Second Chances

I believe in second chances !

God has given us another one-- we will call it 2018.

God has given this fellow  second chances,  one after another  --

 ad ifinitum.

 I hope to make better use of this second chance for knowing what I know, I am aware that the second chances will not last forever.

I want to make time for more quiet time, time with my Maker.

Second Chance for Time and closeness with Jane.

Second Chance for Time with my son, daughter in Love, my Grands.

I want time to visit some small town that I never visited before

 or if so , it was a long time ago

A second chance to drive down a road I have never driven before , a chance to see what is around the next bend, over the next hill, a second chance

A second chance to become closer friends with the many friends that God has given me

A second chance to know even more of the people that God has planned, for the paths he has laid out for me

A second chance to work toward making my world a better place

A second chance to visit more and spread some Sonshine each day

A second chance to wet my toes in the ocean

A second chance to stand on a mountain top and feel the uplifting wind in my face

A second chance to walk among the gardens of stone where my ancestors await the Second Coming

A second chance to know more about and of those ancestors, so that in time my descendants will know more about who they are and where they came from

So yes, Father , Thank you for a Second Chance called 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR and MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH A SECOND CHANCE

Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest's
Farewell Address To His Troops
Headquarters, Forrest's Cavalry Corps
Gainsville, Alabama
May 9, 1865
By an agreement made between Liet.-Gen. Taylor, commanding the Department of Alabama. Mississippi, and East Louisiana, and Major-Gen. Canby, commanding United States forces, the troops of this department have been surrendered.
I do not think it proper or necessary at this time to refer to causes which have reduced us to this extremity; nor is it now a matter of material consequence to us how such results were brought about. That we are BEATEN is a self-evident fact, and any further resistence on our part would justly be regarded as the very height of folly and rashness.
The armies of Generals LEE and JOHNSON having surrendered. you are the last of all the troops of the Confederate States Army east of the Mississippi River to lay down your arms.
The Cause for which you have so long and so manfully struggled, and for which you have braved dangers, endured privations, and sufferings, and made so many sacrifices, is today hopeless. The government which we sought to establish and perpetuate, is at an end. Reason dictates and humanity demands that no more blood be shed. Fully realizing and feeling that such is the case, it is your duty amd mine to lay down our arms -- submit to the “powers that be” -- and to aid in restoring peace and establishing law and order throughout the land.
The terms upon which you were surrendered are favorable, and should be satisfactory and acceptable to all. They manifest a spirit of magnanimity and liberality, on the part of the Federal authorities, which should be met, on our part, by a faithful compliance with all the stipulations and conditions therein expressed. As your Commander, I sincerely hope that every officer and soldier of my command will cheerfully obey the orders given, and carry out in good faith all the terms of the cartel.
Those who neglect the terms and refuse to be paroled, may assuredly expect, when arrested, to be sent North and imprisoned. Let those who are absent from their commands, from whatever cause, report at once to this place, or to Jackson, Miss.; or, if too remote from either, to the nearest United States post or garrison, for parole.
Civil war, such as you have just passed through naturally engenders feelings of animosity, hatred, and revenge. It is our duty to divest ourselves of all such feelings; and as far as it is in our power to do so, to cultivate friendly feelings towards those with whom we have so long contended, and heretofore so widely, but honestly, differed. Neighborhood feuds, personal animosities, and private differences should be blotted out; and, when you return home, a manly, straightforward course of conduct will secure the respect of your enemies. Whatever your responsibilities may be to Government, to society, or to individuals meet them like men.
The attempt made to establish a separate and independent Confederation has failed; but the consciousness of having done your duty faithfully, and to the end, will, in some measure, repay for the hardships you have undergone.
In bidding you farewell, rest assured that you carry with you my best wishes for your future welfare and happiness. Without, in any way, referring to the merits of the Cause in which we have been engaged, your courage and determination, as exhibited on many hard-fought fields, has elicited the respect and admiration of friend and foe. And I now cheerfully and gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to the officers and men of my command whose zeal, fidelity and unflinching bravery have been the great source of my past success in arms.
I have never, on the field of battle, sent you where I was unwilling to go myself; nor would I now advise you to a course which I felt myself unwilling to pursue. You have been good soldiers, you can be good citizens. Obey the laws, preserve your honor, and the Government to which you have surrendered can afford to be, and will be, magnanimous.
N.B. Forrest, Lieut.-General
Headquarters, Forrest's Cavalry Corps
Gainesville, Alabama
May 9, 1865

I asked God for strength that I might achieve,I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.I asked for health, that I might do greater things,I was given infirmity that I might do better things.I asked for riches that I might be happy,I was given poverty that I might be wise.I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,I was given life ,that I might enjoy all things.I got nothing that I asked for , but everything I had hoped for, almost despite, my unspoken prayers were answered.I am among all men most richly blessed.

