Tag: Pray

Categories
Encouragement Faith fishing God good grace nature rest

The River

I could never get enough of this river!

Peach says:

Recently we went a few days getaway up in northwest Georgia. The cabin had all the things we needed to enjoy a few quiet days, on the river, feeding the numerous and friendly deer, and fishing!

I, personally, left the fishing to Batman and our youngest son who came with us! All I wanted to do was take a few pictures to try to capture some memories and read my book!

It was very restful and peaceful and refreshing! There were all sort of geese along with the fish here and there. And the deer, well, EVERYWHERE!

The river was the star of the show for me. I couldn’t stop looking at it. It was in the back yard, there was all kinds of seating and it was just beautiful. The whole time of our visit it was consistent in the way it flowed and gurgled and splashed its way over the rocks. Sparkling and inviting in all of its activities!

I spent vacation looking for messages from the Lord in our time of much needed rest and recreation! For me, I came away with two things. The biggest message was the river itself, steady, flowing, lush and sparkling, ever onward without fail or ebbing, just constant. It made me think of the Goodness of God, always in front of us, so much that it’s more than we can grab hold of, more than we can really comprehend, the overflowing, never ending, always available Goodness of God! Always available to us, to jump in and get all we can, be immersed in, splash around, we can’t contain it, but it is always there for us!

He’s taught me about His goodness in a similar fashion years before.

The world is a wild place these days. A hurting and confused place. It needs the Goodness of God. It needs us, each of us, as the Church to be immersed in His goodness so much that we overflow with the love, the peace, the joy, the patience, the provision that He makes available to us, so we leave a trail of His goodness wherever we go.

He made us agents of His grace and mercy, His Kingdom way of living. It doesn’t mean we don’t fail, flail and fall, but it means He is able to work in us to bring His way of living to bear wherever we go.

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” — 1 John 3:8b

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 5:19-21

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” — John 10:10

Listen! Steady on she flows! The overflowing GRACE of God for us!

Listen to that, Y’all! ‘Have and ENJOY life, and have it in ABUNDANCE, to the full, til it OVERFLOWS!!’, flowing like that river, Y’all! Flowing, flowing, flowing! Steady, steady, steady, over the rocks, around the dips and valleys…matter of fact a low place just means MORE WATER!! (Aka more GRACE!!) Nothing stops it! His goodness is coming to bear in our lives! Destroying the works of the enemy!! Healing our sin problem, delivering us from the curse, sin, death and the grave! Giving us a new heart! Sending us forth as containers of His GOODNESS.

I want to add that as beautiful as His plan is, we spend an inordinate amount of time down on ourselves, down on our many ways we fall short. I’m learning though, that His grace just comes in stronger, filling in that low spot in us, in our relationships, and in our counterproductive little habits and our idiosyncrasies that trip us up. In our weakness, we need to be claiming and expecting His strength to come in, His Grace is made perfect in our weakness.

“But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!” — 2 Corinthians 12:9.

He is able to, Y’all! — “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” —2 Corinthians 9:8

We are imperfect, and that’s no surprise to Him! Just keep floating in that grace River, Y’all! That’s where you will find me!!

Every Sunday and Monday, I start the week thankful for the previous week and blessings and mercies of the Lord in our family, in our lives. It is good for me to remember and look for His hand upon our lives, with gratitude. Then I ask with great expectation for His Spirit to move upon us again, in an Ephesians 3:20 — “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]”

Let Your River (of your goodness and grace) flow, Lord, flow right over me!! Flow over my family! Let it flow right over every person and their loved ones who read this, Lord! We look to You and your goodness!!

Oh, taste and see, the Lord, He is good!! Psalm 34:8.

Happy Monday, Y’all!

Peach

Huck and Tom!

Categories
bible dads death Encouragement faith family Father memories Paradise Relationships The Word

Drinking Coffee

Reflections.

“Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special.” — 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5, The Message

Peach says:

We lost my Daddy on 1 January this year.

He and my Mom had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my youngest brother and his wife and their daughters, and I am pretty sure that my Baby Sis and her family made it there as well.

In our family we did not have a set routine to celebrate Thanksgiving. So, each year we all did our own things, sometimes some of us connecting in various ways at various times.

A few scant days after, he took ill. It happened horribly fast, no time to adjust at each step of decline, before another step overtook us.

We are all walking with a limp now, I guess you could say. Walking it out, figuring it out, praying it out, talking it out, loving it out, faithing it out, sometimes crying it out.

Questions. So many questions. Memories. Unaccomplished wishes. Things to hold onto that make you feel close to him. Like he can live on in your lives and be instilled in your family dna.

Beyond the thousand little cuts where you can’t hug him, can’t introduce him to great grandkids, can’t text him, can’t call him, or drive the backroads to visit him, beyond all this hangs the question, ‘What’s he experiencing? What’s Heaven like for him right now? What is he doing?’

I don’t doubt it’s beyond our ability to conceive. Far, far richer, far sweeter, far deeper. But, I want to know. And I feel the Lord encouraging the question. “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. — Proverbs 25:2

Yesterday afternoon, all the way through last night, my thoughts and pondering peaked in this regard. Jesus taught during His time on earth, through the rabbinical style of asking questions, and still does today.

I found myself the last week or so wondering if my Father in law had met up with Daddy yet, for a cup of coffee and ‘catching up’, welcoming him to the place. We lost my Father in law in December 2014. I think of him every day. Miss him very much. See him in his son, my Batman, everyday.

Then I realized likely my Granddaddy would be at that table for coffee. We lost him in late March of 1983. I picture the men on the outside of a wooden building, under an overhang, as to a porch on an old style of a General Store.

I picture them smiling, talking, sipping, contemplating. The question came ‘Do you really think so?’ Yeah, I really kinda do. ‘Ok. Can you think of what you know from The Word that can help support that?’

I can. God is very relational. He created us for relationship with Him. He designed us not only in His image to have relationships, but also that we need one another, and each have different parts and pieces that only work best in collaboration with each other. The Church (Body of believers) is designed for us to work and be in relationship with each other. He designed us so that some friends are like family and some family are like friends. Yeah, I think that continues at a higher level in Heaven.

He let me steep in that picture for a little while and then took me around the table to what they might be saying:

My FIL, (sweet smile he had when he’s tickled): “I tell ya, I never imagined how much I would like it here. How welcome I would be. How much at home I would feel. I had no idea how good this would be!”

My Daddy, with eyes in wonder: “It’s more than everything I ever dreamed! I did not realize or expect to be so near to the Father and His Son, to be so near to Jesus, to see where all the prayers are kept! It’s absolutely overwhelming! It makes all the hell seem trivial in comparison to this!”

My GrandDaddy, looking at his coffee cup, kinda smiling: “You boys haven’t seen the half of it! Wait until you see what they’re working on!”

“Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution.

When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.

Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”

Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!”

The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!”

Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews.

One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!”

But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”

43 He said, “Don’t worry, I will. TODAY you will join me in PARADISE.” — Luke 23:32-43, KJV

Thanks for coming along with me in my ponderings.

Love and faith, Y’all, Love and faith.

Categories
anxiety danger Faith Fear focus grace Hope Life outdoors peace rain The Word Word

The Answer

“4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” — Psalm 34:4-5

Peach says:

Hey, Everybody! I pray you are sleeping well as I type this! I know I’m fixing to!

Fell asleep and woke up…that’s never my best. Sometimes I’m too happy to sleep and my mind races…sometimes, the enemy of my soul wants to rush in and whisper things to imagine and worry about. Tonight I talk back with the Word. God’s Word is always the answer, and more effective if we speak it, pray it, declare it. Doesn’t necessarily mean you feel better instantly…but…you CAN know beyond what you feel…and your feelings WILL catch up. I think our culture talks about ‘anxiety’ too much. Gives it too much power. Not because it’s not a real thing. But, because it IS a real thing. Anxiety is a fact. Everybody deals with it. Its everywhere. It’s like humidity or clouds…it’s there…but, so is the breeze, so is the sunshine and the moonlight, and the morning dew and rain from time to time. 🤷‍♀️ it’s not everything. It’s not the boss. We have a Protector, if we will keep our eyes on Him, He will keep us in His perfect peace.

My closing Word to go to sleep with

—“47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” — Luke 6:47-48.

That’s never sounded as good as it does tonight. I hope this encourages someone.🙏🏻♥️

Categories
beauty children dads Faith family focus Ford F150 grace grandchildren Gratitude Mustard on my Collar New Year podcasts retirement sugar boogars thankful

Odds and Ends…and New Beginnings!

