MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
We hope that you enjoyed this week’s Littlestuff entries.
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Monday……JOY
Tuesday…….TO
Wednesday..THE
Thursday……WORLD
C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\Joy To The World - Whitney Houston.flv
C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\Handel - Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus.flv
May you have a blessed Christmas.
Charlie
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
World
Remember this song by the New Seekers? A derivative of it became a very popular commercial for Coca Cola.
C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\New Seekers - I'd Like ToTeach The World To Sing.flv
The song is a good lead in for today’s topic: world. The world is a glorious place. The first definition for world is the earth. Consider the majesty of our surroundings here in the United States. The Appalachians, Allegheny’s, Smoky Mountains, Rockies, Grand Tetons and more are impressive and beautiful. The prairies, plains, flatlands and deltas are fertile. Our rivers, lakes and streams nourish their valleys. The four coasts with their inlets, bays and harbors are gateways to the inland wonders and as departure points for crossing the lakes, gulfs and oceans.
The world contains even greater wonders than we have here. The Alps and the Andes are phenomenally impressive. The mighty Amazon is fascinating and foreboding, and the Danube and Rhine twist and turn through breathtakingly beautiful places. The Nile has been the life source for generation after generation. Gorgeous and dangerous deserts can be found on nearly every continent. Each little area or region has its unique properties and challenges, and those who live there must adapt. Truly, when one views the disparate elements of our planet, one must consider that God is, and He is the Creator.
As was implied earlier, differing conditions throughout the globe require different responses for survival. Now, let’s return to the feel good song that we linked earlier. It reflects a squishy, wonderful sentiment that if only all of humankind could read from the same page on the same songbook, then everything would be perfect. It reflects an alluring siren song. When we are encouraged to sacrifice our individuality for unity or harmony, we are being asked to surrender our free will and our liberty on the altar of world homogeneity. That is not what God intends. He understands that when all of humanity works in concert, His purpose for us will be undermined. Remember Babel?
For centuries nefarious dream weavers have sought to unify the people of the globe. Some like Alexander the Great used military might, and others attempted to use the force of ideas. An example of the latter would be Marx who promoted the proletariat as the unifying mechanism. No matter the source of the global unity movement, the result is the loss of freedom for individuals. The overwhelming pressure to conform causes the suppression of the individual’s uniqueness.
Teaching the world to sing is notable. Requiring perfect harmony and unity leads to a one world government. The world is a beautiful place. The world can be a beautiful place, but its beauty should not be surrendered to a one-size-fits-all mentality that denies our God-given humanity. Freedom is our legacy. It’s our primary inalienable right. No fuzzy idealistic feel-good sentiment should be allowed to undermine our individual relationship with God. The world will be much better if each of us is free to do our best.
Comment: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\New Seekers - I'd Like ToTeach The World To Sing.flv
The song is a good lead in for today’s topic: world. The world is a glorious place. The first definition for world is the earth. Consider the majesty of our surroundings here in the United States. The Appalachians, Allegheny’s, Smoky Mountains, Rockies, Grand Tetons and more are impressive and beautiful. The prairies, plains, flatlands and deltas are fertile. Our rivers, lakes and streams nourish their valleys. The four coasts with their inlets, bays and harbors are gateways to the inland wonders and as departure points for crossing the lakes, gulfs and oceans.
The world contains even greater wonders than we have here. The Alps and the Andes are phenomenally impressive. The mighty Amazon is fascinating and foreboding, and the Danube and Rhine twist and turn through breathtakingly beautiful places. The Nile has been the life source for generation after generation. Gorgeous and dangerous deserts can be found on nearly every continent. Each little area or region has its unique properties and challenges, and those who live there must adapt. Truly, when one views the disparate elements of our planet, one must consider that God is, and He is the Creator.
As was implied earlier, differing conditions throughout the globe require different responses for survival. Now, let’s return to the feel good song that we linked earlier. It reflects a squishy, wonderful sentiment that if only all of humankind could read from the same page on the same songbook, then everything would be perfect. It reflects an alluring siren song. When we are encouraged to sacrifice our individuality for unity or harmony, we are being asked to surrender our free will and our liberty on the altar of world homogeneity. That is not what God intends. He understands that when all of humanity works in concert, His purpose for us will be undermined. Remember Babel?
