The Recession Is Over

In several commentaries, I have written about my memories of the Great Depression. I was born in 1930, at the beginning of the Great Depression, and that horror story controlled most of my life, through years of school and right until the end of WWII. There were two things my parents, grandparents, never stopped talking about as long as they were alive, the Great Depression and Hurricane Hazel.

I was away at the war, 1954, when Hurricane Hazel almost destroyed eastern NC, right on, twenty years after its onslaught, the woodlands of eastern NC lay devastated from the wind, so did many buildings. However, I believe it is easier to rebuild after a hurricane, than a depression. Hungry people, starving farm animals, church members weeping and praying in church will leave an indelible impression on your psyche. If you have normal intelligence, you will live the rest of your life a conservative, living poor whether you are poor or not, saving, so you can weather another storm, be it an act of God, or act of government.

I have weather several recessions during my lifetime, I lived so conservatively, all the time, that I hardly noticed these national government inflicted recession, this government tells us this week, that the 2007-2010 recession is over. Tell that to the probably 20% of Americans who are still unemployed, or underemployed, tell that to the millions of Americans, who lost their homes, cars, and most of their savings. The only Americans not affected by this last recession are those with government jobs, those with government pensions and retirements, those who receive government welfare checks, those who live in government subsidized housing, and whose healthcare, college supposed entitlements are paid for by government. News flash, CBO (Congressional Budget Office) tells us that the national debt is $202 trillion, most of this government largess is on the way out. Many of those at the trough will suffer along with we private citizens.

I know of no subject in the world, no power in the world deserving more attention from the human mind, than the study of the holy spirit of God. The spirit of God is mentioned in the second verse of the Bible: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) From the very beginning, the Trinity, the Holy Spirit of God moves across every page of sacred scripture, and every second in the history of this universe.

One of the most interesting studies in the history of the world, the history of Judaism. One of the most fascinating characters in the Bible, a type of Christ, Joesph, son of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his brothers. It is a long story of the work of the Holy Spirit. Joesph became ruler of Egypt. The Holy spirit working through both Joesph and Pharaoh by way of dreams and plagues, miracles of God understood only through the power of the Holy Spirit. When Joesph took over, storing grain for the impending famine/depression, the people first came to Joesph, giving him their money, the next year, their herds, the next year, their lands, the next year, themselves and their children (enslavement). Here we see the nature of humanity, what human beings will do in order to have the security of food. This history, as an example, has been know for thousands of years, we have seen its reenactment over and over again. Now, again, with a Sunni Muslim, Marxist in the White House, rulers in government, national state, local, who have never wanted for anything. The masses are willing to yield everything they have, including themselves.

Why not send some parrots to Harvard University and teach them to talk economics, then have these birds who will work cheap, return to Washington and direct things. It makes about as much sense as the puppets and perverts, who are running things now. We have the greatest power in the world, the Holy Spirit of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign God available not only for our comfort, but for our guidance. The problem is, in an almost protracted, obvious, intended, dumbing-down of all intelligent life, dancing to the tune of political correctness, political power brokers, as well as the pretending pastors of churches, temporal as well as secular leaders have thrown their allegiance into the camp of the enemy, Satan...who is running things, leading the chorus of demons as they laugh themselves silly. Just think, an earth created by God, supplied by God with every needed nurture, deciding, from the wisdom of men, to yield to the temptation of satanic forces. From the garden, from the first human beings, in every moral gap in human history, to the present, choosing poverty over plenty.

In the depths of a new “Great Depression”, probably going into a “second dip”, many are unaffected, politicians, federal employees, government employees, those who are the leechers/recipients of welfare programs (college students receiving grants, civilian government contractors). This past weekend, two of my friend's wives had birthdays, they decided to go out for dinner on Saturday night. Most of the “smart” restaurants were full with people waiting (in a real recession or Great Depression, most restaurants are out of business), full of government workers, those living off the fat of the land, those dipping into the tax coffers and authorities (government authorities, airport, water, etc. entities ruled over by politician appointed boards), “cash cows”. Taxes, fees, permits, extracted from hard-working, God-fearing, tax-paying, beaten down citizens.

The one-time coolies of China, the serfs in Russia, untouchables in India, poor whites in the southern US...all victims of man's inhumanity to man, a stench in the nostrils of the holy spirit of almighty God. Another fact of history, from the beginning until now, (God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform) people and countries who thought they were so great, who worship the creature, not the creator, get a new perspective on life when they get knocked down, losing a war, losing an excessive lifestyle. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Satisfied Few

History has been marked by the “Satisfied Few.”  In 47 B.C. Augustus Caesar, pursuing his enemy Marcus Cato, went from Sicily to Africa losing thousands of his most loyal troops.  But he returned to Europe in triumph, crossing the Hellespont with cages of wild animals unknown by Europeans.  One giraffe, was walked all the way from Rome to Paris with people lining the roadway the entire distance to observe such a remarkable scene. 

