Dear Erick

Today I am ticked off at one of my favorite pundits, Erick Erickson said something uncaring today: that people who declare bankruptcy over medical bills are just doing it to remove their responsibility to pay it. I'd like to box his ears.

Let's cut to the chase: Conservatives are mad as hell because the current administration is constantly giving away things to people who don't work, who refuse to take responsibility for their own lives. They want government handouts. And we're sick of it. I frankly don't like Obamacare any more than any other Conservative. It forces me to buy something. I don't believe the government has a right to do that. But I also think Mr. Erickson needs a heart re-direct.

Sometimes life deals us some whammies that take away all of our ability to handle them. I am a Christian- my Father in Heaven always takes good care of me. I trust Him with my heart, my life, my future. I worked hard in law enforcement most of my adult life . But let me ask you, Mr. Erickson- what will you do the day you get very sick and are faced with a stack of medical bills that reaches the ceiling? You're probably very wealthy. You're very young. You probably have a "cadillac" insurance plan. Some of the rest of us unfortunately are not in that class. We're on fixed incomes. We get sick and we get stuck. We can't afford what you can afford.

You came off very uncaring today. I think you should repent, back the truck up, and really start caring about the people around you. Take your head out of the political rhetoric and remember that real people have real problems and sometimes they are out of our control. Not everyone is irresponsible leaky trailer trash. Stop generalizing. Get it right.

Wisdom or Panic?

Ok, I'm wading in on that Defense Bill with the detention provision tucked inside. Erick Erickson mentions that it's section 1021 in an 1800 page document.Gotta love these short bills, huh? Anyone wanting to read throught it would go to sleep before they got to the end.

The provision supposedly gives the President broad power to detain anyone involved in any kind of "Terrorist group" indefinitely without legal foundation. So, what's a terrorist group, we ask?

Now first, I remember certain members of the administration back in 2009 warning the country that conservatives or as she put it "the right wing" were dangerous and she nearly placed us in the terrorist category in a memo she wrote. Soooo...it has given many of my conservative friends pause as to what is the real agenda behind the "Fema Camps." Not to worry, I'm sure that we can prove that we are far more dangerous than they think we are.

Then there are my Christian friends who are freaked out thinking their homeschooling or evangelical activities are going to get them classified as "terrorists." Again we can prove we are far more dangerous than the government thinks we are: we PRAY. Now THAT's dangerous!

Point is, while this legislation passed with narry a nay, it passed because our own leadership is scared. OUR response should not be panic, or anger, but should contain true wisdom. There are inherent problems with the law -- let's work to get those parts removed. We still have a legal system, as wacky as it may be. Let's not give the liberals cause to call us deranged, let's show them who's really boss!

Who are We Standing For?

Ok, I have a bone to pick with Christians, and a complaint about the government. Nice combo, don't you think?

1. The government is hell-bent toward dropping America into Communism/Socialism in the name of "fairness." Most of the folks who subscribe to that philosophy don't know jack about what it means to follow that path. "Spreading the wealth" --money to everyone means that no one gets any except the top level- I can prove that by what happens when you get millions of people involved in a class action lawsuit. My hubby got a whopping $.21 from a class action lawsuit against EBAY. Whee, I feel rich already! Point is, when everyone is "entitled" to money, nobody gets much.

These people simply have an opinion and that opinion tries to paint the rest of us as imbeciles. And frankly, sometimes we are. We have knee-jerk reactions to things that we should be wisely countering. We go off and say ridiculous things that make the media circle us like sharks smelling blood in the water. It's embarrassing.

And just for drill, not one candidate for President is free of sin- everybody's got it. And I frankly don't give a darn about what kind or ilk it is. We just need strong leadership- which seems to be lacking in many areas. Sometimes the worst sinners make great leaders (evidenced by King David- murderer, adulterer, great king).


2. Christians are supposed to hold themselves to a higher standard than those reactions. "Bless those who curse you" is a case in point. Do we ever bless the President, or are we cursing him daily? I mean spiritually too- we are constantly griping, complaining, whining, and cursing in the name of "standing for the truth." Well, gang the truth is in the New Testament, and He commands us to bless and not curse. If we want a new President, if we want God's best for us, WILL WE OBEY HIM? WILL WE GET THE MESSAGE?

I sincerely doubt that Christianity will get it. We're on an I-hate-Obama roll. Whether we like him or not is irrelevant- we are supposed to obey the Lord's Word and bless him. Until we do so, we are in for a ride. Defeating Obama can only happen when the Body of Christ unites to obey the Word of God.

So we're Lazy now?

The President thinks America is "lazy" because we "haven't been attracting foreign businesses." Ouch. Let me dig a little deeper into that statement.

First off, the President has planned more initiatives to set up foreign investment in this nation. You might be thinking, "great! More money for us!" But think about it -- we have opened our doors to foreign investors to the point where a lot of American businesses are actually owned by other nations. China, for example, owns 70% or thereabouts of American communication companies. (You can look that up)Do we really want MORE of that? Ask the Chinese corporation in southern Idaho why their little enclave is literally considered foreign soil. Hmmmm?

Arab interests, too, have skyrocketed over the last decade. Can our own businesses keep up with the money that has been pouring into this country? Not really. Many of them have gone under, and been taken over by international concerns. But lazy? Mr. President, that's not correct.

The President wants American businesses to go overseas and attract more foreign investment. I am not certain that's a good idea. I don't think American businesses are "lazy." Many have established themselves overseas and prospered at it. But bringing overseas back to us? I'm not sure that's the best plan.

Iran and the Headaches They give Us

Today I see that our former Secretary of State Condolezza Rice made the statement that we should take out the Iranian government any way we can. While I often didn't agree with her while in office, she just might be right.

The main problem to military action in Iran is their resources- not a push over as was Saddam's untrained army. Iran has spent millions training terrorists, armies, and moving in to places they should never be. They support some of the world's nastiest terror groups- and they are a terror group in and of themselves. Not to mention their leader is a nutcase, and a dangerous one at that.

Candidates have said that "we should remove the sanctions to get Iran to act differently." Which is a lot of hog pucky. People who are deranged are not swayed by magnanimous gestures or wheedling. They look for ways to exploit their foes and use every method to do it. Ms. Rice nailed it when she said we should never take the military option off the table.

Ahmadinejad is no fool- crazy, but not stupid. He will delay, manipulate, threaten, even tell lies in order to get his way. Anyone who thinks he's a normal guy that will respond to "nice" gestures is as smart as the two guys in "Dumb and Dumber." Time to get our tongues off the frozen light pole and get some guts.

Fleshly Attributes

Today there is a headline that reveals the IRS and FBI are investigating Bishop Eddie Long's church in Atlanta for holding investment seminars which have caused several people to lose their savings.

First off, to give Bishop Long the benefit of the doubt, the economy is not in a good investment cycle- so duh, somebody is losing their money. But aside from the obvious, there is a deeper problem with "investment seminars" held by a church.

It's called greed. It's called the "love of money" being a root of "all kinds of evil." For the life of me I can't figure out why Christians are so hell bent to seek after the almighty dollar. Don't they READ their Bibles?

Jesus told His followers that if they loved money they would end up hating God. "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24

And yet, all over the Body of Christ there are get-rich-quick-schemes, followed by the statement "you need the money for ministry." Bull pucky.
Many a scheme has snared Christians, and has caused them to lose things.
I met with a couple one day who were convinced that if I would just buy a website from them I would make lots of money for my "ministry." As I sat across from them - in my police uniform by the way- I tried to explain that what they were proposing was a "pyramid scheme" and not legal in our state. They refused to believe it and walked away in a fog of deception.
No, they didn't make lots of money, and neither did anyone else involved in the scheme.

