THE SPRING RETREAT
The spring Retreat is on for the weekend of 23-25 March at Kentucky Dam Village State Park. Dolores Winder, from Shreveport, La. will be with us, to share her remarkable testimony of healing and to pray for the sick Hers is one of the most compelling testimonies I have ever heard, and her ministry one of the most valid that I know. Come be with us; if you don't have a reservation, call Marty at 270-965-2174, e-mail: mmmck@apex.net, or call the office at 270-965-5060. It isn't too late.

A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF PRESIDENT
It appears that we now have a very different kind of president. This "insider's" story comes to us through our elector (member of the Electoral College). At a banquet to thank his campaign staff, President-elect Bush was in the process of greeting the 1,000+ guests when one lady indicated by a comment that she was a Christian. Bush turned to her teen son and asked if he were also a Christian; the boy replied, "I don't think so." Bush asked if he might share with the boy what Jesus had done for him, sat with him for 30 minutes of precious time, eschewed the political hand-shaking, and led the boy to the Lord! What a paradigm change from the past 8 years, when the previous president would send Civil Service agents to get names and phone numbers of desireable women in such a crowd.

A POINT TO PONDER
Q. What's the difference between the Electoral college and all the other colleges?
A. The Electoral College is the only one without remedial reading classes.
("Mallard Filmore" by Bruce Tinsley 16 Dec 00)

AOL IS CHRISTIAN-OWNED
You may want to know that America On Line (AOL), the giant internet service provider (ISP in computer lingo), is owned by a Christian couple, Steve Case and his wife, Jean. The Cases have recently been attacked by homosexual activists for making a substantial gift to Dr. D.J. Kennedy's Christian School, Westminster Academy (Jean is a graduate). The Cases are also suing a Florida company for using AOL to distribute pornography on its web site. If you are buying your internet access from AOL, feel good about it. (ANS/AFRN/FRC)

GLOBAL WARMING? BRRRRR
One of the most outrageous lies of Al Gore and the other environmental extremests is that disaster is just over the horizon due to "global warming"; we must give up our air conditioners, cars, lawn mowers, boat motors, etc to "save the earth." How has your Winter been? From Maine to Miami, from New York to Seattle, it has been, in a word, COLD. Record lows continue to be broken, and it is world-wide. Siberia has recorded new lows: one city at -67 (broke a 100 year record); in one city the temperature never got above -58 for a month. In India, 112 have died so far. In this country, the death toll is higher. So much for their "global warming!" (WND/UPI)

GLOBALISM, GERMANY AND WOMEN SOLDIERS
Germany is part of the European Community; as such, this once-proud nation has had to surrender its national sovereignty, and can no longer make decisions about all its own, internal, affairs. In January, the European Court of Justice ruled that Germany's armed forces must allow women to enter any and all occupational specialties, including all combat roles. As I see it, she has surrendered her sovereignty to a super-national government. (ANS/AFRN)

CLINTON SAYS "DIVIDE ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM"
In his desperation push for something positive in his "legacy," Clinton keeps putting pressure on both Israel and Arafat to come to some sort of "peace" settlement. In January, he even threatened Arafat, who hung up on him! A few days later, he proposed publicly that Israel be divided, half Israel, and half "Palestinian State." Jerusalem would be split, and Arafat would control the Temple Mount. (ANS/AFRN) Think of this! What if someone proposed that Mecca be divided, half Arab and half Israeli, with Israel controlling the Kaaba, the most sacred point in the most sacred city of all Islam? Would the Muslim world (and the establishment media) give the proposal a serious hearing?

JUDGE MOORE WILL TAKE 10 COMMANDMENTS WITH HIM
Judge Roy Moore, who became the focal point of hate from the ACLU and its friends for praying before each session and keeping the Ten Commandments on his courtroom wall, was elected in November as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He has announced that he will take his Ten Commandments plaque with him and display it in his new office in Montgomery. (ANS/AFRN)

EDUCATION STANDARD BEARER?
Last Fall the Federalist Digest awarded its "Dumbing Down" Award to John Wilson, incoming Pres. of the NEA teachers' union. Expressing the union's opposition to academic fundamentals, and promotion of social agendas, Wilson declared that "The benefits of the reading, writing and math does (sic) not outweigh the need for (black and white) children to learn to work and play together." The press release about Wilson pointed out that he was previously North Carolina's state president, and said, "North Carolina NEA is nationally known for its pre-eminence in education reform." North Carolina is ranked 48th out of 50 in SAT scores. (Fed Dig 9/00)

WAL-MART "PALESTINE" RUMOR UNTRUE
If you hear that WalMart is selling a globe with "Palestine" where "Israel" should be, it is not true. There is a rumor making the e-mail rounds, particularly among Jewish people that WalMart is thus promoting Palestinian sovereignty over the Holy Land. Not true. Even the Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai Berith, which can see anti-Jewish meaning when it isn't there, says it isn't true. (WND)
And, speaking of e-mail rumors, read on...

