No one has a big family anymore.  Years ago people had a big family.  The reasons for a big family was so they can work together on the farm.  Another reason for big family was so one of the kids can take care of the parents in their old age.

There is five of us kids here but there actually was 7 kids in my family.

One of the reason why people today don’t have a big family is they can’t afford it.

Big family was the in-things.  In the European country and even China, you would find more than one generations living in one home.

In my mother’s family, there was 11 kids, 2 died as a baby.  So you see I have a lot of cousins on my mother’s side, not counting my real father’s side of the family and step-dad’s side’s the family.  I love all my cousins.  Even those that would be consider black sheep.  Most of my cousins are older than me.  There is only about 4 or 5 younger than me.  My cousin, Nancy would say that I was her baby.  My cousin, Nels, called me his baby brother.  Then when my cousin, Laura came along, I called her my baby.

I don’t want to go into detail about this because this isn’t about my family.  It’s just a reference for this blog.

As I said before, my mother was never on welfare.  When she had me, my grandmother lived with us and help take care of me; so that my mother could keep me and still work.  Family did that and still do that for each other.

Years ago, it was uncalled for, for a woman to have a child out-of-wedlock.  They were a disgrace to the family.  My step-dad’s real mother had to give him up.  He was first put in an orphanage, before being adopted.

That was in the 1920’s.  Look how things had change since then.  I mean, I was born in ’60’s, a part of sexual revolution; and it wasn’t as much as a disgrace as it was back then.

Now days it is so common.  In my graduating class from Hawley, MN, in 1984; we had 3 girls that got pregnant before being married.  2 of them had gotten married in high school, but one was single mother throughout high school.

They say that there is no family value anymore.  Is that good or bad?

It depends on how you look at it.  Sure we lack some family values.  But there are some that should be lost.

Years ago, people stayed married until death do them part.  They stayed together despite of all the problems.

Today, the old joke is, “lawyers are outtalking preachers.”  No one stays together anymore.  Then again if a person is in a bad marriage why stick it out.  Why should the wives stay in an abusive relationship when they don’t have to.

My folks been married 40 years and believe me  it was no bed of roses for her.  She could had gotten a divorce and gotten the kids.  Even though she was an independent woman, she was also co-dependent.  She would used the accused, he never cheated and he never physically abuse her.  But there were emotional and mental abuse.

The reason my mother never married my real father was because she caught him cheating.

There are a lot of single family out there now.  It’s so common.  Just that mean that there is no family value?

Is the family unit of the past dead and gone?

A family unit consist of a mother, a father, and the kids.

Like I said in the beginning, people had big family; and they don’t do that anymore.  They usually have 1 or 2 kids.  They can’t afford a big family.  There are even families that are entwine with each others.  I’m talking about, his, hers, and theirs.

Years ago they had big houses because they had big family, so it made sense.  Have you ever noticed, people are starting to have big houses without having a big family.  Why do they need a big house?

I think it is the prestige of it.  It’s the keeping up with the Jones attitude.

As big as my family was, we never had a big house.  So our house was clamp during the holidays.  In that picture, we were living in a house in North Fargo.  I had my own bedroom, just off the kitchen, my sisters had one bedroom on the opposite end of the living room across from our folks.  Two of my brothers had their bedroom in the basement.

When we moved to West Fargo, in a trailer house, I shared a room with my one brother; while the other 2 were grown up.

Even the house on the farm wasn’t a big house for all of us kids.

When it came to holidays, my mother set the table buffet style and we would sit anywhere.

One thing back then parents pretty knew where their kids were.  They knew their neighbors.  Now days people doesn’t know their neighbors.  Kids didn’t need a cell phone.  If the parents needed to get a hold of the kids, they would either call the neighbors, the school, or the older kids that were watching the younger kids.  Now days kids as young as 8 have a cell phone.  Now that is way too young.  They are not responsible enough to have a cell phone.  They should have to work if they want a cell phone.

Kids were outside playing; rather than indoor playing on the computers.  The computers and TV are the babysitters.

They say that North Dakota is a good place to raise a family.  Who’s watching the kids though.

As you can tell from the picture, I was happy to have a family back then.  It wasn’t all happiness though.  My family is dysfunctional.  I love my family to a point.  There are some members in my family that I would love to disown.  There is black sheep in my family.  There are even cousins that considered to be black sheep.

He’s at it again.  It looks like Minnesota former Governor Tim Pawlenty is making another run for Governor.  He didn’t get the Republican’s nomination; so he is running in next month primary, in hoping to steal the election.

