Yesterday Virginia State Trooper Chad Dermyer was killed in Richmond Virginia by a Chicago thug who was hell bent on killing a cop. My brother knew Tpr. Dermyer--they were roommates in the same VSP Basic Session. I have to tell y'all, I have found myself drifting in and out of anger and sadness. I am sorely grieved that there is a family without a husband and father tonight whose lives will never be the same because the head of their family was brutally taken from them. I am seething with anger that there is a dead officer, a wife grieving her husband, children missing their father, all because of an evil mindset that for some reason has taken root in our nation. When did it become, not just cool, but the "moral" thing to hate cops and hate them so much that the solution is to become violent against them? When did our nation's leadership become such crooked people that they didn't back the cops, but they placed the blame on the cop, not on the disrespectful progressives who became violent against the cop?
Omission to do something is sometimes synonymous with actual commission. And the President's omission to condemn the violence against our police is the same as actively endorsing the violence against them. He sets the tone for the entire nation. What he says is reflected in the communities and the attitudes of the people. He isn't backing the police, but rather pointing them out to be the problem, when the reality is, there is a serious problem with respect for the law and those who enforce the law in certain communities. He's supposed to be the one to support the law and those who enforce it, to condemn violence against them and the breaking of the law, but for the sake of his twisted political agenda, he is content to wag his finger at them in a chiding manner, which essentially endorses the idea that the police are the problem, not at those who recklessly disrespect the officer or willfully break the law. His silence is unprecedented and it's baffling. (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/02/12/deafening-silence-obama-2016-dems-mum-on-recent-police-deaths.html)
I'm not just pulling this out of thin air, people. The violence against the police officer has greatly increased, even just since the beginning of this year. From January-February 2016, there had already been 14 line of duty deaths, and that's just in Virginia. If you're not totally convinced by just my saying this, then check out this article by the Washington Times: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/feb/29/police-officer-shooting-deaths-on-rise-in-2016-ami/?page=all There is a cry for law enforcement reform, but not criminal reform--shouldn't it be the other way around?? Police are being blamed for this violence, being told they use excessive force---excuse me, if the criminal is known to be violent and isn't cooperating with police, wouldn't you rather they be subdued as quickly as possible before they kill someone? But the irony is in many of these cases, these officers were just doing their job. Tpr. Dermyer wasn't detaining the shooter--he had barely engaged him in conversation before James Brown III pulled out his gun and shot him multiple times. Same with the Prince William officer--it was her first day on the job, her FIRST DAY--she was killed by a violent man who had already killed his wife who had contacted the police because she was afraid of him. There is a war on police and the leadership in this nation is not condemning it. All you can hear from the White House regarding these police shootings is silence, one long stretch of silence.
So, I'm angry. I want justice for the men and women gunned down for doing their job, for protecting their community, for giving their lives for the betterment of society. I'm the daughter of a police officer. I have brothers and friends who serve the public as law enforcement officers. I want there to be an outcry from the people at the silence of the President, the silence of the White House, because Blue Lives Matter. Blue Lives ensure that ALL LIVES matter. Support the police because they sure as hell-fire don't do this job for the money. They're the sheepdogs who watch over the flock, making sure the wolves stay deep in the forest, regardless of the cost to them. You want to honor Tpr. Dermyer's sacrifice? Back his brothers in blue.
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
If you've known me for any amount of time, it won't take you long to figure out that I am vastly interested in staying current on political goings on--issues facing the word and our country, the leaders of our nation, as well as the many different opinions by pundits, analysts, news personalities, the everyday citizens who make up our nation. If you've been following the debates--Democratic or Republican--you cannot have missed the bumbling antics and contradictory rhetoric of Donald Trump. Trump is an anomaly in this Presidential race; no one thought he'd make it as far as he has and personally, I'm disgusted that there are actual people who believe he's a legitimate conservative. Here's the rub with Trump (and if you don't read Charles Krauthammer, then do yourself a favor and subscribe to the Washington Post just for his analysis of all things political, because he's shed a great deal of light on this Trump spectacle): Trump speaks out of both sides of his mouth. It wasn't until this past year that he began to "embrace" (and I use that term with the lightest of emphasis possible) the conservative ideas that the Republican party has defined itself by. Previously, he hasn't just been a stout Democrat, but he's been a rather large contributor to the likes of both Bill & Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Rahm Emmanuel, Charlie Rangel, John Kerry, and Ted Kennedy. If at least two of those names didn't make your heart stop, then you either need to read up on your Democrat scandal cover-ups or realize that what I have to say on this blog won't sit too well with you. And I will hand it to Trump that he has contributed to other people who are not nearly as shady as those I listed, but his political donations to Democrats are 54% of his total donations. And if that wasn't enough to convince you that he's more Democrat than Republican, then this little fact from a 2011 article in the Washington Post by Dan Eggen & T.W. Farnam should definitely make you concerned: "The biggest recipient of all has been the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee of New York, which has taken in more than $125,000 from Trump and his companies. Overall, Trump has given nearly $600,000 to New York state campaigns, with more than two-thirds going to Democrats." Predominantly, Trump's money indicates much more accurately what he supports than what he claims to support. So to say Trump is a Republican who wants to return to conservative principles is like telling me that yellow snow is a lemon flavored icee. You're right, it is the right color, but the taste indicates that it is most definitely NOT for human consumption.
