THE ANSWER IS...

Sometimes when I haven't blogged for awhile, there's a good reason. Travel doesn't always allow me easy access.  Busyness is another pitfall, but how can a retired guy be that busy?  Lots of times, I simply lack motivation if you can believe that.  This time my lapse was caused by not being able to find a picture that stimulates my mind to write on a subject or an angle that I haven't exhausted.

When you spotted this picture, you probably thought it was an anti-choice, anti-abortion topic.  But how could that be?  Because as you see the imprint of the baby's foot, it's clearly not a human yet, right? So how could destroying the yet to be born, be anti-abortion? 

Besides don't both woman and man have the right to choose whether they want to bring a baby, oh excuse me, a fetus into this world? Well, don't they?

The gist--you see it, of course.  But what really galls me is that there's a whole lot more concern in the US today about abuse of animals than humans/ the unborn.  Not that I'm against supporting animal rights (as I turn to my right, I can see a purchase tag from Animal Rescue Foundation which I supported), but prioritize, prioritize.

The taking of human life because of inconvenience is simply despicable.  Am I against abortion?  Hell, yes!

 ? 

I'M STILL THAT WAY

"Don't fall in love with Scottsdale," our pastor warns.  Because it is the home of beautiful people.  Well, certainly not all, but there is a certain amount of glamor to be found/seen in our burg.

Even if we lived in Prescott, Globe, or Williams there's that same danger.  The danger that we shoot for our satisfaction in this temporal world.  We're simply not supposed to.  Our focus should be on eternity which is a whole lot longer than the 70-90 years we can reasonably expect to live.

But aren't we supposed to appreciate, to awesomate (I've never used that word before but for the sake of parallelism and coinage, it will suffice) the Creation and marvel at God's handiwork?  Didn't God want us to be happy?  Don't we want our children to be happy?  So why can I not be in love with the place where God put me?

Faithful reader(s) may think I'm facetious as I am sometimes, but I'm really serious. Am I not suppose to enjoy the beauty of the desert and mountains, the sunshine and blue, blue skies?  A good meal, a good cup of Joe, a Cardinal World Series championship?  Am I not supposed to be salt and light to this world?  Am I not supposed to be pleasant and affable?  Affirmative and encouraging?

Why can't I serve two masters?  What is so vital about single mindedness?  I mean, I'm not comparing because what's to compare, but why not enjoy the here and now, too, and yes be in love with life soaking in the blessings given from a loving Father God?

I do have difficulties with this biblical principle.  I know I need to accept, to submit, but it looks like I'm not as mature a Christian as I sometimes like to think.

THAT'S WHAT I HEARD

The St. Louis Cardinals are world champions in 2011!  How'd they do that?

Well, it's a storyline that's good for the country as well as Cardinal Nation.  The down trodden comeback, the wild card team qualifying for the playoffs on the last day of the season.  A team that was not better than the Phillies, Brewers, or Rangers outlasted, outplayed them all and brought the championship to the city that is in love with the franchise.

A team that refused to give up.   Their motto "play every game like it's the last game you'll ever play."  They did.  It paid off.

It's all been said.  There's no more to add.  Except I've lived to see 9 National League pennants won by my team and now 5 World Series.  I thought '64, '67, '82, and '06 were sweet--all had an appeal that was unique.  But this team, Tony LaRussa called them "the perfect team," was nearer my heart than any of the others.  So much suspense and tension, but a team that provided thrill after thrill.

Congrats to the Good Guys.  The Over Achievers.  The Never Say Dies.  The St. Louis Cardinals.  The World Champs!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Let the merry bells keep ringing/ Happy Halloween to you.

There's so much to like about Halloween.  Or Harvest Time.  Or whatever PC people want o re-name it.  All Hallow's Eve.  A person who thinks names, nomenclature, onamastics are all important, I don't think the origins of the holiday are pertinent, so I don't care what you call it.  It's just a great time of year.

Of course, Autumn's zenith is Thanksgiving, one of the greatest of them all.  But Halloween has to be second.  It's the end of the best season in many ways. What other month has better weather throughout the US?  Just where is a bad place to be in the month of October?

Summer's heat is past and it's not yet cold, cold Winter for most of the nation.  Sweater weather, light jacket, sleeveless, or my favorite a long sleeve cotton tee shirt and shorts.  The sun's angle blinding you at daybreak and sundown.  Longer shadows that made me feel ten feet tall when I was younger as they would display my image, distorted like a funhouse mirror.

Crisp burning leaves that evaporate into see-your-breath air.  Soup, any kind, hot chocolate, cider, marshmallow and weenie roasts over bonfires.  Hayrides and pumpkin patches and orchard visits.  As Emily in Our Town said, "Oh Earth, you're too wonderful!"

Ok, my romantic, poetic sacrine entry is almost complete.

Notice what I left out?  No vampires, no tee-peeing, no excessive wet smoldering burning stink, no pagan or goth references, no having to have Trick-or-Treat candy x-rayed, no rake blisters in the crevices of thumb and index fingers, and a plethora of other negatives.

Along with a good scare.  When a black cat jumps out at you when you're running from a big guy whose car windows you and a buddy soaped solid (actually Gulf waxed solid).  Now that's Halloween!

Topped off by Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin.