"Seizing The Season!"

The "Christmas Season," longer than usual THIS year because of an early Thanksgiving, is a painful time for many.  While most of us are shopping, or partying, or anticipating Christmas,  some suffer in silence feeling quite the opposite. Most often their depression, and dread of the holidays, can be because of the death of a loved one, or the imminent death of one, but there may be other factors, as well.

For example, if you visit a place where the elderly are "cared for," as I often do, you'll see many who are sad simply because virtually no one comes to interact with them unless they are paid to do so.  It's particularly heartbreaking to see these folks at THIS time of year when many, for the most part, only have others who are "in the same boat" to be with.  Lonely men and women who are separated from family and friends, because of military service, or incarceration, or OTHER reasons not related to sickness or death (think singleness or orphans or homelessness) find the "Christmas Season" to be a very painful time, as well.

My dad died on Christmas Day, 2009 and my first wife was dying slowly during Christmas 2015 and 2016.  And I remember the isolation I felt, even though my kids and church family and friends were very supportive of me.  There's something about seeing "everyone else" in the "Christmas Spirit" and you are not.....and if you dare to be transparent about what you feel, you might be labeled "Scrooge" or "Grinch" as quickly as you might be falsely called "racist" if you're white and had a problem with Barack Obama, Lol! (And, let's face it, who wants to be called a "partypooper," after all?)

Only GOD can sustain us when we are in such loneliness. He sure sustained ME!!  But there are those who don't know Him in a saving way, and those of us who DO know Him need to "Seize The Season." Search them out, and seek to reach the lost, USE the opportunities that Christmas presents and, at the very least PRAY for people. It's very unlikely (though not impossible) that those who suffer in silence, or those who are lost, will reach out to US, you see!! 

Let us not forget that the One whose birthday we honor was called "Man of Sorrows" and He spoke of leaving the 99 sheep and searching for the one who was lost. Again, as I frequently say, "Fishers of Men" go where the fish are, they don't pray for the fish to come up on dry land to them. We need to spread the Good News that Jesus came to save His People from their sins, and, of course, to DO that we have to know Him ourselves and then see beyond ourselves.



In conclusion, there's lots of talk about "Keeping Christ in Christmas" but until we follow the Example of the One Who left all to come to where WE are, for OUR good, our problem is not keeping Christ in Christmas...it's getting Him here in our hearts, in the first place.

"Christian Work Ethic" / "Christmas Book" / and 5 More Mini-blogs...

Once again, seven VERY short blogs, all bundled into one...

     1.) Christian Work Ethic: MISSING in Today's America! My wife and I are buying a new house, and I can't believe the mistakes the bank made with the initial contract they sent us.  My net worth was overstated by almost 40 k, and the closing costs, due to ANOTHER error, were originally miscalculated to be about 11 k more than they actually will be.  If those figures were accurate, we wouldn't have been able to close on the house we want to buy, you see...so someone''s carelessness caused us a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

For this contract-writing fiasco, I had to pay the bank about $500 but (optimist that I am) I concluded "at least we got a HEART TEST out of it!! If we didn't have heart attacks when we saw the contract in its uncorrected form, we NEVER will."  Lo, and yes, I know God allowed this to happen for another reason, perhaps to give us a DIFFERENT kind of "Heart Test," to see how we'd HANDLE it all. Hey, I believe in Romans 8:28 and in God's Sovereignty as much as ANY Christian should, but "God's Sovereignty does not negate Man's Responsibility." Someone is VERY much at fault for not CHECKING the contract before they SENT it.  The problems  were corrected, yes, but there is no excuse for two major errors in the same contract like that. Not even the "Holiday Fog" is an excuse, I'm sorry..

I wish I could say this type of laziness is the exception, but it's the NORM in our land today (sadly.) America needs to turn back to God and REGAIN our Christian Work Ethic...do things right, do them right the FIRST time, and try to NOT have to REdo them, if that can be avoided.



     2.)  Christmas Book.  The book pictured above is what I've selected to study with my Men's Sunday School Class for the last three Sundays of December.  It's by Warren W. Wiersbe....you know, Warren WiersBE who wrote all of the "BE" Books ("BE Committed," "BE Resolute," BE Thankful," and so on.)  It would seem that Wiersbe was doing a takeoff on the letter "B" and his last name for many years, but it's interesting that this NEW book, done with his son, is called "C Is For Christmas." Maybe his son wants his dad to "move on" to the letter "C"?? Lol!! Anyway I'm looking forward to getting, and reading, the book and learning, as I teach the class, more about the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

     "Creed II" Movie. We saw the movie over Thanksgiving and loved it, and it's a big success at the box office....but why does "every" movie now have to be "spun" to somehow make it seem to be more of a commercial success than it WAS when it opens?? Read this SILLY analysis  of its opening weekend box office...

 I mean......GIVE ME A BREAK, here!! (Lol)!!  But it WAS a great movie and DID do well, particularly at the "BOXING Box Office" (moviegoers who love BOXING.)

     4.) No Excuse for Ms. Tyson.  In response to my Nov. 21st blog regarding Cicely Tyson lying about her age, someone offered the following explanation: "We must remember that she was up for an Oscar for SOUNDER in 1973 and did not win.  She apparently had to lie about her age and say she was 39 to get that role (her first leading role in a movie, as it was hard for black women to get roles in those days.) Yes, she was really 9 years older and kept up the lie about being 9 years younger till now, until she finally got an honorary Oscar (long overdue.)  Now she must have felt she could tell the truth that, instead of turning 85 next month, she will be 94.  So what."

MY RESPONSE: What you say changes nothing.  Yes, the Oscar for "Sounder" WAS long overdue, but I personally heard her lie about her age 7 times, to the students who look up to her, at the Performing Arts School which bears her name here in New Jersey (see Nov. 21st blog).  She was wrong to lie, in my opinion. As far as "it was hard for black women to get roles in those days," let us remember that Diana Ross was also nominated for an Oscar in 1973 (although she is 20 years younger than Tyson, I'll grant you THAT.)  I just can't get over personally hearing Tyson lie to her students for all of those years, I'm sorry. 