From "health products" to websites, "investments", to "give to get offerings," to every other trap, Christians are guilty of worldy thoughts. It's all based in greed and the love of money. They need to repent and wake up to the truth. God's economy works differently than the world. Will we EVER learn?

Polls and Politics

According to varying polls, people don't think they want Mr. O as President anymore. Well, duh. Mr. Spend, Spend, and Spend-Some-More simply doesn't need to continue. All that tax and spend policy places huge hardships on all of us. Undoing it is going to be a nightmare and a half.

The thing about polls is that they are often flawed and give a false sense of complacency. So my advice is to watch over the course of time and not give in to their alluring results.

Example: Ron Paul won a "straw poll" from Value Voters. He won because his wealthy supporters were on site at the convention. He didn't win it outright, nor did he win it because he was "favored." That kind of twisting goes on ALL THE TIME with politicians on both sides of the road.

Let's think for a minute about the "Occupy Wall Street" crowds and their buddies in Portland, etc. They have sucked in numerous people from all over the political spectrum, but they are socialist to the max. They are "share the wealth" people. Their agenda is simply wrong for America, no matter how many people are hanging out in the streets. It's like a twisted poll- don't believe everything you think you see.

So what's the answer? Honesty. Integrity. Truth. Love of Country. Love of people. Across the aisles of politics there can be a working together, but it takes some unvarnished truth and a large dose of compassion to do so: 1)the kind of compassion that refuses to hand everyone a credit card and tell them to go spend themselves into debt; 2) the kind of compassion that tries to give wisdom as a handout instead of free money; 3) the kind of compassion that causes our citizens to be responsible, hard-working, and truly free.

So, what do you think?

Healthcare in America

For a moment, let's talk about healthcare. Medicare patients have pretty decent care, by and large. But those of us in the middle between Medicare and employer insurance are guaranteed disaster.

My first employer's insurance was awesome- but it cost $800 per month.On a retirement income, that is simply not possible. I tried to get a regular policy, but was denied because of several "pre-existing conditions" - like migraines, for example. I currently have a crappy policy that is nigh unto worthless with a $5K deductible. The bottom-feeders who have it know full well that all of it will end up on the "deductible." And I will have all of it out of my own pocket.

So here we are in 2011, and the other day I had a "brain bleed" caused by those migraines, as well as a couple of other issues. Two CT scans and an MRI later, the bill was racking up exponentially. Down to the $6 or $7 box of kleenex in my room, it started to get ugly. I tried to tell the people who kept entering my room that my insurance was so crappy it wouldn't pay for all of that, but it fell on deaf ears. They gave me a private room, something my insurance NEVER pays for. They must have thought I had a "cadillac" policy!

Then there were the physical therapists, the occupational therapists, and the speech pathologist. I kept saying "no" so they insisted "yes." It seemed as though everyone was working against me. Then the doctor dropped by my room and decided I needed an angiogram on top of it all. At this point all I could do was nod my head like an idiot and pretend I was acquiescing.

It was difficult to even listen to anyone after that. Am I supposed to worry? No. Am I supposed to be calm and in control? No Doubt. At least I have Jesus. Other people- I honestly don't know what they do. With the bills mounting, the insurance company refusing to pay, and our leaders in Congress playing Russian Roulette with our health, I'd really like to cry, but simply don't have the energy.

New Jobs or Tired Old Ones?

I listened to just enough of last night's "new jobs speech" to decide that it was about tired old ideas. When will people understand that if your wallet is empty and your credit card is maxed, spending more money is foolish?

Every time a politician says the words "tax cuts" people's knees shake with delight. When they say "jobs" their hands shake too. They turn all giddy and walk around thinking they've overcome a problem. But frankly, last night nothing new was offered- it was still spend, spend, spend to fix a problem caused by spending. ??? This administration's definition of tax cut is skewed enough that it makes little real impact on anyone. Their "stimulus" plans have failed from the get-go because the money all ends up in the wrong hands, rather than actual job-creating activities.

So he wants to "refurbish schools." Right. In the beginning of the school year with millions of kids already in the buildings. Ok, that one's on hold already. Roads and bridges- yep, we need those fixed, as long as it's not pork. Like building a bridge to nowhere. Or an airport in the middle of nowhere. It all sounds like nowhere to me.We have seen that thses types of packages actually fail to create jobs because the money ends up in the hands of individuals who would rather line their pockets than really create jobs. At least when FDR created the CCC, it created infrastructure jobs that put people back to work. This group of folks would rather "spread the wealth" to their cronies than the people of America.

Case in point: the big deal "green company" that made solar panels. Got a $500 million loan from the administration. Did they create jobs? No, they lost 1500 of them and declared bankruptcy. Now they are under investigation for violating some federal regulations. No amount of demonstrations or applications by other more reputable companies in the field did any good (I have that from someone in that field who actually tried it)- the loan went to the wrong company instead of solid, sound companies. Why? It's the old you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours. And we the voters should be fed up by now.

For those of us who are Christians, it's time to pray if we have not been doing so. If we have been blinded by the verbiage of the administration, then it's time to get a clue. We need to stand up and say "enough!" Time to contact your Congressional Representatives and shout that your wallets are empty and they need to wake up and smell roses.
P.S.- roses will bloom all season IF you clip them back as they bloom. If you don't they "head out," the leaves fall off, and end up as brown stalks with no blooms. Just sayin'.

New Video Game- just fun or dangerous?

The Headline read "Video Game Targets 'Tea Party Zombies,'Fox News Personalities." Now before you all go ape on me for saying something negative about a video game, let me give you a few facts:

There are numerous examples of kids and even adults who have become so engrossed in the action/plot of certain video games that they have acted on it. When I was working in law enforcement we had a kid who decided it was time to kill the neighbor girl because he saw it in a violent video game and "wanted to see what it felt like." EEEYIKES! (Note- Had a baseball bat in his hand and was advancing on the little girl when he was caught. She was safe, no injuries. Lucky. The nick of time.)

Then there was the dude in another state who had been playing video games so long (18 hours)that he accidentally called a total stranger on the phone and told her was going to come and kill her. He meant to call the other guy playing the game with him, but mis-dialed the phone. Somewhat over the top, right?

So now we have a video game that literally targets real people. The name of the game from a StarvingEyes Advergaming, a New York-based company is titled: "Tea Party Zombies Must Die." I think I know why they are "starving."

All of the real people in the game are conservatives like Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee. Fancy that. Wonder who came up with this "game"... a left winger perhaps? And they call US dangerous. We've never created a Left-Wing Zombies Must Die game. We don't go around telling everyone that the lefties are so dangerous they should be snuffed. What's the matter with this picture?

This new "game" is not. Is not a game, I mean. It flirts with crazy people's delusions. I personally would recommend everyone named in the game go increase their protection details. And just to be clear, when "fans" get wacky over either policital viewpoint, there is a problem. Common sense appears to be dead in America- a sad day for us all. The new game is not just fun, it is dangerous. And mark my words, unless somehow it gets pulled from the shelves, there will be a horrendous consequence.

Politics - fools or friends

Someday we'll I hope we'll figure out that our modern leadership has gone dangerously awry. We have lost the ability to make decisions that are logical and beneficial to the populace of America. Sometimes I look at Washington and see nothing but power plays by fools rather than statesmen who are friends of the citizens.

