Definitions
10:35 AM | Author: Eric Tuin
I guess I just have to get it out there, like it or not.  I read about the Miss California pagent this morning and am amazed at how narrow people think.  I know people like me get accused of this type of thinking, probably will for what I am writing, but why is it that one is only tollerant when one agrees with one particular side?  She didn't say that she doesnt like gay people or that there is anything wrong with them, just that she didn't agree with "gay marriage."  So, now all the people on that side are coming against her...the ones calling for tollerance and acceptance are bashing and thrashing at a person for expressing a view contrary to theirs.  The tollerance crowd wants to destroy the very crowd that gave them the ability and freedom to be what they think they want to be, amazing! The very crowd that is the most tollerant of differing views, but gets bashed and belittled and told they are biggots, or narrow minded when they stand up for the few fundamentals they feel are being compromised.  

Why is it that we have to re-define something that itself defines the union of a woman and a man?  I honestly don't care if one chooses to be gay and chooses to live with a partner of the same sex but why does that person want to call it something that it is not?  One would think with all the new terms and gayspeak out there that they would want their own term, their own definition.  Why take the definition of the very thing one is against?  The gay crowd should realize that all they have to do is come up with a good word for their unions, get it accpted, and move on!  So what, there would be one more check box on a form "are you married, divorced, separated, single, ________, (united, same sex partners, partners) fill in the blank?  Why not be tollerant of people who want to be married, and accept that one is not?  One can have the same dwindling "rights" that the rest of us do.  Everyone is not out to get those in the alternative lifestyle and I think there would be a lot more acceptance and tollerance if there was such from both sides.


Peace?
8:02 PM | Author: Eric Tuin
So how do you foster peace through peace itself? Does peace come out of just being at peace? The longer I live the more I think not, and I don't feel that old yet. I was originally thinking about peace in the micro scale but I believe the more I think about it, it applies to the macro as well. So how do you create peace? How do you have peace in your own home? When the kids are at each others throat....when you are at odds with your spouse...when there is conflict from outside forces like friends...

I know I'm throwing out a lot of rhetorical questions here but maybe some of you will think about it if even for a minute. Peace does not come through peace itself, peace comes through eliminating or diminishing, as much as possible, evil. I guess the problem comes when people are not on the same page as to what IS evil. When some believe in the one true God and others believe that He is the evil they are going against. They try to eliminate us, we try to eliminate them. All to bring about peace. Doesn't everyone want peace? It's just that people do not believe that their beliefs are wrong so they will fight to put down anyone who comes against them, so that they can be at peace. So, this is where I end with the other side I guess. I believe in God that he is the one true God and that there is no other God. It has been proven over and over and will be proven as long as there is life. So, anything against God is evil. To have peace on earth or in my home or in this country we have to do what it takes to eliminate evil.

OK, so now that those of you who miss-interpret what I just said...No I don't want to eliminate or destroy anyone who doesn't believe the same as me. Jesus called us to Love our enemies too and to pray for them. I don't think that we should go out and destroy those who do not believe what I believe. However, those that fight directly against what IS true and those who actively pursue EVIL should be dealt with at some level or another.

Example...everyone would probably agree that an unwanted intruder into your house would be Evil...correct? Maybe they are there to do terrible things to you and your family, it happens probably every night in somewhere or another. So, to have peace in your house would it be best to just sit there and PEACEFULLY let them do those terrible things? NO, NO, NO! You would do everything you can to protect your family and yourself and put down the evil that has entered your house, in order to restore PEACE in your home.

I guess I'm on a rant here but you CAN'T create peace by acting peacefully and trying to negotiate with those who want to destroy you! Sure it may buy you a few more minutes of life or maybe even more that that, but eventually you'll have to remove the evil or peace will not exist. I just get tired of the rhetoric about some who think that those who want a strong military and strong government don't want peace. That is a lie! The reason we want those things is because we want peace and realize that the only way to peace is to rid us from the evil that wants to destroy our peace.

I suppose this is getting too long for one post! Thanks for reading, maybe I can continue soon if you care. Please think about it! Yes, I'm a gun toting conservative...maybe this will being to explain why?
Thoughts for the Election
11:43 AM | Author: Eric Tuin

Some things written almost 100 years ago are still appropriate for today...probably most things are.

1916 by the Rev. William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian clergyman

1.    You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

2.    You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong

3.    You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.

4.    You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

5.    You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

6.    You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

7.    You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

8.    You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

9.    You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

10.   You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

Maybe these could be called "The Fundamentals of Two Differing Parties?"

Don't forget to Vote :)

Changing Seasons
1:34 PM | Author: Eric Tuin
Its getting cold! Leaves are changing or all but changed, bright yellow surrounds the drive home instead of the dark green's. Its pretty but so short lived it seems. I don't know if I'm ready for winter yet this year. This year has gone ever so slow, literally day by day, or hour by hour with uncertanty looming around every corner. It makes for a long year and its not over yet! I guess there's nothing magic about the year being "over" as it is more than the calendar that has to change.

I guess for now I'll just keep hanging on and living through the seasons. I hope your Fall and Winter are blessed and that you and I figure out how to come out on top with all of the uncertanty of this world being thrown at us.
Continuing Decline
4:39 PM | Author: Eric Tuin
You know, at some point you hit bottom and there is no where else to go....except I guess you could start digging :).

I feel like I'm floating just above the bottom at this point. The company is down to 4 people. Funny how when "the deal" was first presented there were 20 some people, then when it finally closed there were 11, now there are 4. I've referred to this company as an airplane sometimes and wondering how high it will fly, right now it seems that it is only flying on hope.

How naive I was to think that things were bad a year and a half ago or more, complaining about my job and having enough of it. At least I was getting paid and pretty much knew what the future held. Now, the future is uncertain...I guess all there is, is to hold on to the hope that is left.
Not Guilty
8:02 PM | Author: Eric Tuin
So I had to serve on Jury Duty last week! I was not really wanting to do it but then also had no good reason why I couldn't so I didn't give any real obvious indication that I could not stay. The case ended up being somewhat of a joke, although I'm sure it wasn't to the parties involved. It was a "harassment and assault" case, basically a couple guys had a scuffle and one of them got their butt kicked and decided to call the police because he lost so bad. Now, that wasn't the full story and we listened to 8 hours of lies to try to figure out what the story was...ultimately we said the guy was "not-guilty" he wasn't innocent by any means, he hit the guy and definitely caused him some pain but from what we determined he was pretty provoked and just because one guy lost doesn't make him innocent either.

I did learn that if you are ever asked to "write a statement" that you should be as thorough as possible! The accused left out a lot of important details in his statement that could have made the case even harder against him had he just taken a little more time with it. It is sad to me that people make up stories and hold back the truth on things when they feel like they are in trouble. It would have been better for both of them to just admit their faults and go on their way. I guess we all don't want people to think worse of us or whatever and our pride gets in the way of everything and we end up hurting more people in the process. Those guys "hurt" us in that we had to spend 2 days away from work and all the other things associated with getting there and such. All for nothing really. I didn't mean to get philosophical, sorry.

I bet those words "not guilty" to someone in his shoes sound pretty good! Not guilty of whatever it is that was done, whether he did it or not. He can't be tried again and will not be punished even if he was guilty...I guess that's the definition, more or less, of forgiveness. He was forgiven, in man's terms, of the accused crime and his life will never be the same because he didn't have to go through the punishment that he maybe deserved. I guess its just a little earthly taste or reminder of what was done for me. When I get to heaven Jesus is going to say "Not Guilty" and I won't have to pay a price or punishment that I could never pay, for what I've done.

Pretty good feeling really!
Needing to Post!
1:02 PM | Author: Eric Tuin
So I've been a big slacker at posting lately! Things have just been busy and crazy and I haven't made time to do it I guess. The latest busy things happening...

My Accounting Clerk turned in her resignation! She was actually just doing my stuff part time but nonetheless she wont be doing it after about 5 more weeks. So, I'm having to learn a whole new aspect of this thing called "ownership" and having to be somewhat of an accountant, which I didn't ever know I was signing up for. My wonderful wife is going to help with what she can and that will be a big help as I'm not sure I can do it all myself at this point.

We are still searching for the needle in the haystack as far as work. Things here in the development world are very slow and it is difficult to find enough work to keep us busy. We are still hangin in there though trying to conserve as much as possible and are still believing that we will come through this too.

My daughter started kindergarten today! I am excited for her to be in school, she craves learning so much and I hope that she will be able to be continually challenged and not get beat down to being just an average student. It is a completely different world than when I went so long ago (almost 30 years ago!). Welcome class of 2021.