MY OBSERVATIONS ABOUT MERYL STREEP’S SPEECH AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES

I think the general populace would do well to remember that Ms. Streep comes from The Land of Perpetual High School, where your fate is directly linked to your popularity, and your ability to act like someone you are not.

Why should we care what she says? The world she lives in is nowhere close to what reality is for the majority of Americans.

I would rather hear from the winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Truck Driving, Auto Mechanic, Grocery Store Manager, or any other number of leaders who have spent a lifetime working with real people who face real problems.

Besides, if your fate is linked to your popularity you are compelled to say what is popular in The Land of Perpetual High School. Pretty much anything an actor says is suspect, though if they are bucking the trends, I might give a listen and see what would motivate them to abandon the security of Popular Opinion in their Land.

But mostly, I don’t spend much time worrying about what People Who Are Good At Acting Like Someone They Are Not have to say.

I suggest you do the same.

Simple thoughts about complex issues...

Americans are conditioned to expect solutions – complete solutions. When a problem is presented, we want it eradicated. Less than that is considered a fail. Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.

When faced with huge problems like the Syrian refugee crisis, we paint with a broad brush saying “Keep them out. The risk is too great.” Or “Let them in. We are compassionate people.” We’d like to choose A or B, and the problem is solved.

But it won’t be…both sides are right in their arguments. Short of a radical change of heart on the part of our administration, there is no possibility of defeating the source of this problem, and even then the complexities of the crisis do not bring a satisfactory solution for innocents in danger.

We have to do the thing that Americans are reluctant to do…fight the small battles. We cannot take a broad action, declare a clean win and then move on. We need to beat back the enemy, reclaiming ground one small parcel at a time. Expressing compassion in practical ways to those in distress will take tenacity, arduous effort, prudence and wisdom. And the progress will be painfully small and slow for our American mindset. We don’t appreciate or understand centuries of conflict between people.

While our government is capable of making broad condemnations and taking strong military action against the perpetrators of evil, (if only they would) compassion is best expressed by the people of this great nation. It is better to do the small things at hand, even if it means helping only a few and not all.

Compassionate Americans need to be asking themselves how they can help those few right now. It is a temptation to throw up our hands that the problem is too big to be solved, and absolve ourselves of action. It’s easy to hide behind the conundrum that all deserve help, but not all will receive it – so nothing should be done until all can be helped. A life saved, is a life saved. A family receiving the opportunity to live where they can use their talents to provide for themselves, is one less family caught in the crossfire of evil – territory taken back from the enemy, however small.

There are organizations and efforts now that are in need of our abundant financial resources to do this. We need to seek them out. I suggest Samaritan’s Purse, and Glenn Beck’s Nazarene Project. (Read about the Nazarene Project here: http://www.glennbeck.com/2015/09/09/the-nazarene-fund-frequently-asked-questions) I am sure they are more that are doing good work as well.

As well, I am challenged about my attitude toward the refugees that already reside in my community. How can I help them step into opportunities to experience freedom and autonomy? How can our community appreciate their identity, and encourage their education in liberty as they begin to enjoy a life without fear of danger and death? How do we live out our values to instill trust and hope in those who have suffered so much?

We are far from the danger zone; yet we are capable of simple and compassionate actions to assist those that are in the middle of the battle.

And we should.

SuperBowl 49...It seemed sadly familiar...

What a game! What an ending!

 

I know…despite the disappointment, life is generally unchanged for almost everyone who cared about a Seahawks win…But last night, I felt a significant sadness, and heaviness. I even wondered at the strength of my reaction, and then, it came to me…

 

That crazy Snatch of Defeat from the Jaws of Victory was just too reminiscent of a bad experience we have had with football before.

 

Back in 2002, Jess was a junior in high school, playing football for Lynden Christian. He saw lots of playing time, and was called on, during the playoffs to be the PAT kicker when the senior in that position injured his knee. The Lyncs were having a great playoff run, as was Jess, and they had made it to the semi-finals in the Tacoma Dome. A tough, back and forth game against the Elma Eagles was played there. As the clock wound down to only seconds left, the Lyncs had a slim lead (19-14) and possession of the ball – but fourth down. The coaches called an unconventional play to seal the win. Our quarterback kept the ball and ran backwards to our end zone to take a safety – which would give the Eagles 2 more points, but would not allow them another possession. LC would win 19-16.

