by DON WEST

Attending graduation ceremonies is not on the top of my list, however, when your first granddaughter finishes high school, the option to miss that milestone is just not available. So, on this past Tuesday, we got gussied up and sat in the hard bleachers of Jerry Simmons Stadium to celebrate the occasion with the Class of 2013. I think the last one I went to in that stadium was 49 years ago, but there may have been one or two since then.

Times have changed, but graduation has not changed much. I wasn’t around for the first graduation ceremonies of Jennings High School back in 1903, however, I am sure that the tradition has remained pretty much the same since those early days. Each graduate and their families and friends are there in support and to recognize their accomplishments and to wish them well in the next phase of their lives.

I did notice one very noticeable change and that change is the more casual attitude and dress of those attending the function. Once upon a time, most of the ladies would have been dressed in fine dresses and the men in coats and ties. I saw some in attire that should have been reserved for a back yard barbecue, but that was then and this is now. There is one other thing that I noticed, and that is we have lost a sense of decorum, whereby some who attended brought along noisemakers, air horns and such as if they were at a local or national sporting event. Polite applause and personal congratulations to your graduate should be enough, but apparently that is no longer the case. Days gone by would have seen all in attendance remain seated and orderly until all graduates have received their awards and diplomas, but there were many who headed for the exits as soon as their particular graduate’s name had been called. I personally think it is rude and shows lack of respect for all the graduates, each who has achieved and deserves our respect of their accomplishment. Maybe we should save the end-zone dances and the raucous behavior for the athletic event, and show some manners and respect to those who have achieved this intellectual goal.

Though I was never in the “honors row” for having excelled in academic studies, my group in the “thanks for coming by” row were still extended the courtesy of good manners and appreciative applause when our diplomas were given to us. Children learn from example. We will probably be able to watch the newspapers of the future and see those names and faces of children whose parents have been good examples, but we will also see the names and faces of children whose parents were less than good examples. However, let me offer a word of advice to all the graduates – this is the first day of the rest of your life and your future is yours to do with as you so choose. You already know the consequences or rewards of making decisions. Those life experiences will only be repeated and you can choose those that are most rewarding, regardless of your background.

I wish you the best and I charge you with the challenge.

by DON WEST

I never hugged her enough or told her that I loved her as many times as I should have. She deserved much better than I gave her. Twenty-one years ago, we said goodbye to her for the last time and I wish she were here so I could give her one last hug, but that is selfish. She lived a hard life, had renal failure and lived the final eight years taking dialysis treatments three times a week. She endured a 45+ -year marriage to my father who could have been a better husband. Alcohol was his devil and that evil dwelt amongst us.

When I was born in the mid 40’s, Dad was in the oil patch and in those days when the rig that you worked on moved, you had to move with it or you would lose your job, and jobs like that were hard to attain. Dad’s rig happened to be in West Texas when I came along and we lived in a tin building that wasn’t sealed from the cold and dust storms. Mom endured. Many times he wouldn’t get home with his paycheck before he drank and gambled most of it away, but Mom endured.

We were always poor, not because he didn’t have good jobs, but because of the devil he wouldn’t shirk. Today’s modern liberal would have you believe that it’s an illness, but I will tell you that’s a bunch of hooey. It’s just a bad choice, and one can make good choices. Taking a drink when you can’t control it is the same as stepping off the curb into traffic, something else you can’t control. When the bus flattens you, it wasn’t the bus driver’s fault, or the manufacturer of the bus or the brakes or the owner of the bus. You chose to step into the oncoming path just like the alcoholic taking that drink. We all make choices and we all should man up to the consequences of those choices. Today’s society will help you find someone else to blame and that will work until we face our final judgment.  We will not be able to shirk responsibility on that day. Mom made the choice to marry him, and she made the choice to stay all those years. She was an extraordinary woman to endure all that she did, and I should have been more appreciative of all that she gave in love to me.

She worked for over 50 years, as a legal secretary for many of the lawyers here in Jennings, all who have gone on to their reward. She walked to and from work every day, rain or shine, heat or cold, and she raised each of us to be strong and independent. We knew we had to be because we were, by necessity, on our own most of the time when we were not in school. We all worked from a young age, and we were taught good work ethics, good manners, and honesty. My sister followed in Mom’s footsteps as a legal secretary, and my brother followed in the legal field as a court stenographer and for the last twenty years as an independent stenographer and entrepreneur. We learned to pay our bills and try to put a little aside for “rainy days” and she taught us well and was a good example. She lived what she tried to teach us.

