Yes, Virginia, There is a....

In two days our home is going to be full again. My gorgeous bride's Christmas wish will come true as we welcome home our children. It has been a number of years since we have all gathered under one roof. Last year Brig and Bri were both on their missions. The year before that Kasi and Bri were on their missions. The year before that Kas was on her mission. It has been a good 4 or 5 years since we have had our bedrooms filled with our children. Mom and I are both excited.

The house is decorated with three trees. My job is to get the trees up and then...stand back and let the master decorator do her thing. I am in awe as our comfortable home becomes even more so. It truly becomes a winter wonderland.

At this time I feel the need to state my support for the jolly, old elf. You see, in my family, if you don't believe, you don't receive. So, in my ignorant bliss, all my children are coming home with the shared belief that, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." To my great pleasure, though, my wife and our children have incorporated the spirit of the old soul and has made it a part of their lives.

Josh and Brigham share their time and talents each weekend in a nursing home reading to the elderly. Kas has volunteered numerous hours and days to a political organization that she believes in. Brianna is serving in a capacity to help young women in her area grow and mature. She is also spending a month in the spring using her skills as a nurse in Ecuador. Marcia is officially on her second mission for our church. She is being used to help train teachers for parenting and marriage classes that are being offered by our church. It is a task that covers the state of Indiana and Northern Kentucky. (I'm her body guard and chauffeur!!)

Somewhere it is said that "it is better to give then to receive." That is the nature of Santa Claus, that is the Spirit of Christmas, that is the one of the purposes of life itself.

December 25th. A small babe in a manger became THE light on the hill. Lowly shepherds came to witness this miracle. Mighty wise men, from afar, came to pay homage to a young child. Angels sang at his birth. Jesus of Nazareth, King of Kings, Savior of the world...happy birthday.

If you have not found this small babe...ask.

jsf

The Mystiqie of Robin Hood

Emotions are central to who and what we are. Marketers ply there trade in playing on humanities emotions. Toy makers advertise in such a manner that children have to have the latest toy...or they'll "just die!!!" Phone makers are packaging their new phones as MP3 players, as digital cameras, as small computers, and even as phones. Charities are displaying disadvantage children to troll for more money for their organizations. Emotional manipulation is a full time business.

Robin Hood is the classical heart string player. The "rob from the rich and give to the poor" motto is what this thief used as his bow in playing his emotional violin. Please take the time to answer the short poll. I am interested in what people think.

The "Robin Hood" theme was played out in the 80s with a show called the "The A Team." It was a show of renegade military people rescuing the down and trodden from people who weren't quite legitimate. It played on the emotions of the underdog striking at organizations or people who were taking advantage of the down and out.

Fast Forward to 2008. TNT has a new show called "Leverage." With the exception of Timothy Hutton the cast is young. The concept is an "A Team" retread. The cast of characters in both show share some similarities. Each team has a "crazy" person. Each has an African-American. Each has male "eye-candy" and each has an older, wiser leader who runs the operations. It is Robin Hood modernized, again.

I always worry about those who start vocalizing their positions against big companies. I worry about those who say some people earn "too much" money. I worry about an organization that thinks that they should take money from those who have and redistribute to those who have not. I worry about a country where the Tree of Liberty is dying at it's roots. I worry...jsf

Wise moves

Who would have thunk?

Ok so it has been a long time since I've written. Being in school has tendency to keep one busy. So what has happened since then?

Who would have thought back last Christmas that a man named Barack Obama

would be Pres. Elect and his secretary-of-state would be one Hillary Rodham Clinton?

Most people probably had never heard of Mr. Obama and the same group may have thought the new president would be Mrs. Clinton.

So why would someone pick Mrs. Clinton for this new role? As I gander at it I am amazed how political astute it was. Mrs. Clinton was building seniority in the senate. With Ted Kennedy ill and his star falling, someone would want to fill the void that will create. Mrs. Clinton would surely have been in the ring with others to throw her seniority around. She had the potential of causing a lot of problems to the new administration if she decided to be vindictive. Fortunately, for the new administration, she bit at the carrot that was dangled in front of her. To me that was a major coup for the new president. Not only does he keep her on a leash but, when needed, he can send her out of the country when ever he needs to.

That is only half of the equation though. In appointing Mrs. Clinton to his cabinet he

created an empty spot in the US Senate from the state of New York. It has come out in the last week or so that one of the persons desiring that position is Caroline Kennedy. It is my belief she will be the one that gets the position. Mr. Obama effectively removed a question mark from the senate and replaced her with a strong ally. For those who were unaware Ms. Kennedy was one of the individuals on the committee to vet Vice-presidential candidates. She did it behind the scene with little fanfare. She did her job with out stealing the limelight from Mr. Obama.

She will be a strong ally to the new president in the senate.

