The Times, They Are A Changin'

[FC]

I flew to Omaha for my middle girl's graduation from high school. She's an agnostic. There was no invocation, a fight in the parking lot, a friend of hers that sounded like a girl, but is a guy, and 3 classmates not at grad because they broke into the school several times. Here at the Atlanta airport I'm sitting across from a black woman who has switched boobs twice for her baby in plain sight. Two days ago I read that Tom White, head of Voice of the Martyrs was implicated in sexual issues with a ten year old girl, and killed himself. We had a 12 year old girl, runaway, show up on our doorstep.What the heck is this, the decay of America?

[ken98k]

What the heck is this, the decay of America?

 

You're right.

If you step back and look at the big picture, I think the decay began in the 1950's and developed during the 60's, and is a full blown cancer now.

[karlunity]

Yes.

Fixing it, if it is fixed, is going to be difficult.

 

Spent 25 years in the culture wars and brothers we are losing ground.

 

karl

[FC]

I have to say that I did have a good visit with my girls. One amusing thing happened. I was in my Army dress uniform, with the jacket off. So here I am with nametag, bowtie, suspenders, and blue pants with yellow stripe. A woman, about 60 years old, in Cabella's, asked me if I'd help her son in the archery section! She thought I worked there!

[sayak]

I flew to Omaha for my middle girl's graduation from high school. She's an agnostic. There was no invocation, a fight in the parking lot, a friend of hers that sounded like a girl, but is a guy, and 3 classmates not at grad because they broke into the school several times. Here at the Atlanta airport I'm sitting across from a black woman who has switched boobs twice for her baby in plain sight. Two days ago I read that Tom White, head of Voice of the Martyrs was implicated in sexual issues with a ten year old girl, and killed himself. We had a 12 year old girl, runaway, show up on our doorstep.What the heck is this, the decay of America?

I Timothy 4:1, II Timothy 3:1-5.

 

I teach in a small Christian school (about 200 students). Every day I rub shoulders with student who love God, love their fellow man, are respectful to me and to their parents, and who take citizenship seriously. What's more, I get to teach every one of them gun safety and shooting at least once in their academic career! I tell them that they are the hope of the future...

[ken98k]

Yes.

Fixing it, if it is fixed, is going to be difficult.

 

Spent 25 years in the culture wars and brothers we are losing ground.

 

karl

 

Ther aint no fixin this. Americans are "okay with" gay soldiers, gay marriage, and soon they will be okay with sex with children.

You can do pretty much what you want as long as it doesn't affect tv sports or the beer suppply.

[sayak]

Things are indeed bad, but there is no limiting God. America has been through two "great awakenings", and there could be a third. Consider Nineveh, the wickedest nation on the face of the earth during the time of Jonah, yet they repented before God.

II Chronicles 7:14- "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.".

[FC]

The starkness of the divide between the good and bad will get more pronounced. The times of mass "niceness" and "goodness" of Americans is slipping away.

I agree with all of you.

 

Guess what? Born-Again believers like me have brain atrophy! http://www.philly.com/philly/health/132456883.html. What a stinkin' insult! Bet they won't check Muslims for brain atrophy, will they?

 

Here is what I wrote my friends and relatives about the girl. I'm going to try to talk to her dad. We are almost done with the foster parenting process.

 

We live ten minutes out of town in one of the nicer houses on the road. I heard a vehicle when I was taking care of the chickens. An old pickup came up the driveway. When I went down there was a girl, looked to be age 15 or 16 (she was 12) sitting on our porch, using our phone. She got dropped off by some guy, and wanted to use our phone. She was on it 20-30 minutes. I stuck a pistol in my pocket, just in case. I knew something wasn't right. We had no clue who she was, or why she was at our house. When she was done she told Barbara she was going down the road a couple of houses to get picked up, and off she went. Barbara called the number she had dialed. A guy answered. She asked, "Are you her dad?" "No." "Are you her boyfriend?" "No." "You aren't going to tell me who you are, are you? Is she in trouble?" "Yes." Barbara told him we don't know the girl, which surprised him. She told him she lived at our address, but she does live somewhere on our road. Barbara told him to tell her dad to call us. Barbara sent me off with the car to get her. She was a ways down the road, heading toward all the trailers and dogs that run loose. I told her she lied to Barbara. I asked if she ran away from home? She said, "Sort of." She didn't want to get in the car. I told her she should come back, that it wasn't safe, getting dark, heading down the road. She said she wanted to head to a friend's house. I told her I would call the Sheriff if she didn't. She finally got in after I told her just to talk to Barbara, then decide what to do.

 

I let her and Barbara talk a long time, then we fed her. She cried some. She had cut her arms Tuesday, and had marks from cuts in the past. She said she'd been molested a few years ago, and that her dad was really mad, got drunk a lot, mom is bipolar, and her step-mom wasn't home. She said DSS investigated when she got beaten a few months ago, and her dad told her she was going to kill him because of her trying to kill herself.