I am reminded on this Mothers’ Day week that I could have been a better son, but she was proud of each of us, and whatever we owed her, she would clear the bill when we uttered those words. I love you, Mom. I could never find the words to thank her for being the mother that she was to us. Though I am deemed a “writer”, my talents fail miserably when I try to express how much of a truly great woman she was. She quietly passed from this life on February 27, 1992, pretty much how she lived. No fanfare, no list of accomplishments, no front-page headlines. She died in peace and grace, though much of her life was tumultuous, and she died loving and being loved by friends and family. She ran the race, fought the fight, and I am sure when she saw “The Gate” she was welcomed with open arms and a “well done”. Happy Mother’s Day.

by ALLISON

The use of one-time funds for reoccurring expenses has proven to be irresponsible time and time again, yet our governor continues to propose using patchwork financing to cover gaps in the state’s budget.

Governor Bobby Jindal is showing yet again, that he believes the state’s budget should rely on the use of one-time funds, despite having back to back years of steep mid-year budget cuts to critical services like health care and education that have proven this strategy does not work.

Year after year, state lawmakers have had to battle with the governor over the use of one-time funds to fill state budget gaps, and it seems that this year is no different.

This week a House budget-writing committee stripped nearly $500 million in patchwork financing proposed by Jindal’s from next year’s $24 billion budget, which could lead to steep cuts on health care and colleges. The House will consider the budget next Thursday.

Leaders in the House pushed to remove the piecemeal financing – which comes from land sales, legal settlements and fund sweeps – as a maneuver to steer the budget through the House. Without the one-time money included, the budget wouldn’t require the two-thirds vote that a bloc of conservative Republicans could use to stall the bill.

One-time dollars are funds that are only likely to materialize a single time.

A House rule enacted in 2011 makes it more difficult to use one-time money in future proposals by requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature when the dollars are used for recurring expenses. According to its authors, the rule was drafted to limit the amount of one-time dollars used to pay expenses that must be met year after year, as well as to compensate for a lack of will by legislators to make necessary cuts to the state’s ballooning budget.

Critics contend it is irresponsible to use the one-time dollars to pay for recurring expenses such as health care, but the governor has reportedly said he doesn’t see why funds from sales of prisons, land or legal settlements shouldn’t be used to fill the state’s billion-dollar-plus budget gaps.

Personally, I don’t think the state would have such gaping gaps in the budget if responsible decisions had been made in the past to use only use reoccurring funds for reoccurring expenses.

And this is not the first time that our governor has used such a strategy. In 2011, Jindal proposed a $24.9 billion state operating budget for that fiscal year that included $474 million in nonrecurring or one-time revenue streams, his plan hinging on selling state prisons to pay the state’s health-care expenses.

Jindal’s decision year after year to rely on one-time funds to plug gaps in the state’s nearly $25 billion budget is highly disappointing. Will he ever learn?

They say an indication of insanity is the ability to keep making the same bad decisions over and over again and expecting a different result. The drastic cuts to domestic violence, health care and charity hospitals and more are proof enough that using one-time funds to cover the cost of reoccurring expenses does not work. Just because services for the elderly, abused and the sick are eliminated by the state, doesn’t mean the need ever goes away. The taxpayers and the private sector will be forced to make up the difference.

In reality, I don’t think our governor really cares. He has his sights locked in on the year 2016, and is proving yet again that he only cares about improving his track record and making things look good on paper in order to further his national political aspirations. Regardless of our governor’s political future, it is highly unlikely that he will still be around when the money runs out in Louisiana.

It is high time Louisiana started living within its means. One-time money should be used for one-time expenses such as the much-needed road repair projects instead of for a haphazardly hashed out a budget.

by SHEILA SMITH

Well, thanks to my parents, I was raised a terrorist, at least according to the government.

Most of us are potential terrorists, anyway, according to an Army briefing that labeled Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics as examples of religious extremists.

I myself was raised in a Southern Baptist (SBC) church so the government says I might be a danger. According to an article by Fox News journalist Todd Starnes (and I typically avoid even reading Fox News material simply because the corporation is kinda crazy), it was SBC chaplains who realized the official SBC.net had been blocked at military bases across the country. Specifically, the message users received when trying to access the site read: “The site you have requested has been blocked by Team CONUS (C-TNOSC/RCERT-CONUS) due to hostile content.”

