11/17/2018

Steve and Kelly (son and daughter-in-love) have backyard or house concerts from time to time. Last night they had the best one yet. A group of four men, two of them been together since they were pretty young, now 20+ years later teaming up with two other great musicians and producing an extremely enjoyable sound. Everything from Rhythm & Blues to Hank Williams to even an old Irving Berlin number.

It has been a long time since I’ve been “into” a concert, house or concert hall, as much as I was The LazyBirds from Asheville, NC.

They were so very enjoyable. And “Hey! All you Birmingham area friends, if you’re not too busy tonight go catch these terrific musicians at Brennan’s Irish Pub! 1108 20th St., South at 8pm.”

You’ll find some great food and you’ll enjoy the music, I guarantee it! You’ll hear a little of a lot of styles, even a little about the Lord Jesus Christ, and covering artists from the 50s to songs they write. 

I heard a song I had first listened to on the rhythm & blues programming in the late 50s on WLAC, Nashville, TN. Also, they do a little known Roger Miller song called “Where Have All The Average People Gone?” If you don’t like that one, let’s check to see if you’re breathing! If you go to see them, say hello to Jay and James T, the ones together for so long—who do most of the singing—tell them you read it on the Elder’ blog.

So, any SIMH this morning is second to all they sang last night.

The idiocy of the election re-count and re-think and cry-till-you-win sympathy attitude of these offices still not declared won/lost is wearing me out. Imagine losing an election, then saying maybe people have now changed their minds and will vote for me if we can just get a do-over! Yes, one did advocate that. Imagine an election official insisting on a recount, but her person lost by 700 more votes than previous counting, so even though the recount was over for her precinct, she didn’t turn it in on time, knowing the additional votes would help the wrong person. Imagine the only hope left for another was a cache of  about 7000 ballots, which if he got all 7000 of them, he would still lose by a larger than 7000 margin, and yet he will not concede!

What kind of people are these running for office? Where is common sense? And where are hard and fast election rules? As Daniel the prophet said, “..many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” The running to and fro isn’t helping. Has it helped for knowledge to be increased or has it hampered? Didn’t help.

But, upward to thinking about Thanksgiving (the holiday) and thanksgiving (the practice). Our Apostle Paul wrote, “In all things give thanks, and with prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.” Let’s concentrate on that admonition and that promise for the next 6 days, until Thursday night. We may be pleasantly surprised at how we thank and think and Who we thank for it.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/16/2018

Good morning, “gentle readers”—used to be one of Barb’s favorite newspaper columns started that way. You remember newspapers, don’t you? One of my earliest memories of being in the living room with grownups (at least older than me) was reading sections of the newspaper. First, it was “the funnies,” officially called Comics and they even had their own line in the prologue box!

Soon it became the serial type of comic strip: Ozark Ike, Blondie & Dagwood, Dick Tracy, then it was on to more serious stuff, like Mary Worth and Mandrake, and on Sundays: Prince Valiant! Wow, that was something! But then came baseball and the box scores, bragging notes for my favorite team(s). I was an Indians fan in those days because of the Indianapolis AAA team by the same name.

High School meant I had to add the County newspaper to keep up  with all the teams in Johnson County (9 altogether.) There was the county seat, Franklin, we called a city school. Then there was the other 8 of us—a County League. 

After I moved my family to Danville, IL and didn’t have as much local sports involvement, however, is when true newspaper education came to be my “continuing education,” informally. I began to read daily or weekly columns from Danville, Indianapolis, and big-city paper, the Chicago Daily News. I read Mike Royko, Dr. Crane (from Indiana, two of his sons became Congressmen), and just about every other oped page regular. Oped was called The Editorials in those days. (I wonder how long it would have taken me to begin calling these columns “opinions” if they had not renamed the page? I thought they were always right. If I disagreed with one, I never read any more of his columns.)

Royko was sometimes funny, but Art Buchwald was always funny. We never got Andy Rooney where we lived. These columns were syndicated, which meant, among other things, the newspaper bought a “package” or group of writers’ columns, usually the liberal or conservative bend of the publisher. I’d have to say my first understanding of current injustices in daily living probably came from the reading of these newspapers. It was the space race, moon trips, etc., that caused TV to take me away from newspapers. It is an era I’m sorry to say my generation has stolen from today’s.

Until the late ‘60s, newspapers had a daily devotional, or short bible lesson sort of feature. I guess “free love” in the late 60s won out over “free grace of God,” huh? But, then, as a fore-runner to things like CNN, and Headline News, Gannett came out with USA Today—a national daily! Innovative ideas in formatting, full color, huge weather covering with maps! And the smaller newspapers began to suffer then, about 1968 or 9. By the time “pay TV” came to all parts of the country, many papers could see their end. The digital age and buying differing channel packages has almost sealed the doom of even the national newspaper. Seems strange to my generation. Oh, they’re still there, newspapers, but how long has it been since someone said, in your earshot, “did you see what (big-name-writer) said in his column today?” Can’t remember the last time you heard that? Me, neither. (sigh)

Hey, today’s SIMH is “These Rose Colored Glasses” —John Conlee. “…show only the beauty, cause they hide all the truth.” Ain’t it the truth! Conlee and George Baber wrote the song. Have not heard the song in years, but there it was, in my head. By the way, Conlee is a licensed mortician—don’t know if that influences you about his music or not. He did an album called “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” his last album, so far(2004.) That might influence your listening more.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/15/2018 FORT PAYNE & BLUE JUG! THEY GO TOGETHER

It may be a bit early for our Winter to set in, but looks like we got it anyway. In about 3 month, the 5th anniversary of Barb and I living here in beautiful NE AL will be here. Fort Payne is the current “home town” we’ve lived in and loved. (More about the others later.) We had been in Texas for 27 years and we had also loved living there. But we had become septuagenarians and the work I was doing there was better left to younger men.

We had been visiting our son who lives near here for several years and we truly enjoyed every visit, even the fog so thick we couldn’t see the driveway of our BnB one night! We settled on some real estate, and moved in March 2014. An old friend had once referred to small Alabama towns built along side a railroad as “shotgun towns”—“at 9pm, you could shoot a shotgun down the one main drag and not hit anything, not even a dog,” he said. When I told him we moved to Fort Payne, he asked if it was a 1 shot or a two shot shotgun town?. I laughed at the thought of Gault Ave. being the “main drag” and told him—several shots and some of ‘em uphill!

There is more to Fort Payne than meets the eye, and more to Fort Payne than most people realize till they’ve visited often or been living here a while. We’re still discovering new things to like about being here! We’ve got a lot of “firsts” and a lot of unique-to-our-town things. From the mountains on either side, to the historical aspects; from the name, Fort Payne, to the Boomtown era, the hosiery industry, to the present re-vitalization we see almost daily! It’s exciting to be able to participate in 21st Century Fort Payne.

I could veer off into a long essay about the parks: DeSoto State Park and Little River Canyon, as well as the unique, eclectic neighboring village of Mentone, where our son and daughter-in-love live and are active in nearly everything going on there. Steve and Kelly do some very unique things for and with their community, as well. We newbies just see all this as one big fun place to be!

But, I want to tell of another unique Fort Payne item. A few months after we moved here, I was invited to attend a formation meeting of a new program for Fort Payne revitalizing called Main Street Alabama. I was excited to listen to the programs of it, to hear the excitement in others, seeing the ideas flow and getting to know the people who wanted this town to flourish! And now this is becoming a reality as we see changes in downtown and other parts of our city. It is a real pleasure to be here! And yet, I come to what is really exciting for us (and for Fort Payne!)

At about the same time my interest grew in all that makes Fort Payne seem alive, our daughter came to live near us, thus making this even more like a complete “hometown.” (If we could just get our son, the yankee son, to move here from NY, we’d be a completely Southern family, but not likely yet!) But, Sarah’s moving here created another opportunity for uniqueness in Fort Payne. Before leaving Texas, I had become very interested in a small chain of stores which sell Alkaline, AntiOxidant Water, even helping a friend to get one of the stores open. When it seemed best for Sarah to open a store here, we helped her open one of these stores and that truly opened our eyes to the business potential in Fort Payne!

You see, that multi-store company had a rule that towns under 20,000 were too small, but because they knew me and I had opened what had become their number one store, they ok’d the opening of a store here. After a few months, we began to notice people were as excited about our great water as we were, and business growth really started in earnest! Alkalinity is a necessity for every person’s body health. Every nutritionist will tell you to eat more alkaline based foods. Drinking water with high alkalinity aids in that basic need and it tastes like water is supposed to taste! Here in Fort Payne people agree with us about that! FortPayners are forward thinking people!

After 30 months of being in the original company’s system, along with another store in Texas, we decided we could become better wholesale providers by being independent. In August of 2017, Blue Jug Alkaline Water and Health Market became a reality and our store name was changed. With the addition of healthy snacks and locally grown produce and other local health products, our store has truly flourished here in this “too small a town!” Sarah and I are glad we made this our business home and she has done a terrific job of finding worthwhile and health providing products that our customers love!

As a side note, our store here and our partner’s Blue Jug store in Wimberley, TX have become the “flagship” stores for a new chain of individually owned Blue Jug Alkaline Water and Health Market stores: as of this writing, 7 total and two more being planned. We don’t know how big this will be, but remember, it had its genesis in Fort Payne, AL!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/14/2018

I started to watch a video yesterday about the Illuminati. You know, the group of one-world-governance conspirators. But, I backed out after a few minutes and clicked it off. I didn’t stop because I think it isn’t true, nor do I think these people don’t exist, or this sort of expose` is too radical for me. I stopped because I didn’t want to spend an hour hearing more proof of what I know is happening to the world. You see, when you take the time to watch an hour of this sort of maddening, why-doesn’t-somebody-do-something-about-it situation, it isn’t just an hour. One hour becomes several.

It stays on one’s mind. It comes out in otherwise innocuous chats. It might even keep a conversation from advancing to a far more  important aspect of another’s life and even their eternity. If I were to prioritize my “best possible thoughts” list, I’m pretty sure the Illuminati wouldn’t be in the top 10. (Maybe 11th.) Some of you might ask, “Why not raise its priority?” Because, I don’t need to care about this. Here’s why:

I first heard about the world wide conspiracy in 1974. A friend and employee of mine gave me a poor quality tape to listen and digest the information. I was enthralled by it. I searched and got more information and more tapes and books and read about every aspect of it. I read about the “Inquisition,” the demands of the Roman Catholic popes and high office holders (Cardinals and archbishops.) I read alternate history books like The Secret History of the Jesuits, The Anabaptists, books like Convert or Die, Satan’s Evil Plan For the Earth, The Day the Dollar Died, on and on, an endless supply. Last of all, I read An Unseen Hand: a Conspiratorial View of History by Ralph Epperson. When my father died, I found a book he had which showed beyond doubt the evil that sits atop the Masonic Lodge, and for that matter, all other secret societies, as well.  All these things proved beyond a shadow of a doubt the Illuminati is real and part of a triumvirate ready at any moment to take complete control and rule the earth, in total.

So, why doesn’t it bother me? It does. Why don’t I do something? Because it isn’t going to change, not one iota. Will it continue to grow and fester? Yes, it will. If someone is a part of it, we shall not dissuade them. If someone actually revolts out of that sort of chicanery and deception, it will not be because one of us talks to and persuades them. It will be because they would have gained a recognition of an higher power.

