...breathe in... breathe out....

The news is bad. I just found out that the man I was helping, not the bad guy, the good guy, has been abandoned in a small town about 50 miles away. The bad guy took all of his money and belongings and fled in the night.
I am just out of the hospital and this has only added to my woes. It really takes a toll on your 'spirit' when things like this happen. I have no way of getting to my friend to bring him home and I really don't know if he has a place to come to in the event that I have transportation for him. This is all so disheartening. I had such high hopes that this program would bring light to the situation of the veterans but it has only served to be a fiasco for all involved.
I haven't always been an angel, to say the least, but I have always tried to help when I could. I suppose my grandmother did a good job in that department. The thought of seeing someone in a wheelchair taken advantage of is not setting well with me at this point. I have to keep a tight grip on my emotions just now. My condition calls for peace and quiet, but it's not forthcoming. I have an upheaval inside that calls for retribution, knowing that's not the answer.
I know I'll get past this stage but I am not liking what I feel inside right now. The 'old John' wants to surface and make amends for my friend and yet, there in the depths, is that little voice whispering, "forgive". That helps. I can look to that and reach for peace and tranquility and overcome this slowly rising tide of bitterness that's trying to override the good.
"breathe in.... breathe out...."

...and righteousness

I tried to help someone. I saw a need and did what I could. It turned out that there was dishonesty in the mix. One of the people has a bad record of scamming people and I found out about it after I had built them a website and put my name on it.
I am saddened by the way this man is going about making money from people that have big hearts and want to help others. His list of deeds precedes him and people are calling me telling me to look him up on the internet.
I did. It's sad. He has hurt a lot of people and it looks as though he isn't about to stop.

I know that sooner or later it will be made public knowledge, but to what end? He will only go somewhere else and begin all over again...hurting others with his greed; finding yet another scam to play.
It makes me wonder how they do it. How can a person do such things to another person? What has happened to decency and honor ...and righteousness?

...out there to be attained

I think I've overloaded. I keep running into myself coming around the corner....
Seriously, a person can do too much if he's not careful.
I ran into two guys yesterday. They are on their way to Washington DC to see Obama.
I don't know that they will get in to see him or not, but they are Americans and he is working for us, right? It shouldn't be too much to ask for a real Army vet to get an audience with the 'prez', if he has an important enough agenda; especially something that can affect all the vets.
The medical, financial and spiritual situation for our warriors is abysmal. They risk life and limb for our country and then get mistreated when it comes time to get them the help they need; that's just wrong.
I served from June 1966 to September 1969 in the Marine Corps. I wouldn't trade one moment of it, for anything else. I would serve again, if needed and gladly. I know the reasons people serve. Some can and should be displayed; others shouldn't . We have to keep freedom, it's the only hope we have when it comes to existence. Evil would destroy all if left unchecked.
The forces of evil grow stronger daily. We have to find ways to overcome that evil and show the world the beauty of freedom. Choice has gone awry. We used to choose things that were wholesome and fulfilling. Somehow the idea has become skewed. Choice was meant to be for 'the good of all', and that has certainly changed. Selfishness has replaced selflessness creating a vacuum of sorts that sucks everything down to the lower levels.

I have taken over the website for the two guys going to DC. I want to be a part of something that can make a difference for good and introduce the higher ideals of man. That's what drives me; the good that is still out there to be attained.

.....only positives

The days and weeks are ticking by so fast I don't even realize I have missed doing the blog.

I have been writing a lot of late and that seems to take me away from this part of the routine, so please forgive my  lapse in memory. Since my last post I have probably written a half dozen songs or more. I love it. The ideas come so quickly that I have to immediately stop whatever I am into at the moment and write it down or it's gone; and there's just no getting it back.
The radio station is up and running but I haven't even had time to check on it for the last two weeks. I have some stories coming up that need to be recorded and some new promos, so it looks like I better start writing down things to do or I'll be right back where I am now.... behind.
I can recall not having very much at all on the 'drawing board' not too many months ago. I also remember complaining about it. Now I'm complaining about having too much to do.
The Lord is so good to me. I shouldn't complain about anything. I have the best wife on earth ("ERF" as my granddaughter, Kyleigh puts it) I have a great studio to work in with everything I need to produce whatever I come up with. I have the best clients. They all like what I do for them and I am free to do whatever I want at any given time. There are no negatives, only positives.

...planning the party

How far have we come? How far do we yet have to go? How long have we waited for things to fall into place that bring success to our lives?  What is the future looking like for those of us that trust the Lord for what we have and will have?
These and many more questions have come up in conversations of late. We are seeing the changes take place that will bring about the end of the age. Time is more and more relative. There is very little of it left.
The more I read and hear from others of like faith and purpose, the more I see it coming to pass, just as God has laid it out in the Word. There is no mistaking the evidence. We are in the last days.
My spirit leaps every time I hear another report on Israel. I am waiting for the signature report on the "new treaty" that will last seven years. That's all I need to hear. I will start planning the party.

...and that's creating new things

I am learning a new software program so I can easily schedule songs on the new internet radio station. I  always expect  problems in the beginning when I begin working with new software and this is certainly no exception. I do think the new software will make things a lot better, but the learning curve is pretty steep for me at this point. I'm going to have be more patient with this program. It has a lot of features and the navigation is pretty specific. To make things even more difficult, the designer isn't very good at communicating instructions. He did well designing the program but he didn't make the tutorials very user friendly and that stretches out the time it takes to get a handle on what is going on.
It's a lot of fun getting everything the way it needs to be to make the station 'come alive', but I don't much care for the 'techy' stuff it takes to set everything up. I like the writing, recording and music creation side so much more. That comes after everything is in place and running properly.
Isn't that the way of things in general? We often have to wait for the 'setup' and we all know that patience is most certainly a virtue no matter who you are.
What I am enjoying most of all is the freedom to do what I love.... and that's creating new things.

...it just comes out like bragging.

The idea of a children's radio station had been in the back of my mind for some time now. I had wanted someone else to do it, but I knew... it would be me, in the end. That's okay, I rather like the idea of being a kid again anyway. I can act silly and have it be "my job".... So here we are at day 7 and counting, setting up the music, recording the promos, downloading and formatting what has to be formatted. Learning another program is in order as well. It will be a tremendous help as we begin assembling the 'parts' of the programming. That will leave me more time to do what I want to do.

I want to spend the majority of my time recording and producing the special programming. That in and of itself is the crux of the station anyway. We will sink or swim according to the quality we put out and I definitely want to do more than just the basics. This can be a whole new world if we do it right.

I have a lot to learn about children's music and stories and so forth. I have been on the outside of that 'realm' for a long time. There are so many choices; I had no idea even existed and I can see it taking some time to get 'acquainted' with everything there is to offer.
I am excited to be doing it. There are so many positives related to it, one of which I dearly love. I get to work full time for the Lord, plus I get to use all the gifts and talents he has given me to make it all work.
 I know that sounds a bit like bragging when I read back over it but it's not. I'm so overwhelmed with the aspect, it just comes out like bragging.