Trump it seemed at first came out of the woodwork as one of those individuals who was just fed up with an administration that wasn't doing what it promised. I can't fault him for that, the promises of the Obama administration really did fall short, even to their supporters. But here's the problem with the progression of the Trump frenzy: conservatives who want change are now taking him seriously as the "champion" for the restoration of conservative principles. And this is a gross misunderstanding of who Trump is and what he stands for. Originally, Trump threw out his ideas in a rather bizarre manner of strategy: if the Republican base agreed with what he said, then he touted that idea more firmly, insisting that this was why he'd make a great Republican President. If the base disagreed or felt that his wording was too ostracizing, he backed off the idea and put up the excuse that what he said was taken out of context. But now we've reached a point in the Trump campaign where he literally can say ANYTHING and the base applauds it, runs with it, and screams, "PREACH IT, BROTHA!" And to prove his arrogance at this point, he literally said he could murder someone and he'd still get votes. And no one batted an eye, because you know, it's Trump. Part of his appeal is that he says things bluntly. But just because you can state things bluntly does not mean you should run a country; maybe you should just start a talk show instead. Trump can't handle a moderator lobbing difficult questions, so he decides to not participate in the Iowa debates. He's intimidated that Ted Cruz is gaining in the polls, so he decides to launch a smear campaign against one, of if not the most, conservative member in the Senate. He doesn't like that you disagree with him, he shuts you out, forget having a debate based on facts and strategy. We already have a President who does that--why on earth would we trade him in for the exact same thing, just under a different label?
I'm a Liberty graduate, the place Jerry Falwell Sr. started to educate men and women in moral principle & truth based on the Word of God and encourage the Christian youth of our nation to engage in civic duty, not just in voting, but in knowing the issues and discussing them from a biblical point of view. I can't tell you how disappointed I was that Jerry Jr. endorsed Donald Trump, even going so far as to compare Trump to his dad. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't always a fan of Jerry Sr. because you can only take but so many sermons telling you to rethink your life and consider going to the foreign mission field, when you already have a plan that does not include Thailand or Nigeria. And I was the last generation to actually have Jerry Sr. as a chancellor, so it's not like I had this incredibly tight relationship with Jerry Sr.--I never even got to meet him my freshman year, which did make me a bit sad because he did visit my dad at MCV when he was diagnosed with cancer. But I digress: I have to think that based on why Jerry Sr. founded Liberty and started Moral Majority, comparing him to Trump is not just a slight misinterpretation of Jerry Sr's principles, but a kind of a slap in the face to Jerry Sr's adherence of moral truth. Trump isn't a conservative-- he doesn't want to take our nation back to the basics of the Constitution and he only values the Bible as it serves his purpose. He doesn't have a real game plan or strategy of what he wants to accomplish in office other than build a wall on the Mexican border and give everyone his version of Obamacare that he swears will work because it's by "the Donald". What Trump wants is to play God and being President is as close as you can get to that. To call him a conservative is grossly inaccurate and to be honest, having Trump in office is just as terrifying as having Hillary in office, because it becomes difficult to distinguish the truth when you're a blind sheep following explosive rhetoric full of sound and fury signifying nothing... except selfish ambition.
Trump it seemed at first came out of the woodwork as one of those individuals who was just fed up with an administration that wasn't doing what it promised. I can't fault him for that, the promises of the Obama administration really did fall short, even to their supporters. But here's the problem with the progression of the Trump frenzy: conservatives who want change are now taking him seriously as the "champion" for the restoration of conservative principles. And this is a gross misunderstanding of who Trump is and what he stands for. Originally, Trump threw out his ideas in a rather bizarre manner of strategy: if the Republican base agreed with what he said, then he touted that idea more firmly, insisting that this was why he'd make a great Republican President. If the base disagreed or felt that his wording was too ostracizing, he backed off the idea and put up the excuse that what he said was taken out of context. But now we've reached a point in the Trump campaign where he literally can say ANYTHING and the base applauds it, runs with it, and screams, "PREACH IT, BROTHA!" And to prove his arrogance at this point, he literally said he could murder someone and he'd still get votes. And no one batted an eye, because you know, it's Trump. Part of his appeal is that he says things bluntly. But just because you can state things bluntly does not mean you should run a country; maybe you should just start a talk show instead. Trump can't handle a moderator lobbing difficult questions, so he decides to not participate in the Iowa debates. He's intimidated that Ted Cruz is gaining in the polls, so he decides to launch a smear campaign against one, of if not the most, conservative member in the Senate. He doesn't like that you disagree with him, he shuts you out, forget having a debate based on facts and strategy. We already have a President who does that--why on earth would we trade him in for the exact same thing, just under a different label?
I'm a Liberty graduate, the place Jerry Falwell Sr. started to educate men and women in moral principle & truth based on the Word of God and encourage the Christian youth of our nation to engage in civic duty, not just in voting, but in knowing the issues and discussing them from a biblical point of view. I can't tell you how disappointed I was that Jerry Jr. endorsed Donald Trump, even going so far as to compare Trump to his dad. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't always a fan of Jerry Sr. because you can only take but so many sermons telling you to rethink your life and consider going to the foreign mission field, when you already have a plan that does not include Thailand or Nigeria. And I was the last generation to actually have Jerry Sr. as a chancellor, so it's not like I had this incredibly tight relationship with Jerry Sr.--I never even got to meet him my freshman year, which did make me a bit sad because he did visit my dad at MCV when he was diagnosed with cancer. But I digress: I have to think that based on why Jerry Sr. founded Liberty and started Moral Majority, comparing him to Trump is not just a slight misinterpretation of Jerry Sr's principles, but a kind of a slap in the face to Jerry Sr's adherence of moral truth. Trump isn't a conservative-- he doesn't want to take our nation back to the basics of the Constitution and he only values the Bible as it serves his purpose. He doesn't have a real game plan or strategy of what he wants to accomplish in office other than build a wall on the Mexican border and give everyone his version of Obamacare that he swears will work because it's by "the Donald". What Trump wants is to play God and being President is as close as you can get to that. To call him a conservative is grossly inaccurate and to be honest, having Trump in office is just as terrifying as having Hillary in office, because it becomes difficult to distinguish the truth when you're a blind sheep following explosive rhetoric full of sound and fury signifying nothing... except selfish ambition.
Absently Present
Sometimes I think I pay attention to things more acutely now because I am a mother. What was a societal concern before has become an awareness of potential dangers and heartache my child could encounter in life. And the thing I am finding in common with many (many, but not all) issues that children face (sex, drugs, alcohol, things of that nature) is the lack of parental involvement n a child's "personal" life or awareness of unvoiced struggles a child may face. Granted, my child isn't even a year old yet and I am by no means touting myself as a perfect parent because right now my parenting consists of diaper changes, nursing, kisses, and cuddles, but I'm already thinking about how my husband and I are going to combat these serious issues. how are we going to guide our son into making the right decisions so that he is not putting himself in a position of compromise--or how we are going to make sure that he isn't put in positions of compromise as much as is within our control?
I heard a term recently that struck me upside the head because it was a terrifyingly simple concept: present but absent parenting. It's the concept that the parent is in the home, but there is a characteristic of unavailability, be it because Mommy needs her space or Daddy needs some down time after work, neither of which sound bad because parents do need time to themselves and with each other. However, when that "me time" takes precedence over investing in a child with affirmation of worth, nurturing of the parent-child relationship, and spending quality time together, that's a clear indication that present but absent parenting is occurring. At the point where you are placing your immediate needs of pleasure and self fulfillment over the well-being of your child's emotional state of being and development, you've essentially said, "Ok, kid, I think you've got this life thing under wraps, so have at it." (Please note, I'm not pointing fingers--this is purely an observation I've made and pray that God helps me as a parent.]
Children do not pick things up on their own---sports, politics, personal faith, children are nothing if not keen observers of parents because parents are the ones who are set in place by God to be the example of how to live life. Your kids watch you--whether you want them to or not--and what they observe is not just what you want them to see. They watch how you handle failure, they watch how you handle frustration, anger, love, pain, fear, etc. What you do directly affects your child and what you omit to do also affects your child. Assuming (or worse, hoping) your child will take your faith without actively teaching and admonishing him or her in God's Word is the same as thinking that because you set your coffee cup next to a bowl of sugar, your coffee will be sugared because it was in the same vicinity as the sugar. Parents have an extraordinary gift with their children. This profound privilege to engage these little (or not so little) lives, to invest in them, to actively point them towards truth, to help mold them into responsible adults who live their lives to glorify God and impact their world is ours and it cannot be taken lightly or put to the side while we make sure we get our "me time." Because if we don't invest in our children, the rest of the world is going to immediately jump in and do your job for you.
Our children need us to be active participants in their lives. We are supposed to be the one person in their life who is always there for them, cheer for them when they win, guide them in truth, encourage them when they fail, love them regardless of what they do, because we reflect God's love to them. Your child or children should always know they are your favorite over any other child in the world because God gave them to you. I'm not advocating that you give up everything for your kids...wait, no, actually, I am advocating that exactly---give up everything to ensure that you spend quality time with your child, giving them guidance, educating them in the Word, and exhorting them to live a life of principle and respect. There is a very small window of opportunity where we can influence our children before anyone else and we cannot give that up without a fight. What a child learns in his early formative years stays with him for life.My mother, bless her heart, gave up so many nights of sleep because we needed to talk to her about something that was bothering us or that was important to us because she wanted to make sure we knew how much she loved us and wanted to help us make the right decisions in life. Some of my brothers' and my best memories is sitting on my mom's bed talking until 3am. We have a brief time in this world and we can spend it indulging ourselves or we can realize that there is nothing more important than investing in these little lives so that they not only come to a knowledge of God and the truth of His Word, but live their lives according to the principles He has set forth for us.
I heard a term recently that struck me upside the head because it was a terrifyingly simple concept: present but absent parenting. It's the concept that the parent is in the home, but there is a characteristic of unavailability, be it because Mommy needs her space or Daddy needs some down time after work, neither of which sound bad because parents do need time to themselves and with each other. However, when that "me time" takes precedence over investing in a child with affirmation of worth, nurturing of the parent-child relationship, and spending quality time together, that's a clear indication that present but absent parenting is occurring. At the point where you are placing your immediate needs of pleasure and self fulfillment over the well-being of your child's emotional state of being and development, you've essentially said, "Ok, kid, I think you've got this life thing under wraps, so have at it." (Please note, I'm not pointing fingers--this is purely an observation I've made and pray that God helps me as a parent.]
Children do not pick things up on their own---sports, politics, personal faith, children are nothing if not keen observers of parents because parents are the ones who are set in place by God to be the example of how to live life. Your kids watch you--whether you want them to or not--and what they observe is not just what you want them to see. They watch how you handle failure, they watch how you handle frustration, anger, love, pain, fear, etc. What you do directly affects your child and what you omit to do also affects your child. Assuming (or worse, hoping) your child will take your faith without actively teaching and admonishing him or her in God's Word is the same as thinking that because you set your coffee cup next to a bowl of sugar, your coffee will be sugared because it was in the same vicinity as the sugar. Parents have an extraordinary gift with their children. This profound privilege to engage these little (or not so little) lives, to invest in them, to actively point them towards truth, to help mold them into responsible adults who live their lives to glorify God and impact their world is ours and it cannot be taken lightly or put to the side while we make sure we get our "me time." Because if we don't invest in our children, the rest of the world is going to immediately jump in and do your job for you.
