Retreat

It really has been a long couple of weeks. This year's class of Confirmandi have really gotten under my skin. Individually they are all good kids, but if you get them together as a group, they are collectively rotten. Their parents are about as big of a problem as they, or quite possibly even a bigger one. I feel like I have been babysitting a bunch of 40 year olds all year. Short of wiping their butts, I pretty much have.

Well, I can say at least the year is almost over and there is light at the end of the tunnel. After May 2nd I really do not have to have much to do with them... Maybe that is a horrible attitude to have, but at least you know that I am being honest. I really have not enjoyed my job this year, at least until the last week or so. They have really gelled over the last month, and come together.

In some ways that has been rewarding. I work in a very clickish community. Our parish draws from three different school districts and a private school. Generally none of them get along with each other, and they do their best to keep it that way. This has disheartened me since I was a member of the youth group here in the early nineties. I guess somethings never change.

This time however there was a small change. They all managed to come together especially during the retreat. The young body of Christ had managed to drop their insecurities and inhibitions and actually get to know each other beyond them being D11, or D20, or St. Mary's kids. It was really wonderful to watch. I just wish that I could figure out a way to make it happen more often.

I think that is the hardest thing about youth ministry. Each group of kids is different and so something that worked last year will not work this year even though the end goal is the same. That goal being leading them deeper in their relationship with Christ. Each year that goal gets harder to attain as the distractions get more and more in number. Competing with those distractions gets harder and harder.

Each year though Christ finds a way to break through. I guess my role in that is just providing them with the opportunities to encounter Him and He will break through. Dang that is fun to watch. It has been a challenging, but fun year once again... I guess... Here's to another one...

Prayers,

Pisio

Isn't it ironic...

Don't you think? Today, George W. Bush embraced Pope Benedict the XVI. Yesterday, former President Jimmy Carter embraced one of the top terrorists in the world...

I guess I will never understand liberals... How can they sleep at night? They do everything that they can to undermine the greatest force for peace and individual prosperity the world has ever known and they meet with people who seek out our and our allies destruction. I mean really... Had the USSR captured as much land as the US did during WWII, how much would it have given back to the citizens of the country? Oh wait... they did capture almost as much land as we did, and they gave none of it back... The captured land went from being occupied by the Germans to being occupied by the USSR... Contrast that with what did the US do? We liberated the land that Germany and their allies captured. We did not keep any of it, it all went back to being free lands.

We, as a country, stopped the spread of Communism and communist dictators and each time, we have left the countries we were liberating or protecting to govern themselves. Yet, liberals hate this country... They do not believe in individual liberty, all liberty is to come from the government... They do not believe in the power of the individual, we all need government to pay our bills and bail us out of bad decisions. They do not believe that we are smart enough to choose our own leaders... just look at the screwed up proportional distribution of delegates in their primaries and the need for elite super delegates to decide the nominee... How can any thinking person agree with these people.

Now we see Jimmy Carter emboldening a group of people who seek to destroy the United States and Israel. He just gave Hamas credibility when he met with them in the name of peace... I guess that as a conservative I am too much of a realist. The perfect world where we just wish our problems away by talking to people is not possible. There are too many bad people in the world for the liberal Utopia where we all just get along to be possible. Do I wish it were different? Yes. But wishing only leads to idealism. Carter thinks that he can go and negotiate peace with these people, but it will only be peace until they decide to start killing each other again... Didn't he learn that his foreign policy does not work?

I really wish that Utopia could be achieved... Unfortunately unless Christ comes again, it can not be. Human nature will not allow it, and even if it could be achieved it could not be long lived. Desire for power, corruption and greed would take root, and that Utopia would be destroyed... Yes... really... we as humans would screw it up some how... Just look at what we did to Eden...

Good Night...

Prayers,

Pisio

Edited for update: Once again we see why you do not sit down and give these people face time.