I hope that the people of Minnesota will be smart enough not to vote for Tim Pawlenty in the Primary.  I hope that they remembered being in the RED, when he was Governor.  He was the worst governor that Minnesota had in recent years.  

He was even worst than Jesse Ventura.

When Jesse Ventura was elected governor, no one expected it.  For one, he was an Independent.  For two, no one took him seriously, like Ross Perot.  Finally, the people thought that Humphry would win on his name alone.

Well, Humphry ended up taking third place in that election.  Jesse Ventura beat Norm Coleman by only one vote.

I’m counting on the Minnesota’s people to be smarter this time around.  I’m hoping that they remembered how bad it was when Tim Pawlenty was Governor.

I hope they enjoyed being in the black now thanks to Gov. Mark Dayton.

Yes, this Republican is praising Mark Dayton; who happens to be a Democrat.

Mark Dayton had done a lot of good to undo the damage left behind by Tim Pawlenty.  He was not a career politician.  He was businessman first.  Remember, his family owned the Dayton’s stores.

A businessman will makes better governor than lawyers and career politicians.  If they can run a business, they can run the government.

One good thing that Michelle Bachman did when she ran for President in 2012 was knocked Tim Pawlenty out of the race. Tim Pawlenty would been another George W. Bush.

Believe me, I was not a fan of Bachman.  I just like her better than Pawlenty.

Tim Pawlenty had hurt the state of Minnesota when he was governor.  Now thanks to Gov. Dayton, Minnesota is in the black.

The state should focus on moving forward and build their surplus; rather than going backward by voting for Pawlenty.

Tim Pawlenty isn’t the only candidate that just won’t go away.  There are others.  Like him, they must loves the power that comes with being Governor.  They must enjoy being in the limelight.  They must loves all the attention they get for being a career politician.

There is a local state Senator from Fargo, ND.  I’m talking about Al Carlson.  The Liberal blogger, Mike McFeely, was accused of being harsh on Carlson.  I’m glad that he did.  The Republicans should be even harsher on Carlson.

Al Carlson didn’t like Gov. Doug Burgum.  When Burgum wore jeans to a meeting; it was Carlson who made a big stink out of it.  I’m glad that Burgum stood up to Al Carlson and stood his ground to be more casual.

So Al Carlson should goes away along Tim Pawlenty.

We all know that they won’t though.  They enjoyed the attention they get by being in the government.

Those 2 are not the only 2 that we had plenty of.  There are others as well.  They are just too numerous to name them all.

It can’t be for the money alone.  A person doesn’t make that much as governor, senator, or congressmen.  The money comes from speaking engagements, writing books, even getting kickbacks from lobbyist.

Maybe any money that these lobbyist contribute to our politicians should be taxed.  Right now they are exempt from paying taxes from their donation/bribes.

This is why both Bill and Hillary Clinton just won’t go away. This is why Tim Pawlenty wants to be governor again.  It’s not for the people. It’s to lined his own pockets.

Most recently, Mitch McConnell was upset because the protester were harassing him, back in his home state.  They should harass him.  He needs to step down as Senator.  He is too old and been in Washington way too long.  He’s out of touch with what the American people needs.

This is why we needs term limits for our congressman and senator.  They also needs to do something about these lobbyist buying candidate off.  Maybe make them pay taxes over their  buyout.

So people in Minnesota, when you go to vote in your primary next month, don’t be stupid and vote for Tim Pawlenty again.  If you want the state to continue to move forward, you will not vote for Pawlenty.  Tell Tim Pawlenty that you had plenty of him when he was governor.

Don’t be stupid now!!  You were stupid when you elected Ventura as governor.  If you let Pawlenty gets the nomination and if you even elect him again as governor, you get what you deserve.  You will end up going backward instead forward.

     In honor of the 4th of July, I’m forever grateful for those who fought and even some who had died for our freedom.  This is what the flag that is on my shirt stands for.  It’s because out of due respect for the flag, we stand during the National Anthem.

Yet, we are not all free!!

Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican President.  He was President during the Civil War.  The Civil War came about in 1860’s to free the slaves.  The South didn’t want that because it meant giving up their property and laborers.

Even though, slavery was abolished back then, we still have slavery to this day.  It’s just a different form of slavery.

I’m not talking about sex slaves either.  That’s a whole different blog altogether.

We are all created equal according to the Constitution.  All men are to be free.

It’s funny, it was a Republican who fought to free the slaves and even fought for Civil Rights for the blacks.  Yet the Democrats is trying to claim the fact that they were responsible for the Civil Rights movement.  It was the Democrats who didn’t want to free the slaves.  It was the Democrats who was behind the KKK.