 

She goes to an Episcopal school. She called a pastor and his wife from there. They came over and talked to her and us. They said her dad called the law, and they wanted to talk to her, and figure out her options. Hard to hear her because she talks so soft. She's a pretty girl, but withdrawn. Barbara gave her our number. After she left there was a message from her dad, who was obviously drunk, and it was early evening!

 

Barbara called the pastor back. The girl is staying with him and his daughters, who are in her class. He was amazed that we didn't know her, and that we're planning on doing foster care. Anyway, bad idea for her to go back home, and bad for her 9 y/o brother too. This sure reminds me of Jesus leaving the 99 sheep to go look for the one lost sheep.

[karlunity]

The starkness of the divide between the good and bad will get more pronounced. The times of mass "niceness" and "goodness" of Americans is slipping away.

I agree with all of you.

 

Guess what? Born-Again believers like me have brain atrophy! http://www.philly.com/philly/health/132456883.html. What a stinkin' insult! Bet they won't check Muslims for brain atrophy, will they?

 

Here is what I wrote my friends and relatives about the girl. I'm going to try to talk to her dad. We are almost done with the foster parenting process.

 

We live ten minutes out of town in one of the nicer houses on the road. I heard a vehicle when I was taking care of the chickens. An old pickup came up the driveway. When I went down there was a girl, looked to be age 15 or 16 (she was 12) sitting on our porch, using our phone. She got dropped off by some guy, and wanted to use our phone. She was on it 20-30 minutes. I stuck a pistol in my pocket, just in case. I knew something wasn't right. We had no clue who she was, or why she was at our house. When she was done she told Barbara she was going down the road a couple of houses to get picked up, and off she went. Barbara called the number she had dialed. A guy answered. She asked, "Are you her dad?" "No." "Are you her boyfriend?" "No." "You aren't going to tell me who you are, are you? Is she in trouble?" "Yes." Barbara told him we don't know the girl, which surprised him. She told him she lived at our address, but she does live somewhere on our road. Barbara told him to tell her dad to call us. Barbara sent me off with the car to get her. She was a ways down the road, heading toward all the trailers and dogs that run loose. I told her she lied to Barbara. I asked if she ran away from home? She said, "Sort of." She didn't want to get in the car. I told her she should come back, that it wasn't safe, getting dark, heading down the road. She said she wanted to head to a friend's house. I told her I would call the Sheriff if she didn't. She finally got in after I told her just to talk to Barbara, then decide what to do.

 

I let her and Barbara talk a long time, then we fed her. She cried some. She had cut her arms Tuesday, and had marks from cuts in the past. She said she'd been molested a few years ago, and that her dad was really mad, got drunk a lot, mom is bipolar, and her step-mom wasn't home. She said DSS investigated when she got beaten a few months ago, and her dad told her she was going to kill him because of her trying to kill herself.

 

She goes to an Episcopal school. She called a pastor and his wife from there. They came over and talked to her and us. They said her dad called the law, and they wanted to talk to her, and figure out her options. Hard to hear her because she talks so soft. She's a pretty girl, but withdrawn. Barbara gave her our number. After she left there was a message from her dad, who was obviously drunk, and it was early evening!

 

Barbara called the pastor back. The girl is staying with him and his daughters, who are in her class. He was amazed that we didn't know her, and that we're planning on doing foster care. Anyway, bad idea for her to go back home, and bad for her 9 y/o brother too. This sure reminds me of Jesus leaving the 99 sheep to go look for the one lost sheep.

 

You are good man FC and Your wife is a lady. Before you take the child in, if you do, get a statement on record of her past troubles. I trust kids, but just the same, you would not want to be accused of something that was done before you ever came into the picture.

 

careful karl

[FC]

Can you even get such a thing on a minor?

I dropped by there to talk to the girl's dad, but he was picking up the girl. I found out they only live a quarter mile away. I talked to her ten y/o brother. Nice kid, and good communicator. He was home sick. The girl called me and said she was doing fine.

Thanks for the nice comments.

[karlunity]

Can you even get such a thing on a minor?

I dropped by there to talk to the girl's dad, but he was picking up the girl. I found out they only live a quarter mile away. I talked to her ten y/o brother. Nice kid, and good communicator. He was home sick. The girl called me and said she was doing fine.

Thanks for the nice comments.

 

"Can you even get such a thing on a minor?"

 

I would make sure that a third party, perhaps that minster, knows the whole story.

 

FC it is people like you and Barbara that restore my faith in mankind.

 

karl

[FC]

We gave up on foster parenting, thanks to the state. They have made it horribly difficult, and have been way too personal in their questions, to consider doing this. You only get about $325 per month, plus they will pay at least most of daycare. They ask more questions than your doctor, want to know everything about your relatives, inspect your home, make you change your home and decor, and promise more visits. It seems every phone call is only some sort of expectation. They refused to let us use one room that has a door exiting outside because the windows are not able to be opened to escape! They ask if you would accept a child that would do the following to you: steal, does drugs, cusses, is disrepectful, has sex, runs away, etc.! We were told that if we expect a child to say please, thank you, sir, ma'am, we should reconsider if we want to do foster care. I'm done with them!