Isn't it Odd?

So I just read that the acting Secret Service Boss is "ashamed" of the Trump Rally security lapses. And that he "cannot defend" why the roof used by the gunman in the assassination attempt of the former president was not secured. 

Isn't it odd that a 20-year-old loner, Thomas Crooks, could outsmart two of the most established federal agencies in America and almost pull it off?

Isn't it odd that this kid could drive out to the rally site, practice with his drone, secure an AR-15, practice with it at a shooting range, make two bombs, purchase a ladder from Home Depot, return to the site to practice with his drone on the day of the rally, look into his rangefinder...and no one does a darn thing?

Isn't it odd how few people lost their jobs? 0 to be exact; one resigned on her own?

Isn't it odd that although there were citizens on tv, testifying that they told the police at least 60 minutes beforehand that they saw the man on the roof, yet no one kept Trump from taking the stage?

Isn't it odd that after all this time, the shooter's motive is still unknown? And we have heard nothing about his parents?

Isn't it odd that Crooks was a registered Republican but was pro-Biden according to his social media accounts and donated to the Biden campaign?

Isn't it VERY odd that he had three offshore accounts in Switzerland, Cayman Islands and Singapore? A 20-year-old doesn't get that kind of money by himself...

Isn't it odd that Biden dropped out of the race after the failed assassination attempt? I'm not saying they were related, but it certainly changed the narrative, didn't it?

Isn't it odd that the elites chose Kamala Harris to take Biden's place without any consideration for the choice of the voters? Aren't they supposed to be the defenders of democracy?

Won't it be odd if Judge Merchan sentences President Trump to prison for Class E Felonies, low level felony cases?

Won't it be more odd if something happens to Trump while he is imprisoned? I sure hope not, I pray for his safety. But it's sure been an odd month. 

What to Know About Kamala Harris

Now that Joe Biden has been cast aside by the Democrat elites because he cannot win the election, many voters are eager to vote for Kamala Harris. Not to be unkind, but Joe Biden admitted that Harris was a DEI pick when he chose her for Vice President. A quick look a X shows that a vast number of voters think she's African American (she's not). And of course, she's a woman. And that seems to be all the majority of them care about at this moment.

Issues don't seem to matter. And when they do come up, I doubt they will make a difference.  They don't seem to care that:

~She's been hugely unpopular as a Vice President.

~She's known as a nasty person who has terrible problems managing and keeping a staff. Over 90% of her DC staff left.

~As a prosecuter, she sent 1,560 people (mostly black men) to prison for marajuana possession.

~As Border Czar, she has let 20 million unvetted illegal immigrants cross our borders. Some brought fentanyl, some are terrorists and some are criminals who have already murdered American citizens. She has since been lying about it (and the media along with her), but we all remember well that the border was HER responsibility. 

 As for her current positions:

 ~She has a reputation for being the most far left politician in history. 

~She will forcibly rip guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.

~She is soft on crime and sided to defund the police. 

~She wants to ban fracking and and price gouging, which is a Communist policy.

~She has zero interest in securing our border and wants to defund ICE. She wants to give citizenship to all illegal immigrants so theat they can secure the Democrat vote for good. This will also put an extreme burden on Social Security and Medicare. 

Laken Riley, Mollie Tibbetts, Kate Steinle:
all killed by illegal immigrants. 

~She is likely to cripple the middle class by raising taxes when the Trump tax cut expires.

~She backed Medicare for all legislation and wants to do away with private healthcare. 

~She will stack the Supreme Court to 13 with liberal justices. 

~She wants to restore federal abortion rights and make abortion legal all the way up through 9 months to birth. 

Aside from these issues, the Biden Harris administration has not proved that they can handle foreign affairs effectively. There is no end in sight of the two wars that currently rage on, and danger of a 3rd world war. There is a decline in young men joining our military, which means if you have a young son, he may be drafted. This is a concern to my son, and one that we take seriously. You should, too. It's a scary proposition. 

If you don't agree with these positions, you know what you need to do. Vote, but do more than vote. Get involved for a change. Democrats win elections because the mobilize. If you prefer the Republican platform, make phone calls, hand out signs, sign up to be a poll watcher or worker. And most of all, pray for God's grace to fall on our country. 

Murdering viable newborns is on the Harris agenda

This election will have long-lasting consquences for America. Yes, God is ultimately in control...and we may lose our country, I'm afraid. We are on the brink of becoming a 3rd world, socialist country. (Now we know why the US is not mentioned in the Bible in end times.) But if we lose now, it's not going to be on my watch. If we go back to slaughtering infants who die in excruciating pain, it's not going to be on my watch. If we stick with disasterious policies that make it difficult to put food on the table, fill your car up with gas or buy a home, it's not going to be on my watch. God allows things we don't always understand, but he also gave us free will and the ability to make a difference. So it if we lose this election, it won't be on my watch. How about yours?

Why I Can't Stay Silent, Part 2: Leftist Liberal Lies

This is not an attempt to be unkind or controversial, but I am so tired of unbalanced, partisan, downright deceit of the leftist media. I try not to be upset about it, knowing that God knows all, and it is up to Him to right all wrongs. Nevertheless, I can speak the truth about it and not sin. It frustrates me that they are purposely dividing the American people in profound ways by telling lies that skew perception.  I have trusted friends who have experienced it FIRSTHAND on many occasions. They are people of character. I, myself, have experienced it firsthand on more than one occasion.  

You can choose to turn your head if you want to. You can choose to deny my testimony and believe everything that comes out of the mouth of your favorite CNN host or Washington Times reporter...but I am here to testify the media lies. If I shared all of the many examples, there wouldn't be enough ink to print it. Today, I will share concrete examples from one event.  

