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ANGELFIRE 5-26-07 Lord's Day
Swelling its burgeoning pillows, This riotous giver and taker Mounts up its banks and bursts the bounds Which were made to restrain it. Then sullenly, hovers down On the somnolent starving acre And impregnates with the richness It needs to sustain it. Thus, of the valley which holds it, The river itself is the maker./ The cities squat low in the valley In man-made squares and rows, Like concrete and wooden gardens, Whose commerce in daily bread Is nurtured, too, by the soil. The moody river which flows, Contemptuous of intricate ways The mouths of men are fed By the rape of this wealth, The river in endless effort bestows./ Lucky the seed which is planted Where Washita riches are laid. Lucky the reeds and the willows, Flourishing, tall and rank. For the river takes care of its own In this valley it has made, And all that life requires Is in abundance on its bank, Yes the river owns the valley, And all its debts are paid.
You can see that it's about the Washita Valley instead of just PV. So that list of towns I've given from Cheyenne clear down to Lake Texoma are almost all part of the poem, of which the river is a hero. Like old man river "He don't say nothin, he jest keeps rollin' along" doing it's job on this earth. Since this is Memorial Day, let the JMH poem be a memorial to our own Washita.
Now that pastor Kanary has invited me to speak on Heritage Sunday at PV's 1stUMC, I'll print some recollections in Lord's Day extra ahead of then, knowing I can't possibley get them all in that day. So stay tuned here to ANGELFIRE.
ANGELFIRE 5-30-07 Four hours of Memorial Day were spent by American diplomats talking to Iranian diplomats about Iraq (as led by our Mr.Crocker). It ended 27 years of U.S. refusal to deal with their Islamic Republic that began with an overthrow of the Shaw of Iran's ancient royal line. A radical Ayahtola Koehmeni came to power there, calling us "the great Satan," while Jimmy Carter was still president. Hours after Carter's loss of office, the 50 American hostages were released from 444 their days of captivity in Tehran. Just a recently Carter said almost the same ugly thing about GW, "the worst president in this nation's history." But then he softened it by coming barly short of an apology. Well, name calling seems childish as did GW's earlier "alliance of evil" in which he'd included Iran. Statesmanship should rise above gross political pronouncements, I feel. Yet being theologically minded, the satan references recalled for me some studies of ancient 7th century BC Persian dualism known as Zoroasteranism. It was the source of a modified dualism that the Jews held captive in Babylon for seventy years brought back to Jerusalem. Because Cyrus of Persia had granted them release, they were grateful and ready to incorporate the Persian idea of an "adversary" into their Tenacha (Old Testament) to combine all Idol worship of other gods. So the New Testament gives Satan prominence, though he's only first mentioned very late in the O.T. (1 Chron.21:l, "Satan stood up against Israel..." and Job 1 "Satan came also..."). The Chronicles are a re-write of events recorded earlier in I/2 Samuel & I/2 Kings, about the same events with no designated "adversary." Of course there was the serpent way back in Ge.3, but it's only called "satan" after the 6th century BC Persian impact on Israel. The greatness of the Jews was their first allegiance to Yahweh that could also accept His revelation coming even through others. In later centuries Christians had to cope with a heresy built on Zoraster's teaching by Mani (maniac?), a false prophet from Iran. He tried to perpetuate the dualism disguising it into the Gospel. His Manicheism spread into much of Eastern Orthodoxy, and so the Catholic office of Inquisition had to be established. Centuries later that very office itself would be called a "Satan" by the great Reformation leader, Martin Luther. The best test of false prophets was given to us from the Lord Jesus when He said "By their fruits ye shall now them." As the fruits of that Islamic Republic in Iran, the world may soon see another nuclear power in the Middle East; even while these talks continue. False prophets are Satan's allies in this final Armageddon struggle. Scripture is our Sword of the Spirit described in Eph.6, "..which is the Word of GOD." Satan tried to quote a text against Jesus, but our Lord knew it even better and refuted his deception with yet a stronger text, "Thou shalt not tempt the THE LORD THY GOD." So/long
ANGELFIRE 6-2-07 I've been glad to see spray trucks on the streets in WW to curtail the mosquitos coming this month. All the wet weather of May set us up for an infestation and swatting season. Out on the roads we've already had an abundance of turtles crossing, which I try to avoid hitting since they eat up insects. I hate to squash any, so I swerve to miss them, but sure don't feel sorry about smashing bugs. Saw something about avian flue as a threat to our bird allies, who also keep the insects from taking over. I've always had a heavenly feeling for birds, but mosquitos, yuk. Right on, spray trucks. You've got to be pre-emptive. That's the key to fighting global terrorism too. In fact it's basic in the spiritual war on sin that Christ began while here in earth.
