"Hoping This Is The Year of the 'Miracle YANKEES' "

This has been a month of TRIBUTES for me*, as I've remembered different ones who've positively influenced my life on some special, milestone anniversaries.  Above is my tribute to my GRANDFATHER, which appears in the October issue of our local paper (just came out TODAY!! Click photo to enlarge.)

The highlighted part in the photo references the 1969 "Miracle Mets" who won the World Series as EXTREME UNDERDOGS 50 years ago, and that is REALLY the point of this "Chetitorial.".

You see, my team is the OTHER New York team, the Yankees, who are limping to the playoffs while the 2019 Mets are done, going home for the winter.  But the Yanks are a pathetic 3-5 since their morale was broken by their best pitcher's banishment due to his beating of his wife (see Sept. 21st blog.) Though it is a miracle that the Yanks are going to the Posteason AT ALL in light of all of the many injuries they've overcome this season, the loss of Domingo German GREATLY reduces their chances of going all the way to winning the World Series this year.

I was telling this to DAVE, a man in my Sunday School class who is a HUGE Mets fan yesterday, and he actually comforted me.

Yes, to win it all in 2019, the Yankees will most likely have to beat the Astros' THREE Stud Starters, Verlander, Cole and Grienke, at some point.  However, Dave said no one gave the Miracle Mets a chance against BALTIMORE in '69 because THEIR starters were just as good as the Astros' are THIS year.

Yet, the Mets WON!!

So will 2019 be the year of the "Miracle YANKEES"?? I sure hope so!!  There's ALWAYS hope, of course but remember, the '69 Mets had some pretty good pitching THEMSELVES. I'm sorry, but Severino, Paxton (IF he can play) and Tanaka are not exactly Seaver, Koosman and Ryan.  We shall see, the Playoffs begin October 4th.



*IN addition to my Grandfather, my blogs this month have paid tribute to my GRANDMOTHER and a special Teacher from High School.  And earlier this month, I had something ELSE in the paper honoring my Social Worker from High School (below).....

"Obama Was Never Impeached Because of 'Acceptable Racism' '

There were several *REAL* grounds to impeach President Obama when he was in office....this well-researched 2013 book (above) detailed only a FEW. But most (not all) Republicans were afraid to pursue those valid grounds for impeachment because Obama is a person of color and they (the cowardly Republicans) were afraid of being tagged as "Racist." The kind of Racist which our society CORRECTLY abhors.

So now the Liberals are TRUMPING (Lol) up charges on TRUMP, a white guy, and boasting about how "pure" Obama was in HIS eight years!! It's time to tell the truth: Obama got away with MANY things because he's Mixed Race at a time when society lies and says people of color can do no wrong.

I call this "Acceptable Racism."

TRUMP is constantly getting NAILED because he's white, male and rich at a time when many in this godless nation think all of those things are inherently EVIL. You see, to discriminate FOR people of color and AGAINST whites is the "Acceptable Racism" of today, and it stinks.

By the way, if any Republicans that were afraid to even CRITICIZE Obama are reading this, you WERE racist, in that case...you treated Obama differently because of his skin color, you judged him "by the color of his skin, NOT the content of his character" (to slightly alter what Dr. King said.) You WERE an "Acceptable Racist," though, ironically, you didn't want to be called a Racist at all..

Don't you DARE attack President Trump NOW, if you were silent about Obama..

And if you DIDN'T support impeaching OBAMA, if you made excuses for him, if you held him to a lower standard because of his skin color, you really ARE a racist, you're just the kind that this "call-evil-good-and-good-evil" society loves.The cure for ALL Racism, the "Acceptable" AND unacceptable kind is to TREAT EVERYONE THE SAME. GOD is no respecter of persons and WE shouldn't be, either. Why is this so hard, when it's so SIMPLE?? Treat everyone the same!!

"Would 'Abbey Road' Make It, In 2019?"

Today is the 50th anniversary of the release of "Abbey Road," The Beatles LAST album recorded together (and many would say their BEST album recorded together.)  But would "Abbey Road" MAKE it, here in 2019?? I'm not so sure.

For starters, that  iconic COVER*.  It's problematic, here in 2019. 

See, there's John Lennon leading the group of three guys in DARK suits with a WHITE suit on.  The Politically Correct crowd of  white Liberals laden with White Guilt might find that OFFENSIVE and somehow an expression of  a secret "White Privilege" being expressed. CAN'T SELL OR PLAY IT, THEREFORE.

And the song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" on this album talks of someone killing someone with a hammer....can't have THAT.  (Hey, their PREVIOUS album, the "White Album," had a song "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," but we can't let these guys get away with White Privilege and Violence messages AGAIN, right??)

And besides, when you listen to the trash that passes as popular music these days, "Abbey Road" is TOO GOOD for 2019.  There's no RAP in it.

(I'm being facetious, of course, about the White Privilege and Violence.)  Around this time in 1969, by the way, rumors started flying that Paul McCartney was DEAD because he was walking with bare feet on this "Abbey Road" album cover (among many OTHER silly "clues.")

.

Well I just saw Paul on TV the other night and he's just as alive...and vain...as ever.  More alive than the possibility of "Abbey Road" selling millions of records were it released in 2019, in my opinion.

*Not only have many "covered" (recorded) Beatles' songs but this COVER has been "covered" (imitated and spoofed) hundreds of times over the years.

"Babcia"

It was 20 years ago today that my dear Babcia (Polish for "Grandmother") died.

I have MANY memories of her, but one stands out above all.

The year was 1986, I was scheduled to give my first-ever speech at a carpet cleaners' Convention (I had my own carpet cleaning business at the time.) I was nervous NOT ONLY because it was my first-ever speech, but it was to be in front of hundreds of my peers from around the nation and I'd be speaking AFTER Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, considered by many to be one of the greatest motivational speakers of our day.

To "prep" myself, I had a manuscript written out and asked family members to attend my "practice session." I TOLD THEM TO BOO ME, HECKLE ME, DISTRACT ME, INTERRUPT ME AND EVEN WALK OUT ON ME because I figured if I could get through my speech in THAT setting, I'd be a SMASH at the Convention where my audience would be receptive and attentive.  (After all, the Convention-goers were PAYING to hear me, Dr. Peale, and the several other speakers!!)

EVERYONE in my family who was gathered there gladly....heartily...did as I asked, except for one....Babcia.

Babci was uncharacteristically QUIET during my whole 20 minutes as I pushed through my speech, while everyone else HAPPILY and very LOUDLY complied with my wishes.  (You would have thought I paid THEM to razz me, Lol!!)

When my practice was over, all Babcia said was "Be yourself, my dear grandson.  Be yourself and you'll do fine."

See, she was different than the OTHERS who were there.  She was herself.

That was Babcia in a nutshell....she couldn't and wouldn't do anything to ever hurt me....even when I ASKED her to.

Well, God blessed me and I did VERY well in my first-ever speech, by all accounts.

And I'm not kidding, about 2 minutes into my speech when I saw the crowd hanging on every word I said, feeling that electrical current of excitement passing through my veins as I spoke, I heard Babcia's voice inside of me saying "Be yourself. Be yourself."

Yes, I needed the others to heckle me to PREP me to do well, but I needed my down-to-earth, no nonsense Babcia to GROUND me when it was obvious that, with God's help I was doing very well.

I realized that day that God had given me a gift to speak publicly and I've spoken, and preached, many times since then.

And thanks to the BABCIA God had given me for the first 44 years of my life, I learned to "be myself," for which I'm thankful.

"Impeachment Efforts Could Give Us a Christian President: Pence"

The House Democrats have foolishly opened an Impeachment Inquiry against President Trump.  It was a stupid move for many reasons.

First, this move will galvanize Republicans AND disgust Independents, especially as the economy is doing so well.  If Trump IS impeached, the Republican-controlled Senate will NOT remove him just as CLINTON was impeached by the House and not removed by the Senate because the economy was humming, in 1998. (And, let's face it, it's the INDEPENDENTS who decide elections these days.)

Secondly, Democrats will look spiteful, WASTEFUL of taxpayers' money and WITHOUT A REAL AGENDA FOR AMERICA if they impeach Trump...in other words, they'll be seen for who they really are and THAT will only please DEMOCRATS. Impeaching Trump would be a virtual admission that none of the many Dem turkeys running against him could BEAT him, in 2020.

But thirdly, an Impeachment of Trump could backfire on the Dems, as Dick Cheney would say, "big time."

WHAT IF an Impeachment of Trump caused him to just immediately....QUIT*?? What if Trump said "I am tired of the constant unfounded accusations, this is the last straw, I am TOO OLD for this, I want to RETIRE and enjoy my fame, fortune and family, I never expected to get elected ANYway"?? Who would blame him, seeing how he's been persecuted by the media and Democrats simply because he's a white, conservative Capitalist who happens to be MALE?? Not me. The majority of Americans would blame DEMOCRATS for hounding a legitimately-elected President from office.  HE would be viewed as sympathetic and DEMS would be viewed as "simplypathetic" (Lol)....and Trump, himself would NOT BE SHY about calling the Dems out for their dastardly deed. He'd be a HERO.

And, most importantly, Trump's shocking resignation would immediately turn the reins of America over to Vice President MIKE PENCE (pictured above), a blameless man who Franklin Graham himself endorsed as being a bible-believing Christian.  The Dems would then have to tread SOFTLY with Pence as he'd run, no doubt, in 2020 as an incumbent who came to office under tragic circumstances (think LBJ, in 1964.)  And if they tried the same playbook with PENCE, trying to hound HIM from office because he's a white, conservative Capitalist who happens to be male, Pence would win re-election in a landslide (as LBJ did.)  This would give Pence AT LEAST four years to try to restock the Supreme Court with men and women that have CHRISTIAN values and seek to return America to her Christian foundations, God helping him.

Let me be clear...I don't wish for President Trump to get impeached OR to resign!!  I think he's doing a GREAT job, frankly!!  I am voting for him in 2020 as long as he's on the ballot!! All I'm saying is that the Dems' Impeachment Efforts COULD give us a Christian President and if that happens, the godless Democrats will WISH they had left Trump alone and just concentrated on trying to BEAT him in 2020. They had better think very hard, if they're capable of thinking hard, that is...before they go ahead with Impeachment proceedings.