     5.) "Birdman." I bought the "Birdman" DVD for $2.95 at the Dollar Store last night and can't wait to watch it (never saw it.)  It won a few Oscars, I hear.  And I find it interesting that the star, Michael Keaton, once played BATman, then BIRDman, and then "The Vulture" in the latest SPIDER-Man  incarnation.

     6.) "The Clinton Affair" Miniseries.  We watched it recently and, of course, the Clinton-Lewinsky deal was disgraceful (and so was just about everyone INVOLVED in it.)  Nonetheless, it WAS informative and even INSTRUCTIONAL as it showed what NOT to do if you want to avoid falling into sexual sin.

It was pathetic, though, how the Liberals who put the miniseries together cleverly insinuated that the REPUBLICANS SHUTTING THE GOVERNMENT DOWN IN '95 WAS TO BLAME FOR CLINTON AND LEWINSKY.  See, that shutdown thinned out the amount of personnel working in the White House, making it easier for those two to "connect" (they insinuated.)  How ridiculous!! Clinton AND Lewinsky were to blame for what they did...no one else...but Bill bears MORE blame as he was the most powerful man in the world and he exploited a gullible (though WILLING) young lady in her early 20s.

     "20 Racists."  Finally, I saw on Facebook a collection of  "20 Racists," dead celebrities like John Wayne and Walt Disney, all of whom were secretly white racists (except for GANDHI, who was the only person of color in the collection of alleged racists.) 

NOT ONE BLACK CELEB WAS EXPOSED AS BEING A RACIST, HOWEVER.  Do the compilers of this collection think black people CAN'T be racist...or are they, (the compilers, that is) racist THEMSELVES because a black person wasn't included in their collection??  

This "hit list" is BIASED, in my opinion...against white people.

Well, that's all for NOW....stayed tuned for the NEXT edition of....Chetitorials.

"Thanksgiving Leftovers"

By now you may have read that the "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving" program has been deemed "Racist" because there's a scene where the black kid, Franklin, is sitting alone.  This is so ridiculous that I'm wondering if the Proverb about not answering a fool according to his folly applies here.  The CREATOR of the "Peanuts" comic strip FOUGHT to include a black kid in it!!  So, instead of addressing my comments at the ones who BELIEVE this "Racism" slander, I'll speak to anyone reading this who thinks that if we "live and let live," and don't oppose these weirdos, all will be well.

Are you hiding from what's happening, thinking if you bury yourself in our traditions, and IGNORE what the "Racism-Under-Every-Rock" folks are doing, all will be well??  It won't.  These folks DON'T "live and let live," so you'd better start fighting back (verbally) NOW before you lose the freedom of speech, and it becomes illegal,  to DO so.  Today "Charlie Brown"...what is next??                                   

Will Thanksgiving Day be "White Guilt Day" one day?  A bunch of (white) college students had an event called "Thanks, But No Thanksgiving Day" the other day.  The event is supposed to show that White Racism is really what's behind Thanksgiving.

Don't believe me??  Please watch this enlightening, brief video.

                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGMjNJa4Xbk

These poor deluded kids, and countless others like them, need to learn that Thanksgiving is about thanking GOD for His many blessings to us.  But because they apparently feel free to speculate about why we celebrate Thanksgiving in America, I'm going to answer these fools "as their folly deserves" and speculate as to why they seem to be so self-hating, always either wanting to change their SEX or finding excuses to be ashamed of their RACE.  (I am about three times the age of most of the kids in this video, and know the Lord and His Word, therefore I feel confident doing so DESPITE being a High-School dropout, Lol!!)  So, here you go...

They don't know the True God, and THAT is why they say "Thanks, but no Thanksgiving." They don't know WHO to be thankful TO, you see.  Sadly, they don't know the CREATOR who wisely made them either white males or white females!!  And, it's easier to try to hold others accountable, or feel guilty about, the sins of OTHERS (long dead and gone) than it is to face up to your OWN sins and ask God to forgive YOU because    A.) You'd have to admit there IS a God and    B.)  You'd have to ask Him for the forgiveness He offers, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

See, it's easier to dwell on the blood our ancestors MAY have shed years ago, than it is to dwell upon CHRIST'S blood and that He shed it because of our own personal sins. The devil has these kids hopelessly distracted and deluded, and our Colleges are encouraging them in their godlessness, as Satan's instruments.

If the Lord delays His Return long enough, and I live long enough, when these kids take control of our political system in a few years we may see Thanksgiving Day replaced by White Guilt Day, the way it's going. (And I'm only half-joking when I say that!!)

But in the interim, I'm going to pray that MANY of these poor deluded kids find salvation from their own, PERSONAL guilt (for we have ALL sinned and need forgiveness from God), get right with God, forgive others, leave judging our ancestors to HIM and, most of all, learn to love THEMSELVES as much as HE does. 

Thanksgiving Day Parade Features "Historic" (they say) Gay Kiss.  It was "historic" all right....just as 9-11 was "historic."                                   That doesn't mean it was good.

The Thanksgiving Day Parade, ANOTHER American tradition, has been disgraced by this action.

Speaking of 9-11, did it ever occur to anyone that when radical Muslims see freak stuff such as what happened in the parade, it provokes them to want to destroy us even more than they do??

From a MORAL standpoint Homosexuality is wrong, of course...but it's also wrong from a PRACTICAL standpoint, in light of these people's (speaking about radical Muslims) hatred of gays.

Again, as I said earlier, these folks (speaking of the LGBTQs now) DON'T "live and let live" so you'd better start verbally fighting back NOW before you lose the freedom of speech, and it becomes illegal, to speak up.                                       

"Black Friday Blues" Poem

We had a terrific Thanksgiving, but I wrote this tonight about folks on the news who went nuts SHOPPING...

"Thank God For The Things He DIDN'T Give You!"

Has it ever happened to you?  A few years after you prayed for something...a new living situation...a relationship to succeed...something you wanted God to give you...and it doesn't happen, and you THANK Him that __________ fell through?  Sometimes years after the fact we look back and see how God spared us by not giving us what we wanted.  Well, it's happened AGAIN to me and I want to share some recent events in today's Chetitorial.  You see, having publicly thanked Him for blessings He HAS given me (see November 10th), I want to mention just one way I thank Him that, in His perfect wisdom and knowledge and LOVE for me, He withheld something I wanted.  And it seems very apropos for this day before Thanksgiving Day, to write this.

