Country Savvy

Before you decide that this is not something you like or care about, give me a chance to explain a few things.  You may or may not be in favor of guns.  Under the 2nd Amendment, all Americans have a right to own guns.  Many states try to control this is one form or another.  This is not what I want to talk about today.

First of all, owning a gun does not mean that your are paranoid or evil.  I own several guns, I like to shoot, I hunt, and I keep guns for protection.

I believe that a person owning a gun should know how to use it, and use it safely.  As a Life Member of the NRA, a former home safety instructor, I am well aware of the dangers of gun ownership when not properly handled.  Owning a gun is not for everyone.  And unless a person puts in the time for training, I suggest they do not own a gun.

As a hunter, there are safety courses for that also.  All hunters are not “killers”.  If you are not of a frame of mind to be able to shoot and kill an animal, don’t pretend to be a hunter.  Many people use the meat for food, some trophy hunt, and some hunt for self preservation.  I no longer hunt for any other reason that to protect  my garden and animals.  Yes, I hunt rabbits which populate so rapidly that they overtake my garden, eat the grass that my cows need and become a real nuisance.  I will kill wild dogs that threaten my chickens, cat and cows.  If people would stop dumping their dogs out in the country, then we would not have that problem.

And lastly, I own guns for protection of my family and household from unwanted guest who are bent on harming us.  My wife is well trained in the use of guns, an excellent shot.  I am a good shot and use all my guns equally well.  When I am away from home, my wife keeps a loaded gun handy.  When she takes a walk, she carries a gun for protection (wild dogs, wolves, snakes, bear, etc).  Where we live contributes to the way we consider safety.  The closest law enforcement officer is 45 minutes away with lights flashing.  I have neighbors who regularly petrol the area with loaded guns.  Do we have a problem, NO. We seldom have a crime problem in this part of the country.  Our County has an ordinance that all household will own a gun.  We can and do carry guns on a regular basis in this county.  Catron County is still classified as Frontier and unsettled.  Make no mistake, I, my wife and my neighbors are willing to protect ourselves with deadly force should it be necessary.  As in football, the best defense is a good offense.  When the criminals observe that the areas is not a good target, they go elsewhere.  We are not paranoid, but cautious.

So when you think all guns should be turned in, keep in mind, we do not all live in a city, many of us have very good uses for guns, and appreciate you keeping your nose out of my business.  Our county is bigger than three New England states, and served by 5 law enforcement officers. But we have 2000 well heeled individuals who believe in our rights to protect ourselves.

God bless you and keep you safe from harm.

It is interesting as to how different people think about what Heaven is.  I just received an email which showed postings on a bulletin board in front of two churchs on opposite sides of the street.  I will not mention which churches since it is not important to this post.  However, the jest of the postings were as to whether dogs go to Heaven or not.  One said yes, the other said no.  I personally believe what the Bible says.  NO.

But over the years, there has been a growing love affair with animals.  When I was growing up, most all dogs and cats were kept outside.  It was up to them to find a warm place in the winter, and a cool place in the summer.  We fed them scraps from the kitchen table, and were not obsessed with the welfare of our pets. (That of course did not include the horses and cows).  We never even considered that there was a place in Heaven for them. Now, since pets are obliviously more important than a human, we spend billions of dollars on them, take care of them better than we would a baby, and have so many laws to govern their treatment that we probably need to reprogram who we are as humans and Christians.  When you listen to the news, there is not a day goes by that is not talking about pets and animals.  I don’t believe in cruelty to animals, but neither do I think we should elevate them to the same level as a human being. Animals do not have souls.  We are being over run with pets, horses and others.  There is nothing wrong with euthanasia of these excess animals.  If we only gave 10% of what we spend on pets, we would probably reduce taxes, solve world hunger, and save enough that we would not need Social Security. OK, maybe I exaggerate a little, but the real point is the state of mind people have toward their animals vs. people. An animal will not go to Heaven, it will not take the place of humans, and it should be treated with kindness, but not placed on a pedestal. If animals had souls, we would not eat them for food.

Enjoy your pet, but keep it in its place. It is an animal. It will not be waiting for you in Heaven.