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way.” — Psalm 37:23

Peach says:

How is everybody doing? We hope this new year finds you still hopeful and looking at things through the lens of God’s Grace and POWER. It’s what makes everything look BETTER, and brighter!

I see Batman spilled the beans on our latest endeavor! Because we really needed a new project!! 😂😂 But, seriously, I am so peaceful and hopeful, and sure that God is with us in this, that it gives me courage! We shall see! Like he and I often say, if even ONE person is helped, saved, encouraged or anyway uplifted, it is ALL worth it!

I try these later years in life to always be mindful when in contact with people to remember that it all MATTERS. Don’t categorize our interactions as important and non important, because sometimes what a soul needs comes suddenly AFTER a myriad of little things finally tips the basket. It’s how it was for me, and I think for many.

We’ve been each busy with jobs. Then there’s our side gig as you see up there 👆🏻

Then we have what I like to call the ‘Sugar Boogars‘!! We have two sons and our oldest and his wife have 5 kids!! Yep! They do know what causes that!! They just LOVE having a big family! And I love being a Mema!

The girls turned 4 this week and we celebrated last Saturday. The pictures above 1) that popped up in my IG memories. 2, 3) them sporting birthday presents!

Tomorrow we get a visit from our youngest son and his fiancé! They are happily expecting their first child! Our sixth grandchild!! We are over the moon excited!! Can’t wait for tomorrow!

And our oldest has a birthday on Valentine’s Day! He’s working this weekend, so we are celebrating that next Saturday!

Looks like February is the month for family and parties! Don’t worry! We are all very low key and careful and it’s only immediate family! 👌🏻🙏🏻

The podcast could not happen without Batman. There have been all sorts of technical issues and he has muscled his way through each and every one of them. I am so grateful for him, y’all have no idea.

We’ve only got the intro one up yet. But, much more in the works. Prayers appreciated. In the natural, I mean like the world does NOT appear to need another podcast. But, I believe in the supernatural! I believe in a God who decides what He thinks is necessary and works out the details for each soul as they need it. That doesn’t make our podcast special, it makes us available for Him to work through! That’s all I’m looking for! Right place, right time, right message, right soul(s) at any given time!

This happened on Christmas Eve!! It was such a happy, unexpected (but secretly hoped for) blessing! It’s part of our retirement plans. He’s researched for over two years the kind of camper we want to pull and the type of truck which would best suit it. Everything just came together for the best package deal (year end stuff and a heap of Grace) and now we are ready to narrow down our search for a camper!

We went to our first RV show yesterday! It was very cool and we are getting a lot closer to what we want!

There will be more RV shows this year!

I am hoping to be much more regular on here. It makes me happy and I think it’s important to work our gifts, however humble they are, and trust God to do good work IN us and THROUGH us. I often find myself thinking the life of Christians, is very much like a bee or butterfly, cross pollinating and bringing much needed joy wherever they go!

This made us giggle at lunch today, after the Range! We often like to grab a quick meal after (or between) class(es) at our favorite nearby chain restaurant. Just silliness, I tell ya!

Lastly, here’s one more of Sugar Boogars!! Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you will say Hi! And drop a note and we will come see you!

Categories
bible danger Faith family Fear focus Law Enforcement peace

Rest

“In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:“ — portion of Isaiah 30:15.

Peach here.

It’s been a long, hot summer, Y’all.

We took a few days off at the end of May, and it was nice. We enjoyed getting a few odds and ends done around the house. Hanging out. Whatnot. Resting up.

The world also blew up with regards to policing and race issues and social media became extremely non fun and toxic, the very same weekend.

We don’t watch the news. As in ever. Anything we want to know, we can find out on our phones without talking heads telling us what to think about it.

Of the two of us, Batman has the smarts to stay out of social media. And I’m SO grateful.

I’m good and hooked. 🙄 I have rules for boundaries though and stick to them! It helps a lot!

Social media is how I found out about all the bad stuff, weirdly in an account that I purposely keep only for inspiration, photography, family, praise and worship ministries, biblical teaching. (told ya social media became non fun!)

I’m not going to try to rehash the bad things that happened this summer. Just laying out a little corner of the world and how it impacted us.