For centuries nefarious dream weavers have sought to unify the people of the globe. Some like Alexander the Great used military might, and others attempted to use the force of ideas. An example of the latter would be Marx who promoted the proletariat as the unifying mechanism. No matter the source of the global unity movement, the result is the loss of freedom for individuals. The overwhelming pressure to conform causes the suppression of the individual’s uniqueness.
Teaching the world to sing is notable. Requiring perfect harmony and unity leads to a one world government. The world is a beautiful place. The world can be a beautiful place, but its beauty should not be surrendered to a one-size-fits-all mentality that denies our God-given humanity. Freedom is our legacy. It’s our primary inalienable right. No fuzzy idealistic feel-good sentiment should be allowed to undermine our individual relationship with God. The world will be much better if each of us is free to do our best.
Comment: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
"The"
It’s easy for me to assume that many of you are somewhat uncomfortable when in the presence of a narcissist or an egomaniac. The other person’s overwhelming sense of self importance makes you fight the urge to slap some humility into him or her. Although my negative opinion of him has softened over the years, I still become a little bit uneasy when I hear “The Donald.” Perhaps it’s because I view “the” as an indicator of individuality rather than supremacy. While I do understand that “the” can be used to isolate groups such as “the group,” the family,” or “the Americans,” “the” continues to provide an individualistic function by segregating the group from other clusters. “The” is a marker that informs the reader or the listener that the noun that follows has some unique property…some distinctive difference.
Generally “the” is used before nouns with a specifying or limiting effect. In other words “the” suggests that referred object is special. The identified item stands out from all the others. My favorite example is “THE Ohio State University.” Not only does the emphatic use of “the” single out OSU as unique, it also drives Michigan fans crazy. Who knew that such an innocuous little word could have such an impact? Think of “The Word,” “The Bible,” “The Constitution,” and “the people.” Each time that we read “the,” our focus becomes narrowed to a specific image. Contrast that with word or people. Without the definitive “the,” they describe the common, the broader application.
It seems clear, therefore, if we wish to avoid becoming lost in the wasteland of ambiguity and generality, we must have “the” to define the object of our consideration. Marriage counselors often state that the little things make a difference in a relationship. “The” is proof that the little things do matter. The end.
Comments: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Generally “the” is used before nouns with a specifying or limiting effect. In other words “the” suggests that referred object is special. The identified item stands out from all the others. My favorite example is “THE Ohio State University.” Not only does the emphatic use of “the” single out OSU as unique, it also drives Michigan fans crazy. Who knew that such an innocuous little word could have such an impact? Think of “The Word,” “The Bible,” “The Constitution,” and “the people.” Each time that we read “the,” our focus becomes narrowed to a specific image. Contrast that with word or people. Without the definitive “the,” they describe the common, the broader application.
It seems clear, therefore, if we wish to avoid becoming lost in the wasteland of ambiguity and generality, we must have “the” to define the object of our consideration. Marriage counselors often state that the little things make a difference in a relationship. “The” is proof that the little things do matter. The end.
Comments: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
"To"
“To” is one of those words that drove you crazy when you were in the second grade. Just like their, there and they’re, “to” battled with two and too to earn its rightful place in the communication cavalcade. For those of us who have managed to unravel the mysteries of “to,” there is the awareness that our little two letter friend is very active and quite useful. “To” is a hard working preposition predominately positioned to positively provide a sense of direction. Note: a sentence about “to” required a “to” to complete the thought. Our efforts to communicate would be severely handicapped if we had no “to” for directing our attention.
Personally, I’m rather fond of “to.” The little preposition that could suggests a sense of forwardness…of progress. “To” is twice as efficient as its four-letter counterpart, from. “To” brings forth a feeling of anticipation as we eagerly seek to discover where the mighty two-word phenom will lead us. Our little preposition reminds me of many patriots and citizens who grace our nation. They, as does “to,” do the heavy lifting while remaining relatively anonymous and unheralded. “To” like many solid, salt-of-the earth people is underrated and underappreciated.