Our children need us to be active participants in their lives. We are supposed to be the one person in their life who is always there for them, cheer for them when they win, guide them in truth, encourage them when they fail, love them regardless of what they do, because we reflect God's love to them. Your child or children should always know they are your favorite over any other child in the world because God gave them to you. I'm not advocating that you give up everything for your kids...wait, no, actually, I am advocating that exactly---give up everything to ensure that you spend quality time with your child, giving them guidance, educating them in the Word, and exhorting them to live a life of principle and respect. There is a very small window of opportunity where we can influence our children before anyone else and we cannot give that up without a fight. What a child learns in his early formative years stays with him for life.My mother, bless her heart, gave up so many nights of sleep because we needed to talk to her about something that was bothering us or that was important to us because she wanted to make sure we knew how much she loved us and wanted to help us make the right decisions in life. Some of my brothers' and my best memories is sitting on my mom's bed talking until 3am. We have a brief time in this world and we can spend it indulging ourselves or we can realize that there is nothing more important than investing in these little lives so that they not only come to a knowledge of God and the truth of His Word, but live their lives according to the principles He has set forth for us.
Saddle Up, Pilgrim
I came across this article on why American citizens should procure firearms after the San Bernardino terrorist act. And the first thing that popped up on the screen when I clicked on the link was a picture from the film The Magnificent Seven. For those poor souls who have never seen this Steven McQueen, Yule Brenner, Charles Bronson, & Eli Wallach classic Western as children, go out right now, either on Amazon, Ebay, or Walmart, and for pity sake purchase this film immediately. In short, the movie is about a small town on the Mexico Texas border who is terrorized by an outlaw gang every year at harvest time. The gang strips the town of their harvest, harass their women, and creates a general state of terror and unrest. So the town finally goes out and hires 7 gunmen to help protect their town. We're not talking pristine men with reputable jobs who just happen to be crack shots and decide to defend this small town out of principle. These are hired guns with all the implications that can be possibly inferred--they're there for the money. Most of them are broke, this is just what they do--they're not knights in shining armor; they've more in common with the gang terrorizing the village than they do with the village. But the dilemma they encounter in the village is the reluctance of the villagers to take up arms in defense of themselves. They've never used guns, weapons scare them, and they'd rather let the gang just blow on through. Baffled, these gunmen attempt to educate the farmers on how to shoot and in the process, they realize the importance of having something worth fighting for. And at the same time, the villagers realize the vital importance of defending their own homes, not just expecting someone else to defend it for you, because no one values your home and your family more than you.
So how does this in any way relate to what happened in San Berardino? Americans have lived in a world of denial since this administration took over. Why? Because political correctness has made it so that we assume everyone is basically good and that even if they aren't, we should still let them walk all over us, because y'know eventually passing laws and discussing the problems ad nauseum will bring about security and stability. Hate to break it to you, folks, but we're the little peasant town. We're allowing the "gang" of progressive liberal thinking to run roughshod over us because it's easier to close our eyes and think of England than it is to stand up and say "no." Our generation has become accustomed to the idea that the government will defend us, they're the ones who make sure we don't get hurt, that we can live our lives in comfort. And this is a dangerous way to think, because the minute you assume someone else is going to look out for you, you become the sheep, not the sheepdog, and wolves find it easier to go after the sheep because there's no fight. As a christian, I realize that no matter what earthly precautions my husband and I take to defend our home and family, ultimately, we have to trust that God is the only one who can offer legitimate protection and security. But I also believe that when God gave us free will, we were also given responsibility. Whatever choices you make in exercising your free will shall also have an effect on your life--be it good, bad, or ugly. And right now there's a choice staring you in the face: am I going to be a sheep and assume that someone else is going to defend me and mine? Or am I going to be a sheepdog--do I take the offense, not just for myself and my family, but also for those who are not prepared for the unpredictable evils of this world?
I understand that not everyone is going to agree with me on this issue. It's America--we have this incredible freedom to dissent without fear of repercussion. So, might I encourage y'all to pack some heat, because you never know when the wolf is going to lunge out of the shadows for the jugular. And when he does--because he will inevitably jump--please give him the regards of Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson.
7 Reasons You Should Buy a Gun After San Bernardino
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/12/04/7-reasons-buy-gun-san-bernardino/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
So how does this in any way relate to what happened in San Berardino? Americans have lived in a world of denial since this administration took over. Why? Because political correctness has made it so that we assume everyone is basically good and that even if they aren't, we should still let them walk all over us, because y'know eventually passing laws and discussing the problems ad nauseum will bring about security and stability. Hate to break it to you, folks, but we're the little peasant town. We're allowing the "gang" of progressive liberal thinking to run roughshod over us because it's easier to close our eyes and think of England than it is to stand up and say "no." Our generation has become accustomed to the idea that the government will defend us, they're the ones who make sure we don't get hurt, that we can live our lives in comfort. And this is a dangerous way to think, because the minute you assume someone else is going to look out for you, you become the sheep, not the sheepdog, and wolves find it easier to go after the sheep because there's no fight. As a christian, I realize that no matter what earthly precautions my husband and I take to defend our home and family, ultimately, we have to trust that God is the only one who can offer legitimate protection and security. But I also believe that when God gave us free will, we were also given responsibility. Whatever choices you make in exercising your free will shall also have an effect on your life--be it good, bad, or ugly. And right now there's a choice staring you in the face: am I going to be a sheep and assume that someone else is going to defend me and mine? Or am I going to be a sheepdog--do I take the offense, not just for myself and my family, but also for those who are not prepared for the unpredictable evils of this world?