I could see the storm coming to our country, our society, and there was no avoiding the wind, the rain, the lightening and the thunder.

It would impact us all, and if you are a law enforcement family, a lot.

There’s layers to it. It’s clear. And it’s jagged. All at the same time.

I was so distraught that weekend at what I was seeing. I worried how it would impact Batman and our little city. I remember I didn’t want him burdened with the knowledge of what I was seeing.

And so much more. My blood pressure was definitely up!

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” — Mark 4:39.

The resulting unrest across the country had another side effect of causing people to realize they needed a certain kind of training which we (Batman) provide.

Being so busy all summer was good medicine for my mind’s tendency to be over wrought with troubles and their potential implications.

Potential. Oh, the trouble we can weave in our minds and hearts, that never comes to pass. But, our bodies bear the brunt of the stress dumping hormones for sure!

So grateful for so many good people we have gotten to meet and help. Like I tell Batman, I love to watch him work! 😍 getting out of the routine to do this, was super good for me. Gave me distance from the perceived problems of our society, and the opportunity to do what I think I do best. Help. That’s my favorite! Help my husband, help our clients, help our family.

With the added layer of the virus and the various ways citizens and government have complicated it, I have had oodles of opinions!! Gracious!! Nobody needs more opinions though. So every time I was tempted to ‘put my foot down’ on social media about it, I always felt this check in my spirit. To be still. To know that He is God. The famous verse from Psalm 46, He had firmly planted it in my heart at the end of last year, and impressed upon me to take it with me into the coming year, 2020.

The check in my spirit, restraining me, from spouting off opinions no one needed to hear from me about the virus, was “I don’t know yet what is really going on. I know the devil is at work. And so is our Father. I don’t want to speak about things I don’t understand yet. Wait and see. Trust God. Be gracious. Be prudent. Believe the best. God will work good out of all this, if we make room for Him.”

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” — Psalm 46:10.

You know, that verse above we often quote the first half, and rightly so. We need, we crave, that stillness of our hearts and minds and lives. And it comes with KNOWING He (alone) is God!

But, let’s not forget the one, two punch of the second half of the verse! He WILL BE exalted among the heathen, He WILL BE exalted in the earth!

That. That restores order to my mind, hope to my heart, peace to my life.

I still keep an eye on the news online. I see it. But, I don’t soak in it. I also take care to not aim to be right, score points, or any of the things that social media is designed to do, but rather to know facts, stand for truth, encourage the best, keep it to a minimum, where possible, build tiny bridges.

Batman and I have also learned the joy and wisdom of taking a week each month off from our side gig, to catch up on life and rest and just enjoy!!

This year is teaching me over and over the beauty of ‘resting’ in the care and Grace of our Lord. In so many ways, trust in Him. Make room for Him. Expect good from Him. It’s not really about the storm clouds, the wind or the lightening, it’s about Jesus, being the center of our focus!

“Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.“ — Matthew 11:29. The Amplified Bible.

Thanks for listening Y’all!! I’m praying we get all the ‘goody’ out of this crazy year, that He has for us all!

Categories
children danger exploited family Fatherhood Fear human trafficking Life missing parents safety Uncategorized

Find the Missing

Batman Says:

I’m not sure why, but I’m sure it is going on, most of the world turning a blind eye to “Human Trafficking”. Where are the outcry’s of rage? Where is the supposed “news media”, where are the family members of missing loved ones? Where are the Police? Where are the elected officials? Where for Gods sake are the red blooded American citizens who should be beating down the powers that be’s doors?

There are an estimated 800,000 missing children EVERY YEAR and these estimates are lowballed and do not include adults. There are evil people out there, snatching kids off the streets, playgrounds, and even yards, to sell as slaves and sex objects. It is not a new thing, it has been going on for ages, in the background, silently and stealthily, people are being snatched and disappear hourly.

Where is the outcry? It makes no sense, with all the families of the missing, there should be marching in the streets. Where is the so called news media, that says they have the public’s interest at heart in their “news” stories, one would think something like this would be front and center DAILY so people would see the severity of the problem and rise up to begin to stop it. They are not reporting it because it’s not sensational enough, there are no bad cops to show, nor politicians whose ideas they don’t agree with to bash, therefore they do not care. Folks to fix the news media is another story all by itself, but emailing and writing may help, I suggest something radical that I’m sure not a lot will do, but it would work, stop watching the news, stop watching that network, the one thing I do know these people want is ratings, without you they don’t have that, then they send out polls as to why and you can express your opinion and tell them why, but this is about the missing not the biased news.

This is no fantasy story, nor something happening only in lower class places, this is something that effects us all. Human traffickers care about only one thing, money, and to get money they need live bodies, boys, girls, men and women are ALL targets. We as people have GOT to make a stand and start thwarting these (and I won’t use foul language) lowest of life forms on the planet, by EVERY means available to us.

Here are a few tips:

Moms and Dads know where your kids are at all times

Watch your neighborhood, call the Police over suspicious people and / vehicles

Go places as groups not alone

Look at your surroundings as you move about, look up, not at your feet

Always tell someone where you are going to be, and when to expect you back

Let someone know your route you plan to take.

(Where it’s legal) Carry pepper spray, mace, or a stun gun, in your hand Anytime you are walking or running.

Park your car as close to the store you’re visiting as you can get, under a light if possible.

Do not park next to a van or truck, especially if it is between you and the store front.

When you leave the store Know where your vehicle is prior to wandering all over the lot.

(Where it’s legal) Walking to your vehicle have your pepper spray / mace/stun gun in your hand until you are in your car, with the door locked. Look at your car, does it look like it’s been disturbed? Is there a car or truck or even a car with dark tinted windows around it? If so, ask a store worker to walk you to your car.

There are hundreds of things we can do to make ourselves and our children and friends “hard targets” but it takes constant vigilance to do it.

As a Police Officer, I am appalled at the lack of concern, lack of public knowledge, lack of commitment by most anyone on this subject. It’s a disgrace and should not be allowed to stand.

Folks, if you know ANYTHING at all that could lead to finding even one missing person, one human trafficker, one location, or anything, I beg you to tell a Law Enforcement Officer, or anyone you can that may be able to help…if you’re afraid or don’t want to get involved, message us here privately and we will get the right people to the right places.

Together we can stop this horrible crime and maybe rescue someone’s loved one in the meantime.

Use the tips I posted 24 hours a day 7 days a week, pass them to your friends and family, pass the word around, information and diligence is key and together we can win.

Peach and I are both available to speak to groups about personal safety, just shoot us a message and we will see what we can come up with.

God bless you all and please be safe.

“Your stun gun is fully charged Peach, is my hair sticking up?”

Categories
bible Faith family Fear focus health Life

Living a Life of Duty

Batman Says:

Hello my friends, going a different direction with this post, hope y’all don’t mind, but it’s been weighing on me to talk about this even if it’s a small audience. Who knows, maybe somehow the right person or persons will find it and it will help.

There are people, ordinary everyday people out there, that do something extraordinary. They don’t do it for the money, glory, fame or recognition. They just simply do it because something tugs at them inside and they answer that calling. These people live a Life of Duty.

Soldiers, Police Officers, these are the people I’m talking about, and let’s see if we can explore why, and if not why, let’s see if we can find ways to let them know we appreciate their sacrifices.

I’m a Veteran, I am also a 25+ year active duty Police Officer, I know these sacrifices and I salute anyone that has or is either, you are my Brothers & Sisters in arms, and I know…

No one tells you about all the things that surround you when you are in one of these services, military service people are sent to God knows where to perform tasks that would break a normal persons heart and soul to go through. Sometimes fighting night and day to stay alive, far from home while the world continues to spin and your civilian friends party and carry on with no clue what you are living through. Missing family and always in the back of your mind focusing on the one thought that helps get you through, the thought of going home when your tour is over. And when you finally do get to go home, you realize you no longer are the person you were before you left, you have seen too much, felt too much, to just brush it all off and pretend you are you. So, if your able and are one of the lucky ones, you shove the bad into that dark place in the the back recesses if your mind and you mentally build an impenetrable wall to keep it from escaping. You pick up your life and carry on as if nothing happened, you live a happy life and are complete.

