Dementia for 2

After much consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter who we vote for. We get the same two entities election after election. The party may change but, the ones in charge do not.

Big Corporations are "The Man". They pay a pittance in taxes and whine about that. They move their companies overseas and hire cheaper labor. They have a stranglehold on Congress with all the backroom deals that are made. There is no control in this area and it doesn't look as though there ever will be.

Second in command goes to the Lobbyists. While most lobbyists are former members of Congress, they have the interests of their clients at the forefront. While the lobbyist should be a noble profession, it has become just as corrupt as all other groups on the Hill.

I don't know if this will change and if it does, if it will be for the better. We need a serious over haul of our government and as much as it pains me to say it, I don't think it will happen. If it does occur by some twist of fate, I am not entirely sure that it will turn in favor of less government, more jobs, and an America that is truly free.

I am listing some interesting links below that I found concerning this. I hope that it helps you the reader to be better informed.

On Lobbyists:
http://www.ou.edu/special/albertctr/extensions/fall2006/Intro.pdf

This is an article I read concerning corporations FedEx in particular.

http://blogs.reuters.com/david-cay-johnston/2011/12/20/the-corporations-that-occupy-congress/

I tried to use the "insert link" button but it did not show the links on my preview page. Hope that doesn't discourage you from reading these articles.

President Obama has a plethora of information on the web and in numerous newspapers concerning his decisions over the past four years.

My personal views aside, he did use the first 2 to pass the buck to Bush. While it is true up to a point, that horse died at the barn long ago. These last 2 years he has been blaming every Republican for miles. At some point he will have to accept responsibility for his own actions or lack thereof.

I do not think his health care plan is a good plan for America. While I don't have the answers, I do think forcing anything through Congress that is obviously full of loopholes and exceptions for your cronies is not good for the masses. Considering that Medicare and Medicaid are some of the most corrupt programs in the government, this new healthcare is doomed from the get go.

As far as his faith goes, he does seem to have a better rapport with the Muslim community. I like most have read the articles concerning the Ramadan dinners and the like at the White House. When you take into account all his talk about being a "Christian" this does seem a little out of sorts. Also you have to consider the fact that he has not gone to church in the last 3 years and now all of a sudden he is attending.

His foreign policy still needs some work to say the least. The Libya thing was not a good move and showed arrogance that he has a hard time concealing. Yes he did get our troops out of Iraq. In an election year. But, if you talk to a few or even many of these same troops you know that they are not home for good. A lot of them are slated to go to Afghanistan in the not too distant future. And we all know what that country is like right now.

While he has not come right out and claimed to be a Socialist, he does have Socialist ties in Chicago. He also appointed some of those men to offices once he was elected. Unfortunately the media is too easily distracted to do any real research on this part of his life. They seem to be obsessed over a birth certificate that should have been settled before he ran the first time.

He has made domestic decisions that have hurt this country. We are ignorant,broke,and there seems to be no end in sight. His "put America back to work" plan which involved building roads and bridges was so strict that most states could not use the money. With the bank bailouts, car company bailouts,government bailouts,housing bailouts I need a bailout.

While President Obama is not my choice for the next president, neither is anyone else at the moment. Prince Mongo is looking better and better.

I have refrained from posting lately because so much has been going on with the candidates! I wish I would have waited on some of them since so much has come out since my posts.

Ron Paul seems to be the red-headed stepchild in this race as well as past Presidential races. I am surprised that he gets any coverage at all. His following seems to be mainly grass roots similar to that of Ross Perot. However, he does not have the financial backing to ensure a more prominent presence. Conservative, Republican, and Libertarian are some of the terms that have been used to describe his political tendencies. I tend to think of him as a Libertarian. This seems to hold true when you look at his voting within Congress.

While I agree with his stance on less government and foreign policy for the most part, there are things that need to be considered. His age would be the foremost. He is almost 80 and I think that has been a stumbling block for him. His lack of support from the masses and especially the media, has not helped either.

However, if he classifies himself as a Libertarian, that would mean that Mr. Paul supports the legalization of drugs, prostitution, pornography, gambling, removal of any restrictions on homosexuality, and censorship. That is just the "short" list. I would venture to say that there really aren't that many true Libertarians out there.

While I don't think Mr. Paul will be elected as President, I do think it would be interesting to see just how much he could remove in the way of government. Maybe a younger man will step up and keep things shaking within the Republican Party. They could use a little shaking.

Mitt Romney's political views are akin to most women getting dressed. We decide on one thing, and then we change 3-4 times before finally deciding on what we want to wear.

First he is pro choice now he is pro life. He runs for Governor in 2002 under the "everyone deserves to be happy" umbrella in support of gay marriage. Now he is against it.

While his religious preference is trying to become an issue among other runners, namely Rick Perry, I don't think Americans as a whole truly understand what the Mormons actually believe. I am not going to delve into all of that here, but, I do encourage you to do your own research on this subject.

While Obamacare is similar to the healthcare in MA, he has said he will dismantle this law and leave it up to the states.

During his last bid for President, Romney advocated for states to play a larger role in the gathering of intelligence supposedly to be used to stop terrorist attacks. This measure includes the opening of a "fusion center" in MA to help states in this endeavor.

His foreign policy is very typical of the Republican Party. Wipe out the jihadists while embracing the moderate Muslims. Continue with China and try to sweet talk them into importing more American products. Refuse to lift embargo against Cuba as long as anyone named Castro is in charge. North Korea, Iran, Israel he is pretty much the same as all Republicans in the past. Of course, this is all subject to change if a new poll comes out regarding any of these issues.

How can Romney expect us to make up our minds about him, when he can't even make up his own mind?

Tea Party doll Michele Bachmann is being asked to drop out of the Presidential race by those that put her in the limelight in the first place.

Her campaign seemed doomed from the beginning. While she has had a few bright moments in the debates, ultimately, she has proven that she needs to go back to school with Sarah Palin. The most recent problems in New Hampshire should have been enough for her to see the writing on the wall.

I cannot decide whether it is the woman herself or the lackeys she has surrounded herself with that is the problem. While she was running for the Senate many things came out about her that should have put her out of the running. Sarah Palin's endorsement helped her immensely.But, she has not had any ringing endorsements from anyone that the American people have been willing to listen to during this campaign.

She is masterful at sidestepping questions and seems unable to give a straight answer to many questions that seem to come to the forefront in elections. When she finally gives in and does answer, she sounds more like Richard Belzer than a presidential hopeful.

Ms. Bachmann is relatively new to the political scene, and that could be part of her problem. She has not had all her "rough" edges polished so to speak. If she it to be taken seriously by the masses, she needs to get it together and learn how to make her point without sounding so ludicrous.

I truly cannot believe that Newt Gingrich is still trying to run for President. You hardly even see him on television and he really has not contributed that much in all these endless debates.

He has more problems that me and that is no small feat. His past record speaks volumes about his real agenda. A rerun of past Bush era policies. Thanks but no thanks.

While it is true, he was a Republican favorite at one time, that time has long past. He needs to wake up and smell the river. I am not sure if his dropping out will benefit either of the two front runners, but the Republicans need to realize that it is time to start thinning the herd.

I must confess I thought a lot of these Republican candidates would have waved the white flag by now. The "Hermanator" included. But, apparently it is still to early for the white flag of surrender.

Herman Cain is another candidate that is well liked by the Republican Party. I cannot understand why some people think that just because you can run a successful business you can run a country. A business has a Board of Directors and possibly stockholders.
If you don't own a lot of stock, they don't really care what you think.

Yes there may be backroom deals and covert favors, but no where near the degree that is in our fair Capitol. I don't think Mr. Cain is ready for all the wheeling and dealing that goes on in Washington.

As far as his 999 Plan goes, Congress will NEVER and I do mean NEVER allow the IRS to be abolished. To do that would mean letting go of all that money that they just freely spend with no thought as to the consequences of this action.

By implementing this 999 plan, a lot of public works will suffer. Roads, schools, libraries, etc. will all have less money to continue to do provide the same services.

All in all, I don't think this plan could work given the state of our economy. America isn't a pizza joint.

This week Sarah Palin officially decided not to run for president in 2012. More than a few seemed to quite disappointed with this decision. I know my mother in law is among those lamenting this decision.

While I think that Ms Palin is a great crowd pleaser and can definitely fill up a room, I do not feel she is "Presidential" material. She seems to take statements made by the media to heart which has caused her temper to flare on more than one occasion. You have to have a pretty thick skin to run a country. Especially one with "free" speech in its Constitution.

Ms Palin does seem to have become a master at perpetuating herself in the media to her advantage. She has managed to keep herself in the limelight for 3 years and that is no small feat. Her endorsements of certain Tea Party candidates seem to have been made without proper research on her part. Hopefully, this will change in the future.

She also resonates well with the "soccer mom" crowd. This can be a tough crowd to relate to especially over 50 male politicians. There are some that are running that would do well to learn from Sarah Palin in this area.

While I think that Sarah Palin is a young, fresh, attractive addition to the political scene, the fact that she is so ignorant of current events and American History is very detrimental to her in the long run. I also cannot deal with that "you betcha" folksy speech she uses.

Maybe in the future she will take these issues more seriously and in the process be taken more seriously by others.

I cannot watch Rick Perry at all. I just want to laugh every time I hear him speak. I am not trying to offend any of you Perry fans out there, but, he sounds so much like "W" that I cannot take him seriously.

I know a lot of people from Texas and none of them speak with the same accent as these two. They even share some of the same mannerisms!

I know that Mr. Perry is a favorite in the current races and it will be interesting to see how he stands up to all the scrutiny. Hopefully, he will fair better than the last president from Texas.






I am sure that some of you are not amused at all this. But I would remind you of a line from a favorite movie: "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion." That would seem to be the feeling I have this election year.

I wish you all the best in your choices this coming election. I do hope that you do your on research and not rely on the reality shows we call news.

The presidential elections are right around the corner......again. I am trying to brace myself for all the fodder that is disguised as promises to make America "great" again.

It will be interesting and sickening all at the same time. For me it is kind of like a train wreck. You want to look away but you just can't seem to pull your eyes away from all the carnage.

I would like to think that we as a whole, would seriously research the candidates and learn what they really stand for. But, I just don't think that is possible with all the far left/far right opinions being blasted at us from every direction. Fair and balanced just doesn't seem to exist in our society any more. I am not sure it ever did to be honest.

There is a plethora of political sites, blogs, opinions available. After a while it all just becomes white noise. We just want it to stop. I have not decided who the lucky candidate will be that wins my vote.

I saw an advertisement the other day proclaiming that I, yes little ole me could run for president for as little as 99 dollars. Maybe I will just vote for myself.

I really try to stay away from political topics here. There are hundreds of political blogs out there catering to every persuasion known to man. But, as a Veteran, I don't think this latest action by our government has been thought through to its bitter end.

My views on homosexuality fall in line with the Word of God. However, I do not push those views on anyone. I do not "preach" to anyone concerning their life choices. That is between you and God. If you come to me and ask me I will tell you as I am obligated by the Word to do.

But, I personally do not think our country is ready for gays to be open in the military. While I was serving in the USMC, someone told me the military is a dictatorship within a democracy. I don't think it is quite that extreme, but it is close. I have tried to keep up with all the changes in the military and the type of soldier,airman,ship man or marine that we now have serving. The military has changed quite a bit over the last decade or so. The young men and women enlisting today do not think or act like they used to. Their values, work ethic, and education is vastly different from just 10 years ago. There are also a lot of gang members in the military now. Something that was unheard of in the past. There have been film clips in Iraq with gang graffiti on buildings. So now you have violence within the ranks.

