Upon Further Review....

I've probably written a blog post with a similar title (I'll have to go back and look) but I just want to express my thoughts on a few things.

I'm probably going to make a few Charismatic/Full Gospel/Pentecostal folk mad at me for saying this, but I'm going to say it unapologetic.  There is a song I remember singing which goes...

Whose report will you believe?
We shall believe the Report of the Lord.

That's all well and good...but when you're faced with basically a life and death situation, that dog ain't going to hunt.

Take my current health situation as Exhibit A.  It's one thing to use that and continue down the path where the next thing you know I wind up as the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail -- losing his arms and legs but he's saying "it's just a flesh wound"...OR I can control the quantity of my food intake, cut out certain foods, do more walking than what I do already (not just to church and back) and maybe this time next year have our friend Becky draw a slimmer version of me.

That's where I'm going to need your help in helping me stay the course.  Those of you who I am in Sunday School with at church...keep me accountable, especially on birthday breakfast Sundays.  I'm sure Nancy can tell me, it pays to have an accountability partner.

That's all I have for now...

Whatever Happened to...

I'm just pondering some things...feel free to comment on my musings.

1.  Whatever happened to "Real Journalism".  I'm talking the no holds barred, kick butt and take names journalism days of William R. Morrow, Walter Cronkite and Jack Ogle.  It seems as though the MSNBCs, CNNs and yes to an extent *Fox News forgot the bare essentials of journalism.  Instead of simply reporting a story, the networks want to throw something against a wall and see if it sticks (see Dan Rather).

*When I'm referring to Fox News, I'm talking about Fox News Channel not the local Fox affiliates.  They have their own little quirks, especially (if like our local Fox affiliate) they are owned by Sinclair which we found out in the 2004 election they themselves have a pretty radical tilt.

When a big story occurs, everyone wants to put the blame on somebody else.  "It's the liberales' fault" "It's the conservative's fault" "it's George W. Bush's fault" and so on and so on...

And don't get me started on Tango Mike Zulu...

2. Whatever happened to "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." That little sign of welcome on the base of the Statue of Liberty has all of a sudden been pushed out of the way because God forbid someone from Mexico or Cuba or somewhere in Central America decides they want to come to the US to build a better life for themselves and what do we do?  We stick them in military barracks in Ft. Sill, OK or anywhere else in the country, cut them off from the rest of civilization and make them, especially the children "political footballs".  I'm sure if a lot of our ancestors were treated then like the immigrants of today are treated, a lot of us would not be here. Am I right in making that assessment?

Those are just a few things that are weighing on my mind right now.  I'm sure if I think of more, I'll come back and do another post.  In the meantime, feel free to share this with your friends, your neighbors, whoever. 

It's Done...Now What?

As of this posting, it's been two days since the divorce was granted.  Now that I have had a little bit of time to actually think, the question comes up "Now what?"

I wasn't in any real big hurry when we separated to start another relationship...and now that I am officially a "free man" and available again, I'm still in no really big hurry.  Not to say that there aren't any prospects out there...I just want to bide my time a little more. Plus, thanks to the State of Oklahoma, if I want to marry again I have to sit out a 6 month waiting period, or as we say in broadcasting a "non-compete".

I know some people will say "it's sad that you had to go through that experience", but I say it's a relief.  She has been in and out of marriages so many times it's not even funny. One of her daughters even likened it to an addiction.  But I am glad that trial is over, I passed through victorious, no battle scars...

I do thank all of you for your prayers and your support this past month while the process played out.  Even though I was at peace through most of it, I did have some days where I was nervous but as Scripture says "all things work together for good".

That's about it for now...  

WE GET IT...NOW SHUT UP!!!

Since I've put out on my Facebook profile and other places that I am the chief writer/bottle washer of this blog, guess I better walk the talk and start putting stuff on here, huh.  Well, anyway as Jim Ross would say, "We're burnin' daylight"...

Lately I've been having to mute my TV lots more times than normal all because of all the political advertising/grade school-esque name calling.  You know what I'm referring to...