I understand that not everyone is going to agree with me on this issue. It's America--we have this incredible freedom to dissent without fear of repercussion. So, might I encourage y'all to pack some heat, because you never know when the wolf is going to lunge out of the shadows for the jugular. And when he does--because he will inevitably jump--please give him the regards of Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson.
7 Reasons You Should Buy a Gun After San Bernardino
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/12/04/7-reasons-buy-gun-san-bernardino/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
Call the Spade a Spade
Let's be clear about two things regarding the San Bernardino shootings:
1. Guns don't kill people. People kill people.
2. This was not a random mass shooting. This was an Islamic terror act.
Gun control talks dealing with this matter are so off base they make Al Gore look like a briliant mind of science. Gun control is NOT the answer--case in point, California has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the nation and the terror act yesterday was carried out using assault weapons that are illegal in Cali. Gun control only works to restrict law abiding gun owners because criminals and those who seek to do evil will procure weapons by any means possible.
The two shooters were both Muslim, which is why the FBI has been involved from the get go. This was an act of terror. It was calculated, it was planned, and it was motovated by Islamic extremist ideology. So, tell me again how Islam is a religion of peace, because according to ISIS, 9/11, Israel's constant threat of annihilation by the Arab Muslim world, and the Paris attacks, to name just a handful of the barbarism perpetrated in the name of Islam, are testifying otherwise.
1. Guns don't kill people. People kill people.
2. This was not a random mass shooting. This was an Islamic terror act.
Gun control talks dealing with this matter are so off base they make Al Gore look like a briliant mind of science. Gun control is NOT the answer--case in point, California has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the nation and the terror act yesterday was carried out using assault weapons that are illegal in Cali. Gun control only works to restrict law abiding gun owners because criminals and those who seek to do evil will procure weapons by any means possible.
The two shooters were both Muslim, which is why the FBI has been involved from the get go. This was an act of terror. It was calculated, it was planned, and it was motovated by Islamic extremist ideology. So, tell me again how Islam is a religion of peace, because according to ISIS, 9/11, Israel's constant threat of annihilation by the Arab Muslim world, and the Paris attacks, to name just a handful of the barbarism perpetrated in the name of Islam, are testifying otherwise.
Fight Like A Girl---Ain't No Shame, But You Ain't No Man
Before you read the attached articles, let me give a little preface (and by little, I mean an introductory chapter):
I am a woman. (I know, I know, major revelation that is...) I am confident, independently responsible individual (being married doesn't mean you give up independent responsibility, in fact, marriage requires you to keep up the independent responsibility so your partnership with your spouse continues on without one or the other becoming burned out by assuming sole responsibility in your marriage.), and strongly support women who desire to have a career, because not all women marry and not all marriages last til you're 80 (be it due to death or divorce). I was raised by a single mom who worked hard every day of my life and continues to work hard as a nurse, a mother,a grandmother, and a wife. I buck at people who assume that because I am a woman, I won't stand up for myself or my family or my beliefs, because women are to submit. I submit to my husband willingly. I am not anti-feminism, except for the fact that feminism in this day and age apparently has become synonymous with entitlement and turning a blind eye to reality because of political correctness.
However, there are things women cannot do. Ronda Rousey, Holy Holm, and the two female army rangers are women who could beat me hands down every day of the week and twice on Sunday---I wholly admit to that fact. There is a whole spectrum of physically spectacular women that are incredibly capable of mastering difficult jobs I wouldn't want to even think about entering. But just because you are at the top of the female physical spectrum does not mean you are a man. Face it, ladies---there are things that men can do that you cannot. Sorry, you just can't (of course at the same time, there aren't any men running around incubating babies for 9 months and then popping them out either, so there's that fact as well.) Allowing women in combative positions for the sake of political correctness jeopardizes the men who have been carrying the weight of such hazardous and intense work since the beginning of time. Yes, women in combative positions are weaker than men. Whether you like it or not, ladies, combative male units are compromised when women are attached to them because there is a standard that they cannot measure up to. There is a limit to what you can do.
No shame, just fact.
Look What We Discovered about the Female Army Rangers:
http://www.allenbwest.com/2015/12/as-obama-orders-women-in-combat-look-what-we-discovered-about-female-army-rangers/
The Problems of Women in Combat by A Female Combat Veteran:
http://www.westernjournalism.com/the-problems-of-women-in-combat-from-a-female-combat-vet/
I am a woman. (I know, I know, major revelation that is...) I am confident, independently responsible individual (being married doesn't mean you give up independent responsibility, in fact, marriage requires you to keep up the independent responsibility so your partnership with your spouse continues on without one or the other becoming burned out by assuming sole responsibility in your marriage.), and strongly support women who desire to have a career, because not all women marry and not all marriages last til you're 80 (be it due to death or divorce). I was raised by a single mom who worked hard every day of my life and continues to work hard as a nurse, a mother,a grandmother, and a wife. I buck at people who assume that because I am a woman, I won't stand up for myself or my family or my beliefs, because women are to submit. I submit to my husband willingly. I am not anti-feminism, except for the fact that feminism in this day and age apparently has become synonymous with entitlement and turning a blind eye to reality because of political correctness.
However, there are things women cannot do. Ronda Rousey, Holy Holm, and the two female army rangers are women who could beat me hands down every day of the week and twice on Sunday---I wholly admit to that fact. There is a whole spectrum of physically spectacular women that are incredibly capable of mastering difficult jobs I wouldn't want to even think about entering. But just because you are at the top of the female physical spectrum does not mean you are a man. Face it, ladies---there are things that men can do that you cannot. Sorry, you just can't (of course at the same time, there aren't any men running around incubating babies for 9 months and then popping them out either, so there's that fact as well.) Allowing women in combative positions for the sake of political correctness jeopardizes the men who have been carrying the weight of such hazardous and intense work since the beginning of time. Yes, women in combative positions are weaker than men. Whether you like it or not, ladies, combative male units are compromised when women are attached to them because there is a standard that they cannot measure up to. There is a limit to what you can do.
No shame, just fact.
Look What We Discovered about the Female Army Rangers:
http://www.allenbwest.com/2015/12/as-obama-orders-women-in-combat-look-what-we-discovered-about-female-army-rangers/
The Problems of Women in Combat by A Female Combat Veteran:
http://www.westernjournalism.com/the-problems-of-women-in-combat-from-a-female-combat-vet/
Tell Me Who's That Rider...
I haven't much time to post as thoughts bounce around in my head, many many little lights flickering here and there about various things that have been popping up in my life, the news, my Facebook feed--I admit it is a bit embarrassing that some of my consternation comes from the bits of inanity that I witness people post on social media, but it is in fact true... Between the Syrian refugee crisis, Obamacare, gun control drivel, presidential candidates debates, the murder and rape of Amanda Blackburn, the absurd idea of gender fluidity, the incredibly disappointing influence of political correctness on the church, muddling of right and wrong to a grayish twilight of not-so-bad-not-so-good by both Christians and the general society, and Blake Shelton getting with Gwen Stefani minutes after signing his divorce papers to Miranda Lambert, I find myself wanting to shake my fists at the sky and scream until my vocal chords rasp at the lack of conviction and principles that seem to be virtually everywhere. (OK, so I wasn't that put out by the Blake Shelton-Miranda Lambert divorce--it is Hollywood after all--but c'mon, Blake: Gwen??) Perhaps this isn't the place to discuss my thoughts, but here I am proceeding to discuss, because I am tired of being silent.
There are principles and morals that all individuals live by. Those who claim principles and morals are subjective to the individual are sadly mistaken. There is right and there is wrong. You cannot live your life in an innocuous middle ground, hoping to please God and fully embrace everyone with your morally ambiguous ideals. Within the heart of every man, there is a knowledge of good and evil, and that knowledge is not subjective to religion. You know because you were created in the image of God and as such there are things within our make up that we cannot escape. We can delude ourselves and others into thinking that we have reconciled our liberal views with our God, that He really is more liberal than we are because He loves everyone and wants us to love as He does. While I do not dispute the fact that God loves everyone in an incomprehensible capacity that I haven't even begun to fathom, He is the God of order, the God of righteousness and holiness, the God of holy wrath, and the God of mercy. That last one is one I struggle with the most sometimes. The injustices and evils that are so blatant continue to occur, the blatant lackadaisical attitude people have towards the definitive line in the sand, the avoidance of calling a spade by its proper name, all of these get my dander up. I, like Jonah, want God to rain down judgment, to consume the evil, to show that He is the one with the last word, that everyone who said He was not or who acted indifferent towards Him would be brought to their knees because because He has come to reclaim what is His at last. But that's the thing about our God. He is not at all governed by feelings as I am. He is merciful because He is God, because He sees the big picture of what has been, what is, and what will be, while I'm focusing on the right now.
When God heard the repentant cries from the people of Nineveh, Jonah was angry. He want to see fire, consummation of evil, vindication of what he had been proclaiming, that God was the one with the last laugh. But God knew it wasn't about the last laugh or vindication. And he knows now when I scream and point my finger asking, "WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE??? WHEN WILL THERE BE JUSTICE???" He knows and He reminds me gently as I huff with crossed arms, blood boiling in my beet red face, and angrily tapping foot, that a day is coming. But it is not that day. And I must wait and proclaim the truth of the Bible, the love of Jesus, and not waver in my faith because He has said patience. Patience---I desire that none shall perish---what are you doing to make Me known? To show the love of God and yet show the seriousness of the hour? So I will wait. I will wait and I will make His name known, because we are not meant for this world forever and there will come a day when it will be over and God will reign. How am I making Him known to others so that they will know His truth?
And that's where I will leave it for now...
There are principles and morals that all individuals live by. Those who claim principles and morals are subjective to the individual are sadly mistaken. There is right and there is wrong. You cannot live your life in an innocuous middle ground, hoping to please God and fully embrace everyone with your morally ambiguous ideals. Within the heart of every man, there is a knowledge of good and evil, and that knowledge is not subjective to religion. You know because you were created in the image of God and as such there are things within our make up that we cannot escape. We can delude ourselves and others into thinking that we have reconciled our liberal views with our God, that He really is more liberal than we are because He loves everyone and wants us to love as He does. While I do not dispute the fact that God loves everyone in an incomprehensible capacity that I haven't even begun to fathom, He is the God of order, the God of righteousness and holiness, the God of holy wrath, and the God of mercy. That last one is one I struggle with the most sometimes. The injustices and evils that are so blatant continue to occur, the blatant lackadaisical attitude people have towards the definitive line in the sand, the avoidance of calling a spade by its proper name, all of these get my dander up. I, like Jonah, want God to rain down judgment, to consume the evil, to show that He is the one with the last word, that everyone who said He was not or who acted indifferent towards Him would be brought to their knees because because He has come to reclaim what is His at last. But that's the thing about our God. He is not at all governed by feelings as I am. He is merciful because He is God, because He sees the big picture of what has been, what is, and what will be, while I'm focusing on the right now.
