Church today was very good...

  The sermon was about what Christians are called to do... and away we go, for sure the gun carrying Christians aren't causing all those shooting on the news, but then I thought about them not presenting their case at a CNN discussion with the President either.  For to me, it will always come back to how much one loves the stranger, the other humans in view... no love and shooting gets very easy, and not ever for a good reason. Just lack of love.  And the gun community does its image no good by talking about how they are going to shoot someone when troubles come, they need to mention they are prepared to be the security of the free State... not that they want to shoot someone.

   The off to hold the Sunday School for the fifth graders and since the main topic was Jesus in control of the creation and the story of his being awakened by frightened fellows, and holding up his hand and commanding the storm and the sea "Be quiet!" and in the calm "Be still" the waves stopped rocking the boat... That can get the little ones' attention when done in the Drill Sergeant mode. Still they never give us enough to teach, and do, the children are fast. So we went out for a walk in the Sunshine, temperature 55 degrees, very nice.  We actually have a wetland south of the main church building, protected by a fence.
 
   I released them for their seaweed and rice soup, with kim chee.  And I sat down to talk to the retired Coast Guardsman, and discuss the football season or whatever.  I found Isaac coming by, he and his brother Caleb weren't wearing their ball caps. But Isaac dropped a plastic frog from his pocket, then we emptied his pockets, sharks, lizard, frogs all over the table, so I started having the frogs do flips.  Fun.

Surprising me, two young girls (third graders?) sat down with their meal and started talking and then included me in their conversation! What? They always speak in pace and pitch above my hearing ability, but they are fun, so I asked their names and we had discussions... did I know these girls? Nope, were they in any of the activities I have been part of with the children, Nope.  Here comes another younger girl with her coat over her head looking like she would trip and spill her tray and soup, she didn't but she sat down beside her sister, and she started talking to me, too.  Where did all this come from? My wife says I make a perfect grandfather or great uncle figure.

   One girl told me she had to move and live with her father, until "what's his name" moved out - now I am shocked, and I am wondering how to speak to adult stupidity to her, but figured after some more conversation that she was already working on it. Well, I did introduce my wife to the two sisters before we left the fellowship hall, figuring if they could use a great uncle they could also use a great aunt, they would call the elder lady 'imo' (which could mean mother's sister in Korean) or the word for grandmother since her hair is white.  Yes, a very good day at church today.

Take a 'never have' shooter to the range to hit the target, safely... and remember all you can't teach him yet...

   So I treat an older fellow, that has lots of opinions and talk and questions, to the trip to the range to fire a pistol, in this case my Browning Challenger II with the gold colored trigger, in 22LR. It is a pretty pistol.  Last night I had taken out the pistol and cut down the amount of stuff I thought I would need.  Like a 1911, a revolver, and another 22LR pistol by Ruger... because I realized this was just a one time deal, and I had more than a new shooter was prepared to find out about.

   Our relationship is more about old guys sweating at the gym and talking about old stuff and far away stuff and trying to be noticed.

   We got our basic exercise in and showered and dressed and then we went to Range 15 of JBLM, I paid and showed him the pistol, how it worked, and I was certainly happy that I went slow, since he didn't have any past firearm training.  But I would stand beside him, demonstrate, and then have him perform what I had just shown him... what seemed so natural to me, was all new to him. Since I was in the 'do it safely always' mode, I didn't get swept but there was one failure to clear the pistol properly. Which I caught, pointed out to him, and then corrected when it was safe to do so.

   We had an unexpected coyote on the two hundred yard line, right in front of the rifle shooters, one must have caught it and the line was closed down until it got off. The day was cool to colder, and by the final few magazine I needed heat and a nap.  All his rounds were on the target, but the little stuff I could only help him one technique at a time. So it took some time for trigger control, and such.  Only using one pistol was a fine idea.  I did get some shooting in, but the primary focus was on him and not me.  A good time.

   The rifle side of the range had a signup sheet for the ones that got there late, as we left the pistol side had the same thing, so there must have been many Christmas gifts getting a work out.

In the cold dreary days of Winter...

  I think the bears are correct, hibernate! Although they probably just get real fat and sleepy and waddle off to bed and birthing. I am reading more, and more, and more.... and not just on Facebook, which seldom has whole paragraphs of ponder. One of my friends has contemplated selling her current firearm of choice to buy another firearm of better choice -- I am old school, I just add one, won't sell but would give away what I no longer need and willing to share.  Which, under gun fool and gun goof guidelines makes me an outlaw... more or less.

  I have plans and intentions to be executed of taking an old fellow (ahead of me by a few years) to the range to shoot some pistols safely. He has memorized all the gun safety books I gave him to read and know weeks ago.  That will be one more fellow that understands more than he could with only the media and antigungoofs for references. Plus, I will get to shoot more and improve performance and take pictures.

  I have been shut off from the cable in this house. Seems I haven't provided enough systems to flood our minds, there are only two of us, and the lady of the house says I should have my own and not bother hers. So I have withdrawn from the regular television viewing room. And I don't turn it on, either. Just think of all the Presidential and wannabees that I will miss. Can you feel the grin on my face at that thought? The other thing I noticed is the lack of time and energy to get up and get something more to eat as I don't want to see the commercials.  Reading is great.

  Aside from the take a newbie to the range objectives, I had a call to convert the heathen and the lost of the World, but it is called the Gospel and I am figuring how to stay ahead of the children in Sunday School, watched them running around and playing in the snow in their playground on Sunday last. Don't know how badly the current governments are going to get the threat and protect the little ones, but I do know just watching my own life and journey - they are in for interesting times.

