Freedom Bites

Thank you, Mr. President

2011-02-07T08:33:00.000-06:00

I'm a day late for Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday, but it's never too late to thank him for what he did for our country.

I was privileged to be old enough and politically aware enough to not only vote for him twice (1980--I was 22; 1984--I was 26) but to understand his importance in appearing on the national scene during those tumultuous years.

The country was weary from dealing with Vietnam, Watergate, and four years of Carter's inept Presidency. Here was an optimistic, patriotic leader who saw the good in America and helped us feel good about being Americans. He was villified daily in the newspapers and nightly on the news by the left, yet he dealt with them with grace and gentle humor and managed to speak over their heads to us directly.

President Reagan was not afraid to take on the liberal elites in the media or in D.C. And who can ever forget those brave, heartfelt words in his Berlin speech, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

Those words thundered across the globe. We believed them because Reagan believed them. We trusted the man because he had conviction and stood by his conviction, showed it in his actions. He didn't just make up speeches full of words to placate people; his sincerity shone through and he proved his sincerity every single day of his Presidency.

In truth there is freedom. Thank you, President Reagan, for speaking the truth, even when it was difficult to hear, and for living the truth and showing us the way.

Honor and Respect

2011-01-20T08:29:00.002-06:00

In every area our culture has undergone a downward spiral since I was a child in the 1960's. But one obvious decline that we can do something about is the lack of respect and honor where respect and honor is due.

Civility begins with the heart. If the heart is turned to God, then we can begin to show respect for our fellow man and give honor where honor is due, even though it's not easy to follow these instructions in I Peter 2:13-17:

"Submit yourselves to every regulation of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

"For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

"Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Respect the king."

One simple way to incorporate this is to refuse to pass along tacky and blatantly disrespectful emails. Note that God does not say, "respect the king (i.e., President) if you agree with him." I think about who the apostles had as kings and governors (godless Romans, some of whom wanted to exterminate all Christians) and I realize that this command goes way deeper than mere respect for a man; if we can't learn to respect the authorities that God has placed here on Earth, how can we respect the authority of the One who created the entire universe?

A slight change in direction

2011-01-19T09:10:00.000-06:00

When I first began this blog almost two years ago, my intention was to present America's founding documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution) one phrase at a time in order to remind myself (and any of you who actually read this thing) of what our nation was founded upon.

Since that time I have undergone a transformation even as many who have awakened to the real prospect of living under the tyranny of the Marxist elite. In addition to the formation of the Young Patriots Fife and Drum Corps, which continues to perform in our community and beyond as a visual and musical reminder of our Founding, I agreed to be secretary of our county Republican Party. It's a lot more fun to dress up in Revolutionary War era clothing and march with the kids and play my fife, but on a practical level I feel like I can do some small part to "get out the vote" for conservative candidates.

I have also come to terms with the fact that I can't, by myself, "save" the country. This evil is too big for me, so I have given it over to the One who is and always has been in charge. I'll continue to do my small part in the areas where God has given me talents (music, sewing, typing) and pray that each and every person will do the same.

May God continue to bless our nation, and may our nation turn back to Him before it's too late.

The source of all chaos

2011-01-13T08:44:00.000-06:00

What do Cloward-Piven, radical feminism, Islam, political correctness, humanism, "science" of global warming and evolution, and the twisted notion of "separation of church and state" have in common?

All seek to dismantle and eventually destroy faith in the One True God, the structure of the traditional family, and a stable and moral society governed by the rule of law.

Who is the architect of this chaos and destruction? The same one who has been actively destroying God's creation since the beginning: Satan. And wicked people doing his bidding sometimes even give him credit, as Saul Alinsky did in his dedication to Rules for Radicals. (Most of the time, however, they deny the devil's existence or that they would be in service to anyone.)

We have to know our enemy, or as the Bible puts it, not "be ignorant of his devices" so he doesn't "get an advantage over us" (II Corinthians 2:11). If we try to keep our head in the sand and pretend there is no active evil in the world focused on our destruction, we will not survive.

"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith..." (I Peter 5:8-9) "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 5:7)

The evil in this world sometimes appears insurmountable. It is too big for one person alone, but nothing is too big for the LORD, the Most High GOD. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 5:8)

Perspective

2010-12-30T17:08:00.000-06:00

There's nothing like the untimely death of a long time friend to bring perspective to one's life. Fifty-two years was not nearly long enough for us to share Becky's vivacity and wit. It grieves me that she had to leave us, and suffer in the process. I hurt for the pain she endured so bravely.

But suffering, as I have to remind myself, is not a bad thing. Not at all. I've learned this on my own cancer journey, though it's hard to explain to most people.

"Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4

Joy in the same sentence as trials? It's true because our concept of "joy" is not the same as God's. Joy is greater than mere happiness, because joy sees the bigger picture, beyond our present gratification. Joy is part of God's eternal plan. We endure today's pain and trials because we know by faith that they are a blink in comparison with eternity. If we endure whatever this life deals us and grow in faith in the process, we have the hope of heaven's joy to sustain us.

Becky had that faith. She now has the joy, the perfect joy that we can't even imagine. That's worth all the pain and suffering in the world.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

The Best Weapon

2010-12-18T08:01:00.001-06:00

For a long time now I have debated whether or not to purchase a handgun and take the course to obtain a concealed carry permit. What holds me back is the fact that I don't have great eyesight and that I am a total klutz. I would hate to think that someone's life could be endangered unintentionally.

The Scripture reminds me where the true battle lies: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." II Corinthians 10:3-5

And then I think about Ephesians 6:11-12, where we are admonished to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Our sword, our only offensive weapon? Verse 17 says our "sword of the Spirit...is the word of God."

It's so much more powerful than a handgun, or a real sword, or even a nuclear bomb. "For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

So I've decided, rather than purchase a handgun, I'm going to spend more time with God's word, to increase knowledge, and in prayer, to ask for wisdom and the courage to speak out without fear.

My letter to a local Presbyterian youth ranch

2010-12-15T09:07:00.002-06:00

It has been brought to my attention that a group of Muslim youth will be at Mo Ranch during the week of Christmas. Since it is possible that you are not aware of the true goals of Islam, I would like to encourage you to make yourself informed. Their leaders masquerade as a "peaceful" religion, but they are also allowed by Sharia law to lie in order to achieve their final goal of worldwide Sharia law and death to all infidels (which includes Christians, Jews, Buddists, etc.).

It is incumbent upon all Americans, but especially those who claim allegiance to Christ, to educate ourselves about Islam and expose their lies. It is not possible to "get along" with Muslims for they do not worship the one True God, Jehovah. Their "Allah" is a servant of Satan, and we must not be "ignorant of his devices" (II Corinthians 2:11).

The Bible commands us to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).

I pray that you and the leadership of Mo Ranch will look into this serious situation.

My letter to our Congressman

2010-11-30T08:11:00.000-06:00

In this battle of light vs. dark, good vs. evil, it fills me with anger when I see the blasphemy and pornography that wicked people use our hard-earned tax dollars to fund. If you haven't heard about this, please be forewarned that the article has small images of the abominations being displayed as "art" in our taxpayer funded Smithsonian portrait gallery:

First of all, Congressman Smith, I want to say how grateful I am that you will be helping lead the charge in DC beginning in January. I have hope that we can turn this nation back from the edge of the abyss.

In case you weren't aware, the Smithsonian portrait gallery has an abomination of a display going on through the Christmas holidays in which, among homoerotic "art" is featured a crucifix of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ crawling with ants.

As our tax dollars pay for the Smithsonian's facilities and employees, it's an outrage that something like this is allowed to be viewed by the public, among which are groups of schoolchildren.

As you and the new Congress are cutting budgets, would you please consider this as one of the cuts?

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/smithsonian-christmas-season-exhibit-fea

Thank you, Veterans!

2010-11-11T15:02:00.001-06:00

If it wasn't for the sacrifices of a long line of men and women from the Revolutionary War until now, we would not be the people that we are. Even though wicked people in high places are trying to destroy our freedoms, we have over two hundred years of heroes before us and among us to remind us what true courage is, why we need to fight to keep this nation free, and why we must never forget their sacrifices in the cause of freedom.

I definitely do not want those sacrifices to be in vain. If that were the only reason to keep fighting for freedom, it would be more than enough.

May God be with our troops and all of our veterans. They are true heroes, every one!

Woman Blockwalking Run Over by Own Pickup

2010-10-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

That MIGHT have been the headline in our local paper thanks to my own stupidity.

I was in a hurry to get home, but I had just one more house on my list. We designed postcard-sized doorhangers with voter info on one side and candidate info on the other. I left my pickup running and THOUGHT I'd set the parking brake. I ran up the sidewalk and attached the card to the door handle.

When I turned around, my truck (standard transmission) was rolling backward toward the T-intersection, headed for the street sign and the neighbor's rock flowerbed. Panicked, I raced for the truck and like an idiot opened the door and tried to jump in. I'm too short and chubby to "jump" into a Ford F150 cab while it's gaining speed.

Fortunately I realized I could fall and be run over by the front wheel, so I backed away, and at the last moment the truck missed the street sign, rolled across the busy (and at that time empty) street, jumped the curb, and stopped momentarily in a yard, missing the mailbox!

As it began to roll the other direction, I DID jump in the cab, shift to first, and got out of there as fast as I could while shaking uncontrollably. I don't think anyone saw me. If they did and happened to video what happened, look for me on America's Funniest Home Videos....

I get to educate an Obama zombie at Bucee's!

2010-10-17T06:36:00.003-05:00

On the way back from the North Houston Tea Party Patriots rally to encourage people to vote beginning Monday (early voting in Texas), our caravan stopped at Bucee's, a great "pit stop" on I-10 not quite halfway from Houston to Kerrville. Because our fife & drum corps had played at the rally, I was still in costume although most of the kids had changed out of theirs.

A young woman about 19 or 20 kept staring at me and finally asked, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm part of a Revolutionary War fife & drum corps. We played at a Houston tea party this morning and are on our way home."

"What's a tea party?" she asked. Seriously, and without rancor.

So I explained about the tea party movement, how we took our symbolism from the original tea party (by this time the girl's mother had joined us and was nodding).

"What are you protesting?" asked the girl (who was blond, I'm sorry to say).

"Out of control government."

"How is the government out of control?" (At this point her mom says, "That's your guy, Obama's doing.")

I explained how the elected officials in Washington were no longer listening to their constituents and were instead "ruling" as they saw fit rather than follow the Constitution.

"Are they really doing that?"

I think her mother was excited that somebody other than her was explaining "how things work" to her clueless daughter. I don't know if I made any headway, but at least she was willing to listen. It's been a while since I watched someone's gears turn so slowly (maybe they're rusty inside that propaganda-filled brain of hers).

It occurs to me that this is how we turn things around--not at huge rallies with thousands of like-minded people, but one-on-one, toe-to-toe with the zombies themselves. It reminds me a little of how the Apostles "turned the world upside-down" in the first century preaching the gospel to any willing audience, but often just to one or two individuals because each and every soul is precious in God's sight!

My letter to the editor re: Governor Perry

2010-10-05T22:23:00.000-05:00

October 5, 2010

Kerrville Daily Times

Dear Editor,

After hearing radio ads for Bill White yesterday and seeing the full page ad in today's Times, I felt compelled to respond.

White sounds "folksy" in his radio ads and blasts Perry for cowardice in his newspaper ad. Facts may be obfuscated but are there if one is willing to dig for them:

Under Perry's leadership Texas has become the strongest state in the nation, even during these dire economic times;

There is no "missing money" in the state budget as the Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget and the Republican-led Texas House has kept a balanced budget;

Perry refuses to debate White only until he releases all of his income tax returns for the years he served the Clinton administration in Washington and the state Democratic party chairman (Austin-American Statesman);

White encourages illegal immigration (which is against the law as opposed to legal immigration) as evidenced by policies enacted while he was mayor of Houston (Houston Chronicle);

White has not ruled out raising taxes while Perry has brought about property tax reform that has saved Texans billions;

White is a liberal Democrat, and we've all seen the results of what liberal Democrats do when they are given power (Obama, Pelosi, Reid); Perry is a conservative Republican.

It comes to this: Do you want to keep Texas strong or see her brought down by the proven destruction of tax and spend policies that are bankrupting our nation? I want to keep a thriving Lone Star State so I'm voting for Perry.

We Pledge Our Sacred Honor

2010-09-28T22:27:00.000-05:00

The phrase "sacred honor" is not commonly used anymore, so I will define the words using Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.

Two hundred years ago, the noun honor meant "reputation; good name; true nobleness of mind; magnanimity; dignified respect for character, springing from probity, principle or moral rectitude; any particular virtue much valued, as bravery in men, and chastity in females."

The adjective sacred meant "holy; pertaining to God or to His worship; separated from common secular uses and consecrated to God and His service; inviolable, as if appropriated to a superior being; as sacred honor or promise."

Since people once used a larger vocabulary than we do today, a few more terms contained in the definitions also need defining to make this phrase crystal clear:

Magnanimity was defined by Webster as "greatness of mind; that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquility and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, interest and safety for the accomplishment of useful and noble objects."

Probity meant "primarily, tried virtue or integrity, or approved actions; but in general, strict honesty; sincerity; veracity; integrity in principle, or strict conformity of actions to the laws of justice."

Inviolable meant "not to be profaned; that ought not to be injured, polluted or treated with irreverence; as, a sacred place and sacred things should be considered inviolable; not to be broken; as an inviolable league, covenant, agreement, contract, vow or promise; not to be injured or tarnished; as inviolable chastity or honor."

Wow! When you consider what this phrase really means, it seems the embodiment of men like George Washington. None of the founders were perfect, as they were human beings and not God, but they certainly held themselves to a high standard, and that standard has been all but lost today.

I am humbled yet encouraged to hold (or pledge) myself to that same standard. If even a fraction of our fellow Americans would do the same, what a revival of honesty, integrity, respect for the rule of law, and sacred honor would shine to illuminate our way!

