Dark Times – The Path to Nowhere

I recently obtained the latest Dark Horse Tradeback in the Star Wars universe, Dark Times The Path to Nowhere.

Continue to check my website to see what I am reading, have read, or will be reading in the Star Wars Universe.

Taxes – Put Up or Shut Up

During election years or while serving in public office, the Democrats are always looking to raise our taxes.  (Don’t worry, some Republicans do this as well).  But, on Friday’s Grapevine at FoxNews, here are the interesting results on asking those people, who think they should pay more taxes, to actually pay more taxes voluntarily:

A few years ago — then-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee challenged people in his state who were calling for higher taxes to voluntarily give up more of their own money. The fund collected about $2,000 in four years.

The state of Virginia also established what it calls a “tax me more fund” in 2002. The Washington Times reports the fund has collected just over $10,000 since then — including a total of $19.36 last year.

One Virginia Republican says people who advocated tax increases — “didn’t seem willing to put their money where their words were. They could have easily participated more in the Tax Me More Fund but didn’t. That’s because they didn’t really want to pay more. They wanted everyone else to pay more so they wouldn’t have to.“

The last two sentences, my emphasis added, really says it all.  Go figure! 8-|

I really think the federal should cut our tax rates or make them permanent if they fell the economy needs a boost.  These checks they will be sending us, starting in May, will not necessarily go to help the economy by us spending it, but rather to pay bills or saving it.

What should I tell my children?

With the recent shootings in Illinois and Missouri, I was impressed and touched with today’s Lutheran Hour’s Daily Devotions, What should I tell my children?, as was the Lutheran Hour speaker, Pastor Ken Klaus. Although written in response to the Kirkwood shooting at City Hall last Thursday, I found that it equally applied to all the shootings we have encountered on the college campuses of Virgina Tech and recently at Northern Illinois. I encourage to read this devotional or listen here.

I like the ending of this devotion as it answers the question:

… Jesus stood among them and told his children,

“Peace be with you.”

This is what God tells his children so that his children may be equipped to tell their children
the truth of God in the midst of chaos,
the heart of God amidst all the sadness, and
the will of God in the midst of human sin.

Jesus Christ is the truth, the heart and the will of God for the world.
We speak Jesus Christ to one another, just as God spoke Jesus Christ, His forgiveness and mercy to us. This is what God tells His children.

And God’s children say,
“Amen! Come quickly Lord Jesus”