Modern Mega Church or Smaller Country/Neighborhood Church?

A great friend of mine emailed me a parody on www.youtube.com today and it was a large eye opener in a way.  It portrayed todays American Christian church service with the sequence of a "normal" service, dialoged with what was really happening during a "feel good service".  I had to laugh because it was pretty spot on, in my opinion.  I have visited several rather large non-denominational churches in my life and see them in this video. Hopefully, they didn't start out with what the end results were, but still the same, I have found that there are many folks that LOVE this type of Worship Service.  They have fooled themselves into thinking loud praise songs with a lot of repetitive words/chants, a preacher shouting feel-good phrases, and everybody going away feeling like their weekly "God" ticket has been punched and they are "good to go for the rest of the week" is, in most cases, not what Worship is about.

I see this quite a bit in larger cities, where the crowds are.  Here in more rural part of USA, there is still somewhat of this type of "show" church here and there, but there are more predominately basic fundamental church, particularly in our country churches, like the one I go to.  We are a very small, conservative, congregation and belong to a "charge" of two other neighboring churches (United Methodist) utilizing the same Pastor.  Each congregation is a different make up of folks.  Way back in the early days, churches were established within walking or a short buggy ride distance.  

Since I have been there, this congregation has welcomed my wife and I with open arms.  Music wise, there is a pianist and I volunteered to help with the music by playing my acoustic guitar.  They seem like it, as now there is a touch more instrument when the singing is going on.  We do mostly hymnal music, but I am introducing some "Gaither" style music i.e. "Because He Lives", and some "Maranatha" music i.e. "Lord I lift Your Name on High", type songs.   Nothing real radical, because: 1.I am a simple musician and 2.More "now music" needs drum sets, and electrified instruments, etc. which we don't have.  If ever God wants us to have drums, etc. He will provide the right people.  I have experienced that at First Henderson United Methodist Church in Nevada, where I was before moving to Tennessee.  What a blessing Brad is!  

So at our church here in Rural America, I think we have reached a moderate worship environment with hard hitting sermons with thought provoking messages that we take home and think about and, for me, am reaffirmed that I am going to church to be spiritually fed to help me through the week and opens my mind and my heart to try to bring more people to Christ . . . which is what the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) tasks us as Christians, with this activity, so that shouldn't be too far of a stretch for us to understand. 

The use of music in church, which includes singing and musical instruments as per: 2 Samuel 6:5 "And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah with all manner of instruments made of fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals." suggests that the use of instruments pleases God, so I am all for our modern instruments and all, makes for better understanding of what God has for us to worship Him with.

Being a Christian, I believe that God has us here for a purpose.  I have met so many folks that are living the life that Christ has told us to do, and that is so encouraging.  I believe that that purpose is to bring others to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ, whom He sent over 2000 years ago as a sacrifice for our sins. Because of that event, the world has never been the same.  There is hope for us.  

There has been much written and much discussion about this "religion thing".  My goal is to do the best I can to inform as many people as I can of the LOVE that God has for each and everyone of us.  Quite a big project isn't it?  How does one go about such a challenge as this?  First is to be firmly into reading the Bible. It is our foundation of information. There is always room for more study.  We do the best we can in the time we have, to live a life that pleases God.  Through our actions, words, and Love, we can be an example of what a Christ follower is.  Because we are loved so much by God, we have enough to share with people we cross paths with in our daily walk.  We study through Christian books to broaden our scope of interaction with others by sharing old truths in new light.  But most of all, we share what we learn.  We share the Love of God to others in need, in distress, in crisis, in loneliness, etc. through actions as we can.   I believe that one of my gifts from God is the love of music.  That is why I do what I do.  I have looked back on my life and have seen God's guidance along the way.  That is a great gift right there (being able to look back on your personal life and see God in it)!  

