ESPN Additions

Ironically, some of the best television commercials are for ESPN and only air on ESPN.  Now, I do not know if these ads really are meant to add all the more to the viewing experience, but it works for me.

Please Also Visit:

[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

and

[FishHawk Droppings]

He Hated F.D.R.

The following is a continuation of what was started with [None of the Above].

It is of my dad that I am referring to, and his political point-of-view is well worth examining.  For it is still shared by a fairly great many, and I am quite sure that he would be a very enthusiastic follower of the [American Tea Party Movement] if he was still physically alive.

Despite being physically born in 1920, it is arguable that he really wasn’t a child of the [Great Depression].  For he could not remember the area around [Blue Mound, Kansas] being severely affected by either the [1929 Stock Market Crash] or the drought that ushered in the [Dust Bowl Era].

In fact, my dad was able to secure a full-time union job as an oiler, which was someone who performed light maintenance upon the heavy equipment, with a natural gas pipeline company out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma when he was just 15 years-old.  Of course, he had to lie about his age, along with having the considerable weight of an uncle’s influence upon the company backing his application, but he was making really good money before graduating high school when millions around the country were looking to the government to literally save their bacon.

According to him, my dad was a very dutiful son, but he admitted that it was only on account of how much he loved playing varsity baseball and basketball that he did not ignore his parent’s letters that became more and more adamant in their insistence that he return home and get back in school as the time for the 1935 fall semester to begin approached.  For after actually seeing some of what lay beyond the Linn County line, not even thoughts of making trips to the sprawling metropolis of [Mound City] held quite the same appeal for him.

Ironically, he later turned down offers to play minor league baseball for the [Chicago Cubs] and the [St. Louis Cardinals], along with a full scholarship to play basketball for [Phog Allen] with the Kansas Jayhawks.  For the money he could then be making at the controls of a bulldozer far exceeded what was in those minor league baseball contracts, and he could not see how a college education could help him stay upright while gouging out a right-of-way across the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina—let alone keep from sinking in an east Texas swamp.

No, my dad never had to face the indignity of standing in a soup line.  Neither did any of the members of his extended family to the extent that I was made aware of.

My dad attributed that to their willingness to work, and he was quite vocal about claiming that any able-bodied man can find a job if they are willing to work.  In sharp contrast, he was also quite vocal about how much he resented having to pay taxes to feed the families of men who did not have enough gumption to get a job on their own, which was in reference to the [CCC].

No, my dad was no fan of the [New Deal], but it was being in the second wave to land on [Omaha Beach] under the withering fire of German gun emplacements that fueled his hatred of [President Franklin Delano Roosevelt] the most.  For he did not see where it was any of our business being in a war against an enemy who posed no immediate threat to our country at the time.

[Pearl Harbor]?  Well, aside from that being an attack by the Japanese, my dad believed that it was orchestrated by Roosevelt to get us involved in World War II before the best opportunities to profit from the manufacturing of military supplies passed.

Adding even more fuel to his fire was that he didn’t even have to go.  For he could have taken advantage of the draft exemption granted to only sons, but Blue Mound was way too small of a place to remain safe at home with his aging parents, quite comely wife and newborn daughter while the sons (and even many daughters) of neighbors were lining up to do their patriotic duty.

So, he answered the call to arms—only to face having to sign a release of liability to avoid a significant delay in returning home after the fighting was over in the [European Theatre].  For he had been seriously wounded at the start of the [Battle of the Bulge], and he was told that all with possible medical complications would have stay overseas for at least six months longer unless they signed a form that released the United States government from having to pay for any future medical treatments of wounds sustained in battle, along with any medical conditions related to them.  He signed the form.

Alas, is it not no wonder that he looked upon with horror as the reach of the federal government grew steadily longer over the years?  For even after giving all that he had in a war that he considered to be quite unnecessary, there was his very own government trying to take advantage of desperate desires to return home as soon as possible!

He begrudgingly came to accept that the New Deal was really not such a bad deal before his time as a part of this world came to an end.  I would think that it was on account of [Social Security] and [VA] disability checks keeping us from becoming completely destitute after he was told by several doctors that he had to quit working or face permanent paralysis and the [International Union of Operating Engineers] refusing to pay his pension because of not being old enough to draw one yet.  In all fairness, his application for workers compensation was vigorously fought against (and defeated) by the company he had been very loyally with for over 30 years because of his primary medical condition not being the result of a single accident, but even with both of those things notwithstanding, he always insisted that he was just getting back from the government what he had paid in to the Social Security fund and earned on numerous battlefields in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Germany.