Today the headlines talk about Mr O changing his " jobs" speech to avoid the GOP debate. Now why would he schedule it on debate night anyway? Of course to derail attention. Not that it would have mattered much. Our President needs to stop talking and start exhibiting real wisdom.

Now I'd love to have a Conservative President elected next year, but the fact remains that there are real people who need employment now. I have friends who have been looking for a job for 2 years or more and are in desperate need. And all this showmanship/wrangling/speech making is not helpful to the task at hand. Reminds me of a "Ship of Fools." (Wasn't that a movie?)

Then we have left wingers throwing hissy-fits over Gov Perry's faith, and a guy who shot a bear to defend his kids, when our economy is toast and our people are unemployed. Good grief! What a waste of perfectly good hot air.

The ultimate though, was the idea this week that our Congress wanted a raise because $170000+ per year isn't enough. I'll trade them incomes if they think that's not enough. Let them live on retirement pensions like mine or unemployment for a while. Show me some friends of America instead of fools, will ya?

Mouth Issues

I read a comment by Erick Erickson at RedState today that made a lot of sense. He talked about Rick Perry's comments on the Fed not being the big problem everyone seems to think it is. I agree. Anytime you can freak out the President with your words and get a personal response you've done your job well.

We've had lots of politicians who've made ridiculous statments. I think if I had to stand in front of a bunch of nimnos and try to think off the top of my head, I'd probably create controversy daily. But Gov Perry's statement about the Fed was right on. Print more money, might as well use it for toilet paper. Isn't that treasonous? Placing the entire country in danger of collapse isn't a joke.

If the media griped about people like Joe Biden, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi's mouths as much as they complained about the GOP, we might actually have objective journalism in America. But we do not. Those folks have said some things that are vile and downright nasty with no reaction except to show how mad we conservatives were at their statements.

Weird. But in case you were wondering, it's just going to get worse. My old boss calls elections years the "silly season." He's so polite. I'd describe it as "get the helmets, Agnes, I hear the missiles!"

When the Going gets Rough...

Teddy Roosevelt's famous saying about "when the going gets rough, the rough get going" isn't really true these days. Nowadays when the going gets rough, everybody leaves. Exit Tim Pawlenty from the Presidential race. That lasted a while. Not. No staying power.

Politics isn't for the faint of heart. The media will destroy you, the constituency will chew you up and spit you out, your email and telephone will be jammed everytime you do anything whether good or bad. Reporters and the opposition will be snooping through your garbage and your past hoping to find something stinky they can use against you. You'll be slammed with a bad reputation and everything you say will be twisted into lies. But if you are a leader, you'll fight your way through it. Because the world is a tough place and true leaders need to be strong enough to lead.

A few days ago an old friend thanked me for being a leader at our old workplace. She said it made going to work tolerable and even fun. I almost cried. She mentioend that after I left things got ugly, and the leadership went into control and dominance rather than real leadership. What once was a safe work environment where someone stood up for the employees, it became unfriendly and in constant upheaval.

That same thing happens when our state and national leaders go for power instead of the welfare of the people. It takes special leaders to stand their ground in the face of intimidation, lies, and even pure evil. It takes men and women of action and integrity to see the needs of America and fight for them. When the going gets rough, will anyone get going, or will they all bow out?

Presidents and Power

Way back when Mr O came into the White House, I blogged that he really didn't demonstrate much personal power. His power is derived from others, and from their aid, not from within himself. Nowhere has that been more evident than during this financial crisis.

Even the media has remarked that they have seen little real leadership with the stock market volatility. There have been no speeches to generate confidence in America, merely speeches that sound like we are being chastised. Although he was right about one thing- the S&P downgrade was only one of several indexes, and they were the only ones that whacked the US down a point.He could have used that better in his speech, rather than sounding like there wasn't anything wrong at all.

There are several kinds of power. One comes from a sense of responsibility and love of the American people. Another comes from selfish ambition- and that one will always fail to produce good solid answers and hope.

The Stock Market roller coaster ride may seem like it doesn't affect you. But it affects even those of us with only pension funds in the market. Easing the fears of the American people would go a long way to stabilizing the market itself. It takes inner strength to be a leader that is truly effective in running the country and bringing hope to the people. Since the election is coming up next year, it would be nice to find someone with that kind of power. Let's elect a true leader, ok?

Wild Adventure

So here we are with a national average of 9.1% unemployment (some states higher),a stock market that flushed the toilet by 513 or so points yesterday, a political election year sneaking up on us like a military sniper, and to boot the upcoming year is 2012. Everyone likes to tell us that's the year of the end. (I am not an expert on that one, and so I think I'll just trust the Lord regardless, ok?) But it IS going to be a tough one, so listen up.

Every year since 1968, our election process has become more and more hostile. With every passing year since President Reagan got out of office, our leadership has seen fit to increase our debt by trillions instead of work toward fiscal responsibility. Every year our leaders bash business owners instead of encourage them, so unemployment lags behind the needs of the people. Capitalism has become the bad guy instead of the American dream.

Let's face it: America fell into greed, power, removal of Christ from society, hatred, malice, division, and a host of others. God judges three things most vehemently: division, idolatry, immorality. As long as we hang out with those things, we are in deep trouble.

Next year will be riddled with division and anger. Our debt problem is going to continue to make us top-heavy and wobble around with a lack of stability. Times are going to be tough. We're going to have to pray and not give up to stand strong against the mess. We also need to be wise in what we do and how we do it- and that especially means contacting our representatives in both houses of Congress. Get involved, keep praying, fight back by speaking your minds. Above all, seek the truth and pay attention PAST what the media tells you. Look deeper, pray harder, stand stronger. It's going to be a wild adventure.

Debt 100% of GDP

This morning I awakened to the sight of a headline on Fox News: Debt now at 100% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Way to go, America. You have nowhere to go but down. We can sincerely hope that the "Super Committee" gets a brain and stops the spending, but it sincerely may be too late. Have you ever ridden on a teeter-totter? When a heavier person gets on one side, you go up in the air and you either fall off or stay stuck with no progress. That's where we're at, folks. Our debt is on one end, and we are up in the air and can't reach the ground to get going again. Unless the debt side "loses a lot of weight" (Weight Watchers won't help), we going to stay stuck or we're going to go down hard. It's not the ride, it's the landing.

I'd say by now Ben Franklin is yanking on Jesus' robe, yelling "Do something! Do something!" He used to say that "a penny earned is a penny saved." Yep, we're out of pennies, Ben. And even gold is too expensive for normal people to hoard at this point.

I'm not an economist, and I'm no expert in the ways of Wall Street or the government. But I do remember my laws of physics. And we are in for it. Stay tuned.

Debt Deal and Other Wizardry

With everyone patting themselves on the back and others looking for more magic powder, it appears that the debt deal is a success, at least short term. But I have noticed in my short lifetime that bandaids tend to fall off the wound after they've been on for a while. They simply don't stick for long.

As hard fought as the debt deal was, it was necessary to get things moving forward. The trick now comes in keeping the train going. Did Obama win big? Not really, his left-wingers are mad at him. Did we conservatives win big? Bigger than we thought we would, but we're still in the soup. If you think Congress pulled off a Harry Potter style miracle, you'd be wrong. The US is in so deep right now that though we can limp along under this new legislation, we have to actually use wisdom instead of the sorcerer's wand to get things done. And we need good men and women willing to care about the nation first to do it.

Example: While we focused on the wrangling over debt ceilings, Harry Reid managed to lose 4000 FAA employees just to save an unnecessary airport in Ely, Nevada. One that can't make money. Why? Wild horses don't fly in airplanes. Neither do volcanic rocks. And that's about all that lives in Ely, Nevada. Why the heck do they need a federally subsidized airport? Mr Reid needs to take his magic powder and leave office. He only cares about his pork barrels, not about the nation. And he's not the only one, nor is it always the Democrats that do it. It's an elephant/donkey wizard festival sometimes.

