--- 2 things you don't discuss...and more --

2008-11-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

I love this country and am thinking about her with love and tears and a heart felt desire to see her flousih and get back to her humble beginnings. In short, I am thankful. Thankful for her and what she has given me through our heavenly father's guidance.

God bless your Thanksgiving. May we never forget what she was built for, what she has endured and most importantly, for what purpose she has endured.

Praising Him through the storms! Thanksgiving part I

2008-11-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

William Bradford was the Governor of Plimoth Colony and leader of the Mayflower voyage to the New world. The Mayflower arrived in Provincetown on November 11, 1620. Upon arrival on the land, the Pilgrims "fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had ... delivered them from ...perils and miseries ..." The sole purpose for leaving England was for freedom of religion (and NOT freedom FROM religion).
The First Winter the Pilgrims spent in the New World was harsh to say the least. Not enough food and barely enough shelter. 47 of the 102 Pilgrims did not make it that first Winter or died on the voyage of things lke scurvy, pnuemonia. At one time only 7 Pilgrims were well enough to bury the dead which had to be done at night so Natives would not know the Pilgrims numbers were dwindling so much. In 1623, after being helped by Native "friends" Massosoit, Squanto..Governor Bradford and the Pilgrims and Natives held one of several Thanksgiving gatherings. Fortunately Bradford documented so much for us to see what they did in order to worship God freely.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plymouth Colony, 30 July 1623]

By Governor, William Bradford (Plymouth Colony). a Proclamation.

I may not here omit how, notwithstand all their great pains and industry, and the great hopes of a large crop, the Lord seemed to blast, and take away the same, and to threaten further and more sore famine unto them. By a great drought which continued from the third week in May, till about the middle of July, without any rain and with great heat for the most part, insomuch as the corn began to wither away though it was set with fish, the moisture whereof helped it much. Yet at length it began to languish sore, and some of the drier grounds were parched like withered hay, part whereof was never recovered. Upon which they set apart a solemn day of humiliation, to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer, in this great distress. And he was pleased to give them a gracious and speedy answer, both to their own and the Indians' admiration that lived amongst them. For all the morning, and the greater part of the day, it was clear weather and very hot, and not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen; yet toward evening it began to overcast, and shortly after to rain with such sweet and gentle showers as gave them cause of rejoicing and blessing God. It came without either wind or thunder or any violence, and by degrees in that abundance as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked and therewith. Which did so apparently revive and quicken the decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made the Indians astonished to behold. And afterwards the Lord sent to them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving."

2008-11-02T11:02:00.001-08:00

I know I haven't had any posts,and what has been here hasn't been original, and I have heard from a few of you :)

I can assure you that I have been very busy for the campaign. I passed out hundreds of Voter's guides to churches all over Ohio, including my own, passed out event tickets to the big McCain rally on Halloween, which was a success! I've made calls and talked to a lot of people about the importance of their vote on Election day (or before if possible!)

In short, I hope I made a difference.

I didn't get involved because I like politics, or because I believe in a person (though I am quite partial towards Sarah Palin :)

I truly love this Country, democracy as a whole and our Founding documents which I would include the holy Bible as part of.

I truly love my children and want them to live in peace and prosperity in a FREE Nation where they can speak their minds and serve their God. I fight for them.

For "Life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness".
That sums it all up. Pray for the election!

Just produce the documents and let's be done with it, sir!

2008-10-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

BIG news...giving up has never been an option for me.

2008-10-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Keep it coming...I like the challenge. I'm a LOT stronger than you thought I was. Your underestimation of me is your weakness.
You know who you are, and you can't beat me ;)

Conflict of interest ignored as economy crumbles!

2008-10-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP PART OF ECONOMIC COLLAPSE (Newsmax.com) – Critics are crying "conflict of interest" over Democratic Rep. Barney Frank’s live-in relationship with Fannie Mae executive Herb Moses while Frank was on the House Banking Committee. Moses was Fannie Mae’s assistant director for product initiatives from 1991 to 1998. He was also openly gay Frank’s live-in boyfriend during that time, while the Massachusetts lawmaker was on the committee that had jurisdiction over government-sponsored Fannie Mae, Fox News’ Bill Sammon reported. Now that Fannie Mae is at the center of the recent financial meltdown, the relationship is coming under increased scrutiny. "It’s absolutely a conflict," said Dan Gainor, vice president of the Business & Media Institute. "He was voting on Fannie Mae at a time when he was involved with a Fannie Mae executive. How is that not germane? "But everyone wants to avoid it because he’s gay. It’s the quintessential double standard." A top Republican House aide told Fox News: "He writes housing and banking laws and his boyfriend is a top exec at a firm that stands to gain from those laws? No media ever take note?" Frank and Moses met in 1987 and lived together in Washington, D.C., until they split up in 1998. National Mortgage News disclosed that Moses "helped develop many of Fannie Mae’s affordable housing and home improvement lending programs." Critics charge that such programs led to the mortgage meltdown and the recent government takeover of Fannie Mae, according to Fox News, which noted that Fannie Mae and its financial cousin Freddie Mac "are blamed for spreading bad mortgages throughout the private financial sector." In 1994, Frank thwarted efforts by President Clinton’s Department of Housing and Urban Development to impose new regulations on Fannie Mae.

2008-10-12T20:07:00.001-07:00

The "Messiah" has come?

2008-10-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Ask yourself, "When in our Nation's history has any other candidtae for this office been referred to as the "messiah"?

I am afraid this is all more serious than we want to admit. The end could be near.

Obama- not what he seems?

2008-10-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

Posted: 10/07/2008
Muslim fingerprints in Obama's history

By Janet Porter

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've misspoken before. I've misspoken before on national television. I've mixed up words, reversed orders, but I have never once misspoken concerning my faith and the God in whom I trust. Even in the most heated debate on Islam, never did I ever utter the words "my Muslim faith." Nor, even when talking about Buddhism, have I ever slipped up and referred to "my Buddhist faith." Ever. Why? Because my Christianity is so ingrained in me, so a part of who I am, that the thought of adhering to a false religion is so foreign, so blasphemous, that the words would never cross my lips.

Not the case for Mr. Obama. On ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, Obama said:

"Let's not play games, what I was suggesting – you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come."

Watch it online.

Matthew 12:34 says: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Notice that Obama didn't correct himself. He was "corrected" by George Stephanopoulos who interrupted Obama, with the words: "Christian faith."

Let's just say he misspoke. Did Obama misspeak when he told the New York Times that blasphemy was one of the "prettiest sounds on earth at sunset"?

That's right. In a Feb. 27, 2007, interview with the New York Times' Nicholos Kristof, that's how Obama described the Muslim call to prayer. That prayer, which Obama recited with a "first-class [Arabic] accent," begins with this:

Allah is supreme!
Allah is supreme!
Allah is supreme! Allah is supreme!
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad is his prophet ...
Really? No god but the false god Allah is the prettiest sound on earth? Really.

Speaking of slip-ups, here's the clip of Obama saying he's visited 57 states. He's such a "global citizen," perhaps the 57 member states of the "Organization of the Islamic Conference" was more second nature to him than our own 50 U.S. states.

While Obama's campaign site declares: "Senator Obama has never been a Muslim" and "was not raised as a Muslim," the records say differently.

As was documented by Jerome Corsi in his best-selling book, "The Obama Nation," in January 1968, Obama was registered as a Muslim at his primary school under the name Barry Soetoro. Even the Associated Press has released a photocopy of the document where Barack Obama is registered as an Indonesian citizen of the Muslim religion. (Listen to Dr. Corsi on yesterday's Faith2Action radio program at www.f2a.org discussing it).

Obama also claimed he never attended a mosque. Not so, according to eyewitnesses. As was reported in WorldNetDaily, childhood friends and even his school principal said they saw Obama attend the mosque with their own eyes. In response, the Obama campaign issued another statement: Instead of claiming Obama was never a Muslim, as they had previously posted, they then claimed he "has never been a practicing Muslim."

Even in Obama's autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," he called his school "a Muslim school" and admits he studied the Quran during his formative years from age 6 to age 10: "In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to tell mother I made faces during Quranic studies."

He could have never made faces in Quranic studies if he wasn't studying the Quran.

So this weekend on national television, he referred to his "Muslim faith." Last year he said that praising Allah as the one true god was the prettiest sound on earth. He said he was never a mosque-attending Muslim, but eyewitnesses say otherwise. Despite what Obama and his campaign have claimed, by his own admission, he studied the Quran.

Add to the fact that on June 13, 2008, Obama's half brother, Malik Obama, who lives in Kenya, told the Jerusalem Post that "if elected his brother will be a good president for the Jewish people despite his Muslim background."

In that same article was a picture of Malik with his half brother Barack in traditional Somali elder dress with a turban on his head in 1985. Like many pictures of Obama in Muslim attire readily available on the Internet, he was not between the ages of 6 and 10 when the photos were taken.

Let's pretend all of this is just part of some smear campaign. Forget everything that I've said and take a look of who's backing this guy.

According to Islamic expert Brigitte Gabriel, author of "Because They Hate, A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America" and her new book, "They Must be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It," there are some very interesting campaign supporters of Barack Obama. Beyond the support of unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, Obama has backing from some other notorious groups, from "al-Qaida to Hamas, to Hezbollah," to "Islamic Jihad" to the "Muslim Brotherhood," to "all the terrorists organizations" who "are coming out in force for Obama for president," stated Gabriel on the Sept. 3, 2008, Faith2Action radio program (on the "Archives" section of www.f2a.org).

On the same program, she spoke of the Muslim Brotherhood project for North America, in 1982, whose plans were to get Muslims actively involved in politics.

Gabriel claims that the Islamic websites and terrorist organizations are calling Obama the "first Muslim president of the United States."

As far as they are concerned, said Gabriel, these groups claim "Obama can say anything he wants to get elected – he is a Muslim." They claim that if he had renounced his Muslim affiliation declared early in life, he would have changed his Muslim name.

What is interesting is the Islamic world has not renounced Obama for becoming a Christian – a capital offense under Shariah law.

What is perhaps more interesting is that Sen. Barack Hussein Obama has never renounced his Muslim ties. He was too busy pretending they didn't exist until the documents and eyewitness accounts surfaced recently.

Let's not play games. By way of review, on national television Obama "misspoke" about "his Muslim faith." Last year he said the words "there is no god but Allah" were "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset." Then he said that he's been to "all 57 states" (57 states coincidently belong to the "Organization of the Islamic Conference"). According to eyewitnesses, he was a mosque-going, Quran-learning, Muslim (according to official documents released by the AP). His friends say so. His principal said so. His own brother said so. He wears the Muslim turban and Somali elder dress for photo-ops, apparently for fun. While he hasn't renounced any of this, not one Islamic extremist has called for his death as an apostate from Islam.

Obama is right about one thing. Sen. John McCain isn't talking about Obama's Muslim faith. But the rest of the country is beginning to.

Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com

Economy preparations

2008-10-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

With the economic issues our world is facing, I thought it would be good to "pow wow" a moment and share info. If you have info to add, please share.

First of all, I am not one to be an alarmist, and am a calm and collected human being. However, the housing market circumstances that have resulted in the takeover/bailout of Government run entities like Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to happen. AIG, Lehman Brothers... it goes on into other countries all over the world struggling the same or worse. This bailout will not kick in and restore confidence anytime soon. Economists do not agree on what will happen, but ALL agree that our economic world has changed for generations and we are about to hit hard times. Our children's future is at stake, and that saddens me to no end.

Will it be a recession, depression, or all out economic collapse? I believe it will indeed be one of the three. Some economists state that a depression as seen in the 1930s could not happen today. Others, like Ron Paul have spoken of more serious prospects. The last President to raise taxes duringf such circumstances was Herbert Hoover. This is WHY we cannot vote in Barack Obama. He is NOT the President we need to pull us out of this.

Some, like Glenn Beck have been warning viewers to prepare for the worst for some time now. This week Beck wrote a somewhat non-partisan letter for his newsletter on how we got here, and his upcoming newsletters will address what is to come and how we prepare. It would be worth signing up for that free newsletter, or check out his site: www.glennbeck.com
Most predicted that something would happen at the end of September but Congress was able to hold that off a bit with promises of a bailout. September has been a typically tricky financial month in the past. But others have said that Congress, and the President are doing what they can to hold it off until right after elections. Still, there is no promise that anything big will happen, though the world as we know it HAS changed, and our country is in SERIOUS debt that adds up to over $37,000/ person in this Nation that we now have lost or owe to the Government for their guffaws. And why? GREED. Who's to blame? Congress, the President, and in my opinion, most of the blame lies with those neighbors of yours that were blinded by the prospect of owning more than they could afford. GREED.

What are we doing at our house to prepare:
It NEVER hurts to prepare but is a wise thing to do. the most important thing to do is PRAY and seek God's will for our Nation! Pray for the upcoming elections! Pray for sanity in the face of fire. Things COULD get very ugly if there is a panic
Number #1:
It would be recommended that everyone do their absolute best to pay off debt. Here, We are fortunate in that we only owe on our mortgage which was purchased on a single income (I stay home), with a fixed rate mortgage and a good size down payment. No credit card debts or loans. We own both cars outright, allbeit our newest is 6-7 years old. I feel I am an asset, in that if I had to work, I could as a healthy individual caring fulltime for my family. I am a commodity in a sense. More than ever, I am so thankful that we made the choices that we did. It will soften the blow a bit for us if something happens.

Number #2- save money! this is NOT the time to buy the new car and new TV. Some have recommended saving in gold. I admit we have not done that.

Number #3- stockpiling is NOT a bad idea. IF the worst case scenario happened, within a day, ALL energy could shut down. Electricity could go off, stores and gas stations could shut down as well as banks. Here is a list of non perishable things I have read on to stock up:

-dry beans and rice
-nuts
-canned vegetables (make sure you have a manual can opener)
-canned meats (spam, tuna in OIL, beefs and chicken)
-dry milk
-dry pastas, cereals.
-items to bake your own bread..flour, sugar, oil, yeast..)
anything you can not substitute at home- vinegar, oil, molasses, soaps, bleach
-WATER! We have a stockpile, but what I have been doing is for every empty milk gallon we end up with, I clean it, fill with tap water, and add a drop of bleach, then mark it with a date. They say to allow a quart per person per day to give you an idea that you need more than you think.
we also have three 300 gallon drums to collect rain water off the roof. This would help for non ingestibe water needs too.
-vitamins!!!!

Other items-
Garden seeds for growing your own. It's a smart money saver anyhow, and most last. I have been saving as much seed as I can.
Garden tools
start a compost pile

Things to barter or trade- seeds, coffee, tea, tobacco (I don't plant to have that, but I CAN see this being a good barter item), sugar, over the counter medications...
canning items and tools
can opener
firewood
candles
matches (lighter)
blankets
ropes
duct tape and plastic
Guns and ammo
storage containers
camp stove and extra propane canisters
tarp to cover firewood
cast iron cooking gear and metal utensils.
-survival guides for woods and country living
-paper and writing utensils
-batteries!!!!
-battery operated radio.
-Over the counter medications
-wash board,
-rags and cloths.
-keep those plastic store bags.
-animal food.
-twine.
- extra scissors
QUALITY OF LIFE ITEMS- life could change very quickly for our kids. I have given some thought to how to soften the blow for youngsters. Much of this may seem silly, and yes we already own these things. However, many kids in our country do not know how to live manually. An advantage to a crisis could be drawing families and communities closer together-
-books and puzzles
-crayons, and coloring books
-balls, jumpropes
-academic age appropriate education guides to keep studies going.
-toys.
-clothing for future use and sizes, boots (does anyone else have trouble finding kid's boots after the fall?)
-bikes, and bike repair items.

This list will be added to as time goes on through the next month! Stay tuned...

Debate on October 7th-review

2008-10-08T05:45:00.001-07:00

This will be a mini review. I felt that hands down McCain won this debate due to coming across as more knowledgeable and experienced with an actual voting record to discuss.

He did better on the economics issue, but sure did pull out an "ctober surprise" with the 300 billion home mortgage takeover plan. I do not know what to think of that.
I was glad that he pointed out that Obama was the highest benefitter in the Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae scandal! Paper shows it is true and that this should shut him up if he has any integrity! For the record, Obama did NOT reply to that accusation! Other high grossing money makers on FM/FM ironically are the two bozos who are heading a way to get out of this thing- Chriss Dodd, Chuck Schumer, and Barney frank, all democrats!!! grrrr.....

What really got to me and you won't here elsewhere was at the mention of going to the defense of places and situations like Rwanda, Darfur... Obama scuttled the issue and threw in a quick and awkward that we would go to their defense...IF IT IS IN OUR BENEFIT. What? Since when should we help in a racial cleansing situation only "if it benefIts US?" That is inhumane, and typical of the democrats. YOu notice the awkward scuttling? THat is because he knows that many, if not most of his supporters say that we should not be in Iraq becasue we should spend our money helping our own people? Does anyone actually think that his party would support helping elsewhere? Nope. "It's all about me" and our greed in this country.

My philosophy is stark in contrast to Obama's- WE SHOULD HELP OTHERS EVEN IF WE LOSE OURSELVES IN THE FIGHT. IT IS WHAT CHRIST DOES AND WOULD HAVE DONE AND WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO. WE ARE NEVER CALLED TO SAVE OURSELVES!

Those are some key points I wouild like to make.

Hail, Obama!

2008-10-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

Do not blame them. The "General's love is inside them" and the are happy children. I repeat THEY WILL BE HAPPY CHILDREN. THEY. WILL. BE HAPPY. OR ELSE...

Typical media spin

2008-10-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, many of you know that Tom and I were interviewed by the Dallas Morning news last week and as we were interviewed we felt that the article would be spun, but gave Wayne Slater the benefit of doubt with his questioning as a possible "devil's advocate for the media".

My response to the State of Texas is below and was sent today to Dallas Morning News:

Letter:
I was interviewed by Wayne Slater of Dallas Morning news this past week as one of many Evangelicals supporting Senator McCain in the upcoming election in the State of Ohio. I feel very strongly that the title to his article from October 4th, "Evangelical right slow to support McCain", is deceiving and unfair. Even if other Evangelicals interviewed in Ohio last week were lukewarm in support, this should have been balanced by our fervent support and other Evangelicals' extreme excitement and positive outlook for our candidate of choice!

This excitement was not shown in the title nor body of the article printed in your paper. I can, however, assure you it was shown in my and my husband's interview. The article should have read "Evangelical right EXCITED to support McCain"! This is the annoying and misleading spin we have seen repeatedly from American Media across the Nation. Though the quotes may have been fact and nothing was wrong with what was said in the body of the article, the whole article gave a feel that Ohio Evangelicals are complacent or lax in support of McCain. Our friends in Texas should know that McCain Values Voters in Ohio are EXCITED about their support for McCain, and his pick of Governor Palin has served to reenergize the campaign in ways not even seen during President Bush's reelection four years ago! We WILL pull Ohio for John McCain, and Mr. Slater's typical spin has only served to motivate us to work even harder. Thank you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you feel as fed up with this, feel free to write a letter yourself!

Original Article printed below:

Evangelical right slow to support McCain

By Wayne Slater

The Dallas Morning News

October 4, 2008

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/100508dnpolevangelicals.19213c7.html

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – David Barton never specifically mentioned Sarah Palin from the pulpit. But everybody knew what he meant.

"Christians, you've got to register. You've got to vote. You've got to vote your values," the Texan told parishioners who packed Genoa Baptist Church last week.

Outside the sanctuary, tables were festooned with voter guides and voter-registration forms. And Mr. Barton, a Christian historian and founder of Aledo-based WallBuilders, cautioned that if evangelicals don't turn out in big numbers, advocates of abortion and homosexual rights will be elected in November.

His warning, designed to push attendees at Tuesday's event to the polls, may be prescient. Ms. Palin's nomination initially energized Christian conservatives, the constituency that has helped Republicans win elections for a generation.

But in this key swing state and elsewhere, there's still a sense of impending political doom.

Ms. Palin is wildly popular with conservative evangelicals, but they're still lukewarm over John McCain, because of past disappointments, Republican miscues, Bush fatigue and especially the roiling economic crisis.

Mr. McCain faces a tough political climate to begin with, so any lack of enthusiasm that dampens voter turnout among core Republicans could make victory impossible.

"I don't sense the energy this time around," said the Rev. Mark Fuller of the Grove City Nazarene Church, south of Columbus. Ms. Palin's presence on the ticket, though, "at least has gotten some buy-in from the conservative wing of the Republican Party and many evangelicals," he said.

In 2004, President Bush beat John Kerry 2-1 here in exurban Delaware County north of Columbus, and if Mr. McCain hopes to win this year, he'll have to do that well, too.

Four years ago, a gay-marriage ban on the Ohio ballot drove evangelical turnout. This year, Republicans hope Ms. Palin will do the trick.

"She's like a breath of fresh air. All of our friends are going to vote for Palin and McCain," said Barbara Dils, a conservative Christian who attended the rally at Genoa Baptist, one of six last week across Ohio.

Here and in other swing states, such backing is crucial for Mr. McCain – he lacks the deep funding Mr. Bush had and his campaign isn't as well organized, so he needs help getting voters to the polls, especially against Barack Obama's sophisticated campaign machinery.

Increased energy

Mr. Fuller said that on a scale of one to 10, "before Sarah Palin came in, the energy level was maybe five. She has brought it up to a seven or eight."

Then, he paused, shaking his head as he sat in the pastor's study.

"But whether she can bring us back up to 10 again," he said, "I just don't know."

Mr. McCain has had problems with the Christian right. He called some leaders "agents of intolerance" in 2000 and ruffled feathers this year by rejecting the endorsement of San Antonio televangelist John Hagee, who had made controversial remarks about the Catholic church and the Holocaust.

But in picking the 44-year-old Alaska governor with deep roots in evangelical churches and a family story that Christian conservatives admire, he hoped to remedy that – and motivate evangelicals in decisive states like Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"People have gotten off the fence and are willing to work now," said Chris Long of the Ohio Christian Alliance. "They're willing to work phone banks; they're willing to work events, to distribute material. All that was unknown up until the Palin pick."

But the Palin selection could be a liability among voters who are concerned about having too much religion in government.

After weeks of mounting doubts about her readiness for the job, Ms. Palin's performance in Thursday's vice presidential debate heartened religious conservatives working for the GOP ticket in Ohio.

"Talking to my friends who are also evangelical Christians, we feel in our heart, looking into her background, that she thinks like us and she speaks for us," said ("me")

Ohio usually picks the winner in presidential races. No Republican in 150 years has won the White House without carrying Ohio.

Mr. Bush won the state four years ago, following a blueprint by political consultant Karl Rove that rolled up big margins in rural and exurban counties by mobilizing evangelicals – offsetting Mr. Kerry's 66 percent of the vote in Ohio's most urban counties.

Mr. Obama, who talks more openly about his faith than Mr. Kerry or the 2000 Democratic nominee, Al Gore, had hoped to make inroads among white evangelical voters this year.

"But I think the Palin nomination completely ended this discussion about evangelicals going to Obama," said Kelly Shackelford of the Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken after the GOP convention found that 72 percent of white evangelical Protestants support the McCain-Palin ticket. That's only slightly less than Mr. Bush's evangelical support in 2004.

For political operatives, though, the key is not just whether evangelicals will vote, but whether they'll actively work for the ticket in their churches and communities.

Mr. Shackelford said that with Ms. Palin on board, "the electricity has been hooked back up and things are moving. People are excited about her, so there's actually a fighting chance now."

After the event at Genoa Baptist, evangelicals flocked to the Citizens for Community Values table to pick up voter guides, church bulletin inserts and a patriotic CD featuring Mr. Barton.

Warning

Phil Burress, who heads the group, spearheaded passage of the Ohio marriage amendment in 2004. In June, he told Mr. McCain at a private meeting in Cincinnati that if he didn't pick an anti-abortion running mate, he would lose evangelical support – and the state of Ohio as a result.

"I know evangelicals, and they were sitting on their hands," he said. "The ship was just sitting there, nobody at the steering wheel and no engine running."

He's confident Ms. Palin changed things, but that might not be enough. Recent polls indicate Mr. Obama's lead is growing in Ohio.

Mr. Burress said he has faith. There's a bumper sticker his wife put on their car that says, "Palin Power."

"It doesn't even say anything about John McCain," he said.

How did she do?

2008-10-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

"Say it ain't so, Joe..."

After the debate, Dick Morris of Clinton administration fame, said this about Palin:
"Involved a level of communication skill not seen since Ronald Reagan."