Below is a picture taken by the Orlando Sentinel outside of CPAC 2021. The caption reads, "Trump supporters argue with law enforcement outside of the Hyatt Regency at CPAC on Sunday." There was no argument going on in that conversation. How do I know? I was there! I know where these ladies were standing. I know people were excited with expectation to catch a glimpse of President Trump. I  know law enforcement was kind, as they stood with their bicycles lined on the streets to make sure things were secure. Since the motorcade was quite late, they chatted with the people, explaining, over and over again that they "wished they could tell them which was he was coming in" but they didn't tell them until the last minute. (And I am sure they can't share it, anyway).  

Meanwhile, the Hyatt side was crowded for blocks and blocks with people who were unable to get a ticket to CPAC, but who still wanting to show their support for the former president. The newspaper called it a "protest". The use of this term was nothing short of ludicrous; it couldn't have been more inaccurate in describing either the mood or the purpose of the occasion. People were just enjoying themselves. There was expectation, comraderie, and a sense of hope in the air. Decorated cars and trucks blaring "God Bless the USA" drove by, honking repeatedly fellow supporters lining the streets. There were grins and waves and lots of thumbs-up. It made me proud to be an American and was nothing like the debacle of January 6th. Of course, the debacle of Jan. 6th was shown in the worst light possible. While some people definitely got out of hand (and paid more than their fair share of consequences), the majority are NOT those people, and even a few who were there and close enough to witness the breech paint a very different picture than the one the news media wants to brandish into your brain. I wasn't there, but I believe them. 

Why? Because I have seen Big Tech lie right before my eyes. I have seen them remove posts for no reason other than it said something positive about President Trump. I saw friends' posts flagged or saw them get FB jailed for exercising their first ammendment rights. I have been banned, myself...unable to use groups for a period of time with no explanation of how I "violated" their standards. This is the stuff communism is made of, and it's scary. Speaking of communism, I learned about people groups in a whole new light. I knew a good number of hispanic people supported the president out of a concern for freedom: they lived communism or their parents did, and they know better. But I was unaware of the large Chinese and Korean population fighting for an end to the CCP. Car after car after car drove by...CCP signs on their rooftops, handing out literature, desperation in their eyes. Beautiful Korean ladies decked out in flags, so grateful to be in America and so committed to reminding others that some of their friends were not so lucky... It is these kinds of moments that change you: that give you a new resolve and boldness that you didn't know you had. That serve as a reminder to the Democrats that it is not just about illegal immigrants at the border, the LGBTQ community or free healthcare for all. It is about people suffering the worst human rights abuses in the world. It is about forced abortions and live organ harvesting. It is about atrocities too awful for most of us to imagine. It is about hope that so many in the world are clinging to...that America holds onto her freedom, lest they also lose theirs. I remember reading about a young man that tried to swim to America from Cuba. The US Coastguard picked him up and brought him back. He told them he would rather drown than to go back. He was brought to the US Embassy, where he was allowed to file for asylum. It would be 3 long years before he got it. Even then, he was at risk while he waited, and he had to leave his family members behind. THIS is the reason we do not cut in front of others in the immigration line.

The issues are not simple. They seldom are. They are complicated, and its the issues we need to attack, NOT each other. I hope this post will shed some light into the eyes of some people to start thinking for themselves and not believe everything your read or hear. Get to know the candidates, get to know other people, and get to know the issues they care about and WHY they care about them. That is what it is all about. That's what America used to be all about. Working together to make our country a better place for all Americans. Not listening to bogus, hate-filled lies about half the nation that wants the same things you want, even if they have a different way of getting there.

Why I can't Stay Silent: How America Made Trump

I have had so many emotions since the Nov. 3rd election. Sadness, anger, disbelief, confusion, disgust...more sadness, more anger...and so on. I've had so much to say, the words wouldn't come out. And when they did, they came out in angry tirades that were for very few trusted ears. Maybe it's better not to write about it, but then I've never been one to choose people pleasing over authenticity. It's not who I am. My name means "little truthful one", and little did my mother know how appropriate the choice was. And maybe that's a good place to start. 

I've always been somewhat interested in politics, depending on who is running. I've helped on campaigns, because I think it is important to help elect the kind of people you want to run the country. The 2016 presidential election seems like ions ago, but I remember being less than enthusiastic when the two candidates were chosen. I didn't like either one of them from a personal standpoint, didn't think they were presidential or respectable, and wondered how we had gotten here as a nation. Christians argued back and forth over whether it was a good idea to vote for Donald Trump just to keep Hillary out of office. Some opted for a write-in candidate, nominating Jesus, the pope or whoever else they thought was righteous enough to be the leader of the free world.  Others of us decided we had to vote for Trump. He was the lesser of the two evils, and that was saying something. At least he would probably play to his base by being more pro-life than Hillary. We didn't think he really had a chance, anyway. We were pretty sure we were going to get stuck with Hillary, the most unlikable and unpopular former first lady ever, and she would put the nails in America's coffin. 

Although I had been a faithful Republican since the Reagan years, I was also growing disenchanted with the Republican Party. They had the presidency and both parties under George W. Bush, and pretty much accomplished nothing. They were proving to be a bunch of fat-cat rich guys who just cared about collecting a paycheck. Then along came John McCain...a moderate at best, which was not the way we wanted the party to go. Then along came Donald Trump. (Need I say more?) I felt like the Republican Party had left me, but I certainly was not a Democrat, either. Since there was no viable 3rd party, I declared myself Independent. Other people I knew, staunch Republicans, were furious with Donald Trump during the primaries. I had not even paid attention, but they swore up and down they would never vote for the man. One was my friend, Melissa, who worked tirelessly on Senator Cruz's campaign. She respected Ted Cruz immensely, and was deeply offended by Trump's vicious attacks. When all was said and done, though, Cruz endorsed Trump and Melissa followed suit. So it goes in the world of politics, I suppose.

