Who indeed would be more capable of preaching the ‘good news’ to anyone than Gator himself? Just about every rule that the Lord Himself gave Gator has been broken and dashed to pieces. Even the murder rule which Gator sought to break as he slithered around his old neighborhood. Gator’s thoughts broke Gator’s soul.

Looking for the man that deserved killing. Anger and retribution raged within him and the old German pistol, tucked in his backside was to be the tool. Fully loaded with 9mm hollow points. Cocked and locked. The offender was never seen, but Gator’s gang leader told him the job had been accomplished in a different way. A way of terror only as a prolonged, inevitable execution can be. Gator was glad. He raped my woman.

Now today, we watch and read of looting, destruction and again of guns and death. “If only they were given the opportunity to succeed” No, they are just doing what we would do if we lived there. “ Those people need a good education and healthy surroundings” How is that working for world leaders and wall street? We would be seated on thrones of wealth if opportunity was given. Corrupted, Just a little bit so no one will notice or care.

Same humans, just change broken windows and free stuff for derivatives and broken mortgages. More profit again.

‘If I ran things’ (Dr. Suess) I would give them/us money and free colleges. Just like us, ‘those people’ would leverage it into something a little more useful. A little profit over the expected. Maybe a lot of good connections to leverage law to my advantage (we call it lobbying) “Don’t lecture me! It’s perfectly legal!”

We are ‘those people’ We use excuses just like them and everyone does. I deserve better, it’s my right! They hate me. Why? Because ‘those people’ remind us of what we are inside. Broken and in denial of it.

After all we argue, look at the lions and the coyotes. They are just like us, Darwinian? Evolved into possessing the fang and claw to survive. There is a subtle but severe difference, we know that destroying life that is just like us is wrong. There is a built in knowledge that there is a right and wrong. We ‘kill’ each other with our knowledge of not being mere flesh and blood. Capable of higher things and mercy and love. “I’m no Hitler” we say. That’s good, One was quite enough. The majority of my neighbors would say so too. Unless I lived ‘over there’ in WWII and thought Adolph had the right idea. “Tell a lie once and it is seen so. Do it hundreds of times and it becomes truth”1.

As Gator realizes again after studying from Socrates to C.S. Lewis, all the twists and turns of philosophy turn us to observing our minds in different ways. ‘this is the right way to look at reality’ Good logic and often leading to discovery of good things. Not necessarily to the solution of finally seeing this reality of life as our brokenness, in desperate need of a solution. Somehow to do so much more than ‘forgiving ourselves’ once more for breaking a law that goes way beyond theft and our own judgment of others for being bad people.

Bad just like us. Sinful is a good term to use. We are all guilty and in need of a solution, to be whole and what we have been created for. Not red of fang and claw but worthy of loving only like one man ever did.

Ask that man and he will make you fresh and new if you really mean it. Jesus can do this for you.

It’s pretty good. Jack Gator

1. Joseph Goebbels

There was a time when a rural township with a large amount of land was threatened by one of their neighbors in a most unusual way. It was at first a subtle threat, an undercurrent of incredible dimensions.

The threat came, very surprisingly from the township’s own of landed gentility, a solid and respected farmer with a century of landed property. There seemed to be nothing behind the threat except a thirst for money. Incredulously, the people began doing the only thing they knew how to do. They prayed, they read the scriptures and met in their homes and church’s to see what the Lord was saying to everyone. Some folks began pointing fingers with gossip about that farmer in spite of the Lords gentle but firm commandment not to do so.

I was led to visit that farmer and that usually wasn’t done as he was busy managing and being an appointed chairman of the large township. It was a lonely and somewhat frightening experience for me. That chairman was known to be a man of explosive temper. Still, I was accepted as I knew his father as a close neighbor from a half century ago and a conversation began. It was made clear I respected him and that character assassination and gossip was not on my agenda. It was my plea for honor to prevail.

Much talk of earlier times took place and even a bit of laughter about that man’s humorous and friendly father. But after a misunderstanding between them upon a second meeting, a phone call with bad language and cursing my faith came forth. Surprised, still persisted.

I brought a tonic of elderberry juice prepared by my wife. On my first visit I saw a persistent cough. I never got the empty jar back. On my fourth visit, I brought raspberries . this gift was dismissed as he told me he had them in his garden. ” Give them to my son” who was standing nearby at the machine shed. Now, legal battles between that that chairman and the people began to get unpleasant and expensive.

