GOD FORSAKEN ILLINOIS

Also, I had one of my best days ever on the 28th and my most angry episode ever about the stupidity of politics obviously today and no, I do not want to take medication for it because I thought it was fun. And now you know why they call me MAD DOG. 

Fortunately, My adorable neighbor will be gone for 2 days and Wednesday will be over Wednesday. You have to be a Tim Burton fan to understand the reference.Also, I had one of my best days ever on the 28th and my most angry episode ever about the stupidity of politics obviously today and no, I do not want to take medication for it because I thought it was fun. And now you know why they call me MAD DOG. 

Fortunately, My adorable neighbor will be gone for 2 days and Wednesday will be over Wednesday. You have to be a Tim Burton fan to understand the reference. Final text to my oldest daughter today. She'll be back from visiting my one-year-old great-grandson which is her grandson and they are in the god forsaken the state of Illinois and I am in The promise Land oh Plymouth, Indiana. Later Gators.

YESTERDAY? BEST. DAY. EVER.

Friday, August 29th, 2025 

Several close friends and perhaps I should call them wingmen, although to clarify, at least one and possibly two or even if I include my neighbors several are doing wonderfully well. 

I am not advising my divorced son-in-law about his decisions other than I reserved the right to harass him ever so lightly about health issues and I did also previously reserve the right to remind him of his obligations to my daughter. But I was greatly concerned about his mental health and happiness and let's face it, divorce is not good for happiness. I have quit trying to micromanage the world including my family and I've just stepped back and let God step in. 

So I would like to report that of recent days he has found a woman that greatly appreciates him. I won't go into details but I am very very happy that he's very very happy. 

I also have two Wing men although I have let you know that I don't always consider a close friend that's a woman to be a wing woman, for it's not poetical enough and I am above all a poet. 

In fact, I'm beginning to see that this whole little neighborhood is my wingmen.

To shorten the story, I will mention that today was my debut into the neighborhood. I took my electric chariot which works out best for my lymphedema feet because if it rains I have my feet off the ground. So today on potluck day I started planning early by scouting out the facilities making sure that I could sit someplace that I could be comfortable with the electric wheelchair not wheelchair scooter. 

One of my neighbors when I first got here was in a feud with my adorable neighbor. Of course I was concerned. And a group of people ladies that I met early seem to be bitter and wanting to gossip about everybody including some of my new friends? 

But I forged ahead made plans and headed over with my contribution to the potluck and as I said it was the best day ever. The ones that had been enemies I found not because of me but because of just my desires and God's grace were now the best of friends. And because of a stupid mistake on my part, leaving the screen door open, when my adorable friend got back from her excellent job interview that looks like it's designed in heaven for her, a real job with real money, she came over and met my neighbor one of my friends because the cat which is like their child was outside one of the doors meowing. I was having a great time with my new circle of Friends whom I was shocked we're getting along so famously and I got a phone call from my adorable wingman and she wouldn't let me go until she came over and talked to me about the cat. When she came in to a place that she has never has been before, I discover that without my assistance and perhaps just my catalytic presence in the neighborhood that all of these Palestinian nation and Jewish Nation were now the best of friends. And I didn't do anything about it. Sometimes you just need to let go and let God.

MAY 28TH, THURSDAY, CONTINUED

As I experiment with how to do my daily journal if necessary I've been vacillating between using my very efficient secretary, a Google pixel 6. My limitations since I no longer can type necessitate that I slow way down but then I received that word from management quite a while ago even before Mary's death. It was Tai chi and that's on my X account. 

What is a extremely evident is that some scriptures that I love are accurate. Somewhere it says God delights in giving us the desires of our heart. 

As I grow older, and I'm now 77, I am almost flabbergasted I just how much God has done for me both through my prayers and my desires. 