I know the God they don’t know. He is God, The Lord Jesus Christ. Ten years before I ever heard of all the conspiracies which fill the evil hearts of mankind, one night in October, I came face to face with my own evil, my own hypocrisy, my own lost condition. I was doomed, damned, and on the road to hell. But for years, I had heard through preaching, through songs and through personal witnessing, about how that Christ had died for my sins, and how he was dead for 3 days and 3 nights, and how that God had raised Him from the dead. I knew about His sinless life and His blood being shed for sins. I knew he, Jesus Christ was what I needed. And when I said the words, “Oh, Lord, I’m a mess, please save me.” I wasn’t thinking of Buddha, Hari Krishna, Lucifer, or a man made organization. I was thinking of Jesus Christ. And He saved me. Right then, right there, no task performed, no promises made by me. Just a trust in Him.

When in the same ten years later, in ’74 when I began to understand God’s plan for us through study of His word, it was then that I heard all about this conspiracy. Why do you suppose that was? Was it because the Lord wanted me to know about it? No. You mean the Lord didn’t want me to attack all these evil people who sap the innocent and unlearned? No. It was the devil who wanted me to know about the magnitude of evil I was up against if I was going to name the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. Satan was pulling out all the stops, surrounding me with futility in the hope I would get off track, stop emphasizing the gospel of Christ as the power of God unto salvation. He wanted me to preach against all the other stuff and leave off preaching the simplicity which is in Christ. But, his plan failed. I had already “planted my flag,” so to speak. I was going to preach the gospel and I still do.

The conspiracy is still in about the same shape it was 44 years ago. It is still a deep dark threat. It shall remain with just enough power to interrupt lives, but not enough to take the world until my Lord and Savior says it can. When that occurs, we who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior will be gone. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

There was no song that I could identify to go with this.

thanks for reading, the Elder

11/13/2018

Song In My Head this morning was a great hymn with a great story. “Jesus keep me near the cross, there’s a precious fountain free to all, a healing stream flows from Calvary’s mountain. In the Cross, In the Cross, be my glory ever, till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river.” What a hope, what a song! and it brings to my mind another “Mo” story. (By the way, Fanny Crosby wrote this hymn in 1869. Do you think she knew what she was talking about? You bet!)

Once, when Bro. E.C. Moore was gong to begin a week of Bible studies at our church in Texas (we called it the Academy of Bible Doctrine), he was going to start on Wednesday night and go through Sunday. Mo asked me if he could bring a few friends over and do a special arrangement song at that service. Of course he could. A few days before, he stopped by and said he thought it was all going to be ok, he had sent the various parts out and hoped for a good turnout. I asked did they know the song. He said, “oh, yes, well if they didn’t before they do by now.” I guess I looked puzzled, because he went on: “You see, if you ask barber shoppers to sing, they just go sing, wherever, whatever. And they will all know their part, I sent it to them.” I said ok, hoping he knew what he was doing.

You see, what he would do is sing the 4 or 5 parts himself into audio tapes, then copy it and send it to as many barber shoppers he knew who sang that part. When I asked Mo how many were coming he said, “Oh, you never know.” I said what if only the guys singing one part show up? He said, “Oh, they’ll just split up the parts and “woodshed” it!”…..ok

Our little building at that time only had 65 seats in it and no real pulpit stage area. When the night came many friends came because of Bro. Moore’s teaching and the seats all filled up. I ask Mo if the men came would they just stand. He said most of them won’t come in anyway. About 3 minutes before we started the service, they began to come, hang around outside, a few came in. and there were about 30 altogether. I said, “Mo, how many tapes did you send out?” He said 80! I said what if they all show up. He looked around at them and said, “No, this is about it.” And it was, no more came.

I turned the service over to Mo and on his signal, all 30 of them came in and just filled up the wall in SRO fashion. He then asked our group if they wanted to come up and stand in front of the pulpit as the first Berean Bible Church choir. About 14 did. He stood in front, got there attention, and began.

