What is going on?

  I just looked up Russia's election voting method..  Something looked very curious.  The time for a president to be in office is 6 years for one term. They are allowed only 2 terms.  Putin has been in for over 23 years!  One has to realize that something is wrong.

When we started mail in ballots I'm sure they were saying "it makes it easier for everyone to vote".   We are seeing now that there has to be another way.  Someone  working for the voting board claimed they sent out 2,000 ballots and 3,000 came back.  There were too many more irregularities to claim that nothing is wrong with a system that makes it too easy to cheat!   If people dislike claims of cheating going on (as we all should) on then the current voting system needs to be discontinued.

                                                    If you could use a laugh: 

http://wissup.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

You need to scroll down, when there, for this video from a few years ago.

It had me laughing out loud.  This guy has such a good sense of humor.

The Way It Goes

If you go to Facebook you can go away from it with disbelief at how people justify their vote in a presidential election.  Some say they are Christians but O.K. abortion.

So what is abortion, really?  To abortionist it's just a medical procedure.  To most Republicans it's murder.  What determines the belief is how one CHOOSES to see what has happened.  If you want a child it's greeted with elation.  They talk to their unborn child even when it doesn't show that they are expecting.  To a Democrat - it's merely "tissue".  We were all "tissue" at one time.   Still,  we had a destiny unless - someone else took it away from us.

Our world is sinking into an abyss of sin.  Things that we didn't even speak of when I was much younger - now is promoted and "legalized".  If people who consider themselves Christians would read their bibles more it might sink in what God thought of Israel when it strayed from Him.....and what He did as a result.  He didn't just let them keep it up.  They PAID for their sin until they realized their mistakes and turned back to Him.  We must think He won't do that again....but he will.

It really is amazing how numbed we can become about things. One Facebook friend recently said "All Republicans think about is abortion". Abortion has been around so long that apparently it has become trivial. The statement was misguided but a very enlightening thought on how  the subject is not important - to her.

She went on to say how medicare will be taken away if Republicans get in office. It boggles the mind how one could come to the conclusion that reforming something to make it solvent is taking it away!

Of course,  President Obama said if the conservatives don't cooperate we may have to cut back on medicare and social security.   We  give billions to other countries BUT "cutting" something people have been paying into for forty years is the place he'd cut?  Go figure!  Does that even make sense?

It seemed like such a nice thing to make it so easy for people without proof they could handle paying back a house loan - to get one anyway - but look what happened?  They tried twice during Bush years to get some sort of watch dog provision in force but it was refused by the Democrats!  It caused mayhem.    The banks couldn't handle the losses.   But the banks were blamed.

A high school classmate - who was brought up a Democrat was telling us - at our h.s. reunion how there is a place near Memphis, TN where he lives, that is called "the Projects". Everyone knows that is a place where all the people live on welfare in nice apartments and children are brought up to follow in the parents footsteps and continue to live on welfare. Everything is provided for them so why bother!

The nation was in financial trouble so you would think the normal reaction would be to go through the budget and clean up wasteful spending (like normal people do with the family budget)! We don't have to be college professors to understand the most elementary of solutions!

That makes me wonder, then, why there are those who don't get it?  Either they are so rich (through inheritance only) and they can't imagine the importance of working to make ends meet or they have had things provided for them so easily by someone else that it's just second nature.  Who knows?  We did have a "charming" leader.  (Obama)  Too bad charm isn't a cure all!

To hear any "Christians" say that Jesus would want us to give to those who are in need is a real puzzler since our Democratic government leaders undermine Christianity by bowing to atheists demands to remove the  10 commandments or any visible reminders of the Christian faith. Take God out of schools by removing prayer at graduations - but give to the poor?  Christian's  are indeed told to give to the poor...but a nation who refuses to acknowledge God and takes any reminders of him out of public squares?  It's ludicrous!  We give things in Christ's name but the government wants us to reject Christ and give the glory to IT.  I have a problem with that.  Don't you?

The Here and Now

When I was growing up communism was in charge in Russia and because it had "satellite countries" it was also in some European countries.  It wasn't pretty.  Once that type of government fell  I never thought to see it rear its ugly head again but I was being naive. Read through the book of Judges and you see how mankind  doesn't learn from past mistakes.  