The Storm after the Monster Tornado

When the monster storm of 27 April 2011 hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama there seemed to be a concerted effort by everyone to aid those who had been devastated.
Our young mayor walked the path of the storm with the president, our senators and all sorts of public officials all promising our people, “You will be made whole”.
The questions then started about how this would be accomplished.
Some way the “do-gooders”, “ tree huggers” the “wouldn’t it be wonderful people” who have great ideas on how to spend other peoples money seemed to have gotten the ear of the mayor.
There started to be talk of parks, greenways, walking trails, bicycle paths, village centers and clusters, multiuse areas and other wonderful ideas on how to heal this awful scar left on our city.
As always there had to be a committee appointed to give study to this wonderful opportunity to restructure and rebuild our city into a wondrous city of the future. One noticeable feature of the committee was that it wasn’t composed of people who had suffered the hurt.
It was an amalgamation of pasture planners of the nth degree. We have a mix of city planners,college professors, architects, and others with great visions of Utopia.
While this committee is pondering the wonderful things that can be accomplished with other peoples property and money there is a moratorium on the issuance of building permits in the path of destruction. People who have operated businesses for fifty years have been told, “We probably wont want your business back in this area.” Today a list of “not wanted “ businesses was published in the paper. It effectively told many business people they cannot rebuild their business on their property.
A rezoning of property is already planned so in effect the city will be able to rezone people out of their property and place “desirable uses” in these areas.
There have been many instances where people haven’t been able to rebuild their property due to new set-backs and other restrictions imposed by our “pasture planners”
While this imposed moratorium has been in effect people have been without homes, businesses are not able to open and provide their owners a livelihood. Property owners are in a state of limbo due to these ever evolving regulations that seem to have no end.
Where is the property to come from to build these pipe dreams of the mayor and his Tuscaloosa Forward Task Force? Is the city going to create additional land to build all these dreams? No, it seems they fully intend to rezone a large part of our population out of their property and then they will decide who and what will be built.
We are seeing an absolute abuse of power by the city and its planners.
What is to become of elderly people who have lived in their homes for half a century and can barely rebuild with the reduced insurance proceeds they have collected. They will be unable to make these funds meet all the proposed changes in the building codes now being enforced. They don’t have enough property to meet the setback and other requirements. Their government isn’t serving them.
When this city or any government agency enacts such wide ranging rules and regulations regarding private property and individual rights and freedoms we are seeing Marxism beginning to show its ugly head.
The citizens of Tuscaloosa are being denied the rights and privileges guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and our much abused United States Constitution
The tornado put hurt on our citizens but the city is doing all within its power to extend this hurt adinfinitum.
The storm clouds gather over the Druid City once again.When will people say enough?

FRIENDS

In today’s wonderful world we have at our disposal many ways to keep informed and stay abreast of happenings around the world.
Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, My Space and others aide us in our search for friends from our past. We are able to maintain a list of family and current friends with their daily routines. Some of these activities we just as soon not know, but that is part of the program.
What I call the Shy Sadie’s and Peeping Toms amaze me in these programs. These people are not what you might picture when I use those names to describe them. Let me explain;
People ask me if I Facebook. I tell them yes and they send me a friend request. One lady sent me such a request and as always I checked her FB page before “friending” her. I found that she claimed 1312 “Friends”. She had made no posts, no pictures of her were there.
Some of her children and grandchildren had made posts. She had a generic blank photo instead of a current personal photo. I didn’t “friend” her so in about two weeks she called me to ask why.
I asked why she had 1312 “friends” and no personal photos or posts.
Her reply was that she only liked to see what her friends posted and she had gotten old, gray and wrinkled, so no photo.
I “ friended” her just to be nice. I see her blank image shown in the friend’s online box, but she never post’s, just lurks there looking for gossip, I assume, from some of the reports I get.
Now if you are old enough to have forty-five or fifty year old children with twenty-five year old GRANDS and possibly some GREAT GRANDS it stands to reason you might not be that tiny, svelte young thing from years ago. So what if you have some gray, some wrinkles, an extra pound or two.
Those of you that have known me for sixty or more years know that I am not the skinny kid you once knew. I have gray hair, wrinkles and that extra pound. I am proud of the gray, the wrinkles and the pound.
I put them all there living and enjoying life. I earned all the gray, love the wrinkles and fight the pound but I still post pictures.
If I friend you, you know what I look like anyway so why hide behind the generic panel. If I “friend” you I expect you to be my friend, talk to me, tell me about your life, your spouse, your children, the GRANDS.
Be my friend not a Shy Sadie or a Peeping Tom lurking there thinking I can’t see that you are there.
Friends are people who take you as you are and are always there for you. I enjoy my friends for I have worked hard for many years making them. If you wish me to be a number on your Facebook wall so you can claim to have 1314 “Friends” then tell me that and I will then consider whether I wish to become a number.
It has been said that we inherit our relatives, but make our friends.
This is true and when you make a “friend” request I hope you mean just that.
It is a wonderful world that God has given us. We only go this way once. If we fail to make friends, to love and to laugh then it has all been for naught. Friend me, love me for who I am, laugh and cry with me, in short truly be my friend.