Billboards, lawn signs and legal briefs of all sorts. We have an attorney who lives here and donates his time.

The courts move slowly as most courts do and there seemed no way to go back to the pleasant life of all who live here. There are many lakes and cottage owners that use them in the summer. At a town hall meeting the ex chairman shouted ” The lake is dying!” It was over the top of arrogance from a man that was assumed a steward of the land. His home and hundreds of acres of land are not located near any of the lakes. He must have a really efficacious hvac system on his shopping list.

The battle between him and our neighbors continues even though it seems hopeless. Our legal battle for his opening the gate and selling 40 acres to the hog farm developers removed his chairman’s position and resentment continues to grow.

Whatever the courts decide and the underhanded and stiff necked way the former chairman acted and talked are going to be remembered like a forest fire . That memory will linger long afterwards. The family name is now tarnished. In no uncertain terms I told him there were three options available. Keep pressing in and succeed and your family name will be despised. Keep pressing in and loose the battle and the same result will occur. Third choice. Publicly announce that his plan was not good and he would most likely be voted back in as township chairman. He did an excellent job before.

There are celebratory events now over the near miss but the he is now in a jail of his own. It could have been much better for him. Wealth is seductive and destructive and that man is despised by his neighbors but his sons are viewed with suspicion as to what may come next.

Another farmer also is a political figure is another county south of ours, and also closed his fields for snowmobile traffic He was angry that the bad publicity would thwart t his plan to do the same thing in his township. A child’s behavior indeed. Another family name that is tainted.

The original plan is now being challenged by all enjoined people and the plan itself is being brought to light as even more insidious as first appearances were. Pollution of a well used and known river in the watershed threatened.

The foreign country, China, is well funded and connected to the state legislators that seduced my neighbor is working their way to still possess and exploit beautiful country side. It has already gained foothold in neighboring states.

The whole countryside is being destroyed by the high powers and it seems there are not many ways to stop this disaster. Parts of Iowa are in a no breathe zone and western Minnesota people cannot have outdoor picnics, dry laundry or even keep their windows open. Hog manure from huge factories have already ruined the air and water down south from North Carolina.

It’s a need for pork for China and the butchered carcasses are shipped in refrigerated containers to them. 25 thousand hogs on 40 acres with 8 million waste pools is normal for these ‘farms’ It is a foreign invasion of sorts and the ‘profits’ of the exploitation are motivated by Chinas need for the resources of our county. The state legislators are bought by well funded lobbyists with campaign funds.

“Get big or get out” creates a farmers dreams of fortune and dazzling profits. It’s seemingly unstoppable but there is one far above everything and everyone that owns everything anyone can see. He owns the the cattle on all hills and He owns the hills too. By the way, He owns the planets and stars. After all, the Lord made everything that has been made.

Petitions have been given in various ways to the Lord and it is known that He Hears and responds to each and every one. The response is up to Him and the people to then listen. The world once again awaits awesome revelation and direction. At one time, the God was asked which beautiful name would be given to the people to call upon Him. He answered, “I am”.

Jack Gator

It’s a common play yard device, the sandbox. Castles and moats and endless small buckets packed full. My curiosity found me wandering about the internet, seeking wisdom on the makeup of the sun. Stepping out of the sandbox a little and wondering what some of the other prognosticators have to say.

Plasma and sunspots and coronas oh my! Probes abound on the moon and mars, sending information on the astounding makeup of our cosmos. Of course the inevitable billions of years pops up as though there is an atomic clock complete with seasons of bombardment and planetary wobble. I admit the science of construction is sound. Speculative origins and reasons for origins are a bit dicey in the science. The most popular one these days is the ‘Big Bang’. You know the one. A big firecracker went off somewhere and all the see-able universe came out of that explosion. Carl Sagan and his billions and billions of years. A cosmic lay-away plan for evolution.

“I think, therefore I am an intellectual” So many voices vying us, telling us how old, how far, and yet, how unknowable. Always from as far as we have historical writings. I am, of course, assuming that up until fairly recently in the billion years the earth was created that the impossible microbial and double helix ‘came into being’. It would seem that carved stones and historical records were just not up to snuff to survive those millennia as we evolved from Reptiles I get on board with that one, but humor aside, , the bees and the flowers evolved at exactly the same time so both could continue to exist.

