Please don’t wish me a “Happy Memorial Day!” It’s not a time for gaiety, for parties (although I know America has been conditioned to do just that). It’s a day for remembering those who have given their lives, paid the ultimate price, in order that those of us who are still around might enjoy the freedom of living in this great country.

Save your “Thank you for your service” for Veteran’s day, or any other day, really.

Today, give thanks to those who are no longer around to hear the words. Give thanks for those who gave up the rest of their lives so you could enjoy the rest of yours.

It’s a day of remembrance, so please treat it with the respect it deserves.

I have a friend named Fred. His daughter is married to a fine upstanding young man who happens to be a Sheriff’s Deputy. She wrote this in honor of her husband:

Every morning I watch him put his vest on.

Then he places his badge on his chest.

He always checks his gun, and makes sure all is in order before he heads out the door for his tour of duty.

I silently pray that he has the presence of mind to shoot first if he needs too.

Even though I know this action may end in his name being degraded in the news and by the public.

No one considers his 2 children at home, they only think of the cracked-out delinquent whose family will claim it was an act of police brutality and excessive force.

No one considers the 48 hour man hunt he may be on in, 100 degree heat, while wearing a ballistics vest and 50 pound rig belt.

The public will criticize him, for not finding him sooner.

No one knows that he watches his children sleep, thinking of the 18 month old he just preformed CPR on, or the 5 year old that died in his arms because his mother didn’t think he needed a car seat.

We don’t shop in Wal-Mart together. He knows he may see someone he arrested, and for fear of retaliation, he doesn’t want his family to be made.

He brings his gun to church, because even there, he scans the crowd, for someone who may pose a threat.

How about that day, he walked into his sons 1st grade class, to rescue a little girl from returning home to a house filled with unspeakable abuse.

He spends his paycheck at the thrift store, stocking up with stuffed animals to pass out to the neighborhood kids he encounters everyday. He spends holidays away from us, attends birthday parties in uniform.

He leaves in the middle of the night, and can’t explain the call from his Lieutenant.

He greets a sobbing family with terrible news, as he vows to find the perpetrator.

He keeps his Bible on the front seat. He knows he needs it.

So before you criticize him for laughing at a crime scene, just remember he has to find a way to block it all out. He wears his badge with pride and honor. He serves the greater good, knowing you will never understand the sacrifices he has made.

He would willing lay down his own life to save yours.

It’s Police Week!

Honor our officers.

Chat ya later…

Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!

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Can I prove it? Sadly, not thinking about the implications, I failed to order a documentary crew to follow me around.

Can I tell you about it?

Yesterday was Mom #2’s service. I was asked to be a pall bearer. As I walked into the chapel for the viewing, concentrating on what Mom’s daughter was telling me, I realized that I could make out her words as through a curtain of syrup.

Praise God!

I would like to think that Mom had something to do with that. She was a true prayer warrior and a woman of God.

Thank you, Mom.

Now, almost 24 hours later, I am starting to hear more clearly. I can catch details. I hear birds chirping out the back door. I can hear the dogs snoring in the next room.

Last night, it was to the point where I could hear as through a thick curtain, no syrup.

Last night I could hear my little girl’s voice again.

There is still a background of (BZ! DON’T READ THIS PART!) “white” noise, that “skshshshshs” that’s been going on since it started, but it’s not overwhelming everything else into submission.

I don’t care.

I can hear.

Chat ya later…

I’ve ‘heard’ that the one thing people around me miss while I am going through my lack of hearing is my sense of humor. I miss it too. The problem is, my sense of humor keys off of audio cues – I riff on what other people are saying. Since I can’t hear all the little things that are “riffable” I can’t crack wise. Or smart.

Yes, I can kind of make out what you are saying – if you are looking at me, and I am concentrating on what your lips are saying along with the context clues of your facial features and body language. That concentration is not allowing my mind to wander down the side paths that are where my humor hides; this means there are many gems that won’t see the light of day until I can hear again.

I have been asked if I am going to learn ASL. I am sure that ASL would be a good thing to know. I will probably learn it, yes, but not as my primary means of communication. You see, I believe that God is going to heal me – or He will allow the Doctors to figure out which technology will be best for me. Either way, I know that I am going to hear again. I don’t know when, and I will work on ASL while I am waiting, but ASL is not the answer if my position as a manager of a retail store remains. Not all customers can ‘speak’ ASL, and if one of them is asking me a question form around the corner, and I just walk away …

Today’s testing is complete. The technician mapped my nerves. It was very relaxing; in fact, I’m pretty sure I took a little nap while in the chair. Results will be discussed with the inner ear specialist on the 18th.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I am looking forward to it. I will keep you posted.

Chat ya later…

Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!

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The following words are keyed to attract the attention of the DHS and the NSA – including the new “Spy Center” in Bluffdale, UT: Terrorism Al Qaeda (all spellings) Terror Attack Iraq Afghanistan Iran Pakistan Agro Environmental terrorist Eco terrorism Conventional weapon Target Weapons grade Dirty bomb Enriched Nuclear Chemical weapon Biological weapon Ammonium nitrate Improvised explosive device IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Abu Sayyaf Hamas FARC (Armed Revolutionary Forces Colombia) IRA (Irish Republican Army) ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna) Basque Separatists Hezbollah Tamil Tigers PLF (Palestine Liberation Front) PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) Car bomb Jihad Taliban Weapons cache Suicide bomber Suicide attack Suspicious substance AQAP (AL Qaeda Arabian Peninsula) AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) Yemen Pirates Extremism Somalia Nigeria Radicals Al-Shabaab Home grown Plot Nationalist Recruitment Fundamentalism Islamist Emergency Hurricane Tornado Twister Tsunami Earthquake Tremor Flood Storm Crest Temblor Extreme weather Forest fire Brush fire Ice Stranded/Stuck Help Hail Wildfire Tsunami Warning Center Magnitude Avalanche Typhoon Shelter-in-place Disaster Snow Blizzard Sleet Mud slide or Mudslide Erosion Power outage Brown out Warning Watch Lightening Aid Relief Closure Interstate Burst Emergency Broadcast System Cyber security Botnet DDOS (dedicated denial of service) Denial of service Malware Virus Trojan Keylogger Cyber Command 2600 Spammer Phishing Rootkit Phreaking Cain and abel Brute forcing Mysql injection Cyber attack Cyber terror Hacker China Conficker Worm Scammers Social media

This has been a gratuitous non-holiday mention, just like celebrating July Fourth in England – or Mexico.

Can you say “Any reason to get drunk and party?”

Chat ya later…

Thanks for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, and Wear Red on Fridays!

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The following words are keyed to attract the attention of the DHS and the NSA – including the new “Spy Center” in Bluffdale, UT: Terrorism Al Qaeda (all spellings) Terror Attack Iraq Afghanistan Iran Pakistan Agro Environmental terrorist Eco terrorism Conventional weapon Target Weapons grade Dirty bomb Enriched Nuclear Chemical weapon Biological weapon Ammonium nitrate Improvised explosive device IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Abu Sayyaf Hamas FARC (Armed Revolutionary Forces Colombia) IRA (Irish Republican Army) ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna) Basque Separatists Hezbollah Tamil Tigers PLF (Palestine Liberation Front) PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) Car bomb Jihad Taliban Weapons cache Suicide bomber Suicide attack Suspicious substance AQAP (AL Qaeda Arabian Peninsula) AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) Yemen Pirates Extremism Somalia Nigeria Radicals Al-Shabaab Home grown Plot Nationalist Recruitment Fundamentalism Islamist Emergency Hurricane Tornado Twister Tsunami Earthquake Tremor Flood Storm Crest Temblor Extreme weather Forest fire Brush fire Ice Stranded/Stuck Help Hail Wildfire Tsunami Warning Center Magnitude Avalanche Typhoon Shelter-in-place Disaster Snow Blizzard Sleet Mud slide or Mudslide Erosion Power outage Brown out Warning Watch Lightening Aid Relief Closure Interstate Burst Emergency Broadcast System Cyber security Botnet DDOS (dedicated denial of service) Denial of service Malware Virus Trojan Keylogger Cyber Command 2600 Spammer Phishing Rootkit Phreaking Cain and abel Brute forcing Mysql injection Cyber attack Cyber terror Hacker China Conficker Worm Scammers Social media