Saturday, December 27, 2014

UNDERSTANDING MATTHEW 19:24 AND HOW IT APPLIES TO AMERICA

     I often think back 17 years ago, when as a frightened, concerned a teary eyed father, I stood with my wife and watched our 17 year old, youngest son, board a flight with 3 companions for a missionary trip to Africa. Here is my baby going half way around the world to preach and sing to a people hungry for God, but also living in a dangerous region, in a constant flux for what war lord has the biggest guns and cahonies at the moment and what rules are considered a death sentence, or is just breathing and being in the way is enough to kill. It was exciting to my son, his cousin and the two ministers as they headed off, but mom and dad had the icy fingers of worry and fear going up their spine. What were we thinking allowing our youngest son to fly so far away, and then face danger so large that he might get caught up in it himself? How could we do such a thing?
     It was upon his return that we understood that we understood the "Why". We heard the horror story of how the street vendors, just trying to to make enough to feed their families one more day, were driven out of the streets, some even shot dead. That my son was even there to witness the event, made me almost feint! Then he turns around and tells us about the beauty of the balloon ride over Victoria Falls. Two complete differing views of the same country. How could a country that can boast of such a beautiful natural wonder,  starve and murder its own people? Satan rules heavily in that region of the world. Why? Because there are people, young people, who are so hungry for God!
     While the two ministers, my son and nephew went to Africa with, had to take a trip to another city, it left my son and his cousin with time on their hands. My nephew is one heck of a guitar player and between he and my son, they carry a pretty good tune. So instead of sitting in the hotel room afraid to go out, they instead went out to the street corner and started singing gospel songs. My son said, "Dad, it shocked us when before long the street was full of young men and women singing with them, holding up their Bibles. I preached the Word of God and you could see the hunger and hear the Amen-ing. It shook me to see so many young people hungry for God! We would have been laughed at and ridiculed in our home town if we had done the same thing. It was humbling, yet exciting." That was the why. He needed to experience this to turn him into the minister he became. God's way of teaching him, and us, that indeed He is working in our world. How a desperate people, always in fear of hunger and death, found complete solace and peace in their love and relationship with God. Who would have seen that coming? Why? Because the they fit through the eye of the needle!
     In Matthew 19:23 thru 25, Christ is speaking and tells us: 
And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?"… So who is that rich man? Is it the millionaires, the billionaires? Possibly. But as I wondered on it today, I started to see it differently. Yes, I'm sure it would be near, if not impossible, for the wealthy to give up everything and follow Christ. But who is wealthy. Is it just a dollar amount that can be counted or is it something else?
     We, as Americans, are surrounded by wealth. Not just bank accounts, but by the wealth of opportunities to do pretty much whatever we wish with impunity from what we feel is our God given right. Really? How many of would be willing to let go of the ability to watch television, movies, books, magazines, and everything we do and enjoy daily, even though what we put in front of us and our family is in contradiction to the Word of God and what Christ brought to us? "Well, yes I watch this show, but it has a good story!" Yet the people who are portraying this so-called good story live lives contrary to the word of God. Homosexuals, Lesbians, whoremongers, adulterers etc. We not only invite this into our lives, but into our homes as well. Money that we waste on lottery tickets, couldn't they go to better use in the offering plate at church? Instead of feeding a world consumed with gambling, use those dollars for the Work of God? How many of you go out to eat and buy expensive mixed alcohol drinks? What did that expensive drink do for you or your salvation? Could you have bought tea, a soft drink, or even drank water and used those extra dollars you would have spent and put them towards the Work of God?
     How about that or those expensive vehicles that cost an arm and leg to have repaired? How about that expensive Bass Boat? How about that $25,000 Harley? What about buying expensive named brand clothes when you could easily look just as good if you purchased pretty much the same look at a Walmart or other discount store? Yes, you work hard for the money you get! It is yours to decide how it is used! What I'm asking is, "If you can afford those expensive items, what would it hurt you or me, to buy a less expensive item and put those extra dollars towards the Work of God?" See, we put sin on a pedestal by purchasing the technology or subscriptions, allowing it to be before our eyes, purchase a ticket to watch it at a theater, accepting the sins that the actors are a part of. We listen to the music of those who live terrible lives, yet we put down the dollars to buy their next albums. So in essence, we give the right hand of fellowship to the very sinners that the Bible, not me, has already judged. Satan is intelligent. He knows how to twist things to make it seem harmless, but in reality, is eating a hole in our souls and is not only damning us, but our children and grandchildren and many generations after.
     The Jews called for the blood of Christ to be on them and their children. Mathew 27:24 thru  26 states: 24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves." 25And all the people said, "His blood shall be on us and on our children!" 26Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. The Jews are the chosen people, but how did that statement work out for them? They placed the killing of Christ upon them and their future generations. They have paid a heavy price. We as parents, children, grandparents and so on, allow the dilution of the Word of God and Christ's work and words, sin is easier to accept. Not only is it easier to accept, we become blinded to sin. "Well, I don't live my life that way!" Good for you. But yet you accept that it is okay for you to allow it to be in front of you and pay money to do so.
     I want to finish this Blog by saying this: Folks, I'm a sinner. I fail everyday. But I keep my eyes on the goal. His coming Kingdom and eternal life. Am I guilty of watching the shows, the movies and reading material. Yes. What is happening to me is as I get older, I am starting to wisen up to Satan and how he works to destroy my sight of true Christianity and fool me into believing more and more lies. I asked some people today, "If I asked people, who are professing to be Christians, to honestly answer: How many of you actually opened your Bible today?" I wonder how many hands would go up? If I am on a trip to a destination that I've never been before, and leave the map, that will show me how to arrive at my destination, wrapped in its original plastic, whose fault is it when I get lost? Isn't that what the Bible is? Our road map to take us to the destination we've never been before? So how do we keep from getting lost? Did you ever pull over and ask someone for directions and end up more lost than you were before you asked? The map is still sitting there! We allow others to give us a diluted version of the directions to serving Christ, relying on Christian "country miles" instead of reading the road map: The Bible. It kind of makes you wonder, would we fit through the eye of the needle, or watch as the camel goes through? 

Saturday, December 20, 2014

A NATION THAT LACKS RESPECT FOR LAW AND ORDER IS A NATION OF ANARCHY AND SAVAGERY


     As most of you know, not just New York City, but we as a nation lost a part of ourselves today with the savage, cowardly execution style murders of two of New York City's finest police officers. I sat awe struck that someone would hate our police officer's so much that this was their answer to get their message out. Two police officers, performing their duties, while their families waited for them to come home after their shift, something that will never happen again. Just because a cowardly bastard couldn't look the people in the eye that he hated so much. Why did he hate them? Because they were in uniform and represented law and order. So who do the big mouth race baiters and haters blame this time? Doubt they will. More than likely they will praise the cowardly, suicidal cretin as having brought a piece of justice to their cause. A few police officers, overzealous in their attempt to take down a guy selling cigarettes and could have easily subdued him with a taser, were partly responsible for the death of the man. Obesity, and bad health, plus the refusal to surrender, were the biggest part of what occurred.

     See, a peaceful protest doesn't create the environment of hate that is flowing like a tsunami through our country , pushed upward by the tectonic plates of rising racism that, though still exists to a small form, others want us to believe racism is completely out of control and will wash a wall of hate and violence across our nation until the true racists (Barrack and Michelle Obama, Eric Holder, Jessee Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, The Black Panthers, and Whoopi Goldberg, just to name a few of the biggest loud mouths in our country). They take two incidents, push them way out of control, inciting rioters to fight the police, burn, loot, and now assassinate two innocent police officers who didn't even get to face their shooter.