Today two of my teammates, one of them a young and godly adorable neighbor who is severely disabled through a car accident is applying for the perfect job for she is extremely fashionable and she's going in today to apply as a very fashionable dress shop. The other teammate who has drawn some criticism because he's a loud boisterous and recovering alcoholic and for the last two or three weeks he hasn't had a drink and believe me I know when he's off the wagon. He and I and his very godly girlfriend neighbor will meet me at the potluck today and I'm all prepared. It's kind of my debut back into society because of my loud laughter which embarrasses some people and so I have spent a lifetime with wonderful bosses who have done a fantastic job of hiding me in either a small Church or a youth pastor position or on the night shift in secular work. 

Mad dogs rule number one is never wear out your welcome. So this post is getting a little lengthy but at least I think I've got the commas in the right place so that I don't offend the English majors which seem to flock around me but continually try to improve me anyway. And now you know why they call me MAD DOG. 

HOW TO TRAIN A CHILD. DUH.

Just finished having a whirlwind conversation with my oldest daughter when we discuss openly about politics and never have or always have so anyway she's telling me now about Dr Dobson's death in about all the trauma that that caused which I agree I was upset at Dr Dobson when he took away beef towel from McDonald's fries and I never did forgive him plus I had another run in well I didn't when my brother did when he is gay son who was making an effort to act like a Christian was in the modern music and he was so hardcore for the old hymns that he traumatized my family but I could forgive him for that because he you know help me in some ways but I also disagreed with his policy on disciplining children and I found my own way simply by searching the scriptures and I had a different take on of it I did not use military training on my children. Duh. I told them in an emergency if I had an order I wanted them to go ahead and do it first and practice on it just so they would be used to it so that when safety came they would automatically respond and then they could come back afterwards and after they completed the task and just like the disciples ask as many questions as they want and I don't understand why in the world so many of the evangelicals get this issue upset Jesus allowed his disciples to ask any question. So that was one the other thing that I mentioned was that there's two types of discipline that you apply to a Vine and of course that's talking about training I'll buying training not in the sense of military training but training a vine and the Proverbs specifically mentions train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is older he he or she will not depart from it and the way that I interpreted that and I think my kids turned out pretty good was that the training was like a Vine now sometimes you have too many shoots and sometimes you have to sniff snip them off but other times you just let the shoot grow but you use don't use wire use cloth to gently bend that child to your direction gentle pressure so that they know and don't give up and so now my children are free thinkers one's divorced that's a free thinker and she knew I wasn't pleased with it but you know I'm not her boss and we don't have a contract and so she divorced her husband and I'm still great friends with her ex-husband so you know but I can't talk about it with her I have to let my oldest daughter who understands me pretty well but she can be kind of bossy at times and I told her when I'm in my cave and you're shutting me up I take that personally and that's one reason also why don't make a good coach anyway now you've heard me ramble on about my oldest daughter who my very proud of both of my children I homeschooled my children but I didn't I didn't use any method because nobody understood what I was trying to do so anyway what I did with her daughters is that on safety rules and I did this even with the puppy dog that I had as I made safety rules there were like a game and I taught them the game of free is when they were still toddlers and so I would teach them freeze and they would freeze and then that was a great thing when you come up to cross it and then when we cross the street I didn't have them on halters I had them trained like you do a dog and you have you point to the floor and the dog will follow that across the street and then when you're across the street you'd lift your hand up and that means I can go burn around on the grass just stay off of the road and I did the same thing with my children and we played the game of free so I called that otter training make it a game otters do everything like a game or beavers as far as that goes beavers and otters are two smartest groups of animals I know. Yeah that's enough of me rambling on. I'm going to make this post separate on the shepherd's journal and then maybe if I get time I'll put it on the shepherd's journal on sub stack too. And no I'm not going to do a lot of editing you don't like my English editing then you can move in and sign up to do it or I'll send it to you my daughter does that for law offices and boy is she a pain in the ass on that.

AUGUST 2025

Friday, August 22nd, 2025, 725 a.m. . Well that was redundant. I seem to be moving towards a split sleep which I can't actually measure just yet because I haven't been able to total up the hours. I just know I'm really enjoying my new schedule with doing a lot more blogging. I have multiple blogs that are starting to pick up in views, but my most viewed account is Facebook which is approaching 2500 friends and followers and only a small portion is in the USA although it lists how's USA because that's where Facebook sites have the strongest pool but Facebook tells me that my biggest audience three to four times the size of my American audience is Bangladesh and India is also as large or larger. Sometime when I have more time I'll go through and explain why I never got censored on Long spot blogspot silly secretary. This morning I've already texted a nice long text to my youngest daughter who is working in the Renville oh sorry Marshall County and technically it's Marshall Stark County two counties Center where she teaches a preschool using her massive musical talent, which of course she inherited for me from me silly AI, to teach a large group of Spanish speaking children because we have a large influx of spanish-speaking people in this area which includes Notre Dame South bend and beyond and also my home stomping ground of Gary Indiana. And now you know the rest of the story. Good day. Did I sound like Paul Harvey?

Thursday, August 21st, 2025.

Just because I'm not cheerful doesn't mean I'm not thankful and content. I have a good life and you guys, young friends, are a big part of that. Now it's time for me to make the best coffee in the world. No brag. Just fact. And yes, I have a Keurig coffee maker. Eat your heart out, Starbucks!

MAD DOG

August 20th, 2025

I am up at 7:14 a.m. getting ready to lay back down. What a wonderful day ahead.

Is it possible to be comforted even when I am grieving? My dear friend and former boss Phil Riley has suffered the loss of his brother and not too long ago his dear wife. Although God has comforted me greatly since the death of my second wife and I still grieve at times from Lynne's death, who was my first wife and a wonderful mother to my two awesome daughters, I am 77 and Phil is I believe 95 and we are both getting to the point where we have so many friends and loved ones in heaven that the pull of this earthly life, as fantastic as it is when you walk with God, is less than the pull of a heavenly life which gets stronger every year. 

The words of Jesus comfort me. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. On a political note, I'll mention another beatitude. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. 

Later Gators.

I just read that Elon Musk, whom I believe is anointed by God to assist bringing the gospel to All Nations which is my project, is looking into supporting JD Vance for 2028. I don't mean to over spiritualize everything but you do remember me saying it's. All. Set. Up.

Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 

A note to my independent-minded daughter whom I trained to think independently and I have no problems with her disagreeing with me. It makes for some interesting discussions when she comes every other day to take care of my lymphedema on my left foot that has been mildly disabled. 

Giorgia is the Trump like prime minister of Italy. She is definitely anti open borders. Kind of reminds me of when Jill Biden looked adoringly at Trump at Jimmy Carter's funeral and everybody notices those things.

Both my daughters and my neighbor lady friend can't stand Trump partly because they have too high of the standard for fatherhood.. me. They think MAGA is a cult and my oldest daughter thinks that we would stick with Trump even if he murdered somebody. However, if they're going to hold that standard, they should have never voted for Hillary. Putin also fits in that category, which makes me wonder why people tolerate Hillary but react so vociferously against Putin. Later Gators.

In this picture, my daughter is on the right, next to my granddaughter during her wedding, which was officiated by my brother Ted next to his wife and my sister-in-law Julia.

Monday, August 18th, 2025 

On a personal note: my lymphedema in my left foot has not made any progress for several months and that limits me from wearing shoes or going outside in wet weather or prolonged walking. My discomfort level is moderate and very bearable and doesn't seem to affect my ebullient mood which I have to keep in check because I laugh loudly sometimes at improper times. My personality has not changed. When people are obviously stupid in front of me I laugh loudly or I also laugh loudly when I see something amazing or see something that I was expecting to happen such as the time I left when I saw somebody said something stupid in front of the boss and the boss before he knew me well assumed I was laughing at him. We got that all straightened out. 

To my new international friends, I am a DieHard gospel preacher with eclectic interests. I like technology, politics, world events, history, humor, and whatever you're interested in because I'm a shepherd and whatever my friends are interested in interests me. I don't have time for conversations but I am interested in what you're doing especially if you are preaching the gospel. I think that's enough for today. Pray for the peace of Israel. By the way the children of Abraham that God mentioned in Genesis 12 include peace loving Muslims or those from the Muslim tradition that also love Israel. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Blessed are the peacemakers!