The question that I would like to leave for those to ponder is this- will she be the first woman president of this country? The next few years will be interesting to watch...jsf

Found

Yes, it happened. I ended up going to the mega-Arkansas store and found what was lost. I am sure that it was one that I've had before.... jsf

If you find my mind-keep it- I'll be back shortly

It had to happen at a crucial time of a very important project. In fact I was on the verge of completing said project when I ran into a brick-wall of a road block. I'm getting ahead of myself.


My favorite 23 year old daughter returned from her mission at the beginning of April. She, like I, like books.... a lot. I need to apologize to her future spouse as this is a gene she inherited from me. Fortunately, for said spouse, most of her genes come from her mom's side. I digress.
A decision was made to create a book case in the wall in her bedroom. This project was one undertaken with the intent of it being done with a reasonable amount of time. Key word being reasonable. I digress.
Today's issue is the lack of a caulk gun. What is it with caulk guns. I feel like a dog who has lost the location of the most recent bone buried in a yard. This evening's main activity was scouring the house for one caulk gun. I know that in the past year I have purchased at least three of these things. It seems as if once it is used it decides to disappear. Is it possible that they are made in Australia and are boomerang caulk guns? If I were to go to the local Do-It center would I their find my wondering caulk guns waiting for their next unwitting victim? Or is it possible that their is a fraternity of caulk guns out their and their hell week is putting up with my home improvement projects and once done they get to lounge in some poolside resort watching all the other caulk guns?
My daughter leaves in three weeks for school-our hope (and her mother's prayer) is that it will be done wayyyyyyyyy before that.
If you find my mind- keep it- I'll be back shortly........jsf

Time to say Good-bye

Time progresses so rapidly that I am surprised that it has been two weeks since my last post. Thus for some this may be a surprise, but to others- not. What it is is the last three days of my employment with my current employer.
It is time for me to move on. The irony is that I had been employed in skilled nursing facility, a nursing home, and it was implied that I was perhaps making too much money and too old for my position. Now that is irony.
I realize that change is good and in the long run this change is a positive one. I am moving to a new job in marketing at a large pharmaceutical company close to my home. I will not have to be on call 24/7 nor will I have to work weekends, nights and holidays. These are all pluses. Meeting new people and learning new things is exciting and I look forward to this opportunity. I will miss the people I have worked with and the residents I have come to know over the years.
My bride has created a calendar that is hanging on our refrigerator with the number of days remaining. I have three left.....
A warning for readers- I am setting up my soap box so if you continue beyond this point you do so willingly.... As a society we are wasting a precious commodity, one that is not buried under ground and needs mining. It is a commodity that is untapped and ready to be used- it is just waiting for the opportunity. I am speaking of our elderly. The government has placed an arbitrary age of retirement and after that the expectation is that the old will just fade away. In fact we build facilities to place our elderly in so that families don't have to take care of them and they don't need to be seen.
I have been blessed in having the opportunity to have seen family members take in their elderly. Not only have I been blessed but the relationship that developed between my children and an elderly grandparent is priceless. Each summer over the past 20 some years my children have spent their summer months in the care of their mother's parents. In so doing they have developed a respect for those that are older than they. They also have learned different skills in the time that was spent there. All of them learned the theater art being able to perform on stage in front of hundreds of people. They also learned how to work and live with others of different backgrounds- religious, racial, age, and geographical. My children are better human beings because of the time that was spent with their grandparents- it is a blessing that is priceless.
To often family members are placed in nursing homes and than forgotten. As they are forgotten they fade away. What is in them sometimes dies before their body does. As a society we have lost priceless history in institutionalizing our elderly. As an old person dies so goes the memories and stories that are waiting to be told that are within them. It is a loss.... it is our loss.

I'm off my soapbox now...jsf

Pizza Wars

It finally had to happen. Back in the 70s and 80s at major intersections in cities across the country gas wars would occur as competition was hot and furious as Gas Vendors plied their trade in attracting customers to their front door. Prices would change daily and sometime hourly as each business owner would try to attract customers into their pumps. With gas at $4.00/gal. not much is heard about competition in gas vending these days.
My heart did do a pitter-patter as I drove through a major intersection in my home-town of Fishers today. Economics, supply and demand, and marketing were all playing at this intersection. As background- this particular corner has at least 6 different pizza vendors withing garlic distance of said corner- so much for background.
Over the past months the managers/owners of these franchises have sent out unfortunate employees with placards advertising their pizza wares. Using the phrase unfortunate may not be appropriate as the young people hoisting the placards seem to be enjoying themselves.
Those that I have observed normally have a music device (I will not name names) of some sort and they are performing some sort of dance. My concern is are they performing the appropriate Pizza Dance for their company? Who is observing them to make sure they make the right moves? Is it possible that one performer (can I call them performers?) is stealing a trademarked Pizza Step from one of the competition? Who would know?
As of today's date there has not seemed to be any aggression observed as I drive through this intersection. I believe it will be only a matter of time before placards will be thrown down and pizza cutters will be drawn at ten paces. Hopefully it will only be tomato sauce that is spilt....jsf

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Just as an FYI- Forbes.com had listed Hamilton County, Indiana as the number 1 county to live in here in the good old US of A. To browse through the article go here.

