The House Dog

I’m a dog guy. I might as well admit it because anyone who knows the least about me has found it apparent. Many different dogs have shared their lives with me and I became the primary beneficiary. Some had “papers”, some were born on the property they considered their own, some just wandered in, some caught my eye and heart in a shelter and others were a gift. No; they all were a gift.

They came in a dazzling variety of shapes, colors, hair length, tail configuration, training accomplishment, personalities, size, weight and mix of breed. Each shared a common trait with the other; the return of the absolute love I had for them. My memory of each is more clear in my mind than most of the rest of my recollections. No matter how long they graced my presence, their imprint is there to remind me of that so scarce commodity—faithfulness.

They were all alike in so many ways and yet each offered a distinct individual personality. Some were sleepers and some were doers. Some trained easily and others were incorrigible. All were beautiful in my eyes.

I didn’t know Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) and after some brief research discover that we share little other than our concern for nature and dogs. His capture of Haig and their mutual love is inescapable. Read this carefully and without a tear and I will conclude I don’t really know you or you have never enjoyed the love of a dog.

The House Dog’s Grave (for Haig, an English Bulldog)

I’ve changed my ways a little; I cannot now
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream; and you,
If you dream a moment,
You see me there.

So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you’d soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.

I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed; no,
All the nights through I lie alone.

But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read‚
And I fear often grieving for me‚
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.

You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard
To think of you ever dying.
A little dog would get tired, living so long.
I hope that when you are lying
Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.

No, dears, that’s too much hope:
You are not so well cared for as I have been.
And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided…
But to me you were true.

You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.

— Robinson Jeffers

Thank you for reading. Rubber, Kaiser, Buster, Silver, Blackie, Grambling, Maynard, Sally, Clancy, Zoram, Ashley, Gus and Maggie thank you as well.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Air Farce One—UPDATE !!

In the face of escalating prices for custom photography, roughly $350,000 for a picture of Air Force I flying by the Statue of Liberty, we couldn’t afford a reprint for you. You’ve seen it endlessly reproduced anyway. Go to your favorite site or this one which has better photo skills than ZB and look carefully at the shot.

There are three tell-tale details to look for in this official release. First, take note of the trees on the island and observe that they are all leafed out in their green finery. Second, if your shot is enlargeable, that there is no visible person in line. The visitors would be in line on the walk at harbor side waiting their turn. Third, note the beautiful sunny conditions and the shine on Miss Liberty’s face.

Let’s deal with each in order. First, the pictures taken of the fleeing mobs of terrified people in New York reveal absolutely no sign of leafing on the trees in the background on that date. Second, any prior visitor, that would be your host on several different occasions, can assure you there is always a long line patiently awaiting entry to the monument. It occupies the entire length of the pleasant walkway around the base. And third, the National Weather Service and observers that day note that it was overcast and combined with typical big city pollution and not a very good day for photography.

There are only three conclusions available: the shot is a fake, the reason for the trip was a lie and, given the obvious lack of transparency in this White House, we will likely never know the truth.

Compared to budget deficits in the trillions, $350,000 seems like chump change and not worth the bother. Here we turn back to NYC for their famous “broken window” success in bringing down their crime rate. The theory goes that if you bring down the full force of law on the most minor infractions, it will then rise through absorption up to the tort level and alert criminals to the law enforcement presence and thus it will lessen more serious crime. It works!

Sin is sin, is sin. As Christians, we fully realize the folly of separation from God at any level. When gossip is shared, is it any different from the utterances of one who screams blasphemy? Both separate us from the Almighty so it boils down to a matter of degree. We fully realize that degree is not an acceptable measure. Both are hurtful to the hearer and to our Heavenly Father. Many of us, to avoid offense to our Maker, rely upon the old stand-by; “shun the appearance of evil.” It works as well.

