The States! The UNITED States! Or are we becoming the UN-United States of America?

I'm concerned with the state of our country. So much has changed in the past 20 years. For that, a lot has chanced in the past 5 years and mostly look at what we are seeing change in 2014 alone!

This country that we call ours was not ours from the get go. The native Americans were done wrong and wrong does not do it justice. Some of out Fore Fathers were just down right mean! Yet, there where many that were Christians trying to escape the domination of fear. The one thing I cherish is my Freedom! We are immune to freedom! It's taken for granted. And yes, I do myself at times.

I have thought about how I won the lottery. The lottery of where I would be born. I was born in a small community in Union County, KY. Smack dab (almost) in the middle of FREEDOM! Stop and ponder this thought for a few seconds. What if you were born in say El Salvador? Or maybe in Iraq! Ukraine seems like it would have been a good place at one time, yet not now. Then there is the one place I've always wanted to visit but haven't. ISRAEL! God chosen people. Hey I didn't do it! God did! If you want to get mad, get mad at Him. Ill let you in on a secret.......He don't care if you get mad because He Is GOD! And besides that, you will loose when you or I fight Him.

I remember (and still do at times now) know what it feels like to be not wanted. Well in Israel's case......they are HATED! This all goes back to Abraham & Sarah, Abraham's wife. She (Sarah) could not bare a Son for Abraham so she encouraged Abraham to have a child with her hand maiden "Hagar". She bare Abraham a son and his name was Ishmael. The way she gave birth to Ishmael was amazing and quiet unusual! Hagar sat on Sarah's knees with her legs spread. Ishmael gave birth sitting on Sarah as though she felt like she had a part in honoring Abraham with a son. As the boys grew, Sarah noticed Ishmael making fun of the son she had after she wanted Abraham to lie with Hagar. His name was Isaac. They both (Abraham & Sarah were in their or right at 100 years old.
Well Sarah was jealous and it grieved Abraham. He decided to send Hagar with Ishmael out of the fold of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and the rest of the tribe.

Today, the dislike of Sarah & Hagar, the resentment, hatred, jealousy is why the Mid-East fight, fight, and keep fighting! They have been fighting and they will keep on fighting until the Lord Jesus Christ Comes back and settles it all. Israel is God's chosen people. So we the United States, (not un-united States) had better get our decisions in order and NOW. I believe we are such a fruitful nation because of our support of Israel. We better not turn our backs on our greatest national friend. "Israel"
Or that's my opinion, well....Mostly My Opinion.

Feel free to write me back and disagree or agree. Just please keep it civil.

gregwest78@yahoo.com

CAUGHT IN A COVER-UP

By Mark Hosenball 

REUTERS NEWS
updated 2 hours 56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — Officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show.
The emails, obtained by Reuters from government sources not connected with U.S. spy agencies or the State Department and who requested anonymity, specifically mention that the Libyan group called Ansar al-Sharia had asserted responsibility for the attacks.
The brief emails also show how U.S. diplomats described the attack, even as it was still under way, to Washington.
U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the Benghazi assault, which President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials ultimately acknowledged was a "terrorist" attack carried out by militants with suspected links to al Qaeda affiliates or sympathizers.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

What will it take to bring our country back together?
Will it be another finical depression? Maybe another attack on this country we all (most anyway) take for gran it? What about another Civil War?

After September 11, 2001, our nation that (God has been so gracious to), united as had not been seen in years. Members of Congress standing on the steps in the nations capital signing patriots songs. People where scared! Scared that those airplanes that crashed into the Twin Towers, a field in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon might come to our front doors. No, not of America's but our own house.

I don't know what it is going to take but, I know what will work. TURNING BACK TO WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS wanted for us. A nation for all people that hold a right to worship God as we feel is right in our hearts.

FAMILY! WHAT A TRIP!

Family! Sitting here typing on this laptop with the TV turned on and it was loud. I thought to myself, “Is it going to wake them up”! Even after living alone for the past two years, family is still breed in my being. I’m one of those who still loves the family atmosphere and the joy and trials it brings. No advice to those who have the little “Carpet Apes” (at least that’s what I call them) No advice. just the way it is. Enjoy every minute they are with you. Like our local TV commercial says at the end of a sales pitch for housing materials. “BLINK…..THERE GONE"!
Still their memories are branded in our hearts and minds.
What a trip it was!

Protest helps half-court shot contest winner claim his prize

By Jeff Eisenberg | The Dagger – 6 hours ago

Vincent Swope (ESPN3.com screen shot)

When Kentucky freshman Vincent Swope sank a half-court shot to win a halftime contest during Saturday's game against South Carolina, he did a victory lap around sold-out Rupp Arena and began dreaming of what he could do with the $10,000.

Vincent Swope (Twitter)

Little did he know what it would take to make sure he received his money.
One of the organizers of the contest approached Swope in the midst of his celebration with a copy of the contract he'd signed and a video replay of the shot. The man intimated to Swope that the supermarket chain Kroger might not be willing to pay the $10,000 since Swope appeared to take the shot a few inches beyond the mid-court stripe.
"They said when I released the ball I was over the line," Swope said. "There are some pictures where it looks like I touched the line and some where it looks like I didn't touch the line, but that didn't even cross my mind when I shot it. I was just thinking, 'I'm $10,000 richer."
Word that Kroger's might not pay Swope reached Kentucky Sports Radio founder Matt Jones during the second half of Saturday's game, so he wasted little time in organizing a movement on the freshman's behalf. Jones offered to bring Swope on his postgame radio show and encouraged his 37,000 Twitter followers to tweet in protest with the hashtag #OccupyKroger.
Not only did hundreds of Kentucky fans follow Jones' advice, some also took the movement a step further. Two Wildcats fans made #OccupyKroger signs and stood with them in front of the Kroger in Ashland, Kent.
To Kroger's credit, the supermarket chain didn't take long to realize the PR folly that not paying Swope would be. A representative of Kroger called Jones within an hour of the game ending on Saturday and asked him to tell Swope that he would receive the $10,000.
"That's the Big Blue Nation for you," Swope said. "They supported me, and I really do appreciate it."

Swope is supposed to call Kroger on Monday to find out how he'll receive his money. He plans to put most of it toward paying for school.
The entire episode was surreal for a freshman whose greatest claim to fame before that was dressing up in a referee's costume for Kentucky games this season. Swope first did that for the North Carolina game in December and he's stuck with it ever since after he received positive feedback from his fellow students.
"It's definitely become my trademark," Swope said. "I think I'll have to do it for the rest of my college career."

SHOULD I FEEL OLD?

Now I have two! Two granddaughters that is. My daughter Amy gave birth to a 7 lb. - 10 oz. black haired beauty three days ago. Many grandparents say it makes them feel "Older!" Not  me.

When my children were born, I was trying to figure out how I was going to buy diapers, medicine, pictures and on and on. That in itself made me feel old. The worry got to me on our first Christmas. That worry ended me up in a hospital, (an overnight stay). I worried too much, way to much.

Karlee Brooke Jent

Now I can go back to my childhood somewhat. A grandchild is just that. A child that is grand. As a parent there are many responsibilities. As a "Poppa", there is time to step back and simply enjoy. That makes me feel "Young Again".