Talent On Loan from God

President Rush addressing the land of the free

I first "met" Rush Limbaugh in 1988. I was in Minot ND driving on "South Hill" and I turned on KRRZ 1390 AM to hear some old time rock n' roll. Instead I heard a man speaking loudly, complaining about the latest idiocy that came out of Washington DC. I don't remember the subject of his rant, but I do remember thinking that this guy was "just another loudmouth out of New York City", and I turned to a different station. It wasn't Rush's first show after being syndicated, but it was close to the first.

Something he said sat with me, so the next day I turned the radio on and there he was again. He mentioned "The Limbaugh Challenge" which was to listen to his show for two weeks before coming to judgement. 

This time I listened, and as he spoke I learned. I learned that it was ok to feel the way I feel, it was ok to disagree with the leftist intelligencia, it was ok to analyze issues with my conservative values, it was ok to voice my concerns using my my God given intelligence, and it was ok to address my detractors when done with truth and love. 

Love for a detractor? Yes, love for America, and love for another child of God. Many folks don't realize it, but "El Rushbo" was a devout Christian. He rarely hinted about it on his show because his show was political, not theological. He didn't want to be a Christian apologist, he was something even rarer: a USA apologist.

I was on active duty in the United States Air Force, serving in the Strategic Air Command when Rush hit the airwaves and I have no idea how big of a hit he was in the civilian world, but in the enlisted ranks he was a gift from God. Finally! Here was a civilian who thought as we did, a man who got it: laws are laws for a reason, rules are to be followed, ignorant, cruel, selfish ungodly politicians are not to be followed, regardless of the party.

The big thing is that he got us. Not you civilians, he got you,  I'm talking about us military. The guys with stripes on their arms, the men and women defending this country, shooting the guns, flying the airplanes, sailing the ships, loading the bombs, turning the wrenches, standing the guard positions. The men and women who gave up their youth, their families, their homes, their health to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in turn you; he understood us and our mindset. There is a second military inside the real military, those that joined for a job and a college education and stayed when they found the going easy. We call them "Chairborne" or "Nonners" (non combatants) those with clean fingernails and sharp creases at the end of their shift, those whose military experience is indoors and comfortable, Rush got them too, but many of them couldn't figure out Rush.

It wasn't hard to figure out Rush, he rounded everything down to the lowest common denominator and cut to the core of the truth. Here is Rush Limbaugh's most controversial quote, it's hated by feminists: 

Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream.

This is a true statement, it was always easy for a beautiful woman to get hired, and a beautiful, sexy woman didn't have to prove herself if her boss was simply looking for "arm candy". Feminism opened the doors for all women, regardless of their appearance, their skills and abilities were now the key to opening doors to employment. This statement is 100% true, so why does the left hate it so much? Because they don't like the way it sounds. And that's what the military loved so much about Rush, we don't care about how something sounds, we want the truth, and we prefer the truth straight up, no chaser. Here's another quote that the left is incapable of understanding:

The L.A. riots were not caused by the Rodney King verdict, the L. A. riots were caused by rioters.

If you need help understanding this, please comment below and I'll give you a hand. 

In 1990 I was Floor Supervisor in a heavy equipment repair shop, it was a difficult job keeping the troops motivated because for years this shop was a dumping ground for folks that didn't cut it on the flightline. Men and women from all fascets of life, all racial make-ups worked there, and the only commonality was their uniforms and the fact that they were "dumped" from their previous job. Quite often arguments would break out over what music should be played in the building, I solved that by playing Rush Limbaugh. 

I would like to say that Rush Limbaugh brought the shop together in peace and harmony and production skyrocketed but that would be a lie. Productivity fell because they were listening to Rush, and lunchbreaks during his show became quite extensive. But the gang came together as a team and when they learned that they all shared the same core beliefs, they began to share their job knowledge with each other and help each other and soon our tribe of losers became a team. I've seen much better teams in my 20 years, but I've never been prouder of any team than I am of the 5th Bombardment Wing's "Hammer Maintenance" shop and their elected leader, Chief Master Sergeant Rush Limbaugh.

Rush followed me all over the world as I went to foreign and exotic places like Guam, New Mexico, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. (Yes, New Mexico. Deal with it.) and Rush went with me. Not only was an hour of his show broadcast on the Armed Forces Network (AFN) the entirety of his show was on WRNO, a shortwave broadcaster out of New Orleans. I traveled with a portable HF (High Frequency) receiver and a portable wire antenna and I could tune in live (if the signal was propagating in favor of me). Rush made long deployments away from friends, family, and my beloved United States much easier.

Yes, Rush Limbaugh was a Christian. With his sad passing tales of his generosity are emerging, thousand dollar tips to down on their luck waiters and waitresses, anonymous donations of amounts in six digits or more to foundations like St. Judes Children's Hospital. As for his faith; his 32 year catch phrase was "Talent on loan from God" giving honor for all his success, all his abilities to God, no one else. This is something the left has never understood, which is why the left needs to create such horrific lies about Rush Limbaugh, to demonize a man of God. Rush kept his religion to himself as Jesus ordered us to do:

5 And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

 How many Christians in America today can say that? Far too many are traveling through life practically shouting "Look at me being Christian! Ain't I great?!" It wasn't until the very end when Rush revealed what his listeners already knew;

I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is of immense value, strength, confidence and that's why I'm able to remain fully committed to the idea that what is supposed to happen will happen when it's meant to

Thank you Rush, for 32 of my life spent knowing I wasn't alone in my beliefs of human dignity, the need to uphold and obey the Constitution of the United States, and that our skills and talents in no matter what we do, are truly on loan from God.