Rant #4,756

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It’s been too long with out a good rant around here. Stand by to Stand by…

You, the imbecile in the gray hoodie on the mountain bike tonight at 2215. The imbecile with the headphones, no light, no reflective vest, no helmet, and no shot at survival. Did you realize that it was raining? Yeah. like for the last 24 hours. The look you gave me when I almost turned over you at the stoplight may have been better directed inward. You, sir, are an argument for the wonders of putting chlorine in the gene pool.

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God makes wonders. White Castle just happens to sell them at the drive-thru window. Behold the Chicken & Waffle Slider:

Chicken & Waffle Slider

Chicken & Waffle Slider

Tom Brady getting suspended by the NFL is not racist. I won’t even try to follow the argument that if he was black it would have been worse. Two words kind of end that argument: Ray Rice. Not everything is about race. I’m really disappointed that a man of the cloth I know thinks this is part of the great conspiracy to keep him down.

Haitian coffee and spiced peanut butter are the best ever. Don’t even try to argue that with me.

Hillary and Bill Clinton are both disgusting despoilers of the third world, particularly Haiti. They’ve enriched themselves to the nth degree while stealing from the Haitian people, among others. She’s never had to answer the questions I’ve wanted answered about Benghazi, and he’s a serial abuser of women. When’s the last time you heard anything about his visits to sex-slave island?

Bill O’Reilly is an absurd idiot. He has his moments, but they are decreasing in frequency. Except for Watters’ World segments.

Pamela Geller has every right in the world to hold a cartoon contest. Especially here. I refer you to the Constitution. Amendment #1. Which is supported by Amendment #2. This is why Bill O’Reilly is a twit. Read the thing, Bill. Like what she said or not, she can say it when she wants. (I like Pamela. I’ve corresponded with her in the past. Very engaging person. Also, she’s right about Sharia law creeping in to our society.)

Bags at supermarkets are getting too thin. I know they’re free, but now I have to double bag the plastic. When does the madness stop? Oh. They’re trying to ban them locally. Great. Extra food borne illness on the horizon from used tote bags.

The NFL took money from the military to salute the troops. I don’t know which organization I despise more in this case. The NFL for not disclosing this right away, or the government for doing it with my tax money. The NFL probably ought to refund all that cha-ching to a charity like the USO, or a disabled vet project (not Wounded Warrior, too many bad things there…) that will actually honor the troops because they deserve it, not because they got paid.

I love my church. A lot. Not a rant, more of a rave like the White Castle one above. Both good things.

Nobody has gone to jail yet, and way too many knuckle-headed vermin are still working at the VA in spite of the scandal. Dead veterans must not be quite as exciting as global warming. (Hey – global warming doesn’t exist! But dead people who served their country and were ignored are for real.. Don’t get it.)

End of rant for the day. Tune in soon for some really great book reviews. I promise.

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I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.

I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.

Potem.

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God has some plan for all of us. Currently unrevealed. Closer every day. Sunday May 3 2015 was one of those days where it took a leap.

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The delightful people with whom I’d made a missions trip to Haiti dropped by my church for service and then out to lunch. Not all of the Healing Haiti crew, not quite half. But the others were there in spirit. I really love these folks and was thrilled to introduce them to my church family.

Having attended my church for more than a few years, I’m comfortable inviting anyone to visit any time. Today, God sent me a message: continue on this path I’m setting out for you, and don’t waver. There is a role for you in this life as your alter ego, Joseph. Honor him.

Here I am in the pew with my fellow missionaries at that moment where my church welcomes visitors. They all stand and are recognized. Once that happens, the church leadership comes by to meet the new people. I stood up to shake some hands and the next thing I knew there was a small child reaching his arms out to be picked up. All that was lacking was the word “Potem” (Pick me up in Haitian Creole – and I’m probably spelling it wrong.) I reached down, scooped him up, and he immediately began to play with my beard and rub my bald head. All I could do is laugh.

Quiet time on the ledge.

Quiet time on the ledge.


Why? Because this never has happened outside of Haiti, much less in my church on a Sunday. I’m a fixture: they can find me every week. So the question is “Why this week?”

The answer is simple: I was with my Haitian family. The Holy Spirit that led this mission team through some of the most amazing, dark, beautiful, frightening, glorious things in our lives brought a small child to me Sunday to remind me of my role as “Papa Noel.” I am not saying that I’m turning in my badge at work, but this role as the patron saint of children is very important to me. And, it appears, to God.