 

Except for one little thing…

 

Our quarterback executed the play but as he ran out the back of the end zone, he dropped the ball – IN the end zone. As spectators, we were all trying to figure out just what had been pulled off. The play was so unexpected! As we began to realize the game had been won…whistle blown, safety signaled, score change registered on the clock, time expired…I saw the Elma coach yelling and yelling at his boys. In response, one of the Eagles went to the ball in the end zone, picked it up, brought it to the ref and showed him that he had possession of the ball in the end zone…The ref signaled a touchdown…a WHAT????...and all the refs ran off the field, no consultations with the coaches. The scoreboard was adjusted to reflect the new score: Elma 20, LC 19.

 

It was just like last night: a moment of soaring elation followed by a gut punch that seemed inexplicable, and was completely unexpected…And a certain victory became a crushing loss.

 

And it all hinged on one little point of execution.

 

If you were feeling badly for the grown men who suffered disappointment last night, you can imagine how we were feeling for the young men of the Lyncs for whom this disappointment, and ensuing confusion about what happened, was a big event in their lives.

 

We were sad for many days…and worried about our quarterback, who had to carry more responsibility for his action than I think a kid that age should.

 

The sadness and frustration might have been somewhat mitigated if the refs had shown the grace to explain their ruling to our coaches and team. Their lack of integrity on this point left everyone feeling that there could be some injustice to the call that ended their season. And indeed, there may still be some debate about it to this day.

 

In the end, it was a marvelous opportunity for our boys and their coaches to show good character, and they did. Our quarterback handled this challenge with amazing maturity and perspective. Our coaches, though encouraged to protest, declined to do so. We would take our lumps, and not cause a kafuffle for Elma. Rules are rules, and it’s true: life is not always fair. They learned things about life, and values, and integrity that they would not have if the game was won.

 

Best of all, our entire community showed a level of caring and support for our boys that was an encouragement and a solace…for all of us, moms included.

 

Jess was awarded the WIAA Sportsmanship Award for that game, but that didn’t mollify him. To this day, he would rather have had the win…as would every kid that was on the team. They don’t just remember that day; they feel it.

 

…Just like I did last night when the Hawks won the game…except for one little thing.

 

This time, I have the benefit of the hindsight of our first experience. Some disappointments are great for a moment, but they pass. What happens is not as important as how you handle it.

 

I think we are seeing the Hawks handling this well (with the exception of a few minutes of ignominy on the field…BOYS!). I’m admiring their willingness to take the blame, to be grateful for the opportunity of playing, to compliment their opponent, to just look ahead to what they will do next. I’ve seen good character.

 

Oh, yes, people remind us that it’s only a game…Regardless, it can be used for good, in many ways.

 

Go Hawks!

Go Marshawn!

Marshawn Lays Into SuperBowl Media

I love what he had to say today. Just like I loved what he has said each media day.

 

Just because you are a great athlete with accomplishments that are viewed weekly on a nationwide stage, you are not necessarily one who wants to follow that up with a lot of talk about it. Obviously, the guy is an introvert.

 

He DOES stuff. He doesn’t talk about it. And why should he have to?

 

I get it that the NFL is big business, and as one of its employees you have certain obligations to further the business. Although Marshawn’s tactics are not satisfying the reporters, I believe that he’s creating plenty of draw and interest with it. He’s following the rules, enhancing the NFL’s bottom line, and pays the fine when he doesn’t.

 

I disagree with the reporter that asked him “Why are you being such a jerk to us?” He’s not being a jerk. He’s being true to himself, and protecting his privacy. He doesn’t care what they think, and he’s not willing to give them tidbits of info with which to create a story that they hope will bring accolades to themselves.

 

I say, GO MARSHAWN! Be yourself. Stick with what is important to you. Thanks for being a bite of reality in a media blitz that encourages navel gazing and an overabundance of redundant football strategy. You’re right – we don’t need to talk that much. Just be all about that action, boss.

 

Well, except for that crotch grab action…We could live without that, boss. 

 

Apparently, modesty is just for girls who don't look good in bikinis...

Lately, I keep hearing things about modesty and how the church objectifies women by insisting on it. They think that pretty soon, we’ll be all turtlenecks and burqas, and HOLY COW, how oppressive is that!

I hear women saying that THEY ARE WOMEN, hear them roar, and THEY ARE SEXY and that it is their right to be sexy. For men to look at women and note, perhaps with a lustful thought or two, that they are sexy is objectification, and the result of a character flaw. Control yourself, you sex-obsessed beasts. We are curvy, and have breasts – deal with it!

(But I thought you wanted to look…sexy…which, is it not, an attempt to be especially appealing to the male of the species?)

The new standard feminists are demanding is that sexiness be included as a characteristic in the equality of value, capability, and performance of women. I think they’re saying, “We’re just the same as men, except we’re different!”

Given that God created men and women with an urge to merge, I think it is foolish for us to expect that women can dress with physical assets on display, and men will be blasé about it.

I reiterate, isn’t the purpose of dressing sexily to prove one’s hotness? The feminist clarion call, for many years, has been that we are more than sex objects; we are intelligent, capable, contributors in our society. When a woman dresses so that her cleavage is on display, isn’t she objectifying herself? Isn’t she saying, I’m smart, and capable, but be sure you don’t miss that I have big breasts too? Isn’t she saying, my physical assets are on par with my character and capabilities? Are they? What about those of us who don’t look good in bikinis? Aren’t they implying that we are inferior women because we lack the physical characteristics whose display they are defending?

Women can holler and complain about men’s objectification of the sexy, but I maintain that the woman who dresses with low-cut bodices and tight, short skirts is objectifying herself. She’s saying that her breasts and booty are equal in value to her intangible characteristics, and it’s an invitation for others to assume the same.

I’m not advocating for turtlenecks and burqas, don’t get me wrong. {Sidebar: Why do the burqa and the bikini get paired anyway? As if those of us stumping for more modesty are going to embrace the practices of a culture who treat women as chattel! There’s a lot of spectrum between the bikini and the burqa!}

Burqas are another form of objectification. That culture is saying to their women, “You are a collection of parts which, if seen, can only lead to perversion.” This requirement is not protective. It is disrespectful.

I think that, for the most part, we women know when we are dressing to expose and draw attention. We know what kind of attention we are seeking. If I am wearing something that makes it difficult for a man to look me in the eye, I am reducing my opportunity to be respected as a contributing member of society…not because of his view of me – but because of the value I put on myself.

As I said, I’m not seeking to clothe the women of America in turtlenecks and shapeless dresses. I think every culture has varying standards when it comes to modesty, and immodesty. I’m not proposing a universal uniform. There is nothing wrong with dressing attractively, or with being beautiful…Just as there is nothing wrong with being fashion-challenged, or physically outside of the current standards for being beautiful.

For myself, I wish to dress in a way that doesn’t draw attention, either by flashiness or homeliness. I enjoy my wardrobe, but I don’t want it to compete for the definition of who I am.

I just don’t understand why women, who are wholly committed to equality, now turn to demanding the right to objectify themselves.

It seems nonsensical to me.

Change, The

Apparently, I am going through The Change.

And I’m kind of anxious to see how I turn out when it’s all over. Maybe I’ll finally be energetic, optimistic, and send birthday cards on time! I wonder if I’ll stop worrying, and lose my voracious appetite, and start to like to exercise…Oh the possibilities!

However, I have to admit, that most days the evidence doesn’t support the realization of these hopeful transformations.

I’ve heard that some women display Jezebel-like behaviors as they go through The Change. Some seem to lose touch with reality, and create conflicts wherever they go. These incidents are usually reported by someone who also says, “She was never like this before!!”

I’ve always been kind of afraid of that happening to me…And I’m not sure that it has, or hasn’t – because the overwhelming feeling I have at this time is not malice, but one of being fed up. Yes – just fed up. I’m over it. Not my circus; not my monkeys. Nothing to prove and nothing to lose...I won’t be dropping everything to work on your problem.

My new mantra: I’m going through The Change, and things are gonna be different around here!

I submit that these “Jezebels” just might be women who have been stuffing it for many years and finally decide to speak their mind -- and damn the torpedoes! They say what they see, and don’t sugarcoat it anymore. They register an opinion, and don’t cede their intended plan to the perceived common good. They object, and don’t worry about feelings. They pick up and pursue goals they have left on the back burner for years.

And the people around them are surprised, bewildered, and say “She was never like this before!”

Sorry to rock your world, people…but I am like this now. And it’s not so much about what I’m doing, as it is about what I am NOT doing anymore. I’m done with measuring myself by others’ standards. I will live by my own convictions, and not always strive to be acceptable to the elusive and changing values of the world. I have gained a thing called confidence, and I don’t have time to mess around anymore. Life is for living, not for wishing…And that means accepting what is, and dealing.