Bro.Moore and I had made our way to the back, and were side by side when that beautiful first 5 part note was sang. Both of us nearly lost our breath, it was so especially beautiful—“Jesus keep me near the cross…’ and on through all the verses. What clear, resounding voices they had, how magnificent the crescendo! when the chorus rang out “In The Cross, In the Cross, be my glory ever!” The Berean bible Church choir never sang that good again. Mo Rector: he was a true treasure.

We’re having a lot of rain this week, so we have to work at not being in poor spirits. I recommend singing, it’s fun to sing alone, it’s fun to sing with someone. But, if you’re shy about your singing do it alone! It will lift your spirits.

I left home one morning on the last day of the month to work at my commission only sales job. The number I needed for the month was waaay out there. In truth, I had little hope. As I drove away, I began to sing “Higher Ground”—you know, “I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day..” That song. Remarkably, I remembered all the words. It changed my outlook. By 3 o’clock that day, I had set a personal sales record and the commissions were about twice what I had thought I needed! Singing did that? Yes, it did. The first sales call I made was a bust. I could have gone home, moping. Instead, I sang my way over to the next appointment…..and so it goes.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/12/2018

“Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots…” “…but I got Friends in Low Places” — Garth Brooks big old hit in 1990. That’s what wins the prize as the SIMH today. Written just the year before it hit the big time, it became #1 in 8 weeks and stayed there for 4 weeks. Among other things it means Garth made a good bit of money from it. DeWayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee wrote this from an idea while sitting amongst other songwriters in a restaurant. One of them said he’d forgotten to bring his money. The waitress asked how he expected to pay for his meal and he replied, “no worries, cause I got friends in low places, I know the cook!” and so it goes, success is an accident!

In the hills of East Chattanooga, is a short railroad from a beautiful old station to a “turntable” where we watched the engine turn a complete “180,” take a siding to the other end of the cars, hook up and go back to the station. At the station, the train went past and angled out to the right a little; reversing, we went on a different siding, angling away from the station and main track until we were going straight backwards; then switched to another siding which took us forward to the station’s opposite side, coming to a stop right where we had boarded to leave an hour before. The ending of the trip turnaround is called a ‘WYE.” I had forgotten how it works. Did you understand my description of it? Comment for me, I’d like to know how well I describe things.

Anyway, we then went to a great Italian restaurant called Tony’s, up on hill above the river in the downtown art district. Great food, yet I fear the last of that rich stuff for a while, too many carbs and cals!

When I first went to a breakfast specialty restaurant, it was called The Egg and I.There were several of them, very nice, excellent food, always light and airy atmosphere and clean. When I heard a couple of years ago they had sold out, I thought they would go down hill. But, yesterday morning, in Chattanooga, we ate at the same restaurant under the name of First Watch. It was terrific!  The menu was great, the food was delicious, the service and atmosphere was outstanding. The name comes from a term for the first work shift of the day onboard a ship. The Company (over 200 stores) is from University Park, FL, after first being founded in 1986 in CA. Glad they were smart enough to leave CA. Good place for breakfast, but they don’t open till 7am. Seems late to me.

The weekend was very refreshing for me. (I’m sure for Barb, also.) I come out of it feeling like some new ideas and new spirit of mind are intact and anxious to do some stuff a little bit differently, hopefully a little bit better.

In the past 7 months, the real estate market across the middle states has boomed and expanded. In May, a friend in Indiana told me houses were getting bids to buy higher than their asking price. Just this week, a friend in Chattanooga sold their house the first day on the market and then were offered 3,000 more after that. I hope this trend continues to spread for a couple of years.

Something good coming around the bend? Sounds like the economy really has changed, doesn’t it?

I think tonight I will be back at my usual “studio” where my white board resides for the online bible class. Join us, if you like, go to zoom.us/j/2103785748 and when prompted add the zoom receiver if you haven’t already. 7 PM Central time, 1 hour class.

