Long Time No Blog

I have not blogged in some time, and for a couple of reasons.  One reason is that I and my lovely bride have spent many hours with our children in the evening while their parents are working (Child B and B1 -son-in-law - have their own business that operates in the afternoon and late evenings).  We are so blessed to have these two lovely grandchildren and especially blessed to care for them, and I would rather sacrifice my time at blogging to enjoy the presence of these two little angels.  

The second reason I have not been attentive to blogging is that I have been so upset with the way things have gone in this nation since the "pandemic" broke out that I felt I might post something more emotional than factual, or at least more emotional than it needed to be, so I just left off the blogging for awhile.  I had nothing positive to add for quite awhile, and there was more than enough negative to go around, so I just held my peace.

I should be honest and amend this last statement: I did not post my negative or reactionary comments in facebook; I found another forum more suited to that and monitored by fewer people.  Not that I cared who monitored, but that I did not want to upset any of my friends on facebook.

I and my lovely bride are on vacation, and I once again intend to chronicle our adventures, but not in this post.  There is something more somber that I felt moved to write about.  One of my dear friends lost her husband so unexpectedly just a few days ago.  I have no idea what that feels like, how the heart breaks in that situation, and I don't want to find out anytime soon.  We have all lost relatives if we are over a few days old, but when a life-long partner, a beloved heart, is lost, that has to be one of the worst pains the one left behind must ever have to bear.  So many others from my old home town have lost their loved ones recently, and even my own family have been touched with this pain, twice just days apart. 

So it was that before I could truly begin blogging about more mundane things, I have to let this feeling out of my heart.  There are some that are hurting right now, that if I could, I would gladly take the place of the lost one, so that these could be reunited and not have to feel this pain just now, but that is not possible.  All I know for sure is that the Good Shepherd is both compassionate enough to embrace those who are called home, and to put His loving arms of comfort around those who are left behind, to warm their wounded hearts through the coldness of the loss and loneliness they feel now, and will feel for some time to come.  The Good Shepherd also has provided for loved ones to be reunited in Heaven, and that is one Hope on which we who are His children can surely rely.  

Speaking of that Hope that the Good Shepherd has assured is ours, I have to remind myself that this world is not really my home...as one person wrote...I am just a passin' through.  Yes, I am worried about the direction the United States, that is many people in the United States, have taken, and such direction even encouraged and furthered by our supposed "leaders."  Quite honestly, I have even wondered how much longer these United States will remain so.  But once again, THIS world IS NOT my home.  Jesus and His deciples lived in the times of one of the worst tyrannies ever seen, yet the Church survived and thrived, and saw to the collapse of that particular evil empire.  Remember the Hope I just mentioned?  That Hope, that I am a Child of God, therefore a citizen of Heaven, far overcomes any fear I may have about the future of this nation in which we live.  God may straighten us out and leave us intact as a nation, or He may take some other course.  Either way, those who are truly citizens of Heaven have nothing to truly fear.  Because either way, God is in control.

This post may sound a little "religious" to some, but be that the case nor not, I urge each of you who have citizenship where it truly counts to do your part on this earth to spread the Good, but also trust in the Good Shepherd, no matter what may come to pass here.  If you are hurting, let the Good Shepherd embrace you, and lay your burdens, your worries, and your cares on Him.

Before I close, I would like to hold up the law officers of Texas who have lost their lives in the line of duty since January 1, 2020:

JANUARY

Officer Nicholas Reyna, Lubbock PD - accidentally struck by passing motorist

Officer Alan McCollum, Corpus Christi PD - vehicular assault

FEBRUARY

Deputy Richard Whitten, Liberty County Sheriff's Office -gunfire

MARCH

Senior Deputy Scott Kporzilius, Travis County Sheriff's Office - traffic accident

Corrections Officer IV Amanda De Leon - traffic accident

Sheriff Kirk A. Coker, Sheriff of Hutchinson County - heart attack while on duty

APRIL

Corrections Officer IV Kevin Wilcher - Covid 19

Officer Justin Putnam, San Marcos PD - gunfire

Corrections Officer V Jonathan Goodman - Covid 19

TDCJ Chaplain Akbar Shabazz - Covid 19

Corrections Officer Coy Cuffman - Covid 19

Deputy John Rhoden, Bell County Sheriff's Office - accidentally struck by motorist

Corrections Officer V James Coleman - Covid 19

Deputy (Detention) Timothy De La Fuente - Covid 19

MAY

Officer Jason Knox, Houston PD - helicopter crash

Deputy Sergeant Raymond Scholwinski, Harris County Sheriff's Office - Covid 19

Corrections Officer V Jessie Bolton - Covid 19

Corrections Officer V Maria Mendez - Covid 19

Chief Marvin Trejo, Dumas PD - Covid 19

Deputy Constable Caleb Rule, Fort Bend County - accidental shooting

JUNE

Corrections Officer V Thomas Ogungbire - Covid 19

Deputy Sergeant Dale Multer, Travis County Constable's Office - Covid 19

JULY

Texas Parole Officer IV Joseph Lange - Covid 19

Corrections Officer Kenneth Harbin - Covid 19

Lieutenant Bobby Almeger, Corpus Christi Airport PD - Covid 19

US Border Patrol Agent Enriquez Rositas - Covid 19

Officer Ismael Chavez, McAllen PD - gunfire

Officer Edelmiro Garza, McAllen PD - gunfire

US Department of Home Security Agent Roel De La Fuente - Covid 19

Director N. Kyle Coleman, Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office - Covid 19

Corrections Officer V Jerry Esparza - Covid 19

Corrections Officer IV Jackson Pongay - Covid 19

Investigator Mark Brown, Harris County Constable's Office - Covid 19

US Border Patrol Agent Austin Aguilar - Covid 19

Corrections Officer IV Ruben Martinez - Covid 19

Corrections Officer V Eric Johnson - Covid 19

May the Good Shepherd comfort those left behind by the loss of these men and women who served the Texas public, doing jobs that many people would not want to do, but without which this society could not function.  

As for me, yes...long time, no blog...but it is time to start again.  Tomorrow, the Vacation Chronicles begin!