We Pledge Our Fortunes

2010-09-19T23:01:00.002-05:00

Until the 2008 election, I had never before contributed money to a political candidate. I reasoned that (1) they didn't need my money, or (2) whatever pittance I could send them would be laughable in the scheme of things.

I believe I was not alone in such thinking. The political realm, especially on the national level, had become corrupt in part, I now believe, because ordinary Americans like me believed they couldn't make a difference. So corporations and leftist organizations stepped in to fill the coffers of very human politicians, appealing to their dark side and causing them to lose sight of the true nature of public service.

Since 2008 I have sent as little as $25 and as much as $100 to individual candidates. Those are drops in the bucket, but if just 10,000 of us "little people" sent a candidate $25, that's $250,000, a quarter of a million dollars. That's a lot of advertising money, especially for a Congressional race.

It's time we all did our part to take back our nation and restore the Constitution. Alone we can't accomplish much, but if each of us does his or her small part simultaneously, imagine what things we can accomplish! Each vote, each dollar contributed, each phone call, letter to the editor, or acquaintance persuaded to join with us will be democracy in action, the way our Founders intended.

George Washington and other leaders during the Revolutionary War never expected that they would have to dig deep into their own pockets in order to finance the cause of freedom. They were willing to sacrifice their own comforts to ensure that their posterity (and that includes us) would enjoy the fruits of their labors. How can we do any less in the face of mind-boggling debt and erosion of personal freedoms happening on a daily basis which will turn our children and grandchildren into slaves of the government if we don't do something about it?

Choose one or more local, state, or national races that you feel passionate about. Study the candidates, and when you find one you can fully support, do more than lip service; open your wallet to help them defeat the progressives!

Judas was a Democrat!!!

2010-09-08T22:14:00.000-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how liberals self-righteously invoke "the poor" in order to rob all of us of our hard-earned wages when they have no intention of making things easier for the truly needy. The merchants of racism (i.e., Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton) come to mind, as well as any liberal politician during election time.

If they ever "solved" the problem of poverty these crafty people would have to find an honest way to make a living.

Sadly, this is not a "new" problem:

"Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

"Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

"But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?' Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.

"Jesus therefore said, "Let her alone, in order that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me." (John 12:1-8)

We Pledge Our Lives

2010-09-01T08:24:00.000-05:00

I remember when I had a life that didn't include hours of waking moments spent in political discourse--re-learning the history of our nation's founding, reading the news, listening to talk radio, reading conservative blogs, writing emails and letters to elected officials, attending or planning to attend T.E.A. party events, sewing costumes for my fife & drum corps and for George & Martha Washington re-enactments, and now helping precinct chairs encourage others to vote Republican (as county secretary).

And then I remember those who gave up their normal lives, some very reluctantly, in order to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure that this country was born a free Republic. George and Martha Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, and countless thousands of others pledged their lives to the cause of freedom, one that took many, many years to come to fruition.

That's one of the responsibilities of a free people--to make the sacrifices necessary to guard our liberties which have been bought so dearly by those who came before us. After all, we are only holding these blessings temporarily as guardians for our children and their children to enjoy.

This is no time to be selfish! It is vitally important that we pledge our lives to the cause of freedom or it will surely be taken from us forever.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." --Ronald Reagan

Another Freedom Fighter

2010-08-23T21:37:00.002-05:00

Rebecca Cervera is fighting a tough race for State Representative District 41 in McAllen, Texas. Her Democrat opponents have been harassing her and her family with such niceties as slashing her tires and calling child protective services with false complaints.

She is an amazing, passionately conservative Republican who simply believes that our country is on the wrong track and she wants to do what she can to make things right. This is from her website:

"Rebecca Cervera is an entrepreneur, business owner, musician, community activist, and mother of four boys.

As one of 13 children raised in a transient and uneducated family, Rebecca had her first job at age 11. At age 12 she enrolled in high school and earned her diploma while living with classmates, teachers, and foster families. In college she worked full time, participated in campus outreaches, studied abroad, and was a delegate to the Intercollegiate Legislature. She received her B.S. in International Business.

While attending graduate school, Rebecca was recruited as a full time missionary to set up adult education programs for impoverished indigenous people in Northern Mexico. At the end of her term she began work as a cross cultural business liaison, specializing in loss prevention and employee retention. While living in Mexico she continued volunteer service with American expatriate and local youth programs.

Since returning to the U.S., Rebecca has become a managing partner in a customs brokerage and owns a produce distribution company. She founded Royal Readers, a literacy campaign that promotes the virtues of literacy through motivational concerts, radio segments, public education, literature, and the arts. She is also an Hidalgo County Juvenile Court Conference Committee member, mentoring non-violent first time offenders.

Rebecca believes that District 41 is ready to elect a delegate who represents the values and makeup of our district. She understands that building a strong and stable community is the foundation and future of our district."

I was going to add her photo, but my toolbar has mysteriously changed. If you'd like to see what she looks like, here is her website: http://www.rebeccacervera.com/

My letter to NPR

2010-08-22T08:34:00.000-05:00

Just now (8:20 Sunday morning) I happened to walk into the room where my husband was listening to KTXI 90.1 and heard a male voice make a misstatement. He said that the reason 1 in 5 Americans believe President Obama is a Muslim is because of "attacks by his opponents." No, sir. The reason why I and many millions believe he is a Muslim is because of his words and actions before and since his Presidency:

Sometime during his campaign he told a reporter that the evening call to prayers was one of the most beautiful sounds on earth.

Also during his campaign he was speaking to a TV reporter and mentioned "my Muslim faith" and the reporter corrected him saying, "you mean, your Christian faith?"

His first overseas call as President was to the Islamic network Al-Jaheera (sp) and he gave that speech in Cairo praising all the "Muslim contributions" to the United States.

When speaking at a Catholic university, he had them cover up a Christian religious symbol.

He does not participate in the National Day of Prayer but hosts Muslim dinners at the White House and shows support for a Muslim day of prayer at the U.S. Capitol.

He supports building a mosque on the hallowed ground where over 3,000 were killed by Muslims!

His father was a Muslim, and he was educated at a Muslim school in Indonesia during his formative years.

He attended "Rev." Wright's "church" for 20 years where Black Liberation "Theology" is taught, which has no resemblance to the Bible but every resemblance to an angry version of Islam.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but not all Americans are stupid. We have been paying attention and doing our own research, the research that "journalists" should have been doing all along. I knew before he was elected that he was not what he portrayed himself to be. You are enabling him to destroy this nation by continuing to "cover" for him. That's why I no longer voluntarily listen to your station.

The Rule of Law

2010-08-15T06:52:00.000-05:00

We hear this phrase a lot these days, probably because our system of law provided in the Constitution is being trampled, daily, by the very ones who made an oath before God to uphold the law.

What is the origin of law? The Lawgiver, of course. In order to help our children develop self-control, we place controls upon them to keep them from self-destruction. In the same way, the LORD gave us law, not to make us miserable (as hedonistic folks would have you think) but to protect us from our worst impulses and help us become the very best we can be.

In their humble wisdom America's Founding Fathers based the Constitution and our rule of law on the principles of God's Word. We find the three branches of government in Isaiah 33:22: "For the LORD is our judge (judicial—court system), the LORD is our lawgiver (legislative—House and Senate), the LORD is our king (executive—President); it is He who will save us."

Unfortunately, in recent years those in positions of authority have abused their power and made more than one set of laws: one rule for them in order to justify taking from the public treasury to line their pockets and buy votes, and one rule for the rest of us in order to gradually restrict our individual freedoms. This they have done by legislating laws against the will of the people, "interpreting" the Constitution in ways that it was never meant to be interpreted, or simply cheating through the slick lawyer tactics of "finding loopholes" in order to avoid following the law.

All of these things have had a terrible cumulative effect. A nation that is no longer governed by the rule of law will descend into the darkness of anarchy, where the basest instincts of each individual are no longer restrained. Violence and destruction is the result, and a police state then becomes the only way to restore order. In that way all of our freedoms are stripped from us and we lose all dignity and humanity.

What can we do? First, actually read the Constitution and its Amendments. It is a short, concise document that everyone can understand. Then, educate your family, friends, and neighbors. Make sure you are registered to vote, and then exercise your right to vote in the upcoming election. Unless ALL law-abiding citizens vote to replace the law-breaking men and women in civil government, this may be our last opportunity to have a voice in our future, our children's futures, and the future of our nation.

A Freedom Fighter

2010-08-11T18:24:00.000-05:00

We are in a battle for the soul of America. There are two profoundly different sides in this war. One side, made up of ordinary Americans—We the People—believe in the limited government specified in the Constitution and in the God-given right of individuals to direct their own destiny.

The other side, made up of the current Federal government, all branches of which are run by extremely liberal Democrats, believe that a handful of Ivy-league educated idealists know better how to run every facet of our lives than we do. These "leaders" have NO experience in the real world; all they know is theories which have been proven unworkable every time they've been tried in other countries and have led to horrible suffering and death for citizens who dared to criticize their governments.

Freedom works, every time it's tried. There is no perfect system of government because humans are inherently imperfect. But our democratic Republic has been a beacon of light to oppressed people throughout the world for over 200 years. We the People do not want a handful of overly educated and power hungry bureaucrats to steal it from us and our children. Millions of men and women from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror have suffered and died that we might be free. We owe it to them and to the generations coming after us to do all in our power to preserve these freedoms.

YOU can make a difference on November 2nd of this year. We the People have an opportunity to replace some of the politicians who are destroying our freedom. Here in Kerrville, Texas we are represented in Washington D.C. by Lamar Smith, who has become more and more conservative since Obama took office.

But in Senate District 23, which encompasses a huge piece of Texas from the northern part of San Antonio (UTSA area) all along the border to El Paso, the current Democrat Congressman is Ciro "Zero" Rodriguez, who has voted for every bailout, health "care" legislation, and every other bad bill presented in the House over the last 18 months. He is on Nancy Pelosi's team to destroy our Constitutional Republic.

His opponent is a conservative, freedom-loving, Constitution-following Republican named Francisco Canseco (everyone calls him "Quico" which is pronounced "Keeko"). He needs our help!!!! If you are interested in keeping your God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, please contact friends and acquaintances who live in SD 23 and ask them to vote for Quico Canseco. OR help him with a donation, no matter how small. OR help his campaign as many across the nation did for Scott Brown in Massachusetts.

Here's Quico's website so you can read about him: http://www.cansecoforcongress.com/

A Call for Help in Preserving our Freedom

2010-08-10T20:04:00.002-05:00

At yesterday's "Hands Off Texas" rally in Austin, Ted Cruz read the first letter that Col. Travis wrote from the Alamo asking for help when the 13 day siege began. The words struck me as they never have before; we are surrounded, as Travis and his men were, and each of us must do our part to stir up the love of freedom in the hearts of our fellow Americans:

February 24, 1836

To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world

Fellow citizens & compatriots, I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a Surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the wall. I shall never Surrender or retreat.

Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country -----

Victory or Death

William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt

Happy Birthday, America!

2010-07-04T06:43:00.001-05:00

When the Israelites were freed from Egyptian slavery, it was not their might that did it. It was all the power of GOD through Moses. It did not happen overnight, either. GOD had allowed Israel to be enslaved in order to bring them back to Him, and at the time of their deliverance He sent a series of miraculous events to remind them Who was in charge.

After they were freed, the Israelites were commanded in the law given by GOD through Moses to remember this deliverance and His care for them through a series of feast days and other events. One, called the Jubilee, happened every 50th year: "And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. It shall be a jubilee unto you..." Leviticus 25:10

When the Continental Congress proclaimed independence from England on July 4, 1776, they acknowledged the hand of GOD in all their dealings. Even so, the birth of this nation did not happen overnight. It took a huge commitment and unbelievable sacrifice on the part of a minority of Americans over many long years of battles (more lost than won) and deprivation before the goal of independence was realized. Perhaps this nation became free through such tribulation in order that we might remember it was GOD's might, not ours, that accomplished it.

On this 234th birthday of the United States of America, I pray that we will humble ourselves and not trust in our own strength, but pledge "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" to the One Who created everything and from Whom come our lives, our freedoms, and our inalienable rights.

The Star Spangled Banner

2010-06-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our official flag. In honor of Flag Day, here is our National Anthem--all FOUR verses:

The Star Spangled Banner
lyrics by Francis Scott Key 1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Freedom isn't free

2010-05-29T09:04:00.000-05:00

Those words can become trite unless we ponder their meaning and the sacrifice that millions have given so that we, their posterity (descendants) might remain free.

From the Revolutionary War through today's War on Terror, those who have fought and died or been horribly and permanently injured on our behalf have been mostly young men (and now women). Teenagers, early twenties at most, but all in the prime of their young lives. They gave up their futures fighting for a cause greater than themselves. It humbles me profoundly.

What are we doing to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain? We are the guardians of that precious gift of God--freedom. Most of us are not called upon to defend it by giving up our lives, as our heroes have done. But we have a duty to keep their memory before us always as a reminder to see our freedom as a blood-bought gift, very similar to our soul's salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Honor the dead. Pray for the living who are in the midst of the fight. And don't take for granted our legacy of freedom; defend it for generations to follow.

My favorite patriots

2010-05-12T13:43:00.000-05:00

Here's an updated photo of the Young Patriots Fife & Drum Corps plus our commander, General Washington, just before we marched to the Kerr County Courthouse in pouring rain for a T.E.A. party. I just finished our newest recruit's official blue waistcoat, so at our next event at the local Veteran's Hospital next week, he will have the uniform, just not the period drum.

Doing our part to educate Texans about the Revolutionary War era....

How big should government be?

2010-05-08T07:53:00.000-05:00

After reading an article in this weekend's Parade magazine, I had to comment on their website in answer to their question, "How big should government be?"

The best government is that which governs least; government should stay out of the citizens' way and provide only those things that individuals cannot do alone, namely national security. When government does what individuals should do, it robs us of our creativity to solve problems and our compassion to help our neighbors. Our allegiance should be to the rule of law, not to power-hungry individuals, for even the best-intentioned public servant will become corrupted over time when tempted by unlimited power over the national treasury.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." President Gerald R. Ford (a paraphrase of an original quote by Thomas Jefferson)

Social Justice?

2010-04-30T23:55:00.000-05:00

We hear this term a lot these days. On the surface it sounds like it must be a good thing. After all, when we pledge allegiance to our nation's flag, we end with, "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

"Justice" implies fair, equal treatment under law. God is perfectly just. Because He is omniscient, all-knowing, He can make perfect judgments. He is Lawgiver and Judge.

We imperfect humans often make imperfect judgments, even when we are trying our best to follow the perfect law that God has given us.

But when humans pervert true justice and bend it to further their greed for money and power, they make a mockery of God's justice.

So it is with "social" justice. Although we may think that term has to do with helping folks down on their luck, those currently in power see the term far differently. They use it as an excuse to take from those who produce and give to those who will not help themselves--i.e., redistribution of wealth, otherwise known as Marxism or communism.

Stealing from those who work hard to take care of their own families and giving that money to ungrateful recipients helps no one. Workers should be encouraged to do their best by allowing them to keep the fruits of their labors; shirkers should be treated with "tough love" so that they might grow in character and learn to earn their own way. ("If any will not work, neither let him eat." II Thessalonians 3:10)

True justice would send those who push for "social" justice to prison for thievery as well as aiding and abetting the destruction of our society's moral fiber.

Tea Party Time!

2010-04-14T08:13:00.001-05:00

April 15th has long had significance as "tax day," but beginning with last year's T.E.A. parties ("Taxed Enough Already"), it now has a new incarnation.

In nearly every town and city across America average, hard-working citizens like you and me will exercise our Constitutional rights enumerated in the First Amendment: "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."

Some may scoff or cynically say, "What does a rally accomplish?" I can tell you from personal experience that it accomplishes much. The most important reason to attend is to be encouraged that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! The concern and patriotism of so many of your friends and neighbors, all gathered in one place as you pray to Almighty God, pledge allegiance to the Flag, sing the National Anthem, and listen to others put into words what you are feeling in your heart is priceless. You will be lifted up and motivated to continue to educate yourself and be involved in the political process.

Remember, the current crop of Alinsky disciples wants to make you feel alone and hopeless, full of despair. That's part of their tactics: "Isolate the target. Freeze it. Polarize it. And then destroy it."

If we stand together, arm in arm, not only in our local communities, but state by state across this land, we can become a human tsunami to wash away the rotten taint of hedonism and Marxism that has invaded and pervaded our centuries-old values and institutions.

"If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

Corrupting the Heart

2010-04-12T04:26:00.000-05:00

"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:23

Just as our physical heart is vital to sustaining our life, our spiritual heart is vital to our morality, our moral compass, if you will. Our heart can be trained, along with our conscience, to seek God's ways. Conversely, if we neglect our heart or seek baser ways, it will quickly be corrupted.

Ecclesiastes 7:7 says, "A bribe corrupts the heart." Bribery is defined as a "Crime of giving a benefit (e.g., money) in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust (e.g., an official or witness). Accepting a bribe also constitutes a crime."

How does giving or accepting a bribe corrupt one's heart? By shifting the heart's allegiance from the Creator to a created thing, by corroding the godly principle of justice with covetousness, by leaving the path of light and truth and entering the shadowy realm of darkness and sin.

It's no accident that Article II, Section IV of the Constitution states, "The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." If elected officials engage in bribery, there is no respect for the rule of law. Our Republic cannot survive such corruption. It must be rooted out.

"But there will be no justice, there will be no government of the people, by the people, and for the people, as long as the government and its officials permit bribery in any form." John Jay Hooker

Getting out of the comfort zone

2010-04-09T23:44:00.002-05:00

Let's face it: we all have a comfort zone. It's not easy pushing beyond that self-imposed boundary. But often it's necessary to do more than we feel comfortable doing; sometimes it's absolutely vital.

When God called Moses out of the burning bush to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt, Moses didn't jump right up and say, "Of course I will!" He was comfortable as he was. He even gave excuses why he couldn't do God's will. But God didn't relent and Moses eventually obeyed. He learned to trust God and grew mightily in faith as a result.

When God called Gideon to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites, he must have thought God had made a mistake, for he kept asking God for a sign, for proof that he was hearing God correctly. But once he trusted God and did what He said, Gideon's army of only 300 defeated an enemy that was too numerous to count (with God's help, of course).

Many of our country's founders were initially reluctant to declare independence from England. But the time came that they had to leave their comfort zones when liberty was threatened as the growing tyranny of the British increased beyond their ability to bear. Had they not been willing to "pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor," the United States of America would have been stillborn and the world would be a very different place.

Let's resist the temptation to remain in our comfort zones. If we step out in faith, we may be amazed at the spiritual growth and moral courage we will find, even during (and probably because of) this dark time in our nation's history.

The Cost of Ignorance

2010-04-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

It has been said that "ignorance is bliss." There sure are a lot of blissfully ignorant people in this country.

Sometimes I envy them. Often I wish I didn't know what I know.

But because I choose to be a truthseeker, I turn over many rocks that expose ugly crawly things living in dark places.

Who is behind all the evil in the world? Satan, of course. He is real, and even though he has already been defeated by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his mission is to take down as many of us as he can to join him in eternal torment. (Hell, BTW, was prepared for the devil and his angels--Matthew 25:41.)

Why is ignorance a bad thing? If we're "ignorant of Satan's devices" he will get an advantage over us (II Corinthians 2:11). A person does not sleep alone outside in the area where a man-eating lion has been known to hunt. A prudent person is watchful, on guard. And that takes knowledge. "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8

Some people serve Satan willingly; others serve him and don't even know it. We must judge each person's words and actions by the yardstick of truth and not let smooth words deceive us: "Satan changes himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness...." II Corinthians 11:14-15

Jesus said, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16

We can't remain ignorant and be wise to the way of the devouring wolf or lion.

"In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

True Courage

2010-04-06T07:17:00.000-05:00

If you haven't read the actual account of David and Goliath in a while, look in I Samuel 17. It's an amazing true story: The Philistine army had God's people cowed at the presence of this giant (9'9") who defied them. Not one man in Israel's camp had the fortitude to stand up to him.

But the teenage shepherd David, youngest of eight sons, brought food to his brothers who were in the army and heard the giant's challenge. He was amazed at the fear displayed by God's people and wanted to answer Goliath. He told King Saul, "The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine."

He refused Saul's armor and weapons and chose his shepherd's staff, sling, and five smooth stones.

When Goliath saw David coming, he made fun of and cursed him. But David, full of faith, replied, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day will the LORD deliver you into my hand…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

It didn't take five stones; it only took one to dispatch the giant. Afterwards, the Israelite army had courage to defeat the Philistine army. Courage is contagious!

What need we fear as long as we have true faith in the LORD? No matter how big the evil giant, the LORD is far, far greater. Let's enCOURAGE one another to greater faith and fortitude.

Resurrecting this blog

2010-04-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

After months of wondering if adding my words to the din was worth the effort (as well as spending many, many hours sewing Revolutionary War costumes for George & Martha Washington and the Young Patriots Fife & Drum Corps) I've decided that I need to keep writing, even if I'm the only one who reads it.

The present course of our nation's federal government often brings me to the brink of despair. In the last months I keep reading and reminding myself of these verses:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD forever, for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength." Isaiah 26:3-4

I KNOW that God has a purpose for everything. He doesn't send evil to anyone, but He sometimes allows evil to happen in order to chastise His children, to help us see that we have strayed from His noble purposes.

I have to trust Him with my whole heart and remember that He is bigger than any evil man can devise. Just as Peter was able to walk on water as long as he focused on Jesus (Matthew 14:29), we can accomplish the seemingly impossible as long as we fix our eyes on "the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

I'm going to work on growing my faith and trust in the LORD. How about you?

No Fear

2010-01-07T15:12:00.001-06:00

During these dark and uncertain times it's easy to become distracted and fearful of what the future holds. Will America remain a free Republic? Or will our amazing experiment in democracy be "fundamentally transformed" into a socialist/Marxist state?

Only God knows for sure. He holds the future in His hands. It's encouraging to read the Psalms, many of which were written by David as he was being persecuted by King Saul, because the Word cuts through distractions and reminds us where to focus:

"Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25:4-5

Same Psalm, verse 2: "O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me."

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

And of course, this verse that has deeper meaning now: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

What is the worst thing that could happen? Death? For a child of God, death opens the door to eternal life. Like Paul we can say, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 2:21

The very worst thing is to die unprepared to meet our God. We must repent and live for Him so that we can honestly say, "whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." Romans 14:8

Compared to eternity in heaven, we can handle this "light affliction, which is but for a moment." II Corinthians 4:17

The Lifter Up

2010-01-02T17:14:00.002-06:00

About once a week I get "worked up" nearly to the point of despair against the foes of liberty that have infiltrated our Republic like a cancer.

And then I remember that God our Heavenly Father is in control, that none of this is too big for Him, and I pray instead of screaming.

Last night I read Psalm 3 and for the first time these verses popped out at me:

"Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.

"But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."

Wow! I knew that He was my Shield and my Rock, but He is also The Lifter Up when I droop or feel weary.

The fight for liberty is truly a spiritual one, because the same Enemy who wants to enslave each and every one of us to a totalitarian form of government also desires to enslave our souls and prevent us from serving the One True and Living God and following "the perfect law of liberty." (James 1:25)

May you always turn to God, The Lifter Up.

A New Year

2010-01-01T01:02:00.000-06:00

I love the beginning of a new year. It's a time to start afresh. And one of my resolutions (or revolutions, if you will) is to post more often!

I have no idea who, if anyone, reads this blog, but I still want to write. Any words that we put down on paper are valuable, if for nothing else than "priming the pump." And frankly, after over 700 letters and postcards written this year, my pump wants priming in other directions.

So I plan to post here at least 3 times a week, maybe more. Writing is communication but also helps one solidify one's convictions. I know I don't have the faith that I should; maybe you don't either.

So here's to faith, hope, and love (I Corinithians 13:13) and a better year for freedom!

My thanks to Obama, Reid & Pelosi

2009-12-04T07:48:00.000-06:00

It occurs to me that I should thank our current President, Senate Leader, and Speaker of the House. It is thanks to them that:

Conservatives across the country are galvanized (i.e., "the Sleeping Giant" has woken up).

Millions of ordinary Americans are becoming politically active, many for the first time.

Millions of us are donating our time, energy, and resources into campaigning for conservative candidates, even in other states.

Millions of us are staying informed about what is going on in the nation's capital.

Best of all, millions of us have finally come to understand how fragile are the freedoms that we have taken for granted. Perhaps now we will see how important it is to stand for truth and freedom and justice and the rule of law in our land.

"Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith works endurance." James 1:2-3

"Liberty is not a matter of words, but a positive and important condition of society. Its greatest safeguard after placing its foundations in a popular base, is in the checks and balances imposed on the public servants." James Fenimore Cooper

Hmm, this sounds like our current elected officials

2009-11-30T13:09:00.000-06:00

When one sears (i.e. brands until all feeling dies) one's conscience, the floodgates are opened for any and all forms of wickedness since the standard of absolute truth is no longer adhered to:

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

"Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

"But you have not so learned Christ, if so be that you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus." (Ephesians 4:17-21)

The truth is in Jesus, in His words recorded for us for all time. He said, "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

Those who live in the Universe of Lies are slaves of the father of lies, the devil (John 8:44).

The truth = freedom

I am humbled....

2009-11-15T17:16:00.000-06:00

I learned yesterday that John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of the United States (and son of 2nd President John Adams) made a habit of reading through the entire Bible every year. This was in addition to being an ambassador, attorney general, senator, President, and then a U.S. Congressman.

JQA wasn't too busy to read the Bible. JQA wasn't too busy to totally rely on God and not himself.

I am humbled and repent my flimsy excuse of being "too busy." What is more important than putting God first in our lives--above everything, even those things we deem so "important"?

Even if I've moved heaven and earth, my day is a failure if I haven't spent at least a portion of it drinking in the truth of God's word so that it may mold me into a better servant.

David's Prayer

2009-11-07T10:28:00.002-06:00

Reading this with new eyes, I am reminded that since the beginning of history evil men (and women) have sought to enslave and destroy others, especially God's people. Another good reminder to trust in the LORD:

"Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

"Let them be as chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

"Let their way be dark and slippery; and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

"For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit; without cause they have digged for my soul.

"Let destruction come upon him unawares; and let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Into that very destruction let him fall.

"And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in HIS salvation."

Psalm 35:4-9

Our enemy is different (our current government) but our Savior will be the same.

I'm praying that their "net" will be their undoing, that like Haman in the book of Esther, they will be "hoist by their own petard."

Our True Strength

2009-11-04T08:31:00.001-06:00

In view of the election results (two new GOP governors, two more Democrat Congressmen in NY and CA), I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 9:11, "the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all."

This is a war, and it will not be a swift one. We'll win some battles and lose others, but we must never lose sight of what we are fighting for.

When God called Gideon to deliver the children of Israel from the Midianites who had enslaved them, He told him, "The people that are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel become conceited and say, 'I have saved myself'." God instructed Gideon to whittle down his army until only 300 men remained against the entire army of Midian. In that way God could give them the victory and they would still remember Who was their true strength. (Judges 7)

The war against the evil men and women bent on destroying everything good about our nation, especially their "jihad" against our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His people, often seems to be a war we can't win.

But Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Throughout our nation's history there have been many instances of Americans overcoming seemingly impossible odds, and through the hand of God they prevailed. I'm going to find specific examples of the Providence of God to inspire us during these dark days and share them with you. Stay tuned!

Pray for Tuesday's Elections!

2009-10-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, remove from here to over there, and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

The evil that has infiltrated the highest levels of our country's government cannot be stopped by our words and actions alone. It is too big for us; we must have God's help. NOTHING is too big for Him!

We must humble ourselves and pray like we've never prayed before. It helps me to have something specific to pray for, so here's what I've been doing:

Pray that the conservative Doug Hoffman can defeat both the Democrat and the liberal Republican for the U.S. House seat in New York's 23rd District.

Pray that the conservative David Harmer can win the U.S. House seat in California against the liberal Democrat John Garamendi who has already promised to vote FOR the health "care" plan.

Pray for the Republican Chris Christie to defeat the liberal Democrat Jon Corzine for New Jersey's governor.

Pray that the conservative Republican Bob McDonnell stomps the liberal Democrat Creigh Deeds for the Virginia governor's race and send a strong message to DC!

Victories for these men at this time would not only send a powerful message to the evil ones working toward the destruction of a free America, but would galvanize the conservative movement against them.

We can NEVER give in to evil, or stand by and ignore it. We must stand against it wherever it is found and be a light in this dark world.

True Peace

2009-10-16T09:14:00.000-05:00

The Nobel Peace Prize is now publicly a joke, although it's actually been a joke for a long time. There are individuals throughout history who have truly sought peace, even though total world peace in this life is an unattainable dream.

So how does one find true peace? Especially in these tumultuous and unsettling times?

The night before He died, Jesus spoke to the apostles and His words are recorded to give us comfort today: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Paul later wrote, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

In other words, trouble in this life will happen. It's unavoidable because the devil never takes a day off. His one goal is to take down as many people as he possibly can. And he has many, many willing accomplices who have given their lives to the greedy pursuit of wealth and power. They don't care who they hurt, as long as they "get theirs."

God never promised us an easy life here. On the contrary, He promised that things would be difficult: "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (II Timothy 3:12-13)

The remedy? Turn to the LORD with all of our hearts and realize that this life is a brief sojourn on the way to our eternal home in heaven. Paul wrote this while in prison:

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

I like the bumper sticker that says, "Know Christ, Know Peace."

This is the kind of peace, the only true peace, that matters. How we need it more than ever!

A Great Thing To Do

2009-10-11T17:12:00.003-05:00

I received an email with a suggestion so simple and so powerful that I kicked myself for not having thought of it sooner.

I Timothy 2:1-4 says this: "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

I've been praying, but not as I should: for the President and all that are in authority. I had forgotten that, as evil as their intentions are, God STILL desires that they come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. Can I desire any less for them?

So, beginning today, I will pray daily, specifically, by name, for these liberals:

President Barack Obama
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Senator Harry Reid
Congressman Barney Frank

There are so many more, but I'm going to focus on these four first. For now I'll just add, "and all the other liberals in Washington."

For more details, visit this site and read about their "Adopt a Liberal" program: http://www.libertyaction.org/306/petition.asp?Ref_ID=2819&RID=22261313.

True Power

2009-10-09T05:27:00.004-05:00

There is a verse in the Bible that I did not truly understand until I had faced, fought and defeated cancer.

In II Corinthians 12, Paul explains that because of his "abundant revelation" from God, he received a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being too full of himself. Whatever this thorn was, he prayed and prayed to have it removed, but the Lord's answer was this:

"My grace is enough for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

And this is the part I didn't understand until A.C. (after cancer):

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in distresses for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong." (verses 9-10)

The words "gladly" and "pleasure" had always thrown me. How could anyone ENJOY hardships? Enduring chemotherapy and watching what this present government is doing to our country are equally yucky processes that tear up the body and the mind. (One to cure a disease, and the other, unfortunately, to accelerate it.)

Then it came to me. It's not the difficult times, the painful experiences, the soul-wrenching distresses that bring us gladness. Of course not! It's the truth imparted, the knowledge well and truly learned that we can never be strong enough by ourselves; we need God. He is All-Sufficient for our needs. He is In Charge.

Always has been, always will. I find GREAT comfort in that knowledge, especially in these dark days!

"God has wisely kept us in the dark concerning future events and reserved for Himself the knowledge of them, that He may train us up in a dependence upon Himself and a continued readiness for every event." Matthew Henry

Wise words

2009-10-07T08:21:00.003-05:00

In Luke 18 Jesus spoke a parable so we would remember to "always pray and not lose heart."

"There was a in a city a judge who did not fear God nor respect man. And there was a widow in that city who came to him saying, 'Help me against my adversary.' And he would not for a while, but afterward said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will give her justice, lest by her continual coming she weary me'."

The judge didn't do the right thing because it was the RIGHT thing; he did it because the widow wore him out with her persistence!

We can't make Congress and the President do the right thing, but we sure can wear them out with our persistent phone calls, emails, postcards, letters, and wherever possible, personal visits.

Jesus also said, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16) We have to know our enemy and be aware of his tactics, but not adopt them ourselves.

After all, we don't need the enemy's tactics; we have the truth. And absolute truth is indestructible.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." (I Corinthians 16:13) I read the King James because I love the English language of that time (Shakespeare), but when we see the word "quit" we think of something entirely different. It says, "Act like men." Now is not the time for the faint of heart! Be strong! Remember Who is on our side....

Fundamental transformation

2009-10-06T17:35:00.003-05:00

When Barack Obama promised to "fundamentally transform the United States of America" just five days before he was elected President last November, did any of us foresee that the transformation in just the first year would include:

*Apologizing worldwide for America's "sins"?
*Befriending terrorists and dictators?
*Bowing to the Saudi king?
*Insulting long-time allies?
*Government takeover of banking, insurance, and auto companies?
*Using Air Force One for dates to NYC and shopping in Paris?
*Using Air Force One for a Manhattan flyover photo op?
*Nearly 10% unemployment (and in some places over 20%)?
*A one year budget deficit of 1.6 TRILLION dollars?
*Pushing TARP, pork-riddled bailout, cap & tax, and health care transformation, all of which are or will destroy the U.S. economy?
*Power-drunken Congress not reading 1,000 page bills before voting YES?
*Billions of taxpayer dollars given to criminal organizations such as ACORN?
*Taxpayer dollars paying for propaganda at the NEA?
*Reading terrorists Miranda rights while dissing our troops?
*Saying the U.S. is "not a Christian nation" while catering to Muslims?
*A whole gaggle of communist, anti-Constitution, unaccountable Czars who want to take over every aspect of American life and destroy all freedoms?
*Honoring Communist China's 60th anniversary by lighting up the Empire State Building?
*Schoolchildren singing praises to Barack Hussein Obama, mmm, mmm, mmm?
*Ignoring or deriding legitimate grassroots protesters at town hall meetings and "tea parties"?
*Continuing after many months in office to blame his predecessor for anything that goes wrong, no matter how ridiculous (including being turned down by the International Olympic Committee)?

Fundamental transformation--of reality, that is. Like a Salvador Dali painting or the Twilight Zone....

When this gets to me (as it does at least once a day), I say the only thing I know to say: "God, have mercy on us."

A Contrast of Presidential Proportions

2009-10-04T17:59:00.003-05:00

The Office of the Presidency, as we have been reminded by many presidents in the past, most recently Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, is much larger than one human being. It is a huge responsibility to represent the greatest nation in the history of the world and to do so with proper humility.

President Reagan showed his respect by always wearing a coat and tie in the Oval Office.

President Obama wears shirt sleeves, loosens his tie, and puts his feet on the desk, even in photos.

President Harry Truman wanted people to remember the significance of the Presidency, not his personal imperfect humanity occupying the office.

President Obama seems to want his followers to worship him personally. Rather than using such terms as "we Americans," "my fellow Americans," Obama's speeches are filled with "I," "me," and "my." It's all about him, personally.

Look carefully at the words of this song now sung by American schoolchildren:

Mmm, mmm, mmm! Barack Hussein Obama!
He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mmm! Barack Hussein Obama!
He said we must be fair today
Equal work means equal pay
Mmm, mmm, mmm! Barack Hussein Obama!
He said that we must take a stand
To make sure everyone gets a chance
Mmm, mmm, mmm! Barack Hussein Obama!
He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight
Mmm, mmm, mmm! Barack Hussein Obama!

I have taught many children in Bible classes the song, "Jesus Loves the Little Children," with the words, "Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight," meaning Jesus, the Son of God.

Now schoolchildren are taught that all are equal in "his" sight, meaning Barack Hussein Obama's sight, not God's!

Acts 12:20-23 recounts King Herod's grave mistake in accepting worship from the people when only God should be worshipped. Look what happened to him....

A Christian Nation?

2009-10-03T09:02:00.003-05:00

Is the United States of America a Christian nation? It depends on who you ask. If you ask the current President, he has said, "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation." He even told the Egyptians earlier this year, "You might say that America is a Muslim nation."

On May 6 of this year, the President would not participate in the National Day of Prayer, saying that prayer was a "private" thing and he did not want to "offend" anyone.

Yet just last month he made this statement before the start of Islam's holy month: "Tonight's iftar is a ritual that is also being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states. Islam, as we know, is part of America. And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity -- with families that stretch back generations and more recent immigrants; with Muslims of countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.

"Indeed, the contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country."

He speaks very eloquently about Islam in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D376WnU4nv4

Was our nation founded upon the god of Islam (who encourages violence against infidels, oppression of women, and jihad) or upon the one true and living God of the Bible? (Contrary to what some have said, they are NOT one and the same Person!)

President Thomas Jefferson: "God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?"

President Andrew Jackson called the Bible; "the Rock upon which our republic rests.”

President John Adams said, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.”

Patrick Henry said, “It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains.”

George Washington, in his Farewell Address said, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."

Alexis de Tocqueville, in Democracy in America, wrote extensively on the relationship between the Christian religion and liberty in American: "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

My letter to media "big wigs"

2009-10-01T08:54:00.001-05:00

Today I am mailing this letter to the presidents/publishers/editors-in-chief of ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC & CNN news, NY Times, NY Post, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today & NY Daily News. Please feel free to use this format in writing your own letters. Nothing on this site is copyrighted!

With great ability comes great responsibility.

The authors of our Constitution specified "freedom of the press" in Amendment I of the Bill of Rights precisely because they, like us, knew that an unfettered press would be able to hold government officials accountable by exposing their underhanded dealings to the public.

For a long time, but especially since the 2008 Presidential election, you have forgotten that great responsibility and became a whore for the current Administration and their allies in Congress.

I can only conclude that you are either:

(1) Willfully ignorant (i.e. blind) to the systematic dismantling of our Constitutional freedoms

(2) Complicit in these efforts and therefore absolutely worthless as objective "journalists"

(3) Being paid to keep your mouths shut and rather become a pathetic cheerleader of totalitarianism

(4) Being threatened by the Chicago political machine goons that now occupy the White House

Which is it? Will you go down in history as the media who forgot their responsibility to a free society and allowed, even encouraged the stealing of the nation's prosperity and the trampling of Constitutional rights in order to support a criminal coup by a group of radical thugs?

Or will you wake up and see what's happening on your watch, recognize what we average Americans can so clearly see, those of us you contemptuously call "ignorant, fringe, right-wing extremists in flyover country clinging to their guns and religion"?

Have you no shame? Have you no conscience? Have you no love for this great country that has given you the opportunity for unparalleled freedom and prosperity in the history of the world?

You are aiding and abetting its destruction. How can you sleep at night?

A concerned fellow American,
Katy Jones

Concerns of the Founders

2009-09-26T17:49:00.002-05:00

While drafting the Constitution, our Founders had several concerns that have turned out to be prophetic.

They understood that future generations would be tempted to give up their freedoms for the promise of safety and lack of want, in other words, a "welfare" state where the government provides for its citizens from cradle to grave.

Only by working hard and receiving the rewards of our own labors can a free people pursue true happiness. This is because a person grows in maturity and realizes his own worth by taking care of himself and his own family.

Truly helpless individuals (the Bible specifically mentions widows and orphans, but there are others who may be "needy", at least temporarily) should be helped, not by the Federal government but by family, neighbors, friends, church members, or community organizations. When government becomes involved in such matters, it always makes a mess of things because of bureaucratic inefficiency and the lack of personal concern for fellow human beings.

The able-bodied are exhorted to work in order to provide for themselves and their families: "If a man will not work, neither let him eat"(II Thessalonians 3:10). Giving money to a person capable of taking care of himself robs that person of dignity and ambition to better himself. The current welfare situation breeds multi-generational laziness and discontent. Why not encourage personal excellence through the gaining of a work ethic instead of dependence upon government handouts?

"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy." --Thomas Jefferson

About Joe Wilson

2009-09-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

God bless Joe Wilson. I can totally relate to his frustration, sitting there listening to smoothly rehearsed lies, statements that are proven to be false. He only said what so many of us already believe. His only crime is pointing out that the Emperor is naked while everyone else pretends that he is clothed.

How can a nation function when its leaders lie, mislead, prevaricate, and call truth a falsehood? How can we trust our leaders when they refuse to tell the truth and call US liars for searching for and speaking the truth?

God's word is truth (John 17:17). Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

When someone strives to speak the truth and live the truth, we can trust that person. We can have absolute trust in God because it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18).

Contrast that to what Jesus says about Satan: "There is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44).

This Scripture makes it clear why Saul Alinsky in his "Rules for Radicals" dedicates the book to the "original radical," Satan. The tactics of the current Administration come directly from this book.

America's choice is clear: believe the truth or believe a lie? I'll stand with the absolute, dependable, trustworthy truth every time.

Scripture on a sign at the DC march

2009-09-21T08:31:00.002-05:00

There was a white poster with black letters simply saying, "Ephesians 6:12." After the march I looked it up in my Bible and realized how appropriate this verse is for our times:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

This is the section about putting on the whole armor of God. Continuing in verse 13: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

"Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

This Scripture has never been more relevant. I'm in this for the long haul. Are you with me?

Exercising my first amendment rights!

2009-09-15T21:04:00.002-05:00

I have NEVER been so proud to be an American as I was on Saturday, September 12, 2009. An unbelievable sea of ordinary citizens from all 50 states converged on the nation's Capitol for a peaceable protest. Nearly every person I spoke with said it was the first time in their lives they had ever protested anything! The atmosphere was NOT as the media often reported: an "angry, racist mob." It was more like a giant 4th of July celebration or a pep rally. We came together--white, black, young, old, Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian--for a common cause and that was to stand for the United States of America, her Constitution, and her proud tradition of freedom.

The most emotional moment, for me, was when a million voices sang "The Star Spangled Banner". There were certainly plenty of American flags present to salute while singing!

I feel renewed and galvanized to continue to fight for the freedoms that so many have died to protect. I don't want their sacrifice to have been in vain!

On my way to Washington D.C.

2009-09-09T16:24:00.003-05:00

I'm packing my piccolo and my newly made Revolutionary War-era militia outfit because I will be part of a re-enactor's fife & drum corps leading the taxpayer's march on Washington Saturday, September 12th. Behind us will march the Revolutionary War "soldiers" but instead of carrying muskets, they will be armed with -- teapots! :)

The march begins at Freedom Plaza just west of the White House and will travel down Pennsylvania Avenue for a little more than one mile to the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

I know that tens of thousands are planning to join us for this march and rally. I hope there will be a million! The march begins at 11:00 a.m. EST, and the "rally" at 1:00 p.m.

Please pray that there will be no violence from ACORN or SEIU members and that this will send a strong message to the crooks in the White House and both branches of Congress!

A Call to Action! Remember the Alamo!

2009-08-29T13:18:00.001-05:00

I believe that the majority of Americans are good, hard-working people. For too long we've been silent because we were going about our business raising our families and making the country work. Now everything that we've worked for all our lives as well as our inalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution are being stolen from us by the current Administration and Congress. It's time to DO something!

Do you remember the movie, "Miracle on 34th Street?" Do you remember the scene where a man is on trial for claiming to be Santa Claus and as evidence his attorney has sacks and sacks of mail brought in, all addressed to Santa?

Keep that image in your mind.

Most people have heard about the Alamo, but just in case you don't know the "real" story, Texas was part of Mexico in 1836 and a tyrant named Santa Anna was taking away people's rights by trampling on the Mexican Constitution of 1824. That's what the men in the Alamo were fighting for; they flew a flag with the Mexican colors that said "1824."

We are NOT an angry mob! We are NOT un-American! We just want the government to follow the U.S. Constitution. In that way we are doing just what the men at the Alamo were doing.

I do NOT want anyone to be violent or ugly or disrespectful. What I AM asking is that you do a very simple, easy thing that will make a far greater impact than signing a petition. (Remember the image of the thousands of letters, mountains of letters.)

Each of you buy six postcards and six postcard stamps (which are 28 cents). Send one to your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators. If you don't know their addresses (ours are printed in the daily paper) you can find them at:

http://www.house.gov/ for your Representative and
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm for Senators

Even if your Representative and Senators do not support what's going on (ours don't, thankfully) they need to know that we are behind them to give them courage to stand up to the loud hateful voices of opposition.

Also write the President, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid. Their addresses are below:

President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington DC 20500

Speaker Nancy Pelosi
235 Cannon House Office Building
Washington DC 20515

Senator Harry Reid
522 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510

Keep it short and simple (a requirement on a post card) but don't delay! They will be back in session after Labor Day, so mail it between August 31 and September 4 so you can FLOOD THEIR OFFICES with mail!

Snail mail makes a huge impact on elected officials, but letters take too long since the anthrax scare in 2001. Postcards are cheaper to mail, too!

Please send this to anyone else you know who is frustrated, scared, and angry at what the current government is doing to our freedoms before it is too late.

Remember the Alamo!

Letter to "Blue Dog" Democrats

2009-08-26T15:55:00.001-05:00

I am begging you as an American, a taxpayer and a voter to please vote against H.R.3200 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. Government health “care” is monstrously inefficient, as any veteran using the Veteran’s Administration will be happy to explain, and any doctor (if he or she had time to write) would tell you about Medicare reimbursement.

My husband worked for the State of Texas for 3 years and we were part of an HMO where bureaucrats made decisions on what medical care was deemed “necessary.” It was a nightmare! Without taking up your time to explain the details, we had to pay to see a doctor who was not “authorized” in order to receive necessary medical care. If a similar system is implemented on a national basis, not even that option will be available.

I was diagnosed with lymphoma at age 46 and have been in remission for 4 years, thanks to the availability of timely, up-to-date medical care and pharmaceutical research, as well as our private employer’s health insurance plan. If Congress allows the federal government to take over our wonderful, even if flawed, health care system, the time WILL come, as it has in every nation with nationalized care, that faceless bureaucrats will effectively determine who lives and who dies based upon the limited funds and the inevitable need for rationing care based on who is more worthy to use those limited funds.

Please stop this senseless rush to push through a massive health care bill that the vast majority of the American people do NOT want! There are many solutions available to better the health care system without DESTROYING what already is good in the system and without piling more and more debt onto We the People who pay the taxes.

Letter to RNC Chairman

2009-08-23T17:24:00.000-05:00

Michael Steele, Chairman
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003

Dear Mr. Steele:

I am returning your survey, although I doubt that it will be counted since there is no money included. Let me explain why.

I have voted in every national, state, and local election since I was 18 years old. I did not become a Republican until I learned about party platforms when I took a political science course at age 26 and realized I could no longer support the Democrats. My husband and I have worked with the Republican Party at the local and state levels here in Texas, but we have not been able to support them monetarily in good conscience ever since the “RINOS” (Republicans in Name Only) have taken over.

As long as you allow people such as Colin Powell and John McCain to be the “voice” of the Republican Party, then we cannot support it. We will continue to vote, but we will vote for the candidate who most closely aligns with our conservative beliefs in small government and fiscal responsibility, as well as those “social issues” that the RINOS malign us for having, i.e. pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-parental rights. We will not change our core principles for anyone or anything.

It would be in your best interest to notice that a recent Gallup poll shows that 40% of Americans identify themselves as conservatives, 35% moderate, and 21% liberal. Why on earth do you persist in “moving left” in order to pacify your liberal critics? They don’t want to get along—they want to destroy you!

Here’s hoping and praying that something will wake up the Republican Party or we will soon be calling one another “Comrade” in this United Socialist States of America.

Letter to A.C.O.R.N.

2009-08-20T08:22:00.001-05:00

Dr. King is turning in his grave. You have set back race relations fifty years and undone much of what he gave his life to change. By calling everyone who disagrees with your radical agenda a "racist" you have cheapened the real meaning of the word. When a true racist rears his or her head, no one will listen.

Dr. King used the truth to persuade others to see that "separate but equal" was wrong. You lie and practice voter fraud and use intimidation with taxpayer funds to help destroy the American economy and our God-given freedoms of speech and assembly in order to change this country because you are so full of hate that you want to "get even" with millions of people who have never done you wrong.

Don't you see that people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and even prominent members of the Democrat Party stir you up because they profit from your continuing hate? Why do you hate? You are seeing things that no longer exist. Yes, there will always be some white supremacists that think they're better than everybody else, but most people in this country are color blind. Most Americans want everyone to succeed. And in a free America, everyone has equal opportunity to do their best and use their God-given talents to make the best life possible for themselves and their families.

If you destroy a free American, then everyone will be equal--equally poor and miserable. No one will have the means to help his brother rise above it because the government will control everything. If they promise you power, they are lying. Government doesn't share power with anyone.

You need to go back and listen to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963. There is much more to it than "free at last." Here are some important words you need to remember:

"But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

"The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom."

Americans must all be free or none of us can be free. Tyrants who love power will crush liberty even here in "the land of the free" unless we stand together to oppose them.

My letter to SEIU

2009-08-12T09:04:00.000-05:00

This one is shorter since I figured they might have a short attention span.

SEIU
5585 Pershing Ave, Suite 130
St. Louis, MO 63112

To Whom it May Concern:

I am appalled at the actions of some of your members during a peaceful protest last Thursday in which Kenneth Gladney was viciously attacked for the "crime" of passing out flags and buttons. Shame on you for your bullying actions!

In case you haven't read it lately, the Bill of Rights, which are the first ten Amendments to the United States Constitution says this in the first Amendment:

"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."

Your tactics are the same as tyrannies and despots of all times: you can't forward your agenda by peaceful, logical debate so you try to silence the opposition instead. Shame on you! I denounce your violent methods and will no longer have any sympathy for unions of any kind.

Another letter (I have become Sam Adams, I think)

2009-08-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

Cynthia Tucker
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
72 Marietta Street N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303

Dear Ms. Tucker:

I am saddened by your words last week on Hardball that you believe "45-65%" of town hall protesters are "racist" just because they dare voice concerns against the government takeover of health care on top of the trillions stolen by the "stimulus" bill, bailouts of private companies, and the job-stealing "cap and trade" bill.

I am sorry that you are so focused on race, because believe me, this has NOTHING to do with race. It has to do with an out-of-control federal government who has become so arrogant they don't care who they step on or destroy in order to keep and grow their power. It wouldn't matter WHO was president—Hillary Clinton, John McCain, George Bush—anyone who leads this headlong rush into socialism will be protested by ordinary, hard-working, tax-paying Americans.

It is you and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and the President himself who are the racists by insisting that everything comes back to that. Believe it or not, the vast majority of Americans have long ago put racial tensions behind us. It is YOU who keep it stirred up.

I grew up in a military family in the 60's in the middle of the Civil Rights movement and learned from my parents and the U.S. Army to be color blind. I had native and Asian friends in Hawaiian schools, black friends in Louisiana schools, Hispanic friends in Texas schools. Yes, of course there are and always will be a minority of white folk that will never get over their feelings of superiority, but in all my years and all my travels across this wonderful country I have found and seen otherwise—true brotherhood.

I am so tired of stupid political correctness and multiculturalism tearing our country apart. Of course I'm going to protest what I believe is wrong! In case you haven't read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution lately, this is what it says:

"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."

May God have mercy on our country before it is too late. And may you search your heart and your conscience to see what you are doing to add to the problem on a national level.

A second letter to the editor

2009-08-06T14:42:00.002-05:00

I wondered why AARP was not screaming against this travesty of a "health care" bill, especially when you read pages 425-430 of its 1000+ pages that deal directly with "end of life" issues. Now I see from their website that AARP actually supports the proposed government takeover of health care, which will effectively devastate the private relationship between doctors and patients with a bloated government bureaucracy as middleman. This is not just a "reform" but a total destruction of the world's best health care system.

The many ominous phrases in the bill, coupled with statements by the President himself (that a 100 year old patient shouldn't be given a pacemaker, even though she still had a lot of life left in her) as well as health policy advisor at the OMB Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, brother to Rahm (that doctors take the Hippocratic Oath "too seriously" and that Americans are "too enamored" with medical technology), point to a growing attitude of viewing senior citizens, who use a "disproportionate" percentage of health care benefits, as expendable members of society instead of valued parents and grandparents, cherished for their wisdom and prior sacrifices that have made this country great.

I'm not surprised, really. The President himself voted three times as a state senator to require babies that survived abortion be left to die. They too are expendable in this Administration's eyes. Life is no longer the most precious commodity to the "leaders" of this United States. Perhaps they should read the Declaration of Independence, especially the part about "unalienable rights" that begins with "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

How dare the AARP claim to be "advocates" for the elderly and gladly take their money in dues and yet support this monstrosity of a "health care" bill that will ultimately treat them as trash to be discarded? The AARP is no better than the scammers that bilk trusting seniors out of their retirement funds!

I will never join AARP and encourage all the seniors in Kerrville to cancel their membership!

(signed) A disgusted 51 year old American citizen and cancer survivor, thanks to our present health care system.

A plea from me to you, my fellow Americans

2009-07-28T22:24:00.001-05:00

In 2008 when Barack Obama became the Democrat candidate for President of the United States, I did not believe he could be elected, even though McCain was far from an ideal alternative. At least McCain had some honor, had some love for his country. Surely, I thought, people will see how radical this Obama was, how utterly un-American and how wrong he would be as our President.

When he was elected, then I began to wonder if this was God's punishment upon a nation who more and more had turned away from Him and the principles of righteousness. Materialism had turned people away from spiritual thoughts. In-your-face homosexuality no longer stirred up general righteous indignation. Legalized abortion was an everyday occurrence leading to partial-birth abortion and then to infanticide. Unjust court verdicts, reverse discrimination, rampant lying and perjury among the highest governmental officials grew out of control, and yet the general populace, the decent, hard-working, middle-class families did nothing, said nothing. We were going about our business making the country work. We did not WANT to believe that such evil really existed and that people we WANTED to trust to run our country properly actually wanted to destroy it and us.

Barack Obama is President. The Senate and House are both controlled by a majority of people who believe as the President does, that they are smarter than the rest of us, that they by right should control everything in our lives, even whether we live or die for "the greater good."

We have underestimated our enemy. Big time. These people are so arrogant they don't even realize that they are instruments of Satan. We have not followed the advice of Jesus to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." We have been too trusting and willingly naïve.

Is this God's judgment? I can't say for sure. I know that many, many people are as outraged as I am at what these elitists are trying to do to our country. I know that those same people feel as helpless as I to do anything to stop what's going on. Right now I want to throw all the bums out and start over with a special election. I can't find anything in the Constitution about a people's referendum on elected officials. The Founding Fathers didn't foresee a United States of America that would let itself get into these dire straits.

This is all way too big for me. It's too big for you. But it's NOT too big for God.

It's so important to make phone calls, write letters, communicate with our elected officials. But it's even MORE important to humble ourselves, get down on our knees, and turn our hearts back to God.

Will that stop His judgment on this nation? All I know is what God says in His word: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14

I ask you to pray with me for God to deliver us from evil, if it be His will. If not, then we will need to pray more than ever for the courage to face whatever happens. It will be bad. But God's faithful children have a hope greater than any despair these evil men can bring upon us—we have the hope of eternal life where there will be "no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." Revelation 21:4 Not so the wicked ones: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21:8

May God have mercy on us, and may we all search our hearts and do the right thing, no matter what the consequences.

My letter to the editor

2009-07-21T09:15:00.002-05:00

I have not been blogging for the last two weeks because I have been writing over 100 U.S. Representatives, including the sponsors for the nationalized health care bill. And I had this letter published in the Kerrville Daily Times and Community Journal, AND it was read by a local radio host, James Williamson:

I have a dream. In my dream I sit down with the President, the Senate and the House and have their undivided attention for sixty seconds. This is what I tell them:

I am an American, a taxpayer, and a voter. I am a self-sufficient adult, capable of taking care of myself. When hard times came, as when we had no job, no health insurance, and a baby on the way, we found a way to make things work without government assistance. When cancer struck me at age 46, I fought it, defeated it, and used it as an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth, all without the help of government.

