Monday, October 7, 2013

A bucket list

A few weeks ago, a WND commentator by the name of Ben Kinchlow put up a beautiful column entitled God Has Blessed America. Go read it; it's lovely. If Mr. Kinchlow's name sounds familiar, it's because he was co-host of The 700 Club for many years as well as other shows on the Christian Broadcasting Network. His credentials are impeccable.


His column related, in part, his visit to South Dakota and the rural people he met there. It reminded him that once you get away from the problems in the news and the troubles that are forever being reported in urban areas, America is still, indeed, blessed beyond measure.

I was so impressed by his reminder about this nation's beauty and the wonderful people who dwell in its heartland that I wrote him an email, to wit:

What a wonderful and uplifting column today on WND. It's nice to see something positive to counter the plethora of negative news we all hear.

I noted with interest your statement "People have a tendency to judge all by their immediate surroundings." That is so very true.

My husband and I live on a remote 20-acre homestead in north Idaho. We raise beef and dairy cattle, chickens (eggs and meat), small fruits, wheat (sometimes), and have a large garden. We are not unusual in this part of the country -- many around us are very self-sufficient. While our terrain is nowhere near as flat as South Dakota, we're just as capable (depending on what direction we drive) to go for hours without seeing a city.

There is relatively little crime in this area since everyone -- and I mean everyone -- is armed and, therefore, polite. The existing crime tends to be drug-related. (Sadly rural areas are not immune to the poison of drugs.) But on the whole, America's heartland is a place of deep faith, active church attendance, and fine people. Many children leave the area when they grow up and migrate into cities for jobs, but they bring with them a heritage of hard work, thrift, and conservative values.

Because we're surrounded by patriotic and independent citizens, I forget not everyone is like-minded. It's always shocking to travel to a big city (I take a business trip once a year) and see blatantly progressive opinions and attitudes from people who have no flipping clue how dependent they are on government, either directly or indirectly. When you cultivate your own food, a loaf of bread or a block of cheese (both made from raw ingredients) becomes a small God-be-thanked miracle rather than something taken for granted. The same applies to our Constitutional rights and liberties.

Keep up the excellent writing, and thank you for your accolades to rural America. If you ever find yourself in the area, please drop me a line. We'd love to give you a farm tour and treat you to a meal of home-grown organic grass-fed beef.


Mr. Kinchlow promptly replied as follows:

Thank you for a beautiful email that captured even more eloquently and succinctly all that I desired to convey vis-a-vis my trip. You "nailed it", and with your permission, I should like to quote much of your email in a follow up column. This IS the greatest country on the face of the earth, and I do not apologize for my love of it, and the people (like you and yours) who make it so. Thank you again, and may God continue to bless America and Americans. -- Ben Kinchlow

His piece appeared today, and I'm honored beyond belief that he chose to use my email. His newest column is entitled God's Blessings and my Bucket List.

We're on his bucket list, whoo-hoo!

8 comments:

  1. I haven't even clicked yet and have tears in my eyes.

    Thank you. I needed this today.

    A. McSp

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  2. Just wonderful. After I read this post and the link my first thought was Justice Thomas and his autobiography. If you haven't read it yet, please put it on your reading list. You will not be disappointed.
    Terry
    Fla.

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  3. Yes, God blessed America. And yes, there exist remnants of our Founders' America. But the vast majority of Americans squandered His blessings. Just the innocent blood shed alone is devastating. Thousands of innocent men, women and children are murdered every week between our military and by pregnant Mothers. Where is the outrage from our pulpits? America's IRS-controlled 501c3 churches remain silent and impotent in order to retain their tax indulgences. They have sold out to Satan in my opinion. And don't get me started on the immoral agenda and indoctrination by our government schools. Did I mention that America is financially bankrupt as well? Sorry folks, but I am just stating facts. Our Founders' America is in a death spiral.

    You can run but you can't hide. Even though we moved from 'Gomorrah' to be with God-fearing people, we are still forced to pay for these evil atrocities. Does anyone honestly believe God is pleased with America 2013?
    Montana Guy

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    1. How dare you accuse our military of murder?

      Somewhere somebody I love is sleeping in the dirt and enduring unimaginable hardships and risks to help protect our rights and help keep the real murderers from killing as many innocents as they can.

      To see them lumped in with and compared to abortionists is beyond offensive.

      If you think God is pleased with such an outlook then I suggest you look up and read Psalms 144.

      You might also want to acquaint yourself with the various passages in Scripture that speak to us about false accusations and judgements against others.

      A.McSp

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    2. Emotions don't trump truth. Taking innocent life is taking innocent life and our military does it every day. Of course they call it 'collateral damage', a rather innocuous term, much like calling a baby a fetus. Our soldiers today are nothing more than mercenaries for powerful evil globalists. Their goal is one World Leader who rules many ways, including militarily.

      Prophecy is playing out yet Christians are too blood thirsty to see it. We just keep murdering more innocent people in one phony war after another. Look how badly Ron Paul was treated by so-called Christians when he dared to suggest that America follow ‘The Golden Rule’ (Matthew 7:12). Name one Pastor other than Chuck Baldwin who rose to support Paul’s stand that America follow God’s Golden Rule.
      Montana Guy

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  4. That is exactly how I felt when you used a line from a comment I had posted. Whoo hoo!!! and what led me to your wonderful web page. God blessed The Lewis Family...

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  5. Congratulations!!! It's nice when someone agrees with a heartfelt sentiment. Especially one with some much influence. Your email WAS right on!

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  6. Congrats, Patrice!

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