Thank Almighty God...

...FOR THE MILLIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE/ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR THE IDEA THAT'S AMERICA WITH FREEDOM AND LIBERTY---AND RESPONSIBILITY---FOR ALL.

We entitled, spoiled and overly-affluent Americans today have no idea what these people and their loved ones have suffered. May God bless them all and have mercy on the rest of us.

Rainbow of the Day On SoHo

Great job, Michael, netting, photographing this fish for me! Your daddy has convinced me I need to use  7X on a longer leader on the SoHo to catch more and better fish.  I'm a believer.  HG taught me everything I know.  Your father has taught me lots I didn't know, and didn't want to know. This is a terrific fish because I had to learn some new tricks to catch it!  You come from a great line of outstanding fishermen/outdoorsmen! But you already know/are living that.

MORE PICS AND STORY SOON.  Meanwhile,  great shots Michael!Thanks for netting this fish for me! Caught---on 7X, 16' leder and #18 comparadun--- photoed and released back into the wild.

Sunday: How Do We Qualify For Grace?

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and pray for those who persecute you.
— Jesus

THE CHURCH IS...made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort. Christians come together...because they have all been saved by Jesus Christ....They are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake.

— D. A. Carson

PASTOR MIKE ATKINS: QUALIFIED FOR GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR)

Memorial Weekend---Goose Is Loose

GREAT SHOT MICHAEL!

Days are hot in East Tennessee. No one's complaining. Rivers run through it.  Nights fall cool and clear. Looking up at the stars far away from bright city lights calms my soul.

Have a safe weekend.

UPDATE: Forget Bain, Obama's public equity investment record---with taxpayers' money---is the real scandal.

Donald and Peta Win DWTS

ABSOLUTELY GREAT COMPETITION AND GRAND FINALE!  Three extremely talented, hard-working couples. Katherine and Mark were exquisite throughout the contest. William could dance but was never my cup-of-tea.  Instead Donald Driver with all those NFL/Green Bay cheese heads took the trophy home! The country western number was my favorite of the season. So Americana andindigenous.   What a talent,  a dancer and seemingly a very nice husband/father too.

Some Things I'm Really Thankful For.....In No Particular Order

THAT...

....I'm not Kate Middleton, adored by all the world, and totally over-exposed in every way to the point of now being massively, unendingly boring.

....I wasn't even tempted to buy over-priced, over-hyped Facebook stock at the IPO and have never gotten on the Facebook fleshpile. I have enough addictions---fly fishing, hiking, painting, investments and keeping in real touch with real people I care about----to be addicted to a dying, over-the-hill, privacy-invading social network. FB is over-exposed in every way. Investors who've lost millions/billions on the FB frenzy are going to scream bloody murder ad naseum.  Let the lawsuits begin to no one's surprise.

....I'm not Al Gore's 'serious' girlfriend.... or even his unserious dinner partner at a casual dinner party. Al. Their days are so numbered, as the sun sets on too big to fail. The sun may take a while to set, but set it is over the dying age of Wall Street ruling the world. You can bank on it.

.....I'm not in any way associated with Jamie Dimon and the charming banditos of Wall Street.  Their days are so numbered, as is the too big to fail policies that taxpayers are being used to prop them up. 

....Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will never marry because for the foreseeable future there are states like North Carolina which will never legalize gay marriage. They live in a world of narcissistic fantasy of their omnipotent influence.

.....That I'm going to be fly fishing/hiking with friends on the South Holston this weekend, not 10 miles from the NASCAR Bristol Speedway, yet light-years away in the most beautiful setting on Earth, besides the Tetons. Blogging will be light.

Will be back with more....but I'm gettng ready to leave on a fishing trip for the long weekend and have lots to do as well as watching the finals of DWT with Martha!

Public Education Has Come To This In Places

'
FACTS HAVE NO RELEVANCE? Opinions can't be shared without being screamed out-of-existance by out-of-control, hot-headed, very immature 'teachers'?