*NIXON quit in '74 but I am in no way saying that Trump broke the law like HE did.  I'm only pointing out that quitting IS an option for a President.

Reprinted From One Year Ago: "The Horrors of ALCOHOLISM"

This may surprise some regular readers of my blog, but EDGAR ALLAN POE is my favorite secular author (note the word "secular," my favorite ALL-TIME authors are Christian!! Namely...Spurgeon, Ryle, Pastor Martin, etc.) But whereas I read excerpts of those those Christian authors daily, I only read Poe's stuff once a year, in September for some reason, and yes, I do find most of it enjoyable.

Anyway, I wrote my first poem as a teenager in 1969 inspired by Poe's "The Bells" and it was called "Poetry (Poe Try)". My new poem at the bottom of this blog is inspired by Poe's PROSE, "The Cask of Amontillado," and in fact, this entire BLOG, "The Horrors of Alcoholism," was inspired by that macabre masterpiece.

IMPORTANT:  Poe himself was apparently a heavy drinker, and it may have contributed to his early death. However, I, myself am a total teetotaler who doesn't think drinking PER SE is wrong. It's drunkenness and lack of moderation / consideration of others who might be tempted that Scripture forbids.  My dad, mom and step-father were alcoholics so I have seen first-hand  what it can do to you which is why *I* abstain totally.  I urge anyone with an alcohol problem to seek out an "A.A." near you!!  I've read their book of testimonials and many HAVE been helped greatly through that means.

As for the short story "The Cask of Amontillado," I will summarize it for you briefly below to help you understand my poem but please don't let my synopsis keep you from reading Poe's entire story one day!!  It's only 7-8 pages long and Poe tells it brilliantly.  Ready?? Here goes...



WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD....An evil man, for evil reasons, tempts a half-drunk man, "Fortunato," to check out some liquor deep in a basement area. Though the victim feels sickly as he descends, his lust for the fresh alcohol keeps him going down, and when they reach the bottom the evil man chains him to the wall then seals him in to the chamber where the alcohol was, indeed, stored.  The victim dies a slow, agonizing death behind the wall where no one can hear or help him.  Ugh!!



"The Cask of Amontillado" is the inspiration....yes, I said "inspiration".... for this blog, "The Horrors of Alcoholism."  I believe Poe's story is almost like a "parable" of how Satan destroys people through alcoholism.


And, this blog mainly consists of my new POEM.     Here it is, finally!!




"PLEAS TO A DRUNKEN MAN"


  There you go, descending
Descending
It seems there is no ending
to the depths that you descend
     Down you go, you "Fortunato"
led by Satan, down to Hell,
craving your Amontillado
Can't you see, this one who guides,
he hides his trowel very well? 
Don't you know
the plans he has
are things he'll never tell?
All he says is "go with me
to the depths where Pleasure dwells"
     but the steps
you are descending
lead you slowly into Hell.


  Still you go, descending
Descending
Through the caverns that are bending
to the booze that's at the end
     Yes, YOUR END, dumb "Fortunato"!
Satan uses it as bait
Yes, there is Amontillado
but his chains will seal your fate
...in a tomb
where he'll trap you
till you slowly suffocate
     Yet, my pleas
come back to me
while you're in your drunken state


  Should I bother still to warn you
"Flee, please flee the devil's wine,
See, please see the death before you"?
Or is this just "Pearls and Swine"?
     TURN AND LIVE, dear "Fortunato"
Leave the depths and start to climb
Leave, yes LEAVE Amontillado
Seek the LORD while there is time,
while there's time


© Poem by Chet Jelinski 2018
Illustration of "Fortunato" by Harry Clarke, 1819.           Taken from Public Domain.

"A Teacher Who Really Taught Me Something Valuable"

Recently, my editor asked me to compose a biographical blurb for the two books I'll be self-publishing soon. These will be my 14th and 15th books I'll be self-publishing, NONE of them have sold well* and frankly, I don't expect the NEW ones to (and I don't really care.) After giving a brief description of who I am, written in the third person, I concluded my Bio as follows:

"Chet..................doesn't expect to have a great deal of commercial success as a writer.  'I believe the things I write are good, obviously but they are not popular' he says.  Nonetheless he writes with joyful conviction for the pure love of self-expression and desiring to use the gifts God has given him for His glory."

Not exactly a good "plug" for my book, you say?? I disagree.  I'm being HONEST and that is ALWAYS what's best.  People can take it or leave it, that's their decision, but I believe there are people out there SEARCHING for honesty and they'll find what I write, God willing.  But the question I asked myself after I wrote my Bio is How did I GET this way??  Who instilled this principle inside of me, this "independence"?? And the answer is "a Teacher who taught me something valuable...Mrs. Elizabeth Stiller" (pictured.)

