Jason E. Fort's Blog, page 5

Beware the Ides of March...and GLOBAL WARMING - NO!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is March 15th - the historical and dreaded 'Ides of March'. And according to global warming pundits, we should beware of, according to Beto O'rourke, global extinction, and mass migration of 'climate refugees' by the thousands. I saw this image of a cinematic portrayal of Julius Caesar on that dreaded day, and it seemed to apply well with what I think IS the desired goal for the global warming pundits; that ALL OF US WEAR THAT LOOK OF SHEER PANIC on our faces!But let's get real for a moment, folks. There are so many more serious problems going on, that pose much greater threats to us. Now, I only chose the Ides of March for reference to dire warnings, and the fact that March 15th is tomorrow. BUT, the way the climate change 'fear mongers' (buzzword :) )warn us about our impending doom is not all that different from the way the seer warns Julius Caesar of his impending death. Except - Caesar's death was a serious threat. Beto's, and all those who support the Green New Deal? Please.Let's think about this; according to reliable sources (AHA), in 2016, there were more than 840,000 deaths related to heart disease in America alone. Heart disease affects millions worldwide and kills people EVERY YEAR, and so far, the so-called impending doom by so-called climatologists and their celebrity cheerleaders, the oceans should have flooded and drowned out entire coastal civilizations a couple years ago! Hmmmm, seems like we have a certain exaggeration of the urgency here. Death, versus polar bears maybe having to swim further....hmmmmm.But I digress; let's talk about war. It is estimated that somewhere between 50 to 56 million people have died from war. And wars can start over the most mundane of issues. Yet if you watch the news, and see how sabers rattle so often, it's safe to assume there are some big issues out there that could really get the ball rolling. Let's start with countries like North Korea or Iran. These countries are ruled by people who believe in ideologies that control the people...not just make them follow laws for everyone to get along, but actually subjugate and oppress their people. From the oppression of women and children in the Islamic Iranian regime, to the people worshiping their leader as if he is the god of North Korea (in their eyes, the world) - and we're more worried about polar ice caps melting than we are some trigger happy radical pushing the 'button' and launching a missile that takes out another country's power grid, or eliminates thousands, in an instant? Then there are the thousands of people killed in gruesome fashion every day in Africa, by warlords who train captured children to be soldiers like them, and kill the innocents who don't pay them tribute, or don't provide them the goods they demand. Of course, you have civil wars between small nations in Africa, with not much civilization, and yet men with machine guns pillage entire villages of people who work in fields or hunt and fish. Or perhaps we could talk about the Christians who are murdered and enslaved in Muslim cultures; it is happening. This isn't just some fiction that the author of this article just made up. According to BBC, even conservative estimates put deaths of Christians around the world at 7-8000 people per year, just being killed for what they believe.But we had a bad hurricane season a couple of times in a decade, and the world is going to end because of what's supposedly causing that? Please-What about disease? The top killer diseases in the world, according to proclinical.com, are Tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, lung cancer, COPD, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and coronary heart disease. Now don't get me wrong; disease has been around long before mankind...but so has 'climate change'. Yet because some jokers who made millions off the sham of 'global warming' (it's been known by many names) say the sky is falling, we need to all revert to socialism and everyone be on equal footing, because somehow making 'life fair' and 'saving the planet' will take away disease, and war, and hate? I don't think so.Do you really want to know what we can diagnose as the impending crisis of the planet?I will tell you... the death of America.Forget your polar bears and your recycled cans and your electric cars for just a second, and let's really break this down. Because I am not hear to tell you Julius Caesar shouldn't have listened to the seer.On the contrary, I think he should have delved further, and try harder to actually identify the threat. And that is what we have going on here. The public around the world is being duped, because they have misidentified the real threat.I've stated this before, but in order to have a world-wide government, it will have to be brought about by extreme force, where every single person on the planet will have to go along to get along, and conform in every aspect of life. Guess who stands in the way of that happening?The United States of America. And so many people don't even realize how close to the brink this nation is. We have had a former sitting president try to usurp the current president, and people who voted against the man that fills the position now don't see the problem. The system was corrupted, and it was corrupted by the man that left. The proof is everywhere. But that doesn't jive with the mainstream news, because they are all about bringing about that forced conformity. And the collapse of our political system is just the start.With the United States in power, the US Navy can mobilize and render aid to multiple places around the globe. Nobody else has the same capacity to do that; not like we can. The United States has become the leading exporter of oil in the world; if our nation falls, that oil would just be used to power the motors and engines of war for the global power that is sure to come. But right - polar bears swimming further (their numbers are not dropping like previously thought, by the way) is a much bigger problem.What about the crisis of our fertility rates in this country? Has anyone thought about that? Oh, sure, it sure isn't falling in the Muslim communities (conveniently). But generally speaking, married couples of the traditional sense are dwindling. People are having fewer children. I am not sure where this is going to lead, but it can't be good.But, hey, murdering babies is okay - no crisis there, I'm sure.Better recycle that glass bottle, mister.What about drugs? Illegal drugs come across our border in all manners of ways, and we have powerful people in our government claiming that there is no emergency down there. Hmmm, the very same people that want to lead the charge for global warming are the people who want to condone killing babies, originally supported separating parents from children, and allow human trafficking to grow rampant right across the border in places where you can stand with one foot in America, and one foot in Mexico. And let's not forget that the military and ICE and Border Patrol have even captured and fought terrorists trying to come through the border, either in the dead of night, or through tunnels discovered by authorities.But you mighty seers of climate change, you might be right....we should beware our own 'Ides of March', just like Julius Caesar should have done. But maybe, just maybe - you haven't correctly identified how the end might come.Turns out, there's a certain book, that tells the tale...

Purpose? Dreams? Baby steps...

We all want to be something when we grow up, don't we?When I was little, I didn't always know - but I do remember a certain Officer Friendly entering our classroom in either first or second grade, talking about "House-wise, Street-wise", and I remember being in awe of the uniform, the badge, the gun, and I remember thinking at the time, 'Wouldn't it be cool to be him' when I grew up.But we all learn things about ourselves along the way, and plans change. Sometimes our lives, and our desires for our lives, don't revolve around dreams - but purpose. Some people don't necessarily go after what they want, but what they they think they were meant to be.What if I told you... you can do both?My life has taken a unique path, but I do not think I orchestrated that all on my own. However, there are some things you learn along the way that help you come to those conclusions at different stages in life... what you dream of doing, and what you were meant to do. And I am here to tell you, they do not have to be one and the same.Society, and especially popularity, and media, will all tell you that there is this and that you can do; these are the steps you take, to become the overnight success you always wanted to be - here's the quickest way to number one!But is that realistic? Is that practical? Who does that really serve - your faith in yourself, or some company or self-help gurus trying to make a large dime on behalf of your dreams or purpose? When I think about the illogical approach to putting all your hope into these Make it Rich Quick schemes, I often think about an older movie, 'What About Bob?'. In the movie, the main character learns from his psychiatrist that in order to learn to face the stressors of life again (after a mental breakdown), you have to take baby steps.Can't this analogy reflect a practical way to take on most big tasks in life... such as having that dream career, or finding the career that fulfills your life purpose?Once again, these lofty pursuits may come to you later in life anyway, because of things you discover about yourself along the way. Why not take baby steps?That's how we learn how to walk. When I think about my own son when he was learning how to walk, or my little brothers - I remember them either wanting to get to mom and dad(parents directing their child's purpose at the time), or wanting to get to some object or thing they wanted to touch. At first, they'd hold on to a parent's finger, and the parent would walk further away... and the little toddler would toddle out a few short steps - and fall down. They'd either pull themselves back up by grabbing onto the nearby table leg or 'walker', and try again, perhaps walking out a little further. Finally, they'd wobble on unsteady feet, but have the knack of the clumsy toddler moves, and finally reach their destination, whether that was in mom or dad's waiting arms, or to the toy they wanted across the room. The point is, although there were ups and downs, they still made it to their goal. This is a fundamental lesson in life. Why would it not apply to greater life goals for us down the road?Another great movie quote - from Batman Begins: Bruce Wayne's father rescues young Bruce after he falls down a well. "And why do we fall down, Bruce?" Young Master Wayne replies, "So we can learn to pick ourselves back up."This concept can apply to every major goal we set for ourselves in life. And just like the toddler trying to make it across the room, sometimes life will throw us obstacles in our path, and we take a different way.My career paths have been interesting for me, because I feel like every paying job I ever had helped prepare me for that one thing I envisioned in grade school. I started out after college, teaching little kids to appreciate exercise and sports. I learned more about exercise, and used that to make myself bigger, and stronger, and found myself in convenient positions to protect people OR train them. I worked in the fitness industry full-time, and learned about training groups of adults. I was asked to work security at a couple of bars, and supervise the main events of the local YMCA. I had what I saw as career opportunity doors slam shut on me, forcing me to re-route my plans. And before I know it, 9 years later, I'm teaching and training adults on how to protect themselves, while I happen to be wearing a badge and gun. And yet being my own version of Officer Friendly isn't all I do... or aspire to do. But there were several things that got me there, and it didn't happen overnight. It's almost like I am doing exactly what I was designed to do.But there's more.I didn't discover until later in life, that several people thought I was good at expressing myself into words on a page. I wrote a few poems here and there for friends or girlfriends in school, but that was about it. But most of my life, I drew pictures. I actually had a few people pay me for pictures as I got older, and I used my creative drawing talents to earn a few group function t-shirts by being the one to design the shirt logos. But I didn't know I could write, until my son came along, and his twin brother did not make it into this world. One poem written in desperate times, turned into several poems. Several poems turned into attempts at writing a novel. Attempts at writing a novel also turned into writing blog posts. Writing blog posts turned into one complete novel - and one complete novel has turned into seven novels and counting! And yet, I do not make much money writing... not yet :)But then I ask myself why I write. Do I dream of becoming a big time famous author? Not necessarily - but it sure wouldn't hurt my feelings. But do I want people to enjoy what I write, or pay attention to what I write? Absolutely. And my writing has taken on a whole other purpose on its own. But what got me to this point in wanting to fulfill a goal of becoming an author? Baby steps that go back to drawing pictures, using the creative mind that God gave me.If I had to tell anyone out there, young or old, frustrated with their position in a career, or that particular door of opportunity that just slammed shut - it'd be this.Don't give up. Get back up. Keep toddling. You might even fall down a little more along the way. But keep the faith; keep the perseverance. And remind yourself what I have to remind myself sometimes.The chances of that home run, grand slam, overnight success are pretty slim... so just do what makes sense - and take baby steps to get there. Who knows; you may even learn a little patience along the way.

