Life Today

Don't wait for new circumstances, such as a job change, more money, or improved health, before you start enjoying your life to the full. Do it now. Don't waste a minute waiting for life to happen to you. Life begins today.

Without Apology

It seems Al Sharpton is refusing to accept the apoloogies of Michael Richards for the comedian's racist ranting. I guess Reverend Al shouldn't be too surprised if folks don't accept his apologies for his own vicious comments about race (which harmed real people). Oh, wait a minute. Reverend Al never did apologize.

Money and Time

Money is not a substitute for time. Your kids want you, not your money.

Rules for Living

No. 119: To cut down on needless aggravation, don't watch football.

Rules for Living

No. 109: Stay away from a man with a ski mask who isn't skiing.

Assassination of Democracy

The assassination of a prominent Christian diplomat in Lebanon is more evidence that although Syria has pulled its troops out, it continues to hinder the development of democracy in the Middle East.

Thankless

Pity the atheist, who has no One to thank for his blessings.

Thanksgiving Gathering

We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Adrianus Valerius, 1597

Thanksgiving Harvest

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

Henry Alford, 1844

Hollywood Standards

Following the ugly, racist rant of comedian Michael Richards on Friday night, members of Hollywood's tolerant entertainment community finally found a sin they are in no mood to forgive. "Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African-American, then you have a whole lot of explaining" to do, comedian Paul Rodriguez told CNN. "Freedom of speech has its limitations, and I think Michael Richards found those limitations."

It's nice to know there actually are standards in Hollywood (beyond the demonization of Mel Gibson). Now that we've agreed on that, let's clean up some more Hollywood sludge.

"Family Classic," Not

Over the weekend I saw a commericial for a new movie called Deck the Halls. The ad touted the film as a new family classic for the holidays. But the fine print said, "Some content may not be suitable for children." I guess they must have been talking about all those childless families out there, huh?

Made in China

China is now admitting that organs are being harvested from executed prisoners. No one is saying so, but it wouldn't be surprising if some of these "donors" are imprisoned for political, religious, or human rights reasons. Many of the recipients come from the West, including the United States.

Didn't the Nazis do this kind of thing?

Wretched Excess

Who are all those people who could afford to be in line at a store for a couple of days and then fork over $600 (more than many computers cost) for a Play Station 3? They obviously have too much time and money on their hands. All this wretched excess when millions upon millions on the earth earn the equivalent of a dollar a day. What must the world's poor think of us? What must God?

Cutting and Running

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (who's looking a lot like a certain junior senator from New York these days) suffered her first major defeat yesterday, when her own colleagues rejected John "Cut and Run" Murtha, her choice to be majority leader. Funny how the press has been playing old Abscam tapes of Murtha over the last couple of days. Too bad they didn't do it when he was undermining the troops in Iraq last year. It's also funny how, now that they actually have some power and responsibility, the Democrats are quietly abandoning their "get out of Iraq" line. It's amazing what happens to your rhetoric when you are actually held accountable.

Low-Odds Gift Suggestion

The state-sponsored lottery in Illinois is already advertising lottery tickets as great "holiday gifts." I don't know about that. When you care enough to send the very best, don't send me a lottery ticket, which is almost certainly a loser. Instead, wait until you win, and send me a share.

Questions about Saul Arellano

The press is making much of Saul Arellano, a 7-year-old "American citizen" who yesterday lobbied Mexican legislators to lobby the U.S. administration on behalf of his illegal immigrant mother, who is holed up in a Chicago church to avoid her legal deportation for violating this country's immigration laws. One can't help but root for the spunky little guy, but I have some questions:

1. What right does Mexico have in this, since it is Mexico that dumps millions of its people here rather than reform its own corrupt house? The boy should lobby here, not there.

2. Why do kids of illegals gain citizenship here? If the parents are illegal, then the children should be, too, so that we don't face these kinds of dilemmas.

3. Why does this church continue to openly defy duly passed (and basically moral) laws of the United States? There are times when civil disobedience is called for, but this isn't one of them. This church should lose its tax-exempt status.

Conservative Congress?

The Democrats won control of Congress by running candidates who are more conservative than their party's leadership–more conservative, in fact, than some of the Republicans they defeated. So in some ways Congress under Democratic control might be more conservative than it was under the do-nothing Republicans. One wonders if Harry and Nancy will recognize this.

I'm not holding my breath.

No Chemo

The other day a wise friend said, "A day without chemo is a good day."

Youth Perspective

Enjoy your youth ... but don't get too attached to it.

Pledging Anti-Allegiance

Student leaders at a community college in Orange County, California, have voted to ban the Pledge of Allegiance, saying they don't want to follow God or the U.S. government. I wonder if they'll be quite so smug about their elected leaders and their Creator during the next terrorist attack or natural disaster.

Magnanimous Winners?

Memo to the President: Flush with victory, Nancy Pelosi is extending an olive branch to you. Before you accept it, check it for thorns. The Democrats were far from magnanimous losers, so don't be surprised if they aren't magnanimous winners.

What's She Smoking?

Yesterday Nancy Pelosi, the next Speaker of the House, seemed to suggest that if American troops were pulled out of Iraq that the thugs and terrorists attempting to drive us out would leave, too. For a Democrat who likes to point to the example of Vietnam, I have a hard time believing even Pelosi is that naive. In Vietnam, when the U.S. withdrew, the bad guys took over, instituting a reign of terror. The same will certainly happen in Iraq. What's Pelosi smoking? Medical marijuana?

Questions for Democrats

Two years after going down in flames with John Kerry, today Democrats are strutting their stuff. Running without an idea except "blame Bush," the Democrats have seized control of the House and may well do so in the Senate. Once they sweep up the empty champagne bottles and confetti, the Democrats (and the Americans who put them in power) face some vital questions:

Will they force the President to pull the troops out of Iraq, crushing that democracy and emboldening terrorists worldwide? Will they weaken our ability to track the financial transactions, and listen in on the conversations, of America's enemies? What will they do about Iran and North Korea? Will they pull the plug on the expanding economy by raising taxes?

They may find it's easier, and more fun, to attack and smear than it is to actually lead in a time of war.

What Would the Iraqis Do?

Facing the prospect of the Iraqi people doing unto him what he did to untold tens of thousands of them, ex-dictator Saddam Hussein is now asking (to paraphrase), "What would Jesus do?" God might forgive the "Butcher of Baghdad," but something tells me the Iraqi people won't.

Thank You for Staying Home

Voting is not only a right; it's a privilege. While in some quarters the government basically tries to bribe people to vote (by entering voters into state-sponsored lotteries, for example), I believe we need to limit the vote to those who have made the effort to be informed. This is a democracy. Only citizens who take their duties seriously should participate.

So please don't vote if:

- you haven't looked into the character and platforms of the candidates;
- you don't know who your congressman and senators are;
- you can't succinctly describe our system of government at the local, state, and national levels;
- you are easily swayed by slogans and naked appeals to emotion;
- you expect the government to provide and care for you;
- you don't have a job and pay taxes;
- you have no discernible political philosophy;
- you simply follow the orders of someone who is more informed;
- you support a candidate only because of his or her race or disability;
- you can't figure out the ballot;
- you take political attack ads at face value.

There's nothing virtuous in casting an ignorant vote.

Two Cheers from Dems

Saddam Hussein was finally convicted Sunday of some of his crimes against humanity, to which the Democrats gave their customary two cheers. Then they complain that the verdict was politically timed to hurt them in tomorrow's elections. I guess it could hurt them, if voters' attention spans are long enough for them to remember that if Democratic Party leaders' advice had been followed, Saddam would still be in power.

The Dictionary

emotional affair: When the principals get caught before the guy has talked the the girl into removing her clothes.

Good News for Hillary

What's bad news for John Kerry and Barack Obama is good news for Hillary Clinton, who enjoyed a very good week indeed. She got to blast Kerry while appearing concerned for the troops. Then she no doubt read the story in the Chicago Tribune about Illinois Senator (and media darling) Barack Obama and his sweetheart real estate deal with the just-indicted political fixer Tony Rezko. It should take her operatives all of about two hours to dig up enough sludge to stop the Obama presidential express in its tracks.

Still Blaming Others

Realizing that his attempt to blame Republicans for his tasteless comment about the troops has only made matters worse, John Kerry has now decided to apologize if his "botched joke" offended anyone who misinterpreted it. In other words, he is still blaming others for his own gaffe. Remember, this is the guy who was among the first to throw Senate colleague Trent Lott under the bus for ill-advised remarks praising Strom Thurmond. Kerry is the same guy who in 1971 accused soldiers of rape and murder. Now he wants us to believe he simply misquoted himself? As Vice President Cheney said, "He was for the joke before he was against it."

The Gift That Just Keeps On Giving

Just when Republican election prospects couldn't look any bleaker, the other day John Kerry managed to remind Americans why they voted Republican two years ago. At a political gathering the blueblood senator from Massachusetts again insulted our military men and women, remarking, "Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Told that he had insulted the (all-volunteer) troops, Kerry refused to apologize. Republican strategists reportedly are furiously trying to get Kerry back out on the campaign trail–for their candidates.