All of us in Atlanta to see Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer and Kay Arthur.
Beth Moore
Priscilla, Kay & Beth
Monday, July 28, 2008
Yes, I KNOW!!!
It's been almost a month.......I have no explanations or excuses really other than just laziness. I've been chillin' out on Facebook more than anything really and trying to finish up these online classes (which are NOT my cup of tea!). I've been to Atlanta and Nashville and Brady has had a birthday this past week.......the BIG 14!!! So, to make this short and sweet, I'll just upload some pics for you all to see.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Why should Huckabee be picked as McCain's running mate?
25 Reasons Why Huckabee Should Be Chosen As Vice President
1. Experience: He has ten and a half years experience running a government as the Chief Executive. This is a longer tenure of governmental Chief Executive experience than any other 2008 Presidential candidate and is longer than any current governor of either party.
2. Experience: He was trusted by his Governor peers of both parties to serve as the Chairman of the bipartisan National Governor’s Association, one of the nation’s most respected public policy organizations.
3. Experience: In addition to his long experience in Government, Huckabee had a previous career as a successful and popular Pastor and was also elected to be the President of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. He is also the author of six books and is in the process of completing his seventh.
4. Experience: Because historically, Presidents who have been Governors have performed better than those who were not, McCain would be wise to pick a long-term Governor like Huckabee. Presidents who never held Executive offices but who had running mates who did have performed better than Presidents who never held Executive offices but did not have running mates with Executive Experience either.
5. Biography: Although he has more experience running a government than any other national politician, he is actually less than six years older than Barack Obama.
6. Biography: In a time when many politicians of both parties have been ensnared in tawdry personal scandals, Huckabee has a very stable family life, having been married to the same woman for 34 years and being the father of three grown children who are still close to him and who have helped run his campaign.
7. Electability: There have been five bellwether states - Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Arkansas - that have correctly predicted the winner of the General Election for each of the past eight elections (dating back to 1976). Of those, in the GOP Primaries, Huckabee won the popular vote in two of them (Arkansas and Louisiana), coming in second to McCain in the other three while McCain won the popular vote in three of them (Ohio, Missouri and Kentucky), coming in second to Huckabee in the other two. The margin between the two in the state of Missouri was extremely narrow. And in the state of Kentucky, Huckabee even managed to come in second to John McCain three and a half months after he suspended his campaign and endorsed McCain.
8. Conservative Support: In 1998, Huckabee came in second (to John Ashcroft) in a Christian Coalition Presidential Straw Poll. (He actually came in higher than then-Governor George W. Bush). Edward Walsh wrote for the Washington Post (2/17/1998) that “It's settled. The Christian Coalition has surveyed its leadership and decided that Sen. John D. Ashcroft (R-Mo.) should be the next president and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) should be his vice president.”
9. Conservative Support: J.C. Watts, who represents both the concerns of Evangelicals and African Americans, has expressed dismay at the Republican Party’s failure to reach out to both groups. But the inclusion of Huckabee on the ticket would do a lot to shore up this support and even lure voters from some traditional Democratic groups to the Republican ticket.
10. Conservative Support: Remember the Club For Growth and their endless attacks on Mike Huckabee? Isn’t it interesting that some of these same people, who called Huckabee a liberal, were begging him to run for the U.S. Senate – or even to become the head of the RNC – within a week of him ending his Presidential bid. One might ask “why would self-proclaimed fiscal conservatives want a liberal to take over the party?” The answer is that their opposition to him was not substantive in nature. And just as they wanted to promote ucHuckabHucHuckabee into higher levels of responsibility, they would very likely get behind a McCain/Huckabee ticket, no matter how much they’re kicking and screaming now.
11. Geographical support: With Barack Obama making progress in the south, Mike Huckabee, as a long-term and popular southern Governor, secures this backbone of Republican support. There was even a story in the news about some Alabama politicians almost fighting over which one of them would get Huckabee’s endorsement.
12. Media Presence: Mike Huckabee has many years of experience in communicating with the public over the mass media. His first job was reading the news on the local radio station at age 14. He started two full-time television stations at the churches he pastured and has recently been awarded a contract at Fox News.
13. Broad Appeal: He achieved cross-party popularity, becoming only the second Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction and remaining in the job until term limits forced him out. He won two elections for Lieutenant Governor and two as Governor – in the heart of the Clinton political machine and at a time when Clinton was a popular President who supported his opponents.
14. Broad Appeal: In Arkansas, Huckabee won with voters of every age group, all voters making more than $15,000 a year, and won or nearly tied voters of every education level. He also won almost all Republicans voters, the majority of Independents and more than a third of Democrats.