Integrity - a modern example

The question of integrity is one that comes up frequently these days. It is perhaps a trait that is sought by the American populace in their politicians. It is truly something that may stand out because as a country we have been accustomed in having our politicians determine their views and opinions by sticking a finger in body orifice and then holding it up to see which direction the wind is blowing.
The example that comes to mind is the Presidency of William Jefferson Clinton. If I recollect the 90s accurately it always seemed that the White House would be polling people constantly. Wither which way the populace swayed was the direction our leader followed. Using political polls and focus groups have their purposes but to use them as political GPS devices is wrong. If our Founding Fathers had wanted a democracy that is what they would have set up. Contrary to what many believe a democracy was not desired, in fact it was greatly feared. The Constitution was set up to protect this new country from the mob of majority. Numbers, or might, does not always infer right.
Born, with the blood of labor from our ancestors, was a Republic. Those we choose, those we give authority to, we expect to lead. We expect them to make difficult decisions and then validate why those choices were made to us- their employers. It is a discussion for another time on accountability.

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Enough of the preamble now to the point. President George W. Bush's presidency is multi-faceted: many are upset with the course of the "War on Terror", others are upset with the rising cost of gas and the overall affect that it is having on the economy. Numerous other items may be suggested for another time and another blog. The specific of this muse is his stance on stem-cell research.
In a speech given to the country from his ranch in Crawford, Texas he outlined the process and his stand regarding this delicate subject. To place this into some perspective this was the first year of his presidency. As he describes in his speech their are many perspectives and all advocates of those perspectives were placing pressure on him to take a position on this research. People such as Michael J. Fox and Nancy Reagan were (and still are) strongly pushing for a more aggressive approach to stem cell research. George Bush took a stand and refused to budge- good for him.
Fast forward to 2008. Validation. Following is part of an article highlighting the latest in stem-cell research:

"Applause is due to several people. President Bush certainly deserves credit for holding the line on federal funding of destruction of human embryos. Without his adherence to the moral principle that human lives should not be destroyed for research purposes, it is possible that this discovery may never have happened or may have been delayed. Wisconsin Right to Life applauds state Senator Ted Kanavas' call to fund this new research. Credit also goes to Professor James Thomson for his recognition of the ethical and practical benefits of discovering a new way to generate pluripotent stem cells."http://wistechnology.com/articles/4352/

To read the full article follow this link here.

Thanks, President Bush, for standing up for those who are unable to do so themselves...jsf

Working Man, Again

My life of leisure is officially over as of tomorrow. Some reflections- First of all it is amazing the things that can be found on the internet. One of the items I found on the internet was a video of a man having his appendix removed through his stomach via his mouth. This was performed in Southern California at the University of San Diego Medical Center. To watch the procedure go here.
Unfortunately I have become addicted to a BBC show that comes on several times a day called Cash in the Attic. The concept is pretty easy. The amazing thing is that it seems as if all homes in England have some sort of hidden treasure that can go to auction in bring in quite a bit of cash. It is the type of reality show that I can get to like- if you are the least bit curious check it out here,
I have enjoyed my time off, but it is time to see my friends at work and give them the hugs that I have stored up for them over the past 12 weeks...jsf

CO2- Scrubber- New Prototype or Old Reliable- You Choose

We live in a time of great discovery. I am grateful to be an active participant in this stage of life and not a casual observer from somewhere on high. Life is fun- if you don't think so perhaps it is time for an attitude adjustment. I didn't say life would be easy- heavens no- but even through life's ups and downs it should be fun. At the end of the day are you laughing and smiling? or are you sad and crying? Just a thought.

Today's great discovery comes via the U.S. via the Telegraph out of England. It is a device called a CO2 Scrubber. To spare you the long read and the details this is it in a nut shell. For about 100,000 pounds scientists will create a CO2 scrubber that will scrub the atmosphere of CO2 at the rate of about a ton a day. It will take about two years to create the prototype in Arizona. The size is approximated to be about the size of a shipping container.

The estimate is that these devices would have to be produced in the millions to be affective. If you know where the line is for this high tech item please let me know. I would like to be the first in my neighborhood to have one. I am sure that my home owners association will allow it my backyard- I am saving the planet. Also, they are not sure what to do with the CO2 that is extracted from the atmosphere- perhaps Al Gore will buy them with all his carbon credits... just
a suggestion.

