Broken Promises

There was a single soldier, living in a rough neighborhood, trying to raise his young daughter.

Friends who lived in another, safer, neighborhood had promised to help him care for his little girl when he was busy fighting the enemies of his country. They were steadfast in aid and comfort for years.

Eventually, this young man was able to expand his territory, refurbishing abandoned homes and renting them out to responsible owners. He was hoping to improve his neighborhood, but crime continued, while hoodlums bent on violence continued to roam the streets, bent on harassing the peaceful residents.

Then, inexplicably, his friends decided that he was being greedy by investing in more property in the troubled neighborhood. They excused the criminals by accusing the soldier of being bigoted against them! When they looked after his daughter, they exposed her to the dangers of the hooligans, telling her that she was at fault for living in their territory!

Finally, the father had enough of their betrayal and lectured them for their misguided philosophy. "Why don't they move into and stay in neighborhoods where they are welcome?" he asked. "Why do they threaten our way of life just because they can't seem to improve their own?!" But his former friends would not listen to his reasoning and continued to berate him and his daughter for "hating" the violent, homeless criminals by trying to bring peace and prosperity to their community.

Unconscionable! 

Actually, this is not a story about a single father trying to improve the life of his daughter.

This is a story about what Israel is experiencing right now. The United States has forsaken her promise to help protect and sustain the state of Israel, as she attempts to survive in an area of the Middle East where enemies surround them and threaten their very existence.

Watch Dennis Prager explain the Middle East problem.

President Obama and his U.N. representative, Samantha Power, made the conscious decision to abstain from voting against a resolution to condemn Israel for building homes on their own land, citing the barrier this has become to the "Palestinians". Today, Secretary of State, John Kerry, admonished Israel for standing in the way of "peace" by refusing to let her enemies destroy her.

If the Arabs living in Israeli territory need land for homes, why don't the surrounding Arab countries give them land to build on? Because it's not about land. It's about anti-Semitism. The Palestinians and most Arabs will not be satisfied until Israel is "driven into the sea" and all Jews are dead. 

By siding with the Palestinians, the Obama administration has aligned the U.S. with anti-Semitism.

Watch Benjamin Netanyahu's brilliant response here.

Social Justice - the Latest Impossible Dream

To dream ... the impossible dream ...

To fight ... the unbeatable foe ...
To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ...
To run ... where the brave dare not go ...
To right ... the unrightable wrong ...
To love ... pure and chaste from afar ...
To try ... when your arms are too weary ...
To reach ... the unreachable star ...

This is my quest, to follow that star ...
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far ...
To fight for the right, without question or pause ...
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause ...

And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm,
when I'm laid to my rest ...
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach ... the unreachable star ...

Lyrics by Joe Darion

Don Quixote was mad. I don’t mean he was angry at social injustice. He was crazy. And the saddest part of his quest was what he missed by spending his life striving for the unattainable. He could have dreamed a possible dream and fulfilled it. He could have identified a beatable foe and became the victor. Instead, he tilted at windmills and we continue to laugh at his story.

Yet, there are still some who continue to dream impossible dreams and demand that we all do the same – no matter how hopeless, no matter how far-fetched. 

When my children were growing up, the impossible dream was to Save the Earth! I took my daughter out of public school upon learning that the curriculum was heavy on this unbearable burden and light on knowledge skills. Who does that? Who decides that children need to fight such an unbeatable foe?! Even children know that they don’t have the power to Save the Earth. School-sponsored recycling projects just reinforce the absurdity of such a challenge. Now we know why this campaign was waged against our children: to indoctrinate them to disparage capitalistic activities that seek to maximize the availability of natural resources. Instead of learning how to capitalize on wise use of environmental riches that promote sustainable jobs and national sovereignty, they grew up to realize that they will always fall short of saving the earth, given the constant evolution of looming disasters embodied in Climate Change that requires only the prosperous nations to reduce their carbon footprints. 

At least Millennials can soothe the burden of failure by driving Priuses without having to grapple with the scientific fact that humans breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.With a growing population, maybe a “greenhouse effect” is exactly what we need.

Today the battle cry is “Social Justice”! Very trendy. Nevermind that it is yet another impossible dream.