As I've been reflecting a lot on the 50th anniversary of entering ARTS HIGH SCHOOL this month (see my Sept. 9th blog), I've been remembering MRS. STILLER'S input into my young life, at age 14-15.  As I've mentioned before, Arts High was a school which specialized in ART and MUSIC training.  I got in for ART but fell in love with creative WRITING soon after entering.  However, though Writing became my new passion, I still attended Art classes and Mrs. Stiller was my first Art teacher.

Mrs. Stiller really CARED about me, she saw that my turbulent home life burdened me and distracted me from scholastic achievement and she thought I had artistic talent that I wasn't developing (she was right.) But one thing she emphasized about Art is that it wasn't meant to be used PRIMARILY to make money, but for self-expression regardless of whether it's popular or not.

Around this time (50 years ago this fall), a song that was popular on AM radio made the same point...

"Make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind of music

Even if nobody else sings along" went the refrain.

Mrs. Stiller was basically saying Make your own kind of ART (not Music), and when I started showing her my WRITING (which I never cared to show even to my ENGLISH teachers), she gave the same message:  "Write what's in your heart."

To be totally honest, were Mrs. Stiller alive TODAY, she might not like a lot of things that I write and PROBABLY wouldn't care for my determination to "use the gifts God has given me for His glory."

For as I recall, she was NOT "into God," at least not the God of THE BIBLE. 

But to that I would say she taught me "Write what's in your heart, Chet, no matter what anyone else thinks" and God mercifully has CHANGED my heart since 1969!! Furthermore, I am DEFINITELY not writing POPULAR stuff....nothing is LESS popular in America today than Christianity (my upcoming books present Christian perspectives very forcefully, regarding issues many don't want to tackle, it seems.)  

So despite objections that she may have, I will ALWAYS be thankful to God for Mrs. Stiller, the INstiller (Lol) of a character-shaping, life-changing principle that SHE may have wished she never taught me...but I honor her memory by going ahead, anyway!!



* The one exception might be the compilation book with the tribute to Pastor Martin, but I set it up so that I receive no profits from it.  In THAT sense it isn't a commercial success for me, and I'm good with that...it was my idea, Lol!!

"Will Severino Be NEXT MAN UP for German and the Yankees?""

The slogan for the 2019 New York Yankees has become "Next Man Up."  This is because we have had more injuries than any other team in baseball, yet we've OVERCOME our adversity and are playoff bound.  Exactly how WELL we will do in those playoffs now is another matter, however!!

On the night the Yankees clinched the American League East, it was learned that our winningest pitcher, Domingo Herman, was placed on Administrative Leave by Major League Baseball for violating their Domestic Violence policy.  He slapped a woman in the face, and, as far as I'm concerned, MLB is right to do what they did (most likely he will MISS the postseason).  It's a HUGE blow for the Yankees, to put it mildly. German was our ACE.

My dear Grandmother, who died 20 years ago next week, told me many times that "A real man will never hit a woman" when I was very small. So, in one sense, replacing German on the roster is impossible...."Next Man Up" can't work because German has proven he is NOT a man!!  But hopefully the returning LUIS SEVERINO, who was our ace LAST year (but spent most of THIS year on the Injury List), can fill the void German leaves.  If he can't, well, then German's sin MAY WELL affect the Yankees' postseason chances.

And if the Yankees don't get far in the postseason again, well, they now have an EXCUSE.  For the most part, pitching has always been VITAL in postseason and their star starter is FINITO this season. (He may NEVER come back, in fact...the Yankees already have ONE former abuser of women on their roster, their star CLOSER, Aroldis Chapman.  They don't need to add their star STARTER to that list.)

On the other hand, if they win the World Series now DESPITE this loss (the most devastating one of all because it's not due to a PHYSICAL problem, but a SPIRITUAL problem), it will be all the more amazing.  I tend to have my doubts, though, if winning it all rests on Severino doing what GERMAN did on the mound. Hard to forget  how Severino DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TIME A CRUCIAL GAME AGAINST THE RED SOX STARTED LAST OCTOBER, and didn't have the proper warm-up time for his start.  As I recall, we lost that game 16-1, and it makes me question Severino's desire to WIN, frankly.

See, in order to have "Next Man Up" you have to have enough MEN on deck...will Severino BE that man?? Maybe so...German took SEVERINO'S place as our ace this year, maybe Severino will be competitive enough to grab it BACK when the team needs him to do just that. Or maybe SABATHIA will pay us back for missing the postseason 4 years ago, due to his alcohol rehab.  I'd like to see HIM have one more moment of glory before he retires, there no doubt HE could be the man, the NEXT MAN UP, but, at age 39, he's "not the man he used to be".....

"Grandpa"

9-19-'19.  Hard to believe it was 25 years ago TODAY that my Grandfather died, in our home, of cancer.  He died at peace with GOD and with my US (my wife Beth and me)...and before I go on, let me say I will NEVER FORGET the love Beth showed to Grandpa in his final days.  She WILLINGLY agreed to give up the two week vacation we were supposed to take in order to be close by to my Grandparents, as Grandpa was dying.  And, even in his last six days, though a Hospice nurse cared for him in our home, Beth INSISTED on helping out as she was able.  It looks like Grandpa came to know the love and grace of God on his deathbed, and BETH'S love had a lot to do, humanly speaking, with that.