This is not about black being slaves.  This is even a bigger subject than that.

As the title stated, we’re not all free.  The 1% still holds all the cards over the 99%.

The best movie of recent years I would say goes to the movie, “The Help.”  That movie was based during the ’60’s but still is very true today.   The rich wants to control how much the working class gets.  They also wants to be able to work us like a dog(slave).

Having an union can be a good thing but it can also be a bad thing.

Like I said before, the Government wants to keep us poor; that way they can control us  better.  We dare not oppose the tyrants, the 1%.

The last Presidential election was a sign that the United States was in the midst of another Civil War.  The American people took a stand against the our government and our career politicians by electing Donald Trump for President.  This is only the beginning though.

The cost of freedom is not cheap.  There is a hefty price to pay for that freedom.  Many had lost their lives for that freedom that is taken for granted.  The flag still stands for freedom and that cannot be taken away.

The big question that is on everyone’s mind is.  How can we all be free?

By continuing taking a stand against those who would continue to treat their workers as slaves.

I recently had a job in which I was treated as a slave.  Even last Halloween I wore a slave costume to make a statement.  Instead of showing true appreciation, they just give you a piece of paper saying, we appreciate you.  True appreciation comes with a raise or bonus.

Years ago, employers took better care of their employees.

Like I said, the cost for freedom isn’t cheap.  There is a price to pay for true freedom.

Some may never be free until they retire.  Some hope to wins the powerball to finally be free from the old ball and chain.

True freedom comes from the Lord.  He died on the cross for our freedom.  He paid a hefty price for us all.

At my last job, they would say the hours were flexible.  Flexible, ya right!!  A person must be at the manager beck and call.  You cannot have a life.  If you had time off, you couldn’t afford it.  The manager knew that and thus treating the employees like slaves.

Believe me there is jobs like that too.  Like in the movie, The Help.  That movie should had won an Oscar for best picture.

I recently found my freedom.  So there is hope for those who wants true freedom from their slave masters.

Just like in the movie, The Help, those fighting for their freedom finally found it in the end by sharing their stories.  I especially like the scene where Octavia Spencer’s character made a pie out of her “shit”.

How many people doesn’t think of doing that to those who treats us like slaves?

I have this saying on my wall that said, “When my ships comes in, it’s not getting away.”  Well folks my ship came in recently.  So there is hope for freedom out there.  There is better jobs with better pay out there.  It’s just a matter of getting it at the right time.

I remember the best advice I got was from Maureen Zimmerman.  She told me to get your foot in the door.

I still have to work to pay my bills, eat, and even pay taxes though.  That is where the Government keeps us as slaves.  The income taxes was created by the Democrats.

Early this year there had been at least 2 incident in which the Child Protective Service put children in harms way.

Isn’t it their jobs to protect the children from either being abused or killed?  What happened?

They sure didn’t do their job very well.

No child deserves to be abused!  It doesn’t matter what kinds of abuse either.

The incident that is still fresh on everyone minds is the incident in Fergus Falls, MN.  There were 2 young boys that was taken from their grandmother in Montana and put into Foster care.  It was while in that care, that one of the boy was killed by the foster dad.  He was killed by being physically abused to the point of death.

Don’t get me wrong parents should discipline their children!  There is a fine line between discipline and being abused.  That foster dad had stepped over that line when he killed that young boy.

I hope they lock him up for life; that way he won’t have anymore contact with other children.

At the same time, the Child Protective service agency should be also be heavily punish for putting those boys in harm ways.

What do you expect?  It’s a government agency.  Any government agency has more than their shares of problems.

Were they that desperate to find a home for those boys that they didn’t even screen the parents?  Is there that many kids out there without a home?  That they don’t truly bother doing background check.

There are children out there being put into a bad home because the Child Protective Agency isn’t doing there job properly.

You hear more and more child abuse incidents than you ever did when I was a child.  I’m not saying that there was no child abuse.  Back then it wasn’t talk about as much as it is now.  Child abuse was kept hush, hush.

Years ago, people knew their neighbors.  The neighbors help watched each other kids, as they play in their yards or even their house.

People doesn’t truly knows their neighbors like they used to.  We have a tendency to keep to ourselves.

They say that North Dakota is a good place to raise a family.  I want to know how is that possible?  Who is watching our kids?  Parents now days have to work 2-3 jobs just to make a living.  The children  are watching themselves.  They are not outside playing; but rather inside and the computers and TV are the built-in babysitter.

