. . .and to our dying days, both Jerry and I want to Bless our Lord. May my final moment breathe out His praises.
Our ministries now are limited, our aging and abilities affecting what we can do for Him. But on occasion–as during Easter morning 2019–we lift our voices in praise to our Savior.
I believe it was in Austria that I bought this small piece of Swarovski crystal, and because I am a writer, its significance–its symbolism, if you will–attracted me. For thousands of years quill-pens and ink were used by those who would set down their thoughts or who would write descriptions of their lives and of their being. It is interesting to contemplate that only late in the 19th century were writers able to lay aside such primitive instruments. Shakespeare, the writers of the Bible, and even Thomas Jefferson used quill-pen and ink to scribe their work.
Such creation was careful and deliberate, carrying weight and consequence, signifying thought and contemplation. Today, (as I do at this moment) we easily dash off strings of words, sometimes with less than thoughtful reflection.
During this season in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, in which many of us pick up pens and write a few words in the Christmas cards we will mail to family and friends, let us think deeply. May we choose carefully our words, and with our finest pen, or cheapest ballpoint, or by strokes on a keyboard tell those we love that indeed we do.
A blessed and merry Christmas to all.
________________
Note: An interesting video from Swarovski is here.
- Mary McHugh mourns her slain fiance Sgt. James Regan at the Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2007, Memorial Day weekend. Regan, a U.S. Army Ranger from Long Island, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in February, and this was the first time McHugh had visited the grave since the funeral. When he died, Regan was on his fourth combat deployment – twice in Afghanistan and twice in Iraq.
Source: Getty Images John Moore https://writenow.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/memorial-day-tribute/
Narrated by John Wayne is this moving account of the origin of that famous sound: TAPS
Edit: 8:35 Thursday
Please also read this story of a veteran, Todd Niceley, who is now in Walter Reed Hospital, having lost both arms and both legs. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/10/AR2010111008002.html
Raw talent from an incredible child. A powerful message from the Word of God.
This dynamic song was written by Civilla Martin in 1905. As timely and moving today as ever was.
“Are you serious? Are you serious?” was her testy response when Nancy Pelosi was asked to specifically show where the constitution gives Congress the authority to mandate the purchase of health care coverage.
CNSNews.com: “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?”
Pelosi: “Are you serious? Are you serious?”
CNSNews.com: “Yes, yes I am.”
Pelosi then shook her head before taking a question from another reporter. Her press spokesman, Nadeam Elshami, then told CNSNews.com that asking the speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandated that individual Americans buy health insurance as not a “serious question.”
“You can put this on the record,” said Elshami. “That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question.”
A follow-up post on Mrs. Pelosi’s official web site shows she was not teasing when she dismissively answered the reporter from CNSNews.com. She states that Congress has unlimited power in this regard.
…(T)he power of Congress to regulate health care is essentially unlimited.
From Nancy Pelosi’s official web site
This makes for a riveting discussion, and as is to be expected, opinions run the gamut; scholars and constitutional experts write and speak from both angles–some saying such is constitutional; others that it is not. It will be interesting to see how this is resolved.
My disappointment with Nancy Pelosi (among other things) is her presumptuous demeanor and her superior and self-important ways. There should be no honest question any of us will ask that is treated with such disdain and disparagement. These are crucial days for America. We must ask questions. We must have answers.
I was furious when, on Facebook, I read this; one reason being that the eight-year-old referenced here is my grandson, and the mother’s post concerned how her son was to speak in a public school in San Diego, CA.
My third grader has just informed me that they are now supposed to say “Happy Holidays” and the Christmas tree is to be a “Holiday Tree”.
Wrong. Just wrong. Also silly and unconstitutional. For the holiday season which we are experiencing today, culminates on the 25th of December, an official United States of America holiday, which day is Christmas. CHRISTMAS. It’s called Christmas, not Holiday. It’s called Christmas because it is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Let us adore Him, the God of all the universe, who loving us so much, prepared Himself a body, and came to earth. Isaiah beautifully prophesied the event in chapter 9, verse 6.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
I recently became aware of the group whose music I’m bringing here. Please listen to this stunning rendition of Oh, Come All Ye Faithful, an enduring, majestic song of the Christmas season. (If you have headphones, so much the better.)
I cannot let this day pass without noting the significant event that shook the world 20 years ago today. Nor can I mute my mouth and fail to give credit to President Ronald Reagan whose bold words and courageous demeanor contributed to the destruction of the wall; an ugly wall that divided the city of Berlin–East from West, Freedom from Subjugation. Standing before the Brandenberg Gate, often noted as a symbol of communism, the President of the United States spoke directly to the communist leader:
“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
The press paid little attention to the speech, except that the Soviet Tass spoke of Reagan as giving an “openly provocative, war-mongering speech.”