Frankly, I'm fed up with Congress' propensity toward using its power to drive home bills that create and perpetuate personal projects for individuals or companies. I want to see legislation that works for the common good of the people. I want to see less government. I want to see more freedom and less nanny-state. I want wisdom in my government. LEss magic powder, more true wisdom. How about you?

Backwards Logic

Somedays I get up and read the news only to find that people have lost their minds. Whether it's the government spending to save the economy or crazy people murdering others and claiming to be a "conservative Christian"-it's all backwards logic.

First off, the nutcase in Norway is not a Christian. The Bible is extremely clear that if you hate, you don't belong to God. (Read the book of 1st John). You can say you're anything you want, but the proof is in the fruit of your life. He's not, simple as that. The media loves to point fingers and hype things up, but the guy is evil and in no way belongs to the Lord. Period.

As to the Congress/WhiteHouse: The government's hissy fits from both sides over the debt ceiling is ludicrous. The fact remains that a new plan must emerge for after they flip flop around the larger issue. There is a lot of waste in the current government- why? Because the government is too big, too slow, too far-reaching to hunt down all the loopholes and problems. We've literally allowed the creation of a monster with arms that go off into corners of our lives that our forefathers never intended. Getting it back to a smaller, more stable and streamlined form is going to be nigh on to impossible without heavy-duty wisdom.

We've created a welfare state, an eldercare state, with all of us totally dependent on the feds for our very lives. It's a sad place to be in for all of us. And it, again, is backwards logic. Freedom is about being able to make personal choices, not about being trapped under the government's whims.

There is so much division in our government between Dems and Reps and WH, that it's absolutely crazy. Everyone is in a free-for-all agenda and none of it has anything to do with what is right for the country. It has become a power game rather than a "debate." There is no actual debate. There is just a lot of b.s.. What is right for America? Look at your credit card statement, see the minimum payment, and multiply it by a trillion or so. Then if you get a good idea how to pay it, you might pass it along to your Congressmen and Senators. Help them past their backwards logic.

Vampire Government

We are supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Instead right now we have vampire government: suck your blood, suck your pocketbook, suck your life, suck your future. Not what it's supposed to be. So when and how do we fix it?

Only all of us together can fix it. If we stand for something, it must be the future of America. If we want something, it must be for the good of all- and that's where we seem to be at opposite ends.

I have watched America polarize for the last 40 years. 9-11 united us for a few days, but then it was like an earthquake opened up a deep chasm over which there is no bridge. There seems to be no common ground anymore-it's all opposite, all negatively charged, all impossible to conquer.

That saddens me - the country for which our forefathers fought and died has fallen into a quagmire of political garbage. We no longer have statesmen. We only have politicians. Real solutions escape us in favor of compromises that do nothing for our people. We need a change. We need people with integrtiy, not people of opinions. We need people who love this nation, not people who want power. We need to get rid of the vampires and let the sun (Son) wash away the darkness that has overtaken us. Will you help?

The Debt Ceiling and Real People

The challenge of America's Congress is the same as it's always been: balance the needs of the people with the purposes of government. Balance is the operative word. And it's been missing for a while now.

When this administration came to office, they went on a major spending spree. The answer for everything was to throw money at it. Now previous administrations weren't lily-white in that respect either, as their definition of help was spend as well. They used Social Security for their own purposes instead of the people. They allowed fraud to run rampant through the Medicare system, and every other government program. They gave money away in piles to anyone with their hands out. Consequently we have a sort forest "fire-side economics." Even Smokey the Bear would tell them they played with matches and it burned up the forest.

So what to do? The government has worked hard to create dependent people- I know, we're some of them. Without the pension checks, we'd be goners. Pull the plug on the programs and people suffer. Pull the plug on the debt ceiling and the government defaults, which would be a catastrophe in the making.And people yet again would suffer. Big catch-22.

The American people are pretty resilient, for the most part. They will survive whatever has to happen to get this mess fixed and our economy back on the right track. The tragedy would be if Congress played so many games that nothing happened at all. And, to be blunt, I think that's what is going on. The compromises I've read so far are nigh unto worthless toward the debt.The games played seem to be largely for media consumption rather than the exercise of real wisdom. Like my dog says, they're just barking at each other.:)

The Bible says that "where there is no counsel, the people fall; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14 Unless all the counsellors are failing to get some wisdom. Then there is really no safety at all.

Caylee Anthony - What Goes Around Comes Around

My stint in law enforcement support services for 31 years gave me some insight into what happens when the prosecution fails to convict someone that appears to be guilty: what goes around comes around. It isn't about if, it's about when.

Many years ago, our detective team at my old workplace gathered evidence for a particularly bad rapist. He was violently evil- and we knew it would be a matter of time before he would foul up the rape part and just kill the victim. They worked night and day on the case until they thought they had him cold. The arrest was made. The trial went south almost as soon as it started- someone had messed up in their procedures because of the emotion of the case. So it was dismissed and we couldn't try him again on those charges.

But in the principle of "what goes around," it was only a few short months later that he was back at his old games. He was arrested, convicted, and today is serving a life sentence.

I say all that to those of you who are ticked off that Caylee Anthony was acquitted on the charges of murdering her daughter. By the way- The prosecution likely charged her with too much heavy duty stuff (I listened to the jury instructions and was fairly sure she would be acquitted. They were too lengthy, too complicated, and the charges too deep.)

IF the woman did kill her daughter, she'll mess up again somehow. If she is crazy, it will become apparent. And there are eternal consequences that we don't see. Caylee Anthony did not get off. In reality, she just got a reprieve.

Election 2012 and The Downhill Slide

At the risk of making everyone mad at me, I'm going to plant my feet and take a stand: stop backing people who haven't joined the race yet.

The Republicans lost in 2008 because they split off into cliques that demanded their own candidates and refused to back any others. When those candidates dropped out or failed, they had a temper tantrum and refused to vote. That was helpful. Not. We lost the election, in case you didn't notice. And there was an unhealthy chunk of them that were simply being male-chauvinist about the whole thing or bought into media slants that were just plain false.

This morning I read a clip from an article in Time Magazine that said several Christian leaders have met to discuss their displeasure with the field of Presidential candidates so far. So they've decided to back Gov Rick Perry (R-Texas). I have nothing against him, I think he's peachy. Problem is, he hasn't formally entered the race yet. It's an attempt at manipulation, and a kind of behavior that almost guarantees us 4 more years of left wing leadership. Why? Because it's division, not unity.

I'm a Christian Conservative, but I don't like the strident, nasty tone of some of my brethren towards the field of candidates. It will divide the party yet again and send droves of voters scampering to their couches with pillows over their ears. We can't win the election like that, folks. We have to be engaged, wise, and unified against the deluge of left-wing devices. And they've got a lot of 'em, especially with the vast majority of media in their pockets.

Let's back the winner- whoever it may be- and the process that makes them the nominee. Black, white, male, or female, let's back the person who can take Mr. O out of office. Let's drop our tantrums and spitting contests and work together to stop the downhill slide of our nation. My ancestors fought through the centuries for this nation, and I don't like seeing us embroiled in a civil war of "I wants." God gave America a process that works-- let's trust in His wisdom to see it through.

Consequences

Warning- I said I was Christian and I meant it, so fasten that seat belt.

