And Now For Something Completely Different - Feb 12

With apologies to Monty Python of course. No clever segue needed here as I've said all I wanted to say in my previous post. So without further ado, here's some of the news that has crossed my desk in recent days.

Without sounding like I'm flogging a dead horse, it appears that the end-game between Iran and the U.S. is well under way. This has been a long time coming, hence the reason why I've shied away from any sensationalist pronouncements and the like. By the way, what's wrong with putting fear into the heart of the enemy? Why is that deemed so offensive, especially to the useful idiots on the Left? Squeezing Iran is the best possible thing we can do right now in light of what's happening in Iraq. Iranians view the Americans as resourceful and unpredictable, which believe me is actually a good thing. Taking advantage of this paranoid mindset ought to be priority number one for the Bush administration.

The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming! In Munich, Germany, President Putin's true colours were revealed as he came out publicly swinging against U.S. foreign policy. Defence Secretary Robert Gates kindly rebuffed Putin and reminded everybody that one Cold War was quite enough. While the old unlamented Soviet Union is dead and buried, the Russians are re-entering the arms race with a vengeance. Though not even close to it's zenith in 1985, Russian arms exports are ominously on the rise.


Just remember, it's not paranoid if it happens to be true. Did you know that your iris can be scanned without your consent?

Why are honeybee colonies dying in droves all of a sudden? In the honeybee article it states:

Along with being producers of honey, commercial bee colonies are important to agriculture as pollinators, along with some birds, bats and other insects. A recent report by the National Research Council noted that in order to bear fruit, three-quarters of all flowering plants—including most food crops and some that provide fiber, drugs and fuel—rely on pollinators for fertilization.

See that? No pollinators like bees equals crop failures which lead to famine. I know this sounds silly, but please keep these bees in you prayers. They are more important to humanity's survival rate far more than we'll ever know.

You wouldn't understand, it's a Canadian thing: Our own Stephen Harper found himself in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick to ceremoniously drop a puck at a pond hockey tournament. Consider the scale of this 'little' tournament:
1) There are 120 teams (or so) vying for the Wooden Cup. Along with the obvious contingent of Canadian and American hockey players, there are also teams from England, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Egypt (!), and the Cayman Islands (!!).
2) Roulston Lake which is where the tournament is being played on can support up to forty teams (or twenty rinks) at any one time. A lake that big has to be frozen up real good in order to physically withstand the weight that is placed on the ice.
3) I was perusing the papers today and it appears that an American team called the Boston Danglers won the tournament. Good for them!

Lastly I've got a cool video link that I've been saving since I've moved to Brampton. It's from frontpagemag.com and requires flash in order to play. It calls itself the 'Islamic Mein Kampf' and ought to be seen by everyone. A must-have for your favorites!

That's it for today. I'm tired and I'm going to bed.

Johnny Cash

The Christian Defender - One Year Later - Feb 12

Go ahead and try to blow out THIS candle. Preferably without spitting on your computer screen of course.

Yes friends, it's time to celebrate! The Christian Defender is now officially one year old! You can view my first post here and Faith Girl's first post here as well. Keep in mind the X-Def wasn't nearly as polished as it is now. Fact is, I'm still working on it! I'd also like to thank many of you, especially my English friend DizzyFatPlonka (still have no idea what that is) who has been with me from early on. DFP my friend, I hope to one day meet you face to face. I'd also like to thank Belinda, Concerned, Joe S. at JihadiDuJour, CottShop at Sacred Scoop, Gareth at BNP and Me and all the rest of you who have dropped by and left a comment. Hey, even if you didn't leave a comment but still enjoyed my posts I would also like to thank you for your time. My special gratitude however is reserved for none other than Faith Girl. This wonderful Christian woman is not just a contributor here at the X-Def, she is also a true friend of mine. Thank you Faith Girl to you, your three little ones and to your parents for showing me warmth and kindness.

With all those accolades out of the way, I want to make a belated mission statement here. You see, when I started this blog in February of 2006 I had no idea it would still be up and running a year from that time. Indeed, we have come a long way from total obscurity to at least some recognition. The focus of this blog has always been centered on the person of Jesus Christ. Without Him and my previous military experience I would in all likelihood be either dead or in jail. I don't think I'm exaggerating either. I truly believe that God has blessed me with His grace and wisdom. It is my solemn vow to you, my dear reader, that His name be lifted up and glorified above all other names for the duration of my blogging efforts.

