COME TOGETHER, RIGHT NOW!

When I was a sophomore in High School I attended my first school dance. It was there that I heard the lyrics, “I know you.  You know me.  One thing I can tell you is you got to be free.  Come together, right now.”  The Beatles may have had a different type of message with this song, but somehow the words have application today.  Only, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.  That’s the problem.  We think we know each other, but we don’t.  We prefer to believe what others tell us about each other, and look where that’s gotten us.  Wonderful, like minded people of all ages, denominations, political persuasions, liberal or conservative leaning, have an inner sense of what Honor is and how important Honor is as individuals and as a nation.  Honor claims no political party, does not lean left or right, and respects all religious faiths.  By embracing the honor in all of us, we can permit ourselves the privilege of recognizing each other’s strengths and unite under our commonalities.  As we climb to a higher level of public discourse we can do so collectively, with one voice, under the banner of Honor.   Our differences are left behind.  I know you and you know me.  As we come together we reinforce, sustain, and celebrate our freedom. 

What are we waiting for?  At what point will we realize that the America we grew up in is more history than contemporary.  It doesn’t have to come to that . . . not if we, the people, come together, right now.  It is the honorable thing to do. 

It seems like we just finished the Christmas season and here we are at the threshold of Easter.  Many other faiths are already honoring the Lenten season that leads to Easter Sunday.   Before you know it we will be coloring Easter eggs and eating chocolate bunnies.  As I get older I find myself looking more forward to Easter than to Christmas. The sparkle and glitter of the Christmas tree, the beautifully wrapped gifts, and gestures of sincere love are truly a wonderful, heart-warming thing.  It’s a time when family bonds are strengthened, where we are reminded that we are not alone. 

            But Easter, at least to me, is different.  Easter is a very personal, introspective time.  It is a time to ponder the immeasurable love our Heavenly Father bestowed upon each of his children by allowing his only Son to suffer for the sins of mankind, atone for those sins, and ultimately die alone . . . so that we won’t have to.  It was an infinite and eternal sacrifice that may take longer than my lifetime to comprehend.   That said . . . my heart aches to think that such a sacrifice had to take place to allow us the opportunity to live again with our Heavenly Father.  I have yet to learn the profound depth of gratitude I will always owe the Savior for paying the price that opens the door to exaltation . . . a door I can’t open for myself.  I am reminded of my favorite hymn:

I Stand All Amazed

1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

            I know with all my heart that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, that he suffered, bled, and died . . . because he loved us.  Perhaps, most importantly, I know that Jesus lives, that the tomb is indeed . . . . empty, and with the empty tomb comes the unbreakable promise to all of us that we, in fact, will live again.   It is my prayer that we will so conduct our lives to be worthy of the glorious day when our Father in Heaven takes us by the hand and invites us into His presence for all eternity.  Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

            I've been thinking a lot about "crossroads" lately.  Perhaps it's because of my bi-weekly 300 mile round trip to Florida's rural, northern interior, far away from the busy Interstates and big cities.  As I travel to and from the construction site I find myself wondering about one crossroad after another as I pass by.  I think, "Where does that road go to?  What would I find if I turned left or right?"  I never seem to have the time to give in to the temptation and rely on my GPS to guide me on my way. 

            In a way we are all faced with "crossroads" in our lives.  Some crossroads may take us in serious life-changing directions, perpendicular to the "straight and narrow" path.  Some crossroads are 4-way intersections, where we have the option to turn left or right, or stay on course.  The crossroads that effect us most are the "T" intersections, the ones that require a left or right turn.  We know we can't simply stop in our path, we must decide which way to turn.  What do we rely on to make that decision?  What is our internal GPS that assures safe and sure arrival to our destination? 

            When I was a junior in high school I had a friend named Gary.  Gary and I got along pretty well, and he had a car.  We would travel all over southern California with a video camera and photograph various landscapes and rural sites.  It was something to do.  One day we were together in his room at home talking about stuff, when he asked me to open the top drawer of his desk.  I did so and pulled out a plastic baggie full of suspicious, smelly fibers.  I asked him if this was what I thought it was, and he said that it was AND if I wanted any.  CROSSROADS TIME! . . . and this was a sure-fire "T" intersection!  What did I do?   I thank God today for having made a personal decision long before this occasion to never experiment with illegal drugs, so when the question was asked I did not hesitate to just say NO.  That was a situation that could have had a very serious impact on the course my life. In this specific occasion, I stood tall and relied on my inner GPS, the Holy Ghost, to guide my way.   The popular hymn comes to mind:

Choose the Right

Choose the right when a choice is placed before you.
In the right the Holy Spirit guides;
And its light is forever shining o’er you,
When in the right your heart confides.

