Our neck of the woods is doin’ just fine, thank you.  Bit chilly – heard someone say that a about four weeks ago we were saying we could use some 70 degree weather, now, again, we are saying we could use some 70 degree weather.

Don’t know if I told this story before, but I always get a kick out of it anytime someone talks about how hot or cold it is.

Several of us were in Warm Springs Indian Reservation taking a class on bombs.  It was hot, as it gets in that part of the country, and we were out in the middle of the sun and hot sand while our instructor was demonstrating what different type bombs could do.

Somehow we got to talking about air conditioning in the patrol cars.  Our chief had finally talked the budget committee into allowing them to be part of the new vehicle purchases a few years before.

The Warm Springs Police Department had cars assigned to them from the Bureau of Indian affairs.  Based on the ‘average’ temperature for the year they didn’t qualify for air conditioning.

Course the highs were over a hundred and the lowest below zero, but the average was only in the neighborhood of 50 some degrees.

Federal bureaucrats so often don’t have a lick of common sense.

Anyway, I was glad to have the air conditioner, AND the heater for whatever the temperature was outside as I patrolled the streets.

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I realize I am ‘preaching to the choir’ on my devotional this morning, but:

Luke 10:30-36   KJV  “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

³¹ And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

³² And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

³⁴ And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

³⁵ And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

³⁶ Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”

I just have to get something off my chest concerning the Salvation Army and by extension St. Vinny’s critics.   

“I have no intention to depart in the smallest degree from the main principles on which I have acted in the past. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. But in providing for the relief of temporal misery I reckon that I am only making it easy where it is now difficult, and possible where it is now all but impossible, for men and women to find their way to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Wm Booth

I have to admit I get rather testy when I hear people degrade the Salvation Army as ‘just a religious group,’ or like someone on the other side was upset because the Salvation Army was “just a thrift store” and therefore he should be allowed to have a marijuana store within 1000 feet.

Frankly tired of people clamoring that they don’t want to give to ‘religious’ thrift stores like St. Vinney’s and the Salvation Army; but would rather give to the newest big kid on the block with the million dollar store and of little help to the afflicted in our community.

For whatever it is worth “The Salvation Army exists to meet human need wherever, whenever, and however we can.”

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.  Its message is based on the Bible.  Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.  Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”  Both quotes from their web site.

The Salvation Army has given their services to the homeless, the down and out, the single parents, the children, the needy stranger, and anyone else that comes to them.  They have been a solid standard in our community for scores of years and have given aide to others quietly and without thought of compensation – and without considering whether these people were deserving or not.

Is it a religious organization?  Yep!  But they have a mission pretty well laid down by their founder, and it hasn’t change in over 150 years:

“While women weep, as they do now,
I’ll fight
While little children go hungry, as they do now,
I’ll fight
While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now,
I’ll fight
While there is a drunkard left,
While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,
While there remains one dark soul without the light of God,
I’ll fight-I’ll fight to the very end!”  General Wm. Booth 

Yes, I am supportive of the Salvation Army’s mission and work within our community; I know that they are there to truly serve and not line their own pockets or the ‘corporate’ people running the show.

And, I am supportive of their thrift store, which helps them give back to this community!!

Later, Art (-: