Part 2 of story and some comments to get started

Things are getting hot and heavy in Trump land. I sure hope Mueller and company are right. Raiding an attorney’s office is a big deal. There is client attorney privilege in this country and I know it needs to be protected. Just because it is Trump’s attorney, doesn’t mean we can break the rules. And this may make Trump step out and fire Mueller because he may be close. What happens next actually scares me. I am just hoping this Trump Presidency just fades away into history and we avoid the conundrum developing amongst Trump’s diehard followers, potential alt right militias, some members of the government versus a large group of random liberals thinking they can fight this madness. Will the majority of the government stand by the rule of law? Like I said I would prefer he fade away, however with each passing day his attempts at policy to appease his base are doing more damage to this county. We are fast approaching a true rock and hard place disaster.

I hope everyone remembers that the rule of law and our Constitution are our government, not any one individual.

And even though Putin’s friends took a beating in certain markets today, it does not mean Putin is losing. Stock market loses only count when you sell. Putin can keep them afloat till things get better. And if Putin and Trump are working together, then they will get better. Everyone in their 401k is told to ride out the bumps, so it goes for billionaires also. Don’t be fooled.

I, first, was going to comment about a news blurb I saw before the news broke on the raid on Cohen where Trump admitted that the tariffs may be causing some farmers some grief. And then he goes on to state that it will be much better I promise. He promised. He has promised much without much to show for it except favors to the rich and corporate greed. I just don’t understand how people can listen to him promise something repeatedly and believe him the next time after so many promises to his base have not come to fruition. The press beats those promises to death every day and so do the commenters, so I do not need to list them, however, at some point people would like to see results. The tariff is going to produce results, but how long till his base realizes this is not the promise of results he made to them? I am flabbergasted.

And who cares about the story when so much is going on? Well I do since I started the darn thing. 

Part 2:

John and Mary continued to thrive. John worked hard, traveled much and counted on Mary to manage the house and household budget. She promised John she would be a good stay at home woman and she met her part of the bargain. He continually earned more money and more prestige at work, so he met his part of the bargain. Yet, as always something is missing when there is no communication.

After they lived in their first house for a few years, John wanted a larger house. He wanted to be able to entertain he said. Mary wondered when since he was always gone. They got a bigger house soon after their second child was born. They lived there for three years, then after once the third child was a year old they got a bigger house. And John did entertain. He was becoming a central figure in their Church now. The Pastor love to talk about John’s success. The Pastor reinforced his beliefs through John’s success. So, John started having Church meetings in their house when he was in town. These meetings were a burden on Mary since she had to prepare for them. John didn’t believe they should spend more money than necessary on anything. Mary would cook all day. She loved doing it which helped.

Mary really enjoyed the aspects of home and family. She did thrive in this environment. Unfortunately, her main release was to spend some time with her parents when John was away. Otherwise she was constantly busy. She cleaned, cooked for the kids, ran errands for the kids’ school, was in the PTO, did well with fund raising, everything she thought she wanted, she had.

Over time she realized John did not pay that much attention to her. She knew why. Eventually it became so common that even the Pastor realized what was going on and addressed it in a marriage counseling session. He asked Mary to forgive John his transgressions. He spent time explaining how important it was for Mary to forgive as a Christian. John never asked her, the Pastor did.

The affairs were not really affairs. John would be with women when he traveled. He never really paid attention to them. He used them to cater to his needs and actually mainly his business needs when he was out of town. Many of the people he did business with thought he brought various secretaries with him when he traveled, he had them doing some much for him. He went through women pretty regularly since he never offered them anything but handouts. Many thought they could control him and take him for their own. They were always disappointed.

Mary had always suspected. The Pastor needed John to be successful in wealth, but also a healthy family dynamic. John was always fit, took care of himself, ate well when the company paid for it, worked out, went to the doctor regularly so he looked great. One reason it was easy for so many women to be tempted by him. So Mary had to look good also. It worried the Pastor that Mary was always so busy. Too busy to smile at church when called upon to witness to the success of being a good Christian. He called on them both at the meetings of the Church Board of Directors. The whole Board was full of successful people. The Pastor and the Church founders made sure of that. John and Mary were an integral part of the visual the Church wanted to project. There were many other couples, yet John was so driven he was a shining example of God’s blessing on those who believed the correct way.

Mary let the Pastor know she forgave John. This made the Pastor happy. He knew he had this in his information in case someone questioned what was going on between John and Mary. Another example of a strong Christian family. Mary resented that John never asked her, yet as a good Christian she did forgive him. The Pastor asked John to be a better Christian. John toned down his activities and made sure he was more discreet. He didn’t tell the Pastor. He felt if he was blessed there was no reason to change. Everything he believed about God now was based on his success. God blessed him because God favored him. That was what the Pastor taught and that was all he needed to know.

Her forgiveness though was more because of the teachings of a different Pastor. She relished going to Church with her Mom and Dad. It was a smaller Church and there weren’t the large activities for the children John and her Church had, yet it felt more comfortable.  The kids enjoyed it the same as the larger Church, well as much as any child likes going to church. She was pleasantly surprised that her parents had gone back to church. They had gone for years when she was younger, but over time had quit. Something about her getting married had re-inspired them and she was happy for them. Also, the Pastor there taught more of what she remembered when she was young. God was forgiving and kind, yet he expected you to do more for others. It involved more than just saying you believed, you had to show God you loved by your actions for others. John and she gave to their church. John made sure Mary gave every week so when she didn’t go to the larger church, she would drop a check by the church office. John saw the amount each year for their taxes and was quite pleased Mary was giving. It was always ten percent, no more, no less. John was pleased Mary knew math. Mary was also good at budgeting so there was also more to give to her parent’s church. John didn’t know, which was okay. Mary had been budgeting well for years so she always had something to give when there was a need.

When John went to Church he heard: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) and believed if God loves him then he wants him to have more. Mary understood that Jesus knows everyone, and that the thief are false prophets who will take you away from Jesus. That having it to the full is the fullness of life with him.

For Easter John saw the Easter egg hunt the Church put on, everyone in new dresses, kids playing, and much food. The next week, while John was out of town Mary went to her parents’ church and prayed for souls to reach heaven. Her parents prayed for their parents’ soul. Mary remembered someone from her youth and heard he had cancer and died recently. Even though he was a trouble maker and had gone to jail, she prayed for his soul during the prays after the service. She felt the cancer was punishment enough.

When it was election season, John heard the Pastor talk about what issues were important, which candidates supported those issues, and to get involved. John had Mary give a bit extra to the Church and called the Pastor to support the candidates that supported the correct issues. Mary heard from her parents’ church the importance of leadership and what values does a leader hold close to their heart.

In Church John heard: “You do not have because you do not ask, said James. Even though there is no limit to God’s goodness, if you didn’t ask him for a blessing yesterday, you didn’t get all that you were supposed to have.” Mary understood that “You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (all from James 4 various versus) Praying with selfish motives can contradict God’s will so if you ask and it is not God’s will you will not receive. You can work hard and achieve success, yet in our hour of need it is God that provides and that is not always material possessions.

John asks why aren’t all Christians rich if they believe and ask? The Pastor says maybe it is not their time yet and reminds John about Job. Job had to wait, yet it paid off.  Mary understands that Jesus was never rich, and he was without sin. That what Jesus offers is more than what we ask for.

To be continued.