Given the Boot 

Seeing a photo that my daughter Anna E. Prinkey posted for Veteran’s Day of me taken at boot camp at Great Lakes Training Facility dredged up some memories from that time. I saw the face of a nerdy teenaged man looking back at me with dark rimmed glasses. The first memory was the chaos after emerging from the bus on the base. My emotions were already in turmoil, I’d just flown for the first time from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to O’Hare airport Illinois. I’d just celebrated Thanksgiving at home and knew I’d be away from home for Christmas. Gathered with others in a large hall we were hustled from one spot to another gathering shoes, underwear, clothing and a duffle bag. The group was then herded into a barber shop where we were shorn. The clippers flew over my head and afterward as I ran my hand over the stubble, I was reminded of the plush of a stuffed animal. What a strange sensation. I’d only had a crew cut twice in my life. My dad deemed it necessary, and I hated it. I believe that is why I still wear a cap today.

I mentioned in past posts that the commander of our sister company was a real hard nose. Soon-to- be sailors under his leadership were so angry with his constant derision had made plans to kill him. If they did, we as their sister company would be kept in boot camp FOREVER or at least until things were sorted out. A goodly number of our company and theirs were blacks, many from the south. Our company thought we’d have to break the tension to salvage our training. Everyone in our company stripped the sheets and pillow case from their beds. Wrapped in the sheets with the pillow case tilted back on our heads so our faces would be recognized, we marched down the aisle of out sister company’s barracks.

The men of our sister company were at first shocked, but as they began to distinguish familiar faces they began to laugh. We were used to marching together and easily recognized. The mountng tension was broken and we graduated on time.

Another thought that was almost like an oasis in the confusion and myriad of new experiences, routines, and faces was in the first week of basic training, I was in line at the chow hall. One of the men “slinging hash” was a guy with whom I graduated high school. That was the only time I ever saw him, but it was just a bit of normalcy that I needed in the madness of boot camp.

 

 

Corona Virus 19 Confusion

As I began to write checks pay my bills before they came due, I thought of all the confusion that has been brought about by this virus. I chuckled to myself as I wetted the lick and stick flaps of the envelopes with my tongue. I thought of the masked stooge opening all those envelopes thinking that they’re safe.

Professionals from both camps are giving contradicting “expert” advice; the directions come from their financial associations to laboratories and pharmacological entities. It seems these “experts” will support medicines and vaccines to get the most bang for their buck.

The quarantine has also helped one political party to trash a healthy, thriving economy. The policy of isolation has caused great hardships. People are unable to provide the basic necessities for their family: food, housing, and electricity. Depression has become rampant; suicide rates have skyrocketed. Cases of shooting, rioting, robberies, home invasions are increasing. Illicit drugs are harder to obtain. Defunding of police and decriminalization of illegal drugs added fuel to fires of discontent and confusion.

Several years ago I read that one party has been waiting for a scenario where they could change the impact of “voting in person” directing it to mail-in balloting which allows more chances for voter fraud and ballot tampering to happen. Apparently the Covid 19 was just such an animal to allow mail-in voting to ride in on the fears of a virus.

In many areas of our country, election monitors were denied access to witness the counting of mail-in votes for any discrepancies or miscounts. It does seem strange that one party pushed for ballots to be counted after Election Day. It also seems peculiar that the same party always seems to find extra votes in trunks of cars, closets, ands in back rooms while the other party’s ballots are lost, burned, of just not delivered at all.

The news media, the Hollywood elite, and many state officials have given unlimited freedom to one party while severely handicapping the other. It’s obvious that they constantly try to tilt level playing fields in the direction of one party. Could it be that many of the politicians and powerful were on Jeffrey Epstein’s list of passengers of the Lolita express? Could it be that many are afraid that their past criminal activities will be brought to light? Could it be that they’re afraid of prosecution and they’re into a full “cover their butt mode?”

Whatever the reason, God is in control. He will bring it all to light. Nothing is hidden from Him. If you read the Bible, those who reject His Son, Jesus the Christ will be given their earned rewards.

 Sharing some poetry I wrote earlier.

Changing Seasons of Life

Coloring Her

Eyes the color of summer skies

At evening when the sun sets

Not quite purple and not quite blue

With colors somewhere in between

Her hair the color of autumn

Tawny richness of red and gold

Touched by the sun, haloed like brass

It cascades from her head in waves

Her skin is like the snows of winter

Pale alabaster smooth and white

Not ice cold, but warm and supple

Skin unmarred by scar or freckle

Cheeks pink as spring cherry blossoms

Softens the winter complexion

Gives life to the ice princess skin

Vigor and health from that hue.

 

Loneliness Waits

Loneliness waits just outside the door

Sometimes coming to live within

They say, “No man’s an island”

Unless it’s deserted… unless it’s deserted

Alone it waits at the mercy of the see

In waves of sadness the breakers roll

Will breakers, real breakers, heart breakers

Debilitating, binding, devastating

Controlling, incapacitating, homebound prison

Alone and afraid, isolated

Homebound, no one around trapped inside

Limited mobility, vision, and money

Too hot, too cold, too much sun, too much snow

Old bodies unable to adjust, adapt

Aging joints, weak muscles, fragile bones

Tottering steps wander the home

Forlorn and forgotten

For time unknown

Waiting for someone to call

To stop by to visit for awhile

 

If the Grim Reaper should knock

He’ll be invited inside

Perfect Autumn Day

Thursday, what a perfectly wonderful day; the sky was blue, twisting wispy clouds wove aa inricate milky tapestry as a canopy above my head, and the sun was bright and warm. A steady breeze kept me from getting overheated. There were enough autumn colored leaves on the trees to blunt the thoughts of the upcoming winter. The only autumn sight and sound that was missing were geese flying across the cobalt blue sky. Their elongated V shapes and honking always signaled the end of autumn with winter close on their heels.