It’s the Utopian idea that no one should be poor (difficult to achieve when the definition of “poor” keeps changing). According to today’s assessment, most children would feel sorry for the “poverty” I endured as a child. My house had only two bedrooms, one bathroom, no grass in the backyard to play on, no color TV… Yet I never considered myself poor because I always had clean clothes to wear and enough food to eat.

The word justice means “the administration of the law”. Unless one is willing to legislate one wage and lifestyle for every person, social justice is truly an “unrightable wrong”. And who determines the “living wage”? It’s not like this hasn’t been tried before. “Social Justice” is just the latest euphemism for Socialism. This is the impossible dream that promises “security” at the expense of liberty. It’s a lovely picture in the mind, until someone snaps some photos of the unemployed standing in bread lines while the elite overseers dine on caviar in their mansions. Because, you see, there will always be administrators of this “social justice”, and the less the common people share, the more the administrators get to enjoy.

The greatest victim of this latest campaign is real justice. While our government promotes and incites class warfare and stifles business growth with exponential and burdensome regulations, opportunities to encourage free market solutions to “lift all boats” are squandered and even punished.

Instead of tilting at windmills of endless distraction, let’s strive to make Liberty our “glorious quest”.

"What is your opinion on the inerrancy of the Bible?"

A friend asked me this online on Christmas Day, as we were discussing Christianity.

The short answer: of course the Bible has errors. It was transcribed by humans, translated by humans, and compiled by humans. Humans err.

The long answer: The Bible doesn't have to be inerrant. It's a tiny piece of the entire eternal puzzle that reveals the Creator: "His Story".

The Bible is a collection of myths. (I can hear Christians gasping now.) The primary definition of myth is this:
"a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite or phenomenon of nature."

Notice that this definition doesn't say it was made up. I believe all the things in the Bible actually happened and were perceived by humans who told it to other humans who wrote some of it down the way they remembered it. That doesn't mean it's not true, it just means it's probably somewhat in error to the linear factual evidence.

I have a twin sister. We experienced life nearly exactly the same until we were teens. Yet, when I remember (put an event back together in my memory) an event, our stories are often vastly different. Sometimes she'll remember something that happened but I will have no recollection of it. Together, whether demonstrably factual or not, we could tell the story of our past.

I'm a school librarian, but I'm also a story-teller. I tell stories from my own life that help students make connections to what they are learning in classrooms and in other areas of their lives. Are these stories factual? Not necessarily. Are they true? I hope so.

Because humans are not blank sheets of paper upon which to write objective biographies, even our own stories become mythologies. They reveal hidden truths through the telling. Even John acknowledges: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them was written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." Now, did he really call the Savior Jesus? No. If he called Him by name it would have been Yeshua. Does that make this verse invalid? No. In fact, I believe he was validating another verse: Colossians 1:17, which declares, "He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together." Do you know what else does those things? Protons and gluons. Protons are primary light particles, the basis of everything. Gluons are the particles that hold everything together. What?!! Jesus is in particle physics? Well, if He wasn't, he'd be a liar, wouldn't He? So, is quantum physics also a mythology? In my mind it is. Its purpose is to tell a bigger Truth; eternal Truth. One we're not supposed to comprehend in this earthly existence.

Just like everything in creation, our purpose is to reveal the Creator. He's complicated. So are our stories, like the Bible. This explains why the Gospels have inconsistencies as told from the different perspectives of the four apostles.

Does errancy invalidate scripture? What? Do you really think the God of all Creation doesn't know how to use mistakes and misinterpretations to tell HisStory? It's all True. All of it. If everything isn't true, then God is a liar.

The discussion my friend and I began centered on the pagan nature of today's "Christian" holidays. I do not celebrate them because they are a distraction and deception from the simpler Truth. Not that paganism isn't true.

OMG. Did she just say that paganism is true?

Well, it's either all true or it's not. It's either all part of History or we're all just wasting our time here.

From studying theoretical quantum physics, I learned that every living thing is part of God's consciousness. A Creator, by definition, defines himself through his creation. Do artists make just one piece of art; one painting, and say, "There! That defines me!" Nope.

Why did God create everything? Because it will take everything for all time to define Him. He uses eternal energy, revealed in various ways to define Himself. That includes consciousness. This also proves that our consciousnesses are eternal. Human consciousnesses throughout eternity define God. Even pagans.