But it wasn't always smooth sailing with Grandpa and me.  25 years before he died, FIFTY years ago, in 1969, I lived in his house as I began to go to Arts High.  He kicked me out of his house because I wanted to grow my hair long and be a Hippie (I used to sneak BELLBOTTOMS to school and put them on, without Grandpa knowing it.) Grandpa was a man of unwavering principles, known for honesty, serving others, being a hard worker and his RELIABILITY.  After he booted me out I became a Christian a few years later, and when he saw that I had REALLY changed (started to WORK, cut my hair, and so on) our relationship gradually thawed.  How ironic that 25 years after he kicked me out of HIS house ('69) I welcomed him into MINE ('94), where the Lord SAVED him and welcomed Grandpa into HIS House...Heaven...25 years ago today.

Grandpa is not in Heaven because of HIS goodness, or Beth's good works, or mine...he's There only because of what JESUS did for him...God gave him Eternal Life because he repented and believed in the finished work of JESUS.

So Grandpa's been in Heaven for 25 years, Beth joined him 2 and a half years ago, and 25 years is only a drop in the bucket, compared to ETERNITY!!

"The Wisdom of Women"

The book of Proverbs teaches us MUCH about the wisdom of women!!  As Christian men who believe the New Testament’s directive that women are not to preach or teach men, we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking “that must be because we’re smarter than them.”  Guys, God’s Word in PROVERBS totally slays that misconception!!

For starters, in the opening chapters of Proverbs, God chose to personify WISDOM as a WOMAN. Think about that for a second….WISDOM is personified as a WOMAN!! And even when it’s ultra-clear, in Proverbs 10, that SOLOMON is now the author, let’s not forget that in OTHER parts of the Bible we learn that Solomon’s life ended with him having multiple wives, contradicting many of his own (previous) true teachings.

Also, Proverbs 31, the last book in Proverbs, ENDS with the description of the virtuous woman who is clearly VERY wise, as well as being very GODLY.

I have my own theory (and it’s JUST a theory) about ONE of the reasons why women aren’t allowed by God to preach to men, and it has nothing to do with their INTELLIGENCE. 

About 15 years ago, a Christian guy friend tricked my wife and me to come hear his new pastor, “Pastor Randy,” preach. Turns out that “Randy” had an “i” at the end of her name and her message was TERRIFIC, quite Biblical, but during the whole message, as I looked at her to politely pay attention, I was distracted by her beauty. I personally believe that God doesn’t allow women to preach to men NOT because they aren’t as ABLE but because MEN are more VISUAL and find it very difficult to gaze at women (even modestly dressed ones) for a half hour or so without thinking sinful thoughts that distract and detract from the ministry of the Word.

Christian men, VALUE the wisdom of your wife, your MOM, DAUGHTERS* and SISTERS**, if you have them!! Proverbs teaches us that they have MUCH wisdom, and the wisdom GOD shows in only letting MEN preach has (in my opinion) a lot to do with OUR weakness….not theirs.

*Priscilla Shirer, pictured above, is Pastor TONY EVANS'S daughter!!  I sincerely hope SHE is not a pastor who teaches men because that contradicts what I've said the Bible teaches, but I know she has a very godly teaching ministry to LADIES.  **I am blessed with some GREAT ones who TELL ME LIKE IT IS, when I need that!!

(I am presently teaching from Proverbs in my Men's Sunday School Class.
http://chetitorial.blogspot.com/2019/09/proverbs.html)

"Stallone Needs to Kill Off Rambo and Rocky Before HE Dies"

The newest, and FIFTH "Rambo" movie, debuting this Friday, promises to be the FINAL installment  in the Rambo franchise.  I plan to see it, but I hope it LIVES UP to the pledge made in the TV commercial....I hope this is Finito.  Even the title, "Rambo: Last Blood," suggests this is "it" for Rambo, and I hope that that title is not misleading.

Don't misunderstand me, I've ENJOYED Rambo movies and all of the vicarious violence that comes with them!! I have the box set of the four previous movies on DVD and we watched them all together one snowy Saturday last winter, and loved 'em  But in THIS one, supposedly, Rambo is seeking to permanently retire to a PEACEFUL lifestyle and is drawn back OFF of his rocking chair and back IN to his vengeful ways.  (And when Rambo goes off HIS rocker, man, he REALLY "goes off his rocker," Lol!!)  I just hope that Stallone kills the character off, frankly.  It's the only way he'll EVER let it go, short of when HE dies.

"Rambo" movies will have, when this new one debuts, appeared during the Presidencies of the last THREE Republican Presidents (Reagan in '82, '85 and '88; Bush 43 in 2008 and now TRUMP in 2019.)  That's a LONG run, it's time to quit and, in fact, the 73 year old Stallone needs to "retire" Rocky, ALSO.  (And the only way he'll do THAT is if he kills THAT cash cow off, ALSO.)

