Happy Memorial Day

While Veterans Day in November is a day to honor all military vets, today is set aside specifically to honor those service men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who fought and died so that we may live in this magnificent country and enjoy all this glorious liberty. So while you’re enjoying your Monday holiday and your barbecue and beer, thank a soldier, marine, airman or sailor for protecting your right to do so; for protecting your right to complain about this war without fear of consequences; for the right to worship as you choose, or to not worship at all. And thank God for this nation’s brave heroes, the ones who paid the highest price. Say a prayer for our men and women overseas who are fighting today to maintain our freedom. And if you have lost a loved one to war or have a family member in harm’s way today, God bless you and thank you too.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

God, Guns and Rock ‘n’ Roll

“My idea of a rainbow is an arch of flowing brass over my shoulder, piling up at my feet ’til the barrel glows a sunrise orange and someone forces me to stop.” -Ted Nugent

This book is a hoot! It contains wisdom, too. Wisdom Uncle Ted learned from his father and grandfather as well as legendary bow hunter Fred Bear, among others. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves, well, God, Guns and Rock ‘n’ Roll!

My Testimony, Part 1

I was born in a small town in Texas in 1960. I was raised in the church. My parents had me “baptized” as an infant. From the time I started school I served the Lord. On Sunday mornings I wore red and white vestments and carried a small torch up the center aisle at the beginning of the service and back down at the end. It still amazes me that they would put a kid so young in charge of an open flame. It’s a miracle I never burned the place down.

My parents and my older brother and I all went to church together pretty regularly. I went to Sunday school. I learned the Gospel and the ten commandments and the Apostle’s Creed. I was blessed with a good foundation early on. Then, when I was about nine or ten, I remember my parents going to church less often. Dad would drop me and my brother off and go back home. Even when my parents started to fall away, they made sure my brother and I got that firm foundation. One day, my mom took me and my brother to spend the weekend in Houston with my grandmother. We skipped church that weekend, and when Sunday evening rolled around and it got dark and we weren’t getting ready to go home, I asked mom why. That’s when she said we weren’t going home again. After that weekend, the only time we ever went home again was every other weekend for visitation with dad.

My parents divorced and mom got an apartment for us in Houston. Everything changed. I don’t want to cry too much over spilt milk here. Suffice it to say I was confused and devastated. I never saw it coming. My parents were careful never to fight in front of the kids, which made the split even more of a surprise. I didn’t know they were having problems. Anyhow…

Happy birthday Duke!

John Wayne would have been 100 years old today. AMC and TCM are showing lots of his films this weekend. My daughter Emily and I watched The Cowboys last night. I haven’t seen that movie since my dad took me to see it when I was 11 or 12 years old. It was just as good 35 years later. They don’t make them like this anymore! Evil stalks Good, Good puts up a hell of a fight, Evil gets the upper hand, but just when all seems lost, Good gets really righteously mad and kicks the crap out of Evil. It truly warms the heart.

Winchester has produced a limited John Wayne Centennial edition of .45 Colt ammunition in a commemorative box. I had to pass. Ammo for my single action army is expensive as it is, but this stuff is about $42 for a box of 50 rounds! I’m a fan, but dang! (For the buck I need more bang, literally!) I say this now, but I’ll probably be kicking myself in 20 years. The empty box will probably be worth more to collectors. Still, if I bought a box, Karri would probably me shoot me with it!