A Picture is worth a thousand words - Part II

Need I say more? You know I will, but I'll wait for you to get the conversation started.

A Picture is worth a thousand words - Part I

Check out Faith Hill's reaction to Carrie Underwood winning Female Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Awards.
I thought country artists were just one happy family.
Nice.

Truth, Reconciliation, Crocodiles and Politics

Former South African president PW Botha died recently. For those of you who do not know, Botha was the last hardline conservative apartheid leader. He frequently used the army to enforce South Africa's sepratist laws. He was affectionately known as the Great Crocodile by Afrikaners

It is estimated that up to 30,000 people were held without trial during states of emergency imposed by him between 1986 and 1989. It is also suspected that he ordered the death of current South Africa president Thabo Mbeki's son some twenty years ago.

When the Truth and Reconciliation summoned him to testify some years ago, he responded by saying: "I have nothing to apologize for. I will never ask for amnesty. Not now, not tomorrow, not after tomorrow."

Having said all of that, I found it ironic that Mr. Mbeki was sititng on the front row of his funeral next to FW de Klerk the man who ousted him from office. I must admit that some of the ways he is being remembered has left me scratching my head.

Nelson Mandela said, "While to many Mr Botha will remain a symbol of apartheid, we also remember him for the steps he took to pave the way towards the eventual peacefully negotiated settlement in our country."

Mbeki said of him, "Mr Botha took over the reigns of government at a difficult time in the history of our country. It stands to his credit that when he realised the futility of fighting against what was right and inevitable, he, in his own way, realised that South Africans had no alternative but to reach out to one another."

Politics sure does make some strange bedfellows.

There are however many who shed no tears for the man. Former Gauteng premier and Robben Island prisoner Tokyo Sexwale responded in a way that is probably more reflective of many South Africans, "We should not forget the kind of regime he represented, he was ruthless, he was brutal, he was a leader of apartheid during the harshest years of that regime, the sad truth is that he is leaving with many secrets which he should have revealed perhaps during the time of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission."

My personal memories of the man are not many but I know that South Africa became better for everyone when he left office.

Goodbye, Goodbye, Adios.

National Adoption Day

Next Saturday, November 18, is national adoption day. We will participate in this event as we adopt our son. My wife and I are thrilled to be able to adopt him and continue to pray for the same with our daughter.

I'm Baaaack

Well it has been months since my last post. If anyone still visits this site I promise weekly posts.

Stay tuned.

Summer Missions

My apologies for the infrequency of my posting lately. I hope to be better about that moving forward.

I have great news. Our ministry, Partners in Hope, is sending our first mission team to Africa. I met with representatives from Harvesters Reaching the Nations monday evening. HRTN is an orphanage and school in Yei, Sudan.

I am thrilled by this challage and opportunity. Please pray for us.

Why I have had enough of Islamic cartoon backlash

I heard yesterday that the reason peaceful muslims have turned violent is because of American cartoons. These guys would have me believe that watching Looney Tunes has turned them into, well, looney tunes. So the roadrunner is responsible for global terrorism? Who knew?

Another item for the "it's so lame file" is the announcement that Sesame Street will soon add a peace loving muslim puppet. I wonder what it will do when you tickle it.?

I shudder to think.

Private Property Rights?

We recently purchased a house. For those of you who have purchased property before you know what a whip the process is. Driving around with the realtor, negotiating, financing and the biggest beating of the all...CLOSING.
I think the closing agent was getting annoyed with me questioning so many of her documents. Two in particular stand out

1. We had to sign a mineral rights waiver. Anything found under the soil does not belong to us.
2. Homeowners association. Failure to pay our $180 annual fee could result in us being evicted from our own home and the property being resold.

Where are the private property rights? Let us not forget that one of the 10 major tenents of Communisim was the abolishment of private property rights. Ah, at least "freedom is on the march."