There has been found ancient beeswax (not the old candles in our kitchen drawers either) All speculation on the thinnest evidence for eons. Atheist writers such as Darwin, Wallace, Origen and Dawkins believed adamantly in their cleverness and intellect seeing things themselves that any thinking man (if they were as clever as they were) would doubtless agree with. We can add Steven Hawking to that group as well. Of course, all dead, they now know the truth as must we when our time comes.

I prefer the wager that Pascal wrote. Simple bet, really. If I believe in the Lord when I have lived, then when my life is over, I spent eternity with Him. If there is no God then nothing happens when I die. If I do not believe in God, when I die I spend eternity without Him in eternal misery. If He does not exist then nothing happens. The added plus is a changed and joy filled life if we look to God for His truth.

Not much of a bet for the unbeliever. Death means ∞ either way. It’s where we spend it that counts.

It has been an ‘interesting’ time here on earth for us and lately, it has actually gotten worse on a global scale. We are desperately wicked and we are getting used to it as the frog, slowly boiling, relaxes in the comfy hot tub. Why not just have our sun go nova and wipe out the whole mess of us and start over?

After all, we deserve it for our ways of worshiping ourselves instead of the obvious creator of all things. Time and again. Amazingly, the ‘astronomical price’ for all this horrible behavior we do, or even want to do has been paid. Talk about benevolent! God himself paid the price. There are many folk tales and fascinating fables such as Balder for one that tell this story. Echo’s of the real event. God dying and coming back to life. C.S. Lewis put it well in a fable, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. A fable that came to be true. It really happened and is documented in so many ways. God died and lived.

Remember Baal? That false god demanded children be burned alive to appease him. Now we still kill them, but have added a profit of selling their body parts. 68.1 million so far, a large amount from black neighborhoods. Our government adores this murder for profit and eliminating people they deem ‘non productive’ Planned Non-Parenthood or something like that it’s called.

He made us and all we see with a thought! I am glad He is merciful as well as wrathful. What is the tipping point for us? He has sent His Son fairly recently to show us the truth. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator

There the whole Gator family was, searching the ranch for Jack’s wallet. In the car door, where it usually resides. In the car, in the shop, in the house, on the driveway. Over and over. Feeling foolish and forgetful. “Where is the last place you were?” Lets see, I remember that Greta (Mrs. Gator)was trying boots out at the Boot Scoot Boot shop up the hill from town!

Jack remembered he had to use the bathroom there and Greta called them. A short time later, they called back and had found Gator’s wallet! What a relief. Quite a few rapid fire prayers before that good news. You know how they sound. Sort of a reverent muttering as everyone tears around, trying to do the impossible task set before them. Prayer is the best way to get close and hear God.

The next day, Jack went swimming (Gators favorite place-the pool) and swung by the Boot Scoot shop to pick up his wallet. There it was, next to the cash register, rubber banded and a note hooked on under the rubber band. YES! There it was, intact, all the credit cards and drivers license in it. The money pocket was completely empty though. Quite a bit of paper was in there, 160 dollars or so.

1. Who would find the wallet, take out the money (after opening it) and put it back where it was?
2. Why not just bring it up to the cashier after gleefully pocketing the cash?

A thinking thief of being identified as the finders keepers type. “well heck, you got it back!” Gator wonders about the time the whole family found a lot of 100’s on the sidewalk at one of the big box stores. After a little speculation on what that money would buy, they took it all inside and gave it to the store manager. He said they could most likely use the parking lot cameras to come up with the person that lost it. Temptation is strong with those finds but the lesson has been learned. Do unto others as you would have done to you. It really feels good long after that chain saw could have been bought.