And that means, dear loved ones, you have to deal with me too.

Here’s hoping you can see beyond the surprise, and not think of me as Jezebel…And here’s hoping that I retain a little tact even as I accomplish The Change.

Because, you know: total depravity and all that. It’s still a bad mix with hormones.

Favorite Excerpts & Quotes from Atlas Shrugged...

Words from Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

"So you think money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the priniciple that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of looters who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is that what you consider evil?"

"An honest man is one who knows that he can't consume more than he has produced."

"Money will always remain an effect and refuse to replace you as the cause. Money is the product of virtue, but it will not give you virtue and it will not redeem your vices. Money will not give you the unearned, neither in matter or in spirit."

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one MAKES them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."

"A viler evil than to murder a man, is to sell him suicide as an act of virtue. A viler evil than to throw a man into a sacrificial furnace, is to demand that he leap in of his own will, and that he build the furnace besides."

"I work for nothing but my own profit -- which I make by selling a product they need to men who are willing and able to buy it. I do not produce it for their benefit at the expense of mine, and they do not buy it for my benefit at the expense of theirs; I do not sacrifice my interests to them, nor do they sacrifice theirs to me; we deal as equals by mutual consent to mutual advantage..."

"...the purpose of a military fleet is to protect from violence the citizens who paid for it, which is a proper function of government."

"There was an air of luxury about the room, but it was the luxury of expert simplicity...This was Mullingan's concept of wealth, she thought -- the wealth of selection, not of accumulation."

"Mr. Rearden," said Francisco, his voice solemnly calm, "if you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling, but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort, the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders -- what would you tell him to do?
          "I...don't know. What...could he do? What would you tell him?"
"To shrug."

Part II: The Sanction of the Victim

The second theme from Atlas Shrugged that has occupied my thoughts is the concept of “the sanction of the victim”.

There are many pages of dialogue explaining to the wealthy steel magnate,  character Henry Reardon, that his indifference to the increasing taxation and intrusion of his business by the government had made him complicit in the final takeover of his company. In effect, his passivity was a sanction to those who were abusing his rights.

Reardon’s friend admonishes: “By their {the government} own statement, it is they who need you and have nothing to offer you in return. By their own statement, you must support them because they cannot survive without you. Consider the obscenity of offering their impotence and their need – their need of you – as a justification for your torture. Are you willing to accept it? Do you care to purchase – at the price of your great endurance, at the price of your agony – the satisfaction of the needs of your destroyers?”

Wow! I had to ruminate over this. The inevitable question is: How am I sanctioning my own victimization? What should I be doing to avoid giving sanction to the government when they diminish my rights?

I have to admit that after all these months of consideration, I don’t have many good answers. But – I do see many regulations and government requirements in a new light, and take time to examine my response to them. I do not want to be giving the sanction of the victim. I believe, as God says, that I am subject to the governing authorities, and respect that God has put them there. However, I will not be passive or silent any more in my response to any attempt to diminish my rights as a citizen.

And that conviction to action does scare me, but I feel it very strongly, and even more so after the revelations of the 2012 election.

I think this is the most valuable concept I learned from Atlas Shrugged, though there are many more that have become part of my thinking as well. It’s a very good book, worth the many pages of reading, and the discipline of thinking through the principles therein. My only wish is that it was written with a underpinning of belief in God. Ayn Rand, the author, was an atheist, and so it makes for some curious reading when she writes of “motive power” as your moral code. A moral code based on what? Character John Galt describes that moral code “which holds that man is an end in himself and not a means to any end of others”.

I couldn’t disagree more…and I think how much greater this story would be with the inclusion of grace and redemption. Ayn Rand missed out on the beauty of that – but nonetheless, it is a book that has informed my beliefs and convictions, and has made me a better thinker.

It has also given me a vision of where our country may be going, that is, the consequences that may be ahead. While the possibilities frighten me, again I take inspiration from the Tramp’s words: “…I think it’s a sin to sit down and let your life go, without making a try for it.”

Or to let your country go…I’m more determined than ever to protect our right to freedom, and the country that is the freest in the world.

BOOK REPORT: Atlas Shrugged

It took me three months to read through Atlas Shrugged -- so many pages, so much to think through. When I got to John Galt’s 60 page monologue I almost gave up…but it was too close to the end. I couldn’t quit then!

