January 2009 – The Welcome Home

The Way I See It #296

My friend surprised me with a delicious Sbx this morning. What a yummy treat and wonderful way to start the day! Sbx coffees haven’t been part of my ‘diet regimen’ lately, but today I obviously had to make concessions for… well, what could I have done? Tell my dear friend, no thanks, I’m dieting… what? are you crazy? no… no… no… not me!

So… yum… it’s as delicious now, one hour later, reheated just a tad… and here’s what it says:

By the time executives get married
take on a mortgage, raise kids, cope
with crabgrass, climb the
corporate ladder, do their best to
manage career pressures, build
their net worth and get into their
40’s, they’ve lost touch with what
they believe in and care about
most deeply.”
–Allan Cox

I’d sort of dislike attempting to liken motherhood to corporate life — I’m not one to attempt jazz up the description of “occupation” when filling out forms. I don’t look to cleverly describe my life as a domestic engineer, in product research and development, nursing, transportation, nutritionist… etc., etc. No, I never do all that. I never attempt to describe my life or define it using corporate terms — there just aren’t common terms to define or describe motherhood — none that would be sufficient, anyway.

When I read the cup today… I mulled over that Starbucks The Way I See It #296 quote… and I thought of parallels to mothers who spend decades building the kites, making sure the spines are straight, the covers are properly stretched, mending the tears and broken frames, reinforcing the structures over and over and then slowly lengthening the tails and strengthening the line… releasing and unwinding little by little and then when the line is fully extended from the reel… knowing when to cut the line and put the reel away.

encouragement & geography today…

I’m thinking of how our children learn, what motivates them the most and what creates the greatest results in homeschooling? Yes! it’s enthusiasm and love — it’s saying to our children: I am so for you!! I love you!!

Maybe at home today we need to give a little more attention to what’s most important and, remember, we all need a little more enthusiastic encouragement for whatever we’re teaching (or learning).

The Mothers Act

The MOTHERS ACT has been reintroduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 20 introduced Jan 6th 2009) and the U.S. Senate (S. 324 introduced Jan 26 2009).

Messages to members of Congress should be gracious, direct and to the point.

“The Mothers Act is a bill which will increase mental health screening of pregnant women and new mothers,despite the fact that the widely accepted treatment for women diagnosed with postpartum depression is antidepressant drugs — documented by the U.S. FDA to cause worsening depression, mania, psychosis, suicidal and homicidal ideation and birth defects. There is no language in the bill that would assure mothers are given non-drug options or accurate information about the subjectivity of the diagnoses (a checklist of questions) or the documented risks of psychiatric drugs. This violates informed consent and puts new mothers and their infants at risk.”

You’ll Have Free Speech (if you agree)

Another day… what’s next? Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee has launched a petition against Rush Limbaugh. This, to me, is amazing — ludicrous, really, in light of the fact that Barack Obama was given a free pass — unwavering acceptance and free coverage by the adoring press for the last 18 months or so.

This isn’t a Rush love-in — is not a blanket endorsement of Rush Limbaugh–sincerely, but is an encouragement to be mindful of treasured Constitutional rights. I offer this as an admonition to pay attention regarding the blessing of the rights of citizens of this free nation and further, if you think President Obama’s policies and proposals are in your best interest — the country’s best interest — they’re not. They’re not truly in your best interest, nor your children’s, nor your great-great grandchildren’s. Not only will the proposed policies have monstrously damaging results, this strike against or attempt at eliminating free speech or dissenting voices is fascism.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[Added 1-30-09: About that Democrat Petition site]

News Dujour 1.26.9

The irony of headlines… one for preventing birth, one promoting. Nancy Pelosi will likely regret the faulty logic she’s employing to suggest birthcontrol will help the economy. A proponent of ~~big~~ huge government, Pelosi seems to forget or ignores the fact that socialism needs lots of new little producers (read: taxpayersandpayersandpayers) to support the regime.

The Canon corporation in Japan sees the negative result of low birthrate and is scrambling to reverse the trend of negative population numbers. Simple economics reveals the crisis of a pregressive nations’ aging population and low birthrate (to support that aged population). Same thing will happen in the US. Speaking in strictly econmic terms, if government programs — free to all, citizen or no, continue to multiply out of control and if this nation loses ‘workers’ or revenue generators in the next few generations, this nation will never survive. It can’t at the current rate, and it certainly won’t in the future.

And people are protesting a fence along the US border?? Do you suppose the US would be able to handle DNA testing on the estimated ten million illegals in this country?!?! In an attempt to curb or expel illegals, the French government is proposing to do such testing. O, and for the record, I’m not anti-immigration. Actually, quite the opposite — I’d say welcome home — honestly and lawfully come in the front door.

A prayer from the Word for today:

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” — philippians 1.9-11

About that Sad Day…

Now it will begin to be very clear as to why I wrote the blog entry: one-of-the-saddest-days-in-the-history-of-this-nation. I knew I wasn’t alone in holding that opinion — and I know I’m not alone now.

