Pride

more accomplished, have all the answers?

Inside a proud man lies conceit--the cancer that destroys the soul and lays waste to humanity.

Satan loves a proud man because he knows that this spirtual tumor will soon bring about activity such as prejudice, hate, envy, jeolousy, selfishness,self righteousness, self worship, class seperation, religious strife---.

Humility is the enemy of pride. That is why a proup man will scorn the humble and lay charges of weakness, helplessness, and contemp for those who are humble.

Satan loves the prideful and "GOD" insists upon humility. Which trait do you nurture?

Do you always need the last word? To be 1st. To win every argument? To be the life of every party? To garner all the attention? Do you really believe you are better, smarter, better looking, faster, stronger---???

If you answer yes to any of these questions or see these traits in yourself--guess who has your number in his ledger? Guess who has plans for your eternity?

Ok Yodi, help me off the stump and too the easy chair. Another day is upon us.

Creeping socialism--All Hail King George

In 1913 a catagory 5 Hurricane plowed directly into New Orleans, La. Its affects were devastating. The United States army lent tents and cooking supplies to the citizens of Louisianna in the areas destroyed by the storm. They later had to sue in court for payment of these tents and utensals.

In 2005 a smaller hurrican Katrina landed nearby New Orleans causing much devastation. We now have a President who has offered to "GIVE" 200 billion dollars to Louisianna to help rebuild the affected areas and infrastructure.

Are we still a Republic made up of individual states and citizens--or are we now a full fledged socialist country made up of an overpowering Federal government that dictates to the "several" states and interferes with the duties and obligations of the citizens of those states?

I live in Arizona. Why are the people of Arizona going to be made party to the rebuilding of a separate state--Lousianna?

The answer to these questions I have raised "matters" much to the survival of our Republic. The line between Federal and State is so blurred right now that halogen headlights could not find it in bright daylight.

In addition to the above, National guard troop from other states spent time confiscating legal guns from homeowners in Louisianna-- in the aftermath of the hurricane. And not one single blurb have I seen on national news condemning this assault on these folks "Right to bear arms". In fact--it left them defenseless to the roaming hoodlums who were pillaging and looting the city. This "matters"

The citizens of Louisianna should pull up their pants, roll up their sleeves and get to work rebuilding their damaged state. They should also sincerely appreciate the help received from their fellow Americans--and immediatly begin taking steps to re-pay the treasuries of those states who offered up taxpayer assisted assistance.

AND THEY SHOULD REFUSE ALL FEDERAL AID OFFERED BY "HIS MAJESTY GEORGE BUSH".

Where is their sense of dignity, self respect, and soverienty as citizens of the great state of Louisianna?

Please ponder this for a second. Your own state elected leaders may be the next to roll over and sell your state rights to the Federal devil. For me I'd rather live in a tent and carry water from a well than loose my identity for a free lunch.

Nothing worth having is free. Come on Yodi, lets go find that stump, drag it to the town square, and shout to the rooftops our protest--before the governor of--say--Vermont trys ordering us around from afar.

What I learned in Dallas, Texas

I did not know ahead of time that I would be traveling into the eye of mother nature last week when I ventured off to a conference in this grand city.

However as all know by now, Texans spent a harrowing week of dispair as Hurricane Rita slowly made its way towards the Lone Star state. Our little group was made up of priests from outside the area and we didn't have the lives or limbs of our own families involved--but we did have the lives and limbs of our fellow brothers and sisters in harms way.

The storm landed far east of here and outside some wind, we really didn't get the jolt that the eastern side and coastal region experienced.

When 175 mph winds and a "Texas" size hurricane is in your midst, you really see first person how fragile life and property is. 25 ft. deep water renders any village, town, or city inhabitable.

People truly do "get" religious when an event like this occurs, plus they get emotional, scared, disoriented, and chaotic. After all--there whole lives have just been uprooted. Jobs, school, baseball, yardwork, video games, politics---all external things that make up their reality get thrown out the window like an old candy wrapper.

It is then that they must deal with the inside stuff. Personal and spiritual survival. Outside stuff can be rebuilt over time--but for those whose lives are lost--the external is forever gone.

