Our brightest Christmas ornament

"I think that I did see all heaven before me, and the great God Himself!"
--Handel upon completing "The Messiah" in just 25 days.

On behalf of Natural Exponent, Merry Christmas! Happy New 2009!

We believe, as most Americans do, that Christian faith in one's family and in one's nation is indeed the brightest ornament.

Guantanamo

I blogged previously that Obama was incompletely vetted to be president. The revelations of his direct and indirect involvement in dirty Chicago politics of late are therefore not surprising.

I don't even have to go out on a limb to predict
the following: Obama will soon learn the wisdom of Guantanamo.

Bombay mass-terror

On the one hand, the Bombay mass terror attacks have shown that racial profiling works; the jihadists proved it.

When Sen. Obama takes office, with no experience to draw from, I hope he has good advisors --that he'll listen to.

All of this carnage was done by 10 jihadists! There could have been more. All you would have to do would be to abandon your weapon and blend in with the crowd.

A sole terrorist was captured alive shown here raising his AK. He was captured alive by the Indian commandos, the Black Cats.

There he is, Mr. Cargo Pants. (His mother must be so proud.)

I pity the short-sightedness of the terrorists; their actions show our innocent and sensible Muslim neighbours in a very bad light.

I'm not fretting though, the people of India are going to be okay. I know this when the Indian people are clamoring for the autographs of the commandos. When people understand that heroes are the men who kill evil men, they have their values in right priority and will be okay.....I'd invite these terrorists to hit an American Walmart; the shoppers would take care of them if it were the day after Thanksgiving.

I'm so thankful I was born in the USA, there can't be a better place on earth to live, because patriotism is an indispensable weapon in the defense of civilization against barbarism.

And, under President George Bush, America has been terror-free for 8 years.

Marxism 101

"For the last seven years we have had the highest corporate profit ever in American history...But it hasn't been shared, and that's the problem, because we have been guided by a Republican administration who believes in the simplistic notion that people who have wealth are entitled to keep it. They have an antipathy toward the means of redistributing wealth." --Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)

Nerdful tribute

I found this poetic and nerdful tribute to the musical score-master John Williams; enjoyable!

From stone to silicon

The born-again experience is a wonderful reality.

But in the JCC Ecosystem we find that a subsequent experience involving the slow, tedious, sometimes wearisome process of sanctification must then take place. This is best handled through successive personal encounters with God. Each Believer is ultimately responsible for this in his own life.

Progressive steps are taken until, ultimately, the Believer becomes as smooth as silicon, perfect and complete in all the will of God; click on Colossians 4:12.

Californians--and how we live our lives

CALIFORNIANS ARE A CONSERVATIVE people, and conservative is how most of us live our lives.

My evidence? --two essential things: First, Californians defeated the homosexual lobby, and we codified that only marriage between a man and woman will be valid in the Golden State.

But we Californians also defeated two so-called green initiatives on the ballot. Prop 7 would have forced utility companies to produce 40% of their power by 2020, and even more by 2025--but our electric bills would still rise. Prop 10 would have put Californians in the hole for over $5 billion to fund alternative-fuel research--but we're already doing this research in the private sector.

Californians sent these 2 measures down in flames...

Proposition 7 Renewable Energy Generation
Yes 3,294,158 35.1%
NO 6,102,907 64.9%

Proposition 10 Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Yes 3,742,997 40.1%
NO 5,581,303 59.9%

Nation-wide, although Americans elected Barak Obama as president, America is still a conservative country, because for the most part, we Americans live our lives with a conservative world-view in regards to family, faith, and free-enterprise.

One for the history books

These United States have a new President-elect, Barak Obama. For a man who was not completely vetted by his party, Barak Obama nevertheless has won the big prize for his party. This therefore is one for the history books.

Last night was Obama's night. January 20th will be his coronation. He will be our new president. I was amazed at how quickly the electoral count had wrapped up.

And now, both conservatives and Republicans have a need for self-reflection, to take a hard look inside. Losers usually do.