Choose the right! There is peace in righteous doing.
Choose the right! There’s safety for the soul.
Choose the right in all labors you’re pursuing;
Let God and heaven be your goal.

Choose the right! Choose the right!
Let wisdom mark the way before.
In its light, choose the right!
And God will bless you evermore.

            The crossroads we are faced with today are a never-ending onslaught of "T" intersections.  Whether alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or the plague of pornography, the worldly pressures to influence us to make a wrong turn are relentless.  We must decide NOW to choose the right and let the Holy Spirit guide us before any "T" intersection crosses our path. If we do, God will bless us evermore.

          Not too long ago I had the opportunity to take a drive north on I-75 on the west side of Florida.  I left home around dawn and as I merged on to the Florida Turnpike the sun barely peeked above the horizon behind me.  It was a beautiful clear  morning with a few scattered billowy clouds and a lot of sun shine.  As I continued on my way I reminded myself that since I was driving a rental car I would have to stop at the one remaining toll booth that was perhaps only 5 to 10 minutes away.  As I passed the first toll warning sign I was instantly shocked into the realization that I was about to enter low lying dense fog, so dense I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me.  As if it came out of nowhere, this thick patch of dense fog seemed to hover over this small stretch of the Turnpike.  At 75 mph I could feel the adrenalin and instinct kick in as I instantly slowed down, turned on my lights, checked for lights in front of me and behind me, and for other cars that might be moving left or right.  In a matter of seconds I went from clear and sunny to thick pea soup.  I saw nothing! It was very scary. 

            As I inched along, hoping to not crash into the oncoming toll booths, I prayed that no one would hit me from behind.  After what seemed like an hour, but was more like a minute or so, the lights of the toll booth became visible.  As I paid my toll I looked forward.  Very strange.  It was clear, sunny, with unlimited visibility.  I asked the toll person about the fog and he said that because of the small valley right before the toll booth, thick fog will fill the valley like a blanket when the weather is just right.  I pulled away shaking my head in wonder, but also very thankful that I was able to get through it without incident. 

            How many times do we find ourselves moving along our life's journey on clear, sunny days only to find ourselves in the midst of low lying dense fog . . .. so dense that we are left to our instincts to determine which way to go?  One minute we are cruising along and the next minute we are intensely focused on our own survival.  What do we rely on during these unanticipated events?  When our own senses fail to discern the path forward, where do we turn, who do we seek for guidance?  A popular hymn states: 

Let the Holy Spirit guide;
Let him teach us what is true.
He will testify of Christ,
Light our minds with heaven’s view.

Let the Holy Spirit guard;
Let his whisper govern choice.
He will lead us safely home
If we listen to his voice.

Let the Spirit heal our hearts
Thru his quiet, gentle pow’r.
May we purify our lives
To receive him hour by hour.

            Our God-given gift of agency allows us the option to choose to listen to the "small still voice", or not.  The choice is ours.  We can choose to go it alone or permit the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion at all times and all places.  I testify that the Holy Ghost will be our guide and will be there when we need Him.  All we have to do is live our lives in a way that invites the Holy Ghost into our hearts.  I testify that this is worth every emotional and spiritual investment we make, and that when low lying dense fog confronts us, "He will lead us safely home". 

BALANCING POWER

“The way to have good and safe government, is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among the many, distributing to every one exactly the functions he is competent to . . . . What has destroyed liberty and the rights of man in every government which has ever existed under the sun?  The generalizing and concentrating all cares and powers into one body . . . . And I do believe that if the Almighty has not decreed that man shall never be free, (and it is a blasphemy to believe it,) that the secret will be found to be in the making himself the depository of the powers respecting himself, so far as he is competent to them, and delegating only what is beyond his competence . . . “  (Thomas Jefferson, Works 6:543)

I love German chocolate cake.  The combination of chocolate, coconut, and that gooey frosting all together is a hard combination to beat.  My wife knows this, so most birthdays she bakes the yummiest German chocolate cake for me.  Believe me, it’s worth waiting for.  I don’t recall a time where she has never cooked the perfect German chocolate cake, so I am left to imagine what the cake would taste like if any one of these great ingredients were added way beyond the amount indicated in the recipe . . . or if any ingredient was reduced or left out.  Undoubtedly, it would taste different.  Too much chocolate drowns out the other ingredients.  The same goes for the coconut.  And, too much gooey frosting is . . . well, too gooey.  The same ingredients are there, but in the wrong combination.  Without the right balance of each, it just isn’t the same.  It isn’t a German chocolate cake.