So--I was thinking and pondering this on my return flight late last night. When I arrived back at the house and retrieved Yodi from the neighbors, I was back in my familiar external surroundings. How surreal.

I turned down an offer in Dallas for many reasons--but I think the main reason was over "life" in general. My lifes main mission has been about saving unborn babies lives. and I have saved some over the years. I don't want to become trapped in an institution where this work would be limited by academic pursuits. I already have entered the greatest university "GOD" has to offer--and it is outside the rigid confines of structured environments. Rather than affect the lives of a few--[however precious that may be], I would rather have the opportunity to sit on a park bench one on one with a few that cross my path while at the same time reaching out my ministry to the world through mass media such as this little place.

Storms have a way of prioritizing lives. I do pray that those caught up in the recent hurricanes take time to reflect on where their "own" lives are headed. If there is a silver lining in the chaos of Texas this week--it is "that" opportunity offered up to all whose lives have been forever affected by Hurrican Rita. "GOD" does know how to reach out to the masses. I do thank him for that.

Now its time to take this little guy for a morning stroll. By the way he is hopping around it looks like he's been holed up for a few days too much.

Advice for those in the path of Hurricane Rita

Sometimes when things go sour in our lives, we get angered and full of dispair. We will lash out at "GOD" as the source of all our problems without realizing that he has already been hard at work providing us the tools needed for growth as people.

This earth has all the ingrediants necessary for us to not only survive but to blossom as a butterfly. Struggle and hardships are what causes us to soar.

As I sit here in Dallas among all those worried and concerned for family and friends as hurricane rita plows northward, I'm reminded of this story.

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and a small and shriveled wings.

The man expected, that any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! The butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening was "GOD'S" way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If "GOD" allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly.

I asked for Strength---
And "GOD" gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom---And "GOD" gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity--- And "GOD" gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage---And "GOD" gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love--- And "GOD" gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors---And "GOD" gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted. I received everything I needed.

My message to all those caught up in hurricanes and other storms that happen by either in community, family, or self--to remember what happened to this butterfly--and then look for the tools "GOD" has given you to soar.

Fr. Mike

I've been AWOL here

Rather than just type to be typing with no thoughts behind the post seems to me to be a waste of time. Quite frankly, my mind has not been made up on which view to take on some issues that are dear to my heart. So I'm not writing until they are.

One thing is for sure, I will keep posting my views and shouting from the rooftops on those things that matter to me. I probably offend some who read my positions on hot topics such as evil, abortion, family values, "GOD", salvation, Catholism, and politics. But on things that matter who cares what somebody else thinks or whether they are offended. If the storm waters are rising and dangerous waters are ahead, it is better to be wet and have ruined shoes-- but be safe,-- than to refuse to enter the muddy water at the peril to ones life.

That is about all I have to say today as I sit here in Dallas among those awaiting tyhe outcome of a pending storm. I'm watching. listening, and lending my ear to those who need listening to. Life is full of storms and sunny skies.

Stay tuned.

A "Son"bow for Yodi and me

Today I was contemplating Noe [Noah] from the bible and the great flood that snatched away the life of every breathing man and animal that was not safely in the ark.

After the flood waters had receded, "GOD" made a covenant with Noe, hsi sons and all their offshoots. He said that he would never use flood waters to destroy man again.

An interesting note however is twofold. He did not say he would never wipe off the face of the earth his creation mankind in the future and he never said that he would not use floods to get mankinds attention.

"GOD" also gave us the rainbow as a reminder of this covenant. While contemplating this situation, off in the distance I saw a rainbow in the mountain west of my home. The intersting fact is --there were no clouds and rain just perfectly clear skys and a rainbow in the distance.

I think I will call it my encounter with a "Son"bow in honor of his son and his new covenant with me and you.

Let's go Yodi. Maybe there is a pot of wisdom at the end of the bow.

My "happy day" celebration

Last night before retiring to bed I made a vow that today was going to be a special celebration day. I decided that there was simply too much negative news and happenings swirling around me. Most of them I have no way of changing and can only offer up prayers and well wishes to those involved.