15. Broad Appeal: He has the greatest support amoung African Americans of any national Republican politician in decades. He won 48% of the black vote in Arkansas. He is very highly regarded by black voters nationwide. Since several of the southern states that have large black populations are showing surprising strength by Obama, Huckabee would appeal to these many of these voters who are conservative, disagree with Obama on the issues, but feel rejected by the Republican Party.
16. Broad Appeal: In addition to Evangelicals, blacks, blue collar voters and southerners, Huckabee is a favorite of the ultimate fiscal conservatives – supporters of the Fair Tax. These are the people who don’t just complain about high taxes but actually want to do something about them.
17. Broad Appeal: As some journalists who have bothered to actually talk to Huckabee supporters have discovered, we’re not all Evangelicals. Huckabee won four million votes but didn’t even get the majority of the Evangelical vote, which was split among multiple candidates.
18. Broad Appeal: Even Huckabee’s harshest critics, such as Rich Lowry of the National Review, grudgingly acknowledge that Huckabee would be “just the right Republican for this particular moment, when pocketbook concerns are looming so large.” Even though they continue to slam him and question his economic credentials, they clearly understand that his message has resonated with the public that is so disenchanted with the status quo.
19. Key Issues: At a time that the nation is concerned with health care, Huckabee is both an advocate for preventive health through a healthy lifestyle and an example of it – he lost 110 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes. He wrote a book on losing weight and launched a childhood obesity campaign with the American Heart Association. And he even offers a personal example of lowering health care costs – he stopped needing to take diabetes medication when he lost weight.
20. Campaign Asset: Huckabee spent less money per vote than any candidate in the 2008 Campaign and perhaps less money per vote than any candidate in the past three decades. In a time that McCain finds himself severely underfunded in comparison with Barack Obama, Huckabee has experience in capitalizing on free media and stretching campaign dollars to the extent of outperforming better funded rivals.
21. Campaign Asset: On any ticket that includes Huckabee, his bloggers come with him. Huckabee has a massive web of grassroots activists, including Huck’s Army, a dedicated group of volunteers who like to share with other people why we think this guy is so cool. We aren’t paid. We spend some of our valuable free time advocating issues that are important to us, doing lots of research and in some cases providing the type of good press that no ad agency or political consultant can buy.
22. Campaign Asset: It’s not all about Huckabee’s online supporters. There are also truckers for Huckabee, Homeschoolers for Huckabee, conservative blacks for Huckabee. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. While a good number of these people might vote for a ticket that didn’t include Huckabee, they definitely would vote for one that would include him. And more important than that, they would get out and fight and work hard for it. In a close election, there is a big difference between having a good number of lukewarm supporters and a greater number of fired-up supporters.
23. Campaign Asset: Huckabee’s urging of his party to approach their differences with Senator Obama with civility and focus on the issues instead of personal attacks has earned him praise from a wide variety of groups whose support will be important in the General Election.
24. Broad Appeal: Although Huckabee has unshakable socially conservative credentials, a lock on the south, and support from many who oppose the Federal Tax Code, he is also personally liked by many who disagree with him on almost every issue. On the liberal blog the Huffington Post, Drew Westin wrote “from the first time I watched Huckabee, he made me nervous, because I disliked most of what he said but I liked him anyway” and called him “the most politically intelligent of the candidates on the Republican side in 2008” and praised his “sense of humor” and “genuineness.” Many Democrats have spoken kindly of Huckabee especially as he urged his party to campaign against Obama on the issues instead of through personal attacks and as he defended Hillary Clinton against pressure to drop out.
25. Campaign Asset: He hasn’t made statements against McCain that could be used against McCain by the Obama camp during the General Election.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Consider Contributing A Buck For Huck!
Mike Huckabee supporters are uniting to send millions and millions of dollars to Senator McCain in increments of $1.00 checks in support of Mike Huckabee as his vice-presidential running mate!
This is meant to show Senator McCain just how much grassroots support Governor Huckabee has in the fields and to show that we are still rooting for him to be a part of the Republican ticket!
It is very important that we get total participation to make a statement! I am asking each of you to take just one moment of your time to write a check for $1.00 to John McCain and enclose a short note with your check stating that this is in support of McCain/Huckabee and you are pledging your support for that ticket.
The checks need to get in the mail within the next 48 hours so they all start arriving together! Please pass this email along to anyone you know who supports Mike Huckabee.
Just yesterday, Patrick Ruffin, co-founder of the "The Next Right" was on CSPAN and he stated that Mike Huckabee has the BEST netroots (hucksarmy) online site of ANY candidate this election. He said it was because we didn't have the masses flocking to us but we built our coalition from the grassroots support! Let's show Senator McCain just how great hucksarmy is and how much support the Governor has out in America!!!
I know I can count on you, loyal Huckabee supporter to "step up to the plate" and get this message out to those millions and millions of people who voted for Mike Huckabee for president......
Thank you for your continued support for Mike Huckabee and all he stands for...
Send your checks to : Senator John McCain campaign fund
PO Box 16118,
Arlington, Va. 22215
PS Please also call 703-418-2008 and tell the McCain camp that you would like to see a McCain/Huckabee ticket!!!!!
Let your voice be heard!!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Mia's New Friend
Well, today I had the honor of keeping sweet baby Isaac. Well, he isn't really a baby anymore. He'll be a year old in a next week-end! How time flies!! Mia Sue just loves playing with the baby and he just cackles and laughs up a storm at here. Here are a few pictures of the two of them together. They sat and played ball forever. Mia would toss the ball to Isaac and he'd throw the ball back. Then burst out laughing! It was so sweet. I guess you just had to be there. It was pretty hot outside today so I had to bring the big pups inside. So I got Isaac settled with Mia first then let them in. Meadow did awesome! She didn't jump at him or anything. Pugsley seemed a big protective of him actually. He was very nervous around him at first because he wasn't too sure what he was doing in his mama's arms. I just watched him closely and he did fine. Isaac still preferred Mia though. Maybe it's because they are just about the same size? LOL
How sweet can you get. This is just precious!
Meadow Grace & Isaac
Mia Sue, Isaac & Pugs
Saturday, June 21, 2008
NC boy dies after being tied to a tree....
I heard about this from a co-worker the other day and it instantly nauseated me. I don't understand why people do the things that they do and I never want to because that would put me on their level in some way I guess. You know, we need a license to have a gun, to get married, TO FISH!!, but nothing to become a parent. Why is that??? Why don't we try to pass some kind of mandatory law that states you have to be trained on parenting BEFORE you decide to bring another human life into this world only to abuse it. This poor child and his siblings....
Teen tied to tree overnight dies
Posted: Jun. 13, 2008 Updated: Jun. 14, 2008
Macclesfield, N.C. — A 13-year-old boy who was tied to a tree two nights this week died Thursday, and his father and stepmother have been charged with murder, authorities said Friday.
Brice Brian McMillan, 41, and Sandra Elizabeth McMillan, 36, both of 1110 Felton Farm Road in Macclesfield, have been charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. They were being held Friday in the Edgecombe County Detention Center without bond.
Deputies were called to the Felton Farm Road residence Thursday afternoon to assist paramedics with an unresponsive teen. The boy's father told deputies he had tied the teen to a tree outside the home Tuesday night because he was being disobedient and other disciplinary actions had failed.
The father said he untied the boy Wednesday morning and allowed him back into the house, but he was tied to the tree a second time that night when he started acting up again. The boy remained tied up until his stepmother found him unconscious at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
The father was performing CPR on the teen when paramedics arrived at the house, said John Dwight Jefferson, of the Pinetops Rescue Squad.
The teen, who was identified as Tyler Gene McMillan, was in cardiac arrest and was taken to Heritage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Jefferson said.
"People are people. When it happens, you still always ask the same question – why?" Jefferson said.
Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight said the boy's wrists and ankles were bound with plastic ties and that he was also tied to the tree with some other material. Although a rope was seen dangling from a tree in the yard outside the house Friday, he wouldn't confirm whether that was used to tie the boy.
Investigators found bruises on the boy's wrists and ankles, Knight said, declining to comment on whether other marks were found on his body.
A 7-year-old and a 9-year-old who live in the McMillan home have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services, authorities said.
Tyler McMillan's mother, Michelle "Mickey" Sasser McMillan, died of cancer several years ago.
Carolyn Pollard, who lives across the road from the McMillans, said the family moved to the area about three months ago from Florida. The children were homeschooled, and the family kept to themselves, she said.
"I was devastated. I did not believe that had taken place," Pollard said. "I never did see any kind of abuse, and that's why I'm shocked with it."
The McMillans first court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Reporter: Beau Minnick
Teen tied to tree overnight dies
Posted: Jun. 13, 2008 Updated: Jun. 14, 2008
Macclesfield, N.C. — A 13-year-old boy who was tied to a tree two nights this week died Thursday, and his father and stepmother have been charged with murder, authorities said Friday.
Brice Brian McMillan, 41, and Sandra Elizabeth McMillan, 36, both of 1110 Felton Farm Road in Macclesfield, have been charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. They were being held Friday in the Edgecombe County Detention Center without bond.