Our democratic republic works in a similar manner.  Our Founding Fathers created the brilliant “recipe” of checks and balances to assure the exercise of power be equally distributed between the three branches of government, executive, legislative, and judicial.  If any one of these branches begins to exercise greater influence it creates an imbalance that leads away from freedom. 

“It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres; avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another.  The spirit of encroachment trends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism.” (George Washington, Farewell Address)

Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable you feel when you find yourself in a situation where one person is, for whatever reason, trying to take over the conversation, enforce an unpopular point of view, or deny the opportunity for others to express their opinion, only to get verbally shot down.  It could be a PTA or school board meeting, business meeting, political rally, or (God forbid) a religious gathering, etc.  Regardless of the specific setting, nothing of positive consequence results from any of these experiences.  Differences of opinion and thought are a healthy thing, when expressed in an environment that empowers such ideas to come forth.  History provides a clear, 20/20 view of what happens to individuals, cities, states, and countries who overstep their bounds by exercising power in people’s lives where they don’t belong.  Gradually, freedoms are at first restricted, and then, once the full effect is completed, that freedom is totally eliminated.   George Washington, our first President, knew the pitfalls and danger-signs to the preservation of our freedom, that freedom he fought so hard and so long to assure.  George Washington knew.  It’s not too late for us to remember.   

The powers properly belonging to one of the departments ought not to be directly and completely administered by either of the other departments.  It is equally evident, that none of them ought to possess, directly or indirectly, an overruling influence over the others, in the administration of their respective powers.  It will not be denied, that power is of an encroachment nature, and that it ought to be effectively restrained from passing the limits assigned to it. (James Madison, Federalist No. 48)

. . . . it is requisite . . . . that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. – One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly over-thrown.   (George Washington, Farewell Address)

Some say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and others say, “If it ain’t broke, break it”.  I suppose it may depend on the context of the specific subject that would determine which saying makes more sense.  The Founding Fathers perhaps would say, “If it’s broke, fix it.”   Our inspired Constitution contains the “tools” to fix what may be ailing the United States at any given time.  The key to the cure is that it comes from the bottom up . . . not the top down.  What’s more, they left it to each State to determine the best fix for them.  What may work in Texas may not work in Minnesota (especially during the winter).  The Founding Fathers empowered the innovation, determination, and inspiration of the people to find solutions to problems, and in the spirit of unity . . . We the People . . . have risen to the challenge by working together.

Yet, it seems in the past few decades We the People have been faced with a greater and greater challenge coming from within the heart of the Washington D.C. beltway.  The very same individuals We the People voted into federal office have, for whatever so-called “noble” cause or reason, decided to dictate to the States and the people who voted them into office what all solutions should be for “the benefit of all Americans”.   They have manipulated the good will of the people to assume more power than they Constitutionally deserve and have turned a well-oiled system of checks and balances into a top-down power grab, that moves us closer and closer to the failed system of socialism.  We the People do not need to fear external attacks on our Constitutional form of government.  It is happening right here, right now, under our very noses, little by little, piece by piece, from the very people who swore to uphold the principles of the Constitution . . . so help me God.  Too many of us have bought into the myth that the federal government is the only answer to every problem.  Too many are holding their hands out when we all should be raising our arms high in gratitude for the wonderful freedoms we still enjoy.  Instead, we eagerly wait for the “crumbs” of public assistance, while the bulk of our tax dollars feed the beast of escalating government spending designed to capture votes for the current political party in power.    It’s time We the People unite under the banner of Honor and reclaim what is rightfully ours . . . our country!  It doesn’t’ matter what side of the political fence you sit on.  We will all be affected one way or another.  We don’t have to simply sit on the sidelines and let it happen.  We must come together and fight to return this country to the standards and principles that made it the greatest country ever.  I am convinced that each one of us can make a difference.  It starts with one voice, and eventually that one voice will be heard from sea to shining sea.  It begins with you believing in your heart that you can make a difference and then get involved by joining with others who share the dream to return this country to the beacon of light for those who desire to live within a true democratic republic.   It’s the honorable thing to do!    

BY THE PEOPLE!

“. . . . every breach of the fundamental laws, though dictated by necessity, impairs that sacred reverence which ought to be maintained in the breast of rulers towards the constitution of a country, and  forms a precedent for other breaches where the same plea of necessity does not exist at all, or is less urgent and palpable.” (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 25)

“For it is a truth, which the experience of the ages has attested, that the people are always most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.”  (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 25)

I remember 1978 for two reasons; I married my wife Geri on May 20^th (the good memory), and the Jonestown “Peoples Temple” mass suicide on November 18^th (the bad memory).  Over 900 free thinking people voluntarily drank cyanide laced Kool-Aid . . . and died in northwestern Guyana.  In the end 918 would die, including a US Congressman, the first and only Congressman murdered in the line of duty in the history of the United States.  As a 25 year old I thought how it is possible for that many people to be mentally hypnotized from reality.  How is it possible that they were so willing to give up their freedoms, their fundamental rights, and forfeit their lives for something that ultimately led them to this outcome?  How many drank the Kool-Aid knowing what was in there, and how many were just following “orders”?  What were the thoughts of the mothers as they gave the Kool-Aid to their children to drink?  It was such a human tragedy, that even today the term “Kool-Aid drinker” is synonymous with those who have forfeit their common sense to extreme ideology.   

“Our form of government is superior to all others, inasmuch as it provides, in a fair and honorable manner for its own amendment.  But it requires no gift of prophecy to foresee that this privilege may be seized on by demagogues, to introduce wild and destructive innovations.  Under the gentle name of amendments changes may be proposed which, if unresisted, will undermine the national compact, mar its fairest features, and reduce it finally to a dead letter.  It abates nothing of the danger to say that alterations may be trifling and inconsiderable.  If the Constitution be picked away by piecemeal, it is gone – and gone as effectually as if some military despot had grasped it at once, trampled it beneath his feet, and scattered its loose leaves in the wild winds.”  (Daniel Webster, July 5, 1802)

“Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.”              (Thomas Jefferson, quoted in CR-10/46:31)

Our Founding Fathers knew the dangers of having too much power in the hands of too few, or even one.  That’s why they devised a system of government with three equal branches of government, complete with checks and balances . . . in order to prevent that from happening.  They lived under the oppression of a distant King who exercised constant and relentless dominion over them.  They knew the consequences of placing too much trust in one entity.  They knew the day would come where well meaning politicians would plead for more centralized power under the banner of emergency and necessity.  They knew that some day the politicians will use well thought out reason to justify the need to temporarily limit our freedoms, with the promise to restore those precious, God-given rights once the “emergency” is over.  The history of evidence, however, proves othewise.  Those promises are like toll roads, where tolls are still being paid years after the toll roads are paid for.  Freedoms taken are not easily restored.

“Still one thing more, fellow citizens – a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.  This is the sum of good government . . . “  (Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address)

“Truth must be repeated again and again because error is constantly being preached round about us.  And not only by isolated individuals, but by the majority!  In the newspapers and encyclopedias, in the schools and universities, everywhere error is dominant, safely and comfortably ensconced in public opinion, which is on its side.”   (Goethe, 1749-1832, quoted in The Freeman, July, 1958)

CHANGE . . . IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.                                                          (Milton Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom, p. 201)

Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people, by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations . . . . This danger ought to be wisely guarded against. 

                                                                                (James Madison, Elliot’s Debates 3:87)

I recall someone much smarter than I say that if it doesn’t matter where you are going, any road will get you there.  The Bible makes reference to the small size of a rudder, yet it carries great influence in moving the entire ship in different directions.  Without the rudder the ship is left to the random whims of the changing winds that push one way or the other.  In life, we have met people who appear driven, focused on a certain goal.  It can be inspirational to see the positive results of such devoted dedication.  Yet, more often, we encounter those who don’t seem to have any goals, direction, or purpose in life.  They are just drifting without a rudder.  Their morale compass is broken, so they end up playing “chicken” on the frontage roads of life. 