Indeed for conservatives, we must continue to fight the good fight: fight every attempt by the government to take a man's wealth and redistribute it to another, fight the government's attempt to radicalize our Supreme Court, fight any attempt by government to restrict political (free) speech, fight any attempt to weaken our national defenses, in other words, fight for the best interests of our country.Barak Obama's election win may have been partially about the cult of personality. That's part of human nature. But more than that, people wanted change, --this was Obama's central thesis, and the American people decided to elect the agent of that change. It was not unlike the contest in 2000: here the American people also wanted change, and Al Gore was defeated by Gov. Geo W. Bush for president because people had had enough of Bill Clinton. It's for this historic reason that I'm not surprised at Obama's win yesterday.

But now, we will truly see what a President Obama believes, in the ways that he governs from America's executive branch.

But let's not forget that California, too, is huge player in social change. California proved that when it comes to marriage, there are not blue or red states. We Californians believe that the union of husband and wife is truly unique --and it was given special status in our law.

November 4, day of decision

I will never know how much it cost my founding fathers to secure my religious freedoms, --indeed all of my freedoms, for that matter.

Today voters will determine whether or not we hold fast to the legacy of liberty, or if we surrender it to the Left in this country --who are determined to take us down the road to socialism--the system that, once upon a time, our California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fled to make his way to America and her system of free enterprise.

Notwithstanding, the Jubilee deaconess and I know that with Providence we can prevail, regardless of who is elected on November 4.

It is an honour and privilege to serve you as editor of Natural Exponent.

Mr. Clinton's admission of who's responsible

Will wonders never cease during this election season...

Having a security clearance

When I worked at Ford Aerospace and Communications Corp. (FACC) in Palo Alto, CA I routinely worked with people who had secret clearances. It takes an employer a long time and much effort to obtain a secret clearance to vet an employee. (I never needed a secret clearance because I worked on mostly commercial hardware, not the spook satellites that required a high level clearance).
Interesting how the Dinosaur media (NBC, CBS, ABC) sent teams of reporters to dig through Alaskan dumpsters to find dirt on Gov. Sarah Palin, but they were completely uninterested in finding and interviewing William Ayers --the American terrorist who at one time bombed the U.S. Pentagon as "protest" against the United States. The day following Sept. 11, 2001, Ayers "wished" he had "done more" in his heyday, --he stated so publicly. He is unrepentant.

Sen. Obama's political career (a fundraiser) was launched in the living room of William Ayers.

American terrorist Wm. Ayers, a strange Rev. Jeremiah Wright declaring race-hatred from his pulpit on Sunday morning --there is no American presidential candidate before Barack Obama with associations to these kinds of characters; none.

Associations provide insight into a man's character. Had any other candidate launched his political career in the home of, say, an abortion clinic terrorist, he couldn't run for city dogcatcher much less for president of the free world.

Obama is a man of first-rate intellect. But his character is shady and immature.

If Obama ever tried to get a security clearance at my company, his associations would raise red flags and would ultimately ground him. It's that simple, and there would be no appeal.

I don't even think Barack Obama could get an FBI clearance to work for the U.S. Secret Service --the civil service that protects the President of the United States.

I love free speech

“John McCain has chosen a running mate whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion.” —South Carolina DNC Chairwoman Carol Fowler

“Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.” —Wendy Doniger, “academic” at the University of Chicago

Well I say let them talk.

When these kinds of people talk it enlightens the American voter to their world-view.

Terror-free for 7-1/2 years

President George W. Bush, the civilian commander who prevented any follow-up jihad terror attacks upon American soil, during his 8-year watch.

I appreciate that the responsibilities of the office of president have aged Pres. Bush, and may well have shortened his life. But that is his gift to his country. (It's sad by contrast that 8-years had also aged former Pres. Bill Clinton, and to a much greater extent, but for reasons other than keeping America's homeland secure).

As missionaries who deploy most often into the dangerous 10/40 drop zone, Mrs. O and I will listen closely in the debates to what Senator McCain and Senator Obama have to say about Islamic terror, about the enemy combatants jailed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and eavesdropping on Islamic terrorists who phone into the United States.Sadly, in these regards, from what I've observed in recent American history, (i.e. the last 8-years), to vote for Sen. Obama is to also vote for a Democrat Party that consumed most of their energies during the last 7-1/2 years fighting an American president harder than they fought the perpetrators of September 11.

That is inexcusable to this voting citizen.

'Gurl power' : aggrieved

You go gurl!

There are a lot of disaffected democrat voters in Denver. However, we at the Natural Exponent are cautious; we do not think that these people will necessarily vote for McCain.

For some Democrat women, many of them are very, very unhappy. On the other hand, if you add to this the aggrieved women who may simply stay home, Obama might have a problem in November.

But today, it's a long time until November. Indeed, maybe Hillary will pull a Samson and tear down Obama's paper-mache pillars. Bill will presumably already have provided the jawbone of the ass.

They saddled-up at Saddleback Church

A LOT HAS TO BE MADE of last Saturday's Q&A forum at Saddleback Church down in southern California—with McCain and Obama—I had a feeling that McCain would come away the winner. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback, moderated the forum.

It really comes down to something fundamental: Can a candidate give straight-up answers to questions about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. America is tired of big speeches at big stadiums with teleprompters.

With that benchmark McCain scored, Obama did not.

McCain the former Naval aviator and prisoner-of-war was far more informed. When asked which leaders he would consult as president, he first mentioned General David Petraeus, the architect of the very successful American surge in Iraq. Contrast Obama who would seek out his grandmother and his wife Michelle for advice.With his answer McCain definitely signals he is ready to be commander-in-chief. McCain is thinking of America in time of war. We Christians must understand that the long-term terror war that America is engaged in must continually be in the thought life of our next president. If America fails in this, nothing else really matters.

Then regarding spiritual matters Pas. Warren asked, "At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?" McCain answered: At the moment of conception. Obama put it this way:

Whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is, you know, above my pay grade.

When Mrs. O and I are ghostwriting, we are very, very careful with metaphors. That was a spectacularly clumsy metaphor and it will haunt Obama.

There isn't a job on the planet above the pay grade of President of the United States. A president is not supposed to be a theologian or a scientist — but you cannot be unsure about the most defining moral issue in America today. Obama was very unsure of this and botched his answer, but it helps me better understand his moral world-view. If I had to guess I don't believe that Obama will make any new inroads with evangelicals. Anyone could see by all the answers given Saturday night that McCain beat Obama easily on substance, but Obama even lost on style, his "strong suit," probably because no teleprompters were allowed. Maybe Obama will increase his style quotient later during the debates, but he's certainly gotta get up to speed on the issues: At Saddleback he repeated the false claim that abortions haven't declined under President Bush; —wait,

G.W. Bush? the culture-of-life President Bush? abortions haven't declined? I wondered why Rick Warren didn't call him on this. Perhaps he doesn't know either. *Sigh*

Obama's outreach to evangelical voters was obviously sincere, but he doesn't actually agree with us on much.

Of course, the one way that McCain can blow his Saturday performance is if he picks a pro-abortion VP candidate.

I think the lowest point at Saddleback was Obama's insulting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. There's really nothing bold about attacking Clarence Thomas, the Left has virtually made a hobby out of it for the last 20 years since his hard-won nomination. Obama said that when he was nominated, the black Supreme Court nominee for the United States Supreme Court didn't have enough experience, and wasn't smart enough to serve on the Court. The irony was incredible...

After all was said and done one of these two candidates must have left Saddleback Church, saddle-sore.

College students --Concealed Carry on Campus

THREE WEEKS AGO, after I returned home from Jubilee, I turned on C-Span (Mrs. O finds C-Span insufferably boring) and found the most amazing program on: the first convention of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus --aka, SCCC.

It was held in Washington, DC. I didn't know, but the SCCC was formed on April 17, 2007, the next day following the Virginia Tech shooting. Remember?--32 students were killed by classmate Cho Seung. Virginia and I attended our church's prayer vigil a week after the shooting.

The first speaker I heard on C-span was John Lott; this guy always has a reputation for doing his homework. He is author of The Bias Against Guns, and, More Guns, Less Crime. And, surprisingly, SCCC invited Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

John Lott reasoned for about an hour that creating a safe zone (like Virginia Tech’s so-called “gun-free zone”) ends up doing nothing more than creating safe zones for criminals. In fact, that was Virginia Tech's experience, they created a safe-zone for Cho Seung to kill law-abiding citizens.

Afterwards, Paul Helmke resorted to condescension.

Helmke argued that college students often engage in risky behavior that should preclude them from having guns: “When I look back on my college days, most of my fraternity brothers didn’t have criminal records—not yet. Most of them, even those who were in ROTC and hunters—the behaviors they exhibited weren’t the kind of behaviors that gave me confidence that packing guns in their lockers or in their rooms would make me safer.”

Naturally, not everyone should pack heat. Considering Helmke’s total lack of knowledge about firearms, Natural Exponent believes citizens like him should not be carrying guns until they are better educated.

Here's the delio: I'm thinking about my nephew Mikey Trejo who is a college freshman. Mikey is a straight arrow. I'm also thinking of my little niece Amber Tango, a student, and former Element Leader in Air Force J-ROTC, so...

Why would Helmke paint all students with such a broad brush? Only responsible students would take steps necessary to obtain a concealed carry license. Criminals don't have to bother.

And as for Helmke’s obvious insult to ROTC and hunters, well, that is the pathology of the Left. I must commend Students for Concealed Carry on Campus for being willing to listen to the other side of the debate.

I've seen the other side in action: History teaches that Leftist student organizations are not so open-minded.

God visits man

There are different ways God visits man. The most common way God visits man is through people!

Inside the smaller ecosystem of Jubilee Vietnam Church, our young people regard the example of their elders.

In addition, some of our young people are recipients of great dreams and even fantastic unexplained visions. Does God visit man in these? Yes.

Here in the JVC sanctuary Virginia gives time to inquiries from Caleb, Andrew and Tuan (behind Andrew). This too is where God is found, in illumination. Remember, one's spiritual ecosystem is a reliable place to encounter God.

There are various and sundry ways God visits man, the pity is that we do not recognize God in people but instead prefer God in fantastic and sparkling packages. In seeing God as He isn't, we err.

Academic farewell

Silicon Valley's Jubilee Vietnam Church, although small, is nevertheless teeming with life and gusto.

Recently, following the JVC church service the Jubilee Deaconess Virginia Obregon gives an academic farewell to three of our Vietnam youth: Kelly, Kristie & Lilie are headed to ORU to study in the universtiy's Nursing Program.

Virginia and I will sorely miss them, just as we missed Tim and Joshua Bui who were away at school last year in Redding, CA. As mentioned in a Jubilee blog post, the idea of maintaining your ecosystem's health is found in its happy content members...

Do you want to rejuvenate your ecosystem? Cultivate your Youth!

AT-16 >>away!

Jubilee Christian Center is a beehive of energetic activity: In early July, we shipped out 2 missionaries to the mission frontier.

(JCC is also an incubator of Great Commission Christians!)

I drove Jubilee Receptionist Lisa Rich and Jubilee Deaconess Virginia Obregon to SFO, where, at 1300 hours aboard Korean Air, they deployed for the Philippines on AT-16.

Virginia and Lisa were invited to preach at a Youth Crusade to be held at the end of this week in Baguio City, north of Manila.

(Coincidentally, Virginia and I had just completed a terrific time with many youth on K-Team in Vietnam--where we ministered to animated Vietnamese Youth Leaders in Ho Chi Minh City; see after-action report)

We are all members one of another, but it seems that the community of Christian youth is high on God's list of important people. Although youth do not possess wealth, rank or influence --legions of young people possess one important thing --God's heart.

Subjective well-being

We all have many perspectives on life. Well-being, i.e. how a Jubelite (JCC church member) evaluates life, is mostly in the head.

Things like life-satisfaction, marital-satisfaction, even missionary-satisfaction are related to pleasant experiences, or unpleasant experiences.

Mrs. Obregon and I have found that a cardinal characteristic of subjective well-being is related to the friends we fellowship with in our ecosystem.

It's true. Take the closely related class of humans above: all 3 are Great Commission Christians, and all 3 have followed Christ to the mission frontier.

My hypothesis is that our subjective well-being is generally very good because our ecosystem is teeming with life and with like-minded Christians; caramba!

JCC Ecosystem | What is it?

JCC Ecosystem .... JVC Ecosystem .... some have wondered, "What exactly does this mean?"