I thought Governor Palin did a FANTASTIC job and won this one HANDS DOWN! As Biden tried to connect with mainstream America with comments such as his visiting Home Depot (does he get kickback for that plug?)...often, his words were lost on us due to the plain speakin' Governor who sounds like me (I didn't know other women said "daggone it..." and "weeeell, there ya' have it!") ha ha!) as well as tells the truth!
BTW,
Can someone tell Biden and the rest of those dems who favor these prolonged adjournments to stay in Washington and do his/their job, instead of taking multi weekly/month long vacations, to..appparently visit Home depot? geez...

Let's cut to the chase and into the meat, shall we?...
Palin clearly is the energy expert and none of them can deny that. She has studied her foreign policy and spoke incredibly well on that despite it being her weakness. She is strong on her knowledge of the Iraq war, and sounds to me like she has actually listened to Gen. Patraeus (thank you!) She debated VERY well, avoiding the unknown without looking caught in the headlights.

One thing it is important to remember is that NO ONE can know EVERY vote of a candidate, but we need to focus on the key points single as well as similarly combined votes on legislation. The common man doesn' not know this and thus can be easily misled. This is something I am just learning.
Another thing to remember:
Almost every piece of legislation has pork barrel spending attached and wordage which is enough to cause non votes on serious otherwise approved issues to the Reps., sweeteners, coattail riders attached, so it is VERY tough in some cases to know why a Representative/Congressman would vote a certain way, and this is why I feel it is important to look at complete packages. WHICH Senator running for the office of Presidency is seeking to try to do away with much of that? One hint: NOT Obama

Never in the History of this country has either side attacked the VP candidate for the Presidency for not knowing EVERYTHING... then turn around and from the other side of their faces, accuse her of "not knowing everything" but... she "man handled" him, threw him down, while he (in my opinion) got caught looking sweetly at her. Yuck.. double yuck...not flattering..

Biden is clearly an intelligent and experienced man. I liked how he showed some emotion on his family history. But, I don't know how these long term Senators can LIE on things that are on paper! SEVERAL times he said he didn't say things that he did. That which I have personally HEARD him say with my own eyes and ears! His vote on troops funding for one, his disagreements in the Democratic Primaries with Obama for another. HOW can they just lie like that?! He did the same spin with a number of McCain votes he claimed were the same as Obama's, and THAT is where he tried to catch her off guard. NO one knows EVERY vote. So much of how these guys prepare is in the hands of their handlers- ALL of them, and I sure wish they had not throw Palin into the wolves den with Couric and Charlie boy for the FIRST big interviews. they should have been AFTER the debate in my opinion.

How about that unclear confusing answer from Biden on same sex benefits vs. marriage, huh? What really bothered me about that was they keep trying to play on lies, such as the hospital visitation rights of gay couples!

Palins answer WAS my answer on that! Gays not being allowed to visit their loved ones in those circumstances is not happening in this country, but they want you to believe that it is and by the hands of Republicans! GRRRR... They'll do anything to paint us as non compassionate.

Even if you are like me and disagree with gay SPECIAL rights (MAJOR and all meaning emphasis on SPECIAL here), you would not disagree with this! The Obama camp KNOWS this, but it is part of their spreading anger amongst a group of people against the truth FOR their OWN POLITICAL BENEFIT.

A McCain-Palin administration would keep gay rights fair, but not give SPECIAL rights, changing definitions of marriage which would add to our downfall as a Nation. Guess what though? I don't think it sounds like Obama-Biden will be advocates for the gay agenda either, thought the LGB advocacy groups ARE in their pockets.

I have compassion for people of all differences and I have had great gay friends whom I did not agree with but it never had to come up, AND I ONLY ASK FOR THOSE WHO DO AGREE TO try TO HAVE COMPASSION FOR MY BIBLICALLY BASED BELIEFS as I do for my gay fellow Americans beliefs similarly.

So, that being said, I cannot express how I feel connected to Palin in so many ways and every time I see her family it makes me wish I could have a beautiful baby boy like that in my arms again, but THAT is another story...

The liberals' dirty tricks...

2008-10-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Are NOT matched, and only an idiot would say so. Rude? No. Truth? yes. evidence below:

As if I need to point them out, because even if you are a liberal you would be blind to not see this, but here is a short list that continues to pile, and NOPE, it is NOT balanced by the Republican side:

- Teacher's Unions in certain states have passed out Obama buttons to their staff and asked them to wear "blue" shirts to school. No surprise here. My NEATODAY mag is clear about who they blindly support. see story (New York Post) :http://www.nypost.com/seven/10022008/news/regionalnews/teachers_get_hit_on_the_button_131776.htm

-Gwen Ifill set to moderate the VP debate on 10/02/08 is set to come out with a book about the "glories" of the Obama family. Van Susteren, a democrat, has brought up that by law this would create a mistrial. She is right. Ifill should be removed, and this "should" cast a doubt of integrity on the Obama campaign.

-the slew of NASTY liberal celebs has come out with their teeth clenched and bloody, their bigotry and hatred for Palin simply based off of a difference of beliefs!
Among them:
Matt Damon (coming out with anti America movie and did a bash interview of Palin)
Pamela Anderson (of raunch fame)
The ever NASTY and raunchy Sandra Bernhard (who said that Palin should be gang raped if she ever came to NY)
Joe Biden (upon first mention of Palin said that she was "gorgeous" which is clearly sexist)
Michael Moore (consistent anti America and Bush sentiment has caused him to spew again)
Bill Maher (comes out with an anti Christian movie this weekend)
Joy Behar
Whoopi Goldberg
Lindsay Lohan (druggy who supports Obama)
Sharon Osbourne
Leonardo Di Caprio
and several more "unremembered" of trash TV and movies fame! Basically if you are a low life and low in intelligence and work in Hollywood, you have thought or said this, and ironically there is much of American who would agree by their vote?

Lord, help my children.

The only ones being smart and not setting themselves up from the other side are the Clintons, but even that is politically motivated.

-In Ohio AG Jennifer Brunner illegally changed voting rules to get early and same day voting into Ohio which could steal the election.

-As a result, the OBama camp headed quickly into large campuses in Ohio with buses and took college students to vote for Obama with a promise of Happy Hour afterwards!!

-In the same breath, they gave out free concert tickets of a popular RB singer to those who voted early/same day for Obama!

- The Democratic camp in Colorado has forged an "Educate the Idiots" campaign to target the votes of poor, minorities, school dropouts and those with GEDs. Story found 10/04- "Facethestate.com".

-Obama's lies are so amazing, that in order to cover them, he has put together a team that will SUE any group that spreads "lies/false ads" about Obama.
And this man wants to be the steward of "freedom of speech"?

Forgive the sacrilege...

2008-09-30T07:52:00.001-07:00

Nine years....

2008-09-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

First month in the new house.
My first Halloween.
Baby Brother's first Fall.
Kisses from Sophie
Crazy Uncle Dustin stops by as a rabbit with a boa for Valentine's day :)

First day of Kindergarten!
Disney with very pregnant mommy, and daddy.
My first piano recital/ planting seeds in my own garden (2004)
watching the OSU/Michigan game with baby brother.
Baby in Canada at "Wonderland".
Preschool Graduation.

Cookie making with daddy.
My 2nd birthday!

My oldest child turned 9 yrs. old this Friday. As a mother (and speaking for her father) we could not be more proud of her. Who is she?

She accepted Jesus as her Savior at age 6 and is proof of His daily love and compassion.

She is compassionate- always concerned for others, always asking questions about feelings, and how people are doing.
She likes to swing, play computer games.
She is academic- straight A student, and hard working. Likes to read, write and create.
She is talented- Two music teachers as parents helps, but she plays with incredible piano technique and musicality. She is in her 5th year of piano lessons. She would get Superior ratings in High school Class C piano solos if she could compete and reads incredibly well for her age.
She loves nature and animals.

What she is not:
She was NOT raised to be a princess. We did not raise her to be pampered, or to feel she should have people serve her. The meaning of her name is "defender of mankind" was given her for a reason. We hope that she will learn from us to serve others and not be a princess (outside of the pampering and nurture and love of her family).
She is quiet in school but talks alot at home, amd she never gets into trouble always well behaved (with occasioanl moments at home ;)

She loves weather (tornadoes), survival shows (survivor man), Disney, roller coasters.

When a child comes along that is kind to others, no trouble to anyone, meek and humble, giving and never seeks attention, but only wants love, you brag on them.

My children are what they are for many reasons, but none of those reasons are by chance.

I boast in Christ Jesus for what He has done for us, thus far and in the future.

Happy Birthday sweet A. Thank you for making parenting easy!

heads up! quiz time!

2008-09-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Take the church and politcs quiz:

http://www.buildingchurchleaders.com/assessments/individuals/churchandpoliticsquiz.html

It will not surprise you to know that I scored as a "thumpin' theocrat. No kidding?

2008-09-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks Min for bringing this to my attention! Awesome!

Not just for Catholics...

2008-09-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

... but Something that ALL people of faith should agree on.

An amazingly well done video that says it all in few words:

Churches and church members- IMPORTANT!

2008-09-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Alliance Defense Fund is a National Organization of over 700 Christian Lawyers throughout the Nation who aim to fight together for Christians and their rights and what moreal fibre we have left. They have defended Christians in the workplace, in schools, in churches against groups such as the ACLU. This group was founded by James Dobson and like-thinking Biblical men who saw the need for Christian defense.

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/main/default.aspx

On September 28th, ADF has made a "Push at the Pulpit" to get Pastors in willing churches to speak out against the unconstitutional legislation that silences Pastors from speaking Biblical truth in relation to our say at the election polls!

ADF statement: "The new initiative will equip, protect, and defend pastors who wish to exercise their First Amendment right to openly discuss the positions of political candidates and other moral and social issues from the pulpit. Participating pastors across the country will deliver a sermon along these lines in their own churches Sept. 28."

My family and I will be traveling to a brave church who WILL be supporting this initiative! There is NOTHING more American than this push at the pulpit. It will not be easy and will have possibly serious consequences. However the consequences of NOT standing up to fight are even more devastating!

Churches in America are subject to the 503(C) tax status where they gain tax exemption. ADF: "Prior to 1954, churches were free to evaluate the positions of political candidates on moral issues without fear of the Internal Revenue Service revoking their tax-exempt status. That year, then-Senator Lyndon Johnson amended the tax code to add the threat of IRS action against churches if their pastors mentioned the positions of specific candidates from the pulpit.(Silencing Pastors at the puplit would help him get elected as President.) Citing that rule, groups like AU have repeatedly threatened to report churches to the IRS if they speak out on such issues. Though this legislation has been recognized as a violation of freedom of speech, few have challenged it."

This is where ADF steps in. Churches that speak out on 9/28 will be defended against organizations like ACLU which will be baited to take those churches to court. It is the hope that through these law suits, the gag order of churches and violation of their freedom of speech will be overturned! But, if we don't stand together, churches, we are weaker.I believe that we are at a crossroads for the defense of our religious freedom and freedom of speech.

ADF: "Many tax-exempt organizations are permitted to evaluate candidates’ positions based on the values important to those groups. Organizations which are tax-exempt but do not have the same speech restrictions the IRS places on churches include civic leagues; labor, agricultural, or horticultural associations; business leagues; chambers of commerce; real estate boards; boards of trade; professional football leagues; clubs organized for pleasure, recreation, and other nonprofit purposes; fraternal beneficiary societies; and cemeteries."
ADF goes on to state:
"The intimidation of churches by leftist groups using the IRS has grown to a point that ADF has no choice but to respond," said Stanley. "The number of threats being reported to ADF is growing because of the aggressive campaign to unlawfully silence the church. IRS rules don’t trump the Constitution, and the First Amendment certainly trumps the Johnson amendment."

There have been extreme liberals who have gone on the attack of churches, strewing them through courts at high cost and therefore scaring churches from speaking up on moral issues at the polls. It is ADF's hope that churches will give a sermon on the above, therefore baiting liberal groups such as ACLU to take these churches to court, so that ADF can fight for them and overturn this unconstitutional legislation!

So I ask,
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO TO HELP? Here are some ideas:

1) First, contact your church leadership. Tell them that you want to be a part of a church truly committed to doing "whatever it takes", not just by words, but by action! Tell them that you wish for the church to stand strong with the churches taking part and with ADF and hope to hear a sermon on such on 9/28!

2) Explain that you feel strongly about supporting this proposal and will choose to be in the congregation on the 28th of a church that WILL stand up against this "Unconstitutional gag order"!
Even if my family has to travel out of State, we are making plans to do so that weekend! YES! It is THAT important!

3) On Monday morning September 22nd, ADF will have the participating churches listed on their website, commit to getting to one of these churches in support of them!

4) Tell your friends of all denominations and get them to go with you!
5) write me and tell me what you think! If you are from my church I am VERY interested in what the congregation thinks.

Folks, it is NOT possible that there is anything more important on this date unless you are dying or deathly ill. We MUST light that "American Patriot" fire in us that our forefathers held that says "God first, then country!" ..."But as for me, GiVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!"

Do NOT choose to stand with the majority who will not get involved. Stand with me to help God's voice to be heard in the Nation before we lose it!

"Citizenship in a free country is a blessing from God ... God wants us to do
his will in government ... but we have disobeyed our Lord ... As a result,
we are in danger of losing our nation by default, and with it our individual
freedoms and possibly our very lives. If that should happen, our opportunity
to help fulfill the Great Commission throughout the United States and the
world will also be lost. And hundreds of millions will never have the
opportunity to receive our Savior."

Proud to have been a "Holy Roller"!

2008-09-11T05:47:00.001-07:00

The other day as I was watching Fox news and flipping channels, I noticed that the hot topic for the day was that Sarah Palin, until 2002, was a Pentecostal Christian, and attended an Assemblies of God church. Some were attempting to actually compare this background to Jeremiah Wright's church! I heard SO many things wrong in the commentaries on Palin's faith (and former Denomination) that my emotions were out of whack.
I was at times excited, then I was angry about the false statements made about a faith and denomination I know quite a bit about. I was disgusted, and then there came a pain and hurt for a woman being attacked on a faith and background we both share similarly. The images of all the great Faithful and loving Pentecostal believers, HUNDREDS I have known over my life rushed through my head and my throat suddenly clinched back tears. It wasn't just Palin's faith being attacked. It was my personal upbringing and beliefs.

Before I get started I think you should know that it is likely that on this topic today you will not find someone who knows as much on Pentecostal denominations as I do however there are MANY who know MUCH MUCH more than I could know as a kid growing up around the church. I am obviously not an expert on the tenants of my birth denomination, but I do know quite bit more than what you have likely been told.

You see, I too grew up as a Pentecostal attending the International Pentecostal Church of Christ all 18 years of my youth, attending church EVERY Sunday twice, every Wednesday night. My father has worked and been a part of this denomination my entire life and longer, and has been the General Overseer of the IPCC for decades now.
My Grandfather who I loved dearly was a Pentecostal Holiness Pastor. I personally saw big differences in the two denominations of Pentecostalism and can tell you that though there are MANY denominations of Pentecostalism in the world, they can vary and be very much unrelated in their beliefs!

Like Palin I am now attending a different church with similar beliefs. There have been comments made out there that are blanket statements and truly false on Pentecostalism. There is little about Pentecostalism that was not a regular part of Methodism, the Nazarene Church, and Baptist churches, just a few decades ago. Pentecostalism has not moved to the left as quickly, in my opnion as the previously named denominations. Also, there is nothing different about how a person becomes a Christian in the Pentecostal church compared to other Evangelical churches.I remember speaking to a Pastor at our church once and was surprised how blanketed his statements on the Pentecostal faith of my youth were.

First off, what is Pentecostalism?- As Wiki states, It is very important to understand that Pentecostalism is "an umbrella term including a wide range of different theological and organizational perspectives". Therefore, there is no doubt that MUCH of what you have probably heard or thought about the church I specifically attended or that of Sarah Palin's church are NOT true, yet we were Pentecostals!

Let's make a list. Here is what IS true about the Pentecostal church I attended for Palin's church sounds inherently similar:
It is TRUE that Pentecostalism as I know it has several accompanying titles they hold- We are Evangelicals, believing that we are to minister and witness to the world of His great love and salvation. We believe in the Great Commission as commanded by Jesus Christ.
We are considered and consider ourselves Protestant in faith.
We are fundamentalists, believing that The Bible, is God's Holy word inspired and that ALL portions of the Bible are truth.
We are charismatic believing in fundamental Biblical tenants of our faith.
You will see we are not much different than other Bible Believing churches in those points.

What we believe:
The Pentecostalism I grew up in, believed in the Holy Trinity- God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. There is another type of Pentecostalism of the Oneness theology that we did NOT adhere to. I believe that Apostolics would fall in that category. That is not us.
-We believe in water baptism. Not as a way to be saved from one's sins, only forgiveness of one' sins by the Lord can do that, but rather it is an outward sign and blessing of one's faith.
- WE believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a valid gift as seen in the Second Chapter of the Book of Acts in the New Testament. We see this as a gift to help further equip for further ministry for the Lord. We do believe that often the Baptism of the Holy Spirit presents itself as "speaking in tongues".
Yes, I have seen this blessing. I have not experienced it myself. I have witnessed speaking in tongues where it was interpreted as well.
Unlike my own church,
I believe very adamantly that a blessing from the Bible times as seen in Acts Chapter 2 as seen in the upper room is as valid today as it was yesterday, when the Holy Spirit is welcomed in this manner. I personally believe it is a failure to say a Church believes in the Bible but dismisses one part simply because THEY can't explain it and THEY don't see a purpose in it, or that it is Strange.

That's all I will say about that.

-We believe in the washing of feet as Christ did for His disciples to teach them the heart of a servant.

- Dealing with social aspect, or outward appearances last, since they matter least to God, We believe in living a life to honor God in our dress, in our actions and words...clean living. We did not believe in consumption of alcohol since drunkenness is a sin in the Bible. People in my church were Godly people where an upstanding Christian would be known to dress modestly, read and study their Bible regularly, praise Jesus and attend services. The older women did indeed often wear their hair in a bun on their head and have long hair, as well as wear modest dresses and very little makeup. The hair style is long gone in the contemporary Pentecostal churches. In our own, gone are many of the organs in exchange for a blended music worship service combining the old with the new.
At my church the women sometimes wear jeans in the church and I wouldn't say that Nazarene women characteristically wear jeans "as indicated by the church" anymore than it would be fair or correct to state that Pentecostal women wore their hair at one time in a bun because it was indicated by the church. The current generation of Pentecostals would look "normal" to you, like Sarah Palin. I have grown to respect that modesty I grew up with intensely. My mother and Grandparents are Pentecostal women. I am more of a Sarah Palin looking Pentecostal I suppose who yearns to be more like my mom and Grandmothers in my heart. That is a goal of mine.

What I did NOT see as a Pentecostal:
- the handling of snakes in services! That is NUTS to even have to say! Look, the world is full of strange things. I don't doubt that there are Pentecostal and crazy churches out there doing this, but it is FARRRRR from normal and would not have ever been considered in Palin's church, or my own growing up! I cannot emphasize how strange that is to even have to say!

- I didn't experience services where the entire congregation was rolling on the floor! I doubt Palin did either.

I will tell you that the people of my church growing up will live in my heart forever as the kindest most gentle and hardest working people I will ever know.

I have missed them on some Sundays while attending my own church where people pass you many times without saying hello or giving you a second glance. The people I knew in my small church growing up volunteered readily in the church, praised the Lord sincerely, PUT CHRIST before all else! and didn't have enough money to their name for the most part to flaunt it. The longer I attend this church, the more I realize how much of being Pentecostal I hold dear to and the more I realize that I am farther to the right of most of the members in my church.

No church is perfect so if you are looking for a perfect church, you'll never find it. Even Godly people, are still human and therefore flawed. This is VITAL to remember, yet easy to forget.

However the attacks on Palin's faith as of late are just another sign of the end times to me that at one point I feared and hoped would hold off somehow. No more.

Today, I am a different person, a different believer resembling more of my upbringing than that of my membership to the Nazarene church that I attend. I cannot wait until my Lord and Savior comes back to take us away as the book of Revelation promises! I dream about going home, only home is not here, but in heaven. My faith knows for a fact that Jesus is my Savior and the more that is fact the less I care about worrying about offending non Christians or my Government by speaking His name and promoting His principles whether it be behind closed doors, or outwardly.

If Christ is TRULY real, then why would we NOT speak of Him boldly? I don't hide the fact that my husband or children exist and live with me, so when it is so much more important to live with Christ, WHY would we be embarrassed of hiding Him? If you REALLY believe He is real, How do you think He feels about people being that way and not speaking boldly on behalf of Him. I KNOW that He is more real than anything we know and can see with our eyes However, I DO see Him with my eyes in the work of others, my family, the blessings of our Nation, in Nature...in my own heart.

I am glad Pentecostalism and churches like the Wasilla Assemblies of God are getting attention. I truly think and believe it is part of God's will and plan. Let people attack me for saying that like they have attacked Palin. They have before, and frankly, I welcome it!

yet another Jesus comparison to Obama?

2008-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Again, we have another scary comparison of Obama to Jesus. I need to collect a folder of these.
Points:
#1- It is funny to me how all the sudden Obama is being pitted against Palin and not McCain.

#2- is anyone else concerned as to why the House is taking time to discuss THIS of all things when there is so much for them to fix? They must be confused because last I checked the House and Senate have no power than the common individuals in electing our President.

2008-09-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

2008-09-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

NEA, never failing and nauseating bias on our bucks!

2008-09-09T05:23:00.000-07:00

AS most of you know, I am a former teacher union member and my husband is a current union member.
I just thought I would share with parents of public school students the type of publication that their child's teacher receives and the extreme "knowledge and forward thinking" that can be found within its pages.
September's publication of NEATODAY held a typical article promoting their Presidential candidate of choice- Obama.

The article, entitled, "Ten things you should know about Barack Obama" is truth telling in its own right. You see, the following are things that TEACHERS teaching YOUR kids feel are the top 10 things you should know about the possible new leader of this Nation that they support.

So here we go! The top ten things a teacher should know about Barack Obama:

#1- Patriotism's in this candidate's blood" (ha ha! Nice try! If you have to say it, you know there is a problem! What is in his blood, which he suavely and easily denies? Islam is in his blood, there is more than enough proof out there, but he has lied about it. THAT's what's in his blood! Patriotism as you see is in MY blood too! Am I qualified to run for President?

#2- Community came first for him- Lord help us when community organizer is enough of a resume to gain experience. One question; How does this set him aside from the other candidates? It doesn't, and should be a basic prerequisite for any official office, should it not?.

#3- He knows your financial woes- Oh My. Would you say that if a neighbor owned a multi million dollar home or two, that they understand your financial woes? That is more political garble. If he knew your financial struggles, he wouldn't add more taxes to your tally!

#4- ( & my favorite) Bob Dylan and Sheryl crow have his ear. I am NOT kidding that this is indeed the 4th thing that NEA wants teachers to know about Obama!!!

#5 He's putting parents on notice- Yep, he's putting YOU, parents, on notice...for today... I agree that as it says, Parents more than need to be involved in their child's education wholeheartedly, however you can bet that when he speaks to YOU as a parent, he will tell you that he's putting schools on notice! Let the agenda fit the audience..that's Barack Obama!

#6 Tests aren't tops for him- Well, I imagine this is easy to say since we hear this from NEA and teachers all the time. Trouble is, Barack nor any of the Union member heads have found better ways to test for knowledge for our kids, yet tests aren't "tops" for them. Yea, I would imagine that when the Nation's schools are so far behind other Nation's education systems, that they wouldn't "like" the tests. Geez...

#7- Clean living is his credo- Why does this have to be said I wonder?

#8- Three things make him proudest- His wife and children. Now that honestly is a good answer finally :) What makes you proudest (if true) says a lot about your character so I appreciate that.
We all know from Hillary's speech at the DNC that her husband did not make the rattled off list of what made her proudest, so I can at least appreciate this relationship, as should we all.

#9- He wants you to earn more money? - Are you kidding me? I don't understand how they can believe ANY politician who says this! HOW would Barack find control of school and State finances in order to help YOU as a teacher make more money? It shows a lack of understanding how Government works at all levels. Is this part of his socialistic approach? Last I checked, this is a decision left up to the local districts within separate States! What a crock!

#10- His favorite food? Chili!
Yep folks, there you have it! Out of all the things you could say about a Candidate for the most powerful position in the world, things you MUST know... "you SHOULD know" that
Barack Obama likes Chili! Well, holy smokes! ME TOO!! Maybe I have made the wrong choice for President based on his favorite food and that Sheryl Crow "has" his ear!
Heck, I MAKE chili (and very good chili at that), maybe I should be President!

I must say that the fact that Sheryl Crow and Bob Dylan have his ear is NOT a good thing but it was the only real thing that sets him apart from his opponents here thank God!
Liberals seem to think that we should value the opinion of Hollywood and stars more than a General Petraeus.

Listen, I want a President who would say that GOD has His ear, not Sheryl Crow.

So, folks now you see why NEA supports Barack. They claim that they did not support McCain because McCain didn't turn in his Questionnaire. So based on that, despite policies and facts and voting records to be found, they choose "Chili boy" who has indeed written Two Memoirs and not a single law in Congress!

More of a reason that I am not a fan of the failing big business , the NEA!

Maybe I need to post a list of what I thin you should know about Barack Obama...

(A copy of September's issue of NEAtoday cannot be found right now on the internet for reference. If found, it will be added here.)

The American Dream

2008-09-08T06:26:00.001-07:00

What exactly is the American Dream? Can it be defined? I don't think so. It's beauty, aura, sheer complexity, and in many ways simplicity is so expansive that only God could define.

For today I would like to focus on two different American Dreams that would not be possible without the freedoms that our Forefathers fought for us putting their own lives, and families in jeopardy to do so. It is with great passion and love that I speak of the following:

I am the oldest of eight children (vouching for my stubbornness and drive I assume).
One of my middle sisters, third to the youngest is Penny. Penny married Scott, my beloved brother in law who my family has known since he was a child. His Grandfather was a highly respected man,my father's Predecessor in the IPCC church leadership, and was a missionary to Brazil bringing countless numbers to Christ. Scott and Penny got married, started college degrees, taking Swahili in the case that they ever someday also choose missionary work in Kenya in their future. With Scott's construction experience and that of the legacy of his own hardworking father's, they bought an old "fixer upper" in my old hometown for very little, and spent a hard few years turning the eyesore into more than double a profit by the physical labor of their combine hands. When they were finished, the house was the most beautiful, most charming I had ever had the pleasure to see, with some of the finest woodwork from Scott's talent and artistic decor and taste from my sister, an amazing artist whose humbleness doesn't recognize her own amazing abilities. With the more than double profit, they set out again to build their dream home in Amish country and are still working on it, now with a beautiful one year old baby daughter in tow who is named after our grandmother whose hands new the value of hard labor as our mother before us. The both of them are building this house on the profit made from the first flip, and as Scott goes to classes to finish a teaching degree in math at the same time. Only in America is this possible and it shows that with hard work and ingenuity all things, through God are possible for all of us. Scott's house and land. Only in America!

The second story comes from Dayton, Ohio on the ground floor by McCain's stage at the rally a few weeks back. My father and our other companions for the day were situated next to a man who turned to speak to us in clear English but with a thick German accent. Indeed, he was originally from Germany...until he moved to the US to be an American. He was a bald man with a groomed curled moustache that i couldn't stop looking at :) I caught his attention when I mentioned my frustration at seeing a poll which asked "If Obama is not elected, does that mean that our country is racist?" He turned to join the conversation with the most vibrancy and fervency I have seen in a while. His response was that which echoed my sentiments. That we MUST vote for the person with the right leadership in our opinion regardless of race, for to not do so is also racism! He went on to tell me that he fears that Obama will lead our country to a state of socialism so familiar in Germany. He told me of how things are in Germany, spoke of how freedom is a wash there, and this was why they loved OBama to a tune of 200,000 to ear him speak in Germany recently. He should have run for office in Germany apparently!
This man loves this country and was the first to hope singally for Sarah Palin for VP moments before it was announced. When she was announced, the hope of her with McCain was exasperating to him. He cheered louder than any of us, quite possibly becasue it means more to him from his experiences. At the end, he shook my hand, as a fellow American living the American dream he and so many have defined for his self, their selves. We were so different form one another, but yet we are both Americans the same.

My friends, without freedom, we are nothing. We cannot wear our faith on our sleeve as we should without it. We cannot advance Christ's kingdom without fear of death and persecution without it as countless fellow Christians in other lands tell.

Whatever your American dream is, embrace it! Love it more than yourself for posterity's sake and LET IT SET YOU INTO ACTION!! The American dream was a gift from God. Do not imagine for a moment that we could not lose it. It is ours, but it is ours to maintain and defend all the more! WE can defend it for our children by our involvement in this election in part!

Enjoy the views of the shores where our forefathers first arrived. Revel in the emotion that being a Patriot, a defender of freedom brings!!!!!
God bless our country, rich in tradition and hope, and dreams.

McCain events in Ohio this week!

2008-09-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

Please Join John McCain & Governor Sarah Palin for:

A “McCain Street USA” Rally

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Doors Open: 7am

Outside of The Golden Lamb

27 S. Broadway

Lebanon, Ohio

Veterans for McCain Bus tour
On Monday, September 8, the McCain campaign will kick-off their first Veterans for McCain bus tour throughout the state of Ohio!

Col. Tom Moe, Maj. General Ed Mechenbier & Leslie Smith will board the Straight Talk Express on Monday and lead the Veterans Tour, meeting with local veterans and McCain supporters along the way.

Whether you’re a veteran yourself or just want to show support for our veterans, please join these former POWs and American heroes and support John McCain at one of the following stops. For more information or to RSVP for one of these events, please call (614) 441-8622 or email ohio@johnmccain.com.

Monday, September 8

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Veterans for McCain Bus Tour Kick-Off

Beavercreek Veterans Memorial Park

1911 N. Fairfield Rd.

Beavercreek, OH

4:00pm – 4:45pm

Veterans for McCain “Country First” Forum

Holiday Inn

Chippewa Room

1920 Roschman Ave

Lima, OH

Tuesday, September 9

8:30am-9:30am

Veterans for McCain Meet & Greet

McCain Toledo HQ

10 S. Superior

Toledo, OH

4:00pm – 5:00pm

Veterans for McCain Meet & Greet

Strongsville Town Square

Strongsville, OH 44136

Wednesday, September 10

10:45am – 11:45am

Veterans for McCain Meet & Greet

Westbrook Veterans Memorial Park

2521 12th St NW
Canton, OH 44708

Col. Tom Moe (USAF, ret)—Moe went to Vietnam as a fighter pilot directly from training. He was shot down and captured in January 1968, and spent 5 years in the “Hanoi Hilton” with John McCain. They were released in March, 1973. Col. Moe later earned his master's degree in international relations from Notre Dame University, where he later served as a professor of aerospace studies and commander of the Air Force ROTC program. He retired from the Air Force in 1995, and currently serves as the Ohio Veterans for McCain State Chair, and was mentioned in Gov. Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

Maj. Gen Ed Mechenbier (USAF, ret)---A 1964 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he was shot down over North Vietnam and captured in June, 1967. He would be released from the ‘Hanoi Hilton” in March, 1973, after over 5 and a half years of captivity. He returned to Wright-Patterson AFB, and in 1975 resigned is regular commission and continued to fly with the Ohio Air National Guard. He transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1991, and retired in 2004 at the age of 62 years and 1 day, the maximum service age. Gen. Mechenbier currently serves as the 7th Congressional District Co-Chair for Veterans for McCain.

Leslie Smith (USA)—A public affairs officer with the 29th Infantry Division, she was shipped to Bosnia in 2001. Two weeks before she was to return, she developed a blood clot in her left leg. To her disappointment, it cut her tour short. When she returned to Walter Reed Medical Center, she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, and a severe allergic reaction to the treatment took her left leg and almost took her life. As she said in her remarks to the Republican National Convention, “And I am here tonight to testify that none of us are promised a life without difficulties. But what we are promised is that every day we are blessed to spend on this earth, in this great country ... an opportunity to make today better than yesterday...”

Oprah update

2008-09-05T11:06:00.001-07:00

her response:

"OPRAH'S STATEMENT: "The item in today's Drudge Report is categorically untrue. There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. At the beginning of this Presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."

There you have it. More of a reason to combine with her quack religion to boycott Oprah1

The "unbiased" liberal media

2008-09-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Geez... the liberal media is at it again with their bias and denial of such!

US Weekly magazine ran a front page cover last week.
The Senior Editor of US weekly (a magazine I admit to never having read in my life, I admit and now, never will!), could not answer when questioned by Megyn Kelly of Fox News to what exactly the "lies" touted on the front cover were. What it melted down to is that he admitted that it was not Sarah who lied but the "lies" actually referred to those of the lefist bloggers words on Sarah found deep inside the article! He didn't choose to agree with Megyn that this was misleading in any way. But we shouldn't be surprised should we?
On top of that, the article mentioned that Mr. Palin was pulled for for a DUI, but the Magazine did not give account to when this happened, which was over 22 years ago! They failed to mention that Barack Obama was actually smoking pot 22 yrs. ago at his admittal. No media bias?

When asked why they didn't mention that the DUI was 22 yrs. ago, the Publisher said he was sure it was mentioned, in the article. Megyn Kelly said clearly that she read the article thoroughly and that the time of the DUI was NEVER mentioned! Listen to this jerk's attempt to explain it in the Obama "above my paygrade" fashion:

Video coverage:

Absolutely unreal! how do liberals not see this?!!!

Cover in question:

Earlier, this was the cover US Weekly Magazine printed:

Nope! No bias there, right? (roll of eyes). Such a bias is COMPLETE dirty play and unfair.

Then this... Matt Drudge reports that Oprah, a major supporter of Obama is in a corner about having Palin on her show. Headline below:

BIG DILEMMA: OPRAH BALKS AT HOSTING SARAH PALIN; STAFF DIVIDED
Fri Sep 05 2008 08:55:46 ET

Oprah Winfrey may have introduced Democrat Barack Obama to the women of America -- but the talkshow queen is not rushing to embrace the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket!

Oprah's staff is sharply divided on the merits of booking Sarah Palin, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

"Half of her staff really wants Sarah Palin on," an insider explains. "Oprah's website is getting tons of requests to put her on, but Oprah and a couple of her top people are adamantly against it because of Obama."

One executive close to Winfrey is warning any Palin ban could ignite a dramatic backlash!

It is not clear if Oprah has softened her position after watching Palin's historic convention speech.

Last year, Winfrey blocked an appearance by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, timed to a promotional tour of his autobiography.

Oprah and executive producer Sheri Salata, who has contributed thousands of dollars to Obama's campaign, refused requests for comment.

Developing...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's neverending. Palin's popularity is higher than even Barack currently according to polls and I feel we should brace ourselves for more. No one said it would be easy for Sarah to blaze this trail, however few anticipated the excitement she would be surrounded by.

Homerun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

The luxury plane bought by her predecessor with Alaskan tax payers' money. Sarah Palin sold plane and returned the money to the people of Alaska! Sarah Palin, a true Maverick!

I agree with Ann Coulter when she says that
"The Best man turned out to be a woman"!

Well, well, well... who would've thought?! Republicans did!

Highlights of her RNC speech:

What Alaskans think of Palin- new info

2008-09-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

American Viewpoint conducted 400 interviews with registered voters in Alaska on the evening of September 2, 2008 on behalf of McCain for President. The margin of error for the entire sample is +/- 4.9% at the 85% confidence level. Key findings are summarized below.

Alaskans hold Governor Palin in very high regard. They have rallied behind her and because they know her so well and have seen her perform her job so aptly over the past two years they believe that she, like every other working parent in America, can absolutely handle the demands of her family as well as the demands of running for Vice-President.

The special investigation appears to be politically inspired but voters support a full investigation. The McCain-Palin ticket performs well in Alaska and leads by a 24-point margin.

Governor Sarah Palin remains extremely well regarded in Alaska.

· Her job approval rating is astoundingly high with an 86% overall approval rating and 63% strongly approving of her job performance. Independents approve by a margin of 86% - 10% and there is absolutely no gender gap. 97% of Republicans approve of the job she is doing as do 75% of Democrats. She receives high job approval ratings across all regions of Alaska.

The Obama strategy of targeting and attempting to win Alaska is a fantasy. The McCain-Palin ticket holds a commanding ballot advantage over Obama-Biden, winning 57% - 33%.

· Independent voters cast their ballots for McCain-Palin, 50%-37%. Ticket-splitters vote for McCain-Palin, 48%-33%. Men vote for McCain-Palin 58%-30% with women voting for the GOP ticket 55%-35%.

· McCain-Palin draws 25% of Democrats and lead with those placing their emphasis on energy/gas issues, 74%-18%.

Alaskans view her as being just as qualified in terms of her background and experience as Barack Obama.

· 59% of Alaska voters say she is AS or MORE qualified as Barack Obama. 30% state she is more qualified than Obama, 31% that she is less qualified and 29% that she is just as qualified as the Democratic nominee.

· There is no gender gap on this result.

· This lead extends to Independents. Among Independents, 55% say she is AS or MORE qualified as Obama (20% of say she is more qualified, 35% that she is less qualified and 35% that she is just as qualified as Obama).

Alaskans have rallied behind Governor Palin and are proud of her choice as the Vice-Presidential nominee.

· By an overall margin of 56% - 15%, respondents report being more likely to vote for McCain as a result of Sarah Palin’s selection to be his running mate. Again, there is no gender gap on this measurement, Independents report being more likely to vote for McCain with Palin as his running mate by a margin of 55% - 16%.

· Intensity is quite strong with 44% much more likely to vote for McCain and 11% less likely.

The key advantage Palin brings to the GOP team is an emphasis on the reform dynamic of bringing new ideas and thinking to Washington (+59% net agreement).

· This is followed by +53% net agreement that the selection makes Alaskans feel proud, increases to +89% net agreement with very conservative voters; +48% net agreement that the selection makes them excited about the pick, increases to +87% net agreement with very conservative voters; and net +36% that she has the qualifications to be Vice-President, +81% net agreement with very conservative voters.

Democrats, I see your true colors....

2008-09-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

...and they are ugly.

Wow...the liberal left are wearing their true colors on their sleeves after Palin was announced as the VP nominee for John McCain.

In the course of only three and a half days, we have seen the ugly face of humanity through the democratic party. They are running scared folks, and are pulling out the big guns. After all, the bump in polls wasn't much for the extravaganza of money and fireworks display from Barack's speech finale of the DNC. Who can blame them for trying?

I can.

And what are the big guns they've pulled pointblank at the head of Sarah Palin because they have nothing better on her?

Sexism is what it melts down to. Yes folks, the "free opportunity" party as they pose themselves has been exposed~!

From Liberal News anchor Alan Colmes of Hannity and Colmes (regarding the Downs syndrome condition of the youngest child of Governor Palin) :

(August 31, 2008 -Townhall.com)
(Colmes)titled a recent post on his blog "LiberalLand" "Did Palin Take Proper PreNatal Care" that wondered if she somehow was at fault for having a disabled child. Colmes took down the post after being attacked by the blog Wizbang and later reposted a screenshot of the blog to prove he "wasn't running away from what I posted."

My Response: Now if Sarah had used illegal drugs or drank or smoked before hand it would be a bit different, but Mr. Colmes, how DARE you make a remark that blames good mothers/women for the condition of a child?! I am infuriated as a mother like most will be when they see this! WHY would it be assumed that she didn't possibly care for her child prenatally? I'll tell you why! Because she is a working mother/women vying for a top slot in Government! Apparently this would be the ONLY reason why Colmes would make this comment.
Colmes, I'd like you to know that if you don't hear from the "Independent, strong, femeinists" that make up so much of your party, then they too are guilty of dishonesty, and lack of integrity because such comments as you have made are what THEY should be fighting against, you fool!
Let me tell you something else! Palin executed FARRRRrrrr better prenatal judgement than YOUR party promotes by simply NOT choosing to abort, she executed prenatal care, you hypocrite! How can your party honor the murder of the unborn then turn around and say such an ignorant and chauvnistic statement?

(note:I have had similar statement smade by a person about my care of my children who were born with a genetic disorder we had not known control of. I remember the pain and hurt. And, that women was a clear liberal who also lacked judgement and sympathy.)

And more...
Shortly after the announcement of Palin on Friday, far left bloggers began excrutiating personal attacks of a completely new level of nastiness NEVER seen in a political election year on the National level!

(8/31/08) Townhall article)
"Sarah Palin is NOT the Mother" is the title of this DailyKos blog that accuses Bristol, a completely fit looking adolescent teen, of having a "baby bump" in a photo they allege was taken March 9th of this year.

"Sarah, I'm calling you a liar" wrote blogger ArcXIX. "And not even a good one. Trig Paxson Van Palin is not your son. (imagine if someone wrote this about you and your child. Just empathize what emotions this would bring.) He is your grandson. The sooner you come forward with this revelation to the public, the better. "
---- ----- --- -----
After this blog appeared, Palin reported that her daughter was currently pregnant and due before Christmas. I am shocked that liberals would attack Palin's family based on a rumor (one of which at least one person in my own community believes and feels the need to perpetuate sadly). Secondly, the rumors are false but apparently liberals are not good at "gestation mathematics".

If Palin's son is only 5 months old, and Bristol is due before Christmas, then Bristol became pregnant just a month or so before Trig was born. Palin cannot be accused of dishonesty in this case. Yea, you left wing idiots, it isn't possible for the baby to be Palin's daughter's. How DARE anyone drag the family through the mud? The teen daughter has every right to be left alone in the care of her family and her boyfriend who she is engaged to marry. This is an incredibly tough situation for any family to deal with, and frankly the situation will only help her in the campaign because it is the most real situation a candidate has ever publicly faced. It is a situation that MILLIONS of good parents across America face everyday. And as typical of these people who have attacked a sweet and well liked teen from a small town in Alaska, where were the attacks on the father? Not present.

Bristol will be fine, but has a hard road. Her pregnancy and choice to keep her baby is so honorable. She is taking responsibility for her actions, actions that liberals tell young girls everyday to not worry about accepting responsibilty for.

And more chauvinistic comments from the left...

Joe Biden when asked about Palin's credentials and abilities, simply chose to say that she was "good lookin'"! Sorry, Senator. Last I checked credentials are more than skin deep.

Palin has more experience than any of you, including YOUR top slot pick! She is the only one who has had executive power and experience, doing more for her State in 2 years than the 12 year runs of two previous Governors. She has had the guts to stand up to the US Senate on oil drilling and the abuse of endangered species lists and has had to make decisions on the spot which you have not had to do at any time in your deliberations in Congress.

But, she is indeed "good lookin'" isn't she, Senator?! Are you surprised that the attractive women can get things done? GRRRRR... OR, do we need to look like Janet Reno or Ruth BADER Ginsberg to be valued? If we wear a skirt or take our husband's name outright, or sit our family as our number one joy in life, does it show we aren't strong enough to lead?

Women I am calling to you! Stand up for Sarah Palin! She is YOUR candidate and we need to band together for her. She DOES have proven experience but in order to knock her down to size, they, the liberal party, have nothing better on her than to resort to prejudices against women!

Let's not perpetuate the insulting hurtful slander and rumors and horrifying words for her daughter, a well liked girl from a small town. We cannot fairly judge a parent for such actions. Biblically we are called not to and to show compassion, but obviously compassion is not truly a stake in the base of the democratic party. Oddly enough I believe their criticm of the daughter is, to them, more about not using protection than it would be about having sex before marriage, and BOTH are OK in the democratic party, so let us unite against these fools. I am sure that their answer is to stock the Wassila HS restrooms with condoms. Ughh...

To democrats, got anything better than that? We'll wait... I am sure something will come up.

Dayton Rally Pics

2008-08-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

Mr. President John McCain and First Lady Cindy McCain!

A quick shot with the McCain bus with my youngest sister, Robin. Yes. We enjoy being big nerds.
Governor Palin and her youngest daughter, Piper. Too cute!

I LOVE this shot of mommy and her daughter. This was not posed. Her daughter asked a question and I got to see the first female VP of the United States cradle her daughter's little face int he midst of the craziness and focus on her for that moment like so many of us mothers do everyday. This is my favorite shot so far of the campaign. Shortly after this shot, I shook her hand.

2008-08-31T09:40:00.001-07:00

Kindergarten-first day!

2008-08-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

Speech and Acceptance

2008-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

WELCOME, MRS. VICE PRESIDENT!

WhoooooooOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!

2008-08-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know what else to "say"!

I have yet to come off of cloud nine after the pick of Sarah Palin, Alaska's Governor!

I have been mum about the possibilities, in part because I saw many names being looked at and most of which I was happy with! On the top of my hope list was Sarah Palin.

We attended the Dayton, Ohio rally on VIP tickets today. I took members of my family- my father, my youngest sister and bro in law, their Pastor's wife, the National Youth Director as well as another local Pastor whose son was one of my best friends in high school and who of which is friends with my father.

I was in the second row off of the left of the stage and have great footage of John and Cindy McCain, and Sarah Palin. I am excited to say that I was able to shake Palin's hand.

So, who is Sarah Palin?
- a PROUD wife (stand back Hillary Clinton, this was the FIRST thing that Sarah stated, and in Hillary's speech at the DNC this week, she said she was proud of everything, EXCEPT being a wife...hmmmm I guess that's the liberal "women empowerment" in action for you.)
-a mother of 5 children, the oldest son of which is heading for Iraq as a member of the Army Brigade)
- She is a Social conservative and staunchly Pro Life. She walks the talk! In her 5th pregnancy, she found out by amniocentesis that her youngest, her baby would be born with Downs syndrome and they were given the choice of course to abort the pregnancy. Sarah Palin CHOSE life regardless of the news! Her baby was at the rally with her daughters today.

- she is fiscally responsible opposing rises in property taxes and pork barrel spending.

-She is a PROUD member of the NRA, and is a hunter herself!

-Sarah got her start by joining her children's PTA, becoming a city Mayor, then Governor now with 13 years experience in Government.

-she is seen as compassionate, yet stands strong and doesn't let others stop her on what she knows to be right, standing up to big Government and Big Business and putting THEM in their place.

Sarah can wear the pants, BUT she still wears the skirts and I LOVE and value that in a leader! (BIG smile)

-her parents worked in an elementary school, and had to hold off a caribou hunt to hear Sarah's big announcement this morning. :) Now, I think that is awesome!

There is so much genius to this choice that I think I will leave it for another day. It should be obvious.

Let the democrats TRY to point out the 44 year old's age and inexperience ;) Making that attempt on McCain's VP choice can only bring back the topic of the Democrat's PRESIDENTIAL choice's youth (only a couple years older than Palin) and inexperience (has never run a Government). In fact Sarah has been Governor, running a state which is more than Obama has ever run on his own.

For right now, I am proud... proud as a fellow conservative mom, as a woman, proud as a woman who stands for what she believes. Proud in a superficial way to see a young and beautiful woman make it and contend with men. Proud of her choices and convictions as a Values Voter!

(pictures to come later. My hard drive is full and we apparently need a new one :)

hmmm, it's "catchy"...

2008-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

A little partisan humor

2008-08-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

2008 Democrat National Convention

Schedule of Events

7:00 PM OPENING FLAG BURNING

7:15 PM PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE U.N.

7:20 PM Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

7:25 PM NONRELIGIOUS PRAYER AND WORSHIP - Jesse Jackson & Al Sharpton

7:45 PM CEREMONIAL TREE HUGGING - Darryl Hannah

7:55 PM Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

8:00 PM HOW I INVENTED THE INTERNET - Al Gore

8:15 PM GAY WEDDING PLANNING - Rosie O'Donnell

8:35 PM Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

8:40 PM OUR TROOPS ARE WAR CRIMINALS - John Kerry

9.00 PM MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SADDAM AND HIS SONS - Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon

10:00 PM ANSWERING MACHINE ETIQUETTE - Alec Baldwin

11:00 PM Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

11:05 PM COLLECTION FOR THE OSAMA BIN LADEN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FUND - Barbara Streisand

11:15 PM FREE THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS FROM GUANTANAMO BAY - Sean Penn

11:30 PM OVAL OFFICE AFFAIRS - William Jefferson Clinton

11:45 PM Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

11:50 PM HOW GEORGE BUSH BROUGHT DOWN THE WORLD TRADE TOWERS - Howard Dean

12:15 am TRUTH IN BROADCASTING AWARD - Presented to Dan Rather by Michael Moore

12:25 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

12:30 am SATELLITE ADDRESS - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

12:45 am NOMINATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA - Nancy Pelosi

1:00 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

1:05 am CORONATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

1:30 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

1:35 am Bill Clinton asks Ted Kennedy to drive Hilary home

In their own words...

2008-08-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

We have heard her speak at the DNC. Which Hillary will we believe? The one who stated the above, or the one we heard tonight?

Christian complacency=death of a Nation.

2008-08-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Are you an Evangelical Christian who has grown complacent given our choices for President?

I have heard this from several, and the reasons are wide ranged. Recently Kirk Cameron, Christian actor and host of the television show, WAY OF THE MASTER stated the following about the upcoming elections (AP):
"The hope for our country is not going to be who governs us as a nation; it's really not in the laws that govern us so much as it is in the power of God working in the hearts of people," Cameron explains in an interview with The Associated Press.
(my response: we need to fight for the best chance FOR God to work in the hearts of people. Many of the stances of Obama on moral issues will only serve to lead those that need Gods help astray and down a dangerous and heart wrenching path- such as further acceptance of the gay lifestyle as a legitimate choice in god's eyes, as well as the issue of the legitimacy of human life at ALL stages.)

...Cameron says he wishes he felt better about this year's presidential candidates. "I enjoyed watching Rick Warren's forum with Obama and McCain. You know, it's just one of those deals where you want the godliest man possible in there -- and frankly, I wish I felt better about both of the candidates this year," he adds.

OH boy, Kirk I agree with you..well...mostly. And I think you echo the sentiments of many. I understand where they are, but we as a people of faith MUST muster the strength to get in the fight NOW, and not in one or two months when our momentum is lost or at best, weakened.

Let's face it. There was a reason I was not for McCain in the first place. I chose Mike Huckabee because he has never wavered on the moral issues that I feel strongly about, as does God. However it was the Evangelical Christians' complacency in the early days before the Primary that have left us with the "less of the two evils" decision to make (or sadly, not to make but not showing up for the count on election day).
BUT... is it worth getting involved for "the lesser of the two evils"? Can we be genuinely excited about a moderate Republican? My answer is this:

YES! Look... we have been given TWO choices:

Choice #1- is a Highly experienced Moderate republican who is solidly Pro life, solidly for parental rights to choose their child's education (meaning a Christian education for millions who want it, versus the new pagan form of public education sweeping the Nation's schoolrooms). He is solidly for support of Israel,as well as for Traditional Marriage. He has also shown UNQUESTIONABLE commitment to our country in his service to us already. UNQUESTIONABLE commitment to our country, I repeat! And THAT, folks excited me! This man is a survivor and understands form his experience in Congress how important PR skills are.

Choice #2- is a FAR left Liberal (as opposed to moderate). He is Likely the Farthest left liberal we have seen as Presidential possibility in the History of this Nation (which I believe is blinded to many by a counter prejudice based on color. Many simply do not see this for superficial reasons that are only skin deep.) Has no experience and doesn't show up to the important votes within the few years he has been in the Senate. Obama voted three times for live aborted babies to be left to die. he is SOLIDLY pro choice, SOLIDLY for gay rights, solidly for negotiating with our enemies and putting our country in jeopardy with his lack of experience. He hides his previous acknowledgement of Black Liberation Theology (Rev. Jeremiah Wright) which seeks to make the Black agenda MORE important than God's Agenda. His faith and honesty are in question for clear reasons.

There IS a clear choice for the Evangelical Believer who understands his commitment to God's laws!

And now, for an odd comparison form the writer:
Not understanding this, is rather like wanting toast for breakfast, but throwing a fit because the restaurant only serves toast without crust. Instead of taking the crustless toast, you settle for a bowl of spinach for breakfast. Yep. A Christian who claims that they prioritize by God's laws first, yet feels disconnected to McCain enough to stay home on election day, (OR worse, vote for Obama in the election) has failed his/her country, and God. It makes about as much sense as ordering spinach because the toast is without crust. This is what we saw in the primary and this is what we are seeing now.

We must shake off the complacency and get in the fight NOW before we lose it to the mania created by a false prospect of "Change". If we do not succeed, change we will likely indeed get, but not what we envisioned. We will further enable the murderous a devaluing of all life. We might endanger our children's future to possibly become so disengaged from God's laws in this country that we lose His Providential coverage as the Nation of which we began under our Christian Forefathers and God Centered Documents.

Folks, I am NOT involved in this election as a volunteer for McCain because I thought he was the best choice before the Primary, but I AM saying thattoday, this November he is indeed the best choice among the two candidates! I am NOT involved because I have time. In fact, tonight I give up family time that is rare with my husband's job in order to make phone calls to prospective voters, something I DREAD, but will do happily to help. I am NOT involved because I Love politics, but only because this is our country's system, and I LOVE MY COUNTRY. More than that, I LOVE my God and Savior Jesus Christ and will do what I can to uphold Hs moral laws which have secured favor for us for centuries now. Morality never fails us. Lack of which fails many. We MUST fight against those who push for "anything goes." It is why we are what we are. It is why you and I live in a house with food, children, and a job we can choose... GOD gave us this, and if He indeed exists, NOTHING should stand in our way in upholding what his words say. This combined with the freedom to choose Him ( or not!) IS what makes The united States of America great!

"The great pillars of all government and of social life...[are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend. " -Patrick Henry (Jan 8, 1799, in a letter to Archibald Blair, cited in "Patrick Henry" by Moses Coit Tyler, 1897)

"Render unto Caesar things due Caesar," was spoken by our Lord during a period when citizens had no right to direct the affairs of government, let alone choose their leaders. Yet Christ gave this commandment in reference to paying taxes. How much more would Christ demand this in a world where Christians have the opportunity to assure God's basic moral laws are codified into law! - CMH

C's birthday party!

2008-08-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

(Periodically, I will share posts from my personal blog meant for close friends and family only. Since there are a few people who cannot access my personal blog from work, I will post here for them :)

Six yrs. old!
Ghost skull stencil at the entrances of the "ship"

Mommy's pirate flag! Argghh!!!
Opening presents in the pirate skull shirt C. made for his party.

One of mommy and daddy's presents that mommy made him: a "pirate ducky" pillow for C., and one for C's favorite stuffed friends, along with a zip up sleeping bag and blankie for kitty :)
When I went in to check on him that night, he had placed his stuffed birdy in the sleeping bag on the floor. it's just something he likes to do...set up a slumber part for his little friends :) Now they have a place to stay of their own and he won't have to give up his own pillow.

Allena liked Sophie. She'll be a "friend" lover like Aunt Penny too!

Treasure hunt! Find the clues!

The pirate ship cake that I made!
C's 6 yr.s old birthday party was a hit! The theme was based on Pirates! We had over 35 people at the house.

Guests included:
MANY Cousins...eleven in all!
Great Grandma and Grandpa T.
Uncle Matt and Aunt Heidi, Uncle Scott and Aunt Penny, Aunt Robin (Uncle Billy was working), Uncle Warren and Aunt Tina, Uncle Dustin and Aunt Mindy and the quad squad, Aunt Joanna, Uncle Wes.
(Uncle Tim left for Seattle,Wa. last weekend)
C.'s best friend from church and preschool and his sister who played with A.
Grandma and Grandpa H.

Highlights of the party:
The treasure hunt game leading to pirate booty on the beach (OK...it's a sandbox)
The

Daddy's hamburgers and hot dogs off the grill! YUMMMMMMMyyy! We had salads, chips, and daddy's special hot artichoke spinach dip and pumpernickel. Having Tom's equal help is PRICELESS. It allows me to clean the house, do the cake and prepare for the party.

Presents! C. was happy to get lots of cool stuff- a nerf gun with special "night mission lighting", a Pirates of the Caribbean video game were among his favorites.
The Pirate cake was a hit! Thank you guys!

There were many special touches for this party that I worked on through band camp week:
1) a 2007-2008 slide show and video presentation of C. at age 5. this was fun to do! Kind of like scrapbooking on tv. I plan to do one each year for each child!

2) C. and A. made t-shirts last week. C. made a shirt for his party, which he is wearing in the above picture. He is very proud of that shirt :)

3) I made a pirate skull flag by cutting a skull stencil and spraying it on the flag. Total cost was 2.50! I also used that stencil to spray skull and crossbones on the grass around the "pirate ship" which was the play set! There wasa sandbox where the treasure was buried , a flag, steering wheel for the ship (already there) and a parrot sitting on the top :)

4) a couple of the uncles dressed as pirates! Thanks guys! You are great sports and we Love you all!

5) Pirate soundtrack that mommy and daddy worked on together.

I had a great time planning this one, and though it seemed to take less organizing, all in all it was 15 hours, not including shopping, and not including the 3.5 hours on the dvd or work on the t-shirt from last week... two days of preparation and Tom was putting in that same amount of time as well. Part of that reason for so much time spent is that when I have folks coming over, I tend to even clean the closets, and every floor, every room, the outdoors is attended too beyond normal and we have A LOT out there. Someone asked why so much time... Having a cleaner house after is my personal reward and yes, I believe I deserve that. ;)

Still, though we were whipped we wouldn't change it. I do hope young parents learn something as I have. Our children are only that age once and we can't get it back. The memories they will have and us as well were worth every extra we put into it. They, like I did, can and will look back and see all that went into the love shown them. It may not be seen now, but when they are parents it will. I know, and you do too. I don't want my children stating that they didn't feel we had time for them. So many kids live that way and grow up still feeling that way as adults. I believe that not having time, is like not having love, because I believe that Time (and sacrifice) is love. When we love someone it is best exhibited in sacrifice.

Not only that, we all cheat ourselves out of that joy too sometimes. I gave up a lot to be a mom who could be fulltime. I deserve to have these memories as well.

McCain Rally in Dayton, Ohio

2008-08-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of the largest, if not THE largest McCain Rally set for Ohio will be held on Friday August 29th at 11:00 am. News sources (and the inside) are reporting that it is a likely chance that John McCain will pick his VP candidate and announce that at this particular rally of about 20,000 people!

I am in position to get free tickets for those who are interested in attending this rally. You would need to be there by 9:00 am to allow time to go through any security checks and to get seated.

If you would like to secure tickets for this event, please write me and let me know how many tickets needed, and your name and address by Friday of this week!

You do NOT want to miss this rally!

There may even be a chance to secure VIP tickets! Ask me how!

Happy birthday, sweet boy!

2008-08-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Preschool Graduation-age 5
Discovering Mammoth Cave!
My 1st Presidential Campaign with mommy!
My 5th birthday- Knights and Castles!
2 yrs. old
My Good Buddies!
Conquering NYC!
I like touching Lamb's ear:)

Learning about Gardens at Mount Vernon with my mommy.
Cherry Blossoms in DC.

NOT what it looks like!

Now that's mommy's boy!
My Crazy Uncle Matt and me at Aunt Robin's wedding.

My birth Announcement

Happy 6th birthday, C.! You have brought us immense joy with your kindness, your smile and sweet spirit. I have enjoyed every moment with you and am excited to see you start this new chapter of your life-school! You make us very happy.
"Lifetime" achievements:
-losing a first tooth
-learning to swing and ride a bike
-mastering the Gameboy and beating HS students at it.
-Passing the Book I (Faber and Faber) in Piano Reading and being a masterful sight reader on piano.
-Completing more than half of Suzuki Book I.
_Performing "Cuckoo" in front of 200 people.
-Graduating Preschool
-planting a first garden.

Travels:
seeing New York city
Philadelphia, PA.
Tennessee
Kentucky (Lincoln Memorial sites, and Mammoth Cave Nat'l Park)
West Va.
Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
Indiana (Indianapolis Children's museum, )
Cleveland Botanical Gardens
Washington DC (Mount Vernon, Smithsonian Museums (Natural History and Aerospace and Memorials)
Akron Zoo, Cincinnati and Columbus Zoos.
Stan Hywet Hall
Dayton and Cincinatti Gardens
Many Historic Homes and Gardens
Pittsburgh (Carnegie Museums)

Parks:
King's Island
Cedar Point
Sesame Place
Hershey Park, Pa.
Disney World (Aniaml Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM)
Universal Studios , Fla.

2008-08-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

(edited for effectiveness)

(of blacks, immigrants and poor people )... human weeds,' 'reckless breeders,' 'spawning ... human beings who never should have been born.'
-- Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood founder, referring to immigrants and poor people.
Wow. I have spent some of my early morning researching Margaret Sanger's own words.
It affirms that she is indeed a female Adolph Hitler and formed PP as part of her plan of racial cleansing.
I just had to regroup this post, because the more I thought about it, the more shocking it is to me that Barack is touted as a black candidate and here he is in this video standing with one of his chief supporting groups, Planned Parenthood, founded by a women who wanted to clease out the black race.
My brother is studying law and has done some research on the origins of planned parenthood.
Someone asked me if my quote earlier on planned parenthood being originated as a Black genocide unit was real, or was I going mental. I assure you, This is not a joke. This is all too real:

A country that NEVER ceases to amaze

2008-08-13T22:43:00.001-07:00

And here you have it!!!!
I just read a wonderful favorite book of mine by Lynn Cheney, called "A is for Abigail" to my 8 year old daughter- a wonderful book that highlights famous women through America's history. After telling her about the women who ...ahem...ran the country, here is another story of one of my favorite minor women of all time, Julia Child. As you know, Julia Child changed the course of French cuisine and the culinary arts in general with her books and the TV show I would sit and watch as a child.
And now, After all these years, it turns out she had another trick in her bag! Great women are never really a "one trick pony". Wow! NONE of them were and we have so much to be proud of.
Would the actors, chefs, and famed have the capability and talent to do this today?
I won't answer my opinion on that :(

Documents: Julia Child part of WWII-era spy ring (AP)

WASHINGTON – Famed chef Julia Child shared a secret with Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg and Chicago White Sox catcher Moe Berg at a time when the Nazis threatened the world.

They served in an international spy ring managed by the Office of Strategic Services, an early version of the CIA created in World War II by President Franklin Roosevelt.

The full secret comes out Thursday, all of the names and previously classified files identifying nearly 24,000 spies who formed the first centralized intelligence effort by the United States. The National Archives, which this week released a list of the names found in the records, will make available for the first time all 750,000 pages identifying the vast spy network of military and civilian operatives.

They were soldiers, actors, historians, lawyers, athletes, professors, reporters. But for several years during World War II, they were known simply as the OSS. They studied military plans, created propaganda, infiltrated enemy ranks and stirred resistance among foreign troops.

Some of those on the list have been identified previously as having worked for the OSS, but their personnel records never have been available before. Those records would show why they were hired, jobs they were assigned to and perhaps even missions they pursued while working for the agency.

Among the more than 35,000 OSS personnel files are applications, commendations and handwritten notes identifying young recruits who, like Child, Goldberg and Berg, earned greater acclaim in other fields — Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a historian and special assistant to President Kennedy; Sterling Hayden, a film and television actor whose work included a role in "The Godfather"; and Thomas Braden, an author whose "Eight Is Enough" book inspired the 1970s television series.

Other notables identified in the files include John Hemingway, son of author Ernest Hemingway; Quentin and Kermit Roosevelt, sons of President Theodore Roosevelt, and Miles Copeland, father of Stewart Copeland, drummer for the band The Police.

The release of the OSS personnel files uncloaks one of the last secrets from the short-lived wartime intelligence agency, which for the most part later was folded into the CIA after President Truman disbanded it in 1945.

"I think it's terrific," said Elizabeth McIntosh, 93, a former OSS agent now living in Woodbridge, Va. "They've finally, after all these years, they've gotten the names out. All of these people had been told never to mention they were with the OSS."

The CIA had resisted releasing OSS records for decades. But former CIA Director William Casey, himself an OSS veteran, cleared the way for transfer of millions of OSS documents to the National Archives when he took over the agency in 1981. The personnel files are the latest to be made public.

Information about OSS involvement was so guarded that relatives often couldn't confirm a family member's work with the group.

Walter Mess, who handled covert OSS operations in Poland and North Africa, said he kept quiet for more than 50 years, only recently telling his wife of 62 years about his OSS activity.

"I was told to keep my mouth shut," said Mess, now 93 and living in Falls Church, Va.

The files will offer new information even for those most familiar with the agency. Charles Pinck, president of the OSS Society created by former OSS agents and their relatives, said the nearly 24,000 employees included in the archives far exceeds previous estimates of 13,000.

The newly released documents will clarify these and other issues, said William Cunliffe, an archivist who has worked extensively with the OSS records at the National Archives.

"We're saying the OSS was a lot bigger than they were saying," Cunliffe said.

"Mommy, your fingers do that too".

2008-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

I know this seems random to place in my blog. The truth is that this little movie sums up some of my feelings and experiences that I have made several attempts to place here and somehow I never have the courage to voice.

There is one person (other than Tom) who I think would understand what I mean by using this movie clip to represent, and he has been passed on for two years now this summer. I just want to say thank you for being the one to believe and encourage me. I am what you said I was. My circumstances, my opportunities aren't and haven't been what either of us thought they were.
I know he understands somewhere why and believes in me but if standing up for myself or my husband means stepping on someone else in the process (no matter how much they may seemingly deserve it), neither of us can do it and thus, my dreams wait.
I hope you know what you did for me, Sir, when I needed it most. I'll never forget that.
But, what I am conducting now is playtime, magic and the fantasies of my own children.
Thank you for taking that time to care.

"Mommy, that lady does the thing with her fingers that you always do."

The most unselfish thing I could have done was done when I chose to stay home. But what others do not know is that it is almost as rare now as my ability to transpose for any instrument on sight, or play any melody off the top of my head for the first time flawlessly. Moving here was the second most selfless thing I could have done.
This community will never know or understand what the reality is, and though I have tried, I cannot tell them.
I don't know how many more times I can continue to forgive the thankless, then laying flowers at their feet. I am so tired of smiling today. Pray for my husband this week. He is feeling the same.

The way it is!

2008-08-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Environment as the liberal's supposed "god"

2008-08-06T03:54:00.000-07:00

-Read in jest, please. For this is how I have meant it this morning :)

OK, I have had enough!
This whole business of the environment as being the "platform that sets them aside from Conservatives"...if you can't see through this hoax, something is wrong with you and you might actually deserve to melt with the ice in the North Pole!

I watched an episode on pollution with my children yesterday. The liberals have unfortunately hijacked an ever kind and loving family- The Berenstein Bears. A "bear" Professor was busy teaching the kids that chopping down a tree was close to evil and convinces the poor children to form an "earth savers club".
Isn't it like a liberal to twist and put reality off balance? God gave us the resource of trees to provide humans basic necessities of warmth, and shelter. the liberals want to play God by saying that now taking down trees for building a chair is an earthly sin! (shame on that evil Father Berenstein, but at least he was seeing the light at the end of the episode!)

Note to my children: THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN USING TREES TO BUILD NECESSITIES SUCH AS FURNITURE AND EVERY LIBERAL ACTUALLY OWNS WOOD USAGES IN THEIR HOME WHILE THEY BLAME THE DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS ON GEORGE BUSH AND HIS CLAN OF TREE KILLING CONS!
Back on track...
THEN, to make matters worse, Mother Berenstein Bear actually showed the kids how to chop up egg shells to do something I actually do ALL the time, and that is, to use the egg shells as an organic nutrient for my herbs and roses. I thought, OK, they will talk about how using natural items such as egg shells, coffee grounds, corn water (left after boiling corn) will protect insects better than using Miracle grow! Awesome!
But, no, it was NOT to be! For the libbos got it wrong, again! They ACTUALLY told kids that the reason to put egg shells into the herb pots was to "keep the egg shells from ADDING to the trash mountain they saw with the Professor"!!!!

WHAT?! Egg shells break down and do NOT add to trash mountain, but in all likelyhood actually help other things break down more easily that can! See hw easily we can be brainwashed into believing something not true?!

Ann Coulter actually spoke the truth in her book Godless, when she said:
"As a matter of faith, liberals believe: Darwinism is a fact, people are born gay, child-molesters can be rehabilitated, recycling is a virtue, and chastity is not."

And to point to this Ann Coulter "non revelation", we have the ever lasting and tiresome example of Al Gore, who despite all of his "virtues" of saving the environment and blaming the ill effects of which on THE President Bush (who "stole" the election to boot), actually lives in a home that is FAR more "harmful" to the environment than President Bush's ranch home in Texas which is groundbreaking in its "green" qualities!
(see here for facts: http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/house.asp)

Yes, folks, I too have been accused of not caring for the environment as much because I did not recycle my cans!
Those who turn their noses up in "recycling" pride, fail to recognize the steps I do take that they ignore. I do these following things simply because it is smart and efficient living:
Here are the facts:
* I have planted up to 60 trees in my yard in a timespan of less than FOUR years(don't believe me? I have them cataloged and can name them and give you a yard tour sometime) They say two mature trees provide enough oxygen for a family of four. That means I have provided enough oxygen for future air for 30 families, whether they are liberal or not! NOW who's compassionate?! ha ha!
1) We have a 20 x 10 foot compost pile where all meatless scraps are tilled in regularly, as well as all leaves from our yard, grass clippings... The liberals I know could not deal with having an unsighlty compost pile. That compost replenishes our garden and yard soils throughout the growing season.
2) we do NOT spray our lawns and allow the "unsightly" clover and weeds to flower in the grass, much in order to save the bees. Bees of which are VERY happy that I as well do not regularly spray my plants with insecticides and chemicals. As well, we plan to learn bee keeping in March. Any time a libbo asks about what YOU do to save the environment, ask them if they spray their lawn!
3) We own not one now, but THREE rain barrels, to help us conserve water! THIS IS EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE IN THAT WE OWN OUR OWN WELL!!!!
As well, my entire life, I have lived conserving water, taking shallow baths, short showers, keeping the kid pools full until absolutely necessary to dump. OH WAIT! I DON"T dump my water, I bail it out in a three hour process and water my plants with it! Don't believe me? Ask the neighbors.
When I wash dishes, I annoy everyone in the house by flipping the water quickly on and off ONLY when necessary.
4) I grow and labor in many gardens of which feed birds and insects, and my children organically. I do this NOT to save the world, but because it is smart and money conscious, and fulfilling!
5) and wait! I know for a fact that I cook from scratch and use FAR less disposable goods than any liberal I know.
6) my house was outfitted with 5 yr. efficiency bulbs, until I saw this:

Yes, I was fooled by these light bulbs and libs passing them off. But NOT to save the environment! I was trying to be energy efficient and it turns out that I was putting the environment (and my family) in more harm.

This "green" thing is a facade to make libbos feel good about themselves. Few are real. It's just another show of some of their (cough cough) "integrity", or lack thereof.

New Campaign Position

2008-08-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

I was asked to be a Regional Chair for Values Voters in Ohio on behalf of the McCain Presidential Campaign. There will be about 5 of these positions in the state and my job will be organizing and keeping track of county Captains who will be the "eyes and ears" of each county, planning and finding events perhaps for McCain to actually attend. Of course, the objective is to turn out the values vote for Senator McCain.

Now, many of you know how strongly I felt about Mike Huckabee. He has as well put his efforts behind Senator McCain, and asked that we do as well.
Some of you may say to yourself, how can this move be justified? I can assure you, that if you believe in maintaining Godly Values in America, then the ONLY choice for you right now, is John McCain.

Our biggest struggle will be turning out the Christian voting block for a moderate candidate who is obviously not as strong on the values front as we would like. I am part of the hefty task it will be in a key state to motivate church members in all denominations, which is VERY tough right now giving the particular players of the game.

That being said, McCain is:
1) unquestionably Pro-life, supporting the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
2) Opposes Gay Pride- Refuses to support Gay Pride celebrations (although he does not support the Marriage amendment). While I personally support a Marriage amendment, I ABSOLUTELY understand this particular opposing viewpoint and where it comes from. But, that is another post.
3) McCain supports school choice and vouchers. This is a STRONG reason why we need to support him giving the direction public education has aggresively sought. As well, McCain opposes curriculum that supports homosexuality. He recognizes that such curriculum steps on the value and belief system of parents trying to raise their children as true believers in the word of God and that this goes against the purpose of a fully public education system.
4) McCain does NOT support an immediate withdrawal in Iraq and from the beginning has been the strongest candidate (with the exception of Duncan Hunter who I admire strongly) on National Security. He is a man, despite his moderate stance, that is HIGHLY credible when it comes to his faith to country. His service to the country is unquestioned.
5) McCain also supports our fundamental right to bear arms as citizens.
6) He has taken tough stands against the big Government spending and coattail spending that has hurt this country.

TWO Senators are running for President. Only one has any clout, any experience to run a country. This is undeniable. That man is Senator John McCain.

I was contacted a few weeks ago by the Huckabee volunteer chair that we worked with to organize that campaign before the Primaries. I accepted the post and intend to pour myself into it, in order to secure a position for the better candidate.

The other possibility for Presidency would be an immense nightmere for our Nation especially at this time of war, diplomacy, and economic issues.
All things are in the hands and control of a loving, living God. Everything happens for a reason. That which God did not choose, He could (if allowed to) still mold, guide, and work with, IF we the people who have fully accepted His son as God's self, seek Him earnestly.
To that extent, I hereby announce that I am 100% behind my candidate after much deliberation and counsel. He is the man that we need to support. We must learn our lessons however, and rally QUICKLY behind him to gain campaign momentum for the days ahead. It might very well mean the election if we do not.

My only fear is that God's people will not meet the challenge when it is not easy. The Lord knows, we have many excuses and this is a test for our country.
God forbid it, we must!

Dems leave on vacation. GOP revolts- OneNewsNow

2008-08-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

I am hearing horror stories of why our gas prices will not be coming down and have done some research and reading on the topic. One thought is the speculation (with allbeit non arguable and credible facts behind it) that President Bush and Republicans of the like have tried frantically to approve off shore drilling, while democrats refuse to even consider the possibility while passing false information about what off shore drilling would "really mean" to the (cough cough) environment. I have stated before that President Bush has done MORE in the way of research for alternative fuels than any other in his position. Democrats will not want you to know that fact.
My belief is that Democrats believe that if they can keep YOU paying out the nose for gasoline at the tanks, then, in their opinion, you will BEG for a Democratic sweep in November.
My question: Are you as dumb as they are banking on?
Of course not. Uhhhh... I hope not?

Here's some news that you won't hear from the liberal media:

Dems leave on vacation, GOP revolts
Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 8/2/2008 5:00:00 AM
A group of House Republicans staged a revolt after Democrats passed a non-debatable adjournment resolution to shut down the chamber for a five-week vacation.

Even though lights, microphones and C-SPAN cameras were turned off, about 40 Republicans took to the House floor and railed against Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-California) refusal to hold a vote on legislation to allow offshore oil drilling. Their speeches were met with applause from tourists in the visitor's gallery.

One of the GOP protesters, Representative Thad McCotter (R-Michigan), says Republicans were "silenced in a Stalinist manner." "It's a representative government. Our constituents are outraged at the way the Democrats have run this Congress into the ground and done nothing on their behalf, and we were not going to have our people's voices silenced, and we're not going to let this issue go because it's not about Republican or Democrat, it's about American[s]," he argues. "Working Americans cannot afford to wait for gas price relief just because the Speaker wants them to."

He believes part of the reason Congress is so hated by the American people is because they "care more about politics than about working people." "That is why they went on a five-week paid vacation without doing their job," McCotter contends.

McCotter says he understands that Nancy Pelosi's commitment to environmental extremism would lead her to block a vote on increasing domestic energy production, but he does not understand why she would stop members from even talking about the issue on the House floor.

Momentary Absense from blogging

2008-07-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

just checking in!
I know it has been quite a long time since I have written anything of substance. I have been VERY busy in the gardening department, and we have been in and out, deep in projects of all sorts...

However, I hope to reveal what I will be officially doing for the McCain campaign in my State this upcoming week, so stay tuned.

Independence from tyranny- A Nation Celebrates!

2008-07-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

“It can not be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”~ Patrick Henry

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!” Patrick Henry

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”- George Washington

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”! Nathan Hale (American Revolution Officer who hanged attempting to spy on the British during the war)...Could YOU have sacrificed what Hale did? I ask myself this often. I believe so?...I believe so.
"Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”-Patrick Henry

Please...do not let the course of this day pass without reading this following document to your American children. Most Americans have never read the words in full that secured the liberty to live as we do. Happy Independence Day, America!
MAY GOD BLESS HER AND KEEP HER AS INTENDED FROM THE BEGINNING!

http://www.breedshill.org/LearningCenter.htm

"OUR" Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration

President of Congress: John Hancock

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

(Compliments of: Breeds Hill Institute PO Box 5491 Orange CA 92863-5491)

A picture of marriage

2008-06-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

We don't do a lot of candid shots, but here are some memories :)

Our first house.

11 years

2008-06-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

On June 21st, Tom and I celebrated our 11th year wedding anniversary. There was no trip planned since he was still in recovery after surgery on June 9th though he is almost feeling 100%. As well, I was dealing with the tail end of a sinus cold. We spent our anniversary the way we prefer to spend any "free time" (or time working for that matter)...together with the children, and it all seemed so fitting. We ate at our favorite restaurant, and spent time in our gardens relaxing wondering where 11 years went and thankful that marriage for us has been easy so far. "Happily ever after" does exist, and I found it :)
Highlights of our 11 years or more together:
-our engagement.
- Our wedding and honeymoon.
-the birth of our children.
-baby dedications.
-buying our first and second house.
-Bloom Carroll band's first Superior ratings and performances.
-Bloom Carroll's band camps that we ran together so successfully.
- watching him "dot the I" in Script Ohio.
- doing the "Mrs. Ohio" pageant together as a couple. Seeing the look on his face as I made the top 5.
-our 10 yr. anniversary trip.
-the London, England trip.
-Disney trips with the kids.
- Our first Midwest clinic trip.
-New Year's 2008 trip
- Presidential rallies we attended, meeting Mike Huckabee and his wife.
-seeing him after I completed my half marathons.
-our children's piano recitals and preschool graduations.
-our children's birthdays, first steps, first words.
-the family vacation to Niagara falls with my family and the weddings of all of my siblings.

When you love someone so immensely and they love you the same, there are not words to describe those deep feelings.
After 11 years, we are each other's absolute best friends.
They say opposites attract. Tom and I are like a pair of gloves. We are so much alike. We look at each other the same, chose the same field of study, have the same passion for teaching and teens, we listen to the exact same music with a preference for "minor waltzes" (hence the above youtube clip-amongst our favorites), Danny Elfman, Gustav Mahler. We both have an affinity for the outdoors, gardening, trees and flowers, pets, food and TV shows.
The only thing others would find much different is that I have learned to be outspoken on things I find important to the Nation and am passionate about, where as Tom has the same viewpoints but isn't as outspoken sometimes (but sometimes he is).

With the business of being a band director in this community, he makes a clear point that his family comes first.
If I could make a movie sample of our life together when no one is looking here is what I would hope others to see:
-That the way we are around others IS how we live. We don't have family secrets. Our house is a reflection of us inside and out.
-That is respect my husband as the head of my household, but he respects me as an equal. We put each other first.

-I would want them to see that my husband shares in the nighttime routine, reading to our children with me nightly, helping with toothbrushing. I would want them to witness the sweet nightly prayers said with the children.

- I would want them to watch as he cares for the tomato plants. Ha ha!
-I would want them to see that despite what others do to him or say, he finds a way to express everything without a sense of anger in his tone. If someone is being a perpetual idiot, he simply dismisses them as ridiculous and chooses to ignore them if need be. To my surprise, I have become the same way over the years. He is right.
When what you do is in complete honesty, there is no reason to defend yourself.

-Tom has an amazing leadership ability and strength. It can be described as "speak softly and carry a big stick", and it works very well and gets things accomplished.

-I would want them to see that after a hard day working with other's children on music, he comes home and sits down to practices piano with our daughter as her practice partner.

-Tom has encouraged and supported me in all endeavors and every decision made to get involved in anything- is made together as a unanimous decision, or it isn't done.
- He never fails to tell me he is proud of me and what I stand for. He never fails to compliment (which he knows I find embarrassing at times), brings me flowers, sometimes wants to make dinner (right now he has a starter for sourdough bread going and he made a roast chicken last night. Around here, dinner is done by whoever is available to make it. 95% of the time that is me of course, but when I make dinner, there is Tom at my side getting out dishes, washing lettuce, getting drinks...

-we finish each other's thoughts and I assist him like I can read his mind. This is what made Bloom Carroll band successful. The endeavor was entirely selfless for both of us. We just always know what each other needs and it translates to the workplace. To this day, working together was when we were the happiest in careers.
It works for us very well in all paths of life.

-I am as or more attracted to my husband today than I was yesterday. He still looks at me the same way he did when we first met.

-I would want them to know that when they wheeled him in from surgery into his hospital room, his eyes were tight shut as I entered the room doorway to see him for the first time after the surgery. Yet, somehow he knew even with tightly shut eyes and without me making a sound that I was standing in that door's thresh hold, and for a second he managed a half smile and lifted his hand a little as if to tell me he was OK and for me not to worry. A Day Afterwards, he says he doesn't remember that. I know that through all of that surgery as with the others, it was me he was worried about, never thinking of himself. And I know that he knew I was in the waiting room thinking only of him.

-before he leaves for work, he always leans over me, kisses my head if I am sleeping, says he loves me and tells me what time to expect him home.

-whenever something doesn't go right, or something interesting happens at school, I am the first he thinks of calling. He calls me at lunch just to say nothing too :)

And I love him very much. My eyes are only for him.

I get weary of shaking my head in agreement when the comment "Marriage is a challenge or is hard work". I don't think it has been tough at all in our case but I am in awe that God put us together.

I know it is best to keep my mouth shut when other moms joke about husbands who don't get things done, or go out for a drink with buddies, or don't know what a spatula is. It would be disrespectful to agree when that is not my husband at all.

So, here is to my husband, 11 amazing years, and many decades more. I love you is not enough of an expression.

A personal take on my husband's surgery

2008-06-12T09:44:00.001-07:00

Tom's surgery is done, he is home and feeling quite well. Every prayer initiative I requested was answered:
Look at this! Here are the specific requests we prayed for, and how they were answered-

1) We asked that:The surgery goes as well as possible and that God guides our surgeon's hand as well as the care Tom receives. (God's answer- The surgeon's hand was indeed guided by God in ways we did not expect just as we all prayed for!
- He even found a parathyroid and was able to save it...again! Not an easy task!
-- Another possibility was loss of use of upper arm. Tom has FULL arm raise function, which would have eventually come back.

2) We asked: Pray that the vocal nerve will not be damaged and that all cancer is removed (which on both accounts would be considered a medical miracle).(Get this...When Tom spoke to me for the first time, he was in FULL voice! At first the surgeon said when he got in there, he didn't see any hope of that, then it became apparent that he could save the nerve. In his words, He said it just popped forward and revealed itself. They were able to 100% save the vocal nerve which was a very unlikely possibility! As far as cancer removal, all that was seen was able to be removed.
He said that now it is just a wait to see what the outcome is.

3)We asked: Pray for fast and comfortable healing for Tom. If all goes well he could be home after one day, possibly two.
(3 hours post surgery he was feeling very little pain, said he felt good ( all things considered, not to exclude his natural positive demeanor)...and hungry! He ate the liquid diet, THEN they toted in a regular meal and he scarfed it down! He brought up three times just hours after surgery that the hospital meal was not the steak form Lone star he had as a "last supper" last night)we received more than asked for. Tom was indeed home in two days. As well there is NO drain! That was a surprise to Tom, me and all nurses who attended him alike. Somehow it was not necessary! He was very excited about this! Having no drain has been the biggest blessing to Tom personally. Having no drain has already sped up recovery.

Last night, Tom's first night home, he ate a full dinner, wanted to go on a drive with us, and even got out to string up tomatoes and walk a bit around the yard to see what was in bloom, string up our tomatoes... I am making sure he does not overdo it, but truthfully he takes great interest in taking good responsible care of his self as well.
4) We asked: Please pray for our children C age 5 and A, 8. They will be staying with Grandparents. Pray that our absence will be exciting and fun for them and not upsetting or worrisome in any way. (both children had a great time with Grandmas. They had some concerns about daddy but we have sat down with them and seeing daddy appear almost normal has helped of course.)

There is the utmost power in prayer. Prayer to an all knowing, all loving God who knows what it is like to see a most beloved one in pain and danger. God gave all to all of us. He Knew full well that so many would still reject Him, and God still sacrificed His son Jesus Christ, the ONLY fully innocent man to ever walk the earth. He knows our pain and has provided the ultimate everlasting "out" from pain through Him.

It is our hope that those who do not know Him, will see our story of the power of prayer as evidence of His love for those who are faithful and love Him.
"For God so loved the world that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life. " John 3:16

ON a personal level, there are more miracles to this story. Many of you know about my albeit minor health issues with asthma as of late. If the circumstances are right, it can cause lightheadedness, nausea due to shortness of air capacity combined with stressed, anxiety.
The morning of the surgery, of course I was anxious. As we sat in the pre-admitting room, the room was a bit stuffy and I started feeling lightheaded and nervous knowing the bad time. I couldn't let Tom see this right before surgery and THAT was making it feel worse. Scared a bit of what could happen and how it would make things harder on Tom, I began to pray and recite verses in my head repeatedly: "My help comes from the Lord", "He is my rock and my shield",
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will walk and not grow weary. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31), I was praying for Tom, praying for me to not pass out in front of him, praying praying... "The Lord is my strength", "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... Christ who strengthens me. Christ strengthens me... God, please help...

It was not but maybe a little while later while in the pre op room that the feeling of anxiety ceased when normally it would escalate. As it did, I began saying thank you, thank you in my head to God. Thanking Hims before hand for Tom's safety. That lessened feeling of anxiety and calm continued as I sat through the operation.
It never came back.
I did not have a need to use the emergency inhaler. I didn't have to while we were in the hospital for the next two days.
God also blessed me with other tiny blessings- close parking spaces, good traffic, clarity in communication to others (which for me can tend to be somewhat of an issue if I am nervous.)

I just wanted to express publicly my thanks to God for that personal blessing because it helped me not to add to the difficulty of the situation for Tom and I was able to be strong for him.

In all my life, God has been there and we feel favored. He can do that for all of us, but we must commit to Him and choose to love Him and not deny Him, His laws.

As I drove home to check on things after the surgery, I felt a strong presence of God in my car with me as I sang worship praises and gave up words of thanks. He was there, and with Tom, and with my children. Some one in the family asked if I was bothered to sit alone while through the surgery. That is what I chose. And it would be foolish to think that I was alone. In fact I was less alone than probably anyone could be. God was there. Being without interruption allowed me to speak and feel closer to Him. I also was able to get 100 pages read in my new book, "Rhett Butler's people" (if you like Gone with the wind, this approved M. Mitchell foundation sequel rocks so far.) I even watched a gardening dvd and learned what a clome is, and some new garden techniques. I don't get to do these things except late at night having kids so it was a great diversion. My leisure time is usually on this blog)

We've all got to remember that everything isn't always as it seems. We are never alone if we hold a personal relationship with the Lord.

We give all glory and credit to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
ALL prayers were answered, but it is important to us to note that even if the prospect did not come out the way we had hoped, if Tom had died, if the cancer was worse than seemed, if the nerve was cut... we know deeply that whatever the outcome it would have been for our good EVEN IF it was hard to see through human eyes. I believe that no matter the outcome of our prayers, He loves us and is working for the good of those who love Him, as the scriptures tell us! We both felt His presence strongly through out the day.
For some reason this time, He blessed us in our agreement abundantly and entirely.
I can't explain how that feels but it beats winning the Super Bowl or the best band competition with the most uninspired underdog there!

When you know that our time on earth is so short compared to eternity in heaven (or hell..our choice), it puts things into perspective. The worst tragedy can in reality actually be a beautiful journey to the best ending for the believer in Christ Jesus.
When you truly know and believe that, what is there to fear? When we truly know that, life is completely and utterly beautiful no matter what happens on earth. People cannot take it away. Your joy is yours to share, keep, it is eternal. Eternal.
It is my wish that all who I know and beyond will come to this understanding. There is peace in this knowledge.

We are INCREDIBLY grateful to all who have lifted us up in prayer. Thank you! Please continue to pray for his recovery if you would.

Prayer request- Tom's surgery

2008-06-08T11:10:00.001-07:00

Very Early This week, as I mentioned here several months ago, my husband Tom will be undergoing surgery very soon in order to remove cancer in the left side of his neck.

We would greatly appreciate all prayers from any church, friend, family member...

Please pray for the following if you would:

1) Pray for safety for tom during the surgery. That the surgeons will be able to get in and clean out the cancer. Please pray for a swift and low pain recovery.

2) Please pray for God to guide the hands of the surgeon and direct his paths, as well as all caretakers during our time in the hospital.

3) Please pray specifically that Tom's vocal nerve in which the cancer is wrapped around can be saved. Not being able to save it will cause his voice to be raspy and soft but we were told that this was a likely outcome and to expect it. However God can do anything and we believe in miracles because we have witnessed several over our lifetime.

4) Pray for our children who will be staying with Grandparents for the duration at our house. Pray that they do not worry, but see this as an exciting and memorable time with Grandparents.

------ -------- ------- ------- ------- --------- -----

If all goes well the time in the hospital should only be a night. We GREATLY appreciate ALL prayers on our behalf, knowing full well that with God all things are possible and that your prayers solicit His help directly. He is our Rock and our shield and where every ounce of our help comes from. He is what we invest our hopes, dreams, our life in, and it is great to know that so many care and love us enough to send up word to God to care for us.

All that is good, all that is worthy, all we are we owe to Him. He gets the credit and we lay all concerns, anxiety and fears down at His feet. He turns those concerns into something most beautiful and peaceful each and every time. We are so very blessed, so thankful and want everyone we meet to know this.

Premonition from among the democrat's brightest?

2008-06-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

...OR should I say FORMER democrat following. Out of her mouth (is she drunk you may ask? No. She's as sane as they come! And she says, "McCain will be our next President" ;)

I was listening into a conference in Fla. when the democratic rules were thrown out and Barack actually achieved delegates in a State he didn't run in! Boy, you can hardly blame the Hilary supporters for being ticked. In the background several were chanting "John McCain, John McCain...!"

Enter dream sequence...
And then in the distance, a robotic voice from the democratic party was heard chanting in a monotone utterance..."Only days until self destruct. (echo rings) only days until self destruct (echo rings)..."

NEA downs McCain on Teacher Merit pay idea.

2008-05-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

No kidding?
Email solicit from Ohio Education Association- May 29th, 2008

EDUCATORS WANT TO KNOW: Will our next president support teacher pay based on students' performance on standardized tests?

We hope not, but Senator John McCain recently said of teachers: "We should reward the best of them with merit pay."

NEA knows that basing teacher pay on student test scores is the wrong way to compensate educators. (and they know this how? So far they haven't tried anything new with positive results.) Teachers deserve rewards for taking on additional responsibilities (that would be supplemental pay, but maybe the school cooks can also bake cookies and serve kool-aid to them as well?), for working at high-needs schools (agreed) and for additional skills and training, especially work toward National Board Certification (pushes towards extra certification rarely prove whether a teacher is outstanding or not).

In the May issue of NEA Today, we have a comprehensive 2008 Presidential Candidate Comparison with a range of issues that affect you as an educator. We invite you to review the facts to see where the candidates really stand.

NEA encourages all members to take part in helping to elect a pro-public education president.

Teachers and school employees work hard every day to help students learn and succeed. (most do, but NEA protects even the ones that do not without batting an eye)) Together, we really can make public schools great for every student.

Visit www.nea.org/educationvotes for more information, or consult your Ohio Education Association website, www.ohea.org.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I receive these emails because I was once a member of OEA. Eight years ago I stopped teaching in the classroom, and left a teaching job that I loved to become a full time mother. When calculating my average hours in weekly teaching out, we realized that I EASILY put in 15 hours a day when averaged out over the year. I knew that could not do that AND be an awesome full time mom as well. While teaching I successfully added many opportunities for students on my own time without supplement(and without demanding or expecting anything). I left simply to fulfill the best position I have ever been graced. I embrace my role primary caretaker and educator to my own children.
And,
I support merit pay. My husband who is a teacher supports merit pay. What's to fear when you are good at what you do and are in the right school for your talent and ability? Is merit pay as a general rule going to work? No. It simply cannot work as a blanket statement. There would have to be a way to effectively make it work in inner city and "hard to teach" areas for example. I do however strongly believe that the right teacher in the tough classroom in hard to teach areas CAN and would be able to get results. I believe that teaching in such areas is not a common talent and too many THINK they have that talent. As well too many that shouldn't be there are there and not achieving the best results under the excuse and blaming of the teaching and community environments. We need to train up teachers who will love the challenge of teaching in the inner city and have a passion for it. There are too few and hence, in many cases the wrong people are there running the schools with negative results.

What you see here in the above email is a heavy organization bashing John McCain because he wants to try something new to improve the education system instead of doing what NEA does- continuing to support what is broken. Currently the United States ranks 18 out of 24 in "terms of relative effectivness of the education system". (taken from the 2003 study conducted by UNICEF)

AND currently several of the countries ranking above the US in effectiveness DO have some system of merit pay.

Bottomline:
The best teachers teaching where they are meant to teach should not fear merit pay.
As well, there are THOUSANDS of ways to do a merit pay system! How close minded is the education association to rule it out completely! But the point they are really making is that they must refuse the idea because inevitably it would mean that the bottom of the barrel bad teachers would be effected, and after all they are paying NEA union members.

So, if you really want to see the US do better in education vote in someone like John McCain and leave the rest. The other guys on the left do not (and have no intention) to take on their largest supporting union...the NEA.

NOW, how about merit pay for music programs, the arts and Physical education???? WE ARE ALL FOR THAT! We believe Most are failing to teach the basics and get away with it because there are little to no expectations of these classes (deemed as unimportant anyway in many schools). It should be no surprise that the schools that take music and arts seriously seem to have higher test scores. It should be no surprise that the most academically successful students in schools are more often than not, involved in music programs. Studies clearly indicate the value of music in education as a boost to the overall academic outcome.

Merit pay would be great. Out of all the orchestras in the area we live in, my husband is the only one (out of hundreds) that chooses to prepare them and attend Junior High contest. After all it IS the teacher's choice to go or not, and they get paid no more or less to go and it is not in their contract. So, if you aren't sure how you are doing as a teacher and can choose whether you want evaluated or not and it doesn't mater to anyone in the administration anyhow, then why go and reveal how well (or not) you teach in a public performance and evaluation?

Attending a music education association contest as a director (teacher) is basically putting yourself and your ensemble in front of THREE (or four) highly trained and experienced professionals so that they can read the score and record on tape and paper what you do right, what you do wrong, and then rate your performance. Like it or not, it is an indication of what is taught and how well it is taught in the classroom.

Enter the realm of excuses as to why a director says they cannot go to contests. This sounds similar to excuse that inner city schools sometimes use when questioned about success. Out of our own personal experiences, we know that ANY talented and hard working director can create a group within in a few years if they can drum up support in order to be successful.
My husband in his first two years of teaching at a small school achieved the first superior ratings in the school history in at least 25 years! There is no doubt that the dozen or so teachers in his position before him thought this would not be possible.

What if ALL classroom teachers were required to undergo such standards? Aren't standardized tests similar? In some ways, yes. When they find another way to evaluate how well information is taught and perceived other than testing, maybe then NEA will have grounds to stand on in their complaints of the system.

News from the UK: No dads needed??

2008-05-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3972376.ece

Quote from article:

"Single women and lesbian couples won landmark parental rights last night as MPs voted to remove the requirement that fertility clinics consider a child’s need for a father.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will replace the rule with a “need for supportive parenting” after opponents were defeated in two votes by unexpectedly wide margins.

The Government had been prepared for defeat but won the free votes by majorities of 75 and 68. The decisions mean that the legislation will grant the most significant extension to homosexual family rights since gay adoption was sanctioned. "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are a liberal, you likely do not think that this matters to you, and very well, you would believe it would not matter to Americans and our country alike. However, the chain reaction of decisions in other free worlds comparable to ours, WILL eventually become the decision in our complacent society if we are not careful in who we elect to the US Judicial system, State and local branches alike. THIS IS WHY THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS KEY. MANY OF THE LAWS SET IN PLACE ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE HANDS OF THE US PRESIDENT BUT RATHER IN CONGRESS'S HANDS. HOWEVER, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT (IN THE HANDS OF THE PRESIDENT) CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE ALMOST AS MUCH IN THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION AS THE PRESIDENT HIS SELF.
SUPPORTING HILLARY OR OBAMA WOULD INDEFINITELY MEAN THAT WE WOULD INHERIT JUDICIAL NOMINEES WHO WOULD MAKE SIMILAR DECISIONS TO THAT OF THE UK THIS WEEK.

The largest failure in our society is inactive parenting (in this UK case the choice is voided and not even offered for the fathers) and God NEVER intended for children to be parented by one parent or the other. Inactive and absent parenting has HUGE consequences that in all cases will eventually lead to serious emotional issues and struggles for all involved, but ESPECIALLY the children.

I compare this to any case where a family is absent of one parent of the other in the home. Most of the time, people didn't CHOOSE to parent alone, so I find this as a CHOICE incredible. If more people were more honest about the difficulty of parenting alone, then I wouldn't imagine someone being so ignorant as to actually CHOOSE to do so.

The trouble is that in the single parenting cases we have noticed, the parties involved tend to eventually become desensitized to the absence and fail to do what they can to supplement the missing pieces, be it a mother or a father. It becomes "just another way" to parent, but is rarely admitted how excruciating, how difficult and at times how impossible single parenting can be. Remarriage, new relationships in the mix will never completely make up for that loss of the nuclear family structure. Children NEED a father AND a mother. Nothing can make up for the absence but at least best attempts need to be continued throughout their lives. Those single parented kids need to be surrounded by many examples of nuclear families to attempt to reverse the likelyhood of the same for them someday.

