journaling with art

Read this interview

https://raisinglittleshoots.com/2016/05/13/an-interview-with-kolby-kirk/

alcohol and the little guy - and not that little guy, the big little guy

One of the issues to come up is that of whether or not grocery stores can sell wine, liquor, and other than 3.2 beer.

A lot of folks on both sides have their opinions.  There is a lot of concern about the little guy and the “capitalist” effect if your local Safeway sold wine.  Have you ever been to a state that only the government can sell you your favorite beverage?  Now that is a trip.  Do you remember when you could not purchase that adult libation on Sunday?  How many remember going to the 3.2 bars in C Springs?  Those do not exist anymore so why should 3.2 be the beer of choice down at Loaf & Jug?

Ok, the little guy.  Yep and I try to help the little guy as much as I can.  But I have a problem with the one mega store that follows you around like you are a criminal and question why you put your hand in your pocket.  “Maybe to get money out to pay?”  The person or megastore that is trying to buy out the little guy that is completion. 

Now the little guy, here is what I have found out in my experience visiting states that have open sales, the little guy has a greater selection than Piggly Wiggly.  Chances are PW will have Miller Lite and Bud but not the local micro brews.  And a good selection of MD 20/20.  Yes, there will be those that will expand the isles but if Bernie has his way, you will only have a choice of one or two anyway.

Here is what I have learned over the years and with Walmart moving into Woodland Park.  A lot of folk were up in arms because the corporate devil was moving in and all these little guys were going to whither up and die.  Well, Walmart moved in and yes, some places closed up shop and people were upset.  But the other side of the story was that having Walmart in the community brought some significant growth and purchasing power. 

See people didn’t drive down to the Springs for all their needs and kind of stayed around the neighborhood on the weekend.  There were those that closed and we were sad to see them go but as the guy I was talking to at Leo’s Coffee in WP who owned a small business those that closed did not because of Walmart but because the owners were living sale to sale.  He stated that Walmart came to him and wanted to know what they could do to help him stay in business.  To some the mega store helped them with a business plan, another offered to sell their goods at other stores, and more. 

Like blaming the demise of the one lumber yard and hardware store in Florissant on Ace or Home Depot in C Springs.  It closed because the sons of the owner drove the company in to the dirt.  The kids did not address the needs of the community and were only in it for the money.  Or like Trinidad when one contractor was asked why he would drive to Pueblo for his supplies.  Well, besides getting the necessary supplies his family would eat at Red Lobster or Texas Roadhouse and pick up other necessities otherwise not available in the town.  Why is Lamar a ghost town on weekends and more Colorado tags in Garden City?  Because of the little guy? 

Ok, will the little guy survive?  Do you know that if a Dollar Tree is near a Hallmark or other card selling store, Dollar Tree will not sell cards?  That is their policy.  Why? Because it was a sound business decision to ensure the other store is not affected.  Will the Safeway consider that option? Who knows?

Little guy – yes, I understand the issue. But I have to go use the women’s restroom.

God isn't answering my prayers

I woke up this morning thinking about the Garth Brooks song, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers” and the issue of unanswered prayer. A subject I hear enough from people who are asking why God isn’t answering their prayers.  I can think of some of those prayers. 

Back in grad school we had this discussion one week when a “faith healer” came to town and a number of people did not get healed.  The response from the healing team was that their faith was not strong enough (negating the scripture that one who has the faith the size of a mustard seed), people around them were lacking faith or prayer, or God just didn’t like them for some reason.  Now a pastor a number of us had a battle before us to regain the ground lost because of some charlatan preacher. 

Thursday morning at the men’s group the subject of prayer and in the dialog among us was the question of why does God allow someone to have cancer and others not.  Why are prayers not answered the way we would intend them to be if we are believers and faithful.  Why do bad things happen to good people? A question that has baffled many over the years.

And my response is one that is simple and is faith based, a response I learned from Ian in Lamar, “God is God and I am not”.  We create a god in our image.  We create a Santa Claus that we pray to for things we want.  “I want a new house”, “If you bless me with that new bicycle I will be eternally grateful”, “please heal my mother”.  And in some cases we create a god we can barter with or protest against.  “If you answer this prayer I will go to Africa and minister to the lepers”, or “you didn’t heal my child so I will never go back to church”.

