Campaigning 101

 The Andrew Principle

Campaigning 101

jb blocker

John 1: 40  One of the two who heard Jesus speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter)

  

  You don’t hear much about Andrew the apostle. We know he was one of the first to be chosen by Jesus along with James and John. Later in the Bible, he is the one who brings the boy to Jesus with the fish and loaves that feed thousands. He is also at the resurrection. But Andrew is also mentioned for one other thing that has resonated throughout the ages.
  You see, Andrew met Jesus and went to his brother Simon to tell him he had found the Savior! Simon's name was changed to Peter. "Upon this rock, I will build my church."

  That is some really good recruiting! That is like finding Babe Ruth and introducing him to baseball. 

I call it ‘The Andrew Principle’.

Luke 14 vs. 11 and Punk Carter

LUKE 14:11 and Punk Carter

Who so ever exalts themselves shall be humbled and who so ever humbles themselves shall be exalted!

Celina, Texas Christmas tree lighting on the square.

The town square was filled to capacity. Families reflecting the diversity of Celina, Tx. roamed the several blocks surrounding the square. They were joyous and full of holiday spirit. Vendors filled the streets and sidewalks. Family entertainment, foods and beverages, and holiday gift items that included many local artisan creations lined the surrounding two or three blocks.

In the central square a stage was raised large enough to hold a dozen. There were speakers and musicians taking turns entertaining the vast audience as they sat in the central lawn and continued to migrate to the center stage.

Celina was about to light a magnificent Christmas tree just across from city hall.

  Colleen Blanks and the Celina Tree

                                

I was watching the power level of my camera and regretting not bringing my battery pack. Texas at it’s glorious best was all around me from seniors holding hands to seniors holding grandchildren. A family affair! I was wishing mine were with me to share in this celebration.

Four Hours with a Sheriff

 

Four Hours that changed a life.

J.B.Blocker the Lone Star Reporter

 

Sheriff John Murry Easley, Veteran, Moore County, Texas

Born:  13 May 1912 Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma, USA

Reborn:13 Jan 1970 (aged 57) Dumas, Moore County, Texas, USA

Burial: Northlawn Memorial Gardens Dumas, Moore County, Texas, USA

 

How a Texas Sheriff became my hero!

I want you to know about this man. I want him to be remembered! In four hours he changed my life. The effects would last a lifetime!

 

Volunteers from Bells to Band-aids

 You Too Can Bring Change

Dallas Cowboys Star Runningback Ezekiel Elliot didn't seek out that Salvation Army bucket. It was right there in front of him and he didn't run around it nor did he try to avoid it. He jumped in feet first. In that one moment, he changed the perception of thousands of people who also jumped in to motivate hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations.  

By J.B. Blocker

  I used to feel uncomfortable about passing Salvation Amy ‘Bell Ringers’ everywhere I would go during the holidays.     It’s not that I am ambivalent about giving. But I am discerning about who I am giving to and how the money will be used. And one other thing… I feel that giving is not seasonal.

  That all changed when I answered the call and found myself working in the Red Zone of Ground Zero on September 24^th as a Disaster Recovery Supervisor.

The Red Zone, NYNY

 

Grand Central Station

I’ll Never Forget 9-11 

Part 1: 

Engine 54
Ladder 4
Battalion 9

By J.B.Blocker

Late September 2001:  
The van that carried our team of Disaster Recovery Supervisors dropped us off at 45^th and Madison and the Roosevelt Hotel which would house dozens of us for several months.  As we drove through the streets, I was fascinated by the ‘missing signs’ that were plastered on walls, posts, fences, and anywhere else a piece of paper could be attached.

  It was early in the evening by the time I had settled into my room and my shift would not begin until noon the next day. It gave me some time to wander over to Grand Central Station just down the street to figure out my route to get to the ‘Red Zone’ where I had been assigned.

  I passed a lady with her dog and both of them were wearing small posters with the picture of a man and a few words like little miniature billboards. The lady stopped just in front of me and solemnly stapled a poster to one of the many plywood construction barriers that are prominent in Manhattan. This sheet of plywood like all the others was covered with not dozens, but hundreds of similar pages. Pictures of families, couples, and individuals would blanket the city for months. I was amazed at how many included home addresses and lists of personal phone numbers. Such was the desperation of those left behind.

