Grandchildren are a mixed bag of joy and fear.
The joys are a mixture of memory and anticipation. So much of what I see reminds me of when my children were small. I remember chasing my children and now get to chase my granddaughter. Her screams of joy are enough to wake the neighbors. We keep going until one of us gets worn down. Changing diapers is a time to develop new games. At least I don’t need to worry about getting squirted in the face. Feeding her breakfast is a daily treat. When she is in the mood she will settle down on my lap. She will at times condescend to give hugs. Every moment is cherished.
The fears also return. I remember when our children were young. I remember how often I wondered if the latest expression of Original Sin meant that all was lost. I remember wondering if I could return my son to the hospital and get a refund. I remember when there were threats that I could do nothing about and the feeling of helplessness.
I have the same concerns about my granddaughter. She is a free spirit and always in motion. I don’t think she will be a librarian, maybe a gardener. Meanwhile I am getting older. I am thankful that God has provided her with excellence in parenting, not to mention the fine grandparents.
And don’t forget the guardian angel on special assignment.
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-255: Double Fake
By now I am sure you have heard a Trump cameo appearance was removed from a film by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. My first reaction was to laugh at the pettiness of the left. Then I read somewhere that the change was made in 2014. The reason was to remove short sections of the film to allow more advertizing time and focused on parts that were not necessary for the plot. Except for the delusions of grandeur that Home Alone 2 would have a plot that could be damaged, it made commercial sense in 2014. In 2019 it would appear purely political, thus whoever reported it was giving us fake news. It was fake because it implied a political motive that would fit today instead of a profit motive that applied then. If the original reporter knew the dates then they were offering fake news even if they were conservative.
The double fake comes from the media’s response. At one place I read conservatives are frothing at the mouth about it. I am not sure what conservatives they are talking about. Conservatives have a sense of humor. Even Donald Trump responded in a light hearted way. We also have a set of priorities that doesn’t let us fly off the handle every time the left gets childish.
So it was non-news being presented at significant. Was it true? The basic facts check out. Was the intent to deceive? Yes, thus it was fake.
We can do better than this people.
homo unius libri
The double fake comes from the media’s response. At one place I read conservatives are frothing at the mouth about it. I am not sure what conservatives they are talking about. Conservatives have a sense of humor. Even Donald Trump responded in a light hearted way. We also have a set of priorities that doesn’t let us fly off the handle every time the left gets childish.
So it was non-news being presented at significant. Was it true? The basic facts check out. Was the intent to deceive? Yes, thus it was fake.
We can do better than this people.
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-254: Calling Trump
What was Donald Trump’s original name? Did he change it?
I ask this because he seems to be able to trump just about any hand that is thrown at him. Some card games have a color that is called “trump”. It can change depending on the rules and who gets to decide what it is. Playing trump at the right time was a move that would take out supposedly stronger cards. As an example, if someone plays the king of hearts and clubs is trump, a two of clubs will take the hand.
Donald Trump seems to have picked the name because he has that ability. It is too much to just be coincidence.
homo unius libri
I ask this because he seems to be able to trump just about any hand that is thrown at him. Some card games have a color that is called “trump”. It can change depending on the rules and who gets to decide what it is. Playing trump at the right time was a move that would take out supposedly stronger cards. As an example, if someone plays the king of hearts and clubs is trump, a two of clubs will take the hand.
Donald Trump seems to have picked the name because he has that ability. It is too much to just be coincidence.
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-253: Trumping Kanye
I was recently killing some time at the local library. I was looking through the magazines and noticed one that I used to read, National Review. I can’t remember why I stopped but I did. It has been years since I have opened a copy. Since it is now in the ranks of Never Trumpers I don’t feel a real need to subscribe but I notice the cover featured an article about Kanye West. I decided to read it.
It was a waste of time. Since West seems to be getting along with Trump the hatred was transferred and there was nothing good to say about either of them. The look-down-the-nose attitude was almost humorous. The writer was trying to sound open minded and honest but he could not resist all the little digs. What it boiled down to was Orange Man Bad so Kanye West Bad Too. Or maybe it was Kanye West Orange, too.
It will be years before I bother looking at National Review again and since I don’t have many left it may never happen.
homo unius libri
It was a waste of time. Since West seems to be getting along with Trump the hatred was transferred and there was nothing good to say about either of them. The look-down-the-nose attitude was almost humorous. The writer was trying to sound open minded and honest but he could not resist all the little digs. What it boiled down to was Orange Man Bad so Kanye West Bad Too. Or maybe it was Kanye West Orange, too.
It will be years before I bother looking at National Review again and since I don’t have many left it may never happen.
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-252: The Mary Question
Sunday, as part of the celebration of Christmas, a couple of young girls sang a song called “Mary, Did You Know?” The words go through various events in the life of Jesus and after each episode Mary is asked if she knew. That was the part of the worship that the Lord decided to bring to mind as I left the service.
I got to thinking about how much Mary had been told. She had an angel appear to her. She had the statements of Elizabeth. Joseph shared what he had been told. She had a baby knowing she was a virgin. Then you have the shepherds, wise men and angels all coming to pay tribute to this baby. Go forward a few years and you have the trip to Jerusalem where Jesus stayed behind to teach the scholars in the temple. With all that going on she seems to be a bit surprised about how it all turned out. In Mark 3 you see how his friends thought He was crazy and his mother and brothers came to collect him. How could Mary not know?
We see the same pattern with the disciples. Jesus taught them for three years. At the end of that time they still did not have a clue.
Humans have an awesome ability to hear what they want and ignore the rest. We see this with our toddler granddaughter. It is amazing how much she understands. It is just as amazing how she can’t seem to comprehend the simplest words if it does not fit her plans for the next two minutes. At the other end of the spectrum we see it in people who smoke cigarettes that come in packages labeled to inform them that the contents will kill them. Then they sue the tobacco companies when they get sick.
God has this same problem with us. I imagine that when judgement day comes there will be a heartbreaking number of people who will say, “I didn’t know.” They may even believe it. God will know different. He will remember all the times they refused to listen. For us believers He will remember all the times we refused to listen also but will also remember how we eventually came around and got back on track.
One of the great things about our major holidays is that they are times to reflect. We celebrate. We feast. We frolic. We also can use red letter days as days to stop and consider where we are going and how we are going to get there. Thanksgiving is past. Advent is in progress. New Years is approaching. God is speaking. Are we listening?
homo unius libri
I got to thinking about how much Mary had been told. She had an angel appear to her. She had the statements of Elizabeth. Joseph shared what he had been told. She had a baby knowing she was a virgin. Then you have the shepherds, wise men and angels all coming to pay tribute to this baby. Go forward a few years and you have the trip to Jerusalem where Jesus stayed behind to teach the scholars in the temple. With all that going on she seems to be a bit surprised about how it all turned out. In Mark 3 you see how his friends thought He was crazy and his mother and brothers came to collect him. How could Mary not know?
We see the same pattern with the disciples. Jesus taught them for three years. At the end of that time they still did not have a clue.
Humans have an awesome ability to hear what they want and ignore the rest. We see this with our toddler granddaughter. It is amazing how much she understands. It is just as amazing how she can’t seem to comprehend the simplest words if it does not fit her plans for the next two minutes. At the other end of the spectrum we see it in people who smoke cigarettes that come in packages labeled to inform them that the contents will kill them. Then they sue the tobacco companies when they get sick.
God has this same problem with us. I imagine that when judgement day comes there will be a heartbreaking number of people who will say, “I didn’t know.” They may even believe it. God will know different. He will remember all the times they refused to listen. For us believers He will remember all the times we refused to listen also but will also remember how we eventually came around and got back on track.
One of the great things about our major holidays is that they are times to reflect. We celebrate. We feast. We frolic. We also can use red letter days as days to stop and consider where we are going and how we are going to get there. Thanksgiving is past. Advent is in progress. New Years is approaching. God is speaking. Are we listening?
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-251: Yes, I Know
Merry Christmas.
Yes, I know that it is an arbitrary date. The Bible gives no indication of the actual day of the Incarnation.
Yes, I know that the pagans celebrated the winter solstice around this time.
Yes, I know that there was no Christmas tree near the manger.
Yes, I know that we don’t know the actual location of the stable in Bethlehem.
Yes, I know that there may have been more or less than three wise men.
Yes, I know that there is no indication that Mary rode a donkey.
I know.
It doesn’t matter.
If you have a better day then pick it and I will be glad to encourage you. The Orthodox churches have decided to celebrate in January. More power to them. If you like a summer celebration, go for it.
And Merry Christmas or whatever you choose to call it.
homo unius libri
Yes, I know that it is an arbitrary date. The Bible gives no indication of the actual day of the Incarnation.
Yes, I know that the pagans celebrated the winter solstice around this time.
Yes, I know that there was no Christmas tree near the manger.
Yes, I know that we don’t know the actual location of the stable in Bethlehem.
Yes, I know that there may have been more or less than three wise men.
Yes, I know that there is no indication that Mary rode a donkey.
I know.
It doesn’t matter.
(Gal 4:4 KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,Jesus was born. Picking December 25 is at most a 1/365 chance of being correct but I also know that the odds of getting into heaven without Jesus are much worse.
If you have a better day then pick it and I will be glad to encourage you. The Orthodox churches have decided to celebrate in January. More power to them. If you like a summer celebration, go for it.
And Merry Christmas or whatever you choose to call it.
homo unius libri
Opus 2019-250: Sign of the Times
I was reading a post about the midshipmen who gave the okay sign and were labeled as racist. What got my attention was the one who said, “We didn’t know it was a racist sign.” Or something to that effect. The reason they didn’t know it was a racist sign was because it isn’t a racist sign.
Just because the social justice warriors say something is, does not mean it is. In fact the truth is probably the opposite. Social justice warriors have a prime goal of destroying Western culture in general and America specifically. Anything they can do or say to make you back up and throw you off balance is a real plus.
So feel free to signal okay with your circled fingers. It is a time honored way of non-verbal communication. The use as a game was a regular feature in the middle school that employed me and there were few white students on campus. OK knows no boundaries. If anyone has a problem then the proper response might be to close your hand and only extend one finger toward them. I would not do it but it would certainly communicate something they need to understand.
“Racist sign”. What a bunch of (explicative deleted), piled high and smelling strong.
homo unius libri
Just because the social justice warriors say something is, does not mean it is. In fact the truth is probably the opposite. Social justice warriors have a prime goal of destroying Western culture in general and America specifically. Anything they can do or say to make you back up and throw you off balance is a real plus.
So feel free to signal okay with your circled fingers. It is a time honored way of non-verbal communication. The use as a game was a regular feature in the middle school that employed me and there were few white students on campus. OK knows no boundaries. If anyone has a problem then the proper response might be to close your hand and only extend one finger toward them. I would not do it but it would certainly communicate something they need to understand.
“Racist sign”. What a bunch of (explicative deleted), piled high and smelling strong.
homo unius libri
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