Sunday Reflection

THE FUTURE of the human family rides on...a promise spoken and not forgotten. A man named Abraham strode off into his unpredictable future as he gambled on the reliability of a promise uttered by a Presence he had scarcely begun to feel. And so the new possibility for history began. Moses tried to get a better fix on the identity of this Presence...“What is your name?” he dared to ask. And the answer came:...“I am he who will be there with you.” (Exodus 3:14)...Then a man from Galilee talked to his friends about sealing this ancient promise in his blood and a day later he spilled it.. on a mound they called Golgotha. “I am he who will be there with you” was there with us, dying, then rising, and then being with us to the end of the world...Human destiny rests on a promise freely given and reliably remembered. Whenever you and I make and a promise we are as close to being like God as we can ever be. When you say to anyone that you will be there with [him or her or them], you are only a millimeter beneath theangels.

— Lewis Smedes

H/T Redeemer Presbyterian, Manhattan

SOLOMON SERMON:  Having a Godly plan as a mom.

Fadebook

FROM ZERO HEDGE.

AT BUSINESS INSIDER Stocks tank, Facebook flops.

Why I'd Avoid Facebook's Frenzied IPO/Stock Like the Plague For At Least A Year

FACEBOOK DEBUT: PLENTY OF BUZZ FOLLOWED BY LOTS OF FIZZLE

NOW HEAR THIS: THE BIG BOYS ARE IN, will make millions/billions as the stock jets up, then sell it and be out ASAP as the price crashes back to earth. The little investors will be left holding the bag, hoping their stock will go up again and make em some money one day.

Don't count on it anytime soon. Getting into this feeding frenzy is like swimming with sharks. There'll be blood in the water everywhere.

Josh Brown has more, as in Stay Desperate and Stupid.

Donna Summers

UPDATE IN FRIDAY'S TENNESSEAN
MAY THIS BEAUTIFUL LADY rest in peace. Her music inspired and delighted us all. A real class act and woman of faith.

Gallup: With History As Guide, Obama's Prospects For Second Term Dim

IS OBAMA IMPLODING? (A RHETORICAL QUESTION)

A LOSS FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA IN NOVEMBER IS LOOKING MORE POSSIBLE though anything can still happen.

Between job approval, economic confidence and satisfaction-with-country's-direction numbers, things are looking less and less well, hopeful, for Mr. Obama these days. Those numbers don't lie, and most likely will only get worse, not better in the days ahead.

There's also bad news for Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren who's seeking Scott Brown's job in Massachusetts. Her woman-of-color, wannabe native American false identity is making her look sillier and sillier. How can people take someone really that seriously who's pretended for years she's something she's not.

Of course anything's possible in Massachusetts, but it now seems unlikely she will ever make it to the U.S. Senate. And not a minute too soon.

Resting in Him

TAKE ADVICE THIS DAY, and resolve to possess the realities of Christianity, as well as the name, and the substance, as well as the form. Do not be content until you know something of the peace, hope, joy, and consolation which Christians enjoyed in former times. Ask yourself what is the reason that you are a stranger to the feelings which men and women experienced in the days of the Apostles: ask yourself why you do not “joy in the Lord,” and feel “peace with God,” like the Romans and Philippians, to whom Paul wrote. Religious feelings, no doubt, are often deceptive; but surely the religion which produces no feelings at all is not the religion of the New Testament. The religion which gives a person no inward comfort can never be a religion from God. Reader, take heed to yourself. Never be satisfied until you know something of the rest that is in Christ.

~ J.C. Ryle

Was a relaxing Mother's Day with tons of much needed rain all day long. Hardly went near the computer until I skyped with children and grandchildren. Hope you had a good weekend as I certainly have.

Amateur Hour

THE SAD DECLINE OF SNL

FOR ANYONE WHO'S BEEN BREATHING THE PAST FOUR YEARS,  Bill Clinton's description of President Obama as an amateur is not news. Same ole, same ole.

 Still it's a little more than heartening when you consider the source.

That Bill allegedly urged Hillary to quit her job at State last fall and run against the hope-and-change president says volumes to the average voter.

The Romney people should use this Clinton quote to its maximum advantage.

Reese Witherspoon's Family-of-Origin 'Caper'

OBAMA'S 7 STATES OF GAY MARRIAGE GRIEF

JUST WHEN YOU THINK fame and fortune makes for a perfect life, or that you've got the craziest family alive, Reese Witherspoon's father goes and out-does himself in the dysfunctional department. 'Dr. Witherspoon,' as he's known around these parts is an ear, nose and throat specialist who's  evidently specializing in other things these days and making a spectacle of himself and his family in the process.