The meaning is simple really. All you have to do is carefully observe the goings-on at church. If you do, it is readily apparent that: Jubilee Christian Center (JCC) is a biodiverse ecosystem.

In fact, Jubilee Christian Center supports 3 unique human communities, each with its own ecosystem. Throughout our Silicon Valley campus 3 unique churches find life:

_ Jubilee Christian Center, served by Senior Pastor Dick Bernal
_ Jubilee Spanish Church, served by Pastor Osbaldo Perez
_ Jubilee Vietnam Church, served by Pastor N. David Bui

Is your spiritual life stagnant? Do you want personal direction in life? Do you want to hear God's voice? Muster to church!

You see, each ecclesia, whether JCC, JSC, or JVC, is a human community and this is where we all belong. Each ecclesia is an ecosystem and through its members they transmit life!

Although each ecosystem is imperfect they are nevertheless useful to God. God uses each for equipping, teaching, imparting, and for blessing--through participation. Indeed, Mrs. Obregon and I learn much about God not only from religious worship each Sunday morning, but also from supplemental instruction: human interaction.

You say you desire an encounter with God? Interact with members of your Ecosystem. You will encounter God there.

It's interesting, but at times God speaks to me and Virginia through people we may not want to listen to. But in this, God is entirely blameless. Our ecosystem is imperfect on account of its members. Nevertheless, will we choose to receive God's prophetic utterances? We must.

Let's muster to church! Each ecosystem is teeming with life, and it's there that you will find God.

Kelvin Deemer

Here, at the party following Jubilee Bible College graduation, India missionary Kelvin Deemer found me in the press of so many people. We discussed God's mission frontier, including the current status of the Burmese people following the deadly Nargis Cyclone.

Some from Jubilee Christian Center mistakenly believe that Kelvin is a member of the famed pop band The Beach Boys. But he's not.

God likes you

Jubilee Bible College: Virginia hands Hanh Nguyen a graduation present. Hanh's mother and Professor Bui look on. Virginia once saw something special in Hanh that she liked, and is why she invited Hanh to enlist on K-Team--even before she had graduated.

(I once said from the pulpit that if Virginia likes you, there's a good chance God likes you.)

J.B.C. Commencement speaker

When asked who they wanted as their Commencement Speaker, the 2008 Graduating Class of Jubilee Bible College asked to hear Pastor Dick Bernal for inspiration.

During his charge to the graduating students--I couldn't believe my ears!--Pastor intimated the exact idea that I wrote in Andrew Le's Hallmark graduation card: "...press-in; don't give up..."

Burma's cyclone | Some observations

The deadly cyclone, Nargis, swept through Burma last weekend and tens of thousands are missing; tens of thousands (probably many more) have died. A million people are homeless.

The worst hit area is the large Irrawaddy Delta (below, in dark blue). This is Burma's rice breadbasket. Burma's old capital, Rangoon, is also flooded.

I've noticed General Than Shwe, Burma's junta leader, and the rest of the military leadership have by and large stayed out of public view. (They're probably holed-up in the new capital, Naypyidaw, which may not have been affected by the cyclone.)

Mrs. Obregon and I have traveled extensively along the Burma/Thai frontier and served in the refugee camps that dot the frontier. *Sigh* I wish President Bush would dispatch us --we know our way around that area and have developed our own contacts with the KNLA and KNU (Karen National Liberation Army, and its political arm, Karen National Union.)This is the fundamental problem: Burma is a police state, their army and police are strictly designed for security functions. That's it. Disaster relief is left to the communities themselves, and, to brave NGO's (non-governmental organizations, like for instance, Regions Beyond-USA, World Aid, or Jubilee Christian Center, and the like).

The missionary inside us fears malaria, dengue fever, and hepatitis outbreaks that could be spread by mosquitoes, dirty water, and very, very poor sanitation conditions.

Burma's military junta needs to take off their military caps, humble themselves, accept Western expertise and begin to think like stewards of their country to make plans to help their masses of displaced people, and control outbreaks of disease.

Burma's cyclone path

Mrs. Obregon and I learned that Saturday's cyclone killed more than 22,000 Burmese. Indeed, the U.S.A., a Christian nation, is mobilizing to help a Buddhist nation. Our U.S. Navy, with its global omni-presence, is already in the Gulf of Thailand.

