The Thing or Not The Thing....THAT is The Question

Along with many, I have been following the whole gun control issue. This post is not specifically about gun control but more about where I see the fallacy of this whole argument and how it relates to many issues of the day.

Where I see the disconnect is on an emotional level. No one wants violence to visit them or anyone else but what exactly is being accomplished when instead of looking at the behavior you look at the thing? I think government is becoming far too intrusive in our daily lives. I don’t believe the founders ever had the intent of letting government run our lives and in fact the design of our democratically elected government was specifically laid out to protect us from tyranny. But more and more you see the federal government trying to tell us what to eat and not eat; what to drive and not drive; what to drink and what not to drink. Unfortunately, the methods of controlling these behaviors are directed at the items, be they big gulps, guns or big macs.

You see, I think it is the whole wrong approach but is a seemingly expedient and thoughtful approach. It is an easy solution to say, ok, if I don’t want people to drink a 22 oz. soft drink than I will just do away with the 22 oz. soft drink. Is this fixing the problem? Does anyone who thinks about this on an intellectual level really think this fixes the problem? The problem is not the thing but the behavior. This can be translated to most everything in society these days. The real problem is related to something I’ve spoken about often and it is that what many seem to see as a fix being the easy, dismissive, feel-good way to solve the issue at hand and that is to eliminate the thing. That being said, we have not fixed the real problem. People have a way, these days, of substituting things with new things. So the behavior continues but just with a different thing.

I don’t know how we fix this. I don’t even know IF we can fix this. It seems to be an unending wagon train of things being taken from us while the crafty sort of beings we are find things to replace those things. I think as long as there are more people who think that the way we fix certain flaws in our character is by removing the things that cause the flaws then we will never see it change. Until people finally accept that changing problems in this society start with changing the behaviors this will continue on well past my life.

The Meaning of Success

So as I sometimes like to do I looked up the definition of the word success. Here it is via the oxford dictionary:

Definition of success

noun • the accomplishment of an aim or purpose:the president had some success in restoring confidence • the attainment of popularity or profit:the success of his play • a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity:I must make a success of my business • archaic the outcome of an undertaking, specified as achieving or failing to achieve its aims:the good or ill success of their maritime enterprises

The reason this particular word seems to interest me is that so many people that seem anti-profit or that deem profit as a bad thing might want to look this up for themselves. As far back as the mid-16th century profit was actually linked to the word success. I also noted that nowhere I looked in the definition did I find the word happy. Happiness is not linked to profit; however, profit is all over it. So it begs the question; Is profit a bad thing or a good thing? The answer to that may also be linked to the question are you a capitalist or a socialist? If you truly believe in capitalism then profit is not a bad thing and indeed the end game.

It seems a bit hypocritical for so many to be anti-profit now and yet if they were to look at the comforts they enjoy, those comforts would be impossible enjoying without achieving some sort of profit. It really boils down to the fact that so many, and I’m guilty at times, look at others and fail to look in the mirror. So many are quick to criticize the wealthy and profitable as evil. Not that long ago wealth was actually a positive thing that showed a person or company was successful. I think socialism is creeping into our society now where being successful is deemed the same thing as being greedy and therefore must be an achievement on the backs of the poor and oppressed.

I’m not sure how this attitude gets turned around and I fear we will continue to drift in that direction. There are too many in our society now with their hands out who have the expectation that things should be handed over to them in the name of social justice. I think we have created this situation by our own hand. Technology has made everything so instant and easy that it is now translating to everything in life. If it is now not quick and easy than it must be unjust. It is a sad state of affairs. Work is now the new four letter word.

I just thought I would share these thoughts. I may be getting old and cranky but it is how I see things moving and I see real difficulty changing these attitudes. I will now go and pray I am wrong.

Dad...Even after Three Years....

