Howdy all! I spent the past evening reminiscing with my wife. Today we are celebrating our 26th anniversary, and we were reminding each other how lucky we have been over these years. Lucky that the shotgun was out of shells; lucky that the knife was too dull; lucky that the GFCI worked; lucky that all those pills were just placebos; lucky that the car ran out of gas first. Golly, we were sure lucky over these past 26 years. I love you very much Terri. And to celebrate, we will get some fast food and take a drive to the Columbia River. I know a bluff that overlooks the deep area by the gorge in The Dalles, Oregon. This should be fun, right?
Any hoo,..
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. ~ Proverbs 27:17
Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the forms of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question." --Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, 1801
This guy Jefferson was a real cool dude. In his first inaugural address, he boldly requests Americans to criticize himself. He doesn’t stand there and be magnanimous, demanding everything up to and including homage to the great and powerful Wizard of US. No, instead he offers the opportunity and responsibility to all citizens to judge his performance. He recognizes that he has been given great and humbling responsibilities, and is strong enough to accept his role as servant of the nation; strong enough to not only accept criticism, but virtually demand it as well. Of course he has many friends in his world that will be more than ready to criticize him, and did. He didn’t shrug it off; instead he accepted and incorporated what was needed. He must have known, as written in Psalms, that friends can sharpen friends. Overall, Jefferson was ready to lead our country, and let history tell whether the self-rule concept would work. I for one am certain that it did work. We are still a self-rule republic. Yes we have issues; yes there are crises, yes there are crimes and misdemeanors being committed and left unchallenged (with the exception of our challenges). And history will tell how successful we are. But is that enough? Do we talk the talk, and wait for the historians to tell the story of our success? Or do we get more involved? Another thing I did yesterday was apply as a candidate for PCO in my precinct. Through these past couple of years I have been talking the talk. Now I want to walk the walk. It’s not a grandiose position, but there is the chance to shape and mold the local party to what it needs to be; and unfortunately it’s not there right now. There are no angels to govern us. God has given us free will to cherish the gifts He has given us. But it is our responsibility to maintain them. So it is my turn, even in this little way. Now, just imagine how much change we could affect, if we all said “it’s my turn, even in this little way.” If you have the opportunity to be a PCO, do so. Walk the walk. It’s time.
Take care, God bless,
AND STAND WITH ISRAEL!!!
Tom Kiley
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