What -- No celebration?

Louisiana is 200 years old today.  The state became the 18th state in the union April 30, 1812.

Louisiana, with New Orleans already an important city, was the most valuable part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.  The purchase added  a huge territory to the young United States.

Congradulations, graduates

and condolences to high school and college seniors being graduated this spring. You are facing problems of a government in debt and over-spending, a lousy economy and fewer and fewer  jobs.  Making it worse you have a government that is causing  problems instead of solving them.  Take heart, however, others have left school to only to be challenged by bad situations.  Many put studies behind them to face a depression, poverty and starvation. Others, like my generation,  joined others to battle not only a depressed economy but a war that threatened to destroy our freedoms.  Those who came before you have met the challenges and you will do as well.

Because He Lives

                                                    Because He Lives

                                      God sent His son, they called Him Jesus.
                                          He came to love, heal, and forgive
                                       He lived and died to buy my pardon,
                                     An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives.


                                     Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
                                        Because He lives, All fear is gone.
                                     Because I know He holds the future,
                                   And life is worth the living just because He lives.

                                 
                                   How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
                                      And feel the pride and joy he gives.
                                   But greater still the calm assurance,
                                  This child can face uncertain days because He lives.


                                  Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
                                     Because He lives, All fear is gone.
                                Because I know He holds the future,
                                    And life is worth the living just because He lives.


                                  And then one day I'll cross the river,
                                   I'll fight life's final war with pain,
                                And then as death gives way to victory,
                             I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.


                                 Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
                                     Because He lives, All fear is gone.
                               Because I know He holds the future,
                                   And life is worth the living just because He lives.
                                                 
                                                      -0  -



                                                  
What makes a hymn great? It is doubtful that any English professor would call this Bill Gaither hymn good literature but  I cannot hear it sung or sing it as we did in church today without being strongly affected emotionally.  The song cannot even be considered  the best the Gaither's authored and would never be compared poetry-wise to Issac Watt's awesome "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."  All I know is  the song has a message that  reaches my heart.


                       

           


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Remembering Grandma Berry

While trying to ease my anger at Obama's EPA affirming Obama's determination  to "crucify the oil companies," I turned my mind to pleasant memories.  Every time Grandma Berry visited us on the farm she would prevail on us to get  her some sacks of  "black magic" fertilizer, which was well composted horse manure., to take back to Shreveport.  She took the name from a brand of marketed fertilizer.  She was successful in growing flowers, but then she and all six of her daughters had the proverbial green thumb.  Some people in Homer who knew her when they lived on a farm remembered her as always looking very neat and well groomed.

When she would visit us for a week or so she would send me back from the table at noon if I didn't have my hair combed, and not just a lick and a promise but neat.   At her house when a large family group was there for dinner, kids ate first, men second, and women last.

I was in New York  on an industrial prospecting trip when I got the word she had died.  She  had  fallen breaking  her body.  She was 96.

I wasn't riding the bull

Although I have had several serious illnesses and a number of  bad injuries, only twice in my life have I thought for sure I had only minutes to live.  Obviously, I was wrong, thankfully.  Here is one of those times.

As my   wife and I discussed the many events we have coming up in May, including  Mother's Day, she observed that it was 25 years ago I had the  Mother's Day from hell..  Several of us were celebrating the day with Mama when I grabbed an axe and went to cut  some young slender tallow trees to use to stake tomatoes.   The women were on the front porch watching, as was my second youngest son Josh, as I attempted to go through a group of cows.  Among those cows was a Polled Hereford bull which had been raised as a pet from the time he was a baby calf. He had never shown signs of violemce befpre but suddenly he realized he was a bull and not a child  He hit me, knocked me high into  the air.  I fell on a piece of tin and now the fun started. He hit ,me in the ribs with his huge head and, using all of his 800 pounds, mashed me and ground me.  I felt I had only moments befpre my insides were crushed. My brother came with a curved fork and challenged the bull who then left me for a new target.

My brother  Jon  sold the bull the next morning.  We all were afraid that Mama, 83 at the time, would go out and try to pet him, thinking since he had never acted this way before I must had done something to get him angry.

Why pay taxes? General Electric doesn't

 GE pays no corporate income taxes on l4 billion dollars of profits. This the second year in a row that GE and its battery of attorneys and tax accountants have used loopholes, and perhaps rabbit holes, to escape paying its "fair  share."  At our 35 per cent rate, GE owes us nearly five billion.

Yes, our tax structure needs to be overhauled.  This nation has the highest corporate tax rate of any nation, a discouragement to many companies that are honest but cannot compete and expand with our high taxes.  I've said many times that it would be better to collect l5 per cent of something than 40 per cent of nothing/

By the way, how much has GE benefited Barack Obama and his campaign for a second term?

Just for you, Jen

                    Up from the grave he arose
                    With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
                     He arose a victor from the dark domain;
                     And he lives forever,with his saints to reign.
                     He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Jen, I quoted this just to let you know what you missed Sunday.  This the first time we sang this Easter song, at least that I can recall, since J. Roddy put it on the program at my request.  Or maybe the last time we sang it was a service in Baton rouge.

I enjoyed all the song selections, which were "There's something about that name," also "Lord I want to be a Christian," and concluding with "Amazing Grace."


Words and music to "Low in the grave he lay" were written by Robert Lowry in 1874. This one of those songs that must be sung during the Easter season.