We all should know what remarkable people our founders were. Their knowledge of the classics, and their familiarity with contemporary philosophers including Adam Smith’s newly published Wealth of Nations provided them with a firm foundation for crafting the structure of our new nation. Looking ahead, however, I suspect the heroes of the restoration of our liberty will not be the most highly educated of their generation. Neither will they be the elite or the super wealthy. The people most responsible for the restoration of liberty for our nation will be the unsung every-day people who want to live free. The fathers, mothers and grandparents who will not allow their young people to be oppressed and suppressed by an overzealous unconstitutional government. They represent the “to’s” in the language of liberty. They shall lead our nation back TO freedom. They shall lead future generations TO a new hope and rekindled opportunity. They will rise up TO lead our nation, and they will not fail.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Joy
Webster defines “Joy” as “a very glad feeling, happiness, delight.” Seems somewhat understated to me. You may wonder how I can devote an entire column to a three letter word, but as we approach Christmas Day, I believe that we should be wrapping ourselves in Joy. First, I wish to examine the spiritual implications of joy, and then pursue Joy’s place in the political realm.
Strong’s Dictionary of the Bible provides some additional texture to the Webster definition. Such terms as “rejoice”, “gleeful,” “cheerfulness,” “exultation,” and “gratitude” expand the concept of joy beyond mere pleasure or happiness. Joy is much deeper and more enduring than momentary giddiness. My personal definition is that Joy is the perfect merger of unconditional love and divine purpose. As a Christian who has accepted Christ and consequently enjoys a personal relationship with Almighty God, I am the unworthy recipient of His unconditional love. Christ’s intervention has assured me of my worthiness, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance helps me to transform God’s love into a purpose for me to honor him. The Joy is a result of my awareness that I am worthy, through Christ, of God’s love, that I am in fellowship with the Creator, and that my life, my walk and my path have a purpose.
The Joy that I have in the permanency of my salvation provides a buffer or a reservoir of hope when I have doubts about my faith, my commitment or my worthiness. The Holy Spirit whispers and nudges me as I make my way down the path of purpose (walking the walk). Sometimes I stumble, and sometimes I stray, but He is there to lead me back upon the path. (Once in awhile He has to shove me back on track). He has provided me with lamps for my feet so that I can take note of every step…one at a time. I cannot see too far ahead because I may become discouraged or rush too quickly toward the goal. The Joy comes from knowing that I have been embraced, and that I know the path to follow.
The political aspect of Joy is quite similar to the spiritual component. When one understands the liberating ideal of freedom, our environment becomes radically altered. While liberty is a concept, one can internalize the essence of freedom, and enjoy the personal transformation that occurs upon the realization that you, subject only to God, are in charge of your destiny. You will never fall prey to victimhood even when you’ve been defeated (momentarily) or thwarted. You KNOW that you own yourself and the results of your labor, your intellect and your creativity. In the spiritual world you can dedicate yourself and your production to Him, but in the secular world no one can legitimately deprive you of yourself, your labor or your property. No force is powerful enough to control your heart and your thoughts unless you allow it. They may confiscate your property. They may enslave you, but they cannot own YOU. Even if you may be losing many of Life’s battles, the knowledge that who you are is determined by you, leads you to understand that you will not, you cannot be defeated. The joy comes from knowing that you will not bend, you will not break, and ultimately you will prevail.
The “peace of God which transcends all understanding” is the product of the joy that results from knowing who you are and understanding your purpose for life.
Comment: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Strong’s Dictionary of the Bible provides some additional texture to the Webster definition. Such terms as “rejoice”, “gleeful,” “cheerfulness,” “exultation,” and “gratitude” expand the concept of joy beyond mere pleasure or happiness. Joy is much deeper and more enduring than momentary giddiness. My personal definition is that Joy is the perfect merger of unconditional love and divine purpose. As a Christian who has accepted Christ and consequently enjoys a personal relationship with Almighty God, I am the unworthy recipient of His unconditional love. Christ’s intervention has assured me of my worthiness, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance helps me to transform God’s love into a purpose for me to honor him. The Joy is a result of my awareness that I am worthy, through Christ, of God’s love, that I am in fellowship with the Creator, and that my life, my walk and my path have a purpose.
