Should oceans break and mountains fall, and clouds go to the ground.
I'd hurry to the little stall, where Christ is sleeping sound.
Should waters rise above the trees, and flying eagles fall.
I'd find some place to lift my eyes, and be in awe.
Should rivers dry and glaciers thaw, and stars come tumbling down.
I'd hurry to the stable straw, see glory all around.
Should my own heart have need of love, when fear is in its place.
I'd seek you Christ, and kneel inside your gentle Christmas grace.
from "Prophets & Angels
An Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols"
Herbert F. Brokering
Aaron David Miller
Augsburg Fortress - Publisher
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
"Billions & Billions"
It's time for some perspective...
A. 1 billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. 1 billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. 1 billion hours ago our ancestors were enjoying the Stone Age.
D. 1 billion days ago nobody walked on the earth on two feet.
E. 1 billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. If you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
would receive $516,528.00
B. If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home would be eligible for $1,329,787.00 in reconstruction and/or remodeling.
C. If you are a family of four, your family would receive $2,066,012.00Now, we know that even if the $250,000.00 Billion is granted, none of the above scenarios will play out, so where would all that money end up?
While I have you thinking…
Following are some of the reasons you cannot live on what you earn…
Accounts Receivable TaxBuilding Permit TaxCDL License TaxCigarette TaxCorporate Income TaxDog License TaxFederal Income TaxFederal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)Fishing License TaxFood License TaxFuel Perm it TaxGasoline TaxHunting License TaxInheritance TaxInventory TaxIRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),Liquor Tax,Luxury Tax,Marriage License Tax,Medicare Tax,Property Tax,Real Estate Tax,Service charge taxes,Social Security Tax,Road Usage Tax (Truckers),Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax,School Tax,State Income Tax,State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),Telephone Federal Excise Tax,Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,Telephone State and Local Tax,Telephone Usage Charge Tax,Utility Tax,Vehicle License Registration Tax,Vehicle Sales Tax,Watercraft Registration Tax,Well Permit Tax,Workers Compensation Tax.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few….
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. The U.S. had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and most mom's stayed home to raise the children.
A. 1 billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. 1 billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. 1 billion hours ago our ancestors were enjoying the Stone Age.
D. 1 billion days ago nobody walked on the earth on two feet.
E. 1 billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. If you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
would receive $516,528.00
B. If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home would be eligible for $1,329,787.00 in reconstruction and/or remodeling.
C. If you are a family of four, your family would receive $2,066,012.00Now, we know that even if the $250,000.00 Billion is granted, none of the above scenarios will play out, so where would all that money end up?
While I have you thinking…
Following are some of the reasons you cannot live on what you earn…
Accounts Receivable TaxBuilding Permit TaxCDL License TaxCigarette TaxCorporate Income TaxDog License TaxFederal Income TaxFederal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)Fishing License TaxFood License TaxFuel Perm it TaxGasoline TaxHunting License TaxInheritance TaxInventory TaxIRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),Liquor Tax,Luxury Tax,Marriage License Tax,Medicare Tax,Property Tax,Real Estate Tax,Service charge taxes,Social Security Tax,Road Usage Tax (Truckers),Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax,School Tax,State Income Tax,State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),Telephone Federal Excise Tax,Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,Telephone State and Local Tax,Telephone Usage Charge Tax,Utility Tax,Vehicle License Registration Tax,Vehicle Sales Tax,Watercraft Registration Tax,Well Permit Tax,Workers Compensation Tax.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few….
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. The U.S. had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and most mom's stayed home to raise the children.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Viral Email Worth Sending
This came to me today. I don't usually send this stuff out, but I thought this one was really important.....
Dear Stranger;
I am a very sick little boy. My mother is typing this for me, because I can’t.
She is crying. Don’t cry Mommy.
Mommy is always sad, but she says it’s not my fault. I asked her if it was God’s fault, but she said no and started crying harder, so I don’t ask that anymore.
The reason she is so sad is that I am so sick. I was born without a body.
It doesn’t hurt, except when I to sleep. The doctors gave me an artificial body made of leaves wrapped in burlap. They said it was the best they could do because we didn’t have insurance.
I would like to have a body transplant, but we don’t have any money.
Mommy doesn’t work because employers don’t hire crying people.
I said, “Don’t cry Mommy.” And she hugged my burlap body. Mommy always hugs me even though she is allergic to burlap and it makes it hard for her to breathe.
I hope you will help me. You can help me if you forward this email to as many people as you can.
Dr. Johansen said if you forward this email to enough people then Bill Gates will team-up with AOL and do a survey with NASA. Then the astronauts will collect prayers and aluminum pull tabs from school children all over the world and take the prayers up into space so that the Angels can hear them better. I don’t know what they will do with the aluminum pull tabs.
Maybe one day I will be able to play baseball. Or maybe just have lungs and a heart. The doctors said that every time you forward this email $1.00 will be contributed to a fund in Nicaragua that will be used to fund the creation of a heart and lungs for me.
Please help me. Mommy is so sad, and I want a body before I turn 10, because that is about as long as my leaves will last before they rot.
If you don’t forward this email, that’s OK. Mommy says it is because you are a heartless shithead who doesn’t care about poor little boys with only a head. She says that if you don’t stew in the raw pit of your own guilt-ridden stomach, she hopes you die a long slow horrible death so you can burn forever in Hell. What kind of person can’t take 5 minutes out of their day to forward this email to all your friends and make them feel guilty too?
Please help me. This really sucks. I try to be happy but it’s hard.
I wish I had a puppy.
I wish I could hold a puppy.
Thank you
Billy “Smiles” Evans,
The boy with just a head
Dear Stranger;
I am a very sick little boy. My mother is typing this for me, because I can’t.
She is crying. Don’t cry Mommy.
Mommy is always sad, but she says it’s not my fault. I asked her if it was God’s fault, but she said no and started crying harder, so I don’t ask that anymore.
The reason she is so sad is that I am so sick. I was born without a body.
It doesn’t hurt, except when I to sleep. The doctors gave me an artificial body made of leaves wrapped in burlap. They said it was the best they could do because we didn’t have insurance.
I would like to have a body transplant, but we don’t have any money.
Mommy doesn’t work because employers don’t hire crying people.
I said, “Don’t cry Mommy.” And she hugged my burlap body. Mommy always hugs me even though she is allergic to burlap and it makes it hard for her to breathe.
I hope you will help me. You can help me if you forward this email to as many people as you can.
Dr. Johansen said if you forward this email to enough people then Bill Gates will team-up with AOL and do a survey with NASA. Then the astronauts will collect prayers and aluminum pull tabs from school children all over the world and take the prayers up into space so that the Angels can hear them better. I don’t know what they will do with the aluminum pull tabs.
Maybe one day I will be able to play baseball. Or maybe just have lungs and a heart. The doctors said that every time you forward this email $1.00 will be contributed to a fund in Nicaragua that will be used to fund the creation of a heart and lungs for me.
Please help me. Mommy is so sad, and I want a body before I turn 10, because that is about as long as my leaves will last before they rot.
If you don’t forward this email, that’s OK. Mommy says it is because you are a heartless shithead who doesn’t care about poor little boys with only a head. She says that if you don’t stew in the raw pit of your own guilt-ridden stomach, she hopes you die a long slow horrible death so you can burn forever in Hell. What kind of person can’t take 5 minutes out of their day to forward this email to all your friends and make them feel guilty too?
Please help me. This really sucks. I try to be happy but it’s hard.
I wish I had a puppy.
I wish I could hold a puppy.
Thank you
Billy “Smiles” Evans,
The boy with just a head
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