VA Identifies Problem with a Transcription Services Contract – During a routine internal inspection, the Department of Veterans Affairs discovered a contractor providing medical transcription services who was not following the department’s rules for protecting medical information. Although there is no evidence that any patient information was disclosed as a result of the violation, VA has suspended the contractor from receiving any sensitive information from the department until the contractor guarantees compliance with VA’s standards for information technology security. (2/12/09)

History of a Christmas Carol

The 12 Days of Christmas

From 1558 under Queen Elizabeth I, until 1829 under King George IV, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning; the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

Partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope, and love.

Four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit – Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.

Eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

Ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.

Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

 

 

 

The Nativity

The Nativity

 

 

1 – Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem a distance of about 80 miles, give or take a couple.

A – First Consideration:

Joseph would not have traveled alone as it would have been too dangerous.

B – Second Consideration:

It would have taken about 4 or 5 days to make the trip. And Mary was a woman that was tough as nails. (Consider, She is 9 months Pg, she has to walk and/or ride an ass. [that is what it says - no cart] And I don’t see Mary as a whiner.

Note; If you look at some of the ancient trails in the Holy Land, you will see they are not wide enough for a cart.

 

 

2 – The trip south to Bethlehem: (Using present day maps)

Day 1 – Nazareth to Janin (about 15 + miles)

Not too hard, crossing a large valley.

Day 2 – Janin to Nablus (about 20 miles)

Rough day, crossed a ridge then crossed a valley and climbed up to another ridge.

Day 3 – Nablus to Ram Allah (about 20 miles)

Not too bad, followed the ridge.

Day 4 – Ram Allah to Jerusalem to Bethlehem (about 20 miles)

Followed the ridge again today, made a quick stop a Jerusalem for a late lunch. Then on to Bethlehem.

Total – Approx 75 to 80 miles.

From Mary’s point of view:

Your baby has dropped and your going to give birth any time now.

Arrival in Bethlehem:

They would have arrived in Bethlehem late in the day, possibly after dark. There are no hotels or motels. Also there are lots of out of Towner’s in Bethlehem tonight because of the census. The place is crowded. Jewish law says whom ever you ask for help must help you.

This is Joseph’s home town, he must have relatives here but maybe they won’t help because of Mary’s pregnancy, and its circumstances. Anyway they find someone whom lets them stay in the stable under the house. Maybe a relative helped, maybe not. Any way, At least they will be warm at night and out of any weather. Now Joseph has to arrange for a Midwife for Mary. Did we get supper? It’s been a rough 4 or 5 days so far. And Mary, being a good wife and a strong woman at the age of 17 give or take, is enduring it all and not complaining.

It doesn’t say how soon after they arrive she gives birth. So I will say that night or maybe in the next day or two. They don’t have to worry about food or a place to stay because of Jewish law.

On the lighter side for a moment:

In the early morning of Jesus’ birth (for some reason I‘ve always thought he was born in the wee hours of the morning), the shepherds have shown up to see Jesus thanks to the heavenly host‘s announcement. They have brought their flocks and dogs (shepherds do use dogs) with them (They would not have abandoned their flocks in the hills) Now the cow is mooing because it’s milking time, The ewes are fussing for the same reason. The shepherd’s dogs are barking and the neighbors are yelling at them to keep the noise down. !!!!! Good grief !!!!! Then the Magi, and their camels turn up unexpectedly. What next? Well, at least one of them brought gold that helps. But knowing Jesus he probably gave it away to one of the shepherds because it was needed. (well, just a thought)

Ok, back to the story:

They Spend 8 days after Jesus birth, Mary going through the birth purification ritual and waiting for the 8^th day so they can present Jesus to the priests at the temple in Jerusalem for circumcision.

 

 

3 – Presentation of Jesus:

 

On the 8^th day of Jesus’ life, Joseph and Mary pack everything up catch the ass and head north to Jerusalem and the Temple to present Jesus. After they find a group headed that way. It is a 10 mile trip north to Jerusalem. (remember, you never travel alone).

 

 

4 – The Trip Home to Nazareth:

Day 1 – Jerusalem to Ram Allah (about 12 + miles)

Day 2 – Ram Allah to Nablus (about 20 Miles)

Day 3 – Nablus to Janin (about 20 miles)

Day 4 – Nablus to Nazareth (about 15 + miles)

5 – The trip home with the baby is relatively uneventful. Man what a trip we are staying home for a while.

 

© Copy Write Restoring America December 24, 2008

 

Mexican drug smugglers spray bullets

From www.worldnetdaily.com

INVASION USA
Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering
Mexican drug smugglers spray bullets, but U.S. officers dare not return fire

Posted: December 22, 2008
9:18 pm Eastern

 

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

 

A team of Mexican drug smugglers unloaded $1 million worth of drugs across the U.S. border, spraying bullets at U.S. Border Patrol agents with automatic weapons, but the agents dared not return fire – as one official said they fear losing their jobs or ending up behind bars like agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

Ramos and Compean are serving 11- and 12-year prison sentences, respectively, for shooting an illegal alien drug dealer while he smuggled nearly 750 pounds of marijuana across the border. They were convicted of assault, discharge of a weapon in the commission of a crime of violence and deprivation of civil rights.