Now, I’ve visited the SBC site before. Sure, I don’t agree with some of the manmade rules the SBC backs in its churches but I have honestly never seen any material that qualifies as hostile.

Don’t get me wrong, you can find nuts in any church or religion. For example, no Baptists have publicly supported the Westboro Baptist Church, helmed by the crazy Phelps family (cue the banjos). I think they pretty much just call themselves Baptists. Anyway, those people are a good example of crazy: protesting funerals; celebrating the deaths of people of all ages and backgrounds; and thinking every single problem in life is connected to homosexuality. The government does nothing to stop Westboro from wreaking havoc on lives, claiming it’s all free speech, even though it’s all crazy talk. Meanwhile, levelheaded Baptists are planning vacation Bible schools and summer revivals but they get labeled as religious extremists?

I never lived through the Salem witch trials or the McCarthy Era; however, I sometimes feel like current American society is how those situations spiraled out of control. Want their land? Call them a witch. Want their political influence? Call them a Communist.

Of course, the accusations against Christians are somewhat humorous when you consider who is making the claims: Our government, that knew the Boston Marathon bomber was on a terrorist watch list and even received a year’s worth of food stamps; that knew there were security issues in Libya before the U.S. Embassy there was overthrown; the same government that knew of threats priors to 9/11; and so much more.

I’m just sayin’, either the government isn’t that great at thwarting terrorists or somebody is letting a few things slide in the name of politics.

All in all, the government’s irrational fear regarding Christians comes down to this: The government knows that most people will always be loyal to this country but not the people in charge.

by DON WEST

Since the last time we visited, I have enjoyed another birthday, complete with harassing cards, phone calls, and the usual snide remarks about aging. Sixty-seven years God has blessed me with life, liberty, and the pursuit of whatever I deem to be happiness, regardless of all that the government seems to want to keep me from achieving. My riches are untold in friends, family, health, and a wealth of opportunities to pursue.

Fishing has been back on my mind as of late, but the right timing, connections, and/or planning has not fallen into place. Been doing a little yard maintenance, not one of my favorite pastimes, but a necessary evil of the joys of home ownership. Thankfully, we are blessed with friends and acquaintances who can offer ideas and even a helping hand. My buddy, Jimmy, has my mower in tiptop shape so when I do get the notion to trim up the yard, I don’t have any problems on that end. I still haven’t made a decision about my weed eater, but I have solved the immediate problem by parting with a little money and having someone take care of the initial cleanup. I will have to maintain, but a couple of different guys came in and really cleaned up the place. Thanks to them for helping to put off the inevitable. I have temporarily sent most of the fire ants over to the neighbor’s yards, but the rain is falling as I type, and I am sure they will return soon. If that isn’t bad enough, I saw a couple of love bugs flying around the yard yesterday, so the car wash people will be boosting the local economy soon.

What with the Boston bombings and the stock market acting like a Texas jackrabbit on steroids, checking the news daily has been interesting. Though it certainly appears to me that we have more proof of foreign terrorists living among us, the politicians seem bent on pointing the fingers at each other, rather than doing something to protect our borders. While the White House cuts personnel at airports, slowing business and leisure travel, Congress is still mired in arguments over who should give up what while trying to reduce the budget. The 550 or so people who control the country can always find ways to agitate the voters like threatening Social Security, defense, and education, but they seem to overlook the possibility of cutting their own salaries and perks. I see the post office has decided to not do away with Saturday deliveries, because they got too much pressure from the postal unions, so I guess we will soon be paying $1 or more to have our letters routed through New York to arrive in Roanoke 10 days later.

Having another birthday has reminded me again of the brevity of life and I refuse to allow politicians to ruin my daily enjoyment of semi-retirement. We have worked to achieve that which we have, and though I will do battle with the politicians, money grabbers, and crooks to hold onto that small nest egg, I am choosing more carefully the battles. There are some days when I wake up and decide that the toilet paper and soap people need to be admonished for shady trade practices, and other days when I use those items as reminders that Washington needs both. You can use your imagination to complete this thought.

by DON WEST

We did not procrastinate on getting our taxes filed, so when April 15 rolled around on Monday, it should have been just another day, but there is something in my psyche about that day that just sets me off. Just from having worked for many years, Mondays already have a way of upsetting me, usually because we have just had an enjoyable weekend and the prospect of enduring another week at work looked like a mountain I really didn’t want to climb. When you add April 15, tax day, to the equation, it’s enough to put me in a dismal mood from the time my feet hit the floor.