Last week, I spoke about some terminology I hear from time to time which tends to over-state the biblical case for the Lord’s special call of our Apostle Paul. Tonight, I plan to followup with a lesson on why Paul was the first person saved into the body of Christ, our church in the world today.

Hope you can make it, or find me tomorrow on YouTube channel, Brother Jerry Lockhart.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/11/18

The bright sunshine yesterday prompted us to go on a road trip just for the colorful views in the hills. We drove for quite some time and began to talk about visiting a “big cat” farm not too far away, called “Tigers for Tomorrow.” These fine people take large animals; tigers, lions, bears, camel, some things which look weird, wolves, about 150 all together, that have been in captivity for whatever reason. When their usefulness is spent or they become ill or something these folks take them and treat them with tender care, etc.

We’ve been talking about going to it ever since we moved here, but neither of us had been even past it. I asked Barb if she knew how to find it, She said no, but there were road signs. Being the whiz that I am with electronic gadgetry, I whipped out my iPhone, tapped the open button and said, “we’ll use this way,” — Seri answered me,”I’m sorry I don’t know what you mean, this way.” We laughed out loud!

So, I punched Seri up again and said, “Tigers for Tomorrow,” and Seri said, “I’m certain the Tigers are not scheduled to play tomorrow!” We laughed even harder! It made our day.

Eventually we made our way to Tigers for Tomorrow. If you live within driving distance of Gadsden, AL, you should go visit Tigers for Tomorrow. It’s in the country, truly in the country, but not hard to find. It is a great facility to do what they are doing for big cats, etc. Presently, they’re building their own “infirmary” which can keep these huge animals from having to be transported other places.

We saw a White Tiger that is huge! I couldn’t believe how big she was. Black bears, big lumbering things that look small next to the Grizzlie that’s there.

It’s a great trip for kids, we observed. But, I doubt they enjoyed it any more than we did.

“If you don’t happen to like it “Pass Me By” is the SIMH today. I hope that didn’t pop into my head because I woke up thinking about Tigers for Tomorrow—but I have afore said I don’t know why these songs show up when they do. I’m remembering it as by Peggy Lee, but it was recorded by several artists of the day, including several orchestras. Written by a lady named Carolyn Leigh. Ol’ Blue Eyes was first to record it in 1953, It was most associated with a Cary Grant Movie and Peggy Lee, however.

Carolyn Leigh with Cy Coleman writing the music, did a couple dozen Broadway songs, several of which became hits outside the stage. “Firefly,” “Hey, Look Me Over,” “How Little We Know,” “Real Live Girl,” “Tender Shepherd,” “Young at Heart,” and many more. Quite a career for someone not a household name, eh?

One more little excursion on tap for this weekend is a short train ride through the hills East of Chattanooga to look at the Fall colors. It should be a beautiful day, just a bit cold. No big deal, right? Better check tomorrow’s blog to see how this comes out!

Thanks for reading, the Elder.

11/10/2018

Winter has arrived here on the mountain. Seems like just yesterday Fall had arrived. Methinks ’twas a short Fall. Yesterday, I left the Blue Jug about noon and as soon as I arrived home, Barb pointed out that we needed to get the watering hoses and other lawn paraphernalia in out of the weather. So, I go out with a sweatshirt on to start the process. As soon as I touched some things, I shuddered, came back inside, put on a coat, a hat, found gloves, zipped up the coat tight and started over—IT WAS COLD! The rain felt like it had ice in it!

Well, it wasn’t ice and it rained most of the evening, but this morning it was 28 and felt like 23! Winter is here. Sure glad I finished the little project yesterday, lest I be out there this morning in really cold weather. It’s just Nov.10th, folks—we live in the South, for crying out loud!

