God is always trying to teach us stuff, and is always desiring that we improve ourselves and work to become more like Him. That should be our desire as well. Our biggest goal in life should be to reflect Christ better each day.
That is my goal in life, yet there are times when I feel like it be momentarily better to have things MY way, and to not have to learn the lessons God is teaching me. Some days I just don't want the hassle. Today is one of them. God is obviously trying to instill more patience in me, and I don't want to wait on the lesson! I want to be more patient NOW (somewhat ironic I know!).
I found out about this website: www.yearbookyourself.com and it is a pretty cool website. You upload a picture of yourself and then you can play with it and make it look like an old school (60's, 70's, 80's, 90's) yearbook photo. I thought that would be fun, and then I could use the photo as my profile pic on facebook and other sites.
Well, I started uploaded a picture to use 30 minutes ago and it still isn't uploaded yet. The photo is less than 3 mb, so I don't what the computer is finding so hard to do! It is taking forever, and of course I'm having a hard time walking away and using my time wisely as I wait.
I pray and ask God to help me become the woman that He wants me to be, and then He gives me chances like this, and I revert back to my old self, my old, impatient, want it now self. This is frustrating! I want to be better, do better, but I struggle. I wonder if this is similar to the struggles Paul talked about. Our spirits are willing, but our flesh is weak. We want to be better, we want to grow, but the old, immature nature rears its head and makes the struggle that much harder.
Patience...it is such a hard virtue for me to instill in myself. I try and I try to be more patient, but I run out before the situation resolves itself. But, I'm going to keep praying and asking God to help me develop my patience, even if the lessons are not so much fun. The best things in life come from the hardest, most painful circumstances (many times).
-JLK/PRT-
PS....it still isn't uploaded...so I'm going to go force myself to leave the room!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Desiring God and Family
Do you ever wonder sometimes what God is preparing you for? I do. I know the things that I want, and I am going after them. First of all I want to be an author. More specifically a published author. Anyone who writes is an author, it is just that only few become published. It doesn't even have to be how I make a living, but I have a story that needs to be told and I want it to be read, therefore I want to be a published author.
In order to accomplish this goal I am telling my story, first through this blog and also through the book I am writing, the memoir of my spiritual journey from rape victim to empowered Christian woman. I guess it isn't so much my spiritual journey as it is God's.
My story isn't mine, it is HIS. I'm only doing as well as I am because of Him. Some days I take a step forward, and other days I stumble back quite far. Yet, God is always there, helping me, lighting my path. His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path.
The other thing I want to be a wife and a mother. I have some ideas about that too, and I am going after them. I pray about this desire all the time. If you are a kid, and you want something you don't just tell your dad once, you tell him again and again. God is our Father, and while He never forgets, and He always understands, He wants to be treated as our Father (with love, respect and childlike faith that says if I ask 10 times I'm likely to get it than if I ask just once).
Yet, I also wonder what exactly is God preparing me for? What does my life hold for me? Why has He taken me along the path that I am on? If He does have a husband for me (I pray that He does, and I think I know who (and it isn't James Roday!) how are my choices and the path I am on preparing me to be the best wife and mother possible?
Part of the answer lies in my choices. Each choice I make effects my future and what God will allow in my life. Yet, there are some doors and windows that God just will not open for me. For example, I am pretty confident that God is not going to open doors to allow me to play professional basketball. I don't know what doors have closed because of choices I made to sin in lieu of doing the godly thing.
I also wonder, if God isn't going to open certain doors for me, than why does He allow me to peak in the windows and see how it could be? Or is it not God at all, and I'm just skulking up to the windows and trespassing, and looking into someone else's window?
God promises us that if we delight ourselves in Him, than He will give us the desires of our hearts. This happens in His time, and according to how we use our free will. I know that sometimes I get impatient. I want my desires on my time. Either that, or I just want to know that the thing (family) I desire most, outside of serving the Lord I love, will come to pass. Is it wrong to want that? I don't think so.
I think that an eagerness to do His will and to see the fruits of our labor is built into us, by our Creator. The eagerness is one of the motivators that keeps us going, even when we are shoulder deep in the gunk that is even too gross to hang with pond scum.
So, I'm going to keep on praying for the family I desire, and as I wait, I will work on becoming the woman that the Lord knows I can be. I can do this by reading my Scripture, praying, seeking godly counsel and joyfully serving the Lord that I love and delight in even more than I ever could a family.
You see, as wonderful as having a family will be, they let you down. They leave (whether by choice or for work), they say things that hurt you, they do things that annoy/frustrate/anger you. But we still love them, because we are also flawed humans. We love them because they are family that God has blessed us with, and even with all the heartache it is a blessing.
God does none of that. Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I don't immediately understand what is going on, and I certainly don't see it from His perspective, but He has never and will never let me down. He only and always has my best in mind. If we delight ourselves in God, He will grant us our desires, because our desires will be His desires for our lives. How awesomely wonderful is that!?!
-JLK/PRT-
In order to accomplish this goal I am telling my story, first through this blog and also through the book I am writing, the memoir of my spiritual journey from rape victim to empowered Christian woman. I guess it isn't so much my spiritual journey as it is God's.
My story isn't mine, it is HIS. I'm only doing as well as I am because of Him. Some days I take a step forward, and other days I stumble back quite far. Yet, God is always there, helping me, lighting my path. His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path.
The other thing I want to be a wife and a mother. I have some ideas about that too, and I am going after them. I pray about this desire all the time. If you are a kid, and you want something you don't just tell your dad once, you tell him again and again. God is our Father, and while He never forgets, and He always understands, He wants to be treated as our Father (with love, respect and childlike faith that says if I ask 10 times I'm likely to get it than if I ask just once).
Yet, I also wonder what exactly is God preparing me for? What does my life hold for me? Why has He taken me along the path that I am on? If He does have a husband for me (I pray that He does, and I think I know who (and it isn't James Roday!) how are my choices and the path I am on preparing me to be the best wife and mother possible?
Part of the answer lies in my choices. Each choice I make effects my future and what God will allow in my life. Yet, there are some doors and windows that God just will not open for me. For example, I am pretty confident that God is not going to open doors to allow me to play professional basketball. I don't know what doors have closed because of choices I made to sin in lieu of doing the godly thing.
I also wonder, if God isn't going to open certain doors for me, than why does He allow me to peak in the windows and see how it could be? Or is it not God at all, and I'm just skulking up to the windows and trespassing, and looking into someone else's window?
God promises us that if we delight ourselves in Him, than He will give us the desires of our hearts. This happens in His time, and according to how we use our free will. I know that sometimes I get impatient. I want my desires on my time. Either that, or I just want to know that the thing (family) I desire most, outside of serving the Lord I love, will come to pass. Is it wrong to want that? I don't think so.
I think that an eagerness to do His will and to see the fruits of our labor is built into us, by our Creator. The eagerness is one of the motivators that keeps us going, even when we are shoulder deep in the gunk that is even too gross to hang with pond scum.
So, I'm going to keep on praying for the family I desire, and as I wait, I will work on becoming the woman that the Lord knows I can be. I can do this by reading my Scripture, praying, seeking godly counsel and joyfully serving the Lord that I love and delight in even more than I ever could a family.
You see, as wonderful as having a family will be, they let you down. They leave (whether by choice or for work), they say things that hurt you, they do things that annoy/frustrate/anger you. But we still love them, because we are also flawed humans. We love them because they are family that God has blessed us with, and even with all the heartache it is a blessing.
God does none of that. Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I don't immediately understand what is going on, and I certainly don't see it from His perspective, but He has never and will never let me down. He only and always has my best in mind. If we delight ourselves in God, He will grant us our desires, because our desires will be His desires for our lives. How awesomely wonderful is that!?!
-JLK/PRT-
NOT AGAIN!!!
If I were Verizon I would hate me!!! If you have read the Janet Evanovich books featuring Stephanie Plum than you know that she (Stephanie) has bad luck with cars. Well, I have the same luck with cell phones (my car is great!).
So today I was walking from a school building to my car. It was pouring down rain, so I had my jacket on, and my umbrella up (which didn't do much good, I was still soaked through). My phone was in my purse. My purse got soaked, as did my phone. I have wimpy phones. My phone died! Poor phone. Poor me, with no phone today!
When I got home I took it apart and wiped everything down, hoping to dry it out. Still didn't work, so I used my hair dryer. And still no dice! What is up with my phone luck??? What is God trying to teach me, that cell phones are evil??? It has been hours now, and my phone is officially dead. So sad!
So tomorrow (Sunday) I get to get in my little Blue Bullet and drive 41 miles west to Roanoke to visit my nearest Verizon dealer and make them (politely with charm but being firm) give me another replacement phone. This phone is basically new, it shouldn't have malfunctioned. It did get wet, but it was in my purse! I got wetter than my phone, and I am not broken!!!! ARGH!!!! It is a waste of a day. Tomorrow I should be focusing on doing homework, but it will take most of the afternoon to go to Roanoke and come back. So tonight I need to be a good girl and work on my paper. At least I had the foresight to throw together my project for Tuesday already.
I will keep you updated, but as off right now I'm phone less. Now I know I'm going to Raleigh on Thursday and I could wait till then, but I need to get ahold of some of those people before I just show up, and I need a phone to do that!
So, yes if I was Verizon I would just give me an unbreakable phone, something that would survive belonging to an active Seal team, because just maybe it might have a chance of surviving me!
BAH HUMBUG!!!!
-JLK/PRT-
So today I was walking from a school building to my car. It was pouring down rain, so I had my jacket on, and my umbrella up (which didn't do much good, I was still soaked through). My phone was in my purse. My purse got soaked, as did my phone. I have wimpy phones. My phone died! Poor phone. Poor me, with no phone today!
When I got home I took it apart and wiped everything down, hoping to dry it out. Still didn't work, so I used my hair dryer. And still no dice! What is up with my phone luck??? What is God trying to teach me, that cell phones are evil??? It has been hours now, and my phone is officially dead. So sad!
So tomorrow (Sunday) I get to get in my little Blue Bullet and drive 41 miles west to Roanoke to visit my nearest Verizon dealer and make them (politely with charm but being firm) give me another replacement phone. This phone is basically new, it shouldn't have malfunctioned. It did get wet, but it was in my purse! I got wetter than my phone, and I am not broken!!!! ARGH!!!! It is a waste of a day. Tomorrow I should be focusing on doing homework, but it will take most of the afternoon to go to Roanoke and come back. So tonight I need to be a good girl and work on my paper. At least I had the foresight to throw together my project for Tuesday already.
I will keep you updated, but as off right now I'm phone less. Now I know I'm going to Raleigh on Thursday and I could wait till then, but I need to get ahold of some of those people before I just show up, and I need a phone to do that!
So, yes if I was Verizon I would just give me an unbreakable phone, something that would survive belonging to an active Seal team, because just maybe it might have a chance of surviving me!
BAH HUMBUG!!!!
-JLK/PRT-
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
SMOKE?...leads to NOISE!
There is some things that you just don't want to wake up to. The smoke alarm blaring at 112am is one of them! Trust me, I JUST did!
Since I'm blogging at 2am, obviously I'm fine, but Queens is still traumatized (the poor thing).
Tonight I lit some candles to add ambiance to my abode. This was around dinner time. By 8pm I had blown then out AND walked through my house 2x's just to make sure no rooms had any little flames. I was good. Then, right before bed I did one final check. Good to go. No candles in kitchen, powder room, library, den, bathroom, or bedroom.
Well, at precisely 112am I work up to a blaring smoke alarm going off! I had just fallen asleep not long before, and life was good. I had my cat curled up by me, a movie playing in the tv (it puts me to sleep, honestly) and I was heading to the land of Nod. Well, twas not to be a night of zzz's. The alarm was piercing (I guess that is its job). After all of like 2 seconds of the blaring I figure out what it is (my cat had already hightailed it off the bed). I see no smoke or fire as I glance from my bed. I walk to hall and see nothing, but a very slight haze that could have been smoke I guess, or it could have been me being exhausted and startled awake by the noise.
So, I walk to the den, and open up the windows (just in case). My house was chilly already (I refuse to use the heat yet, gotta save money and it isn't that chilly if I wear a sweatshirt and flannel pants) so it wasn't burning down. While the alarm is blaring I quickly do a visual check and make sure nothing is burning down. The electrical outlets weren't burning, and the one candle in the den was definitely out! So then I get a chair and head to the NOISE. It takes 17 LOOONNNNGGG minutes, but I get the alarm unplugged (don't tell the cops). Then I turn on the fan in my bathroom (no smoke or fire there, but I thought I'd turn it on just in case, of what I'm not sure, but I turned on the fan), and then I headed to my bedroom, where I checked and once again no fire, but I can smell a slight smoke scent in the air, so I open those windows. Though that could have been the candle that I blew out hours ago, it has a firewood scent. I then check downstairs and no smoke, no fire, nothing.
No, I don't know what caused the smoke alarm to go off because all things that cause fires and smoke to build up were NOT present in this house. Earlier in the evening I had candles burning, but the ones that died out on their own were doused before I tossed the remains of the wax, as I always do (wouldn't want my trash to catch and burn)and the other one was blown out and checked more than once.
So I'm fine. I tried to hook my alarm back up (like a good, law abiding seminarian) but it kept screaming, so I'll call the office in 6 hours when they open, let them know what went on, and have them come fix the alarm. But at least I know that it works, and it wakes me up (though I'm a light sleeper, so a MUCH quieter alarm would still wake me).
Who knows what went on here. I'm just going to list it under...another day, another interesting event in my life and try to go back to sleep. My house is fine, I'm fine (though I have a massive headache), my cat will be fine (eventually) and I'm going to need an extra blanket on my bed. I figure I might as well leave the windows open, since I don't know what the problem and in case there is any mustard gas, small pox or flying pink spotted octopus viruses in my house that caused it, they can leave!!!
Never a dull moment around here...not even at 115am!
-JLK/PRT-
Since I'm blogging at 2am, obviously I'm fine, but Queens is still traumatized (the poor thing).