I stand by the following statement- the toughest job in America is that of the single mom. The single mom has no choice but to try to wear too many hats- breadwinner (often holding more than one job), the father, the mother... NO ONE can do more than one full time job at a time no matter how often this liberal society tries to tell us otherwise. The job of Parenting was never meant to be done alone, and I do not believe it can be done alone successfully.
Evidence through statistics:

The Heritage Foundation sites the following:
-The poverty rate for all children in married-couple families is 8.2 percent. By contrast, the poverty rate for all children in single-parent families is four times higher at 35.2 percent.3
-The number of single-parent families has grown considerably since the onset of the War on Poverty. In 1960, less than 12 percent of children lived in single-parent families. By 2000, that figure had more than doubled, rising to 27.6 percent. (http://www.heritage.org/research/Family/CDA02-04.cfm)

The poverty level is flooded primarily by single parent homes and the children suffer in ways no one will ever be able to concretely put a finger on.

Add to that the emotional turmoil and far stretching effect on the children from "Divorce magazine":
"Fatherless homes account for 63% of youth suicides, 90% of homeless/runaway children, 85% of children with behavior problems, 71% of high school dropouts, 85% of youths in prison, well over 50% of teen mothers."
( http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:5GuXKYYnjvsJ:www.divorcemag.com/statistics/statsus.shtml+divorce+rate+among+divorce+children&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us )
Well, that should say it all.

Other stats show that children who are products of divorce are many times more likely to have a broken marriage in their future.

You would think that we would be smarter and weigh the consequences OR at least take the matter of matrimony (and premarital sex for that matter) a bit more seriously, after reading that.

What to do about it is a whole matter I am not privy to touch, but prevention is the key to solve most societal ills. And most all societal ills start in the dysfunctional or broken home.

Even if children seem to make it out OK, What we see in a child's future successes will never tell what emotional destruction happens in one's heart and to their emotional intelligence and future relationships. That is, unless God steps into the picture to fill that void. I have known several who sought God, found Him and turned around the generational curse of a single family home for themselves and their children.
Statistically the chances of a child who is the victim of divorce has a three fold likely hood of also being divorced someday. These children often deal with emotional issues due to parents who try to make up for losses in the wrong way by spoiling them with stuff, wants, etc. all the while avoiding what the child really needs- appropriate attention from TWO parents who of which that child feels belongs to them and loves them unconditionally and living in the same household.

I know that life throws curve balls and life is VERY imperfect. Things happen. But my point is, that as teachers these issues are constants we have seen in almost every case where a child is not living for what ever reason with two people- mom and dad- who care for them and partner actively tp care for the child.

The truth is that when a teen graduates from high school, the ones with the top grades and bright future had two parents in the home who were active in their lives ALMOST exclusively. There are always exceptions, but when the exceptions have occured it seems that the background, divorce, breakup, etc. was NOT forgotten and ignored. That the single parent worked three times harder never forgetting the loss and never making excuses and to their high honor, and kept their child on the right track providing a church family, or healthy family examples for the child. And to me, that is the most respectable outcome I can think of.

The worst thing that can happen though is that a parent in such a situation alone tells the kid that living without dad (or mom) was "just another way of forming a family". This IMO is dangerous and does not give the child the best chance for family in the future. It sets the child up to believe that "all ways" are equal in forming a family. In reality, and Biblically this is not the case. It seems that unrelenting honesty and love, activeness and attention is the best bet.

Liberals need to learn that no matter how hard that they try, they can not rewrite the book on Marriage as God intended it, that is, without great and lasting negative consequences.

Barack Hussein Obama- Facts.

2008-05-20T04:53:00.000-07:00

It's human nature- We hear a fact about a person in public office.
We see the evidence, hear the witnesses.
BUT,
if the candidate has the AUDACITY to be dishonest repeatedly to our faces
in an unrelenting manner,
stating over and over that something "not exactly true",
"their out to get me",
"that's not exactly true".
"That's...not true",
We tend to buy into it and dismiss the facts especially
if we didn't want to be believe it was true in the first place.
It's part of our "trust" mechanism, and it will be our death as a Nation.

The "Democratic" party was replaced by the "Socialist" party a long time ago.
BOTH viable candidates are Socialists, but in Barack Hussein's case, could
that be the least of our worries? I believe so. I really believe so.

"Beauty seen is never lost"

2008-05-15T05:07:00.000-07:00

A fine and humble American artist- John Greenleaf Whittier
I haven't known the work of John Greenleaf Whittier for long, yet somehow it is not new to me.
I first ran across a verse of his on our honeymoon in Charleston, S.C. And there it was written in the Romantic cottage gardens of "Magnolia Plantation:

But as I researched more of his work, it really became clear that I had an understanding understood this man, faithful to God, poet, Naturalist, abolitionist from the North so quoted even in the south.

Here are some of my favorites from this fine American who too many do not know. Of his finer quips:

Beauty seen is never lost, God's colors all are fast.

Before me, even as behind, God is, and all is well.

Peace hath higher tests of manhood, than battle ever knew.

The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.

When faith is lost, when honor dies, the man is dead.
John Greenleaf Whittier

You don't always win your battles, but it's good to know you fought.
John Greenleaf Whittier

And this one of my favorite poems:

Forgiveness

My heart was heavy, for its trust had been
Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong;
So, turning gloomily from my fellow-men,
One summer Sabbath day I strolled among
The green mounds of the village burial-place;
Where, pondering how all human love and hate
Find one sad level; and how, soon or late,
Wronged and wrongdoer, each with meekened face,
And cold hands folded over a still heart,
Pass the green threshold of our common grave,
Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart,
Awed for myself, and pitying my race,
Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave,
Swept all my pride away, and trembling I forgave.

My Birthday Present...

2008-05-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hope filled news came on my Birthday yesterday :)

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Huckabee_McCain_VP_list/2008/05/13/95611.html?s=al&promo_code=6248-1

US News & World Report
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Huckabee Tops McCain's Veep List
May 12, 2008 11:38 AM ET | James Pethokoukis

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain's short list for a running mate. At least that's the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain's inner circle. The fundraiser is less than thrilled with the idea of Huckabee as the vice presidential nominee, and many economic conservatives—turned off by the populist tone of Huckabee's campaign and his tax record as governor—are likely to share that marked lack of enthusiasm. But here is the logic of picking Huckabee:

1) He is a great campaigner and communicator who could both shore up support in the South among social conservatives (Huckabee is a former Baptist minister) and appeal to working-class voters in the critical "Big 10" states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

2) As any pollster knows, voters search for candidates who "care about people like me," and Huckabee would probably score a lot higher on that quality than millionaire investor Mitt Romney. Plus, given all the turmoil on Wall Street, 2008 would seem to be a bad year to pick a former investment banker for veep.

3) Economic conservatives and supply-siders may balk, but the threat of four years of Obamanomics and higher investment, income, and corporate taxes might be enough to keep them on board.

Let me add that a top Republican political strategist told me about a month ago that he also believed Huckabee to be the leading veep contender.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Paid for by a private citizen. Not authorized or coordinated with the Huckabee campaign.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marc Dann, go away!

2008-05-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

A very good editorial to the Columbus Dispatch from my dad:

"Democrats swept the Republicans out of statewide offices on a no-scandal agenda. Marc Dann has attempted to bring new meaning to "no scandals." At least he teaches us that no party has a monopoly on either scandal or hypocrisy. Then too, he teaches us a few lessons on voter naïveté. Will Rogers said, "A politician is just like a pickpocket; it's almost impossible to get one to reform." Power does not corrupt. Power simply empowers resident corruption. Aesop said, "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." The only thing more empty than Dann's suit is his conscience. And a politician without a sense of morality is a hazard to us all."

Clyde Hughes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK. so some have asked, "where is your rant on Marc Dann?"

So, what lessons have we learned?
Lesson 1-
Democrats like to call the "kettle black" (and no, friendly democrat reader, that is NOT a racist comment so don't sick the ACLU on me!)
They did indeed win on Republican scandals both true, exxagerated, and made up in their thin minds. How else can anyone explain how Strickland who did nothing of value in his district as a Representative became our Governor?
It was their plan to paint this picture that Republicans held the key to scandal and dishonesty, and they painted and painted that picture as if they were Leonardo Da Vinci his self, and won causing the Nation to doubt the intelligence of this fine State and sending us into a huge mess in to many areas (finance, housing, education) to name.

Now, we here in Ohio have Marc Dann who refuses to resign despite major scandals in his office where women have been raped, and where he cheated on his own wife, and now the State is likely going after him on gambling charges? AND..get this! He refuses to leave even when his own party is at the forefront of trying to get him to quit (mainly because he got caught and it looks bad on them for the fall)
From day one this jerk was quoted in articles using foul language which showed his integrity to be slim. What adult in a high State office has to get his point across in weak language? Answer:Marc Dann.
Dann has about as much self control as the chubby kid in a candy shop! He pointed fingers at Republicans, and those that followed him ironically could not see that it was HE that was playing filthy politics.

But the failure of the democrats does not stop there. Let's take a look back at 2006 when they took the Majority on the Hill as well:

I.) Three part examination
A.) Part 1

What has happened In just one year? Remember the election in 2006?

A little over one year ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.& amp; nbsp;

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!

Remember it's Congress that makes law not the President. He has to work with what's handed to him.

Quote of the Day........"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it." -- Barack Obama

B.) Part 2:
Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing.
www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html

Taxes under Clinton 1999 ................... Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $8,400 ............. Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000.............. Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $23,250.............. Single making 75K - tax $18,750 Married making 60K - tax $16,800...... Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000 ............ Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750.... Married making 125K - tax $31,250

Both democratic candidates will return to the higher tax rates.

It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama or Hillary are elected, they both say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is like the movie The Sting with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what happened.

C.) PART 3:
You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much? Read this:
Boy am I confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us.

I now find that to be RIDICULOUS.

I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them. I have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments. Verify at: http://t inyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English! Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border. Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period." Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. Ve rify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States." Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

Are we THAT stupid? (apparently so...)

If this doesn't bother you then just delete the message. If, on the other hand, if it does raise the hair on the back of your neck, I hope you forward it to every legal resident in the country including every representative in Washington, D.C. - five times a week for as long as it takes to restore some semblance of intelligence in our policies and enforcement thereof.

(this was an email received from a friend. The information seems to check out, and was appreciated).

Mother's day thoughts

2008-05-09T04:46:00.000-07:00

In honor of the job I am most honored, and humbled to hold. My Mothers day post will be a little different this year :)

Yesterday was my 8 yr. old daughter's Mother's day party for all the classroom mothers. It was a cute and beautiful presetnation of love from our children. And so intriguing to me to sit among other women who were all feeling the same emotions of deeply rooted love just behind the smiles and praises for the children. And at the beginning each child created a "recipe of mom" of which all were unique for each individual mother. It was an eye opening experience to read my daughter's words (just as she wrote it):
"Mix 5 cups of Kindness. Stir in 2 gallons of Christian. Add 8 tsps of love. And stir some extra sillyness. Blend two cups of browness, blackess hair. Add 1 quart of tan skin. Add one pint of playfulness. And bake in the oven four about four hours and you have my mom!"

These were the words she used to remember me. For that I am grateful, for on another day I could've had madness or anger written in my poem too like some of the other moms had and giggled at! Ha ha!

It has me thinking about the legacy I want to leave for my children and what I hope they learn from me:

I want you to learn that a Strong happy family is key and home is always a safe place with warmth, play, love and homecooked meals. A valuable lesson_If it is done fast (instant), it's not as good. TIME IS LOVE. I give you my time because it is harder to find.

I hope you learn from me to see God's glory in everything good----And even learn from my reassuring smile to see God as well in what seems to be a tragedy. I hope you learn to love each other (sister and brother) and make each your best friend as I have my sisters and brothers, and to honor and respect your grandparents as well (sorry Robin. I couldn't find one with you but you were a bit busy this day since it was Micah's B-day ;)

That Mommy will be there to help you, even when you aren't aware of it.

That your birthdays are also celebrations for daddy and I...

...And family is to be loved and cherished, and protected as an institution.

...That sometimes mommy and daddy blaze the trails, but other times you need to lead the way and find your own path. That it would be easier and faster (and less frustrating for us to do it for you, but you wouldn't learn as much, would you?

...That life is not fair and can be rather strange (see the two headed calf), but mommy will always find humor in it all...and besides "I grew up in the country and creepy critters don't scare this mommy" :)

That mommy and daddy will never cease to love each other very very much and that is something you can be sure of. That this makes you incredibly fortunate and blessed in ways you will not imagine anytime soon. And for your future happiness, this may be one of our most valueable lessons for you and our students as well.

I hope you learn to cherish our time together as I do. I won't take it for granted because this year will never happen again, you'll never be 5 and 8 again... and then we move onto the next year after year as you get older.

I hope you learn to start what you finish and work hard for it. I hope you see me as someone who lives her dreams and makes them come true.

-I hope you learn to respect nature, and take time to smell the roses (and grow them well!) I hope you favor trees and plants protect and grow them.

-I hope you learn to respect our country, it's Forefathers and soldiers and what they taught us and sacrificed for us. I also hope to raise two more wise, Patriotic voting Republicans! Ha ha!

-I hope you continue to enjoy our time together.
... and that mommy has eyes in the back of her head and "Yes, C. I saw that! And yes, A. I KNOW you started it!"

I hope you learn to enjoy reading and learning from mommy and dream....Dream and imagine big...The bigger the better!

I hope you learned that in order to make the country a better place, it takes getting involved and sacrificing time as a family. It takes standing your ground for your values even when you see mommy attacked unfairly for doing so. I hope you learn to turn your back on criticism if you KNOW you are right, you have prayed about it first, and your heart has stayed true to integrity. I hope you remember me with a petition in hand (even though I despise doing petitions) standing out in the cold in order to back a Godly man for the Presidency. EVEN when the chances looked slim, I hope you remember that I fought the good fight but did so without sacrificng family time and while keepng the family as number one priority.

I hope you know that it isn't between you and "them" anyway. It's between you and God and you'll have to answer to Him in the end.

And I hope you learn:
Integity
Honor,
Love,
Courage,
Strength and resistance
Hope in the Lord even when times are hard,
Humility

I hope you know that you can be whatever you want to be if you continue to learn your entire life, dream and focus on the steps to achieve. And I hope you remember that...
We will always love you no matter what.
Now take the torch, become leaders of men and followers of Christ! That's our legacy for you!

Lyrics:
"I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one... "

Tribute

2008-05-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

"Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:31

I appreciate what you do for me.
You, your families are forever in my prayers.
THANK YOU!

FREE tomato plants to friends!

2008-05-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time of year again! I always plant one hundred or so tomato plants for the community and they are ready to go! My tomato seedlings are ready to go to new good, caring homes in the ground. I have PLENTY so don't be shy to ask me to save them for you, but you must tell me before the end of May. They need to be in the ground no later than then!

To let me know if you would like to pick a plant up, please email me or respond to my blog.

VARIETIES:

Sun gold- Hybrid orange cherry sized tomato. Indeterminate (vining). Very prolific. VERY sweet.

Even if your kids say they don't like tomatoes, they may like these Sungold or sun sugar! Make them try it. it's good for them to try new and healthy things! Tomatoes are the healthiest food you could ever feed your kids.

2007 TRAINI award winning favorite! Kid's choice!

Sun Sugar- Hybrid. indeterminate. Golden cherry tomato with incredibly sweet flavor. Said to have highest sugar count among the cherry tomatoes! New to the Traini garden this year.

Brandywine- Traini garden standard that all tomato flavor is judged by. Heirloom variety. Taste award winner of the 1880 World's Fair. Potato leaved. Because it is a heirloom, it may not be as disease resistant. Fruits taste better but not as perfect looking. Produces large meaty, pink fruits. indeterminate.

Brandy Boy- Hybrid Brandywine cross by Burpee seeds co. Fruits taste similar to thesame as Brandywine without the finicky- ness of the heirloom variety. Large pink fruits. More uniform shaped and more disease resistant. indeterminate.

Lillian's Yellow- Heirloom variety large yellow tomato. Lower acid count. Indeterminate. Meaty and mellower flavor.

Isis Candy- hybrid. favorite new tomato of "the Victory garden". Cherry sized, striped, or all creamy yellow. Sweet flavor and prolific fruiter.

Black Krim- Heirloom. New to the Traini garden this year is the Black Krim. Replaces last year's Russian- Black plum.

"A Russian tomato named for the island of Krim in the Black Sea. Slightly flattened 4-5" globes with dark greenish-black shoulders, can turn almost black with enough heat and sun.Excellent full flavor. Indeterminate."

Peppers-

Chocolate Beauty- Dark shiny green fruits ripen to a rich chocolate brown. Excellent sweet flavor when fully ripe, average flavor when green. not "spicy" hot as Colyn and Aex would say.

College Pepper- (Anaheim type) long green peppers similar to flavor of the bell. The packet says they are mildly hot, but last year I found that they are not spicy hot at all.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Growing instructions for the new gardener-

My varieties are vining. you may allow them to ramble on the ground but will have better results (and less pest issues) if you support them with stakes or trellis. Stakes are best when added at the time of planting.

2 tomato plants are usually enough for a small family for summer crop, unless you plan to can or you eat as many tomatoes as we do.

tomatoes are great in pots, but a patio variety would work best and I don't have those.

Till your soil, amend if necessary (most of us need to amend the clay soil of Ohio), add compost. Optional - mix in ground limestone or some blossom rot preventive along with slow release fertilizer.

Plant the tomato sideways taking off the bottom two sets of leaves and burying it. that part of the plant will root and make the plant more stable and productive.

Planting in an old tire or with black mulch or plastic is a great idea. It gets hotter around the plant which tomatoes like. Red plastic has shown in studies to produce more with tomatoes as well.

Tomatoes cannot withstand frost, but I think we are in the clear now. BUT, if temps are in the 40s for long periods the tomatoes may not like that.

Keep the suckers trimmed off the tomatoes. They are the new stems that grow in between the elbow crooks and stand straight up.

Watch for tomato hornworms. Green caterpillars that destroy plants. One can do tons of damage.

Use companion planting techniques. Planting scented marigolds along side of your tomatoes will help fight off bad nematodes and do much for your tomatoes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Traini tomato technique-

Seeds are purchased from - Totally Tomato co. , Seed Savers Exchange, or Burpee. Seeds are sown under lights in late February. Grown with 18 hours daily light, every other day are set with a light fan on them for air circulation after watering. When they get two true sets of leaves, they are transplanted into individual cups from their cell packs. After two more weeks they get diluted fertilizer. Today they were moved out doors under a glass table to "harden off" before being put into a ground in a new home.

2008-05-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

(Not mine. But I like it!)

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building’ by George Bush. He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?' A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'

You could have heard a pin drop.

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?' Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it." "Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!" The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained. "Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find any (insert non-Sunday school word here) Frenchmen to show it to."

You could have heard a pin drop

In remembrance -Yom Hashoah

2008-05-01T06:28:00.001-07:00

And you probably didn't know either. I didn't as well.
Today, May 1, 2008 is the day that Israel remembers the over 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. At 10 am (they are 6 hours ahead of us) a siren sounded, all Israelis stopped their cars and stood still and silent in remembrance of the unspeakable tragedy:

I don't know about you, but the American gas price suddenly seems like nothing. Think about this as you complain about what you are eating for lunch, or what someone said to you today.

When we understand history better we have a better shot at stopping future repeats of such events.
When more and more people go against apathy and and attempt empathy for others, we have a better shot at not just standing by to see it happen again.

Israel is our true Allie, the only true democracy in the Middle East, yet she is so small. Her pain is our pain. Her history...is our history in ways we will not understand until the dead of time on earth.
Please stop and remember that we lost brothers and sisters and future neighbors unknown not too long ago. We didn't lose them silently but with a sweeping indignity and fury unspeakable.

Never fail to remember that this could be you. They ARE our people too.

And you don't think this will happen here?

2008-04-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

Watch specifically at 1:30 minutes. These teachers sit and discuss the plans of the Gay Agenda week to be held in an elementary school with Kindergarteners and up. Listen to the response.
When I did research early last year, I found that NEA, the largest mass union in the Nation gives millions of their due dollars and funds to support gay agenda groups such as the Gay and Lesbian caucus. The largest represented focus group at their Nat'l convention? GLC. They often quote their Gay/ lesbian liason in the NEA today publications which we receive regularly. It is their goal to NOT remain neutral on the issue. Yet, they claim to have no involvement in the support of such teaching under the false guise of "tolerance and love" in the public schools. They have an agenda. And YOUR child is part of the focus of that agenda to desensitize and teach their own religion to replace yours as a parent.

Ohio, it is here. This isn't just happening in Massachusetts:

Day of Silence is not a small nothing to be concerned about. Ask the community seen below from Mount Si. HS in Snoqualmie, WA. What is the purpose of education?
Do we want this type of controversy here? NO.

San Juan HS in Sacramento CA. THIS. THIS is what teens face today! Human nature says it won't happen to me, to my community. It IS happening. Your teens music preaches to them that this is an OK lifestyle. Their favorite shows on TV and movies and hollywood stars live it out as OK. Oprah tells them that those who are against are bigots and hatemongers... It is here and unless YOU take a stand then we all lose.
(WARNING: HEAVY profanity to follow!)

UPDATE:Day of silence suddenly cancelled at GCHS

2008-04-25T08:32:00.001-07:00

(update posted at 11 am)
After the letter they received from my husband and possibly other complaints, feedback and phone calls, GCHS has called off the school's participation in the event. Students who wanted to participate may do so, but at least the school is not as a whole honoring this day. I pray that they are treated with respect as well.

THANK you for your prayers! Prayer DOES work! A lot of people were praying and linking arms to stop this or at least support those who stood strong and for my husband and others who would stand strong against the event. Prayer works!

Together as Christians may we find an appropriate way to protect ALL groups from harrassment WITHOUT accepting wrong agendas in disguise. Pray for all involved.

And, for this year we have won. I predict in the future it will be harder to stop such things as being widespread with, or without parent consent.

I ask for prayer to protect us as a married couple we make such choices that are seen as bold and controversial. It is happening more and more. Neither Tom or I "like" controversy or "stirring the pot". In fact anyone who has known us before marriage would be utterly shocked. Please stand with us. We need your support when things like this happen. IT is not easy and we often feel alone doing what we know to be right.

And please thank GCHS for not doing this event today.
I am sure they can't win either way and such decisions are not taken lightly. I am grateful to the school and all they do. I respect the system as well.
None of us mean in any way to cause problems, but when push comes to shove, my God, HIS agenda wins out.
And as one great man once said in a similar fight,
"Here I stand. I can do no other."

Day of silence being honored at a HS without notice to parents!

2008-04-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

(This post was written at 10 am. Plans changed in the school by 11 am.)

Grove City HS sent a memo to teachers this morning stating that the school would indeed recognize the Homosexual "Day of Silence" which allows students to remain silent and disrupt class in honor of the exaggerated harrassment of homosexuals.

THIS WAS DONE ONLY THIS MORNING! PARENTS WERE NEVER INFORMED OF THIS EVENT OR THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO KEEP THEIR KIDS HOME. My husband is a Christian teacher in the school and has written a leter back to the administration today which is attached below. Please. I ask for your fervent prayers on his behalf. Pray a hedge of protection around him and any students or other teachers who will have the courage to speak up today against this.
Your options:
PRAY!!!!! PRAY!!!! PRAY!!!
Pass this on to any parent who has a student at GCHS who would care.
-Remove your child from school today if you disagree with this agenda. That may be the only way to send them the message that this will not be tolerated in the community.
-Call the school and Central office and launch a complaint even if you are not related to the school. Please be kind and sincere. Do not be rude or argue but be bold in your beliefs.
-write letters to the editorial
-call your church and start a prayer chain today.
DO NOT ignore what you know to be right. The reason we are in this mess is because too many Christians don't think we should fight such things.

THE SCHOOL HAS ACTED IN DISHONEST MEASURE.

The Administration sent the letter to the staff at the bottom and directly below is Tom's response. PLEASE pray for him today:

"Grove City High School’s recognition of today’s “day of silence” is a troubling development that I fear will have lasting consequences that may undermine the great academic and extra curricular achievements being accomplished by its teachers and students.

All students carry First Amendment rights to express their views in a way not to disrupt the educational atmosphere of the school. Allowing those students who choose to remain silent throughout the day to do so is well within the legal bounds of the school and its students. The issue should go no further that this. However, the school makes a mistake when the classroom becomes the platform for a political movement.

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Educational Network (GLSEN), an adult homosexual advocacy group, started the “day of silence” about a decade ago. The event is meant to depict all homosexual students as constant victims of unyielding harassment, which in school environments such as Grove City High School, is a gross exaggeration. The goal of GLSEN is to play on students’ natural emotions and sympathies to accept a lifestyle that many believe to be controversial and high-risk.

Promoting the GLSEN at Grove City High School, especially without informing parents beforehand is a mistake. It not only is a error to politicize the classroom in this case, but it will easily lead to many more controversial groups entering the school with the precedence already in place. What now would stop us from having moments to recognize other controversial issues?