A strange thing happened almost from the minute Donald Trump was miraculously elected. Perhaps I should have known, and I guess I did -- but being on the outside of the Trump fascination, I didn't realize just how fit to be tied the Left was about losing. They had every advantage: the media, the pollsters, Hollywood, Big Tech, corporations...and they were astounded they lost after 8 years of their "golden boy", Barrack Obama. People threw hissy fits in the streets like little children, throwing themselves on the ground, smashing store windows and destroying cars. Hillary was furious, said that Trump cheated and dubbed Trump voters a "basket of deplorables". I think Obama was overconfident he had changed the landscape of American enough to be on the way to the Socialist Utopia he had in mind. He announced he planned to stay in Washington for the next four years to "stir the pot" -- and did he ever, starting with lying about General Flynn. 

I thought this was a very foolish mistake by the Democrats. They had an open door, however slightly cracked. They could have really worked at winning over moderates and independents who were disgusted with Republicans and not that crazy about Trump. Instead, they drove a deeper wedge between themselves and half of America. They made it clear that Democracy was of no interest to them; the will of the people was obselete. It got in the way of their power. They immediately went for Trump's juggler, discussing ways to impeach him before he stepped foot in the Oval Office. I lost all respect for the Democrat Party at that point. I believe the Democrats had already lost the segment of Americans that chose Trump as the nominee before the election, and the rest of us immediately after. Foolishly, they blame Donald Trump, who may have stoked the flames into a raging fire. But make no mistake...the fire was already started. 

I've heard it said Donald Trump didn't make the American people; the people made Donald Trump. I didn't understand it at first. Now I do. 

No, President Trump is not a whiner. He's not pathetic. He's not "an obese turtle flailing on his back" or a fascist or Hitler. He isn't mentally unstable.  No he is not a political candidate, Facebook and Twitter! He is the President of the United States until he isn't, whether you acknowledge it or not. 

No, his supporters are not deplorables. We aren't stupid. We aren't country bumpkins who don't think through our decisions or naive people who simply overlook Trump's past sins, his crassness or his childlike responses when he feels insulted. 

We are human beings: everyday Americans like you. And we are hurting. 

If you think we don't understand how you felt four years ago, we do. We felt the same way during eight long years of Obama. If you think it didn't even cross my mind somebody was going to be disappointed after this election...and grieved by that reality, even if it was you and not me, you don't know me as well as you thought.

People who constantly took it upon themselves to remind Christians of Trump's lack of personal moral character, thank you for pointing out the obvious. We have watched the Democrats over the years. We know moral character has never been a top priority. We don't like it, and we certainly didn't like being asked to choose between what we felt was the lesser of evils in 2016. We were still holding on to our ideals back then. Some still are.

If you are a Christian who is still hoping Jesus will run in the USA, and actually win, I hope you are right. If you just don't care because "we are not of this world" or politics isn't your thing, that is your right. But please don't belittle and silence the Christians who care with platitudes such as, "God is in control", "Jesus didn't care about politics" or my personal favorite, "Let's not be divisive."

If you are a church leader pressuring us to be silent, realize you become one with them ~ those people who want to take away everything our country, our home, and everything she was founded on: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...and it feels like betrayal. We begin to lose trust in you. If you think the highest value within the church is to "keep the peace" at all costs, than we see your values as misaligned with God's Word. The church is supposed to the conscience for the culture, not the friend of the culture. We lose respect for you. 

That does not mean we don't care at all about the poor or about issues such as racial inequality. We just don't think they make up for the profound moral deficits in the Democrat Party platform. We don't feel we need to sell out to that party to address those issues. Our president, the RICH GUY, put more people back to work than any president in history. Our president, the RACIST, got more minority votes than any other Republican since 1960. Our president, the BIGOT got 28% of the LGBTQ vote. The FOUL NYer captured 80% of the evangelical vote. But you didn't listen. You wouldn't listen; did not even bother to check out his record. Just listened to liberal media talking points and slandered him. Every. Day. For. Four. Years.

And here is the dirty little secret, in case you thought we didn't know: the press doesn't hate Donald Trump. They never did. Hollywood doesn't hate Donald Trump. They used to be friends. Liberals don't hate Donald Trump. He's not that conservative. They hate US. They hate conservatives and they hate Christians. They hate traditional American values. And by "they" it may include some of you reading this blog.

If you just had a light bulb moment, than you know why we not only supported, but grew to like Donald Trump. He was the lamb brought to the slaughter. He was the only one standing between us and those who hate us. And, for whatever reason, he did it willingly. He worked tirelessly. He worked harder than any president maybe even in our history. He turned the economy around, won a Noble Peace Prize, rebuilt our military and made us a more secure nation. This man, that everyone said would, "Blow us up" with his Tweets and quick tongue didn't blow us up...in fact, we seemed to be better off. Trump protected America...because he seemed to truly love the nation.

Sure, he loved him, too. Sure, he was rough around the edges. No one is perfect. True, I would cringe sometimes at what would come out his mouth. Shake my head, and think needed more tact, more sensitivity, more kindness... But you don't stop loving your fearless leader just because he wants credit for it. You don't stop loving the guy who takes a sucker punch (or five) every day because he doesn't snarl at enemies with just the right decoram. 