I've posted all eight stanzas of dad's poem "The Washita River" here before Father's Day and have already seen a rise in the page views. In May we also began Lord's Day extra, to gain space to talk more fully about things. Also plan to use it for recollections about my home church PV's 1stUMC, where I'm to speak on Heritage Day, June 24. It's where I was baptised as an infant in 1928, by a Rev.Powell. Just last month the memory returned of a little cup my grandmother Hightower saved for me (until I lost or broke it). She said it was for Christening. How amazing after all the years that I can see it in memory again; though I was told it was baptism. Christening wasn't mentioned as we thought that was Catholic.
Back in '87 when I was pastor here in WW, there was a Superconducting Super Collider to be built somewhere (down at Waxahachie TX later decided as SSI). It would cost billions in finding sub atomic particles created by collision of beams of protons. I went to a meeting in OKC about it here, the only clergy who showed up. Some in WW thought my interest was rather strange. But the Higgs boson was in question. Twenty years earlier a professor Peter Higgs at Cambridge University had proposed such a particle from another realm/universe, which gave mass (or being) to subatomic particles like protons, electrons, nutrons, gluons, leptons, quarks etc. in this material universe. By'93 the government cut off funds for SSI (leaving Waxachaie with a huge tunnel underground). Therafter, CERN (Europe's nuclear power agency in Geneva, Switzerland) took up the search. Our SSI would have finished five years ago already but their's is only now reaching it's goal in Nov. of this year. That hypothetical Higgs boson has come to be called "the God particle." Their Large Hadron Collider or LHC came to life in the void left by cancellation of our SSI to find a Higgs boson. It seems to be a transcendant something. So maybe sub-atomic physics is finally going to show us the reality of heaven this November; just what the Lord Jesus had said to the Apostles at that Last Supper: "I go to prepare you a place. And if I go, I WILL COME AGAIN." Shalom
LORD'S DAY extra 6-3-07 Listen to Audio I've thought about that familiar text from Amos in connection with the Washita: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness as an everflowing stream." Some of it is felt in the river poem by JHM. The more times I read it, the greater such feelings come across. And I see it flowing underneath the bridge on #77 daily. In fact the redness of OK earth appears also, and that brings to mind a children's song: Deep and wide, deep and wide, there's a Fountain flowing deep and wide (repeat). The words refers to divine Blood that paid our debts for sin, which nothing else could pay. So the last line of The Washita River says "and all it's debts are paid." Theme of the entire poem is an earthly commerce of giving and taking, selling and buying. So it's an expression of dad's world, business based on righteousness. Perhaps he even saw Jesus as a business Man who at the age of twelve, when found at the Temple, gave the response to His worried parents, "Did ye not know that I must be about my Father's business?" JMH was very patriotic to this nation as also business. He'd started one of his own in Fairfax OK during "the roaring Twenties" and had been very successful when he met my mother, Blanche Hightower who came there as a school teacher. His cattleman step-father was named Sol Smith and his mother Bess. They were prosperous people too. My older brother John Jr. was born there, and then that business faltered. So they moved back to PV with my grandmother Hightower and I was born here on Nov.28, 1927. Amy Vaughn Hightower would be a widow a couple of years later; thus I only heard of my grandpa from her. She said "he just went to sleep one night and work up in heaven the next morning." In later years I secretly wondered if the market crash of '29 was a factor in that "going to sleep." I'd heard of his plans to get wealthy n Florida somehow. My own middle name is from Amy's family, the Allens. And they had moved here from Altus with four daughters: Amy, Ellie Burch of Whitebead, Annie Goodpasture of PV and another off somewhere, Virginia. Annie's husband Virgil owned a saddle shot on W.Paul where I worked in high school days. All the family would meet in their backyard at 607 N.Willow for outdoor cooking. What festivals those were, uncle Virgil always with his cigar and Annie the charming hostess, as we sat around the fish pond eating and joking. Their adopted grandson, Bert, was a pal with me and my brother John. The other festive family site was out at Whitebead with Ellie Burch, where I first knew Mary Ellen Thompson, Ellie's granddaughter