Back to the beginning of what this issue is about.  I have seen so many people excited about learning about God and all the greatness He has for us and ways that we can share His love!  I hear that those that teach are responsible to teach the truth.  What I have seen through the years are a lot of false teachers.  We have a couple on TV right now getting their congregants all worked up into a froth and leaving the arena all excited about feeling good.  The hour or two they have been absorbing the "me, me, feel good" garbage that has driven them to a frenzy.  Yes, it is necessary to feel good about yourself, but after leaving an event of high intensity, the focus on what to do about it, is missing.  Channel it to helping others in need, etc.  Sharing your story of redemption with others.  Find an outlet for you to lead others to knowing Christ and why He Loves us so much.  

My point of my sharing today is this:  Be careful of the content of your community Worship to God.  Make sure it isn't the "surface feel good-but do nothing about it-to help others", type of event.  Study yourself, don't just rely on others to "tell" what the Bible says, but read it for yourself.  Think about it, put it into practice to make someone's life better by having you in their life.  Even if it is just a smile or warm comment, perhaps that is all they really needed.  So many folks are starved of personal, one on one, interaction.  Sing a few hymns, smile a lot.  Talk with folks you see as you do what you do...shopping, etc.  Give them words of encouragement.  Let them know they are noticed.  Help the least of God's people and your reward will be great.

Hope I got you thinking into action.  We are a society that is becoming inward thinking, even with FaceBook, iPhones, tweet, and a million (it seems) other ways we are "in the Public".  Face to face visiting with others is where you can make a difference in the "Caring and Sharing" that God wants us to do.

So remember:  Keep laughing, keep smiling, keep singing

Blessings,

Gary

Tribute to Uncle Henry

We lost an honored patriot, Uncle and dear Friend this last week.  His name is Henry Maday.  He was a favorite Uncle of mine and will miss him a lot.  We lost his "Bride", Aunt Phyllis a few years back, and he really missed her.  With our belief system and our Faith in God, they are together rejoicing in Heaven as we write this.  I was asked that if there was an experience, or event, etc. that I would share (with I am sure, many others) at his funeral.  "Please forward it and they would read it at Uncle's "send-off'."  The following is what I sent.

Uncle Henry to the Rescue

This is a story of Heroics a long time ago in an ear far far behind us.

The place was South Minneapolis.  The Saffell family lived on 37th Street in South Minneapolis only one block from the family business.  Uncle Henry and Aunt Phyllis lived close by as well.  The night was bright with a full moon.  Our parents were out for a while grocery shopping (as I remember) and Sister Suzanne, Brothers Guy and Gregg and I were home watching TV (I think).  I was going upstairs during a commercial break and, as usual, our bathroom light was on (being used as a night light) and the stairway being narrow, all of a sudden a HUGE bat darkened the stairway as it came gliding toward me, what seemed to be just barely clearing the side walls of the stairway.  I turned yelling "BAT!!" to warn Suzanne and the boys, as I ran to the living room.  When I got there, Suzanne and the boys WITH Goldie our dog, were in the front closet holding the door shut.  Dropping to the floor and searching for our intruder, silence became deafening.  Then Suzanne whispered "Call Uncle Henry, he'll know what to do."  Good idea.  I belly crawled to the phone and got Uncle, told him what the challenge was, and he said "I'll be right over."

When he arrived we found a fish landing net on the back porch and into the house we went.  I was much braver now that our Hero was among us.  As we searched for the bat, we got to the living room and there it was . . . hanging from the curtain rod, silhouetted by the full moon.  A couple of swift twists and turns of the net, and Uncle Henry captured the intruder and hustled it outside where the boys had their wading pool set up.  When we came in, we sounded the "all clear" and Suzanne, the boys and Goldie joined us in a grand celebration of our Hero's successful quest and all was well with our kingdom once again.  All Hail Uncle Henry the Mighty Conqueror!


That is what was read at Uncle's send-off.