I am glad that I persevered as I learned so much, and continue to think about it often. Every week, I see something in the news that reminds me of the world of Atlas Shrugged. We are on our way there, and the election confirmed that.

I wanted to write a book report back in June when I finished the book but couldn’t face the multitude of ideas and philosophies that I would have to describe, and the multitude of words it would take. I just felt I would need to tell it all, and how do you do that?

There is so much good in the book, but as time has passed, the message of Atlas Shrugged has distilled down to two things for me.

1) Beware the philosophy of “fairness”.

In the world of Atlas Shrugged, fairness came to mean that all would work to their ability, but would be rewarded according to their need.

The first application of this belief was higher taxation of the rich, to supply the needs of the government, who supplied the needs of the poor. Then it moved to the government trying to redistribute the resources and productions of larger corporations to smaller struggling ones, to make it “fair”. Finally, it moved to businesses themselves where “work according to ability; paid according to need” resulted in workers competing to be the least productive. Why should any one work harder than the next guy? They would all be paid the same –unless you were needy. The needy were expensive, and as productivity declined, the fulfillment of needs reduced the amount of pay available for those without needs. Babies were resented; sickly old women died the night before expensive treatment. Workers could not take the despair of this system and just disappeared.

On a larger scale, factories and businesses could not produce enough goods to stay in business, and closed. In time, people had cars but no fuel to run them. Trains ran fewer and fewer routes per day. The economy was slowly dying and the staples of living became scarce, and difficult to procure.

Of course, this anecdote is from a novel – but take a minute to think about how much “fairness” is talked about in our society. “It’s not fair that corporations make so much money. They should be forced to pay more taxes.” “The rich don’t deserve what they have.” “We should all have our medical expenses taken care of. It’s not fair that anyone should suffer from unexpected needs.” “It’s only fair that a business pay its employees at least a minimum wage.”

We are already a ways down the road of Atlas Shrugged; and the election results seem to make it clear that many Americans want to go there.

I think what the Tramp (in the novel) said to character Dagny Taggart is exactly true: “There wasn’t a man voting for {The Plan to work to ability, paid as to need} who didn’t think that under a set-up of this kind he’d muscle in on the profits of the men abler than himself. There wasn’t a man rich and smart enough but that they didn’t think that somebody was richer and smarter, and this plan would give him a share of his betters wealth and brains. But while he was thinking that he’d get unearned benefits from the men above, he forgot about the men below who’d get unearned benefits too.”

The needy can point to the greed of the rich, but often, their desire is based just as much on the greed they say they despise.

We need to be cautious about fairness, and examine more deeply and thoroughly where a call for fairness will lead. True fairness is rooted in my right to freely possess myself and my efforts. It should be based on equal opportunity, not equal outcomes. If I work harder than the next guy, is it not fair that I am rewarded more than he is?

The people of our nation are embracing, as character Danneskjold says “...the idea that need, not achievement, is the source of rights; that we don’t have to produce, only to want, that the earned does not belong to us, but the unearned does...” “…practicing charity with wealth that {we do not} own, by giving away goods which {we} have not produced, by making others pay for the luxury of {our} pity.”

Tomorrow: Part II

To legalize or not to legalize...

I’ve been puzzling over the initiative to legalize marijuana. Well, more accurately, I’ve been puzzling over the implementation of the legalization of marijuana.

I keep asking how they are going to the get the drug dealers to sign up for a license to sell marijuana, and to take a huge pay cut. I suppose the lack of eventual jail time might be a motivator.

But I would think that the drug dealers might not be too happy about the possibility of legalization because now they will have to sell a lot of marijuana to make the same amount of money…and probably buy a license, and charge/pay taxes on their sales, and be liable for income tax on the now-documented sales of their product.

Not to mention, they will likely have to become farmers if they are going to profit from it at all. Hard work.

Somehow, I just don’t picture most drug dealers making the transition. And so far I haven’t seen any interviews on how they feel about the initiative.

{snicker, snicker}

I have to say that I don’t follow the reasoning of the backers of this initiative…They always begin their promos by saying that years of enforcement of marijuana laws have not reduced the number of users…Like this plan is going to do that! The premise of the plan is to increase the number of users.

If you legalize, you widen the market, you bring the price down – and more users (or more usage) is needed to make a profit.

That just might mean more DUI’s, and the costs associated with that…some much worse than monetary.

Of course, the proponents’ biggest justification is that the dealers are making all the money now, and why shouldn’t the state get some of that money? After all, the state needs money badly…and this business is already successfully running out there, just waiting to be exploited accessed.

So, again, the end justifies the means, especially when the end is money.

But I still don’t get how this is good for the drug dealers, and how they are going to get them to buy into it…Some of them are willing to risk death to do what they do now. I don’t think they are just waiting to be freed into a life of legitimacy…I suppose the marijuana dealers will move up the chain into the profitable drugs, and leave the mary-jane to the dispensary types.

And then, in a few years, there will be an initative to legalize crack.

Sick at heart...

I am sick at heart over the violence, and the lives that have been lost, in the countries supposedly liberated in the Arab Spring.

I was disbelieving that our Ambassador to Libya was killed, along with three of his colleagues. Is it not a long-standing tradition that an Ambassador is untouchable? He is the representative of peaceful cooperation between countries. He speaks for his country, and communicates to his country the requests, requirements of the country for which he is a liaison.

It is the ultimate in disrespect for Libyans to take the Ambassador’s life. It is the ultimate disrespect to the country that he served.

I agree with Donald Rumsfeld that these things are happening as “a result of perceived American weakness”.

I believe that the response of the Obama Administration was weak, and slow, and completely inadequate.

But it is nothing new.

I am weary of an administration that seems to gauge or change its response by putting a finger in the air to check which way the wind is blowing. I think we saw their true convictions in their immediate response – which in this event, seemed to be apologetic – but when this response didn’t get the ratings desired, they changed things up, so as not to lose their audience.

Bill Clinton did this all the time too, except there wasn’t Twitter, et al, for the immediate consequences. He had to wait for the polls.

Establishment Republicans are pro-active in their directional determinations, and refuse to risk alienating, not so much their base, but the fence-sitters they think they can’t live without.

I’m tired of it all.

Whatever happened to convictions and men who would act and “damn the torpedoes”! If President Obama’s true convictions are that the US has something to apologize for, I wish he would live by it, wrong as it may be.  If Mitt Romney believes that the President responded completely inadequately, I hope that he will stand by his statement, and not soften it to make himself look more kind and acceptable to the independents/undecideds.

We need leadership. Our country will soon fail without it, and it has become very scarce. We need to reject those men who pose as leaders, but in reality their greatest conviction is that they must succeed at their personal endeavors. These posers have no regard for the common good. All their efforts are self-serving, despite their talking points that we can’t get through life without a “village”.

They are everywhere, not just in our highest offices. We need to be more discerning, and keep short accounts with our leaders. They need to know that we want truth, conviction and action…not just having our ears tickled with pleasant promises and fake hope.

Of course, that means we must be people of conviction, willing to risk confrontation…and there is the rub. But if we truly love our country, and the amazing opportunities it affords us, we must.

As Plato said: “The penalty good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.”

I am weary, but I’m not going to give up. God help me find ways to live as a patriot.

I think I have a better idea...

In her interview with Diane Sawyer on the day after her convention speech, The First Lady listed some of her husband's accomplishments.

One she mentioned was that they were able to give young people, up to the age of 26, the ability to stay on their parents' health insurance.

I think I would have preferred that they accomplished an increase in productivity and a boost to the economy that allowed 22-26 year olds the ability to pay for their own health insurance. THAT would be an accomplishment!

I just don't agree that enabling young people to be dependent on their parents longer is something that should be considered progress.

And I certainly wouldn't be proud to list it as an "accomplishment".

Bittersweet...

I think, after what he said on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we can assume the our Vice President would also find hell to be "bittersweet".

Today, President Obama said that his opponent, Mitt Romney, "has a tendency to shoot first, and aim later".

Mr. President, that is a much more apt description of your Vice President...quite perfectly descriptive...except that there is some question whether he ever does aim at all.

"Stand up, Chuck!" comes to mind...

 The errors he utters indicate he is a man who can't focus enough to adequately address the audience of the day, or keep to the party line. I am still quite astounded that someone who "misspeaks" so profoundly and often, is second in line to the Presidency.

It's another good reason to wish the President good health.

Rest in peace, Joe Paterno...

I’ve not been a follower of Penn State football. I knew of Joe Paterno, and frankly, my thought was that the old guy should quit while he was ahead. Really – coaching football at 85?

Obviously, it was what kept him going.