Today I received an email from a friend that listed some current plans and trends of certain churches who call themselves the "Emerging Church." So what, you say? The "plan" is to merge Christianity with Islam. (Chrislam)Yep, you heard it right, some churches are pushing to merge the two religions in the name of "ecumenical love." Problem is, that's not love, it's political correctness. Not very correct, either. It's once again man's plan to "fix" a problem.

We should all exhibit love and compassion for people of all religions. We are ambassadors for Christ- doesn't mean we sell out our citizenship to try to schmooze the people. We should be kind and gentle, yet strong. We should not be legalistic morons who beat them over the head with our Bibles. But we also must remain true to our faith and our love of the Lord. We can't do that if we become a stew of different beliefs.

REAL love starts at the cross. That's not a religious statement, it's an action taken by God to reach people who are separated from Him. By Jesus' sacrifice, the walls were knocked down so that anyone can have a relationship with the Father. Without the cross, there is no real relationship to Him- it becomes head knowledge and works rather than personal and life-giving. We don't need to merge anything because God already did it at the cross. Man was given the access point to merge with the Living God via the Holy Spirit because of Jesus. And that's the only "merging" that really matters.

Anyone can do good works. Anyone can have head love and even heart love for others. God wants hearts that have compassion for people, but with love of Christ first (our "first Love"). From that foundation all actions flow. Anything not done in that foundation doesn't have true love in it. It's just man trying to make himself look good.

These churches are trying to make themselves look good. They are trying to mitigate the differences by destroying the foundation of the faith. Paul warned us it would happen. (1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 3). We need to pay attention. This is a harbinger of things to come. Stay tuned.

Stupid Moments in America

At any one time, all of us can say stupid things. Like John McCain offhandedly saying the it was possibly illegals who started the fires in Arizona without some actual evidence. The news media grabbed that and started its own firestorm, most of which were comments taken out of context with what he was trying to say. But it was a stupid moment. He didn't think first about how he said it.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/06/20/john-mccain-blames-undocumented-immigrants-for-arizona-wildfires/

But the really ripe moment came through NBC. Their film editors decided arbitrarily to edit out "One Nation Under God" from the pledge of allegiance done by a group of school children during the U.S. Open coverage. What the?

This penchant that lefties have for trying to remove God from our society has to be challenged constantly. NBC "apologized if it offended anyone." Notice they didn't apologize for doing it, they apologized if it offended somebody. I rarely watch NBC anyway. And this has really cured me. Moving from rarely to never as of now. Am I offended? No, and I'm not shocked either. Disgusted maybe. Ticked off for certain.

Do the NBC bullies know better than we the people? I say no. I say we need to make some noise. We need to back the bullies off and tell them to get out of our face and stop trying to re-write history, the Constitution, and our pledge. Let's take the stupid out of the media!

Worldwide Chess

I'm not a chess player, but over the years I've happened to turn on a few championship games. The world masters don't think like the rest of us, and thus they are able to outwit the other guy in a flurry of somewhat confusing moves that make my eyeballs cross. On occasion, in a fit of temper tantrums, a few of them have refused to play and by default lost their titles. Chess requires patience, forethought, and strategy. So does living in this portion of history.

The world mostly runs in temper tantrums, but there are some things going on under our radar that we might wish to pay attention to. Not everyone is having a tantrum; there are some plans and forethought out there that have passed by nearly unnoticed. Taken together, they form a picture of a worldwide chess game. Those who pay attention will win; those who deny or over-react will lose.

Example: Turkey is ostensibly sending troops into northern Syria in a move to "protect" civilians against Assad's government crackdowns. Part of that move is because his own army is in need of more Sunni fighters, and one of the towns they intend to enter is Jisr a-Shughour. That town is the first place in the Middle East where the Muslim Brotherhood has engaged another Arab army directly. It means that the Turkish PM is looking for support among Sunnis, rather than the more conciliatory tone of his usual stance. Basically he is playing a dangerous game of chess that can alienate him from his pacts with Iran. So much for diplomacy. Good? Bad? Depends on your perspective.

Much of what we see in the diplomatic realm has a hidden agenda all over the world. In the end, it comes down to "what benefits me and to h.e. double toothpicks with anyone else." Our own government has many hidden agendas, most of which rarely see the light of truth. It happens in normal life as well- people who have agendas to take something from us are all around.

As Christians, our response needs to be calm and faithful. We need to see past the smokescreens of people and even nations' underlying garbage and respond with strength. I hear a lot of panic and anger out there. Remember that those who throw temper tantrums forfeit their titles. We can't do that- we are to be different. We have the best chess Mind of all-the Living God - on our side. Our titles as heirs to His Kingdom depend upon not losing it in the game. In the heat of battle, keep your vision clear,your mind sharp,and a good healthy does of faith in the middle of it all!
Daniel 11:32

The "Slippery Slope" Saga

I've always been in favor of law enforcement- FBI, local, state, etc. I worked with them nearly all of my adult life, and am 99% on their side. But there are some facts that people should be aware of: their effectiveness and/or negative impact rests on their leadership.

Take a case in point: Today, Fox News is reporting about some changes in an FBI procedure manual that have some people worried about expanded powers to investigate "innocent" Americans. Officers are allowed more individual leeway in checking a person or organization out prior to starting a major investigation - such as going through someone's garbage or attending a few meetings of a suspect organization. On a good day, I don't see a problem. It depends on the leadership.

First off, you have my permission to check out my garbage. It will stink, it will be full of shreds of junk mail,and there will be lots of fish guts or dog poop and dog hair. My husband likes to fish and my dog well, he's a dog. At any rate, I guess you could call me an "innocent" American. And in ORDINARY circumstances I have nothing to hide and don't care what the government looks at. They can attend my church, monitor our ladies' group,listen in on my phone conversations (dullsville)and sit in on a Writer's Meeting and I don't give a rip. As long as there is a drop of common sense in the law enforcement community, I don't care.

The problem comes when government loses its grip on reality and becomes so alarmed at those ordinary things that they get paranoid and start making things up.

Case in point: The government was terrified of Martin Luther King, Jr. They believed he was subversive. The guy marched and made noise, but never once threatened violence or war or any other inciteful phrase. But the government was so concerned that file rooms full of paper were created, and a lot of money was spent (uh, our money) on ill-advised investigations.

Paranoia creates lies. It causes innocent people to be arrested and thrown in jail. It causes death, destruction, discord, and other problems-because the leadership is so worried that they make things up or overreact to the things people say. We need a balance as we move forward to curb terrorism and the investigation of it. Freedom is only stable when wise people build and protect it- lose the wisdom and evil takes over.

Seniors and Their Drugs

There is currently legislation in the works (sponsored by drug companies, by the way)to stop Americans from purchasing generics or other drugs from Canada or any other nation. If it passes, you will see a lot of us older folks die quicker- because we can't afford the drugs from the U.S.

Let's talk turkey here: the big drug companies are in dire straits because some of their more expensive assets are coming out from under the patent.They want our money and they want it bad- but aren't willing to decrease the costs of the kinds of drugs many of us need.

Example: Plavix. Plavix is an extremely expensive but important drug for heart patients. It keeps the platelets of the blood from forming clogs in the arteries. It's not covered by many Medicare Advantage plans. And it is VERY expensive. When my hubby first got out of the hospital after his heart attack, that was one of the medications he needed- buying 20 pills literally emptied our bank account ($185.). If it hadn't been for a relative feeling bad for us and giving us that much back, we'd have had no money for the rest of the month. So we had no alternative but to go out of the U.S. for the drug.

