"Without God, all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrise into the darkest of nights."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, as Donald John Trump takes the oath of office, the darkest chapter in United States political history will FINALLY draw to its inevitable and ignoble close... and we get our country back!

"God Bless the U.S.A." -Lee Greenwood, 21 May 1984

Tomorrow... the veil of darkness lifts at noon!

"Jesus, Take the Wheel" -Carrie Underwood, 3 October 2005 YAY!

We get our country back on the overmorrow... Yahoo, pardner...

In but four more days... we get our country back. Praise be to God.

There is no major Faith in the world that sanctions the killing of people in cold blood. As someone who is ex-military, and whose service was primarily based upon the rooting out and neutralizing of terror cells, I can state categorically that there is a reinforced philosophy that is predicated upon characteristics that can be demonstrably assigned to subversives: disenfranchisement; distorted ideology; and renunciation of Faith.

If one stays true to their Faith, then they do NOT become radicalized... which is just one of many compelling reasons to actually HAVE a Faith.

Faltan menos de tres semanas para el 20 de enero. Y para mí, no pueden pasar lo suficientemente rápido. Entonces, la pesadilla colectiva que ha estado afectando a todo el mundo, en todas partes, en el transcurso de los últimos cuatro años, comenzará a llegar a su fin... Por fin.

Tengo casi setenta años y no recuerdo una época en la que se pidiera con tanta urgencia un cambio de liderazgo en el Capitolio.

Por supuesto, como proclamó el Pontífice, en 2025 comenzará el Jubileo de la Esperanza. Y dentro de un año el mundo debería ser un lugar mucho más seguro y agradable para vivir que ahora. Así que amén a eso.

Upon my return to the Catholic Church, I found the de facto strength of my faith in God to now voice in unfeigned testament, my reverence for my dearly departed parents:

My folks were wealthy people who chose to reside in a rough section of Pacoima, California. This, to live among those in a neighborhood that they felt compelled to serve and to honor in an act of serial reciprocity -- to repay a debt of gratitude for the kindness shown them by the Latino community in which they settled after they emigrated to Mexico.

Ultimately however, both were murdered championing the cause in which they so fervently believed. I am, of course, grateful to the holy church but especially to the Almighty, for now extending to me this opportunity to express my deep and abiding respect (and eternal love) for their sacrifice. Que Dios se apiade de sus almas.

Jimmy Carter was the first POTUS that I cast a ballot for. I remember him today as the gentle and unassuming Christian man that I voted for in 1976. I take solace, as he now enters into his eternal rest, reunited with Rosalynn, that he has bestowed upon this great nation a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.

I loved my father...

My father bade me memorize the Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ when I was young to help me to not only reconcile my hatred of the Anglo with the lord God but, moreover, to engender proper respect for ALL that the Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka has created. I used to be able to recite it in its entirety in Lakȟótiyapi, but, sadly that gift has become lost to the ravages of time...

After separating from the military, I found it difficult (as many vets do) to transition back into the role of a civilian... especially given my MOS...

Civie life just lacks that certain esprit de corps; structure; and camaraderie that military service provides. I really could not function well without it... even after mucho private therapy sessions and near innumerable trips to the local Vet Center in the attempt to finally get my life straight.

And, oh yeah, granted that it did help immensely, there was still a variable absent from the equation...

I believe though that I have at long last discovered that missing element upon returning to the Catholic Church. I actually do feel better... and markedly so...

Christmas Mass at Night -- 25 December 2024:

"The jubilee year, calls us to spiritual renewal and commits us to the transformation of our world, so that this year may truly become a time of jubilation: A jubilee for our mother Earth, disfigured by profiteering; a time of jubilee for the poorer countries burdened beneath unfair debts; a time of jubilee for all those who are in bondage to forms of slavery old and new.”

"As Christians, all of us have received the gift and task of bringing hope wherever hope has been lost, lives broken, promises unkept, dreams shattered and hearts overwhelmed by adversity.” -Pope Francis

As I am not the shy and retiring type, and do hold to a strong opinion on just about everything (especially upon the subjects of politics and religion) I'll not be reopening my Comments section 'til I am serenely confident that I have firmly established a better handle on minding my p's and q's.

@WatchmenWakeUpOnYT. Are we going to quarrel?

El 20 de enero no puede llegar lo bastante pronto.

Aye. Hasta que no me comprometí firmemente a volver a la santa Iglesia, estuve perdido en el pecado. Nada de lo que me permitía usar externamente para aliviar el dolor de la culpa y la vergüenza causadas por actos de depravación me ayudaba mucho: Ni el alcohol; ni las drogas; ni el sexo promiscuo...

Para mí, reconciliar la profundidad de mi pecado con Dios vino como una relación más estrecha con el Todopoderoso a través del reingreso en la Iglesia católica.

Una de las mejores decisiones que he tomado en mi vida fue la reciente decisión de volver a la Iglesia Catholic.

La caza de gangas sobre el precio de los Foils prosigue a un ritmo inexorablemente lento.

El Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka proveerá...

...and (finally) it is through our diversity as stewards of this planet that the worlds population derive their true capacity to intrinsically heal... irrespective of any personal differences that we may hold toward one another.

It serves one well to act in circumspect when afforded the chance. And, seek to deploy finite resources wisely.

@WolfPax. Belief in a higher power holds the potential for transcending the nearly unbearable into that which is at least tolerable. And... success in ANY venture in life is often relative to the dedication and effort that one is willing to pour into a project.

if asked, what advice would you give for the youth of today cain?
you being a man of lots of experience and wisdom in my belief.

@Котик Наркотик. Now that just begs the inevitable question: why would you like to form a friendship with me to the extent that it would elicit such a comment from you? Please. Do tell. I am understandably curious.

bro doesnt accept my request

@Lugo. Yes. I am "hale and hearty." And I hope that you are doing well also.

@selenor1k. I could not have cast a ballot for DJT quickly enough. So, yes. I am ECSTATICALLY happy over the Trump reelection. Cheers, mate.

Hey, are you okey today?

If not im always down for a chat!

Lugo

Good evening, Cain!! how are you? Are you happy about Trump's victory, if it's not a secret?

𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮

+rep

@Blooble. Yeah, yeah. And I'm actually there now, dude. Eked past 21800 TBE just today. And thank you for noticing that I am continuing to add (albeit, slowly) to my badge collection. Take care my friend.

@WolfPax. I feel great... and in no small part due to your generosity. Thank you once again for that. Take care.

@Shile. Bueno, mi querido amigo, gracias por compartir tu amabilidad conmigo. Ahora le devolveré su cálido abrazo, y no sólo a usted, sino también a toda la buena gente de Venezuela.

sup cain, hope you are doing well this weekend!

Vi que estabas un poco alejado de este lugar y hoy volvi a revisar si habías regresado, es genial volver a verte amigo!
Te mando un abrazo gigantesco desde estas pampas!

@Jayden; seeking. Thank you for apprising us all as to His profound message of hope and salvation. To wit:

The depth of the wickedness that was my former life would cause a person's hair to nearly literally stand on end were it known to them. And, though I am not yet the Christian that I one day hope to be, the Lord is nonetheless active in my life even now. Call to Him in your darkest of hours and He will answer true... you need but listen.

@vespi; 1kra. *Blush* The compassion reflected in your kind comments here further illustrates just how wonderful folks on Steam can truly be.

The name of Jesus is above every name. "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7). To the random user who may read this message, I may not imagine what pain/suffering/struggle you are going through, but I know that the only One who can give you the solution is Jesus Christ. I urge you to pray to the Lord and ask Him to show Himself to you if you doubt He exists or that he is The King of Kings and The Lord of Lords. The only true peace can be found in Jesus, for He is the ultimate Healer. No matter how messed up you may think you are, you are not too far gone and God has a plan for you, I pray that you turn to Jesus before its too late. Ask and you shall receive and as Deuteronomy 31:8 says the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. Be blessed, be encouraged.

Romans 8:11
ESV
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:26
ESV
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

"We love you, Cain!" We all say in unison

what a nice message to see on my profile.
you're a legend bud, thank you.

💚

@granti. Thank you for that. And a hearty hello now from me to you.

@shock. Thank you. I appreciate you're saying so.

I found your profile back in september, but I wasn’t able to comment back then. Just wanted to say hi!

@EpicVikingNija. Thanks Ninja. But I do have to admit that is through commentary such as yours that I have been able to affect profound changes in my spiritual life. So I owe you, as well as many other wonderful folks here on Steam, a personal debt of gratitude that I know even now, that I will never have sufficient opportunity to ever fully repay.

nice profile cain