Tens of millions of *innocent* children — unborn babies — have been murdered in this nation since the legalization and government sanctioned abortions. It doesn’t seem to matter one iota what George Bush did in his tenure as President — but if nothing else, he did stand for life — he stood in the gap for millions and did so publicly and through legal policy. Barack Obama reversed that policy today. He had opportunity to stand for life. He sat down with pen in hand and stands against innocent babies. Abortion is not about women’s reproductive health, it’s not about basic healthcare. It’s not even about a right to choose. Because in that procedure, of three of the people in the room, only two of the voices are heard. The third voice is silenced. Death is not basic health. Life is basic health. Abortion is not family planning.

President Obama had an opportunity just yesterday to hear thousands of voices… to see thousands of hands in prayer for children, for the unborn, for this nation… thousands attempting to reach out to him to change his mind and stand in the gap for *helpless* individuals. Instead he did not.

That’s just the beginning of the consequences of one of the saddest days in this nation.

Opportunities to be civil, to be gracious and to be honourable have been missed this week. Was it too much to just be gracious to the former president? Was it too much to be gracious to the citizens of the United States by acknowledging that there were tens of millions of law abiding citizens who did not for vote for but are being governed by this Change? Citizens who, because of his decisions, are forced to pay for unconscionable policies and unprecedented national debt.

It’s a new day… This, in regards to Obama’s being ‘sworn in’ a second time (in the Oval Office) following the original bungling of the Presidential Oath of Office on Inauguration Day.

Four reporters witnessed the oath of office and shared their observations with others, and a White House photo was released.

“We think it was done in a way that was upfront and transparent,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a briefing when questioned why video cameras were not present. [and there was no Bible]

Pressed on the matter, Gibbs said, “we would have had to get a bigger room.” [and a Bible]

I mean, truly, even Lyndon Johnson had a Bible on which to place his hand taking the oath of office on Air Force One in 1963 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Could there possibly not have been a Bible in the whole White House? Could there be another reason?

Inauguration Day 2009

Today, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of these United States of America. It is a new day in this land as the 44th President began his speech, “My fellow citizens…” Yes, indeed, change has come to America. But what is this change, really?

I listened to the speech… and I marveled: here is a man who has few (name some?) notable political accomplishments — what track record demonstrates what he says is what he will do. Nothing really — other than becoming a US Senator, delivering attention grabbing, dazzling speeches, and being elected President of the United States. I marvel. Still, I marvel how it all came about anyway.

After a little nervous bungle taking the oath of office, he was to deliver his highly anticipated speech — a speech that was ‘presidential’ and well delivered — but not necessarily memorable. I guess I expected to hear lines that would become trademark quotes – like his Change! and Yes, we can campaign slogans. Time will tell what the rhetoric produces and what comes of rebuilding America. I keep wondering, with what? And how will the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan be financed and… hmmm, what is it, really?

It was a beautiful day… and I think marred only by an unnecessary comment by Joseph Lowery. I listened intently to what I thought was a remarkably humble prayer and then I gasped…

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we’ve shared this day,” said the Rev. Joseph Lowery, in delivering the inaugural benediction prayer. In that prayer he asked that Americans to hold on to the spirit of fellowship after leaving this mountaintop. He asked that we make “choices on the side of love, not hate, on the side of inclusion not exclusion, tolerance not intolerance…” Then, [and, really, was this to the Lord?!], “We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery said.

When white will embrace what is right?! I don’t know why Lowery said some of what he said today — what score he was attempting to settle or rehash or dig up? But I think it ought to be noted and remembered that BH Obama’s mother embraced what was right when she, as an unwed mother, chose life and did not abort her unborn baby.

I know it’s part of an American dream that a man of “colour” would one day be President. But somehow, it seems, lost in all of this is the fact that Obama is the product of two races — a Kenyan father and a white mother, two faiths, two nations… a white (unwed at the time) mother who did what was right in not taking the life of her unborn baby. [May her son not forget that and have a change of heart when it comes time to take that pen in his left hand… as he promised that the first piece of legislation he would sign is the “freedom of choice act.” ]

It was or could have been a righteous prayer – instead, it was cheapened… the reverence diminished to, in part, a civil rights era speech and an impassioned plea all wrapped up in a benediction. If this election wasn’t about race — if we’ve moved on as a nation — if we’ve matured as a nation — then why dig up and tritely rehearse negative racial divisions? Many of us and our children rejoice to live in a day in a nation where race does not define or determine a person’s value or importance. There was no place for those derogatory, once stereotypical racial comments — no place for reintroducing what has been a hard won battle against discrimination and ‘class’ — especially in such a ceremony inaugurating the 44th President of the United States — the son of a white mother and Kenyan father.

The Way I See It #76

I suppose that I might have cause to celebrate. It’s a sunny day. The water surrounding our home receded at such a significant rate that we’re now able to see all of our property and much of the surrounding farmland. This is amazing. O, and I didn’t get Sbx cup #280. Maybe, had I gotten cup #280, I’d not have written the previous two posts this afternoon. I don’t know. So, today’s cup reads:

TheWayISeeIt #76
“The irony of commitment is that
it’s deeply liberating – in work, in
play, in love. The act frees you
from the tyranny of your internal
critic, from the fear that likes to
dress itself up and parade around
as rational hesitation. To commit is
to remove your head as the barrier
to your life.”