Opportunity - What if?

New York has just passed a bill that will inevitably lead to an even higher abortion rate. Many people who know me, who have already read poetry I wrote years ago to cope with the loss of a child, know where I stand on this. But I wanted to let people maybe see things from my perspective even more. Having a son has been one of the most rewarding experiences I could ever imagine. And yet, because of circumstances surrounding his birth, and the early demise of a twin brother, a part of me, and I am sure a part of my wife, has always wondered in the back of my mind... What if?What if we had never lost John Robert Fort, and had twin sons born on June 20th or so, 2002? What would life be like?And what even makes my wife and I wonder, what if?That one is the kicker - the thing that kicks the hardest in the gut, and the tear ducts. Why do we wonder it at all? Perhaps, simply the sight of TWO HEARTBEATS made it evident to me that life existed then! I saw it on the screen of my wife's first few ultrasounds. The potential of the two boys to come thrilled us to death. I will never forget my wife surprising me at dinner, when we went out to eat - and she presented TWO blue teddy bears, instead of just the one I expected when I discovered we were going to be parents. That reality, or potential for that reality, became even stronger when I saw the black and white static filled profile of two little baby boys inside my wife's womb.For years, and probably even today, my wife had difficulty seeing twins without at least wondering 'what if'. What if my son Jay never played alone? What if my son Jay had another guy to talk to in the house besides his old bear of a father, and two little male dogs? What if we had two little geniuses who had aspirations for college? What if my dad had three grandsons to see often, instead of just the two he has now? What if because my son Jay is so flipping smart, his twin happened to be some super athlete? What if, since Jay looks so much like his mom and my father-in-law, John Robert ended up looking just like me and my dad?What if?How many parents who had a miscarriage, especially mothers who so longed to have a child, asked that question regarding their children they discovered LIVED in their womb? The small human life, that receives nutrients from their mother, and lives and grows inside the mother because of those nutrients... that could be?This is not some post to come down on people who might disagree and even debate on whether or not those children are actual humans or not. This is just to point out that, perhaps if you treated them as such, and convinced society to treat them all as such, then we could TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.What if, instead of telling all these women young and old that if they get pregnant 'unintentionally' they can abort that life...we tell girls at a young age that life is precious, and taking the chance on creating that life should be carefully planned or considered?What if, instead of putting so much of the potential for life in the hands of people who will ACTUALLY PROFIT off such measures as abortion, we focus on educating young people to not be so quick to have sex? It doesn't have to be about religion, but about LIFE, and how it happens.What if one of these babies that has been taken in such heinous fashion would have grown up to cure cancer? What if one of these babies grew up to become a modern day Billy Graham, who unites people instead of divides?What if we taught young people to think about their actions... and the consequences of those actions?What if some of us, one day when we are no longer part of this cursed, sinful world, sit up at the right hand of God, praising our Heavenly Father - we happen to notice millions of touched souls; souls saved by the grace and mercy of God, who never had to live in a fallen world... and we suddenly realize they were better off ONLY because of God's mercy?What if, when my son dies and stands in Heaven, he meets his twin brother for the first time in a long while - and they unite in brotherly love?These are the thoughts that occur to me when I think of this issue. I just think we are missing a bigger picture. I do hope and pray something similar to what I just described is possible. But perhaps we should give more of these kids a chance while we can.What if?

Leave No Doubt!