All of that had a great influence upon the formation of my own political point-of-view.  Does any of it bring back memories from your childhood?  How about sounding rather consistent with what can still be heard coming from on top of many a soapbox these days?

Be assured that I have plenty of my own “pleasant” experiences with all that our federal government has to offer.  For in 2000, I had to come to grips with the fact that I could no longer hold any sort of job after being afflicted with [CFS] in 1993 (1992, actually) and trying to hang in there for the previous seven years.  My wife finally convinced me to apply for Social Security Disability, and that is when the “fun” really started.

I really should have been more prepared.  For if it was possible for the Social Security Administration to initially determine that my dad was not disabled with him having one full vertebrae in his lower back, and the discs on both sides, completely ground to dust after over 30 years of operating bulldozers and ditching machines, how could it have come as any great surprise to me that they would not accept feeling even exceedingly exhausted all of the time as being a debilitating condition without a fight?

Unlike what eventually happened with my dad, it took more than two tries to finally win a judgment in my favor.  In fact, it took four tries!

Well, at least I think it did.  Since we hired the only board-certified social security disability lawyer in southwest Missouri, I am not quite sure what really has happened.  That is, other than initially receiving checks for $23.50 a month, of course.

Oh, but wait, there’s more!  For if our household income exceeds $3,000.00 a month, no money from the Social Security Administration will be directly-deposited into our checking account, and we are required to send copies of my wife’s check stubs each month.

Speaking of such, we received a notification in the mail a couple of months ago that a new national income reporting phone line had been established.  Since this could save us both time and money, I was rather excited to give it a try, and I was quite disappointed when it did not work.  Not being able to find out what was going wrong, and receiving a letter informing us in no uncertain terms that actual copies of check stubs had to be sent in and that a fine could be accessed for failing to report monthly wages on time, was also quite disappointing to me.

Be assured that I really don’t have the words to describe what a joy it has been trying to deal with the good people of the Social Security Administration.  However, I can tell you that thinking about how many times we have received letters announcing that great increases in my monthly compensation amounts would be starting the next month—only to receive another letter a week or so later that said that we would be receiving nothing until further notice because of my wife’s anticipated wages exceeding the limit when she has never made more than $3,000.00 in a month does bring a tear to my eye.

Yes, it would seem that I have plenty of my own reasons for not losing focus on my dad’s political point-of-view, but our Heavenly Father allowing me to look at things through His eyes has drastically changed my perspective.  For I can now clearly see that He established governmental social welfare programs to make up for what we (as individuals and even as members of His church) far too often refuse to do on our own.

Now, this is not to say that these programs are doing the best that they can.  In fact, the way they are run would be laughable if it was not for how many people are being badly hurt by incompetence and corruption, but instead of wanting to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater by getting rid of programs that really could be a great blessing to us all, we should be looking for leaders who will get serious about truly fixing what is broken about all of the various levels of government in this country.

No, that is not something that Obama and Biden are interested in accomplishing, and the reforms that Romney and Ryan preach about will undoubtedly do more harm than good if they win the election.  Hopefully, the misery will end much sooner than later.

Please Also Visit:

[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

and

[FishHawk Droppings]

Say These Lines?

Link: [Jars of Clay]

Crazy Times

Jars of Clay

You're cold that way

And that's why you say

The things that you say

You can't attract

The things that you lack

You're trying in vain

It seems

It's always the crazy times

You find

You'll wake up and realize

It takes

More than your saline eyes

To make things right

You spiral down

You've broken your crown

You don't feel like a queen

You've seen the proof

But you're still crying wolf

You'll never believe

It seems

It's always the crazy times

You find

You'll wake up and realize

It takes

More than your saline eyes

To make things right

You try to climb a broken ladder

Grip the missing rungs

And fall

Down

Down

Down

Down

Seems some time ago you said

This wouldn't last

And now you sit here crying

Beside your bed

You feel left for dead

You kneel in the dark

It takes

More than your saline eyes

To make things right

It seems

It's always the crazy times

You find

You'll wake up and realize

It takes

More than your saline eyes

To make things right

Lyrics From: [A-Z Lyrics Universe]

NOTE: Before closing, I feel compelled to explain what the title to this piece is all about.  For while I was listening to the song for the first time in quite a while the other day, I kept hearing More than your say these lines instead of saline eyes in the chorus, which is significant to me.  For our Heavenly Father has been bringing it back around into my range of focus that far too many in the Christian community would still rather believe in what are really doctrines of demons that dictate the reciting of certain prayers and parts of Scripture to bring about their deliverance from whatever mess they may find themselves in as if His words are meant to be employed in the same way as one would speak an incantation to cast a magical spell.  May they want to be delivered out of this trap before it is too late.

Please Also Visit:

[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

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[FishHawk Droppings]

Keep Me From Drowning Again

Link: [Jars of Clay]

Flood

Jars of Clay

Rain

Rain on my face

It hasn't stopped

Raining for days

My world is a flood

Slowly I become

One with the mud

But if I can't swim after forty days

And my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves

Lift me up so high that I cannot fall

Lift me up oh

Lift me up

When I'm falling

Lift me up

I'm weak and I'm dying

Lift me up

I need you to hold me

Lift me up

Keep me from drowning again

Downpour on my soul

Splashing in the ocean

I'm losing control

Dark sky all around me

I can't feel my feet touching the ground

But if I can't swim after forty days

And my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves

Lift me up so high that I cannot fall

Lift me up oh

Lift me up

When I'm falling

Lift me up

I'm weak and I'm dying

Lift me up

I need you to hold me

Lift me up

Keep me from drowning again

Calm the storms that drench my eyes

Dry the streams still flowing

Casting down all the waves of sin

And guilt that overflows me

But if I can't swim after forty days

And my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves

Lift me up so high that I cannot fall

Lift me up oh

Lift me up

When I'm falling

Lift me up

I'm weak and I'm dying

Lift me up

I need you to hold me

Lift me up

Keep me from drowning again

Lift me up

When I'm falling

Lift me up

I'm weak and I'm dying

Lift me up

I need you to hold me

Lift me up

Keep me from drowning again

Lyrics From: [A-Z Lyrics Universe]

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[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

and

[FishHawk Droppings]

Oh So Very Near, Certainly Not Far

Link: [Bette Midler]

From A Distance

Bette Midler

From a distance

The world looks blue and green

And the snow-capped mountains white

From a distance

The ocean meets the stream

And the eagle takes to flight

From a distance

There is harmony

And it echoes through the land

It’s the voice of hope

It’s the voice of peace

It’s the voice of every man

From a distance

We all have enough

And no one is in need

And there are no guns

No bombs

And no disease

No hungry mouths to feed

From a Distance

We are instruments

Marching in a common band

Playing songs of hope

Playing songs of peace

They are the songs of every man

God is watching us

God is watching us

God is watching us

From a distance

From a distance

You look like my friend

Even though we are at war

From a distance

I just cannot comprehend

What all this fighting’s for

From a distance

There is harmony

And it echoes through the land

And it’s the hope of hopes

It’s the love of loves

It’s the heart of every man

Every man

It’s the hope of hopes

It’s the love of loves

This is the heart of every man

And God is watching us

God is watching us

God is watching us

From a distance

Oh God is watching us

God is watching

God is watching us

From a distance

Lyrics From: [A-Z Lyrics Universe]

Please Also Visit:

[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

and

[FishHawk Droppings]

ESPN Additions

Ironically, some of the best television commercials are for ESPN and only air on ESPN.  Now, I do not know if these ads really are meant to add all the more to the viewing experience, but it works for me.