After much research I did find an alternative CO2 scrubber. It took some time but I am proud to give you this option. The nice thing with this scrubber is that it comes in various models with many different colors , size and shapes. The amazing thing is that there isn't a two year waiting period for the prototype to be built and we don't have to worry about the waste of the CO2. It is a self-contained unit without the need of filters. The truly amazing thing is that some of these units also have by-products
that can be useful. In fact there are numerous by-products that are produced from this CO2 scrubber. Perhaps it may be too early in it's production stage to name these products but I am going to go out on a limb here an try my best at culturing some possible names. I think my efforts will bear fruit so please don't say I'm nuts....so here goes: I think one name that will take off is Apple. I know that there are some in the business world that may have issues with this name. I am sure if my Granny were still alive she wouldn't object...so for my granny- apple is one of the by-product names that I believe would be successful. Some others: Pear, walnut, acorn, cherry to name a few. With some more trial and error I believe I can come up with additional names.

The last issue is what to name this other CO2 scrubber. I believe in it's marketability it should have a catch name that will be easily remembered. I have put some thought into the name and I believe I have one that will be suitable for all. My suggestion: The Retention Environmental Engine or TREE for short. I think it will catch on.

Are you laughing and smiling?...have a great day...jsf

World War II Vets..thank-you

Today is the 64th anniversary of D-day. Perhaps as a reminder or as a thought, I would like to express my thanks to those men who stormed the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from Adolf Hitler. There are not to many of them left as they are being called home on a daily basis.

Germany didn't attack us, it was Japan that did on December 7, 1941. Nor did Italy, the third member of the Axis powers back in the 30s and 40s. We recognized evil back then and called it for what it was.

Thank-you American GI, Sailor, Marine, Airman, and merchant marine. God Speed...jsf

Somebody please check his math!!!!

All the fun is now officially out of the primary season. Or is it? As this blog is called Lost and Found I thought I should do some finding and came up with a gem. My question- is this a math issue or is this a geography issue? Perhaps, time will tell. Have a great weekend and enjoy the video...jsf

Has the fat lady sung?

Watching the democratic primary has been very entertaining this spring. In my opinion it's entertainment value exceeded that of American Idol. Whether or not Hillary is in or out doesn't concern me. What does is finding those video blips that may give us some insight into what makes up her character, or lack there of.
I found the following video on Breitbart.tv. I hope you enjoy it....jsf

Summer Reading

So when do we, as adults, get summer vacation? It seems that the powers that be set us up for disappointment at a very young age. Start school in August- this was before it was required to have air-conditioning- have various breaks during the next 9 months, and then we are rewarded for our labor by having the summer off. Perhaps the French have it right as they take the month of August off. For those who have the summer off or are looking for some good summer reading let me make some suggestions.

First book I recommender is John Grisham's, The Innocent Man.
For all those who may be Grisham fans this book will not disappoint you. A non-fiction book set in a small town in Oklahoma Grisham chronicles the tale of not one, not two nor three, but four innocent men. This book reads so well that I had a hard time putting it down. Grisham in an interview with NPR states he couldn't have made this up "in his creative mind." To listen to John Grisham on NPR follow this link: interview .
As a side bar- in a conversation with a friend, who happened to be a lawyer, he told me that a prosecuting attorney had told him once that "it is easier to convict an innocent man than it is to convict a guilty one." The explanation was that guilty individuals have friends who would be willing to lie for them at a moments notice, where as an innocent man will tell the truth even if he hasn't anyone to collaborate the truth with his story.

The second book to read is titled Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Oliver Relin, published by Penguin Books. It details how one man capitalizes on failure and becomes a light on the hill in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It demonstrates that one man can make a difference and change part of the world for good. As his efforts have had an affect on those in his circle of influence this book increases that circle and will have an affect on the reader. It did for me. To read more about this amazing story follow this link: Three Cups of Tea

