We Rise Again -- Remembering OPD Officer Dan Bessant

I never knew Officer Dan Bessant as he was gunned down about four months before I started the Police Academy. I was about midway through the application process to become a police officer for the City of Oceanside on the night Dan was murdered. Sitting at home with my wife the night of December 20th, 2006 we could hear endless sirens from nearby College Blvd and in the distance. I knew that something big had happen. The next morning I learned what tragedy had unfolded. The loss of a human life, a warrior, an officer.

A battle was waged in heaven and Satan was cast out for his pride. The battle continues here on earth....The goodness of man's heart battling sins of the flesh. In the end good prevails but the battle must be fought, the days long, the hour dark and sometimes all will seem lost....but fight we must. When our comrades are struck down we must not forget that their souls have been ransomed and salvaged. For when Dan was gunned down in cold blood, his earthly body did die..........his flesh was bloodied and torn but his soul lives and his uniform of wool, kevlar armor and semi-automatic pistol were cast aside as he dawned his new uniform of light, armor of righteousness and God's mighty sword as he took up his new position in St. Michael's Army. He will continue to keep guard over Heaven's gates, keeping watch over his earthly brothers. The battle against evil is not yet finished, his fight continues but fear not because Satan's demons are no match for God's warriors. Sins days are numbered. In our own time we will meet Dan and the rest of God's soldiers on streets of Gold!

The Power of the Christmas Season

When I first watched this, I watched it live, it was a cloudy day and it was dark and gray in the house all morning long...there is a segment were Glenn says the following:

"I think we are missing the true power of God, the power of the season the power of Christmas. If you are just lighting a candle for the season, well then you are missing out on the point that Miracles can and do happen. And now more than ever, I think, God is crying out to us and telling us he will sustain us, he will light our way. I know it to be true."

Just as he was saying this and reached the point "he will light our way" the sun streamed in through the blinds of the window in front of me. Some will call it coincidence, but I will call it GOD!

Everyday Heroes (The Atlas Patriot)

Everything that is good about America is and always has been derived from its people. Individuals! I’m quite confident that if we look at all that is wrong with our country today we can find the answer within ourselves. We assume that everything will work out. We assume that because we have been born into greatness and lived in the greatest country in the world that it is a guarantee. The truth is many of us have forgotten that freedom must be fought for and goodness manifests itself through actions rather than thought. What is the point of your existence? Is it about acquiring as much wealth as you can, as much stuff as you can, as much entertainment as you can, while you can? Do others matter at all?

We need to change ourselves so that we put others above ourselves. We must sacrifice some of our own comforts for others; we must serve. Until we change ourselves we can’t expect our families to change, our friends to change, our communities and our country to change. It is time to jump off the bandwagon. We can’t just sit idly by anymore. It takes courage to act and act we must.

Look to the heroes in your life. Look to the people who you believe to be good people. Look to those that put themselves last. Look to those who stand by their principles. We have to incorporate the goodness of others into ourselves and vice versa. It starts with little things and the little things combine to form big things. There are many iconic heroes that have existed throughout history many of whom did nothing extraordinary in their lives but simply stood by their principles or put others first.

Our politicians are not going to fix the problems that exist in America today. It has to start with ourselves and with our families. It is not an easy task and will take work, but we must be willing to put the effort into it. Start by setting a goal for yourself, a simple goal, then repeat it on a weekly basis then once it becomes routine, expand on it with a new goal and then another and another.

I hope to in the future of this blog to tell about some of the everyday heroes in my life, the Atlas Patriots! In the meantime don’t expect things to happen, make them happen!