Though it may seem like a harmless way for students to learn compassion and tolerance, today’s recognition of the “day of silence” goes deeper than that, and may lead Grove City High School to far more disruption than simply allowing students to observe it as they choose.:"

Below attached is a letter from OHIO VALUES VOTERS with more information about this day:

Values Voters across America will be praying on Friday, April 25th as the "Day of Silence" is recognized by many public schools, including some in NE Ohio. Voters need to ask their elected officials, school boards and administrators why our tax dollars promote this type of protest in our schools.

Let us pray and be aware.
Law protects student opposition to 'Day of Silence'
Jeff Johnson - OneNewsNow - 4/23/2008 6:00:00 AM

Students who do not participate in the controversial "Day of Silence" no longer need to feel as though their values are being attacked and mocked, says one pro-family advocate.

The Day of Silence is an allegedly student-led event designed to highlight purported suffering of homosexual students. Throughout the day, students who participate in the protest refuse to talk, even when teachers or administrators ask them to respond to questions.

But Matt Staver of Liberty Counsel says schools no longer have to tolerate such disruptions. Staver outlines several ways schools can deal with the student protesters.

"Number one, if students will not speak up in these classes when they're called upon, that's disruptive -- and they [the schools] don't have to tolerate students who will not speak because of the Day of Silence," he suggests. "Number two: Schools can require parental permission to participate in any clubs, including these 'Gay-Straight Alliance' clubs -- most parents won't allow their children to participate in these clubs."

Staver contends that schools across the country may be breaking the law by allowing students to participate in the pro-homosexual event. He notes that roughly half of the states require that if "sexuality is taught or discussed, it has to be done from an abstinence-based perspective." And he points out that "schools would be, literally, violating the law, if these [homosexual] clubs on campus discuss [any type of] sexual activity ...."

And the attorney argues that schools cannot legally threaten or punish students who do not want to participate in the celebration of homosexuality. "Clearly they can stay home from school," he continues. "They don't have to go to school and they can't be punished [for doing that]."

But Staver says if schools do try to punish these students then "they need to contact us so that we can resolve the matter." The student advocate says those same students can "also come to school with pro-traditional family messages on their T-shirts, or even pass out pro-family information."

Staver notes that for more information on creative ways students can respond to the Day of Silence, they should visit www.DayOfPurity.org

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed- in theatres NOW!

2008-04-21T04:46:00.000-07:00

Question: IF God exists and is responsible for creating us, our world, everything... then would it be truly possible to remove Him from the education classrooms anywhere in the world let alone ANY area in the Universe?

Answer: No. It would not. Science would have to include the mention of Him because all would stem from the hands of the creator.
For instance, When in art class have we discussed an artpiece without mentioning the artist. IF we made that mistake in art publicly, does not the artist have a right to complain? Most Certainly! God is not pleased to have credit to Him dismissed either. Evolution is a distraction with an overall plan to teach people that He doesn't exist-period.
Another example- IF God existed, would He not expect us to rely on HIS word and promises and trust Him? Would He create us only to destroy ourselves by disobeying Him? Would He expect that morals/laws be taught from a basis that they stem from the Bible, from HIS word? IF He created us wouldn't it be likely that the innate knowledge of right vs. wrong/ standard of morality from the Bible that we were all born with as we know it be followed?
Our children's culture is crumbling is dissarray, disobedience, distruction as they are being told that there is no right or wrong (sex before marriage is OK, divorce is a viable option if things "just don't work out", stealing is OK) ...things are getting worse not better with the removal of God from the classroom and the home.

Go out and see this movie.
There are few statements more true than the last minute or so of this trailer. If You are a Christian and you don't take the interest to take a stand on behalf of God more assertively, you have failed Him. The other side, non believers, ARE being more aggressive in their denial and teaching. When we sit back in fear of being called "judgemental" criticizing other Christians who do speak out, instead of getting behind them, we fail. We fail our brothers and sisters in Christ. We fail God.
Get involved!
See this movie and start conversations about it. Get others out to see it, and together we will counter the unbalanced education system with truth. There is strength in numbers. When we band together, other Christians will feel more comfortable to speak out and not hide. God relies on this and we are failing Him. Chruches are failing. People failing. SPEAK OUT! Fight any school that will not balance their science curriculum with creation if they choose to present the THEORY of evolution..

"Why?" - Death, Heaven and Faith-my thoughts.

2008-04-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This is an incomplete understanding, because I am an incomplete, imperfect person relying on my human faith but infallible Bible for my answers.

The funeral for our friends from church this week was lovely, crowded, meaningful. Despite the hugely tragic events of their untimely (as we, not God, would put it) deaths, it was celebratory. We celebrated their lives on earth and now, in Christ. When we know where someone is headed after they pass on, the sadness we feel is more for ourselves, when we understand. This family was strong in their salvation and faith. They lived life for God. Where they are now is SOOOOOOOOO much better than living on earth, and though they left their dad/husband here, there must be a plan for him to finish out before He is taken up. In my opinion, our friend received a great gift the day of her passing- she entered the gates of heaven...with her children at her side.

But is the death of a Christian ever untimely??? We may think so, but I don't believe it is to God. I believe we pass when God intends us to pass. There are no coicidences, no "mistakes" in the passing of a Christian. When someone passes who is not a Christian, this holds more questions for me.

For me, I cannot explain my thoughts on this without starting with the following Please stay with me:
I feel that over top of us is an engagement of the supreme battle between right and wrong- God against Satan, a formidable but lesser foe. I really believe that in simple terms (if possible), the goal is to win over as many to God's Kingdom as possible, and I believe that all who choose to not accept Christ will unfortunately be lost each day, each hour, and minute. He needs us to be diligent and introduce Him to the lost. He relies on us and there is no time to lose in silly fodder. We are called to speak His name, tell the Biblical truth and show His love, but most of all tell them about what He wants from them.

We can never see the great "domino effect" chain connection that all of our lives hold to each other but we are indeed all connected somehow. It has entered my mind that if God has a choice to lose 20 in connection to the loss of one vs. losing 24 of us, He will make the choice that has the best chance to see more of us than not into His realm. Much of the issue is that when He gave us free will, He said He would never take it from us. He needs us to come with our own desire to Him and He will not force us to love or serve Him. I believe He can open greater opportunities for all of us to hear about Him in order to make that choice. This is what I pray for.
The older I get, the more loved ones who enter His presence, the more homesick for Heaven I become. I anticipate His return. I do not fear death now, only the pain of the circumstances leading up to it which is human, BUT I do fear not pleasing Him. Biblically we are called to Preach the Gospel and take it to the ends of the earth. This requires opening our mouth to attest to His goodness and desires which is not always easy and very often is accompanied by accusations of being judgemental, yet we are definitely and Biblically called to "judge" behavior as right and wrong in order to know which paths to follow! This can and should be separated from judging specific people (which I do not agree with, but I have every right and responsibility to decide what behavior glorifies God or not). Satan will throw out a misevaluation of "judge not, lest ye be judged" in order to silence the voice of the Evangelistic Believer. This is where the church and the believer must understand that they threaten Satan each and every time that they speak on Biblical truth and they should expect a full rebuttal of the enemy-accusations, name calling, hatred... they fail to see that in every word, it is they who are judging the Christian believer for having and believing in the word of God.

My husband and I believe this with all our heart.

I think each case is special but for now I will focus on the "good" conditions of moving on.

I believe that we have a hard time facing death because we cannot fathom that our short life on earth has any "after" that could be more significant outside of human existence here on this planet. I do know our life on earth is vital and we must live it to the full, but to do so without God at the center is dangerous, and leads to misery. When people only think that the life served here is the full extent of their existence and are not sure that their soul lives on and that we will see our saved loved ones again, sadness is the ONLY feeling available. Hopelessness is overwhelming but it does not have to be that way! He gave us the perfect hope. He is all about seizing opportunity!

I know what it felt like before I knew God while attending a funeral. This is a feeling of total loss with no homecoming in the future. No hope. Uncertainty of what the future holds. Loss of love.
I know the difference now in mourning as a Believer for a fellow believer, and sister/brother in Christ. To know what the future holds in Christ is a feeling of anticipation and homesickness, but hope that we know we will see each other again under PERFECT circumstances worshipping the one who gave all for us, FAR more than any parent or loved one ever could- the epitome of Agape love, infinite, unconditional love.

I know that my life here was one thing primarily- a test! A test to see if I could follow Christ's example, and out of my major flaws and failings find the strength and ability to serve Him, accept my forgiveness, and act on His behalf as much as possible, serving others, caring for others He loves just as much. It has been a hard test so far, which likely will only get harder as time on earth passes. But each test serves to prepare me for the next, and I lean on Him more and more. He asks Question #1- Can I praise Him in the storm as well as the calm? Sometimes I pass, sometimes I don't but He still lets me know that He loves me. Yet, the testing will continue and it is my hope that I can pass each time. Question #2- Can I obey? This is harder for me, and on and on preparing me to meet Him, molding me, guiding me until I am taken up as well.

Our life on earth is just a Blink of His eye. To him yesterday was the day of Abraham. He has a perfect timing for everything. The book of Revelations mentions thousands of years existence in Heaven with Christ after we pass and many many more-an infinite count. Corinthians II states that we must all give up the perishable for the imperishable (body) someday. This current body we live in is a "temporary home", and will give out on us with problems in the end. It was not meant to last forever, but our soul is. the faithful soul will be taken up with one main purpose-to worship and love him forever. Oh how I look forward to that and envy my friend and her children! What a difference in viewpoint to the believer!

The Bible states TWO destinations for the after life- Heaven and Hell and both are very real places. There is no limbo, no "in between" realm. It gives a clear path on how we can get there, but more important than trying to get to a destination is focusing on living for Christ, believing in Him, asking for, repenting, and accepting His forgiveness. Any church that states otherwise...is a cult. For if you change the word of God to fit your thoughts and beliefs, then it is No longer the complete word of God.

And in Matthew chapter 7, Christ states:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it". Few find it? Will that be you? Will it be your children? What can you do about this? God has put the ball in your court. You cannot make the decision for others, or force people to believe, but it is your responsibility to tell them in the "Great Commission" once you find Him.

The Bible is clear that "Not by deeds alone" can you make it to Heaven. Ignoring this fact has been a failing of many a church and some are dealing with: http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=18021.
So, no, we cannot see Jesus someday by taking someone a dinner, doing volunteer service. There will be many "good people" simply lost on the day of Judgment and many churches will be the first judged for misleading their flocks into hell. If Mother Theresa had done all she had done on earth, but never accepted Christ as her personal Savior, she would not make it to heaven. There is only one way- and that is through His son, Jesus Christ:

"For God so loved the world (you), that He gave His only son (Jesus). That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life". John 3:16

That being said, it is the foundation of a true believer to care for others and be His hands and feet serving those in need around us with compassion. Unfortunately, so many times we have missed this mark and have not shown Christ to the community and world. It is not good enough to speak His word, unless we look like Him in our communities. However this alone will not help us enter His gates.

So, why did God allow this tragedy to happen to a beloved family? None of us can say for certain, but I have what I believe based on faith.

Sometimes, What is a tragedy to us, is only a method of bringing those He loves to Him. The method He used may have served many purposes:
1) It first and foremost brought Billi Ami and Caleb quickly into His presence for their Homecoming and life in full in Him. We exist for HIS pleasure and He longs for us and our lives are not our own.

2) Though the tragedy was not of Him, God will use the worst of experiences and turn it around for His good and to His glory. We do not know how many people will be saved through this experience! Already there is word of several coming to know him through the loss of this family! And again, to His glory!
I was told that weeks before Billi was lost, she and a friend prayed for revival to come to the Christian school and our church. I believe we are seeing the beginnings of that and Billi's prayers are being answered.

3) How often are tragedies the catalyst for better technology on earth? Fathers lose their children tragically in a car accident, and seat belt laws are improved. We can all site examples of this- Megan's Law, the lemon law...
There is no doubt to me that more lives may be saved later, possibly giving chances to come to know Him.

It will always come back to salvation, for that is the sole reason we exist-for Him.
He loves us very much.

As flawed and as incomplete as my interpretation here is, please see it for what it is. My comfort and understanding in short form. The purpose is to bring hope and love to others if they choose to read, and nothing else. Please take it for what it is.

There is only hope through Jesus Christ. And I have hope that I will see them again!

Love to you all!

Mahler's Resurrection Symphony #2 (finale)

2008-04-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

In English form German translation
(Movement_ Finale)
Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you My dust,
After a brief rest!
Immortal life! Immortal life
Will He who called you, give you.
To bloom again were you created!
The Lord of the harvest goes
And gathers in, like sheaves,
Us together, who die.
O believe, my heart, O believe:
Nothing to you is lost!
Yours is, yes yours, is what you desired
Yours, what you have loved
What you have fought for!
O believe,
You were not born for nothing!
Have not for nothing, lived, suffered!
What was created
Must perish,
What perished, rise again!
Cease from trembling!
Prepare yourself to live!
O Pain, You piercer of all things,
From you, I have been wrested!
O Death, You masterer of all things,
Now, are you conquered!
With wings which I have won me,
In love’s fierce striving,
I shall soar upwards
To the light which no eye has penetrated!
Its wing that I won is expanded,
and I fly up.
Die shall I in order to live.
Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you, my heart, in an instant!
That for which you suffered,
To God will it lead you!

- There is only hope in the Resurrected son who has provided thorough salvation to all who accept. When we accept this, our worldview and that of the afterlife transform into something so beautiful that even the most tragic loss becomes glorious in the His finale. We have been promised eternal life and salvation, and renewal of strength, only if we choose to accept it free of charge. Our gift extends into the knowledge that we then know we will not be separated from our saved friends and loved ones for long. This life is so very short compared to that we have to look longingly forward to.

Words of thanks can never be enough for what He has given me, and you. I can only provide my service and my life and live it for Him to my fullest potential. When we do so, we honor Him. Thank you Lord. Thank you for everything. We will praise you not only when the sun shines bright, but also in the storms and turmoil around us.

Nothing is strong enough to cancel your sacrifice and Promise.

Thoughts to ponder...The creation of the spoiled brat!

2008-04-09T04:56:00.000-07:00

There are always a couple of things about parenting that are often on my mind and I have never really spelled them out in writing. I am far from a perfect parent but we all have pet peeves and strengths and weaknesses, so here we go...

It is a belief of mine that if you provide too much above the basic needs of a human for a child, that this can (and likely will)destroy their appreciation level for what they have. It is also my opinion that this is NOT as relative to individual lifestyles as some would like to believe across differing cultures.

I remember a visit to Kenya that I took with my father. The one striking thing that I noticed among all the children there was that despite not having shoes on their feet, having not a single toy, no health care, no schooling (no public schools), and little food, EVERY child I met smiled and was happy. EVERY child I met was respectful and kind...and giving to others. Many of these kids earned their way through the self funded school by taking their machetes and cutting the grass around the school on their after hours. The machetes...sat on the floor next to many of the children's feet, yet...no big stories of mass school murders from this school like we have had here in the US. To have a picture taken of themselves that they would likely never see was the treat of the year. When you read this, do you feel sorry for them?

You should not.

Rather, feel sorry for yourself for few of you have felt the joy that these "poor" children feel out of gratitude and appreciation for what they have. Many a time I have thought back to those children and wished my children could experience such joy out of poverty. The joy of owning one doll only made of a cornstalk yet being so well cared for the cornstalk might as well have been a real child. Pity your own children for few really know this gratitude and appreciation here.

When I returned home to shortly take up a teaching position in a local school, the stark contrast of the demeanor of American children who have it all in comparison was upsetting. Our kids talk back, do not appreciate that they have a public education system. Health care? Despite our health care concerns, no child in true need is ever turned away here and there is a health facility around every corner.

I grew up in a large family as the oldest of eight. In many ways I would say we were spoiled, spoiled with love and time. We had a lot of toys. But in a large family, though you have what you need you rarely have the extras your friends may have. I wore a lot of hand me downs and grew to be fine with that, even today as an adult. I don't think I knew what I didn't have even when friends may have noticed for me. Even if I did not like that growing up we had more than them in other ways more so important, and today I am so much happier than most with clothes I find at the thrift store or furniture I have taken from a trash heap to turn it into a beautiful piece by my own hand. My marriage is more solid because I had parents who had a solid marriage even today. Today, We don't see that we have less, for we are thankful daily for what we have. This is a value that my parents gave me. I pity those who don't wake up appreciating all they have. Kids brought up this way grow into happy adults and don't for instance find themselves "needing" an expensive house or new car and ending up with mortgage foreclosure from over purchasing. They are content and barely notice what the sad spend so much noticing for me. But as they notice, I spend that time being thankful and happy.
Some things to consider:
-Even the poorest in our children are capable of being spoiled. Spoiling a child doesn't have to be related to the amount spent on a child but rather being constantly given more than is needed, EVEN IF the toys or clothing given them were free, used... Did you know that the average home in the US has 2.5 television sets? This includes the homes that most of you would call poverish today. Stuff. Too much stuff causes a lack of appreciation for what one has.

We are much better off restraining what we give to children and replacing it with our time which is a little tougher to free up. I have said it before...TIME is love. It is our most valuable asset. Staying at home with my children was a sacrifice that I am happy to give. Not only can I say that I have never missed anything important, but my children are comforted knowing that I am always here for them and don't have to find a way to make time for them in an emergency. I will never regret that the same way that I look back and had a great childhood much because my mom was always there for us.

I believe in spoiling but only thoroughly approve of spoiling through giving of one's self. Love is tested when time comes out of sacrifice and giving something up. That type of sacrifice is pure and will be most appreciated above others.

Maybe it is time for Americans to do a reality check?

So next time your child whines in the grocery aisle for candy and you give in to the whim, understand this...the whining is YOUR fault! At some point you started this business of buying things a kid doesn't need and it only needs to happen a couple of times to set the precedence. Buying something special out of the aisle for a RARE special occasion or grand deed is different. Why? Because this can be explained and used as a lesson for the child when they want it later. You may think that I am overreacting but such small moves lead to major problems for most people. I can attest that my husband and I have never given in to this particular scenario (I am sure we have screwed up other areas but not this one :) and low and behold...you will not find a person in the world who has seen our children throw a fit or even cry for something in a store.

The fool will read this and say my kids are not happy or thatI am too strict. But the results speak for themselves -happy balanced kids that don't cause scenes in stores and seem to appreciate more of what they do get.

Next time your kids receive toys for Christmas and don't seem to appreciate them or ask right away, "Is this all?"...blame yourself! Somewhere along the way they received toys, clothes outside of major holidays and events. Once this starts, It is so difficult to be reversed, or by the time it can your children will not be children any longer. If you restrict the amount a child receives and when they receive it, I can PROMISE that it will not be your child acting this way.

Yet, some of you are so desensitized to common standards that you will think I am the wicked witch. But stop and think... how did you grow up and did you turn out so bad? Of course not. If anything you were better of! You played more outdoors, created games out of nothing and used your imagination. Remember the old adage- LESS IS MORE! And the Bible even speaks to the need for Moderation. Moderation...something our kids do not understand but who is to blame? Again, Parents are!

Some need to speak to Grandparents and relatives on this matter. Parents, It is NOT a grandparent's right to spoil or steal your joy on Christmas morning by buying too much or too often. That is selfishness on their end and they are not thinking of you or the child when they do that, so...put your foot down.

The next time you pull into McDonald's and hear whining from the back seat about wanting to go to "Wendy's or Taco bell" instead?? Understand this...You probably eat out too much! Something that should be a special trip has become common place and is not appreciated, not exciting or fun and besides it is causing a health epidemic and making your kids fat or unhealthy! You might want to do something about that. Ever wonder why low fat was not in the vocabulary of the baby boomer era kids yet somehow we didn't have unfit kids as much back then? Well, mom stayed home and cooked home cooked food and even if it was a lot of red meat the kids played and played hard, climbed trees and such.

Let's face it as Americans, our kids have too much and don't appreciate it. They take school for granted, complain about not owning their own cell phones or that mom drives a mini van and not the Lambourgini that they saw some guy driving on some show. They don't get it, but is it their fault? No. It's ours. How many times have you complained about what you did not have, vs. showing gratitude for what you did?

Here are some helpful hints to reverse the trend:

-Once you say something, Stick to it if it is reasonable and fair! If your child is at Chuck E. Cheese give them a set amount of tokens, and NO MORE ESPECIALLY when they plead! They'll appreciate what they did there more if it is limited.

- Reasonable Chores (possibly to earn money) can start as soon as a child can walk. Even a one yr. old can be taught to pick up a single ball and put it in the right place. these lessons needed to begin young, EVEN IF it more time consuming and troublesome for parents! Yes, I know having help is often "anti-help" but that is not the point. You are teaching responsibility and care of property. Why not start when it is a fun game and before it becomes a nightmere to get done with a middle school aged kid? The whole picking a battle and not forcing kids to keep a clean room? That is fine IF kids have other chores and expectations to build responsibility. If all you ask is a clean room, then believe me that is NOT too much to ask.

- As much as possible...NO presents between Holidays and birthdays and special occasions! Even that tiny inexpensive toy at Walmart to shut them up is a bad move. Remember it matters not what something cost but the material possession is what is remembered. Besides, If you have a two yr. old that can tell you that a TV is more expensive than a stuffed animal you've got a whiz kid. It is the simple fact of receiving something that spoils and not so much the amount.

-Do not make up for ills in life by buying a bunch of stuff. As an example, You see this with parents who get a divorce, one or both parents try to make up for the loss to the kid by purchasing "wants" and end up hurting the child much more in their future.

-BE FAIR and let the kids see that you try to do the same for each. A child that knows mommy at least tries to be fair will be better to reason with later.

-Talk to grandparents and other loved ones about expectations and hold them to it. These are your children to raise under your rule book. Certainly they don't want to be loved for what they give materially either.

And remember, pray and attend a good church that can partner with you to teach morals and values since this is an area that public schools claim they no longer can be actively teaching. In fact they are actively in may ways going against what the Bible says and YOU need to combat this!
A child that grows up in church hearing from others what you also teach from home will benefit greatly in more than just this way. The Bible holds many sensible standards for living. Lessons of "Everything in Moderation", and the fruits of the Spirit or Beatitudes will not be found in school. That's your job to provide that as the primary educator of your child. Church can help in this area. A child who learns of and applies the Spiritual fruit of self control early on will have a better chance of not being the adult who flies off the handle verbally insulting other people on a whim or overeating.

Just stuff to think about.

For now, a Loss of a good friend, but not forever.

2008-04-07T06:20:00.001-07:00

We have lost a friend and her two teen children this weekend due to house fire. Please pray for my daughter's school and for peace and understanding to the best of our ability.

Though we mourn the loss of these friends for ourselves, it is important to note that they are somewhere so nice that we cannot imagine. I am thankful for the faith that our friend and us shared. That faith tells us something we know to be deeply true in our hearts. Where she and her children are, there is no pain, no sadness, and they now live in the presence of a real Savior in Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that Billi is with her heavenly Father. This is God's promise to us, and He never breaks His word. I will miss her and her smiling face and upbeat personality and helping hand. My church will mourn a very deep loss, and her many, many, many friends and people she helped along the way. I will miss her voice on Sunday. But...and I say this with great anticipation..this is not goodbye. We will all be together again under the best of family gathering circumstances. That is God's promise to me and other believers. I am thankful that death has no hold on me, or the loved ones that live for Him, and I pray, that through this great loss, those who do not know Him yet will See the difference of losing a saved loved one and the solemn celebration that accompanies, verses losing a love one, and feeling no hope. there is no hope in uncertainty and sin. No hope in a life lived without Christ.

Christ Jesus gives all the hope we need.

He is all we need. Ironically, my husband and I attended a Symphony performance on Saturday night of Mahler's great "Resurrection" Symphony. A Vicar of a local church read the same scripture to the T that Pastor referenced on Sunday with the loss of our friend and it speaks to me this week:
I Corinthians 15: 50-58:
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.
55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

We won't say "goodbye", but rather..."Until then"...
Please pray for her husband Pete in the loss of his family.

Congratulations dad!

2008-03-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

My father has been voted in to continue his duties as General Overseer of the International Pentecostal Church of Christ. I just want to say CONGRATULATIONS publicly. This position is a hefty burden but a joy for him to serve I am certain despite the struggles it may accompany.

I don't think dad will necessarily appreciate these words but...
I found out that he was voted in last week. My sister Tina told me at a family gathering this past weekend. Tina leaned over and said she was present for the vote where they draw ballots in the meeting. Everyone had turned in their vote ballots for the position, of which I believe was not contested this time around. The man taking the ballots said there was one ballot not turned in. Tina looked over at dad's hand and he was holding his ballot and had not turned it in. She asked, "Dad, aren't you going to turn in yor ballot?"
Dad quietly said something like, "If it takes my own vote to keep me alive in the Position, then I don't think I would want the job".