The media and pollsters were so far off in their predictions, why would we trust them to call the next president?

"We are divided among profound moral lines"

The guy who was "going to get us blown up" got nominated for four nobel peace prizes and brokered an historic peace agreement between Israel and Sudan. 

He never took a paycheck. He didn't need the money, the notoriety, the fame...he already had all of that.

He accomplished more in 4 years than many congressmen accomplish their entire careers

He was the most pro-life president in history

He kept his promises; he did not speak out of two sides of his mouth

He brought jobs back to American and restored dignity to trade relations

Obama said it would be impossible to...but Trump DID it. 

He took the fiery darts meant for us...every day for four years, with the vast majority of the press never givng him a single ounce of credit for his accomplishments.

He put up with death threats towards his family, a barrage of insults towards his wife and young son...

It's amazing how a quick google search of ugly things said about Donald Trump comes up with pages and pages of things Trump said. Not one page, not one article about what has been said about Trump. And you really believe the media isn't biased? The Democrats aren't full of hate and envy? What the Democrats do not like about Trump is they finally met their match. Somebody who could beat him at their own game. 

For years, they have been mean, ugly and intimidating to Republicans, trying to bring them down. Now that Republicans are fighting back, the Democrats don't like it a bit. I can't say I blame them, but I think the soft Republican party is gone. 

For Inquiring Minds...

Because so many people have been feeling discouraged about the odd situation surrounding the presidential election, I wanted to share a little bit of information from someone close to the Trump campaign. I hope it encourages you, as it did me. Our God is always up to something...even if it doesn't turn out the way we hope.

I have a dear friend of 30 years who lives and works in DC. She has been in politics for many years; she worked on the presidential campaign for Senator Ted Cruz. She later took a position in the Trump cabinet, despite her resistance to him on a personal level. She eventually left reluctantly when serious health problems made the demands of the position impossible. She still works closely with many on Capitol Hill. She is a fine Christian woman, and although we don't talk that often these days, I'd trust her with my life. In fact, I pretty much have.

I try not to bother her too much with "politispeak" because I know it's exhausting for those that spend their lives in those trenches. But every now and then, if I really need to hear it from somebody close to the Hill, I will inquire about certain things. She has been very honest with me, sometimes in a non-partisan way that is refreshing. She encouraged her grassroots FB friends to please refrain from getting emotional about what is happening for the sake of those on the ground, imploring us to instead pray and let the process play out.

The waiting, though, can be hard when the media messaging is deafening. When we keep hearing the same things over and over, it makes us question. Is it possible the president is just "whining and refusing to concede"? Did we really see what we thought we saw? Are we all crazy? And even if we aren't, is there any hope?

Lest we forget so quickly, this president has almost everyone against him: the media, big tech, Hollywood, the Democrats, RINOS, and some Republicans who prefer the "comfortable, easy road." We should also remember what we witnessed over these last four years: Hillary's Russian collusion attempt, constant daily attacks against this president and his supporters, pollsters who got EVERY SINGLE POLL wrong, and constant cries of racism towards a man who got the biggest minority vote of any Republican since 1960. Is it any wonder we are skeptical?

So, the other day I asked her to please give me the "real" scoop on what is happening from her viewpoint. Here is a brief overview of that conversation:

• I asked her if she believed the president was right to keep pursuing this or if she thought he should concede. She said he absolutely should pursue it. I believe her exact words were, "Do not believe
  
  everything you see on CNN or the main stream media; nobody at the White House is telling the president to back down."
• I asked her if she believed these fraud allegations were significant enough to pursue, and if she thought there was any real hope of finding enough evidence to change anything... she said yes.
• I said that although I held my nose voting for him in 2016 (we both did), and he is still, you know, him...I honestly feel he has made our country stronger and better. She said, "I hear ya on holding your nose in 2016! But he's proven to be an amazing surprise. A wonderful surprise. I'm happy when someone keeps his promises."
• I expressed my sincere hope that someday, this president would come to know Jesus as his personal Savior. She said is private about his faith, but VP Pence has had a tremendous amount of impact on him in his faith walk, and he does believe. (Please forgo your judgment on this; it is not our place, and 70 years of sinful habits don't necesssarily change overnight. Pray for him.)
• I asked what we could do, as concerned Americans, to move this process along. In addition to contacting our state legislators, attorney generals and SCOTUS about our concerns, she reiterated, "PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! And tell people to come to the March for Trump."

So there you go, take that for whatever it is worth. Kneel a lot and take a respectful stand when you aren't. And realize whatever the outcome here, God is still at work. He used this president for His purposes for perhaps a season; he will continue to do so, whatever his title. He turns the tide however he wants it to go. We all know this is NOT about Donald Trump, it it so much deeper, wider and bigger than that. It is about our religious liberty and our country's future path.

I was reminded today of a verse we talk about often: "If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14. Let's apply it. Also, to pray for all of our leaders (I Timothy 2:1-2). God bless you all. And may God bless the USA.

*There are nation-wide marches planned this Saturday, November 14th at noon. You can check if there is one in your state capital. Million MAGA March and Women for Trump (Stop the Steal) are marching in Washington DC, starting at Freedom Plaza and ending at SCOTUS.  

What the Kavanaugh Spectacle says about Our Nation

This afternoon, the long-awaited vote on the Honorable Brett Kavanaugh finally happened. I must say I am relieved that this whole process is coming to an end, but I am still reeling over the things I have seen and heard these last few weeks. I have prayed often for the Kavanaugh family. I have also prayed for  Christy Ford. Whatever her story, both of them have been used as pawns in a nasty, partisan game where there are no rules and the losers are the American people.