and also her Gibson grandkids, Mary Carol and George Allen. That was in the early thirties I believe, before we moved to Mt.Vernon IL for seven years. When we returned in '42 Earl Dorf was pastor of PV's First Methodist church, where we all went regularly. Then Winfred McBride replaced him. He was the one who first talked to me about being a minister. I backed out of his office almost speechless, but a seed was sewn in m heart. He would later be my DS. I had not liked his style of preaching because it seemed to be a holy tone in his pulpit voice. So I tried to avoid such for myself thereafter. Yet I always felt he put me on the way to seminary, though that came several years later when Leroy Massengale was our pastor. Charge Conference recommended me for a license to preach, so as I graduated at OU it was SMU and Perkins School of Theology next. That was in '49. I went with "fear and trembling" because I wasn't sure it was the future for me. One night down there it was resolved in prayer on my knees. "LORD, I'll never turn back" I prayed "If I can just have peace about this." My dad had tried to settle it for me by shoving me into a decision, but the Lord did it from there on. Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-05-07 Listen to Audio I saw where a Tropical Storm in FL was named Barry as hurricane season begins. Sounds familiar doesn't it. Even news reporters can sound turbulent and stormy. So now Angelfire's thinking of water flowing so full. The Washita River is a JMH poem I've posted in italics here before Father's Day. Only after reading it over and over have I realized it's about the whole Washita Valley, plus PV. So I'm comparing it to that river in Egypt which is famous in the Bible. We know it as the Nile (deep blue), though that name's not used in Scripture. It's first mention is in Gn.41 about Pharaoh's two dreams, which got Joseph out of prison by being able to tell the king their meaning. So there comes a large flood of events thereafter, including finally the birth of Moses. And his name means "drawn out" of the river where his own mother had hid her baby in the reeds, probably anticipating such a possibility. Then the daughter of another Pharaoh rescued and adopted him so that he grew up to be even greater for his people than Joseph. What a wide and wide flood of history! Egyptians thought the Nile was their "father" because it's annual flooding brought life to the barren lands. But the true Father above used the great Nile river to accomplish His purpose in man's affairs. Surely He also uses the Washita; maybe the poem shows how, especially that last line "and all it's debts are paid." We live with great prosperity in America, but our debts keep piling up higher and higher. When do they ever cease? Christians see the return of our Lord Jesus a great year of Jubilee (when forgiveness was shown to all those in prison being released, all debts being paid out) and when even those laying in their graves are resurrected into heaven . Titus 2:13 says "looking for that blessed hope." So the coming of Christ to judge the world is also to claim His church for that great marriage of the Lamb. In this month so associated with weddings, it's the very greatest one of all time. We as the church are to be His Bride and live with Him happily ever after. The name Washita sounds to me like baptism. And that's our mark of engagement, being ready for the great wedding that GOD will bless eternally as Heavenly Father. Instead of calling it the second coming, let's use the Bible term, "blessed hope." The Washita and even Rush Creek are such hopeful reminders to me as I behold them daily flow: rivers of hope and life. Here's a chorus in which I've re-oriented the words outwardly: "Lord let your river of life flow on out through me, that makes the lame to walk and the blind to see; opens prison doors, sets the captives free. Lord let your river of life flow on out through me. CHORUS Spring up oh well within my soul, Spring up oh well, make others whole. Spring up oh well, and give through me new life eternally." Let's sing it together so that "me" means all of us. Solong/Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-09-O7 Listen to Audio Can you remember when Gee-Whiz was an expression of amazement? It makes me think of Little Orphan Annie, the comic strip hero, who was so popular in the thirties. Well now it's just G-8, and that represents the nations in control of global wealth. You probably saw those demonstrations against it over in Germany, where it's now meeting without Bush. He's too ill to be there while they consider aid to Africa that he got them to undertake a couple of years ago. Or at least that's the claim. Well G-8 I say, but to me that seems somehow strange!
Let me ask here between Mother"s and Father's Days, which country reminds us of the former and which the latter? I'd say Russia and Germany, as I think of the motherland and the fatherland. But neither label seems to fit America. We've never held to a set gender describing our native land that I can recall. Yes, some of our patriotic songs use "she" for America. And June 14 will show us our flag as feminine (like the skirt of our nation). But we'll also sing "land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride." So we've maintained an equality that's been exemplary to every other land, while our population has gradually shifted from mostly male in the early days to a female dominance in recent times. Even in my lifetime I've felt that change. As a boy in PV, I was proud to be male instead of "only a girl." Don't know where such feelings came from unless it was just our culture (maybe the cowboy mindset of OK): feeling sorry for gals because they hadn't been born guys and that wasn't their fault. But such foolishness (not gallantry) is long gone in these present times. More and more national leaders, millionairs and military folk are female. So even the nation's next CEO taking the place of GW could be a woman. They don't want pity any more. Now they demand equal respect and the same pay. It's hard to find any of those "shrinking violets" or "clinging vines" of former eras, though life seemed so much simpler back when. Perhaps we protected our women better but only leave them to cope on their own now. All the ugly sex crimes were rare (or kept hidden). Men used to be providers for each household, or were supposed to be. Our masculine failure means that females had to shoulder the task. So besides home and kids, most women also have to be in the workplace too. And that's certainly double duty. Yet they usually outlive us despite all their burdens. There ought to be a Marriage Day somewhere about now on the calendar, just reaffirming those vows upon which true family life is based, "to love and to cherish till death us do part." And seems I've heard that there is. You see, marriage is basic to all earth's civilization, the same as Christ is to the Church that He's soon coming to take as his Bride.
ANGELFIRE Lord's Day extra 6-11-07 Listen to Audio Looking toward Heritage Sun. at PV 1stUMC, I'll be there to share some personal recollections of my home church. Going to S.S. was to me memorable because of the opening assembly where Mrs.E.C.Pyle spoke weekly as the children's superintendent. She had a southern accent that made all she told us seem more sacred. And her assistant was Mrs.Sadie Goad, also a saintly little person. Can't recall worship services until in later times, when we returned to PV from IL, where we'd spent some seven years. We three kids-- younger sister Jane, older brother John and I-- would attend with our mother Blanche and grandmother Amy Hightower. Dad was off in the SeaBees somewhere out in the Pacific. There was a balcony in the old sanctuary back then (it was built in 1923), where John and I preferred to sit. But when dad got injured and sent back to Norman, he'd come to church too. So that meant all the family sat together down on the main floor's right side. The sanctuary was designed with a wall on the west that could be raised to add the S.S. assembly hall for enlargement. We were over by the wall, which was usually down. I can recall pastors Earl Dorf in '42-3, then Winifred McBride '44-45 and Leroy Massengale '46-49. Next, we got a prominent Dr.Alva Hutchinson and he had a temporary S.S.frame building put up west of the church across that alley in '52. It lasted until a permanent Educational Addition was built in about '59 while Charles Wells was pastor. Another that I can name was Tom Talley. I liked him and even went to him once for counseling. But Winifred McBride had been the one who first couseled me about becoming a minister; his idea instead of mine, though it took hold. Then I think it was under Dr.Hutchison that the Charge Conf. recommended me for a license to preach (after dad shoved me into making a decision). I had to be licensed for admission into seminary. When Loren Heaton came, this present sanctuary was built, in '67 I think. My dad J.M.Hazlitt had a United Bible Class that assembled the old sanctuary but don't think it ever met in this new one. Yet dad's funeral was held here by E.E.Gregory who was pastor in '69. And the funeral for our mother, Blanche Hazlitt, was also in this place in '96 by pastor Torrey Curtis. So my family roots are deep in 1st UMC of Pauls Valley. I can even recall Judge Haskell Paul teaching our high school S.S. class and also when Helen Paul, widow of the famous state senator Snip, was church secretary. But most vivid to me was the choir, where I sang bass with Dr.G.D.Smith, local dentist. That got me started into to becoming a song leader, and then even the choir director during the three years I spent at Marlow. I'll show the hymnal we used as I speak, tell why I treasure it and who gave it to me. Hope to see you there Heritage Sunday.
ANGELFIRE 6-13-07 Download Audio Here's a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my older brother John M. Hazlitt, Jr. who lives in Estes Park CO. He may see this on the Internet, though I've already sent a pesonal greeting. He was born up at Fairfax one year and a half before me, and sister Jane Oden at Garden City KN four years later than me; but my claim to fame is being born right here in PV. And living these past 16 years at WW has put Niece and I close enough to be watching both our home towns flourish. So now PV's getting ready for it's 150th birthday during this Centennial of our whole state. Sept.29 is the big day for us in this year of recollections. I have too many to tell in church a week from Sunday, when I'm to speak for Heritage Day at 1st UMC. So you can see in Lord's Day extra above, that many are alrady posted. The daily count for page views keeps increasing on ANGELFIRE, which means readers near and far. So I hope it becomes a Voice out of Pauls Valley, for the holy Gospel. Here's a little song I like to sing at the two Nursing Homes where I visit, as well as LARC's prison ministry: "GOD is so good. GOD is so good. GOD is so good. He's been good to me. (2) I love Him so. repeat, repeat. He's so good, you see. (3) I'll do His will. repeat, repeat. He's so good, you'll see. (4) Jesus is Lord, repeat, repeat, He'll come back, you'll see." Having read the prologue to John's Gospel just now, I found the Lord's final return in verse 13 (today's date) when we become become fully "children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's decision, but born of GOD." That shows that though all people may be considered children of the same Creator, it's only through rebirth in Christ Jesus as Savior that we gain a living relationship Him as our Heavenly Father. Let that be our life's goal and so long (shalom) for now.
ANGELFIRE 6-19-07 Listen to Podcast Our positive news has been the safe return of Atlantis space shuttle from the ISS, where the needed repair required a space walk. Down here, a Hamas military takeover in Gaza provoked the Palestinian premier Machmoud Abbas into ousting their members from his cabinet. Right away US/UN aid to his moderate government has been restored, which had been embargoed when Hamas won that majority last January, and now has conrol of Gaza. Hamas is to Palestine what the Hezbolla have been to Lebanon, Islamic radical armies getting aid form Syria and Iran. They seek to destroy the state of Israel (a democracy). So maybe now Palestine's Abbas and his Fatah party can still progress toward a Palestinian state, though I don't see Scripture pointing to such a permanent two state solution there. Especially now with three states: Israle, West Bank & Gaza. Instead, it's the return of our Lord, already crowned with thorns, as the "King of Israel" (Messiah). He's to be finally enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords, So He will rule a spiritual "empire" empowered by agape (divine love) in the new heaven and earth. It's capitol will be that City of God (New Jerusalem) depicted in the Bible's very last two chapters, Rev.2l-2, from which the river of life flows forth forever.
Our river in my dad's poem "The Washita" has stayed way up lately. Hope you've read it on my website, especially the last line, "and all it's debts are paid." Seems a strange tribute, though it's in figurative words, the notion of highest praise from JMH. It reminds me of the old song, "Jesus Paid It All. All to Him I Owe" and also of an early view of the Atonement, called a RANSOM from the clutches of Satan. Our souls were held in bondage until Christ died to buy their salvation from the kidnapper/devil (much like the Islamists are doing today). So when we get released by such payment in Blood, we are freed from demonic dominion. That may sound crudely like a pay off to gangsters, but it dramatically describes how our Lord's sacrifice can bring results. Catholic theology mostly ignores that view as too much of Satan, but Eastern Orthodoxy retains it; perhaps because of their greater confrontation with Islam in the East. So we need to remember that Islamists are not true Muslims. They're political radicals who distort a religion for their own wicked operations against the West, They try to exploit our decency by cruel and inhuman efforts to manipulate us by using women, children and helpless ones as shields for their hideouts. Such abominable tactics show their deviltry.
I've appreciated Dr.Kanary's devotionals on Friday's church page, especially the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling. It seemed right for Father's Day to me because JMH was always quoting Kipling before he got so much into the Bible. Guess we kids got a British outlook without knowing it. He memorized and quoted the most famous poems, reminding us it was from the English poet laureate. Was good to read "If" again. Thanks Bob, for the poem and the invitation to speak this Sunday for Heritage Day. I got to share my thoughts of Grandmother Hightower at her funeral in '68, last service in the old sanctuary. Pastor E.E.Gregory led it, but let me have time to share memories of that precious person. But this time I'll focus on my home church, that was so central in her life too. So/long till Sunday
ANGELFIRE 6-24-07 that went unpublished: Here's an invitation for you ANGELFIRE readers to be with me at 1stUMC, 10:50, tomorrow morning. Along with Kathleen Carlton's brief theme drama, "The Mentor," and recognition of 50 year members along with retiring Heritage director Burna Walton, I'll share a personal secret in my Message about this home church of mine. Of course I don't ask any of you to neglect your loyalties elsewhere. But I can tell you how this church humbly began in a lean-to on the side of Smith Paul's own residence, way back in our town's early history. Then it was moved from S.Walnut St. over into a larger (yet still small) frame meeting house just north of the present Rush Creek bridge. By 1924 it had gained it's present Willow&Bradley corner location, the old sanctuary building that was large enough to host the whole Annual Conference. And the presiding bishop Moore in that year of '24 had also been PV's first resident pastor when he'd begun his ministry here. So the "Mentor" drama will surely echo some of our local history as "Young preacher/Old preacher" dialogue. Methodist clergy were mostly circuit riders in those early days, until churches added parsonages later as permanent buildings had replaced brush tabernacles (or lean-tos) as houses of worship. But to have your first local pastor return later as your bishop in charge of the whole Indian Territory Mission! That's really exciting!! Even reminds me somewhat of the Parousia.