Through all of his achievements, I have never know two more humble men than my own father and my husband. Dad has met with US Presidents, served in the military, visited many many Foreign countries, and is very educated with multiple degrees, yet makes the salary of an incoming 4 yr. degree holder, by his own choice for the security of the IPCC. He may not toot his own horn, but there is no reason his children shouldn't toot one for him... finally.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY – "It is my privilege to announce that Dr. Clyde Hughes has been re-elected as IPCC General Overseer. Let each District, Church, and Minister rally behind this man that God has ordained to lead our Conference. He needs your prayers and support as he does "Business for Our Lord." - Anthony S. Ralph, IPCC General Secretary

Dad's comment for the churches:

THANK YOU – When asked about how long I have served in this position, I often say our people have told me to keep trying until I get it right and I always seem to have a long way to go. But seriously, I once told Chester Miller that is a terrifying thought for a person to be the General Overseer at the time of Christ’s return. The commodities we are dealing with are more critical than even the existence of our nation. Secondly, I truly feel the position is but a two year loan. It can be owned by no one. It can be deserved by no one. Thirdly, while there are always the contrarians who feed on their own egos and interests, the very vast majority of the people of the IPCC are such that make you feel just so honored to work with them. Day after day, they go about their tasks without complaint, always looking for another way to help. I also love our doctrine and beliefs. The more of our history I learn, warts and all, the more impressed I am with our heritage. The more opportunities I learn of, the more I am optimistic of our potential if we are willing to rise to the challenge. The realm of the IPCC is such that any position would be an honor to fill. As I have learned to fear power, I have also learned to fear taking my station in life for granted. I have seen too many good people fail to make promises of tomorrow, but up until today, my appreciation has grown for the people of the IPCC and the opportunities they have so graciously offered. - CMH

Family friend makes National News

2008-03-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I always thought his name was "Sugar bear" :) Pastor/Mayor Bradshaw and his wife Mary Jane are family friends and recently had some excitement in their lives.
I met them when they traveled with dad and I to Africa in 1994. They were very good to me and have been close to my mom and dad.

When I say that you respect The US President's Office as best as possible, NO MATTER how much you disagree, I meant it. We respect the Office even if the man is tough to respect for his policies and indiscretions. Too bad many of them aren't mature enough to do the same for our current sitting President.
The letter Bradshaw received in disagreement with his words about Rev. Wright were, oddly enough, an encouragement to me. I have received on a much smaller level the same type of responses from those in my own community when I stand up for what is right in my heart. I am glad to see someone I respect as a GREAT person gets the same, also for no solid reason. It is proof again that the Bible is right on such matters. I STRONGLY believe that we stand up for the purpose of enduring Christ-like love for what is Biblical and right and do NOT bend even in the face of harsh and hateful criticism and lies spun for the direct goal of slander!
Certainly, simply because someone wants you to be hateful to prove their fears of Christianity, this does NOT make what they say any more right than the world being flat.
So, to the man I only know as Sugar bear, Excellent showing!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAMRON BRADSHAW INTRODUCES PRESIDENT CLINTON – Bill Clinton made a whistle stop at Chesapeake, WV last week. As the Mayor, Damron Bradshaw gave the introduction to a packed out house in the senior center. His remarks stirred the ire of some when he said, "I am not like Rev. Jeremiah Wright but the words that I want to use instead are, "God Bless America." The crowd roared their approval. Network coverage has prompted hate mail over it. He said his mother always told him that the two things that you couldn't take back were the spoken word and a sped arrow. I told him we apparently share some of the same fans. Damron is the Field Secretary for South America for the IPCC. He is also mayor of the town, Chairman of the Kanawha Valley Mayor's Association which includes the state Capitol, and president of an enterprise association. As for introducing the former president, political leanings aside, it is the duty of every mayor to promote his city. The mayor of my childhood hometown of Huntington, WV is a flaming liberal. Recently, he refused to be a part of a non-political visit from President Bush. The town has been ranked about 400th in size and has a skyline virtually unchanged for 50 years. He should have been a part of the visit simply to boost his city's image rather than disgrace it. Brother Bradshaw said he was thrilled the former President decided to visit Chesapeake, "It's a great day for Chesapeake, not a lot of historic things happen in Chesapeake, you might not say this is historic but in our small way we think it's very historic." JFK stopped there in 1960.

Yet Another reason to despise NEA

2008-03-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ask yourself! WHAT does this have to do with the education of our Nation's Youth???
Yes! that is right! NOTHING! they complain that they don't make enough money and that education needs more support, then they go out and show how idiotic they are and they can't even explain this type of commonplace procedure.

Seriously, there is something wrong with this...

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES INFAMOUS ABORTIONIST (Jim Brown, OneNewsNow) – The National Education Association is being denounced for hosting an event honoring infamous abortionist George Tiller who is facing 19 criminal charges for performing illegal late-term abortions. George Tiller, a man many pro-lifers call "Tiller the baby killer," received a standing ovation at the Feminist Majority Foundation's annual Women's Leadership Conference held recently at the NEA's headquarters in Washington, DC. During his talk, Tiller attempted to justify his work by showing the approving audience pictures of babies he had aborted who had fetal abnormalities. The Feminist Majority Foundation then announced it was launching a new campaign designed to keep Tiller's Wichita, Kansas, abortion mill open.

Two employees with the group Students for Life of America secretly videotaped a conversation they had with Tiller after the event. Executive director Kristan Hawkins, who conducted the interview with the abortionist, says when she questioned Tiller about his views on infanticide, he stated that he was not even aware of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. [Editor's note: The videotaped interview is available at the group's website.] "He said that he has done abortions up until the day before delivery—so that's 36 weeks, 35 weeks [in the womb]," says Hawkins. "He also said [if] you have 15 or 16 [abortions] and one slips out with a heartbeat, that's not a viable fetus." And the pro-life activist claims Tiller stated that if a baby is born alive during an abortion, "that's just sloppy medicine, that's just sloppy technique." Hawkins says the National Education Association has no legitimate explanation for hosting Tiller. "It's pretty sickening," Hawkins shares. "We've had a lot of pro-life teachers write the NEA since we put the information out." The activist's husband, who is a teacher, had written the NEA about its hosting of the conference and its guest speaker. According to Hawkins, the NEA responded that it sometimes allows "likeminded groups" to use the building for a small fee or no charge at all. "So they're classifying the Feminist Majority Foundation as a likeminded group," she points out. "Now this is an extreme pro-abortion organization." Hawkins says although the NEA has a long history of pro-abortion activism, many pro-life teachers viewed the Tiller appearance as the "final straw" and have subsequently chosen to leave the union.

Barack- the other democrat who lies...

2008-03-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

So, does that title tick you off? It shouldn't. After all, how long have we listened to that side call our own President a liar, and even choose to ignore the lies and discretions of their beloved icons?
No more being nice about this!
This article comes from an Israeli newspaper that has compiled evidence that Barack has lied about his faith. It comes from his own family, friends, school teachers from foreign countries and it has all been verified. There is enough evidence and documentation to show that THIS is the real Barack.
Regardless of what you believe, It would be STUPID to deny facts and evidence. How bad do you really want to like this guy?
Too many are intriqued by Barack's charisma that they would vote for a guy who is dishonest about his background in order to hook you in.

As well, Barack is not a Christian. I feel confident enough to say that after the evidence:
1) No Christian who believes the Bible is the word of God would deliberately go so far against it and make it easier for people to kill... especially babies, yet want to protect hardened criminals from the chair. Barack is for Partial birth abortion which means he thinks it is a person's right to take a baby at the due date (or within viability) and KILL it by crushing it's skull once the head comes out during labor, induced or natural. A baby takes its first breath, but mom thinks it to be trash, and so Barack says, "HEY! It's a woman's right to crush a baby's skull if she wants!"

It is no more a "right" to kill a baby this way than it would be for me to hand a knife to my neighbor to kill her ornery five yr. old. That is what you do when you vote democrat. You support the murder of babies. Congratulations.

2) He claims that he isn't around his church enough to hear Rev. Wright's hatemongering, but he will not denounce any of it. Reverend Wright runs a CULT, not a religion. ANY Pastor who chooses to preach about anything other than the crucifixion and resurrection on Easter Sunday is giving us the "pie in the face" cue!
The man has been quoted saying "God Damn America!" IDIOT!!!
THAT IS A CULT! And THAT makes me angry!

3) No man who is a Christian would feel comfortable reciting, let alone honoring words that state that "Allah is great" and that "Muhammed" is his Prophet. THAT, to a true Christian who really believes in Christ as the ONLY way to Heaven (which is Biblical truth) would NOT come out of one's mouth easily. In fact Barack's church says you can be a Muslim AND a member of that church at the same time! God is NOT forgiving in this area. He is a jealous God and demands NOT to be shared with false Prophets. He said His own son is the ONLY way to Him. It isn't said just once in the Bible either. This is another sign of why Rev. Wright's church is a cult.

4) Too many people who have known him in his life from a young age, through his teen years say that he was a devout Muslim. Too many. Too many... What would it take to believe for some?

People WANT to like Barack Obama, including me in many ways. BUt I am not stupid enough to WANT to like him so much that I will believe anyhting he says and dismiss what so many more say about him and his history.

From: The ISRAELI INSIDER

Is Barack Obama a Muslim wolf in Christian wool?
By Reuven Koret March 27, 2008

Bookmark to del.icio.us Digg This Story
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The glib handling of criticism of his relationship with the anti-American ("God Damn America!") and anti-Israel ("a dirty word for Negroes") Reverend James Wright may have bought him a little time. But the legacy of dissimulation about his long-concealed identity is about to come crashing down around the ears of Barack Hussein Obama, courtesy of the assembled testimony of his family, friends, classmates and teachers.

The accumulated research indicates that Obama was in his childhood a devout Muslim, the son of a devout Muslim, the step-son of a devout Muslim and the grandson and namesake ("Hussein") of a devout Muslim. He was registered in school as a Muslim and demonstrated his ability to chant praise to Allah in impressive Arab-accented tones even as an adult. Just as he has not disavowed his "uncle" Jeremiah, neither has he disavowed his Muslim faith that he was born into, raised with, celebrated and never abandoned. He just covered it over with a thin veneer of his own self-styled "Christianity."

Although as an adult he would register as a Christian, and occasionally attend a Christian Church (but apparently not often enough to listen to the preaching of his pastor, or so he would claim) this was a necessary step for a man who from earliest boyhood has nurtured the precocious ambition to be President of the United States.

He was entered into the Roman Catholic, Franciscus Assisi Primary School, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1, 1968, registered under the name Barry Soetoro, an Indonesian citizen whose religion was listed as Islam. Catholic schools accept non-Catholics worldwide. Non-Catholic students are typically excused from religious instruction and ceremony.

In kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want to Become President.'"Iis Darmawan, 63, Senator Obama's kindergarten teacher, remembers him as an exceptionally tall and curly haired child who quickly picked up the local language and had sharp math skills. He wrote an essay titled, 'I Want To Become President,' the teacher said." [AP, 1/25/07]

Three years later, in 1971, Obama enrolled in the Besuki Primary School, a government school, as Barry Soetoro, Muslim. In third grade, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want To Be a President.' His third grade teacher: Fermina Katarina Sinaga "asked her class to write an essay titled 'My dream: What I want to be in the future.' Senator Obama wrote 'I want to be a President,' she said." [The Los Angeles Times, 3/15/07]

All Indonesian students are required to study religion at school and a young Barry Soetoro, being a Muslim, would have been required to study Islam daily in school.

He would have been taught to read and write Arabic, to recite his prayers properly, to read and recite from the Quran and to study the laws of Islam.

In his autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," Obama mentions studying the Koran and describes the public school as "a Muslim school."

"In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to tell mother I made faces during Koranic studies."

According to Tine Hahiyary, one of Obama's teachers and the principal from 1971 through 1989, Barry actively took part in the Islamic religious lessons during his time at the school. "I remembered that he had studied "mengaji" (recitation of the Quran)" Tine said.

The author of the Laotze blog writes from Jakarta: "The actual usage of the word 'mengaji' in Indonesian and Malaysian societies means the study of learning to recite the Quran in the Arabic language rather than the native tongue. "Mengagi" is a word and a term that is accorded the highest value and status in the mindset of fundamentalist societies here in Southeast Asia. To put it quite simply, 'mengaji classes' are not something that a non practicing or so-called moderate Muslim family would ever send their child to. To put this in a Christian context, this is something above and beyond simply enrolling your child in Sunday school classes."

"The fact that Obama had attended mengaji classes is well known in Indonesia and has left many there wondering just when Obama is going to come out of the closet."

"As I've stated before, the evidence seems to quite clearly show that both Ann Dunham and her husband Lolo Soetoro Mangunharjo were in fact devout Muslims themselves and they raised their son as such."

The Obama Campaign told the LA Times he wasn't a "practicing Muslim." (3/14/2007). But his official website says: "Obama Has Never Been A Muslim, And Is a Committed Christian" (11/12/2007)

That's not what his friends and classmates have said. Classmate Rony Amiris describes young Barry as enjoying playing football and marbles and of being a very devout Muslim. Amir said, "Barry was previously quite religious in Islam. We previously often asked him to the prayer room close to the house. If he was wearing a sarong, he looked funny," said Rony.

Amiris, now the manager of Bank Mandiri, Jakarta, recently said, "Barry was previously quite religious in Islam. His birth father, Barack Hussein Obama was a Muslim economist from Kenya. Before marrying Ann Dunham, Hussein Obama was married to a woman from Kenya who had seven children. All the relatives of Barry's father were very devout Muslims"

Emirsyah Satar, CEO of Garuda Indonesia, was quoted as saying, "He (Obama) was often in the prayer room wearing a 'sarong', at that time."

"He was quite religious in Islam but only after marrying Michelle, he changed his religion."
So Obama, according to his classmates and friends was a Muslim until the confluence of love and ambitious, caused him to adopt the cloak of Christianity: to marry Michelle and to run for President of the United States.

In "Dreams," Obama sheds light on his formative years and the political views of his mother, an anthropologist and Islamophile who hated America and subsequently "went native." (It was her mother -- Barry's "other" grandmother who cared for him in his druggie teenage years -- that he would describe as a "typical white person" who was, he said scoldingly, fearful of black men and prone to making stereotypical racial remarks.)

Obama Senior also had three sons by another woman who are all Muslim. Although Obama claims Senior was an atheist, Senior was buried as a Muslim.

Barack Obama's brother Roy opted for Islam over Christianity, as the Senator recounted in his book when describing his 1992 wedding. "The person who made me proudest of all," Obama wrote, "was Roy. Actually, now we call him Abongo, his Luo name, for two years ago he decided to reassert his African heritage. He converted to Islam, and has sworn off pork and tobacco and alcohol."Abongo "argues that the black man must "liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture." He urged his younger brother to embrace his African heritage.

In Kenya while he was a Senator, Obama stumped for his cousin, opposition leader Raila Odinga, the son of Senior's sister, a direct first cousin and nephew of Obama's father.
On August 29, 2007, Raila Odinga and Shiekh Abdullah Abdi, chairman of the National Muslim Leaders Forum of Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which it pledges the support of Kenyan Moslems for Raila's election. In return, as President of Kenya, Raila agrees ... within 6 months re-write the Constitution of Kenya to recognize Shariah as the only true law sanctioned by the Holy Quran for Muslim declared regions [and] within one year to facilitate the establishment of a Shariah court in every Kenyan divisional headquarters -- everywhere in Kenya, not just in "Muslim declared regions" -- and to popularize Islam, the only true religion ... by ordering every primary school in Kenya in the regions to conduct daily Madrassa classes.

In an interview with the New York Times, published on April 30th, Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama's younger half sister, told the Times, "My whole family was Muslim, and most of the people I knew were Muslim."

Obama describes his new found "Christian" faith as: (1) Suspicious of dogma (2) Without any monopoly on the truth (3) Nontransferable to others (4) Infused with a big healthy dose of doubt, and (5) Indulgent of and compatible with all other religions.

On February 27th, speaking to Kristof of The New York Times, Barack Hussein Obama said the Muslim call to prayer is "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset."

In an interview with Nicholas Kristof, published in The New York Times, Obama recited the Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, "with a first-class [Arabic] accent."
The opening lines of the Adhan (Azaan) is the Shahada:

"Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad is his prophet? "

According to Islamic scholars, reciting the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, makes one a Muslim. This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of, and total commitment to, the message of Islam. Obama chanted it with pride and finesse.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia blog, written by an American who has lived in Indonesia for 20 years and has met with both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, contains the following:

"Barack Hussein Obama might have convinced some Americans that he is no longer a Muslim, but so far he has not convinced many in the world's most populous Muslim country who still see him as a Muslim and a crusader for Islam and world peace."

"Barack Hussein Obama's race, his staunch opposition to the war in Iraq, his sympathy to Islam and Muslims worldwide and his Muslim heritage receive the Indonesian media coverage. There is no mention of his apostasy."

"A good example of how some of the Indonesian media is reporting on Obama's religion can be found in the following."

"What I found interesting in the article was the use of the word 'mengaku' when refering to Obama's conversion from Islam to Christianity. The word 'mengaku' in Indonesian means "claimed" and as such leaves the insinuation to the native Indonesian reader being that Obama might actually still be a Muslim.

But this is how Indonesians see Obama, they don't see him as an apostate at all, they see him as a crusader for the cause of Islam."

Obama wants it both ways, has always wanted it both ways. Black and white, Indonesian and American, Muslim and Christian. He loves playing one off the other, using one to hide the other even as the traces of the truth may be assembled to reveal the whole cloth of deception and self-promotion he has been weaving so skillfully since his childhood. No wonder he is a man of change. He IS a changeling, a veritable chameleon, adapting and amending his life story to fit the circumstances.

The charm may have worked once. It still works on some. It won't work forever in the age of the Internet. The fog of ambiguity and dissimulation is dissipated by the harsh, unforgiving and scrutiny of the blogosphere and its unlimited access to historical facts and time-stamped testimony.

Many have been puzzled why Obama could claim not to be familiar with Wright's rants. It turns out the Trinity Church, like many African-American churches, happily accepts believing Muslims within its congregation. And evidently many Muslims have no problems surrounding themselves with an anti-American, anti-Israel preacher who week in and week out wins the amens of his adoring congregation.

On Feb 15/08, Usama K. Dakdok, President of The Straight Way of Grace Ministry called Obama's Church and reported the following conversation: " I then asked the person who answered what I needed to do to join. She told me that I needed to attend two Sunday School classes in a row and then I would walk the aisle. I replied, "That sounds easy. One last question please. If I am Muslim and I believe in the Prophet Mohammed, peace be unto him and I also believe in Jesus, peace be unto him, do I have to give up my Islamic faith to be a member in your church? She answered: "No, we have many Muslim members in our church."

Indeed.

Credit for these reports and revelations -- assembling the statements of those who love and admire Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama -- belong primarily to the writers, researchers, and journalists cited in and contributing to the above references. Special hat tip to Ted Belman of Israpundit for putting most of the pieces together. One can be sure that more, much more, is on the way, before the first black muslim president enters the White House. Or not.

Clinton the liar- part II

2008-03-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

Well, that's just fine! First slick willy slides under the radar and excuses lying by redefinition, and liberals are OK with it. "Hey, it's his life"

Now, we have more proof of Clinton dishonesty but the zombies won't blink at it, I promise:

Oh man! He is RIGHT!

2008-03-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

Or, "Why I don't like liberalism"...

This is very interesting! "Evan Sayet has been a top Hollywood writer and producer for more than 20 years. His credits range from “The Arsenio Hall Show” to “Politically Incorrect.” After the Sept. 11 attacks, Sayet decided to step from behind the camera and speak out in his own voice – that of one of the nation’s top political satirists. At Heritage, his entertaining yet quite serious lecture will examine the modern liberal “mindset” and how it can lead to siding with evil over good and behaviors that produce failure rather than success."

Like it or not, what he says is harsh, but right.

So, let's talk about the thoughts that this post will provoke. Some, like me, will sit here and understand what this man is saying and take it for what it is...truth.

Others, despite there is NO hate speech, NO harsh name calling or cursing, or rude behavior, will call this man a "hatemonger, bigot, self righteous" despite that. And I tell you, IF you fall in the latter category, you are so blinded that you begin to make things up in your mind! Certain types of Liberals know they can shut up most conservatives by avoiding intelligent argument, and jumping straight into slanderous insults- hater mongerer, bigot, self righteous...
So, Listen Conservatives! You might as well get used to these labels no matter how you treat people and how bluntly you spell out care and love, because unless you water down your thinking you cannot avoid these labels. Liberals have been so successful in using this attack to shut up the right that they use it with no abandon but what they say does not make it truth! And that is a good sign that someone is a liberal! There are no true arguments against common sense.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Easter- The most meaningful Day of the year, for it represents that which saved even those who are yet to know it.

I cannot explain what this day feels like, what it means. None of us can.
What I feel is a true gratefulness and thankfulness, but sadness as well. Why sadness? So many do not have the peace that comes in knowing Jesus Christ as their Savior, and I remember that hopeless feeling. Easter represents the day of Resurrection, the true meaning of Easter. Christ was persecuted and crucified, but the real reason of Easter is a true Celebration in His resurrection! He is the ONLY God in any religion who has achieved resurrection and is still alive. He is the way the truth and the life and today at the dawn of Easter I celebrate my God and Savior.

I am thankful for His love and presence. I feel Him with me, and see His work as the results of prayer. I am provided for. I don't live a day where I don't feel loved despite my imperfections and shortcomings. And Easter is the reason!

Thank you Lord for every thing you have giving me. Even in pain and fear you are there, and it is shortlived! My life is more balanced, happy and secure since you came into my life, and I can only pray that those who don't have this will soon come to depend and love you as well.

Happy Easter! Bring us home to you soon!

Well, it's unfortunately time to put this out there...

2008-03-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

I don't like to show weakness so please understand I didn't want to admit this but my belief in the need for prayer supercedes my emotions. Not out of pride, but I have always hated people worrying about me, or...feeling sorry for me. Ask my family. I never told my own mom when was sick, or needed money...I wanted to take care of myself quietly. Stubbornly independent. But there comes times in our lives where we have to admit that our prayers are not enough to care for the others in our lives. As well, this forces me to reflect on what we are about to face, and I hate that. When I got married, that feeling radiated to my husband and children. I am deeply protective of them and would die for them as would they for me. I am so happy and fortunate in what we have...
Now , I think it is time to tell my friends here about a prayer request that I have.

As many of you know my husband has a rare genetic cancer, and unfortunately my children both inherited it. There was a 50/50 chance of them getting it. The children have 98% chance of being cured of the cancer portion of this multiple thyroid disease since it was caught and removed early. My husband had his thyroid out at age 7 or 8, but apparently we were not aware that later in his mid 20s well after marriage, the cancer popped up in his lymph nodes in his left side of neck. The month he accepted the job at GC is when we became aware shortly thereafter of the disease, and surgeries were scheduled in 2002. At that time they could not remove all of the cancer, because a small amount of it was wrapped up in a nerve that controls the vocal cords. To remove this cancer may have meant the loss of full voice resulting in a raspy low voice and possible need of implant. The surgeon and Doctor, seeing that this cancer generally grows VERY slow compared to other cancers, felt that we would have to just watch these cancer bits and may have to come back later to remove them if they began to grow.

The good news is that 5 years later (this past fall), the MRIs of the full body (chest, heart, spine and kidneys) came up clear. But that bit of cancer in the neck has grown roughly a millimeter a year, still tiny but enough for them to see that it isn't staying put and they need to remove it, despite the danger of cutting that nerve to the vocal cord. We found this out a few weeks ago.

I am numb, but what can you do? I have children and a husband who need me to be me. They depend on my smile, my goofiness and stupid humor. I let it sink in at night and when I am alone on Tuesday and Thursday like now, I get it out of my system, then I carry on doing what I do, so in other words I am fine :)

He'll be OK. We tend to never talk about it and since he lives in complete well being and no one, would ever realize we live with this daily. he has full function and feels great, never sick especially after removing those lymph nodes years ago. And they say, that many people with this live into their 80s. Slow growing. We have the best Doctor familiar with this disease and the best surgeon in the state for it.
Cancer is hard to face head on. I prefer to look at it from the side.

But if you could: Please pray for us. The surgery will not be until late Spring early summer. Neither of us would choose interrupting his school, band and orchestra activities for surgery per our "others first" rule that we agree on with the students.

Pray that:
-Tom will undergo surgery well and recover quickly.
-That they can remove the cancer and miraculously get all of it. We've been told this is unlikely, but I have a God I know can do anything.
-Pray that my children will be OK and not scared or worried through this. They were not around the first time. My daughter was 2 and didn't know.

I don't like to ask for people to pray for me but if you could...Thanks.