America’s inner spirit has been domesticated by a new culture that rejects excellence and embrace victimhood, leaving a deep cultural vacuum. The solution isn’t to simply complain about it. It’s to revive a new cultural movement in America that puts excellence first again.

This blog is off the book, “Nation of Victims,” by Vivek Ramaswamy. You may wonder about the title though. I remembered growing up my dad would say to my mother, “You’re raising candy asses.” I just feel that works for a title, as we are becoming a nation of CANDY ASSES. People are becoming overly sensitive at every little things you say or post on Facebook. Some will even say, “it’s not politically correct to say those things, you might offend somebody. Some of the great comedians would be canceled because they are too offensive like George Carlin and Bill Engvall. People can’t take jokes like they used to without being offended. You can’t call someone stupid when they do stupid things.

This is what George Orwell had in mind when he said that the best way to control minds in society was to control its language first. American culture seems to have been overtaken by a battle using language to exert social control.

Someday soon, Americans may think “equity” and “equality” mean the same thing, just 2 pleasant words for social justice, with only the vaguest memory that they somehow used to be different.

Progressives claim that racism was woven into America’s fabric since its inception. You think that America had gone past racism when we elected Obama as President as the first African American as President. But the opposite had happened though, the Obamas used racism as a calling card in every situation. They even created such program as DEI to avoid discriminating because of race.

The right way to make further progress as a country isn’t to eradicate every last remnant of racism at all costs, constructing ever-more elaborate linguistic purification rituals to do so. Rather, we should allow those final remnants to gradually atrophy to irrelevance. Ours is a culture riddled with contradictions, always trying to purify itself, so obsessed with its flaws that it can no longer recognize its own virtues. The dying civilization inhabiting the plains of North America, collapsing under the weight of its insecurities.

In the process of working hard to overcome our disadvantages, we gain not only glory, but character. United States began as a nation of underdogs.

Democracy was supposed to give them equal rights, capitalism was supposed to ensure equal opportunity for upward economic mobility, institutions like Christianity were supposed to instill them with the right values, and their own virtue was supposed to do the rest.

The Civil War torn the United States apart, and as we tried to rebuild ourselves, we fought a cultural battle over the cause of the conflict. The process helped forge us into the nation we are today, establishing our nation’s memory and articulating core principles of its identity.

There’s actually a lesson there: even the most critical thinkers have their blind spots, and race can easily be one of them.

Freethinkers tend to be canceled in every time, just for different reasons; the only way to avoid the trap is to avoid canceling people at all. Yet we seem to do just that in cancelling someone because we don’t like their viewpoints on life or their lifestyle choices.

Equal protection law had been about protecting victimized minorities, but the majority struck back and subtly protected itself from victimization too.

When the government burdens individuals on the basis of their membership in some group, the question is simply whether the nature of that group is relevant to the purpose the government is trying to achieve.

Critical Race Theory is a term that’s often used these days but seldom defined. They teach that in our schools to indoctrinate our kids.

The Republicans are losing the culture war, and it’s not just because liberals control the media, universities, Hollywood, or even business. The Republicans aren’t just losing to wokeness and its many victimhood narratives. They’re losing because they’ve adopted the tactics and principles of their opponents and, in doing so, stand for nothing but the pursuit of power. Democrats may have been the first to master telling tales of victimhood, but lately Republicans have decided to join them in spinning out stories of persecution. They sacrifice core principles for short-term political gain.

Liberals often say that conservatives voted for Trump as part of some white backlash against an increasingly diverse nation.

We should be proud of our strength in innovative, knowledge-based industries.

We have become victims of history, born too late, trapped in the middle of a decline ordained by forces we didn’t create.

Those on the Left sees math as being racist and sexist.

Young people are taught they shouldn’t view their feelings about racism or sexual assault as a way to get into college.

The pro-laziness movement launched by the Covid Pandemic to have the government to forgive student loans. Most of the younger generation don’t have the same work ethics as the older generation. They rather be on their smartphone than do actual work. What scares me, they will be taking care of us in our old age.

A big reason why President Trump and the Republicans won big in the last election was the Wokeness being taught in our schools turning our kids into victims.

At one time, the Democrats was the party for the Feminist Movement; not when asked to defined a woman, they cannot defined what a woman is. Instead they are more apt to represent the LGVTQ.

I’m entering into a sticky situation here; which I’ll explain later.

A lot of parents were upset about men playing against women in women’s sports and for entering the women’s locker room. Parents didn’t want men to walked into the girl’s locker room while their daughter was dressing. They felt and so do I feels it’s inappropriate to do so. If you say or do anything, you’re a homophobic.

This is where it becomes tricky for me. To get this straight, I have nothing against homosexual or a Transvestite. First of all, I have a cousin who is a homosexual. Secondly, I have a young friend, who opened my eyes to people who are transvestite. He likes to wear women’s clothes, he was molested as a child by his parents, and he is gay. I loved and accepted him just as he is. I even told him that he got to be himself, and not let the world dictate to him differently.

We must learn to accept one another without judgement. We should get a chance to know someone before judging them. I’m glad that Joey trusted me enough to opened up to me; so that I could get a chance to know him. He’s a beautiful young man with a big heart.

Those who have been abused as a child like I was, you don’t have to remain a victim. Even though, I was a victim of child sexual abuse, I don’t have to remain a victim. I’m a survivor.

Stop letting the world victimize you! One way bullies win over their victims is by keeping them as a victim. Just like the only way the Left win is by keeping us as a victim. By remaining a victim, they can control us better. Just like when an abuser win over the victims they do so by controlling us and keeping us as victims.

