Opus 2020-037: Firsts: Winning in the Men’s Room

There was a day when I could not change a diaper.  Two children and two grandchildren have changed all that.  This week expanded the experience. 

I was on duty in a medical office building.  I was watching the toddler while my daughter had a routine visit to the OB/GYN.  After an hour and forty-five minutes of waiting, my granddaughter started walking funny.  It was the dreaded blue line.  A diaper needed to be changed.  After waiting this long I knew my daughter might emerge from the elevator at any moment.  I also knew it might be another hour.  I remembered seeing one of those baby changing stations in the men’s room.  I stepped up like a man.

I won’t say it was the neatest job of diaper change but no one fell on the floor, nothing got dropped, the baby did not touch any unclean surfaces and the diaper stayed on.  I call that a win.

And yes, all hands were washed before we went back to polite society, only to find that my daughter had emerged from the elevator as soon as I left the lobby.

This is how I am spending my time right now.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-036: The Joys of Not Blogging

I am having one glorious time.  Our second grandchild just arrived and we are the blessed hosts to my daughter, her toddler and the newborn.  She came back to the states for the birth and so far is glad she did.  This time she produced a boy and he is again reminding us of how dumb we all are at birth.  Her husband joined us for the birth and a few weeks of leave but had to leave last week. 

It is glorious.  There is no such thing as free time.  I had a great time this morning rocking my grandson to sleep and holding him for an extended period of time.  Every once in awhile I remember that I have not posted anything on this blog in a long time.  I look down at the sleeping baby and say, “So what.”  No offense but there are more important things than sharing my thoughts with the waiting world.

Since my daughter can’t lift the toddler for another week I have become the go-to guy for diaper changes.  It is a lot of fun.  The technology of modern diapers takes the guess work out of wet diapers.  They develop a blue line that tells the story.  For the number twos the smell is enough to tell you it is time to do something.  If you have never had your own children or grandchildren you have no idea how much fun it can be.

Meanwhile I am getting nothing done but child care.  I only have a few more weeks to enjoy it and then they all fly overseas again. 

I am sure my writing will get more frequent.  What is that I hear?  Could it be a toddler heading my way?

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-035: Headlines: Give Joe Some Slack

(I wrote this days ago but have not been able to get to posting.)

I have seen repeated reference to Joe Biden calling a young lady who asked him a question a liar.  It seemed in keeping with the weird things going on in his mind.  I finally came across a video of the incidence and watched it.

I won’t cry “Fake News”, but I would say it is a bit exaggerated.

Did he call her a liar?  Yes.  Was it an insulting attack by a delusional man who is losing his mind?  No.  What I saw was an experienced politician bantering with a nervous young lady and being so ridiculous that it was funny.  It is one of the reasons I don’t like talking on the phone.  You can’t read the body language.  If you take into account the body language it was obvious that she was telling a lie to get over a hump.  He made a joke out of it.  It is called humor, folks.  Think of it of a combination male humor and hyperbole. 

I don’t know if he went on to answer her question.  The clip wasn’t that long but it did show her face after his comment and it was not the face of someone who had been insulted.  Maybe you read it different.  I hear that later in an interview she claimed she was humiliated.  If he had said it in a bar over a few beers it would have either been falling-off-the-stool funny or fightin’ words, depending on the mood and the friendship.

I will never vote for slow Joe, unless he runs against Hillary.  On all the key issues I care about he is on the other side of the fence.  He has said a lot of stupid stuff.  Between the legitimate bad policy and repeated statements that are ridiculous we really don’t need to Bush him.  Remember how they always called Bush stupid and gave Obama a pass.

We are better than that even if he is worse than that.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-034: Heroes and Valiant Men

This morning in my worship time this verse caught my attention,

(Isa 5:22 NAS77) Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, And valiant men in mixing strong drink;

I thought of our culture of drunks.  We might not admit it but we laugh at a lot of drunk jokes.  As I look through different internet sites I often come across guys who are bragging about how much they drink or how real men can put it away.  I have been around the guys and they all think that getting rip, roaring drunk is the sign of a great time.  They are heroes and valiant men by this measure.

I accept that alcohol might have a place.  It is common in all cultures.  The wine snobs are almost as obnoxious as the coffee snobs.  It is also one of the greatest sources of evil and destruction. 

One of the changes we need to see in America involves the casual drinking that goes on.  At best it is a temporary sedative.  More often it is a subtle poison.

Of course I offer these words of wisdom as someone who does not drink.  Consider the source.  You might also consider what the prophet Isaiah had to say.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-033: The Calvinistic Toddler

It became clear this morning that my granddaughter was not worried about falling out of grace with her grandfather.  She can cry and poop in her pants.  She drops food on the floor and refuses to give me a hug.  She kisses the cat, her doll, her toys and anything else except for me.  In spite of all that there is no chance of her falling from grace.

She is a natural born Calvinist.

Her security is not just based on my love.  It is also based on her immaturity and lack of ability.  It is rooted in a knowledge that I have that certain steps need to be taken and they won’t happen until it is the right time.  I remember that my son didn’t start reading until he was eight.  When he was ready he started and we have not been stupid enough to try to stop him.  When he was young and the world of the internet was developing he ran up some horrible phone bills on the dial-up modem.  If he did something like that today he would be banned from the house.

There will come a day when my granddaughter will no longer be allowed to act like she is eternally secure.  It came for my son.  It came for my daughter.  They know we will love them forever.  They also know that if their lives go in certain directions there will be no inheritance.

You might say that they have become Arminians.  They are very secure.  They trust us.  They also know there are limits.  You can read about those limits on God’s love in just about every book of the Bible.  I am not worried about you if you are a mature Calvinist.  You have no intention of exercising license in your liberty.  You know I John 1:9.  It is the immature Calvinist I worry about.

Isn’t it good that we are saved by grace and not my opinions?

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-032: 21st Century Robber Barons

The concept of the robber baron is another case of the Progressives* taking a part of culture and warping it to remove its meaning and drag down Western culture.  They have done such a good job that if you look for a definition it skips the original medieval source of the word and ignores modern examples.  Welcome to Progressive* education.

The real robber barons were men who had strongholds in key locations on trade routes.  They would force merchants going through to fork over large sums in order to pass.  The fees were not fair in any sense.  They were robbing the traders to line their own coffers.  This made them rich, put a damper on trade and increased the price of goods.  They gave nothing.  They only took.

Move forward to the industrial age in America.  There were a group of men who developed industries and became very wealthy doing so.  Think of Carnegie in steel, Rockefeller in oil or Vanderbuilts in shipping.  The myth here is that these men got rich by robbing the working class.  In reality they became wealthy while lowering the cost of the products they produced while they provided jobs for millions of workers.  They understood that if the workers could make enough to buy the products they were producing then everyone benefitted. 

The list could go on beyond that era in American history.  Edison and Bell brought us into the day of electricity and communication.  Ford made the automobile something that anyone could afford.  Sears brought the material goods of the city to the isolated farmer.  Sony opened the world of entertainment.  Bill Gates would qualify as a robber baron.  People like Jeff Bezos would also fit the bill.  The key is that these people brought prosperity to millions while they made millions.  It is called free enterprise.  They are definitely robber barons in the good sense of the word.

In the historic sense of the term the modern robber barons are the people who have lived in a thriving location like California, amassed a fortune from its blessings, done everything they can to turn it into a socialist paradise and when the fan starts to get clogged with the feces, move to a free state with their wealth.  They have joined the elite by amassing their wealth.  In many cases they have done little to benefit the common man.  They have done everything to destroy prosperity for those outside of their little circle.  Then, when the house of cards is ready to collapse they cash in their chips and run. 

California is on the verge of collapse.  Virginia is starting down that road.  Colorado is testing the waters.  The modern robber barons have their sites set on Texas and Florida.  They want a return of feudalism with them in the castles.  We live in interesting times.

*(Liberals, educators, socialists, communists, elites, Rinos, Democrats, leftists, Never Trumpers, etc)

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-031: Warm Hearts, Empty Heads

Someone said about the missionaries that went to Hawaii, “They came to do good and they did very well indeed.”  The same kind of comment can be made about modern educators.  As a group they are warm hearted, caring people who want to do good.  It reminds me of a child I heard about who wanted to help out so he stuck the hose in the gas tank and turned on the water.  Public school teachers no longer represent the best and the brightest.  While they do not get rich on their salaries they are definitely doing well.  I say this as a retired public school teacher.  Show me a job in the private world where you get automatic pay increases, three months off in the summer, two weeks off at Christmas, a week for what used to be Easter, a week off for Thanksgiving and full health benefits.  Oh yes, and you are almost impossible to fire.

We indeed do well.

Just as you will probably find a few informed, patriotic Democrats you will find a few informed, patriotic educators.  The emphasis is on “few”.  For the most part they have drunk the koolaide and relaxed into the comfort of conformity.  They embrace every theme of the left without thinking.  I remember sitting through eight years of faculty meetings when George W. Bush was president and hearing constant references to how stupid he was.  In eight years of Obama I did not hear any discouraging words. 

We recently went to a celebration of a 40th wedding anniversary.  It was a house full of really nice people.  Most of the women were involved in education.  The one in depth conversation we had soon degraded into Trump hatred.  I seriously asked what she disliked about Trump.  All I could get was that he was not a nice man.  Later my wife commented on the empty heads in the house. 

Again, they are nice people.  They might make nice neighbors.  They probably take good care of their pets and mow their lawns.  Hopefully they don’t play loud music late at night.  But they probably should be denied the right to vote.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-030: Super Bowl Evolution

This has been a good year for my mental acuity.  I knew that the Super Bowl was coming.  I found out that Kansas City won.  I am somewhat in doubt about the losing team but from the memes I am seeing I am thinking it was San Francisco.  Don’t bother correcting me if I am wrong.  I didn’t watch and don’t intend to watch next year.

I know there was a time I enjoyed the Super Bowl.  The interest gradually waned.  Eventually I took a nap during the game.  Sports were a big deal to me when I was young and limited.  I could tell you how many games the Dodgers were out of first place.  I knew the ERA of the Dodger pitchers.  In Junior High I lettered in football, basketball and volleyball.  In high school our church group played football every Sunday afternoon and still made it back for evening service.

No longer.  I like to play golf but don’t get out very often.  I only watch golf in waiting rooms.  For all other sports I always bring a book.

I hope your team won.  In reality unless you had a big bet going with your local bookie or need bragging rights at your local bar, it wont’ make much difference.  Not remembering your wife on Valentine’s day might matter.  Not going to your kids’ basketball game might have long term consequences.  As far as professional sports go, there will always be another game, another season, another team.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-029: Monday Pulpit: What Makes a Family

The pastor was reflecting on the evil of abortion.  He was talking about how human beings different from animals because we were created in the image of God.  Then he clarified that understanding a bit by saying something like,

“We are all created in the image of God, making us His offspring, but we become his children by adoption.”

If you have ever talked to someone who has been adopted or a child who had their father abandon the family and another man marry their mother, you can relate to this.  You will often hear comments of the nature that one was a biological source of sperm but the other is the father.

Some people don’t understand this.  Yes, we are all special.  We are conceived with the image of God imprinted on us.  Sin has marred that image.  God wants to reestablish it but it requires some repair work.  That is offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  When we embrace that truth then we are adopted into the family of God.

Keep in mind that this makes us extra special.  In the Roman world that the New Testament was written in adoption was a higher status than natural birth.  At that time even the Roman emperors would decide who the heir to the throne would be by adoption, not birth.

Don’t rely on being the generic offspring, go for adoption.  It really makes a difference.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-028: Thanks Thoughts: Water

This morning as I was cleaning up after the joy of feeding my granddaughter breakfast I was reminded of the miracle of water. 

In modern America we take a lot for granted.  As I was using the steady flow of water to wash out oatmeal and scrub a pan it crossed my mind about the multitude of hands and faithful utility workers that went into producing this simple commodity.  I live in a part of Texas that can seem hot and dry much of the year and yet even in summer I know where water flows.  The problem is that it is not potable.  It looks good and feels good but is infested with all kinds of critters and chemicals that don’t do the body good.  So before if flows out of my tap it passes many hurdles.

We know some of this because we are within spitting distance of a water tank.   A technician comes to check that tank at least once a day, sometimes he is here twice, and that is just in the portion of the supply line that I can see.

So I am thankful.  I realize that there are politicians in the pockets of the extremist environmentalist who want to take away this glory.  I am hopeful that they will not be able to reduce us to a third world level. 

Shower while you still can.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-027: Middle Class Morality: Specific moral standards

I maintain that Middle Class Morality (MCM) is the bedrock of the American way of life.  One of its points of belief is that there are specific moral standards that do not change.  Right and wrong exist and they do not depend on your attitude or acceptance.  They are.  One word used for this is “righteousness”.  The opposite of righteous behavior would be sinful behavior.  If you are paying attention this is currently being rejected by our intellectual class and most of the molders of public opinion.

The understanding of righteousness is defined in the Bible.  You can start with the Ten Commandments, which most people have heard of even if they cannot name them, and move to a less well known list you could call the “works of the flesh”.  Just reading it points out how out of the mainstream Christians are today.

(Gal 5:19-21 KJV) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

In the mid 1900's this would have been accepted without the batting of an eye. 

Our standards are changing and not for the better.  If America rots away to nothing more than another society conquered by the socialist poison, part of the journey will involve rejecting this wall of righteousness. 

(Proverbs 14:34 KJV)  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

There are still many people who believe this and live this way.  I do not know if they are a majority in the country any more.  I do know that they are very rare in the media, education and the government.  If we are to continue to survive we will need to return to a standard of objective morality and not just what feels good.

Viva la middle class morality.

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-026: Divine Rights of Presidents

To the Progressives* Donald Trump has become Jehovah God.

They blame everything on (H)im.  I could live with that except they only blame the bad stuff.

I remember reading a post by a man who was hurting.  He had lost a grandchild and was bitter about it.  He stated that he could never believe in a God who would allow something like that to happen.  Emotionally I can only pretend to understand because I have not had that kind of loss.  Intellectually I see his train of logic.  Like too many people he tends to see things through his pain and with himself in the center.  I hope he will work his way through it.

For Progressives* I don’t have such hope.  In order to live in their little bubbles of cause and effect they need to work overtime to isolate themselves from reality.  They are surrounded by so much information that they need to make conscious decisions to deny reality.  They are the people who believe that the world is going to end because of global warming.  They somehow cling to the nonsense that only white people are capable of being racist.  They think unborn babies are nothing but blobs of tissue.  They think welfare helps people.  They think more money will solve the problems in education.

And the only thing keeping these dreams from fulfillment is Donald Trump.  If only he would stop tweeting.  And just like life in the real world, not believing in God will get you nowhere.

*(Liberals, educators, socialists, communists, elites, Rinos, Democrats, leftists, Never Trumpers, etc)

homo unius libri