Tonight I lit some candles to add ambiance to my abode. This was around dinner time. By 8pm I had blown then out AND walked through my house 2x's just to make sure no rooms had any little flames. I was good. Then, right before bed I did one final check. Good to go. No candles in kitchen, powder room, library, den, bathroom, or bedroom.
Well, at precisely 112am I work up to a blaring smoke alarm going off! I had just fallen asleep not long before, and life was good. I had my cat curled up by me, a movie playing in the tv (it puts me to sleep, honestly) and I was heading to the land of Nod. Well, twas not to be a night of zzz's. The alarm was piercing (I guess that is its job). After all of like 2 seconds of the blaring I figure out what it is (my cat had already hightailed it off the bed). I see no smoke or fire as I glance from my bed. I walk to hall and see nothing, but a very slight haze that could have been smoke I guess, or it could have been me being exhausted and startled awake by the noise.
So, I walk to the den, and open up the windows (just in case). My house was chilly already (I refuse to use the heat yet, gotta save money and it isn't that chilly if I wear a sweatshirt and flannel pants) so it wasn't burning down. While the alarm is blaring I quickly do a visual check and make sure nothing is burning down. The electrical outlets weren't burning, and the one candle in the den was definitely out! So then I get a chair and head to the NOISE. It takes 17 LOOONNNNGGG minutes, but I get the alarm unplugged (don't tell the cops). Then I turn on the fan in my bathroom (no smoke or fire there, but I thought I'd turn it on just in case, of what I'm not sure, but I turned on the fan), and then I headed to my bedroom, where I checked and once again no fire, but I can smell a slight smoke scent in the air, so I open those windows. Though that could have been the candle that I blew out hours ago, it has a firewood scent. I then check downstairs and no smoke, no fire, nothing.
No, I don't know what caused the smoke alarm to go off because all things that cause fires and smoke to build up were NOT present in this house. Earlier in the evening I had candles burning, but the ones that died out on their own were doused before I tossed the remains of the wax, as I always do (wouldn't want my trash to catch and burn)and the other one was blown out and checked more than once.
So I'm fine. I tried to hook my alarm back up (like a good, law abiding seminarian) but it kept screaming, so I'll call the office in 6 hours when they open, let them know what went on, and have them come fix the alarm. But at least I know that it works, and it wakes me up (though I'm a light sleeper, so a MUCH quieter alarm would still wake me).
Who knows what went on here. I'm just going to list it under...another day, another interesting event in my life and try to go back to sleep. My house is fine, I'm fine (though I have a massive headache), my cat will be fine (eventually) and I'm going to need an extra blanket on my bed. I figure I might as well leave the windows open, since I don't know what the problem and in case there is any mustard gas, small pox or flying pink spotted octopus viruses in my house that caused it, they can leave!!!
Never a dull moment around here...not even at 115am!
-JLK/PRT-
Monday, November 10, 2008
117 Years Strong!
There are many things to celebrate and enjoy in November and December. Tomorrow the nation gets to honor our military vets and current service members! There is of course Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Dec. 7 (it is a day that shall live...) and Christmas. But, there is another big in the beginning of December that I look forward to every year.
This year the date is Dec. 6, 2008 at high noon. The event? The Army-Navy football game of course!!! What more could a football fan want than a rivalry that has been ongoing for 117 years? I always enjoy the event. I generally cheer for the Navy, but this year I have a conflict. I have many friends that are active duty in the Army! So my loyalties are conflicted. Do I cheer for my favorite branch of the military, or the branch that most of my friends have chosen to serve in (if they are military)? It would be blasphemy to cheer for the refs! After much debate on this issue I have decided that I have been a fan of the Navy for a long time, so why stop now? If my Army people are really my friends, than they will forgive me (though that forgiveness might take awhile when the Navy wins!).
The Army-Navy game is a time for all Americans to cheer for our military in a setting where politics are set aside and we just get to enjoy a great American sport. I've included a few key facts about this rivalry.
NAVY:
1) Started playing organized football in 1879
Army:
1) Canceled all sports in 1909 after the death of cadet E. Byrne in a game vs. Harvard
Misc.:
1) The War Dept. canceled the game in 1917 & 18 (WWI)
2) In 1928 & 1929 the games were canceled because the parties could not agree on some of the rules.
3)From 1894-1898 the game was not held due to an incident that involved a Rear Ad. & Brig. Gen. (they threatened to duel it out). The incident had to be dealt with by the Secy of War, and for 5 years the teams were not allowed to play each other!
4) In 1899 in order to reinstate the game the two schools agreed to play all future Army-Navy games in Philly, a neutral spot. Philly is still the site of the extravaganza more than 100 years later!
*It did not host the game in 2007
*This is officially the 81st Army-Navy game in Philly
As it stands today:
Navy: 52 Wins
Army: 49 Wins
Tie: 7
So, get yourself an appropriately colored shirt, or a flag to wave, grab some friends and some American football food and be ready, because it is coming!!!
December 6, 2008 at noon on CBS.
GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!!!!
-JLK/PRT-
This year the date is Dec. 6, 2008 at high noon. The event? The Army-Navy football game of course!!! What more could a football fan want than a rivalry that has been ongoing for 117 years? I always enjoy the event. I generally cheer for the Navy, but this year I have a conflict. I have many friends that are active duty in the Army! So my loyalties are conflicted. Do I cheer for my favorite branch of the military, or the branch that most of my friends have chosen to serve in (if they are military)? It would be blasphemy to cheer for the refs! After much debate on this issue I have decided that I have been a fan of the Navy for a long time, so why stop now? If my Army people are really my friends, than they will forgive me (though that forgiveness might take awhile when the Navy wins!).
The Army-Navy game is a time for all Americans to cheer for our military in a setting where politics are set aside and we just get to enjoy a great American sport. I've included a few key facts about this rivalry.
NAVY:
1) Started playing organized football in 1879
Army:
1) Canceled all sports in 1909 after the death of cadet E. Byrne in a game vs. Harvard
Misc.:
1) The War Dept. canceled the game in 1917 & 18 (WWI)
2) In 1928 & 1929 the games were canceled because the parties could not agree on some of the rules.
3)From 1894-1898 the game was not held due to an incident that involved a Rear Ad. & Brig. Gen. (they threatened to duel it out). The incident had to be dealt with by the Secy of War, and for 5 years the teams were not allowed to play each other!
4) In 1899 in order to reinstate the game the two schools agreed to play all future Army-Navy games in Philly, a neutral spot. Philly is still the site of the extravaganza more than 100 years later!
*It did not host the game in 2007
*This is officially the 81st Army-Navy game in Philly
As it stands today:
Navy: 52 Wins
Army: 49 Wins
Tie: 7
So, get yourself an appropriately colored shirt, or a flag to wave, grab some friends and some American football food and be ready, because it is coming!!!
December 6, 2008 at noon on CBS.
GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!!!!
-JLK/PRT-
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Yes Sir...
Ok, so I have a grudge. Not against a prof (I really enjoy what I am learning and I think that LBST has top notch professors, they are all great...REALLY) but against our system. It is a small microcosm that explains so much of how America works, inefficiently.