Performing a little self-analysis, I discovered that parting with my money, except when and where I want to spend it, is a chore that just doesn’t sit right with me. Since I am convinced that I can spend my money more wisely than anyone else, it especially ticks me off to send it to Baton Rouge and Washington, where it will be spent on many projects that are not only wasteful, but should not be a part of government.

Even when the government spends our dollars on programs like the space program, which has been very beneficial to our world, we find those little aggravating facts like $300 hammers, $150 screwdrivers, and $6,000 lunches to further prove that they are not the least bit interested in serving anyone but themselves.

There has been much publicity lately of the Obama family vacations and their lack of concern over wasteful spending. I would not criticize their need for time away, but the leader of the nation should show a little more concern with dollars being spent when so many in this country are in dire need of the basic necessities. He and Michelle’s attitude seems to reflect, “We gonna get all we can get out of this ride before the curtain comes down.” His cabinet, Congress, and the rest of the bureaucracy mostly reflect the same attitude, when they could be a little more like Pope Francis and willing to ride the bus. While the people demand more efficiency in government, they all stand around and say they can’t find ways to cut.

We, the voters, are to blame. Through the years we have allowed the politicians to shield themselves from the people who pay them, allowing them “fat cat” salaries, plush offices, expense accounts, medical and retirement plans that few of us could ever dream of having. Yet, we are their bosses. When was the last time you were hired and immediately your boss paid you more than he or she was paid; gave you a full retirement check for life after working for only five years; and allowed you to go on “fact-finding missions to places like Rome, Paris, Las Vegas, Hilton Head and Hawaii?” Ludicrous to think about and preposterous that we allow it to happen.

The talking heads out there have a new term they are bandying about and the term is “the uninformed.” It is designated to be that group of citizens who don’t have a clue about what is going on in our world, nor do they care to know. They aren’t new, they just have a new title. It is obvious to many that there are some in this world who shouldn’t be allowed to vote, drive, or breed, but we are a free nation, so we must accept the good with the bad.

When top rated television shows are “Swamp People”, “Duck Dynasty”, “The Bachelor”, and “Ellen”; and we spend more dollars at the pet store than we do on education for our children, the future is pretty obvious.

by SHEILA SMITH

“You can get a lot done with a kind word and a gun than a kind word alone.” Al Capone

Gott’s Cove was once a place where everyone knew everyone else. We were all related by blood or marriage, attended the same churches and schools and buried our dead in the same cemeteries. We could identify which vehicle belonged to which neighbor and even call stray dogs by their name.

Times have changed, though, like they have changed everywhere else. Lately the Cove, like so many other small communities, has been hit with a growing number of burglaries, thefts and drug issues.

My cousin and I, one of the few in the family to make our adult lives in the community, have often discussed the change and what it means. There was a time when our parents allowed us to walk the roads without asking which direction we were heading or warning us not to talk to strangers. Years later, my cousin and I are even reluctant to take a walk together because we cannot recognize half the vehicles and passengers going by.

So with growing concerns and crime, a neighborhood watch has been formed. Monday night, a group of about 30 residents gathered to talk with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office about our concerns.

When a detective opened the floor for questions, I was happy to hear the second one: “What are our rights if someone is on our property?”

Now, we all know the meaning behind this: When can I shoot? Of course, the detective advised that if any person is not in immediate danger, they should contact law enforcement. However, the detective added that if a person is in danger, they could defend themselves.

Some might think people have gone slap-happy in keeping firearms at their sides but in this day and age, you have to do what you have to do. Personally, I’m not getting rid of any weapons to feel all warm and liberal inside; I do not want to hurt anyone and I pray I never take a life. I also pray, though, that if someone or multiple suspects enter my home without permission or intending to do harm, I can reach a gun and pull a trigger fast enough.

I personally would hope not to shoot at someone I discovered stealing fuel from my vehicle or attempting to make off with my lawn mower. Of course, I would hope no one would be stealing fuel or taking items off my property.

The general feeling I got during the neighborhood watch meeting, and other crime-related meetings I have covered in Jeff Davis Parish, is that people are tired. They work full-time jobs and save money to not only pay for their own necessities but extras as well. Rich or poor, no one should have what is rightfully theirs stolen. So when I do hear a story about some trespasser or thief getting shot or pummeled in the act, I assure you my heart does not get sad. You have got to be some kind of stupid to think you can go into someone’s house or on their land and do as you please and have nothing happen to you. In fact, in these times, I would rather be caught by the police before the homeowner. With jails so overcrowded, a thief will end up back on the streets; with armed homeowners, you might be getting fitted for a pine box.