The Joy that I have in the permanency of my salvation provides a buffer or a reservoir of hope when I have doubts about my faith, my commitment or my worthiness. The Holy Spirit whispers and nudges me as I make my way down the path of purpose (walking the walk). Sometimes I stumble, and sometimes I stray, but He is there to lead me back upon the path. (Once in awhile He has to shove me back on track). He has provided me with lamps for my feet so that I can take note of every step…one at a time. I cannot see too far ahead because I may become discouraged or rush too quickly toward the goal. The Joy comes from knowing that I have been embraced, and that I know the path to follow.
The political aspect of Joy is quite similar to the spiritual component. When one understands the liberating ideal of freedom, our environment becomes radically altered. While liberty is a concept, one can internalize the essence of freedom, and enjoy the personal transformation that occurs upon the realization that you, subject only to God, are in charge of your destiny. You will never fall prey to victimhood even when you’ve been defeated (momentarily) or thwarted. You KNOW that you own yourself and the results of your labor, your intellect and your creativity. In the spiritual world you can dedicate yourself and your production to Him, but in the secular world no one can legitimately deprive you of yourself, your labor or your property. No force is powerful enough to control your heart and your thoughts unless you allow it. They may confiscate your property. They may enslave you, but they cannot own YOU. Even if you may be losing many of Life’s battles, the knowledge that who you are is determined by you, leads you to understand that you will not, you cannot be defeated. The joy comes from knowing that you will not bend, you will not break, and ultimately you will prevail.
The “peace of God which transcends all understanding” is the product of the joy that results from knowing who you are and understanding your purpose for life.
Comment: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Littlestuff Weekender12-18-2010
This “Weekender” will be somewhat transitional as we move from such cheery subjects as secession into more positive ones like family, communities and compassion. A reader accused me of whining and moaning about the state of affairs in our country but said that I didn’t do anything proactively for change. He may be correct, but Jeremiah has an entire book in the Bible dedicated to him. Personally, I may be handicapped by my past experiences. As a former broadcaster and college teacher, I am aware of how shallow our knowledge is about the matters of liberty, freedom and personal responsibility.
Who are you, treasured readers? I don’t know who you are. I do not know what you know. I have no clearly defined matrix for identifying how much, how often or why you read “Littlestuff.” So, allow me to share my target demographics with you, and please do not be offended by my descriptions of you. You are relatively unsophisticated in the matters of political theory, economic theory, Constitutional law, systematic theology and political strategy. Certainly some of you are well read in one or more of these disciplines, but for the most part, you have a rudimentary knowledge of them. As do I. My role for this daily column, as I see it, is too increase my awareness (and yours) of these various fields of study, then attempt to integrate them into a coherent game plan for our nation. Fortunately, for you and me, most of the heavy lifting has already been completed. The Framers and Founders possessed an extensive knowledge of these areas, and Almighty God has “breathed” His Word to provide guideposts for our lives. As I sit before this keyboard every day, I attempt to capture, to understand the historical wisdom available to us and within 700-1000 words to transmit it to you. Please take note that as I structure my columns, I am learning with you.
More books and authors:
Historical fiction by the Shaara’s, Michael and Jeff.
Fantasy by Orson Scott Card
History by Victor Davis Hanson (classical period)
Historical and legal analysis by Mark Levin
Richard Viguerie, G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Lewis, Bernard Lewis, George Orwell.
Two books by Nathaniel Philbrick: “Sea of Glory” and “Mayflower.”
More poetry: Robert W. Service
This list is not exhaustive, but if you read everything by every one of these authors, you will not need another list until next Christmas.
During the Christmas season I often found myself in a somewhat reflective mood. As we were returning from my sister’s home yesterday following the Earl Family’s Christmas dinner, I was struck by how things have changed over the past half-century or so. When I was a young dude, we would have a Christmas noontime get-together at my paternal grandmother’s home. My dad was the eldest of eight, and everyone would attend except for when one uncle was serving in the military. It was a large and raucous crowd. All of my Dad’s siblings lived within 20 miles of Grandma’s house. There were no excuses for not attending. On the maternal side we would go to Grandpa and Grandma’s on Christmas Eve. Again, my mother was the eldest of eight children. Two of her siblings lived outside of a 25 mile radius. They both had lived in various places as one pursued his Ph.D. and the other worked with the Marriot Corporation, but when it Christmas eve, they came home. The Wenner household like the Earl’s was overflowing with people and laughter.