Enjoy your summer vacation!!! jsf

A miracle baby

Twenty-five years ago may seem like a long time to some but to me the memory comes anew as I ponder the significance of this particular Monday. Today is Monday, May 19th. On this particular day my family honor's my eldest daughter as she celebrates this her 25th birthday.
It was on this date that my beautiful bride (sitting here next to Kas) finished the long process of her labor and delivered a beautiful baby girl, Kathryn Jean (why we call her Kasi is another story for another time). Kasi was born a month premature, which was a good thing as she weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces at birth. If she had gone full term she may have been close to 10 pounds. Since she was born premature she was covered with very fine hair all over her body which, we were told, was typical of premature babies. Now some of the rest of the story.
In 1983 I was in the Navy and stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois. The nine months in which Marcia carried Kasi were not easy ones. During three months of that time I was on board a Naval ship called the U.S.S. Belleau Wood. From October of 1982 to January of 1983 I was on board the ship augmenting ship's company assigned to Surgical Cadre 13 stationed out of Great Lakes, Illinois. It was while on board the ship that I found out that Marcia was having difficulties with the pregnancy. Little did I know to what extent those difficulties were.
Initially when Marcia went in to the navy doctors to be tested she was told that the tests came back negative regarding her being pregnant. Initially the physicians thought that she may be having a hysterical pregnancy. They gave her all sorts of medication to see if they couldn't get things to work properly for her. All this was done at Navy Regional Medical Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. The physicians were not sure exactly what was going on so at some point they decided to perform an exploratory laparotomy to see what was going on. One of the things the physician did just prior to her getting prepped for surgery was to check her abdomen. It was at this point they were able to detect a fetal heartbeat. The doctors asked Marcia if she heard "that", her reply was sarcastic and said "yes, it's a heartbeat." That is exactly what it was. The surgery was canceled and the butt covering began.
As Marcia had been prescribed several different medications that were contrary to her being pregnant the doctors were pressuring her strongly to abort the baby. They sat her down and showed her pictures of what may happen to the baby if she allowed her to go full term. She was shown pictures of babies with misplaced appendages and other complications. Marcia was able to stay strong through this time and through prayer and support from her family she made a very important decision of keeping our baby and seeing it through to full term.
Once I returned from the Philippines Marcia and I went to specialists in Milwaukee to have an ultrasound and amniocentesis done. The navy was very supportive in allowing us to have the extra testing done. We found out from the results that the baby appeared healthy and that the baby was going to be a girl. Marcia and I were very excited at this news.
Yes, there were some other complications regarding the pregnancy but the final result was a beautiful baby girl. Kasi was our first miracle baby. When she came out all her appendages were checked as well as every thing else. We were told that every thing looked ok with the exception of her toes which appeared to be webbed. Unfortunately for Kasi, webbed toes were inherited from me. Everything else with Kasi was perfect. She truly was a miracle baby.
To my gorgeous 25 year old daughter- Happy Birthday.... we'll celebrate your birthday sooner than some think....love you.... daddy.....jsf

Here and There

A tale of two countries-

1. The government of Myanmar is still reluctant to allow aid to enter there country. Although the number of dead being bantered about around the Internet is in access of 60,000 those in control are still reluctant to let in foreign workers. As food and water are denied the million plus survivors, more deaths will occur because of the lack of food, water and basic services. Will this be the straw that breaks the camel's back in regarding the people of Myanmar rising up against there dictatorial government? Time will tell.
2. The death toll following Monday's 7.9 earthquake in China continues to rise. BBC America this morning is reporting the death toll to be just under 15,000. The Chinese government is stepping up their rescue efforts and are allowing the media unprecedented access to the disaster area.

Both countries need our prayers.
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FOUND

Last night I found the coolest web sight by Microsoft. It downloaded quickly over my DSL line and after restarting my computer I was able to take a couple of tours prior to sleeping last night. The sight? Microsoft's Worldwide Telescope
After I had it downloaded it took up a spot on my desktop. I am still trying to wade through the tremendous amount information that is found on this sight. It has a number of tours that one can take around the universe and galaxy. After having downloaded this sight I have come to realize that my computer time will probably increase.
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FOUND

The May 19th issue of Newsweek, the one with King Barack on the cover, has an interesting article on page 52. It's title? "America's Next Top Mormon"
It is an interesting read.
Have a great day....jsf

Tuesdays Thoughts

Just some really quick thoughts for today.
There is a strong clamor for Senator Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the Democratic Primary race. Most of the clamor is coming from the media elite who would rather be covering King Barack as he begins his battle with war horse Sen. John McCain, than cover the final minutes of a dieing candidate- Sen. Hillory Clinton.
This is one person who would be very surprised- and disappointed- if she does withdraw. My belief is she'll stay in the race until the convention because she has no other choice. Why?
Some of the reasons-

• Senator Clinton is 60 years old. If Senator Obama secures the nomination and goes on to win the general election in November he will have secured himself another run in 2012. Hillory's next chance would be in 2016- that would put her at 68. Running for a president is a physical challenge as well as an emotional one. John McCain is being saved, physically, for the general election because others had backed out earlier in the campaign. If he was actively fighting for his parties nod it would be wearing on him tremendously. I don't see Hillory able to take on that aspect of a race in eight years.
• Any and all political favors will be called in at this time. Over the last sixteen years the Clintons have run the Democratic party. She has actively participated in re-election campaigns of fellow Democrats. She has given money and time to many people. She'll be calling in these favors to block a first ballot convention win for Sen. Obama. Once the first ballot is over is when the fun really begins and the backrooms in Denver will be buzzing with political maneuvering.
• I believe she feels strongly that she is owed this nomination. She has paid her dues. She has sat back, watched and supported her husband during his tenure; she was elected Senator from New York and spent time in the Senate learning the ropes.
• Pride can be a terrible thing. I believe her win today in West Virginia will help keep her hopes alive and keep her in the race.