The alternative drug is the exact same, and it is working great. My hubby's blood tests at last check were perfect and he feels fine. But if the Congress gets its way, we won't be fine. They tell us they are "protecting the American public against dangerous substitute drugs." Bull pucky. They are helping the drug industry fleece Americans.

Contact your Senators and Representatives- tell them to vote no to any bills that want to stop you from going to Canada for drugs. Or tell them to force the price of drugs down so that normal people can afford them. Our lives literally depend on it.

Reversal a Victory

The Federal Court of Appeals today reversed the Texas judge who yesterday tried to ban all religious expression at a Texas graduation ceremony. The couple who had brought the court action claimed that the expressions of prayer and even the "amen" would cause irreparable harm to their child. And the falderal caused by the parents is harmless? I think not.But the reversal is definitely a victory for freedom of religion in America.

I can truthfully say that prayer is dangerous. It changed my life. I've never been the same. I know I am loved, and I have an advocate in Christ. He stands with me through everything I face. And I got Him by prayer. So it's definitely dangerous and definitely life- changing. So if that's what they're afraid of, they're correct. But "harm?" That's hog poop.

If people are THAT touchy over everything then perhaps they need to move to a desert island somewhere that has no contact with people. If the chip on their shoulder is so big that those around them can't even mention the word prayer or the amen, how neurotic is their kid going to be? I think we should pray for them- obviously they are in need of some "irreparable harm" like the kind that prayer really brings.

Christianity Under Fire

Today there are two headlines that make my teeth hurt. (Mostly from clenching them).
1. A judge ruled that New York City can ban schools from using churches for functions.
2. A judge ruled that Texas (TEXAS!!!) can't have prayer (can't even use the word amen) at a graduation ceremony. (I reiterate: TEXAS? Land of Davy Crockett? What's the world coming to?)

Judges have created legislation hostile to Christianity yet again. Christianity has become the favorite whipping boy of our courts and government. We have been painted as dangerous and evil by the left wing. Their hostility is baseless. Do they think the kids will get cooties or struck dead from a church building? (I hope they realize that lightning bolts striking churches because someone walks inside is an urban legend).
Is the word "amen" akin to an Ebola outbreak? I know, they must have seen a Pentecostal meeting where everyone falls down on the floor and is "slain in the Spirit." That's it! They think it's a disease!

I believe the real issue is that people are totally afraid that we are right- there is a God who loves you and He wants your heart. They can run, but they can't hide.

Traditional prayers for blessing for students who are leaving school and using whatever facility is available for schools are now verboden ("forbidden" for those of you who haven't learned German or watched Hogan's Heroes on TV). So I guess schools can just spend more taxpayer money to build more facilities (right- good luck with that in this economy).

I guess we can just tell our children to get their butts out there into the world and do something without our blessings or hopes for their future. We can't pray for them because we don't really care, right? The government will catch them when they fail. (Uh,huh) Who needs God anyway? They're in control. They can do it all. Don't need no stinking religion.

When their hearts are broken and all is lost, have those liberal judges call me. We'll see if these bans extend to their own lives.

Gun Owners vs Government

I see this morning that Mr O is working on two new proposals to restrict guns again. Government seems to have difficulty with understanding the problem with gun control. So here is my take on the subject:

1. Very few shootings can be stopped with gun control. The Virginia Tech massacre a few years ago could have been stopped with the right kind of background checks- but there is still a hole in that procedure. Mental illness is not always tracked in a manner that gets into any of the background check systems. Unless a judge orders the person to be fingerprinted, no one will ever know about the problem. And thus they will get their grubby little paws on guns to kill people. You can "tighten up" the background checks, as in one of the current proposals by Mr. O, but likely it will only serve to prevent law abiding people from owning guns.

Case in point: I personally know a gentleman who had one misdemeanor on his record. He's not an axe murderer, he's a normal guy who loves to fish and hunt. And misdemeanors, especially traffic ones, do not count toward blocking gun ownership. Due to some sort of snaffu, it shows up as a flag to prevent him from purchasing a gun. He has done everything to try to get it changed, expunged, fixed, but the ATF and government groups have blocked him at every turn. His attorney has spent years trying to remedy the mistake to no avail. Would better record checks help us or hurt us? I think the latter.

2. Mr O has always been a backdoor legislator- in other words he is always trying legislation that comes in under the guise of something else. Another proposal is to ban certain magazine clips for a specific type of weapon. "Tightening" up the systems for ammunition is one way to destroy the ability of normal people to enjoy their guns.

When Mr O took office, the price of ammunition skyrocketed. The government stopped the military from selling off their used brass, which put a huge crimp (pardon the pun) in affordable ammunition. Further plans to mess with ammunition is a perfect way to push the price up so high that ordinary people will struggle to buy any ammo at all. It will also push the underground industry to new levels.

The thing that people don't understand is that the underground weapons trade is where the majority of death comes from. Gang violence and cartel violence does not come from legal gun trades- they come from a vast network of weapons traffickers that operate all over the globe. They also come from back alley gun sales, not from your local Cabela's. So don't be fooled by government ideas to "tighten" things up. There is an ulterior motive.

I am a firm believer in gun ownership- I grew up with guns in our home (loaded ones). We had a rifle range in the workshop of my Dad's business. I've never shot myself or a loved one. I would use it to defend myself or my family from someone with the intent to harm us. Which is the point of gun ownership in the first place: hunting for food, and defending your lives. Not everyone should shoot nor use a gun- some people aren't emotionally solid enough or physically able to handle one. But for those of us who are...we will stand against any moves of the government to delete our right to keep and bear arms.

Where are We Going?

Thanks to everyone who responded to my blog the other day. The consensus is that I should be me and not try to please a nebulous someone who doesn't think I should be so harsh. And by the way, some of the left and right wing bloggers out there are a thousand times meaner than me, just so you know.
___________________

This morning I listened to Bibi Netanyahu with tears trying to dribble down my face. It was the most clear speech I've heard from a head of state since Reagan told Gorbachev to "tear down that wall." Mr Netanyahu told President Abbas to "tear up your agreement with Hamas and make peace with the Jewish people." I pray that he listens.

It's never been about a Palestinian homeland, the Jews would allow that in a heartbeat. It's ALWAYS been about them not recognizing the Jewish homeland- the ground that knew the footsteps of Joshua, David, Deborah, Isaiah, and Jesus. It's been about the radical elements bringing hatred and the hope of destroying the Jews that has always stopped peace. He spoke truth and he did it with power and grace. Good job, Bibi!

But as to real peace and hatred,listen carefully: everything we say and speak has a living quality to it. If we live in any hatred whatsoever, that hatred spreads like cancer cells to the body. What "vibes" we give off affect how we are received, how we act, how we accomplish anything. If peace is to ever come to the Middle East, hatred must stop. Fake peace will not stand.

But that goes to Christians as well. If we are to be the ambassadors of the Living God who loves all mankind, then we must stop giving off the "vibes" of sour people. We are not about the rules and regs, because Jesus fulfilled all of them. We should be about mercy and peace, love, and forgiveness. I meet so many Christians who are so grim and religious that no one can relate to them. If you try to hold a conversation, they quote a Scripture at you. If you are in need of comfort, they speak some religious platitude at you and walk away. They use silly references about others but actual truth and deep conversations elude them. It's like a little kid skipping through her mom's flower bed, oblivious to the fact that she's smashing all of the flowers as she goes!

We can be like the people who don't truly want peace and just mouth the words to try and manipulate their way, or we can be the lovers of mankind that Jesus originally desired us to be. Let's do it from the heart. Let's not smash the flowers. Let's bring REAL peace to those around us!

Is She Bad? Or is She just Mad?

Ok, let's settle this once and for all. I want feedback. Read my blog backlog and see what you think- am I rotten to the core? Or am I just speaking from my heart? You tell me if you think I should start completely over and delete all the old blogs. Let me know if you think I'm too harsh and could get myself damaged in the writing game.

Jesus did call people names by the way- the religious people. He never called a broken person names. He was brutally honest with people who thought of themselves as the people of God and better than everyone else. He was gentle with those who knew they were imperfect.

I do tend to be rough on those who call themselves Christians but do things which make us all look bad, not to mention get people killed.So you tell me if you want me to continue or delete this blog and start from scratch. I am quite passionate about things, but if you think I'm offensive or asking for trouble please let me know. I have been told that my blogs are "unseemly" and would cause a publisher to reject me (they haven't yet and I've had them since 2009, but just in case...). Not taking any chances...love, figbee

No Flying Lessons Today

It appears that the Rev was wrong...again. Always remember when the nutcases come out and start proclaiming they know the date of Christ's return-- they're wrong every time.

First, let's set the record straight- Christ's return is not the "end of the world." It's the beginning of a new one. And Scripture is quite clear that NO MAN knows that day or hour except the Father. Last time I looked at the photos, all those folks with placards were humans. Lets them out of the God-loop for knowing the date and time.

Here's one of the most important things to learn about prophecy- Biblical or otherwise: when it is spoken, it almost never comes about the way WE think it should. Interpretation always falls short of what really happens.
Take Isaiah 9:11 for example. The Jews expected a King who would be the earthly govenment that would forever keep them from captivity and being conquered. "Of the increase of His government there shall be no end..."
When Isaiah prophesied about a man being "wounded for our transgressions," and bearing our "sorrows and griefs" he had no idea what he was saying. Jesus came and was rejected by His own people because their view of what was supposed to happen was false.

If it were as easy as watching a group of people standing on a street corner warn us that it's happening "today," who would need to listen to Jesus? He wants EVERYONE to listen for Him because He wants your heart and your love. He is coming as a "thief in the night" for those who love Him. The folks with the billboards can't help you - Jesus can. And He doesn't shout. He whispers.

More shaking on the way

When our government started to push the "peace process" by demanding that Israel give up territory in the "Road Map", we got hit with Katrina. So what can we expect after today's demand that they go back to pre-1967 borders?

Here's the deal: there were many miracles during the 1967 war- all sorts of supernatural signs that God fought for Israel. Tanks in formation that didn't exist, soldiers that weren't real, etc.Very similar to the story of Gideon and his meager 300 men against the massive armies of the time. But today, our government literally thumbed its nose at God's intervention in that war to demand that Israel bag it.

Now I realize that in a blog I'm supposed to be mild and meek and sweet and nice. But put in simple (as nice as I can be) terms, today's move by our leader is a terrible mistake. As much as God loves the Arab people, there was something about the land that God decided should be given to the Jews. I'm not in charge, I can't comprehend it, but that's what He did. I want peace as much as the next guy- but I want a true peace, one that comes from the heart. And I want it for all the peoples of the Middle East. Unfortunately, that can only happen with a change of heart- because there is hatred that is deep on both sides. It will not be bridged by a "peace plan" or a "road map" or any agreement reached by man.

God is very real. People can believe what they want, but the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and Paul is alive and well. And He doesn't like it when people ignore Him, or deliberately tell Him to cram it. Doing that guarantees a response-- and the avalanche rolls downhill.

I'm not so much mad as I am grieved for America. I love my country and our leadership seems bound and determined to throw us under wheels of the the Fiery Chariot. Good thinkin'.

One Day

One day I will wake up and there will be no more anger or hatred, death or struggle. The sun won't be shining in the sky, but the atmosphere will be warm and the light bright. The people that I love will greet me as I amble down the street. I'll go to my favorite spot and sit on a rock by the crystal stream that rushes through the countryside, and feel its cool spray splash against my legs.

I'll saunter through town where the main street is lined with trees of every size and shape. Every one has a different colored fruit- crimson, orangey orange, lemony yellow, the greenest green, even indigo blue. The colors are alive and almost scintillate in that light that has no sun.I can reach out and pick them, and the taste is sweet and crunchy unlike anything I've ever tasted. And the fruit makes me feel something...maybe joy? maybe love? maybe like nothing I can describe.

Then I'll walk on down the street and wander to the forest with craggy cliffs above the city. Below there is a River flowing with such immense size that it cuts through the valley in unending power. Bigger than the Columbia River. Wider than the Mississippi. A River of pure clear water. Before me there is a waterfall from its headwaters- a spot of indescribable majesty, a roaring of water spilling over the rocks in a living rainbow of color. I'll sit there a while too, just to listen to the Voice of the Waters.

Later it will be time to meet everyone at a special place, the place where the water is so still it looks like a sea of glass. All who enter that place are reflected in the pool. All creatures great and small, people of every tongue, tribe and nation, we'll all be there. It will be the time of thanksgiving to the Light, the song of the Lamb will be sung, the dance of the King will be danced, and the celebration the banquet will begin.

One Day. I can hardly wait!

Rejoicing is Misplaced

Last evening after church, we all ran home to the news that Bin Laden had finally been killed. Justice was served, right? Yes and no.

For a radical Islamist, being killed for the cause is instant martyrdom. Which gives their followers license to go on a revenge binge.

Then we have the television filled with scenes of Americans celebrating his death all around the country- cheering, parties, gloating and rejoicing over the death of an enemy. Even passing around so-called photos of his dead body. So how is that any different than their celebrations when something bad happens to us? How did our reaction serve to show them a better way? It didn't.We can be satisfied that an enemy is finally gone, but more enemies will arise. We can be thankful that an evil madman has been removed, but rejoicing in the streets is another matter entirely.

Proverbs 24:17 is a word that people have obviously never been taught:

"Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is overthrown. Lest the Lord see it, and it be evil in His eyes and displease Him and He turn away His wrath from him [to expend it upon you, the worse offender.]" Amplified version

Here is the wider spiritual implication: He is dead, which means he had to stand before God for his actions. Evil men stand in a very slippery place. He didn't get his 70 virgins, he got judgment. Unless he repented in that last blast of a missile, he was lost for all of eternity.

We will never show the world what America is supposed to be if we continue to act and sound like everyone else. When we live in revenge, anger, and hatred, we become like our enemies.

Don't get me wrong- I'm a "hawk" - I believe in fighting, strength, weapons, and giving bullies a bloody nose. But I don't believe in dancing on graves. We must be careful not to be like them. We are supposed to be different. We are America.

Let's Make a Deal

The other night Congress made a deal that stopped the shutdown. Good for them. Kinda. The news media made a great big show of the idea that a shutdown would have left our troops in the lurch. Troops on the front lines were once considered emergency personnel and exempt from a shut down. Somehow their designation must have been changed to non-emergency. Things that make you go hmmmm. The stuff going on behind the scenes is disconcerting to say the least. And the bureaucracy around it is so unwieldly that fixing it is almost impossible.

But let's talk turkey here: both sides have a brain cramp somewhere. The left is hell-bent to spend all of our hard-earned money. The right is hell-bent to cut everything. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a normal conversation with our representatives so that rational thought would prevail?

Why do they continually want to cut Medicare and Social Security? They complain about lack of healthcare but want to cut the only system that really helps seniors with healthcare. If we had to pay more for my husband's Medicare it would be a disaster financially. It's the "fixed income thing" - and Congress is completely oblivious to it. Because someone is on a roll- or what I like to call the ideology trains.Two of the running in opposite directions and there are ends to the tracks just up ahead!

