Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah arrived in Florida in mid 2000, to begin flight training. They moved through the community undetected, blending among international students who pursued pilot certificates in Florida each year. 

How September 11 Involved Florida Sheriffs  

     Today, we think of New York City, the Pentagon and Shanksville. Absolutely. Other news sources are recalling the worst attack ever carried out on American soil. Views will focus on Florida's sobering place in the story. Florida was not a bystander. It was a staging ground, a crisis management center, and ultimately the birthplace of the nation's first counterterrorism strategy. 

     While Floridians like everyone watched TV in disbelief, a deputy sheriff went to NYC (Staten Island) assisting in the recovery of human remains transported from Ground Zero. Other Floridians and hundreds from across the country went to help grieving families. It was physically demanding and emotionally taxing. 

     Florida became the focus of the investigation. Local law enforcement traced the hijackers' movements, contacts and financial dealings. The killers had walked the same neighborhoods they patrolled every day. 

     Within three days, Gov. Jeb Bush directed Emergency Management to assess the state's ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to a terrorist attack. In October, Florida became the first comprehensive state-level counterterrorism strategy published in the nation. 

     Now, 25 years later, the lessons remain in how Florida's sheriffs operate every day. They are guided by September 11, 2001. 

PS. We plan to buy a new computer soon. If you don't see a new blog on Saturday, we're probably still at the store going a bit crazy.  

Perfection Costs Everything 

A message for Christians. 

     Twenty years ago, columnist Andree Seu Peterson was shopping when she heard a voice, "Be ye perfect." She knew it was God and explained why. "Jesus means what He says," she writes, - Matthew 5:48. In other words, do your best. 

     She writes, "Jesus instructed His disciples, 'Do not love only your friends. Love your enemies. Be perfect - not doing the bare minimum.' She explains imperfect. Someone hardening their heart. Someone who brings God's commands down to their level rather than raising one's level of obedience to His commands. 

     "People go 'this far and no farther.' They may get to heaven, but dragging wood, hay and stubble, rather than gold. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him - Psalm 25:14. Those who love Jesus and want more of Him - more knowledge, more intimacy, more growth - there is a price. Go all the way in obedience. 

     "In both the Old and New Testaments: 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts - Psalm 95:7 ... Hebrews 3:15.' The Spirit is always in our hearts, but we can muffle His voice. Paul also warned against halfway Christian living: "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, infants in Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:1-3." 

     "Be ye perfect is another way of Jesus saying, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.'" 

     Dietrich Bonhoeffer, killed by the Nazis, put it, 'When Christ calls a man, he bids him to crucify the flesh." How does Christ know the hurt? Because He also crucified His flesh."

       PS. When our bodies die, our heart, soul and mind will live on. 

 Dust to Dust  

     Humm. Is this something for us seniors? 

     Jen Wilkin, a 55-year-old Bible teacher and author, wrote a book about wisdom we can gain from every season of life. Got my attention. 

First, she writes, "The body declines, but people develop. Our exterior continues to waste away (yeh, we know) but our interior life can continue to mature." Like writing blogs, Ms. Wilkin? "The oldest among us may be physically weak but spiritual giants." Never mind. Jimmy has never been a giant in any phase of life. But he knows truth from falsehood. 

Second, "Do what you wish. Jesus invites us to live lives directed by wishful thinking. While the world says do what you want, the Bible tells us to do what you wish. So, whatever you wish what others would do to you, do also to them - Matthew 7:12." I think I get it. 

Third, "Develop 'eulogy virtues' over resume virtues. Our culture fixates on 'resume virtues,' As we develop character and fruits of the Spirit, 'she argues,' we live lives of actual value and purpose to our last breath."  

     Well, take what you can from Wilkin's book. We have a purpose, which is to give you helpful, occasionally a bit comical information you might not find elsewhere. We don't predict our "last breath" thing. God will reveal it someday. 

              Jimmy

Can People Read?

     "America is facing a literacy crisis with no happy ending in sight," says Lauren Smyth. Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults are illiterate. That's 130 million people who can't read a simple story - like this blog - to their children or sound out more than a few basic words. 

     The problem isn't just high school dropouts, those with disabilities, and non-English. It affects university students, working professionals, and those who grew up speaking English at home. It goes beyond the inability to enjoy books, skim websites and write emails. Medication instructions, ingredient labels, and posted warnings can conceal deadly risks from nonreaders.   

     National literacy rates also have far-reaching implications for social development. Poverty, crime and literacy correlate so strongly that some states look at elementary reading scores to predict how many prison beds they will need in future years. 

     In Canada, Doug Allen teaches a writing class for university students in their fourth year. Recently, he had 20 students, 11 of which were failing. He said, "Two-thirds of our students are coming out of high school with a vocabulary of about 200 words. Their strategy for reading is to guess." 

     We know that America's awesome beginning didn't include schools. Our founders could read English, Latin and probably Hebrew. Everyone else just worked. 

     Today, words are far more necessary for most of us. 

                Jimmy

     

Power of the Press

     After two years in business school, I was fed up with that and they with me. I switched to journalism and my life took off. Back then, we were expected to report the news truthfully - Walter Cronkite our example. My upbringing never lies. 

     How it has changed from carefully to crookedly. Some 67 percent of Americans have little trust, including 31 percent of Democrats. We return to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a short look, summarized.

     "Regrettably, Republicans have no choice but to presume that corporate journalists operate in bad faith. If journalists can misquote a Republican, they will do it. If they tape an interview, they will edit it to make the Republican look bad. And if journalists do a really good job, they will receive the Pulitzer Prize. 

     "The younger generation is even more agenda-driven than their predecessors. They believe their role is to transform America into a progressive utopia; the only way they can wield real power. Even if a corporate executive wanted to reform, he or she would have to replace almost everyone. These organizations are made up of partisans who will oppose more balanced journalism. They can't lose subscribers who want them to reinforce their ideological worldview. 

      "On a positive note, regarding legacy outlets, gone are the days when Americans received their news through three nightly newscasts. To survive, the big corporations need conservative viewers and Republican-leaning audiences more than Republicans need them. Conservative officials recognize they can deliver their message directly to voters without biased interference." 

          Jimmy

 Who is the Authority?

     In the garden, with God no doubt looking on, Satan began scheming to undermine the authority of God's Word. " His is a counterfeit gospel, half-truths and clever lies," says Franklin Graham, who wrote that "the Word of God tells us we are created in the image of God." 

     "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you." - Jeremiah 1:5. Children are loved and saved. What happens after they are old enough to make various decisions? 

     We don't understand all this. We aren't expected to know everything. We are called to believe what He wants us to believe and attend His "school" seven days a week. (So believes this blogger, who can't perfectly follow his own advice.) Satan and his "angels" ignore unbelievers, we assume. But, they spend 24 hours a day messing with Christians who don't trust and obey. 

     Graham refers to 2 Timothy 4:3-4: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine...because they have itching ears, they will ...turn their ears away from the truth..." 

     He says, "Regardless of the darkness of this present age, the gospel remains the power of God unto salvation for all who will repent of their sin and by faith surrender their lives to King Jesus." 

     Most of us have many, many options in our American lives. Our founders and citizens were almost totally Christian. What will happen when the USA stops sending missionaries around the world? Will God love and protect countless, various institutions that create wealth?

     Who is our authority?

           Jimmy

 

     

Predicting Winners and Whiners

     As a former hardball and softball player, this blogger attempts to determine which MLB team - Yankees or Rays - will reach the post season in their division. My ride past the Rays stadium enroute to my surgery will not help. (All win-loss numbers - after Sept. 2 games.)     😊

     First, the Rays are playing the Texas Rangers this week. Why they call their team the (Ford) Rangers, who knows? Anyway, their record is 69 wins and 71 losses. Next will be the Atlanta Braves. Indians predate all our immigrants, so Braves deserve being the home team. Besides, their record is 83-57.          😆

     Then the Houston Astros come to Saint Petersburg. If they don't know how to spell astronauts, their 71-69 record is just. The Oakland Athletics come in with a 54-86 record. After Tampa Bay lost two games to the last place Metropolitans, they can't take the Athletics for granted. Last on the home schedule are the Boston Red Sox. They don't know how to spell socks, and we've never seen them with red socks. But they recently beat Saint Pete - I mean Tampa Bay - 4 straight games, and their record - 75-65 - is scary enough.       😏

     We go to Mayor Mamdani's kingdom. The Yankees won the Civil War, so their 80-60 record falls into line. Finally, if the Rays want to see America's liberty bell, it's in Philadelphia where the Phillies are 79-61. See how the league throws the best at Tampa Bay in late September? Every year. They don't want the low-budget Rays anywhere near the playoffs.   $$$                      😐

     So, what about the Sharks, I mean Rays, 83-57. They have been in first place since early July. Three players are hitting over 300. But when Aaron the Judge comes off the injured list, the Yankees may win another war. It is possible for both teams to make the playoffs. 

  What's that, honey?  College football is on TV?  Who's pitching today? 

                                                    ☝