I think with this new decision by our government, the violence will probably increase. It is going to be quite hard for a gunner or navy seal or ranger to deal with seeing his bunk mate or the guy he shares guard duty with dressed as a woman during their off time. I think it will be equally hard for women to deal with other women being couples in the open.

While the government may think this was the right decision, I don't think they will know how to deal with the repercussions of such a decision. The fear that gays used to live with in a civilian situation will once again rear its ugly head. Only this time everyone will have a gun.

Election day is right around the corner. To be completely honest, I am truly sick of the whole thing. All this name calling and dirt slinging is just......tiring. Who can keep up?

As I look at all the candidates, I realize that none of them have my best interest at heart. It is all about big money and big companies and back room deals.

While I am not so naive as to believe that even one candidate would thinks as I do, it would be nice to find one with at least a modicum of common sense. That is what I am missing. I hear all this garbage being spewed on both sides but I don't hear any solutions.

What happened to the men and women that are willing to go against the grain? Where are they? Did they get lost in all the red tape and pay backs that are so common in Washington?

We need to shake things up but how? How can we as a people truly be heard? What do we as a nation need to do to be sure we are heard? As I watch the French protest and see how they have crippled their country, I think to myself why don't we do that anymore? All we do is sit and whine but we don't come together as a nation in a way that will guarantee we are heard.

Hopefully, there will be enough new faces after this election. Maybe they can accomplish something before they lose their ideals and forget why they ran in the first place.

As for me, I will still encourage my friends and family to take part in this American freedom. The right to vote. As a woman I can't help but be reminded of all that the Suffragettes went through to grant me this right. I hope that you also remember who has fought for this freedom for you.

I would also like to encourage you to do your research! There is no such thing as "throwing your vote away". If you vote for the person of your choice it is a vote that matters.

Normally, I try to stay away from really touchy subjects on here. I usually save all that for my face book page. But being a Christian and having friends that are trying to deal with this issue in their lives, I wanted to share this with all of you. I would be remiss in my faith if I did not.

Now that I have put up my disclaimer, we can get on with today's hot topic. There is a movie trailer out that I am endorsing here. The title is Blood Money. As of now, there is not enough money to get it distributed in movie theatres. The group is working on that. The movie is about abortion. I know this is a very touchy subject for women that consider themselves progressive and are trying to move up in the world.

Unless you have had an abortion (which I have not), you cannot possibly know the pain both physical and mental that comes with this decision. I do have friends that have made the decision to abort their babies. This still is with them years after the deed was done. This is a life altering decision. The complications surrounding this "safe" procedure are unbelievable.

The movie exposes Planned Parenthood and the deception they have used to further their agenda. I am not sure how many people know the truth about Margaret Sanger, but it would behoove you to really read up on her so you will know what Planned Parenthood's original agenda was. If you do this, you will see that the agenda really has not changed over the years.

While I do not advocate premarital sex, or teen pregnancy, I think that you have to arm yourself with as much truth as possible. I see no problem with birth control and if you as a parent are unwilling to talk with your children about this issue, you really need to get over it before your daughter makes a decision that will forever change her life.

I urge you to consider visiting the Blood Money site and watching the movie trailer. I would also encourage you to go beyond what the MSM touts about pro lifers and truly educate yourself. I have been to numerous protests at abortion clinics and I have seen these young girls with their mothers coming and going from the clinic. No one looks happy with the decision that was made.

I am getting off my soapbox now.

Next week President Obama will be addressing school children from Pre-K thru grade 12. While this is not a mandatory thing for students to watch, it is being strongly encouraged that they do so.

In the county in which I reside, the schools are allowing students to "opt out" of viewing the video. In some areas of the US, parents are being encouraged to keep their children home.

Al Gore spoke to students about "going green" because he felt they were more in tune than their parents. No one really raised a ruckus about this. Personally, I find it quite insulting to my intelligence but I digress.

If Bush had decided to address students in this manner, I somehow think the Democratic Party would have accused him of trying to push his agenda on America's youth.

My own personal feelings aside, the Department of Education has written lesson plans aimed at Pre-K 6th grade and 7th grade thru 12th grade to go along with this speech. Do they think teachers are that inept? They have already had to rephrase one of the questions because of its wording.

Supposedly, Mr. Obama will be emphasizing the importance of staying in school, behaving in class, doing their homework, etc. Now this sounds great. The prez talking about staying in school and all that jazz. But when you factor in all that the government has taken away from parents in the child rearing arena already, it should make you stop and think. I think civic responsibility is a good thing. So is community service and respect for our elected officials. However, when this is propagated by the government and presented as an orchestrated event such as this, I do have problems with it. These are things that should be taught by parents to their children. The government should not be placing its nose here. They are in our private business enough already.

There seems to be outrage all over the country over this. Teachers, parents, and Obama's minions all seem to be mad at each other. Personally, this is just one more reason for me to be glad that my kids are out of school.

Well, Senator Ted Kennedy died today. All the news channels are touting his good works. It seems even they don't want to speak ill of the dead. I have never understood that concept. While wait until someone dies to speak nice things about them? If you have no problem dragging them through the mud while they are living, why wait until they die to say something nice about them? But I digress.

I have been reading all sorts of opinions on Kennedy today. Everything from the very good to the very bad. It would seem that the Left is touting his good points while the Right is rehashing the whole Chappaquiddick thing.

I am sure when Kennedy first became a politician, he wanted to make all sorts of changes for the better. Changes that would help others, make him a mover and a shaker. I wonder at what point did he lose sight of his vision? At what point did he cross that line in the sand? Did he even notice? If he did, why did he continue to make personal and political choices that kept him in the same muck?

At what point do we cross our own line in the sand? Why do we look at the decisions we make in a different mirror than the same decisions made by others? Why do we expect others to understand our situation is "different" and to give us some leeway?

One of the statements I read from someone was "respect is earned not given". Who decided that? We all have different meanings for respect, so whose definition do we use? Can you withstand your own definition? Can you look in the mirror you hold others to and say you are above board?

In 1 Peter 2:17, Peter instructs us to honor (respect) everyone. Peter includes the emperor in this verse. Our modern day president and politicians.
So we are to show respect because God commands it.

If you read 1 Samuel 26:11, you find David refusing to kill King Saul. He calls Saul God's anointed. The people wanted a king and Saul is the man the people chose. He was anointed with oil as was the custom of the day. David refused to kill Saul because of his position as king. So we are to show respect to others because of their position.

We should also respect others as children of God made in His image. Even the unsaved. You respect your boss,and others in a position of authority without knowing their salvation status all the time.

We tend to forget that the Bible states that God loved us first; not the other way around. (1John 4:10) We need to see others as God sees us. God sees the finished product. He knows what we will be as well as what we are. He knows our hidden potential. We should strive to do the same with others. Remember that God doesn't just see what they are now, He sees them as they will be. God looks into the heart. He knows the real you. He knows the true desires of all of us including the Kennedys.

Since the feeding, er, media frenzy surrounding Michael Jackson has taken precedence over any and all other news of late, I thought I would let you know what is happening in the world. For those of you that were not aware, we do have 2 wars going on and civil unrest over the Cap and Trade bill. Not to mention Health-Care, illicit affairs, and the guest that wouldn't leave, the "new" Stimulus Package. In all the hoopla, we have taken our eye off the ball. We all know what happens when we do that, now don't we?

Afghanistan: DUBAI (AFP) — The Taliban militia on Monday said it has captured an American soldier in Afghanistan who went missing last week, the monitoring service SITE Intelligence said.

The "drunken American soldier" was captured five days ago near Melech in Yusuf Kheil district, Paktika province, the militia said in a statement posted on an Islamist website, according to the US-based group.

