Memorial Day (Amazing Grace Bagpipes)

It's NOT about sales, barbecues and celebrating a long weekend. 

It's about honoring and remembering 

all the men and women 

who fought and died to make and keep America free.

A gem I found back in 2010 when O'bummer was in office

fRIDAY MAY 14, 2010 
 from my old blog eons ago, obviously

Obama's Economy is so bad that.....
…I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

…When I ordered a burger at McDonald’s and the kid behind the counter asked, “Can you afford fries with that?”

…CEO’s are now playing miniature golf.

…If the bank returns your check marked “Insufficient Funds,” you call them and ask if they meant you or them.

…Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.

…McDonald’s is now selling the 1/4 ouncer.

…Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children’s names.

…A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.

…Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

…Motel Six won’t leave the light on anymore.

…The Mafia is laying off judges and Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

And, finally…

…I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy that I called the Suicide Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.

Tearing Down Strongholds

Daily Truth _ Hagee Ministries

Our commitment to Christ is the key to unlock the ability to pull down the spiritual strongholds of Satan in our lives. What are spiritual strongholds? Paul defines them clearly for us in today’s verse. Strongholds are “arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” – fortresses of lies against the truth of God in our lives. As followers of Christ, we engage in spiritual warfare with the mighty weapons God provides. This spiritual struggle ensued long before we arrived on the scene, but we are not helpless in the face of evil. We take back spiritual ground that our enemy, Satan, has stolen from us and those we love. We are not created to hide behind the walls of the church, to merely defend ourselves from the schemes of the devil. We are created to offensively establish God’s kingdom here on earth, to ward off the fiery darts of the evil one, to make war in heavenly places, and to gain ground for the cause of Christ. Jesus told us that the “kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). This spiritual violence of which Jesus speaks describes how Satan strikes at us. He is intent on our defeat and our destruction. He sets out to disrupt, damage, and ultimately, destroy our lives. He will infiltrate our emotions, relationships, health, and finances. John 10:10 makes it plain that he comes to “kill, steal, and destroy.” No matter the spiritual violence that he attempts to wreak on us, as believers, we can set him in full retreat through the power that we have through Jesus Christ. When we submit our lives to God, when we engage the mighty weapons God has given, and when we resist the devil, he will flee before us (James 4:7). We have authority through the name of Jesus, the power of His word, and His overcoming blood. Our Savior will crush him under our feet and lead us to victory.

Today's Blessing

Heavenly Father, make me bold in the power of Your might. Help me take back territory that the enemy has stolen from me and those I love. Lead me to engage the enemy with courage to advance Your kingdom here on earth. In Jesus’ name…amen. May God give us the strength and the courage to overcome the evil that has taken power in our government, our schools and the lives of the mentally ill and/or mentally oppressed. Pray for our beloved President and his cabinet.  Only through the Blood of Jesus can evil be defeated.

Welcome to the book blog of SOLITARY MAN

Thank you Ambassador International for providing me a free copy of this book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.  

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Ten years after a brutal war, cannibals and humans fight over the pieces of a hardscrabble existence.

Former Navy SEAL Doyle has been prowling the broken remnants of a devastated America for years. Alone in an armored bus loaded with weapons and supplies, he's grateful for his solitude. Being alone makes it easier to survive, as others can become a liability in the end of the world. But when a particularly brutal attack leaves Doyle in need of fuel and repair, he has no choice but to venture into the nearest settlement.

Jonathan has been pastoring a small church of Christians in that same settlement, but when he meets Doyle he sees an opportunity to expand his ministry. Cannibals have kept everyone from traveling, but Doyle's armored transport and weapons bring hope to his small band of followers. The two men strike up a mutually beneficial bargain, but neither of them realizes that this journey will change them in ways they could never have imagined.

As they search for other believers, they must battle cannibals, militant atheists, and a mysterious super soldier. Doyle's unbelief and Jonathan's faith will collide in this action-packed wasteland.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Landfried: I was thirteen years old when I realized I was a writer. Once I had this realization, I grabbed a spiral notebook and began filling it with all the stories bumping around in my head. I was young and inexperienced, and therefore terrible, but the ideas kept coming and I kept improving as a writer. As a shy and withdrawn kid living in West Virginia, writing became the best outlet to express myself, and I exploited it as much as I could.
As an adult, I wrote less frequently, usually due to my procrastinating nature, but the ideas never went away. Many of them are still with me, waiting for me to introduce them to the world. And now, someone has looked at my writing and deemed it worthy of investing time, money and effort in order to share it with the masses.
I now live in New Hampshire with my wife Kristen and my son Nathan. I'm excited to begin a new chapter in my life that involves doing something I've always loved. There's never been a moment that I felt like I wasn't a writer, but the journey of a writer is sometimes discouraging more than it is encouraging. This means I'm eternally grateful for this opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas with you. Thank you for your interest and support.


MY REVIEW:  For those that enjoy stories about the end of the world, this is definitely the book for you.  It has a lot of action, very vivid and graphic details, which you would expect from a world that has been shattered by war, starvation, and violence.  Survival of the fittest takes on a whole new avenue.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  It has all the elements of a post-apocalyptic adventure.  Doyle, the protagonist and unbeliever, is a tough Navy SEAL, who survives by his instincts and training.  Being alone has its advantages, no one to worry about except for himself, until he meets  a small group of Christians that changes everything for him.   He faces new dangers and situations that test him to the limit of his abilities.

The Christians he encounters embrace him almost immediately, which at times, makes Doyle very uncomfortable. And for an unbeliever, it could be a bit intimidating.  However, the reader will find how necessary it was for them to continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with him.

Their journey is riddled with dangers unimaginable, and at times, quite terrifying, I caught myself holding my breath hoping the horror would pass.  They will find great sadness and despair at times, but Christ keeps them strong and motivated to continue on.

I must be honest and admit that with all the characters in the story, the one that was my least favorite was Jonathon. I felt he was way too pushy and preachy for my taste, at times it was just too much for me to absorb.  However, Mia, his wife was more subtle in her approach in witnessing Christ, by her actions and not by her words.  You'll have to make that judgement call on your own.  Doyle, of course, is what you would expect from a hero, however, love creeps into his heart, eventually.

This story has every element you would find in a post-apocalyptic story, but with a twist, Christ is the center of the chaos.  It is an intense read, and there were times, I was bawling my eyes out, and other times, I was gripping my seat with fear and intense anticipation.  It is VERY well-written and I'm looking forward to Book II.