Blog

Generally, it’s my mouth that gets me into trouble — other times it’s my thoughtless actions.

It was our final foray to San Francisco as a track team my senior year of high school. And even though we were on a strict curfew, I sneaked out of my hotel room, using the fire escape to visit my ex-girlfriend, Debbie’s room.

She was bunking with her best friend at the time, Donnel Stull. I tapped on the window and she let me in so I could talk with Debbie.

Doni was certain Debbie and I were going to “mess around,” so she headed up the fire escape to my room. Though I suggested it, Debbie and I remained fully clothed.

We ended up talked a lot longer than intended — though I can’t recall what was so important at the time.

By the time I got back to my room, Doni was asleep. Unfortunately for her reputation, also in the bed next to her was a my male room-mate, and he too was fast asleep.

The incident haunted Doni for years as it labeled her as a ‘bad girl.’ In reality though, I was the one who was bad, by placing her in that unflattering position.

Worst of it is — I didn’t know this had happened to her and I’m so sorry for that.

Every couple of months my wife will gather up all the romance novels she’s read, put them in a plastic bag and she’ll donate them to the Spanish Springs Library.  Last Sunday was one of those times.

Since she was doing that, she decided to also pick up a few supplies from the local office supply store for her sandwich shop. On her way home, she’d drop off the books.

Once home she brought in her bag of goodies from the store and set them on the counter. A few seconds later, I heard her ask: “What the…?”

“What?” I felt inclined to ask since she never completed the question.

“I think I donated my staples and pens to the library,” she answered.

I was still laughing as she backed out of the driveway.

“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.”  Proverbs 27:23-27 (NIV)

It jumped right out of the Bible at me the second I began reading it, though I’ve read it hundreds of times. The recent financial crisis in Cyprus must have been on my mind – where the government has taken 40-percent from both people and businesses bank accounts to help prop up the country’s failing financial system.

We all can’t be completely self-reliant but our efforts should be toward being as debt free as possible and capable of producing something useful that we can rely on to help sustain us. Being dependent on others or a government is not good.

There are circumstances where we have no choice but to lean on the help of other people but our efforts should be to work hard, prepare for our old age, and to give our children the best start in life we can provide, both spiritually and physically. Sadly, since World War II we’ve tended to view pleasure as a need with a lot of our money spent on things that tend to leave us unprepared and eventually leaving us dependent on others for support.

Work hard, work smart, and say no to yourself at least once a day, make your pleasures a treat and not a daily need. Put away money for your own old age, and teach yourself and your kids to be as self-reliant and self-disciplined as possible.

Lay your wants aside, care for your needs first and shield your assets.

The bludgeoning of faith continued Easter Sunday as ABC’s George Stephanopoulos’, “This Week,” had atheist Susan Jacoby, who wrote in the New York Times that the murders in Newtown are “The Blessings of Atheism.”  Jacoby wrote this piece of trash on January 6th, but Stephanopoulos chose to have her on as a guest Easter morning.

Perhaps it was to off-set the hugely popular cable TV show, “The Bible,” on History, owned by A&E Television Networks. It is safe to say though, “This Week,” didn’t have even half the viewer-ship of “The Bible.”

Strangely enough A&E is a joint venture between the Hearst Corporation and the Disney-ABC Television Group, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Remember, timing is everything with these people.

Fortunately, God is in control.

Simply bad timing? Not on your life.

On the eve of Easter Sunday no less, CBS News’ “48-Hours,” decided to air a show attacking credibility of the Joyce Meyer Ministries. In the story called, “Writing on the Wall,” the head of security for the ministry killed is wife and two children and was found guilty and  sentenced to life in prison for the his crime.

However,  rather than providing viewers with the facts about the case, Maureen Maher dragged Joyce Meyer into the mess claiming Chris Coleman felt trapped by the restrictions of his employment contract. Coleman faced dismissal from his well-paying position if caught having an extramarital affair.

And that’s exactly what Coleman was doing.

Worse yet, to get out of his marriage, to the keep from getting caught and moving on to a life with his girlfriend, he murdered his family. To blame anyone else for Coleman’s actions is wrong.

However, it does fit perfectly with the national medias disdain for anything Christian.

When I woke up this evening, I had this rolling around in my brain cavity and it wouldn’t go away until I put it down on paper. I think it’s worth sharing:

When opportunity presents itself,
We must to be willing to stand up,
Take a deep breath —
Go for it completely,
Even at the risk of stupid.
Life is short.
Engage it passionately.

Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda, 26 of Madison, Illinois died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training accident at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Aaron had joined the Marines in September of 2008, and had been scheduled to leave the service in May, so that he could become a chef. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expedition Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

He graduated from Highland High School in 2005 and went to L’ecole Culinaire immediately after to pursue a culinary career, but changed his mind and joined the Marines. And while Aaron loved being a Marine, he was scheduled to get out of the service and move home to Madison County in just nine weeks.