Above is actress Cicely Tyson, who won her first Oscar, an Honorary one, a few nights back.  Five years ago I self-published a Bio of her which, at the time, was the only one of her in existence. I tried to publicize it more than any other book I'd written because my first wife Beth and I met Tyson many times and I found Cicely to be the same inspiring woman in real life as she was in the characters she usually played in movies and on television. Yes, I even PRAYED for the success of my book, but now I'm glad it never happened!

You see, when Tyson accepted her Oscar, I learned that she'd been lying for YEARS about something. And if the book had succeeded and gained a wide circulation, I, in turn, would be passing along the lie that Ms. Tyson herself passed along, becoming a "partaker of other men's sins" unknowingly.  Please, let me explain.

When accepting her award the other night, Ms. Tyson publicly stated that she'll be "94 on December 19th." However, there were seven times Beth and I were at the School which bears her name (it was less than four miles from where we used to live, you see) and the School celebrated the birthday of their "Matriarch" each December.  In 2003, it was set forth that Ms. Tyson was turning 70 and a party was held on December 19th with her present.  In 2004, in front of young, impressionable students, she professed to be 71, in 2005 she allegedly turned 72.  Then, in 2006, she ACTED (Lol) as if she's 73, in 2007 she supposedly was 74, in 2008, the audience of a few hundred was told she was 75 and I also heard her, live, in 2010, say she was turning 77.  Even though Beth has gone to Heaven and thus cannot bear witness to this, I have videos which prove that Ms. Tyson repeatedly lied about her age in those celebrations, making herself 9 years younger than what she NOW says she really is.  This means my book, which starts out by saying "Cicely Tyson was born in 1933" (which is what she deceived us into believing) is TOTALLY WRONG at the very outset, for now, according to the NEW words publicly coming directly out of her mouth (see video on YouTube), she was born in 1924.

Sure, I had friends tell me "the internet says she's _________ (nine years older than what I thought)" but who would YOU believe....what the INTERNET says about someone, or what they personally told you and many others, in real life, seven times??

And let's face it, Tyson doesn't even look 85 (what I thought she was.)  Is it THAT strange that it's hard to believe she's going on...............94 (Lol)??

                           
                            Above: Me with a copy of my book.     Photo taken yesterday.

In my Sunday School class a few months ago, we studied Tony Evans' book "Watch Your Mouth" and when it came to the part about not LYING I was careful to point out that God excuses lying in the rare instances when it's done with His Glory in mind or to preserve human life (and I demonstrated this from Scripture.) However, in my desire to "rightly divide the word of truth" as the teacher of the class, I was careful to assert that MOST lying is done for purely selfish reasons and that is always SIN, Biblically speaking.  Ms. Tyson's lies to her young students, in the Performing Arts School that bears her name and where she is considered a role model of success, were not lies said to Hollywood producers because she couldn't get parts if they thought she was too old.  They were repeated, calculated lies done purely for her VANITY.  My book about her never really "took off" (I sent Ms. Tyson a copy, twice asking for feedback, and she never responded) and  I put it on the shelf when Beth died, thinking that the book, itself was somehow not "sellable." But I see now that GOD was sparing me the humiliation I would have felt if the book HAD been a success, and I thank Him now because HE saw the lies before any of US were able to, and He protected His child.

Which brings me to ANOTHER point. I have to wonder now if anyone who lies repeatedly like that IS His child.  If you look at my book's Table of Contents (above), you'll see that the LAST chapter is entitled "Jesus" and that was the CONCLUSION my book reached...that Ms. Tyson is a consistent Christian!! But "exemplary Christians," which is how my book sums up Ms. Tyson from what I personally knew of her then, do not repeatedly and remorselessly lie to kids who look up to them as a role model.  At this point, I'm not sure whether I'll scrap the book project altogether or rewrite it, after she passes, with this new information (my new wife, Mercedes, a VERY gifted writer, has promised to help me if I rewrite). But as I said earlier, I wanted to write the book in the first place because I was amazed that Tyson appeared to be the same in real life as she was on TV, and now I've seen her assert ONE thing in real life and say something totally DIFFERENT on TV (namely, her true age.)  I'm not sure if I'd WANT to redo a Tyson tome in light of this new revelation about her, but I'll pray about it.

Then, there's the problem of Cicely's long standing friendship with BILL COSBY (which I mentioned in the book, written BEFORE he was disgraced and justly jailed.)  You see, Tyson and Cosby were VERY close...when she married Miles Davis on Thanksgiving Day, 1981, it was in COSBY'S house.  So how do I rewrite her Bio now and dance around all of THAT mess?? Not sure I want to and again, had my book achieved wide success five years ago I might be embarrassed about THAT situation but God, who knows the Truth and knows the future, thankfully did NOT give me the widespread success I sought with this book.

So, what can YOU thank God for this Thanksgiving..................something He didn't give YOU??

Above: Ms. Tyson's attention-getting, over the top hat she wore to Aretha's funeral a few months back.  At first, it's reported she said that ARETHA told her to wear it, and the other night it's reported that she says someone ELSE did now.  I don't know whether to believe her or not anymore, since learning of the lie!!


Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!

"The Death of Thanksgiving?"

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Nov. 22nd, the date Thanksgiving Day falls on this year, the EARLIEST day it possibly can fall on??  I believe so, but, in any event it's an EARLY Thanksgiving this time, without a doubt.  Yet I've seen "Black Friday" ads since the beginning of this month for the first time ever, and it's sickening. It's all about buying....GETTING, in America these days...we as a nation don't like Thanksgiving because we have to GIVE something and, in the process, we might actually develop some Contentment for the blessings we already have, you see.

Is this the official "Death of Thanksgiving" in this nation?? Used to be that Christmas wasn't even MENTIONED until Thanksgiving Day but I saw an ad recently touting Black Friday sales while playing Christmas music...and this very-early Thanksgiving hasn't even arrived yet!!  It's tragic how IMPATIENT we Americans have now become.

