Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, “Someone may steal from it at night.” So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, “How does the watchman do his job without instruction?” So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, “How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?” So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, “How are these people going to get paid?” So They created two positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?” So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one Year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cutback.” So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW slowly, let it sink in…

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.

Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY….. during the Carter Administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn’t think so!

Bottom line. We’ve spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency….the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!

Ready??

It was very simple..and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977, TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.

Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT’S 2010 — 33 YEARS LATER — AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS “NECESSARY” DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE!

(THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, “WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?”)

33 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.

Ah, yes — good old Federal bureaucracy.

NOW, WE ARE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

Anybody Home America?

Just finished up dinner a few minutes ago and am sitting here listening to one of my favorite Christian Christmas albums that I purchased last year…

If you want to check the album out, you can see details here on Amazon.com: http://bit.ly/peaceonearth

I was flipping though the local channels on the TV and saw this documentary on Channel 6 – KDOC, titled “Prop 23: Battle Over California’s Future”…

…so after watching it I jumped on Google to see if there was a replay available.  Fortunately its been posted, so putting the video and a link to the main site below.

As Californians I think we need to make sure our Vote is heard this November… especially when the main backers of the proposition are 2 Texas based oil companies!

Please take a few minutes to watch the video and be sure to put a link to this on your own website, blog, and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter!

For more info from the main site:
Facts On 23

Just as I can recall several other terrible events in my life:
* The shooting of President Regan
* Coming home from school to learn that my dad was in the hospital after his van was crushed by a truck
* The explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle
* The L.A. riots
* The Northridge earthquake
* And many others

So where were you when you heard the news about the first plane hitting one of the Twin Towers?

I was heading into work at the plant and had a meeting scheduled with Neutrogena in Los Angeles for later in the day… was listening to the radio and heard something about a plane hitting a building in New York. As I kept listening then it became apparent that there was something really wrong with the situation and it was more then just some small propeller plane with a lone pilot that had somehow gone off course, but a full sized commercial plane with innocent civilians and crew on board.

I immediately called the house, and got a hold of Nicholas and asked him to go get mom out of the shower so she could turn on the news for more details. The rest of the day was spent watching tv updates and listening to the radio. Of course, Neutrogena and other businesses close to LAX airport announced immediate closures for the day for safety reasons and sent employees home.

So a lot of memories of images and stories about the horrible events of the day…

…and yet there are even more amazing stories of men and woman, making sacrifices and bringing hope to others. Friends and neighbors–that they may never have personally known–but due to circumstances were willing to help and give up their lives for others. Some police officers and firemen, city workers and businessmen. Ordinary citizens doing whatever was needed to try to survive and help others in an uncertain moment.

Think back to this day, and the days that followed as a nation, the United States came together in charity and grace to give of their time and money and resources to help. I recall the Red Cross receiving a surge of blood donations in the weeks after 9/11 as we came out to help prepare for what might be thousands of people in need of life saving blood. I remember the news stories of people leaving their homes and jobs and heading to New York to volunteer with the victims and the families touched by this day. Of the ways that clothes, food and money was donated to help go to rebuilding a city in shock and a country in mourning.

So as we stop to remember this 9/11… 9 years after 2001… may we give thanks to God for his continued goodness and blessings and be grateful for the privileges and the responsibilities we have in this great nation. May we continue to give thanks for the men and women that serve in our military here and abroad. For those that continue to serve as Police and Firemen and Medical professionals. May we give thanks for a new day to bring forgiveness, and love and unity to each other.

Never Forget.

Amazing home video a couple took that were a few blocks away from their apartment balcony:

Lynn, Nick, Mitch, Garrett and I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Easter holiday weekend! Whether your staying close to home or out traveling to go visit family, we hope its filled with lots of love and laughter and reflection on the joy we celebrate…

Remember…

…”He is risen! He is risen indeed!”

Many Blessings,
Jerold

Dan Woolley, a fellow graduate from Azusa Pacific University with Lynn & I, was in Haiti when the earthquake struck last week. He was there filming a movie about the poverty in Haiti with Compassion International. Buried in the hotel lobby with 6 floors of rubble over him, Dan used his camera and iPhone and notebook to take pictures and write goodbyes to his family and children not knowing if he would survive!

Lynn found this on MSNBC.com a few minutes ago so wanted to share with others…

Here is the article:
Dan Woolley – Haiti article

Here is the video with Dan & Christy
Dan & Christy Woolley Interview with Today Show video

Enjoy and have a great day!

I just read a blog post by a buddy online by the name of Mark and he discusses how having a “big picture” theme can be a great way to help you move towards what you want more of in the new year.

Theme is kinda like the Chinese do with “the year of the tiger” or the “year of the cow”, but in your case or my case its a punchy little way of setting an energizing vision for the new year…

So what is YOUR 2010 going to be focused on..?

Here is my theme for 2010…

“2010: The Year of Jubilee”

You can read my comment and explanation of my thoughts and feelings under Mark’s blog post found here:

Big Picture Theme 2010

Many Blessings for your 2010 and a Happy New Year!

Jerold, Lynn, Nicholas, Mitchell and Garrett Johnson

What is a father's time worth?

A father’s time….

Tim knew his father was an important lawyer who worked most nights and weekends. So he was disappointed but not surprised when his father didn’t attend his last soccer game of the season.

That night he got up the nerve to interrupt his dad’s work to ask: “How much do lawyers make?”

Annoyed, his father answered gruffly, “My clients pay me $300 an hour.”

Tim gulped. “Wow, that’s a lot. Could you lend me $100?”

“Of course not,” his father frowned. “Please, just let me work.”

Moments later, he heard his son sobbing, and he called him back. “Son, I’m sorry,” he said. “If you need some money, of course I’ll lend it to you. But can I ask why you need it?”

Tim said, “Well, I’ve saved $200, and if you lend me a hundred, I’ll have enough.”

“Enough for what?”

“To buy an hour of your time so you can come to our banquet on Friday and see me get the most valuable player award. Will you come?”

The father felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart as he realized the cost he’d paid for his priorities.

None of his clients needed him as much as his son, and nothing he could do as a lawyer was more important than what he could do as a father. How had he missed that insight?

It’s always difficult to balance job demands and family needs, but the test of whether you work too much is simple: Are you able to be the kind of parent your child deserves?

Few people look back on their lives and wish they’d spent more time at the office. A lot wish they’d spent more time with their kids.