     I am for the First Amendment and our right to freedom of speech, our right to peacefully assemble and our right to protest, but what we have been seeing is not peaceful protests, rather angry mobs looting, burning, hurting others, blocking traffic and destroying the dreams of hardworking people. That is not a protest, that is thuggery at its worst. I despise those who would use any problem to create a disaster. A problem is one we work together to solve. A disaster is something we can avert by working on a problem. That's not what the aforementioned racists want. They want to see our country thrown back 160 years and another Civil War destroy our country while they sit back and sit up on top of the heap of carcasses and bones and laugh. This is exactly what Obama and Holder were hoping for and they got it. Whoopi Goldberg is probably doing a dance and having a party because two cops were killed and Michael Brown finally got justice. I want to remind all of you haters and baiters out there, once you start getting what you think is justice, is now given way to have someone else to start thinking of how they can get justice for those two police officers. There is no justice in anarchy. There is no justice in savagery. One death leads to another. Hate leads to more hate. Savagery finds no end. So here we are America. Lady Liberty weeps as our nation sinks deeper in blood and no end in sight.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

SO...YOU OPPRESS, KILL PEOPLE, AND THREATEN THE WORLD, THE U.S. IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?


Let my preface this Blog with the following statement:

I in no mean any disrespect to the citizens of Cuba, North Korea, Iran or any country that its citizens are forced to send the children (even real young children) to give their lives for a fanatical idea that only benefits those who are the fanatics. Mothers and fathers cry as they put their children in dirt holes, while those who put them their never give them a second thought. I am sure all the citizens and people of these countries want the same thing as we do; to live their lives in happiness and watch their children grow up, graduate from college and be successful in life. The fanatics and dictators would have us believe different. That's why fanatics need to spend many an hour lying on a couch while a psychiatrists delves deeply into their insanity and then perform a lobotomy on them, perform many big charges of cranial electrotherapy, and then a pretty white padded cell and of course don't forget to measure them for their many nice straight jackets. They've earned all the attention. Works for me!

     The United States of America used to stand for something. Freedom, Democracy, the chance for you to work, own a home, send your children to college, with some well deserved fishing, camping, and great vacation times in between. Then you watch your grandchildren play to start the next generation on its way. That was a true American dream. But that dream and reality came with a price. We were the military might that shook the world. We didn't know the word retreat. Compromise was what other countries did. The U.N. building grew quiet when the American Delegation walked through the doors. If our Naval Armada was parked off your shores, you knew you were about to get your butt kicked if you didn't straighten up. Russia didn't scare us. Were turned back their Naval Armada that was bound for Cuba and Fidel Castro. The power and willingness to follow through with not threats, but actions, gave the world the comfortable feeling of security or the nauseating feeling of dread because you failed to break peace with us or another country. Of course that was then, this is now. This is Obama Land. The place where the Amusement Park's rides are a rollercoaster of destruction, the Carousel of which Constitutional law will we break today, and room of mirrors and deceit.

     Obama has given the right hand of fellowship to the worst of the worst in the world. John Kerry, the idiotic Swift Boat Treasonous peace of...well you get the idea, will shake the very hands of those whose citizens cry for freedom, the citizens cry for relief from oppression, political prisons and know their end will be in some lame piece of earth that some will welcome over the life they lead. They both now welcome with open arms a need for good relations with Cuba. Okay, now let's see. Cuba is a Democracy for a free people to elect their leaders, have a Capitalistic society where individuals who have the ideas, wants, desire, and willingness to put in the work, can create a business to not only support their family, but to give others the opportunity to be gainfully employed as well. High tech systems help improve the citizens lives as well as to perform commerce that will benefit them as well as local businesses, farmers, and anyone else who strives for a life of free enterprise. That's the Cuba the people of Cuba want, but not the one we want to open a relationship! Wow.

     For the Cubans who live in Cuba, and those who live in America, they know better. They live under a militaristic Dictatorship that allows them only what the whims of the Castro family agree to. Yeah that sounds like the country John F. Kennedy kept Russia from placing Nukes on to an insane fanatic's delight. If you believe our opening relations with Cuba is going to benefit its citizens, you need to look at how well our attempt and relations with Iran worked and how that benefited its citizens. The only people it will ever benefit is the fanatics who run those countries and the fanatics we have in office who think we should befriend them. 

     I would love to see Cubans and Cuban Americans have a free relationship to travel to and from their homeland and freely enjoy the movement and commerce their friends and families have. To sit down at a 30" HD television and watch a movie, the World Series, go to a bar and have a great time, interact with them on the Internet, but that's not the Cuba of 50 years ago and not the Cuba of today. Yet somehow, Obama's pea brained ideas seem to think that, "If you continue doing something the same way for 50 years and expect different results" way of thinking will resolve Cuba's problems, than we have to realize a paradigm shift has occurred. The mouse trap has changed just because I bought some new ones and is now a benefit to the mouse. When you hear the "snap", you'll give that paradigm shift a closer look at its fallacy.       