As a budding author, I think that it is VERY important to give credit where credit is due, to cite our sources, and show who was the author of the thoughts you compiled. I'm a big supporter of stricter penalties for plagiarism. If you took the thought from someone, tell us! Author's don't mind being quoted (in fact it is generally a good because it shows that someone read our work, and we like that, or we wouldn't publish!).
That said, WHY can't we have 1 method for citing sources and formatting papers? So far in my post-secondary career I have had to use: MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian (yes those two have slight differences) and ACS. And within each of those the way you do things changes with the years, even since I started college in 2001.
The way I approach life I think that as long as the paper looks professional, it gives all the necessary information and I make sure to give credit every time credit is due, does it really matter how I do it. If I use parenthetical citations in my paper, does it matter if I put the author's last name, or the title of book? Because all the pertinent information will be included in Bibliography ( aka: works cited, reference, whatever) at the end!
It is just ludicrous to my mind! So when I become Queen this is going to be a pet project of mine- to standardize citations across the disciplines.
So for now I'm a stuck doing what the certain professors require, and I will do it and I will smile (maybe not totally deep down). I will do it, because I truly do like and respect my professors (and it is asinine to lose points on an argument I won't win. In this life we pick our battles and until I'm queen I will sound off on this, but not fight it to the death). Just pray that I can continue to keep the formats straight and remember which class requires which format.
Thank you! And feel free to sound off as well (on this or any other post).
-JLK/PRT-
As a budding author, I think that it is VERY important to give credit where credit is due, to cite our sources, and show who was the author of the thoughts you compiled. I'm a big supporter of stricter penalties for plagiarism. If you took the thought from someone, tell us! Author's don't mind being quoted (in fact it is generally a good because it shows that someone read our work, and we like that, or we wouldn't publish!).
That said, WHY can't we have 1 method for citing sources and formatting papers? So far in my post-secondary career I have had to use: MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian (yes those two have slight differences) and ACS. And within each of those the way you do things changes with the years, even since I started college in 2001.
The way I approach life I think that as long as the paper looks professional, it gives all the necessary information and I make sure to give credit every time credit is due, does it really matter how I do it. If I use parenthetical citations in my paper, does it matter if I put the author's last name, or the title of book? Because all the pertinent information will be included in Bibliography ( aka: works cited, reference, whatever) at the end!
It is just ludicrous to my mind! So when I become Queen this is going to be a pet project of mine- to standardize citations across the disciplines.
So for now I'm a stuck doing what the certain professors require, and I will do it and I will smile (maybe not totally deep down). I will do it, because I truly do like and respect my professors (and it is asinine to lose points on an argument I won't win. In this life we pick our battles and until I'm queen I will sound off on this, but not fight it to the death). Just pray that I can continue to keep the formats straight and remember which class requires which format.
Thank you! And feel free to sound off as well (on this or any other post).
-JLK/PRT-
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Moving On
I am proud to admit that I voted for McCain and Palin when I sent in my absentee ballot. I know, you are all shocked by this revelation!!! Well, get over the shock! =-)
For all of us that consider ourselves at least somewhat conservative there is a lot to think about right now. How will we respond to the election of a man that is so far to left he makes Ted Kennedy look conservative? President-elect Obama is farther to the left than Nancy Pelosi! America wanted change, and apparently it is coming.
I consider myself a bit of centrist, but on the conservative side. I disagree with the GOP on many issues, including education (NCLB anyone) and the environment (I think we need to do more to protect the environment, while at the same time I say "drill baby, drill" & no those 2 are not mutually exclusive). But I also disagree with the idea of "sharing the wealth", gay marriage, and abortion.
I have been told that because I'm a Christian I have no experience with these issues, how can I say that women shouldn't be allowed to get rid of the fetus, in certain circumstances. I can say it, because I know what the Lord says, and that it is more than a fetus, it is a human life. And, yes I know there are some tragic cases. The one that is brought up the most is the issue of rape. What if a woman that gets raped finds herself pregnant, shouldn't abortion be allowed then?
I say NO! And I say this from 1st hand experience. I've been THAT woman, scared, alone (seemingly), raped and pregnant and not knowing what to do. Even then, even as I prayed that God would do something, I never considered going to an abortion clinic. Though I do consider myself pro-choice. Each parent has the choice to raise the child, or to let another family raise the child. That is the true, life honoring choice. It makes me made that the leftists care about the welfare of animals (creatures without a soul) than they do of other humans.
When I hear the term "share the wealth" I immediately think of socialism and Karl Mark. There is no way around it, this is a Marist ideal, and I'm pretty sure (as an astute history scholar) that Marxism is antithetical to capitalism and the ideals of our Founding Fathers.
We all the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but no where in the Constitution does it say that I'm required to give what I have to the collective. That is what sharing the wealth is. It is taking from all, for all, for the collective. I understand that people fall on hard times, and that being without a job is not always the fault of the jobless. There are many instances where people try their darndest to get a job and they just can't secure any employment. That is when churches and other charities should step in, not the government.
With this bail out, the government has been given control of financial institutions, if we give them all this power to control our money, what will they want next? Even more control of our farms. Farmers already get paid for NOT growing certain things, and growing others. I can see a future where we have x number of corn farms, x number of wheat farms, x number of cotton farms, etc. The government telling people what they can and can't grow, and from there, then what? It is a slipper slope we walk, once we give in just a little. Where do you draw the line?
With all this going on, and grim scenarios possible, maybe not probable yet, but possible, what is a conservative Christian to do? How do we respond to the current events that we are living in? There is a simple answer, though putting it into action is anything but simple. We need to pray. PRAY for all the elected officials, from the local school board all the way to the White House and Congress. God is amazing and with HIM all things are possible. It is possible that President-elect Obama will be the greatest president since Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington. It is possible that there will be revival in among our elected officials and among the citizenry. All is possible, but it begins with prayer.
Alongside of prayer comes action. The Bible requires faith and deeds, prayer and action. We need to stay abreast of what our officials are doing, know what votes are coming up, and let them know what you think: call, write, e-mail, go. How can we expect them to make the choice we would, if we don't inform (politely and with love) them what we believe? We also need to get involved! Serve on the PTA, City Council, etc. We can't wait for godly people to do it, we have to BE those godly people that are storming government!
But it all comes down to prayer. Ask God for wisdom, patience, knowledge, and His leading. Seek God's will for how HE wants you to respond, and then OBEY!!!
Dear Lord,
I ask You to please be with President-elect Obama, VP-elect Biden, and the rest of the elected and appointed officials that will be coming to Washington to begin their jobs soon. Give them wisdom to see the whole of what is going on in the world. Open their eyes to the true needs of our country, and guide them to make decisions that will honor You and bring glory to Your name and not their names. Be with our state and local officials as they make decisions that impact us as well.
I also pray that You would infuse within Your kingdom an group of us that will earnestly seek to DO Your will, to speak up and act and do all that is necessary to increase the kingdom. Nothing is more important that all the souls that need to come to know You. Help this Presidential term to be a time of great revival in our land, so that America can actually be the "Christian" nation that people think it is.