This time drug smugglers wore military clothing and fired “military type” automatic weapons at U.S. Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in Tuscon, Ariz., on Dec. 1.

The brazen smugglers backed a flatbed tow truck into an 18-foot border fence and unloaded two pickup trucks packed with marijuana into the U.S. National Guard and U.S. predator surveillance cameras recorded their efforts, and Border Patrol agents were immediately dispatched to the scene.

When the agents attempted to stop the pickup trucks, a Chevrolet Avalanche and a Ford F150, the smugglers began driving back toward Mexico. However, U.S. authorities deflated the truck tires before the smugglers could make it to the other side, the Laguna Journal reported.

Just then, another vehicle was spotted in Mexico, and a sniper began firing an automatic weapon at the U.S. agents.

But agents did not fire back.

According to reports, additional heavily armed smugglers began scaling the border fence and tossing bundles of drugs from the Avalanche pickup truck into Mexico.

The agents refrained from discharging their weapons.

When authorities arrived on the scene, the suspects lit the Avalanche on fire and retreated to Mexico, leaving behind 1,158 pounds marijuana – worth $1 million.

Registration records revealed the F150 had been stolen in Douglas, Ariz. Mexican police were notified, but they have not arrested suspects.

Many witnesses, including U.S. scientists working in Arizona, report seeing heavily armed illegal aliens crossing border fences in the area. When U.S. agents arrive on the scene, smugglers often pelt them with rocks, strike them with vehicles or fire weapons at them – and agents sometimes face penalties for firing back.

In an incident similar to the Ramos and Compean case, one border patrol agent said he feared for his life after a group of illegal aliens began throwing rocks and concrete chunks at him in August at the San Ysidro border crossing. He fired his weapon and wounded one of the men in the buttocks.

Officials at the Mexican consulate in San Diego criticized the 10-year Border Patrol veteran and demanded the U.S. conduct a full investigation, the San Diego Union Tribune reported. Local police and the FBI investigated the agent.

“Any kind of shooting toward Mexican territory is rejected by the Mexican government,” Consul General Remedios Gómez Arnau warned Border Patrol agents. “They should have waited for response of the Mexican authorities.”

After this month’s incident, an anonymous officer close to the investigation told the Laguna Journal that agents often fear defending themselves because shooting back could mean prison time – just as it did for Ramos and Compean.

“These men are still in prison for doing what many of us think was just doing their jobs as Border Patrol agents,” he said.

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That’s the news report. I Think this is Chicken you know what, that our government will not allow the Boarder Patrol defend themselves. And we allow criminals to just walk away.  Then, we put our law enforcement personnel in jail for doing their job.  What is our government thinking????  Or maybe they aren’t thinking.    What do you think?

 

About Pastor Joe

 Pastor Joe

Pastor Joseph R. Larson,  Senior Pastor of  “Doers of The Word Baptist Church”, is a Radio Show Pastor serving “ What’s Right What’s Left” Radio Ministries founded 30 years ago by Pastor Ernie Sanders. Pastor Joe heads Restoring America, an outreach ministry of “Whats Right What’s Left”, and is the founder of the new www.restoringamericanetwork.net internet broadcasting.

      Pastor Joe is a disabled American Veteran, a former Chief Warrant Officer in the United States Army, and a decorated Vietnam veteran. He served as a helicopter gunship pilot, an Armament Officer, Maintenance Officer and helicopter test pilot. Although permanently grounded from flying, Joe earned the following licenses: a commercial pilot’s license in helicopter and fixed wing aircraft, an ATR (Airline Transport Rating), a standard instrument ticket, and a flight instructor’s license. He is a member of The American Legion and a life member of the VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars].

 

 

      A past recipient of the National Quill and Scroll Gold Medal for Journalism, Pastor Joe is author of the book and college course entitled ‘The Foundation of Our Republic’. You may have heard Joe [before he became a Pastor] on many national radio shows with such hosts as B-1 Bob Dornan, Col. Oliver North, Phyllis Schlafly, Stan Montieth of Radio Liberty, and Alex Jones or heard him on various local radio stations across America. You may have even seen him on Christian television.

      A Christian conservative activist for many years Pastor Joe serves on the Board of Directors of FACT [Fellowship and Association of Christian Teachers, a national organization] Asleep kNOw More Ministry, and The Pregnancy Help Center Lake of the Ozarks.

       When he’s not ‘On Air’ you can find him traveling around preaching in various Churches, or speaking at conferences and patriotic celebrations spreading the truth about America’s Christian Heritage, the Foundation of Our Republic, Christian World View,  and the danger to America from cultural-Marxism/secular humanism.. He has written editorials for various newspapers and web sites.  Contact or visit Pastor Joe at restoringamerica.org