I remembered when I was going through counseling to deal with my sexual abuse, I had a so-called memory, in which my step-brother was giving me a bath; even though I was old enough to do so myself. When I relived that dream, I said no; but in reality that didn’t happened.

Are you a Candy Ass? In the words of Bob Newhart, “STOP IT!” Stop being a candy ass! Stop letting the world turn you into a victim. Stop letting the Left used their power to control you to keep you being a victim. Just say NO! We are not going to remain a victim anymore. Instead, we are a survivor and we will survive. We must stand up to the bullies in our lives who want to keep us as victims to control us.

Do we not simply care about the old people?

The COVID pandemic should be a wake up call for America. This nation wasn’t doing enough to care for the vulnerable older adults. There are reports that our seniors in nursing homes are being neglected and abused. They have suffered from isolation, depression, and abused.

It boggles my mind that there isn’t more outrage over this. What the heck? Why aren’t people responding and doing more for the elderly? Do we simply not care anymore?

Don’t they know that when older people thrive, everyone thrives?

It’s almost like the elderly are shunned and put away to die. They don’t want to be bothered by the elderly’s problems and illness. Bill Gates and Dr. Nazi Fauci was looking at ways to eliminate the elderly totally and eliminate the burden they bring about. They were doing sick experiments on orphans to eliminate the crisis of our elderly.

This reminds me of the old TV series, “Logan Run;” which was based upon an old movie of the same title. In the series, as they turned 30 years old, they are eliminated, just to ease the burden. Those who could would set out to escape before they are killed. They are pursued as they look for sanctuary city.

This is nature, not just human nature but animal nature as well. When animals become too old to lead, they typically face a decline in social status, reduced capabilities to forage or defend and may be ousted from their position by younger, stronger individuals. In hierarchical groups like wolf packs or lion prides, leaders are often challenged and replaced when their strength wanes.

It seems, we humans tend to do the same as the animal kingdom. We don’t want to deal with the burdens of the elderly and shuns them into isolation.

The United States do a lousy job in caring for our elderly. Countries that do better at carrying for the elderly are: Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Japan.

Sweden has excellent public health services, municipal funded home care, and focus on keeping seniors active in their communities.

Switzerland offers exceptional healthcare quality, high safety, and strong support for the elderly, allowing seniors to live comfortably at home.

The Netherland is known for specialized care, high accessibility to doctors, and strong support systems with many residents over 60.

Japan combines a high life expectancy with a strong cultural emphasis on filial piety, alongside advanced care programs like “Orange Plan” for dementia.

Norway features a top tier healthcare system, high pension coverage, and strong support for aging in place.

Yet in the United States, we do lousy job in caring for our elderly. Those who wasn’t able to put away extra money for retirement only has their social security to live on and that doesn’t last; as we are now living longer because of advance healthcare. A lot of them ended up working past retirement age because they cannot afford to retire. Even if you do happen to have extra money put away for retirement, that too can be lost due to the high cost of medical and nursing home care.

There was a reason why in the past, people had big families. By having big families, you not only guarantees helper living on the farm, but you also guarantee your children being able to take care of you as you become too old and unable to take care of yourself.

Now days, adult children are not able to take care of their elderly parents as well as themselves and their kids as well. Some may not want to because they sees them, as a burden or just don’t want them around as much, causing them to be shunned. I can understand this being raised in a dysfunctional family. I mean, I love my parents; but you can only tolerate so much of them before you need a break from them. Sometimes they can drive you crazy.

When they talked about the older Jews starving and freezing in the Ukraine, it just doesn’t happened there, it happens here in the United States as well. There are elderly people who are homeless here as well; even in Fargo, North Dakota. Fargo Housing isn’t as quick to help them find apartment and help. They are struggling to stay alive in homeless shelters and some are even living in hotels; which isn’t cheap by no mean.

The city of Fargo should be ashamed of themselves for this epidemic crisis. They rather build things they don’t need over providing proper homecare for the elderly who are homeless. Fargo Housing should be ashamed of themselves for not being as quick to help the elderly, and yes that includes me.

This reminds me back during World War 2 when Hitler and the Nazi was executing the Jews and putting them in concentration camp. The elderly and the weak were the first to be killed in the gas chambers because they were seen as being a burden and useless.

When I was younger, I have to admit that North Dakota had nothing to keep the younger generation in the state; and I was all for bringing high paying jobs into the state. Now that I’m older, I sees that the elderly in the state and especially in Fargo are being neglected and forgotten about.

As a teenager, I saw anyone 30 or older as being old. So I can understand why the younger generation doesn’t want anything to do with the elderly. To them, they see the elderly as being old, useless, and out of touch with society.

Don’t they realize that the elderly have a lot wisdom to share. We didn’t get old without being young and dumb at first. Don’t shut us out because you see us as being too old, useless, and out of touch with reality. Don’t shut us out because you are embarrass to be around us.

The elderly gained wisdom through hard living. They can teach the younger generation a thing or two. The elderly are shunned in the workplace and in churches as well. When you get too old to keep up, employers will find ways to let you go. They don’t realized that they have better work ethics than the younger generation.

The church looks for ways to attract the youths to church but forget about the elderly in the process.

United States should look at doing more for our elderly like the countries I mentioned earlier. The elderly shouldn’t be struggling and living on the streets because they are seen as a burden. We need better a better system to care for our elderly than what we have. The elderly worked hard and paid their share of taxes for it.

Why should the illegal immigrants get help faster than our elderly citizens?

May whoever read this be encourage to speak up for our elderly like me against our corrupt system.

This week blog was about caring for our elderly. Next week, we’ll be the flip side of this.

If you are reading this and is led to believe that something needs to be done to help us elderly people who are struggling. Please get involved by contacting your Congressman, Senators, or even your city council. It’s time an investigation is done to end the corruption that is in our government agency.

Do have bad habits that need to be broken? We all have some form of bad habits that need to be broken. In the book, “Atomic Habits,” we’ll take a look at easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones.

HABITS are automatic, repeated behaviors accounting for 40% of daily actions, structure by a cue, craving response, and reward. It can be anything from smoking, overeating, or whatever else. Some habits can be addictive and hard to break.

Just because you have bad habits, it doesn’t mean that you are a bad person or bad to the bone. Good peoples have bad habits that they need to break as well.

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change.

You learn these habits from your parents or childhood, good and bad habits. Throughout your life, you practice your habits and it grows on you. The longer you have them the harder they are to break. They are sunk in deep into our thinking process. It’s all about getting rid of your stinking thinking.

A habit is a routine or behavior that is performed regularly-and , in many cases, automatically. That you are doing it without even thinking you’re doing it.

No matter what the habit may be, we put pressure on ourselves to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will talk about. Like the song, “Let’s give them something to talk about.”

Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Unfortunately, the slow pace of transformation also makes it easy to let bad habits slide.

Habits are a double-edged sword. Bad habits can cut you down just as easily as good habits can build you up. This is one of the reasons why it is so hard to build habits that last. People make a few changes, fail to see a tangible result, and decide to stop. If you find yourself struggling to build a good habit or break a bad one, it is not because you lost your ability to improve. This is why many New Year’s Resolution is broken early in January if not by February. It becomes hard to break those habits that formed you.

It’s good to set goals for yourself; but not always easy to achieve. When I turned 50, and saw that I have an Uncle who lived to be 84 and an Aunt on my real father’s side who lived to be in her 90’s, I made a goal to changed my diet and start eating healthier. I was doing good for awhile and even lost around 50 pounds. Things happened that put a damper on that goal.

Why is it so easy to repeat bad habits and so hard to form good habits?

Habits are like exercise, meditation, journaling, and cooking are reasonable for a day or two and then become a hassle. Changing our habits is challenging for 2 reasons: 1.) we try to change the wrong thing and 2.) we try to change our habits in the wrong way.

We are not born with a preset beliefs. Every belief, including those about yourself is learned and conditioned through experience.

A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic. Like hearing things over and over again as a child that it becomes a part of you. Part of the way I am is because how I was raised and the what my step dad had drilled into our head.

Sometimes we crave certain habits like craving smoking, drinking, eating certain foods as chocolate, sweets, chips, even coffee. A person can even crave certain people to the point of them being a bad habit to break. You can’t just get them off your mind. They are not just in your mind but also in your heart as well. When that person isn’t around for some reason other then death, you cannot think straight. They are constantly in your thoughts and dreams. You miss that person so much you can’t think straight. You can’t get them off your mind. Your heart may be breaking because of it. I have someone like that in my life. I never thought it would happened that I would become attached to this person but it did.

Some people are able to break habits easily when they come to the Lord. I heard of stories of people who quit drinking cold turkey once they accepted the Lord. They were sanctified. I even heard someone being able to quit smoking because of people praying for them. So it can be do done in breaking bad habits; just that some habits are harder to break. I’m here to tell you that God is still working on my life. He’s helping me form good habits and get rid of bad habits. I’m a work in progress.

If you find yourself in needing help to break free from those bad habits, will you say with me, “Search me, O God, and know my heart today; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

If you prayed this prayer, seek help immediately either through a good Bible preaching church, getting involve with AA or other agency to help you fight your demons whatever it may, get counseling by a good qualified counselor. There is help for you to break those bad habits that is harmful to you.

What is your love song? Or as Thomas Rhett sang, “What is your Country Song?’

This Valentine’s Day we will discuss some songs that is part of someone love song.

As I said last year around this time, we all have a story to tell. We all have a love story to share. Well, we also have a love song.

Taylor Swift had a song out that says it best and that is, “Our Song.” What is our song? What song describes your relationship. What song was played at your wedding?

Sure Taylor Swift had written song after breaking up with someone and made them famous. When I had wrote song, I would write song about people I knew as well. I had written songs about old girlfriends as well. Songs such as: Dream Girls, She’s My Girl , and Queen of the World for example.

My folks, who was married for 40 years love song was “Rose Garden” by Lynn Anderson. I even wrote a blog on that for their anniversary. That song came out about the time they were married.

My folks also had another love song as well and it was, “Your Mama don’t dance and your daddy don’t rock and roll. For those who knew my parents, knew why that was also their song as well. My mother was a child of the 50’s growing up on rock and roll music. Whereas, my step-dad was more into slow dancing and waltz. They never did much dancing because of their different dancing style. I’m not saying they didn’t go dancing. There was a time they did go dancing. One time, they took me with them. My mother told me that an older black woman danced with me; which was my first time dancing with another woman that wasn’t my mother.

Most couples would dance to the song, “Put Your Head on My Shoulders,” not my folks though. It would have been good to see since my mother was quite a bit shorter than my step-dad.

There’s a love song that I really like and if I would had gotten married, I would have it played at my wedding. That song was, “The Wedding Song- There is Love.” I just loved that song.

Some may say that “The Dance” by Garth Brooks can be a wedding song as well.

The most popular love song played at weddings is Unchanged Melody. Other songs are Can’t help falling in Love, All of Me, At Last,

Elvis had a love song that he dedicated to his mother called, “Mama likes the Roses.” But how is that considered a love song for couples? As a rule: a man would marry a woman like their mother, while a woman would marry someone like their father.

This is about your personal love song not just the greatest love songs ever. That’s a whole different blog all together.

Everyone of us have a personal love song just like we all have a personal love story about the one we love. I shared last years some of my love stories last year.

What love song played at your wedding? What love song described your relationship with your significant other? May this Valentine’s Day, you reminisce about your love song in your relationship. If you want, go ahead and share it.

I knew about the love songs for my folks but not the love song not the love my mother had with my real father. Maybe because they had a special kind of love for each other. I cannot understand why though. Just like the song goes, “What Forever for?” That song could also described my folks. It could also be someone’s love song as well.

This is a short blog. Once again, what is your love song? Share it with your love ones and reminisce about it with them and your family and friends.

Are you being a good steward?

Are you doing your best work as a leader yet not making an impact?

Have you ever felt stuck, powerless to change your environment?

Do you feel too overwhelmed to enjoy life, unable to sort out the demands on your time?

Whether they realize it or not, children are stewards of things given by their parents: time, possessions, food, and more. It is the parents’ responsibility to help their children make wise decisions about how to use these resources-in other words, how to be good stewards of the gifts that have been given to them. It’s not the schools responsibility. If the parents leave it up to the schools, they will only indoctrinate their kids to the world’s way of thinking. That’s why it is vital that parents know what is being taught to their kids.

What makes an emotionally healthy leader? In this blog, I will be discussing how transforming your inner life to deeply transform your church, team, and the world around you to become a better leader and stewards. It starts with a transformed inner life.

Common wisdom in leadership practice is to delegate areas of weakness to those who have strong skills in that area.

But first, what comes to mind when you think of an emotionally unhealthy leader? Or perhaps a better question might be, who first comes to mind? Is it a boss, a staff member, or a colleague? Or perhaps you? How would you describe this person? Is it someone who is chronically angry, controlling, aggressive? Or perhaps someone who is avoidant, inauthentic, passive? While emotionally unhealthy leadership expresses itself in all these ways and many more, the foundational definition of an emotionally unhealthy leader is perhaps both simpler and more multifaceted than you might expects. The emotionally unhealthy leader is someone who operates in a continuous state of emotional and spiritual deficit, lacking emotional maturity and a being with God sufficient to sustain their doing for God.

I have worked with some emotionally unhealthy leaders who are impossible to work with. They cannot keep the help happy and many ended up quitting. These type wondered why they cannot keep a full staff, and they don’t understand that they are the reasons. They think that it’s everyone else problems but theirs.

When we talk about emotionally unhealthy Christian leaders, we are referring to the emotional and spiritual deficits that impact every aspect of their lives. Emotional deficit are manifested primarily by a persuasive lack of awareness. Unhealthy leaders awareness of their feelings, their weaknesses and limits, how their past impacts their present, and how others experience them. They also lack the capacity and skill to enter deeply into the feelings and perspectives of others. They carry these immaturities with them into their teams and everything they do.

Emotionally unhealthy leaders tend to be unaware of what is going on inside of them. They ignore emotion related messages their body may send-fatigue, stress-induced, illness, weight gain, ulcers, headaches, or depression.

They do more activity for God than their relationship with God can sustain.

Emotionally unhealthy leaders do not practice Sabbath-a weekly, 24 hours period in which they cease all work and rest, delight in God’s gifts, and enjoy life with him.

How healthy is your leadership?

Every family has “commandments”- those unspoken rules about what is okay and what not okay to say or do.

It’s not a success unless it’s bigger and better.

What you do is more important than who you are.

Superficial spiritually is okay.

They believe not to rock the boat as long as the work gets done.

Leading a church, an organization, or a ministry that transforms the world requires more than the latest leadership strategies and techniques.

The first and most difficult task we face as leaders is to lead ourselves.

As leaders, we have the power to project our shadow and its effects on other people.

Each time you make a choice to face rather than ignore your shadow, you follow Jesus to the cross.

We must cultivate a strong desire to make visible the invisible-the love of Jesus for his church-in and through the love we have for our spouse. We then lead out of the overflow of this love. In other words, out of the giving and receiving of love in our relationship, we have extra give away love.

This means the first item on your leadership job description is to conduct your life in such a way that your demeanor and choices consistently demonstrated to others.

Do you have a passion for people?

How do we cultivate that passion in our leadership ability?

Most Christian leaders believe that the loudest message we preach to the world comes through our words, or perhaps our service to others.

In order to be a good steward of the limited resource that is you, it is vital that you discern the kinds of people, places, and activities that bring you joy.

We must practice hospitality regularly.

Loving union is not about managing your schedule better or simply not being busy. It is not so much about having a sustainable pace in life.

Do you have an open door policy? As Revelation 3:20 states, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” I had a manager who kept his office door closed and locked when he’s not there.

Does these experience speak to you: You cannot shake the pressure you feel from having too much to do. You’re always rushing. You are quick to fire off quick opinions and judgements. Are you often fearful of the future? Are you defensive and easily offended? Do you care what others think of you? Are you easily distracted?

Stewardship is what a man does after he says, “I believe.”

Being a good steward doesn’t just apply to the church but it also apply to your life, relationship with your spouse and family, what kind of leader you are on the job. Do people feel comfortable enough to come to you with whatever situation they are facing? Do you make them feel welcome? Are you approachable?

