Life Matters - July 19, 2026
A few weeks ago I was comfortably settled into a lawn chair on a grassy knoll along the north shore of Lake Mitchell with Sadie, a daughter and boyfriend, another daughter, her husband and their children, all comfortably settled in somewhat of a semi-circle facing the lake. A few other family-oriented groups were on either side of us as we awaited the settling in of early nighttime and the Mitchell fireworks display we expectantly awaited. It was an idyllic setting, the knoll giving an illusion of being a private spot in the woods on the shores of a lake withthe trees on both sides and the tops of several junipers protruding above the curve of the knoll in front of us, while yet allowing us a full view of the lake and the opposite shoreline.
Boats were gathering on the water as well. A small number of skidoos had already been there, all in a hurry to get someplace else – where that ‘someplace else’ was, remained an open question. Which led one to think this wasn’t about a destination, this was all about the journey. I suppose one can enjoy the journey so much that to prolong it by going in circles means endless circles of enjoyment. Until one’s skidoo runs out of gas, at which point the ski no longer does and becomes a skidon’t.
The paddle boats venturing into the lake in front of us were more to my liking – the only gas needed being the enjoyment of good food – and besides, the sun was setting as quietness settled upon the lake. The boats found anchoring spots as the blue sky with fluffy clouds to our right and then above us brightened into an orange sunset, piercing the white clouds, reflecting its brilliance on the waters before us even as the trees darkened and boat lights twinkled on, the appearance of diamonds sprinkled on the darkening waters.
I trust the ensuing fireworks were not in competition with nature, but had they been, God’s nature was the clear winner. The fireworks were fascinating, bright and beautiful fleeting displays, bursting in colorful and varied arrays of July 4th celebration lights in the night sky. Some oohs and aahs were heard but none as deeply inspired as the sight of God’s glory in the night sky spread out in the heavens. (the sky above and beyond us) In the stillness of night with quieted skidoos.
Prolonging the journey through spinning endless political circles seems the goal of directionless representatives of Iran’s directionless mullahs at this point. One would think them concerned about diplomacy, by their talk, if it just weren’t for some bothersome reality. When Steve Witkoff (U.S. Special Envoy) criticized Iran’s record on human rights and violence at a 2026 United Nations meeting, the Iranian Ambassador to the U.N. responded with: ‘I have one word only; I advise the representative of the United States to be polite, it would be better for yourself and for the country you represented, thank you.’ Envoy Steve Witkoff responded with what needed to be said, a man concerned about humanity and reality; a real man: ‘Frankly,’ Witkoff said, ‘I’m not going to dignify this with another response, especially as this representative sits here in this body representing a regime that has killed 10s of 1000s of its own citizens, and imprisoned many more, simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny; I yield my time.’
Iran’s attempt at covering its track record with an outward show of diplomacy, and for the buying of time, is no longer in legitimate question. Why don’t they save lives by just, and simply,giving up? Is the question more than legitimate to ask. It is a pressing question.
The Iranian mullahs seem to think what happens in Iran stays in Iran; what they do to their own citizens is their own business and nobody else’s business. The, even temporal, downfall of such reasoning is that just men still exist. When those just men have enough power to do something about suffering and the possible fallout from nuclear weapons in the hands ofunreasonable and violence-oriented men, concerns for justice naturally awaken just men. Mullahs claiming to want peace does not make it so.
Abraham Lincoln once asked an audience how many legs a dog has if you count the tail as a leg? When they answered ‘five’ Lincoln told them the answer is four. ‘The fact that you called the tail a leg does not make it a leg.’ Methinks the mullahs would do well to learn from such sound reasoning.
Iran’s government seems to be running somewhat akin to a three-legged dog. It is my understanding that each branch of government has its own set of ‘supreme leaders’ – a purposely fractured leadership – mullahs presuming that if one gets taken out (such as was Saddam Hussein, Bin Laden, Soleimani…) the system goes on – all supposedly guided by Sharia law without the need for one central figure; no need for a supreme commander. That is why, it seems to me, negotiations keep falling apart as the ‘dog’ tries running on ‘3 legs’ even as it ishelplessly confined to its off-balance system.
Holding up huge banners at Ali Khameini’s funeral boldly calling for the killing of President Trump while at the same time claiming it is the U.S. delegates that broke off peace negotiations should not, and is not, taken lightly. Mullahs saying they want peace does not make it so. One could think the Iranian mullahs were calling terrorist proxies to arms even while ‘negotiating peace’. A tail is a tail no matter what one may call it. One can say ‘peace, peace’ when there is no peace.
God was, is and will be, the clear winner in this war as He through His people and through direct contact with seeking souls – draws all to a living relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. May we shine, reflecting God’s light in the darkness. Life Matters!