Betty, Reese's mother, is understandably concerned that her estranged husband of 42 years has 'married' another woman---read that gold digger---from a nearby town. Dr. Witherspoon doesn't remember who the woman is or that he married her, or at least that's the story he's sticking to at the moment.

In a slow and endlessly boring news cycle in which all our eyes have long since glazed over, leave it to the Dr. Witherspoons of the world to give us some comic relief though it's surely not funny to the rest of his family. Have no idea but wondered why Dr. Witherspoon and Betty---living apart for more than 15 years have never gone on and gottened divorced. 

More

Best of Monday's Met Gala

LOTS OF GILDED GOWNS ARRIVING ON 5TH AVENUE LAST NIGHT, but all that glitters is not gold.  Here are, however, several of  my favorites from surverying women coming in for the fashion kill.  From top to bottom are my favorite looks.  If you want to see more with descriptions, you can go here. And here.

Each of these is feminine without being overdone, glamorous and elegant, from Camilla and Renee to Chelsea (who looks really wonderful), Emma and Ivanka (though her blue velvet is more suited to a winter fete). There were lots of others---Gisele, Gwynneth---but none made the Webutante grade in my opinion.

Jim Rogers Talks Reality Economics

NAZI-NOMICS AND THE NEW GREEK MINORITY POWER

FARMLAND ANYONE?

Sunday Reflection

HE [CHRIST] is Isaac, the beloved Son of the Father who was offered as a sacrifice, but nevertheless did not succumb to the power of death….He is the good and compassionate brother Joseph, who in his glory was not ashamed to acknowledge his brothers, however lowly and abject their condition….He is the sovereign lawgiver Moses, writing his law on the tables of our hearts by his Spirit. He is the faithful captain and guide Joshua, to lead us to the Promised Land….He is the strong and powerful Samson, who by his death has overwhelmed all his enemies.

It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.

---John Calvin

H/T Redeemer Presbyterian, Manhattan

RICKY BOLDEN, GUEST PASTOR @ MCLEAN: Taking Our Lives To The Next Level

Friday: A Resounding Fashion Yes!

RELATED

IF EVER THERE'S SOMETHING TO APPROVE in the far-too-influential but decadent world of haute couture, it's news that at Vogue et al are now declaring underage and under-weight looks out-of- fashion. Not a minute too soon. These poor pre-puerile girls---often pushed by over-ambitious mothers---were s couted out,  then made up and dressed like 25-25 year old freaks.  It's a despicable trend that's needed to stop for years.

If we never see it again, it'll be too soon as far as I'm concerned.

There's no telling how many pre-teen, teenage girls, not to mention women of all ages, have been pushed to anorexia, smoking and alcohol, diet pills, plastic surgery, lipo and other serial addictive fixes in order to look acceptable in the eyes of an impossible standard set by the liberal fashion industry/press that's published and pushed for decades the laughable myth you can't be too skinny, or too young looking.

Starting in June, Vogue has vowed to ban underage and underweight models from its pages in the U S and Europe in hopes of encouraging a healthier approach to body image within the fashion industry.

Attention Ms. Angelina Jolie, your too skinny look is out. Now you can stop smoking and gain a little weight. You can read more here.

A healthy, toned look should always prevail. And while they're at it, these silly publications should outlaw air brushing models to look perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist and shouldn't be promulgated with impressionable young women who fall for every bizarre fashion trend that comes down the pike.

Nothing's wrong with striving to look great. But when it goes over the line to obsession, compulsion and addiction based on unreality, then it stunts entire generations of girls from growing up into real women with realistic images and expectations of themselves and what's really attractive. I hope many more publications follow in the steps of Vogue.

Hanson and Tamny---Two Outstanding Conservative Columns This Week

IN HIS CURRENT PIECE IN FORBES, John Tamny explains counterintuitively  when it comes to containing healthcare costs the way down is first up.  In other words, it has to become more expensive before it can get dirt-cheap.

If you don't believe it, read this outstanding piece and  you most likely will. Too bad our elite political class and its chattering  media enablers can't quite get their heads around this concept:

In every market of every kind, goods and services start out as luxuries---expensive and obscure---on the way to eventually becoming cheap and commonplace thanks to entrepreneurial incentives. Sadly with healthcare both parties strive to make it cheap, which means it will never be.