If this IS the death of our once-great American holiday, Thanksgiving has been dying a slow death for many years.....but it's like we have "pulled the plug" on it now.  

First, it became all about Football, then it became known as "Turkey Day," and, the way we're going, SOON what used to be Thanksgiving Day will be known as Black Friday Eve...and that's no joke, people.  Oh yes, Americans will still FEAST on that day (see internet photo above) like always, because Gluttony is one of our national sins just like covetousness, impatience and lack of Thankfulness are.  But our feasting seems to be only to gain strength for the Black Friday shopping spree now.  It's becoming more and more apropos that it's NAMED "Black Friday" because it's almost like we are mourning the Death of Thanksgiving in America on that day...at least I am.

I want to close by reprinting some things I wrote a few days ago.




"Make THANKSGIVING Great Again!" We (Americans) now want to bypass Thanksgiving, and skip right to Black Friday, which is all about GETTING.  (And whether or not you're GETTING stuff for someone else, or for yourself on Black Friday....if you're so anxious to GET that you can't pause, catch your breath and GIVE thanks to GOD for that one day a year now, Thanksgiving Day, something is very, very wrong.)

Make THANKSGIVING Great Again!! Refuse to shop for Christmas stuff until AFTER Thanksgiving Day!!  The Bible says LOTS about thanking God daily, but it says ZERO about remembering Christ's birthday, by the way...so what's the hurry?? See my "Things I'm Thankful For" blog from  November 10th if you need a jumpstart on WHY you should be thankful to Him.

"Tracts" / "Stan Lee, Part 3" / "Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards" / "Pets" / "Mark David Chapman"

I'm still in the mood for multiple, SHORT blogs...this time there are "only" five, however (Lol).  Here we go...!!

Free "JFK" Tracts!!  On Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), it will be 55 years since President Kennedy was assassinated.  I am making FREE copies of my tract (which I wrote 5 years ago) available to pass out again, in light of that.  To see what is IN the tract, check the bottom of this post.  This offer is available only to personal friends, contact me PRIVATELY (you'll know how) and I'll mail 5 free tracts to you on Monday, if you're interested.  Therefore, they should arrive to you WEDNESDAY in time for the 22nd.  This offer ends at midnight tonight.

Stan Lee, Part 3.  On the 15th, my letter to the New York Daily News about Stan was printed!! The letter is BASICALLY a lot of what I wrote in my blog here the day after Stan died (see two posts back), but of course I condensed it a lot and the Editor did, as well.  I was very honored to be able to share what Stan meant to me with so many readers.


Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards.  I see that President Trump gave the award to (among others) BABE RUTH this week.  Now, I'm a Yankee fan and I respect Babe Ruth's achievements on the baseball field DESPITE not approving of much of his conduct OFF the field.  But what did "The Babe" ever do for America's FREEDOM?? He never served in the military, you know. When he was sold by the Red Sox to the Yankees 100 years ago, his GREATEST achievements were  elevating the Yanks and bringing them into "The House That Ruth Built," and saving Baseball after the Black Sox Scandal.  But it's interesting that World War 1, "The War to End All Wars," ended 100 years ago this week, the year Ruth began his ascent into baseball legend. Why didn't Trump honor one of those SOLDIERS with a Medal?? The least soldier in WW 1 did more for our Freedom than ANY athlete you can name.  Okay...onward!!


Pets.  Why are there such extremes with people's PETS?? Seems that pet owners either leave their dogs in hot cars in the summer, or barking out in the rain in COLD weather, or they practically let their PETS be THEIR master, and spoil them rotten.  It's not a stretch to say that many Christians are more concerned if their PETS will go to Heaven than if their NEIGHBORS will go with them.  It's tragic, really.  The Bible is clear that God has given man dominion over the animals...THEY should never rule US, in other words.  We must never IDOLIZE pets, because that would be, in Scriptural language, "loving the creature more than the Creator." On the other hand, "the righteous man regards the life of his beast" as God's Word says, so we are to be CONSIDERATE and KIND and CARING to our animals!!  Again, I ask this question...why are there such extremes regarding pets...is it because we don't read, and heed, God's Word and realize we are but STEWARDS over them??!!         (Yes!)


Mark David Chapman.  John Lennon's murderer was recently denied parole again.  GOOD. I don't CARE that he's supposedly a Christian now, and that he (finally) supposedly feels "shame" now.  While I am no fan of LENNON, he murdered him in cold blood and supposedly (he now says) used five hollow bullets because he "wanted to make sure he killed him, but didn't want Lennon to suffer."

I'm glad that he supposedly has repented and is forgiven, but.....REALLY??

He "didn't want him to suffer"??!! What a sweetheart!!

Chapman needs to suffer the full penalty of the law for the rest of his life.  I'm glad if he truly got saved, but the thief on the cross who got saved STILL had to suffer for his crimes...Jesus told him he'd be with Him in Paradise, but He didn't take him DOWN from the cross, EITHER.  If New York had a death penalty we wouldn't have to listen to Chapman every two years...but that's another blog!!


Here is what the Tract looks like.....

"They'll Be Hating Bishop Love" / "The California Fires" / "CREED II" / "Yes, I'm Still A Yankees Fan!" / "Michelle Obama's Book" / "Stan Lee, Part 2" / "Make THANKSGIVING Great Again!"

I couldn't decide what to write this time...there are SEVEN things on my mind at the moment, so I'll do seven short blogs. Ready??

"They'll Be Hating Bishop Love."  Episcopal Bishop WILLIAM LOVE (pictured above), of Albany, NY,  is defying his denomination and refusing to marry same-sex couples.  Good for him, he's following SCRIPTURE instead of following the CROWD!! Love was quoted as saying that the Episcopal Church has been "hijacked by the 'Gay Rights Agenda'," and he is totally correct.  I'm not a betting man, but if I were I'd wager that the ones who whine for tolerance and acceptance all the time will HATE Bishop Love, and even feel justified in doing so. The reason gays feel so threatened at anyone who disagrees with them, and march around say they are "proud" of their sin, is because they know, in their consciences, that they are going against God's plan (one man, one woman).  Pray for them AND for this brave Bishop!!