Geo & Virginia have many Christian friends in Burma's sprawling refugee camps along the Burma/Thai frontier.

Outside assistance is good but it will expose the full extent of the disaster and the inadequacy of the Burmese government's response.

Beautiful Moon; Beautiful Angel

Our two favourite daughters in Ho Chi Minh City, Beautiful Moon and Beautiful Angel (and we have a daughter in Nha Trang, too). Beautiful Moon just graduated with a degree in Landscape Design; Beautiful Angel is a micro business loan officer. Mrs. O and I are seated downstairs in a spare room of the A.G. church during a break in the Leadership Conference.Beautiful Moon was our assigned pointman for K-TEAM while in Ho Chi Minh City. Beautiful Angel, on the other hand, was assigned as pointman last year, on J-TEAM. When deployed overseas, God always assigns us the best help possible.

Feng Shui ("fung shway") | Jubilee Vietnam

For thousands of years the Chinese have studied the dynamic relationship between humans and the surrounding environment. It is called "Feng Shui" and it helps in making adjustments to our surroundings in order to create harmony........indeed this Jubilee hand-out photo shows, Caleb, Geo, and David Bui. We three have studied the dynamic relationship between humans and the surrounding environment: groups of humans fellowshipping downstairs in the Jubilee galley, --this is the art of perfect placement.

We are the ones we've been waiting for!

R.I.P. Charlton Heston

On Sunday, Charlton Heston died. He was 84.

The man who played and epitomized Moses--and for whom Pastor Dick Bernal often alluded to from the pulpit on Sunday's and in the pages of his published books--was the last of the old school patriotic Hollywood actors. Lordy, he was a fine actor and a fine American. Charlton Heston was also terrific in the Sci-Fi classics like, Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green, --anyone remember those?I mourn the death of Heston. He was a good American, oh, yes, a consummate total actor: Heston could play any part, from Moses, John the Baptist, even a washed up NFL football player. I wish Heston could just once have declared in one of his movies:

"Aaron, give me my staff, that the Lord hath given me, so that I may smite those Leftists."

Hollywood now is forcing upon us lightweights like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. (Clooney has another bomb on his list of failed movies.) Why are these men "movie stars"?

Mr. Heston:
You were the best actor of two generations. Thank you for all your great performances over the years. As you walk through the pearly gates of heaven, please notice the gentleman sitting at the table to the right. Ronald Reagan frequents that table and meets new friends. Please tell him I say hello.

Well sir, Heaven just acquired another great film actor. And now you can see the Burning Bush in real life.

After-action (K-Team)

Vietnam's Assemblies of God Leader, Rev. S., was able to sit in on 2 of our 4 meetings. His wife is shown seated, above. Above, Samuel Lam introduces K-Team.

Do you see the metal door behind Rev. S. that is behind the orange curtains? On the last day of the Conference, Virginia and I had to climb and sneak into the sanctuary--thru that 3rd story door--in order to stay out of sight of the local policia who, from time to time, kept an eye out for foreigners at the front of the church.

The rest of K-Team was at another meeting location).

(All the while I was reminded of the American pop song, Secret Agent Man.)

Pinocchio

Christian faith & practice

Those familiar with Christianity, and Jubilee's missionary history realize that Christ is the greatest liberator of mankind.

Indeed, God's presence fills the hearts of people wherever Christian faith and practice meet.

Thank you! --for sending us.

Pastor of the sheep

We have 3 churches on our Silicon Valley campus: the JCC main Church, our Spanish Church, and our Vietnam Church. Whoever preaches to the masses on Sunday morning, the prime focus of the worship service is the sermon.

Each of us congregants is expected to encounter Jesus not only in the bread and wine, but in the spoken word. To this observer, the theology of the sermon is the word of God --a declaration of God's will, and it is received as such by those of us in the pews.

Therefore the sermon should not be flippant, or contain half-thoughts, or angry prejudices from one's mind.

It is a frightfully serious thing to mislead the people of God.

Your Pastor's sermons

When the sermons of your Pastor are turned into campaign ads by your opposition --your presidential campaign is on very rocky shoals, in grave danger of running aground.