But if you are not lucky, or are not able to force the bad into a box and wall your mind up around it, you are tortured by the demons that haunt your mind. These souls desperately search for help, from pills, from a bottle, from wherever they can. They often find the “official” channels are made so cumbersome and full of people that only care if you fill out the appropriate form, that they cannot get past the front desk. The V.A. Is FULL of non caring people that ONLY care that they get their weekends off and a steady, easily earned paycheck. There are though, Angels in the V.A. who despite the red tape, and bosses with their forms, truly care and are devastated to know they didn’t help someone who needed it. The Veteran that cannot get help, often self medicates with one of the earlier mentioned items. Some find solace in other Veterans and groups who get together and listen, share horror stories, cry on each other’s shoulders and maintain the bond created in difficult times.

Will leave it there for a couple lines while I share a conversation with a friend and fellow Veteran I had recently. This Veteran served in Iraq on the ground door to door, and came home, ok but not completely, the demons kept creeping out, and he would self medicate with alcohol to keep them at bay. Just as he came through it, and could start to keep the demons in the box, tragedy strikes and his son, also a Veteran who served in Afghanistan, after struggling with depression, self medicating and not getting the help he needed from the V.A. took his own life. This pushed my friend back into a spiraling fall and only by the Grace of God and his own strength of character, did he emerge from. Every day is a reminder to him of his son, and he fights on because he knows to give in would hurt more people that he loves.

Now back we go, the above story is true and I only found out all of it from my friend last week. It brings home tragedy of a friends loss, and brings to light for me the fact that there are so many Military Veterans that NEED help. Take the time to tell a Veteran, don’t just say “thank you for your service” say “Thank YOU” and “Is there anything you need that I may be able to help with?” I’m not talking about offering money I’m talking about offering compassion, it’s worth all the money in the world to someone that thinks no one cares.

When I became a Police Officer back in 1994, things were different. For the most part citizens liked the Police and what they stood for. Things have changed, not all for the good, some as a result of bad decisions by Police Officers, some by the media bending the truth to sensationalize a story to get ratings. I became a Police Officer at the age of 30, so I had had several jobs, been around the block a few times and was considered one of the old school cops. We told you how we felt about something honestly and if you needed arrested we arrested you, if you needed someone to vent to, we let you vent (verbally), words can hurt but it’s temporary and not life threatening. I cannot tell you or guess how many times I stood and talked to someone that was irate and genuinely wanting to cause trouble, that eventually calmed down and after a while, changed their attitude ( by the way the surest way to tick someone off is to tell them to “calm down” trust me on this).

For the most part the people we dealt with were not the worst of society, don’t get me wrong, on any given minute anyone is capable of anything. One of the most calm and well spoken people I have come across had just killed a man for “disrespecting” his camp. But I hold no grudges, people make mistakes daily and most try and put it behind them. I go by the motto “Don’t judge a man by how he falls, judge him by how he stands back up”.

Leaping forward in time the Officers are from a different generation, the new replacing the old, as it’s always been, but…this new “millennial” group of Officers, despite being competent and confident, lack the ability to take criticism, cannot talk to people and are always in a hurry to be someplace where the action is. More than once in my career I have been told “you can’t talk to millennials that way” or ” you don’t know how to talk to millennials”. Maybe so, but I know how to talk to people, it came to this job with me, and it came from years of life experience“, something you do not get from a book or video. I am lucky that I had firm but fair parents, that taught right from wrong, taught manners (I still say ma’am and thank you, I still open doors for people, I take my hat off around ladies and inside) but more than that, I was instilled from a young age a coping mechanism for any and all problems, and that is a faith in God, and that he knows and will provide me with the answers and comfort I need, when I need it.

Now this past paragraph may sound like I am bashing millennials, and this is no means the case. There are two points I want to make, if I can, one is if a person would just listen more than talk the answers would present themselves, and the second? Follow along…

Being a Police Officer has taken a drastic change over the past 10 years, we are no longer respected by the populace, as we once were. This is partially our fault and partially the fault of outside influences beyond our control. Police Officers are having to contend with situations that they are not trained on and that are more military in nature than civilian. Ambushes, terrorist attacks, these are things Soldiers are trained for and these are the things that if you survive, leave scars mentally. These scars, are put in the box with the demons from the homicides, the sudden deaths, the drownings, the suicides, as well as the media constantly finding flaw in every thing we as Police Officers deal with in a manner that they don’t agree with. Today’s Police Officers are being killed at unprecedented rates, but worse, they are unable to keep the demons in the box, and sadly they are committing suicide at rates way higher than ever. These young men and women, are the newer Officers mostly, with an average of 5 years on the job and find they cannot cope with what they have seen, done, and been accused of, alone, and do not know where to turn. They self medicate, and when that fails, they resort to the only solution they think they have left, suicide. I’m not saying that just because you fall in the millennial “group” and you’re a Police Officer, you are more likely to commit suicide, I am saying that it seems to me that younger (in time) Officers, that haven’t developed the coping mechanisms, who do not think they need to listen, who do not believe they need God in their lives, are walking a thin line, without the safety net that seasoned Veterans who have life experience have.