I ate breakfast, walked Yodi, and tneded to my internet forum duties. I then hitched a ride to Krispy Kreme for my happy day celebration. Several cups of delicious coffee and three jelly filled doughnuts were just what I needed to get with the happy mood.

I walked across the parking lot to Barnes and Noble bookstore for some first class browsing --and some Starbucks java. After a good browse and feeling really quite happy, i met back up with my ride and returned home.

I once again checked the forums while in a much better mood. I highly recommend declaring tommorow your own "Happy Day Celebration.

Have a Happy Day!!

Losing my memory

I don't remember things that I used to. I can't make a list of all that has been lost, but I'm aware of it's enormity when I get glimpses of it by needing to look up certain facts that I once knew. Even the meaning of some words now escapes me.

I notice now that when some subjects are brought up in conversations, I'm missing key details that I once knew. How I know this is that there are still some residual associated memories that float by once I begin re-learning what I once knew.

Today I visited my Neurologist as part of my current battery of tests. Doctors can poke, probe, and analyze Cat scans, blood work, muscle tone, and physical symptoms. But they can't crawl into ones mind and see what is there or where what was once there has gone! I'm afraid the later is a matter of self exploration and discovery.

I brought this up to my doctors and was left with shrugs for an answer. My regular doctor rationalized my condition with the response that it is a miracle that I'm still alive. I like this guy but he could have been more sympathetic to my questions. I realize how blessed I am to still be alive, but I would also like to know more about what to expect. I figure that they should be able to give some straight answers after drawing all that blood, poking, prodding, and picture taking.

All they really did was adjust some drug prescriptions, tell me to lose weight, and to get more exercise.

Sometimes my train of thought in a conversation simply--stops. Or a word never comes out of my mouth that was supposed to. The same thing happens in written form. I will need to re-read this post several times for missing or incomplete sentances-- or words with letters left out. Since I'm also dyslexic--this current calamity has been compounded. I edit more then I write.

If my memory completely leaves--does that mean I no longer exist? Or just that I can no longer function?

The doctors have ruled out the dreaded altzeimers disease. Mine is the result of dead brain cells. Part of my brain was deprived of oxygen and simply turned off. Along with physical trama associated with this brain malfunction came the memory loss. So I-- don't know memory wise what I once did. But--I don't know what I'm missing until I stumble across it.

I have exercised and done the physical therapy needed to regain some physical functions--but there are no brain exercises to restore lost memory. I can still think and have not lost my investigative and study skills required for re-learning what I once knew. So I go forward until I bump into the need to know something--I already knew!

I suppose one of the blessing I now have is that right along with some memory I wish I still had is also some I'm glad is gone! Being a student my entire adult life left me with a lot of junk clogging up my storage cells.Now the junk is gone too. Or at least some of it.

I was going to continue here but I forgot where I was going with it. Not really, but humor is still intact. I thought I would throw this personal journal entry out in the blog so that when my readers see some mistakes, they will pass them over with pity and a piece of pecan pie.

Now what did I do with "what's his name" the puppy? What did you say your name was?

The Depth of "GODS" Will.

We all hear words such as love, hate, good, evil, salvation, sin, holy, unholy, truth, deception. Our knowledge of the meaning these words is limited to our own experiences.

Temptation plays a key role in knowledge. In order to grasp the fullness of a specific state of being such as "being in love" or "being saved" or "being good" or being truthful, takes a commitment to denying the opposite. Satan uses temptation in order to nullify all the spiritual truths and traits that "GOD" wills mankind to be.

Mankind has become complacent-willing to give into temptations without much struggle. If we want to know the depth of a spiritual condition such as love, then we must fight off the temptations to hate. Once we fight one temptation, then Satan will up the ante and offer up even more temptation the next time. It is in the fight against these increasing temptations where we learn about the depth of "GODS" will.