On one of my trips in Africa, when I still had a small island of vision in one eye, I still haven’t forgotten God giving me the pleasure of seeing three huge giraffes crossing between me and the sunset.  Can one even imagine the peasants of France traveling to Paris and observing the Notre Dame Cathedral.  I will never forget the fist time I was on the Great Wall of China, the wall 2000 miles in length over mountains taking 20 years for 200,000 coolies working night and day to keep out the Mongolian hordes.  The wall, wide enough that four horseman could ride abreast, was almost immediately crossed by the Mongolians because the guards were bribed.  In a Maharajas palace in Udaipur India, I saw walls of rooms covered with precious stones.  The magnificent Taj Mahal in Agra India, was built by just one man in the world's poorest country as a memorial to his wife.

This very week, in Zimbabwe formally Rhodesia, Robert Mugabe who came to power in this African nation in 1980, is observing his 85th birthday and some of his henchmen who have kept him in power in spite of the worst corruption known to man are spending $250,000 on a birthday party.  At the very time when inflation in this country is at 5,000%. A country in which at one time was the bread basket of Africa, the people are starving. Young children are leaving the country, crossing the border into Botswana and Zambia, trying to find garbage. 

I was in Zimbabwe in 1984, a part of the British empire where British farmers had made tremendous strides in agriculture.  I saw golf courses, hotels, and other valuable properties around Victoria Falls decimated by national neglect and cruelty.  Mugabe’s cruelty to the citizens of the country and his political enemies has been well documented.  It is reported that once on a vacation, he had trouble with his personal plane, so he instructed his henchmen, body guards, etc. to just confiscate another airliner at the airport.  One of my CIA friends called me from Harare the capitol recently and told me how many hundreds of dollar it cost to have one meal in this country, a country decimated by one man and his loyal followers.

This is just one example of what can happen to a country when greed and corruption takes over.  I was at Entebbe in Uganda on a plane when foreign nationals were trying to escape the wrath of Idi Amin who like Mugabe, Jonas Savimbi of Angola (presiding over this desolate country during a 27 year civil war where it is reported not one building is left in repair, these leaders have lived well, caring nothing for the people they are supposed to protect. These nationals, particularly American, British, and French women, were in hysteria because the animals who had examined them before they had got on the plane, so adept at finding money or jewelry, had violated every orifice of their bodies.  I encountered the same type plane treatment in the Cameroon’s and other African points of immigrations.  While in South Africa, one lady who had been into Angola told me she never saw one person smile in the entire country. 

Knowing the depravity of leadership and the tyranny of politicians in police state countries all over the world, I become nauseated when I hear local politicians, such as in this county, talk about living in “Paradise.” It is paradise for them, the local elected politicians who have the money and influence to spread around to their selected followers, but for the rest of us, it is a matter of survival. In this county, in which I live, there are several country clubs for the elitists politicians and their wealthy cohorts who live here.  I have never been inside one of these country clubs such as the “Cape Fear Country Club.”  But, one of my friends whose husband was a man of influence with the railroads here, was invited there by one of her friends.  She told how one of the local politicians mother, would walk around saying, “I wonder what the poor people are doing.”  Well, I can give her the answer, the poor people who work night and day to pay the burdens of tax in this city and county who have gone to the wars to protect this city and county, who give of themselves in the churches and social services of this city and county, are just trying to survive.

The “Satisfied Few” are destined to learn a lesson from the struggling majority. If the majority ever learn that the only thing they have left is their vote and they become unwilling for it to be purchased by those who have their tax dollars.

It reminds me of one of the hard working hardware store owner who employed a school mate for many years because of his reliability and his needing someone he could trust in the business.  NOT KNOWING, THAT ALL THE TIME HIS TRUSTED SCHOOL MATE WAS STEALING ENOUGH MONEY FROM HIM TO BUY HIS BUSINESS. HE HAD NOT ONLY GOT WELL PAID FOR HIS WORK BUT HE HAD CONFISCATED ALL THE GOODWILL, ALL THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS STEALING ENOUGH MONEY FOR HIM TO OWN THE BUSINESS AND BE IN BETTER CONDITION THAN THE ACTUAL OWNER.

In this county, one politician sold to the county his families property.  He made arrangements for his church to gain county property at a greatly reduced cost and is smart enough that one radio station has him on each week talking about the life of the “Rich and Famous.” 

Life has always been a struggle for the Christian. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)

Government money means much more to many politicians and the people who support them than the blessings of almighty God.  They don’t believe in God nor do they believe they will have to answer to God. But whether in Africa, Asia, or North Carolina, in Romans 14:11 it says “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”  In an old book of sermons, and I have one of the first editions, G. A. Loftin’s in his book Character Sketches had a message entitled “Big I little you.”  Crooked politicians, soulless dictators, tyrannical police state tyrants, do not believe this but God numbers the very hairs on your head, he knows the human heart, event the intent of the heart.  The Apostle Paul said in his love letter to the church at Philippi, “rejoice and again I say rejoice. “ (Philippians 4:4)