HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY - SUMMERTIME EDITION!

1. Summertime is a season of reunions, weddings, and other family celebrations and gatherings...are any of the above on your calendar in the next two months?

     We already had a reunion of sorts when my neice came up from Texas. She recently gave birth to her first child, a daughter, and so she and her husband came up to introduce Evelynn Ivy to her extended family. It was really good to spend time with my brother's kids and their families. 

2. June is National Iced Tea Month...are you an iced tea drinker? If so, how do you like yours (sweet, flavored, etc)? 

     I am an iced tea drinker. I like it sweet with a little lemon. I do like flavored iced tea, also. My favorite flavors are rasberry and peach.

3. When were you last nervous?  Looking back, was the 'event' actually nerve-worthy?

     Really? Last time? Since June 2012 and every doctor visit since! Yes, the event(s) are nerve worthy! All kidding aside, we have good days and we have less-good days. Sometimes the nervousness is warranted, other times, not so much!

4. The bristle toothbrush was invented in China on June 26, 1498...not sure how that date was pinned down so precisely but, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being sick to your stomach and 1 being not at all, how nervous do you feel when you're headed to the dentist?  Do you see your dentist twice a year?

     I am usually somewhere between a 2 and a 3. I used to see the dentist more regularly but have not in recent years.

5. What's making news in your town this week?

     The local police issued a warning to lock our cars. Apparently there has been a spate of car thefts in recent weeks. Also, the local police are participating in a "Torch Run" to raise funds for the NH Special Olympics. Finally, a local couple wants to contribute several parcels of land to the Town for public use. That's about it.

6. Curtains, drapes, blinds...your window treatment of choice? Are there any bare windows in your house? Is that by choice or because you haven't gotten around to covering them? 

     Curtains and blinds! One bare window over our kitchen sink looking out into the back yard. 

7. Summertime is officially here (in the Northern hemisphere anyway)...what one song is a must-have on your summer playlist?

     "Too Much Time on My Hands" by Styx

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

     I have been lavishly blessed by God in my life. First, He put people in my life who patiently pointed me to Him. I now have a wonderful relationship with my Heavenly Father and have experienced first hand His amazing lovingkindness.
     I am married to a woman who is so remarkable in oh so many ways. I am most privileged to be able to share a life with my beloved SWMBO! Another blessing from my loving God.
    God has put amazing people in my life who love me unconditionally, who gently hold me accountable and who call me friend.
    God has put a number of godly men in my life who modeled for me what being a Christian man is all about.
     These just scratch the surface of the many lavish blessings that I have received. I am eternally and profoundly grateful for all of it.
     My sincere prayer is that all of you reading this would come to know the God of whom I speak and come to know and love Him a 100th of how much He knows and loves you!

HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH YET?

     I have been watching the news over that past several weeks and have become saddened by the current state of affairs. I am fearful for the future of our beloved republic. There are things going on that if they do not change does not bode well for the liberty interests of the citizenry. Let me explain what I mean.

     CASE #1 - THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE: You may recall that back in the 1970's President Nixon was about to be impeached. One of the specifications on the Bill of Impeachment alleged that President Nixon used the Internal Revenue Service to harass and punish his political enemies.
     The information that has been made public to date clearly shows that the Internal Revenue Service has been targeting groups that espoused conservative views and that worked to try and educate the American electorate to what they viewed as bad government policy. These groups that applied for tax exempt status had their applications deliberately held up for unreasonably long periods of time, often exceeding years, for no other reason than because of their stated political beliefs. These applications were flagged on the basis of their conservative sounding names.
     These organizations were required to answer numerous illegally intrusive and inappropriate questions under the penalty of perjury before their application for tax exempt status would be acted on.
     Meanwhile, groups that espoused views friendly to the current administration had their applications for tax exempt status reviewed and acted on more expeditiously. These friendly groups had their applications reviewed and approved in a matter of a few months.