Here's some food for thought- how about the processes of bidding and purchasing within the federal government? Do you think we could do some good revamping there? They always go with low bidder, which can often result in money wasted from stuff that isn't up to par. Then they'll turn around and purchase something that should have cost very little and pay a whopper price for it. (Ok they could've gone to the local hardware store for 5 bucks instead of some contractor who charges $2000. Get the picture?) Padding the budgets, wasteful practices, fraud both in and out of the system -- those areas all cost taxpayer money. But when our Congress gets on an idea roll for left or right, truth is often left behind in the dust. Sometimes a program should be cut (especially socialist ones or ones that obviously go against what America has always stood for), but sometimes it's practices within the main structure.

One can only hope that the people in charge of us will one day soon get a clue and start really cutting the pork and leave the things which affect real people alone. I hope so. I love this country. Watching it cave in on itself is extremely sad.

Once Again, Foolish Actions take lives

Yes, once again someone in his misplaced zeal has caused a problem. Some so-called pastor burned a Q'uran and now there have been several deaths as a result. His grandstanding cost lives. He cannot be called a "pastor" because the very nature of the term denotes care for the lives of people.

Jesus never burned books. Religious people burn books thinking they are making a statement. But the statement made by such actions is not the reconciliation through the Cross, it's hatred and animosity. And doing it in a public way is just plain stupid. Shaking our fists in the faces of our enemies only proves to them that we are evil.

Jesus told us to bless our enemies. He commanded that we bless those who curse us. He wants us to give them a coat if they need it. If we do not love our enemies, then they will never come to Christ. And it will be OUR fault!

Standing for truth is extremely different than causing an uproar, did you know that? If my government is running rampant away from God, then it's my duty to vote them out. If someone accosts me and demands that I succumb to their religion, then I will stand like Daniel and say no. Daniel's way did not accuse or attack the king. He simply stayed strong in the Lord and stood firm in his convictions. Our faith has a testimony that should show strength, wisdom, and love- not anger or hatred or actions which place people in harm's way. I don't have to embrace Islam to love the Arab people. I don't have to hate them to prove I'm a Christian.


Maybe he thought that his statement would make people see that Islam is not peaceful, or that they are wrong. It didn't do that. It just made all of us look bad. I will point out that there is no excuse for the Muslims who killed innocent people over the Q'uran- that is pure evil.But that pastor who started this mess should be ashamed. I hope the Lord is able to convict his heart of the sin in it.

"For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17

The Results of Fear

Fear is planned. Did you know that? Not so much by people, but by forces unseen. When major disasters like the one in Japan occur, fear spreads through the atmosphere like radioactive fallout. Only it travels farther than any man-made danger. And it is hoped by those unseen forces that we will all react badly and panic.

Example: When scientists and the media started the panic over H1N1 virus, people over-reacted in droves. Normally sane folks began to freak out about ordinary tasks like going to the grocery store. And eventually the scientific community had to acknowledge that thte threat wasn't as over powering as they had thought initially.

Here's the basic fact: if you are having anxiety over what "might happen" you are wasting your blood pressure. Living in preparedness for anything requires plain old faith in God, not worry and fear. Fear breeds freak outs. Fear breeds bad decisions. Fear breeds a heart attack waiting to happen and a toxin dump straight to your blood cells. Fear messes with the ability to think straight. It causes people to freeze up in an emergency and do all the wrong things. Best to avoid fear, don't you think?

With the scientist claiming a major quake Cascadia this coming weekend, the threat of nuclear meltdown in Japan, the advice I give today is to pull back from fear and grow some faith muscles.It's a much healthier plan!

Middle East

Since I haven't weighed in on any of the latest political junk, I decided it was time to pontificate.

Middle East uprisings:
While I know many people in Egypt are happy that Mubarek is gone,I have noted that some news reports still show that the army is pursuing Christians to imprison,kill, or harrass them. There is still repression in Egypt, even with the earthly strongman bound.

Even if Gadhafi gets his come-uppance (and I really hope he does), Libya's history will still come back to haunt its people. Why? Because years of repression and evil do not go away in a day. The longer a nation lives steeped in hatred and other problems, the longer it takes to bring freedom.

Russia is a case in point. Technically they became a "free" nation when Mr. Gorbachev and Mr Yeltsin changed everything. But centuries of repressive government have remained unchanged in many areas. And Mr. Putin's KGB background didn't help matters. Their brand of "democracy" is significantly skewed from our own. Mr Medvedev inherited quite a lot of "stuff" that he was not likely to change.

It will be like that in the Middle East, no matter how these uprisings shake out in the end. The MB's and other jihadists of the region will not let go of their power easily- and therein lies the problem. When chaos rules, evil steps in. The rule of law that we enjoy in America is not what they are used to- and it could flip quickly back to severe and unyielding Sharia.

I once had an argument with a lady who said she wished that we would have laws like the Middle East- so that drunks and child molesters would have their hands cut off or beheaded for their crimes. I asked her what if her own son were arrested and had his hands cut off, would she be so legalistic then? Our legal system may let some bad guys go, but it is set up from a perspective of mercy -- something few other nations have a grasp of.

My heart yearns for the best in the Middle East. It is the birthplace of civilization as we know it. But it took the life of Christ to switch off the inherent barbaric practices for the generations behind Him. Without His Presence and influence today, the Middle East will not have true hope for the future.

Somewhere a Balance

I am constantly tired of the fighting on both sides of the political game regarding the environment. Somewhere, there must be a balance. This continual penchant to sound like two boxers in a ring with no rules drive me nuts. Let's get a referee and institute some rules, ok?

Let me give an example: Liberals follow hard after cap and trade due to the fear of "global warming" that has a socialist agenda. The purpose of the fear mongering is to control every aspect of people's lives in a vain attempt to stop something that we have little or no control over in the first place. It is a philosophy based in fear and it is just plain wrong.

The Conservatives realize the socialist plan and are moving to try to stop it entirely with three bills before congress now- one to stop the EPA from implementing some carbon regulations for two years,one to cut off funding for said carbon plans, and one for stipping the EPA of all authority to regulate greenhouse gases. It's as if they believe the EPA is the big AC himself!

Contrary to popular Conservative ideas, there is greed in the earth. Greed is what produces pollution, cutting corners, damage to the environment. Unfortunately, we can't trust all companies to be conscious of their damage to our world. We do have to monitor it, and there should be penalties for violators. It just needs to be done with restraint and wisdom. (Yeah, I know not much of that out there right now).

Now because the current administration is full of screaming lefties, we have to worry about over-reaction, over-regulation, and just plain communist leaning regulations. So why can't we come up with a balance?

Why can't we have corporations and government work together for something that won't destroy the workforce or the environment? How can we stop our legislators from over-doing it on either side of the equation?

The EPA is not inherently evil, by the way. They are responsible for some much-needed environmental cleanup over the years since their inception. Maybe they are over-bearing. Maybe they have too much power. But all in all they are the reason some cities no longer have acid-rain. They are the reason the Coeur d'Alene River runs clear instead of an ugly opaque greyish-white. They are the ultimate reason why Shoshone County is now a sought after place to live when it was a cess-pool of mining pollution and contaminated ground.

There is a balance. There is a place where we can take good care of the beauty of the earth and still use its bountiful resources. We should be self-sufficient in oil, and we can do that without destroying all of our wilderness. We should be able to protect our natural resources and use them at the same time. Would somebody in Washington please get a grip on truth and balance?