A Slower Pace

I stumbled across this article and video and the boldness in speaking the truth impressed and impacted me. I think it has been lost on us that there is a great battle going on — for our countries, for our culture, for our families, for our children, and for our souls. It has become politically incorrect to speak out and to speak the truth. Which is why, in this scenario, it is all the more impressive.

Link to the article — http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/February/German-Woman-Publicly-Rebuking-Islam-Goes-Viral-/

It has me thinking what can I do to be more like Heidi Mund in spreading the Gospel and speaking truth.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Yes, I am a fully grown, red-blooded, American male, but seeing all of these military guys surprisingly reuniting with their loved ones brings tears to my eyes — especially the ones with children.

Brought to you by Kleenex.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I saw the snippet below during my cardio workout this morning. It was a news highlight of a new book by Darrin Patrick — “The Dude’s Guide to Manhood”, with a forward by Duck Dynasty men.

While I haven’t read it, he hits on some pretty good observations.

• It’s not a personality thing, but more of a character thing.
• A real man can be tough and tender.
• Be a family man.
• Be a coachable man.
• Be a connected man. Have true friends. A friend should act like a good surgeon — he cuts, but he cuts to heal.
• Be a fighting man — fight for character. Fight the right fight.

Video link here — http://video.foxnews.com/v/3005167149001/rules-for-manly-men/

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

5 Facts About Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona

Excerpted from http://www.history.com/news/5-facts-about-pearl-harbor-and-the-uss-arizona

At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time (12:55 p.m. EST) on December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, launching one of the deadliest attacks in American history. The assault, which lasted less than two hours, claimed the lives of more than 2,500 people, wounded 1,000 more and damaged or destroyed 18 American ships and nearly 300 airplanes. Almost half of the casualties at Pearl Harbor occurred on the naval battleship USS Arizona, which was hit four times by Japanese bombers

1. Twenty-three sets of brothers died aboard the USS Arizona.
   There were 37 confirmed pairs or trios of brothers assigned to the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. Of these 77 men, 62 were killed, and 23 sets of brothers died.
2. The USS Arizona’s entire band was lost in the attack.
   Almost half of the casualties at Pearl Harbor occurred on the naval battleship USS Arizona, which was hit four times by Japanese bombers and eventually sank. Among the 1,177 crewmen killed were all 21 members of the Arizona’s band, known as U.S. Navy Band Unit (NBU) 22. Most of its members were up on deck preparing to play music for the daily flag raising ceremony when the attack began. They instantly moved to man their battle positions beneath the ship’s gun turret. At no other time in American history has an entire military band died in action.

3. Fuel continues to leak from the USS Arizona’s wreckage.
   On December 6, 1941, the USS Arizona took on a full load of fuel—nearly 1.5 million gallons—in preparation for its scheduled trip to the mainland later that month. The next day, much of it fed the explosion and subsequent fires that destroyed the ship following its attack by Japanese bombers. However, despite the raging fire and ravages of time, some 500,000 gallons are still slowly seeping out of the ship’s submerged wreckage: Nearly 70 years after its demise, the USS Arizona continues to spill up to 9 quarts of oil into the harbor each day. In the mid-1990s, environmental concerns led the National Park Service to commission a series of site studies to determine the long-term effects of the oil leakage. In fact, the oil that often coats the surface of the water surrounding the ship has added an emotional gravity for many who visit the memorial and is sometimes referred to as the “tears of the Arizona,” or “black tears.”

4. Some former crewmembers have chosen the USS Arizona as their final resting place.
   The bonds between the crewmembers of the USS Arizona have lasted far beyond the ship’s loss on December 7, 1941. Since 1982, the U.S. Navy has allowed survivors of the USS Arizona to be interred in the ship’s wreckage upon their deaths. Following a full military funeral at the Arizona memorial, the cremated remains are placed in an urn and then deposited by divers beneath one of the Arizona’s gun turrets. To date, more than 30 Arizona crewmen who survived Pearl Harbor have chosen the ship as their final resting place.

5. A memorial was built at the USS Arizona site, thanks in part to Elvis Presley.
   After the USS Arizona sank, its superstructure and main armament were salvaged and reused to support the war effort, leaving its hull, two gun turrets and the remains of more than 1,000 crewmen submerged in less than 40 feet of water. In 1949 the Pacific War Memorial Commission was established to create a permanent tribute to those who had lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor, but it wasn’t until 1958 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to create a national memorial. The funds to build it came from both the public sector and private donors, including one unlikely source. In March 1961, entertainer Elvis Presley, who had recently finished a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, performed a benefit concert at Pearl Harbor’s Block Arena that raised over $50,000—more than 10 percent of the USS Arizona Memorial’s final cost. The monument was officially dedicated on May 30, 1962, and attracts more than 1 million visitors each year.

May they rest in peace.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

150 years ago on this day President Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most well known speeches. While most of us cannot quote the entire speech, Lincoln’s “Four score and seven years ago” resonate as much as other famous speeches such as Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”, JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”, and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream”. Abe’s speech was truly a verbal piece of art. I implore you to re-read it below and let the words sink in knowing the huge impact these words had on the course of our American history.

It really is too bad that most in our government today ignore many of the virtues, beliefs, and foundations set forth by such great men as Lincoln and our forefathers.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

That last line is chilling because I believe it does not exist any more.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Back when we lived in CA we made a decision to stop watching TV news. It was always so negative. It was always so depressing. It was not reflective of what we saw in our lives or community. And it always seemed to take up 30 minutes no matter whether it was a slow news day or there was lots going on.

But every so often there are some good snippets out there. The clip below is one of them. I would watch a whole newscast if this is all they showed.

Here is a link to the article — http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57570865/act-of-sportsmanship-gives-texas-high-schooler-shot-at-glory/

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Our country would be so much better off if we ripped the script from this commercial and applied it directly to every single person, entity, business, and gov’t agency immediately.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

47 years ago today my Mom and Dad committed to each other and to God to be married for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health til death do us part.

I am so blessed that my folks have weathered good times and bad, mountaintops and valleys to provide me and my sister with a model for marriage and commitment. And the apples don’t fall far from the trees. My sister just celebrated 20 years and I am still plugging away with my better half.

How refreshing it is especially in today’s culture to have strong, solid marriages that are decades old with the perspective of being buried next to one another as each one is reunited in heaven.

This is how God defined marriage and intended it to be for families, children and generations.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I am forever grateful for those who sacrificed their lives for this great country! Past, present and future.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

The list below was shared by a pastoral Facebook friend who is a true fisher of men. I am sharing it as truth and very Biblical. And while I believe in equality between the sexes, I also know they aren’t the same (which modern feminism is bent on shoving upon us).

I use this simple equation to prove that. $1 = 4 quarters (one dollar equals four quarters but one dollar is not the same as four quarters). A one dollar bill is useless for a soda machine that only takes coins. And if you are purchasing a new flat screen TV with cash, coins are pretty useless. While the monetary amounts are equal, they are also not the same and are used for different purposes. That is how God made men and women.

1. Men protect women and children.
2. Men are leaders.
3. Men are responsible as heads of their families.
4. Men are to teach their children 24/7.
5. Men are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and be willing to die for them.
6. Men are to be fruitful and multiply.
7. Men do not own their bodies. Their wives do.
8. Men must bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord.
9. Men must ensure that their whole families and everyone else around them should celebrate the Sabbath.
10. Men’s hearts should be turned toward their children.

Here is the original link. (Note I made an editorial addition to #1)

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net