Obama

I am no poitical whiz to say the least. What concerns me and is actually worrying me even more is the seemingly unawareness of the general U.S. population of who they are about to elect for president. It is becoming more and more clear that Obama has some serious background issues that portray his beliefs more clearly than the words he carefully speaks. But what is in the heart cannot help but flow off the tongue eventually. Obama's "spread the wealth" comment is very disturbing. When you combine the comment with his past dealings with questionable parties a true picture is finally being portrayed of who and what this guy really stands for. I honestly believe that he thinks taking from the rich and giving to the poor is the answer to our problem in America. Under an Obama presidency it seems to me that my best bet for the future is to lean towards being on the more poor side of life since it is unlikely that I will ever be rich. If I can reduce my income I can qualify for some of this wealth re-distribution. Why would I want to work hard to make more money if I can be better taken care of as a poor person under an Obama spread the wealth presidency? An Obama presidency pretty much plans to take from the wealthy to give new programs to the poor. Where is the motivation for the poor to better themselves? To get a job and have a career if they are taken care of better being poor?

One would think that in our great nation there would be people shouting form the rooftops the problem with Obama's theories. Is it because simply that he is a liberal that the mainstream media is so in love with him? I realize he has great oratory skills and is a people person who is great at speaking and motivating crowds. So was Hitler. I am not cmparing the two. I only see that Hitler was also a great public speaker and able to convince thousands of people that his way was the right way because of his oratory skills and the ability to inspire hundreds of thousands of people. Obama has the same ability to seemingly influence the masses. The problem is that I don't believe the masses are smart enough to see what this man is proposing.

The polls have me worried that Obama is going to be the next president. However, maybe my worres are unjustified. I honestly believe the polls are severly flawed. Who knows how manipulated they are? If they can make it look like a runaway victory for Obama how many McCain people just stay home and throw in the towel? Or will America's conservative right rise up for a big push at the polls because of what the polls say?

I used to say that after working in retail so long I was losing my faith in humanity itself after dealing with so many shall I say "challenged" people. Ok let me just go ahead and say it..... idiots. I am convinced we live among a great number of idiots. I am talking about people who simply have no clue to current events, basic common sense, etc. People that are swayed by whatever sounds good at the time. Kinda like the people who bought $300,000 homes with a mortgage payment of about ohhhh maybe $800 a month, totally oblivious to the terms of the loan meaning their payment could jump to $3000 per month under certain circumstances, etc.

I think we all want "change". We all agree W wasn't the answer for our multitude of problems. I am not saying McCain is, yet, I believe that he has a much better grip on what we need in the future than Obama.

As for foreign affairs again it is obvious Obama has not a clue as to the seriousness of the tensions we are living in. I don't think McCain is exactly Mr right either as I feel like he will be sort of like a sherrif with a big gun, but again, I feel he is a better choice than Obama. I would rather the the dictators and tyrannies of the world view us as a country with a president they don't want to mess aorund with than a country they want to test. I don't think they will feel the temptaion to "test" McCain. I think there is no doubt they will test Obama.

Ok now I feel better....

Asking why

I met three guys in Ft Smith three weeks ago who I could tell were going to be fun to work with. Young and energetic and full of promise to make their business successful. Two brothers and their best friend. Their best friend is the heart and soul of the operation having all the brains and know how to make it all work profitably. I saw the friend in Tulsa two weeks ago, his name is Steve. Friday I attended his funeral in Van Buren. Life snuffed out in a second. Gone. His wife was home sick with bronchitis and he decided to take her lunch. On his way back to work he had a fatal car accident. Nobody else involved he just lost control of his vehicle and died. The friends (brothers) are devastated. His wife his friends all in shock and devastation of it all. I barely knew him yet was affected deeply as to how fragile life really is.

It brought back memories of a very good friend who at 29 yrs old died about 2 yrs ago. All the same emotions of why why why? You look to God and you sense His loving arms of comfort but you have no answer as to why. Bad things happen to good people. All the time.

Death brings about questions of life. Is it really worth it to fret and worry over so many things that are uncontrollable in life. So many obstacles thrown in our path to make life such a challenge? These type of events make me realize life has got to be more than making the next sale, paying the next bill, overcoming the next surprise in your life. I look at the things I worry and fret over and conclude the things I let get me down are nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nothing. It is silly to get all worried and stressed over things that are beyond your control. I look at the things I have been through in my life and at times have cried out to God WHY ME LORD? What did I do to deserve this situation? Why do you seem to dislike me or turn your back to me so often. When in reality I should give great thanks to the Lord. I am alive, my family is alive and healthy and happy. I have so many things to be thankful for it would take a long long post to begin to list them all. I look at so many people I know who have been hurt by life's curveballs in much worse situations than my own.

As I look back I realize it is the trials and the pain that have ultimately made me who I am. All the mistakes and bad decisions used to haunt me. If I would have only done this one thing different.... when ultimately it is the Journey itself that defines who we are. Coaches of all sports say adversity is what carves character into a team. How we face life's tribulations and trials burns the character in the spirit and soul of who you are.

As I looked at this fellow Steve laying there in a casket. Young, handsome, looking as if he were only taking a nap I was struck by the fact that this truly was simply God's vessel that housed the spirit and soul of Steve. His body was before us but he was gone. We are left to wonder why. He is by all accounts basking in the presence of God. We take comfort in that yet looking at the red faces and wet eyes of his best friends you take up their burden. Their only words, "We dont know if we can go on without him". They can and they will. Its part of the journey. They will both eventually get better and stronger thru this journey. Drawing closer to God is the only way to be happy in our journey. His comfort and peace make no sense but it is real. He is the ony answer ultimately.