The SIMH today was “Unstoppable Today” —by Sia, quite a talent. I’ve probably not heard the song more than two, three times, but some how it makes its way into the conscious memory. Most times I find this really strange. I do like the infectiousness of the music, the insistence in the lyrics, and using the simile of power without batteries, or a Porsche with no brakes—brilliant. I guess it is OK to be enamored by it, it will soon go away and be replaced by other music.

Leaving the store early yesterday and both of us having the entire weekend free of any “have tos” gave us the idea of going way to something we had not yet been to or experienced. But, looking around within reasonable driving distance, yet not finding anything really interesting to do, we decided why not stay here where it is warm and not spend the money. So, we stay comfortably at home. I hear there’’s a ballgame or two on TV today. And we’re discussing a possible trip to a new bakery close by, mmmm.

Some of the time this weekend I hope to use reading and studying some details of a couple of subjects related to water store business. The opportunities are wide and varied and we probably cannot do it all, especially not in a short period of time. Maybe if we slow it all down and take things as they come. Some of the details and legal ramifications to expanding are overly laborious to study out and claim a thorough knowledge of it all. I mean, you can get a “head full” of information and not have scratched the surface on some things. I’m not the brightest bulb in the marquee, but I understand most of what I read. But, grasping it when you are looking at it, then reciting it to another or applying it to get a conversational understanding across to others? I’m not too confident, yet. (Remember, yesterday I wrote about the true education being the true “3Rs”?)

Enjoy your weekend, my friends. Stay warm.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/9/2018

When I came out of the br this morning and picked up my laptop, I had the following song in my head even though I had to look up who sang it. As is often the case, I found much more depth in the talent of the rock star than one can gather by simply listening to the radio (big selling) version. I found a video where Aerosmith (the group) performed this with the California Children’ Choir. It has a great quality and made me wish for a symphony to perform it. The words are good, just needs a verse preaching the gospel of Christ.

“Dream On” is a power ballad by Aerosmith from their 1973 debut album, Aerosmith. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, this song was their first major hit and became a classic rock radio staple.

I think I understand now, what a “power ballard” is. Like Bohemian Rhapsody, or the 13 minute Gershwin piece, Rhapsody in Blue, they are a solid link to what has long been held as “classical” music.

Talent is an interesting thing to examine. It has such a broad spectrum of coverage. A person can use mediocre athleticism and through developed talent become a super athlete, yet take them away from their chosen sport and little talent shows up. Same thing is true in music. The raw talent in vocal music is just to hear and carry a tune. But develop the skill and one might become a “talented super star.” I grew up hearing and thinking I understood the term “natural talent.” When I first mentioned this to a coach of young boys, he bristled at my words and rebuked me with “it isn’t natural, it’s environment!” Ahem. I stand corrected.

But his isn’t always the correct assessment. When a sportscaster or seasoned veteran of any particular performance art sees a young person do extraordinary things, a common remark will be, “You can’t teach that” or “it’s in him (or her) to do that!” I believe that is true. Many perform things, then when asked where did that come from, will reply, “I don’t know, it just seemed right to do it,” or some remark similar. Was it just an accident? I doubt it. I believe there is such a thing as natural talent and likely, more times than not, it is never developed or exercised. Do I think we could have thousands of Van Cliburns, Michael Jordans, Louis Armstrongs, and Joe Theismanns? (He was the last one known to have offers from 3 professional sports.) Yes, I do. So, why don’t we? Personal desires are the driving force behind all development of any talent, not the talent itself.

Personal desires are altered or advanced based on a variety of things which come our way. Being an only child, being a middle child, or the first or last of a big brood might change what is naturally there. We also change in association with whom we may fall in love. Or an unrequited love. Great desires met, great desires denied, etc., etc.