Now the computers can be used by predators to lure our children away to be abuse either sexually or physically.

Growing up, we never had a cell phone.  The family had a landline phone.  If you need or want to get a hold of your kids, you either called home, a neighbor or school, etc.  Now days kids have cell phones.  To me, kids shouldn’t have cell phone until they are old enough to get a job and help pay for it.  That is how they learn responsibility.

Sometimes, good parents would work it so that someone will be home with their children.  Either one working nights and one working days.

Then there are single parents trying to raise their kids and work at the same time.  It’s not easy.  Even day care have to do background check.

It was a different world back when I was a kid.  We rode bikes around the neighborhood without helmets; and we still survive.  If our parents needed to get a hold of us, they pretty much knew  how find us.  Neighbors watched out for one another.

I’m not saying there was no child abuse back then.  It just wasn’t talk about as much.  We were taught not to talk to strangers or get in their cars or home.

Now strangers weren’t the primary abusers.  The abusers were actually someone that the child knew and trusted.

Sometimes the abuse happened under the parents own noses.

When that happened, the children tried to cry out for help with no response.  A child will become uncomfortable around so and so.  Yet the parents had their blinders on.

For example:  when the abuser would comes to pick up the child at school or wherever, the child will feel uneasy to go with them.  Yet they couldn’t say anything out of fear.

Maybe the creep either lied on the application to become foster parents or had someone else filled out the paper; and then he would get those boys.

This is such a broad subject.  I could go on, but I think you get the message.

 

 

First of I want to say Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and dads out there.  Fathers and dads have a special role in raising their kids.  Today we honor those who are either fathers of their own biological kids or those who are step-dads; taking the time to raise another man kids.  It’s no an easy task.

Now let us get to blunt of this blog; and why it’s called deadbeat dads.

Children who grow up without a dad are twice as likely to end up in jail or drop out of high school.  63% of teen suicides and 75% of youths in substance abuse treatment have no dads.

Most of the percentage of homes without a father in the home  are in the poor neighborhood.  Yet, even the rich has family without a father-figure in the home.

If you are gonna have sex with a woman and she happens to become pregnant, you better take responsibility.

There are men who doesn’t seems to take the responsibility with their children.  They leave them and their mothers with no support at all.  Then when they are sued or asked to pay child support; they complained about it and try to weasel out of it.

Parents will easily knows when their daughters have kids.  But less likely if a son father any children.

I may have half-brothers or sisters on my real father’s side that I don’t know about.

The only thing my real father ever did for me was paid the hospital where I was born.  He complained when my mother would buy me vegetables with my meal.  He didn’t leave me anything.  He left when I was 2 years old.  My mother and him was going to get married; but she found him with another woman.

Yet he must had told his family about me.  Even though I got my mother’s maiden name, I came very close being named after him.

Like my mother would say, “anyone can father a child; but it takes a real man to be a dad.”  I got more from my step-dad than I ever did from my real father.  My step-dad was more of a dad to me.

Yet there are kids out there who are not so lucky.

Let us look at Abraham.  He was a father of many nations.  The Jews, the Christians, and even the Muslims all recognize him as father.  He had Isaac in his later life with his wife, Sarah.  Before, Isaac, he had Ishmael with one of his maidservant.  Ishmael was the leader of the Muslims.  I’m sure that Abraham wanted to do the right thing by Ishmael.  It was Sarah who made Abraham send Ishmael and his mother away.  Sarah didn’t want anything comes between Isaac and his inheritance.

I wouldn’t say that Abraham was a deadbeat dad but he was the first example of one.

There was a time when my mother went to see a lawyer early in their marriage.  She learned that she could had gotten all of his kids and made him pay child support.  She could even had gotten the farm.  I think that was why eventually my step-dad quit drinking when he did.  They came to an understanding.

There are fathers who complained that they have to pay child support or that it is too much.

If you are going to father a child you should take responsibility for your children.

Even though my step-dad was more there for me than my real father, he took the responsibility of raising me as his own.  He may not been there for me emotionally; but he wasn’t there emotionally for his other kids either.  He done more for me.  As I wrote in last year blog, the lesson I learned from my dad.  He taught me so much.

As Brad Paisley sang in his very first hit song, “He didn’t have to be.”  That song suit me and the relationship I had with my step-dad.

I remembered the summer of ’75, when the family went out West to Washington and Oregon.  He carried me upstairs my cousin, Nels’, room.  So when he died, it was a privilege for me to be a pallbearer at his funeral.  He carried me like he carried his other kids; so it was the least I could do.