“How can a God of love allow terrible things to happen?”  Excuse me but where is it written that God is all lovy dovy and only grants happy answers?  Seriously, where?  Yes, we do read “of these the greatest is love” and we take that to mean that life will be one Woodstockish love fest and Jesus is handing out dusted doobies to all. 

In another group we just finished looking at Samson, a judge of the people ordained by God.  Not a hero image. In fact he was one crazy SOB.  Is this the guy you want as a son in law?  Gets the town people all up in arms and has your place burned to the ground with your daughter and you in it?  A guy chasing the skirts.  But the guy that destroys the enemy in the end because Samson, once blinded had only time to see God and do his will.

When looking at issues such as cancer or MS or death and wondering why God isn’t answering prayer I have to wonder with some deep introspection if God is answering.  I am reminded of Joni who was injured in a diving “accident” and is paralyzed.  Many a preacher and faith healer pronounced that the reason she was not healed because she lacked faith or people didn’t pray hard enough.  Let me ask you this, would you have known of Joni if she were healed and moved on with her life? Would her testimony and message have the same impact on thousands of people if she went on swimming and diving?  Think about it.

One of the men stated that when his father was going through a crisis he had doubts and questioned God.  His father, a godly man, was suffering and why?  Through this trial he learned that this event was not about his father but about him.  Yes, his father died but watching the faith of his father allowed him to review his own life and what he was missing.  So from death came a blessing and a renewal of life.  But It does not answer the question of why bad things happen to good people.

The song by the Getty’s, “In Christ Alone” has served as an answer to what people who subscribe to the Bible as a series of events beginning with “man’s” fall and booting from the garden.  The proclamation was made by God that now man and woman would suffer, toil, and experience death.  For believers it is necessary and even vital to put your trust in what some in philosophy and other schools of thought have questioned as nonsense.  But for many it is real. 

The pastor asked a question based on a people that because of the fall in the garden are born “bad” and to that why do good things happen to bad people? If we are a fallen people who have a sin nature and are only saved by grace, we have plenty to be thankful for in that much good has come to us. And instead of being angry at God, we should be grateful that we have lived even if it has been a rough road.  We have to take time to reflect on this.  Maybe pray on this.  Or to take a different approach, the question of “God, why have you forsaken me?” could be responded, “and why have you forsaken your God?”

Back to the song, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers”. Like looking back in a journal of notes you find that He has answered your prayers.  Maybe the prayer you prayed for a new bike was answered with you learning patience that would take you into your adult life.  Or that house that you were sure God was wanting you to buy or build but God answered in His time that you would need the finances because the ministry you were working for laid you off. Or that request or demand that God heal your family member and He answered that the work was done here on earth and now it was time for rest.

Writing that paper with plenty of references

Grading final papers when I could be fishing.

I am going to tell you a secret about writing papers and I will deny and claim my facebook was hacked if you tell your teacher Reverend Roy said to write a paper this way.

I am a hard nose when it comes to research papers, college research papers. I wonder what that high school teacher would say now? Oh boy, I looked back at a masters thesis and, oh, back to my position on papers.

College papers are not your high school paper, and if you are writing at a graduate level? (there is a reason it is called graduate school)

Students like to exclusively use the text book or wiki. No. I read the text book and I lecture via the text book so I do not want to read references from the text book.

Wikipedia is fun but reference it and there is no amount of extra credit to bounce back to a functional grade.

Now the secret, notice the foot notes and bibliography in the text book? Those are your reference points, your sources. Cross reference and verify the source. Of course I might have that book and will verify.

Wikipedia, Ok, I look for published books on the subject or peer reviewed papers so the wiki does not fit that category at all. However, wiki also has in many cases references or bibliography. That is where you will find your sources.

An example would be a research paper on the Beatles, the music group. Let me do a side note here. A student states he or she will write a paper on the Beatles. My question is what is your specific topic you will focus on regarding the Beatles? Volumes have been written on the Beatles and this is a 5-7 page paper (15-20 grad level). So the topic has to be specific to the class material.

Student comes back with "the british invasion" and now we continue.

In Wikipedia there are citations, notes, sources, and additional reading, In the page there are references to other wiki pages as well.

If I continually see a reference to Gould I might want to verify the source and validate the author.

There are plenty of resources if you know how to use them.

Just be sure to follow the APA, MLA, or other platform for in text references and bibliography.

happy writing