E-MAIL VIRUS WARNINGS
You probably know that some things which are not true get wide e-mail circulation. Sometimes they are honest mistakes; and sometimes they are deliberate hoaxes, started for fun or for malice. Among these are many virus warnings. Now there is a way to check on virus warning validity; in fact, there are several sources for identifying e-mail hoaxes. A good site for verification is "Snopes.com." (Incidentally, any enclosure using the words, "Snow White" contains a real virus.) (w/thanks to Jim Adams, WNKJ)

A GREAT AMERICAN AND A GREAT SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE
One of the finest persons I know is Dr. Stan Monteith, a retired orthopaedic surgeon in Santa Cruz, Calif. He is dedicating the rest of his life to informing us of things we need to know as citizens. Brilliant mind, pure heart, and total commitment to truth are some of his qualities; he is also a committed Christian. His knowledge of the philosophy and history of anti-freedom elitists and despots is awesome; and his information comes from original sources - not the opinions of others. This exemplary American patriot carries on, at his own expense, a daily talk show (Radio Liberty) and publishes a monthly newsletter. I have never read one of his newsletters that I didn't learn something important. You can get his free newsletter by calling 800-544-8927. You can also read it, and hear his radio programs, at his web site, "RADIOLIBERTY.com."

SOME DAYS NOTHING GOES RIGHT!
The average cost of rescuing and rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill was $80,000. At a special ceremony and celebration, two of the most expensively saved seals were released back into the wild, with exhuberant cheers from the crowd. Within two minutes, the seals, enjoying their new freedom, in full view of the crowd of well-wishers, were eaten by a killer whale. Some days nothing goes right! (AP)

SERVICEMEN, CREDIT CARDS, AND FOOD STAMPS
When the Defense Department brought in the all-volunteer Armed Forces, pay rates were dramatically increased, as an incentive for entering and staying. Today, a private in basic training is paid more than I was as a captain with several years service. I was once aide de camp to a general; today, young, non-career enlisted men are paid more than that man was paid as a general with 30 years service. Of course, inflation enters the question, but the fact is that our servicemen are paid vastly better than before the day of "all-volunteer." Yet we hear much political wailing about servicemen on food stamps; how can this be?

First, a little reality: no serviceman need EVER require any kind of financial aid, for he is guaranteed all necessities: food, clothing, shelter, and every kind of care. There is NO excuse for such dire fiscal woes. So, what could be the problem? It lies in a combination of 4 factors: youthful irresponsibility, marriage, credit cards, and a belief that they should have everything now. This is an age when people think they should have things NOW - not later, when they can afford them. More than half of our servicemen are now married - multitudes in the ranks of private and Pfc; they are young, therefore innately unwise, and irresponsible about spending. And they all have credit cards. I am frequently aboard bases, and am amazed to see young enlisted men go through a checkout line and pay for one 50-cent soda or a candy bar with a credit card!

And then there is the ubiquitous ATM (automatic teller machine - the cash box). Ever since we have had parking places (and hitching rails before that) on a military base, the Number One place, the one nearest the door, was reserved for the Commanding Officer. No longer. At the Gulfport Navy Base, the CO gets the 3rd place down - he has been demoted. Why? The first two are reserved for users of the ATM. Not only must the non-rated sailors have access to cash 24 hours a day (forget saving and planning), but they must not be delayed in getting it! The CO must walk a little farther, so as not to delay the seaman who wants cash - right now - to spend on something he doesn't need.
Realizing that when an old timer says, "In my day..." people stop listening, I nevertheless take that risk, for the sake of enlightening those who care. In January 1949, when I first raised my right hand and enlisted as a Marine, my private's pay was $75.00 monthly (less deductions). I only knew one man on the base below the rank of sergeant who had a car; no one I knew was married. Men below the rank of sergeant could not reenlist if they were married. I was well fed, well cared for in every way, and saved a minimum of 40% of my pay for college. Liberty buses took us to and from town - not luxurious, but free. Movies were free. I never knew anyone who was in financial distress unless he had gotten drunk and blown his pay in some stupid way; and even if he then had not a penny in his pocket, he still would not lack for anything he needed - it was all provided. It still is. You may not care about this, and I am reluctant to consume so much space with it; but it has troubled me for some time, and you may want to understand the "food stamp crisis," which is, in reality, a self-inflicted wound.

CLINTON FINALLY GOES TO VIETNAM (& $$$)
In the closing weeks of his presidency, Clinton finally went to Vietnam, to schmooz with its bloody-handed leaders and in hopes of something positive for the history books. He further alienated veterans, families, servicemen, etc by posing, grinning, by a bust of Ho Chi Minh. But, oh, the cost! The trip required 26 C5s (until recently, the World's largest aircraft - I didn't know that many existed); 33 C17s, 4 C141s, 10 KC 10s and one C130. The one-week trip cost (for airlift alone) $63.5 million. By comparison, the entire airlift budget for a Marine Expeditionary Force for this fiscal year is $6.9 million (to move 27,000 Marines and 3,000 tons of equipment). (Strategic Asswssment Ctr) But that's not all...