I’m not quite ready to accept my gift for prophesy. For one thing, to the non-religious, anyone who says they’re a prophet is likely some lunatic in a cloak who eats grasshoppers and honey while ranting on a street corner. I have no cloak. The rest is just about right. More than anything, I’m exploring this gift God has given me and trying to find the boundaries and limits to where He’s leading me in this life.

For now, however, it is clear that being Papa Noel, either here or in Haiti, is part of His plan. My mission team seemed to think it was perfectly natural for me to do that. Not here. Not previously. But Sunday… Well, Sunday He opened my eyes a little wider.

All I can say is, “Ho, Ho, HO.” Some roles we were meant to occupy.

Be blessed. I surely am.

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I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.

I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.

Soaring Through Stars: The Review

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Let’s start with the shortest book trailer in the industry:

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Soaring Through Stars

Soaring Through Stars

Rajdeep Paulus

Rajdeep Paulus

Another of my semi-infamous book reviews follows. Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book for review purposes in a PDF format. I paid nuttin for it – zero/zip/nada. That’s really cool in my opinion: free books just to review them.

Soaring Through Stars, by Rajdeep Paulus, is the third book in her young adult series. I got a chance to read it before it was polished. I loved it. So when you like a book before it’s fully edited it says a lot about the quality of the writing. I’m assuming Raj polished it to perfection before publishing. It’s getting 5 Stars today on amazon.com. The review on the blog, www.commotioninthepews.com will publish next week.

This young adult series touches on the lives of young people trapped in a world of domestic abuse, and their struggle to free themselves and launch into adulthood. For those of you who are in your middle years (like me) it’s hard to grab a Young Adult fiction work and identify with the characters. Not so with Rajdeep’s books. I remember being that age and having the kind of muddled thoughts and hopes that these characters do in the book. Paulus brilliantly captures that painful struggle all of us encountered, and layers in the violent abuse by their father in an artful manner.

I don’t know if you cheer for characters when you read, but I sure did when I finished the book. I won’t give it away, but Rajdeep Paulus takes the story to a brilliant conclusion. One that is worth more than the meager asking price on Kindle.

Will there be a book four? I certainly hope so for my sake. I would recommend these works to any parent for their children over the age of 14. There are sensitive topics, and the adult should be ready to answer some tough questions from their children. But it’s all about topics they’ve heard about, or experienced with their friends, already. Paulus gives you a great door-opening work to bring the discussion to the table.

Thanks, Rajdeep Paulus, for a great book. Soaring Through Stars is an excellent piece of fiction.

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I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.

I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.

Here’s A Blog You Need To Read: Tamara Jorell

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I don’t post many like this one, so please take it seriously.

Click on this link and go read Tamara’s blog at: tamarajorell.com

She calls the blog “My Blonde Life in the Hood.” It’s one of the best bits of writing on the internet.

Tamara & Lala

Tamara & Lala

Go. Don’t delay. Start at the beginning and read them all in order. (She’s just starting out, so you can do it in a reasonable amount of time.)

Now.

You can thank me later.

Zero Dark Thirty

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We just had an early morning excursion to avoid wet rugs and lumps. Stormy, not me.

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Stormy is shining like the Sun.

Stormy is shining like the Sun.

Paws on the bed, panting, definite signs that we need something. Dogs have their own language.

Yesterday I was speaking the language of Migraine. First time in a long time where one was triggered by events. A stressful day where I felt stupid and inadequate. Lack of sleep, long week, overseas trip, and an avalanche of phone calls triggered a cluster-migraine.

Modern corporate legalism precludes kindness. But a coworker took one look at me and offered a head and neck rub. It may have saved my life until that Imitrex kicked in and started working. They risked charges of being nice and touching someone in need. Thank you, you know who you are.

When I got home my wife did the same for me. I crawled off to bed and was recovering when Barky Barkerson woke me up. She’s in the kitchen eating right now and I plan on being back in bed before 05:35. God willing.

I hope today is a good one for you. It’s already a better one for me. The migraine is gone. Bed beckons. The barking machine is quiet.

Be blessed and we’ll chat later.

********* ********** *********** ***********

I have a favor to ask of my readers: would you kindly share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues? We hit a million views in 2014, and while the readership continues a nice growth trend, it could be a lot better. Just hit the Facebook like button, share it on your timeline, tweet the blog with a link, and tell that person at the next desk that there’s this lunatic who writes about all sorts of stuff that they might like.

I appreciate your help. When we hit 2,000,000 readers I will give away something cool to a drawing from the subscribers (that’s the box on the right toward the top) who have helped promote this mess. No used sheets, probably not honey, more likely gift cards. Be a part of it. I’ll update from time to time where we’re at in the count. Thanks.