Candidate 1 (Jack):  "Joe's a doo doo head"
Candidate 2 (Joe):  "No, Jack's the doo doo head"
Jack (to Joe) "Yeah, well your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries"

And half the time, it's not the candidates themselves...it's some outside watchdog group (like in the case between US Senate candidates Rep. Lankford and T.W. Shannon) that's doing the name calling.  Even Dr. Tom Coburn (who they are running to replace) thinks this is getting out of hand.

(video courtesy YouTube/KOCO-TV)

I know it's easier said than done and difficult to execute, but can we at least have ONE campaign where the candidates state what their stance on issues are and state their voting record, and not attack the other candidate on what they have/have not done and revert to as I called it earlier grade school playground name calling?  PLEASE?!?!?!?!?!?!?  My sanity and my remote's mute button (and the batteries in my remote) will thank you!!!!

That's all I have for now...

For the Class of 2014...

This is my 1st blog post in a while only because I really haven't had that much to say...

Today's kind of a special post as we're beginning to get accustomed to seeing a lot of graduation photos in our Facebook timelines and Instagram feeds (which by the way, yes I am on Instagram @rjkeilok).  From Pre-K all the way up to college, pics of caps and gowns, Pomp and Circumstance, tears of joy and sighs of relief pop up from all over everywhere.  And in those ceremonies you hear speeches from the valedictorians and salutatorians and maybe an important dignitary or two.

If on down the line I am fortunate enough to be considered to make a speech to a graduating class somewhere, I would probably say something to the effect of this...

To the graduating class of 2014:

Well, kids...you did it!!! Beginning as far back as probably Head Start or Pre-K, fourteen to fifteen years of determination, sacrifice, and hard work have gotten you to where you sit today...with your closest friends in your caps and gowns, waiting for that moment when you walk across this stage, grab your folder, the prompt to change your tassel and be called officially a graduate.  Congratulations!!!

As you close one chapter of your life and start writing the next chapter, whether it be continuing your education at the university of your choice, or serving our country in the armed forces or immediately going into the work force, let me pass along some thoughts to remember.

First and foremost, remember who the Ultimate Boss is.  Proverbs 3:5,6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him (one translation says "in everything you do Put God First...") and He will direct your paths." Make God your top priority and everything else will fall into place.

Secondly...listen to people you can trust.  People like your parents, your grandparents, your Pastor, the elders in the church.  Psalm 1:1,2 (HCSB) "How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers.  Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night."

Lastly, while you are striving to succeed in whatever you do from this point forward, it is OK to have some fun every now and again.  I'm reminded of a classic movie quote -- "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."  Maintain a work/fun balance...just don't let one overrun the other too much.

Again, congratulations on making it to this point in your journey.  Keep your eyes on what's ahead, don't look back and most importantly...Put God First!

Play Ball...

Well, today is officially the opening day for Major League Baseball -- yeah sure, there were a couple of games in Australia and there was a season opening game last night in San Diego...but this is the day that really matters.  Today is the day that for the most part everyone is undefeated and hopes spring eternal to at least a decent season.

(One of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons -- "Baseball Bugs")

I'm not even going to try to pick who would be in the World Series -- that would be the equivalent of wondering who you would marry at age 4.  I just wish that all the teams do well...some better than others!!!

Good luck...and Go Rangers!!!

A Quasi-drought...

Greetings everyone!!!

Those who run more prominent blogs than this one can probably clue me in on something here...do y'all ever have days where you know what you want to blog about but by the time you get to sit down to post, your mind suddenly goes blank?  I have had those days...kind of the reason why I haven't blogged anything for a while until today.  There are some subjects that I know I want to talk about, but suddenly it gets sent to the furthest back burner you could imagine only for it to go cold.

Not making light of a real situation, but I guess you'd say that that would put me in a kind of a drought...much like we here in Western Oklahoma need rain and need it bad.  There's so much from my 40+ years on this earth that I can talk about...mostly good stuff.

For those who wait with bated breath for me to put up a new entry, thanks for your patience.  I know I haven't been as proficient as some, but thank you for understanding.