There are other stories I could tell, but maybe another time I could retell them, like of our time together at Billy B's cabin in the winter. Clue: An Ice fishing house is not a good place to try your casting skills.  And Bears rarely come close enough to mess with you especially while you are in an outhouse . . . in the winter.

Hope you enjoyed this issue and the continuing saga of the Life and Times of Gary Saffell.

I will leave you with this for you to think about:  There is a God...whether you believe it or not.  It is not about you, and it is not about me.  It is about God and his love for us.  God is the main emphasis in our life.  We are bit players, moving through life.  His Son was sacrificed for our sin, with the purpose of Accepting Him, and when our time on earth has been used up....we get to spend eternity with Father God.  Your choice is to believe it and join us or not believe and deal with the results.  We can debate theology from now until the cows come home, and you may or may not understand the truth, or you do understand the truth, but it is unacceptable to you, for some reason.  I chose the Loving God, His Son, our Savior and Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit.  Hope to see you on the other side when our time comes.

Remember,
Keep singing, Keep smiling, Keep Laughing

Blessings,
Gary

All indicators are WE ARE RUNNING AMOK!

I saw this on the news this morning and again when I signed on to FaceBook, the link was provided to read and hear the report.

I have been reading about the Texas Jr. High School Principal, Ms. Amy Lacy,  who was dismissed (contract not renewed) because she was accused of telling her students that they "couldn't speak Spanish in school".  

Common sense seems only to be getting worse.  Here is a school official trying to help her charges ti be able to do better, by understanding the language of the land, ENGLISH.  Common sense and American values are sadly lacking on too many little minds that shout loudly and intimidate greatly.  Have we become a BULLY Society?  I think the answer is YES.  Another sad day for American patriots.

I just read the report of what the students are saying.  It seems that perhaps, because they are not that fluent in English, as the transcript (if accurate) indicates, they MAY have not understood the statement made by the School Administrator, Ms. Amy Lacey, about speaking English.  I do understand if your 1st language is something other than English, you will socially go back to that as a communication choice among friends.  HOWEVER....the stories I have heard of when European cultures came to our shores, the legal, immigrant adults INSISTED that their families learned and speak ENGLISH as quickly as possible.  WHY?  Because they were now in AMERICA!  A new and different culture and that it is their responsibility to blend in to that culture.  What a difference a few generations make.  We still welcome EVERYONE to our great country.  We still have our cultural heritage's and (used to) blend in on the communication/language level.   We all celebrate our heritage with our holidays.  The fact that we are not blending as well anymore is because our (mostly illegal) immigrants/invaders refuse to let go of their heritage enough to become the ONE NATION called AMERICA.  Instead, we are becoming unfocused  on why they are coming here.  My question is this:  IF your country of origin is so great . . . why did you come here in the first place?   I am proud of my heritage.  I value my family that came from other shores. I am proud of their efforts to be citizens of the United States of America.  I can't imagine living anywhere else.  Although it would be interesting to visit the countries my family originated from, I would not care to live there.  I am an American citizen.  I and my forefathers have fought in many wars to maintain our freedom.  I am saddened by so many people who are invading our country to continue to live separately instead of following our laws and adhering to our regulations and have the gaul to demand equality when in fact it is their own actions that are separating them from the citizenry that they are seeming to want to be a part of but not follow the processes to do legally do so.

When I was in the military, I had the opportunity to visit many foreign shores.  I saw a wide diversity of very interesting cultures.  I enjoyed their hospitality and experienced how they lived and a little about what was "different" about their society.  I have been to many diverse cultures.  I have traveled to Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippine Islands, Japan, Spain, England, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and probably a few more that this old brain can't recall at the moment.  So I feel that I have seen a sizable part of this wonderful place we call EARTH.  In comparison, after seeing and experiencing all of these places, I will state, for the record, you can quote me on this:  There is no other place on this planet that is greater than the United States of America!