This post is a sports post. This post is a motivational post. This post is a positive post. And it goes out to all the Clemson Tiger fans, and to this man right here... this is a picture of my favorite coach ever, with my favorite person ever; my son when he was 7 years old.Last night, Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers played one of the most venerated football programs in college football history, and they left no doubt in the minds of spectators everywhere, which team was the best team on the field of competition. The leader of young men spoke humbly about giving glory to God for everything that has happened - and when I snapped this pic way back in 2009 when he became the interim coach at Clemson...he was just as humble and genuine in person as he is on camera. And he left no doubt then, what kind of man he was when he took time out of his radio broadcast to pose with my little fella (who's not so little anymore).After last night's game, the coach spoke of telling his team in his pre-game talk, to 'leave no doubt'. And I wanted to point out all the things that I had absolutely no doubt about after watching such a dominant performance on the athletic field. And some of the most important points have nothing to do with football.Last night, my favorite sports team left no doubt as to who the best team in the country was. If you follow college football, you know that ESPN spoke all season long about how stellar this Alabama team was, and for the most part, they were right. When they spoke of the Tigers, there was always a hint of doubt at just how good the fighting Tigers from Clemson, SC were because of the lack of 'strength of schedule'.Well after a 44-16 victory over the #1 team in the nation (and now a 15-0 record for the first time since leather helmets), there was no doubt who the better team was.There was talk leading up to the game of just how good both quarterbacks were, but because Tua was already a proven champion, commentators had no doubt in their minds about how he would perform on the world's biggest stage again. But this Trevor guy? He's just a freshman, I kept hearing. I think it's safe to say, after the score and all the amazing passes under pressure the Clemson QB made in their victory, there was no doubt as to which QB was the best on the field. Yes, I know it was a team effort - but the doubt because of freshman status, was erased.At the end of the game, there was no doubt to me which approach seems more effective in leading young men to victory. In the pre-game coverage, they talked about the Alabama coach's history. It turns out his father raised him to think that winning was the most important thing in the world, and anything less than that wasn't acceptable. And that stress and pressure to win has helped the Alabama coach succeed, to a fault. Talk about growing up under stress! And the stress on the Alabama sideline could be seen very early in the game, and in the post game presser. Yet if you looked across the field, at the Tiger coach, and the players, and know anything about the recent history of the Clemson program, there is no doubt that the pressure to win wasn't felt by the Clemson players. There is a HUGE difference in 'win at all costs', and 'Seize the day'....CARPE DIEM!The Clemson coach has taken that approach, along with everyone on the team always being all in with the program, and created a family atmosphere that pervades the Clemson culture. Last night left no doubt for the rest of the country what the Clemson culture is like. I have many friends on social media that do not like Clemson. Yet even many of those people credited the behavior of the Clemson players and coaches for a good attitude - and of course great athletic performance. It was safe to say, there was no doubt the entire Clemson team seized the day. They really took care of business.This brings me to my main point; at the end of the game, the young quarterback who most people would think would be jumping up and down, with a high pitched excited voice or something, spoke into the microphone; stoic yet happy. And he demonstrated what I think makes the best - stand out above the rest: humility.A 19 year old young man who most people would expect to live in the moment and be emotional, and maybe even a little braggadocios because of hype leading up to this grand stage, just almost nonchalantly (but with a big grin) gives credit to his team, and to God, and the atmosphere at Clemson.All the excitement surrounding my favorite team, yet that is what stood out the most to me. The young quarterback left no doubt as to the kind of character he has, on the biggest stage in the country at that moment. People know where he stands. They know what he values. They know he is a good, Christian young man. Of that, there is no doubt.Now don't get me wrong; I know there are plenty of other young people who have similar attributes and talent. There are plenty of people out there who seize the moment and leave no doubt who they are. But that is my whole point. How many times do we live our day to day lives, and make a conscious effort to leave no doubt to others what kind of character we are? What kind of character and person are we, in Christ? I know, I know; such an effort seems lofty, and maybe even exhausting.But I think we can use moments like the one I witnessed in my favorite team last night, to inspire us. Maybe, just maybe, we can look to other people we admire; other people we know who also have that same character to which we want to prescribe, and emulate them. May we can all somehow seize the day, make the best of situations and think about how God would want us to act in this situation or that one - and leave no doubt to others where it is that we draw our inspiration.Food for thought after a 2019 National Championship in college football :)God bless...and Go Tigers :)

2018 Year in Review

This is my annual year in review blog post. 2018 was an interesting year; it helped me realize several things in my life - about my family, about time marching on, about my future, about my country... about my blessings.I inserted the picture of me with my truck, because one of the things I was blessed with in 2018 (March 24 to be exact) was a nice new Dodge Ram. It even has a Hemi :)Anyway, I didn't just earn this truck. Sure, I am paying for it. But one of the things I am blessed with the most is a mother and father who truly love their oldest son. Although I am paying for the truck, I couldn't have gotten the one I wanted if it weren't through some wheeling and dealing on my dad's part. He even found the truck for me, because he is awesome at that sort of thing. So although the truck is great, it's family for which I am most grateful, and family that has somehow always made things happen for me. That family has brought me through thick and thin, and ups and downs. My wife and son make everything I do in life worth it, even though I don't always show them appreciation the way I should. But they often remind me of the love my parents have for me and my two brothers. That love for family I think is so contagious, especially when the patriarch and matriarch pour so much of themselves into their home and their family.Speaking of ups and downs, 2018 was an interesting year health-wise for my mom. She's had a knee surgery and a back surgery in the same year. She's had to rehabilitate, and put up with pain, and had to stray away from some of her former energetic activities for a time. She's coming back around, but it opened my eyes about the future of our family. It helped me realize that time is fleeting, and before you know it, your parents are selling the house where you grew up.My mom's health made my dad change my parents' lives around just a bit, getting into a nice local retirement community. This will make life easier for both the folks, with a one story house versus the old family home with two stories, washer and dryer in a basement, and steep steps to both upstairs and the basement. But this also means the family will say goodbye to the old house on Kim Street. I think it was the old country singer, Tracy Lawrence, who sang Time Marches On ; this year is really starting to show me that.Time marches on so fast, I've already been on an official college tour with my sixteen year old, and one Admissions presentation for another. That's right - my son is starting the college selection process. This Spring, he will start filling out applications. If things work out, he will be able to go to a school where he can work on both becoming an officer in the Air Force in a college ROTC program, and also take classes on aerospace engineering. 2018 has taught me how fast my son has grown, to the point that if he punches me in my arm, or wants to arm wrestle, things aren't as one-sided as they used to be. He still has a long way to go to catch up with his old man in size, but nevertheless, he is growing into a man. Humbling, mind blowing, and gratifying all at once; that's how I'd describe it. But 2018 has taught me how much he has learned from both his parents. 2018 brought me a teenage son who drives now... clear the roads! We will see what the next academic year holds for the young man.2018 has forced me to take a long look at the future of our country. Politics aside, the world poses so many challenges to America. World events and worldviews are changing so rapidly, I fear I've realized many ominous signs for our country's future. As a Christian, I have a hope that cannot be replaced by anything, regarding the future of my soul. But the country in which I live? Who knows? There are plenty of crazy signs out there that freedom will be at stake. Many freedoms have already been lost throughout the world. Pay attention to various news sources (NEVER JUST ONE), because 2019 stands to pose even wilder news than 2018. As for my future, I hope to still make it as an author and a speaker one day. But the authoring might just always be a productive hobby for me. I am also learning, the older I get, the more set in my ways I become. That doesn't always coexist well with pop culture, or trying to build a varied audience. But no matter what my individual future holds, I know I am blessed. I've got my wife and kid; I've got a house; I've got a truck (and so does my son); I've got dogs, and I've still got plenty of family. Just haven't quite made that best sellers' list in the author department.Oh well, maybe 2019 will still bring some interesting news to Fortress Books. In the meantime, I will keep writing. I will keep my day job, and count my blessings. And I will keep trucking along. Happy New Year everyone. And as I always say at the end of my two cent videos on social media - God bless America, while we still have it.

