BARACKTASTIC

So, tonight is THE night you’ve all been waiting for all of your lives. The only problem is that you didn’t know it. You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you. Well, turn on your TV for a moment, pick up your local fishwrap, or get on the internet and you will know exactly what I’m talking about. People in newsrooms all over the country are about to burst with excitement for “their guy”. Tonight something more exciting and intriguing than the circus coming to town when you were a kid is happening. Tonight something more important than the discovery of Penicillin and gravity is happening. Tonight something that is more of a phenomenon than the Beetles on the Ed Sullivan show is happening. It is all over the news and everywhere else. You can’t get away from it, because it is just that big. Just ask the media, they’ll tell you. NOTHING this important has ever happened anywhere. Heck they needed a Football Stadium that seats 76 plus thousand people and that cost more than $364 million dollars to build to house the thing. They needed a set that looked like the Acropolis to equal the import of the actual occurrence. It has been anticipated for months and talked about constantly for weeks. I just can’t believe it is finally here. I am so excited, and I can’t wait. . . . NOT!

You see, it’s actually something really simple actually. It is a political speech by a presidential candidate at the end of his party’s convention. It has happened many times before. So unless he lives up to his media hype and actually walks on water, it will really be just another political speech. The United States political process has been around for 232 years. We have already had 43 presidents, and we’re trying to find the 44th. There have been numerous speeches just like this one. But wait, have there? If you listen to the media, no one like this tremendous man has ever been in this situation. He is: amazing, stupendous, super-colossal, wonderful, and . . . . NOT REAL.

I say: “Don’t believe the hype”. Look, he is truly the definition of an empty suit. He has no executive experience to speak of at all. He has been in the Senate for a short period of time, and has spent most of that campaigning and not voting. His only other experience is in the Illinois State Legislature. This is the man with all the Hype? Yes, it is! He is all words and no action. He is an amazingly captivating speaker, but says absolutely nothing.

So, then why is this night like no other and this man like no one we’ve ever seen? Well to find that out we must get to the bottom line of who his supporters really are. So let’s list them: all liberals, most news media members, Hollywood, and people who rely on the government for their living. So, what do these people love and want more than anything? They want: bigger government and more stuff from it, they want a watered down military that “just get’s along with the world”, they want to be able to live their lives with no moral compass, and most of all they want anyone but Bush.

So, as you get your popcorn and remote ready for tonight, my TV will be off as it has been all week. You can listen to the fluff till you are bloated with it. You can cheer, or laugh, or even get angry. I will not be watching. I have heard enough of nothing from the empty suit. So, someone please call me tomorrow if he actually drops ANYTHING of substance.

I will say one thing for sure. This empty suit has solidified my stance this week finally. I will be marching to the poll against my better judgment to pull the lever for Mr. McCain for sure. As a matter of fact I’d like to pass along a piece of advice for the McCain camp. Just shut-up! Barack is already doing the best campaigning for you. The people you will finally get sick of this madness and flock to the polls in November for McCain. You just need to sit back and say very little. The base is angry. They are all lying in wait and saying they will not vote for you. But mark my words, they will! They will come out in unbelievable numbers like you have never seen and McCain will easily win.

Please Lord let it be true!

That’s my 2.5 cents, take it or leave it!

OH to be a kid again

I haven’t blogged much lately because of several reasons: too busy, burned out, not motivated by the current state of politics, just plain tired and uninspired. But maybe I’ve been looking to the wrong areas for inspiration.

You know, I was sitting at my desk today, fretting and pouring over a ton of junk called paperwork. Then the picture screensaver on my computer caught my eye. It was on this great picture of my youngest son Trevor. When I saw this picture, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was taken while we were camping recently at Douthat State park near Clifton Forge, Virginia. He was attempting to eat a smore, but not having much success. It is the type of picture that makes anyone and everyone smile. But, that is the way Trevor lives every moment of his little, crazy life. If you haven’t met him, then you are missing out. He lives every minute wide open. He always has fun no matter what is going on. This also gets him in trouble sometimes of course, but he’s learning. He has an approach to life that I could and should take something from.

So I began thinking to myself about how we as adults tend to lose sight of the fun things life holds. I think I actually do better than most, but recently I have allowed stress and aggravation to sour my outward mood. I think it is important to me as a boss, friend, son, husband, and father to remain joyful even in times of stress and in the face of obstacles. You know it has become clear to me recently how my bad mood or poor attitude effects those around me negatively. It is also clear how Trevor’s smile and pep effect all of those around him positively. So, I am setting out recently to try to remain positive as much as possible. Well, how in the world am I going to do that? I have no clue on my own. I have had some good days trying this and many not so good ones. I am by nature a fairly negative person, and I want to fix that. So, I finally realized today that I can’t do it on my own (yes, I’m thick headed). I need help from my Lord Jesus Christ. But it has to go far beyond just plain help. I must immerse myself in his word every day for his joy to shine through me. In John 17:13 Jesus says: "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” So it is clear that I must spend more of my time immersing myself in the things Jesus said in order for my joy to be full and unfailing. For those of you who are hard headed like me this is a great verse because Jesus goes as far as to say that we actually needed to listen and heed what he said while here on earth.

So, look up at that picture of that gooey funny face and remember to let the joy of Jesus shine through you today!


That’s my 2.5 cents, and that’s all I’ve got!