We have our challenges as all countries do.  Right now we are lacking competent leadership at the National level. We are loosing focus on individual incentive to WORK for what you want.  We are becoming (through the prevailing crybaby portion of our populous) a gimme nation.  This MUST be turned around.  Those that can't work because of a physical or mental, HONEST to GOD condition are the ones we take care of.  All the rest need to straighten up, get their heads out of their behinds and support themselves through that wonderful word: WORK.  This country has prided itself the past in taking care of the infirm, the aged, and the veterans.  As we all see on the news, the Veterans are loosing ground in the care department, the infirm area is being infiltrated by the "not informed, but don't want to take care of themselves because they are lazy", and the aged are being abused with the healthcare regulations and changing the care policies that they were promised!  Medicare was bastardized when the program was opened up to those that didn't pay into it!  This must be changed back.

We have a lot to do to get our Grand Country back to where it needs to be.  We have to find a way to STOP the border invasions, change the policies back to where we get those that haven't paid into the Social Security plan are removed from it.  Start to put the responsibility of income, paying your own way back to the individual.  We have too many folks that are cheating the system when they can support themselves, and not be a draw on the system that is designed to help those that are unable to support themselves and have no family that can help them.  I know that there is a lot to do, but when people walk up with the food stamp cards and are flashing that iPhone around and wearing $200 sneakers, it boils my blood.  The system is falling apart.  A lot has to do with the mindset...of both the recipient and the "clerk" that is helping them fill out the papers.

Personal choice is a BIG part of what I am talking about.  I personally chose to get an education.  WHY?  So I could support myself and a family. So I could buy a home.  So I could pay for a car and the insurance.  So my children could have the same opportunity to do the same.  Bye the way: We taught our children to be self sufficient as well.  I chose to have several jobs along the way to improve my income abilities/potentials.  I chose to be part of the solution, not a part of the problem.  I saw that those who leached off the "system" were not happy people.  They seemed to not have any focus on things outside of their arm reach.  I chose to not be like that.  I chose to do things that not only helped my and my family to live a decent life, but to be able to help others along the way.  I have been blessed...there is no doubt about it.  I believe in God, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  I believe that God was a BIG part in the founding of our Great Nation.  We need to get Him back in the Commanders seat as He was in the beginning. It is when God is first in all our lives, that He will bless us as a Nation and us as individuals once again.

Keep singing, Keep smiling, Keep Laughing

Blessings
Gary

America . . . Where are you?

I guess it is normal for people to think back on their childhood and remember all the cool stuff they did that they can't do today.  This is a phenomenon that has been happening throughout the history of mankind, I suppose.  I have been thinking about this for some time now and feel it is time to let it out so I can move on and think about some fresh stuff.  In reality, I don't really believe I can, but I have to put forth the effort to share and see if you can relate to some of it.  It is always reassuring to know there are like minded folks still hanging around.

My Father was in the Navy when I was born in 1947.  I was born in an ambulance somewhere in Oakland California on the way to the Navy Hospital.  I don't remember that part, but that's what Mom told me, and since I figured she was there, she should know.  Seeing pictures of my young life is a feeling of "family" love and security.  Having two parents raising us was never an issue of oddity.  Today it seems to be unusual.  Before World War began, my Dad was beginning to study to be a Chemical Engineer at the University of Minnesota.  When the War broke out, he enlisted in the Navy.  He became a Navy Quartermaster which is the profession of Navigation on Navy ships.  They plot the routes by maps and "shooting" shooting the stars to pinpoint where they are, and where they want to be.  (that is the short course of Naval navigation)  When World War II was over, Dad decided to bring his now family of a wife and two children back to Minnesota, and went to a trade school called Dunwoody in the Minneapolis area.  With Grandpa's help, he started a printing business and worked it until he passed away.  During that time we lived in several places that I remember. The first was in a canvas roofed travel trailer (no inside bathroom) parked in Grandma and Grandpa Saffell's back yard.  I went to grade school about three blocks away.  Walked there and back by myself (I think).  Learned how to cross the streets, respect the people's yards that I walked by.  Found out that I needed glasses at that young age, and still wear them today....not the same ones of course.  I think it was about third grade that we moved out of the trailer and into a new house in the suburbs of Saint Paul.  I  have written about Circle Pines in previous issues.  What a wonderful time that was.