How many men is willing to raise another man’s children?  Or worst yet, how many men is willing to actually do their parts in raising their kids?

It’s a huge responsibility in being a father.  They got to teach them right, make sure that they are well taken care of.  Boys need a father around to mentor them.

Thank goodness for the Big Brother organization.

So to any fathers out there, take care of your responsibility with your kids.  If you can’t get along with the mothers; at least pay your child support, no matter how high it may be.  Kids need a father around to teach them.

I wrote a song in the ’90’s titled, “Hear our Cries.”  The first verse has to do with the fatherless children.  May the Lord be a father to them.

Men, you know what you must do as men.  Be a father to your children either biologically or even be a dad to them.

I have never had the opportunity to be a father.  If I did, I surely wouldn’t be a father like my real father was.  I would try to be there for my kids, anyway I can.  You can’t buy their love, like some may try to do.  I would had hope that I would had been a better father because of what my step-dad had done for me.  He may not had been perfect.  Now that is a whole different blog.

2 weeks ago there was some interesting information involving racial discrimination in the media.  So I’m going to give my readers what they want and discuss them, then give you my opinion on them.  Be prepared, folks!

The first one I’m going to talk about is the incident involving Starbucks coffee.

First, I want to say, Starbucks did the right thing after what happened.  When they closed their business for a few hours to have a sensitive training.  We all need a little sensitive training.

Now let us get to what happened.

There was 2 black guys who entered Starbucks coffee shop and asked to used the restroom.  Now Starbucks had this policy, that only customers are allowed to used the restrooms.  Which make sense?

Anybody who works the service industry involving the customers knows that some people will complain no matter what.  If they don’t like the policy or whatever, they will complain.  Believe me, some customers can be rather rude too.

What blew this out of proportion was our Leftist news media.  Since they were 2 black guys, they news media had a field day with it.

Just think, if it was 2 white person who was told that, the fake news media wouldn’t had made such a big deal over it.  Unless of course they were 2 homosexual/lesbian.

Where is the justice in that?

I don’t want people to think that I’m racist; because I’m not.  The church I belong to is a multinational church.

The other incident that goes right along with this reverse discrimination involved Roseanne.

First, a little background.  We all knows that Roseanne is known for her big mouth and shooting it off before speaking.  I mean, even ABC network knew about it back when her hit show Roseanne first aired in the late ’80’s and ’90’s.  So this is nothing new.

When Roseanne show came back through a reboot, it went #1 fast. It was quickly renewed for a new season.

Well, anyway, Roseanne made a racial comment about someone who was a cabinet member of Pres. Obama that she probably shouldn’t had said.

I mean, who hasn’t said something they shouldn’t?   We all have done it.  Some even do it for money.  Believe me, in my blogs, I tell it like I see it.  If some people is offended, so what.  Some may be offended with this blog.

Anyway, even though the Roseanne show was renewed for another season after hitting #1 in reboot, ABC network cancelled her show because of her comments.

I’m not here to defend her.  I’m here to state where is the justice in this all?

What is good for goose is good for the gander.  People holler about equal rights but yet they seems to treat people of colors, women, or sexual orientation at a different standards.  They talk about the “Me-too” organization.  It seems like the Whites are now becoming the minority.

I used to have a little more respect for ABC over NBC and CBS, because they were less bias.  They actually tried to stick to the facts more.

After the firing of Roseanne, I lost some respect for ABC.  I mean, shouldn’t Whoopie Goldberg be fired for her comments she constantly make about Pres. Trump and all who voted for him?  How about Bill Maher, shouldn’t he also fired for his comments about Trump and his supporters?  Even Dan Rather, who was the king of fake news was totally bias.

The Leftist media makes a big stink about racial discrimination; but yet they themselves discriminate against Trump and all who voted for him.  They call us all kinds of names.  Are any of them reprimanded?

Hell no!!  They make fun of us and somehow some of their loyal viewers eat it up.

It’s time we the people stand up against these leftist media and fight for injustice of racial discrimination.  I like it when Trump does that.  I will continue doing that through my blogs.

I’m not downgrading what Roseanne said.  I’m not racist even though some may think since I voted for Trump or even support Roseanne that I must be racist.

So if the Leftist media is reading this, take heart.  We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore!  When you fired Roseanne, you should also fire one of your own for doing the same thing against anyone of us.

This is so much like what happened in the book “1984′; which I will gives a little review later on in one of my blogs down the road.

I’m not upset with Starbucks.  They did do the right thing by having a sensitive training course.  We all need it.  I recently taught Sunday School on being more welcoming without being judgmental.  It went very well.  We could all use a little improvement.  That is how we can make America great again.  Equal justice for all: white, colors, men, women, gays, straights, and handicaps.

Everybody loves a wedding.  It’s an emotional time.

Few weeks ago there was huge Royal wedding going  on in London, England.  Prince Harry finally tied the knot and married his princess.  It was a modern day Cinderella story.  It was the day that Megan Markel married her prince.

The press will have you believe that Megan Markel was the first American to marry into royalty.

How quickly they forget because they are not up on their history?

Megan Markel wasn’t the first American actress to marry into royalty.  That title goes to Grace Kelly.  I think either in the ’50’s or ’60’s Grace Kelly married Prince Rainer from Monaco.  She was the Princess Diana in her days.  Grace Kelly had more kids than Princess Diana.  She did had a tragic end to her life like Lady Diana though.  They both were killed in a car accident.

I think, but I’m not positive, Megan Markel is Canadian; whereas Grace Kelly was actually from the United States.

I’m not going to get to technical though.  I’m happy for Prince Harry and Megan Markel.  May they have a long happy marriage.  May the press and the paparazzi leaves them alone.  It was the paparazzi that killed Lady Diana over the Labor Day holiday in Paris, France.

Prince William and Prince Harry didn’t deserve to grow up without their mother.  Lady Diana would had love to see her sons get married.  They were her pride and joy.

I think Prince William looks like Diana and Prince Harry looks like Prince Charles.

Some people may wonder if there will be any rivalry between Megan Markel and Princess Kate.

I don’t think there will be, but it’s hard to say.

I think Prince William and Prince Harry were raised to be very close and so they remain close.  There doesn’t seems to be a rivalry between like so many sibling have.

Prince William had to kind of grow up fast after his mother was killed.  He had to look after his brother, Harry.  They both were raise and taught their part, when the time comes.  Prince William is third in line to become King behind Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth.  .

It doesn’t mean that Harry gets left out.

Prince Harry, just like, Prince William, both had a special memory shared at their wedding of their mother.  That’s how much they loved their mother.

I believe that Lady Diana would love Megan Markel as much as she would love Princess Kate.  She would adore her grandkids as well.

The preacher gave a very beautiful sermon at their wedding.  It was about love and unity.  It was the kind of message that Diana would be proud of.

Remember, Diana was loved by all, from all over the world.  She was everybody princess.

Maybe this was why the press seems to have forgotten about  Grace Kelly.  Diana lefts a lasting impression on us all.  Also, there is a different kind a relationship between the United States and England, and the United States and Monaco.

Whatever the reason, my heart and prayers goes out to Prince Harry and Megan Markel.  May they make Lady Diana proud, like I believe they will.  Both William and Harry got Diana’s heart and compassion.

I hope that their marriage will last longer than Diana and Charles and Fergie and Andrew.

I won’t go into detail about what I think happened to break them up.  This is a happy time.  It’s Prince Harry’s turn to finally be happy.  Both William and Harry deserves to be happy.  It was a long time coming.

Now a warning to the paparazzi, don’t do what you did that cause Lady Diana’s death.  Leave Harry and Megan alone and leave William and Kate alone.

 

 

     Everybody wants peace.  We all strive for it.  

Yet true peace only comes from the Lord.  There is rumors of wars until Jesus returns.  We can have a peace of mind and a peace in heart; if we are right with Jesus.

Our veterans fought and died for our freedom and so we can have peace.  For that we are forever grateful.  That is why we honored those who passed away, on Memorial Day weekends.

I have found peace within myself.  One of the times that I found the peace was when I went to my real father’s grave, as part of a healing process.  The first time there, I couldn’t say a word; but I felt at peace.  It was almost like he knew why I was there, even though he was dead.

Another time was just before my step-dad died.  I felt at peace, the hurt and anger just slipped away.  The same thing happened when my step-brother, Bobby, had passed away.

Yet this blog is about a different kinds of peace.

As I said everyone wants peace.  They wants someone to keep us at peace.  Yet a majority of the people do not know the difference between peacekeepers and peacemakers.

Peacekeepers: do not address the issues at hands because they want a short term unity instead of a long term peace.  They leaves the elephant and the sleeping dog, and never rock the boat.

Peacemakers: wants to deal with the issues, preferably small so they don’t escalate into something big and destructive; so they can be seen as troublemakers.

In the Gospel of Matthew, in the Beatitudes, it said, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the earth, not blessed are the peacekeepers.”

Growing up, I was taught to be a peacekeepers.  My mother wanted just for us to keep the peace.  She felt that it was best not to say anything.  It was better to keep the secrets than let it out.  She was the kind of person that didn’t want the neighbors or anyone else to know the truth.  All that did was just blew up emotionally.  It was just unhealthy, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.  When things blew up, all hell broke lose.  The anger just burst like when a dike would it spring a leak and water just rapidly comes out quickly.

The evangelist Dwight Thompson had preached, that too many preachers are afraid to preach the truth, because they don’t want to offend someone.  They become peacekeepers rather than peacemakers, like they suppose to be.

This is what is wrong with the world today.  Everyone wants peace, but they don’t want to offend anyone.  They want to be peacekeepers.  Everything got to be politically correct.

I was once a peacekeepers growing up because that what good boys did.  Now, through my blogs, I come across as a troublemaker.  I’m striving to be a peacemaker.  If that makes me troublemaker, so be it.  The world may see me as a troublemaker; but I shall inherit the kingdom since I chose to be a peacemaker instead.

I would say that Pres. Trump is a peacemaker, not a peacekeeper.  That is one of the reason why I like him.  Matter of fact, I’m glad that I voted for him and will vote for him again.  He is not afraid to tell it like it is.  The people may hate him for it.

I have to admit, at first, I was scared that he would get us into a war.

Remember, even Pres. Reagan was considered a peacemaker.  Some of the people feared him too.  Yet, Reagan had kept us out of war.  the other countries were afraid and had respect for him.

The same goes with Pres. Trump.  The other countries and the terrorists are afraid to attack the United States, out of fear and respect for Trump.

To make America great again, we needs a strong leader.  I even think Putin even admired Trump over Hillary Clinton.  He had respect for Trump; whereas, Hillary and even Obama were laughing stock to the other countries.  They were even laughing at both George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush.  Those 4 didn’t command the admiration and respect.

Does that mean, Pres. Trump deserves a Nobel Peace prize?  That is still too early to tell.  Let us see what happen first.

I mean, why did Obama gets a Nobel Peace prize?  He didn’t do anything to deserve it.  The only reason they gave it to him was because he was the first black President.

True peace only comes from within.  Only the Lord can bring it about.  There will always be wars and rumors of wars.

Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister of England, governed the country with an iron fist.  She had the respect of other countries because of it.  Her and Ronald Reagan were the best of friends, because they admired each others.

So if you want peace like everyone else, I recommend the true peace.  The peace that will last for eternity; not the temporary peace that the world seems to want.  Don’t be afraid to rattle a few cages and ruffle a few feathers.  We don’t need to sugarcoat the truth.

 

 

As you now, former First Lady, Barbara Bush had passed away recently.  She was in her nineties.  I won’t say anything bad about her.  It doesn’t mean that her husband, George Bush, and her son, George W. Bush is off limits.  Even Jeb Bush isn’t off limit.  Both of the Bushes were two of the worst President, right down there with Jimmy Carter.

I have to say that Barbara Bush was probably the best first lady so far to date.  She didn’t try to control her husband like the others; especially Nancy Reagan.

She was a typical grandmother.  She was the kind of woman that you just got to admire.  She was always seen wearing a pearl necklace.  Thus the title of this blog.

The definition of a pearl is: any person like a pearl in beauty, value, etc.  Like the necklace that she always worn, she had that special value about her to admire.

As my mother would say, “she had such pretty white hair.”  She had a pearl like nature about her.

I was taught to respect my elders, and when it comes to someone like Barbara Bush, I have to admit it comes easy.  I think even my mother would had to admire her.

My mother had this rule when it came to picking up strangers.  She would usually pick up people she knows or if they happened to be an elderly lady and sometimes elderly gentlemen; but not as much.

I would say that Barbara Bush reminds me of my grandmother, Annie Heger, that type of personality.  My grandmother always will have a special place in my heart.  She helped raised me as my mother was a single mother, sometimes working 2-3 jobs to keep me fed and clothes.  My grandmother loved all her grandkids, some probably more than others.  Whenever I wanted something, all I needed to do was point to it and she would get it for me.  There was times, she would feed the squirrels while I watch.

One of my last memory of my grandmother was the time we were out walking either coming back from Northport or going.  She was run down and so we stopped by the side of the road in Fargo.  Soon someone stop to check on us and pick us up.  Shortly after, we were at the old Dakota Hospital, just before my grandmother passed away.

So you see, I can sympathized with Barbara Bush’s grandkids.

My grandmother also had pretty white hair like Barbara Bush.  My Aunt Rosella was a duplicate picture of my grandmother.  Even toward the end of my mother’s life, she started looking like my grandmother.

So these are the reasons I cannot say anything bad about Barbara Bush and will not talk bad about her.

It just makes a person wonder, how can someone with such sweet nature wind up with someone who is total opposite.  George Herbert Walker Bush was the worst president alongside his son, George W. Bush.  They both are down there with Jimmy Carter.  They didn’t finished the job when it came with the war with Iraq and it wasn’t handle right in the first place.

I never really knew my grandfather.  From the stories I was told, he wasn’t so nice.  He was abusive to my grandmother and to all the kids.

My grandmother was a pearl of a lady herself.  To some people who met my mother, they would say that she too was a pearl.

Whereas my grandfather and step-dad was a lump of coal that didn’t get polished enough to become a diamond in the rough.

A person may wonder what forever for to stay married to someone who is still a lump of coal.  Maybe that was why my grandmother and my mother was considered to be a pearl.  They had beauty and value in them to make them special enough to stand by their man.

Maybe that is why Barbara Bush was a pearl of a lady herself.  Not because she wore the pearl necklace.  She had such a good nature about herself.  She wasn’t after the power like the others first lady.  She was just willing to sit back and be a loving grandmother, mother and supporting  husband.  Even when her husband and children left something to be desired.

I believe that Barbara Bush is up in heaven watching over us all.  She got her angel wings along with her pearls.

As you know about a year and half ago, the star who played Mrs. Brady on the Brady Bunch, Florence Henderson had passed away.  She died about the same time as I started writing my blogs.  She was the top TV mothers of all time.  Everybody loved her!

When the Brady Bunch went off the air, the kids on the show still came to her for advice.

Other TV mothers that also ranks:  June Lockhart from Lassie, Shirley Jones from the Partridge Family, Karen Grassel from Little House on the Prairie. The list goes on.

Shirley Jones ranks high behind Florence Henderson.  She was a single mother raising a musical family.  The Partridge family was created with her in mind.  It was her that brought the producers to her step-son, David Cassidy.

Like Florence Henderson, Shirley Jones had good relationship with her TV kids.  Her TV kids and her own real sons were very close.  Of course, since David Cassidy was her step-son, that bond was even more.

I’m not writing about Florence Henderson or Shirley Jones or any other TV mothers.  I’m writing to state what you see on television is only make believe.

I have to admit I grew up on the Brady Bunch and the Partridge Family.  I would imagine my family to be like the Brady Bunch; as a coping mechanism to my childhood.

No problems is solved within a half hour.  It takes a long time.

You can love these TV mothers; but they are nothing like your own mothers.

The stars who portrayed them  had their shares of problems, just like real mothers.  Child stars on these television show had their shares of problems as well.

It wasn’t until the ’80’s when TV mothers started depicting real mothers or close to real mothers.  Roseanne really got attack because she depicts the true dysfunctional family.  Even Married with Children, was the first show on Fox network that depict a true dysfunctional family.  Both shows were criticized for it too.  Now days that’s the norm for family sitcoms.

Today is Mother’s Day.  Once again I want to honor our mothers.  Mothers doesn’t have it easy.  They all come comes in different forms.  There are working mothers, single mothers, mothers that try to do the right things with kids.

Sometimes mothers have to be both fathers and mothers.  They cook, clean, teach, and nurse their children.  They wipe the tears from their children’s eyes and clean their bruises.  They try to be their all to their kids.

My mother may be gone but her spirit lives on.

A mother loves their kids unconditionally; like God loves us.

There is no such thing as a perfect mother.  No one is perfect; except Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 31:10-28 tells you about the perfect mother or close to it.  I will paraphrase it for you.  A mother is of noble character; who is far worth more than rubies.  She gets up while it’s still dark; to provides food for her family.  She speaks with wisdom.  She watches over her affairs of her household.  Her children arise and call her blessed.

My mother was a strong independent woman. She was a Feminist that truly loved her family.  Us kids meant the world to her.  Just like her grandkids meant the world to her.  When us kids or her grandkids hurt, my mother also hurt.  She at times put her family above her own health.

I’m not going into my own family history of my dysfunctional family.  It’s not about me.  This is about mothers.  All I will say,  my family was nothing like the Brady Bunch that I imagine it to be.  We had our shares of problems, like any family.  Some more than others.

Maybe one of these times I may or may not share my story.

God bless the mothers out there.  Young, old, living, and dead.