Because of the rain last week, I couldn’t mow my neighbor’s yard. Neither he nor his wife is well enough to be outside to mow their yard. I usually do it, but rain and time didn’t allow me to do it last week. Today, everything seemed perfect. My lawn didn’t need mowed, but while I had the mower out, I did mine as well. It was difficult to see what needed cut, fallen leaves and occasional dandelion blooms marked the way.

Up to this point, my week has been busy. Sunday started our revival services with Thomas Engle; his South Carolinian drawl and idioms added to the spice of his sermons. Monday’s meeting was the only thing on my menu, but Tuesday, whew, I got in line to vote at 6:35 a.m. Approximately the 80th person in the queue, but I was inside the polling place vote at 8 a.m. then had to hustle to pick up my friend. She had a doctor’s appointment in Morgantown, West Virginia. She needed to have staples removed from her knee replacement surgery. It was a close call, only being a few minutes late, but they were so busy, I don’t think they noticed. We stopped for lunch on the way home.

I picked up my granddaughter from school. I wondered why there weren’t others there waiting. I messaged my daughter and asked was she sure there was school. My daughter told me what time it actually was, I’d forgotten to change time in my car. I was an hour early. Tuesday evening was another revival sermon.

My hand and wrist was hurting on Wednesday morning. I was used to driving short distances, but the hour and fifteen minute drive to Morgantown and back wasn’t my norm and my old body complained. I spent four hours at the Chestnut Ridge historical society Wednesday morning, then in the evening I listened to another inspiring message.

So, now we’ve worked our way back to Thursday and the mowing is done. The only thing left for me to do before the evening message, is to clean up then gather my granddaughter after school.

 

Dual Citizenship

We sometimes read of people who hold dual citizenship where they live in one country, but have papers that allows them benefits in another country, like Canada and the United States or Great Britain and Scotland. It’s not at all that uncommon no matter what country a person lives in to obtain dual citizenship. If a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, they live on earth, but have the assurance of a home in heaven. Christians have a dual citizenship. We are sojourners here on earth. The only way to obtain that duality is to accept Jesus as Savior. He’s the door. The only way enter into that heavenly land. He’s paid redemption’s price, freeing us from the debt of sin. He’s taken our sins and carried it to Calvary.

The gift of dual citizenship is freely offered to all people on earth. It’s a gift of true love. Those who choose to accept this gift will gain a promised home in a country that waits beyond the stars. The Bible gives us a glimpse of what awaits beyond the veil of death. It describes a peek into the glorious estates beyond huge pearly gates. The gift of eternally living there depends on whether or not the gift is accepted. Christ has paid the price for each man, woman, and child, but each person must accept that gift. The price has already been paid.

The only other option is the flipside of that dual heavenly citizenship is an unimaginable life. That refusal to accept the choice is to decide to suffer an eternal life of punishment and torture for sins we’ve committed in our past. It’s a place of torment, of fire, and darkness. It’s a place where bodies feel an unending amount of pain. There’s no relief, no rest, and no end of the fire. Hell was created for Lucifer and the angels who tried to usurp the power and authority of a holy God and Creator. But those who refuse to accept the gift of redemption choose to follow Satan into the pits of Hell.

There is a dual choice for a dual citizenship. Each person must make that choice. If you have already gained that eternal home in heaven, it’s an obligation to share the options with others who haven’t yet made that choice. If you haven’t yet decided and are reading this without making that choice, it’s not too late. Time is of the essence. Death or the second coming of Christ may happen at any second. Make the choice right now, ask Jesus to come into your heart as Lord and Savior.

 

Thankful for Thanksgiving

During the French and Indian War, the area known today as the “Point” was a critical military stronghold due to its strategic location at the Forks of the Ohio River. By 1758, the French controlled Fort Duquesne after thwarting several attacks by the British.

Despite their victories, the French knew British forces would eventually return with a larger army, so they decided to strategically destroy Fort Duquesne by setting fire to it and fleeing before British Gen. John Forbes arrived to capture the site in November 1758.

Following the capture of Fort Duquesne, Forbes declared the following Sunday -Nov. 26, 1758 -“a day of public thanksgiving.”

Rev. Charles Beatty conducted the first Thanksgiving service in Pittsburgh. Nearly 5,000 soldiers, including Gen. George Washington, attended the sermon. Far from a turkey-filled feast, Beatty’s sermon served as the highlight of Pittsburgh’s first Thanksgiving due to the shortage of food at the destroyed fort.

More than 40 years later, during his first year as president of the United States, Washington designated Nov. 26, 1789, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer.

It wasn’t until Oct. 3, 1863 — three months after the Battle of Gettysburg claimed 50,000 lives during the Civil War — that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

We are quickly approaching the holiday of Thanksgiving season. Many American citizens have almost forgotten it and eliminated it from their calendars. If it wasn’t for many companies giving the employees a paid day off, it would be less remembered than it is. The commercialism of Halloween and Christmas has almost pushed aside this time for us to be grateful. Less money can be garnered from this holiday than the others, so stores promote it less.

We live in a country where we should be thankful for each freedom that we have. No matter how little we feel we have, we are so much better off than much of the world. Countries where they aren’t free, the people are near starvation, and they would consider having food at mealtimes a luxury. Shoes and clothing makes them rich, even having clean water at their fingertips and not having to carry it for miles after scooping it from dirty rivers and streams. We are blessed that we were born in the United States of America. Our hearts desire should be thankful a joyful expression for each blessing that we have.

If America follows the paths other nations have traveled without looking to God for direction, we too shall be only a few pages in a history book. When we ignore God and have thankful hearts for His blessings, God will withhold them. If we still ignore Him, then comes judgment.