Churches

Today I visited a Lutheran Church that a coworker (and becoming a friend) invited me to. Surprisingly it was pretty good. I dont think its the Church for us but I sensed the sincereness of heart of the congregation and sensed the Spirit. Also the message had more depth than some pentecostal messages. Point is, I am starting to think that all Churches have their good and bad but for the most part they all follow the same God. There are notable exceptions of those who deny the deity of Christ (such as J Witnesses) but most Christian Churches are just groups of people trying in their way to get closer to God. I think I have matured a lot in my beliefs to get to this point. A think A lot of people get stuck in a sort of Church elitism. Where whether they say it or not, the belief is that their Church is better or in some cases the only way to Heaven. I think when we get to Heaven we will find many of different denominations and many unchurched.

No More Twinkies

Hostess is out of business and people are hoarding Twinkies and selling them on Ebay. I suspect some company will buy the Twinkie brand and if they dont they are done. I like Twinkies but I rarely think of them or crave them. Though since the announcement that Hostess is defunct and Twinkies are in high demand, I have had an insatiable craving for them. It is the I cant have it so I want it mentality. Whoever buys the Twinkie brand will do well (at least for a while) especially if they wait for the Twinkie supply to dry up and then make short supply which will increase demand. This has reinvigorated the nations (and the worlds) craving for Twinkies. Long live Twinkie the Kid

Oregon votes to not legalize marijuana and citizens want to secede because of Obama

I am beginning to think Oregon is becoming a red state. First they vote not to legalize marijuana when Washington voted to legalize it. Oregon rejected same sex marriage. Now they are getting signatures to secede from the USA because Obama won the election. Regardless of where you stand on any of these issues (I am not going there right now), you gotta admit those are liberal battle cries. To think Oregon. The hippie state. Well known as the place where the state flower should be cannabis has that much of a conservative vein. Actually I am not surprised. I lived in Oregon and I noticed the state is deeply divided. Portland and Eugene (as well as small pockets like Ashland and Corvallis) are highly liberal and radically so. These places make Berkeley look like a redneck town. But the rest of the state is VERY VERY conservative. We are talking like rural Kansas or Idaho. Gun toting, Bush loving, Church going, Republicans. Again I am not condemning. Just an observations. Move up North a few hundred miles and I see a mix of more moderate people. Supposedly Central and Eastern Washington are bastions of conservatism, but what I really see is some liberals. Some conservatives (both of which are very live and let live) and a bunch of moderates which is where I place myself in the spectrum. I am not a treehugger nor am I a redneck. I may lean liberal on a lot of issues (though I am conservative of a few big ones). This makes Washington a much more interesting place to live. The people are less divided. I have liberal friends and I have conservative friends. We can all just get along.

SAD

Not as in I am sad but as in I am happy and I think I had a case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Somehow on this side of the mountains it seems much less depressing. In Oregon and Seattle, I used to dread this time of year because of the lack of light and the gloomy cold rain. Though dark I am finding that dry cold nights are somewhat nice and remind me of the midwest. I think humans are designed to experience seasons and in places that have two seasons (rain and no rain) throw off some kind of internal system that tells the human body what time of year it is. Now what I really want to do is go out in the desert and star gaze. Just need a clear cool night. Open the moon roof and look up.

Remote blogging

I am on my phone on a cold frosty morning. Back to normal routine

Finally official. Inslee wins,.McKenna concedes

I am pleased that Jay Inslee is our governor elect. Not because I have anything against McKenna or know Inslee. Just that Inslee is more in line with where I am at and I do believe he will help the economy in Washington. It was very close. Interesting that out of the two, I have seen Rob McKenna in person and he is a talented speaker and seems like a good man. Either one probably would have been OK but I think our state will fare better with Inslee. http://www.nwcn.com/home/178254021.html

Variety of terrain and random thoughts.

Today I got to enjoy a long drive through farmland, rainforest, desert, pine forest, high mountains and low valleys. All in a 300 mile area in Washington and Oregon. Each place has its own beauty and there is a great peacefulness in desert that I truly did not appreciate until moving here. Sometimes it is nice to get out where there are no people and no cell service and just hear yourself think. It is easy to see God's hand in the desert. It is easy to put aside the stressors of life and just ponder. Overall this was a good weekend though intense at times. I thought of many things. Things like a mother getting older. Her dog and how old he seems. How sad. How he looks like an old person now. How nothing is forever. Yet I realize I must enjoy things and be happy for the moment. The present is all that is. There is hope for the future and lessons of the past but the present moment is where its at. In that way, I agree with Buddhist philosophy. What is really scary is since I have developed the live in the present moment philosophy, I am noticing how much other people worry more than me. Anyone who knows me knows I worry too much but I have become the calm voice of reason. At least with my wife and mother.

The blogs new name

Years ago I called it truth for dummies because my main objective was the quest for truth and was there absolute truth. I thought it was catchy. What it morphed into was a personal meltdown of all my own self evident truths. Things I believed without question. In 2006 when I started leanings were shifting from hard right to more left. One time a prophet known as Tom Stamman gave me a word and that word was axiomatic. Meaning things I took for granted as truth would be changed. I could have never imagined what that meant but it fits now. I had a meltdown and the axioms I held true are not so strong now. So where was I and where am I> My religious beliefs are in flux. The core ones have not changed. I am still a Christian. Though I see treasure in other religions now as well. Politically I went from so far right that I thought Bush was too liberal to so far left I thought Obama was too conservative to more centrist overall with some highly liberal leanings and some conservative positions. All I can call myself is an independent but I would say I am a liberal leaning independent. My faith is very strong but my religiousity is very weak. I am seeking a Church. Thinking about Methodist as it seems to be socially liberal. Social justice is a key theme of the teachings of Jesus. A lot more than capitalism. Anyway, if this blog pisses you off, lets talk and be friends anyway. I will probably offend everyone in some way but I hope to stimulate free thinking and tolerance

Obsession with entertain-news and dumb things

A few weeks before the election, the nation was all ablaze in talk of butt chugging college students. The latest reality show is of more interest than the real issues. This obsession with entertaining news stories is leading to an un-educated populace and it has started in America but our indifference is spreading to the rest of the world. Take your face off the reality shows. Stop worrying about who is butt chugging and worry about who you voted for.

Elections and Such

Obama has not lived up to all my expectations and I was upset that he approved mandatory health insurance calling it health care. I have a little change of heart on that issue in that I think the mandate should have been struck down but we I would not have killed the whole law as there is much good in it. We need single payer though and we do not have health care until we get it. Anyway, I am pleased Obama was re-elected. Mostly because Paul Ryan would have been a big step in the wrong direction for the country and might well cause much suffering. My only fear is Ryan will rear his head in 2016 so the dems better find someone good between now and then to prevent him from winning. Romney is a do nothing and would have been a do nothing president. Oregon rejected Marijuana which surprises me. I guess Washington is truly more liberal than Oregon. Many less known ballot measures passed. Dave Reichert won another term which was a bit disappointing but you cant have it all. Though I live in a supposedly conservative part of the state now, it seems to be that it is somewhat moderate and people are very live and let live. Funny that when I was in liberal land I shut down the blog and was much more closeted in my political beliefs and now in conservative small town land, I am openly more liberal. I just dont care anymore. Like me for who I am or do not like me. I am very concerned about how divided America is and how dogmatic many are. I think we need to become a more live and let live nation. We need to stand up for the rights of people we do not agree with.

I am back

It has been nearly three years since I had a serious post on here but I have decided to revive the old blog. Much has happened. I have been through two jobs and we no longer live in the Seattle area. We have moved to a small town in Central Washington and I have a new job that is not in corporate America. This is a new twist. We will see how it all plays out. I have no readers anymore I am sure as this thing has been off line for two years (mostly due to fear) but now I no longer care. People can know where I stand politically and religiously now and if they dont like it, I just dont care anymore. Many people seem to be live and let live and I am much more live and let live than I was before. If anyone is out there please comment and just say, I am still here and still read this. I will probably have to find new readers. Facebook and Twitter just do not allow someone like me to ramble on like I like to and this has blog was a piece of my life.