Well, hello there, my it's been a long, long time...

 T-SHIRT CONTEST... name the song and songwriter referenced in the post title and win a TOTP t-shirt.  Genice, I haven't forgotten you.  Your shirt from the last contest should be delivered in 4-6 months.

Once in a while amateur bloggers like myself  go for a long stretch with no posts.  Sometimes I feel like an explanation is warranted, other times not.
Here's a short one.  May sound strange, but I've not posted here in a couple of months mostly because I've had a lot to say.  Trouble was, lots of other folks had a lot to say and I didn't feel compelled to contribute to the noise. 
 
My last post was just prior to the election.  I did my best to  refrain from sharing political opinions on TOTP this year, at least I think I did, but the polls are long since closed so I thought I'd share a few thoughts now.  Not just all about politics, but here are a few snippets of what's been on my mind.  Thoughts that could have become whole posts, but didn't.  Remember, I take requests, so if there's something you'd like to see a full post on, let me know.
-------------------------------------------------------------
If you say things like "We need to get prayer back into schools!" when discussing politics, but are not praying in your home.  Repent.

If you complain about the national debt, fiscal responsibility, and the nanny state, but do not have your own finances in order and are not giving to help the poor, orphans, and widows.  Repent.

If you think that a POTUS can create jobs, then you are mistaken.

If you think that millionaires should be taxed more and pay their "fair share", would you please define millionaire?  Is it someone who makes a million dollars a year, or someone who took care of their money over a lifetime of hard work and good stewardship and now has assets of over $1 million?

I've been called a "one of those rich one-percenters" by a co-worker of mine whose household income is twice mine.  He says he's not one because he has trouble keeping up with his payments and votes for democrats. (He's from California)    

There are Christians in China even though it has never been a "Christian" nation.  You can still be a disciple of Jesus even if you think the USA doomed from hell to breakfast.  Ain't it so, Granny Rose?

Are we the first culture in history whose poor folks are fat and rich folks are skinny?

I don't believe that banning guns or posting armed guards at schools are answers to a problem.  I think "the problem" is not really a problem, but a symptom of the degradation of our society.  It's a forest and trees thing.

I'm proud to be a Texican. 

I'm really enjoying being married to my wife and the life we have together.  I find myself being more thankful for her and the fact that "she loves me in spite of my ways that she don't understand."

I don't have a problem with people being ignorant of current events and politics because of disinterest or lack of television watching.  I'm perturbed that so many in our society (from all political persuasions) are getting their "news" from facebook, Comedy Central, and email forwards and believing themselves to be well informed.

I shared with my wife recently that this Christmas season just seemed to be sad and without hope for many around us and for our world at large.  But isn't Christmas all about "the thrill of hope" and a chance and reminder for the weary world to rejoice?  So let us put our hope in Christ and as St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians...."Do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

I'll leave you with my one of my favorite songs of the year...