This is on being a good steward not stewardship. Stewardship is a whole different topic.

Once again, are you a good steward? Are you welcoming to others? Do others feel comfortable around you? Are you judgmental? Are you trustworthy?

Do you feel like your back is against the wall? Do you feel like the deck is stack against you? Do you want to know how to beat the odds?

Beating the odds requires shifting from a passive mindset to active, strategic, and resilient behavior. The 5 steps to beat the odds are: Know your numbers, follow doctor’s orders, move more, tweak what you eat, and quit smoking.

It is possible to beat the odds Beating the odds is a misnomer, because the odds are simply a ratio expressing the probability one outcome to another.

You just have to know the end already and live your life in faith as though you know the ending.

To defy the odds you must stay committed to your goals no matter what challenges may arise. Practice resilience and the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. Invite adversity and understand that things may not come easy.

As the song from Hee Haw, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I have no luck at all.”

Believe me, there are days I feel that way. I feel like it one step forward and 2 steps back. It seems like the deck is stack against me or people of low income and working class. It seems hard to get ahead in life. Sometimes your background can holds you back from getting ahead. It seems that money talks; and when you’re rich you have the upper hand in beating the odds.

This is not just about the rich and poor but life in general. Life is a gamble! Sometimes you win-sometimes you lose.

You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run. You got to know how to play the cards handed to you in life. You have to learn to pick your battle if you are to win in life and get ahead. There are some who will take advantage of you if you’re not careful.

There’s no fight you can’t fight. The battle is yours. It’s how you play the game that will determine if you will win or lose. It’s games people play to win in life.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed playing BINGO; even though I haven’t done it a long time. I even enjoyed going to the casino; but it been years since I have gone. I don’t have the gambling addiction that runs in my family. I remembered going to the casino with my mother early morning; which was the best time to go before they tightened the slot machine to make it tougher to win. I even remembered going with someone by renting a limo to Shooting Stars Casino. I didn’t win at the slot machine but won $100 in pull tab. If you go as a group, you can blow your winning very easily if you’re not careful. That is how the casino gets you. They are not about to lose money.

I even bought scratch-off tickets and Powerball tickets to try to win big. It’s not very easy to win the big Powerball. The odds are stack against you. It’s pure luck if you actually do win the Powerball. Those who do win knows how to beat the odds. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are approximately 1 in 292.2 million, an extremely long shot.

It would be nice that whoever does win the Powerball, actually does needs the money; but the odds are against them.

As you know this coming Sunday is the Super Bowl. This year it comes down to the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. People make predictions by playing the odds on who is going to win the Super Bowl. It’s a game of chance to pick the winner. It’s not how you win or lose but how you play the game. In the beginning of the season, no one had any idea who was going to be in the Super Bowl. Predictions were made though. The last few years, the Kansas City Chiefs were in the Super Bowl, and some was wondering how long can they keep up their winning streak

The last time the New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl, Tom Brady played for them. They even had a scandal involving deflated football, that some felt they cheated.

I’m routing for Seattle Seahawks to win, because if I don’t rout for them, I may never hear the last of it from my family out West in Washington State. I know that they are routing for the Seahawks to win. This is my pick for the Super Bowl. What’s yours?

It’s not about who win or lose but how you play the game that counts. If the cards seem to be stack against you and your back is against the wall. You can still turn it around just by knowing how to beat the odds. It doesn’t matter if you’re actually gambling or just in the game of life. I’m not a gambling man; but life is a gamble. You got to know how to play the game in life if you want to beat the odds.

You all heard someone say to save for a rainy day. Yet for some people it can be hard to put money away in saving. Those who are a little better off are more likely to be able to save money; but a majority of people finds it a little difficult to save.

There are 99 great ways to save. In these times, it pays to be frugal with your money. What products can you replicate at home for less? What is wisely bought secondhand? How can you squeeze $2 out of every $1 in grocery spending?

A smart shopper would looks for bargains when shopping. They even clipped coupons and look for ads. They will make a list and stick to it. You never grocery shop on an empty stomach either; otherwise you may buy what you don’t need. You even plan your menu for the week and plan on having leftovers as well. It’s cheaper to eat from home than go out and eat. I’m not saying you shouldn’t treat yourself once in a while though. If you set up a budget, you can once in a while treat yourself. Some may say to buy store brand products because they are cheaper. The truth is: they are not always cheaper. What they cut in cost, they also cut in flavor or things may not be as good as the original product. Cheap is cheap for a reason! It’s also cheaper to buy in bulk.

Don’t get me wrong, once in awhile I like to go to the coffee shop for a good cup of java. I mean who doesn’t.

It’s best to know something about cars before going to the mechanic. Some mechanic will try to take advantage of you and charge you more than what it actually would cost. They are more likely to take advantage of a woman if she doesn’t know much about cars.

When it comes to energy cost, there are some things I was taught while growing up. You must shut off lights you don’t need. Whenever my dad would see a light on in the kitchen, he would say, “do you need the light on?” If he sees water dripping from the faucet, he would say, “shut it off tightly. So to this day, I don’t have lights on in my home that I’m not using. If I’m watching tv, I usually watch it in the dark to save money on electric bill. This is because of the way I was raised.

Before we got the woodstove in our home growing up, we kept the heat down to around 68- 70 degrees and wears extra layers of clothes. Luckily, growing up computers weren’t around; otherwise my step-dad would had a cow because he would see them as a waste of money and electricity.