"The California Fires Are NOT God's Wrath Upon Liberals!"  Apparently, some of my fellow politically-Conservative Christians think that's the case, and it's sad. Christians should pray for anyone and EVERYONE who's in need, not try to figure out why God allows things and NEVER refuse to pray for people!! We are to pray even for our ENEMIES, Scripture says....we are not to pray AGAINST them.

And why is it that some (not all) politically-Conservative Christians would be mad if they thought TERRORISTS started the fires, but seem gleeful at the thought that the fires are an expression of God's wrath, against California??  Think about that.

"CREED II."  I cannot wait for the "Creed II" movie to debut next week!! It's basically a continuation of the Rocky series, but once again, as in 2015's "Creed," Stallone is in a SUPPORTING role as the trainer of Adonis Creed, Apollo Creed's illegitimate son.  The great Michael B. Jordan reprises his role as Adonis, and Jordan MAY  just be my favorite male actor at the moment.  Like me, Michael B. went to Arts High in Newark but UNlike me, he didn't drop out (Lol).  Anyway, I've seen the trailers for "Creed II" and they look GREAT...can't wait!!

"Yes, I am still a Yankee Fan!"  Because I congratulated our rival RED SOX on winning the World Championship, and wrote a lot about my FIRST team, the San Francisco Giants recently, some seem to think I'm no longer a YANKEES fan.  It's silly!!

But to convince any doubters, look at the MUG I'm hoping to get for Christmas (above.)  Only YANKEES on there (Lol)!!

"Michelle Obama's Book."  I have ZERO interest in reading Michelle Obama's new book, but because I follow the news, I'm aware that the title is "Becoming."  And, I'm like......"Is she serious?"

".....BECOMING"??!!

(Lol), was she "BECOMING" when, as First Lady, she said disparaging things about America  for the whole world to hear??  Was she "BECOMING" when, as First Lady she danced that time, squatting and spreading her legs in a young guy's face?? And, it's reported that she bashes the PRESENT President in her book...is that "BECOMING" while he's still in office??

"Becoming"?? You must be KIDDING, I say.

But of course, Michelle has the right to write what she wants and display her hypocrisy for the world to see.  (I just wish she'd released the book a week BEFORE the election.  Republicans might have won the House AND Senate!!)

"Stan Lee: Like Millions, I'm Part of His 'Family',' Part 2."  Yesterday, I blogged "Stan Lee: Like Millions, I'm Part of His 'Family'" and the New York Daily News (above) did a front page on Stan's passing.  Because of their interest, I condensed my blog, which told how Stan's input into my life in my pre-Christian days, from 1967-1970, kept me from being a racist, and I submitted it to their Letters section.  (We'll see if they print it, or if it's STILL too long, Lol!!)

Since yesterday, I've found "Stan's Soapbox" from 1968, the one where he spoke against racism in his monthly comic book column.  This will help you see HOW Stan influenced me, 50 years ago (right after MLK got killed and riots were happening all across the nation.) Here's Stan's wise words...

Let's lay it right on the line. Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed super-villains, they can’t be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun. The only way to destroy them is to expose them—to reveal them for the insidious evils they really are. The bigot is an unreasoning hater—one who hates blindly, fanatically, indiscriminately. If his hang-up is black men, he hates ALL black men. If a redhead once offended him, he hates ALL redheads. If some foreigner beat him to a job, he’s down on ALL foreigners. He hates people he’s never seen—people he’s never known—with equal intensity—with equal venom.

Now, we’re not trying to say it’s unreasonable for one human being to bug another. But, although anyone has the right to dislike another individual, it’s totally irrational, patently insane to condemn an entire race—to despise an entire nation—to vilify an entire religion. Sooner or later, we must learn to judge each other on our own merits. Sooner or later, if man is ever to be worthy of his destiny, we must fill out hearts with tolerance. For then, and only then, will we be truly worthy of the concept that man was created in the image of God–a God who calls us ALL—His children

Finally, "Make THANKSGIVING Great Again!" I've been seeing "Black Friday" ads ALL MONTH now, and I'm sick of it.  What happened to the days when Black Friday came AFTER Thanksgiving?? This nation is so covetous, we can't bear to even give thanks to God for what we DO have for one day a year....we now want to bypass Thanksgiving, and skip right to Black Friday, which is all about GETTING.  (And whether or not you're GETTING stuff for someone else, or for yourself on Black Friday....if you're so anxious to GET that you can't pause, catch your breath and GIVE thanks to GOD for that one day now, something is very, very wrong.)

Make THANKSGIVING Great Again!! Refuse to shop for Christmas stuff until AFTER Thanksgiving Day!!  The Bible says LOTS about thanking God but it says ZERO about remembering Christ's birthday, by the way...so what's the hurry?? See my "Things I'm Thankful For" blog from last Saturday if you need a jumpstart on WHY you should be thankful to Him.

"Stan Lee: Like Millions, I'm Part of His 'Family'."

When my sons and I met the great Stan Lee at a Comics Convention in 1994, I said "Stan, I feel like I've known you my whole life." Stan smiled and said, simply, "you have."  The amazing drawing of Stan above was done yesterday by my nephew Larry Cooney Jr. when the Marvel  Comics Icon passed away at age 95.  It captures the sadness millions of us feel since hearing the news...we cried as if we'd lost a family member.

We have.

Actually, I didn't know Stan my entire life, but from ages 12-15, (1967-1970), he was more like a father to me than my REAL father was.  It wasn't just the comics he created, but the "personal" touch in each one, the CONNECTION to us via his "Stan's Soapbox" column and the letters pages (where he often personally and publicly responded to fan mail) in each issue.  He communicated to millions of us kids, imparting good values and perspectives to us, where often our own dads did not.  My very first published writing was a letter to Daredevil in 1969, and Stan responded to lil ol' ME.  This encouraged me, at age 14, to write, (just as Larry said  yesterday, regarding Stan, that "If not for this man, I very well may have never started drawing.") 

Note: my dad and step-father thought I was gay, and ridiculed me, because I was a writer / artist type. Stan Lee, however, encouraged me by printing my letter and responding as he did. 

And here I am now on MY "Soapbox," Lol!!