My suggestion?? Hopefully "Rambo" dies at the end of this FIFTH movie (I'll know Friday, Lord Willing.) Then, Stallone should make a seventh "ROCKY" movie and kill HIM off (this could be referenced in "Creed 3" when THAT is made.  After all, the stage is SET for Rocky's death in the FIRST two "Creeds" but The Rock deserves to pass on in his OWN franchise.)

If all of this happens, it would end "Rocky" and "Rambo" in all ODD numbers..."Rambo" would have 5 movies, "Rocky" would have 7 but, altogether with the "Creed" movies, it would be 9.  (ODD numbers just seem more....COMPLETE in these matters.)

Without a doubt, yes, I've become disenchanted with Stallone this year (see THIS blog http://chetitorial.blogspot.com/2019/07/rockhead.html, and the one from Feb. 26th.) My disenchantment has LOTS to do with my desire to see "Rocky" and "Rambo" killed off by Stallone. So ANOTHER reason Sly needs to finish off his most famous characters is so that he can concentrate on GETTING TO KNOW THE LORD IN A MUCH BETTER WAY THAN HE KNOWS HIM NOW.  I'm well aware that he made a profession of salvation about a decade ago, but IF he's even saved he needs to begin GROWING.

He needs to work on SYLVESTER STALLONE before he leaves this world, and he'll never do that, I fear, while he focuses more on his CREATIONS rather than his own CREATOR.

"To Sun Worshipers (A 'Chetitorial' Poem)"

Finished the poem (below) on my phone this morning.  As for the drawing, it was originally done in 2006 but I retouched it just now to fit it with my poem.

Click to enlarge the first part of the poem...

"Proverbs!!"

In my Men's Sunday School Class we will be beginning a study in the book of PROVERBS this Sunday!! I am very, very excited about that.  Above are my notes for the first Study....I will attempt to keep this to 10-12 weeks, all total.

I see a certain IRONY in this post....a few posts back, in my "High School" blog I pointed out how school was boring and I dropped out, but here I am TEACHING for almost 2 years and that is a LOT of fun (a lot of work, ALSO.)

Then, in my blog about Walgreen's recently I chastened them for cutting down two magnificent, decades-old PINE TREES and yet in my first "Proverbs" lesson I use the analogy of chopping down trees (read first two paragraphs in photo above, Lol)!!

In 1976, the year after I got saved, I started reading Charles Bridges' "Exposition of the Book of Proverbs" in my daily devotions and I fell in love with the book of Proverbs.  There is SO MUCH PRACTICAL WISDOM FOR DAILY LIFE in its pages!!

I'm excited for this fall kick-off!!  And I will be referring to Bridges' book (and other sources) as I lead THIS study.  I pray that the LORD will be glorified and the GUYS will be EDIFIED.

"My OTHER 9-11 Poem"

As always, 9-11 is a sad day. 
"Unshaken" is my MAIN "9-11" Poem  but here's my OTHER one (above), written in 2007...




For anyone who wants to see "Unshaken," published on this blog one year ago, go HERE....


http://chetitorial.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-9-11-poem.html

That's all I feel like saying today, honestly.

"Three Things I Actually DID Learn in High School"

I truly hated school, it was boring!!  I dropped out of High School in 1972 and never, ever regretted it.  I tend to talk a LOT about Arts High School in Newark because it's the last school I went to ('69-'72) and here on the 50th anniversary of my BEGINNING there, my time (as in "PRISON time," Lol) at Arts is very much on my mind.  (The photo, by the way, shows the school as it USED to look when I went, it's been modernized since then.)

Even in PRISON, though I've never been there, they say you can pick up things that will help you in life or even CHANGE your life...and I can see now that God was AT WORK in my life, even before I knew Him, there at Arts.



1.) I LEARNED NOT TO BE A RACIST.  Before I went to Arts, at age 14, just about everyone in my life that was older than me was racist.  The Newark riots of 1967 didn't help, neither did the abuse I took from mean black kids in 8th grade, in 1968.  I wound up in Arts High in '69 because I had artistic talent and, because it was a MAGNET school there were no racial problems. I was told that the kids there were more "refined" and not "troublemakers." I didn't realize that Arts was predominantly black...I guess my racism made me think it would be mostly WHITE, you see.

Anyway, my HOMEROOM TEACHER was white but the kids in my homeroom were mostly BLACK...and my teacher died suddenly of a heart attack a few days into the school year as he was running for a bus!! When a BLACK woman became my NEW homeroom teacher, I went to the (white) principal and actually asked to be TRANSFERRED.  I know there are liars today who preach that "you can't be racist if you're in the minority group" but I was a racist in the minority as I began at Arts High!!  Anyway, the Principal DENIED my request, I had to STAY in that homeroom and I had to learn to get along with the black teacher and students...and I did.

The fact that Bill Cosby's popular, new sitcom in '69 had his name as "CHET Kincaid" was a real help.  Soon, I was very popular with ALL of my fellow students.  Below is a photo of my class, I''m in the upper left (this was Fall of 1970)....the guy next to me was SPANISH, by the way.  And the girl on the far right, Chanda, was the first girl I ever thought I was in love with.

