I can hardly believe we are almost through February already.  And who would have thought when we were kids (back in the good ol days) that the earth and civilization would even be here in 2012!  Here are some examples of some events in history when I was a child:

U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin tells President Truman that the State Department is infiltrated with communists and communist sympathizers. This initiates a period of witch hunts and blacklists

The Soviet Union begins putting nuclear missiles on submarines.

Television started hitting homes, for those who could afford one.  I can remember the snow and the test pattern on the screen after hours. We didn't have tv for 24 hours a day.

The Soviet Union detonates its first hydrogen bomb with much more power than the atomic bomb.
The Korean War

Schools were segregated--separating whites from blacks.

First human trials of "the pill" oral contraceptive for women.

Rosa Parks, a black woman, was arrested after refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Soviet Union test their first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that's capable of delivering nuclear warheads in minutes to the U.S. If you could afford one, people built bomb shelters in fear of the Soviets sending one of their missiles to the US. We had bomb drills in schools.

Alaska and Hawaii become the 49th and 50th states in the United States.

Xerox introduced the first commercial photocopier to the market.

The Berlin Wall is constructed to prevent East Berliners from defecting to the West.

John F. Kennedy was president and assassinated.

It's all relative I suppose.  But the "good ol' days"?  I think not.

Finally, it has taken moving into the 21st century that the court's are starting to realize that  Roe v. Wade just might have to be overturned.  The recent ruling in the Alabama Supreme court is major:

Life groups are hailing an opinion by an Alabama Supreme Court justice who argued that it's time to abandon the viability standard used in Roe v. Wade because medical breakthroughs -- backed by case law and legislation -- have shown a fetus is only as viable as the technology monitoring it.

With ultrasounds and the ability to keep a baby alive outside the womb the opinions of the courts are starting to lean in favor of the unborn child.  They are not there completely yet, leaving the decisions to the individual state courts and state law, but we're getting closer.  After millions of unborn babies aborted.  Next we need to get rid of the federally funded abortions and of late, the federally funded birth control.  Which brings me to another point:

It is not about providing contraceptives, it's about our 1st Amendment rights. 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I am a C
I am a C-H
I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

Jewish Faith

I've always had a passion for the Jewish faith, it's history, it's practice, it's language, etc. I had a very good pastor once that would teach us the scriptures from a Jewish understanding. After all, Jesus was a Jew and spoke to the Jews. So it's important that we gentiles understand the Jewish faith. The scriptures can come alive for you if you read it in the context that the Jews understood it.

I listened to Oprah on OWN recently when she visited Hasidic Jewish women in Brooklyn NY to talk about their way of life. One of the women described what it meant to be Hasidic Jew and it was so profound and what I, as a Christian believe, that I wanted to share it here:

“God created one amazing world and we’re suppose to function within it. But we’re not merely human beings and trying to be spiritual, but we are really spiritual beings having human experiences. We have to be spiritual in a real physical surrounding. We have to choose the high road. We have tools to deal with grief, to deal with love, to deal with inter-personal relationships. We have to educate our children. But Judaism is not other, it is a Godly system that can and must make a difference in this world.”

We've missed it, like something someone says and it goes right over our head! We are spiritual beings having human experiences. Couldn't have said it any better.

John 4:24: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Hot dogs for dinner.  Have to have one every once in a while!

Picked up my father's lingerie chest he made for my mother years ago.  They are both passed now and I treasure anything I can get my hands on that belonged to them.  I lived in Alaska for so long and missed a lifetime of memories with them.  I miss them dearly.

I miss my Alaska too, the clean air, the beautiful scenery.  I miss our Sunday afternoon drives when my husband and I would take the dogs (Maggie and Gracie) for a ride. Sometimes we would drive to the inlet in Kenai, and sometimes down the Sterling Highway towards Homer.  You didn't have to go far to experience beautiful scenery.

 But, Virginia has her beauty as well. We just have to drive further to see it. 

Nothing.
I have nothing.
I'm tired.
Sorry if you were expecting something interesting. Maybe tomorrow.  But for now, I'm going to bed!

Happy Valentine's Day

What a marvelous Valentine's Day.  Had dinner with the hubby at Outback Steakhouse.  It was crowded and had to wait for almost 55 minutes for a table!  All my labor intensive work on the candy poppers for the grandkids paid off.  They were excited to pass them out.  Have a couple waiting for my other grandson and daughter.  Very good day.

So I picked up a book at my son's house called "American History A.S.A.P." and started reading.  It's an interesting book in the way it is written: short chapters and brief explanation of the events during certain periods in our nation's history.  It is fascinating to read (or re-read since we've learned it before in our history classes) about the early beginning of our United States of America and the hardships the early explorers and settlers suffered in the "New World".  Makes me appreciate being an American.  My ancestors immigrated from England and my husband's family came over in the 1800's from Germany and Bohemia.  Can't help but wonder some times what my life would be if my ancestors never came to America.  I would be calling the bathroom the "loo" and having Yorkshire pudding, haggis and fish and chips!

I love my fireplace.  I lit the candles last night and I love how the light reflects off the glass doors.

It was perfect for the cold night last night.

How incredibly sad to hear about Whitney Houston.  And she had an 18 year old daughter!  I don't understand what happens to people who have such a beautiful voice, a fabulous career, the ability to make more money than anyone needs, and end up in an early grave.  I read an article that said her last public performance was when she sang "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" on Thursday with singer Kelly Price. It's so sad.