Almost every one with a nose has an opinion as to what the motivation might have been for this fiasco. Some say sightseeing for a load of “fat cats.” Some say just plain joy-riding. Others say a preliminary run for a repeat of 9/11. Since we have no plausible, confirmed stated purpose for this misadventure and, since the “photo-op” doesn’t fly, we are then left to our own devices and every looney-toons idea that folks can come up with.

That piece of equipment, along with its escort, is the property of people of the United States. Persons who use it should be held accountable for their stewardship of this valuable property. The money expended to operate it is also the property of the people and they are entitled to know the truth in the details of the trip. None of this belongs to any man of any party. It’s ours and we would like an answer without spin.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Monday Morning Rant 91

Missouri is as lovely as it is predictable. Our Mother’s Day storm came a day earlier this year but no less damaging. Early Friday morning we were treated to winds reaching eighty plus miles per hour, hail, and a gully washer of a rain. The house, deck and cars were covered with leaves, seeds, and other trash, plus, one eighty foot oak totally upended at the edge of the woods. The yard was full of torn off limbs with some major units blocking the lane to the main road..

The clean up lasted until evening Saturday. At that point I was too tired to go with Jan and help the guys at Fellowship Baptist serve the ladies their well-deserved Mother’s Day dinner. On the way to church this Sunday morning, we saw hunks and chunks of roofs, sheds, trees, and other unsecured items strewn over the country side. So far, we have no reported casualties of folks or whole buildings.

Lee Parsons was at his usual best and preached to the importance God placed on man having a companion; hence, mothers. We closed with the blessing of a brand new baby. The child, born premature several weeks ago, was surrounded by an obviously adoring family. In this age of constant turmoil it’s nice to see things as they should be. Thank you God!

Catholics!

Over the years I have had many close Catholic friends of varying levels of commitment to their faith. In fairness, many of my protestant friends have revealed a varying understanding as well. In the final analysis I had come to the conclusion that the Catholics had a firmer grip on their devotion to their principles. The situation at the upcoming Notre Dame graduation has shaken that belief to the core.

In a current Rasmussen Poll, only 52% of Catholics firmly rejected the proposition that Obama should address the graduates and receive an honorary degree. I cite Rasmussen because I believe them to be the least prejudiced of all polling agencies. Thus 48% are in disagreement with 62 of their Bishops who are on record as being opposed. I have seen no comment so far from the Vatican.

The crux of the matter is plainly the president’s track record (the worst in politics both state and federal) regarding the wanton murder of the unborn. Even to the issue of late term abortion, he has clearly stated and taken action to enable that heinous activity. In my experience, one would not even bring up the subject with a Catholic friend because any discussion would be fruitless and offensive to them.

In further polling it was revealed that evangelical Christians take an even stronger stance in defense of the unborn than Catholics. Who would have ever thought they would see that day? In the early fifties, when we moved briefly to heavily Catholic Massachusetts, one could not even buy birth control devices in drug stores. Apparently, in much of the flock, political expediency has replaced the tenets of the faith. Oh well, I guess for some nine commandments are better than none. But not in God's eyes

Air Farce One

Apparently, the photos which were the stated cause of terrifying thousands of New Yorkers recently, will be back from Walgreen’s photo finishers shortly. I’m not certain if you can get the ever popular wallet size or not. At the least you should be able to get a coffee cup or a tee-shirt with the shot printed on it. My understanding is that it would take another week for processing.

This brings us to wonder how much room there is left under the “bus.” The guy who was in charge of the operation has graciously resigned and accepted full responsibility. However, the guy who recruited him still has his job. Sorting through the detritus which is the talent pool of the liberal ranks, it is understandably difficult to find people of talent who have paid their taxes (on time), haven’t been lobbyists, or don’t have sexual scandals clouding their records. Even being the king can have its problems.

A Seventy-five year old Cartoon

Once you have switched media several times, it is nearly impossible to maintain the original integrity of a document. In this case, there is sufficient detail left for you to get the idea. Although published in ’34 or ’35 it captures today’s financial situation with extreme accuracy. “They” say there’s nothing new under the sun. In this case, we could simply change some, but not all, the names and come up with the appropriate message.

We have fought with spirits of the internet all morning and have been unable to get the cartoon to post. Please, please click here and take a look at it. It is part of an editorial by Thomas Mitchell of the Review-Journal in Las Vegas.

For clarification we find the labels on the cart reveal the presence of “Ickes” in the middle. Harold L. Ickes was the longest serving Secretary of Interior (1933-1946) who served as the primary implementer of the “new deal” under Roosevelt. He was a machine politician from Chicago (law degree from Univ. of Chicago,) active in social programs and conflicted over party affiliation. Ickes was also an original founding delegate to the United Nations.

The guy in the middle with the shovel is Henry A. Wallace, then Secretary of Agriculture, subsequent Secretary of Commerce and Roosevelt’s vice president until 1944. Another example of party confliction, he started as a Republican, then went Democrat and finally returned to the fold when it was revealed he had been duped by the Soviets on an early trip to visit that paradise known as Siberia.. In his run as an Independent in the 1948 elections, he was endorsed by the Communist Party, USA and never saw fit to reject the endorsement. To his credit, his dedication to agriculture was always “hands on” and his major lasting accomplishments all center on that discipline. His ground breaking efforts in development of hybrid seed were manifest in Pioneer, a company which eventually was acquired by DuPont for over $10 billion.

I have a measure of confusion about the person depicted on the right side of the wagon. The other two are reasonable depictions of the men that are identified. I have difficulty matching the drawing of this man with the label which appears to be “Lindberg.” There was no cabinet grade or court figure consistent with the name at that time. The obvious would be the famous trans-Atlantic flyer who would have been much younger at the time and spelled his name differently.

The message remains, complete with the donkey drawn cart, and captures 2009 as well as 1934. It deserves a careful look. I find its prescience scary!

And finally

Everything is growing like weeds—including the weeds. Jan has been mulching day lilies and the forest has completely leafed. We have returned to that condition which disallows the penetration of any lights either near or far which we find so comforting. Fortunately, the birds are colorful enough they are still highly visible. Blue, yellow, red, brown, black and a touch of orange complete the feathery palette.

Watching this seasonal change unfold before one’s eyes is indeed a miracle. If ever a couple were blessed, it has to be us.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Lest We Forget

Today is the day we celebrate VE Day. For those of you under 70 or historically disadvantaged, it marks the 64th anniversary of the end of hostilities in Europe. Actually, it was at 5:30 pm on May 7, 1945 that the surrender was accepted but since Americans didn’t get the word until the following day, we use the 8th.

Please notice that I avoid the use of the word “celebrate” in the above paragraph. Was there joy, relief, and finality in the announcement? Yes! But, when one has lost so much to obtain victory it is a bitter sweet outcome. The endless numbers of lives, casualties, both military and civilian, property damage, loss of treasure and perpetual worry over loved ones directly involved are not offset by a signature on a surrender document.

One reason the joy was muted was because it represented only half of the complete end of hostilities. We were still embroiled in a continuing struggle with Imperial Japan which was not to end for an additional three months. When it did arrive, the celebration was noisy, raucous, and in full force. Until then the job, albeit an important one, was only half done.

Those of us who still choke up at the singing of the National Anthem, tear at the sight of “Old Glory” flapping in the wind and have been witness to evil beyond comprehension, hold no shame in the love of this republic and an omnipotent loving God. If this describes you, either through history or experience, please join me this day in a moment of remembrance for those who did not survive to share the joy of this anniversary.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

National Day of Prayer

The day came and went without a ceremony at the White House and with a belated proclamation announcing the event. I suppose that when your narcissism has elevated to the level apparent in “the one,” it becomes easier to ignore God.