I've laughed at Stan's cameos in almost EVERY  recent Marvel movie, but his greatest contribution to my life, his LEGACY for me, is that he helped keep me from becoming a racist as I entered my teenage years.  Let me explain.

 As I mentioned in recent blogs here, in the early 1960s my two favorite baseball players, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, happened to be black.  I was certainly not prejudiced THEN.  But in 1967, I was sorely tempted to follow the example of my dad (who I only saw on weekends), and my step-father, and hate all black people like they did. That's because we lived in Newark, NJ and terrible, polarizing race riots broke out in our city that summer. The men in my life saw all black people as a dangerous enemy, and urged me to "grow up" and "see the light" and be like them.

Now, the summer of 1967 was only a few months after I began to read Spider-Man comics, however, and I got to "know" Stan. ("Spider-Man" was created 5 years earlier by Stan Lee and the great Steve Ditko, who died only a few months ago, by the way.) And it was right at the height of the '67 riots that Stan introduced a black newspaper editor, a very noble guy named Joe "Robbie" Robertson, in Spidey comics.  It was unheard of, at the time, you see, to have a black character in a recurring role in a comic book, but Stan and John Romita Sr. bravely broke that ground. Additionally, Stan and Jack Kirby had T'Challa, the Black Panther, a noble king of a fictional African nation, in The Fantastic Four comic on a regular basis and Daredevil had a black friend, a BLIND guy, in one issue entitled "Brother, Take My Hand" (courtesy of "Stan The Man" and "Gene The Dean Colan.")

It was obvious that Stan was NOT a racist, and this helped ME not become one during those turbulent times of racial unrest, until I got to Arts High School and made many black friends. See, in my pre-Christian days, Stan's GOOD example helped overpower the BAD example of my racist, absentee dad and my step-father at the time when I needed it most.  He definitely had more INPUT into my life than they did!!  Is it any wonder that I've often asked PRAYERS for Stan, on Facebook, as I've heard his health was failing, and when I was concerned about his eternal salvation? My book "Human Heroes" identified him as ONE of those, and my "Chetitorial" of Feb. 10th here defended him against slanderous accusations.  I loved this man because God used him to change the course of my life....without his input, well, I might not be married to the woman I'm married to today (who happens to be black).

Stan wrote this poem two years ago, appealing for racial unity, and I love the way he mentioned GOD so freely!!

He was promoting his "Hands of Respect" pins, which are still for sale via the website, by the way.

In closing, my wife, via her Facebook page, asked prayers for Stan's family yesterday because he passed.  

All I can say is, in a very real sense, I am PART of that family mourning his loss, with heartfelt tears, and much Respect, today.

"Things I'm Thankful For"

Ever since I went on Xanga (a blogsite) years ago, then Facebook, I've listed THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR around Thanksgiving.  It's a tradition I plan to keep, now that I'm here on Blogspot!!




     First and foremost, I'm thankful for salvation from my sins through the Lord Jesus Christ alone!! I'm thankful that it's ALL of grace (not of works) and because of HIS love for ME, not MY (weak and unworthy) love for HIM.  I'm thankful that He came to save His people from their sins and from the PENALTY of sin.

     I'm thankful for the wonderful, beautiful and Godly wife God has given me this very year to help me through this life!!  I love you, Mercedes my Dearest!!

     I'm thankful for my three kids, Jenna, Joel and Rob, my son-in-law Jason, my daughters-in-law Madelyn and Gina, and my FIVE grandchildren, now!! Thankful that ALL of my kids and their spouses are saved, and that all of my grandkids are being raised in Christian homes!!

(Particularly, I'm grateful now for JENNA, my oldest, who became a mom for the first time this year....that's her with little Jason Jr.)

     I'm also thankful for two new STEP-children, Lexi and Andre!!

     I'm thankful for my two sisters, MaryAnn and Liz, as well as my new Sisters-in-Law, Carolyn and Roxie.

     I cannot fail to mention my dear "ADOPTED" sisters, as well as my "adopted Mom," Bea.

     Moving from FAMILY to CHURCH, I am so grateful for our CHURCH (sign pictured above), their Biblical ministries, solid preaching, teaching, and GREAT fellowship, particularly of many godly and mature MEN.

     I'm thankful for the opportunity to teach our Men's Sunday School class starting a year ago, and for God's Blessing on it.

     I'm thankful for godly pastors who have influenced me towards Heaven (see my post regarding "Pastors Appreciation Month" on Oct. 6th, for some names.)



     *****Here on Veterans Day weekend, I am VERY thankful to God for our freedom in America, and for the VETS who fought (and died) for it.  That sign above (wording by my wife and me) is worthy of serious consideration, people!!  And despite ALL of the cheating that was done when Americans voted on Tuesday, I'm thankful that we still have SOME freedom left TO vote, at ALL.  *****

Again, let us thank God AND our Veterans!!



     I'm also thankful for my (relatively) good health, spiritually AND physically, right now.

     I'm thankful for the LOVELY fall weather we've had this week (I took this photo, below,  on Wednesday.) Wow, I love those COLORS!!

     I'm thankful for food and shelter!!

I could go on and on, I'm sure I've FORGOTTEN some things (which is why I seek to be thankful each and every day of the year, as "His mercies are new every morning.")   God tells us that every time we pray (which SHOULD be at least once a day), we are to pray "with Thanksgiving"...the implication being that there is ALWAYS something....in fact, MANY things...to be thankful for.



To those who've read this far I leave you with this question....what are YOU thankful for??

"The Election: A Split Decision That Will 'Split' Us Even More"

"Bea."  Before I talk about the Election, please pray, if you are so inclined, for BEA (pictured.) In my blogs of March 9th and April 3rd, you may recall that two of my previous "adopted moms" died.  The last remaining one is BEA, shown here when she turned 90 last year.  See, when being taken to vote on Election Day (NOT by ME, by the way), Bea was struck by a car and is presently hospitalized.

Bea is expected to recover, but at her age, one never knows so please, again, if you are so inclined, please pray for my last surviving "adopted mom."  Thank you!!

Now, "The Election."