Aaron’s father Kent Ripperda, said he was online at work, the morning after the explosion, when he saw the news account. Moments later, he called his ex-wife and Aaron’s mother, Tina Sutton, in and asked if she had heard about the explosion and, if so, whether she had new details.

During the call, Marines arrived on Tina’s doorstep.

Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda had written in his will that he wished to be buried at sea.  A funeral Mass will be held April 3 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church in his hometown of Highland, east of St. Louis.

A funeral Mass for 26-year-old Cpl. Aaron Ripperda will be held April 3 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church in his hometown of Highland, east of St. Louis, with visitation from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Meridith Funeral Home in Highland, then again there from 8 to 9:15 the morning of the funeral.

Lance Corporal William T. Wild IV, 21 of Anne Arundel, Maryland, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training exercise at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

William, known as Taylor, had joined the Marines in October of 2010 and had been deployed once to Kuwait and twice to Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Taylor grew up in the Whitehurst Community in Severna Park. He graduated from Severna Park High School in June 2010 where he was a proud member of the wrestling and baseball teams, including the 2009 State Championship team and earned a Minds in Motion award through his studies.

Taylor was an avid Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles fan. He also enjoyed spending time boating with friends on the Severn and Magothy River, and skeet shooting in Maryland and North Carolina.

Neighbor Bob Richhart spent an afternoon with the young Marine last summer, swapping stories poolside. Richhart served four years in the Marines and spoke of how he was once caught with contraband Juicy Fruit and ordered to chew the wrappers.

He recalled Taylor laughing.

Diane Lyons said she has lived 40 years in Whitehurst with her husband, Don. Together, where they watched Taylor grow and speak of him with the pride of parents.

Meanwhile, Patricia Zwald says her son, Andrew, also served in the Marines and grew up in the community. She struggles to come to terms with Taylor’s death.

Taylor is survived by his parents, William and Elizabeth, brother, Griffin and sister, Libby all of Severna Park; grandparents, William and Patricia Wild of Glen Burnie and Jan Sprinkel and Judy Graham of Annapolis; several aunts, uncles and cousins and was preceded in death by his grandmother, Elizabeth Sprinkel.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 29, at Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, 333 Dubois Road. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be held on Tuesday, April 2nd, with the procession meeting at 10:30 a.m. at the Memorial Gate.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: “Marines Helping Marines,” or to “Friends of the Fallen.”

Lance Corporal Mason J. Vanderwork, 21 of Hickory, North Carolina, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Mason joined the Marines in June of 2010 and served overseas twice. Vanderwork was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Mason graduated from St. Stephens High School  in 2010, two-and-a-half years later he had served overseas twice, bought his first car and got married to a girl from home after knowing her for only two months. They planned to start a family together, wife Taylor Vanderwork said.

Taylor said she learned of his death when three men in uniform came to the door of the couple’s Jacksonville home. Mason loved being a Marine and had a tattoo emblazoned on his chest, she said, that read: “Sacrifice. Without fear there is no courage.”

Family members and friends remember Mason as a spontaneous, caring person who loved the beach, fast cars and spending time with family and friends. He had an 11-year-old sister who idolized him.

Mason is survived by his parents, Melissa Vanderwork, of Hickory and Kevin Hallberg, of Jamestown. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Taylor Vanderwork, of Jacksonville, N.C.; sister, Katelyn McMahan, of Hickory; grandfather, Terry Vanderwork, of Clymer, N.Y.; grandparents, Cecil and Gloria Huffman, of Taylorsville; grandmother, Donna Morgan, of Hickory; uncle, Dawayne Vanderwork, of Lakewood, N.Y.; mother-in-law, Janet Molander-Foster, of Hickory; father-in-law, Mark Foster, of Hickory; two brothers-in-law, Bryant Molander, of Dover, N.H. and Justin Molander, of Ft. Carson, Colo.; and sister-in-law, Lindsey Foster, of Hickory.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 1, in the chapel at Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory. Memorials may be made in his honor to “Marines Helping Marines.”

Lance Corporal Joshua C. Taylor, 21 of Marietta, Ohio, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training accident at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Joshua joined the Marines in June of 2010. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Josh was one of a kind. That’s how family and friends are remembering the 2010 Marietta High School graduate.

Josh wanted to be Marine since he was a child, his grandfather added.

His fiancée, Abby Malone said the two were planning to marry in May.  She also described Josh as a devout and faithful Christian.

Abby’s father, Keith Malone, called him an exceptional person.

Marietta High School Principal Bill Lee recalled Josh proudly wearing his dress uniform when visiting the school while on leave. He called the Marine’s death “just a terrible, terrible loss.”

Joshua is survived by his parents, three sisters and a brother.

Services have yet to be determined for Lance Corporal Joshua C. Taylor.