Movies with values

That was where my view of the world was expanding.  With a house came responsibilities, when I was old enough to receive them.  My Dad had bought a cargo van (like a bare bones, close sided, no side or rear windows, no seats but small crates, just the front seat for Dad and Mom truck) for his printing business. Suzanne and I got to sit on these crates to ride all the way into Minneapolis, and around the area, and had GREAT Fun!  No seat belts, no windows except the front one to see, but we had fun! I remember there was one time where I rode on Dad's lap and was able to "drive" the truck.  Going around corners was a blast!  Of course leaning in the direction of the turn didn't really turn the steering wheel, but it was fun just the same.  It was common in this time period to ride in the back window of cars that had that ledge back there.  I never got the opportunity to do that but it looked fun.

A time with simple
 and safe child entrainment

As time went on I got the yearly responsibility to mow the lawn and pull the weeds out of the gravel driveway in the summer and shovel the snow in the winter.  It wasn't one of my fondest memories, but it was part of my training for adulthood.  RESPONSIBILITY  With two years between Suzanne and me, there was a seven year gap and we got a new brother, Guy, then two years after that we were all blessed with the final part of our family Gregg. All that time we were able to live in a world of exploration.  There was a lake (mud hole) called "Golden Lake", hence the mud coloring of the water.  It was across Hwy 8 and Suzanne and I rode our bikes across the hi way and back into the woods to the lake.  What fun we had even though we couldn't EVER see the bottom, it was very sandy.  Lots of kids were alway there.  Our elementary school was about two miles away in New Brighton.  The school bus would pick us up and drive us there.  I remember a few times, missing that bus and ran to school through the woods/swamp and still got to school on time.  During school everyone learned to behave or suffer the results of bad behavior.  What was worse if you were to succumb to the wrath of the Superintendent, was the report to your parents when you got home.  That kept us on the straight and narrow path of citizenship.

Times of American ingenuity

Gas stations at the time actually had men (and some ladies) that were dressed in starched, creased pants that came to your car as you pulled up to the pumps and after a pleasant greeting, filled your tank, washed your windshield and checked your oil and tire pressure.  What service.  You then paid him and he gave you trading stamps for the whatever you saw in the little catalog that you wanted to save up for.

Growing up always included Church on Sunday.  Even though Dad worked 12 to 18 hours a day, he made sure that, in the least, the church bus would pick us kids up and take us to church for Sunday School and Worship.  But most times, Mom and Dad were with us.  We went to a small country church in the woods close by.  I have preached at a couple churches similar to that one, and it was a comforting feeling.  I remember when our church grew so much that a piece of land out by the highway (8) was purchased and constructed.  It was wonderful!  Even had a basement!  It was built with concrete block and my job was to smooth the cement between the block with a small piece of broken block.  I had some bloody fingers and knuckles, but it was rewarding work, building God's house.  Then came the time to seal the concrete walls of the basement.  They had one or two basement windows open, but I was in the men's room painting on the sealer.  Dad and the Pastor were in the ladies room next to me, and I remember weirdly crawling past them on the floor, around to the stairway and out to the back porch to get fresh air.  Thats what we did "back then".

Black and white TV with wholesome programs

We moved back into town (South Minneapolis) when I got to 8th grade, and had an old house one block from Dad's print shop.  Folwell Jr. High school was about eight or nine blocks from our house.  Walked there and back every day.  There was a girl that lived a block behind us that walked to school also and she passed right by our house.  I got the timing down and walked her to and from school, and we chatted and had a great time on our daily visits.  One day after I got home a piece of paper appeared on my dresser.  I opened it up and there was a message:  When walking with a lady, the man always walks on the curb side.  Mom had seen what was going on, and decided I needed a little education on good manners.  From then on, I always walked on the curb side, when walking with a girl.  In Minnesota, particularly with all the rain and snow and slush, it is the courteous thing for a man to do.