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Peace is always possible, if a peacemaker is involved. God doesn't desire for any man to be destroyed, but desires that all would be saved. Only Satan seeks to destroy. The humble can always pray grace to rain on our lives. Abraham did plead with God, and God saved righteous Lot, but destroyed Sodom and Gomorra. God knows how to separate the righteous from the ungodly.

I have seen grace melt the heart of a most hardened man because his daughter, my wife, prayed for him. He had slipped into a coma from a self-inflicted wound. He had rejected the witnessing of a preacher friend while he was conscious, but my preacher friend persisted in visiting Walt after he went into a coma.  He was finally able to share the gospel to the now quiet Walt. As my preacher friend prayed the sinner's prayer to his comatose body, my preachers friend asked for a sign that my father in law believed, and Walt, my father n law, sat up and stared, then layed back down. My friend went through the sinners prayer again, and asked for another sign, and again,   Walt arose out of his coma, stared at my friend, then laid back down. He died soon after. I believe he was saved by the skin of his teeth, the smoke of hell on his garments, because my wife was pleading with God to save her adopted father.

Another true story comes to mind, of Chief Lone Eagle, a World Champion wrestler who gave his heart to God. He went back on his commitment, but then his wife came down with cancer. He renewed his commitment, and miraculously, his wife's cancer went into remission. I was with my Dad when Dad convinced him to pour all his liquor down the drain.

His testimony was in demand, and he travelled to different churches in full dress, white deer-hide outfit and full eagle feather headdress. He was an authentic Chief. He sang a verse or two of I Come to the Garden Alone. I accompanied him on the piano. 

I heard later that he went back to drinking again. Chief was working on the huge dike that processed lake water for the Calumet area. I drove by it daily on my way to work.The forklift drivers were bustling to get the fresh cement out to the end of the dike. Chief was working as a laborer. The fork lift driver didn't see Chief. The fork lift went over the edge into 60 feet of murky water, pinning Chief to the bottom. A crane operator dropped a hook 60 feet down, hoping against hope to hook the fork lift. The hook was lifted, holding the forklift and clinging to it was the Chief.

Chief said he prayed while pinned to the bottom and surrendered his heart again to Jesus. Like Jonah, God heard him in the depths of that lake.

The next time I saw Chief he was sitting up front at a Zone Youth Revival. I was the pianist. Every time I marched to the piano, Chief would proudly proclaim, That's my boy! On Saturday the zone took up a food pounding and love offering for my family. Chief was up front in the crowd, beaming. I am convinced he held true to that final commitment.

LILY WEATHERFORD

Lily has crossed over Jordan as of last night. This will be a work in process. There is so much to be said about this amazing woman of God and the influence she had on the gospel music industry. As I get around to it I will continually add to this and I don't think I'll be done until I pass over. Jordan too. 

I had some friends introduce me to Lily and I almost wept with joy knowing the influence she had on my music. I know it sounds like bragging but I am an amazing musician and obviously part of that has to do with her. Later Gators.

OCTOBER THE 7TH VERSUS THE CONTRACT

Israel lost .012% of its population in one day. If the USA lost the same amount percentage-wise that would amount More than 1 million 600,000 in one day. The doctrine of anti-Semitism is a spawn of Satan himself who hates God's plan and God's creation. The reason why he is still active is the same reason why the Jews and Israel are still alive. God made a covenant or as we would like to think of it in modern English, a contract. God the Father made a contract with Lucifer and Lucifer accepted the responsibility of supervising humanity. That contract expires soon and may actually be shortened a little bit so that Satan can't accomplish his goal of stirring up humanity into destroying itself. To be continued. 

THIS SOUNDS LIKE BRAGGING

Since I am bipartisan and I think that might have the Lord's blessing, may I comment on the increasing frequency of the 8 to 0 supreme Court votes. What's up with the 9th one? Is that the numbnuts that couldn't define a woman so she's abstaining? Anyway, back to bipartisanship, it's looking more and more hopeful for bipartisanship to be openly expressed. As I have said before, it's already hyperactive in the tunnels underneath because I have seen first hand the combination of businesses and government guidance the last count I had of hospice businesses in my area is 31. There's also a broad name of home nursing. Of course it's heavily regulated and everybody has to cross their t's and Dot their eyes but it's working. Who knew that could happen? Actually I did but that sounds like bragging so I won't say it. Later Gators.

WEEK THREE, JUNE, 2025

Wednesday. 702 a.m. 

The clarification of what I am going to continue doing continues. The cat is stretched out on the bed next to me purring like a diesel motor. My next item of business is another bowl of raisin Bran with extra raisins, heavy cream, and maybe a dash of yogurt. In keto world this would be called a fat bomb. 

Speaking of bombs, the latest episode of the very dangerous and explosive story is the unfolding of the Israeli Iran conflict. 

The Bible says or maybe I should say like Billy Graham my Bible says there shall be wars and rumors of wars. This definitely is not a rumor. I could give you a more detailed history since 1979 but I'd really like to go eat breakfast so I will have to excuse myself by saying.. later Gators.

THE AYATOLLAHS VERSUS THE CHRISTIANS AND JEWS AND PEACEFUL MUSLIMS.

I am a deep diver into definitions, which would explain my evolution since the years of 2000 as I finished up my ministry at FAMILY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP. 

I have been married twice, widowed twice, ordained twice, and of my own free will and volition decided to go independent for personal family reasons and no animosity whatsoever between me and the lovely denominations that I pastored. 

I began publishing short sermons due to pressing personal responsibilities since both of my wives suffered long lingering illnesses and my first wife was my constant support even to the end as my wife and even my secretary. 

Which brings us to our current very current and very interesting political news. 

Our current president is trying to peel the ayatollahs away from their grand ambition of destroying Israel with a nuclear bomb. 

My current research project shows that this ambitious project and war is between president Trump, Israeli leader netanyahu, and a gang of criminal thugs that claim to be the religious leaders of Iran. 

Our current president has dealt with criminal gangs all his life best illustrated by building towers and Parks in the very corrupt and violent natured New York City then stepping up to the plate with a very corrupt and criminally based United States of America. 

Sometimes I am a very accurate guesser starting with a 90% average in high school and sometimes frighteningly accurate in particular situations. 

I have great grace pressing down on me that restricts me from doing some things that other people are allowed to do. One of them is that I am not allowed to wager any money on bets. 

But my investment predictions are so far 100% to the third or fourth decimal place, but I must warn you I am 77 years old and past performance cannot guarantee future outcomes. 

In other words I have no idea just what the outcome of this war will be but I am comforted by God's word actually direct from the mouth of Jesus. 

You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars but don't allow yourself to be troubled by this for the end is not yet. This gospel must be preached unto all nations and then shall the end come. 

JIT Just In Time Wisdom

I was scrolling through my drafts and found this one that I could finish rather quickly that I first started on in 2014. Wow. You're welcome America.