I have made the intentional decision to try not to post about politics over the last few years. Especially via Facebook. My reasons are both practical and spiritual. For one, it's a terrible forum for reasonable discourse. It is far too brief, far too easy to be misunderstood,  and it separates friends. We all have our opinions, and when frustration over a highly divisive issue sets in,  I can forget to "love mercy" pretty quickly. My faith in the Lord and trust in His ultimate judgment plays a much deeper factor in my life than who is in public office. Although I frequently ask the Lord to slap a hand over my mouth, sometimes I believe the right thing to do is to speak up. Blogs are better. For one, you can be more thorough; for another, no one reads them, anyway ;).

I've seen many angry posts this week. Some have been from Kavanaugh supporters. Some have been from Ford supporters. Either way, they showed a passionate support and a desire for justice. We are each going to believe what we choose to believe. As finite human beings, none of us know 100% where the truth lies, so we can choose to go with our feelings or with the evidence. People who have been hurt understandably feel hurt, and 7 FBI probes or not, they are transferring those feelings onto Kavanaugh. More often, though, I saw angry people who were just angry people. They admitted the sexual allegations against him weren't solid, but they don't care one way or the other. They just don't like the man. More specifically, they don't like his ideology. And this anger led to ruthless chiding, merciless jokes, and bogus excuses to attack his character and deem him "unworthy" to be a Justice, even as he sat crying after feeling unjustly accused. Some even made fun of his minor daughter. People can be so unkind.

The Kavanaugh spectacle shows us who we are becoming as a nation. How ugly we can be; how low we can sink. The message from Washington this week was, "It is no longer out of step to do all you can to destroy a man's character, career and family simply because you disagree with him. Even Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, one of the most liberal judges in history, criticized the Kavanaugh hearings as "a highly partisan show". Referring back to the days of her confirmation, she said, "The way it was was right. The way it is is wrong." I have much respect for this voice of reason, no matter how much we disagree on issues! Kavanaugh was confirmed, but there will be long-lasting repercussions from the attempted plot to destroy him. All in the name of partisanship.

Chelsea Clinton spoke out against this cruel cartoon.

I recognize partisanship is not new, nor is it exclusive to one party. Our national leaders over the last several years seem to have spent more time squabbling than finding ways to work together for the good of the people they represent. This has been frustrating for many Americans, including myself. For this reason and other reasons, I moved away from a tight party association in favor of considering Independence. I wish I could say the work my Democrat friends have done in having fruitful discussions over issues and showing kindness and human decency were enough...but the hate and sheer ugliness that has taken place since the Trump presidency has me running as far as I can get from the Democratic Party. Instead of reaching out to the people that didn't vote for them, Washington Democrats have done nothing but belittle and berate us. Not exactly a way to win friends and influence people. Then, when the Democrats had a chance to "play nice" and quietly let a Kavanaugh confirmation slip through...which would have given our exhausted nation a much-needed break...they balked as usual.

Even more bothersome are continuous directives from some party members intended to inflame more hostility, intimidation, and ugly behavior from their Far Left constituents.

Think I'm exaggerating? Consider the hateful remarks of Georgetown professor Carol Christine Fair, “Look at [this] chorus of entitled white men justifying a serial rapist’s arrogated entitlement,” she wrote. “All of them deserve miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. Bonus: we castrate their corpses and feed them to swine? Yes.”

If that doesn't disturb you, it probably should. Thank goodness many of our leaders are distance themselves from colleagues who incite fear tactics as a means to an end. Some claim they are only responding to the "hostility and verbal attacks of our current president". While he certainly is his own breed, I dare say if Mike Pence were president, the hostile political climate would be the same. (And I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more polite, gracious person.) The current political environment is so heated, we should have serious concerns about the safety of ALL of our national leaders, their staff and their families. We should also recognize that political extremism, no matter what the source, is a significant threat to our nation's freedom. Are we really ready for an America ruled by tyrants?

Georgetown Professor Christine Fair said
"entitled white men" should be killed and
"fed to swine". 

"No longer does your vote count. No longer do we respect the democratic process. We don't care what you want. We want what we want, and we will stop at nothing to get it."

Whether you are a moderate, left-leaning, right-leaning...a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or none of the above ~ this approach to governance should concern you. Consider what kind of nation you want, what kind of nation you hope to leave your children. Is this it?

If not, now is the time to respond decisively. Let your leaders know what you expect from them. Then, get off the couch and vote! Get out the vote. Don't leave it to others. Help the people you want to see in office get elected. And if you are praying person, pray for our nation. Prayer for unity. Pray for peace. Pray for changed hearts. Pray for the safety of our leaders and their loved ones. Pray for mercy. Pray for favor. Pray you will be the kind of person who you want others to be...even when it's hard. And while you are praying about all of this, be confident in a God who is bigger than our nation's political problems and more just than any human will ever be. He knows and sees all we don't. And in the end, he will get the last say.

Encourage One Another

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4:16-17

I used to laugh at my friend, Christy. Seriously. I did. She's 10 years younger than me, and often reminded me a younger version of myself. She worried about things I didn't worry about. Things that seemed light and momentary when I got older and oh-so-much-wiser.

"I've had a headache for 30 straight minutes. I'm worried I have a brain tumor. I'm thinking of calling the doctor and telling him I want an MRI."

"Cayson is only saying 12 words, but the chart at the pediatrician's office said he should be saying 15 by now. Do you think he's developmentally delayed?"

"I told Wes we need to get someone to help Erica with her cartwheel. Quick! She can't start cheer with a wobbly cartwheel."