I’ve lived for 50 years in this wonderful, free country. You are stealing my retirement, my children’s inheritance, and now you want to destroy my perfectly adequate health care plan that saved my life four years ago. You are raping the prosperity of this country for personal wealth and power. Shame on you!

I do not want to bail out others who made foolish or greedy mistakes. They won’t learn from their mistakes and will repeat them. They need tough love. I practiced it with my children and it works.

I do not want any form of nationalized health care. I don’t want to be a ward of the state. I want to be free to choose my own health care plan and especially my own doctor.

I am an adult. You insult me by treating me as a child and trying to be my “nanny.” You took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Have you forgotten that the Constitution gives all citizens freedom FROM government?

You work for me, not the other way around. Based on your job performance in the last six months, you’re fired.

About Congressional Districts

2009-07-07T11:07:00.002-05:00

Before moving to Article II about the executive branch, just a little more about Congress.

Each state has two Senators, no matter how large or how small. But the number in the House is fixed at 435. Therefore each member of Congress represents about 693,000 people (as of 2007). In that way states with larger populations have more Representatives than smaller states.

For example, Texas is divided into 32 Congressional Districts and therefore has 32 representatives. However, because the population is not spread evenly throughout the state (the eastern half has many more people than the western half, and most of the state’s population is concentrated in the Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin metro areas) there are some strange-looking districts.

These districts are rendered even more strange in that they have been “gerrymandered,” which is the deliberate rearrangement of district boundaries in order to influence the outcome of elections. This weird term came from Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry who in 1812 redrew the boundaries of a district (for political purposes) that resembled a salamander.

When Democrats are in power, they redraw the lines in their favor, and Republicans do the same when they are the majority power. This is one reason why incumbents have such an advantage over challengers. If the incumbent has “stacked the deck” in his district by making sure there are more of his party than “the other party,” it’s almost impossible to bring in someone new.

On our Congressman Lamar Smith’s website it says: “The 21st Congressional District includes portions of Bexar and Travis Counties and all of Comal, Real, Kerr, Bandera, Kendall and Blanco Counties. Over 650,000 people live in the 21st Congressional District.” At another site there’s a map showing all of the districts of Texas. It looks like a very weird puzzle: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=TX

Ignorance and apathy are deadly in the cause of freedom, but Congress hopes to keep the populace dumb and distracted so they can do whatever they please.

“An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.” --Thomas Jefferson

Moving Mountains

2009-07-06T09:41:00.002-05:00

Here’s something in Section 9 that is being grossly violated in Congress today: “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.”

Congress is “drawing” money from the treasury today at such an alarming rate that our minds can’t even wrap around the vast numbers of billions and trillions. Sure, they are making laws to “appropriate” it, but I haven’t seen any statement explaining how the money is being spent. Have you?

Their bombardment is purposeful. A true “blitz,” it’s designed to overpower us with sheer numbers of unread congressional bills and daily assaults on our freedoms. They WANT us to feel small and insignificant, to believe that they are all-powerful and that there is nothing we can do to stop them.

Have you purchased some postcards yet? Have you encouraged your family and friends to write or call their senators and representative? The only way we can make a difference is if WE blitz them with our outrage!

Remember the movie “Miracle on 34th Street” when “Kris Kringle” was being ridiculed for claiming to be Santa Claus and mailmen brought in bags and bags of mail addressed to “Santa Claus”? That mountain of mail made a huge impression—and so can we if we all send mountains of postcards to Washington. (Don’t forget, letters take too long because of silly “decontamination” procedures.)

What did Jesus say? “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you!” (Matthew 17:20) Let’s start moving mountains!

“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories.” --Thomas Jefferson

Happy Birthday, America!

2009-07-04T22:34:00.004-05:00

Two hundred and twenty-three years ago, our country was born with the Declaration of Independence from England's tyrannical rule. Typically we Americans celebrate with fireworks, picnics, parades, family get-togethers.

This year, because we are facing a similar situation to that which our Founding Fathers faced with a government attempting to seize control in every area of our existence, many towns and cities held rallies or "tea parties." Our small town was no exception.

In front of our county courthouse under a large oak tree, several hundred gathered waving American flags, "Don't Tread on Me" flags and various protest signs against Cap and Trade, Illegal Immigration, Seizure of Health Care, etc. We listened to a local radio host read the Declaration of Independence and exhort us to greater faith in God and diligence in speaking out against tyranny.

In doing so we were exercising our God-given rights of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Do we realize that, unless this government's trajectory is stopped, by America's next birthday we may no longer have those rights?

Impossible, many say. Not in America!

Not in the America of our youth, or even last year. But elections have consequences, and this past one's consequences are dire, even deadly for our Republican form of government, for the freedoms won by blood and taken for granted by all of us for far too long.

It's not too late to turn things around. But it has to be now, before the current government steals more of our money and our freedom. We must all make our voices heard and pray with a heart turned back to God.

"If the press is not free; if speech is not independent and untrammeled; if the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject and not a citizen." --William E. Borah

Moving On to Section 9

2009-07-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

I’m getting bogged down in the list of congressional duties in Section 8 and need to move on, at least for now. Unfortunately I like research so much that sometimes my scavenger hunts become the end rather than the means to an end (a blog entry).

In Section 9 there is this little gem: “The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.”

A “writ” is a formal order under seal. “Habeas corpus” is Latin for “you have the body.” So a writ of habeas corpus is a judicial order to a prison official that an inmate must be brought to court so the judge can determine if the person is lawfully imprisoned and whether or not he/she should be released. This writ/petition can be filed by the prisoner or an advocate for the prisoner.

This statement in Section 9 seems a little ambiguous, even ominous, especially considering the partisan rancor going on in Congress today. In the 1700’s defining “rebellion” and “invasion” was probably not a problem for elected officials who had a better grasp of truth and honesty than those in office today. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see that this suspension of habeas corpus could be misused by unscrupulous “leaders” to imprison those whom they deem political “enemies.”

Could we ever have a Soviet-style “gulag” in the United States of America?

“We are so concerned to flatter the majority that we lose sight of how very often it is necessary, in order to preserve freedom for the minority, let alone for the individual, to face that majority down.” --William F. Buckley, Jr.

Useful Art

2009-06-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I think this duty of Congress has been misread in recent years: “To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.”

On the one hand, it’s easy to see how copyright and patent protection would be an important system to establish on a national level. The founding fathers assumed that authors and inventors would naturally want to use their God-given talents in writing about subjects or making discoveries that would be beneficial to the whole populace.

Alas, one need only visit the nearest bookstore to see the many books that are not “useful” and promote sin (most fiction) or hate (political stuff from Michael Moore and his ilk). It is the same with movies and DVDs; the great majority are completely lacking in redeeming qualities. It seems that directors, producers, and script writers go out of their way to promote every vice and perversion.

Congress created the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) in 1965, supposedly “dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.” Unfortunately their definition of “art” includes things that are completely “un-useful” and often times offensive and immoral. The NEA does not define “excellence in the arts” the way most Americans do!

Children are innately curious and want to “make things.” That is part of being created in God’s image—the desire to make beautiful things. Even the high priest’s garments were meant to be “for glory and for beauty” (Exodus 28:2). When we use our creative abilities to His glory, we make the world better one poem, one book, one movie, one piece of visual art, one invention at a time.

What useful art will you create or support?

“The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom.” –A. Whitney Griswold

Another Departure

2009-06-25T14:39:00.005-05:00

Those of us who value the Constitution must stand in opposition to the raping of our country's wealth, future, and its very soul.

"I'm too busy," many say. "I don't know what to do."

The signers of the Declaration of Independence had jobs and families, too. But they saw an urgent need in their time and so pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to do what needed to be done for the good of all Americans.

We have an urgent need in our time to make our voices heard. During the Revolutionary times Samuel Adams wrote at least one letter a day in order to make a difference. This was in the days of parchment and quill pens.

There are simple things each of us can do. When a bill is coming up for a vote (as the monstrous Cap and Trade bill will be voted on tomorrow in the House) call your Representative. Google their website with the contact info at the bottom of the page. It takes two minutes or less to tell the staffer your name, city and state and politely ask that the Representative vote against Cap and Trade (or "for" another bill). The staffers DO record the vote tally. Flood those phone lines!

You may not have time to write a daily letter, but you can write one a week. Email is not the best form of communication; the staffers are not required by law to acknowledge them, and liberal officials (especially the current President) simply delete any opposing views.

But there IS a law requiring staffers to correctly handle physical mail. Since the anthrax scare in 2001 all politician's mail is sent on a decontamination journey (first AZ for irradiation, then PA for deep freeze) and so takes about six weeks to get to Washington(!)

Postcards pose no threat and force you to be succinct in your comments, which is important since politicians have the attention span of a gnat. An added benefit is that they require less postage.

So I challenge you to purchase some pre-stamped blank postcards, get the addresses of the White House, your two U.S. Senators, your one U.S. Representative, and even your state's governor, senator and representative and start sending those messages! Hold them accountable! They DO take mail seriously, no matter what you may hear in the state-run news....

"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." --Thomas Jefferson

A Post on the Post

2009-06-24T07:36:00.001-05:00

Another duty of Congress was to “establish post offices and post roads.” The post is, of course, the mail. We picture canvas bags stuffed with letters, mail delivery trucks with the steering wheel on the right side, our personal mail carrier, or the mailbox at the end of our sidewalk.

Do we consider what an important role the Postal Service has played in our history? Not only is information spread from coast to coast, but also financial transactions and a huge chunk of commerce (Amazon uses UPS, but that’s another story).

What about post roads? Because the mail needed a fast and reliable method of delivery, not only roads but modes of transportation were developed and/or subsidized: on foot, horseback (Pony Express), stagecoach, steamboat, train, car or truck, airplane, and even by balloon, helicopter and pneumatic tube!

Unfortunately the current U.S. Postal System is a reflection of its bloated bureaucracy. One example is how the mail is delivered in our city of 20,000+ with our new, modern facility (I have this from a retired postal worker). If I want to mail a card to my neighbor, the envelope merely visits the main post office, is loaded on a semi with other local mail and sent to San Antonio, more than sixty miles away, to be postmarked “San Antonio.” Then the local Kerrville mail returns from San Antonio to be delivered the next day.

The reason? A substation in San Antonio wasn’t handling enough volume so was in danger of being shut down. Somebody got the bright idea to take OUR mail on a detour so a few people could keep their jobs at a particular post office. No wonder mail is often lost or mishandled! How many times is this scenario repeated across the nation?

Government control = inefficiency. There is no exception.

“Government machinery has been described as a marvelous labor saving device which enables ten men to do the work of one.” --John Maynard Keynes

Punishing Counterfeiters

2009-06-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

Congress is also authorized to “provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States.”

To “counterfeit” means to “make in imitation with intent to deceive; not genuine; forged.” This crime is a federal felony; in fact, the Secret Service was originally created to deal with counterfeiters. Later their duties were extended to protecting the president and other officials. The punishment for counterfeiting money is harsh, up to 15 years in prison, plus restitution and fines. Why so severe?

Counterfeit money put in circulation makes the value of actual money go down, causing inflation in the nation’s economy. Businesses that receive counterfeit money are not reimbursed for their losses, and they must pass along those costs to the consumers via higher prices.

Securities include stocks, bonds, futures, options, and mutual funds, so more than just paper money is included. It’s easy to see how dishonesty in any facet of our economy can affect each and every person.

Perhaps the current Congress is not actually counterfeiting money, but their dishonesty in dealing with our economy will affect everyone in this country for generations as well as the entire world economy. It’s a shame that the Secret Service can’t find a way to charge those in charge with felony “intent to deceive.”

“Like all valuable commodities, truth is often counterfeited.” --James Cardinal Gibbons

Weights and Measures

2009-06-22T10:24:00.000-05:00

Another duty of Congress in Article I, Section 8 is “to fix the standard of weights and measures.” In both commerce and industry this would be important to make sure everyone’s pound was 16 ounces and every yard was 36 inches. Consumers would be cheated if they paid for a pound of butter and only received 14 ounces. And imagine the catastrophe if buildings and bridges were constructed with steel and wooden beams that were not of a uniform length!

There must be a standard by which to measure all things. A “standard” is “something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.” Standard weights and measures are necessary to keep merchants honest and construction projects safe. A standard of law is necessary to fairly govern a country, state, county, or city.

But most importantly, a standard of truth is vitally necessary or nothing else matters. Our founding fathers knew that when they wrote the Constitution. Their truth standard is the same one that God has provided to all who love truth: the Bible, which is His revelation for all mankind.

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” George Orwell, Author of 1984

A Departure

2009-06-19T12:16:00.007-05:00

I've been trying to write a post about the next "bite" in the Constitution for days now. Unfortunately I've been sidetracked by all the House and Senate bills, executive orders, etc. etc. that keep steamrolling over the American people each and every day!

The heritage of freedom that our founding fathers left to us is critically endangered by the current administration. We may have already reached the point of no return.

I believe with all my heart that a majority of the American people still believe in the ideals of freedom. We've just been so busy working and raising our families, participating in our communities and our church families that we have allowed a gradual erosion of individual freedoms over the last several decades.

Now the pace is horrifically accelerated and it seems there's nothing we can do about it individually. The entire federal government and their lapdogs in the media have become so out of touch with reality and God's absolute truth that they are living in a three-ring circus inside a Salvador Dali painting!

When I become discouraged, I remind myself that none of this is too big for God. He is and always has been in charge of govern- ments. No government is established without His approval. I want so much to DO something about the people who are destroying "my" country, but I don't want to go against God's will. Perhaps He is punishing this country for the 50 million babies "legally" destroyed by abortion since Roe v. Wade, the "tolerance" for homosexuality which to Him is an abomination, and the general godlessness and worldliness that have permeated our populace.

I continue to pray and encourage you to do the same. Pray for our nation and its leaders; pray that people's eyes will be opened, that truth will prevail over political correctness. Most of all, pray that Christians everywhere will be bold in standing for the faith, no matter what the consequences.

Money Matters

2009-06-13T23:35:00.005-05:00

In order to "coin money and regulate the value thereof," Congress wasted no time in passing the “Mint Act” in 1792 to mint the first coins by the following year. The currency was based on the dollar coin, which was made in either gold or silver. Gold dollar coins were required by law to contain 24.75 grains of pure gold, and silver dollar coins contained 15 times that amount.

Although the government issued “treasury notes” during times of financial difficulties, such as during the War of 1812, the Mexican War (1846) and the 1857 “panic,” the first paper money was not issued until 1861, because of the desperate need for cash during the Civil War.

Congress established the Federal Reserve System in 1913. There are 12 Federal Reserve Banks across the nation, each given a letter of the alphabet and a number (which you can find on individual bills). For example, Kansas City, MO issues bills with a “J” inside the seal and below the upper left serial number.

Beginning with the Great Depression, many changes in our monetary system have taken place. Gold is no longer the medium of exchange. Although paper money is still used in transactions, more and more exchanges are made electronically between one’s bank and whatever business or entity is providing a service or commodity.

There’s a huge difference between a metallic system of gold and silver coins and an electronic system. As we have seen in the last year, enormous sums of our tax money are being spent by an out of control government with no thought as to how the debt is to be repaid.

Will we see similar hyperinflation as the Germans did during the Weimar Republic of the 1920’s? Their paper money became practically worthless as prices increased so rapidly that inflation exploded out of control. Could we see the day that a loaf of bread costs $1,000? If our current government doesn’t stop their headlong plunge into debt, we might.

“The modern Banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented. Banks can in fact inflate, mint and unmint the modern ledger-entry currency.” --Major L. L. B. Angus

Uniform Bankruptcies?

2009-06-12T07:12:00.000-05:00

Congress is also to establish “uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States.”

It is beyond the scope of this blog to go into the different types of bankruptcies, but basically this process is used to help companies having financial difficulties. Unprofitable companies either die a natural death or “reorganize” to become more profitable. Up until now bankruptcy has been part of doing business in our capitalistic economy.

Now the federal government has gone beyond the scope of the Constitution and decided which companies are “too big to fail” by stealing billions of our tax dollars to bail out a select few rather than leave them alone to either fold or reorganize on their own. Rather than making the noble choice to refuse unconstitutional bailouts, these companies have allowed a terrible precedence—takeover of private industry by an administration determined to seize more and more power over We the People.

Whenever federal monies are “offered” to businesses, universities, public schools, organizations or individuals, there are always strings attached. By accepting federal money, the government sees the recipient as obligated or beholden to them and takes advantage of every opportunity to insert their bureaucratic tentacles where they don’t belong.

Although they will deny it, those in power believe the general populace is too ignorant to make our own decisions about anything. Either by misplaced good intentions or blind greed for unlimited power over their fellow Americans, they intend to make slaves of us all.

“Today, when a concerted effort is made to obliterate this point, it cannot be repeated too often that the Constitution is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals -- that it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only the conduct of the government -- that it is not a charter for government power, but a charter of the citizen's protection against the government.” --Ayn Rand

Uniform Naturalization?

2009-06-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

In Section 8 Congress is to “establish a uniform rule for naturalization.” “Uniform” means consistent, unvarying. To “naturalize” someone is “to invest an alien with the rights and privileges of a citizen.”

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website lists these requirements laid down by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act: (1) a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the U.S., (2) residence in a particular USCIS district prior to filing, (3) ability to read, write, and speak English, (4) knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government, (5) good moral character, (6) attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution, and (7) favorable disposition toward the U.S.

The oath of allegiance for naturalized U.S. citizens is this: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

So why are there so many illegal aliens in this country receiving “the rights and privileges of a citizen” without having met the requirements of naturalization? There are an estimated 12 to 20 million living here illegally burdening our economy with an estimated $67 to $87 billion each year. There is nothing “uniform” about that!

“Political correctness is simply tyranny with manners.” –Charlton Heston

Regulating Commerce

2009-06-08T21:10:00.000-05:00

In the last fifty years, the “Commerce Clause” in Section 8 has been questionably cited for the purpose of expanding congressional powers. The word “commerce” has several definitions: (1) the interchange of goods and services, especially on a large scale; trade or business; (2) social relations, especially the exchange of views, attitudes, etc.; (3) sexual intercourse; (4) intellectual or spiritual interchange; communion.

Clearly definitions 3 and 4 are not what the Founding Fathers had in mind. It seems obvious that definition 1 is what is meant, especially since Congress is to “regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.”

But the “clause” has grown and become more complex as the United States economy has grown. With the advent of FDR’s “New Deal,” Congress began to address national social problems, often citing this clause as the constitutional basis for their increasing control over the private sector.

The authors of the Constitution must be turning in their graves at what is happening now as the federal government has seized control of private corporations such as AIG and GM! This is definitely NOT what they had in mind when they granted Congress the power to “regulate commerce.”

Those who lust for power and wealth read what they want to read in the Constitution. That is why the standard of absolute truth and the application of it with “common” sense is so necessary for We the People to remain free.

“Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself -- and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty.” --Chief Joseph

Debt & Deficit

2009-06-07T22:57:00.000-05:00

Congress is authorized in Article I, Section 8 “to borrow money on the credit of the United States.” One definition of “credit” is “confidence in a purchaser’s ability and intention to pay, displayed by entrusting him with goods or services without immediate payment.”

In other words, Congress is authorized to borrow money to pay for government “services” on credit, on the confidence that the United States (i.e., “We the People Taxpayers”) will repay the debt.

This National Debt is the amount owed by the government. The federal budget deficit calculates on an annual basis how much government spending exceeds income (from our taxes).

At the beginning of 1791, the National Debt was $75 million. According to treasurydirect.gov, the national debt as of June 4, 2009 was over $11 trillion. That’s 11 with twelve zeros after it. It’s such an enormous number that our brains have trouble wrapping around the concept.

What would happen if each of us kept spending more than we earned each month by racking up credit card debt? As the debt grew, so would the interest. What if each of us owed “just” one million dollars? How many of us could ever repay such a debt? One trillion equals one million million!

The Wall Street Journal’s June 4, 2009 issue quotes the White House as saying the 2009 federal budget deficit is estimated to exceed $1.8 trillion (compared with $1.1 billion in 1970). Whatever happened to the concept of balancing the budget?

The National Debt Clock states that, as of today, each of the nation’s 306,327,592 citizens has as their share of the National Debt: $37,220.04. Congratulations! You’ve just been sold into slavery!

“The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.” --Marcus Tullius Cicero

Uniform Taxation

2009-06-05T22:10:00.001-05:00

Section 8 of Article I states the specific things that the Congress is empowered to do. It begins with “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”

Taxes are sums of money levied (collected) upon incomes, property, or sales of goods. Duties are taxes imposed by law on the import or export of goods. An impost is “a tax, tribute, duty; a customs duty.” Excises are taxes levied on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of commodities such as liquor and tobacco, as well as taxes levied for a license to pursue certain employments or sports.

We the People understand that the funds to “pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare” of the nation have to come from somewhere. But just as our individual households budget our income and try to live within our means, we expect our government to do the same.

Unfortunately that is not the case.

And what about the phrase, “all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States”? Uniform is defined as “identical, consistent, unvarying.” How does our current system of taxation fit that definition, especially in the case of income taxes? The majority of income taxes are paid by a very small percent of wage earners. And as we discovered early in the current administration, many government officials who make substantial salaries are paying NO taxes at all!

“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.” --Frederic Bastiat

Compensation for Services

2009-06-03T23:05:00.002-05:00

Article I, Section 6 says that members of both Houses of Congress “shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States.”

Benjamin Franklin suggested that elected officials serve without pay, but others in the Constitutional Convention decided otherwise. Could it be that Franklin imagined the motive for “service” being corrupted by the love of money?

Consider this: Between 1789 and 1855, members of Congress received a daily payment or “per diem” of $6.00 while in session. (From December 1815 to March 1817 this was changed to $1,500 per year.) In 1855, Congress members began receiving an annual salary of $3,000 per year.

Currently the “rank and file” members of Congress receive $174,000 per year. The Speaker of the House receives $223,500 and other House and Senate leaders $193,400. This does not include retirement, health care, and other “perks,” such as limousines, choice spots at Washington airports, travel to states and districts as well as other destinations (including overseas), private banking, health spas, fine office furnishings, office staff to perform “constituent services” including doling out pork-barrel spending, and what insulates them from the rest of us, exemptions and immunities from tax, pension, and other laws that burden private citizens.

More insidious is the nebulous “franking privilege” which gives each of these “lawmakers” millions of our tax dollars to create a favorable public image, thus giving the incumbent an unfair advantage during elections. In fact, it seems that “re-election” has become the most important “duty” of House and Senate members. This is yet another reason why our nation must return to the values upon which the Constitution was originally founded. Public service should be about service, not gaining wealth and power.

“Abuse of power isn't limited to bad guys in other nations. It happens in our own country if we’re not vigilant.” --Clint Eastwood

Why Morality Matters

2009-06-02T21:59:00.000-05:00

Section 5 of Article I states that “each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.”

Defining “disorderly behavior” requires first having a universal standard of right and wrong. When the Constitution was penned, that standard was the Bible, the Word of God. Over the years, especially in the last 40-50 years, values clarification and moral relativism have been taught to children in our public schools. This resulted in a gradual erosion of standards of acceptable behaviors. As a result the bedrock of our national morality has crumbled.

There was a time when “disorderly behavior” would have been universally understood to include crimes such as fornication with young interns, manslaughter (does Chappaquiddick ring a bell?), taking of bribes, embezzling public funds (or private ones for that matter), lying while under oath, lying while NOT under oath, etc., etc.

When We the People turn a blind eye to decaying morals, we shouldn’t be surprised to find immorality among our elected officials. America is, in the eloquent words of Robert H. Bork, “slouching towards Gomorrah.”

“America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within.” --Josef Stalin

One Day in the Year

2009-06-01T21:41:00.001-05:00

Section 4 of Article I has an interesting statement: “The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.”

What a different country this would be if Congress only met one day each year! We the People would have true freedom, unfettered by the gadzillions of laws, some of them ridiculous, that Congress has enacted over the years in order to give themselves “job security.”

Our Senators and Representatives wouldn’t vote themselves exorbitant raises, full retirement benefits, plush health care system, private banking, perks of every kind and description, because serving in Congress would not be their job. They would take a week’s vacation from their real jobs in the real world to allow for travel time, meet for one day, maybe two or three at the most, to consider a few important bills, shake hands and go home for the year. No filibusters, bloated partisan speeches, pontificating, or otherwise making a pompous spectacle of themselves day after day after day.

Because “serving” in Congress has become a profitable enterprise, Washington D.C. is a true “ivory tower” insulated from the real world and the real concerns of We the People. In voting for themselves lavish lifestyles separate and apart from the laws they enact for the rest of us, members of Congress have become totally out of touch aliens from another planet in comparison to the original vision of the Constitution.

“The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.” --James Madison

The Senate

2009-05-31T21:37:00.002-05:00

The Senate, or “upper house” has 100 members: two Senators from each of the 50 states. Their term of office is six years, and one-third of the Senate body is up for election every two years. In that way they are a little more “stable” than the House, since the entire membership is not elected at the same time.

Senators must be 30 years old, a citizen for nine years, and reside in the state in which they are elected. One interesting difference between the House and Senate is that the Vice President is the President of the Senate though has no vote unless there is a tie.

Section 3 states that the Senate has “the sole power to try all impeachments” that must originate in the House of Representatives. It takes an agreement of two-thirds of the Senators to convict.

Section 7 states that, even though the House must originate bills for raising revenue, the Senate “may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills.”

It is a vitally important responsibility for We the People to vote for men and women who will be true “public servants” and conduct the business of our government according to the Constitution. It is equally important for the elected officials to resist the temptation to misuse their power and become “lords” over the people they are supposed to be serving.

“Almost all the world's constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which 'We the people' tell the government what it is allowed to do. 'We the people' are free.” --Ronald Reagan

The House of Representatives

2009-05-30T13:45:00.004-05:00

There is not a lot of information in the Constitution specifically pertaining to the “lower” house of Congress. Each Representative must be twenty-five years old, a U.S citizen for seven years, and reside in the state he/she is representing. The term of office is two years, so every even-numbered year all seats of the House are up for election.

Perhaps this is why it’s called the “lower” house, since its membership tends to be more fluid. The majority party can theoretically change every two years.

The last phrase in Section 2 states that the House of Representa- tives “shall have the sole power of impeachment.” The House is the only body which can present formal charges, much like an indictment, against a public official (members of the executive and judicial branches), and the trial takes place in the Senate.

In our nation’s history only 17 individuals have been impeached by the House: two presidents (Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton), one cabinet member, one senator, and 13 judges. Only seven of those, all judges, were actually removed from office.

Section 7 states that “all bills for raising revenues shall originate in the House of Representatives.” Section 8 details what this “revenue” includes (taxes, etc.) but it is interesting that the officials who can most often be elected OUT of office are the ones to originate these expenses.

If We the People will just educate ourselves and pay attention, we can hold these Representatives accountable for what they do with our money. If we choose ignorance and complacency, is it any wonder that our money is being stolen from us in plain sight?

“We have rights, as individuals, to give as much of our own money as we please to charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of public money.” –Davy Crockett

Legislative Powers

2009-05-29T10:29:00.004-05:00

“Legislative powers” means “having the function of making laws.” Only Congress is given all powers to make or enact laws. NOT the courts, NOT the president or the governors.

The Constitution sets up a bicameral system with two branches or legislative bodies instead of one. England has had two Houses for centuries—the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The House of Lords, considered the “upper house” (as is the Senate) is, unlike the Senate, comprised of nonelected “lords temporal and lords spiritual.” (Unfortunately some of our Senators tend to act rather lordly.)

Our House of Representatives, like the House of Commons, is considered the “lower house.” Both of these bodies are comprised of elected representatives.

