I WAS a Cruz supporter

Where are the men of honor from the field of candidates? Where are those whose ‘word is their bond’? I was disappointed when Jeb Bush announced he would not support Trump. I found it very revealing. I was a bit more disappointed when I learned that John Kasich didn’t even show up for the convention in his own state. Again, very revealing. My biggest disappointment came when Rubio and Cruz refused to endorse their party’s candidate. Why? Don’t they get to carry their opinion? Don’t they get to stand their ground on their principles? Of course they do! I would never suggest otherwise. But what are those principles; honor, integrity, trustworthiness, etc.? That was why I liked Cruz. Maybe I was tricked. Maybe I just didn’t look close enough. Why am I saying this?

I confess, I was a Cruz supporter. I voted for him in the Georgia primary. I was disappointed when he lost. But maybe, just maybe he was more like the rest than I had realized.

This morning I found the pledge that every candidate signed. The article which included the pledge expressed the view that the pledge was written and presented to all of the candidates by the RNC to “force Trump’s hand…”. The candidates signed it. ALL 17 OF THEM!

“I [name] affirm that if I do not win the 2016 Republican nomination for president of the United States I will endorse the 2016 Republican presidential nominee regardless of who it is,” the pledge reads. “I further pledge that I will not seek to run as an independent or write-in candidate nor will I seek or accept the nomination for president of any other party.” http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/republican-national-committee-2016-campaign-pledge-213283

 Is it no wonder that the American public is cynical when it comes to politics? They want us to trust them. They want us to believe them. One of the statements that has been repeated time after time at the Republican Convention about Donald Trump is, “He is a man of his word.” or “His word is his bond.” These words have been coming from those who have known him and done business with him. Maybe this is one of the big reasons he is where he is today as the Republican Party’s nominee. Could it be that America is willing to go with a man who tells the truth, even if he is rough around the edges? He is far from perfect, as we all are. He is not a polished politician with slick slogans and words. But if those who have done business with him and worked for him over the years say “his word is his bond”, maybe that’s what America really needs, someone we can believe.

Happy Independence Day!

It’s that time of year again. Fireworks, cookouts, gatherings, parades, speeches, watermelon…and on and on. I hope you have a safe and happy Independence Day weekend. While you are doing that, I also hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on America…on where we have come from and who we are as a nation. A good place to begin would be the Declaration. I would encourage you to pull it out and read it. 

Consider… “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

America is so unique among nations. No one is guaranteed success, but all have the opportunity for it. It is written into our law. America began in humility before our Creator, not at the arrogant hand of a demagogue or king or dictator. Success in America was never intended to be passed from aristocrat to children through the generations. Success was recognized as a possibility for everyone. Our Founders placed God in His proper place, as the giver of those “unalienable rights”. They recognized that our freedoms don’t come from the Bill of Rights, from our Constitution, or from the subsequent laws that have been passed through the years. They recognized that our freedoms and rights as human beings come directly from our Creator. Our laws are there to protect those God given gifts.

Let us not look to Washington for our rights. Let us look to Washington to be sure they are protecting that which God has given us. There is much conflict in America right now. I suspect at its core, if we look honestly, we will find the absence of the humility of our founders, who placed our Creator in His proper place in their hearts, minds, and actions as they stood firm for human liberty. The cost was high for them and we, through the years, have reaped the benefit of their sacrifice.

I hope and pray that sacrifice will not have been lost on our, and future, generations of Americans.

Happy 4^th of July!!  Ka-Boom!

SOME GAVE ALL

SOME GAVE ALL

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend. School will be out for another year in many places across America. Families will be headed to the beach, to the mountains, to the lakes and rivers for a weekend of relaxation and fun. It’s a holiday, right? It’s a time to get away, right? It’s a family time, right? That’s the American way, right?

RIGHT!

We do those things. And that’s OK. But can we step back just a bit in the middle of our fun and relaxation and consider the ‘day’? Can we slow down just long enough to think about the real purpose of the Holiday?

This day is like no other day. For it is on this day that time is specially set aside to honor those who have given their lives during military service for our country, America. Now I think we should honor these every day. Their names and stories should be remembered always. And we can all keep their memory alive by cherishing our freedoms and living life to its fullest with a heart of humility and gratitude for every freedom we have. But on this day, this holiday, this Memorial Day, can we all make a special effort to express that gratitude?

Let’s consider the sacrifice we are talking about. Beginning with the Civil War down through today, over 1.2 million military personnel have died during military conflict while serving our country, America. I could break the numbers down for you by conflict, but those stats are easy to find. I like to think beyond the numbers though. Each one of those ‘numbers’ represents something so much more…a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a cousin, a friend, a husband, a wife, a grandchild, a widow, a single parent, a lonely child, an emptiness, a loneliness, a sadness, a cry...and so much more.

This is Memorial Day, a time to remember, a time to contemplate, a time to appreciate, a time to_________…you decide that last one. How will you honor the sacrifice that has been paid for your freedom?

Book signing at Walls of Books

Today is Sunday, May the 15th, and this morning when I got up it was 45 degrees in Ellijay. School will be out in a week. The pool is open down by the river, and it was 45 degrees this morning. I love it! Living in the mountains is great. I'll need to write about that one day. But, let's not get distracted. Today I want to tell you about my book signing at a local bookstore, Walls of Books.

The store is located here in Ellijay. Jan McTier is the manager, and she was great to work with to do my book signing. The store itself is still somewhat new, having only been in Ellijay since last October, but there is a good selection of new and used books, and Jan can order for you if you need something special. If you are in the Ellijay area I hope you'll check 'em out.

No, no, no...that was not an advertisement. That was a note of appreciation for the help Jan gave me, allowing me to do a book signing for my new book, "349 DAYS" at her store. I was by the store a few weeks ago to investigate the possibility, and she jumped at the idea, pulled out her calendar, and we nailed it down right then. I left her a book and a couple of brochures and business cards for display and went away feeling pretty good. I dropped back by a few days later with a few more questions and Jan told me she sold my display book, and wanted to know if I could leave her a few more. Well...what's a guy to do? I said, "Sure enough!" I went right back out to my truck and got 4 more. In the next week she sold 2 of them. All of this before the book signing even arrived.

The big day arrived and I was there bright and early, ready to go. Jan warned me that things were usually slow first thing in the morning. She was right. Slow was a good word to describe the way things went that morning. But that gave us a good chance to visit and get to know each other. And it gave my wife, Becki, plenty of time to wander the store and pick out some books of her own.

As the time went by things picked up a bit. A buddy from church, who is a Vietnam Vet, dropped by while on a motorcycle ride. A former co-worker and fellow retiree from Ma Bell had learned about the signing on Facebook and she drove all the way from Covington to be a part of the event. And some of my family came out to support me as well.

It was a great day for a book signing in Ellijay. Check us out on Facebook (349 Days) or on the web at www.slaterdavis.com.

Til next time...life is good. God is better!

Monday was Radio Interview Day

Monday was Radio Interview Day

Good morning folks. It’s a cool Tuesday morning in Ellijay, Georgia, but just about right. I slept with the door wide open to the screen porch last night and was pushed off into dream land by the sound of the Coosawattee River rushing over its rocks. That’s some of the best “white noise” in the world.

Hey, before I tell you about my radio interview yesterday, take a quick look at that box above my post. See where it says, “email address”? That’s for your email address if you want to be informed every time I post something on this blog. Enter your email address and click on “Submit” at the end of the box. You’ll be sent a confirmation email and voila, you’ll be on my list!

Wow, I was on the radio yesterday. Well, not quite. I was in a recording studio recording an upcoming show that will be aired this Friday, May 13^th (ut oh) at 7:00 AM and again at 7:00 PM. The name of the show is Cherokee Talk and the radio station is a small community station in Cherokee County, Grace 102.9. Cherokee County is the county that my publisher, Yawn’s Books, is located in, and they were kind enough to set up the interview for me.

My interviewer was Fred Reimers. He told me that the purpose of his show was more than just sharing information. His goal was to see people’s lives changed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We chatted a bit before we began so he could get to know a bit about me. He told me after the interview that most of the folks he interviews are people he already knows and he was a little concerned about interviewing me since he didn’t know me at all. Another guy at the station had set up the interview through Yawn’s Books. If he was concerned about the interview, it wasn’t something I saw. He was warm and open, and did a great job pulling stuff out of me. He had that nice ‘radio voice’ too.

The interview went great. He was happy. I was happy. Well…there was that one little thing…I hope the editor will be able to edit out the moment when my throat got dry and I had to do the ole “rumble in the throat” to clear it out. (Hey, anybody got a better way to describe that? I’ve never written about clearing my throat before.) Okay, okay, back on topic…the interview went great. We spent most of the time talking of my Christian testimony, which was great, and is a part of my book, 349 Days. Fred did a great job of keeping me going, asking about my family, upbringing, and bringing in info about the book and about ways the book can be purchased. But his whole purpose was to hear the message of Jesus and how that message of Jesus comes through my life. It was a joy to tell this part of my story, and include some details that are not part of the book.

The radio station, again, is Grace 102.9 in Canton, Georgia. They are a listener supported radio station bringing the Good News of Jesus to Cherokee County. If you visit their website, http://gracefmcanton.com/, you will see a telephone number you can dial to actually listen to the live broadcast.

Have a great day. We'll see you next time. Remember...life is good. God is better.

First Book Signing

First Book Signing

Well folks, my first book signing is behind me. The signing was like so many other things that I have done recently. It was all new. I had no idea what to expect. Just like meeting with a publisher, creating this blog, setting up a website, and all the other new experiences I’ve had since writing this book, this was something I just had to step into and get done. It turned out to be fun, and I actually sold some books.

I had some friends stop by. I had some family stop by. And I had some total strangers stop by. For my very first in all the world book signing, I was happy. I chose to use a room in our community located at the Property Owners Association building called The Fireplace Room. The setting was nice, although the thermostat had already been put into its summer ‘pre-programmed’ mode. The room started off a bit chilly, since it was 41 degrees here in Ellijay this morning. Thankfully there was a nice fireplace in The Fireplace Room (imagine that). One of the employees cranked up the gas logs and the room began to warm nicely. Becki was there with me to take money and give out books while my goal was to interact with folks and sign books. Things flowed well enough that we both got to visit with folks as they came in. I met a couple of Vietnam Veterans, from our community, for the first time who came by, and we had some nice conversations about our experiences. Both of these men had been helicopter door gunners while I was still in high school (prior to 1967).

All in all it was a very positive experience, and I did learn a bit. I learned I didn’t need to take my old jungle fatigue shirt for memorabilia. Nobody looked at it. The water was a nice touch, but I think I was the only one who drank any. The small notebook that I carried during my tour in ‘Nam was a point of interest for a few visitors, and the chocolates were fewer when we left than when we arrived, so they hit somebody’s spot.

So now, my first book signing is behind me. I’ve gained a little of experience. That’s good because there is more to come. I have another book signing event here in Ellijay next Saturday at Walls of Books on Craig Street. That event will run from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Check out my 349 Days page on Facebook (Events) for further details. I also have a radio interview recording session next week with a local radio station. I don’t know when the interview will air, but when I know I will post some info about that. 

Happy Mother's Day, everyone.

Til next time...Life is good. God is better.

Little known result of the Vietnam War

Little known result of the Vietnam War. 

I watched a DVD yesterday of Don Richardson speaking about a little known outcome of the Vietnam War. First, a bit about Don Richardson. In the early 1960’s he and his young family went to live in the back country of Indonesia as missionaries among the Sawi people. The Swai were head hunters and cannibals, and they were always at war with neighboring tribes. As a result of the work of God through the Richardson’s, the entire Sawi culture was transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Don Richardson is a speaker and author, having written numerous books including “Peace Child”, “Eternity in Their Hearts”, “Lords of the Earth”, and recently, “Secrets of the Koran” (all of which I can recommend). Today, Don Richardson, now in his 80’s, still travels and speaks frequently about his experiences among the Sawi. I recently heard him speak, and it was at that event that I learned of the DVD, “How America’s ‘Loss’ in Vietnam Rescued Indonesia”. As a Vietnam Veteran, I wanted to hear this story, so I ordered the DVD.

As Mr. Richardson tells it, Indonesia, one of the largest nations in the world, and a nation that is located right in the middle of the shipping channels of the Pacific Ocean, was to be the place where Communism would control a large portion of the Pacific. In the 1950’s Indonesia had three primary political/social groups, Muslims, Communists, and Christians. All three of these groups were relatively close in number, however the Communists were growing rapidly through recruitment of large numbers of Muslims by enticements and promises of great benefit as the Communist became stronger. The only people in Indonesia who were allowed to have guns were the police and military, so the Communist began a smuggling operation in the early 1960’s, receiving small quantities of arms from Communist China, with whom they were aligned. The promise of continued arms smuggling kept the Indonesian Communist actively recruiting and their numbers continued to grow. However, The United States entered the war in South Vietnam and this became a distraction to the Chinese, who were also supplying arms to North Vietnam. As the fighting in Vietnam intensified China quit sending arms to Indonesia, focusing all of their efforts on Vietnam. This frustrated the Communists in Indonesia and they decided they needed to move ahead with what they had. A plan was hatched and put into action in September, 1965 to assassinate all 9 military leaders on the same night. This would throw the entire military into disarray and they were confident it would open the door to a coup where they could take complete control of Indonesia. Their plan almost worked. Seven of the nine leaders were assassinated. The surviving two generals, working together, issued a proclamation that amnesty would be granted to anyone who killed a communist. One can only imagine the results of this. Many Muslims who had joined the Communist Party were not fully committed and when the proclamation was issued they knew who the Communists were. A slaughter began. Communism was stopped dead in its tracks in its spread through the entire Pacific region.

Mr. Richardson, who was in Indonesia at the time, credits the War in Vietnam with this result. If the arms flow had continued from China to Indonesia the Communists in Indonesia would have continued to grow. But because of the loss of the arms support, the local Communists acted prematurely and their entire number were wiped out. After all of the dust settled, Mr. Richardson was told by a military commander in Indonesia that when the Communist headquarters was overrun, documents were discovered that included a list of all Christian missionaries who were to be arrested and killed after the takeover. His name was on the list.

He also tells of how the Christian community fared during this time. Shelter was offered to Communists who were fleeing the rioters and comfort was offered to Muslims who became disillusioned with all of the killing. The Church in Indonesia actually grew as a result of this.

As a Vietnam Veteran, who saw so much sacrifice wasted and thrown away, I find some solace in knowing that it was directly because of the war in Vietnam that Communism was stopped in Indonesia, and the influence of the Christian Church was expanded.