When we moved back to "the city", we renewed our friendships at the family church of our our grandparents, Minnehaha United Methodist Church.  Of course when we moved back, it wasn't a "United" Methodist church yet because that happened in 1968, but thats another story, for another day.  What fun and growth I had going to the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) group on Sunday nights.  The Jr High and Sr. High met for a wonderful meal and program before splitting up in our Jr./Sr. levels.  The church had a full, commercial quality kitchen and the parents were quite active in providing hot meals like spaghetti, meat loaf, etc. for our Sunday late afternoon meals.  The parents were very active with our children and youth groups.  There were college age folks that were our "councilors" as well.  One of them was in Medical School and sold me his Goya classical guitar in 1964 and I still have it!  It was my first decent guitar...and my second guitar.  My first guitar was an arch top, Sears and Roebuck catalog bought guitar, that I started learning how to play.  I practiced on it, so focused on learning to play, that my fingers actually bled, and I worked through the pain.  THAT's how much I wanted to learn the instrument.  After all that, one would think I would have been a professional guitarist, but that never happened.  I still don't know how to read music!  Again, that a story for another time.

The days of beginning enterprise

All this time with going to church, living the post war American dream, growing up in a family based on Christian values and American all inclusive Northern tier values, life was good.  Not wealthy with the no cares type of living, but with the understanding that you did the best you can with what you have and are able to work for type life style.  You depended on your self and at some times, your family, to do what needs to be done.  No complaints, not even any thoughts that I can remember of anyway,  no whining, no sniveling.  Family's stuck together and fought with each other at times, but when the rubber met the road, ALWAYS gathered around when outside forces threatened.  Whatever the other persons faith was or wasn't, wasn't a concern of ours to change them. For example, if they were Lutheran, we didn't try to convert them to Methodism!  If they were Roman Catholic, that was GREAT!  Good for them!  Just as if they were any other religion, it was non of our business how they worshipped!  Today it seems to be a different mind set with other cultures that have come into this Great United States of America.  The place where we welcome others no matter if they are faith based or not.  It is America's tradition to accept ALL who wish to share in what we have in these Great United States of America.  This country was build on a thing called "WORK ETHIC".

What has happened to the United States of America that once was?  Where acceptance of life style, faith, weirdness, was given.  What we are experiencing today is so alarming and discouraging is not only that, but FRIGHTENING!   When we are actually being invaded on our southern borders and no one in our Federal Government leadership is doing anything about it!  When we have government entities like the US Patent department making crazy noises about how a Sports team is named and threatening dastardly harm, is overreaching at an accelerated pace.  When we have the VA system falling apart because of management and high level lack of leadership imploding a system that is supposed to be helping our injured veterans coming home from trying to solve world crises, that is NOT the America value system at all!  What happened when simple political discourse was able to resolve differences and now have those who think they have POWER to damage their opponent political parties.  What happened to America when big business is allowed to buy their way to make even more money at the expense of allowing the free enterprise system to work as it should and provide jobs for those that have trained and put in the effort to better themselves and their families?  What has happened to America when religion of others is NOT acceptable to some and they whine and cry and pitch a fit instead of doing the American traditional format of FREEDOM OF RELIGION, not Freedom FROM religion?  What has happened to our America that tolerates such abuse of its citizens who have chosen to follow their faith in non offensive or invasive manners such as going to church on Sunday, Saturday or any other time that their faith instructs?  How could we have come so far with so much good work done by so many, to what seems to be happening, to have our country derailed and destroyed but the intolerant, abusive, nasty, corrupted, and selfish people who have chosen to come to the United States because we DO offer a safe environment for a mixture of beliefs....but to with the purpose of actually living TOGETHER in peace and harmony.  NOT to be threatened and abused because we do not fit THEIR cultural beliefs.

