A New Beginning

I just finished my final class in my Biblical Counseling course. It’s been inked in my Thursday evening schedule for over 3 years. Now I am free to do other things. Strange feeling.  I’m a baby bird kicked out of its comfortable nest to start flying.

I’ve learned about different personality types, the horrors of ungodly relationships, the corruption in the pharmaceutical industry, the unscientific basis of modern psychology, a deeper understanding of God and His creation and how we fit in all this. I do feel inadequate to counsel anyone and I understand that full competency will only evolve with experience.

My wife and I decided to take this course because people, going through struggles, would come to us for help and we felt we needed to be more equipped in order to bless them. I’m not doing this for the money. I’ll do it for free. There’s a confused world looking for fixes. I certainly don’t have all the answers but fixing isn’t my responsibility … speaking God’s truth in love is. Fixing will follow. The glory goes to God never to myself.

Do you know people going through emotional difficulties? I’d love to help. And if the problem is more than I can handle, I can connect them to a team of experienced counselors. Isn’t this why we are called to support one another?

Of course this is just me.

Be safe, be healthy, and remember: We live in a fallen world but we don’t have to live there forever.  TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA  for sharing these jokes.

Video: Christmas Fireworks

Thanks to Maling of New Manila, Philippines

Don’s Puns

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, BC who sent this pun.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Laer of La Habra, CA

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Naomi of North Hollywood, CA

Thanks to Mel of Washington, DC

The post Airport Closure appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Trust you all had a safe and happy 4th of July celebration. My wife and I had planned a day of fun at Malibu’s Zuma Beach, but found it was closed along with all other L.A. County beaches. Not a problem, we understand the theme of taking a couple steps backwards in a united front to defeat the deadly C-19 that has been savaging our nation.  Unfortunately the concept of good citizenship is alien to many of our bad citizens who think the spreading of the virus to our most vulnerable, by not adhering to the L.A County mandate of wearing masks and social distancing, is their right under the constitution. But isn’t this a national crisis? We came together during WWII, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and were once quarantined in L.A. homes due to the Rodney King riots. Police departments have been instructed to give fines to offenders, but are having difficulties coordinating it with L.A. County officials. So far it’s just been warnings and handing out masks. The City of West Hollywood, however, is now offering fines.  Surround by L.A. proper, the city is small and easy to maintain. In a blow to travel, the E.U. has banned all travel from the U.S. as a result of the polarization of the pandemic by our Executive Office. We now lead the world with infections, with Brazil and Russia behind us. With exception of Sweden, the E.U stats of the spread of the virus have actually flattened, while ours is shooting straight up into the sky to an unknown destination. And what’s this from our Executive Office: by eliminating testing the cases will magically go down and soon C-19 will disappear. Perhaps this is a plan we should administer to people with the fear of cancer; the less tests and the cases of cancer will disappear.

Nevertheless, my spouse and I drove around the city’s canyons; once former lima bean farms, basking in its beauty of transplanted palm trees and endless array of brilliant desert vegetation. We found a small pocket park, about half a block in size, on Sunset Boulevard, across the street from the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. We sat on shaded park benches, reading, talking and eventually taking photographs. It’s a famous landmark park, dedicated to Will Rogers, and a popular site for wedding photographs. Charlie Chaplin shot part of his silent film masterpiece, The Idle Class there, and the Beverly Hills Hotel itself was on the cover of the Eagles LP, Hotel California.

When the 4^th of July sun went down, we were disturbed to find Los Angeles County residents were ignoring the fireworks ban and lighting the sky with illegal fireworks.  The Los Angeles Fire Department claimed it responded to more than 100 fires, and the next morning unhealthy smoke blanketed the city. The city of Lancaster actually defied the fireworks ban, with mayor Rex Parris stating,  The only thing that will stops us is handcuffs. Is this blatant defiance of Law and Order an ugly precursor of things to come? We hope and pray that bad  citizens come to terms with this crisis, and realize that they and the Executive Office are the problem. Together, standing united, we can fix it.

And remember Covid-19 Direct Relief,  who addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for – regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

The post Independence Day in Southern California appeared first on Traveling Archive.

How many clues will you need to guess this. Let me know.
1. It is expensive.
2. It is illegal to purchase in most cities in America.
3. Sometimes cow dung is used as one of the ingredients.
4. It is amazingly beautiful.
5. It comes in many colors.
6. It comes in different sizes.
7. The only way you can enjoy it is to share it out in public. In fact, It can be seen miles away.
8. It has been around for centuries.
9. It is hot.
10. It is dangerous. Many lives and limbs have been lost because of it.
11. Its is a Chinese invention.
12. Too much of it will pollute the atmosphere.
13. It is consumed only once … In other words, it is thrown away when you use it. Not only that, you liter your neighbor’s house.
14. It is popularly used a few times a year to celebrate a joyous occasion.
15. It is used almost daily by amusement parks.
16. It is loud. In fact, it ends with a bang!
17. Lovers imagine it when romance is in the air.
18. This is silly but the main reason you purchase it is to have the thrilling pleasure of initiating the dangerous chemical reaction; but after that, everyone else will enjoy the sight equally.

If you guessed FIREWORKS, you are correct. Belated 4^th of July to you America!

“Laughter is the fireworks of the soul.”

— Josh Billings

TGIF people!

Wine Taste Test

Shared by Mike of New York City

How to Get Rid of Nagging Wife
Sent by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Well, it ain’t exactly legal but you might get away with it. Short and funny.

WATCH VIDEO

How the Pyramids Were Built
Sent by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Graham Hancock admits he doesn’t know how the pyramids were built. But there’s more to that honest answer than you think.

WATCH VIDEO

Car Crashes By Amateurs
Sent by Rodney of Manitoba, B.C.

According to Rodney, amateurs can drive their personal cars on the Nurburgring race track in Germany. This isn’t the exact video he sent but it’s pretty close. If you like car crashes, this is for you. If you have the money, why not crash your car for fun, right?

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA who shared this photo

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