In Times Like These!



In times like these you need a Savior!
The Savior comes to you in many ways
A day to save your soul,
A day to heal your wounds.
When the storms of life and the hurt it sometimes bring, He is always there.
He sometimes sends your fellow man to do His bidding.
In the past week Tuscaloosa, Alabama has known that Love.
When the storm of a lifetime went through the heart of our city on 27 April 2011 the Savior appeared in many forms.
Young college students, stunned by the days hurt and misery were some of the first responders, helping to dig our people out of the debris left by an EF-4 tornado.
Our local officials, our young mayor, ambulance service, our hospital, law enforcement all came to meet the challenge.
Then came a veritable sea of love from everywhere.
Volunteers came in all shapes and sizes to assist us in our efforts to overcome the damage.
I personally was privileged to work with a group of God’s people from Scott’s Hill Baptist Church of Wilmington, North Carolina and Mud Creek Baptist Church of Hendersonville, North Carolina. They came at their own expense to give aid where needed. We can never thank them enough for their tireless efforts in our city. This group received support from Circlewood Baptist Church and Taylorville Baptist Church. Many local people who opened their homes to them so they could bathe and refresh themselves at the end of the day also assisted them.
Local churches of all faith have come forward to help in this recovery effort.
Volunteers from Samaritans Purse, Texas Baptist Association,
Red Cross, Salvation Army, college students, many local businesses paid their employees to come to the stricken areas to give their help. Local businesses sent their machinery and employees. Rental companies sent machinery.
Neighbors helping neighbors across the city has been a sight to see.
When I looked into the faces of all these people involved in the recovery effort I truly know that I have seen the work of my Savior.
Pray for us as we continue trying to put our city and lives together again.
Yes, in times like these you do need a Savior and he is always there for you.

Bingo

Was his name. There was a VHS children’s tape that my GRANDS played until they wore it out. It had a catchy little song about a dog called, “Bingo was his name”.
We now find ourselves bound and tied to the struggle to legalize electronic bingo in the State of Alabama.
It consumed almost all the past legislative session.
Threats of bodily harm were made against members of the legislature. This governmental body has been named one of the worse in the nation, so it was no surprise that again nothing was accomplished in the session.
We now are nearing an election that has been tainted by this push to legalize electronic gambling in the State. The governor’s race and many others are being influenced by this gambling campaign. One candidate has based his platform on legalizing gambling. He wants to,” do it for the children”. I have heard this excuse used by politicians for passing poor legislation until it makes me sick.
Many years ago we had a situation in this state where people lost their lives, all sorts of illegal operations were conducted to the national disgrace of this state. It took the National Guard, with police powers, to clean up the mess in Phenix City, Alabama. (Bingo!) Are we now going to legalize this activity and spread it across the state?
We now have the federal government involved, senators and others arrested on federal warrants charging vote buying, bribery and other charges. (Bingo!)
Is this the only way Alabama can pay for education? Must we expose our children to even more corruption than they already face?
The educational system is already the largest recipient of state funds. Monies are poured into the system with little or no accountability. (Bingo!) Not enough trickles down to the class room level. (Bingo!)
Parents and yes, teachers must furnish most if not all supplies used by the students. Why should a child be given a supply list that includes a case of toilet tissue and cleaning supplies?
This is happening because the central offices are overstaffed with people who have tenure and the school boards really don’t need them anymore, but can’t fire them. (Bingo!) Many times they are in jobs created for them when they failed to perform in classrooms and principal offices. (Bingo!)The salaries paid to each of these excess people would probably pay the salary of three classroom teachers. (Bingo!) I learned as a small child that in order to stop leakage and waste you must put a plug into it.. The waste in education must be stopped and let money get into the classrooms. (Bingo!)
If you look at the total amount of money being spent by education you will find that with good management we could probably fund a college education for every child that desires a higher education. ( Bingo!)
I hear people say, “But look at the jobs that have been lost by closing down the casino’s”. Think of it this way. If you legalize prostitution, bootlegging, no speed limits, casino’s and all things that are now controlled by law then a lot more people would be employed. What price are we prepared to pay for education and full employment.? The revelations of wrongdoing made thus far are probably only the “tip of the iceberg”.Gambling is the Game but Bingo is the name. Bingo!?