Once again we fall back to why things turn out the way they do in our individual lives and rest on the one prevailing thought: you become what you think. Too “pat” an answer for you? Expand the thought to include physically, you are the sum total of what you eat, drink and breath, and thusly, mentally, you are the sum total of what you hear, read and think.  Still not ok? Remember, as we are the creation of the Lord God of the universe, we are triune, as is He. We are body, soul and spirit. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It seems perfectly logical that we come forth, grow to maturity, and perform our lives in this same triune way.

The Lord’s word in English, the King James Bible, shows us very clearly these “3s” with which we have our being. Even in early education, as Lincoln was credited with saying, “What’s important are the 3Rs.” People have always known the joke which came from that saying. But, the truth of the 3Rs is Reading, Rhetoric, Recitation, and those are the basics of all education.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/8/2018

The two most expensive purchases normally made in most families around the world are homes in which to live and transportation vehicles in which to leave and safely return to where we live. In our country, we can “buy” at fair market value, a home or land on which to build a home. When we start a family it is paramount that we seek permanent shelter for them. Our market system has built a nomadic sort of buy and sell, buy and sell, while we move from place to place to satisfy our needs.

You’ll notice there are quotation marks around the word “buy” above. All we who make a purchase of land or home do so in good faith believing in the shelter provided and that we have the integrity and the fortitude to pay for everything we need. But, then come taxes. Even in a low real estate tax state such as where I live, there are taxes on real estate. If one does not pay the taxes, the state decides he no longer can “have” the property he “purchased.” So, did he really purchase it? No, he didn’t. It’s like blackmail. Once you pay a blackmailer, you will always pay the blackmailer. And, once you pay out a huge sum of money for a home, you must keep on paying the blackmailer for the home, every year.

So very glib writers, experts who know how to write words to explain the justification for taxes devise the deception to the gullible. Make the whole society believe the taxes are “fair.” OK, OK, I know upon which thin ice I tread! My purpose is to remind all who will ever read this to remember the first lines of the paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence: “When in the course of human events,” …and “We hold these truths to be self evident…” and “Such is the sufferance of these colonies…”

As I mentioned above I live in a very low real estate tax state, especially appreciative of the exemption status generally applied to older people. But every county is not like ours. Some parts of the state are not a lot different than places like Texas, where real estate taxes are through the roof!

What shall be done? Live with it? How shall our government raise the revenue to finance its burdens? Ahh, we have reached the crux of the issue. Why have we the people, who “in the course of human events” once revolted over taxes, why now do we live under the tyranny of taxation again without recourse? Who “burdened” the government? If we go back to 1910 and examine the country’s finances, we would not have any of today’s taxes except the tariff and specialty taxes which always had an end. We also had very few paid politicians, none on lifetime pensions equal to or greater than their workaday salaries.

You say, well today we have these roads/bridges/parks, etc. Today we have huge policing units of all kinds, fire brigades, etc., for which all these also deserve retirements and pay till they die. You say, we’re a rich nation and we must all pay our fair share?

OK. Let’s do that. Let’s all pay 10% of what we make, let’s all be honest in our method of payment, let’s not have tax police known as the IRS. Can we the people trust we the people to do that? I think I do not have to write the answer down.

The only fair tax is a tax on what we spend (and it will have cheaters devising new ways to get around it.) But it is the only way anything is “fair” about taxing. So, 10% it is, on everything, for everyone. One more thing. No government agency can spend one dime they do not have in hand. That, my friends will work.

Oh, we can’t go that far? Can’t get that done? The people will not put up with what they must go through? Well, then, we live with what we’ve become. And so it goes.

This morning, I awoke singing “Sheltered In The Arms of God” —written by Jimmy Davis and Dottie Rambo. Others wrote versions and the original poem was by Hillary Scott, I think. Perhaps my sheltered position is what caused the above writing, I don’t know. But I just watched the fiasco of our election process and the billions of dollars spent on getting or failing to get elected is rather sickening—they sought this power to spend the people’s money as if it were a bottomless pit. Sometimes I just get fed up. (And I’m a very positive minded man.)

Thanks for reading, the Elder