When it comes to your phones, look for a good phones plan to save you money. Before there was cell phones, there was landline. Back then, it was cheaper to call long distance in the evening or on the weekend.

How many people shop online? I have to admit since the Pandemic, I did a lot of shopping online. As you get older, it’s easier to shop online and have it delivered. Now there is door dash to have your food or coffee delivered as well.

When I was younger, a person didn’t need cable to watch tv. Now with all the junk in the air, you have to get cable to watch tv. Yet you can watch tv the old fashion way by installing an antenna and just get the basic channels.

Now days things are not made to last forever-they are made to buy. How to make things last is the key to saving money. You can double bag your bread and toss it in the freezer. Then take out a slice or 2 and put it in the toaster on the lightest setting to defrost. If you can sew, you can save money on buying new clothes, because things happen like zippers break or tears in the clothes. It’s nothing wrong with boys taking home economic in high school. It teaches you the basic to help you save money. Yet, it seems they don’t teach the basic in home economics anymore. Just like, it doesn’t hurt girls to learn the basic in auto mechanic.

It’s alright to get free stuff. Not everything is free though.

When it comes for me to get a haircut, I don’t go to a beauty salon because it’s higher. Guys don’t need to spend a fortune on a haircut. I go to a barber college for my haircut.

It’s cheaper to buy from a thrift store clothes and furniture.

Want to save money on healthcare, eat healthier, stick to a diet and exercise. You don’t have to go to a gym to exercise, you can do it cheaper at home. The reason healthcare is so expensive is because of the junk we put into our body. Process food is cheaper than good healthy organic food. In the long run, you’ll pay for it with the high cost of medical care. Doctors and Pharmaceutical wouldn’t want you to know this though. They rather we eat unhealthy, that way we will be in needs of medical treatments.

Just like eating and buying good healthy foods such as organic without all the preservatives, is more expensive than junk food. The reason because there isn’t much of a demand for it as it should be. It’s called supply and demand. It’s better and cheaper to use home remedies than go to the doctors for medical treatments.

It’s not easy to save money for the poor working folks out there. Everything is so damn high. Even our taxes our high. A person have to work 2-3 jobs to make a living to pay their bills. They are living paycheck to paycheck. It’s hard to put money aside in saving, when you are just making enough to get buy. You can set up a budget but sometimes that’s hard to accomplish. It’s hard to save money for retirement. And you cannot depend on Social Security alone to make it. You need other source of retirement plan to subside your social security income. There are people who are just living on Social Security and it’s not easy for them. If you are lucky enough to get a job that offer a 401K, I advise you to take advantage of it.

When I happened to inherited money after my folks had passed away, I was advised to put some of my inheritance money into investments for retirement. My financial advisor advised me, when the time comes for me to retire, roll my 401K into my investments and live off the interest.

A person have to be careful when you do retire and happened to need round the clock care, because nursing home care will eats up your retirement money very quickly. I heard that Captain and Tennill ended up getting a divorce when the Captain was in need of nursing home care, to save some of their money. If it can happened to them, it can happen to anyone. We don’t just die, we could end up in a nursing home before we die. After my mother had a stroke and before she passed away, us kids suggested that her and dad get a divorce; otherwise the high cost of the nursing home could take the farm. Our family wasn’t rich financially but we had assets.

With the high cost of living, a person have to be very careful otherwise you could lose any money you have put away for retirement.

Just like when it rains it pours. Have you ever noticed that things seems to happened at once to drains your saving? If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

Like I saw a when Biden was President, “Johnny Cash and Bob Hope are gone-so there’s no cash and no hope.”

If you can save money to put aside for a rainy day or for your retirement, I advise you to do so. It’s not easy for the average person to do so. I’m glad that I had a retirement plan from Concordia that I was able to roll over into my job now; but there was a time, it just sat collecting interest because no one told me that I could roll it over when I was at Kmart. Just like, I’m thankful for the advised I got when I came into an inheritance to put money aside in an investment.

Don’t get me wrong, things are tough right now for me and the situation I’m in. I hope that this will help you. I hope that you don’t find yourself in the same boat as I’m in right now.

Have you noticed that those in powers do not want to let go of the power they have? They are consumed by the power they have over others.

Whenever someone comes around to disrupt that power they fight ever so hard to hold on to it. They care more about that power than anything else. They are so corrupted by power they have.

I was thinking that the reasons we have the problems we have in Washington is because those in Washington are consumed by power over the American people. They are consumed with greed and care less for the people they are serving. If anyone comes around to disrupt that they will stop at nothing to remain in power.

The established Republicans wanted George W. Bush over Elizabeth Dole. They were scared of her some reason. I ended up writing in her name in the 2000 election instead of voting for George W. Bush.

The Tea Party movement of the Republicans started under President George W. Bush to topple the established Republicans. They didn’t have the pull to do it until Donald Trump came along to give them the boost they needed.

In 2016, the Establishment wanted Jeb Bush as President, but the American people had other ideas. He polled very low in the polls during the primary of that year. Not only him but any established Republicans. The non-establishment fared way better during the primary, both Donald Trump and the Tea Party. People like Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Ben Carson. It goes to show that the American people was very much upset with our corrupt government.

This brought about a division within the Republicans.

Now a similar thing is happening in the Democrat party as well. We have the good moderate and the Progressive Democrats, led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Progressive is pushing their gender of Socialism onto the American people. They just don’t understand that Socialism is Communism.

Don’t get me wrong there are some who would remain loyal to the Democrats no matter what and you have to admire them for their loyalty. I don’t agree with their policy though.