So, if you are a Christian and you want to incorporate paganism into your holy day traditions, go ahead. I don't advise it because it's a huge distraction and deception from the finished work of Christ. God knows were simple creatures. For a people, for a time, all mythologies point to Him. To entangle them unnecessarily is, to my mind, dangerous for Christians who want to portray God's finished work of redemption.

Believers, saved by Grace alone through the work of our Savior, have no need to demonstrate mythologies unless we are mere children in the faith. Because we are human, the Bible does command that we "remember Him until he comes" by sharing bread and wine - a meal, in other words.

So, eat together, tell your histories together. And praise a Creator who considers this to be enough to acknowledge Him.


For a more comprehensive investigation of this topic, please read: Superstring Theory

Voting with Israel - What Would the Founders Do?

My first emotional response to the decision by President Obama to abstain from the recent vote in the United Nations to condemn Israel's expansion of settlements in the West Bank was righteous indignation.

According to The Blaze, "A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Netanyahu’s government has “ironclad” information tying President Barack Obama directly to the anti-Israel resolution passed last week by the United Nations Security Council."

Outrageous!

The U.S. has historically stood for Israel's sovereign interests, and as one of the five "permanent" members of the U.N. our nation has reserved the weighted power of a seven-fold vote, as well as veto power over resolutions that would be particularly harmful to the safety and security of our democratic ally in the volatile Middle East.

"The United Nations Security Council is composed of five permanent and ten nonpermanent member countries. Passage of a motion requires the approval of at least nine countries, and is subject to a veto by any one of the permanent members. Although officially defined in this fashion, the UN Security Council voting system is in fact equivalent to the weighted voting system [39: 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], in which each permanent member gets 7 votes, each nonpermanent member gets 1 vote, and the quota for passage is 39 votes." (UN Security Council Voting System)

By abstaining from voting against this resolution to condemn a sovereign nation from building on its own land, the U.S. has broken with tradition and, dare I say, invited a curse upon our own land. Genesis 12:2 and 3 declare:  "I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." 

But, I'm a Constitutionalist. Of course, our Constitution does not mention Israel by name. And, during the infancy of our nation, Israel was embroiled in battles during the Napoleonic Wars, which did not explicitly involve U.S. actions. 

In fact, Napoleon's efforts to conquer the world may have played a huge role in defining our Founders' ideology regarding foreign affairs.

From ourrepubliconline.com:

“I am for free commerce with all nations, political connection with none, and little or no diplomatic establishment. And I am not for linking ourselves by new treaties with the quarrels of Europe, entering that field of slaughter to preserve their balance, or joining in the confederacy of Kings to war against the principles of liberty.” (Thomas Jefferson, to Elbridge Gerry ME 10:77, 1799.) 

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world...” (George Washington, Farewell Address) 

 “I have ever deemed it fundamental for the United States never to take active part in the quarrels of Europe. Their political interests are entirely distinct from ours. Their mutual jealousies, their balance of power, their complicated alliances, their forms and principles of government, are all foreign to us. They are nations of eternal war. All their energies are expended in the destruction of the labor, property and lives of their people.” (Thomas Jefferson, to James Monroe ME: 15:436, 1823.) 

 “Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations — entangling alliances with none, I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one of] those which ought to shape its administration.” (Thomas Jefferson, 1st Inaugural Address ME 3:321. 1801.)

 “We wish not to meddle with the internal affairs of any country, nor with the general affairs of Europe. Peace with all nations, and the right which that gives us with respect to all nations, are our object.” (Thomas Jefferson, to C. W. F. Dumas ME 9:56. 1793.) 

Oh, what a tangled web we weave.

Our nation's Founders never intended "entangled alliances" with other nations. The fault does not lie with Obama's refusal to support Israel in the recent U.N. Security Council vote.

The fault lies in the fact that we are a member of the United Nations at all. 

Republicans - You've Been Trumped

It's true - Constitutionalists like Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker and Ted Cruz scared the crap out of the RINOs during the primary Presidential election of 2016.

When the choice came down to the statesman and law expert Ted Cruz or the egotistical demagogue, the majority of the Republican party Elite were only too eager to throw their support behind the Orange Buffoon.

Trump's ridiculous and privileged persona presented a chance to hold on to the Establishment's political influence and prestige. While The Donald had identified his "mark" - the American people willing to throw Conservatism and the Constitution overboard for the opportunity to cling to the big orange "life-preserver", the power-brokers pegged Trump as their Great White Hope - someone whose ego could be manipulated to do their bidding as long as they made him think he could enjoy the Monarchy of which he had always dreamed.

The only upside to this fiasco is Mike Pence, who many believe is the brain behind the throne, choosing effective cabinet appointments in spite of Trump's ignorance and misguided motivation.

But the RINOs who backed this President-Elect know they hold the Trump card. Without their props, Trump collapses from the weight of his own hubris.

Congratulations, Republicans, you've been trumped. By the Establishment.

Welcome to the status quo. 

Unfortunately, this is not only another win for the political Elite, but it represents a huge setback for the Conservative cause that had such promise after the eight-year debacle of the Obama years.

While Trumpists are celebrating their newfound Nationalism under the reign of their own autocrat, and self-proclaimed "Conservative, Constitution Protecting" websites that began by declaring their commitment to founding principles have thrown their promises over for the popularity of identifying with the winning team, true Patriots know that this election perpetrated an existential threat to our nation.

This "win" actually pushes the Conservative cause back decades. When millions of American voters not only fall for, but revel (albeit unknowingly) in the victimhood of a double con, Constitutionalists realize that our work just became exponentially more difficult.

Trump and his Elitist lackeys have redefined Conservativism to mean electing a "Republican", no matter how crude, egotistical, ignorant, immoral, autocratic, and liberal he or she may be.

Now, for any hope of restoring our Republic, we must mount a battle against two fronts: deprogramming the Trump cultists while continuing to fight the Establishment agenda. Our task is to reconnect Americans to their first love: Liberty under the Rule of Law.

I'm just afraid that this will be a bridge too far.

Strong Angel

When I first got my Kindle, many new authors offered their books for free. One of the first books I downloaded was Heidegger’s Glasses, by Thaisa Frank.

Sadly, I don’t remember much about the plot of this novel. I will never forget one detail, however. The author invents an optometrist to make a pair of glasses for the German philosopher Martin Heidegger. The optometrist’s name is Dr. Engelhart.

This is my maiden name. It is not a common name anymore. It’s obviously German. I learned that it means Strong Angel.

In the novel, Dr. Engelhart is sent to the gas chamber during the Holocaust of World War II, in the Nazi program to eradicate the Jews.

I had never imagined that my maiden name might be Jewish. My father had never mentioned any Judaic history in my family. But I had taken several classes with a Judaica teacher at my church, spent a lot of time at local synagogues, teaching English to elder Jews recently immigrated from Eastern Europe. I felt comfortable in the Jewish community, even though I am a believer in Yeshua as the fulfilled promise of the Messiah - I am a Christian.

I knew of Yad Vashem - The Holocaust Remembrance Center. So, I went to the website and searched the name Engelhart. Astoundingly, I discovered page after page after page of my family name, spelled exactly the same- names of those who had perished in the Holocaust. Strong Angels.

And that’s when the tears started falling.

Grandma Grinch

I got a call from my daughter-in-law last week. She was stressed out over her inability to obtain the most popular toy to fulfill her daughter's wish for Christmas. She admitted that the only way to snag one of these sought-after items would be to actually step inside a Toys R Us store, scarce in western Nebraska, where they live, but nearby to me.

After doing a little research, I messaged her: "Hatchimals. Okay. So, SpinMaster (the company that sells them) has a pop-up on websites that says they're sorry this toy is so popular that they are in low supply. Target has them for $60, but are already sold out of the Owlicorn. Toys R Us has them for $70, but won't guarantee that they have any in stock upon arrival, and won't tell you whether any are on the shelf when you call, and won't reserve one for pick-up. So, I'm gonna be the mean grandma and say I don't think this toy is worth the time and effort to battle the traffic and shopping hordes for the probable failure. Give Brooklyn a big hug and tell her that Grandma still loves her, and when they go on sale after Christmas for half-off, I'll make sure to get her one."

She replied, "LOL. Ok."

Looks like I was right. According to several local news sources like this one, published today in Virginia, succeeding in this Christmas quest takes more patience and perseverance than I am willing to provide, especially since I don't celebrate the holiday:

After weeks of being out of stock both in stores and online, a limited supply of Hatchimals went on sale at ToysRUs locations nationwide Sunday morning at store opening. The Hatchimals supply of around 100 in Roanoke was gone in minutes.

