Conservative Thinker

Many years ago there was a shy little boy who was struggling to find his way in the world. He was a tall skinny boy who wasn't one of the popular kids in school. As kids are known to do, this boy was teased and picked on all throughout his formative years. With cries of toothpick and stick among the nicknames he heard often, this boy often wondered why he was made to endure this kind of teasing. Where could he find solace and refuge? His solace and refuge became a big rock underneath an old oak tree in a field across from where he lived. On a beautiful day during the school year you would find him on that rock having a long chat with God. They would chat, or should I say, the little boy would chat and God would listen. The boy would ask why God made him this way and what his purpose was in this world. That boy never received any audible answers but he felt the presence of God as he talked and cast his cares and worries upon that rock. That boy was reminded of a verse in the bo...

Jay Leno had a segment on The Tonight Show several years ago when he was the host. The segment was called "Jaywalking" and he would ask everyday Americans some basic questions and the responses were rather astounding at times. It made for a fun comedy bit and also a reality check on how our republic had slipped to new lows in common sense and intelligence on numerous topics. One wonders if you asked everyday Americans about that first Christmas what kind of replies you would receive. My guess is it would be highly entertaining and enlightening no doubt. A recent Pew Research Center poll found 46% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious (rather than cultural) holiday.  That is down from 51% just four years ago. Even more interesting, 56% of American adults say religious aspects of Christmas are emphasized less in American society today than in the past, though relatively few are bothered by this trend. Just for a refresher, Santa Claus wasn'...

One would be hard pressed to find a time in our brief history of existence where our republic was in greater danger of being destroyed. Yes, you could definitely argue that during the Civil War era our country was close to coming apart at the seams. That is a fair argument and the only one that can be cited and compared to our current precarious situation in which we sit. In a strange way, we are in a new civil war. An ideological civil war pitting self-government and self-reliance against the tyranny of a massive out-of-control central government. The American people have become slaves to the federal government. They have grown more and more dependent on the government taking care of them from the cradle to the grave. But this isn't what our founding fathers fought so hard to build. They fought to escape the chains of tyranny and oppression and establish a republic built on everyone having a right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness in whichever way they saw fit. Unfortuna...

Thanksgiving is filled with amazing aromas that trigger memories of days gone by. Remembering those childhood days at my grandparents and the sights and sounds of a bustling kitchen. The smell of the turkey roasting in the oven as it mixes with the smells of the cranberries, mashed potatoes, carrots, fruit salad, and pumpkin pie. The sound of laughter and banter from aunts and uncles, parents, grandparents, and cousins. Thanksgiving Day is truly a uniquely American holiday that combines food and drink with family and friends. We all get lost in the smells, sights, and sounds of the day but most of us fail to grasp the real essence of Thanksgiving. Well beyond the tastes of food and the football games there lies a core centerpiece to Thanksgiving. That centerpiece is celebrating the fruits of your labor for the year past and giving thanks to God for all of the rich blessings that have been bestowed on us. The core values of hard work and self-determination make the bountiful har...