royb

Total Times this Site has been Visited: 2,381

Total Number of Unique Visitors: 653

Total Pages that have been Viewed: 7,845

Total Number of Countries People have Visited From: 45

That’s the yearly update. We’ll do it again, September 2010.

Roy Bauer

You can call it a prediction or an observance, but what I’m about to share is happening and will only get worse with time, unless something drastic takes place.

America is becoming more and more divided by the day. I can feel it, like an undercurrent, and it is getting stronger.

Like a soft rumble, the volcano that is America, is about to explode.

For years, the conservatives have been in some sort of major leadership position in this country. Whether it was the presidency during Reagan and the Bush’s or the Legislation during Clinton, conservatives have had a voice –albeit, small at times– for the past 29 years or so. There has been some sort of accountability for the those with a liberal agenda and that’s kept this country from nose-diving into irrelevance.

America has prospered for the past 30 years and have had relative calm between the people. But, since Obama was elected, this country has become more divided than I can ever remember. And it has happened fast.

For years, liberals have attacked everything that conservatives have done and, for the most part, the conservatives have just accepted it and let it go. Political ads compared Bush to the Joker and Hitler. But, it was all coming from one side and the conservatives just shied away from the battle and retreated, for some odd reason. Maybe they were scared. Maybe the conservative leadership were pansies, who knows? The point is: for the past nearly 30 years, liberals have had free run to bully anyone who disagreed with them and no one took them to task. And out of that, has come the biased slant towards liberal thought for most major networks and news organization.

But, the conservatives are getting their collective voice back and they are starting to make some noise. They have finally had enough and have decided to take their country back. America electing the most liberal politician ever, was a wake-up call for the people of America. In poll after poll, you can see that Obama’s approval rating is dropping like a rock. In a recent Gallup poll it says:

PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama’s latest job approval rating is 51%, according to Aug. 23-25 Gallup Daily tracking. Should his rating continue its downward trend and fall below 50%, he would — like most post-World War II presidents — have less-than-majority approval at some point in his presidency. However, Obama, in his eighth month in office, could hit this mark in a shorter time than has typically been the case. If his rating falls below 50% before November, it would represent the third-fastest drop to below majority approval since World War II, behind the declines for Gerald Ford (in his third month as president) and Bill Clinton (in his fourth month).

We, as Americans, have done some weird things –like voting for Obama in the first place— but the fog is lifting and the rumble is growing louder. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) said recently in The Express-Star, “People are not buying these concepts that are completely foreign to America," Inhofe said. "We’re almost reaching a revolution in this country.”

But like any revolution, there will be opposition. And the liberals aren’t going down without a fight. Like never before, the animosity towards the American people and the country itself, is under attack. Bill Maher (a rabid-liberal) in an interview with Wolf Blitzer said:

BILL MAHER: I don’t know about a presidential candidate but I would never put anything past this stupid country.
…
BLITZER: So people are already complaining that you’re calling the United States a stupid country and I’m giving you a chance to clarify.
MAHER: I don’t need to clarify. It is.

To read the exchange and watch the interview, click here.

As a conservative, I’ve know for years that liberals felt this way. That for some odd reason they hate the country they live in. I, for the life of me, can’t figure out why. But, if America is so stupid and ignorant, I’m sure Venezuela or Cuba or China would love to have you. Just be careful not to get trampled by all of the people leaving there for a chance for a real life here in America.

People, listen. It is only going to get worse. As the True, American voice starts to reverberate across the country, the liberals will fight it with all that is in them. And that, my friend, will be ugly and hate-filled.

We already have a president who has called the police “stupid” for arresting a black man. There is a liberal governor (N.Y.) who says he is being attacked because he is black (ABC News). Liberal pundits are calling America stupid. Liberal politicians are shoving, literally, health care reform down our throat, knowing good and well the people of America don’t want it. Not because we don’t want everyone to have health insurance, but because government run anything is a bad idea. Go ahead, cutoff the free market in America and see where that leads us. Stymie the American entrepreneurial spirit and see what happens.

As an American, are you ready to fight for what you believe in? Are you ready to, for once, take a stand and not let crack-pot, liberal theology bring down a once, great nation. Then please, let your voice be heard. Let your political leaders know how you feel. Learn how you can get involved and make a difference.

Roy Bauer

Concerned Citizen

The Zarbo brothers are seasoned outlaws with a reputation for killing. Already wanted in two states, they set their sights on Colorado and a string of bank robberies. They don’t count on running into Chief U.S. Marshal John Brockman.