Perhaps, however, a greater danger than those rudderless souls, are the few who are focused . . . as a laser, but in the wrong direction.  It is true that moving in the wrong direction is still change, but it isn’t good change, or change we can believe in.  Too many of us have abdicated our own personal right of choice by aligning ourselves with miss-guided, but extremely focused change merchants.  They may sell their change with charismatic speech, full of platitudes and promises, but light on detail.  These are individuals that require change in order to implement their agendas.  This is also change . . . when what is so pleasingly sold as change we can believe in is nothing more than selfish efforts to further minimize the purpose, effectiveness, and greatness of the Constitution of the United States of America. Instead of change we can believe in, perhaps we should all focus on “CONSTANCY WE CAN TRUST!”  In the mean time I suggest we make sure our personal rudders are in good working order and our road maps clearly indicate the correct path and destination.  While doing so, let’s also assure that our nation’s rudder is functioning properly and we are going in the right direction. 

There is, in the nature of sovereign power, an impatience of control, that disposes those who are invested with the exercise of it, to look with an evil eye upon all external attempts to restrain or direct its operation . . . . . This tendency is not difficult to be accounted for.  It has its origin in the love of power.  Power controlled or abridged is almost always the rival and enemy of that power by which it is controlled or abridged. 

                                                                              (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 15)

True change, change we can believe in comes from the mighty change of heart.  This mighty change of heart doesn’t come from political rallies, campaign sound bites, or trendy books carefully crafted by change merchants.  It comes from God.  It is His gift to you.  All it takes is to align your heart, might, mind, and strength to a greater cause than yourself.  Aligning yourself to the will of God is a liberating experience.  Truth . . . real, eternal truth, will set you free, free from the bondage that comes from aligning yourself to counterfeit doctrines.  By turning to God your eyes are opened and your heart softened to be influenced by the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  As you draw closer to truth you draw closer to God and Jesus Christ.  You see more clearly what is right and what is wrong, no matter how many people may claim otherwise, regardless of their wealth and stature, no matter how much the popular PRESS may shout the accolades, if their message is not rooted in real eternal, gospel truth, it is change we cannot believe it. 

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. 

                                                                                      (James Madison, Federalist No. 47)

Our founding fathers knew that too much power in the hands of one or a few would eventually spell disaster and destruction.  Regardless of the crisis or cause, regardless of the intensity of the rhetoric, regardless with how polished and expensive the package . . . . . WE MUST NOT GIVE IN.  WE MUST NOT FALTER.  We must not allow our God given rights to be taken hostage for a slick solution to any crisis, man-made or otherwise.  Once our rights have been taken . . . they are gone!

IN GOD WE TRUST

Men will either be governed by God, or ruled by tyrants.  (William Penn)

I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies; and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.  Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.  America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. 

                                                        (Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835, Democracy in America)

I confess that I have thought from time to time that if citizens of the United States had the opportunity to live abroad for a long period of time (say one or two years) they would have a greater appreciation for the wonderful freedoms and liberties of this great country.  As the song says, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ‘till it’s gone.”  I lived in Argentina from August 1975 to August 1978.  I also lived in Bolivia from May 1983 to March 1985.  In each location I learned to appreciate their hardships, respect their culture, and grow to love the people in both countries.  I am so thankful for these experiences.  Yet, in each case, I was even more thankful that I would be returning home to a land of freedom, much different than where I had been.  Returning from Argentina I recall literally getting on my hands and knees and kissing the ground.  So many other nations have tried to follow our example and write their own Constitutions, with the hope that the spirit of democracy will flourish as it has here.  But, over the years, their Constitutions have become little more than museum fodder, left to be gazed at by school children on field trips.  Too often the reality is more of a “soft dictatorship” with a mock legislature and a vigilant military ever ready to step in if needed.  I witnessed this occur in Argentina and in Bolivia.  In 1976, Isabel Peron was overthrown and the three generals who took over began what has been called the “reign of terror”.  While in Bolivia, my wife and I would often fall asleep to gunfire.  Anarchy was more the rule than the exception.  I recall one occasion where the President of Bolivia was taken right from the presidential palace and held hostage in the hopes that someone would decide to take over the country.  I guess you’d call this an “up for grabs” kind of overthrow.  At the end of the day no one wanted to take over the country, so they just let him go, after the captors were given a 90 minute head start to asylum.  Somehow, you adjust and learn to live as best you can.  What I find most fascinating is that these countries can write as many Constitutions as they please, but unless the people really believe in the contents . . . it’s only a piece of paper.

We do not need more material development, we need more spiritual development.  We do not need more intellectual power, we need more moral power.  We do not need more knowledge, we need more character.  We do not need more government, we need more culture.  We do not need more law, we need more religion.  We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.  It is on that side of life that it is desirable to put the emphasis at the present time.  If that side is strengthened, the other side will take care of itself.  It is that side which is the foundation of all else.  If the foundation be firm, the superstructure will stand. 

                                                                 (Calvin Coolidge, The Price of Freedom, p. 390)

I grew up in Orange County, California . . . along with millions of other people.  Every city seemed to cram right up against the next.  The only way I knew if I was in another city would be from a small green sign along the freeway indicating “Anaheim”, “Garden Grove”, “Tustin”, “Costa Mesa”, etc.  It was all one very large mega-clump of people.  We would have to travel for miles to get to what we considered the great outdoors.  But, as a child that’s all I knew, so I thought everyone else lived that way too.  NOT SO!  In 1995 I had the opportunity to take my wife and four children to Rochester, Minnesota on a work transfer.  We arrived on Thanksgiving Sunday, only one hour before a 6 inch snow storm.  Welcome to Minnesota! I suppose if it was an hour after we would have been upside down in a ditch somewhere.   None of us had any experience driving in snow and hoped for a little more time to get used to the idea.  I told everyone who could drive to “Drive Slow!”  That seemed to work well.  Once we settled in, it wasn’t long before I realized that we weren’t in Southern California anymore.  Minnesota was different, very different.  My church responsibilities required that I travel to other near-by towns.  Instead of driving through a mega-clump of communities all crammed together, I noticed that in most cases many miles of rolling corn fields would separate one town from the next.  Each one had its own personality and character.  In some ways I felt as if I was traveling through different post cards.  The main street was, in fact, the main street, with old storefronts in various conditions of repair.  What never failed to catch my eye, though, was the quantity of churches in each community.  A few new, but most were older and very stately in stature and prominence.  However, the most fascinating thing to me was that each church was full.  These wonderful small towns were full of church going people.  As I traveled through those island towns, through the miles and miles of corn fields, something inside me felt like that’s the way it should be.  It just felt right.  At least for these quaint towns, the worldly influences would have to wait until Monday.  Sundays are set aside for higher thoughts, reverent worship, praise and thanksgiving to Him who made it all possible.  I found myself counting my blessings and expressing my gratitude to live in a country where the right to worship is still regarded as a God-given right.   I’m pleased to report that God is alive and well in the heartland of the United States of America. 

ETERNAL VIGILANCE

It is the common fate of the indolent, to see their rights made a prey by the active.  The condition upon which God has given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt. 

               (John Philpot Curran, 1790, quoted in The Freeman, June, 1963, p.66)

The year was 1993 and only a few short years since the Soviet Union fell, along with soviet communism.  Russia took its place, but without the former satellite nations under its control.  At that time Russia could barely keep its head above economic waters without having to worry about their former satellite “comrades”.  It was at this time that six former Soviet Eastern European nations decided to declare their independence and petition the United States to place an Embassy in their country.  Or course, that level of recognition would almost assure their sovereignty with the rest of the world.  I was working for a large engineering firm that had recently won the contract to renovate all six buildings that were given to the United States to use for an embassy in these six countries.  As luck would have it, I was asked to serve as the engineering manager for all six projects.  This was no small task!  I first had to assemble my team, and in three days travel from Los Angeles to Frankfurt Germany for our first briefing.  From there the team split into two groups to perform on site inspections.  This would take almost three weeks to conclude.  I chose to lead the north team, while another led the south team.  The north countries consisted of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.  The south countries comprised Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova.  I chose the north mainly to avoid flying on Aeroflot, which at the time seemed to be dropping out of the sky on a weekly basis.  However, after a short time at our first stop in Tallinn, Estonia I realized I had made a good decision.  It was like stepping back in time, with narrow meandering, cobbled roads that bent this way and that.  It seemed as if all roads led to the town square.  The surrounding stone wall was built in the 12^th century.  No sign of western civilization was present . . . . . no corner T-shirt vendors, no Starbucks, no Slurpees.  We were able to see it as is was and had been for centuries. Truly beautiful!  Once we completed our investigation in Estonia we all climbed into several vehicles and drove a few hours to Riga, Latvia.  Riga is known as the Paris of Eastern Europe, and it certainly appeared to have that type of character.  It was much different than Tallinn, Estonia, but still very European.  After we finished our work in Riga, we once again boarded our vehicles and drove a few hours southwest to Vilnius, Lithuania.  It was colder and the weather was gloomier their, but still a very interesting place to visit.  The entire city was without warm water at the time because the Russians were upset that they were claiming their independence, so they turned off all the state controlled boilers.  I don’t like taking ice cold showers! 

