Two great emails that I received

Springtime is here!

I love this time of year – most people do! I am blessed to
drive by several open fields of grass on my way to work each morning. The spring
rains have made the grass a vivid green and sprinkled throughout are the beautiful
patches of wildflowers. Brilliant, lavish patches of yellow, red and purple
wildflowers grace the landscape – not manmade landscapes – God’s landscape. And
as you take in all the brilliance, you spirits are calmed by the beautifully delicate
buttercups and bluebonnets.

And I smile to myself and think. If this is how God decorates our temporary home,
our eternal home that he is preparing must surely be beautiful beyond our
imaginations. Relax and close you eyes a moment and let your mind run free as you
contemplate what it will look like. I’m sure our patches of wildflowers will pale in
comparison. As my mind imagines the scene, the words of a hymn from my
childhood bring a smile to my face.

How Beautiful Heaven Must Be!
There feel the HeartLift!

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Subject: An article by Jay Leno worth reading.

Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see...."The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given thesource, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappywith the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s ofthe citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am,
I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer
and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy
folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any
time and see more food in it?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safemotels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family andyour belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flatscreen TVs , a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your familyagainst attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhoodfree of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phonesand computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms weenjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has agreat disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what wedon't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thankingthe good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation inthe dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring aneconomy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all thespoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out theredefending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you sounhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all thegood things and be glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he wasfailing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have actually volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't haveto go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watcha car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids sellinglemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way oranother. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpsonto write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom ofyour bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank Godseveral times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative." "With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end toanother, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge ofAllegiance?"

Jay Leno