We all left the neighborhood watch meeting in agreement that we needed to pay better attention around the community and share any information about suspicious activity. The very next morning, in fact, people began contacting one another about a suspicious man riding through the area, claiming to be looking for work. Communication will make us stronger and it will help to protect the community from possible crimes. The sheriff’s department told us that even if we see an unfamiliar vehicle in the community to let them know; no matter how small the matter, they said they wanted to know about what was happening in our area because that information just might be relevant.

It’s encouraging to know law enforcement is working with us and looking out for the safety of our residents.

It’s also encouraging to know all of my neighbors and myself have loaded guns.

by ALLISON CRYER

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Jennings is around 10,383.

Of those 10,383 citizens, there are currently 6,423 who are registered voters, or 62 percent of the population, according to the La. Secretary of State’s Office (SOS). That means only a little over half of the total population of Jennings has the potential to make decisions about how our city is run.

Sadly, an even smaller percentage of Jennings voters turned out this past weekend to choose the city’s next mayor. Overall voter turnout for the Jennings mayoral election landed in at only 28.2 percent of registered voters in the city, or 1,814 votes, according to unofficial results from SOS.

The only item on the April 6 ballot was the race for the city’s mayor. According to SOS, Jennings Mayor Terry Duhon retained his seat, earning 55.9 percent of the vote, or 1,014 votes, beating his opponent by only 214 votes, or two percent of the population.

That means only a little over 17 percent of the total population of Jennings had a say in making a decision that affects 100 percent the city’s populace.

Apparently, only 17 percent of Jennings citizens actually care about their city, and I find that number to be disappointing. I am not saying I disapprove or approve of the results of this election, just that the overall turnout could have been a lot higher.

I have always believed that Jennings boasted a civic-minded population, but it is sad that only 1,814 people out of over 10,000 could be bothered to drive the five minutes it takes to get anywhere in Jennings to vote at their precinct or even during the week-long early voting period. I mean seriously, when I voted, it took less than five seconds to cast my vote for the only item on the ballot.

Unlike the president, our city’s elected officials make decisions that have a direct affect on our daily lives. They are responsible for the city’s prosperity and growth, as well as maintaining our streets, drainage, sewer and water systems and many other services that we could not do without. Yet voter turnout in the Nov. 6, 2012 presidential election was close to 65 percent.

So the next time you call to complain about something the city is doing that you don’t like, ask yourself, did you take the time during the 80 hours of available voting time to make your voice heard, or did you decide to sleep in instead?

So enough with the excuses – I work ridiculous hours, but still found the time to vote. However, I guarantee I will not have time to hear any of the 83 percent’s complaints about our city. If you call either myself of my witty Assistant Editor Sheila Smith to complain, you will definitely get the response first uttered by the viral sensation Sweet Brown: “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”

If you are not yet registered to vote, do so today so you don’t have an excuse next time an election in your area occurs. Anyone not yet registered to vote may do so by contacting the Jeff Davis Registrar of Voter’s office (ROV) at (337) 824-0834 or visiting SOS’s website at http://www.sos.louisiana.gov. Qualified voters can even sign up with ROV to have a ballot automatically mailed to their home. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Also, it is very important to update you address with the registrar’s office so when election day arrives you will be prepared to share your voice in the decisions being made that directly affect you and your household in the appropriate jurisdiction.

If you are already registered and you did not vote, I challenge you to vote in the next three consecutive elections.

Our city council elections will be held sometime this fall. These positions wield as much power as the mayor when it comes to maintaining and developing our city and these elections are equally as important, if not more important than a presidential election.

Let’s prove in the next three elections that more than 17 percent of us care about our city. While we may never get to 100 percent overall voter turnout in our city, I am positive that we can do better than 28.

by DON WEST

The pecan trees are budding and the hummingbirds have arrived. Many local gardeners took a chance and planted early, betting against a late frost and that means we will have all the fresh vegetables to eat earlier this year than normally. March winds bring April showers, hopefully, it won’t be April floods but just enough to help all the flowers and fauna to a successful bloom and production.