From the beginning of the Sandusky scandal, I thought it was wrong that they fired Coach Paterno. I think the board of trustees did it to placate the media frenzy, and try to keep them (the media, that is) from creating a portrayal of their university as a “good ol’ boys” administration that looked the other way.  And Joe Pa was collateral damage.

I maintain he didn’t deserve it.

Consider what this man is characterized by: He loved football, but saw it as a tool to further education. He insisted that his players meet high academic standards. As more and more football programs enjoyed the money that success brought, he continued to stick with the plain uniforms, navy jerseys with no names on them…the Nittany Lions were a team, and not flashy.

When the scandal broke, and he was fired, he waved off the supporters (and reporters) hanging around his front door, thanking them for their support through the years, and asking them to pray for the kids who were victims. He didn’t protest his firing. He expressed that he thought he had done enough, but looking back now, he wished he had done more. He expressed his gratefulness for the many years he had at Penn State, and all the blessings that had come from it. His attitude was, “I’m fine…pray for the kids who were hurt.”

That just doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would be culpable for concealing the kind of activity that was perpetrated by Sandusky. Consider the generation: Can you imagine how your own grandpa might have handled a similar situation? Honorable people of that generation could not acknowledge or articulate such heinous acts. I wish for the sake of the kids who were hurt that he had done more – but so did he. This was borne out in the interview he gave recently, in what turned out to be his last days.

I admire Joe Paterno. I think that even in the scandal that ended his career, he continued to display good character. A terrible thing happened on his watch, and though I think he could have been defended, he chose to take the consequences, focusing on what he had to be thankful for, and showing compassion for those who had been hurt.

I think he will rest in peace.

I was at the mall today...

...and I can now confirm for you that men should not wear jeggings...just sayin'...

Especially acid wash ones.

The merging of two eras -- the 80's and the Now -- did not enhance either look.

Jeggings...oh! it was painful to witness. Probably almost as painful as it was for the gentleman(I use the term loosely) to wear the tight things. When I looked up to his face, to avoid staring at the bright splashes of acid wash and the snug fit... I saw he had those big holey things in his ear lobes...and immediately I was staring again!

Why, WHY???? What is the attraction of this particular mutilation? I really want to see some of these people when they are pushing 70...If it's not pretty now, what will it look like then? If they just had some patience, they would find out that many things begin to stretch out and sag on their own...No need to help things along...Those ear lobes will likely be a tripping hazard for him one day...

A color-splashed tee completed his ensemble, and I believe he had red Chuck Taylors on as well...The gentleman looked to be about 35 or older...not an Emo Kid. I will say that he was neat and clean...just totally weird looking.

Maybe that's what he was going for...but again, I ask, why?  I just don't understand this current fetish of looking outlandish, with freakish mutilations of stretched ear lobes, and metal studs sticking out of body parts that should be left alone...clothes that are stretched tight, and slung low, and hair sticking straight up, glued in place...

It seems just a little too obvious that you're dying for attention...And you'll take any, even if it is for the wrong reasons. I know some of these people say they are challenging society's efforts to make us all one homogenous, monotonous group...But it seems that all the "free spirits" dress the same weird way. Apparently, there is a uniform for the non-conformists amongst us...

Whatever! It is a free country, and if you want to look ridiculous, go right ahead...but I think there SHOULD be some kind of law against men wearing jeggings...It's just...too...uh...nauseating!

You should read this...

An amazing story about an extraordinary man...I was told by family members that they couldn't put this book down -- and I couldn't either! Laura Hillenbrand's writing makes for a absorbing read, even though she has much uncomfortable subject matter to cover in Louis Zamperini's story. The experiences of our soldiers in the Pacific theater, World War II, were at times unbelievable. On a good day, they suffered...and then there are those, such as Mr. Zamperini, who endured unimaginable pain and psychological suffering in prison camps. How he overcomes the lingering pain and mental anguish is inspiring.

As well, the capability of men to degrade and torture is appalling...I'll say no more. Some of it requires some contemplation of the difference in cultural values. Liberty -- the freedom for each person to pursue their own goals and purposes reap many more benefits than we realize. We indeed take them for granted.

If you haven't read this yet, be sure to put it on your reading list. It is amazing, inspiring, a story that we should know.

Another hat in the ring...

I'm fairly unimpressed with the field of declared Republican or "conservative" candidates for President.

And now someone new has thrown his hat into the ring, and when I read what he has to say, I feel almost hopeful:

"We don't see the role of government as guaranteeing outcomes, but allowing free men and women to flourish based on their own vision, their hard work and their personal responsibility."

Rick Perry is singing my song, first time I've heard it so specifically.

Much more to learn about this man, but I'm glad to finally here someone speaking to the error of the current administrations philosophy of government...someone is recognizing the principles behind the policies.

Maybe this race will get interesting...

What's next?

They're printing new warnings on cigarette packages these days -- graphic photos of blackened lungs, and cadaverous human beings blowing smoke out of tracheotomy openings...

Yuk.

Apparently, the little box of text that said the Surgeon General had determined that smoking is bad for your health just wasn't cutting it any more. People are too familiar with it, and it was "no longer effective".

Was it ever?

Regardless, I suppose that with the proliferation of TV shows that involve graphic autopsy images, they HAD to up the ante. People are accustomed to being scared these days, so it takes more than a silly text box to frighten them into good behavior.

I'm just wondering what's next -- pictures of rotten teeth on candy bars? Images of the morbidly obese on potato chip bags? Pictures of a healthy colon vs. a polyp-riddled one to encourage you to take the high fiber cereal? Diabetic ulcers pictured on soda cans?

Going to the grocery store might soon become as scary as CSI, or NCIS, or Dr. G: Medical Examiner...

And food corporations will LOVE the new marketing strategy: "Here's a product, ready for you to buy, complete with evidence as to why you should not..."

I'm sure that will fly.

I'm not a fan of smoking, but I do feel sorry for tobacco farmers -- an industry where the government requires you to do your best to convince people NOT to buy your product...We have been conditioned to think this is reasonable in regards to tobacco -- but we probably will feel differently about it when it comes to a grocery store near us...and it isn't different.

I'm reminded of this quote:
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons that under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."        -- C.S. Lewis

So we're all still here...

...just like I thought we would be.

Matt. 24:36 says: "But of that exact day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

That's sounds pretty definite to me, and I believe it. I did ponder, a bit, what it might be like to be convinced that the world was ending on Saturday...What would I do differently than the other days of my life?

I couldn't think of much...Since everyone I love the most would most likely be coming with me, I didn't have to say goodbyes or leave with regret.

Frankly, the whole scenario didn't seem to merit a lot of changes. Our time on earth could be done at any moment -- one way or the other. I want to be doing what I believe is most important regardless of the timing of The End.

It is a conundrum to me how God has tied up our eternal purpose in the finiteness of time. We are seeking eternal truths and eternal treasures while bound in time and space, and the physical limitations of our bodies and the laws of creation.  It's weird when you ponder it...and awesome too. Because we can do it. We can do things that affect eternity, and one day we will know how it all works.

But in the meantime, we're all still here. And since God decided that, it's fine with me.

Ding Dong, Bin Laden is dead...

I was surprised to hear the breaking news last Sunday...not because I thought it was such a momentous event, but because I hadn't even thought about Bin Laden for a long time. Well, good -- I thought -- justice was served.

I was even more surprised to see the celebrating in the streets...It's not like the war on terror was won with this blow to Al Qaida...Why the big party? Then my wise sister opined that we on the west coast probably don't appreciate the loss and fear that was experienced at Bin Laden's hands in the cities of New York and D.C.

I think she's right.

I'm not into celebrating the need to assassinate any human being...but I would go with Mark Twain's quote: " I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

For me the biggest positive in this situation was pointed out by President Bush; that our military will mete out justice, no matter how long it takes.  I am very proud of the phenomenal men and women in our military, who, Bin Laden or no, fight the war on terror every day...And I admit that I am enthralled with Special Ops -- the discipline, the courage, the successful missions accomplished under great duress.

If we could only say that one-tenth of that were true of our media...Oh for goodness! I was anxious to hear the details of the mission, how these heroic soldiers accomplished justice -- but the ever-changing details of who was there, with what, doing what...The corrections, and corrections of corrections...I guess this is what happens to media when you are more concerned about being first than being right.

I'll wait for the book...

I will say now, with the utmost hypocrisy, as I am writing about this very thing, that I am tired of hearing about the subject. It is what it is, and you can't change what was done anyway. I am proud that our country decided to treat Bin Laden's body with respect, despite his lack of worthiness. It is what we would wish others to do for our men lost in battle.

He was a formidable foe...and now his body is lost to this world, just like his soul was lost to good.