For any who thought this wasn't a big win for Donald Trump, well, in my opinion you are very much mistaken.  If memory serves me correctly, our last three Presidents all served two terms (eight years) but lost both the House AND Senate in the Midterms of their FIRST term.  Trump only lost the HOUSE...and by a relatively narrow margin, at that.  He now looks like a shoo-in for re-election in 2020, assuming he runs, because he has outperformed Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama who each served TWICE..

And the Democrats in the House seem intent on (naively) HELPING Trump's re-election in two years because it looks like they are bent on trying to IMPEACH him, even though the Republican-dominated Senate will never REMOVE him.  This will accomplish two things...1.) Create a backlash against the Dems as they try to oust a guy for no LEGAL reason WHILE THE ECONOMY IS HUMMING and    2.) Keep the Dems from accomplishing anything ELSE worthwhile...giving Trump a CAMPAIGN theme ("I wanted to continue to do the business of the American people, but the Democrats hindered me at every turn.  Re-elect ME, but give me the House AND Senate again.")

In years past, when one Party won the House and the other captured the Senate, it was, in boxing terms, a "split decision" and "everyone" felt good about it, BOTH sides felt represented.

TODAY, sadly, this "split decision" will only "split" us even more as we are under God's judgment, people.  It's GOD'S JUDGMENT that has turned us into a "house divided, which cannot stand." My wife and I were watching a new show on network TV the other night.  Commendably, this show features a strong, professional black woman in a starring role and she is married inter-racially to a white guy.  These are GOOD societal changes that were NOT possible, it seemed, in years past...'least not that they'd be widely acceptable and palatable!!  However, this same show featured TWO gay married couples and tried to make THEM acceptable, ALSO.  I turned the show off and we'll never watch it again...it is because of America's sin of openly embracing Homosexuality that the Lord is JUDGING us by the divisions and unrest we are experiencing in America.  Read Genesis 19 and Romans 1...God is not raining fire and brimstone on us, but He is "giving us up" to our sin and unless we repent and turn from it, I believe we will eventually destroy OURSELVES. It all started, as I see it, 20 years ago when it came out that Clinton committed adultery in the Oval Office and 65% of Americans APPROVED of him, nonetheless. (This kept the Senate from REMOVING him, though he was IMPEACHED by the House, because of testimony regarding the Lewinsky affair.) As a nation, America embraced sin as never before when that happened, and now we are embracing HOMOSEXUALITY as never before.     A sad, obvious, and ominous declension.

"In wrath, remember mercy, oh Lord." Only HE (not Trump, who I did vote for and will again) can save us now!! Let us cease from hoping in Democrats OR Republicans, repent of OUR sins, whatever they are and PRAY that the Lord will grant repentance to America.

Thus ends today's Chetitorial!!

"Billy Graham's 100th Would Have Been Today"

It's one year this week since I've had the privilege and responsibility of teaching the Men's Sunday School class.  It's hard work, but I love it!! And it makes me SO much more appreciative of the amazing things God did through Billy Graham in his lifetime, especially as it would have been Billy's 100th birthday TODAY!!

In January. "Decision" magazine (above) started celebrating Billy's 100th year and then he died in FEBRUARY.  I'm sure that the Special Edition in the picture was already in the works when the Lord took him, but still it is VERY well-organized, comprehensive and it gives GOD the glory for Billy and what "he" accomplished.  Kudos to those who put it together!!

Of course, I already knew about the dozens of countries Billy Graham has preached in...and to a guy who has only been privileged to preach in three STATES. over 40-plus years, well, that was mind-blowing!! But I never realized how many BOOKS Dr. Graham authored....each of which were decidedly clear and SCRIPTURAL. Here's a page from the magazine, listing his books...

There are those brethren who disagree with Billy's "altar calls" at his live Crusades, and won't even OPEN a mag called "Decision" because of this.  And, I wasn't a fan of those EITHER...but how can anyone find fault with the solid BOOKS Dr. Graham wrote over the years??  There were no "altar calls" in THOSE (books), and, for that matter, the millions who saw his preaching on TV, or who heard it on the radio, could not walk down an aisle EITHER. Which brings me to ANOTHER thing I admire about Billy....the way he used the MEDIA, and technology, to spread the Gospel. Here's another page from the Special Edition...

Yes, Billy was frequently on secular magazine covers, or an interviewed guest on secular TV shows, and always managed to talk about Christ, and the Gospel, Heaven and Hell, in a non-offensive way.  He used the MEDIA to get out CHRIST'S message!!  He was TRULY a "fisher of men"...a fisherman doesn't wait for the fish to swim ashore to where HE is....he casts the bait, or the net, into where THEY are, to try to catch them.   I know more about CRABBING than fishing, but I know that a fisherman goes either IN or ON the water....he doesn't stay on dry land and PRAY for the fish to come to HIM. This, I believe, is what Billy was doing...going where the fish are.  Now, (back to those secular magazine covers pictured above), some may say that Christians must be compromised somehow if the world esteems them highly, and that is certainly possible....but let us never forget the verse which says "when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." Sometimes (as in Billy's case) the world admires men who AREN'T compromised.

As I've written in the past, I admire how Billy kept himself from the POSSIBILITY of sexual scandals by avoiding temptations or even the APPEARANCE of evil, despite all of the traveling he did.  He kept himself accountable to others, out of potentially compromising situations with women,  and there was never a hint of FINANCIAL scandal that I'm aware of regarding him, EITHER. I could go on and on and on.  Was Billy Graham perfect?? Of course not...like the time he excused President Clinton's adulteries by saying he can't help himself, women throw themselves at him, or something like that.  His interactions with Presidents  may have made him TOO "diplomatic" at times, but unless we've been where he's been, who are WE to judge another man's servant?? Again...as is often truly said...no one is perfect.

By the way, Billy Graham, like me, LOVED BASEBALL.  He once met Babe Ruth and was inspired, early in life, by baseball player-turned-preacher Billy SUNDAY.  