Fidelity? Bravery? Integrity? Not Today

There was a time when I thought being an FBI agent would've been the coolest job in the world. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was supposed to be the ultimate example of law enforcement, not only in the United States, but to the world. When I was a kid, heroes like Elliot Ness were legendary. Your action movies consisted of the 'good guys' of the FBI, bringing down some of the toughest criminals. The agents of the FBI were supposed to be the cream of the crop; the upper echelon and pinnacle of law enforcement officers, supposedly 'above reproach.'But as my Granny used to say to me, on those nights when I'd visit and watch MacGuyver, or Michael Jordan playing basketball, or our favorite sit-com, Coach...whenever she'd see some craziness on the news, she'd look right at me and say, "Jason, the times, they are a'changin'! "Now the supposed picture the media wants you to see when you think FBI, is of a giant 6' 8" oaf, who thinks himself a patriot, who wants to preach to the American people about the standards of this great country - and yet couldn't even admit under oath that his entire agency had screwed up. This 'pillar of the community' from the age of Obama, wants to tell us how his loyalty is unwavering - yet he ran one of the most politically biased law enforcement agencies in the history of the country, where law enforcement in its role is supposed to be absolutely UNBIASED. You would think the highest law enforcement in the land would uphold that standard. But we know that Strzok and his lover made it plainly obvious that the bias ran rampant in the FBI before our current President took office.So much for my childhood impression of the esteemed FBI!Why am I writing this today? Why do I even feel like it should be expressed?Frankly, it is just another symptom of the moral decay in our society. But seeing as how the Federal Bureau of Investigation lauds itself also, especially in the funerals of those that died serving their agency, of also standing for fidelity, bravery, and integrity - I thought it should serve as the grandest sign for us all that we have indeed fallen far.I discussed the aforementioned oaf who used to direct the beloved FBI with a friend of mine. We agreed that if either one of us served that agency, knowing the level of corruption that existed, and obviously has existed for some time now (Anyone? Anyone? Mueller? :) ), we would quit our jobs there in a heartbeat...because the feeling of serving something so stained and dirty would just make our skin crawl.Look around us. Look at the behavior now that is promoted as acceptable. We have an entire wing of government politicians who condone behavior of gang members and illegal aliens, storming the US border with Mexico like they are owed something. We have politicians who insist those who disagree with the properly elected authority to fight opposition in the street. We have people teaching everyone that little eleven year old boys should dress in drag. We have Netflix shows galore that glorify sex in ways that were unheard of when I was just a teenager. We have the Boy Scouts insisting that morally corrupt sexual deviance be accepted to lead the youth... and you wonder why they're going bankrupt? We have Satanism being taught as an 'alternative religion', never mind the fact that this belief system has nothing but malice to moral virtue. We have abortion forced down our throats as a not just a right, but a privilege to do so for empowered women. We have morality crumbling before us every single day, all around us.So is it any wonder that the FBI should be corrupt?Don't get me wrong - I bet there is dirt on Trump. I bet there is dirt on every single politician that ever served in America. I bet every person who tastes power has succumbed in some fashion to corruption, and 'dirty deeds'.But what should bother us, what should make everyone's skin crawl...what should really get more people than just me and my closest friends riled up - is the fact that this moral decay is not only in plain sight, but it is openly accepted with pleasure by the masses.Fidelity, bravery, and integrity shown in service to the highest agency in the land? Maybe at one point; maybe when society was slightly more wholesome.But not today. Of course, that's just my two cents.

Modern Towers of Babel

Do we really even need to look very far? The evidence is in virtually every modern culture in the world today. No matter where you look, or what civilized country you visit, if you look at what appears on the television, and what exists in media around the planet, man is STILL trying to either reach God - or become Him!I enjoyed a conversation with my pastor last night, and we talked about the world's need to find ways to transcend time; achieve immortality... so of course we broached the subject of artificial intelligence. I wanted to take a moment and inform some folks of not only the dangers of this, but other ways that man is 'playing God', or trying to.First let's dive right into the big one: A.I.Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic right now; just ask Common. Perhaps you've seen the commercial for Microsoft, where the actor and pop-culture star Common gives a moving monologue about A.I., pointing out all the new technology that is happening across the world; from agriculture to archaeology, to medicine, the actor exclaims "The future is NOW!" One only has to go a little further and open up Netflix, to see all the movies or special TV series that push the idea of A.I. out there as such a great concept - sometimes even showing it as a way for humans to transcend time and help us become immortal. There is actually a thought out there that a computer program could be designed to replicate our consciousness and install it into some kind of machine, and when that machine wears down, consciousness could just be uploaded to another one...and on, and on. Gee - who does it sound like we want to be, there?Turns out the Holy Bible talks about one particular entity that transcends time and space, and is truly immortal. But I'll get back to that.So what's wrong with this? Machines and computers have made our lives so much easier, and continue to do so. They can even do things without us telling them to - wait, what?!Well, just like the Jurassic Park movies, we literally have tons of movies and stories that show why this is a bad, bad idea.It's as plain as day that we want life to be easier...if we were gods, we'd probably have it pretty easy. But that's the idea, isn't it? The Bible tells the story of the tower of Babel, where the people thought they were such architectural geniuses, that they could build a tower to the heavens, to be on an even playing field with God. And what happened? That tower came crashing down, and the people were scattered.So what could happen this time? A Matrix? The Terminator? Skynet? Who knows, but the fact is, if we create something that we eventually cannot control, nothing good can come of it. Science experiments alone prove that.But A.I. is not our only Tower of Babel these days.We've been trying for some time now to reach the heavens with space travel. From Russian cosmonauts, to NASA, to Tesla's orbiting convertible - the ambitions for scientists and visionaries want to colonize the moon, and colonize Mars. There are plans to soar the cosmos, and find safe havens to spread humanity to other worlds so that not only can we transcend time, but space. We can spread and flourish, according to scientists, who really have no way of knowing whether we can pull these things off or not. If I were a betting man, I'd say they fail miserably. Am I a skeptic? You bet. But this is where I think certain puppet masters of information have bamboozled a lot of us, and that doesn't even mean I don't believe the moon landing happened. I do, but I also think special effects have been almost overused to make the masses think we are further along in space exploration and potential than we will ever be. There's a whole lot of space out there. And if we can do what they've proven they can do with computers, is it beyond the realm of possibility that many of the fantastic space scenes and satellite shots we're shown are completely computer generated? Just thought I'd throw that out there. Think about the risk versus reward. It is inevitable, because we cannot 100% reproduce the physical conditions for long term space travel to Mars, that some people will die before we ever get there. Is that worth the reward - IF WE NEVER GET THERE? Just a thought. Not here to have all the answers. But these are the things that crossed my mind.I mentioned the Jurassic Park movies. Another example of us playing 'God'... and scientists have even come up with ways to genetically engineer people, and creatures. There's cloning, which can be a whole other ethical topic by itself. We can clone animals. I am sure we can do the same with people, and just haven't seen it yet because of the ethics. Look at the happenings in the news. How long before those kind of ethics are thrown right out the window? We've already been numbed by the information media machine to the idea of gender. Even though there is the 'x' chromosome, and the 'y' chromosome, and we have FINITE evidence that there are two distinct genders, the human race is being conditioned slowly but surely that there could be any number of genders. It's actually quite preposterous. I'm sure there's no agenda there at all. But think about it. What if we can engineer people one day, the way we want? We can plan entire populations to look and act a certain way. And when those organic engineered products are ready to expire? Why, we just upload their consciousness into something else.Like I said, I am a skeptic. But I also am a Christian. God said that we are each beautifully and wonderfully made. His word also states that He has a plan. But we have been trying to fight against that plan time and time again, ever since He first told us not to eat of that tree.Don't believe me? Read for yourself; I dare you. If you start reading God's word, I challenge you to keep going. Read it, and test it against what we see happening even to this day. Then tell me we don't have any modern Towers of Babel. I'll wait -in the meantime, God bless us all until Jesus returns, and possibly ruins a lot of these great big plans.