With Donald Trump , not only did he gave the tea party the boost they needed but the Maga Republicans came out in full force. There now become less Rhino Republicans than there was before Trump. I just hope that the Republicans can hold their grounds long after President Trump is gone.

The Republicans doesn’t have the balls to stand up and remain strong. They depended on President Reagan and when he was done, they lost their way and fell back to the old way. When Newt Gingrich was speaker of the house under Bill Clinton, he too had some balls, but after he was done, they couldn’t carry through and fell back to their old ways. This scares me!

I think the reasons the Progressive Democrats fares better against the Established Democrats is because they are more powerful force to cause a division within the party. I don’t agree with their policy but I do admire that they have enough balls to fight for what they want. Their values doesn’t coincide with my value systems.

We wouldn’t have this division if there was term limits for our Congress and Senate. According to the Constitution set up by our forefathers, those in Washington are to serve their terms and go back home to deal with the mess they created. They have just got corrupted by the power they have.

This why they hate President Trump because he fighting against their corruption. They even are upset with Fetterman as well. Anyone who fight against those in power will fight back even harder to remain in power.

They don’t want term limits because they knows that it will take away their power they have over the American people. It’s now time that we vote for term limits for those in Congress and Senate. It will take away their power. If we only had term limits in the first place, we wouldn’t have this [problem.

Are you with me on this? If you are, press the like button and vote for term limits. Vote out the lifers in Washington. Send them the message that the American people is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

Have you noticed that the United States are not as united as we used to be? Do you ever wonder why there is so much hate in the world today?

If we were ever attacked again like we were back in September 11, 2001, would we be united again? I’m here to tell you, I don’t think we will. The world had changed a lot since then.

When terrorist attacked the United States, we all agreed and stood by each others. More people went to church to pray after the attack.

Where were you when the world when the world stop turning on that September day?

I’ll never forget where I was on that fateful day. I was getting ready for work at Concordia College when I saw on the news that the World Trade Center was bombed. I was in total shock. Then when I was at work, I could feel the tensions at Concordia College because of what happened. That evening, we were allowed to go to the chapel for prayer service. At that time, we were still united as a country.

I even remembered when I became a Republicans under President Reagan in 1984. I had a professor at NDSU named, Dr. Thomas Matchie who was a Democrat. We had respect for each other and he even became my advisor. There was no division because of political reasons. People accepted your political views and didn’t get mad and threatened to cancel you. Now days, you don’t see that on our college campuses. Instead, most colleges are liberals and would indoctrinate you if you don’t agree with them.

Some say that the division is because of President Trump. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. We were divided under President Obama as well. The only differences is the Left is more violent than the Republicans were under Obama. Don’t get me wrong, there were some who didn’t care for President Obama like there are some who don’t like President Trump. The Republicans were more peaceful; whereas the Democrats had lost their freaking mind and became more violent. They have lost their freaking mind. They seem to have Trump Derangement Syndrome(TDS)

Some may disagree with this because of what happened January 6, 2021, when they stormed the Capital. The truth is it wasn’t the Republicans who did it but the Left made it look like it was. President Trump told the people to peacefully march to the Capital; but someone misinterpret what was said and made it into the situation it became.

They hate President Trump so bad, that if he came up with a cure for cancer, those on the Left would say he’s racist for doing that. If President Trump was to saved a child from being eaten by a pack of wolves, they would accused him of starving the wolves.

I think the reason for us not being united is because of the start of social media; that social media is to blame for all this hatred and division.

Social media began in 1997, but didn’t become popularized until the early 2000s with Facebook in 2004.

Now social media is a way to be in contact with people all over the world. It also helped being in contact with anyone who we lost contact with. Social media started out as something good; but like anything, it blew up in people’s faces, creating a lot of hatred and tension in the world. It shouldn’t have done that but it did.

I heard that New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani wants us to forget about what happened on September 11, 2001. We’ll never forget that dreadful day and we shouldn’t forget either. Have you forgotten?

Social media was created for us to be in contact with others from the world and was meant for good.

It seems that our younger generations are becoming dumb down more because of social media. A lot of them don’t read very much anymore from a book to newspaper, to magazines. Reading skills for them is very low. They do poorly in schools.

Have you ever noticed that there is less face-to-face communication now days? When people get together, instead of actually talking with one another, they are on their cell phones texting instead.

When I was growing up our family sat down together as a family for a meal. You don’t see that much anymore. It’s just plain rude to be on the cell phones texting rather talking with someone in person.

Have you noticed more people are on their cell phones texting or looking at social media and not paying attention to their surroundings around them. They are either walking or driving and not paying attention. A lot of accidents are happening because of that. I don’t know about you, but that scares me to think that they will be taking care of the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals. Our canes will become our weapons; as we may be force to knock their phones out of their hands or even beat them with our cane.

There is even less respect for others especially the elderly because of social media and cell phones used.

I grew up in a big family with a lot of cousins. I may have been born as an only child, but I was lucky enough to have my cousins around me. Then when I was 6 years old I became the youngest of 7 kids, when I my mother married my step-dad. Family was important back then.

Have you noticed that family doesn’t get together like they used to anymore? There is a great divide in the family. Don’t get me wrong, some family may have issues , mine included; but at least we stuck together. Now days family are broken up because the stupidest thing like politics.

I remembered my mother would say, “there are 2 things you don’t discuss in family get together; politics and religions.”

It seems to be very true in todays world. Some people would choose not to get together with their family because of who they voted for. Even the Kennedy’s family are divided because some of them do not agree with Bobby Kennedy Jr. Rose Kennedy would rolled over in her grave if she knew this.

