Daily Journal January 8, 1998, By-William Thomas Thompson. Scripture on last page II John 11, Dear Lord, make us to know the truth. This morning my mind is on the working man and I want to paint a picture of just how many are. I feel one step closer to the brush to make a statement. I am still determined to fix things long delayed and hurting at the house. I will continue with the series on Revelation 32x32 inches I call "you ain't seen nothing yet" I am burning to paint but must first paint some straight lines on the house to keep things up and going around here, not my choice. Psalms 71-12,"O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste- "The way people are is another reason America is near the end. The end is near to this day of grace. We are now an international country with our pants made overseas. We are dependent on China to stock Wal-Mart and on Mexico to do our dirty work and now that giant sucking sound of all low paid labor going down to Mexico. Little towns across the South are losing little factories daily. I wish to write about how we really are down here on earth where the people live. We (they) are a cigarette sucking beer guzzling cussing people telling dirty jokes and living wasted lives. Most people live from hand to mouth with all they make going to the dirty side of life. The people I describe are slaves to the awful devil’s habits first in smoke and often in drugs. The worker, the people live in unsanitary conditions drinking after each other. A deplorable life of destruction of self and family. This is a life in America for millions that know nothing else better than their low form of life. Those that sell these vices on every street corner are contributing to this low life and early death or early and needless sickness including major suffering of that person physically plus major suffering of family member’s nation wide. We the people are trained by the fast food vendors to drink sugar water carbonated drinks about 10 times per day. For me this is death in a cup. We are a ever sicker society pulling out all the stops and letting it roll full speed ahead to the undertaker. "for my help, Let them be confounded and consumed that are" All this may seem to be a long way from my mission to paint art but it in fact is what motivates me to paint. The great need to educate common people in the rights and wrongs in everyday life. I remember years ago seeing a big man going along in a little blue car smoking with the windows all rolled up and his little girl standing in the back, I felt she was choking to death. What can I do but paint about it now? This is child abuse first class. "Adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach" Where did we go wrong? Why are the churches silent on this the big subject that destroys people? I believe it is a sin for the churches to sit idle and watch the world degrade our people in supplying their evil needs. The government has finally done what the church would not do in terms of outlawing cigarette smoking in public places in certain areas, thank you California. Tobacco is the first drug children are exposed to in life and is awful. The addictive habits the people tolerate and the state license. People gamble away their money, their lives and their children. All this is fatal to the home and to the nation. The steepled church whose door is locked six days per week is very little if any influence for better on a lost and dying people hopelessly. Bodies and in a mounting national debt we are leaving to our children to pay, only if by some means we manage to survive. A new year is time for "New Years resolutions" which are known to not be accepting 90 percent. Traditionally we eat beans and greens on this day and my wife cooks the worlds most wonderful tasting meal with canned red tomatoes and with a small amount of pork added for favor. The smell last all year. I can see the steam rising off the bowl as it sweeps across the kitchen and onto the dinner table. The cornbread steaming just out of the oven