For me, blogging was never about being a show-off or being some kind of smart-ass (although I'm still guilty of that charge from time to time). All this B.S. about Liberal vs. Conservative, Republican vs. Democrat, Right Wing vs. Left Wing (politics, not hockey!) is pure nonsense. It's always been about getting it Biblically correct, not politically correct. My sole concern was getting the whole picture and to see things from God's POV. A tough task to be sure, but a much-needed one in this day of confusion. We live in a dangerous time my friend, where telling the truth can get you hurt, black-balled or just plain old-fashioned dead. We also live in a time where true Biblical love is in some serious short supply. Lots of lust and expediency to be sure, but little in the way of love that Jesus practiced and preached. To wit:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Mt 22:37-40)

You see, Christ's message still resonates with the hearts and minds of men and women today. God's command to us is to love one another as we would want to be loved. That's it. It's not a difficult concept really if you think about it. So many are seeking love through fame and fortune, yet few celebrities, the so-called 'beautiful people' of this world, seem to be able to find it. Love is in short supply all over, from entire regions like the ME and certainly in places like Iraq. It's in demand in churches and in homes, in love-starved marriages and in strained relationships. So my 'thing' is this: Love God with your whole heart and don't hold back. When you do so you'll find it much easier to forgive and forget past slights. That's where the whole 'loving your neighbour' bit comes in. Show mercy and mercy will be shown unto you. Hatred, bitterness and resentment has no place in a Christian heart. That to me is what it's all about. Always has been and always will be. I hope you enjoyed this first year as much as Faith Girl and I did. Here's hoping Year Two will be even better.

Johnny Cash

Politically Incorrect - Feb 6

I was watching CTS TV earlier and I saw something that disturbed me as a Christian parent. Apparently, British Columbia is the test case for a new spin on the sex-ed in high school. They are introducing gay and lesbian lifestyles as a normal, acceptable choice for teens. This is being done in relative secrecy. They are making a point of NOT asking the parents what they think and just teaching the kids what they want. They are also NOT ALLOWING PARENTS to excuse their children from this section of the curriculum. This makes me angry. Since when are parents no longer allowed to impose their moral or religious beliefs at public school? Okay, so they took out the Lord's Prayer, they made it really hard for Christian clubs to function in school, and you need a signed form from parents to listen to the Gideons and get your own free Bible....All this not to step on toes...But what about OUR toes?

As a Christian mom I believe that Homosexuality is wrong. Politically incorrect or not. The Bible says that a man should not lie down with another man and a woman should not lie down with another woman. Plain and simple. I believe that if God says "Don't do it" you don't do it. It's not rocket science. What other people want to believe or teach their children is up to them, but I want the right to teach my children my beliefs, NOT the world's.

If the school want to teach something, I can't stop them, BUT let the parents know and give them a choice! I have no problem with homosexuals -after all, Jesus died for them too - but that doesn't mean I agree with their lifestyle, and that doesn't mean a teacher should be teaching my children to accept it as 'right'.

I'm Moving Again! - Feb 1

Is January of '07 finished already? Man, time sure flies when you're not paying attention. Anyways, I'm just firing off a quickie post of little consequence to let everybody know I'm moving house once more (twice within six months) to lovely Brampton(istan) where I'll be eight minutes from work. No post tomorrow but I'm hoping the internet connection is set up (more or less) where I'm going. If I'm disposed at length I'll try to give you updates from my parent's computer. I don't expect that to happen though. The short commute will save me on gas, not to mention wear and tear on the car (and on me too). Wish me luck on Saturday because that's when the move is going to happen.

On a side note, it occurs to me that the X-Def was created on the 12th of February a year ago. As the day gets closer I'll give a more in depth analysis of what has gone on these past twelve months. It's very rare that a blog lasts that long, most people who start one up quickly lose interest and stop posting. So without bragging, the X-Def is certainly in a unique minority. More to follow on this train of thought later.

Johnny Cash