We must earn these traits which make up a man worthy of our creator. The battle for purity of our nature is won in the trenches of spirtual warfare. I'm bringing this matter up because I know that the fall into secularism necesstates a reminder.We must all constantly do inventory of where our thoughts and feelings have led us. Satan is behind all temptation but has done a superb job of disquising this within our society.Some don't believe Satan exists. Some believe it is their right to live as they choose and behave as "they" will. So take stock of all temptations to be less than pure. Seek purity in all actions. As temptations are encountered--[and they will be], fight it off with passion and with each measure won, brings a clearer knowledge of what it means to be--love, truthful, good, holy, saved--and all the traits that "GOD" wills.

Let's go into the forest Yodi and bring light to those shadows.

Inventing money the old fashion way

At last estimate, the good old US of A has become the most efficient inventor of money the world has ever known. Just is the past couple years, our conservative public policies under the Republican controlled government has managed to efficiently create 2.5 trillion dollars more than another old fashioned revenue program could called taxes.

This creativity has allowed our publiuc policy to race around this world and even to others like Mars and the stars. Talk about a kid in the candy store. There is never a military project that our armed forces cannot afford to engage. Just create some more money and off they go. All around the world and the stars goes romping American dreams and manpower, free from the fiscal restraints that the mere mortal citizens must observe.

The latest estimates of hurricane Katrina is 100 billion dollars in damage. Mere chump change for our money inventors. The insurance companies won't be paying for flood damage which represents the majority of residential and commericial property damage that occured. They have set their share of covered damage at roughly 25 billion dollars. Now that is real money that even they don't have. Of course they could just file for bankrupcy and walk away from all the claims that they lack the reserves for. I doubt whther anybody has bothered to insure that the insurers have proper reserves. That of course, would pass the problem onto our government and allow for them to invent even more money.

Maybe the solution is to pass a law which allows everyone to get into the money creating business. It could replace baseball as Americas favorite pasttime.

The reason this is so much fun is that as long as we have future generations, then this generation can continue creating and inventing money. Buy now and let our future generation in say the year 2505 pay the bill.

This topic has been fun. tommorow I think I will post one titled "Inventing National Guard troops" That way we can invent as a country new troops to help secure our country and help with disater relief. Our real National Guard troops are away doing the regular armies job around the universe. But by inventing new ones---You get the idea.

OK Yodi, let's see if we can go invent some breakfast for you. If it works for money, it should work for puppy food. No--wait--that is what credit cards are for. Another form of inventing money. Oh, I almost forgot the article I pasted here for all to see. Those are real financial problems lacking real solutions that the sober minded realists can grasp. I wonder what would happen if a hurrican were to take out the printing presses at the Treasury Department? Maybe they could go to Walmart, buy up a bunch of notebook paper, and write out IOU's the old fashioned way. The real IOU's or worthless too so why not notebook paper ones. Boy inventing can be fun.


September 3, 2005
First Estimate Puts Storm's Economic Toll at $100 Billion
By JENNIFER BAYOT
A risk management firm yesterday offered the first estimate of economic losses from Hurricane Katrina - $100 billion - and said that private insurance would probably cover less than a quarter of that. Federal money and charitable contributions may need to do the rest.

Saying the damage already appeared far greater than expected, Risk Management Solutions in Newark, Calif., said that insured losses would range from $20 billion to $35 billion, much higher than the firm's initial estimate of $10 billion to $25 billion.

The new figures suggest that Hurricane Katrina will cost the insurance industry more than any other natural disaster on record, unseating Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which cost $21 billion in 2004 dollars, according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group. Katrina's price tag may also overshadow the $23 billion in insured losses caused by four large hurricanes last year in South Florida.

But there is far more that commercial insurers will not absorb.

Uninsured losses often include damage to roads, highways, utilities and public buildings, as well as the cost of government relief efforts. There is also the huge cost of not doing business, which the firm estimated at $100 million a day.

Not only will the total losses reach $100 billion, but they may keep climbing if efforts to repair the levees in New Orleans stall, said Kyle Beatty, a Risk Management Solutions meteorologist.

While the insurance industry's share of that $100 billion will still be high, "there's far more economic dislocation relative to the insurance dollars coming in," said Robert P. Hartwig, chief economist of the Insurance Investment Institute. Mr. Hartwig said that insurance dollars were often the most potent, since they came in the form of cash rather than low-interest loans. "It means that for New Orleans to get back to where it was the day before Katrina will take longer."