Dr. Graham's final book was published 3 years ago and it talked about how he knew he was going to Heaven soon because of Christ ALONE, not because of all the good works he did.  All I can say, looking over how little *I* have done for God's Kingdom compared to Billy Graham, is that I am thankful that salvation IS by Grace Alone and not because of our works!!  If it was by WORKS then most of us wouldn't even be ABLE to enter Heaven because our accomplishments for Christ are so ANEMIC compared to this man's...he might CROWD US OUT (only kidding, of course.) I was privileged to see Billy preach live three times, including his LAST Crusade, and I got to see and hear FRANKLIN Graham live, as WELL. Scripture says "remember those who spoke the Word of God to you" and Billy Graham's messages were the first I ever heard, well before I was saved, as he sowed the seed of Scripture on TV and in his book "Peace With God.".

Billy IS now receiving an eternal reward for his labors and THAT is all of grace, ALSO.  May the Lord ALONE be praised for giving us Billy Graham, 100 years ago today!!  He was a sinner saved by grace but also an EXAMPLE and MOTIVATION to Christian men in SO many ways, as we see what God did with, and through, this man.

"Will Willie MAYS Be Named Baseball's 'Greatest Living Player' Before HE Passes?"

If you read my last post about the passing of baseball's Willie McCOVEY, you’ll understand why it’s got me thinking again about his teammate and fellow Alabaman Willie MAYS...specifically, why Mays has never been named Major League Baseball’s “Greatest Living Player.”  

More importantly, WILL Willie be given this long overdue honor...before HE dies?

See, when Joe DiMaggio passed in 1999, he vacated the title of Baseball’s “Greatest Living Player” which he’d held for 30 years.  In all honesty, “The Say Hey Kid” deserved that title even THEN because it is he, not DiMag, who is often discussed as the “Greatest Living Player of ALL-TIME.”  (I mean, if you’re not in the running for best ALL-TIME player, how are you the greatest LIVING player over someone who is??)

Mays has been MLB's GLP for the past 50 years, since '68, truth be told.

(Some say MICKEY MANTLE held the distinction from '63-'68, but even The Mick said Mays was better than him!! When Mantle retired, somehow that "other" Yankee centerfielder, Joe D., apparently CLAIMED THE TITLE FOR HIMSELF and that's how he held the spot from '69-'99.  But again, MAYS should have been recognized the moment Mickey retired in '68....50 years ago.)

Mays himself, perhaps because DiMaggio was his boyhood idol, never, to my knowledge, complained about playing second fiddle to Joe D. during Joe’s undeserved reign. But when DiMag passed, Mays should have AUTOMATICALLY been given the title by MLB.  He wasn't. This led me to write “The Sporting News” in March 1999 to ask WHY, and they printed my letter but provided no answer.

I was a YANKEE fan by this time (see bottom of my previous post) and not a Giants fan anymore but it was totally unfair that the former Yankee, DiMaggio, was undeservedly honored from ’69-’99 and, perhaps due to racism? the former Giant, Mays, NEVER GOT HIS DUE.

After writing “The Sporting News” in ’99, the New York Daily News printed my letters about this subject three times in the next 17 years as I seized different opportunities to address the injustice.  Here are the letters.

     March 1^st, 2011   “With the passing of Duke Snider, only Willie Mays remains of "Willie, Mickey and the Duke," reopening an old wound for Mays' fans. When will he be acknowledged as "the greatest living ballplayer"? Twelve years ago, when Joe DiMaggio died, he vacated that title, which really belonged to Mays even then. Some of us are still waiting for Mays to get the honor he deserves. He will be 80 in May, and Duke's death reminds us that even legends are mortal. I cannot help but suspect that some sort of racism keeps Mays from being acknowledged as baseball's best.”

A reader of the News responded in agreement.

     March 9^th, 2011 “Chet Jelinski is right, Willie Mays was a greater player than Joe DiMaggio. Mays had more hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBI than DiMaggio. Defensively, Mays had a higher fielding percentage, more assists and made fewer errors. DiMaggio retired after 13 years because his baseball skills were gone. On the other hand, in 1965 (Mays' 14th season) he batted .317 with 52 HRs and 112 RBI and won the NL MVP. Mays wins on all counts. DiMaggio was great, but Mays was the greatest.”

I used another occasion to bring this issue up to New York readers (Mays began, and ended, his career in New York) four years later.  This was written after A-Rod apologized for using illegal, performance-enhancing substances.

     Feb. 21^st, 2015 “A-Rod's handwritten apology to the fans is acceptable as far as it goes, at least with this Yankees fan. Problem is, it doesn't go far enough!

You see, he apologized to Yankees fans, Major League Baseball, the Steinbrenner family and the Players' Association. Fine. But not to Willie Mays. With only six more homers, A-Rod ties Mays on the all-time home-run list and gets a $6 million bonus for doing that. The Say Hey Kid never cheated to reach 660, and he did not make $6 million over his entire career. If A-Rod ties Mays, he should send him a check with the whole bonus in it, wrapped in another of his now-famous handwritten notes.”

The following year, I addressed the issue again.

     Jan. 10^th, 2016  “So Ken Griffey, Jr. is now the all-time high percentage vote getter for Hall of Fame balloting, surpassing Willie Mays? Mays beat Griffey in batting average (.302 to .284), hits (3,283 to 2,781), homers (660 to 630), RBI (1,903 to 1,836), MVP awards (2 to 1), All-Star appearances (24 to 13) and World Series Championships (1 to 0). Both were amazing centerfielders, but Willie had the better career. And, by the way, we are now 17 years past the death of the "Greatest Living Player," Joe DiMaggio. When will Willie get that title?”

And, again, another reader agreed with me wholeheartedly.

     Jan. 18^th, 2016 “Chet Jelinski is right on. Ken Griffey Jr. was a great ballplayer, but he is no Willie Mays. While we are on the subject, Joe DiMaggio was never the greatest living ballplayer. Whoever tagged him with that title never saw the Say Hey Kid.”



I suppose I could use the occasion of Willie McCovey's passing to write the New York Daily News AGAIN, about Willie Mays and the way he's being cheated....but I won't.  Mays HIMSELF wouldn't like me "publicly" using his close friend's passing that way.

And after all, I have this "private" BLOG now to ask this question...."Will Willie Mays be named baseball's Greatest Living Player...before HE passes??



 

                                  Above: I love my license plates!! Photo by: Me.
Below: my drawing of Mays was front and center on the cover of one of my 2012 books...