Actually, taking the money in any situation like those has consequences that are off the thief’s radar. A knowledge of good and evil is a basic lesson, a basic premise of logic. This is a pivot point in our Post Modern world. A quote from Solzhenitsyn from The Gulag Archipelago, “Young people are acquiring the conviction that foul deeds are never punished on earth, that they always bring prosperity”

The money will soon be absorbed into the greater picture of the Gator’s budget but the memory will remain of the sad thief that will be punished. Because the post-modern world does not realize that there are absolutes. These things are basic precepts known for all times. Again from Solzhenitsyn: “ From the most ancient times justice has been a two-part concept; virtue triumphs and vice is punished”

The illusion, once again that the only values that matter to us are personal peace and prosperity. In a much bigger picture of our nation, the same thought prevails. In simple terms, Personal Peace means just to be let alone, not to be troubled by the troubles of other people…to have our personal lives undisturbed…prosperity or affluence means a life filled with things, and more things—success judged by and ever-higher level of material abundance. 1. Indeed, modern man has been found lacking and we are in trouble when our fellow man is someone to feed off of. Ask Gator about his eating habits. It’s not easy embracing truth and precepts unshakable. It can be done however. Takes time.

The alternative to the current moral morass is to listen the Man that is more alive than any man that has ever lived. Read all about Him, ask around, you’ll find Him everywhere. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator

1. Francis A. Schaeffer ‘How should we then live?’

Gator was mulling over some recent friends that came instantaneously and once having befriended him, walked out of sight, mission accomplished. Those memories stick and stand out when found in our soul memory, recalled years later with clarity and a smile. The important memories. It could be someone found us in need or we did the same to another stranger.

It usually begins with a smile and spoken word or three. “Can you help me?” or “Are you OK?” No hustle seen in their eyes, no agenda except contact given. Gator recalls wandering about in the big box, seeking a certain odd piece of weather-strip. A man near where it should have been. Not an employee. Gator asked him if he knew of this thing and he did. The man immediately walked a ways to the west (built in magnetic field detector, all Gators have them) It was quite a few aisles away and found among a special display of woodworking specialty items.

Thanking the man for being so kind and going way out of his way, Gator realized something that is also a detector within. He has to pay attention to use it and be bold when it comes forth. Gator looked the man in the eyes and asked, well proclaimed: “You are a Christian aren’t you” Yes was the smile. A hand of brotherhood, a gift of fellowship.

Another time, another big box, parking lot this time. It happened in in an odd way. Gator had his purchases (including the newspaper his recent column was in) and getting close to his car he noticed an anomaly. The rear bumper was in a bit of a decline, bad dent and a few scratches for accent. Awful.

Somewhat surprised and puzzled, Gator figured someone didn’t like the way he was parked. He made a rather loud noise but didn’t rant and rave nor drop his purchases which were intended for the trunk. A woman approached him from a parked car and began telling him she was sorry and Gator was relieved that she had stuck around. Calm now, information was exchanged. Her insurance company, phone number. The usual things. She thought her brakes failed so Gator, assuming his professional auto repair persona checked her brake pedal and told her it was safe to drive home. She said again how sorry she was and Gator stayed calm but somewhat dismayed at the body work that it would take. Photos were taken. She told Gator she was frightened at a confrontation and very pleased at Gator’s calmness.

Later that day, she called and told him her address which Gator had forgotten to write down. She had already called her insurance agent. Gator thanked her and then knew what to say: “you’re a Christian aren’t you” She asked how Gator knew and he told her, “it shows, I could tell” She was somewhat surprised and was very encouraged. Things went well for her, Gator also knew that. It will come to you too, this wonderful conversation. As you once again pilgrim, walk over a bumpy section of the path, at a crossing, stop, look and listen and you will hear His gentle encouragement;

“Tell them I know them. As I know you. This will give them My joy.” Be bold, listen to the Lord of all creation and tell world what you hear. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator

There isn’t much more to it. The odd Gator, finding joy in giving his heart away at a risk. Aiming for the good, not under suffering, but with knowing a great task has been given him to share the truth with others who will listen. The truth about his best friend, Jesus.

A perfect active condition. It will depose us to grasp the good by habit. Just think about the moral life as watching a piano player go through training to play well. Prudence is a virtue and it leads us to the other virtues. When you are virtuous you will feel pleasure when that occurs. The world says, ‘morality is hard, we can’t take pleasure in it!’ Gator says yes, it’s hard but the joy is indescribable.

Can you discern that the Gator has been taking a philosophy course? Finally getting down to the student of Plato, the student of Socrates. Heady stuff. Gator has to listen to each lecture several times to get the gist of it, let alone pass the quarterly exams! Morality, virtue and the good. What are they?