Just some of my thoughts on the Democratic side of the race.
Now just a brief blurb on the Republican side.
I saw some place on the internet today that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is a front runner in the nod for vice-president for Sen. McCain. If that comes to fruition it would strengthen McCain in the south where Sen. Obama has some strength.
Until tomorrow.... jsf

Movies for Friday

My recommendation for a good movie to watch is Ben Stein's new movie- Expelled. I had the opportunity to see this movie on Wednesday with Josh and Bri. Yes, it is a documentary. Granted, we three made up the majority of the audience in the matinée we attended. It was a great movie! If you are concerned about the freedoms that we have in our country and are just a little curious as to what may be happening on the college campuses around the country- go see this movie.
A quick synopsis of this movie- Ben is looking into what is happening across the country to individuals who mention Intelligent Design in some manner-how jobs are being lost and so on. That is a very quick synopsis. To find out more check Ben's link above.
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Have a great weekend...jsf

Prophets- What, Who,Where, and Why? (part 2)

Who is or was a prophet? I believe that the common misconception in the world today is that there isn't any prophets around and also there isn't a need for them. This is the 21st century. With the technology and the enlightenment that we have why would we need someone to give us direction? So where to start?
Who? The Old Testament has a number of Prophets to draw on some have great name recognition, such as Noah or Moses. If they were running for political office they wouldn't have any trouble in having there names noticed. Others are not as well known, Malachi, Joel or Haggai. What are the common threads that runs through them?

• Faith- These men of God recognized the role that they were called to do. Even more importantly they recognized the source in which that role came from and who's will they were bringing about. When faith is mentioned Job and the trials and tribulations that he had to endure comes to mind. It was not something that he sought and it was not something that he did to get gain.

Another person that comes to mind is that of Joseph- the coat guy. He was the youngest and did not seek gain. Although he was favored by his father- and his brothers were extremely jealous of that favor- his position was not sought. He ended up in Egypt- had a great job until the bosses wife got involved. He found himself in prison. He did not lose faith. In time he was able to save his family.

• Obedience- These men were obedient. Because of that obedience great blessings came. Joseph was able to secure a job in a time of plenty and a time of drought. In doing so he was able to bless his family years after the initial act of obedience. Moses was able to lead his people away from Egypt and to a promised land where Israel would prosper. On occasion there may have been some reluctance on part of a prophet to obey- specifically Jonah comes to mind and after some convincing he does obey and go to Ninevah to preach.
  
• Other characteristics- there are many other characteristics that are applicable to the prophets found in the Old Testament. Things such as courage, meekness, strength and even recognizing ones own weaknesses and admitting such. Many times they were alone in their faith- they had to be strong. Sometime the counsel that they gave was contrary to the popular beliefs at the time. What would you do if a neighbor started to build a large ship in the middle of your neighborhood?

Next- Some of the greatest trash talking is done in the Old Testament-the NBA can't even compete.

Wednesday May 7, 2008

We live in a world that is fast paced. No doubt about it- if you don't keep up with surrounding traffic you will get run over and soon you will be forgotten. On Saturday, May 3rd, a Cyclone hammered the country of Myanmar (Burma). As it hit the coast line it brought with it a wave surge that was 12 feet or higher. The affected area was a low, coastal area. Villages were completely destroyed. Reports, as of today, are saying that there may be over 50,000 dead and over a million homeless. Perspective- Hurricane Katrina- the loss of life was less than 2,000. Although it happened in 2005 it is still a topic of discussion in some circles. In contrast the Cyclone that has devastated Myanmar will probably be out of our collective memory sometime next week. The following will take you to some pictures and stories regarding this disaster- picture 1
Truly the sad thing is that former vice-president Al Gore has already come out and say this devastation is due to global warming. This is a sad case of an opportunist taking advantage of those whose lives have been lost. If you notice in the above linked article Mr. Gore is out marketing a new book. Shame on him.

As I read that article I noticed that nothing was mentioned about the fact that India had sent out warnings 2 days prior to the storm hitting the coast.

"...The people’s plight is not helped by the disposition of their Government. Running the country on a combination of internal repression and xenophobia, the junta seems not to have made up its mind that this is a tragedy that it cannot remedy on its own.

It certainly was not too concerned when the cyclone approached the Burmase coast. A spokesman for the Indian Meteorological Department revealed yesterday that it had given Burma two days’ warning of Cyclone Nargis. “Forty-eight hours before Nargis struck, we indicated its point of crossing \, its severity and all related issues to Burmese agencies,” he said. Weather systems in the Bay of Bengal are tracked by India by satellite."

The complete article can be read at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3883123.ece

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Elections, essential for a republican process (note- we don't live in a democracy, we live in a republic), just ended here in Indiana. All reports are showing that Senator Clinton edged out Senator Obama. I believe it will be enough to keep her in the race longer. It is interesting that here in Hamilton County, a republican stronghold, there was a strong showing of democratic ballots. One of the benefits of Indiana politics is the ability to cross over and choose an opposing parties ballot in the primary. Most Hoosiers seemed to enjoy being able to participate in an election that had some bearing on the national stage.


Tomorrow- Prophets- What, Who, Where and Why (part 2)

Thoughts for Tossed Tuesday

Hoosiers decide today the fate of the nation!!!! Can you believe it? OK, perhaps there is a little sarcasm noted, but to most Hoosiers it is nice to have the attention that it has brought this past month. Come Wednesday morning, though, it will be back to "don't call me, I'll call you...sweetie"
The next most important thing in the world is that tonight is the 100th episode of "Dances with the Stars." Only in America- the circuses amuse the masses.
Some other items of interest:

• In Somalia thousands rioted because of food prices and merchants not accepting certain denomination of money. Food riots will continue and increase.
• Cyclone Nargis hit the country of Myanmar and thousands are reported dead. This is a country that is located next to Thailand. Many countries are trying to get aid but things are a little slow because of the type of government in place... Cyclones can and have been devastating in this part of the world before, remember them in your prayers.

On the bright side


The one on the left is in Mongolia on his mission, the one on the right is in Las Vegas on his mission and the one in the middle cooks a mean meal....jsf

Monday-Early Results

To day is the 5th of May. Just some early morning randomness-

• Who ever came up with the phrase- "paying for tax cuts" should be in some sort of hall of fame. (I'll think of a name later) This way politicians can still keep one hand in one pocket while trying to give us a handout with the other.
• Tomorrow is Indiana's primary- GO HOOSIERS! My beautiful bride will probably be choosing between "the guy" and "the gal". Me? I'll be trying to term limit Dan Burton and extend a term for MYMANMITCH.
• Speaking of Mitch, can you believe he leased the Indiana Toll Road to some foreign investors? The amount of money, about 3 billion dollars, is just sitting in the bank earning over $500,000 a day on interest. What was he thinking? Oh, yea, some of the money is going for road projects around the state- something called Major Moves. What was he thinking
• Great Britain- (big Island off of Ireland- for those geographically challenged) has a mid-wife dilemma. Apparently they are short staffed in the national health care program regarding mid-wives. The government of PM Brown is asking all pregnant women to cross their legs for the next two weeks. For all those moms to be in the US remember this come November. Start strengthening those thigh muscles.

Have a great week...jsf

Prophets- What, Who,Where, and Why? (part 1)

Where are the prophets today?
This past month an actor passed away that played some interesting roles in his life. One that most will remember is the role that he played as Moses. Yes, I am talking about Charlton Heston. He was known for many roles that he played not only on screen but also in life. He was conservative and believed in the fundamental rights that we were blessed with in the U.S. Constitution. To a lot of Americans this concept of a prophet is the only one that they know of.
A fundamental question that I have always had and one that was eventually answered is "where are the prophets today?"
Looking back over history there is a a distinct line that can be seen- there were prophets prior to the coming of the Savior and then it stops. Why?
When a I think of prophets I also think of Moses. I also think of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elisha, Elijah, and even some that are less known such as Amos, Micah, and Malachi. These are all great figures in the Old Testament. But are there more than that? If they were so essential for ancient Israel why weren't they in place following the time of the Savior?
As I muse I have come to realize that this process of thought will be somewhat extensive- thus it will be a small serial starting with the question- what is a prophet?

Prophet Defined

I think (ok- I'm still working on how this thing works- don't be surprised if it gets off the bold at some point) that the basics are essential to start with. A prophet as defined by:

• Websters New World Dictionary (4th edition) states: " a religous leader regarded as, or claiming to be, divinely inspired."
• The American Heritage® Dictionary
  • prophet (n.) A person who speaks by divine inspiration or as the interpreter through whom the will of a god is expressed.

  • prophet (n.) A person gifted with profound moral insight and exceptional powers of expression.

These are two definitions of which I prefer the latter over the first. Although both address the quest as to what is a prophet the second definition looks further into what the role of a prophet might be.
An even more in depth look as to what a prophet is and does can be found in the following link-
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/p/61
These thoughts are the beginning of what was a quest of mine. It was one that started decades ago (I know that I am getting old when I can say "decades ago"). A quest that was successful and one that I wish to share....jsf