~

While serving Christ in Vietnam

Imagine my surprise: that while serving Christ in Vietnam, I discovered that Prince Harry was serving his country in Afghanistan.

I couldn't believe it.

While waiting for the Hotel front desk to retrieve my room key, I glanced down at the nearby table and eyed a British newspaper, left by some Brit, apparently, and there was Prince Harry --in all his glory, wearing his distinctive British desert camo fatigues, holding an M-16, (not the later image above). His picture filled the entire first page of that British newspaper!

It was a revelation to this missionary that Prince Harry had been courageously serving in Afghanistan for 3 months. (When the British papers mistakenly released the news of his deployment, Harry had to return to England). Prince Harry should be applauded by all citizens who believe that the war against Islamo-terrorism is vital to our free world.

This is amazing to me. The last time I remember learning of Prince Harry in the news was when he was busted by his father (and the British media) for wearing a Nazi armband to a British nightclub. (Does anyone remember that?)

I can forgive youthful indiscretions. We've all done crazy things in our youth; but this Harry chap is a credit to his nation!

Harry's bravery reminds this grateful American citizen that the Briitish warrior spirit is still alive and well --because, my gosh, he must've been a bullet magnet to terrorists everywhere.

I love the 80s

Hey, --the 1980s are back! -- Sylvester Stallone has prepped another Rambo movie. Not only that, Chuck Norris is an Internet icon and is donating his time for a presidential candidate, (and even Mr. T is doing commercials!)

I loved the decade of the 80s: Faith Bible College for Virginia and me, getting our Great Commission calling from God, Jubilee Christian Center's formative years, --and, stonewashed jeans!

And, think about it, even in the new millennium these tough-guy actors are still as ripped as they were 20 years ago!

Conservative men are cool.

Everytime the wind blows

In the coming weeks Americans will choose only 2 finalists in the job search for the most important CEO position on planet earth. Mrs. O and I believe that leadership/character traits are more important than technical knowledge of, say, foreign policy or economics. But these seem to get all the attention.

These and other things can distract us from the real issue of examining a candidate's fitness.

I remember a long time ago (when Jubilee was across the street in our old sanctuary) Virginia and I were in a Home Fellowship Group leader's meeting, and Pastor and Doug & Danae Roberts called a meeting to invite couples to become "captains" in the H.F.G. During the course of the meeting one of the cell leaders blurted out, "Pastor, I really love you brother, if you were running for President I'd vote for you."

We all chuckled profusely--and it happened to be during a presidential election season--nevertheless everyone in the room instinctively knew that Pastor had this intangible quality to inspire and lead people.

And later, when Pastor asked an older Jubelite (a dentist) to start a Home Fellowship Group, this individual hesitated and told Pastor that he wasn't a Bible scholar. Pastor replied that he wasn't looking for a student of the Bible, --he was looking for a leader to lead a Home Fellowship Group. This was very telling, and I remember this exchange as if it happened yesterday.

If you think about it selecting a President has little to do with their having academic skills. Presidents have to learn a lot on the job, and must surround themselves with advisors much smarter than themselves anyway.

The candidate we want to vote for --has he had some good robust life experiences, personally and professionally? The presidency is a job for a kind of generalist. We never know what crisis or emergency will come calling, nor from what direction it will hit us. A generalist type of President will know the correct actions to take that make sense in whatever context it appears.

Oh, sure, there's something to be said for a candidate's style, grace and charisma, but those things don't take you very far in a showdown...

...How does the presidential candidate view our country? Liberty is America's greatest national asset. Therefore a President must be ruthless in guarding our nation from foreign enemies. Christian citizens should recall how 20-something David of old ruthlessly protected his sheep from lions in the wilderness.

Of all presidential attributes, the American people must see a leader who loves this duty, because if our homeland is threatened or breached --nothing else matters.

They're all colorfull candidates! But would the front-runners make good presidential leaders? Everytime the wind blows can a leader stay the course on his convictions? Lone Wolf Liberties is reminded of two leaders, one in recent memory and one today, unchanged by the direction of continual fierce blowing winds: President Ronald Reagan and President George Bush the Younger.

I hope they still make 'em today.