CASE #2- GIBSON GUITAR CO.: The Gibson Guitar Company in Tennessee was raided by heavily armed federal agents in 2009 and 2011 and approximately five million dollars worth of materials was seized. The material consisted of exotic wood that had been imported from Indonesia and Madagascar and is used in the manufacture of Gibson Guitars. 
     The company was never charged with any crime!   The company did pay a "penalty" of $300,000 dollars to avoid criminal charges. The company also made a "contribution" of $50,000 dollars to the National Fish Wildlife Fund.
     The CEO of the company, Henry Juszkiewicz, is a Republican and has contributed to support the election of Republican candidates.
     Conversely, the Martin Guitar Company uses the very same wood to manufacture their guitars. The CEO of the martin Guitar Company, Chris Martin, is a Democrat and has contributed to support the election of democratic candidates for office, most notably President Obama.
     Here we have two guitar companies engaged in the same business, using the same materials. One CEO is a Republican, the other CEO a Democrat. The Republican's company gets raided by heavily armed federal agents, has millions of dollar worth of it's property seized and is then extorted to pay a hefty penalty and forced to make a contribution to the National Fish & Wildlife Fund.

     American citizens have an ABSOLUTE RIGHT to hold and espouse ANY views, beliefs and opinions that they may choose, even if those views are abhorrent to the majority. All American citizens are entitled, pursuant to the 14th Amendment to the United State Constitution, to equal protection under the law. 
     WHENEVER the government takes any action against ANY American citizen that is based upon that citizen's views, beliefs or opinions, and not on the basis of law, tyranny has raised it's ugly head. 
     Our founding fathers warned us about how government if left unchecked will always become too large and oppressive. They established the system of checks and balances to keep the branches of government from becoming too powerful. They believed that the other two branches would keep the third branch of government in check.
      The words of Thomas Jefferson keep coming to mind "Where the people fear the government there is tyranny. Where the government fears the people there is liberty." People today fear our government and that should not be! If things do not change, I fear for the future of our beloved Republic.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY HODGEPODGE!

     At the risk of appearing to be self serving, I cordially invite you all to participate in this edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there!

1. What do you think makes a good dad?

     I have heard it said that most of succes in a person's life consists of "just showing up!" Any human male can become a father. It takes commitment and diligent effort to be a Dad! It is imperative that men stick around, show up, to teach and model for their sons and daughters what it means to be a man. Men must show by example the proper way a man shows up and conducts himself when times are good and when times are bad. 

     A Dad shows up and demonstrates how a man should treat women by the way he treats his wife and how he treats his daughters. How a Dad treats the women in his life also teaches his daughter(s) that she should expect to be treated in a respectful way and not to accept anything less. A Dad shows up to press home that point to any male who would treat his daughter(s) otherwise. 

     So, in short, what makes a good Dad is a man who consistently and reliably shows up!

2.  What's something you learned from your own father?

     My dad taught me how to make simple repairs around the home. He did this by making me help him when he made such repairs in our home.

     My dad instilled in me a love of country and impressed upon me the necessity of public service. He believed and taught his two sons that we must give back to our Nation for the freedoms and lifestyle that we enjoy.

     He did not tolerate ANY disrespect to our mother or any other adult. He taught us to treat every adult we encountered with courtesy and respect. 

     He taught me how to be a man!

3. It's your birthday-what kind of cake will we be having?

     We are having Devil's Food Cake with Vanilla Frosting. What else?

4. When you're faced with a big decision are you more of a go with your gut type of person, or are you someone who reasons it all out, weighing the pros and cons? 

     I reason everything out, weighing the pro's and cons. I further solicit advice from people wiser than me in the area under consideration. I also research most issues before coming to a decision. Once the decision is made, I generally stick with it and accept the consequences, for good or ill.

5. June is National Dairy Month. What's your favorite dairy item? Most often purchased dairy item? 

     My favorite dairy item is ice cream, of course! My most often purchased item is milk. I love a glass of ice cold milk.

6. Explorer Jacques Cousteau was born on June 11, 1910....what's something you've recently discovered or something you'd like to explore?

     I would love to load SWMBO and the fur-babies into an RV and explore the breadth of this great country. I'd love to visit and explore the various monuments and National Parks from Acadia National Park in Maine to Yosemite National Park in California and all the wonderful places in between.

7. Are you typical of your generation?

     I am a baby boomer through and through. I grew up in the turmoil that was the sixty's. I served in the armed forces in the seventy's. I served the Community and raised a family with my beloved SWMBO in the eighty's, ninety's and well into the 21st century. I don 't know if I'm typical, but my life has certainly been interesting! 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     When I was growing up, my concept of God was the wrathful God of the Old Testament. The God who destroyed Egypt with ten plagues. The God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from the sky. The God who created Hell to eternally punish Satan and the angels who rebelled with him against God. The God who will consign all who sin to that same Hell.
     As a young man, however, God displayed His lovingkindness to me. He taught me that He was truly a loving Father and that because of His love for me went to extraordinary lengths to adopt me, and everyone else, into His family so that we might spend eternity with Him.
     God, through Jesus Christ paid the penalty that He did not owe for our sins and clothed us with a righteousness that is not our own. Because of this new righteousness we are beloved of God and have become His adopted children.
     I learned that we ALL will spend eternity somewhere. I also learned that the choice is ours as to where that will be. 
     I strongly urge everyone who is reading these words to choose life with God! He will not force you to choose Him, but you must choose, of your own free will! There is no better choice than choosing life with God! If I may be of assistance to you in making that choice, please ask! I stand ready to help!
    Happy Father's Day everyone!

WOO HOO! IT'S WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE!

1. Have you learned more from success or failure? Explain.

     I have learned more from failure than I have from success. The simple reason is that I have had more experience with failure than I have with success. I suspect that I am not alone in this. Often from many failures comes tremendous success. Consider Thomas Alva Edison. He tried using over a thousand metals before finding tungsten to create the light bulb. Does failure ever result from success? I don't think so!

2.  What did you call your grandparents when you were growing up? If you have children, what do they call your parents? If you have grandchildren, what do they call you?

     I never knew my paternal grandparents. They both died before I was born. However, as a boy we lived with my maternal grandparents. I called them "Memere" and "Pepere." My grand kids call me "Pepere." I love hearing them call me Pepere! My heart just melts!

  

3.  You're invited to a luau.  In keeping with that theme, what dish will you bring to share? 

     I think that if I was invited to a luau I would bring some grilled ham with pineapple slices and a stir fried rice and vegetables dish.

4. Besides Jesus, what one person's life story do you think everyone should know about?

     My choice would be Thomas Jefferson. He was a scholar, a gentleman farmer, an inventor and a founding father. He served as President of the United States. He was the U.S. Ambassador to France. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence and his writings on "Liberty" are particularly relevant today. Thomas Jefferson is definitely one of my favorite historical figures.

5. "Don't sweat the small stuff." Agree or Disagree? Why?

     I Definitely agree! It never ceases to amaze the amount of negative energy people expend over "Small Stuff." I learned throughout my law enforcement career to not sweat the small stuff. Given SWMBO's and my current circumstance more things have been added to the "Small Stuff" list. There are greater issues and life, so it is good advice to not sweat the small stuff. We will be more content and healthier if we diligently follow that advice.

6.  June is National Rivers Month. When were you last on a river? What's the prettiest river you've ever seen? What's a river you'd like to see? 

     I grew up practically on the shore of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. I spent many days fishing and playing along the river. The coldest water I ever experienced was during a trip to Yosemite National park. We took a raft trip down the Merced river. The water was crystal clear and colder than the north Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Hampshire. The Ausable Chasm in upstate New York is a beautiful work of nature. I would like to cruise the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.

7.  Speaking of rivers-paddling, fishing, swimming, or bird watching safely from the shore? Which activity would you choose? Yes-you have to choose. 

     Truthfully, my answer is all of the above. However, you did say that I had to choose so I choose fishing.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     My thoughts are with the residents of Texas, Oklahoma, and other states where severe weather has caused such widespread devastation, injury and loss of life. My heart goes out to them! My prayers go out for them! 
     I am heartened to see neighbors helping neighbors. Churches are mobilizing to provide support and assistance with the recovery. Americans are giving of their means, their time, and their skills to abate the level of suffering, to mitigate the amount of loss and to provide physical and emotional comfort to perfect strangers for no other reason than that those stranger are hurting and but for the grace of God, it could very well be them.
      Despite our many flaws, Americans are a noble and generous people! This fact is never more evident than in times like these. God bless America and hasten the recovery of all those who have suffered loss.