Saturday, December 13, 2014

LET'S BLAME GOD!! WHY NOT. ISN'T EVERYTHING HIS FAULT?


     Hey, the world has gone all to hell! Even I know that! All the hate, shootings, murders, rapes, pedophiles, the abuse and murder of children, the terrorists, the beheadings, corrupt politicians, nukes, the Holocaust, and all and every other horrid act humanity can and does do has to be someones fault! So let's Blame God!! Why not? How could an all loving God allow all of this evil to happen and continue? He sits up there on his big Throne with Christ sitting to his right with all the Angels floating around playing harps and Cherubs doing their thing. Nope, they're uninvolved, so it's Their fault. And who buys into this rubbish? Atheists, and those who have to have someone to blame for everything I listed. They have just forgot one thing: we, being humanity, cause all of this evil while following Satan's grand scheme of sin. Let's determine why we're to blame!

     When the very same God that gets blamed for everything, created the Heavens and the Earth, how many of these evils were being perpetrated at that time? When He (being God) separated the water from the firmament creating a moisture dome around the earth, and then separated the waters from the dry land, who was poisoning the water, and how many whales and baby seals were being slaughtered at that time? How much pollution was being forced into the atmosphere by using fossil fuels and other chemicals? When God said, "Let there be light", during the night time, how many rapes, muggings, murders and other evils were being committed during the night time? When God created all the animals, fowl and fish, how many of God's creatures were being hunted to extinction because of their ivory tusks? When God said, "Let us make mankind in our image" (our being...His only Son); how many murders, acts of pedophilia, rapes, and muggings were occurring during that time? When Adam walked with God in the cool (Climate changers, it was hot back then!) of the evening, and walked in the garden (which the Bible does not state the borders of the Garden only that it was "Eastward", so how big it was we will never know), naming all the animals, I wonder how many sport hunters were out shooting animals for trophies? I wonder how many animals Adam had hanging from his walls, deer stands Adam had up in trees waiting for a trophy buck to walk by, or how many duck blinds he had by the shores of a lake or body of water?

     When God saw that with everything Adam had at his disposal, beauty around him and that he got to converse directly with his Creator, Adam was lonely so God caused Adam to go to sleep, removed a rib from his side, closed the opening and then created Eve with the rib, did Adam Sodomize her, rape her, beat her, or in any way abuse her? I could continue on and on, but I'll go ahead and answer all the questions: NO! Not at all, and in no way. How could all of these sins and evil that we see daily not been a problem or in existence when the mother and father of humanity walked in the Garden? The lack of, or the non-existence of sin. God gave the world peace and perfection. Man and woman decided they were above or equal to God, disobeying His one simple rule; not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Once the disobedience occurred, sin entered the earth, set on the destruction of all the peace and perfection that God created. So...before the eating of the fruit, peace and beauty reigned. After the sin occurred, pain, suffering, and all the evils that Satan could influence man to do began to happen. God wanted peace, a sinless world, full of beauty and His work. So why blame God?

     Don't read me wrong, I despise all the evil that humans do, especially when it comes to children. I would have no problem with God destroying all and anyone who would harm or destroy the innocence of a child for their perversion, hate or evil pleasures, however, we as human beings would like to dictate to God what sins we want Him to stop, but it just doesn't work that way. We want Him to accept the other sins we commit, but destroy the other ones that make us cringe and cry for children. So what is the answer. First off, if you want to call God down to destroy those sinners, be careful what you ask for. I have no doubt He'll be looking at all sinners. As the saying goes, "Be careful what you ask for, you might just get it!"

     As humanity, all we can do is be watchful and listen for the crying of the children. See the would be mugger or rapist in the shadows. Check on your neighbor's home for the would be burglar or murderer and turn all into the police. But, what we should all be PRAYING FOR: Revelations 22:20 - 21, "He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.".  We need to turn our hearts towards, and aiming straight towards the Cross and pray for forgiveness. Live our lives for Christ and God, following in His teachings and guidance. God will take care of all sin. Instead of blaming God, be ready for Christ's return and stand before the Lamb and hear Him say, "Well Done". Continue to blame God for everything that humanity has brought into the world will only have you facing Christ to hear Him say, "Depart from me, I never knew you!" and be cast into the Lake of Fire with Satan and his demons.

     

     

    

Thursday, December 11, 2014

MY SECOND INSTALLMENT OF BOOK REVIEWS OF DIFFERENT AUTHORS


     I want to start this week's review with three books I've read by a controversial author as well as controversial person in his career as a Fox New host: Bill O'Reilly. Whether or not your agree with his show and opinions, the three books I am about to review are not just excellent reads, but thought provoking in the subjects they cover.

1.) Killing Lincoln: For those of us who are in awe of not just one of if the not the greatest President to hold office in our country, but a man who faced the greatest evil of his time (slavery) and saw the country he loved torn apart by the unwillingness of the South to have the North dictate its way of life and the type of commerce it promoted. Bill O'Reilly captures you in the first chapter as you walk with Lincoln up to the day of his death and shortly after. Knowing the outcome because it is a piece of our history doesn't in anyway create an air of boredom in reading this book. I wanted to reach into the pages and stand in front of President Lincoln screaming of what was to come. History shows Lincoln as many things, dependant upon your views, but one thing is for sure, you are taken back in time and walk beside the man and feel the weight he carried and the sadness of his upcoming demise by a cowardly act.

I rate books on a 5 star rating: Killing Lincoln is a bursting 5 stars.

2.) Killing Kennedy:  O'Reilly takes the known facts of the death of John F. Kennedy and walks you through the timeline of not just the upcoming assassination, but the timeline of different players involved in the killing as well as John and Jacqueline's movements leading up to the killing. For those of us who were alive when the assassination took place heard the Warren report, but have listened to the many conspiracy theories; shooter from the grassy knoll, Kennedy's killing was a mob sanctioned hit, and that Oswald couldn't have committed the shootings as the Warren Commission's report stated. Whether Oswald was a maniac set on proving to the Russians what he was capable of or just insane or whether there were other behind the scene players involved, is not the issue. Speculation is not facts. It's just the game of "what if?". This book captures another piece of our history and gives you the time line in slow motion, based upon facts. For those born after Kennedy died, you will have heard many differing stories. Take the time to read the truth as we know it.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars.

3.) Killing Jesus: Of all of his books, Bill, in my opinion, caught a tremendous amount of flack that was unjustified, especially by the religious community. Bill did not write attempt to re-write the Bible. He spoke of facts of life during that time period, how people really lived, and removed the stereotypical beliefs based upon Hollywood, differences of pulpits, and what we chose to think based upon how we see life and brought us back with a dose of reality to what life actually was back then. It in no way demeans Christ, His walk and mission, that He is the Son of God. In fact, i found it refreshing and helped to solidify my own walk and belief in my Saviour. I understood who he was, how strong a man he was physically and why the Sanhedrin priests kept bringing Christ back to the Romans for pronouncement of punishment. It is an eye opening, and faith building read.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars.

I want to finish this installment of reviews by adding another Fox News contributors work. No, I'm not a pro-Fox news book reviewer. But it just so happens that they do tend to write excellent books. My next author is Greg Gutfeld. For any of you who know Greg's work on the Five at Five on Fox as well as his show; Red Eye, you will know Greg to be a student of not just politics, but of the world and the tilted view that the "Liberal Left" has of everything and not afraid to show you the unsupported ignorance of people and events in the world and country.

4.)  The Joy of Hate: How to Triumph over Whiners in the Age of Phony Outrage: Greg just knows how to use words to bring people back down to earth, from the outrageous statements and actions of politicians, to then bring us back to earth by untwisting spin those who wish to destroy America, its one time strong morals and values, as well as just a quirky way of presenting the truth. I can't wait to read his other two books. They're on my Christmas list as well as Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly.