"The soldier is still a prisoner of the mujahedeen," said the message dated July 6....."Our leaders have not decided on the fate of this soldier. They will decide on his fate and soon we will present videotapes of the coalition soldier and our demand to media," the Taliban commander, named only Bahram, told AFP.

This is believed to be the first time militants abducted an American soldier in Afghanistan since US troops were deployed to oust the Taliban regime in 2001 and then remained to fight a growing extremist insurgency.

The Sanford Affair: COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) — With Gov. Mark Sanford showing no sign that he plans to quit, there may only be one option left for critics who want him gone: impeachment.

But legislators on both sides of the aisle in South Carolina believe that the chances of ousting Sanford with an impeachment vote are slim, unless new evidence arises showing that the governor broke the law or abused his power by secretly leaving the state to visit his mistress....

Health-Care: The question came from a Colorado neurologist. "Mr. President," he said at a recent forum, "what can you do to convince the American public that there actually are limits to what we can pay for with our American health-care system? And if there are going to be limits, who . . . is going to enforce the rules for a system like that?"

President Obama called it the "right question" -- then failed to answer it. This was not surprising: The query is emerging as the ultimate challenge in reining in health-care costs that now consume $2.5 trillion per year, or 16 percent of the economy. How will tough decisions be made about what to spend money on? In a country where "rationing" is a dirty word, who will say no? .....

And last but certainly not least....

Yet Another Stimulus Package: The Obama administration appears to be sending mixed signals on whether a second stimulus package will be needed to pull the U.S. economy out of a deep and prolonged recession. Democrats and Republicans are expressing dissatisfaction with the impact of the $787 billion stimulus package President Barack Obama signed into law in February.

Obama economic advisor Laura Tyson says the federal government should begin crafting a second package to stimulate the U.S. economy on what she termed a "contingency basis," Tyson said.

I am sure there is a plethora of news out there that I missed, but these are just meant to give you the highlights. We now return to the second day, second week of all MJ all day.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hNykW_ZD-gwA5oIoSz7qX09ZU8Zg

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/07/AR2009070702745.html

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-07-07-voa70.cfm

I recently viewed an HBO documentary on free speech. After watching this, I have to ask myself; Do we really have free speech? Can I truly say whatever I want in this country? The answer sadly is no I cannot not and no we do not.

Since 9/11 this has been more predominate than in previous years. But... if you will look back over our country's mistakes or falters or whatever you choose to call them, you will see that people have always paid a price for speaking freely.

The first amendment of the Constitution states:
"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."

If you read this carefully, you will notice that this only applies to Congress. However, the Supreme Court has taken it upon themselves to also interpret it to apply to the executive and judicial branches. I am not going to get on my soapbox about the Supreme Court and what their job really is. I'll save that for another post.

My point is that since the beginning of our country, someone/group has paid for expressing themselves through speech. Be it signs, verbally, letters, etc. This is especially true in times of war. We seem to be willing to give up our rights in order to "feel" safer. I don't know about any of you but I don't feel any safer now than before. In fact, I feel less safe now. Between The Patriotic Act and Homeland Security, I am just waiting for the black suits to come knocking.

I am not so naive as to believe that you can get something for nothing. There is always a price to pay. But is this what we are willing to give up? The right to speak our minds? By giving up this one thing, we no longer have a voice in how we are governed. Are you really free with all the new laws in place to "protect' you?

As a veteran, I have very strong views on God, country, the flag and my freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. I don't see those same things in today's generation. They are not being taught about the sacrifices of the men and women that came before them. They don't comprehend the amount of suffering and anguish that the people endured so they could become illiterate and ungrateful for the freedoms they have. I hope they get it soon before we are all censored.

“Free speech is intended to protect the controversial and even outrageous word; and not just comforting platitudes too mundane to need protection.” Colin Powell

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. " George Washington

"Intellectually I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country." ~Sinclair Lewis

My hubs and I are polar opposites when it comes to political beliefs. Or so he says. He is so far left that I have to go outside just to talk with him. I on the other hand, have just recently discovered that I fall into the category "domestic terrorist" as defined by Homeland Security. While I find this quite humorous, I think it scares hubs just a little.

Things were so heated in my house before and after the presidential election, that I have refused to talk politics with him until the next election. Now we talk about religion. Just for some lighthearted fun:)

He is an avid fan of Bill Maher. I on the other hand, can find him quite offensive personally. I have elected not to watch him so hubs tapes him and watches while I am at home to antagonize me. "Hey baby! Come watch this. Just this one part that's all." You get the idea. One of these days I am going to put shaving cream in his shoes or something.

The episode he watched recently had Meghan McCain as a guest. I think it aired in May originally. She is a contributing blogger on The Daily Beast. I personally did not recognize her when I saw her. I have tried to block the whole Bush thing out of my mind.

Since she is a Republican, or at least she blogs about issues that seem to side with the Republican Party, I expected her to be a much more informed guest. I found her to be petulant, immature, and she has the vocabulary of a 12-16 year old. She was way out of her league and it was very obvious even to someone that is not politically savvy.

When asked by Paul Begala about something pertaining to the Reagan administration, her reply was, "I wasn't born then." Excuse me?! You weren't born then?! I had to walk out of the room at this point.

The thought of her being the representative of young American voters is appalling. She should have done her homework. You can't get by on your name forever. One can only hope that the rest of the young Americans in this country are more informed or we are all in trouble.

While I must admit I don't keep up with any pageants , I think what Nancy Leigh DeMoss has said should apply to every woman in the church.

This article speaks volumes about women in the church. We have allowed ourselves to become separated from one another and this has lead to many young women not having proper biblical mentor ship from older women in the church. We should not be apart because we are a certain age or married or not or have toddlers or not. How can we strengthen the Body if we sit and soak and sour in our little niche? Who are we helping by doing this? Young men and women need strong God loving leadership. It is our job as Christians to "lift up the weaker brother" and to encourage one another with songs,psalms, and exhortations. How can we do that if we are in a Sunday School Class/Bible Study with only ourselves?

This is all part of meeting the needs of the Body. Steve Brown once said, "If you have 1 single mom in your church and you don't see after her, you aren't meeting the needs of your church." This is a very convicting statement. How many women in church do you know that go once a month to a single mom's house and bring groceries or clothing on some men to fix her car or her house? What about the widows in church? How many widows are taken care of in this manner by the church? What about young women that need guidance in choosing whether to date or not? The list is endless.

We have become so caught up in ourselves and what we want and what makes us happy, that we have lost sight of the message. Christ was clear. "31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"( Matt. 25:31-40)

We seem to think that we have to entertain the young men and women in our churches. This is not true. What we have to do, what we are commanded to do is teach them, bring them up to love the Lord and encourage them along the way. Young people today want what they have always wanted; sound direction and wise advice. They want someone who has "been there done that" and is not afraid to say so and to help them make decisions that will lead them down the narrow path.

I encourage you to take a younger woman under your wing. Exchange phone numbers with her. Make an effort to be a part of her life. While she may not talk or act or dress in an appropriate manner or what you deem to be an appropriate manner, is that really a sound reason not to try and mentor her? She possibly is the way she is because no one has stepped up to the plate. You can do it. It won't be easy but it will be very rewarding for both of you. Think of how your walks with the Lord can be strengthened and how you can both grow together in the Lord. Isn't that the goal?


From Nancy Leigh DeMoss

I’ve been asked numerous times for my take on the firestorm surrounding Carrie Prejean—the reigning Miss California who lost her bid for Miss USA after
publicly affirming her belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Those who hold to the biblical concept of marriage couldn’t help but be glad that this young woman courageously stood for the Truth, knowing that to do so could be costly.

Yet, for those who affirm and cherish the biblical perspective of femininity and sexuality, this story has an important subtext and raises a number of issues that should be of great concern to us as followers of Christ.

Carrie has made a strong public profession of her faith in Christ. As Christians, we are called to live as redeemed men and women and to reflect to the world the beauty and holiness of God. I’m not in a position to judge Carrie’s motives or her heart. But while I applaud her courage, I also believe some of her choices and public actions, past and present, are representative of many women who consider themselves Christians, but who lack clear biblical thinking and conviction on such matters as virtue, womanhood, beauty, modesty, and discretion.

In my mind, Carrie Prejean’s story is symptomatic of deeper root issues in the evangelical world—issues that in my opinion outweigh most of what is being debated in the secular press.

Sadly, Carrie is the product of a Christian sub-culture that has lost a sense of what it means to be citizens of the kingdom of God and has embraced the values and thinking of this world.

By and large, young adults who have grown up in our evangelical homes, churches, and schools, are buying into a message that they have seen modeled by those around them who call themselves Christians—namely, that Christianity can be divorced from Christ-likeness, and that practical holiness in everyday life is out-dated, irrelevant, or optional.

Carrie Prejean’s situation highlights the desperate need for Titus 2 “older women”—mothers, youth workers, mentors—to take an active role in the training and discipleship of younger women—teaching them to live out the implications of the gospel in every area of their lives.

So many young women in the Christian world have little understanding or discernment when it comes to modesty and personal purity. And can you blame them when they are following in the footsteps of a generation of so-called believers who tolerate, justify, and flaunt immodesty, sensuality, and immorality of every form, along with serial divorce and remarriage?

That’s why as women we need to be asking ourselves questions like:

• How does my life measure up to the Word of God?
• Am I modeling Christ-like, Gospel-drenched virtue, modesty, femininity, beauty, and discretion to the next generation?
• What kind of impact am I having on the younger women in my sphere of influence?
• What I am doing to invest in their lives, to point them to Christ, and to mentor them in godliness?

Carrie Pejean’s story should cause us to be on our faces crying out to God over the extent to which the church today has accommodated to the world. It should cause us to plead with God on behalf of our children and grandchildren, and then to get up off our knees and go out and engage this younger generation with love and grace and truth and to become agents of redemption in their lives.

Let me start by saying that my husband is not a believer. So I have had a plethora of religious conversations in the 17 years we have been married. At times they have become so bad that we have had to agree not to talk about religion at all.

Since my blog is an outlet for me, if I write something that you don't agree with, feel free to comment in a mature courteous manner. But don't insult me because my beliefs are different than yours. Don't try and conform me to your way of thinking. Chances are I have already been down that road. I try to enlighten others to what I have learned. I want to share what God has shown me about who He is. I am not trying to "shove religion" down your throat. While I don't disagree with church visitation, I do keep in mind that those that wanted to know Christ came to Him. He made Himself available to all when He walked the earth just as He does now. If you ask me a question about my beliefs I will answer you but I don't broadcast it from the rooftops. I don't expect special allowance to be made because I am a christian.

I guess my problem is that all I keep hearing about is how Christians do this or say that but I don't hear about any other religions being singled out for this kind of ridicule. If we are doing anything at all it is conforming our lifestyles to theirs to keep from offending them.

This country was based on the beliefs of a few men. They chose not to make their beliefs law and to give the rest of us the same options to choose who, what, or where we would practice whomever or whatever we believe in.

When I read about other beliefs being taught in the public school system disguised as "history" I get really angry. My kids were forbidden to pray, witness, or bring a Bible to class. Now there are prayer rooms, wash, rooms, foods mandated for all students are being changed or at least an attempt is being made to change them to accommodate one religion in particular.

I believe this is a clear violation of separation of church and state. If the religion in question were Christianity, you can bet your bottom dollar that CNN, FOX, MSNBC and all the others would be raising the proverbial holy hell about it. But very little has been said or done. Kind of makes you wonder just where we are headed.

If you want to weave some of your traditions or beliefs into the American tapestry by all means do so but don't ridicule or force me or others to change our way of thinking just because you live here.