One of My Books

Every now and then something reminds me that one of the things I’m supposed to be doing on this blog is to drum up readers for my books. I don’t have any celebrity endorsements, no one’s made any of my books into a movie… so it’s up to me to find readers.

The Temple Vol. 8

Look at that wonderful cover art by Kirk DouPonce–does that say “Pick me up and read me!”, or what?

Come on, now–are you really gonna kiss off barbarian hordes, ancient secrets, and fantastic adventures? And best of all, it’s Christian fantasy–none of those annoying neo-pagan cliches that clutter up most fantasy novels, these days.

Click “Books” on the home page and read all about it.

Hell Night

Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. 28th Feb, 2023. Repair crews work on a water main  break on Observer Highway in Hoboken, New Jersey. Earlier Public Service  Electric and Gas (PSE&G) broken open the

It was just about bed-time last night, around 11:00, when all the lights went out. Presto! No electricity. Our whole block went dark.

Call the police, hoping to get some information. “That’s PSE&G’s problem, nothing to do with us.” Call the PSE&G hot line. “Hi! Hot, sexy women are ready and waiting to talk to you!” “What???” Must have misdialed. Try again, get a robot. They’re workin’ on it.

Around 1 a.m. I went out to see if they were making any progress. In the opposite direction, just three blocks away, downtown Metuchen was lit up like the Fourth of July. I cannot imagine why. Who’d be shopping at one in the morning?

I walked five or six blocks through the snow and slush, following the brightly blinking yellow lights that showed me where the PSE&G trucks were parked. When I got there, they didn’t seem very busy. A driver told me they were working on it.

After 3 a.m., Patty was sleeping on the couch and I was nodding over our candles. Something bad might happen if I fall asleep there. The only option was to go upstairs to bed. By then I could hear men working somewhere in the night.

Around 5 a.m. the power came back on, hallelujah, and I rushed downstairs to wake Patty so she could get her oxygen, normal service resumed.

I reckon I got, all told, some two hours’ sleep. I’m not used to that anymore. I may have to go back to bed before the afternoon’s half over.

NOTE: Iowa caucus victory for Donald Trump; pygmies routed.

*Sigh*

I’ll try to carry on business as usual today, but my heart isn’t in it.

Because I was determined not to practice the very censorship I denounce when others do it, certain comments got published here that probably should not have seen the light of day. I let things slide; and as a result, we have lacerated feelings on one hand and anger on another.

I have tried to create a community, a haven, here. I have failed. Maybe it always was impossible. People are going to misbehave from time to time. And say things that do very real harm.

I am sorry for it. I would give anything to put it right, have everything here the way it was two weeks ago.

(Son of man, can these bones live?

O LORD, though knowest.)

I Apologize to My Readers

Torn israel flag hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy

We support Israel–and I should have said so sooner. Sometimes trying not to make waves only makes bigger ones. 

I feel like some ninny in 1775 who didn’t hear Paul Revere because he was fatzing around with his stamp collection.

Today the world is in the midst of its worst wave of antisemitism since World War II. Hamas terrorists broke out of Gaza on Oct. 7 and started slaughtering Israeli civilians. Their blood-lust moved them to assassinate babies. Every atrocity you can imagine, they committed. And now the whole Woke world is screaming at Israel for not just putting up with it! For not consenting to be exterminated.

I was not covering that story. My reasons for not doing so seem indefensible now. A) It was breaking news and would have to be updated every day or even every few hours; and B) every news agency was already covering it, so who would need me for that? And then C) I didn’t want to make waves among my readers.

Everything that has gone wrong here is my fault.

I’m not here to play woulda-shoulda-coulda. The business at hand is to try to undo the damage. I hate to delete posts, but I think there are a few, over the past two or three days, that I probably ought to get rid of. I seek the readers’ advice here.

I have prayed over this, racked my brain, and sought advice from a wiser and more experienced source, who generously gave it.

The theological question is, does everyone who does not accept Jesus Christ as Savior get pitched into Hell for all eternity? My source, who is a theologian (name withheld because I don’t want him drawn into this mess I’ve made), says this has been a controversy within the Church for centuries. Which is to say, no one has the answer nailed down–and yes, I mean persons who have assiduously studied Paul’s epistle to the Romans and still come up with widely varying ideas of what it means.