When he was running for office  I listened to our past president promise to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term.  That was, of course a lie since it would go against the level 3  of the Allinsky plan.  It was said because Americans wanted to hear it.  So -  it was said to add votes - with no intension to follow up.  None.  
I kept waiting to find out how he planned to do the cutting of the deficit but - in vain.

Obama wasn't in office a year before he was giving money to places  against the interest of cutting back to pay off our debt.  

When I first heard of the Obama government giving Solendra a HUGE amount of money I said (to the T.V.)  "Wait a minute!  That's not how we get out of debt!"  I have no experience in running a government but just managing a family's budget teaches about spending vs. not spending  to get a budget to balance.  Sometimes it involves some serious cutting into areas that normally one considers necessary - but in tough times you realize it's not necessary.  One gives ones self a time limit  to make it bearable - to provide a light at the end of the tunnel - a goal.




If we want to wanted know what to expect next in our government under Obama - here was the key......
Saul Alinsky's  8 levels: 

1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.  (This needs no explanation.  Unless it's repealed - it's happened.)

2) Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.   Poverty is increased when the government takes a person's incentive away to find a job.  Why do that when government gives away money - free?  During a time when Congress was thought  not to be in session the administration dropped the rule that welfare recipients had to work a certain number of hours to receive government help.  Fortunately, it was reinstated by Congress.  But  "free stuff " abounds.

3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.  This was done by giving money away to other countries and to companies like Solendra  that went bankrupt.  Plus not cutting any of the obvious areas that  were blatantly stupid.
4) Gun Control – Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.  This also needs no explanation.

5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income)  Encourage dependency..

6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.  i.e.: Common core.

7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the Government and schools.  Only the blind could not see this one.

8) Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take from (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The last administration went even further by  shutting down memorials for the vets that did not cost a thing since they were out in the open.  It was to draw attention that the Republicans in the House of Rep. refused to accept  Obama's refusal to debate his agenda so were willing to let the government "shut down".   The government has been "shut down" in the past  and most Americans didn't even notice.  Manipulation was the name of the game.  Block entry to those places and blame the Republicans or "shutting down government".  Only the uninformed bought into that.  

Do you see why anyone would be looking at the government policies and be concerned?  

Remembering "History"

I remember sitting in my h.s. American History class listening to my teacher (who incidentally went to our church) talking to us about the public demonstrations by students overseas. She was of the opinion that  they're doing the right thing and that American college students don't have interest enough or gumption to do that.

Along came Kent State and I wondered what she thought.

Now the problem isn't Viet Nam...it's the economy. The phrase during the Clinton race was "It's the economy, stupid".....Talk about a phrase coming back to haunt! Wall Street was bouncing back before the Clintons had time to try out their new home. Bush Sr. said it would straighten itself out and lo and behold it did! The budget took help.

Some have actually had to live within a budget - do without when necessary -  to make ends meet.  They should be very concerned about the government spending. But - apparently, some are more party oriented (Democrat) rather than logical and clear sighted. They are like children following the Pied Piper. Do they not know that someone can be charming and not be wise or trustworthy? Most people know what it's like to want to trust someone. It's human, so in that respect, I can understand.

Not Your Average Day

What would you do if you witnessed someone shop lifting?  I had the opportunity to find out, personally,  this morning when we went grocery shopping.  It got me thinking.

To begin with:
There was a woman with two little boys.  The oldest was around 8.  They had nice dreadlocks - sweet as can be but their "mother" was stuffing her purse with merchandise.  At first I thought "it just LOOKS like it".   Then I saw her  do it again.  No question.  This time I kept looking at her so that she would see that I saw what she had done.  She did and just to make sure she knew  - I knew - I just quietly shook my head "no".  She took the things out of her purse.

It bothered me.   No one could tell on the outside - but on the inside I was rattled. I hoped that being seen like that she wouldn't do any more "helping herself"...and that it would have embarrassed her too much to keep it up.  As we were later checking out I stood there wondering - "Should I say anything or  not".  I wanted to "give her a chance" and hoped that embarrassment would humiliate her enough to stop.

