America's favorite cowboy cook celebrates the Lone Star State's
rich German heritage with his recipe for a hearty and delicious
Oktoberfest Smoked Sausage Skillet!
This is a letter that I wrote, which appeared in the Sunday, June 8, 2008
edition of the Courier-Post newspaper. At that time, only seven years after
America had suffered through the worst enemy attack on our nation since
Pearl Harbor, this local South Jersey newspaper was looking for
"rabble-rousers" or writers who were not afraid to take on the
establishment and voice their opinions.
Now, some 18 years later, I have to wonder whether this same letter
I wrote would have even made it past the editor's desk of this,
or any other local or national newspaper.
As far as this "rabble-rouser" is concerned, the "seriousness of threats"
to the freedom and security of all Americans, twenty-five years after
September 11th, has only grown far worse.
There is an old saying. "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck
it must be a duck." Too bad our government doesn't recognize the
duck, especially when it comes with a tag of "Islamic suicide bomber"
around it's neck. The Bush Administration has suddenly decided that
calling the duck, or rather, the enemy, by its correct name is "too risky"
and may be offensive to certain individuals.
In other words, the malignant scourge of political correctness has once
again reared its ugly and ill-timed head to confuse and deliberately misinform
the American people in these uncertain times. According to a recent report in
The Middle East Times, American government employees both here and abroad
have been ordered to refrain from using words such as "Islamic jihadists"
when describing would-be terrorists.
They've been told to use words like, "violent extremists" or "South Asian youths"
instead, thus downplaying the seriousness of the ominous threat facing the
security of our nation and the world. Ironically, it is moderate Muslims in
many areas of the world who have been the most vocal in their concern
about this new "tolerance policy" on behalf of the U.S. Government.
The Middle East Times reports Muslims who adhere to a policy of
nonviolence are more often the victims of Islamic terror than so-called,
"infidels" because they recognize and denounce the twisted religious
and political doctrine that motivates the murderous agenda of jihadists.
Who is our government really trying to protect? Isn't this new protocol
aimed specifically to appease the demands of controversial political
organizations such as CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations)
and ISNA (Islamic Society of North America), this latter organization
having ties to the violent group known as the Muslim Brotherhood,
whose Egyptian affiliation was responsible for the 1981 assassination
of President Anwar Sadat?
Both organizations seem to have significant influence in both the
White House and the Department of Defense. Why is our government
kowtowing to the likes of these people who clearly despise the
American way of life?
The facts as presented are that Islamic jihad, or holy war, was openly
declared on America on 9/11. The horror of that day should never be
forgotten, nor should the knowledge that the terrorists, and their sponsors
who prance freely inside powerful Washington political circles, are not
going to quit in their dedicated quest to undermine our Constitutional
right to question their true agenda. Thus, this paves the way to the
eventual subjugation of this nation to Islamic Sharia Law.
Unfortunately, it seems our government is determined to help them
along, all in the name of political correctness.
Pronounced, "Deh-leth" the Hebrew word "Deleth" describes a door,
(two-leaved) a gate, leaf, or a lid. The psalmist David wrote:
"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips."
(Psalm 141:3)
In this lost and fallen world we live in, it is often hard to resist the natural
inclination to defend ourselves after someone or something makes
us angry, especially if the words someone speaks or "posts" are
hurtful, unfounded accusations and humiliating name-calling.
You see this unfair "labeling" of certain people and groups all too
often on the Internet, and especially on social media today.
The Scriptures reminds us that although the tongue is one of the
smallest muscles in the body, it can do some of the worst
and often irreparable damage imaginable.
"Consider how a small spark sets a great forest ablaze."
(James 3:5)
"I am the Door; if anyone enters through Me, they will be saved."
(John 10:9)
Christ is the believers' ultimate "Deleth" the Door, who offers His love,
protection, and guidance to us in a world which does not recognize Him.
If we, who have been called into His presence by grace, can remember, although it
might be difficult, to swallow our all too human, self-righteous pride and anger, and
to seek first His will, in humble prayer, He will give us His wisdom, which includes
the right words, to speak, either verbally, or to post, if necessary, in any situation.
In this episode of Birch' N the USA, hosts Ty Bodden and Christian Gomez
welcome Wisconsin Family Council President Dan Degner to discuss the
crucial moral issues facing America today and the role believers and
churches can play in their local communities.
Gracious host and 18th century historian-chef Jon Townsend
bakes a traditional, all-American fall treat-Dutch oven apple pie!
"We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord."
(2 Corinthians 3:18)
"From glory unto glory!"
O marvels of the Word!
With open face beholding
The glory of the Lord,
We, even we, (O wonder!)
Are change into the same,
The image of our Savior
To glorify His name.
Abiding in His presence,
And walking in the light,
And seeking to do always
What is "pleasing in His sight."
We look to Him to keep us
All glorious within,
Because the blood of Jesus
Is cleansing from all sin.
The things behind forgetting,
We only gaze before
"From glory unto glory"
That "shineth more and more",
Because our Lord hath said it,
That such shall be our way,
O splendor of the promise!
Unto the perfect day.
An excerpt from the hymn,
"From Glory Unto Glory"
(1873)
Frances Ridley Havergal
Prolific English Christian poetess
and hymn writer
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things
to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body."
(Philippians 3:20-21)
Les continues his walk through the Bible, teaching us how
to connect the dots within the Holy Scriptures.