2.) I LEARNED I HAD A PASSION FOR WRITING.  To that point (age 14), I'd never read much besides Marvel Comics but at Arts High I was exposed to EDGAR ALLAN POE and I loved his short stories and poems. I began writing short stories and poems myself, and passed them around the class for the kids to read (which increased my popularity).  These I worked on rather than HOMEWORK so my grades began to fail, but I didn't care and neither did the "adults" in my life.

At that time, Arts High only had ART or MUSIC, there were no Creative Writing courses and so I neglected my art and pursued WRITING, which was then my PASSION.  Obviously, I still have that passion TODAY...the fact that this is blog #264 proves THAT, Lol!! 

At present, some of my earliest poems, in my original handwriting, are being reproduced on my "Writing" Facebook page.  These were faithfully preserved by my dear friend JOHN for 50 years.  Here's the link...just go to Facebook, search these words and check the top 2 posts.  More will be forthcoming SOON, Lord Willing.

Writing From Whiting- Poems by Chet Jelinski

Finally,  3.) I LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LORD, FROM A NON-CATHOLIC STANDPOINT, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME THERE AT ARTS!!  Remember those black kids I was originally afraid of?? GOD USED THEM TO SOW SEEDS IN MY LIFE, DIFFERENT INSIGHTS ABOUT WHO HE IS, THAT WERE EVENTUALLY "WATERED" BY SOMEONE ELSE A FEW YEARS LATER.  And, in 1975, God SAVED me!! I've been His child ever since.  So though school WAS a prison for me, it was THERE that God began to SET ME FREE...

...Hold on!! I feel a POEM coming on, Lol!!

"Walgreens, Spare Those Trees!!"

Just sent a letter to our local paper, about Walgreens...

Editor,

I'm really bummed at the soon-to-be closing of Whiting's Walgreens.  It's not that I care about the store itself but I think of those two huge, stately, lovely pine trees which "had" to come down to clear the path for the store.  They took decades to grow and now they're gone forever, all because of a chain's arrogant miscalculation that they could prosper right across the street from a firmly established CVS, and in an area where residents have many, many varied options for pharmacies.

I'm no "tree hugger," mind you. I'm not one who would've chained myself to the trees while reciting "Woodman, Spare That Tree" and listening to "King of Trees" by Cat Stevens, had I known in advance that the trees were coming down!  What I am is a Bible-believing Christian who believes God has given man dominion over the earth but we MUST be good stewards of our resources that He has loaned to us. I was sad when the trees came down a few years ago but now that Walgreens is going, my sadness has turned to anger. "Thanks," Walgreens...those amazing trees were already on the corner of Healthy and Happy before you came along! And this is coming from someone who is politically conservative and a Capitalist who had his own business up north for 35 years.

And now that you're going, Walgreens, I have a question for you. Can you put those trees back? (Not the midget ones you planted, but "those" trees you took down.)

I didn't think so!

"WALLS OF GREEN"

You loveliest Walls of Green

along came a chain, saw

no beauty...nothing serene

They decided the Walls must fall

And now they are moving on

and now, you're forever gone...

---Who do we call?

Chet Jelinski, Whiting

I sincerely doubt that they'll print ANY or ALL of this letter, but, we'll see...

"Mary, The 'Perfect Mother' ?"

In my blog of August 7th, I wrote about the pain of losing several "adopted moms" in the past year-and-a-half.  I would not be surprised if a well-meaning Catholic reader was thinking "Why don't you come back to Catholicism and have MARY as your Mother again? There is no one better, and HER love is Perfect and Eternal."

Well, let me just say in response that I appreciate the offer, but I've "been there and done that" and the way Catholics perceive Mary does not square with SCRIPTURE.  Mary was, indeed, a highly favored woman but Catholicism has made her into practically a GOD.  She was NOT "born without sin," herself...that's why she rejoiced in God her savior. She was NOT a perpetual virgin after Jesus's birth, that's why He had half-brothers and sisters.  And she is NOT the "Queen of Heaven" today...NOT a "Co-Redemptrix" or "Co-Mediatrix"....these are all man-made traditions of men which are, sadly, negating the Word of God and deceiving millions.

Now, it is not my purpose here to evangelize or try to persuade anyone...were that the case I would go on and on and quote the actual Scripture references.  I'm only trying to tell my hypothetical Catholic friend why "The Perfect Mother" is not an option for me.  I definitely AM working hard on a book called "Winning Catholics to Christ" which lays all of this out in more detail and perhaps when I self-publish it (Lord Willing, next spring) I'll reprint the chapter about MARY here.  But for now, again, I'm only answering a (very good) hypothetical question.

You see, I already gave up Mary as my "Perfect Mother" and "adopted mom" back in 1975 when I got saved and left Catholicism.

And, perhaps doing that helped prep me for the loss of my REAL mom (2007) and those OTHER adopted moms in this past year-and-a-half, the ones I blogged about here on August 7th. TURNING AWAY FROM CATHOLICISM WAS DIFFICULT PARTLY BECAUSE IT MEANT LEAVING "THE PERFECT MOTHER" BEHIND...but I definitely HAVE left her behind, and it made me stronger. Yes, I still yearn for a mother-figure in my life, but not the kind of "figure" which is only a statue that many PRAY to, or a painting (like the one above) which is inanimate. I want a mother-figure I can pray WITH here on EARTH, not someone in Heaven who SUPPOSEDLY hears and answers millions of prayers all at once.