After my folks passed away, my family doesn’t get together very often for holidays like we used to. My mother was the glue that held us together. Even the Heger’s family doesn’t get together for get together like they used to. There are some family members that are avoided for some reasons from politics and such. The only time we can get together is at someone funeral and that’s sad and a little too late.

Some people get connected with others through social media to catch up, but they drift apart because of difference viewpoints. There is so much hate in the world today.

Social media was created to help us keep in contact with others; but somehow it brought about lots of divisions and hatred in the world. Social media was created to teach us not divide us. We need to learn to get along despite our difference point of views. Remember love wins! Let us stop the hate and learn to love and accept one another despite of our political views and differences. We are all God’s children. It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, or what color you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor.

If you agree with that social media is responsible for the division of society, I want to hear from you. If you agree that something needs to be done about that and get social media back on the right track that it was intended for; let us find a way to do just that. Can’t we all just get along like we used too. Remember love wins in the end.

Why do some people choose to believe lies over the truth? When they are confronted with the truth, they tend to not believe it.

It’s because as Jack Nichalson said in A Few Good Men, “You want the truth-you can’t handle the truth/” As I heard a lot growing up, the truths hurt. This is why, evangelist Dwight Thompson said the reason why so many preachers would sugarcoat the truth in their sermon. They are afraid of offending someone and that person would leave the church.

Believe me, so many people lately are easily offended by the truth; thus the reason for this politically correctness in today’s society.

This blog is somewhat taken from the book of the same title by M. Scott Peck, M.D. When I look at the title, I’m reminded of the movie, “Children of the Corn.” It was based upon the book by Stephen King.

In the movie, a young couple is trapped in a remote town where dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over the age of 18 must be killed.

I’m here to tell you that there is hope for healing human evil in the world today. There are hundreds of thousands who go to Christian churches every Sunday who are not the least bit willing to be displeasing to themselves, serenely or otherwise, and who are not, therefore, for Jesus, a pleasant place of shelter.

How many have been censored and fact check by Facebook over the truth you posted because they didn’t like it. They chose to shut you down instead.

They fact check anyone who posted information on Hunter Biden’s briefcase as being false. They fact check anyone who posted information on the Covid virus they didn’t like. They even fact check anyone who posted information on Covid vaccine and dared to call it what it is: poison.

They had censored Bobby Kennedy Jr over his book on Dr. Nazi Fauci, the virus and the vaccine. They even labeled him the antivaxxer. They fact check me but never came out and actually shut down my information on it.

If you ever read the book, “1984,” big brother did the same thing as our social media did.

It goes to show, those on the Left will shut you down if they happen not like what you posted. If you don’t agree with them, they would cancel and attack you. Roseanne was fired from her own show reboot because the Left who runs ABC didn’t like what she said. Yet, Whoopi Goldberg was able to stay on The View over her comments. All because the difference was Roseanne’s comment was something they didn’t like and Whoopi’s comment, they somehow like.

This is not something new either. This has been going on for years. Ever since the time when Jesus walked the earth. The Pharisees had Jesus Christ crucified because they didn’t like what he was saying. He was speaking the truth because he was the son of God.

President Lincoln was assassinated because he fought to free the slaves in the South due to the Civil War. At that time, the Democrats of the South didn’t want to free the slaves because they saw them as property.

I recently heard that Teddy Roosevelt was shot at because someone didn’t like what he was saying.

Both President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated because they went after the establishment. They wanted them stop. They even had someone killed the person who killed John F. Kennedy to keep him quiet; just so the truth wouldn’t come out.

Anyone who takes on the Establishment, the Establishment will do whatever it takes to shut them up.

When President Reagan was President, John HInkley shot at President Reagan and the excuse was he did it for actress Jody Foster out of love.

The Left and the Rhino Republicans didn’t like what Donald Trump was saying and were afraid of him, that they tried to stop him every step of the way ever since he first chose to run for President before 2016. They were afraid of the truth coming out. They created false narrative to discredit him.

Before he was elected, there was an attempt on Donald Trump’s life to try to stop him. Which they weren’t able to do, which I believe was because God sent his angel to watch over him.

Believe me, I was afraid that some nut job would try to kill both Donald Trump and Bobby Kennedy Jr, because they were afraid of the truth coming out.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated because he stood for truth with love. He didn’t preach hate like those on the Left tried to persuade the people.

Now there is Nick Shirley, who exposed the truth in this Minnesota scandal. I pray that no one would try to have him killed because he exposed the truth and brought it to the light. The Left is denying this whole thing from Tim Walz to Illhan Omar. I’m thankful for him in doing that.

One meaning of care is love. Be gentle and loving with yourself if you find what is written causing you pain. And please be gentle and loving with those neighbors you may come to understand as evil. Evil people are easy to hate, but remember Saint Augustine’s advice to hate the sin but love the sinner.”

We are to speak the truth with love. There are some who will not like it and may be offended by. It’s only because they prefer to be lied to instead of hearing the truth. It’s like the song, Lie to me.” They rather hear lies over the truth. That’s why they choose to believe the fake mainstream news media and the Democrats.

Pray also for me and my safety as I continue speaking out and speaking the truth to the world. My blog may be small now, but I too can have a target on my back as well, like Charlie Kirk, Nick Shirley, President Trump and Bobby Kennedy Jr. They didn’t like it when Elon Musk and DOGE did their investigation and discovered stolen money from the Democrats.