ALSO, going along with Tamny's piece, Victor Hanson's asks rhetorically in NRO this week if America is suffering from a lack of mastery over its wealth in Decline or Decadence? An excerpt:

If our students are burdened with oppressive loans, why do so many university rec centers look like five-star spas? Student cell phones and cars are indistinguishable from those of the faculty.

The underclass suffers more from obesity than malnutrition; our national epidemic is not unaffordable protein, but rather a surfeit of even cheaper sweets.

Flash mobbers target electronics stores for more junk, not bulk food warehouses in order to eat. America’s children do not suffer from lack of access to the Internet, but from wasting hours on video games and less-than-instructional websites. We have too many, not too few, television channels.

The problem is not that government workers are underpaid or scarce, but that so many of them seem to think mind readers, clowns, and prostitutes come with the job.

An average American with an average cell phone has more information at his fingertips than did a Goldman Sachs grandee 20 years ago. Over the last half-century, bizarre new words have entered the American vocabulary — triple-dipping, Botox, liposuction, jet set, COLA (cost of living adjustment), three-day weekend, Medi-something compounds (Medicare, Medicaid, Medi-Cal) — that do not reflect a deprived citizenry. In 1980, a knee or hip replacement was experimental surgery for the 1 percent; now it is a Medicare entitlement.

American poverty is not measured by absolute global standards of available food, shelter, and medical care, or by comparisons with prior generations, but by one American now having less stuff than another.

Sometimes the answers are simple. But we don't want even a moment's discomfort in our entitled society, so we opt to continue the quick fix and nothing changes. That is, until we fall off a cliff and can no longer keep living as we now are as a country.

Sunday--Prayer and Partial Fast

I'M NOW IN THE THIRD DAY OF A 7-DAY PRAYER-INTERMITTENT FAST. Many things have converged to convince me I need to do this at this time, and even early on I'm finding it extremely cleansing and healing. It's quietening my soul and slowing me down to a crawl. So I've been on the computer only occasionally these past few days and, at least for the moment, not missing it.

Since I'm devoting much of this time to prayer (as well as Bible reading, lifting some weights, making fruit and vegetable smoothies and fighting constant distractions and some hunger) I want to link to an article on Tim Challies's site, Prayer Is Hard Work that hits the nail on the head for me: prayer is often very hard work, especially when it's done repetitively as a spiritual discipline directed towards God, not the outside world. Here's a highlight, but read the whole article if you're inclined:

Instinctive as is our dependence upon God, no duty is more earnestly impressed upon us in Scripture than the duty of continual communion with Him. The main reason for this unceasing insistence is the arduousness of prayer. In its nature it is a laborious undertaking, and in our endeavor to maintain the spirit of prayer we are called to wrestle against principalities and powers of darkness.

“Dear Christian reader,” says Jacob Boehme, “to pray aright is right earnest work.” Prayer is the most sublime energy of which the spirit of man is capable. It is in one aspect glory and blessedness; in another, it is toil and travail, battle and agony. Uplifted hands grow tremulous long before the field is won; straining sinews and panting breath proclaim the exhaustion of the “heavenly footman.” The weight that falls upon an aching heart fills the brow with anguish, even when the midnight air is chill. Prayer is the uplift of the earth-bound soul into the heaven, the entrance of the purified spirit into the holiest; the rending of the luminous veil that shuts in, as behind curtains, the glory of God. It is the vision of things unseen; the recognition of the mind of the Spirit; the effort to frame words which man may not utter. A man that truly prays one prayer,” says Bunyan, “shall after that never be able to express with his mouth or pen the unutterable desires, sense, affection, and longing that went to God in that prayer.”

ALSO WANT TO QUOTE from another post on Challies' site on the subject of humility verses pride: It seems a very noteworthy subject to mediatate and pray on during this prayer-fast:

William Farley (Gospel-Powered Humility)

Humility is the capacity to see myself in God’s light, in the context of his holiness and my sinfulness.

Pride is spiritual blindness, a delusional, inflated view of self. It is unreality on steriods.

Let me also include a worthy quote: “Here is the great paradox: the proud man thinks he is humble, but the humble man thinks he is proud. The humble man sees his arrogance. He sees it clearly, and as a result he aggressively pursues a life of humility, but he doesn’t think of himself as humble. The proud man is completely unaware of his pride. Of all men he is most convinced that he is humble.”

C.J. Mahaney (Humility: True Greatness)

Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.

Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon him.