Horses don't mix

I grew up in the country. A small town, not a farm. Close enough to farms that I knew what manure was and how to not step in a steaming cow pie. Haying was something that was done with human labor and the pay wasn't that bad...$2.oo an hour. We were swimming in cash.
One of my friends had horses. Eddy Jostock was his name, I'm not sure what the horses names were. I recall riding the horses once. Eddy had the lead horse and mine was a follower. We were (maybe I should say, I was) a stupid kid. Any one can ride a horse... I watch Bonanza and Gunsmoke. We were riding bareback with just a bridle on the horse. As my horse was the follower Eddy decided to run his horse in the pasture down a hill following a tractor path. My horse followed at the same speed. I didn't follow... as we headed down the hill I headed to hanging on to dear life as I slipped from the back of the horse to hanging on to it's neck from underneath it. Eventually the law of physics applied and I ended up falling to the ground. Fortunately the horse didn't trample me. Pride more than anything else was hurt. It did step on a foot but neither I nor the horse were the worst for the incident.
Years later I was in California visiting my Uncle. He had a horse that he kept for his kids. Not remembering past incidents I felt it mucho of me to ride the horse. The horse had other thoughts. As soon as I straddled the horse the horse was determined that I was not to stay there. I realized that gravity was going to have an affect on me at this time as well. Memories of prior horse experiences came to mind. I ended up on the ground-the horse ended up not carrying around a burden. I have come to the conclusion that I have an aroma that is offensive to horses. After this incident I have never gotten on the back of a horse.
About a month ago my oldest daughter, Kasi, found herself on the ground following her own close encounter with the horse kind. She was not as fortunate as I was as she suffered a severe back injury. We have counted our blessings. She suffered some fractures in her spine but there was no severe damage to her spinal column. She has severe bruising that has caused some temporary paralysis but that should come back after the swelling and bruising diminish.
This weekend we had Grams at the house and during our conversation I found out that this wasn't the first time that my eldest daughter had a close encounter with of the horse kind. Apparently when she was younger and was staying at her Grams for the summer she had gone horseback riding and found herself in a similar position. On the ground without the horse.
To my eldest daughter- it's genetic I apologize.... love dad.......jsf

Pain to help us remember

It has been just over a year and I thought perhaps it was best to remember what I was doing last year.
In April of 2007 our family was on the receiving end of a miracle. Actually it wasn't just one miracle. Perhaps a number of them in which I don't think that I'll try and number. I was in Utah helping my youngest son, Brig, recover from a motorcycle accident in which he should have died. Going 50 ish, at night, on a motorcycle without a helmet, and then having a car turn in front of you doesn't give you good odds at surviving.
He called me the day following his accident with, as he described "good news." He proceeded to tell me that he would not be riding his motorcycle home for the summer. Logical question that I posed was "Did you sell it?" After a long pause his response was something to the tune of "not exactly." After which I discovered he had been in a serious accident. He had called me first so that I might buffer the news to his mother. Sometimes children do not understand that holding back information is worse then letting all of it come out at one time. He was still in the hospital and was scheduled for surgery the following week. I made plans to go out and help him get around and also to help him finish the semester at Utah Valley State College(UVSC).
I have been blessed with wonderful children. I have come to realize as a parent that sometimes we must sit back and let things happen. We can not fix everything. We can't make things go away. Brig was our adventurer, he is the one who has shown little to no fear. He has ridden bulls and jumped out of airplanes. He just survived a horrific crash. He had surgery- one knee was totally blown and needed extensive repair. His left hand was broken in 4 different places.
Since last April he has recovered somewhat from his experience. He has learned some as well. We thought that he was doing very well as he went to a family reunion and was able to play football with us 4 months after his surgery. A 20 year old young adult doesn't necessarily let others know of discomfort that they are feeling. As a parent I have thought that sometimes a little lingering pain would help one to remember that we are all human, that our bodies do break, and healing can be a long process. Brig is now Elder French serving the Savior in the Las Vegas Nevada Spanish speaking mission. He has been out there for 6 months. His Spanish vocabulary continues to grow. His love for those he serves continues to grow. His knee is hurting him somewhat (somewhat because I'm not sure to what extent it is hurting him.) I can't take away the pain but he is in my thoughts and prayers....always...jsf

A new era-keeping an eye out

If anything this forum is going to be used to present the musings of an over-the-hill fishmonger. To some the term fishmonger is probably an unknown word, one that comes from somewhere in the past. I guess that is the purpose of this sight is to look for things that have been lost and find out where they have gone. If I am unable to find what was lost at least I can amuse my self in speculation as where things have fled to.
Today I'll start with the word -fishmonger. According the Dictionary.com a fishmonger is one who is a "dealer in fish, esp. for eating."(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fishmonger (accessed: April 26, 2008). To be a fishmonger is to work in noble trade and one in which supported my family for a period of 15 years. One who knows fish understands that fish doesn't smell "fishy" until it becomes old. Fresh fish has a clean smell to it, a fresh smell to it. It is pleasant to smell. Old fish- well every one knows what fish smells like. Normally that is old fish. It is what will stink up your fridge before you know it. I mean to keep this sight fresh... if it starts to stink just call me the fishmonger that I am.

I do not have the illusion that this sight will become cutting edge or avant garde in reintroducing things in this forum. It will be just a means in which I can vent.

Welcome to Lost and Found....jsf