Deputies were called to the Felton Farm Road residence Thursday afternoon to assist paramedics with an unresponsive teen. The boy's father told deputies he had tied the teen to a tree outside the home Tuesday night because he was being disobedient and other disciplinary actions had failed.
The father said he untied the boy Wednesday morning and allowed him back into the house, but he was tied to the tree a second time that night when he started acting up again. The boy remained tied up until his stepmother found him unconscious at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
The father was performing CPR on the teen when paramedics arrived at the house, said John Dwight Jefferson, of the Pinetops Rescue Squad.
The teen, who was identified as Tyler Gene McMillan, was in cardiac arrest and was taken to Heritage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Jefferson said.
"People are people. When it happens, you still always ask the same question – why?" Jefferson said.
Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight said the boy's wrists and ankles were bound with plastic ties and that he was also tied to the tree with some other material. Although a rope was seen dangling from a tree in the yard outside the house Friday, he wouldn't confirm whether that was used to tie the boy.
Investigators found bruises on the boy's wrists and ankles, Knight said, declining to comment on whether other marks were found on his body.
A 7-year-old and a 9-year-old who live in the McMillan home have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services, authorities said.
Tyler McMillan's mother, Michelle "Mickey" Sasser McMillan, died of cancer several years ago.
Carolyn Pollard, who lives across the road from the McMillans, said the family moved to the area about three months ago from Florida. The children were homeschooled, and the family kept to themselves, she said.
"I was devastated. I did not believe that had taken place," Pollard said. "I never did see any kind of abuse, and that's why I'm shocked with it."
The McMillans first court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Reporter: Beau Minnick
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Let's get the facts straight here.....
June 19, 2008 - 05:09 PM
Obama's Ideas Wrong For America
by Mike Huckabee
Greetings, HuckPAC team from Sapporo, Japan:
Janet and I are still in Japan for a few more days. It is about 5am here on Friday which makes it 3 in the afternoon back home in North Little Rock. We are having a great, but extremely packed week. It feels like being back on the campaign trail, except that the speeches are being interpreted in Japanese and the raw fish is sometimes a little tough on a guy who grew up thinking fried catfish was seafood.
Yesterday, I visited with some of the scientists at Tohuko University in Sendai City regarding their groundbreaking research in producing solar energy and in the their development of amazing new materials that are lighter and stronger than steel. I also visited with the Governor of the Hokkaido prefect where next month’s G-8 Summit will be held and spoke to the Chamber of Commerce in that prefect on American politics, US/Japan relations, and economic trends in the United States. We are looking forward to being back—we miss the dogs!
My speech to the Foreign Correspondents Club a few days ago seemed to have generated some buzz both here and back home when I mentioned that it would be a “fundamental if not fatal mistake for the GOP to demonize Barak Obama” in order to win the election. Some seem to have taken that to mean I was all but endorsing Obama! Quite the opposite.
I believe his ideas are totally wrong for America and many of his plans would take us the opposite direction from where I think we need to go. He is an ardent supporter for the most liberal and indefensible positions on abortion, including his refusal to support a ban on the most vile forms of all, partial birth abortion. He has stated that he would be an activist in seeking to push for what the anti-life forces euphemistically call “reproductive rights.”
His plan to raise taxes would be an economic disaster for our nation. We would lose jobs and investment and see the economy really squeeze the working class with even higher fuel and food prices.
He would implement more government control on everything from health care to small business and that’s not the right direction for us.
What I am saying is that we need to challenge Obama on the basis that his ideas are the wrong ones—not attacking him personally. If people spend their time repeating a bunch of internet driven drivel about his middle name (he didn’t choose his anymore than I chose mine), or his race (I do sincerely celebrate that our country has moved to a place where a person’s race doesn’t limit him from aspiring to the highest office in our land, but I just believe that due to his proposals and lack of substantive experience, he’s gone far enough—not because of his race, but because of his sincere, but misguided proposals), or his church (there are far more important reasons for us to elect Senator McCain than where Obama went to church).
Politics ought to be VERTICAL and Obama’s ideas will not take this country UP, but DOWN. I think he is a sincere and obviously a very intelligent and charismatic person. For us to deny that is foolish. Our focus should be to logically and systematically explain why ideas really do matter and why some are bad for those struggling as it is to pay the rent.
Elections ought to be about elevating the best ideas and exposing the worst ones—not engaging in character assassination with half truths, innuendoes, and disputable “internet facts.”
I hope you’ll keep the dialogue going and be a part of HuckPAC. I enjoy reading your posts—even the ones from those who use the blog to attack me. The reason I don’t respond to all of that is 2 fold: 1. I have other things to occupy my time than answering every critic; and 2. You guys—the HuckPAC family do a better job anyway!