Thanks for coming by today.

Magical, Festive Solar Lanterns

MY NEIGHBOR JACQUELINE JUST PUT OUT HER SOJI SOLAR LANTERNS into the perennial garden below my bedroom window and I tell you it's magic looking out on the scene at night after dark. The little solar cells pack heat in the day and when it gets dark, give it up glowing various colors for hours into the night.

I want several for my deck, but meanwhile I have hers to glow me to sleep with windows wide open and breezes flowing gently in.

Knuckleball: Sport's Word of the Year and the Man Who Owns It

ANOTHER BUSY DAY. But I'll come back to write more about R. A. Dickey's fantastic new book. Meanwhile here's a 30 minute NPR radio interview with Dickey that gives some of the highlights of his pitching career and amazing life journey.

I highly, highly recommend Dickey's new book---Wherever I Wind Up---My Quest For Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knucklball. It's almost more truth, authenticity and ultimately personal responsibility than any reader can stand. You will never forget it, I promise.

Chuck Colson, A Man Redeemed Then Used Mightily By God

CHUCK COLSON AND THE CONSCIENCE OF A HATCHET MAN



BEEN A RELAXING COUPLE OF DAYS away from the computer and around friends in the great outdoors. There's rarely any contest between priorities when outdoors opportunity comes along. I did see that Chuck Colson has died. He was a man fortunate to come to realize that he was a sinner in need of a Savior. And, by the enablement of the Holy Spirit, came to Jesus Christ, walked with him from then on.

Colson's new life with its global prison ministry is a testimony to the transforming power of Christ indwelling that has a saving ripple effect in many other lives as well.

I also read this weekend a powerful new biography by R. A. Dickey----starting knuckleball pitcher for the New York Mets---a local Tennessee boy who's finally grown up and made good in the major leagues. His, like Colson's, is another riveting story of redemption that you won't be able to put down. Will write more on this later.

Back to Work!

MESSAGE TO ROMNEY AND GOP: STOP FEEDING THE FEMINIST BEAST!

SO MUCH TO BLOG ABOUT, TOO MANY DIVERSIONS. Today on the South Holston with outstanding fishermen. Tomorrow hiking at Hughes Gap on the AT.

John Tamny: The Government Rip-Off of Lotteries

Lotteries are a deceptive form of theft by governments unable to live within their means. Voters should abolish them not because they're a rip-off or regressive, but because they're an extra source of revenue that allows governments to fund even more programs that will prove difficult to cut. Forbes.com.

WHY VOTERS SHOULD SEEK ABOLISHMENT OF THE MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY

By John Tamny

AS IS ALMOST UNIVERSALLY known now, the recent Mega Millions lottery offered up a prize exceeding $600 million. Sensing the possibility that a life of leisure awaited them should they possess the correct numbers, ever optimistic Americans lined up to purchase tickets; last minute purchases the driver of a jackpot that reached nosebleed heights.

Lots of fun was had, even for the losers, though not discussed enough are the major negatives that come with lottery programs run by the State. If tax rate cuts are the gift that keeps on giving, then lotteries are the hidden theft that keeps on taking.

That's the case because lotteries are disingenuous ways that governments unable to live within their means raise extra revenue. Just as governments have historically devalued the currency in order to pay for wars the citizenry did not want, today governments use lotteries to cover that which besieged taxpayers will not.

Government spending is by definition a tax owing to the basic truth that governments can only spend what they've taxed or borrowed from us first, and lotteries are simply a soft version of the latter. At least with lotteries, we can delude ourselves into thinking we have a chance to get back some of what we've given through purchases.

Of course it's not just the near-term spending that should concern us. Even if readers believe what isn't remotely true, that government spending is an economic stimulant (quite the opposite, actually), not acknowledged enough is that government spending doesn't meekly occur without long-term, and very negative, effects.

Instead, once cash-rich governments deploy the money in the wasteful ways that continue to amaze even the sentient among us, for doing so they create programs that are difficult to sunset. Up front, government spending draws down our earnings, turns some workers into indolent takers, plus it weakens the economy overall for governments bidding for labor against the tautologically more productive private sector. Worst of all, it also doesn't go away.

Once a program is funded, a special interest is created; one with employees whose votes count every bit as much as those toiling in the real world, and who want nothing from government. In short, government spending serves as a tax on real growth out of the gates, and then the programs funded serve as an ever expanding tax as more and more money is needed to feed the eternally hungry beast.

Some will say that lotteries have historically funded education, but that's a false argument on two counts. For one, money is money, and extra revenues enjoyed by governments - even if earmarked for education - ensure that other non-educational programs will have more funds to consume (the definition of capital destruction) thanks to a larger revenue intake overall.

Second, investment in education has soared in modern times, far outpacing GDP growth in percentage terms. Much as politicians on the left and right might wish otherwise as they naively talk up the "correlation" between education and economic growth, the simple truth is that "smart" and "hard work" - the two essential success inputs - cannot be taught.

Notably, some suggest lotteries should be abolished for disproportionately preying on those who reside in lower economic strata, not to mention a history of lottery winners that's riddled with addiction, divorce, bankruptcy and suicide. Fair points, but assuming private entities desire to stage lotteries in place of the State, democracy that frequently takes the form of mob rule should not get in the way.

About fully privatized lotteries, it should be said that the State naturally creates a wedge that could be filled by private, for profit companies, staging what is a gambling exercise. Though participation would still be a waste of time, it's not the job of governments or voters to protect us from what are voluntary acts no matter how stupid they may be.

The above applies to the notion that lotteries should be abolished because they dupe so many low-income individuals. Maybe so, but once again, government should exist to protect our rights to do as we wish, not limit what we choose to do.

As for the horrific life track record of so many winners, this reality should - though it won't - remind politicians of how ineffective government redistribution schemes are. President Obama is the latest in a long line of politicians who has talked up the alleged good that comes from spreading the wealth around, but as evidenced by once again all the addiction, divorce and bankruptcy stories that modern lottery history is littered with, wealth is far more of a state of mind - think working hard and smart - than it is about putting money in people's pockets.

In short, winning the lottery and "wealth" in no way ensures that those allegedly lucky enough to have done so will also possess the values that so often correlate with wealth actually earned. Free individuals should once again be free to participate in lotteries, but let's hopefully use the myriad failures and tragedies that follow "winning" to remind ourselves of the folly of wealth redistribution.

Looking ahead, it would be wholly naïve to assume governments used to the revenues lotteries bestow on them will ever cease dipping their greedy hands in our pockets. Still, the economics of lotteries are bad for all concerned even if we leave out the horrendous odds, so voters should seek their abolishment with economic growth in mind.

Sunday

PASTOR LON SOLOMON -- FOUR PRICELESS THINGS THAT MAKE  LIFE WORTH LIVING

And they're not fame, riches, power, sex appeal and popularity.
********

CHRIST OUR INTERCESSOR

The Christian is meant to understand that we have a mighty, living Friend in heaven, who not only died for us, but rose again, and after rising again took His seat at the right hand of God, to be our Advocate and Intercessor with the Father until He comes again. We are meant to understand that Christ not only died for us, but is alive for us, and actively working on our behalf at this very day. In short, the encouragement that Paul holds out to believers is, the living priesthood of Jesus Christ. We are not only to look to a Savior who died as our Substitute, and shed His blood for us, but to a Savior who also after His resurrection took His seat at God’s right hand, and lives there as his constant Intercessor and Priest.
J. C. Ryle

Max Patch Here We Come

WHO KNOWS, MAYBE WE'LL RUN INTO THE RAPTOR

IT'S SPRING, SUNNY, STILL COOL, IRRESISTIBLE. The trail calls. The call-of-the-wild has my cell phone number.

Max Patch

Senator Lamar Alexander Talks About the Boomerang Effects of Obamacare

WE'RE ABOUT ONE YEAR AWAY FROM A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS. As the federal government creeps into every nook and cranny of our lives.

Cell Phone Nation, Staggering Statistics

MORE ON FDR-STYLE GOD-FEARING LIBERALISM VERSES TODAY'S GOD-HATING LIBS @ POWERLINE

CAN IT BE TRUE THAT 20% OF THIRD GRADERS---8 YEAR OLDS---have their own cell phones and by middle school the market is saturated by almost 83%? Since these phone are smart phones with cameras and internet, one can only imagine the amazing amount of distractions for kids in every aspect of life.

Smart phones absolutely require smart parents and smarter schools to set boundaries for appropriate use and mighty consequences for misuse, including privacy and bullying issues.

More on recent studies @ The Atlantic.