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. 

Freedoms

How much does one think of the freedoms we have in this country?  When I was in school, history to me seemed boring. I could hardly focus enough to get a passing grade.  If I had known then that in the year 2012 (which back then we thought the world would have ended by now!) my liberties would be slowly stripped from me by my own government I would have paid more attention, read more, and became more active in politics instead of being apolitical for so many years.   I grew up with the notion that you never discuss religion and politics!  Did you ever think that just being able to discuss religion and politics IS A RIGHT provided to us by the 1st Amendment to our Constitution?

During the Revolutionary War, there were many men and women, besides the signers of the Declaration of Independence, that suffered hardships and losses during their struggle for independence and the freedoms that we now enjoy.  Following are some examples of what happened to the men who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence. (This information comes from various sources.)

Five signers were captured by the British during the Revolutionary War.

Twelve had their homes and property occupied, ransacked, looted, and vandalized by the
British.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army.

Nine signers died during the course of the
Revolutionary War.

Braxton invested his wealth in shipping and lost his property during the war.

Thomas McKeam was forced to move his family almost constantly.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Ellery, Rutledge, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, and Middleton.

Francis Lewis had his home raided and the British jailed his wife who was ill at the time and died several years later.

John Hart's farm was looted in the course of the Revolutionary War and he remained in hiding for a while afterwards.

Lewis Morris saw his home appropriated by the British. 
Philip Livingston lost several properties to the British occupation of New York.

So let's consider for a minute what these people suffered and died for that we take for granted every day of our lives and the freedoms that we are so willing to let our government take back in spite of those sacrifices. Hopefully we've all read the constitution at least once in our lifetime, but have you read it lately? I did two days ago and it was a wake-up call.  Just these few amendments jumped off the page at me considering current events:

Freedom of religion.  Our 1st Amendment right as a citizen of these United States. To be more precise, this is what the writers of our Constitution intended:  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...".


Our 4th Amendment right:  Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Our founding fathers wanted "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures...".


The 10th Amendment limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution.  More specifically:  "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Once you go online, or pick up a book to read the Constitution again and refresh your memory, apply it to current events like Affordable Health Care for America Act (ObamaCare), the Patriot Act (TSA's "pat-downs"), the Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010, government bailouts, the Federal Reserve Bank, the EPA, the Federal Government in public education, federally funded abortions, and the list goes on...

Read. Investigate. Recognize your freedoms and liberties every day you wake up and DON'T GIVE THEM UP! Research candidates for the next presidential election, or your local elections. Will your choice preserve, protect and defend the Constitution?  In spite of special interest groups?

Our Constitution has written in it the oath the elected president must take before he enters office: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."