Hope you are having a good week and continue to pray for our friends in the Midwest suffering from the devastating floods. Sayonara, Mike Huckabee
Obama's Ideas Wrong For America
by Mike Huckabee
Greetings, HuckPAC team from Sapporo, Japan:
Janet and I are still in Japan for a few more days. It is about 5am here on Friday which makes it 3 in the afternoon back home in North Little Rock. We are having a great, but extremely packed week. It feels like being back on the campaign trail, except that the speeches are being interpreted in Japanese and the raw fish is sometimes a little tough on a guy who grew up thinking fried catfish was seafood.
Yesterday, I visited with some of the scientists at Tohuko University in Sendai City regarding their groundbreaking research in producing solar energy and in the their development of amazing new materials that are lighter and stronger than steel. I also visited with the Governor of the Hokkaido prefect where next month’s G-8 Summit will be held and spoke to the Chamber of Commerce in that prefect on American politics, US/Japan relations, and economic trends in the United States. We are looking forward to being back—we miss the dogs!
My speech to the Foreign Correspondents Club a few days ago seemed to have generated some buzz both here and back home when I mentioned that it would be a “fundamental if not fatal mistake for the GOP to demonize Barak Obama” in order to win the election. Some seem to have taken that to mean I was all but endorsing Obama! Quite the opposite.
I believe his ideas are totally wrong for America and many of his plans would take us the opposite direction from where I think we need to go. He is an ardent supporter for the most liberal and indefensible positions on abortion, including his refusal to support a ban on the most vile forms of all, partial birth abortion. He has stated that he would be an activist in seeking to push for what the anti-life forces euphemistically call “reproductive rights.”
His plan to raise taxes would be an economic disaster for our nation. We would lose jobs and investment and see the economy really squeeze the working class with even higher fuel and food prices.
He would implement more government control on everything from health care to small business and that’s not the right direction for us.
What I am saying is that we need to challenge Obama on the basis that his ideas are the wrong ones—not attacking him personally. If people spend their time repeating a bunch of internet driven drivel about his middle name (he didn’t choose his anymore than I chose mine), or his race (I do sincerely celebrate that our country has moved to a place where a person’s race doesn’t limit him from aspiring to the highest office in our land, but I just believe that due to his proposals and lack of substantive experience, he’s gone far enough—not because of his race, but because of his sincere, but misguided proposals), or his church (there are far more important reasons for us to elect Senator McCain than where Obama went to church).
Politics ought to be VERTICAL and Obama’s ideas will not take this country UP, but DOWN. I think he is a sincere and obviously a very intelligent and charismatic person. For us to deny that is foolish. Our focus should be to logically and systematically explain why ideas really do matter and why some are bad for those struggling as it is to pay the rent.
Elections ought to be about elevating the best ideas and exposing the worst ones—not engaging in character assassination with half truths, innuendoes, and disputable “internet facts.”
I hope you’ll keep the dialogue going and be a part of HuckPAC. I enjoy reading your posts—even the ones from those who use the blog to attack me. The reason I don’t respond to all of that is 2 fold: 1. I have other things to occupy my time than answering every critic; and 2. You guys—the HuckPAC family do a better job anyway!
Hope you are having a good week and continue to pray for our friends in the Midwest suffering from the devastating floods. Sayonara, Mike Huckabee
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
God must be breaking something inside of me....
There has been so much pain in my life lately. These past few weeks especially. I'd like to say that I have a strong relationship with God and I do my the best I can to please Him each day. No day is a perfect day.......I always fall short in some way, but that is the difference between God and us. He is all perfect, all powerful, all knowing..........we are gullible, rebellious, deceitful, selfish, and the list goes on. I'm sure you could think of numerous adjectives to place in that sentence yourself. The more God has allowed pain into my life lately, the more I feel as if there is something that is breaking within me. Not physically, but spiritually. I know that God doesn't send anything bad our way, but He does allow things to happen because He see's the outcome of our relationship with Him at the end of each trial we go through. I truly believe, and have felt for days now, that God is breaking me so that I trust Him more to carry my burdens. "The burdens are easy".......His Word says. Maybe not during our storm, but those are the most crucial times to honor and glorify Him.
I was pouring my heart out to my dear Sister in Christ, Cindy, today and told her that maybe I'm trying too hard to walk closer with God during these trials in my life. I am doing everything that I have learned by studying my Bible, from what I've absorbed in Bible Studies, and more than anything, what my praise and worship music has spoken to my heart. I am trying my best to "praise Him through the storm" so that I will not allow the enemy to have a foothold upon my life or that of my families. But it's hard.....and I am going to continue on with the journey just the way that I have these past few weeks. One thing that Cindy told me today was sometimes, even though we want to show God that we trust Him, place our faith in Him, and know that He is walking with us, we just have to be. Now, how in the world do I "just be??" God is going to have to come straight down from the heavens to explain this one to me because I can't comprehend it. I can't be still half of the time so how can I "just be?"
I can honestly share that I have sat around this evening weeping off and on for quite a few hours for my family, my friends, our leaders and the sad shape that this world is in for our children. I keep asking God to help to feel like I've forgiven those that have trespassed against me...and even though I feel like I have forgiven them because I don't have any ill feelings toward them, I'm still saddened by relationships that have been severed, losses of loved one's, moment's lost in time due to poor decisions, etc. How do I know that I've truly forgiven them if I keep asking for God to help me forgive them? Surely, it's just because I feel guilt for holding anomosity toward them for so long or because I never asked them personally (because some just haven't been willing to hear me out or it's not something that is possible to do). I know, all this problem makes it sound like I'm a pretty rotten person if I need so many people to forgive me......I know that I'm not because God tells me in His Word that I am His child and that He loves me and protects me and that I was made to be in a relationship with Him. I guess I'm just doing some depressive soul-searching tonight.
It would be so grand to see our mistakes ahead of time before we ever made them so we could choose Door #2 instead of Door #3 and have the happy life. But that is not why we were put here on this earth. God gives us free will and even though sometimes it may not feel good in the flesh, as long as we obey Him and what we believe He is directing us to do, I believe He honors that. He knows our heart better than we know it ourselves. Praise God He knows it better than I do because I can't make heads or tails of it!!! I know I love my Savior, that I am forever indepted to the price His Son paid for me that day on Calvary. I also know that I want to do everything I can to make Him happy and to lead others to Him. I am so blessed with my family......oh the stories and the struggles that we have endured. From childhood until present, we have had many painful nights, many worrisome days, and many praises to sing.
My father in himself is a praise and a blessing from God above. You see, 19 years ago, my father could have been taken away from me, my mom, my sister and the rest of our family in a split second. I choose to believe that God allowed him to stay here for a purpose......what that purpose is defined as is not for me to discover, it is for my dad to discover through Christ on his own. But I remember that night like yesterday.......and I know what it is like to have your life changed in the blink of an eye. For those of you who do not know, to make a long story short, by dad was blown up by dynamite investingating a stolen car report for the county police. A job he had (and still has) such a passion for..... You can only imagine all the therapy, surgeries, and rehabilitation he has had to undergo since then. But God reached down His mighty hand that night and would not allow him to leave this earth yet. It wasn't his time and I praise Him for that because so much would have been lost. My dad is a hero in my boys' eyes just because he is their grandpa.....and wore a badge. Not because of that night. In fact, they know very little about that night. But they know he is a hero. His life has purpose. And there are many others out there as well that have that special purpose for their lives.
So God......I'm waiting for you to define mine at this moment because I feel like you are molding me for yet another one of Your creations. A new ministry..........a change in lifestyle.....oh, it could be so many things. It is so hard to be patient and confused and not understand all that is surrounding me in my life at this very moment. I feel as if I'm on the line with Him 25 hours a day!!! But I know He hears me.......and I know He is with me. I ask all of you to continue to pray for our family as we go through new "growing pains" I guess you would call them.
I know this has been lengthy, but I just felt as though God was telling me to let it all out here. I pray you all have a safe and wonderful week and that God will reign His love down upon you all.
I was pouring my heart out to my dear Sister in Christ, Cindy, today and told her that maybe I'm trying too hard to walk closer with God during these trials in my life. I am doing everything that I have learned by studying my Bible, from what I've absorbed in Bible Studies, and more than anything, what my praise and worship music has spoken to my heart. I am trying my best to "praise Him through the storm" so that I will not allow the enemy to have a foothold upon my life or that of my families. But it's hard.....and I am going to continue on with the journey just the way that I have these past few weeks. One thing that Cindy told me today was sometimes, even though we want to show God that we trust Him, place our faith in Him, and know that He is walking with us, we just have to be. Now, how in the world do I "just be??" God is going to have to come straight down from the heavens to explain this one to me because I can't comprehend it. I can't be still half of the time so how can I "just be?"
I can honestly share that I have sat around this evening weeping off and on for quite a few hours for my family, my friends, our leaders and the sad shape that this world is in for our children. I keep asking God to help to feel like I've forgiven those that have trespassed against me...and even though I feel like I have forgiven them because I don't have any ill feelings toward them, I'm still saddened by relationships that have been severed, losses of loved one's, moment's lost in time due to poor decisions, etc. How do I know that I've truly forgiven them if I keep asking for God to help me forgive them? Surely, it's just because I feel guilt for holding anomosity toward them for so long or because I never asked them personally (because some just haven't been willing to hear me out or it's not something that is possible to do). I know, all this problem makes it sound like I'm a pretty rotten person if I need so many people to forgive me......I know that I'm not because God tells me in His Word that I am His child and that He loves me and protects me and that I was made to be in a relationship with Him. I guess I'm just doing some depressive soul-searching tonight.
It would be so grand to see our mistakes ahead of time before we ever made them so we could choose Door #2 instead of Door #3 and have the happy life. But that is not why we were put here on this earth. God gives us free will and even though sometimes it may not feel good in the flesh, as long as we obey Him and what we believe He is directing us to do, I believe He honors that. He knows our heart better than we know it ourselves. Praise God He knows it better than I do because I can't make heads or tails of it!!! I know I love my Savior, that I am forever indepted to the price His Son paid for me that day on Calvary. I also know that I want to do everything I can to make Him happy and to lead others to Him. I am so blessed with my family......oh the stories and the struggles that we have endured. From childhood until present, we have had many painful nights, many worrisome days, and many praises to sing.
My father in himself is a praise and a blessing from God above. You see, 19 years ago, my father could have been taken away from me, my mom, my sister and the rest of our family in a split second. I choose to believe that God allowed him to stay here for a purpose......what that purpose is defined as is not for me to discover, it is for my dad to discover through Christ on his own. But I remember that night like yesterday.......and I know what it is like to have your life changed in the blink of an eye. For those of you who do not know, to make a long story short, by dad was blown up by dynamite investingating a stolen car report for the county police. A job he had (and still has) such a passion for..... You can only imagine all the therapy, surgeries, and rehabilitation he has had to undergo since then. But God reached down His mighty hand that night and would not allow him to leave this earth yet. It wasn't his time and I praise Him for that because so much would have been lost. My dad is a hero in my boys' eyes just because he is their grandpa.....and wore a badge. Not because of that night. In fact, they know very little about that night. But they know he is a hero. His life has purpose. And there are many others out there as well that have that special purpose for their lives.
So God......I'm waiting for you to define mine at this moment because I feel like you are molding me for yet another one of Your creations. A new ministry..........a change in lifestyle.....oh, it could be so many things. It is so hard to be patient and confused and not understand all that is surrounding me in my life at this very moment. I feel as if I'm on the line with Him 25 hours a day!!! But I know He hears me.......and I know He is with me. I ask all of you to continue to pray for our family as we go through new "growing pains" I guess you would call them.
I know this has been lengthy, but I just felt as though God was telling me to let it all out here. I pray you all have a safe and wonderful week and that God will reign His love down upon you all.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Today should have been a happy day....
but instead I have been sitting around tearing up most of the night. Tonight, I should have been sitting in a coliseum full of proud parents watching the Senior Class of 2008 graduate....hearing my daughter's name being called. But that hasn't happened and all I can do is turn to this blog and vent my feelings. Something that I haven't been doing much of lately.
Tonight, my heart is breaking just as it did two weeks ago when Brittany decide to run back to WV. And I do mean "run". All I can do is pray for her safety, her decision making, her daily walk with God to be renewed and for our relationship to one day have an opportunity to heal.
I've done well these past two weeks......it's been simple: stay busy, keep my praise and worship music on, read my bible, focus on a Beth Moore study, pray, sing, pray, keep looking up and trusting God, pray some more.....and tonight, I'm just spent. I was sent a message of pain from my daughter, not personally by her, but through another way stating that she just doesn't want me as her mother basically. She wasted her life here......and even though I recognize that it's from the enemy...(oh how I hate to give him any credit), it is making my heart bleed in agonizing pain.
I know that when the day comes when I stand before God, I will have no regrets as to how I parent my children. I believe in rules, curfews, helping out around the house, knowing who the parents are of a friends they are going to hang out with, wanting to know their interests, moderate their internet connections because of the evil in society today, and raising them in church each and every opportunity that I had. I have done the best that I can and I know God knows that and those around me here know that. But what I don't understand is why I have to throw the only daughter that I have away to this world without a proper good-bye, an "I love you mom, thanks for everything.," or a simple smile and a wave. I would have settled for the Smile and a wave!!!!!!!
Instead I have my own cross to carry. My daughter has some serious issues that she needs to deal with....more than just teen-age rebellion. All I can do is pray for her....ask others to pray for her......and try to think positive thoughts about her. I see her friends at churh and I see her right there beside them in my mind. Bless their hearts, they are trying so hard to show me how much they love me and that they are here for me and I am the one that needs to be there for them....for their loss of a friend. You know, even though Brittany left on a sour note (I am still unsure as to her reasons for running to her dad), she's still my daughter. And no matter how bad her reputation may be here because of choices she made or stories that she told, she's still my daughter........and I don't want anyone to think ill of her. I want them to think and remember the BriBri that sang, smiled, strummed that guitar, laughed until she had to pee, or smell worse than a stink bomb. My daughter is a good girl deep inside.........but she's without Christ and until they reunite in a true relationship, "my daughter" is being captive by an imposter. I pray for her release.......I pray for her happiness and freedom from bondage. But more than anything, I pray that she knows that no matter how badly she hurts me or how long she turns her back from me, I will still love my daughter!!!
Tonight, my heart is breaking just as it did two weeks ago when Brittany decide to run back to WV. And I do mean "run". All I can do is pray for her safety, her decision making, her daily walk with God to be renewed and for our relationship to one day have an opportunity to heal.
I've done well these past two weeks......it's been simple: stay busy, keep my praise and worship music on, read my bible, focus on a Beth Moore study, pray, sing, pray, keep looking up and trusting God, pray some more.....and tonight, I'm just spent. I was sent a message of pain from my daughter, not personally by her, but through another way stating that she just doesn't want me as her mother basically. She wasted her life here......and even though I recognize that it's from the enemy...(oh how I hate to give him any credit), it is making my heart bleed in agonizing pain.
I know that when the day comes when I stand before God, I will have no regrets as to how I parent my children. I believe in rules, curfews, helping out around the house, knowing who the parents are of a friends they are going to hang out with, wanting to know their interests, moderate their internet connections because of the evil in society today, and raising them in church each and every opportunity that I had. I have done the best that I can and I know God knows that and those around me here know that. But what I don't understand is why I have to throw the only daughter that I have away to this world without a proper good-bye, an "I love you mom, thanks for everything.," or a simple smile and a wave. I would have settled for the Smile and a wave!!!!!!!
Instead I have my own cross to carry. My daughter has some serious issues that she needs to deal with....more than just teen-age rebellion. All I can do is pray for her....ask others to pray for her......and try to think positive thoughts about her. I see her friends at churh and I see her right there beside them in my mind. Bless their hearts, they are trying so hard to show me how much they love me and that they are here for me and I am the one that needs to be there for them....for their loss of a friend. You know, even though Brittany left on a sour note (I am still unsure as to her reasons for running to her dad), she's still my daughter. And no matter how bad her reputation may be here because of choices she made or stories that she told, she's still my daughter........and I don't want anyone to think ill of her. I want them to think and remember the BriBri that sang, smiled, strummed that guitar, laughed until she had to pee, or smell worse than a stink bomb. My daughter is a good girl deep inside.........but she's without Christ and until they reunite in a true relationship, "my daughter" is being captive by an imposter. I pray for her release.......I pray for her happiness and freedom from bondage. But more than anything, I pray that she knows that no matter how badly she hurts me or how long she turns her back from me, I will still love my daughter!!!
I told ya so.....
Huckabee to Be Political Commentator on FOX News Channel
Today at 2:08am
HUCKABOOM HITS TV
HUCKABOOM HITS TV
By Howard Kurtz
Mike Huckabee may have flamed out as a presidential candidate, but his glibness and humor did not go unnoticed.The former Arkansas governor has signed a one-year deal as a political commentator for Fox News, where he will sound off on a variety of programs. A knowledgeable source says an announcement is expected soon.Other cable channels had been pursuing Huckabee, who provided commentary on MSNBC during one of its primary-night broadcasts.
Fox has given a platform to such former Republican politicos as Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove.Huckabee honed his broadcasting skills during his years as a Baptist minister, and his underfunded White House campaign relied heavily on TV appearances, from his constant calls to MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to his stint playing air hockey with Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert.
His first job, at 14, was reading the news and weather at a radio station.
The deal keeps Huckabee in the spotlight as he contemplates a second run in 2012, a tactic perfected by Pat Buchanan, who hosted CNN's "Crossfire" between presidential campaigns. No word on whether the deal calls for Huckabee's band to play while Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity kick off their programs.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Mike and Fox
Don't be surprised if you don't start seeing Gov. Huckabee on Fox News a lot more. Rumor has it that he just signed a one year contract with them as a political commentator, just as Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove have. I will be thrilled to see Mike on my television set more now. Of course, if he does get VP.....I'm sure he'll take the better of the two jobs. I'm excited. Yeah!!! He'll bring Fox News alive with humor!
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