OK. So I'm exaggerating a little. 😆  But the truth is--those things we worry about, those things we lose sleep over, those things that seem like HUGE trials to us this side of heaven are huge to us at the time. We all have different backgrounds, different tolerance levels and different personalities. We go through different stages of life and different periods of growth. It's all relative.

My problems are, no doubt, light and momentary to the cancer patient. Or the homeless person. Or to my sister and sister-in-law--both of whom experienced life-altering events this past year. Everyday, they wake up to face loss. (I couldn’t blame either one of them for wanting to toss a sandal at Paul if he was standing in front of her.)

But wherever life has us, we all carry burdens. And they are heavy. We know we are supposed to give our burdens to Jesus, but we often function as though we have spiritual amnesia. We forget. We need others to remind us. A lot.

My husband and I recently had dinner with a lovely couple who are strong believers. The young wife was practically waving her arms in our faces. "Yoo hoo! Hello!!! Is anybody listening? I need more support here!"

I appreciated her honesty and persistence. It isn't just a "nicety" to encourage other Christians in their walk; it's a command. We all have days we need to hear someone say, “Hey, I know it’s tough right now. Don’t give up. God is faithful. Remember what is says in his Word."

Paul wasn't minimizing our troubles when he called them light and momentary. He wasn't making light of suffering. He wasn't a stranger to persecution. Not only did he suffer a "thorn in the flesh", he suffered severe beatings, imprisonment and (most likely) a martyr's death. He understood grief.

What Paul was doing was reminding us of the bigger picture: trials serve a purpose; they make us more like Jesus. That perseverance we now lack? It is developed through hard times (James 1:3-4). And while God is conforming us us his image, he is also preparing our future. This world is not our home. The frustrations, the trouble, the pain we endure this side of heaven are temporary. But the joy awaiting us on the other side? It's better than the worst day we can imagine here.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."  I Corinthians 2:9

Amen. What a promise!  Remind someone not to forget.

A Different Road

I've traveled long

I've traveled hard
And stumbled many times along the way
I've bruised my knees a lot
And turned my back on God
And seen His mercy
I've been quick to judge
And slow to learn
So many times I've gotten in the way
I think I know so much
I've questioned God enough
But still He loves me
So now I'll walk a different road
I want to see Him there before I even go
I've run ahead and gone too slow
I've got to be still now
Wait upon His will now
This time,
It's gonna be His time
Don't want to live without
The peace that comes to me
When I am by His side
I've known the freedom there
Can't find it anywhere
But in Christ Jesus
So now I'll walk a different road
I want to see Him there before I even go
I've run ahead and gone too slow
I've got to be still now
Wait upon His will now
This time,
It's gonna be His time

A Different Road lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC Artist K. Troccoli

The Sticky Note Project

Back in February, before the Florida shooting happened...before the first walkout or walkup was organized...one thoughtful 17-year-old was already working on a special project at Lakota East High School in Ohio. Valentine's Day was right around the corner, and my daughter, Abby, came home lamenting the fact that this year would probably be like the others: she probably would not be among the peers who received flowers, cards expressing undying love or (worst of all) candy grams that were distributed to students during the school day.

I remember having great fun with candy grams as a kid...and indeed it IS fun if you are on the receiving end. But if you aren't, it just kinda stinks. Must we remind high schoolers--who already struggle with peer pressure, self-image and fierce amounts of competition in and out of the classroom--that nobody thinks they are special enough to single out? (And, no...parents don't count. Nevertheless, my husband and I DO go to great lengths to remind our kids they are valued and loved on Valentine's Day!)

But this year was different. Lakota East scheduled "random act of kindness" week right around the holiday. Instead of thinking of herself, Abby started thinking of what she could do for others who might feel discouraged or alone on Valentine's Day. When inspiration hit, she contacted her principal to ask for permission to organize and implement the Sticky Note Project. She rallied church and school friends, who enthusiastically agree to help her, and even helped supply the notes.

On February 13th, my daughter and a small group of classmates stayed after school well into the evening, hand-writing notes of encouragement to each and every one of the 2000+ students at Lakota East High School. I imagine it was a beautiful sight to see the lockers the next morning, adorned with positive messages such as, "You matter", "You are beautiful", "You are loved"...

I am proud of my daughter for many things: that she is choosing to walk with Christ; that she is a good friend; that she is a hardworking and dedicated student; that she pushes herself out of her comfort zone; that she is wise beyond her years; that she’s a science wizard and a beautiful singer... but I've never been any more proud of her than I was that day.

No, you won't see this quiet effort on the evening news. You won't hear about it in the newspapers or read about it on the internet. But God worked through the hearts of humble and willing teenage girls to make a difference for someone-or many someones-that day. And at the core of it all, I believe  this is how lasting change happens...one heart at a time. ♡

Mixing Faith & Popular Entertainment

Not long ago, I read a good article by Dr. James White entitled, "What Not to Watch".  The article gave some guidelines Christians might use when deciding on television & viewing choices in light of Psalm 101:3 ~ 

I will set no worthless thing before my eyes...

It can be very difficult to decide what is and isn't worthwhile.  My husband and I have always been fairly choosy in making choices for both our ourselves and our children.  It's not that we want to be legalistic about it.  We are free in Christ.  But we are free for a purpose, and as I Corinthians 6:12 says, Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are helpful. Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.

In deciding what we will watch, we consider whether or not the show or movie has redeeming value. That value might be expressed directly through the film, via teaching a moral lesson.  It might be come through the (accurate) teaching of an important aspect of history.  Or it might come more indirectly, though the teachable moments presented after the movie is over.  Sometimes the value is as simple as a few belly-laughs during a film that offers wholesome, clean fun. 

One resource that we find very helpful for family movie night is Focus on the Family's website Plugged In.   Here, you can get a decent feel for almost any new movie or new DVD release you are interested in watching: the good, the bad and the ugly.  (Although the site features new releases, I believe there is also a decent archive of older movies on DVD.) 

Recently, Plugged In added another really cool feature:  Movie Night Discussion Guides.  The discussion guides are written to help children and teenagers think about films from a Christian worldview.  They contain thought-provoking questions for parents & kids to discuss, along with pertinent Scriptures pertaining to incident or issue being discussed.  (What a great way to prepare our kids for something they may now only encounter on a screen, but may later very well encounter in the "real" world!)

Not all Discussion movies are appropriate for all families, depending on the age/maturity of the kids and the personal convictions of parents.  I appreciate, though, Focus on the Family's continual efforts to strengthen both families & Christians to live out our faith while living in the very real (and very secular) world.  Check it out!

Fruitloops at Dawn

Sometimes it's the silly, simple moments in life that make the best memories.  Like this conversation with my daughter this evening . . .

"So do you want to paint?"

"Nah..."

"Why not?"

"Too much pressure."

"What pressure?  It's watercolors.  See it's easy..."

"Will you let me use ALL of your colors?"

"Sure."

"And the good art paper?"

"Yes."

"Oh...okay.  But I'm just painting whatever."

"Oh I messed up!"

"I thought you said you couldn't mess up?"

"That's only if you don't care...like you."

"I do care.  I just don't care today."

"Eww...that looks like blood!"

"It is.  It's called "Vampire's Blood""

"I don't see a vampire."

"You don't have to see a vampire.  It's ART!  What are you making?"

"It's a peacock...until I mess it up...then it will become something else.  Oh, isn't ART glorious?  What in the world is that?  Is looks like Fruitloops."

"It is.  It's my wonderfully FABULOUS masterpiece, "Fruitloops at Dawn."

LOL.  Okay, maybe not.  But I think my mermaid has potential. ;)

Confessions of a Non-Piano-Playing Pastor's Wife

Today, exactly 5.3 seconds after I woke up, my 9-year-old was on my heels.

"Hey, so when we gonna go on another awesome bike ride?  How about now?"

"Now?" I whined, "I just woke up.  I haven't even had my coffee yet."

"Yes, but it gives you ENERGY," he says, sashaying around the room, "and it helps one think better."

That "one" would be namely him, the quintessential "Wiggly Willie" student mentioned in Cathy Duffy's book, 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. 

Speaking which of, I just finished filling out papers to homeschool both of my dear children next year.  The whole time, I was strangely compelled to move my pen across the paper, I was also protesting to God all of the 3,000 reasons why this is not a good idea.  Oh, ok, so really I could only think of about three.  But trust me, they are very GOOD reasons.

In all of my forty...oh, let's not go there.  In all of my many years on this planet, I have never once aspired to homeschool.  It's not that I don't like kids.  I do.  I've spent whole days at school with a room full of kids.  Just not my own.

"This is not a funny joke, Lord," I remind him, looking upwards.  I don't think He's laughing.

Anyway, back to the bike ride.

"Oh, ok.  Just let me drink some orange juice."

It will help Caleb settle down, I tell myself.  And besides, I'm trying to get healthier.  Exercise is good.

"Mom, see that little holder there on your bike?  You could put a water bottle in there."

"I don't need a water bottle.  Let's just go, I'm good."   My mind is not on water.  It's on coffee.

"Mom, last time you got tired..."

"C'mon, let's go."

We fly down the first hill.  The wind is blowing in my direction.  It actually feels good.  I start thinking maybe this won't be as bad as yesterday's ride...  Ooops, there's a moving truck.  I've got to break quickly and stop this thing.  Scccreeech!  Did I mention the bike seat is too high for me?  I hop down just in time before it tips over.  There went my momentum.

Up a hill.  "Huff, huff, huff."  Down a few more streets.

"Caleb, there's lots of traffic.  Let's go over to Walker Park and ride for a bit.  Hey, be careful of that truck."

Scccreeech.  "Mom, pay attention.  You almost got run over by that truck!" 

Oh be quiet!  If you were in school, I wouldn't be getting run over.  I'd still be in bed right now, you, pint-sized tool of Satan.

Around the lake a few times.  "Huff, huff, huff."  Back through the neighborhood, uphill.  I have to stop midway.

"Wait, I'm tired," I whine, "I need-a-rest.  Huff, huff, huff."

"I told you to bring water."

I'm thinking this is WAY harder than the workouts I've done with my friend, Carla.  Why, oh, why haven't I called her to go to the gym?  I study the house in front of me carefully, noting that it reminds me of Jasmine's palace.  I wonder if Aladdin is in there.  Maybe he'll give me a magic carpet ride back home.  I consider knocking. 

"Ok.  Let's go," I tell Caleb, realizing I'm utterly dependent on the navigational skills of a 9-year-old, since I am clueless as to where I am.  "And take the shortest route home, or I'm going to make this the longest school day ever!!"

Ah, finally home.  While Caleb is working on his morning work, I am zipping up a nutritional breakfast of yogurt smoothies.  But my frozen strawberries are not cooperating.  They have hardened to a rock solid mass of  ice.  I am not happy.  I slam them down on the cutting board in an effort to shatter the mass.  Nothing happens.  I don't want to microwave it, because I want to save some of the strawberries for later, so I try running half of the ice block under hot water.  It's not working.

For some reason, I start thinking about all those people at church who regularly run 10k races for fun.  No matter how hard I try, I cannot imagine Elizabeth Metzger feuding with frozen strawberries.  I pick up my knife sharpener and stab my strawberries with a vengeance.  Darn, Elizabeth Metzger!  Stab, stab, stab.