Thank You for Your unending love, provision, and guidance. Thank You for your gift of salvation and the knowledge that each of us Christians have, that one day we will be with You in a perfect kingdom.
In the name of Christ and His blood I humbly pray,
-JLK-
For all of us that consider ourselves at least somewhat conservative there is a lot to think about right now. How will we respond to the election of a man that is so far to left he makes Ted Kennedy look conservative? President-elect Obama is farther to the left than Nancy Pelosi! America wanted change, and apparently it is coming.
I consider myself a bit of centrist, but on the conservative side. I disagree with the GOP on many issues, including education (NCLB anyone) and the environment (I think we need to do more to protect the environment, while at the same time I say "drill baby, drill" & no those 2 are not mutually exclusive). But I also disagree with the idea of "sharing the wealth", gay marriage, and abortion.
I have been told that because I'm a Christian I have no experience with these issues, how can I say that women shouldn't be allowed to get rid of the fetus, in certain circumstances. I can say it, because I know what the Lord says, and that it is more than a fetus, it is a human life. And, yes I know there are some tragic cases. The one that is brought up the most is the issue of rape. What if a woman that gets raped finds herself pregnant, shouldn't abortion be allowed then?
I say NO! And I say this from 1st hand experience. I've been THAT woman, scared, alone (seemingly), raped and pregnant and not knowing what to do. Even then, even as I prayed that God would do something, I never considered going to an abortion clinic. Though I do consider myself pro-choice. Each parent has the choice to raise the child, or to let another family raise the child. That is the true, life honoring choice. It makes me made that the leftists care about the welfare of animals (creatures without a soul) than they do of other humans.
When I hear the term "share the wealth" I immediately think of socialism and Karl Mark. There is no way around it, this is a Marist ideal, and I'm pretty sure (as an astute history scholar) that Marxism is antithetical to capitalism and the ideals of our Founding Fathers.
We all the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but no where in the Constitution does it say that I'm required to give what I have to the collective. That is what sharing the wealth is. It is taking from all, for all, for the collective. I understand that people fall on hard times, and that being without a job is not always the fault of the jobless. There are many instances where people try their darndest to get a job and they just can't secure any employment. That is when churches and other charities should step in, not the government.
With this bail out, the government has been given control of financial institutions, if we give them all this power to control our money, what will they want next? Even more control of our farms. Farmers already get paid for NOT growing certain things, and growing others. I can see a future where we have x number of corn farms, x number of wheat farms, x number of cotton farms, etc. The government telling people what they can and can't grow, and from there, then what? It is a slipper slope we walk, once we give in just a little. Where do you draw the line?
With all this going on, and grim scenarios possible, maybe not probable yet, but possible, what is a conservative Christian to do? How do we respond to the current events that we are living in? There is a simple answer, though putting it into action is anything but simple. We need to pray. PRAY for all the elected officials, from the local school board all the way to the White House and Congress. God is amazing and with HIM all things are possible. It is possible that President-elect Obama will be the greatest president since Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington. It is possible that there will be revival in among our elected officials and among the citizenry. All is possible, but it begins with prayer.
Alongside of prayer comes action. The Bible requires faith and deeds, prayer and action. We need to stay abreast of what our officials are doing, know what votes are coming up, and let them know what you think: call, write, e-mail, go. How can we expect them to make the choice we would, if we don't inform (politely and with love) them what we believe? We also need to get involved! Serve on the PTA, City Council, etc. We can't wait for godly people to do it, we have to BE those godly people that are storming government!
But it all comes down to prayer. Ask God for wisdom, patience, knowledge, and His leading. Seek God's will for how HE wants you to respond, and then OBEY!!!
Dear Lord,
I ask You to please be with President-elect Obama, VP-elect Biden, and the rest of the elected and appointed officials that will be coming to Washington to begin their jobs soon. Give them wisdom to see the whole of what is going on in the world. Open their eyes to the true needs of our country, and guide them to make decisions that will honor You and bring glory to Your name and not their names. Be with our state and local officials as they make decisions that impact us as well.
I also pray that You would infuse within Your kingdom an group of us that will earnestly seek to DO Your will, to speak up and act and do all that is necessary to increase the kingdom. Nothing is more important that all the souls that need to come to know You. Help this Presidential term to be a time of great revival in our land, so that America can actually be the "Christian" nation that people think it is.
Thank You for Your unending love, provision, and guidance. Thank You for your gift of salvation and the knowledge that each of us Christians have, that one day we will be with You in a perfect kingdom.
In the name of Christ and His blood I humbly pray,
-JLK-
Thursday, November 6, 2008
In Support of our Military!
As we creep closer to the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (better known as Veteran's Day) I just want to say THANK YOU!!! To our current, and past military members, their families and friends. Freedom isn't free, and you willing give up important things so that the rest of us can enjoy all the liberties, rights and privileges of being Americans. As my way of saying Thank You I am including links to some great videos I found online. Each is less than 10 minutes long, most considerably shorter. Enjoy!
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=174910&page=19
40 Pics to Make You Smile
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=174906&page=19
I Am an American Solider
***This one comes with a graphic content warning
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=176056&page=15
American Anthem by Norah Jones
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=176802&page=11
Sand angels
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=177606&page=3
Detonation 429 Tons
-I hope you take time to enjoy a couple of these, and maybe even browse through other videos on the site. And once again May God bless and protect our military as they serve us. THANK YOU!!!-
-JLK/PRT-
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=174910&page=19
40 Pics to Make You Smile
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=174906&page=19
I Am an American Solider
***This one comes with a graphic content warning
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=176056&page=15
American Anthem by Norah Jones
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=176802&page=11
Sand angels
http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=177606&page=3
Detonation 429 Tons
-I hope you take time to enjoy a couple of these, and maybe even browse through other videos on the site. And once again May God bless and protect our military as they serve us. THANK YOU!!!-
-JLK/PRT-
Thoughts to Ponder
“Christian Fundamentalism: The doctrine that there is an absolutely powerful, infinitely knowledgeable, universe spanning entity that is deeply and personally concerned about my sex life” (Andrew Lias)
*** You can put any area of life in place of sex, and it is all true. This big God, the only God, loves each of us and is totally area of and interested in EVERY aspect of our lives, that is just amazingly wondrous to me!***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in His great campaign of sabotage”(C.S.Lewis)
***We are called to sabotage the schemes of the Devil and to do all that we can to make sure that we are campaigning for Christ and point souls toward Him.***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"... I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior, for whose Kingdom it stands, one Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe." (Dan Quayle)
***Our first allegiance, if we are to call ourselves true Christian Americans is not to America, but to Christ. For our home is not here in America, but in Heaven. We are just guests on this planet that has an expiration date.***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Someone has said, "If we could get religion like a Baptist, experience it like a Methodist, be positive about it like a Disciple, be proud of it like an Episcopalian, pay for it like a Presbyterian, propagate it like an Adventist, and enjoy it like an Afro-American -- that would be some religion!" (attributed to H.E. Fosdick)
***No denomination is perfect, and I like this quote because it points out some of the strengths of each and how we could improve and be better, which should be a striving of all Christians.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Conversion for me was not a Damascus Road experience. I slowly moved into an intellectual acceptance of what my intuition had always known." (Madeleine L`Engle)
***We all come to know Christ in a little different way, the important point is not how we came to accept Christ, but that we accept and believe and live it out. It is also important that we do what Paul says and become all things to all people, so that all may come to believe.