As interesting as each of these cities was, I was most intrigued with what I observed while on my journey to Riga, and then Vilnius.  Looking out the window I saw miles and miles of rural landscape, mostly agricultural.  What amazed me was the equipment being used to farm.  For a minute I thought I was in a scene from Fiddler on the Roof.  The carts and wagons were all wooden, including the wheels.  The people, mostly women, were using wooden pitch forks.  I saw no modern equipment anywhere.  It was like stepping back in time.  Then it came to me . . . . “Wait just a minute! This can’t be the same Soviet Union that I was taught from my youth to fear and hate . . .  the same Soviet Union that matches the United States nuclear missile for nuclear missile, plane for plane, that beat us to space, and that constantly shouted how much better they were than the USA.”  Now, here I am and right before my eyes I can see the big lie . . . the big lie that they managed to keep hidden for decades.  The Soviet Union poured all of its money into very expensive power machines, weapons, warfare, planes, and technology.  The world focused on all these outward evidences of power while the people struggled to survive, stuck in the past century.  I found myself actually feeling sorry for these people, who used to be my enemy.  But there was no threat here . . . or anywhere.  They were too busy trying to survive to care about who might be speeding down the road.  How could an entire country of people allow this to happen?  Why didn’t they do something sooner?  Why did they wait so long to witness their country’s economy collapse under its own weight?  Then I thought of the circus elephant being constrained by a small rope to one leg, the rope tied to a nearby stake.  The elephant could easily break free at any time but never makes the attempt.  Why is that?  As a baby elephant the rope held firm as he tried countless times to break free without success until . . . . . . . until he gives up.  Is this what happens to an entire society of people when they give up trying to stand up for what is right?  How strong is the rope around your ankle?

What is the lesson?  That because the people may betray themselves, they ought to give them themselves up, blindfold, to those who have an interest in betraying them?  Rather conclude that the people ought to be enlightened, to be awakened, to be united, that after establishing a government they should watch it, as well as obey it. 

                                                            (James Madison, The Complete Madison, p. 43)

SOLID MORALITY

When ambition, wild and lawless, seizes on the citizen entrusted with the government; when licentiousness diffuses itself through the community and corrupts the sources of power, that Republic is doomed to destruction.  Mounds of paper and parchment cannot arrest its progress; the voice of reason will be drowned and Liberty expire.  Over men void of principle laws have no force, when they can be transgressed with impunity.  If you can stay the current of the ocean by a bullrush, then may you impede the course of an aspiring, triumphing demagogue by throwing in his way the laws of his Country.  A power of restraining the tumultuous passions of the human heart, is found only in the dictates of solid morality; this therefore is as necessary to Republican governments as blood to the Constitution of man. 

                                     (Daniel Webster, 1802, quoted in The Freeman, April, 1957, p.10)