My source says the point of the epistle is the opening up of God’s promise to all mankind, not just the Jews. God is not “done” with anybody! The Christian sense is “not by race, but by grace”–God’s sovereign grace, by which he restores life to a valley of dry bones. Dependent on that grace, and certainly not able to save ourselves by our own works, we are all in the same boat, Jew and Gentile alike.

Anyhow, now I have damaged what I had hoped would grow into a kind of house church in cyberspace–aka my blog. I delayed when I should have spoken out–I sought the path of least resistance and went stumbling into a hornets’ nest. Some of you have been deeply offended by certain reader comments that I allowed to be displayed. Some of you have been hurt. My lack of judgment, and my lack of leadership, caused that.

I am sorry. I hope I’ve learned a lesson here. Sometimes there is no easy way. Church controversies that have been going round and round since Paul’s day are not likely to be settled by any of us here. And making self-righteous pronouncements and letting the chips fall where they may… just might set off an avalanche.

There is no excuse for heartlessness. As God is merciful to us, so should we be to each other.

Meanwhile the Jewish people are fighting for survival; they need and deserve our support. Their enemies are implacable, merciless, and not to be appeased.

May God smite them.

 

Tuckered Out!

Trudging hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy

Oosh, I’m tired! I needed a longer weekend, but here it is, Monday again.

Will anybody be really mad at me if I just do my grocery shopping–no way I can get out of it–and then take the afternoon off? Lord willing, I’ll be back a little later with a critter video. Meanwhile, the pool of creativity needs re-filling.

Seems to be a lot of this going around, these days. Well, those last two or three years were really hard on lots and lots of people… and we haven’t yet got over them, have we?

Here’s My Radio Interview!

Images: Livy – ClassicalU

(Don’t worry–it’s not an Ancient History lecture)

Wahoo! Here’s the audio of my interview with Del Eldred on his talk radio show yesterday.

https://theklickitatvoice.buzzsprout.com/1804435/13881552-lee-duigon-government-the-problem-not-the-solution

Okay, I’m listening to it, and it doesn’t sound any worse than usual (gee, I wish I could do a Richard Burton voice!).

Anyway, here it is–and I hope you enjoy it.

I’m Going to Be on the Air

Safe Handling Tips for Fireworks | Dynamite Fireworks

I just can’t get off the launching pad today–maybe because it’s raining again, as it rained all weekend. I could go back to bed.

But I’ve got to sharpen up! A broadcaster in Wisconsin wants me to be a guest on his show: he liked my NWV column last week (“Government: The Problem, Not the Solution”), and it sounds like he wants to let me rock and roll.

Gee, it’s been a few years since I was on the air. I hope I don’t start babbling.

Well, let me see if a cigar can perk me up. I’m pretty sure the nooze won’t.

‘Shall We Gather at the River?’

I am so tired! This year has really worn us out so far.

Anyway, here’s our hymn for the day–Burl Ives singing Shall We Gather at the River?  By all means let’s do that! A gathering of saints is what we need.

By Request, ‘In His Time’

We have a hymn request from Erlene to start the day–In His Time, by Maranatha! Music.

If you have a hymn you’d like to share, please say so–we’re open all day.

Trouble With Your Comments?

Woman Pulling Her Hair And Screaming Stock Photo - Download Image Now -  Pulling, One Woman Only, Tearing Your Hair Out - iStock

Don’t tear your hair just yet–we’re looking for a solution.

Some of us–well, not me, because I’m at the other end of this line and I don’t see what you see–have been complaining about WordPress not posting your comments. I have contacted WordPress about this and am waiting for an answer.

Meanwhile, Phoebe thinks she’s got it figured out. You should read her comment on yesterday’s post, “Kitten and Ducklings.” If she’s right, the comments in question are merely being subjected to a delay and will appear in two or three minutes after being posted.

Trust me, the last thing I want here is posting problems for my readers. I’ve sunk from 300+ views a day to only 200 or less–which I think has been caused by algorithms installed by Big Tech to suppress Christian and conservative sites. I don’t need a lot of technological bumbling added to the load.

So please bear with us. We’re trying to get it fixed.