CNN.com reveals that:  "The hottest toys of 2016 have one thing in common: technology." And leading the list is Hatchimals, the robotic creatures that peck out of their own shells and continue to mature as the weeks go by. (Another Furby, in my opinion- something the kids will squeal about when opened, then will languish in the bedroom closet for years to come, raising the creepy factor appropriately during bedtime after watching a scary movie.)

My grandchildren will be getting a box of books that don't require batteries. I'm a Librarian, after all.

Feeding the Federal Machine

President-Elect Trump's appointment of Betsy DeVos, a devoted proponent of school choice has sparked a full-frontal freak-out by public education unionists.

I'm currently involved in a Facebook debate with a teacher who insists that our "Democracy" depends on generously fueling the socialist school system, horrified at the thought of competition.

My initial salvo: 
Encouraging private schools does not have to destroy public schools. Competition tends to float all boats.

Her response: However I have not seen any research based evidence from your point of view. I am very open to hearing all sides. I believe competition is good, I just understand that competition does not have room for special needs, or other issues that take away from the bottom line. Again police, fire department, military.

Mine:  While I don't consider police, fire dept. or military to be an apples to apples comparison with education, I think the mere existence of a myriad of private security providers proves the need and desire for the option. I think of education as a non-emergency service, like restaurants and tax-preparers and cleaning services, and retail stores, etc. If government can facilitate education better than the private sector, why aren't these tax-payer funded, as well?  Justice is also a consideration. When I unschooled my daughter for nine years, I paid over $2,000 in school taxes every year, but did not utilize any local school benefits. Thankfully, I discovered that my daughter could receive a robust education using a free library card and low or no cost learning opportunities in and around Fort Worth, but imagine what I could have done with $20,000! I don't have a problem with a society deciding to authorize a state to demand taxes for education, but I believe a parent ought to be able to use those funds for the methods that best serve their own children.

Hers: Our society and democracy is not based on "Me" We did not become who we are with the "This is mine, don't touch." That is what we have become in the last 30 years. Very self centered. We have forgotten that many people before us paid their taxes as well when they had no children, or their kids had already gone through school. They were paying their taxes to help us all as a country. We can not now turn our backs on those that come after us. Even though that seems to be the belief by the last 2 generations. We will not exactly be known as the "Greatest Generation" that is for sure. If you choose to "unschooled" your child, that was your choice. No said you couldn't . If you choose to pay for private school, that is your choice. To be part of this society, you have to contribute if you are able to help the greater good.

I countered with the following:  Actually, our nation was founded as a Capitalist Republic - a meritocracy (through hard work), facilitated by the individual power of unalienable rights. I realize we have become a Democratic Socialism over the years, which is what you have described,but that's not how it started. I prefer to protect our unalienable rights in a Republic, creating wealth in a free market (rather than just redistributing it) which is doing the MOST good.

I added some learning resources, as well: Democracy vs. Republic and On Democracy vs. Liberty

Why are we surprised at the recent election debacle, let alone the sad state of public schools, when our tax dollars are being spent to fund an industry that creates professional teachers who don't know the difference between a Republic and a Democracy? 

Teachers' unions are not interested in teaching the facts as much as they are interested in sustaining the perpetual money machine that funds their job security, even if it means perpetuating the fallacy that we live in a Socialist utopia that properly denies parents the right to choose the best education for their children. 

It's not just our hard-earned tax dollars that are feeding this dystopian machine, it's the liberties of future generations. Some people think that's a fair exchange. I will continue to fight against it.

Brave New Day

The Star Spangled Banner is the only national anthem that contains a question: “Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

Someone has answered that question:

“Because we are the brave
Yes we are the brave
We'll fight tyranny
In the name of the free
We are the U.S. of A

For those unaware
That flag is still there
It's our future to save
This land of the brave
The U.S. of A”

In the summer of 2015, I discovered the band Madison Rising:

“America’s most patriotic rock band is on a mission to reignite authentic American culture through great rock music. Since the release of their first album in 2011, the band has worked tirelessly to create an entirely new genre of music – patriotic rock. Combining a brilliant classic rock sound with inspirational tributes to our men and women in uniform, it is clear that this band is on a mission to not only make great music, but to also send a message that American culture is alive and well. Executive Producer: Richard Mgrdechian”

Their lead singer was Dave Bray, a former Navy corpsman and sniper in the Marine Corps, traded his uniform for a rock guitar and microphone, becoming lead singer for Madison Rising in 2011.