ANGELFIRE has already told of my roots in this church, and several of the pastors I recall. But during the 41 years I was under appointment, my contact locally was mostly through the church secretaries. I'd see my clergy colleagues at Conference, but when in town, I'd usually see secretary at the church office. This is their order, as I recall: Betty Murray, Joyce Penuel, Susan Skipper and Debra Gammill. Gena Mueller helped me list these, though still others served even longer ago. My friends Harold and Gena have been members here since '58. I've also talked to Pierce Blake, whose mother Rogna is a very long time member (and just celebrated her birthday, now up in the nineties). She was a good friend to my mother, Blanche, whose funeral was held here by pastor Torrey Curtis, in '96. I won't review all this history tomorrow, but will share something kept in my heart for past years (even made up a song about it). So hope you can be with us for Heritage Day at PV's First United Methodist Church. Till then, Shalom
ANGELFIRE 6-27-07 Bells used to be on our church buildings all over the land, but the most memorable one was hung at Independence Hall, of the design as "Big Tom" of Westminister Abbey. It was cast in Britain before the Revolutionary Way, weighing 2080 pounds (12"wide/7"tall) and was hung in Philadelphia. But it's clapper cracked it with the first ring in 1753, so it was recast over here. After the signing of our Declaration of Independence on July 8 it rang again in 1778, Later it cracked while tolling for a funeral, was recast only to be permanently cracked later during a ringing for the birthday of George Washington. But the inscription doesn't say "ring," so it still hangs there with "PROCLAIM Liberty throughout all the Land unto all the the Inhabitants Thereof"(Lev.25:10) inscribed on it. Thus I see bells as linked to proclaiming (preaching) the Gospel in America. But it's become fireworks on our nation's birthday rather than bells. Does that sound like a cracked notion of mine?
I saw Gordon Brown's Sunday acceptance speech to Parliament's Labor party on C-SPAN2, preparing for Tony Blair's retirement today (Wed.) as Prime Minister. Brown's been Chancellor of the Exchequer for over a decade, almost as powerful as Blair; both are of the Labor Party. But now more socialism will be on the Brit's agenda again. I can recall when it was new stuff back in 1966. Attending a World Methodist Conference in London, I stayed an extra month on tour and heard so much praise of all the "new programs." Their cradle to grave medical coverage was the greatest thing they talked about. Then later we learned how their good physicians were leaving to come to the U.S. since their financial future there was bleak. We reaped benefits from their socialized medicine, and their nation kept going into the red. Finally Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister to turn things around. His speech reminded me of our Sheriff Roady predicting that the federal grant provided to this county will have so many strings on it that there's little or no help being given. As much disgust as we feel for Big Oil (remember when B O stood for "body odor"), socialism is worse yet with it's long list of promises. Brown's really into "International commitments and global warming" as well. Our Washita River can keep us mindful of the free enterprise for here in America. We know it's what finally gets the job done, where all the regulations and restrictions don't kill private project off instead. Even our churches get loaded down with eccleastical bureaucracy, so that other [Jesus brands] that focus more on Christ as Savior/Lord instead of organization, gain a larger market share. Let's all be ready because He's coming back soon. So long/Shalom
PS I may write on my visit down to Nicaragua back in the 85's when Daniel Ortega and the San Dinesta party were in power there. Now he and it are back in control I hear. Socialism won't go away. Just look at Cuba and Castro, who seems to be immortal. Or that guy in Caraccus who has such a loud mouth down there.