When you belong to any group, you make a commitment.

The picture above describes the commitment you make when you join a local United Methodist Church.

I am proud of the commitment I have made. Are you proud of the commitments you have made?

This picture of the cover of The New York Times is 46 years old. It is a reminder to me that we fought way too long, and lost way too many lives in that war. Our society is still feeling repercussions from that military blunder. (When I say blunder, I am not referring to the service given by the rank and file military, I am referring to the many politicians that kept is a conflict without a strategy for success.)

I am writing about it today to honor those who served and to express my prayer that none of our “international hot spots” develop into a situation that we will live to regret like we have our action in Vietnam.

This map was published by the BBC News Division. It shows what group is in control of each area of Syria. It helps me understand why violence is still breaking out each day as each group tries to expand the area it controls.

If they would negotiate instead of fight there would so many fewer people hurt and less destruction to their buildings. This is profound example of why military action is a sign of lack of success in resolving differences!

It has not been t-shirt weather for several months, but with the wonder of the internet I found this t-shirt for 21.99. Best of all this site is ran to raise money for shelter animals. I did not but the shirt, but I have made a note about the site for when the weather warms up. BTW, the site is: adogslove.com

WMHS is strongly advising persons with any symptoms of the flu, a cold, upper respiratory infection, or gastrointestinal illness to not visit patients at the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center.

The image and message above came through my Twitter account today. It is a reminder that locally the flu virus is very active. I hope all who have acquired the virus get well.

The topic of today’s post is not: fun, entertaining, or pleasant. It addresses a tragic fact life in 2018.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

said that in 2015, suicide was the 10th leading

cause of death in the United States, claiming

44,193 lives. By comparison, there were

17,793 homicides.

In society we don’t like to discuss suicide. Often, we blame someone whether it be the person who attempts suicide or others in their lives. Part of the reason suicide is so prevalent is that many people still feel stigma about seeking mental health treatment. Somehow, we feel depression is a sign of weakness and want to keep the secret. If we had high blood pressure, we would not feel shame over admitting that publicly.

I have seen first hand the pain in the faces of people who lose someone they love to suicide. It is not pleasant! Many suicides are avoidable if the person contemplating it receives the proper intervention before they decision is made to implement a suicide plan. More resources need to be allocated toward mental health treatment and we must end the stigma attached to receiving mental health treatment!

CNN holds the distinction of being the oldest Cable TV 24-hour news network. I have always joked that the initials “CNN” really stand for “Chuck’s New Network”. Our President has recently been very critical of reporting by Don Lemon.

I can see where Mr. Trump might not like what is said about him, but to label it an intentional lie designed to undermine his credibility is a joke. The press has always enjoyed the freedom to report the news based on what people say and what is observed. If Mr. Trump does not like what people are saying, he should change his message or stop listening. But labeling the news as “fake” is not going to make it go away. If it did not work for Richard Nixon it won’t work for Donald Trump either!

Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actor. With 38 songs in the Top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts, he has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide.

Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Additionally, he received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 and in 2011 was an honoree at Kennedy Center, he will be honored by The Recording Academy with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. On the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, he has had ten No. 1 singles: “Cracklin’ Rosie”, “Song Sung Blue”, “Longfellow Serenade”, “I’ve Been This Way Before”, “If You Know What I Mean”, “Desiree”, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”, “America”, “Yesterday’s Songs”, and “Heartlight”. In January 2018 it was announced that Diamond would receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Today he announced to his fans that he has Parkinson’s disease and no longer has the capability to do concert tours. His fans did not complain. They were smarter than that, they donated the cost of tickets to his shows to research to find better treatments and perhaps a cure for Parkinson’s disease. His fans honored what he has taught them through his music.

Neil is one of my favorite singers, and I will always cherish the music he created and presented. I wish him the best as he deals with this condition.

“No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main” John Donne, poet (Jan 1573-1631).

These words were written before the founding of the United States as a nation. They are as true now as they were then. The message Mr. Donne has for us is that we must work together for the good of the whole. I pray for our national and world leaders to learn and practice this important lesson.

Do you want to hear about the latest inspirational and life-changing work the people of The UMC do around the world? Check out #UnitedMethodistNow: http://ow.ly/Adh330hTdQ2 
#UMC

A lot of fantastic life-changing mission is taking place in the United Methodist Church. This image is a copy of the UMC Twitter post. Click the link and read all about it! It will put a smile on your face!