Most of the ‘modern’ or ‘post modernistic’ thinkers couch things in terms of how swell it would be if we had our leaders taken from a very prestigious college. Groomed before birth perhaps, a little tweaking of their DNA and get the best of the best to tell us how to live! Authority, absolute with no absolutes. Instead, we go back to the Lyceum and find out what ‘good’ actually means. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the greatest thinkers of Greece and we could use a couple of them right now. The concept of ‘good’ and ‘virtue’ were debated, written about, over and over by them.

Amazing thinkers and contemplators of man. Of course, wisdom and virtue and goodness are the subjects that bring joy to ones looking for it. Some other folks go in the exact opposite direction and invent things like guillotines to disagree with some people. That direction really stifles dialectics.

Magnificent is expenditure on something great that is conspicuous. Spending a great amount in a harmonious way. spend with pleasure! Keeping close accounts is chintzy. Celebrate magnificence. Look at the beauty around us, where did it come from.? Magnanimity. greatness of soul. two peaks of human greatness. There is one man that knew these things perfectly and did them well. Jesus.

Someone great souled, what does this person care about? Honor. He doesn’t see anything else. Does God need money? Give honor. A person of honor is not someone who takes small risks, he takes great risks. May cost his life. . He wants to be the source who gives! Wonder:it’s the beginning of philosophy.

It’s not politics. The most important thing about politics is that there is no important thing about politics. Meditate on beauty, give yourself and honor flow out of you. Magnificence. Give honor to the one that created it, and radiates it. There is no greater thing you can do. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator

The adults that can advise us on the tough questions I mentioned last week are ofttimes, a bit hard to find. There are many prognosticators that insist their opinions on life’s big questions are correct and it is not a good idea to be there when they say so. Gator has been in that arrogant position and it has not worked out well. I did not take my own advice because I knew I was right. Point taken. Mistake.

It’s the big questions that generate heat. The small questions about automotive brands and reliability are not hard to turn into gentle laughter and disagreement. The big questions about truth and evidence of it are liable to turn into a stone wall of pat answers and foolish catch phrases. On both sides. We who strongly believe our opinions of life’s purpose are true. Our opinions are based on facts and those who disagree with those facts are immature, foolish and ignorant, right? People like us that feel that way are even more foolish than we believe others to be. There is a moral standard we must not ignore. It’s not a law per-se, but goes much deeper. It is a standard perhaps referred to as ‘given a reasonable doubt’ or perhaps the example of summit talks. You can never convince anyone of anything by anger or name calling. It takes dialogue. I’m not talking about violence or armed combat. I’m talking about listening.

Opinions are like software, it takes time to write out the program and push the ‘save’ button. It’s there on your hard drive then,and re-writing that opinion isn’t easy or even desired. It’s truth felt (a lot of times it IS truth) but the discussion must be done honorably not with sputtering and bluster. Doesn’t work with me, so I know it won’t work for you. Another opinion. I have a lot of them.

I have a friend that is firmly convinced that the earth is flat, the moon landings were studio fakes, the end of our circular earth is guarded by the NSA. You get the idea (unless you believe such things) When we read about something, such as New Zealand, we know it’s there because reputable people show us maps, exploring stories and so forth. We believe that New Zealand is real. I told my friend about my experiences at sea with radar and first seeing antennas and masts before the ship hove into view. Micro waves do not curve. He wasn’t convinced. I was a liar or was seeing an illusion. Truth was not the operative in the conversation. Neither of us could ‘win’ We let it go. It won’t bother me unless he comes to me with another version of truth that isn’t. A stumbling block for certain.

There is another truth that I hold onto because I have seen it and heard it. It is the presence, and in one case, the voice of the living God. I know He is real and I know He cares for me, saved my life with His voice. Could I convince you that it is true? Maybe. In some cases, words fall short on a story, only the gentle passion for truth along with gentleness and patience will carry the message. Truth has another dimension. Telling the truth is akin to gardening. Seeds are planted. If the planting is true and the seed just and true, the fruit of the truth will blossom within. Cultivation with patience helps. In some cases the large chisel drag or plow is overwhelming to the seed and the soil. A good gardener listens and gives encouragement to both sower and sown. Spoken and written truth follows the same path.

To be an adult takes time and care and a lot of help. I am getting better at being an adult. I am learning how to listen and speak less. Perhaps I will be listened to when I tell the truth as it has impacted my life. An evangelist does not have to shout, Just tell the truth as best as they can.

It’s pretty good. Jack Gator