 After she blew the picture a kiss and slowly walked away, I had to see what she had posted. The photo of a man in his 30s was followed by a description and contact information including address and phone numbers. The caption read. “Have you seen my husband? Please contact me.”

I am Adopted!

  I remember those windows. They are the windows that we would look out of and watch the people leave on visitation day at our Buddhist orphanage in Yokohama. We would stand in front of those windows and see friends leave with their new families. Other visitors would leave their children behind and the children would cry. 

  I am told that my mother visited me often but I don't remember that. I remember wondering why no one was taking me away. Maybe it was my clothes. 

  On one visitation day, I threw a fit. I was 5. I wanted nicer clothes for people to see me in. I refused to dress. I ran away. They found me half naked under the stilted building that housed the orphan girls.

 One visitor wanted to meet all the boys. 

 Charles Abraham Blocker wanted to be part of choosing his son. When they were told about me he offered to bring back new clothes. The visitor was a Navy Chief and his wife. They wanted a boy and girl to take back to America.

  I was too old. The lady wanted babies. I was 5.

  The couple went to the office to make arrangements for some clothes. Nancy saw the name and who my mother was! The Navy sailor said, "Nancy, meet your son."

 If my grandfather had had his way, I would never have been born! Many Japanese women of the post-WWII and Korean War era became pregnant by the military who were just passing through per-Se.

  Because of the extreme racism of the Japanese at that time and for many years after, such pregnancies were aborted so as to not bring shame to the family by corrupting the race.

  Fortunately, I had a mother who not only spared my life to her shame but also found a job at the local Naval Base beauty salon where she showed my pictures to prospective American service men's wives. 

  Nancy Blocker liked Nobuko Yoshimi. They actually became friendly. However by the time Nobuko was bravely showing photos of her son, I was too old!

  Nancy wanted babies. They did adopt Eri La Nea at birth. She would become my baby sister.

  Maybe she knew that it would be easier to adopt children that didn't already speak Japanese. That would make sense.

  Now you know that the story is probably more complicated than that, but the end result is that I am a Blocker! 

  I have no doubt that by the grace of God and the strength of conviction of my birth mother Nobuko, Chief PNC Charles Blocker and his wife Nancy took me away from that pitiful orphanage and raised me in Texas!

Nobuko

  I believe that 'All things are possible!' 

  I believe that two of the greatest sins is murder and suicide because that person has given up on God and taken away the opportunity to find peace, joy, and fulfillment through God's grace.

  I believe in mercy, hope, and faith.

  I am Pro-Life with consideration for the safety of mother and child. 

  I am no doctor or judge. But I believe that whenever possible we should give God a chance and give people like the Blockers the opportunity to raise the child they had wanted. 

  If they can turn them into a Texan, well, that's even better!

blessings, J.B. Blocker

Character that last a lifetime!

Adopted by Justice Mike Missildine 

 by JB Blocker

 

  The Plano J.P. court room was full, and a clerk was sorting through a stack of files. Mine was in that stack. I was here to deal with a questionable ticket or three. Sitting in the back of the gallery, I saw the new Plano Justice of the Peace Michael Missildine poke his head in from the side door. I stood and waved at him.

  Mike and I have a special friendship. It goes back to when he was a teenager in Amarillo, and I was the new G.M. of the Mr. Burger chain known mostly throughout the Texas/Oklahoma panhandles.

   Wearing his new black robe, it was the first time for me to see him as Justice Missildine.  I have many friends and clients who are judges all the way to the Texas Supreme Court, but I was thinking more like a proud relative might.

  He called me out and we met in front of the bench where we exchanged brotherly hugs. He addressed the others in the room, wished them well, and then laid an honor on me I will never forget.

  “This is my good friend JB Blocker, the Lone Star Reporter, and he is like a second father to me!” People ooed and clapped, we shook hands and agreed to catch up afterwards, and the Justice went back to his court.

AMARILOANS: Some of Collin County’s best imports

 

  I have lived in Collin since ’07 but I was a student from Sunray in the north Texas panhandle, down to Lubbock and Texas Tech for college, and then to become a man in Amarillo. 

  Two men on this years ballot have been part of life changing encounters.

  Lt. Col./County Judge/U.S. Congressman Keith Self was a West Point Cadet when we met. He attended Tascosa High School in Amarillo.