When God heard the repentant cries from the people of Nineveh, Jonah was angry. He want to see fire, consummation of evil, vindication of what he had been proclaiming, that God was the one with the last laugh. But God knew it wasn't about the last laugh or vindication. And he knows now when I scream and point my finger asking, "WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE??? WHEN WILL THERE BE JUSTICE???" He knows and He reminds me gently as I huff with crossed arms, blood boiling in my beet red face, and angrily tapping foot, that a day is coming. But it is not that day. And I must wait and proclaim the truth of the Bible, the love of Jesus, and not waver in my faith because He has said patience. Patience---I desire that none shall perish---what are you doing to make Me known? To show the love of God and yet show the seriousness of the hour? So I will wait. I will wait and I will make His name known, because we are not meant for this world forever and there will come a day when it will be over and God will reign. How am I making Him known to others so that they will know His truth?
And that's where I will leave it for now...
A New Era
Well, that was a quite the hiatus I took from writing. Funny how life happens and you suddenly realize the things you intended to do on a daily basis were somehow left in the corner to collect dust bunnies for the past couple years. I'd like to say that I was voraciously involved in some greater writing scheme, that blogging took back seat to penning the great American novel, but no, I was simply living life and writing quietly became obsolete in light of, well, life...
There is now a little gurgling boy residing in our house who will one day call me "Mommy" when he figures out how to make his sweet raspy voice form words instead of the precious coos and growls he currently communicates in. So while I wasn't writing nearly as much as I should have, there has been good reason for the hiatus of writing, because this little boy and his daddy are my entire world and sometimes words are not enough to express just what they mean to me.
I was teaching during the two years I wasn't actually writing and to be honest, there was a great deal of writing that occurred then that probably could make up for my lapse. However, I'm not certain that commenting on grammatical errors and pointing out flaws in persuasive essays count as legitimate creative writing. But teaching did slowly draw me back to writing, as a sweet song of a bluebird draws one outside on a spring day, charmingly and full of silly little trills and lilting notes floating on the breeze. So it was a note on a post-it here and lines scribbled on scraps of paper there. I suppose I shall organize them at some point, probably in stolen moments when little man is sleeping and I should be doing laundry or making dinner. But I must write. That small voice is still there wanting to say something that resonates within the soul, that captures the heart with the honesty of living a simple little life, and that assures me that it is still there in the background waiting for the noise of living to subside for just a moment.
Thus, I re-enter the world of the written word. And who knows, perhaps I will yet pen a novel, not so much great as charmingly honest in the simplicity of real life storytelling. We shall see...
There is now a little gurgling boy residing in our house who will one day call me "Mommy" when he figures out how to make his sweet raspy voice form words instead of the precious coos and growls he currently communicates in. So while I wasn't writing nearly as much as I should have, there has been good reason for the hiatus of writing, because this little boy and his daddy are my entire world and sometimes words are not enough to express just what they mean to me.
I was teaching during the two years I wasn't actually writing and to be honest, there was a great deal of writing that occurred then that probably could make up for my lapse. However, I'm not certain that commenting on grammatical errors and pointing out flaws in persuasive essays count as legitimate creative writing. But teaching did slowly draw me back to writing, as a sweet song of a bluebird draws one outside on a spring day, charmingly and full of silly little trills and lilting notes floating on the breeze. So it was a note on a post-it here and lines scribbled on scraps of paper there. I suppose I shall organize them at some point, probably in stolen moments when little man is sleeping and I should be doing laundry or making dinner. But I must write. That small voice is still there wanting to say something that resonates within the soul, that captures the heart with the honesty of living a simple little life, and that assures me that it is still there in the background waiting for the noise of living to subside for just a moment.
Thus, I re-enter the world of the written word. And who knows, perhaps I will yet pen a novel, not so much great as charmingly honest in the simplicity of real life storytelling. We shall see...
The Ache of the Soul
I find myself in a mildly confusing state of mind. I feel as if I am eight years old again, as if time hardly passed and I am back where I was in February of 1997, uncertain, terrified of what was about to happen. And I can't help it, after all these years and my putting the pain to rest, laying down the anger that gripped my soul for so long a time, I am back to 8 years old, creeping down the stairs to make sure that he's still here in our house, still on the medical bed in the corner of the living room. There's a scarred bit of tissue in the middle of my heart and for some reason it has begun to bleed again. It hurts ever so much--I am agony, I am pain, I am shrieks in the night of my mind, I am a rock, sunk to the bottom of a lake, drowning in the murky waters of my soul's depths. I want to scream, I want to weep into the great void, the bottomless chasm of pain that raises it's ugly head, when I was quite certain at some point I had crushed it with a shovel,I had conquered the deviant little serpent of pain. But there it is: the void with the gaping mouth ready to consume me with a suffocating darkness. I want to scream, but I cannot. I want to beat my fists against something, make something hurt as bad as my own heart. But I cannot--such displays of emotion are discouraged in public places, especially the work place.
This doesn't make much sense, readers, so don't distress yourselves with the confusion that will inevitably ensue with the reading of this post. I've simply come to realize more than ever these truths: There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain goes on and on. It's too soon to say goodbye.
I have no more to say. Words fail me.
This doesn't make much sense, readers, so don't distress yourselves with the confusion that will inevitably ensue with the reading of this post. I've simply come to realize more than ever these truths: There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain goes on and on. It's too soon to say goodbye.
I have no more to say. Words fail me.
Woe to those with a pen...
