Change??

In a November 5th op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Jeffrey Scott Shapiro (a former 2004 Kerry intern) wrote:

“The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace… [N]o matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right. Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.”

I agree with Shapiro, but that is not my point. My point is to question whether Shapiro’s article could appear again in four (or eight) years with the name Obama substituted for Bush and still be accurate. The far right finds itself in a new and politically hostile landscape. The far left now holds the potential for pervasive control of the federal government for a long time. Nonetheless, the one thing that hasn’t changed is that each new day presents the opportunity for positive change for all Americans. Will we indeed witness “Change we can Believe in” (sic); a new and evenhanded quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all persons? Or will this day only mark a point when the advantage merely changed in a battle of bitterness and disfunction that continues unabated?

I’m not happy with either side of the aisle in D.C. However, I will soon have a new president worthy of my respect and my assistance. I have friends and family who voted differently in the historic 2008 presidential election and I still love them all dearly. Today my prayer for this still great nation is to become one again. The so-called conservatives and so-called liberals need to focus on taking real and logical steps to stop the bleeding in our economy, bring about a best possible end to our foreign wars, do all that is possible to create opportunity for all people, and protect us from the real and horrific threats to our lives that exist both inside and outside our borders. If the results are fair and commonsense, no one citizen will like all of it. But it’s not about the collective “me”. It’s about one “us”. The future should not be focused on a plan to get back what power we lost in the election or to settle the score for past inequities perpetrated on a political minority. Today and each tomorrow should be dedicated to one nation from now on.

Finally, Shapiro’s most poignant observation is that our disloyalty “has not gone unnoticed by our enemies”. I agree and I also believe that the “enemies” of whom he speaks are persons and circumstances both foreign and domestic. If we continue to fight each other instead of those enemies our situation is grave, our future is bleak, and our legacy will soon be squandered. One thing I will do to move toward unity and change is to respect my new president, to help him govern, and to do all I can to encourage the other folks in government to work toward unity and change as well. I’m going to do some other positive things, too. I’m just not exactly sure what they will be yet. Hopefully writing this will prove to be a good start.

Congratulations Mr. Obama. Hail to the Chief.

We're Baaaaaaccckkkkkkkkk!

Maundy Thursday - Do this.

Luke 22: 7-65
The Last Supper 7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."
9"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.
10He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 12He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."
13They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
14When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
24Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
33But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
34Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
35Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.
36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
38The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives 39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]
45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."
Jesus Arrested 47While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
49When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" 50And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."
Peter Disowns Jesus 54Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
57But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
58A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
59About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."
60Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The Guards Mock Jesus 63The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65And they said many other insulting things to him.

Love and Kisses

Name that abrasion.

Let's play name that abrasion. Guess the lucky snowboarders.

Carnage!!!

No – this is not downtown Atlanta or the Texas plains. Its condo no. 101, but we’re about to clean it up real soon. No, seriously, just as soon as I get back from the hot tub.

Really.

No, dude, I mean it.

All is well and (knock, knock) no injuries or illnesses. All are having fun and the folks here in Steamboat are the best. Snow flurries early and bright warm sun the rest of the day. The runs on the top of the mountain are like marshmallows.

Supposed to snow tomorrow.

Seriously.

We're here!!

Jake sez hi!!

Happy Birthday Shirley / On to Steamboat

Shirley is my mother in law and I do love her very much. She turned 80 on Saturday. We had a great party.

We land in Steamboat tomorrow!! Woo - Hoo

Sven sez hey.

><> lsa

Behold, the trip looms lllllaaarrrrgge... Hahahahahah!!!