Dear Dad, Well it’s been over three years now since you went to your glory. You would think that by now I would be comfortable just knowing that. You would think it…but you would be wrong. You see, everything I do I seem to measure to your standards. If something funny happens I think about how you would have reacted. It something goes wrong or is a challenge I think of how you would have handled it. So you are never far from me and in fact I pretty regularly blame my mischievousness on you and I don’t think I’m far off the mark.

So occasionally I grapple with how to come to terms with the loss of your wisdom and wit even after three years. Marlee went and visited you yesterday. She took a picture and the place still looks good and you would be generally happy with where you are resting. I, on the other hand, only needed to see the picture to send me into a short period of grief once again. But I’m OK now. I am making a pact with myself to instead of being sorry for my loss to be grateful for what I have gained. Your passing to the next world is now the gain for our God and in time I will see you again. You are not the only person that I have loved that you are now reunited with in glory and in the Lord’s good time and plan I will see you all again.

I’m not even sure why I had to write this but I did. The blessings I have in this life are simply too many to list. I know you are part of the reason I have achieved what I have achieved. There are few words that can adequately express my thanks. Perhaps the way I live out the rest of my years will be that thanks. So Dad, thank you once again for all you gave me and for all I have gained from your wisdom. I still miss you as if you left yesterday and you will live on in me for as long as God plans for me to be on this Earth. Finally the three words that Boureys swear off…at least many Bourey boys…..I love you.

A Special Soul Named Beverley

There are people that come into your life and go and leave an impression and there are people that leave little impression. Then once in a while there’s a person that comes into your life and leaves a life-long and indelible impression. This is about someone that easily fits in the latter category.


Her name is Beverley. You only needed to meet this lady one time to understand why everyone loved her. She was a Christian, make no mistake, and would be happy to tell you if you dared ask, but she was also a lot of other things. She truly would be the life of any party that you were fortunate enough to have included her in and trust me you would be fortunate. She was full of life and could make anyone who talked with her light up with that same spirit. Her cooking was one of her gifts that she loved to share and was beyond generous in doing it.


Beverley also loved children. I think that this had a lot to do with her childlike spirit and mischievous nature that children could not only identify with but gravitate towards. She served children through our parochial school for almost 40 years. That amount of years alone should tell you this lady was special. She was dedicated and loyal and anyone fortunate to have known her for any length of time was better for it. She loved everyone and everyone loved her.


So Beverley has gone on to glory. My guess is she is running the kitchen up there and also planning the dinner parties. Heaven truly has received a special soul. I write this short article not to give you Beverley’s life story but to honor her the best way I know how. I’m certain a full novel could be written about Beverley’s life’s adventures.


If after a full and fruitful life it can be said you were loved by all that knew you and left this undeniable mark on in this world then I think that is really the highest form of being a Christian. We will miss you Beverley….I will miss you….and look forward to being once again by your side at the eternal banquet.

Still Alive and Writing

It has been quite a spell since my last writing partly because I have been busy looking for gainful employment and partly because life has just been crazy. I also needed a break from doing this for a bit but as long as I enjoy writing I will continue to do so.

I am still working on finding work. It is a full time effort and with our current economic climate that some politicians love to call a recovery I have found it a competitive and trying experience. I promise not to make this entry full of whining about my own situation because I have too much in my life to thankful for and it seems petty to stay on that subject.

My brother recently had an unplanned event of receiving a triple bypass surgery. He came through it well and has a challenging road ahead with respect to lifestyle changes but at least he HAS a road ahead. I spent a week in winter wonder land and tried to just be helpful when I could be and get out of the way when that was called for and hopefully I successfully was able to distinguish the two scenarios. As I said goodbye it occurred to me that the Bourey boys are taking right after their Dad….shake hands and say thanks and I’ll see ya next time. It’s just not in our DNA to express too much in the way of feelings but the beauty of it is we both know how we feel about each other and that’s what counts. The prayers and support from not only my family and friends and church family but Linda’s Methodist family as well were overwhelming. This whole event was evidence once again that life is what happens while you are making other plans. So I know I speak for my “older” brother when I say thank you for everything you have done to support him.