Bad Politics

I am tired of being called a racist because I identify myself as a Conservative. It seems that more and more conservatives are made out to be the villains, the racists and the all around bad guys, yet we believe in the power of the individual person to succeed. Conservatives do not see anyone as African-American, Mexican-American or Asian-American. We see each other as American.

We believe that anyone, regardless of color or creed can succeed if they put their mind to it. The only thing that limits the individual is the individual. You do not need government, or government programs to succeed, you only need your own God given talent and desire. The only thing that limits you is you.

Sadly, people have bought into the lie that they need government to succeed. This has enabled liberal democrats to create a permanent voting class. This class of people continually votes democrats into power. They have been promised the world, but they are brought higher taxes and more government dependency. Yet, those who would free them from these burdens are the racist bigots who want to keep them down.

Is this country really that mad? I mean for all his short comings, President Bush has the most diverse administration in history. He has appointed more minorities to prominent places of power than any president in the past. Yet, his base is made out to be anti-minority. It seems to me that if the party base of the Republicans were really racists, that they would have abandoned Bush in full force. Yet, we rallied and got him a second term in office. If we were really racist would that have happened.

Now, we see an odd thing playing out in the media this week. Obama recently referred to small town residents as bitter, and clinging to our guns and religion. This is obviously an out of touch statement to make. Far from using Religion as a crutch, there are those of us who use it as a foundation and base for our lives. Far from clinging to guns, like some fearful little child, there are those of us who choose to exercise our 2nd amendment right and own a gun. We may hunt, or collect or sport shoot and yes, we must cling to them because people like Obama seek to take them away to us.

Despite his out of touch and obviously elitist comments the main stream media is silent. Yet if this were a Republican candidate, or conservative columnist who were to say something like this can we assume the main stream media would give them a free pass. Probably not. My guess is that they would all be calling the candidate just what he is... out of touch, elitist and quite possibly a condescending asshole. I guess that all does not matter though.

You see as a conservative I believe that the will of the people should be honored. If the people are too stupid to see who is really keeping them down versus those who would seek to see them achieve their full potential then so be it. That is the will of the people. My guess is that after one, maybe as long as two terms of the liberal democrats wrecking the country, it will be along time before they see power again. That my friends will be a beautiful thing.

Sadly though, if either Clinton or Obama makes it in this term, we are in for four to eight years of potential screw ups that will take a long time recover from. They will leave a legacy of weakening our country, destroying the economy and wrecking everything from health care to private industry that will take a long time to overcome.

Well my friends, it is late, and I have to remove some horseshoe pits from my mom's house tomorrow. This racist bigot must get to bed.

Prayers,

Pisio

Entrecard

I have to be honest. When I saw the changes that entrecard made to its pricing system I was shocked... I had worked so hard to build up my advertising price to a reasonable level, and all of a sudden it was 2 credits again. I was shocked. It was also annoying to watch my favorite blogs to advertise on sky rocket out of a reasonable price for me to purchase.

The prices have come down again, and mine is back up above what it ever was under the old system. That is a good thing for me since probably 80 -85% of my traffic comes from entrecard. I would hate to watch that go away...

It will be interesting to see what happens in the long run for this service. It started out for free, but now you can purchase and sell credits. Anytime you introduce money into a situation things are bound to get a little weird... I just hope that they stay free for the general public and only start to charge those who want to pay for other services.

Good luck to all you who have already joined, and if you haven't you should check it out soon while it is still free...

Prayers,

Pisio

P.S.: For those of you who have bought ads on my site recently I am sorry. I have not been working as hard as I could to get traffic through... Life is busy... That will happen again this weekend while I am on retreat with the Confirmation class...

Three Monkeys

So, today I watched all three presidential candidates interview the top general in the land about the war in Iraq. I have come to the conclusion that not one of the three gives a damn about the soldiers and their mission, but rather all three were concerned about pandering for votes.

Clinton was obviously pandering to the far left.... Her questions were more like speeches than honest inquiries.