And why would I want a PERFECT mother when I, MYSELF am not perfect??

Protestantism VALUES Mary highly, yes...at least we should....but we don't DEIFY her. And in fact it was HARD to learn to see Mary through the realistic lens of Scripture, and not through the Catholic Church's TRADITIONS, but I did and I still recall all that I saw.

And having seen how Catholicism lies about so many things, I will never, ever go back DESPITE the lure of "the Perfect Mother." (Thank you anyway, though!!)

"Aging Rockers Who Are ON Rockers"

Saw an interesting article about AGING ROCK AND POP LEGENDS!! (You might say "Rockers who are ON rockers.") Seriously, though, the Bible indicates our AVERAGE lifespan is 70 years, and most of the living ones listed have gone beyond that DESPITE their documented drug and alcohol abuse. God is merciful to them!!  Here's the article...

https://theweek.com/…/coming-death-just-about-every-rock-le…

A few comments on those "Living Legends" listed, starting with

* BOB DYLAN (78), The only one listed who professed to be "Saved" at one time. (His 1980 album was NAMED "Saved" in fact, but he has seemingly turned away in recent years. ALICE COOPER, whose profession is more credible and current, is NOT listed in this article, by the way...neither is MARK FARNER.)

* PAUL McCARTNEY (77). Many thought he was dead 50 years ago, but the guy keeps going, Lol!! I hope he "gets a life" before he dies...making music isn't EVERYTHING, Paul.

* PAUL SIMON (77), HE may still be alive, but his CAREER isn't. His last solo album was TERRIBLE. Needs to reunite with ART GARFUNKEL (also 77) if he wants to, pardon the pun, "go out on a positive note."

*MICK JAGGER (76), Glad his PHYSICAL heart problem is doing better but he needs a NEW heart, spiritually speaking. So do ALL of them, it would seem (sadly.)

* KEITH RICHARDS (75), He's listed as a LIVING Legend but, looking at him, well, I'd like a second medical opinion, Lol!! I heard Embalming Fluid is his Drug of Choice now...

* ELTON JOHN (72), Wow, despite his gay lifestyle and suicide attempts, he's still with us. I fear for him and PRAY for him. The "Rocketman" movie increased my burden for him AND Bernie...

* JAMES TAYLOR (71), He abused his body with drugs early in life but seems to be living healthy now...I predict HIM to make it until 80. (But why isn't CAT STEVENS / YUSUF ISLAM (71) on this article's list??)

* BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (69, turning 70 next month.) The only one of these guys who, in my opinion, is an "old dog learning new tricks." As I've said here many times, his new excursion into Western music, "Western Stars," is sheer GENIUS.....NOT that I've sampled much of the OTHERS' new stuff, mind you!!

QUESTION: Why isn't RINGO STARR (79) at the TOP of this list, in the article?? You'd think the OTHER surviving ex-Beatle would rate an acknowledgement...and he's the OLDEST of those listed...

"The Problem With Images of Jesus"

Above is a painting of "Jesus" I came across on the Internet. To me (and admittedly I'm a Cat Stevens fan), "Jesus" looks too much like "The Cat" did, before he got old and became a Muslim (see photo below.) 

To "illustrate" (pardon the pun) my point, I retouched the "Jesus" painting for only 30 seconds (below.)

In my artistic opinion, all you'd have to do is change the style and color on the hair of "Jesus" and you'd have the Moonshadow Man.

But whether you agree with me or not about that resemblance I see, it underscores why God doesn't want us to make visual representations of our Lord (although I don't judge anyone who's done it because I have done it MYSELF, in the past.) Artists will ALWAYS try to depict Jesus as they THINK He looked or even WISHED He looked. And though Scripture indicates Jesus was ORDINARY looking, have you ever seen a painting of Jesus where He looks......ordinary??

HEREIN LIES THE DILEMMA FOR THE ARTIST WHO SEEKS TO REVERENTLY "CAPTURE" JESUS. The Bible teaches He was ordinary to LOOK at but yet He spoke and acted in such a way and did miracles unlike ANY ordinary man who ever lived!! How do you capture such an incredible paradox in a painting, statue or drawing?? How do you resist making Him look like He is one color or another, as if maybe He was only the Savior if ONE group of people??

Jesus is GOD IN THE FLESH but you can't convey His GODHOOD in a mere work of art!! The Bible says that through HIM all things were created, and we are made in HIS image. But if we can create Him in OUR image, or retouch depictions of "Jesus" so easily, isn't this a good reason not to make images of Him in the FIRST place??

THESE things, I believe, give us clues as to why God says we aren't to make "graven images." And once more, though I've done drawings of Jesus MYSELF in the past (never again, after seeing the painting above, however), paintings and sketches of "Jesus" are included in the "graven images" prohibition, in my opinion.