Rating: It has to get a five of five, if for no other reason than to keep Greg from making me his next book!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

RECOMMENDATION OF AUTHOR'S FOR GOOD READING!!!!

     I am going to start giving reviews on authors and their writings or books they produce. I will start with of course one of my favorite authors:

1.) Stephen King: One of my all time favorites. However, not all of his books I found interesting in the genre I expect from King. Cujo being one of the disappointments. If you haven't read it (Of course as with most of King's books, they made a movie of Cujo as well), I would advise you to steer well clear of it, unless you are excited about spending hours of reading about a rabid dog terrorizing a mother and child in a Ford Pinto. I find very little to complain about King's books and short stories. If I had one item I would recommend King to do is to stop being long winded as he is when writing his books. I skip through a lot of information that really is what I consider non-value added to the theme of the book. Other than that, his books are the type of read that is hard to put down.
Rating:   5 Star of 5

2.) Karina Halle. Karina Halle writes a novel series that are right up the alley for those who like terror, ghosts, demons, and an evening curled up on the sofa listening to the strange sounds while you read one of the Experiment in Terror Series, reading along as Perry Palomino and Dex Foray create the best Ghost Hunting program on the internet, deal with all the things that do go bump in the night and fight hard not to allow a relationship to grow. The books are so good, you'll carry them to work or wherever you go so you can keep reading (Nooks and Kindles are the best way to bring the books with you). Karina Halle has the knack of knowing what drives our fears and twists our lives to become entwined in Perry and Dex's adventures. I highly recommend The Experiment in Terror Series for anyone (16 and older). Enjoy!!
Rating: 5 stars of 5

3.) Jim Butcher: Jim writes the very best novel series called The Dresden Files (also at one time a television series). Dreseden is one the biggest bad assed Wizards and deals with some of the wildest, scariest humans, ghosts, demons witches...well you get the idea. I've read the entire series and love them all. The will forever be stored on my Barnes and Noble account and my Nook. I recommend Dresden Files to anyone 14 or older.
Rating: 5 stars of 5.

4.) JD Nixon: JD Nixon is an Australian author who has two series running simultaneously: The Heller Series and The Little Town Series. Both are very entertainig, with characters that you become easily drawn to and involved in the lives and personalities. I highly recommend both series for a deffinate 16 year old plus crowd. Once you start reading both series, your hooked!
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

Terry W. Manning is an author (Wars End, Stryker's Move, and Fallon's land) as well as a Blogger. My website is under construction and I will let you know when it is complete. I will continue to give honest reviews of other authors as we go, so climb aboard for the ride and enjoy!!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

NEW BOOK IDEA THAT IS ROLLING AROUND IN MY MIND

     I have started 3 books, but as I was writing them, the plot faded or became what I consider to be lame or a loss of interest in what the characters were or what to do with them. Solomon Stryker Book #3, House A' Fire, and Daniel Cloud are the three that I've tabled for now. If I've learned anything in my first three books is: I ain't Stephen King who has the ability, talent and time to churn out book after book. Publishers drool over the opportunity to publish one of his books, not counting any of the rest he's wrote. Stephen King in my mind has had some books that I consider to be minor league while the rest were walk off home runs. I'm a fan, that is a fact.
     My next book is one I want to even surprise me when I read it. I want characters with more depth, a plot that has plenty of twists, turns, and surprises. Though I'm in no way ashamed of Wars End, Stryker's Move, or Fallon's Land, I want to grow as a writer. To do that, I've taken the criticism and praise for my first three books and have taken it to heart. Don't churn out books just to have a book. Write a book that the characters live around you, engulf you, you take a breath in rhythm with them as they breathe.I want you to feel the pain, sorrow, shock and surprise that the characters experience!
     The first time I saw the movie "Phantasm", I stayed clear of closets and funeral homes for a long time. And even now, when I see a funeral home, the movie replays in my mind. If I see a silver ball, I keep an eye on it until it's out of my vision. That is the type of impact I want on my readers. What they read can, or believe, the exact same thing can happen or be waiting for them. That is the greatest accolade I believe an author can receive. Well, we'll see. For the first time in a long while, I am excited about putting words on paper. That's a start!