I can’t remember how I discovered Madison Rising’s Star-Spangled Banner, but it inspired the Patriot in me. I played this video for all of my Intermediate school students the first time they came with their classes to the Library. We stood for the entire song, and the majority of the students loved it. I played the audio of this song every time classes came to the Library all year long, at full volume. I never tired of seeing 5th and 6th graders rocking out to our National Anthem!

When I decided that I would use this song as part of my Our Nation’s Foundations curriculum, I friended Dave Bray on Facebook and told him my plan to use his song. He replied that I should contact the public relations manager at Madison Rising, and within a few weeks, I was thrilled to receive a package of posters, and CDs to use in my school library.

From motorcycle-usa.com:

By the time Dave Bray’s voice bellows out the first words, an unexplainable wave wells up inside you, be it pride, be it patriotism, it stems from hearing a symbolic song in a fresh, harder, edgier way. It reminds one that despite its faults, we still live in a powerful and proud country.

But reinventing a song that strikes such an emotional chord in people is risky business. Madison Rising’s lead singer, Dave Bray, was keenly aware of this, but for him the challenge it proposed outweighed the risks. Here’s how he explains why the band took on a song like “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

"Well, that was another that I kind of took on because somebody told me I couldn’t do it. They said we can’t touch “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it’s too reverent, people get too bent out of shape about it. We knew it was going to be scrutinized and I knew it was going to be scrutinized, so when they told me I couldn’t do it, I just sat down. I was on a train back-and-forth for three hours, back-and-forth to New York and I was like, all right, I need to get working on this song. So that’s what I did, until I got it to a point that I liked and it ended up turning out really good.”

Inexplicably, in early 2015, Richard Mgrdechian made the decision to replace Dave Bray with Rio Hiett, an Air Force veteran. It was a shock to MR fans and a stunning blow to Dave Bray. Immediately, a Facebook group called We Support Dave Bray! was started for his fans to gather and give each other comfort and encouragement. This is part of what Dave posted on We Support Dave Bray

For those of you who truly care:

I have been truly blessed to be a part of Madison Rising...to me, it was so much more than just a band...It was a place for me to profess my love of God and Country in a way that was exciting and entertaining to people of all generations. It was meeting other like-minded Patriots, Veterans, Young Marines and American families who, in turn, would carry on the good word and the mission of the band.

I still stand by what I said, when I said that "Madison Rising is a continuation of my service and my loyalty to this Country".

I loved the job, the music and the mission and did them all to the utmost best of my ability.

I left everything I had on every stage I played. My family and I gave 5 years of blood sweat and tears to this project. We lived, breathed, ate, and even slept MR...My wife, Becky, who for the last few years has worn many hats by working tirelessly as the Director of Operations, booking, logistics, social media, outreach, PR and customer relations as well as being a stay at home mom for our two young boys. She has been not only the backbone of this operation but also our family.

We've been asked to step down from the positions we so truly loved..and since then, the unbelievable amount of prayers and support that you have given us as a family has been unwavering and continual. Your outreach and love is what has kept us strong throughout these seemingly impossible times...but your prayers....your prayers have been the key to our strength and what has bound us together as a family. They have been felt and heard in ways that only The Almighty himself will chose to deliver on in His own due time.

Believe me when I say that the prayers of the people and the hands of God are truly at work.

It is my firm belief that without God...there is no country.

AMERICANS were once a people and a nation who were "with God"... And it was known, just the same, around the world, that God, was "WITH" our Nation. A people who were steadfast and strong in their belief and their faith. A people who knew that by putting God first in all things that the rest would be blessed.

Today, God is slowly being taken away from our Country and our people...His presence is being wrung slowly and relentlessly from within each and every generation in the name of diversification and political correctness. It is sure to be the demise of America if we don't stop the spread of this decay.

I know in my heart that many of you are seeing this happen and are feeling helpless...you are not alone...but helplessness is not going to fix this problem.

I'm here to tell you that inside each and every God fearing, Freedom loving, Flag waving Patriot that I've met along the way...is a Warrior. I know this because I've met you, I've shaken your hand and I've seen that Warrior spirit in your eyes.

So with that, I will close by asking you all to remember to keep close to your heart the things that are truly important in your lives...Faith...Family...and Love...but forget not Forgiveness...for we are all flawed human beings with our own crosses to bear.

Stay the Course...

Finish the Fight...&  Never Surrender!!!

I haven't given up...And neither should you!!!

I WILL see you all very soon on the other side of Freedom....In faith and arms my brothers and sisters...

IN FAITH AND ARMS!

-Brave Day

This illustrates the faith and patriotism of a man who pours out his devotion to both in every area of his life, especially on the music stage. After a few weeks of prayer and family discussions, Dave launched his own brand.
I had the privilege of interviewing Dave Bray in the summer of 2016, and was impressed by his devotion to making every part of his life a living sacrifice to the Lord, using any and every talent for His purposes. 

Since going solo, the Bray family has faced the challenge of a medical crisis suffered by their eldest son, Ryken, in October of 2016, but after surgery, he seems to be well on the road to recovery.

I and all of his fans can’t wait to see what Dave will do next as a musician and a Patriot. No matter what happens, he inspires us all to make every day a Brave Day.

Doing the Next Right Thing: Giving a Warm Embrace

I don't remember when I started doing it. Before 2000.

I don't know how many I've done. Hundreds?

I crochet. Compulsively. For years, I used one of my favorite crochet patterns to create multi-colored afghans.

Waves and puffs create a visually interesting fancy blanket that my hands would produce about every two to three months. As soon as one was finished, I'd store it in a large plastic bag and start another.

One found it's home with a young mother who had just lost her baby. She said, sometimes when she was alone, she just needed a hug, and she'd just wrap the afghan around her and cry.

Eventually, I tired of the same pattern and tried something I called Marshmallow Parfait:

Lately, I've been using a simple, single crochet stitch to produce heavier, camplike blankets, but still using multiple colors that keep my interest as I anticipate which skein I'll use next. 

I've sold a few of my afghans, but mostly, I give them away to those who are grieving or celebrating. I gave one of my latest ones to a young woman who was grieving the recent loss of her father while celebrating her birthday and engagement. 

It's just what I do. I crochet afghans to give away. Yarn is a regular part of my household budget and shopping item, keeping me supplied for my habit. It doesn't hurt that Red Heart yarn donates a portion of every skein to the Red Cross, I guess. 

We do what we can, with what we have, and pray it makes a small difference.  

Check It Out! Library Blog: Biography - The Last Goodnight

Tired of predictable novels? Meander over to NonFiction section 921.

Biographies - you can't make this stuff up. It's real life, Baby. Even the main character didn't know what to expect before you turned the page!

I'm currently reading The Last Goodnight, by Howard Blum. This is an eye-opening revelation of one Secret Service spy, using her female "charms" to try to dismantle the Nazi war machine.

Betty Pack was a rebel for all time, let alone the 1930s and 40s. She was impetuous and deliberate, devoted and fickle, passionate and cold-hearted in one short lifetime.

She married on a whim, had children and abortions with the same cavalier unattachment, leaving her husband and offspring in the care of others while she pursued her real passion: espionage facilitated by fornication.

Every chapter of this tension-filled biography makes me cringe at the lack of scruples used to sabotage a war enemy. WWII was won as much in the bedroom as in the war room, apparently.

Military men, more than willing to violate their marital fidelity and patriotic integrity, succumbed early and often to a socialite who worked her body to obtain pillow talk that fed British and American intelligence needs as the war with Germany was ramping up.

Mrs. Pack was never more alive than when she was risking her life by seducing any and every randy male who had a tale to tell or access to a nugget of information needed at any given moment of her mission.

This true story makes me wonder how many other women, in how many other wars, willingly and enthusiastically offered up their sexual skills for the "greater good", and how many potential war "heroes" were compromised because they couldn't deny their base natures.

Fajitas and Margaritas for Thanksgiving

While I consider President Obama one of the most destructive Presidents in the history of our Republic, I have always appreciated his sense of humor. This year, his daughters had other plans for the traditional "pardoning of the turkeys" at the White House, but Mr. Obama got a laugh by telling the audience that, even after his final term is over, he plans to pardon turkeys every year, just for the fun of it.

My daughter couldn't make it home for Thanksgiving this year. In her text, she said the feast tradition in Houston, Texas, is "fajitas and margaritas". Sounds festive!

This got me wondering why we stick to traditions that may not make sense in the time and space we live in. My husband thinks fowl is foul, so I purchased a turkey leg for me and a small ham for him, but I fixed all the traditional side dishes and pies. Pies are my favorite tradition for any feast.

Christmas is just around the corner. I stopped "doing Christmas" in 2004 and have never regretted it, renouncing the traditions of the yuletide frenzy for the transcendent peace of Christ. See Christmas Challenge for the full story.

After Christmas comes Easter, with its own pagan traditions passed off as devotion. Does anyone actually believe that bunnies and eggs honor the death and resurrection of our Savior? Please.

What do we give up when we mindlessly observe traditions? We can pass on things like rules and laws and expectations that bind us and steal our freedom in Christ. The trappings of tradition may merely distract us from present opportunities. While we're still doing this year after year, we may be missing out on opportunities to enjoy or bestow even more meaningful blessings.

What do we surrender when we devote ourselves to tradition instead of being present in the moment?How does tradition betray our higher purposes?


From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

tradition (n.)

late 14 c., "statement, belief, or practice handed down from generation to generation," especially "belief or practice based on Mosaic law," from Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over (late 13c.) and directly from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio) "delivery, surrender, a handing down, a giving up," noun of action from past participle stem of tradere "deliver, hand over," from trans- "over" + dare "to give". The word is a doublet of treason. Meaning "a long-established custom" is from 1590s. The notion is of a customs, ways, beliefs, doctrines, etc. "handed down from one generation to the next.

For Thanksgiving 2017, I think I'll try fajitas and margaritas and see how it goes.

Christmas Challenge

It has begun. 

Christmas ads.

Many people are disturbed by Christmas promotion that happens prior to Thanksgiving.

I’m disturbed by Christmas.

Let me preface this by stating that it doesn’t matter to me whether you celebrate Christmas. But this article may reveal some things to consider with honesty and integrity.

Why do you celebrate Christmas?  Please do not reply that it’s the birthday of Jesus. This is a myth, instigated and perpetuated by the Roman Catholic Church to convert pagans, who worshiped Nimrod, born on December 25, and celebrated by decorating fir trees.

Christians are not commanded or even invited by any scriptures to celebrate Christ’s birth (never specified by date, perhaps for this very reason, but not on December 25, according to Luke 2:8). We are commanded to commemorate His death until He returns.

Please don’t say you participate in the covetous shopping frenzy in order to honor the sacrifice and gift of our Savior. Going into debt to buy gifts for all your friends and family does not qualify.

Unless you are Italian, decking your halls with red and green means nothing, least of all exalting Christ. And decorating with artificial lighting is a clear reference to the Angel of Light (Satan), masquerading as the Light of the World (Yeshua). Don’t even get me started on Santa Claus.

Now, if you choose to celebrate what is known as the Christmas holidays for the purposes of celebrating friends, family, decor, gift giving, and feasting because you love it, carry on!  But please do not deceive yourself and others by pretending you are celebrating the birth of Christ. Because you just aren’t.

By all means, celebrate Christ! But, please refrain from slandering His name by pretending that Christmas honors Him.

Let me suggest an alternative. Celebrate Christ every moment of every day with obedience. Honor his sacrifice with service at all times of the year. Rest in the joy and peace of knowing that Yeshua fulfilled every feast commanded by God. Gather together regularly in communion with fellow saints, celebrating the death, resurrection, and return of our Lord and Savior. You may decide to use the funds you normally spend for Christmas by donating them to charity.

I stopped “doing Christmas” in 2004 and have never regretted it. The first year I shunned all things Christmas, my husband admitted that he missed the festivities. I told him, “By all means, if you’d like to decorate the house, bake the cookies, plan the holiday meal, shop for presents, wrap the gifts, address the Christmas cards, decorate the house, and then clean up all the mess and pack it all up on New Year’s day, go right ahead. I’m not stopping you.” This was all on me, you see. He declined, and has not complained since.  

Our Decembers are spent in joy and peace and complete rest in Christ as I avoid all the hustle and hassle of the holidays. Once I was convicted by the Spirit to make this dramatic choice, I sold all my Christmas decor and gave the proceeds to a missionary who was serving in Ukraine during the Orange Revolution. The funds helped buy boots for Christians who were serving the safety and physical needs of those camping out in Kiev.

Again, if you can participate in all of the Christmas traditions, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, bringing honor to God, without sacrificing the joy and peace in your family, DO IT! Rest assured that I do not judge you! I just want you to know what you may be giving up by conforming to the world.