Happy Thanksgiving! Just a few short words (under 6 letters) and some others before going over to Mom’s for dinner. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Temp about 65, clear, little wind. All of ours are healthy. Tracie of course, had surgery for her gall bladder Tuesday. Reports have her doing well and planning to show up this evening around dinner time if she hasn’t already over-done.
I just spoke to Nan. She didn’t get off work until 3 and still has to pack so they won’t be here until 6:30 or 7. They are leaving in the morning to go see Brian in Oklahoma over the weekend. Sheri and Ricky are in Georgia with Peachy Keen for Thanksgiving. They may make it by late. Randy and Pam got in last night. I think they are leaving Sunday after church. Rob and Doris came in yesterday. By the time I got to Mom’s this morning there was a MEAN game of dominos on the big table. Scott and Brittany are supposed to make dinner along with her father. Andrea and I are headed to her mothers to check on her before dinner. She is doing better with her physical therapy. She has been getting around a little bit. (for those uninformed, she fell while visiting Chuck in Chicago, thought she broke her back, not quite, just taking a while to recover from the fall).
Yes, we are thankful. I was watching the parade when Santa came on this morning. The commentator reminded us that even with all that is going on around us, to see the wonder in a little kids eyes at the possibilities of Christmas. If only they all knew the real possibilities. We serve a risen savior. He is alive in each and every one of us today. We are his workmanship, created for good works thru Christ. Pick a good work this season. Share the wonder that is Jesus, Him crucified and risen. What would Jesus do? He already did! Now it is up to us. What will you do? What will we do? What will the body of Christ do? We must do the work of the ministry. We must make a difference in the lives of those around us. Keep me posted. Lets talk about the things we are doing this Christmas season.
Westy, over and out.

I intended to make this a reply to Zippidee but thought better of it and put in my page. Here’s to ya.
I remember specifically asking Dad the deep question of my lifetime back when I was about 30. I was out of the Navy and trying to make a living for my family. I was one of the “have nots” at time. The question was “ what makes one man’s days work worth $55.00 and another’s $20,000.00?” I didn’t really thing Dad would have and answer but I wanted him to know I knew I was on the short end of the stick. He didn’t give me an answer. He believed, as Fogged does, that if you do your share and keep your nose clean, you will be ok.
Since that time I have been in a position to make the decision that determines what makes one man’s day worth more than another. In more cases than I want to admit, the difference is usually the expectation of the man being paid. It is a measure of self worth. I know there will be those who disagree with me, but I am sharing my experience.
The kid that showed up with his clothes half falling off, no manners, and an attitude that says “I know your aren’t going to hire me, but my parole officer said I had to talk to you anyhow,” just might get hired. His buddy that came in dressed properly, yes sir, no sir, will get hired to do the same job, no better skills, but he will get $2.00 an hour more.
I have seen grown men who are down on their luck, lacking confidence, back into an interview hoping for a chance but not believing that they deserve a chance or that they might actually contribute something, when asked how much they want to be paid, give an answer that you and they know they can’t live with. The guy that has a job, wants a raise to move and knows he can do what you need, asks for and gets 30% more.
Currently I am working with a bunch of painters. The lead guy makes about $15 and hour. His helper makes about $8 an hour. I have four of these crews that last week painted 24 apartments. They were all glad to have the work and got a respectable paycheck. I was responsible to see that they had an apartment to go to each morning and that the supplies they needed were available so they didn’t have to go to the paint store or deal with a property manager. I inspected their work and billed the work. I never opened a bucket, I didn’t get nasty and I made more than they did several times over. What was my talent? Knowing that if I can get paid some for what everyone does, I make more money. Doesn’t matter what I am doing. As long as I can get a piece of everyones hour, I come out ahead.
I’m still in Fogged’s 95% but I make a living. Those guys in the 1%, they don’t think like we do. They don’t live like we do. I would like their money, but I don’t think I want to swap places because I don’t want to make the choices they make. They make “business” decisions without regard for how it affects the people who work for them. They make “strategic decisions” without caring about the side effects.
I don’t have the answers, I don’t even know the right questions. ‘taint fair! Nope, but it is life.

Here we go!
I want to get this out tonight before we know what the final results of the election are.
Just as we are a multi-talented bunch, we are also a multi-dimensional bunch as relates to politics and related subjects. (definition: politics – poly: more than one, tics: blood sucking bugs). Without getting into your guy beat my guy or vicy vercy, lets just admit that Washington has put us in such a buggered-up situation that it will likely be more than any mere mortal can straighten out in four or even eight years.
Our obsession with who is going to be President without spending the requisite time watching out for who is running the Legislature and the Senate is very likely our biggest weak link. I think we have all seen enough e-mails warning us that it is the Congress that controls making of law and spending of money. Presidents can rant and rave about what they will do, but they must have the cooperation of Congress to put it on paper. If Brother Obama is the choice of the people, he may have an easier time of getting his way with a Democratic Congress than Brother McCain, but we must remember that we are the ones who are supposed to control the Congress. I don’t care who is in the majority, with the advent of e-mail it is just too easy to send your preferences to the members of Congress, regardless of who they are or what party they profess to represent. The truth is they represent us and when we force them to listen to us and know we are not following behind them blindly like sheep, attitudes can be changed.
Until they know we are mad as Hell and are not going to take it any more, we are going to have to continue to take it. No one has bailed me out this month. My parachute had a hole in it. They didn’t even invite me to a Presidential dinner because I wouldn’t send in $2500.00 to do my share. Instead the sent each and everyone of us a bill that if spread equally among us would have put $200,000 into the pocket of each and every adult in the United States. Oh yeah, the media forgot to break it out that way for us. We each could have paid off our own mortgages and had money left over to pay the taxes.
Don’t let me get started on taxes or the organization that collects them. Remember, it is the Congress that allows the IRS to exist. It is the Congress that oks the rules and regulations that the IRS comes up with. Why do I sit here and collect my unemployment? Because if I generate any money, the IRS is going to take it away from me because the IRS is exempt from bankruptcy judgments. They get to keep an eye on everything I do until I go to be with Jesus. Could I start something that would support 15 families and generate income for the community and taxes for Uncle? Sure, but what’s in it for me? Harassment and seizure. I have to encourage people to work for themselves and be responsible for their own taxes without any chance of being able to offer them any kind of insurance or retirement simply because the government won’t let me have anything ever again.
Forget not the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to create wealth. I wear that on the inside of my Harvest ring. That statement covers the President, the Congress and the IRS. My God gives me the ability to create wealth. I will and I will share it as He leads me. They can’t stop it, it’s bigger than they are. Keep an eye out, here we go. Oh yeah, congratulations to whomever.
Harvest time in 2009, a year of prosperity! Uncle Westy, over and out.