So while I promised to not overdo the employment subject I need to say a little about it. First, my lady has been nothing but supportive of my efforts and patient about the process, probably more patient than me. I know this likely goes without saying but job searching is an arduous and tiring process and without my support structure in place would literally be unbearable. I am faithful that the right opportunity will present itself as long as I continue to persevere.

I am not going to get too political today because frankly there is too much material and I would not know where to begin. I do continue to feel dread about this economy and about our Government’s continued efforts to be in control of everything possible in our lives. I will speak more on this in upcoming posts but for now I must dive, once again, back into the job boards.

To close, I wish for everyone who reads this to have a blessed Easter and I hope you come just a little closer to our Lord if just for Easter Sunday. Your body will come to an end…..but your soul still has a chance.

Thirteen And Counting!

Thirteen years today. Thirteen years ago today I said I do and am I glad I did. Some of you know my history but I thought after my previous marriage and all of the challenges faced I would never do it again. And then came along Linda. This lady with a youthful spirit and incredible heart that I had no choice but to fall in love with immediately. To be fair I’m pretty sure I didn’t fall into her plans either. This balding guy with a daughter in the throws of near teendom offered her plenty of challenges as well. The God came along and said hold on you two…..you need to be together!

Yes we’ve had our share of bumps in the road but nothing, including cancer, could ever shake the one thing in our lives that could and will never be shaken…our love. I am blessed and privileged. I have been taught more things in this 13 years about myself and about life then I ever could have imagined and I owe who I am at this moment to this wonderful lady.

So this is a short entry because I could not fit enough words on this site to describe and express my thankfulness. I love you dear lady and look forward to many MANY more years of this journey of life beside you.

OK...One Last Political Rant

First I want to say that this will be my one pre-election post. I made a statement I would not bombard my Facebook friends and family about politics at this point and I guess this might be a little end-around but since my cousin had the gumption to make his statement I shall make mine. You can all stop reading if you don’t care and that’s the beauty of this type of exchange.

This has been as hideous an election process as it was billed to be. If you listen to the pundants, everyone is being dishonest. Truth used to be simple and straight forward and now we have cyberspace to muddle everything up. I frankly have not been able to tell who is being honest about the numbers. At this point I am not focusing on these numbers. I am focusing on the records of the two major party candidates. Actions really do speak louder than words and you can either choose to ignore what has taken place these last four years or you can take notice of it. I choose to take notice.

always thought that one of the great things that separate our country from most is our freedom to have the chance to be what we want to be. Many countries don’t extend that freedom to their citizenry. I think that one of the aspects that set us apart, at least in the past, is our individual attitudes that we will work hard to become successful. This success used to be celebrated as achievement and now it is considered by one party to be a tag of greed. If you make something of yourself, according to many Democrats, you did it by rolling over many less fortunate. Oh, and if you become successful you are now out of touch. I do not and will never subscribe to this bashing of the successful. I realize that many of the jobs I've held in my life were due to the successful.

If you know me, you know where I stand. I've always been about individual rights. I’ve always been against an every expanding ever encroaching Federal government. I want the truly needy to be provided for. I also want to give these people the tools to lift them up out of that situation and experience success on their own. I place a lot more value on helping someone realize the satisfaction of achievement than I do subsidizing people to remain in poverty. I think the conservative platform mirrors the way I feel.

Finally while my local choices are rooted in Conservatism I also know everyone is different. I am not Republican and I am not a Democrat, I am a Conservative. While our presidential choices are not ideal I also know there is no ideal candidate and we will never agree 100% with any one of them. That being said I will not vote to re-elect a candidate that does not subscribe to the ideals of a hand up and not a hand out. I will not vote for a candidate that has continued to increase spending at record levels with little to show for it other than a huge deficit. So that is my choice this season. You all have the privilege to vote how you think and to express your opinions as well. I can only be hopeful that the next four years things turn around.