the Sting of Death

I need to Apologize for my Lack of attention here the last few days. As I was called upon to play a very small part in the funeral of a family member. And in doing so, I was once again reminded of the devastating effect death still holds on us. The day before the death occurred at least 12 to 15 individual people, or at least those I was aware of . Had busy lives, plans that filled their week. Happily moving forward with hopes n dreams all laid out to form at least a short Itinerant into their lives. Then, in the space of a few hours their lives are irrevocably changed. Burdened by a heaviness of both shock and sadness as they try and grasp this new knowledge and absorb its meaning . And life, as it was known just a few hours before, Becomes different and more complicated. the tragedy, is that if we were honest folks, and talked to each other out of love and respect, giving God His place in our lives, most of this would be avoided.
As a younger man, and sporting a very healthy fear of death, I spent some time with the lord asking for a better understanding of death. If this thing was created by God then why did I fear it so much. I'm always amazed by His timely responses, and in a very short time the fear I had was replaced with knowledge that bridged that gap for me in an incredible way.
We "condition" ourselves by our lack of knowledge to believe "life' is the 70 yrs we spend here, and forget Gods plan. The word of Gods law sets the number of our days here because He says we are only to be here but a "season". That life as He has designed it goes much farther beyond this. And that Death is but a doorway to that which He has provided. So the big picture holds much more promise if we care to check it out.
Emotions run high today with this family who have lost both need and opportunity to say the I love you's and the goodbye's. But most of the regrets are because we are not honest or comfortable enough to see it for what life really is.
I try to share in the discussions on weather there really is a God. And the dispute will last until all hear the trumpet that signals Christs return. But the indisputable issue is death. For no matter which side of that discussion you stand on Death has stood the test of time. For me there is no dispute. The experience of getting to know the King of Kings leaves no room for a fear of anything He has designed. And It's my wish that all would give Him the chance to share the secrets of life with you. The answers are all there, followed by a peace unmatched with anything offered here.
Gods best ssnuffy

Come on!! get on board ~! and get MAD!!~!

If the book is as good as this it is likely a great read................Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?
'.Lee Iacocca Says: 'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.'Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!' You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the 'America' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you? I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down. On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point. Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened. Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it? Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America. In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a "Call to Action" for people who, like me, believe in America'. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake!!