When I first became passionate about the Word of God, Solomon was my favorite character to study.
Later in life, (unfortunately MUCH LATER!) I began to see the danger of classroom wisdom.
Classroom wisdom is the wisdom acquired in large doses before it's applied.
The danger for me is pride. Much of the resistance I had in my younger years in the ministry was from people who sensed a deep streak of pride in me.
God had given me a very large dose of wisdom (all the glory goes to Him!) on how to raise my family in the fear of the Lord. The casualty rate of "preacher's kids" or PKs is high. It broke my heart to think that my children could lose their souls in a fiery hell because I had chosen the ambition of preaching the gospel.
God's gracious answer to my pleas for wisdom later resulted in the same trap that Solomon fell into as the result of his great wisdom, the trap of pride! (By the way, all my children, grandchildren, son in laws, to this point, are born again, serving God, and all make me rejoice!)
Much later in life, I began to yearn for grace, supernatural, overflowing grace that could change hearts and lives without the massive human intervention that seemed to be necessary for deliverance nowadays. Grace came from humility, but wisdom resulted in pride. Yet without wisdom or true knowledge, we, God's people, PERISH!
That's when God revealed to me the concept of JIT (just in time) wisdom. Let me illustrate.
I was involved in manufacturing spark plug wires for 20 years. Our raw materials were fiberglass, kevlar, copper wire, silicone, plastic, ink.
It is NOT good when it was time to make wire and no raw mateials were there. But it is almost as bad if we had an abundance of raw materials, for raw materials had to be purchased and stored at a hefty expense.
The ideal situation ws when we could arrange for our suppliers to ship us what we needed just in time, hence the acronym JIT.
I needed wisdom, but I had to trust that God would deliver the wisdom just in time. Since God's goal as well as mine was for me to attain humility, God had no intentions of making me flawless. Part of God's strategy is for us to fail every so often so that we can learn.
God's strength is perfected in our weakness. His Wisdom is perfected in our ignorance.
 Education often creates as many problems as it solves. Walking with God keeps us humbly informed, not arrogantly educated.
When I entered the dating world very late in life, God made it abundantly clear that I would make some embarrassing mistakes. My daughters can say a very hearty amen to the fact that I made mistakes! I had some very important lessons to learn.
I had determined that internet dating was dangerous and foolish! No wise Christian should meet their potential mates on the internet. WRONG!
Now I am happily, joyously married to a godly, passionate woman who is a delight to me 24/7. We met on the internet.
God is VERY good at JIT. Elijah was fed daily by ravens. Later, on a daily basis, the widow's cruises will filled daily or JIT. The Hebrew children collected manna daily. JIT!
Just when the wine ran out, Jesus had more brought in, miraculously made out of water, JIT! When the crowd was hungry, they were fed with the miraculous fish and loaves, J - I - T!!!
Don't forget the upper room, or the colt for the triumphal entry, or the gold coin found in the fishes mouth, all of them miraculously produced JIT!
When it comes to wisdom, we want to be fully informed before we start out on an adventure, and we stay in the waiting room of fear. We have itching ears, looking for the perfect teacher, mumbling and whining about the flawed pastor we have, distressing our pastor and angering God. We all LONG to be teachers, contrary to the wisdom of James, who said not make teaching our main goal, but instead our goal should be to introduce our charges to THE TEACHER!
Step out in faith! Let the adventure begin! Don't wait for a road map! Start walking with the MAPMAKER!
He'll furnish what you need, including and especially wisdom, just in time!

Blame! One Word Sermons

Introduction to this one word sermon which used to be my specialty appears to be written obviously before things have started to settle down just a little bit although they still look pretty wild and the sermon still applies. You're welcome, America

God was walking through the garden. Adam and Eve were hiding. They had sinned, missed the mark, disobeyed, and did the one and the ONLY thing God had instructed them and warned them NOT to do. Eat of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. They were in a hurry to grow up. So they both ate and death entered into the story. Is this the end of the story? 

Not yet. Guilt came hammering down in their newly awakened hearts like a mechanical pile driver. Overwhelmed by this new experience of guilt, shame, and fear, they realized they were naked and quickly innovated  sewing fig leaves together to cover themselves. When they heard the sound of their heavenly Father strolling the Garden, their pile driver guilt hammered their heart again, and in terror, they hid.

I'll cut to the chase on this compelling saga. What happened next is still echoing the halls of cicilation millineau later. BLAME! Blame. blame

The man said The Woman Whom THOU gavest me, SHE gave to eat. The woman The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. The serpemt mumbled under his breath, I thought these clowns You created would mess up.

See how this all supposed falls back on God. Hmmm.

Civilization is still blaming God... for everything! Imperfect Churches. Flawed pastor. Hypocritical leaders. Double minded men in a hurry to get ahead. Silly or angry or lonely women. Troubled, destructive  children. 

Every where people are lifting the middle finger up to a supposedly distant God. Ungrateful when things are going right, they are nervously worrying, waiting for things to go bad, letting fear suck the joy out of their lives.

This is both a sermon and a confession. The mistakes that I list are also my confession for I too have blamed others and also God for my mistakes and my failures.  

Now our political arena is so heated  that it appears like it will explode. Each side blames the other for the slowness of progress out of the morass of problems we have found ourselves in. Rising violence and prices, eroding values.

Stay tuned.  We'll continue later.