– Anne Morriss, Starbucks customer

So, I’m thinking about the freedom in commitment. I don’t know the author’s intent in the above quote – but like most of the other Sbx cup quotes – this one got me thinking and thinking about so many things on so many levels.

The freedom of commitment. I am committed to serving the Lord Jesus – and it is for freedom that He has set me free from the bonds of sin and death. My commitment to Him has brought me great comfort in that I am free from fear of rejection in death as well as in life. Now, there’s still that occasional tyranny from the internal critic – the critic that says I will fail bcz I have failed so many times before at so many things before. But the more I am rooted and grounded in faith and in the Word and in the Lord, the more that barrier is removed — that barrier of self — that barrier of fear or of pride or of doubt or of discontent. Ironically, the more *under* authority I am, the freer I am to live and move and exercise the gifts the Lord has given me. It is as I submit, I gain great freedom.

This is true in my marriage — as I am committed to my husband, I am freer to love him, to encourage and respect him, to bless and serve him — as I have said to him many times… where else would I go? Commitment gives way to great trust and freedom.

I am committed to my children — my commitment to them gives me great freedom to serve and teach them, to care for and provide for their needs. My commitment to them enables me to guard and guide them — to love and nurture them. I do not fear or have barriers that prevents me from loving them — as I am committed to their wellbeing.

Fear truly does dress up and masquerade as rational hesitation. I mull that over and think: fear and faith cannot be carried in the same bucket. For to carry one necessitates dumping the other. If I am carrying a bucket of fear, I cannot also hope that faith is contained in that same bucket.

So then, I see how great is the love the LORD has lavished on us that we would be called the children of the Highest (Luke 6.35).

“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
psalm 37.5

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2.2

A Book and a Movie

I’m thinking about blind acceptance and emperors… the events of the days behind us and before us and a book and a movie come to mind. And I wonder what really matters to people — if it matters that there’s nothing there or if there’ll be a little child standing in the crowd pointing out the obvious. And will anyone there have the courage to see?

emperorsnewclothes being there movie

The Emperor’s New Clothes… a book. Being There… a movie.

Just thinking. I remember reading the book as a child, reading to our own children along the way and seeing that movie thirty years ago. I’ve thought of both story lines over the years as I’ve watched different societal or political trends and events. And, all kidding aside, I do wonder will there be anyone listening to the speech willing to exclaim: But he has nothing on!

cream puffs.

Blind trust is a dangerous thing sometimes. It’s what makes us vulnerable to accepting things we’d not ordinarily accept and makes us do things we’d not ordinarily do. Hope’s like that sometimes too. We sometimes want something so badly that we’ll believe just about anything for that need to be met or filled. Some will sacrifice just about anything to have deep seated longings fulfilled.

When I was six years old my mother was dating a man she would eventually marry. I so wanted to call him daddy. We took a train to his home and we visited him. While we were there I noticed that in one of the bedrooms of his home was a beautiful white bed with a pink canopy — the bedspread was white and the pillow had a ruffle and lace around the edge… the curtains in that room were ruffled. I didn’t know my mother was poor until I saw that room and I didn’t know I was born to be a princess until I saw that bed. I didn’t know we had a very limited food budget until he brought great food to our home. I wanted him to be our daddy. So badly.

I will never forget the great disappointment of discovering that that beautiful princess bed would not become mine, but belonged to his daughter and when my mother married him and we moved into his home that bed was no longer in the room that was to be my room. One of my first intense brushes with reality. It would be the first of many. I would learn along the way that oftentimes, ~~posers~~ immoral men who marry a second wife have a paved road they continue to travel and that road has many intersections. But that’s a story for another time. (O, and about that little would-be princess? Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’m over it. I have a canopy bed now.)

Hope will lead people to make decisions they’d not ordinarily make. Wine or smooth speech will, too. Infatuated women bed down with total strangers because they think in the heat of a moment that someone will love them, provide whatever they need and care for them forever — believing the lies and promises of the smooth talker. Never giving one thought to the fact that that ‘lover’ will forget their name, not recall the night and will never fulfill the promises or remember the lies. Never giving one thought to the potential for deadly harm or physical disease. Never giving one thought to the lifelong consequences of giving in to someone whose seductive smile lured them into the bed of future sorrow. Never giving one thought to the fact that nothing is known of the history, track-record or actual accomplishments of the one who would use and abuse and leave behind as a discarded toy. Blind trust is a very dangerous thing… infatuation is, too. So is hope in a ~~poser~~ or ~~smooth speech~~ fool.

What seems and what is are two very different things.

So, tomorrow’s the Inauguration ceremony for the 44th President of the United States. I think many are looking for a daddy to believe in… a lover to romance them… a hero to save them. Many in our land who have been seduced by the enticing words, see the beautiful canopy bed or whatever else the mirage contains and believe the king will make them princes and princesses, too.
More later. And cream puffs? I couldn’t think of another entry title today.