harms way in the middle east and our Congress wants to issue a war tax to finance our military commitments. The proposed tax would start at 1% to people earning $30,000 and get progressively higher as ones income rose. I seem to remember a candidate who promised tax relief to lower income families , but I guess we can all forget that one.As Harry Reid bought votes for Obama-care he promised hundreds of millions of dollars for pork projects to those senators who were sitting on the fence , we as a nation are tightening our belts on all fronts in our daily lives. If we need finances for our efforts in Afghanistan wouldn't it be more prudent to use that "pork bribe money" to help our troops , rather than grease the wheels of Obama-care! Last January we plunged our country into tremendous debt , and we have been digging a deeper hole continually since then. It seems that our Congress wants to "shake the money tree" again rather then exercise good judgement in the financial responsibilities of our nation. Unless we make our voices heard to those now control our monetary interests , life in the United States will be altered in ways that are nearly beyond comprehension. Sweden pays over 40% in taxes , soon it will be us if we allow these current policies to move forward. America let's tell Congress they can't "shake the tree" any more , we are suffering while they spend like "drunken sailors"on a causes that the majority of the people don't want. Let's put some coal in Congress's stocking this year!