Although the acknowledgement of prayer as a necessary element of government has had some loose identity over the country’s history it has been generally recognized by our leadership. Early in the Reagan administration, the day was formalized to the first Thursday in May. Many citizens join the leadership to thank Almighty God for the blessings He has given and to ask for His guidance and wisdom in our further affairs. It presents an opportunity for each and every person to recognize their personal higher power.

For further wisdom on the matter I turned to Dr. Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries. As usual, he rose to the occasion and had the following on his website:

“PRAYING FOR THE PRESIDENT AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY

1 Timothy 2:1-2, the apostle Paul says, “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

Most of us realize that we should be interceding for our country’s leaders. But sometimes we have difficulty knowing what to ask. Below are a few suggestions.

Pray that our elected officials would:

1. Recognize their personal sinfulness and need for the cleansing power of Jesus Christ.

2. Understand their inadequacy for the task before them and their need to pray for God’s wisdom, knowledge and courage.

3. Reject all counsel that violates the spiritual principles of God’s Word and be willing to trust God to lead them in the right direction.

4. Resist the pressures of those who would lead them astray or tempt them to disobey the Lord and His will for their lives.

5. Work to reverse the trend towards ungodliness in our land and to restore America’s Christ-centered values.

6. Be prepared to make godly choices in the best interest of America, regardless of the cost.

7. Rely on the Word of God and prayer for strength and success.

8. Maintain dignity, honor, trustworthiness, and righteousness in office.

9. Strive to be a godly example to the men, women, and children of this land.

10. Remember that while in office, they are accountable to God for their attitudes, actions, and motives.

If God’s people pray consistently and passionately for those in authority, the entire nation will be affected. “The effective prayer of a righteous man [or woman] can accomplish much” (James 5:16).

Dr. Charles Stanley”

Thank you, Dr. Stanley.

I am absolutely convinced that God, and God alone can provide that which is missing from our administration. We needed a National Day of Prayer to get in touch with our Creator and ask for His assistance. He has counseled us repeatedly to seek Him and share our concerns about everything.

If we our minds and hearts are clouded by personal feelings and differences with our president I would suggest it would have a negative affect on our prayers. We need to impart that our concerns are “for” the nation and its people and not just limited to criticism of our leadership.

In this current situation, it would be appropriate to make every day a national day of prayer.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Testimony 9

As a reminder, these have been accumulated over many decades and are a sharing of one man’s experience with his God. If you feel led to comment; ask for further information, or visit with Hartley, he may be reached at onemaxim70@aol.com

“Over the last fifty years I have accumulated over three hours of testimony, one on one, with the Holy Spirit.

Testifying sometimes produces surprising results in those who hear; resentment, sometimes anger and jealousy. People who are wise in their social relations sometimes think ‘he does not get it.’ There are certain things that are better left unsaid. Timing is everything.

I do get it. I have spent over fifty years being instructed. I have been told point blank. It has happened so many times I have the procedure memorized.

1. ‘It's not what you said, it is the way you said it.’

2. ‘You have just insulted us.’

3. ‘You have insulted me, my family, my forefathers, all my aunts, uncles and cousins who live in all the cities and towns around the Center Place.’

4. ‘If God does not like us the way we are, He cannot have us.’

5. ‘If you do not tell us what we want to hear, you will not get anywhere with us.’

6. ‘You are accusing us, you are judgmental.’

7. ‘I hate you; I hate you, now I will have to repent.’ As that lady spoke to me the Holy Spirit said, “Within three days this lady will have changed things in her mind. She will find no reason to repent.” Three days later, after the Wed. prayer meeting, this lady came over to me triumphant, saying ‘I do not have to repent after all.’ I asked how she came to this conclusion. She replied “the Scriptures do not mean what they say.”

After 18 years being absent from the congregation of the Lords people, the one singular thing that makes me Love God; makes me ignore the chastising of the Lords people, strengthens me to press on is the testimony he gave me and my family is the Book of Mormon.

One early morning, I had just read the last ten pages of the BOM, the Holy Spirit was present, and I was rejoicing in the things I had read in that wonderful book. As I laid it down the cover opened and I noticed for the first time a blue tag which read, if my memory is correct, “if any man desires to know the truth of this book let him ask of God and it will be revealed by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Sitting there, I idly thought I wonder how God would do that. What would He show some one who had never heard of the BOM or even resented it, but asked?

The Spirit then suddenly poured out on me. My youngest daughter eight years of age, came skipping into the room looking up from her feet she saw me. She stopped.

She lifted her arms above her head, rolled back on her heals, her eyes wide with astonishment, ran out of the room backwards crying “Come quick, come quick! Daddy’s on fire, Daddy’s on fire!”

I looked up as three girls 8, 10.and 12 were peeking around the corner at me. I said “Come here I want to tell you what God is showing me.” My oldest daughter stood up and backed away saying, “I am not coming anywhere near you.”

The Lord then told me this was the power He had put upon Nephi when Nephi’s brothers were going to kill him. After I heard that, the power on me seemed to leave. With that my oldest daughter rushed in and touched my forehead with one finger. Something shocked her and she staggered back quite a distance with tears running down her cheeks and said,” Daddy, does that hurt?”

Suddenly three girls jumped on my lap and with one voice said, “Daddy, we want to get baptized.” After eighteen years of negligence on my part, those girls, to my knowledge, had never been inside a church. I did not know they even knew what Baptism meant. I was astonished! In that one moment the Lord had wiped out eighteen years of my dissatisfaction, and in the presence of His spirit, testified to my three daughters and myself, and undone my years of ignorance.

If there was ever any one thing in my life that turned my heart to love God, it is that one incident above all else.

Elder Hartley Stanbridge”

Thank you Hartley. We are happy to share his testimonies of singular events that have shaped his life.


In His abiding love,


Cecil Moon

Cleaning up the Reference File

About three days ago, someone who doesn’t know me as well as he thinks, remarked: “Boy Cec, you are really well organized.” I have finally stopped laughing. This individual has never seen my desk, my garage (shop?), my closet, or my life.

In a rare offering to the gods of organization, I do keep a file entitled “ZB ideas” in my “favorites” file on the computer. It is a collection of miscellany which gradually piles up like dirty laundry in the utility room. When it reaches critical mass I bring it all together in a mish-mash and post it. Largely, it’s stuff I found interesting but not to the extent it deserved the full attention of an individual post. For example:

CLEVELAND

One of the joys (pains) of driving for Greyhound on line service was the opportunity to keep up on the cities of America and Canada both large and small. On the extra board, one never knew where the next assignment would wind up. In the Central Division, a frequent turn-around was Cleveland. It joined Detroit, Minneapolis, St Louis, Indianapolis, and Omaha as legal (log books you know) miles from Chicago.

The main terminal in each was located in the city center. They all had a garage and a dormitory for drivers a few blocks removed on the edge of the metro center. For an overnight, the driver trudged the few blocks and had the opportunity to see the city at street level. Some were better than others—and safer.

Here is a cute little slap-dash video which extols the virtues of Cleveland. It’s short and you will enjoy this intimate glance at another in a list of Great Lakes cities.

Dancing to the Socialists

This one has been in the file for a few days and will delight you.

Who knows, you might actually get some good work-out tips from this offering. Nancy Pelosi is reasonably trim for a woman her age and in this rare case offers a good example.

For Gun Control

Here is a man with a genuine vested interest in gun control. From his perspective, his arguments are quite persuasive. Since Zion Beckons readers are always eager to understand a variety of positions on major issues I submit this video in the interest of fairness.

Now, don’t you feel better knowing that you have helped me clean up an otherwise cluttered file? I can now face my friend without giggling behind my sleeve over his accusation of my superior organizational skills.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty more junk where that came from.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon