The times they are a-changing

I'm not a doomsday, 'the end is near', kind of person. That's less because I'm an optimist and more because I can survive and thrive in life no matter what the circumstance in which I find myself. If I lose my job, then I was looking for a job when I found this one. If my dog dies, I've had more dogs die that I can remember their names. If I wreck my car, I've wrecked more cars than I can remember. Nothing is permanent and God will help me take care of whatever comes.
There are a lot of people who like to talk about the 'signs of the times'. They seem to enjoy thinking that the end of the world will come in their lifetime. A casual glance back through history will show you that almost every generation thought that the end would happen during their lifetime. It's understandable that people did and still do think that way when you notice the events of their time. World wars, natural disasters, diseases, and all kinds of calamities have happened over and over again. To someone enduring such times, it's understandable that the end would appear to be approaching fast. After all, if it's not the end, then why would God allow so much misery on them? Or at the very least they would be hoping that the end is near to relieve the misery of their times.
In light of all of these ramblings, I do believe that change is near. Our experiment in democracy, as some still like to call it, can't sustain it's recent behaviors for long. Caring for those who cannot care for themselves is not a democratic government's job. Trying to do so corrupts the power that the elected have over the electors. Below is a list of things that my great-grandkids will know only in their history books:

• Retirement
• Medicare
• "Free" Education through 12th Grade
• The U.S. as a world Super Power
• Cheap energy (fuel, electricity, etc.)

For too long we have relied on our government to provide all of these things that we now think should be included among the inalienable rights listed in the preamble to our constitution. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the only three listed. My Creator did not endow me the right to have all of my needs and many of my wants taken care of for me. Times are changing. Where the government can no longer afford to care for people, let the Church stand up and fulfill the need of caring for those who cannot care for themselves. Only in charity can this need be met with no strings attached. (Mark 10:35-45)