-JLK/PRT-
*** You can put any area of life in place of sex, and it is all true. This big God, the only God, loves each of us and is totally area of and interested in EVERY aspect of our lives, that is just amazingly wondrous to me!***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in His great campaign of sabotage”(C.S.Lewis)
***We are called to sabotage the schemes of the Devil and to do all that we can to make sure that we are campaigning for Christ and point souls toward Him.***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"... I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior, for whose Kingdom it stands, one Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe." (Dan Quayle)
***Our first allegiance, if we are to call ourselves true Christian Americans is not to America, but to Christ. For our home is not here in America, but in Heaven. We are just guests on this planet that has an expiration date.***
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Someone has said, "If we could get religion like a Baptist, experience it like a Methodist, be positive about it like a Disciple, be proud of it like an Episcopalian, pay for it like a Presbyterian, propagate it like an Adventist, and enjoy it like an Afro-American -- that would be some religion!" (attributed to H.E. Fosdick)
***No denomination is perfect, and I like this quote because it points out some of the strengths of each and how we could improve and be better, which should be a striving of all Christians.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Conversion for me was not a Damascus Road experience. I slowly moved into an intellectual acceptance of what my intuition had always known." (Madeleine L`Engle)
***We all come to know Christ in a little different way, the important point is not how we came to accept Christ, but that we accept and believe and live it out. It is also important that we do what Paul says and become all things to all people, so that all may come to believe.
-JLK/PRT-
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
I need to allow myself to experience what God is giving me.
I know this statement may sound funny but it expresses something that I have been holding myself back from doing. Maybe it is just what I am working on this semester, maybe it is everything that is going on in life, but lately I have been holding myself back from experiencing true, God given joy.
God WANTS me to be joy filled. God wants my life to be as blessed as possible. Regardless of what people like the Osteens may say, this does NOT mean that God necessarily wants me to be money rich. Money can be a curse or a blessing, but it isn't the only way that God can bless us. There are many, many more blessings in life, and some of them (nay, most of them) are worth far more than a bunch of greenbacks.
Women were created because God saw that Adam wasn't totally happy, totally filled with the joy that God desired him to experience. Adam was lonely, and then God created women. I'm created to bring joy to others. But I'm also created to experience joy for myself. God would rather I experience more moments of joy than pain. Joy is the natural state, pain, sorrow, depression, sadness, all those emotions are unnatural and are a result of sin (the ugly creature).
Yet, knowing this I still hold myself back. I do things that I hate, I sin, I fail to do things that I know I should do. I say things that I regret. I put myself and my perceived needs before worshiping my Savior. Everyday I do something that robs me of my joy, and it is seen as normal. I choose things, thoughts, whatever that keeps me from experiencing the joy that God is waiting to experience with me.
Why do I do this? Do I feel like I don't deserve this joy? That is part of it, but the truth is, I don't deserve this joy. I don't deserve it because I am a sinful human that is part of the reason Christ had to come down, suffer, and die. But I am (and all other humans) also why Christ left the grave 3 days later, so that I could experience the fullness of a relationship with Him. I don't deserve it, but He is offering it anyway. It is folly for me to do the things that rob myself of all that He is offering.
I need to work harder at being more obedient in my daily walk with my Savior. I also need to spend more time focusing on all the blessings in my life, because there are oh so many of them. If I focus more on all that Christ is, all that God is and that God does for me every moment, than I will have no excuse but to be so filled with joy, that it bubbles out of me.
There will still be rough patches in life, we live in a fallen world. But true joy is still there in the midst, because it sees beyond the temporary, beyond the dark clouds of this present world and all its pain, and onto the Throne, where the God of the universe sits, loving us.
-JLK/PRT-
God WANTS me to be joy filled. God wants my life to be as blessed as possible. Regardless of what people like the Osteens may say, this does NOT mean that God necessarily wants me to be money rich. Money can be a curse or a blessing, but it isn't the only way that God can bless us. There are many, many more blessings in life, and some of them (nay, most of them) are worth far more than a bunch of greenbacks.
Women were created because God saw that Adam wasn't totally happy, totally filled with the joy that God desired him to experience. Adam was lonely, and then God created women. I'm created to bring joy to others. But I'm also created to experience joy for myself. God would rather I experience more moments of joy than pain. Joy is the natural state, pain, sorrow, depression, sadness, all those emotions are unnatural and are a result of sin (the ugly creature).
Yet, knowing this I still hold myself back. I do things that I hate, I sin, I fail to do things that I know I should do. I say things that I regret. I put myself and my perceived needs before worshiping my Savior. Everyday I do something that robs me of my joy, and it is seen as normal. I choose things, thoughts, whatever that keeps me from experiencing the joy that God is waiting to experience with me.
Why do I do this? Do I feel like I don't deserve this joy? That is part of it, but the truth is, I don't deserve this joy. I don't deserve it because I am a sinful human that is part of the reason Christ had to come down, suffer, and die. But I am (and all other humans) also why Christ left the grave 3 days later, so that I could experience the fullness of a relationship with Him. I don't deserve it, but He is offering it anyway. It is folly for me to do the things that rob myself of all that He is offering.
I need to work harder at being more obedient in my daily walk with my Savior. I also need to spend more time focusing on all the blessings in my life, because there are oh so many of them. If I focus more on all that Christ is, all that God is and that God does for me every moment, than I will have no excuse but to be so filled with joy, that it bubbles out of me.
There will still be rough patches in life, we live in a fallen world. But true joy is still there in the midst, because it sees beyond the temporary, beyond the dark clouds of this present world and all its pain, and onto the Throne, where the God of the universe sits, loving us.
-JLK/PRT-
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Interesting Facts, Regardless of Your Party Affiliation
*** Sorry these last couple of posts have been lengthy, but I believe in putting out the facts as I verify them!***
In an election where "hysteria" rather than "knowledge" may decide the
vote,
I would encourage everyone to make an educated decision when voting.
Don't
further jeopardize this country by making your decision based on
rhetoric.
Understand who has actually made the decisions that have landed not only
the United States but also the world economy in crisis! Those decisions
are voted on and made by the Congress not the president. And who
controls
the congress? Educate yourself America ! Don't just listen to the
press
- make a decision based on facts!
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $4.10 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value
evaporate
(stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
7) Food prices skyrocketing over 30% in 1 year.
America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!
Remember, it is Congress that makes the laws and spends our money -not
the
President. He has to work with what's handed to him.