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you read this and know someone that you even faintly may feel like they are in trouble, get them help. Do not just let it go, if you can’t help tell their boss, their parent, wife, friend or family member, do not let them try and face it alone.

I have been and always will be a Soldier (once a Soldier always a Soldier) I have been and will always be a Police Officer, and I know I may be called to make a sacrifice that few can make in order to protect the “sheep from the wolves”, that’s the choice I make daily when I put my uniform on. I can cope with my demons as I have the Armor of God, and I let him guide me in times when I am feeling weak. I have the most beautiful and loving wife in my Peach, and nothing on this good earth is going to keep me from annoying her for another 50+ years.

I chose to live a “Life of Duty” like thousands before, and thousands will after, praise them when you get the chance, we are human beings also, with the same wants, needs and fears, we just chose to put them aside to protect you all from the evil in the dark places you choose not to believe exists.

To my fellow Veterans, and my fellow Police Officers, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, if you are feeling weak call and I am there, hit your knees and ask God to show you the way, his way may not be what you want, but it will be what you need.

“I don’t believe in God” “it’s ok, God believes in you”

“God does not care who you were son, God cares who you are”

Matthew 5:9

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God”

Categories
bible Faith family focus Life life styles

Simple Things

Batman Says:

Ecclesiastes 4:6

“Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.”

Galatians 1:10

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Ok, we all know I’m not the best at Bible verses, took me two weeks to find these. But they go along with my thought process in this post.

Simple things, why can we not just stick with the simple things? I have dedicated myself to enjoying simple things around me. Sitting on the deck that we are building (long term project as I’m not as young as I used to be) for our outside enjoyment. Fixing wild game feeders and then using them in the yard to attract and feed squirrels and birds. Going to the hunting club and working on food stations and clearing paths/trails. Taking photographs, Ham radio, blogging (which is funny as only Peach reads my stuff mostly but that’s ok I like doing it).

Too many times we try to impress each other, our peers or strangers, and if we are honest with ourselves, does it really matter what they think? We work, sometimes 7 days a week to earn money to buy things to impress each other, to what end?

There’s a verse in the Bible about not taking it with you or something like that (told ya I’m not the best at Bible even though I read it with Peach daily), I think it’s in Timothy but don’t quote me on it.

We should all take a step back and slow way down, think twice before buying something that even though when can justify it as something we need, we are really only getting to impress someone we really don’t need to impress.

Today Peach and I went to town (don’t even start with the hype about staying home orders) and got a few groceries, got some stuff we needed at Tractor Supply, then stopped by the hunting club. We put up some fence to keep the cows out of where we help supplement the deer with healthy food, and we generally tinkered around in God’s great woods, listening and seeing his creations. We both enjoy being outside and breathing clean air and enjoying all the simplicity. No stress, no phones ringing (dinging, pinging, cricketing, whatever) no crowd noise, just simply “peacefulness” and God’s creatures great and small and the sounds and smells they make and have.

We simply love being out in nature together, stumbling over vines and roots (giggle) falling into mud puddles, and the reason is, it’s “simple”. It’s a simpler time, a simpler place, a simpler feeling, one that could benefit, in my humble opinion, everyone on the planet that thinks that things you can buy to impress someone, are the only things that matter.

Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

I believe this verse to mean just what I’m trying to say, possess what you need to survive and make your family comfortable. Share what you can with those less fortunate, and if you must work to impress, work to impress the one that matters, the man upstairs, who if we live right and do right, we will all come before eventually.

Watch out for that spider web Peach.

Categories
bible Faith family focus health Life

Sunrise

Batman says:

Do you get to sometimes see the sunrise God creates for us? I’m not talking about a glance and slide on the sunglasses as your driving, but really see it?

I am blessed that on some days, not all but quite a few, I get to really see and enjoy the sunrise. Some are gray and dreary, some foggy, some just bright and clear, but some, oh those special few, they are spectacular examples of the Masters ability to paint beautiful pictures. All of these are special and I do my best to capture them on camera and send my Peach one with a good morning wish.

God didn’t make them for me to hoard, he made them to be seen and shared by all his creations, and I think Peach likes to see them. My life revolves around making Peach happy and letting her know I love her all the time whether together or apart, and the sunrise pictures helps me express that.

Anyways…. taking the time to enjoy the sunrise, be it alone or with someone, should be something you all try and do once in awhile. Slow down, watch it slowly unfold revealing the brilliant colors. Thinking about how God reveals things to us in ways we wouldn’t expect, and if not looking & listening we simply miss them. Shame to, because they are glorious revelations even if it’s just a simple sunrise. I ponder things important only to me while watching the sunrises I have, and plan to ponder a great many more with Peach along the way. Some days I cannot send Peach a sunrise picture, but everyday I want to. If I could I would share them with everyone, everyday I took them, but I’m not that ingenious, so for now Peach gets them when I take them, and the rest go to our website:

PeachandBatman.smugmug.com

Y’all pop in and look at a sunrise with us, I’ll keep putting them up as I can, God creates them, I do my best to capture a bit of them to share with you all.

Yes Peach I have sunscreen on and my sleeves and my hat and my mask……it’s a wonder I can see anything at all.

Categories
Faith family Fear focus health Life

Enough

Batman Says:

Enough!!

People are losing their minds over a freakin flu bug, it’s a FLU BUG people they have been around for freakin ever!!

Every couple years there’s a great sickness that’s gonna kill us all, and what happens, a few people (relative to the population of the earth) die from it, some get sick, but most suffer anyways. Not from the supposed deadly world ending flu bug, but from the morons in charge of every government, business, and sales force, you get the idea. They listen to the “Sky is Falling” rhetoric and start restricting everything from socks, to how many people can go to the bathroom at the same time. Of course the people working, well they can’t slow down productivity, or be paid worker’s compensation for catching the flu bug, even though if they do catch it, it’s 99% certain they got it at work. Nope they get to stay home, not get paid, use up any sick time they might be lucky enough to have, and if it runs out, sucks to be them.

The overzealous way we approach stupid problems is endemic of todays society, overreaction has become the norm, let’s don’t restrict the movement of the most likely to be affected group, let’s restrict the movement of EVERYONE just to be safe.

Now I am sure there are those who remember, SARS, MERSA,SPANISH FLU, ROTO VIRUS, AVIAN FLU… I could go on for a few pages but you get my point I hope. Each of these were the “Plague of the Year” and we were all gonna suffer and die from them. Welp, we are still here, yes people did get sick, some I’m sorry to say did succumb to the sickness and pass away. But not near as many as we have always been told would. Panic mongering by the moronic people in charge causes way more damage than the “Killer Flu” of the year ever does. I am just fed up with it and you should be also, if you need to be told to stay home if you feel sick, or to wash your hands after doing things with them, then my friends you have a lot more issues than the stupid “Plague of the Year”. I’m going to give a couple statistics (I hate statistics but this just shows the hype and bull crap being pushed by the morons in charge and the media) :

As of 9 Mar 20, based on information from the CDC, and Johns Hopkins University :

56 people daily die from Covid19

1027 die from seasonal flu

82 die from yellow fever

162 die from rabies

247 die from measles

Do I need to go on??? How many times have you heard about Yellow Fever for goodness sake? And more people die from it than this stupid flu bug.

Mark my words, when this passes, and it will until the next “world ending sickness” pops up, and not near as many people die from it, the “Powers that be” or “MORONS” in charge will pat themselves on the back, saying without them the would would have definitely ended.

It’s time to stop and say Enough is ENOUGH!!

If I offended you by this post it wasn’t my intent, my intent was to let you know that just because the MORONS in charge say it, does not necessarily mean it’s true. Put your trust in God, practice good basic sanitary skills like you were taught as children, chances are, you will be fine.

Have a blessed day…yes Peach I did wash my hands

Visit;

PeachandBatman.smugmug.com

And peruse some of Gods creations captured by us on camera…enjoy