We ate so many crawfish on Easter Sunday that I have begun to walk backwards, so God has blessed us with abundant crops thus far and we can pray that He will continue to smile upon our local farmers so that they may have a bountiful season. As the farmer prospers, so does our local economy and that is termed free enterprise. Sometime the politicians in Washington, and those voters who continuously extend their arms for the handouts, should take a step back and see what really drives the economy.

The welfare system has been in place since the 1940’s and we have spent in excess of $15 trillion dollars and the effects have been minimal. There are 47 million who live below the poverty line and the percentages continue to increase. Certainly this is an indication that throwing money at the problem is not the road to success. Less government intervention into the private sector gives business the opportunity to grow, creating more jobs and better benefits. Time and money lost in meandering through the web of red tape that bureaucracy burdens us with sucks the ability of businesses to achieve success.

I was happy to hear that Governor Jindal has rescinded his proposal to eliminate income taxes and replace the revenue with sales or value-added taxes. I am concerned that it may not be a viable solution. Certainly, the removal of some taxes should encourage business and industry to move to Louisiana, however, many businesses have come here before, enticed by tax incentives and have then left after the incentives have been exhausted. I would venture that the state will, under any new tax plan, continue to offer exemptions from sales taxes to prospective companies, which only puts a larger burden on individual taxpayers. Any proposal would also have to include provisions for low-income people, the elderly, and retirees to protect them – putting more burdens on those who will pay. The problem is that many retirees and senior citizens do not consume nearly as much as those who are working and raising families, therefore they will probably contribute much less to the economy than they do with income taxes, thereby putting even more burden on family incomes. Though I despise taxes, and am especially frustrated with the enormous variety of taxes and fees with which we are burdened, I fully understand that some are necessary to maintain national defense and infrastructure, both nationally and locally. Many could be eliminated with the elimination of useless government entities.

The other drawback to companies moving to Louisiana is the lack of skilled employees, which will not change with a new tax structure. That problem is rooted in an education system that continues to add programs to the bottom of the educational chain to save the usually “un-savable” instead of adding programs to inspire the achievers to greater heights. We cannot ignore those who want to achieve, but we also cannot continue to waste resources on those who refuse the opportunities to better themselves. We cannot and should not lay all the blame on the education system, for the problems begin in the home. Dysfunctional homes, marriages, and godless behavior are contributing factors to the overall problems. Moral decay permeates our society and all the dollars in the world cannot correct those problems.

by DON WEST

Tomorrow is the day that Christians around the world should be in mourning, as it is the day when our Lord gave himself up to a horrendous and painful death to redeem us from sin. Shouldn’t we be in prayer? The Supreme Court of this nation is in session deciding on whether or not to recognize same sex marriages. Shouldn’t we be in prayer? China, North Korea and Iran are threatening nuclear war against the United States – shouldn’t we be in prayer?

Drugs, violence, murder, rape, domestic, child, and sexual abuse are rampant, and our prisons are filled to capacity  – shouldn’t we be in prayer? Our nation’s leaders are at war with each other, partisan politics and obstinance are the barricades to progress  – shouldn’t we be in prayer?

We continue to murder over one million unborn children every year, calling it freedom of choice. Shouldn’t we be in prayer? Churches are in turmoil from failed leadership, ungodly practices, and fickle flocks who seek entertainment, negotiable commandments, and self-gratification. Shouldn’t we be in prayer?

There are numerous signs that our economic presence and future are precariously perched for a major implosion. Someone has assembled some frightening statistics that should make us vividly aware of that future. For example, just before the recession in 2007 the GDP was 2.5 percent today 1.6 percent Gasoline was $2.75, now $3.49. The unemployment figure has doubled and Americans on food stamps has risen from 26.9 million to 47.69 million (nearly doubled). The United States debt has grown from just over $9 trillion to over $16.5 trillion and consumer confidence has dropped from 99.5 percent to 69.6 percent. The United States debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product has soared from 38 percent to over 74 percent and Washington continues to spend money like shoppers on Black Friday. Shouldn’t we be in prayer?

Are you at odds with your church, your minister, or your faith? Are you seeking blame, pointing fingers, and looking for the perfect church? Church is for sinners, not for the perfect ministers or the perfect members. If you are upset with the minister, have your actions hurt him or her, or have they hurt your fellow members? Change can occur, but the change must be in our hearts  – not where we sit.

Holy week is the time for change of heart. It is the time of sacrifice, forgiveness, and joy in the Resurrection. Shouldn’t we be in prayer? If not now, then when?