Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Baconescence: A Miracle!

Bacon is more than just an awesome food. Bacon is medicine. I explored its medicinal qualities several months ago in a post entitled: What if bacon is actually good for us? In an experiment with my nephew, we were able to isolate bacon as the anti-viral element that cured him of the flu.

That was six months ago. I have not been able to identify any other cases quite as dramatic as that one since then, but that is probably because bacon is a staple of our family's diet and of those dear to us. My mother-in-law is the exception here. She has had some kind of abdominal problem and refuses to adopt the "Take two bacon and call me in the morning" approach. She has not been well for months.

Tyra Banks loves her some bacon
Just within the past week, though, we've had a bacon cure miracle. So far, that miracle has not been verified by the Congregation for the Causes of Bacon, but I expect that to just be a matter of course. So what was this miracle of Bacon, you ask?

Here's the story:

A family member, by marriage, (let's call him Chris) was hastily transported to my house by his friend and landlord. He had been experiencing severe abdominal cramps and the disgusting stuff that comes with said cramps. The symptoms came in waves and the waves came about every 11 minutes. He was a little frightened by the whole thing and just wanted to suffer with people nearby, rather than to suffer alone. The original destination was to be the hospital, but after starting to feel a bit better, they diverted to our house.

Less than a minute after entering the house, he walked hurriedly back outside, for yet another bout of stomach malady. That was his last episode of acute abdominal distress. Period.

A few minutes later, he came back inside.

Here is the miraculous part.

A full day prior, my son, a journeyman bacon preparer in his own right, cooked himself some bacon. He is not the best at maintaining a clean cooking environment, and the smell of warm bacon grease stayed in the house well into the following day. The bacon effluvium still lingered as Chris arrived.

We waited approximately 11 minutes to see if another wave of cramps and nausea recurred. It did not. We waited another 11 minutes. Still nothing. In the meantime I got all the day's laundry folded and sorted.

Chris drank some water.

Eleven minutes later, still nothing.

Another 22 minutes with no symptoms and I brought him back home.

The only thing that the miracle investigative committee could find that might be related to his sudden and complete cure was the lingering smell of bacon.

Not only does bacon have anti-viral qualities, but I believe that even just the faint remnant of bacon fragrance has the ability to improve the health of the flora of the gut. Hence, the immediate cessation of Chris' abdominal distress.

Eat more bacon!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Don't Kill the Bees

A couple of weeks ago, on a Thursday, I went to the nearby grocery store to purchase a few things so we could grill some burgers and hot dogs. We were having just a few friends and family over to the house and did not quite have enough food to feed everyone.

I took my teen-aged son with me. Actually he insisted. Apparently I do not buy the right junk food.

In the mean time, the greatest woman on God's green earth (GWGGE) went to the home improvement store to get some things to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

The boy and I were almost done with our shopping trip, finishing up in the beer aisle (no good outdoor gathering is complete without some nice cold beer) when I get a call from the GWGGE. Here is how the conversation went, as heard by the grocery store shoppers around me.

Me: What's up?

Me: I don't know?

Me: Get the natural stuff

Me: No, the other stuff

Me: No! the natural stuff!

Me: We have to protect the bees, Honey!

Me: No! DON"T KILL THE BEES!

Me: Okay

Me: Okay

Me: Bye, love you.

Needless to say, strange looks from the other shoppers combined with a slightly embarrassed teenager meant that we quickly made our way to the checkout line and out the store.

Fast forward a couple of days later...

Shadow, the dog, loves to bark at squirrels. He loves to chase squirrels. He loves to hunt squirrels. But I think he learned to hunt from those shows on the Discovery Channel where they tag the prey and release it, because, he looks very confused when he catches his prey. Up to this point, Shadow was 0 for 3,486 in his hunt for squirrels. He has cornered a bunny rabbit, a few toads, and a number of insects, though.

There I was in the back yard and Shadow is, much to my surprise, barking at squirrels. But something is different this time. The squirrel seems to be taunting him, staying low on the tree. Suddenly, Shadow jumps up and pins the squirrel by the tail against the trunk of the tree.

I bark the command, "Leave It!"

Shadow, in his confusion, and in one motion, drags the squirrel to the ground and turns to look at me.

He looks back at the squirrel on the ground. Looks at me. I say sternly, "Come here!"

Shadow looks back one more time, not quite sure what to think of his fallen prey, and trots over to me.

I put Shadow in the house, and go inside to report the events that just occurred to the current occupants of the house, GWGGE and her sister. The younger son was in the house, too, but since it was only 11:30 in the morning, he was still fast asleep.

Together sister-in-law and I go out to the fallen squirrel and ponder its condition. It is alive, but there is something wrong with the way its legs are moving. After much consideration of the previous events, we determine that Shadow did not mortally injure the squirrel, but that the squirrel was sickly before its encounter with the dog.

Sister-in-law returns to the safety of the house as I go to do what a man's got to do.

I put the squirrel out of its misery, and add its carcass to the growing collection of critters now buried in the Pet Cemetery out behind the workshop.

All events as traumatic as this require closure for those involved. We had to come to conclusions about the poor squirrel's death, Shadow's innocence, and the distastefulness of the deed I had to do. In the course of determining Shadow's innocence we decided the squirrel was already suffering from some sort of neurological malady prior to the events detailed above. I think the final conclusion we reached came from sister-in-law, who said, "I think it was the bug spray you sprayed a few days ago that made the squirrel sick."



Some related news on bees and pesticides:
25,000 Bees Found Dead In Oregon Parking Lot, Environmental Organization Says
Oregon Issues Temporary Pesticide Ban Following Bee Deaths
50,000 dead Oregon bees to be honored in memorial service

Saturday, July 20, 2013

"It's my life, and I can do what I want with it!"

Dad: "NO! It's NOT your life!"

Teenager: "Yes. It is and I can do with it whatever I want to. I can even end it."

Dad: "Did you start it?"

Teenager: "No."

Dad: "Then it is not your right to end it. And by the way your mom and I did not create your life either.
Your life is a gift. Your life is not for your own pleasure. It was given to you for a different reason, it was given to you so that you could discover your true purpose, your true identity."

Teenager: "WTF are you talking about?"

Dad: "You have a purpose, and your life was given to you so that you could discover that purpose, so go find your purpose! Don't be a coward and give up before you've even started. Before you know who you are."

Teenager storms out of the room, mind blown. 

The conversation is just starting. There is much the youngster still has to learn. "Your life is not your own" is just the first obstacle to overcome, and is perhaps the hardest, but also the easiest. There is no possibility of redemption or salvation until you understand that this life is not yours, it is the property of its creator.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen . - Proverbs 25:2-7
On the Day of Judgment, Jesus is our Redeemer and Savior, there are no accomplishments a man can present before God and be declared righteous and worthy. Only Christ is able the be judged and found worthy.

Your life is not your own. It belongs to the Creator. It is redeemed by His messiah. Your purpose is to accept this truth and repent.