Even though I currently live in Florida, I loved living in Minnesota.  My wife and I came to Florida via Farmington, Minnesota.  How is that possible you might ask, when considering that summer in Minnesota is three bad months of ice fishing!  Yet, the fact is I love Minnesota and enjoy returning as often as I can to visit my children and grandchildren.  Florida has only two seasons of the year:  hot, and hot and sticky.  Minnesota, however, had four wonderful seasons, with perhaps winter being a little two splendid.  Autumn was my favorite time of year.  It not only ushered in the holiday season, but the entire landscape would turn from a plush green to a rainbow of gorgeous, vibrant colors.  The leaf raking was a chore, but driving along the Mississippi through Red Wing and Wabasha was a visual sight to behold.  Autumn also brought the harvest. Central Minnesota grows an abundance of field corn.  The corn fields are everywhere and extend as far as the eye can see in all directions.  October is harvest time.  Everyone works very hard to get the corn into the silos for the winter . . . and winter comes early in Minnesota (if you haven’t heard).  At harvest time the corn stocks would be 8 or 9 feet high.  Six months earlier you might think that tiny corn-stock bud wouldn’t have a chance.  But with every new dawn the stock would grow a little taller, a little stronger until reaching it’s ultimate potential at harvest time.  Sometimes I think that it would be very helpful to have our politicians live on a farm and experience first hand . . . . the Law of the Harvest.  There is a powerful lesson to be learned.  The farmer wisely prepares a plan based upon tried and true past experience.  His focus is on how to optimize his yield and his earnings potential.  He is very careful to not risk implementing any new method or product unless he has had the time to test it out and verify the test results.  He is careful to minimize the risk as much as possible, knowing that weather, his precocious partner, can play havoc with any plan.  In the spring he plants the seed corn as he did year after year.  The politician may be interested to know that the farmer doesn’t run out into the corn field the next day wondering where the corn is or why it hasn’t grown.  He knows it will take a while.  He knows that he will have to watch over the field, to water it, fertilize it, and nourish it . . . . in other words take care of it.  The politician might also be interested in knowing that after planting a field of corn, the farmer doesn’t expect to harvest a crop of lettuce, beats, or cucumbers.  You plant corn, you get corn.  It’s as simple as that!   Too many of our politicians do not understand the Law of the Harvest.  They plant seeds of doubt, fear, and mistrust, but expect to reap a harvest of complacent unanimity from the general public.  We need more public servants who respect the Law of the Harvest, by reverencing the tried and true principles of the past, who put aside their own personal agendas for the betterment and greater good of all Americans.  We need elected officials to always honor the precious guidelines that were organized into our sacred Constitution, by the sacrifice, blood and very lives of those who created the document, as well as those who fought and died to preserve it.  Being elected does not give any person the fundamental right to experiment with other ideologies.  Each one swears to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not promote and defensively enforce counterfeit ideologies.  The Founding Fathers debated all of them and rejected them.  We know through historical fact that they do not work!  We would be foolish to go down any of the “ism” roads.  We have been warned.  If the current group of elected officials will not embrace the abundant harvest gained by following the Constitution, they need to be removed for people who will.  We the people have the power of the ballot box to make that happen.  

Tyranny naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme form of liberty . . . . The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness . . . . This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears above ground he is a protector . . . At first, in the early days of his power, he is full of smiles, and he salutes every one whom he meets – he to be called a tyrant, who is making promises in public and also in private liberating debtors, and distributing land to the people and his followers, and wanting to be so kind and good to every one . . . . then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader . . . Has he not also another object, which is that they may be impoverished by payment of taxes, and thus compelled to devote themselves to their daily wants and therefore less likely to conspire against him?  . . . . Thus liberty, getting out of all order and reason, passes into the harshest and bitterest form of slavery.

                                                                                    (Plato, 400 B.C., The Republic, VIII)

What did Plato know over 2,400 years ago that we don’t?  Plato didn’t have the advantage of technology, wasn’t able to traverse long distances in hours, or pontificate on a Blackberry.  He didn’t even have a Swiss Army knife!  Among other great gifts Plato had two worth mentioning here.  Plato had, 1) Time . . .  to meditate and ponder regarding important issues greater than himself.  He took the time to think; and 2) Common Sense . . . . this great attribute is strengthened when we take the time to think . . . like Plato did.  I think that Plato had remarkable common sense that seems timeless in its context.  How much time do we spend in front of the TV each day?  I suspect it’s too much time.  We need to treat ourselves to the blessings that come from a quiet home, free from the outside distractions of TV, radio, internet, etc.  We don’t spend enough time just thinking, and lose our common sense in the process.  We spend way too much time, when we do think, thinking about ourselves and our own selfish needs.  That has to change.  If we truly want a better world, for things to change for the better, we can start by serving others and get out of the “me” thing.  It was never about you in the first place! 

I believe that no government ever yet perished from any other direct cause than its own weakness.  My opinion is against an overdoing of any sort of administration, and more especially against this most momentous of all meddling on the part of authority, the meddling with the subsistence of the people.

                                                                                              (Edmund Burke, Works 5:169)

No elected official at any level or of any political party has the right to govern in the United States according to any whim or personal agenda which directly conflicts with the Constitution of the United States.  No elected official can, on the one hand, raise his/her arm to take an oath to protect and uphold it; while on the other hand, say that it is a fundamentally flawed document . . . and therefore gives them the self-declared right to change at whim whatever their agenda is so inclined to do.  We do not become more free, and our liberties are not reinforced as these elected individuals continue to move perpendicular to the statutes and principles of the Constitution.   We the People must be bold and take a stand.  If that requires voting out every member of the House of Representatives along with one third of the Senate to send the message . . . than so be it!  God bless the power of the ballot box!