While I was mulling that over I saw the kids hastily moving toward the door - until they saw me - and then they turned and hurried back the other way.  Did I mention that they each had something in each hand?  I remember one had Pringles.  (Health food, you understand  :-\  )

That's when I decided I'd better let the check out girl know.  She was between customers and currently stacking shelves.   I just said "Watch out for the black lady - since she's been stuffing her purse".  I hated to do that.  As I thought about it - it was better than what I had considered doing earlier which probably would have been useless.  It was go up to her and ask her why in God's name was she teaching her kids to steal??  Another approach I  considered, at first, was to simply say, quietly, as I walked by....."God is watching you".  You'd be surprised at all the possible scenarios I entertained.  Regardless.....I was a mess inside.  It's not something you see everyday.

It wasn't because she was black that I hesitated - it was because she was human - apparently a mother - and maybe embarrassment would straighten her out!  I'm afraid that was naive of me.  The more I think of it - she was an accomplished (though momentarily careless) thief.  Why do people lower themselves so?  Those poor kids.  They have no chance  unless they are invited to church by caring people.  I pray that will happen.  I may never see her again.  I will not forget her.

RANDOM STUFF

I discovered  stuff in a folder - print-outs of a couple of Christmas letters    1992:

Lee and John (and Charity, 3, and Mary Elizabeth, 2,  in Newton, IA and  "Jon went deer hunting - getting a deer the first day with the first shot."

Adam:

"Adam.... busy in the building industry as a carpenter.......... Desha is busy with the 2 little Pick boys, Jared, age 3, and Zachery, age 2.  Halloween this year found Jared dressed as a popsicle and Zachery as a baby bottle in costumes made by their talented mom." (Another Christmas letter mentions Adam is "head carpenter" and I brag a bit but - I guess that's what Christmas letters tend to do, a?)

Heather:

..working for WREX T.V. station in Rockford, IL.  "She has had an interesting time getting her stories and even interviewed Hillary Clinton during the campaign .........." (for Bill Clinton) ....We didn't get that station so she would bring home some of the tapes for us.

 Two years later the letter talks about her flying to CA to  interview the actors from the t.v. show "Friends"

Aaron:

"Aaron, 17 and 6'2", is a senior and on the honor roll.  He's also on the cross country team (this year's top runner) and the track team." I tell how he's trying to decide what to major in the following year at UWP....engineering or secondary education."  Another letter says  he , a junior in college, is All American in cross country... (with the "second top running time in UWP history").

Andrew:

"Andrew,13, is a 7th grader who is suddenly discovering that he has hair to comb and mirrors to use for that purpose!  He claims he doesn't like school but woe to anyone who might cause him to not be early on school days!  (He walks his little brother, Lucas, part way to school)  Our teens are growing up but are still fun to have around."

Another Christmas letter is half  missing, but here's 

Andrew age 14:

We've noticed that one of his favorite pass times is taking things apart to see how they work.  We've pretty well held it down to just BROKEN items.  When he hears that something doesn't work - his eyes light up!

"Lucas, age 6, is a first grader and excited about learning to read.  He also loves to climb the rope to the ceiling to "ring the bell" in the gym.  Gulp!"

Another one:

Lucas is 9 and in the 4th grade  enjoying every minute of it.   He also volunteered to sing a solo in the church Christmas program once he learned he could hold the microphone.  Anything mechanical lures him like a magnet.  Forget the challenge that  results.  (Though I'm sure he sang very well - his motive was that mic!)  :-)

I've figured out that when part of a letter was missing I didn't worry because I "had it on the computer".
Well, that's not good enough - since that computer died and I didn't have it backed up.

Still, one thing you can't take away from moms......memories!

I Consider Myself Reasonably Healthy

but -

I've  realized that I have an allergy.  I'm allergic to people who unabashedly lie.  I'm slow - so I don't always notice it immediately but I've gotten better at it.   Once it hits me that I'm listening to a lie - it's as if something has sucked a huge chunk of the air out of the room.  It's best to avoid  being around people who  hold little regard for the truth (since not doing so is a  waste of  time).

When it comes  via the news - it's a challenge.

Looking at it another way....I could consider it a seminar on the various creative ways of avoiding telling the truth.  But -
I prefer unadulterated facts.

If one is  allergic to fabrication masquerading as truth   one can expect a  reaction while  listening to questions being answered at news conferences, lately.

This is when someone could rightly be reminded  to pray more and hand it over to God.
When there are things happening that we can't control - trusting God is the answer.  Actually, it's  always  the answer!  For that we are blessed.