Married for 17 years, STILL going

It's been seventeen years since I said 'I do'. There are days I look back to that wedding day, and I am so thankful for the journey thus far. I had no idea what twists and turns we'd take, and I had no idea how hard things would get sometimes. But there is nobody I'd rather take this journey with. Rebecca and I have changed over the years, for sure. Seeing and just knowing the things I know from the law enforcement field have made me a harder man; a less flexible man. Career changes and financial situations and family challenges have changed the spunky curly-haired redhead I fell in love with. But we have changed TOGETHER.We've gone in debt in the past, TOGETHER. We've taken in family who went through tough growing pains, TOGETHER. We've raised a child who is only half of the children we expected, TOGETHER. We've raised a child who battled the challenges of childhood asthma, TOGETHER.We've faced the financial challenge of a pretty permanent station in the middle class, TOGETHER. We've taken on job changes, for both of us, TOGETHER. We've experienced rescuing dogs, TOGETHER. We've taken in dogs to add to the family, and faced health challenges with each of those dogs, TOGETHER. And we are still going strong. We make decisions about the house TOGETHER. We make decisions about how to help our son, TOGETHER. We spend time off, when we have it at the same time, TOGETHER. I don't really go out much with friends, and Rebecca, when she does see hers, invites them to our house most of the time. We have become a little less social at times because our jobs keep us busy, but we make up for that by spending time TOGETHER.But we have gotten mad at each other. There are times when I yelled at her. There have been times when she yelled things at me. We've both said hurtful things, but made up later. We've had those times that every couple has, where you feel like the other person should do this, or the other spouse should do that. We've gone to bed angry before (both of us sometimes; and sometimes just one of us). But we know each other so well, we can probably guess what the other one is stewing about. So when enough time has passed, somehow, some way, we've sorted it out.There have been times in the past when I thought I didn't know how to fix problems between us, and I was even ready for drastic measures. But my wife, who has called me her rock before, is the one that has been the most steady. How is that for irony? In this world today, where traditional marriage is becoming such a mundane thing because pop culture and worldly thinking tells us that anyone can marry anybody, I'd say we are doing pretty darn good. We are making an honest effort to stand against the rising tide of divorces, and throwing in the towel, and seeking satisfaction in a variety of other ways, from someone else, just because we're 'bored' with the one we've got.It's been fun, and hard, and interesting, and surprising, and unique, and even sometimes gone exactly how I saw it going - but we've done these seventeen years TOGETHER. Even a short stint of separation early in the marriage; yet we even came out of that stronger than before.If I could tell young people anything I've learned about marriage after seventeen years, it's this:Before you take that very large step; and please, take that step very, very seriously, because God does... but before you take that step, decide early on that the vows you commit to one another should always ring true in your heart. Expect rough times. Expect conflict; Lord knows the world is full of it, between the closest of friends and the closest of family. Yet you strive to persevere.Seventeen years this Sunday, we will continue the journey. And all those years ago I took that decision pretty seriously. I hope and pray I never forget to persevere. But there is nobody else with which I'd rather take this journey we call life. Here's to a whole lot more than seventeen more!I love you, Rebecca Fort!

Arrest Power of the Lord; Death Loses

Recently I've been distracted quite often by the trappings of this world. A question was posed on social media. "What is the biggest problem you face as a man?" I answered with a good long diatribe of the frustration I have with the world today, the views of the world today, and how as a man raised in traditional values, I feel like I'm becoming almost a thing of the past. I think one of the reasons this displeasure occurs to me on occasion is because the older I get in life, the more aware of death I become. And Death can be an ominous thing. And Death is such a common theme, a morbid theme, studied and read about and focused on so much in a field such as law enforcement. Just yesterday I taught another class on self-defense, and the inevitable questions come up about having to protect yourself from someone who literally might want to introduce you to Death. Nobody wants to think about their own personal encounter with death. Part of my job is actually alerting others to that very possibility!How easy it is to forget sometimes, that Death has already lost.This blog post is somewhat a confession of sorts. I realize my own fault, becoming disgruntled at so many things I can't change. But if you'll bear with me a few paragraphs, I do have some good news.One of the things that spurred my thoughts on today was a certain scene from the Marvel comic series, DareDevil. I watched as the backstory of a rising villain in the series, most likely the notorious Bullseye (I haven't watched enough episodes yet), unfolded in a flashback of the character's tragic past. The character, who in the scene is referred to by his therapist as 'Dex', has lost both his parents, and the therapist has become his mentor over the years. When Dex is a late teen, the therapist has fallen very ill, hooked up to an oxygen tank. The young Dex is worried as they sit through the session, and she goes on to explain to him that Death always wins, but you can learn to make the best of that situation. No wonder the kid was doomed to become a villain in the story, right? I realized right there, the world constantly tries to teach us that message. Think about the hard lessons taught by the world: Survival of the fittest (so only the strongest survive); You Only Live Once (so enjoy life while it lasts); Do what feels good while you can... you get the idea. There just seems to be this push to just accept Death, and that we all eventually lose.And then I heard my pastor's message this morning, about the changing moment in the history of everything - the resurrection of Jesus! The point was hammered home in a particular song, whose lyrics along with the music crescendo to that moment in history: "When Death was arrested and my life began"!How's that for opportune words for this disgruntled soul? A police officer, letting the World get the best of him with all its distractions and darkness, magnified by the fact that physical life is getting shorter... and I forgot all about how the moment Jesus rose again, He basically took control of Death - ARRESTED it, forever! How awesome is that? I wish you could've been in my head when I heard these words to music, especially after the pastor's message grabbed a hold of my shoulders and shook some sense back into me. The revelation of the words themselves ARRESTED ME! When someone is arrested, they are seized. Control is placed upon them, and although they can resist, and fight, or flee, and even kill... it is inevitable; their freedom will be taken away.When Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated it... and He set the rest of God's plan in motion for the rest of history. Death was arrested; it lost its freedom to enslave all of us because of the free will God gave all future generations. The only will you need to is to accept Jesus' victory and God's love - and that's all He wrote (literally written down to last throughout history), and death is but a mere stumbling block for you and for me. Your new life begins the moment you have the will to choose the Heavenly Father who gave Jesus for us all... all who believe.If you don't believe the words of Jesus, I challenge you to find out more. Again, Death can be a scary topic; especially if it seems like it's been knocking on too many doors close to yours lately - or perhaps even your own. But I decided a few years ago that one way I can reach the world for Christ is to reveal His light in the darkness around us, through writing. That light is in His word, in the Holy Bible. Read it, I dare you.The darkness is all around us for sure. Death definitely still has its sting for those that don't believe. What if, just WHAT IF, the words of The Holy Bible are true - and in that one moment in that tomb, Jesus came back and rolled the stone away. I can just envision the image of the grim reaper, and Jesus rolling the stone right over him. Ha! Okay, so maybe it's not quite like that, but I think you get the imagery.So what do you think? What do you believe? Do you believe in the arrest powers of God? I know I do... here's to hoping I keep remembering :)