"BUT, BABY, I LOVE YOU"
According to a congressional investigation, of the 1 million unmarried, adolescent girls who become pregnant each year in this country, 85% of them are abandoned by the boys who impregnate them. So much for the ancient line, "But, baby - I LOVE you!" Yeah, sure...(D.J. Kennedy)

ADOLESCENT BODY COUNT
According to a congressional investigation, the second leading cause of death among adolescents is suicide. The leading cause of death, the only cause killing more adolescents than suicide? Homicide. (D.J. Kennedy)

THE SHROUD OF TURIN - NEW REVELATION
Most of us are aware of the Shroud of Turin, an ancient burial cloth of a man who had been crucified. Many believe it to be the burial cloth of Jesus, and much evidence points in that direction; now there is a new link in the evidence in the form of an ancient, blood-stained face cloth (L. "sudarium") which once covered a corpse which had been beaten and the head subjected to puncture wounds. Significant new, sophisticated, scientific evidence indicates that it is the face cloth of the same man who was wrapped in the Shroud of Turin. More on this next time. (WND)

THE CULTURE WAR HEATS UP
The culture war continues to escalate. Michael Marcavage, a student at Temple University, was offended by the presentation of the blasphemous play, "Corpus Christi," by the university's Theater Department, on the campus. This play depicts Jesus as a homosexual, engaging in unthinkable acts with His disciples, and being crucified for being "king of the queers." As an offended Christian, Michael lodged a complaint with Temple officials. The result? He was arrested and involuntarily committed to a hospital for the insane. He is now being represented by American Family Ass'n lawyers. (ANS/AFAJ)

REDEFINING "SHAMELESS"
Claiming that his administration would be "the most ethical" in US history, one of the first things Clinton did was to execute an executive order which forbids anyone working for a president from then lobbying the federal government for at least 5 years after leaving office, and from lobbying for a foreign government forever. Now that he is leaving office himself, one of his last acts as president is to execute another executive order, rescinding it. He and his friends are now free to lobby for anyone.

QUOTABLE
"(Concerning Christians/Christianity) the courts have moved from a position of benevolent neutrality, to a position of malevolent hostility." (Janet Parshall, Family Research Council)

A POINT TO PONDER
States with the least restrictive gun control laws experience only 1/6 of the murders with guns that are suffered in states with the most restrictive gun control laws.(AFR, et al)

STANDING OVATION FOR A PRAYER?
A Special Forces veteran attended a graduation exercise for the Officers' Candidate School at Ft. Benning, at Christmas time. In his benediction, the Chaplain prayed, "...and thank you, Lord, for giving us the president almost everyone in this room wanted for Christmas." The soldiers gave the prayer a standing ovation! He said it was the first time he'd ever seen a standing ovation for a prayer. (Personal source)

MARTY'S CORNER
While driving and listening to the radio one day in the fall, I heard a PSA that I've since listened to dozens of times and each time I get a special tingle of delight, have a smile and softly say hallelujah. With sounds of children playing in the background, Sally Ride, who was America's first woman astronaut says, " When I went to school…we weren't taught tolerance in school - we learned it on the playground."
She continues, "Children are just the same as they've always been… they're curious, they're explorers, they're interested in things, they like to learn.

We didn't have lessons on cooperation or talk about personal space, we were too busy dreaming about outer space.
Childhood should be a time… to grow and to discover and imagine in such a way that all things are possible.
That's how it should be - child first - then the adult. You want your kids to be healthy, happy adults? Let them be children first."

Her words speak loud and clear to one of the cultural problems of today. Children need to be children, not made into little adults by parents striving to make them the best looking, best ball player or best reader before they can even tie their shoes.

Take time to discretely watch children as they build a tree house by themselves, make castles or roads in sand, use pine straw to make a cross or set up a store with acorns and shells they've collected. While we adults may not know, they know what they're doing, they're thinking, they're dreaming, they're exploring and will grow to be the doers of tomorrow. Rejoice as they lie down on the grass or in the snow just to look at clouds roll by as they quietly think of the heavens and hopefully hear Jesus saying Come unto me.

MILESTONES

Died

• 22 Nov 00 - Gene Brazell, dear and longtime friend, in Paducah, Ky.28
• Nov 00 - William B. Loyd of Marion, Ky.
  

Born

• 3 Jan 01 - Mary Kathleen Ramsey, at 7lbs, 10 oz. to Marianne (Watson) and Walt Ramsey in Madisonville, Ky.

A FINAL WORD
At election time in November I begged God to give this nation one more chance to return to reason and godliness; I believe we definitely dodged a bullit-a nuclear one. Stay informed, stay active, and pray for the new president and his administration. And remember, God still makes beautiful things out of broken pieces.

We need each other,
Tom C. McKenney