HALT!  Wait a minute.  Have you lost your MIND?  For goodness sake, did you forget WHO YOU ARE!  You're a pastor's wife.  You cannot stab church members.  That's only for deacons.  

Finally winning against the strawberries, I whip up two smoothies, pour them into glasses, and head for the dining room.  Today's Bible lesson is on Luke 4.  We talk about the gospel, and I tell him it means "good news"...

And all at once, I'm reminded afresh of the significance of this good...no, better than good news.  It's almost-too-wonderful-to-comprehend news.  Because when Jesus died on that cross two thousand years ago, he did more than make a way for us to get to heaven 'someday'.  He also made a way for us to live our every-day-here-and-now-nitty-gritty imperfect 'todays' in perfect peace.

No, I'm not the picture-perfect piano-playing pastor's wife.  No, I can't run a 10k race, though I might be able to walk one.  And no, I'm not a Michelle Duggar baby-machine-home-schooling dynamo.  Not only do I fall short of God's glory, but I often fall short of my own ideals.  But for all that I am and all that I'm not, His grace is enough.  That's really good news.

Lord, Jesus, thank you for dying to achieve the perfection I'm never going to experience or attain while on this earth.  Forgive me for being impatient with my son, my strawberries, and myself.  Help me not to lose sight of the gospel in the mundane experiences of daily life.  And despite my shortcomings, help my children to know and understand the great depths of your love for them. Teach them that ALL of life is in You. Lord.  Amen. 

A Review of Wicked

A couple of months ago, I took my daughter to see the Broadway musical Wicked.  I wasn't planning to go.  I had never seen it before, and never thought much about it.  I really enjoy Broadway, but tickets are expensive and...well...life just seems to get in the way.  Besides that, pastors' wives aren't really drawn to wickedness.  We see enough of that in real life...lol...we don't need to "pay" to see it.  But Abby heard about it from her friends, and she really wanted to go.  I saw a special sale on tickets, and thinking it would be a good potential mother/daughter bonding time, I bought them.

The stubborn and courageous Elphaba (Jennifer Dinoia) 
chooses to forfeit her dream of public esteem rather than
 support the Wizard's deceptive schemes and tactics.  

My daughter loved it.  I think I loved it more.  Wicked, for anybody who - like me - has been living under a rock, is very loosely based on the novel of the same title.  It's a prequel to the popular children's book, The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  The musical's subtitle sums it up well:  The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz.  The story recounts the young adult years of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch).  It tells of their surprising friendship, and how they grew into the women we perceive them to be when Dorothy makes her whirling entrance into Oz.

The key word is perceive.  The writers of Wicked masterfully remind us that people aren't always who we "think" they are.  A highly admired, charismatic leader can be a manipulative fraud whose public image doesn't match his true character.  (The Wonderful Wizard isn't so wonderful.)  A seemingly good person might not have good motives.  (Glinda is far more concerned with impressing others than with actually being good.)  And people who threaten the solidarity of such charades might pay for it.  (Elphaba earns the title "Wicked Witch" as such...) 

Wicked also explores the themes of good/evil and female friendship.  At the beginning of the story, Glinda & Elphaba, are college roommates who loathe each other.  Understandably so, since they are complete opposites.  ...Or are they?  Glinda "the Good" is perky, friendly, and very, very funny.  Although likable, she is also annoyingly self-centered, shallow, and willing to compromise her integrity for the sake of popularity.  Elphaba, on the other hand, is serious, stubborn, and prone to "fly off the handle" ~ which gets her into a lot of trouble.  On the other hand, she is smart, passionate, and authentic.  Neither girl is all good, nor all wicked.  Rather, they are a complex mix of both.  They are drawn together by the unique strengths each brings to their relationship.

The characters in Wicked are SO well-crafted, they seem as real as the girls next door!  I would guess there are many, many people who relate to Glinda or Elphaba or both.  Personally, I resonated with Elphaba.  I adored her tenacious need to be real, even when it threatened her very human desire to be accepted.  I loved that she stood true to her convictions, despite paying a very dear cost.  And I cheered her on as she found the courage to "fly", despite the constant naysayers that plagued her life from birth.  I think there is something powerful about connecting to another, even if it's a fictional character created in a writer's head.  Stephen Schwartz & Winnie Holzman did a marvelous job giving the gift of understanding to their audience.

I think the most valuable takeaway from Wicked is in its life lessons.  Not everything is morally positive (there are a few, a-hem, implied messages I could do without.)  But there is some good, solid advice there ~ particularly for the teenage girls who come to see the show in droves. 

...because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

• Learn and grow from your mistakes.
• Ask for forgiveness and grant it to others.
• Stand up for what it right; you won't regret it.
• Refuse to let other people discourage or define you.
• Don't use your upbringing as an excuse for who you are or choose to become.   And finally,
• Think twice before hastily dismissing a potential friend just because she's different.  Sometimes these are the people who help us most to grow and "change us for good". 

We're Blessed!

As I was sitting in church listening to the choir concert last night, I couldn't help but think about how blessed we Christians are.  About how we - a diverse people from different backgrounds & different stories & different lives - were chosen by God, adopted into His family.  We now know him as our Father, and we have been made brothers & sisters in Christ!  It was fun to be mutually encouraged - yes - even get excited - about the day Jesus will come back to take us to our forever home:

...the day when all that is broken will be made whole
...the day when all that is wrong will be made right
...the day when we will finally become just Him, for we shall see Him, in all His glory, as He truly is!