I have just read the most humorously insightful and poignantly truthful article on what it means to be a writer. And I must confess, I felt a small blush of pride as I identified with nearly every single "woe." Perhaps I do have the capacity to be a conjurer of words, a master of the pen, lord of the page... My absolute favorite woe, however, was this one:
"Woe#9: Woe to those who hear, who touch and who see, yet who drop the pen and turn away from the open half-written pages of a world still waiting to be finished. Many stories will be lost. Yours will not end as it should. This woe is far worse than the others."
If that cannot persuade me to keep writing, then I don't believe anything else could...
http://wordservewatercooler.com/2013/01/16/all-the-worlds-a-page-the-9-woes-of-the-writing-life/
"Woe#9: Woe to those who hear, who touch and who see, yet who drop the pen and turn away from the open half-written pages of a world still waiting to be finished. Many stories will be lost. Yours will not end as it should. This woe is far worse than the others."
If that cannot persuade me to keep writing, then I don't believe anything else could...
http://wordservewatercooler.com/2013/01/16/all-the-worlds-a-page-the-9-woes-of-the-writing-life/
The Irony of "Missing"
When I attended university--forgive my phrasing,I am not British, however, I feel that the word "university" more accurately describes my personal collegiate experience far better as a time of intense education, rather than the word "college," which is almost synonymous with a stereotypical concept of drunken, wild, try-anything-once partying, an activity I did not partake of when I attended Liberty University.At any rate, when I attended Liberty University, I majored in English, the perfect combination of reading and writing. There I was, thriving in an environment that indulged my insatiable desire to read, but also taught me how to more accurately pen my reaction and interpretation of the books I read. Reading has always been something I have done quite comfortably--and might I stress most enjoyably--all my life. And I adored everything about class--from the professors, the books, to even the papers assigned. (Yes, I have acknowledged that I have a strange obsession with writing. Papers excited me.) Everything about my classes I heartily enjoyed--except for that one semester in statistics, a rudimentary class proving I was in fact pursuing the correct career path. As a wise woman once wrote, "Algebra has never treated me right."
But then came graduation and I was faced with the real world. Now came to task the acquiring of a job--so easy in theory when a person is alone in their room, beaming satisfactorily over the resume with a slight flush of pride at all the academic accomplishments of the past four years. Until one begins to read the qualifications companies want in an individual they plan to hire. Then comes the slow deflation of the graduate confidence, until you find yourself curled up in the fetal position, bawling uncontrollably into your long suffering boyfriend's lap, occasional hiccups of "what the heck have I done" spilling from your mouth. After a good cry, comes the girding of the loins, the decision to make the most of your talent--get another degree to make your business self more marketable. Law school is too expensive, besides you have been told multiple times by well meaning family members that your temper may in fact be your undoing in a courtroom. So, what is left? Paralegal school.
I must admit, I enjoyed my year and a half of paralegal studies, not so much as idyllic as my first degree, but still, I was reading and writing, so my first degree wasn't going to waste. March down the road a couple years later, taking a brief reprieve to trot down the matrimonial aisle and a little detour down first home owner's lane, and you'll find me at a desk, surrounded by paper work with notes pinned to files that are as cryptic as the uni-bomber's notebook, while I feverishly type up a order to non-suit. And I'll be entirely candid with you, dear reader: this is not exactly how I anticipated my career would go. I enjoy my job, I really do. I work for two splendid attorneys and I find that I am actually quite good at what I do. However, I find I miss English. I miss discussions of literary works, of having some one read my creative work and give me a critique of whether or not it has a literary future. I miss reading books, real books, writing incredibly long papers with hours spent on research. I miss classes, feverish note taking, mind boggling professors, and classmates.
And the irony is yes, I miss reading and writing--even though I do both every single day of my job! So I suppose what I really miss is the creativity, the insight, the gathering of like minds...I miss literature.
But then came graduation and I was faced with the real world. Now came to task the acquiring of a job--so easy in theory when a person is alone in their room, beaming satisfactorily over the resume with a slight flush of pride at all the academic accomplishments of the past four years. Until one begins to read the qualifications companies want in an individual they plan to hire. Then comes the slow deflation of the graduate confidence, until you find yourself curled up in the fetal position, bawling uncontrollably into your long suffering boyfriend's lap, occasional hiccups of "what the heck have I done" spilling from your mouth. After a good cry, comes the girding of the loins, the decision to make the most of your talent--get another degree to make your business self more marketable. Law school is too expensive, besides you have been told multiple times by well meaning family members that your temper may in fact be your undoing in a courtroom. So, what is left? Paralegal school.
I must admit, I enjoyed my year and a half of paralegal studies, not so much as idyllic as my first degree, but still, I was reading and writing, so my first degree wasn't going to waste. March down the road a couple years later, taking a brief reprieve to trot down the matrimonial aisle and a little detour down first home owner's lane, and you'll find me at a desk, surrounded by paper work with notes pinned to files that are as cryptic as the uni-bomber's notebook, while I feverishly type up a order to non-suit. And I'll be entirely candid with you, dear reader: this is not exactly how I anticipated my career would go. I enjoy my job, I really do. I work for two splendid attorneys and I find that I am actually quite good at what I do. However, I find I miss English. I miss discussions of literary works, of having some one read my creative work and give me a critique of whether or not it has a literary future. I miss reading books, real books, writing incredibly long papers with hours spent on research. I miss classes, feverish note taking, mind boggling professors, and classmates.
And the irony is yes, I miss reading and writing--even though I do both every single day of my job! So I suppose what I really miss is the creativity, the insight, the gathering of like minds...I miss literature.
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