Sleepless... so get up, stop thinking about it...

  Only so many hours of rest required, and you have been living in a sitting position only exercising your eyes and mind... you don't need more sleep.  So you finally get up, since all your thinking was about how wonderful you are going to be today after you get up... like that will happen.

   So you go get your naked weight, take your blood pressure and your medications and supplements, then start working on the current bills with a hot cup of yesterday's coffee. Bill paying is fun, only two today. Post checks and charges in the Quicken software - just reinforcing the news noticed yesterday - during 2016 the mortgage will be paid off, since last years principal payments were more than the remaining principal I have permission to die off in 2017, my wife won't need me.

  Still very cold and dark outside, little things finished here, will wait for the Sun and read away some more time.

Well, 2016 - so Happy New Year! May God bless it greatly...

But, couldn't it have started on a Monday? Since it is Friday I had to get all the garbage out to the curb, started the dishwasher and colored laundry.  The frozen grass crunched beneath my shoes as I tracked around the yard, the cold clear sky had nothing flying in it, I looked.

I had intended to go shoot this morning, in honor of my reading of the document, but will look into shooting tomorrow at Range 15 of JBLM. I have bills to pay today, and mail, and the YMCA doesn't work without me, and since it is a New Year and we already have two documents for the 2015 tax filing, I expect I will owe nothing again.

Quiet celebration last night, finished off that bottle of wine, in the trash this morning, we didn't stay up until Hawaii celebrated the New Year, just too late. I sat and watched young people at the Space Needle, and complained that the director had too many cameras, had little idea of lasting (seven minute) fireworks against the downtown skyline, it could have been perfect, but they kept trying to catch something cool... and missing the moments, missing all the moments.

Don't y'all miss any moments there aren't enough for us as it is, smile more, share and see you next time on the range.

What do you want for Christmas? The regular, please.

  Gift giving is great upon the event celebrating real Holy days, it has never been for commerce, although there is a real effort to make sure the perfect gifts are given...

   What I seem to want and have for many years in the military, is: Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men.

   Ever remember that phrase from a prayer now banished by the godless 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven'? Banished from the public school system, I am sure some of you are still using it in your devotions and worship. Or are you like a fine Baptist and making it up every time you go to the LORD in prayer?

  Peace, children, peace... is that the cry of the Sunday School teacher with very noisy students? Or just the old veteran that has had enough wars to last several of his lifetimes - no one told him the nightmares last with all the REM sleep... forever.

  I read with interest two school administrators calling for their students to arm or not ever arm as a true Christian should... could... or maybe Christ would. What would I call for? Peace on earth, goodwill toward men... Would I train you how to use a firearm? Yes, and as I told someone asking 'Is it difficult to train soldiers to kill?' I answered: 'The difficult part is telling them when not to.' I would also make sure you knew that I expect you to avoid confrontation, not to be a target, and to preach the Gospel to the unbeliever trying to kill you, run at them shouting "Christ died for our sins, repent and be saved." Of course, you might die a new martyr on your way to sainthood, or save those behind you that aren't doing anything but waiting their turn as target.

  Having been where my government said I should go, and performing what my government and I thought I should in killing enemies of us'ns, I have long ago come to the conclusion that you can't kill anyone that God doesn't accept for death. Really, my Bible has a couple interesting references to returning to life in it. Human beings, Men, are not the Supreme Being, not even close -- but you should be trying to be holy. 

  I won't tell you that there is never a reason to kill another human being, I will tell you try not to unless you are doing it with and for love... but that is a whole 'nother sermon,  and I am not qualified. When I think about angels, I have always thought about the most beautiful angel, perfect in every way and crying. Why? Why, because he is the Angel of Death, and weeping with love as he destroys the life that God had blest for too short a time... but then God will reward the fallen in Heaven according to His Love and the truth.

  What do I want for Christmas? Peace on earth and God's will for men... forever. Amen
 

So what are we, or y'all afeared of?

  I am hearing that it is the terrorists, but there aren't that many of them, most of them die in suicide attacks and they don't really reproduce.  I am not afraid of them, although I am sure one should be prepared and aware of everyone and everything around while awake. A friend mentioned that he was going to start carrying concealed because he thought it was all coming apart. I am not afraid of the economy, although I haven't had work since five years and ten months ago, I am sure the economy has been artificially weakened by banking and government policies I am not afraid of that nor them.

   When one of the non-politicians found that he could stir up interest and the crowds by playing to their fool fears, he did so. The press ate that up, since they could tell Americans were angry about many things, but what most people are angry about is the terrible mess the government makes of their world, all for the benefit of hidden puppet masters or some concealed cause.  No one knows why they do it, but the serving politicians can't all be stupid, incompetent and traitorous... could they? Once they go to Washington, DC they completely have a brain reboot with some strange software.  Or something.

  The fear of the bad government has been floating much long than any other fear, and as the government got bigger and more intrusive, the greater the little guy's fear grew - of the government.  Kind of like taking a wolf cub home and raising it, and as it got bigger and badder it was like seeing a fine animal become the center of your focus because it was too big to ignore and decidedly dangerous if denied any of its desires.  In the end, what you and I want, is up to you and I, not the businesses that want our money, not the government that wants our attention and money and time, not anything but what we need and want and what we love and want to provide for others.  Don't need leaders to make me contribute just a cause worth my efforts.  Most folks not living in fear are like that... looking to make our world better.  Seems others are constantly fooling with good enough to get some elusive perfection... which will immediately not be a high enough goal when met.