And he said that policyholders should not expect insurers to try to cover flood damage out of generosity.

"Insurers will pay every dollar that they promised to pay under the terms of their contact, but flood is very clearly excluded from policies, and it always has been," he said

To be sure, insurance companies could face still more liability, Mr. Beatty said, especially where looting and vandalism are at play.

But there will remain a large gap between insured losses and economic losses, suggesting that government and private donations will be hugely important to the region's recovery.

How the country will close the gap is unclear. Congress approved a $10.5 billion emergency aid package yesterday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which finances flood insurance for homeowners, is still repaying the Treasury for the $300 million it borrowed after last year's hurricane season.

"If the flood insurance fund runs dry, we can tap the Treasury," said Butch Kinerney, a spokesman for FEMA. "Chances are good we'll have to do that for this storm because of the catastrophic nature of it."

"Residents should not be worried that the flood insurance program is insolvent," Mr. Kinerney added. "Be assured, we're not going belly-up, and we're not going away."

The many homeowners who lack flood insurance - including 6 of 10 homeowners in New Orleans, according to federal data - will most likely be applying for aid.

And even getting people their money may prove more challenging than in past catastrophes.

"I think what makes this one different is just the sheer scope and size of it," said Ray Stone, vice president for catastrophe operations at St. Paul Travelers, which has one of the largest shares of customers in Louisiana. "It's just going to be a much, much longer haul."

Risk Management Solutions estimated that the flood in New Orleans had inundated 150,000 properties, making it the most damaging flood in the nation's history. The most recent flood of similar proportions, the firm said, was a 1953 flood in the Netherlands. It, too, was caused by a major storm surge that overwhelmed barriers protecting a city below sea level. That flood submerged 47,000 properties and killed 1,800 people. It took six months to pump the community dry.

Disaster goof up

It is my opinion that our Federal government and the States hit by hurricane katrina layed a big egg when it came to preparedness. As one poster on a forum titled a thread " Three days to get a bottle of water to the victims?" That pretty much sums up my opinion.

The Gulf states live year to year with a gun pointed at them in the name of hurricanes. Much of the coastal area is swamps and low lying ground at or below sea level. A series of canals, rivers, streams all feed into the gulf---when the tide is out. Once while visiting a place off West Causeway in west New orleans/Metarie , I was reminded that the toilets did not flush during high tide.

There are levies that are designed to hold out water from New Orleans and these levies obviously were in disrepair or they would not have failed. Or--somebody who said they were ok needs to do some explaining.

The mayor of New Orleans waited way too long to order a manditory evacuation--and then lacked the National Guard troop strength necessary to enforce it.They are stationed in Iraq-- leaving only a couple thousand for homeland duty. Not enough.

We can send cement to Iraq, troops to Iraq, supplies to Iraqi refugees--but lack the same mission when it comes to protecting American soil from disasters. Sadly the hurricane season still has several months to go and maybe a couple of more hurricanes yet unnamed will crash into this same area. Who's to know?

We have 25% of our nations gas supplies dependant on the Gulf region ports, refineries, and oil fields--and yet it was not considered strategic enough to muster the resources to properly handle a crisis like the flooding, levies, emergency equipment, and troop strength.

Today it was announced that Border Patrol agents were being dispatched from the pourous borders of Arizona to the Gulf for disaster relief. So now we not only have ill prepared Federal agents being used in a job they are not trained for--but illegal's have a free ride through the abandoned patrol stations left empty by these re-assigned agents.

And finally--over 30 years after the first Middle East oil crisis--we are still dependant on oil as out primary source of powering trucks, cars, boats, airplanes,and mopeds!! Not to mention the houses still dependant on oil for heat. Winter is just around the corner so folks with oil heat will need to sell off their first born to fill up the tank. Heating oil will be worth more than gold.

I feel better about venting this now after it is all out on the screen. But I would feel a lot better if I knew there was a different crew in charge at the Federal and State levels for the pending clean-up and rebuild job at hand.

Yodi won't even wag his tail at this post. He too is astounded.