But within months, the wall had fallen–chiseled, hammered, clawed at, and axed. Deliverance had come to Berlin.
I’ve brought over a couple of videos. One is of President Reagan speaking the historic words; the other is a moving account of the destruction of the Berlin Wall by photographer Anthony Suau.
…I long for President Reagan, the liberator…I long for his courage, conservatism, honor, and love for our country, these United States of America.
As a drugged, slow-moving giant rouses from his bed, so America appears to be awaking from its political slumber.
Now from Chicago, no less, comes this riveting analysis of President Obama’s response to the horrific shootings on Thursday. A report yesterday of the results of a large poll show 85 % of those interviewed judged Obama to have responded to the tragedy in a less than desirable manner.
President Obama didn’t wait long after Tuesday’s devastating elections to give critics another reason to question his leadership, but this time the subject matter was more grim than a pair of governorships.After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference
hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.” Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?
Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That’s the least that should occur.
Source: Robert George NBC Chicago
I’m thinking of a particular dear and long-standing friend of Jerry’s and mine whose bent in philosophy, politics and religion is in the same direction as ours, but who, through the years, has demonstrated a tendency toward extreme right-wing publications that hinted (or downright smacked) of conspiracy theories, and that alluded to devious, wide-spread undermining of the United States of America. Many times I listened to his reports, but always with reservations about some of the conclusions.
It both frightens and angers me to think of my beloved country ever falling into the hands of those who wish the demise of the United States of America. Perhaps it is my positive nature, and what seems to be inbred naivete–for despite my advancing years, I am occasionally forced to recognize that, yet again, I have been naive–perhaps it is these traits that make it difficult for me to comprehend that indeed it is possible (likely?) that America is being undermined, and that the principles of our great country–the greatest by far on this earth–are being compromised. Yet, blazing signals and ill-disguised clues abound.
Prominent in this mix is the issue of Global Warming. For many months now I have struggled to understand how such a physical, scientific, earthy issue could be partisan, while observing that to be clearly so. Exceptions abound, I am sure, but predominantly it is those of liberal mind-set who believe global warming is caused by man’s influence on the earth, while we conservatives believe that not to be the case. How can that be, I have wondered. What is there about Global Warming that politically divides America (and other areas of the world)?
It is chilling, but worthwhile to consider, the issue that is raised in this video by Christopher Monckton. Speaking at the Minnesota Free Market Institute a few days ago Mr. Monckton said that within the climate treaty that Obama is so willing to sign, the ceding of our sovereignty awaits. A global government will be established that will be run of course by the U.N.; the scary part of all of this? Once Obama signs the climate treaty and if the Senate were to ratify that treaty, that treaty by virtue of Article 6 of the Constitution, would effectively trump the Constitution.
Christopher Walter Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley (born 14 February 1952) is a British politician, business consultant, policy adviser, writer, columnist, inventor and hereditary peer. He served as an advisor to Margaret Thatcher‘s policy unit in the 1980s and invented the Eternity puzzle at the end of the 1990s. More recently, he has attracted controversy for his public opposition to the mainstream scientific consensus on global warming. He also announced a sequel to his original puzzle called Eternity II in 2007, and it is still unsolved.
From Wikipedia
A few days ago, concerning another subject, I scurried about in my mind about the difficulty, yet the wisdom and authenticity, that come about when a person can say, “I was wrong about that.” America, let us look closely at what is transpiring about us, let us listen, and be ever fierce guardians of godliness and of liberty. Let us lay aside preconceived notions and opinions if such can be seen as blocking full illumination of the truth.
Is Lord Monckton right? Or is this of extreme, edgy, far right thinking into which my dear friend has engaged for years? I don’t know. I hope Lord Monckton is wrong, but let us not be ignorant nor allow ourselves to be blindsided in such a crucial matter. If you can find the time, please listen to the entire tape which is more than an hour long, but clearly debunks the man-made Global Warming theory. I’m eager to know your thinking.
I want to warn you that the video shown here is extremely graphic–extremely graphic. If you have the stomach for it, I wish you would watch it, and show it to other drivers in your household–especially those young ones who lack the wisdom that comes (sometimes) with age. I plead with you to watch this if you text while driving. Texting while driving is incredibly unwise, bordering on lunacy in my opinion. Yet, many people do so. Watch this video and consider your driving habits, even your punching in numbers in a cell phone as you sit behind the wheel of your car. Are we so desperately busy that we must do these things as we drive down the highways or maneuver through city streets. I think not.
Shirley Buxton 