It’s different today. First, our families are smaller. Instead of loud noises of joy, there is the hum of discussion. Our families have scattered. My little nuclear family of four has spent 13 years living out of state and away from “home.” I sense that the notion of family unity and invincibility has been lost. We’re no longer this strong, tightly knit unit of people with common purposes and common blood. We are now scattered little islands whose roots are not so great a priority.
In many ways our small towns and communities reflect the changes in our families. The towns are smaller now and some of the traditions have become too big or too expensive to continue. Maybe, in lieu of developing 2, 5 or 10 acre estates on the fringes of the metropolis, people would be better served to work with the small towns to rebuild, to renew the community. Maybe I shouldn’t view “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Comments: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Who are you, treasured readers? I don’t know who you are. I do not know what you know. I have no clearly defined matrix for identifying how much, how often or why you read “Littlestuff.” So, allow me to share my target demographics with you, and please do not be offended by my descriptions of you. You are relatively unsophisticated in the matters of political theory, economic theory, Constitutional law, systematic theology and political strategy. Certainly some of you are well read in one or more of these disciplines, but for the most part, you have a rudimentary knowledge of them. As do I. My role for this daily column, as I see it, is too increase my awareness (and yours) of these various fields of study, then attempt to integrate them into a coherent game plan for our nation. Fortunately, for you and me, most of the heavy lifting has already been completed. The Framers and Founders possessed an extensive knowledge of these areas, and Almighty God has “breathed” His Word to provide guideposts for our lives. As I sit before this keyboard every day, I attempt to capture, to understand the historical wisdom available to us and within 700-1000 words to transmit it to you. Please take note that as I structure my columns, I am learning with you.
More books and authors:
Historical fiction by the Shaara’s, Michael and Jeff.
Fantasy by Orson Scott Card
History by Victor Davis Hanson (classical period)
Historical and legal analysis by Mark Levin
Richard Viguerie, G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Lewis, Bernard Lewis, George Orwell.
Two books by Nathaniel Philbrick: “Sea of Glory” and “Mayflower.”
More poetry: Robert W. Service
This list is not exhaustive, but if you read everything by every one of these authors, you will not need another list until next Christmas.
During the Christmas season I often found myself in a somewhat reflective mood. As we were returning from my sister’s home yesterday following the Earl Family’s Christmas dinner, I was struck by how things have changed over the past half-century or so. When I was a young dude, we would have a Christmas noontime get-together at my paternal grandmother’s home. My dad was the eldest of eight, and everyone would attend except for when one uncle was serving in the military. It was a large and raucous crowd. All of my Dad’s siblings lived within 20 miles of Grandma’s house. There were no excuses for not attending. On the maternal side we would go to Grandpa and Grandma’s on Christmas Eve. Again, my mother was the eldest of eight children. Two of her siblings lived outside of a 25 mile radius. They both had lived in various places as one pursued his Ph.D. and the other worked with the Marriot Corporation, but when it Christmas eve, they came home. The Wenner household like the Earl’s was overflowing with people and laughter.
It’s different today. First, our families are smaller. Instead of loud noises of joy, there is the hum of discussion. Our families have scattered. My little nuclear family of four has spent 13 years living out of state and away from “home.” I sense that the notion of family unity and invincibility has been lost. We’re no longer this strong, tightly knit unit of people with common purposes and common blood. We are now scattered little islands whose roots are not so great a priority.
In many ways our small towns and communities reflect the changes in our families. The towns are smaller now and some of the traditions have become too big or too expensive to continue. Maybe, in lieu of developing 2, 5 or 10 acre estates on the fringes of the metropolis, people would be better served to work with the small towns to rebuild, to renew the community. Maybe I shouldn’t view “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Comments: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
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