Please Also Visit:

[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

and

[FishHawk Droppings]

Stumbling Steps

Link: [Lifehouse]

Hangin’ by a Moment

Lifehouse

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

I'm closer to where I started

I'm chasing after You

I'm falling even more in love with You

Letting go of all I've held onto

I'm standing here until You make me move

I'm hanging by a moment here with You

Forgetting all I'm lacking

Completely incomplete

I'll take Your invitation

You take all of me now

I'm falling even more in love with You

Letting go of all I've held onto

I'm standing here until You make me move

I'm hanging by a moment here with You

I'm living for the only thing I know

I'm running and not quite sure where to go

And I don't know what I'm diving into

Just hanging by a moment here with You

There's nothing else to lose

There's nothing else to find

There's nothing in the world

That can change my mind

There is nothing else

There is nothing else

There is nothing else

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

I'm closer to where I started

I'm chasing after You

I'm falling even more in love with You

Letting go of all I've held onto

I'm standing here until You make me move

I'm hanging by a moment here with You

I'm living for the only thing I know

I'm running and not quite sure where to go

And I don't know what I'm diving into

Just hanging by a moment here with You

Just hanging by a moment

Hanging by a moment

Hanging by a moment

Hanging by a moment

Hanging by a moment here with You

Link: [DC Talk]

What If I Stumble

DC Talk

The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today

 Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips

 Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.

 That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable

What if I stumble

What if I fall

Is this one for the people

Is this one for the Lord

Or do I simply serenade

For things I must afford

You can jumble them together

My conflict still remains

Holiness is calling

In the midst of courting fame

'Cause I see the trust in their eyes

Though the sky is falling

They need Your love in their lives

Compromise is calling

What if I stumble

What if I fall

What if I lose my step

And I make fools of us all

Will the love continue

When my walk becomes a crawl

What if I stumble

And what if I fall

What if I stumble

What if I fall

You never turn in

The heat of it all

What if I stumble

What if I fall

Fall fall fall fall

Father please forgive me

For I cannot compose

The fear that lives within me

Or the rate at which it grows

If struggle has a purpose

On the narrow road you've carved

Why do I dread my trespasses

Will leave a deadly scar

Do they see the fear in my eyes

Are they so revealing

This time I cannot disguise

All the doubt I'm feeling

What if I stumble

What if I fall

What if I lose my step

And I make fools of us all

Will the love continue

When my walk becomes a crawl

What if I stumble

And what if I fall

What if I stumble

Everyone's got to crawl

When you know that

You're up against a wall

It's about to fall

Everyone's got to crawl

When you know that

Ooh oooh ooh ooh

Yeah

Everyone's got to crawl

When you know that

You're up against a wall

It's about to fall

Everyone's got to crawl

When you know that

Yeah

I hear You whispering my name

You say

My love for you will never change

Never change

What if I stumble

What if I fall

What if I fall

What if I lose my step

And I make fools of us all

What will they say

Will the love continue

When my walk becomes a crawl

What if I stumble

And what if I

What if I stumble

And what if I fall

What if I lose my step

And I make fools of us all

What will they say

Will the love continue

When my walk becomes a crawl

What if I stumble

And what if I fall

What if I stumble

What if I fall

You never turn in

The heat of it all

What if I stumble

What if I fall

Fall fall fall

You are my comfort

And my God

God God God

Is this one for the people

Is this one for the Lord

Link: [Kansas]

Hold On

Kansas

Look in the mirror and tell me

Just what you see

What have the years of your life

Taught you to be

Innocence dying in so many ways

Things that you dream of are lost

Lost in the haze

Hold on

Baby hold on

'Cause it's closer than you think

And you're standing on the brink

Hold on

Baby hold on

'Cause there's something on the way

Your tomorrow's not the same as today

Don't you recall what you felt

When you weren't alone

Someone who stood by your side

A face you have known

Where do you run when it's too much to bear

Who do you turn to in need

When nobody's there

Hold on

Baby hold on

'Cause it's closer than you think

And you're standing on the brink

Hold on

Baby hold on

'Cause there's something on the way

Your tomorrow's not the same as today

Outside your door He is waiting

Waiting for you

Sooner or later you know

He's got to come through

No hesitation

And no holding back

Let it all go

And you'll know

You're on the right track

Hold on

Baby hold on

Hold onto me baby

'Cause it's closer than you think

And you're standing on the brink

Hold on

Baby hold on

Yeah I need you by my side

'Cause there's something on the way

Your tomorrow's not the same

Hold on

Baby hold on

I’ve got to talk to you baby

'Cause it's closer than you think

And you're standing on the brink

Hold on

Baby hold on

There’s something around the corner

'Cause there's something on the way

Your tomorrow's not the same

Hold on

Lyrics From: [A-Z Lyrics Universe]

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[AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles]

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[FishHawk Droppings]