The original intent of our bicameral system was to have individual states equally represented at the national level by two Senators but also to have individuals equally represented in the House by population. When Senators and Representatives put their constituents, their states, and their nation first, laws can be made with the general welfare in mind.

When these men and women misuse their offices to gain wealth, influence, and power, our nation suffers. The focus has become “re-election” rather than public service. Let’s help our elected officials remember what they are supposed to be doing by holding them accountable. Each of us has two Senators and one Representative. Surely we can keep track of and keep in contact with three people on a regular basis?

“The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scripture ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evil men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” --Noah Webster

The Articles

2009-05-28T05:44:00.004-05:00

The Articles of Confederation, which preceded the Constitution, had 13 articles; the Constitution has seven. An article is “a clause, item, point, or particular in a contract, treaty, or other formal agreement.” Our Constitution is organized by a simple outline:

Article I: Legislative branch of government (Senate & House)

Article II: Executive branch (President & Vice-President)

Article III: Judicial branch (Supreme Court & inferior courts)

Article IV: States’ rights

Article V: Amendment process

Article VI: Debts, treaties, oaths

Article VII: Brief ratification statement

Articles I-IV have subsections detailing the main points; the last three articles have no subsections and are simple and straight- forward. The entire document has just over 4,000 words or 9 pages typed in Times Roman 12 point font. When compared with the ridiculously inflated bills that come out of today’s House and Senate, some of which are hundreds or thousands of pages long, this amazing Constitution is easy to read and wastes no words.

I wonder if the Founders were thinking about Ecclesiastes 5:2 when they wrote this document: "God is in heaven, and you upon the earth: therefore let your words be few."

“Man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.” --Ronald Reagan

For Whom Was the Constitution Established?

2009-05-27T07:29:00.003-05:00

Without the intervening reasons, the Preamble simply states, “We the People… do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The Constitution was established as the rule of law by We the People as collective individuals FOR the United States of America. It required and still requires teamwork and commitment to something greater than ourselves.

Because the Constitution was based upon the rule of law, which comes from God, it functions best when one simple rule is followed: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) If every person in this country were to practice this, imagine what a wonderful place this would be!

When people only think of themselves, they no longer serve a Higher Power or even understand the concept of sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves. The “C” word—commitment—is becoming rare in our society: commitment to marriage, family, job, church, other organizations from the PTA to sports teams. A person’s word used to be their bond, but today promises are routinely made and broken, and lying, even under oath, has become an art form.

On September 11, 2001 Americans remembered, if just for a little while, something larger than themselves. We came together as The United States of America and stood as one against our foes.

Are the politicians putting our country’s interests ahead of their own? Are We the People letting them steal our future because we’ve forgotten that We ARE America?

“Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world.” --Daniel Webster

Do Ordain and Establish

2009-05-26T09:13:00.001-05:00

“Ordain” means “to enact or establish by law, edict, etc.” “Establish” means “to bring into being on a firm or permanent basis.”

We the People ordained and established the Constitution, not a king, emperor, or any other kind of sovereign ruler. We have the rule of law, not the arbitrary rule of one person or group. The Sovereign Law upon which this simple and elegant document is based is none other than the Law of God.

At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, James Madison proposed the three branches of government based on Isaiah 33:22, “For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us.”

John Quincy Adams later said, “The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal code as well as a moral and religious code” and that “vain indeed would be the search among the writings of secular history to find so broad, so complete and so solid a basis of morality as the Ten Commandments lay down. “

No matter how often secularists deny it, there is no arguing with Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”

Throughout history, God has allowed nations to rise and fall. If we don’t do something to turn this country around, it may be that He has had enough and will allow the United States to fall.

"Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." –Benjamin Franklin

Our Posterity (coincidentally on Memorial Day)

2009-05-25T06:51:00.004-05:00

“Posterity” is just an old-fashioned way of saying “succeeding or future generations, collectively.”

It is our responsibility to ensure that future generations of Americans enjoy the blessings of liberty as we have. Our ancestors gave their lives in past wars to ensure that our generation would continue to enjoy the freedoms that their ancestors died for.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, these are just battle deaths—many more were “non-mortal woundings” and “deaths from other causes” (such as prisoners of war):

American Revolution (1775-1783): 4,435
War of 1812 (1812-1815): 2,260
Mexican War (1846-1848): 1,733
Civil War (1861-1865): Union 140,414/Confederate 74,524
Spanish-American War (1898-1902): 385
World War I (1917-1918): 53,402
World War II (1941-1945): 291,557
Korean War (1950-1953): 33,741
Vietnam War (1964-1975): 47,424
Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991): 147
Global War on Terror (2001-present): 4,962

“The children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” (II Corinthians 12:14) How can our elected officials even think of saddling our posterity with a debt so huge it can never be repaid? Instead of enslaving our descendants, we must do all in our power to ensure that liberty—bought with the blood of 654,984 Americans--continues.

“We enjoy freedom and the rule of law on which it depends, not because we deserve it, but because others before us put their lives on the line to defend it.” –Thomas Sowell

The Blessings of Liberty

2009-05-24T08:22:00.000-05:00

Those of us who have grown up in a free society tend to take the blessings of liberty for granted. But each generation must secure them anew or they will be taken from us.

What are those blessings? Are they worth fighting for, dying for as millions have done before us?

A free man is able to use his God-given talents to work hard, provide for himself and his family, and have enough to share with others less fortunate. In a free society people can engage in commerce with one another, share ideas in public forums, and worship God without fear of persecution. As long as government is minimal, as was the intent of the Constitution, it does not interfere with free commerce, free speech, and freedom to worship.

We can’t afford to be so intent upon “doing our own thing” that we forget to watch for those wolves who seek power over others (sheep), or think, “I'm too busy; someone else will do that.” To secure the blessings of liberty means WE have to do OUR part: pray, speak out when needed, vote, participate in the political process, run for office. If We the People do nothing, we shouldn’t be surprised when wolves steal the sheep’s liberty.

“The liberties of our country… are worth defending at all hazards…. Our worthy ancestors purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood…. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men.” --Samuel Adams

Promoting the General Welfare

2009-05-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

To “promote” is “to encourage the existence or progress of, to further.” “The general welfare” has nothing to do with government checks, but means “the good fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc. of all persons belonging to a group,” in this instance, the United States of America.

This goes along with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We the People in the fifty separate states agree to unite in part to encourage the existence of these rights.

In the same way that “there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11) we as Americans should treat one another and be treated equally. When we splinter into hyphenated groups, foster “class warfare,” or demand special rights as part of a “minority” then we encourage infighting among ourselves. A nation thus splintered is more easily conquered, either from within or from without.

We the People must encourage one another to further the general welfare of our nation by putting aside petty grievances and returning to the godly values that made our country great: respect for life, responsible liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through a strong work ethic.

“You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer.” --Sir Winston Churchill

Providing for the Common Defense

2009-05-22T15:23:00.004-05:00

“Common” in this context simply means joint or united. “Defense” means resistance to attack or protection but also “the defending of a cause or the like by speech, argument, etc.”

We equate "defense" with the military. It's important to unite behind their efforts to defend our country against foreign nations who wish to do us harm. We must never forget the sacrifices that so many have made to keep us free.

But how often do we think about defending the cause of liberty here at home against those who overtly or covertly work to undermine all that America stands for?

There is a battle raging for the soul of this nation. If We the People are apathetic or “too busy” to speak in defense of the Constitution, whether writing letters to newspapers, contacting elected officials, or becoming involved in local or grassroots political efforts, then we deserve whatever happens to us.

We can’t let the enemy discourage us into thinking that “we can’t do anything.” The course of history is filled with examples of men and women who stood alone against impossible odds and made a difference. So can we!

“We do not need more intellectual power, we need more moral power. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. We do not need more government, we need more culture. We do not need more law, we need more religion. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.... If the foundation is firm, the superstructure will stand.” --Calvin Coolidge

Insuring Domestic Tranquility

2009-05-21T18:28:00.001-05:00

There’s a reason this is listed after “establish justice.” Without a foundation of law and morality, it’s impossible to “insure domestic tranquility.”

“Insure” means to secure, guarantee, make sure or certain. “Domestic” means pertaining to one’s country, i.e. not foreign. “Tranquility” is to be free from commotion or tumult, i.e. unagitated.

Lawlessness breeds discontent, anger, hatred, covetousness, and eventually commotion, agitation, anarchy. I John 3:4 puts it simply: “Sin is lawlessness.”

We can’t secure peace without law; we can’t have law without Divine standards of right and wrong.

There is no coincidence that as the ACLU has worked for years to strip the name of God and mention of His laws from the public conscience that all forms of lawlessness have increased. Those of us who desire quiet lives raising our children, working and paying our bills, and worshipping with the church, can no longer afford to turn a blind or incredulous eye at what is happening. We must “make certain” that domestic tranquility continues by holding lawmakers accountable.

"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws." –Alexander Hamilton

Establishing Justice

2009-05-20T12:41:00.002-05:00

There’s a peculiar and often ignored fact about justice: Its foundation is an absolute standard of right and wrong.

Here’s the definition of justice: “The quality of conforming to principles of reason, to generally accepted standards of right and wrong, and to the stated terms of laws, rules, agreements, etc. in matters affecting person who could be wronged or unduly favored.”

One of the Founders’ reasons for the formation of the United States was to establish justice so that The People would be treated equally regarding the law. Of course there were wicked men over two hundred years ago, but because Biblical principles of right and wrong were so generally accepted, there was a more general consensus in matters of law and morality.

Thanks to generations of humanist philosophy infiltrating every facet of American society, “principles of reason,” “generally accepted standards of right and wrong,” and “the stated terms of laws, rules, agreements” (i.e., keeping one’s word) are shoved aside as archaic, old-fashioned, and no longer relevant to our “modern” world. Political correctness and so-called tolerance have replaced common sense and Biblical morality. The result is more and more people being wronged for doing what is right, and those who practice immorality are being unduly favored.

God is love, but He is also just. Is America now reaping what has been sown during our lifetimes?

“Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.” --Louis Dembitz Brandeis

A More Perfect Union

2009-05-19T21:45:00.001-05:00

Thirteen colonies became thirteen states, each separate but united. They realized they needed to join together for purposes of economic stability and the common defense, but each was fiercely protective of remaining a separate entity within the union. Even today each of the fifty United States has its own unique “flavor.”

The decision to unite was an uneasy truce. Each colony/state brought its own set of strengths and weaknesses to the union. And there was widespread distrust of a strong centralized government. With good reason.

Power dispersed between a federal government and individual state governments, along with built in checks and balances, was meant to prevent power-hungry individuals from usurping the inalienable rights of the people. In our current climate of ever-increasing federal power and bureaucracy, states reasserting their individual sovereignty may be the best way of preventing a full-fledged autocratic centralized government, i.e. a dictatorship.

Thirteen individual states, as well as their individual people, decided to form a more perfect union using the principles of a most perfect Creator. What will we do to ensure that their vision endures?

"That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves." –Thomas Jefferson

We the People

2009-05-18T21:38:00.002-05:00

Those three enormous words begin the Preamble of the United States Constitution. What do they mean?

“We” is a personal pronoun meaning “I” plus at least one other person. In this context "we" goes back to the individual and the individual’s God-given inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When “we” as a collective group of individuals give our consent to elected representatives to carry out the business of government (which business is supposed to be limited to those few duties listed in the Constitution) then we are acting as The People.

The People is not a single faceless mass, as despots regard the populations over which they wield power. The People is always made up of “we” the individuals: male, female, young, old, some bright, some slow, some achievers, some lazy, some faithful to God, some disregarding their Creator.

Whether or not “we” as individuals regard God, He never forgets us. He knows each one of us, heart, mind, and soul. We can never allow our elected officials to forget that We the individuals have collectively selected them to represent us, The People. They do not rule over us; they work for us.

We the People must work together to individually hold accountable all government officials at every level—federal, state, county, city, neighborhood.

“The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”—John Philpot Curran

Instruments of Providence

2009-05-17T21:43:00.003-05:00

The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were intelligent and religious men with a strong sense of ethics and honor. Their professions included lawyers, merchants, doctors, educators, and four were full-time preachers. Even more of them were preacher’s sons. Most of them were active churchgoers with significant contributions of money, time, and talent. In short, they “practiced what they preached.”

In 1848 B. J. Lossing published a book about these men in which he stated, “The signing of that instrument was a solemn act, and required great firmness and patriotism in those who committed it… Such were the men unto whose keeping, as instruments of Providence, the destinies of America were for the time intrusted (sic); and it has been well remarked, that men, other than such as these—an ignorant, untaught mass, like those who have formed the physical elements of other revolutionary movements, without sufficient intellect to guide and control them—could not have conceived, planned, and carried into execution such a mighty movement, one so fraught with tangible marks of political wisdom, as the American Revolution.”

Where are such leaders today? Oh, that men would place their trust in the Lord and say along with many worthies in the Old Testament, “Here am I; Lord, send me!”

“The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of man.” --Benjamin Franklin

Computer crash...

2009-05-14T17:39:00.000-05:00

My computer went kaput and I'm just now restoring everything I lost. I will return to daily posts ASAP!

The Oldest Signer

2009-05-07T19:44:00.001-05:00

Benjamin Franklin was the only Founding Father who signed all three of the important documents during the birth of our nation: the Declaration of Independence (at age 70), the Treaty of Paris which ended the Revolutionary War (at age 77), and the Constitution (at age 81).

There is not room in this blog to list all of this remarkable man’s accomplishments. He was integral to the early days of America in many areas: publishing, scientific discoveries, inventions, diplomacy, legislative government, and even the first Postmaster General. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775 where his enormous influence here and abroad brought credibility to the fledgling United States.

Our present society idolizes youth and beauty and tends to marginalize the older, wiser generation. With the tempering influence of wisdom painfully gained over a lifetime of achievement, youthful zeal can be channeled into powerful, productive citizenship. Without the sound advice of those in the older generation who are truly wise, our nation will fall on its collective foolish face.

One is never too old to make life-changing contributions to family, church, community, and nation.

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” --Benjamin Franklin