Divided THEY Conquer?

Just who is trying to conquer us, anyway? And who is 'US'?Who are THEY for that matter?Can we choose to be neutral? Or do you have to pick a side?How does one know?When I refer to 'they' or 'them' in this post, I am referring to those who wish to control things from a position of power. And I also am referring to those whom I believe are either complicit in such seizure to power, or those who are misguided by the ego, thinking they have some self-righteous cause in mind because they know what is best because of their own inclination, guided by their ego - not any kind of higher power to which they prescribe. And one particular person or entity is the ultimate example of 'THEY'; Satan, the ultimate jealous one.And that's just it, isn't it? We can go ahead and draw lines between who 'they' are, and the rest of us, just by following this line of reasoning: that there are people who claim to know what's best for us because their ego tells them they're right, seeing as that they do not look elsewhere for anything higher than themselves for control...And there are people such as myself, and many people like me, who answer to a higher authority, through faith. That higher authority is an Almighty Creator God, who also gave us His instructions through divinely inspired word to other men and women down through history, and He is who decides what is best...not us.And let's go ahead and define 'us' in the broad sense for this post while I'm at it:Us = HumanitySo do we get to pick a side? Technically speaking, you are a member of one side or the other whether you want to be or not. There isn't an in-between, where I believe in God sometimes, but not today...and there isn't really a fuzzy belief in there not being a God. You either believe, or you don't. Now, there are those who are more vocal about one side or the other, and there are various interpretations from there. And whichever belief you prescribe to - let's face it... you're either going to be proven correct one day - or proven wrong. So while one can choose not to vocalize, and try to remain on the fringe, outside looking in at the argument, but either not wanting to make waves because they're afraid to offend someone or lose a friend; or perhaps they wish to remain neutral because they think showing indifference never got anyone hurt. Well I will let you figure that one out for yourself, but see the previous line about eventually discovering who's right or who's wrong one of these days.Why would I suggest that 'they' are trying to conquer 'us' anyway?Let's break that down.I don't care who you vote for, or who you believe in or not....it is perfectly clear that there are forces around the world that want the citizenry to all move along in one accord; that in order to have peace, there must be one way of thinking to be accepted, and everyone needs to march to that tune. There are governments around the world that want to FORCE what they think is best upon many people who are not in accord. This is true in America; this is true in Europe; this is obviously true in China; this is true in religions. Interpret that as you will, but one cannot deny that this is going on.So what do you want to go along with? Do you want to give in to the urge to just go along to get along? Is that what's going to keep you safe? Just about everything except the religions by 'people of the book' (as described in the Quran) , leaves morality up for grabs; define your own truth. And then we get to those religions, and only one of them acknowledges that there is no way humanity could ever meet the perfect standards that our higher authority has set. But I digress for the moment. Can you at least admit to yourself that there is a general worldly pull... by governments... by celebrities... by global initiatives... to tell us what is best for us?Now if you have a problem with me insisting that God the Father is the one and only ONE who gets to determine the fate of humanity, you need not read any further. But if you can tolerate me stating that for a moment, then please read on. But I've said this before, and I'll say it again. In order for the entire world to march to the same drum, we're talking about at least half of the billions of people - being FORCED to do so. So who gets to decide who is forced to do what? You? Me?If you ask me, and again, it is implied that my opinion counts just enough for you to read the post :) , the only fair way to decide which direction everyone marches is if there is a true higher authority to do so. Kind of like when the father speaks up and makes a family decision, for the safety of the family. Sure, there may be disagreement, but if Father happens to be a Navy SEAL, the family will end up going with his decision if they know what's good for them. If they don't listen to the guy who has trained to know what's best when it comes to danger, then they probably won't survive the danger.Apply that to God. If you are one of 'us' who believe God is who He says He is, then when He returns like He said He would, we better all go along in His direction (because it's obvious He knows best), or suffer consequences. That's the only way this all works out in the end. No, you don't have to get involved in political debates. No - you don't have to announce your undying fealty to some political cause. But in the great big scheme of the world, when it is all said and done, you're going to have to pick a side.Do you want to leave the fate of the world in global elites who get to decide what is best for you and me because THEY say it is? Or do you want to trust the creator of the universe?That's pretty much what it boils down to.