John arrests Lee Zarbo, but his brothers remain in hiding. Lee’s sentence to death by hanging incites them to desperate measures. They’ll do anything to get him out alive. Even kidnap the Chief U.S. Marshal’s daughter.

When John learns of his young daughter’s captivity and the conditions for her release, he must turn to the Lord for direction. It takes all the faith he can muster to wait for the answer. Without freeing a dangerous criminal, can John find Ginny before they kill her?

Al Lacy is an evangelist and author of more than one hundred historical and Western novels, including the Journeys of the Stranger, Angel of Mercy, and Mail Order Bride series, with more than three million books in print. JoAnna Lacy, Al’s wife and longtime collaborator, is a retired nurse. The Lacys have been married over forty years and live in the Colorado Rockies

You Can Buy The Book At: Amazon.com

royb

If you love techie, adventure, military, guy movies or books, Meltdown is for you. From the very beginning, this book is full of adventure. With adrenaline pouring out of the pages, Meltdown seeks to take the reader on an adventure from one end of the world to the other.

The story follows an elite group of Special Ops guys (and girls) as they track down a serious, very deadly threat to the world. With traces back to Chernobyl in the Ukraine, this weapon has the potential to bring the U.S. to its knees.

I admired the writing style because the author, Chuck Holton, was able to bring adventure and excitement to the reader without becoming provocative or disgusting. In many books and movies, writers use every chance they get to include either a sex scene or a decapitation, in order to shock the readers or viewers. Chuck Holton keeps us on the edge of our seats with plenty of action to go around, and doesn’t stoop to that level.

The book is fairly short but you really have to pay attention to keep up with all that is going on. The only concern I had were the amount of characters and how often it jumped back and forth from scene to another. But, if you can keep up with it, it is well worth it.

I would suggest reading the first two books of this series, but this book does stand on its own and can be enjoyed anyway. Mr. Holton does elude back to things that happened in those books, but if you haven’t read them, like I haven’t, it won’t deter you from keeping up with this one.

Summary:

TASK FORCE VALOR

Explosive Ordnance Disposal — The Bomb Squad

The global war on terror has reached catastrophic proportions, leading the U.S. Special Operations EOD team—Task Force Valor—to Chernobyl, where ghosts of past disasters are nothing compared to the nuclear nightmare about to unfold.

With CIA Agent Mary “Phoenix” Walker heading her first Special Ops mission and Master Sergeant Bobby Sweeney fighting demons on and off the battlefield, Task Force Valor races to stop a terrorist threat in the Ukraine before Europe is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

But when the terror reaches American shores, the team is powerless to help until they can save themselves. And when they finally track down the source of the chaos, what they find is worse than anything they could have imagined.

Chuck Holton has traveled the world, experienced combat, served in the Elite 75^th Ranger Regiment, and is the author of six books, including Allah’s Fire, Island Inferno, Bulletproof, Stories From a Soldier’s Heart, and A More Elite Soldier. His journeys have taken him from the depths of the Atlantic, to the mountains of Burma, from the dogsleds of Alaska, to skies of Iraq. Chuck lives in Appalachia with his wife, Connie, and their five children.

You can purchase the book at online at: Amazon.com

royb

About 1980, the health and physical fitness of Americans began a downward spiral, as the rates of overweight and obesity began to climb. The nation now faces a growing public health epidemic, one that threat­ens the well-being of future generations. As the nation has become more urbanized, motorized, and screen-centered, an increasing number of peo­ple lead sedentary lives, and the rates of overweight and obesity continue to soar. The United States has the highest prevalence of obesity in the world. (The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports)

Those who are backing Dr. Benjamin for Surgeon General (I can’t find the article. I will post it when I find it) are saying that, because of her weight issue, she is in a better position to give advice. She can tell people about the dangers of being overweight because she struggles with it herself. Now, don’t get me wrong, but isn’t that like saying the Drug-Czar should be a heroin-addicted, drug-addict, because he understands drugs. Or like saying the local police chief should be a convicted serial-killer because he understands the criminal mind. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to go to a marriage counselor who has been married three times.

Obviously there are many pressing health issues in America besides obesity and she may be a perfect choice for them all, but don’t give me this crap about her being in a better position because of her weight (I don’t know where she stands on any issues so this isn’t an endorsement). Just admit you like her as Surgeon General despite it, not because of it, and I’ll respect your opinion much more.

So What

Now, what does this have to do with expectations of political leaders?

I remember in elementary school, being given some kind of President’s Physical Fitness Award –I don’t remember the exact title. But during P.E. we had certain things we had to do –pull-ups, sit-ups, etc..— in order to get this award. And it would have been weird to me for the President to ask all of us kids to be active if he wasn’t. Now, I was young and don’t remember if President Reagan was a very active man, but at his age he must have been in order to do the job of President.

I also don’t know whether the first President Bush was very active or not. But I do remember when Clinton jogged to McDonalds, and the infamous CigarGate, so I don’t think Clinton was all that health conscious. The second President Bush was very active and took his health extremely serious. To my knowledge, he didn’t drink or smoke and was either riding a bike or running every chance he got. Now with Obama as President I don’t know what his stance or views will be towards a healthy lifestyle. I know he smokes and drinks, now how much, who knows, but that is different than our last president. He and his family look to be in good shape, so we’ll see.

I say all of that to ask this: What do we expect out of our leaders? Do we expect them to be good role models? And then, what is a good role model? What do we want or not want them to do? Do we care whether or not the president or surgeon general or governor are obese or an alcoholic? Do we want our leaders to be monogamous? Do we care if he/she has a fling on the side as long as they are good at their job?

Do we treat our political leaders differently than we do our employees or co-workers? What if the top salesman in a large company was obese, do you think he would be fired? Of course not. How about if he was cheating on his wife? Nope, the company would care less as long as he is producing great results.

So, why do we expect so much of our leaders in office? And should we? Do the moral and “life” choices leaders make, give an indication of what kind of person they are?

I’m not going to reveal my opinion just yet…I want to hear from you. I’ll post again soon and finish this conversation.

royb

Throughout Holy Roller, I kept thinking this must be some kind of fiction. I was waiting for the punch line. But, luckily, this was a true “I call it as I see it” story from a writer sharing from her heart. The way the book is told from a personal experience, as opposed to just writing about something she’s never been through, kept me wanting to read more. She bares her soul throughout the book, even the dirty little secrets that she hoped, at the time, no one would ever find out.

The book chronicles her relationship with Christ, her job, her family, her church and her marriage. She holds nothing back, that I could tell, and gives us a bird’s-eye-view of how she dealt with each.

I highly recommend the book to everyone. This book is about Missions, loving people who most people won’t, sticking with a church even though it is hard, race relations, dealing with inner conflict, finding out where God wants you, and most of all, watching as God shows himself faithful in every situation, even though it may not be obvious at the time.

I recommend you buy this book and read it. You can buy it at Random House.

Summary:

Julie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results?
            At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed.
            Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.”
It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power.

Biography:

Julie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son.

Written by Gary Lamb of Revolution Church in Georgia, this letter is from a man broken by his own sin. I’ve read it a couple of times. And each time, it tears me up. Keep this guy, his wife and kids and ALL “church” leaders in your prayers.

Read the letter here.

royb

I never really realized just how different the Hispanic culture was musically. The rhythm is so much different, but in a good way. Arturo, the worship leader, has been gracious in working with me and at least one song during the service will be a Spanish version of an American song and I can relax a little bit, but the rest of them I am learning. But, I’ll have to admit, I’m getting better.

The atmosphere is what I’ve come to enjoy. Their laid back, I’m-just-happy-to-be-here, attitude is refreshing, and I look forward to spending time with them and learning from them. The only draw back so far is the language barrier. I am not by any stretch of the imagination, fluent in Spanish. Heck, I can barely speak English good. But, I am learning the language as I go and am getting considerably better at understanding it. When it comes to playing in a group, body language goes along way, and is the same in any language. I am slowly being able to understand more and more Spanish and can start to follow the vocal directions better.

I think there is a drummer who is Hispanic that they are getting ready to give the reigns to, and that is awesome. I’ve heard him play and he is good. If and when that happens, they’ve asked me to play guitar. Honestly, I can’t wait. Playing the guitar with these guys would be exciting and humbling as well. I just want to help any way I can.

As for listening to the sermons, I’m getting better. I can pick out enough words that I understand the gist of the message. I have to listen very carefully for the Bible verses because he says them so fast, I can’t follow. I have to write them down and look them up as I can. But, I do have a translator on my Blackberry. So, if I hear a word or phrase that I don’t know the meaning of, I can enter it –assuming I spell it right— and figure out what it means. I get looks sometimes from people because I’m sure they think I’m texting during the sermon, but that’s life I guess.

God has blessed me with an incredible opportunity to get know a group of people that many here in Columbia, can’t. I don’t take that opportunity lightly and treasure the time I have with a wonderful group of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pray for Victory Point (Punta Victoria), that the people in the community will embrace them, that CWOC will continue to be a strong resource for them, and that God will use them to minister to a huge, vastly unreached, people group here in the Midlands of South Carolina.

royb