I remember our past sixty decades and have been proud to have been a part of this great, wonderful   and magnificent country that was founded on FREEDOM.  With that freedom comes responsibility.  There is the key.  RESPONSIBILITY.  If you are able, YOU have the responsibility to get educated enough to do what it is you chose to do to provide for yourself and your family (If you choose to have a family)  YOU have the responsibility to pay your own way in our society.  YOU have the responsibility to pay your taxed that provide your community with the resources to provide police and fire protection, streets, sewage removal, etc.  YOU have the responsibly to share, IF YOU CHOOSE, your resources, whether financial or personal, in protecting the United States through the military or other community organizations.  When YOU depend on the Welfare system and because YOU just choose to "because it is there", quite honestly, YOU are a leach, a blood sucker, to society and YOU should be cut off of the public welfare system.  IF you are physically or mentally disabled, THAT is what we as a civilized body do to take care of those that can't...by paying for necessary medications, food, and even housing.  But NOT for cable, satellite, smart phones, vanity drugs, fancy $200 tennis shoes, cars, etc.  What ever happened to America when it was embarrassing to be on welfare?  It should never be embarrassing to be on welfare if you really are unable to be employed.  There are a lot of folks out there that ARE physically and/or mentally disabled and we NEED to be taking care of them.  WHY?  Because that is what AMERICA is, was, and hopefully always WILL be.

Whatever happened to America when life was fun.  When hard work was rewarded without condemnation from those who are envious, and or not willing to do what it takes to make an honest living in this GREAT country.  Whatever happened to America when we were on the cutting edge of inventions?  Records.  Remember them?  The mode of listening to music for years before tapes and now CD's.  What about all the modern conveniences that were invented by American ingenuity?  It is the UNITED STATES of AMERICA that was right there leading the world in imagination and ingenuity.  If a person worked hard, chances are they would succeed.  My Grandfather grew up with Polio.  He fought that horrible affliction and ended up as a Senior Auditor in the Federal Reserve Bank where he retired from.  He raised a family with four children that had wonderful work ethics, that they passed on to their children, and we are passing on to ours and ours are passing on to theirs. My other Grandfather's past was from Bohemia.  A culture of despair and danger.  Immigrating to the United States, his family dug in and Grandpa eventually retired as a mechanical engineer, having designed the heating systems of the Minneapolis School district buildings.  THAT is the America we had.  Whatever happened to America where we can do that again?  Is it too late?  I don't think so.  I hope that my children and grand children can look back on what this time in America was and be able to say:  We were almost gone as a country, but our Grandparents and their grandparents helped save the United States from total disaster by holding on to the FAITH in GOD and the values they learned from our forefathers to keep the UNITED STATES of AMERICA a free country and a world leader in personal freedoms to live, love and worship as a free society that the founders of this GREAT Country had intended.

Help me help save the United States.  Promote self worth, hard work and refrain from abusing the welfare system that was designed to help those who CAN'T help themselves.

AMERICA, where are YOU?

Peace, Happiness and Good Health

Remember, keep singing, keep smiling and keep laughing,

Blessings
Gary

Saturday Funnies!

 HAPPY SATURDAY!

Here it is again SATURDAY FUNNIES!

HAVE A HAPPY SATURDAY

ALREADY? SO SOON? It's SATURDAY FUNNIES!

New Breathalizer test . . . . Pass?. . . . . . Fail??

Oh, what joy!

 How Cruel!!!

Have a HAPPY and FUN Saturday!

It's still Saturday....so it's still time for SATURDAY FUNNIES!!!!!

Have a Happy Saturday!

It that time again! SATURDAY FUNNIES!!!!!

WOW!  It actually DID!!

 

Have a HAPPY SATURDAY!