Obama looked like he always does... likeable, but overall a real dumbass. He should get little or no serious consideration for the position of Commander in Chief. Nothing less than complete victory is acceptable... As some wise, probably dead dude once said "Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity".

Then there came Juan McLame... pasty and jowls a blazing... He pawned his stance on national security rather than using the forum to actually inquire about the general's thoughts on the best course of action... Not only did he waste his time, but he wasted the general's.

Of the three I will take the spineless, lily livered McLame over the other two socialists. Hopefully he will pick a true Conservative for his running mate, and be elected. Perhaps then, in his elation, he will have a heart attack that incapacitates him... I hate to wish that on anyone, but if it means keeping the country out of socialism I am all for it...

The founding fathers and revolutionary war heroes must be rolling in their graves right now. This can not be what they envisioned when they risked everything to start the United States of America... In our 200 short years here as a nation we have gone from being ruled by a monarch down a road which is quickly leading to being ruled by collectivist elitist ass holes, not even fit to wipe the ass of the generals who serve under them...

God Bless you General Petreaus, and all those who serve under your leadership... May He who is Love and Peace keep you in His loving protection....

Mary Queen of Peace, Pray for us all...

Prayers...

Pisio

Tired

I have never been so tired in my life. Between work, school, teaching at the University, working on their telescopes, moving and trying to be a husband and father I am just exhausted. I find myself asking more and more am I working to live, or living to work? That my friends is a tough tough question.

The worry of settling into a new mortgage payment and just the normal self doubt about providing for my family have all begun to wear on me. I feel well beyond my 32 years of age. I do not know what it feels like to be 75, but I think that I can imagine it. I guess I just need to find something to do other than what I am doing.

I need something that really will allow me to rest. I think that I am going to start hiking again... Weird huh? Physical exercise being rest. It is just being out in God's creation truly relaxes me. I have never felt as refreshed as I did that week when Mike was here, and he forced me to be out exploring Colorado's beauty. I really needed that break.

The really interesting thing is that I can turn anything into work. In ministry, as long as I am hanging out with teenagers it can be considered work. Sad, but I can never escape it... great because if I need a break I can just call one up and say I am gonna go do whatever and see if they can come along... A huge blessing and an even larger curse.

This situation forces me to either bring friends here who are not from the area, or to leave the area in order to get some real rest and relaxation time... I guess thought that I should quit whining. I have friends who are sleeping on the ground in the dust and mudd, drinking stale coffee and eating MRE's so I can have this right to bitch...

I wonder what they would resent more? The idea that I am not exercising the rights they are fighting for me to have, or the idea that I am bitching because I get to? Hmm... another paradox of epic proportions...

To all the military out there, thank you... Your service is not lost on some of us, and your sacrifice is not forgotten...

Peace be with you all...

Prayers...

Pisio

Nuts

This is just going to be a short little post again... I promised my wife I would be in bed by 1:00, and as I type this it is 1:03.

One thing that I love about entrecard is that it forces you to look at new blogs. Anyway, I came across a wicked diary... A diary of a mad pigeon to be exact. This blog is hilarious, especially the post linked to. What makes it so funny is just how right on the mark the author is.

I guess I am just a right wing nut job. I hate the idea of government getting any bigger, and actually think it needs to get back to what it was meant to do. Unfortunately the laziness of Americans in general will never allow that. There are too many free lunches out there anymore. I need look no further than the old company I worked for to know that.

This company survives on government contracts and grants. In a sense I was paying myself every time that 1/3 of my income went to the government. Man was I underpaid. Yet, without the contracts and grants this company would not have been able to make payroll. They are no better than socialist politicians who want to create a dependent class. They live off the government just like someone on welfare, and they have no real reason to get off, and the government likes it just that way... Sickening.

Governmentium... the heaviest element known to man...

Man would I like to see its radioactive nature limited...

GET OFF THE GOVERNMENT TEAT AMERICA AND GET BACK TO WHAT MADE YOU GREAT

Prayers...

Pisio