Part 2:
Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics
enlightening and amazing.
www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.HTML
Taxes under CLINTON-1999 &nb sp; Taxes under BUSH-2008
Single earning: Single
earning:
30K - taxed- $ 8,400 30K - taxed $
4,500
50K - taxed $ 14,000 50K - taxed $
12,500
75K - taxed $ 23,250 75K - taxed $
18,750
Married earning: Married
earning:
60K - taxed $ 16,800 60K - taxed $
9,000
75K - taxed $ 21,000 &nb sp; 75K - taxed
$
18,750
125K - taxed $ 38,750 125K - taxed $
31,250
Barack Obama promises to return to the higher tax rates if elected. It
is
amazing how many people who fall into the categories above think Bush
is
screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever.
If elected, Barack Obama has already promised that he will repeal the
Bush
tax cuts, and amazingly, a good portion of the people who fall into the
categories above can't wait for it to happen.
PART 3:
You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much? Read this: Boy, am
I
confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq
war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be
RIDICULOUS. Read on...
I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until
they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them.
I
have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal
aliens
each year by state governments.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance
programs
such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal
aliens.
Verify at: http://wwwcis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. ; $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary
school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a
word
of English!
Verify at:
http://transcripts.CNN.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.HTML
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the
American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at:
http://transcripts..cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare &
social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused
by
the illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's
two
and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular,
their
children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens
that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens
from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth,
heroin and
marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl..com/t9sht
12. The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of
mass
deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost
of
between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at:
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back
to
their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. 'The DaRk Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex
Crimes
Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States .'
Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
In an election where "hysteria" rather than "knowledge" may decide the
vote,
I would encourage everyone to make an educated decision when voting.
Don't
further jeopardize this country by making your decision based on
rhetoric.
Understand who has actually made the decisions that have landed not only
the United States but also the world economy in crisis! Those decisions
are voted on and made by the Congress not the president. And who
controls
the congress? Educate yourself America ! Don't just listen to the
press
- make a decision based on facts!
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $4.10 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value
evaporate
(stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
7) Food prices skyrocketing over 30% in 1 year.
America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!
Remember, it is Congress that makes the laws and spends our money -not
the
President. He has to work with what's handed to him.
Part 2:
Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics
enlightening and amazing.
www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.HTML
Taxes under CLINTON-1999 &nb sp; Taxes under BUSH-2008
Single earning: Single
earning:
30K - taxed- $ 8,400 30K - taxed $
4,500
50K - taxed $ 14,000 50K - taxed $
12,500
75K - taxed $ 23,250 75K - taxed $
18,750
Married earning: Married
earning:
60K - taxed $ 16,800 60K - taxed $
9,000
75K - taxed $ 21,000 &nb sp; 75K - taxed
$
18,750
125K - taxed $ 38,750 125K - taxed $
31,250
Barack Obama promises to return to the higher tax rates if elected. It
is
amazing how many people who fall into the categories above think Bush
is
screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever.
If elected, Barack Obama has already promised that he will repeal the
Bush
tax cuts, and amazingly, a good portion of the people who fall into the
categories above can't wait for it to happen.
PART 3:
You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much? Read this: Boy, am
I
confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq
war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be
RIDICULOUS. Read on...
I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until
they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them.
I
have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal
aliens
each year by state governments.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance
programs
such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal
aliens.
Verify at: http://wwwcis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. ; $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary
school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a
word
of English!
Verify at:
http://transcripts.CNN.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.HTML
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the
American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at:
http://transcripts..cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare &
social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused
by
the illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's
two
and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular,
their
children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens
that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens
from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth,
heroin and
marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl..com/t9sht
12. The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of
mass
deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost
of
between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at:
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back
to
their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. 'The DaRk Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex
Crimes
Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States .'
Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A Message to the USA from a WW2 German
Hi! Bodie Thoene is a well know Christian author. One of the main characters in her most popular series is a young woman named Lori Kalner. I just learned that this young woman is based on a real person, how cool is that!?! Anyway, I am including what Ms. Kalner has to say about the upcoming election here in the US of A.
HYMN TO HITLER
Posted by: Lori Kalner on Wednesday, October 01, 2008
In Germany , when Hitler came to power, it was a time of terrible financial depression. Money was worth nothing. In Germany people lost homes and jobs, just like in the American Depression in the 1930s, which we have read about in Thoene's Shiloh books. In those days, in my homeland, Adolph Hitler was elected to power by promising 'Change.' He blamed the 'Zionists' around the world for all our problems. He told everyone it was greedy Zionist Bankers who had caused every problem we had. He promised when he was leader, the greedy Zionist bankers would be punished. The Zionists, he promised, would be wiped off the face of the earth. So Hitler was elected to power by only 1/3 the popular vote. A coalition of other political parties in parliament made him supreme leader. Then, when he was leader, he disgraced and expelled everyone in parliament who did not go along with him. Yes. Change came to my homeland as the new leader promised it would.
The teachers in German schools began to teach the children to sing songs in praise of Hitler. This was the beginning of the Hitler Youth movement. It began with praise of the Fuhrer's programs on the lips of innocent children. Hymns in praise of Hitler and his programs were being sung in the schoolrooms and in the play yard. Little girls and boys joined hands and sang these songs as they walked home from school.
My brother came home and told Papa what was happening at school. The political hymns of children proclaimed Change was coming to our homeland and the Fuhrer was a leader we could trust. I will never forget my father's face. Grief and fear. He knew that the best propaganda of the Nazis was song on the lips of little children. That evening before he said grace at the dinner table, he placed his hands upon the heads of my brothers and me and prayed the Living Word upon us from Jeremiah 1:4-5. 'Now the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to The nations.'
Soon the children's songs praising the Fuhrer were heard everywhere on the streets and over the radio. 'With our Fuhrer to lead us, we can do it! We can change the world!' Soon after that Papa, a pastor, was turned away from visiting elderly parishioners in hospitals. The people he had come to bring comfort of God's Word, were 'no longer there.' Where had they vanished to while under nationalized health care?
It became an open secret. The elderly and sick began to disappear from hospitals feet first as 'mercy killing' became the policy. Children with disabilities and those who had Down syndrome were euthanized. People whispered, 'Maybe it is better for them now. Put them out of misery. They are no longer suffering. And, of course, their death is better for the treasury of our nation. Our taxes no longer must be spent to care for such a burden.' And so murder was called mercy.
The government took over private business. Industry and health care were 'nationalized.' (NA-ZI means National Socialist Party) The businesses of all Jews were seized. (Perhaps you remember our story in Berlin on Krystalnacht in the book Munich Signature)
The world and God's word were turned upside down. Hitler promised the people economic Change?
Not change. It was, rather, Lucifer's very ancient Delusion leading to Destruction. What began with the propaganda of children singing a catchy tune ended in the deaths of millions of children. The reality of what came upon us is so horrible that you in this present generation cannot imagine it. Our suffering is too great to ever tell in a book or show in a black and white newsreel.
When I spoke to Bodie about some of these things, she wept and said she could not bear to write them. Perhaps one day she will, but I asked her, 'who could bear to read our suffering?' Yet with my last breaths I warn every Christian and Jew now in the name of the Lord, unless your course of the church in America is spiritually changed now, returning to the Lord, there are new horrors yet to come.
I trembled last night when I heard the voices of American children raised in song, praising the name of Obama, the charismatic fellow who claims he is the American Messiah. Yet I have heard what this man Obama says about abortion and the 'mercy killing' of tiny babies who are not wanted.
There are so few of us left to warn you. I have heard that there are 69 million Catholics in America and 70 million Evangelical Christians. Where are your voices? Where is your outrage? Where is passion and your vote? Do you vote based on an abortionist's empty promises and economics? Or do you vote according to the Bible? Thus says the Lord about every living child still in the womb.
'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.'
I have experienced the signs of the politics of Death in my youth. I see them again now. Christians! Unless you stand up now, you will lose your freedom of religion. In America priests and preachers have already lost their freedom to speak openly from their pulpits of moral danger in political candidates. They cannot legally instruct you of which candidate holds fast to the precepts of scripture! American law forbids this freedom of speech to conservative pastors or they will lose their 'tax exempt' status. And yet I have heard the words of Obama's pastor Damning America! I have heard the words of Obama damning and mocking all of you in small towns because you 'Cling to your religion.' But I am a woman whose name is unknown. My life is recorded as a work of fiction. I have no fear of reprisal when I speak truth to you from the pages of a book. (Though the Zion Covenant books are mocked and condemned by the Left in America .)
I am an old woman and will soon go to be with my Lord. I have no fear for myself, but for all of you and for your children, I tremble. I tremble at the hymns to a political leaders which your children will sing at school. (Though even now a hymn or a prayer to God and our Lord Jesus is against the law in public school!)
Your vote must put a stop to what will come upon America if Barrack Obama is elected. I pray you will personally heed this warning for the sake of your children and your grandchildren. Do not be deceived. The Lord in Jeremiah 1:7-8 commands every believer to speak up!
'Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them for I am with you, declares the Lord!'
I am in Prayer for you, and for the Church! Spoken to you in the authority of Jesus the Christ, the Name Above All Names.
Lori Kalner
-JLK/PRT-
HYMN TO HITLER
Posted by: Lori Kalner on Wednesday, October 01, 2008
In Germany , when Hitler came to power, it was a time of terrible financial depression. Money was worth nothing. In Germany people lost homes and jobs, just like in the American Depression in the 1930s, which we have read about in Thoene's Shiloh books. In those days, in my homeland, Adolph Hitler was elected to power by promising 'Change.' He blamed the 'Zionists' around the world for all our problems. He told everyone it was greedy Zionist Bankers who had caused every problem we had. He promised when he was leader, the greedy Zionist bankers would be punished. The Zionists, he promised, would be wiped off the face of the earth. So Hitler was elected to power by only 1/3 the popular vote. A coalition of other political parties in parliament made him supreme leader. Then, when he was leader, he disgraced and expelled everyone in parliament who did not go along with him. Yes. Change came to my homeland as the new leader promised it would.
The teachers in German schools began to teach the children to sing songs in praise of Hitler. This was the beginning of the Hitler Youth movement. It began with praise of the Fuhrer's programs on the lips of innocent children. Hymns in praise of Hitler and his programs were being sung in the schoolrooms and in the play yard. Little girls and boys joined hands and sang these songs as they walked home from school.
My brother came home and told Papa what was happening at school. The political hymns of children proclaimed Change was coming to our homeland and the Fuhrer was a leader we could trust. I will never forget my father's face. Grief and fear. He knew that the best propaganda of the Nazis was song on the lips of little children. That evening before he said grace at the dinner table, he placed his hands upon the heads of my brothers and me and prayed the Living Word upon us from Jeremiah 1:4-5. 'Now the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to The nations.'
Soon the children's songs praising the Fuhrer were heard everywhere on the streets and over the radio. 'With our Fuhrer to lead us, we can do it! We can change the world!' Soon after that Papa, a pastor, was turned away from visiting elderly parishioners in hospitals. The people he had come to bring comfort of God's Word, were 'no longer there.' Where had they vanished to while under nationalized health care?
It became an open secret. The elderly and sick began to disappear from hospitals feet first as 'mercy killing' became the policy. Children with disabilities and those who had Down syndrome were euthanized. People whispered, 'Maybe it is better for them now. Put them out of misery. They are no longer suffering. And, of course, their death is better for the treasury of our nation. Our taxes no longer must be spent to care for such a burden.' And so murder was called mercy.
The government took over private business. Industry and health care were 'nationalized.' (NA-ZI means National Socialist Party) The businesses of all Jews were seized. (Perhaps you remember our story in Berlin on Krystalnacht in the book Munich Signature)
The world and God's word were turned upside down. Hitler promised the people economic Change?
Not change. It was, rather, Lucifer's very ancient Delusion leading to Destruction. What began with the propaganda of children singing a catchy tune ended in the deaths of millions of children. The reality of what came upon us is so horrible that you in this present generation cannot imagine it. Our suffering is too great to ever tell in a book or show in a black and white newsreel.
When I spoke to Bodie about some of these things, she wept and said she could not bear to write them. Perhaps one day she will, but I asked her, 'who could bear to read our suffering?' Yet with my last breaths I warn every Christian and Jew now in the name of the Lord, unless your course of the church in America is spiritually changed now, returning to the Lord, there are new horrors yet to come.
I trembled last night when I heard the voices of American children raised in song, praising the name of Obama, the charismatic fellow who claims he is the American Messiah. Yet I have heard what this man Obama says about abortion and the 'mercy killing' of tiny babies who are not wanted.
There are so few of us left to warn you. I have heard that there are 69 million Catholics in America and 70 million Evangelical Christians. Where are your voices? Where is your outrage? Where is passion and your vote? Do you vote based on an abortionist's empty promises and economics? Or do you vote according to the Bible? Thus says the Lord about every living child still in the womb.
'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.'
I have experienced the signs of the politics of Death in my youth. I see them again now. Christians! Unless you stand up now, you will lose your freedom of religion. In America priests and preachers have already lost their freedom to speak openly from their pulpits of moral danger in political candidates. They cannot legally instruct you of which candidate holds fast to the precepts of scripture! American law forbids this freedom of speech to conservative pastors or they will lose their 'tax exempt' status. And yet I have heard the words of Obama's pastor Damning America! I have heard the words of Obama damning and mocking all of you in small towns because you 'Cling to your religion.' But I am a woman whose name is unknown. My life is recorded as a work of fiction. I have no fear of reprisal when I speak truth to you from the pages of a book. (Though the Zion Covenant books are mocked and condemned by the Left in America .)
I am an old woman and will soon go to be with my Lord. I have no fear for myself, but for all of you and for your children, I tremble. I tremble at the hymns to a political leaders which your children will sing at school. (Though even now a hymn or a prayer to God and our Lord Jesus is against the law in public school!)
Your vote must put a stop to what will come upon America if Barrack Obama is elected. I pray you will personally heed this warning for the sake of your children and your grandchildren. Do not be deceived. The Lord in Jeremiah 1:7-8 commands every believer to speak up!
'Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them for I am with you, declares the Lord!'
I am in Prayer for you, and for the Church! Spoken to you in the authority of Jesus the Christ, the Name Above All Names.
Lori Kalner
-JLK/PRT-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)