Well done CNN

One note about the Republican debate Wednesday: Don't ask, don't tell was the rule. CNN managed to slip in numerous questions from faux Republicans and outright Demo activists, including a question from Keith Kerr, a homosexual former Army colonel. Kerr demanded via video, "I want to know why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians." As it turns out, while Kerr claims to be a "Log Cabin Republican," he is actually a member of a homosexual steering committee for Hillary Clinton's campaign. CNN's moderator Anderson Cooper contends that CNN didn't know about that, though Kerr's "question" was somehow selected from the 5,000 submitted. Sounds almost... Clintonesque.

When the Democrat debate was hosted by CNN those candidates were mostly given softball questions. No bias there, right? Just ridiculous. Hard to trust many media outlets these days. I don't think the Founding Fathers would be amused.

Jim Gaffigan on Christmas and Easter

Some seasonal humor for you. Plus I finally learned how to embed YouTube videos in my blog. Hello 21st century.

Thanksgiving

So I hear there was no turkey at the first Thanksgiving. That's alright...I ain't changing now. Family, food and football - that's a pretty good combination. I was back in lovely Altoona, Iowa last week to celebrate the holiday at my parent's house. It was a great time as always. My sister said she was thankful for the fact that our family gets along well together and can do things together and I couldn't agree more. It would be very disheartening to gather together simply for the act of gathering together when your heart and soul weren't really into it. That would defeat the purpose for which the holiday is named. I do have to thank my parents, and my Mom in particular for her cooking, for creating an atmosphere that promotes a God-centered celebration. I have a lot of wonderful memories from all the holidays we have spent together over the years and that is a very special thing. I give my parents a hard time for being ultra-clean and always putting everything in its place with alarming speed. But it does take a great deal of planning and organization to make a celebration go so smoothly. Much like a really great athlete - they just know how to make it look easy.

I won't go into everything I am thankful for because I simply don't have that much time. I was out to dinner last night with a neighbor who was treating me to a meal. He said to me, "Get whatever you want." So after visions of steak and lobster danced through my head (I got the salmon) those words stuck with me. "Whatever I want"...quite a statement. Doesn't that seem too good to be true when you think about it? Should I even be allowed to get whatever I want? It seems so greedy compared to the hunger and suffering endured by hundreds of millions around the world. I can get in my car and within 5 minutes of driving I could eat at a dozen different restaurants. Absolutely crazy. It is an incredible blessing and one that is meant to be shared with others and not overindulged.

At the Thanksgiving service at my parent's church the pastor asked for people to name what they were thankful for. Someone said they were thankful for second chances. That was my answer as well. I still can't really understand the depth of God's love for me - the eternal and unconditional nature of it. I can get a glimmer of understanding of forgiveness when I think about why God created us and the incredible desire He has for a deep personal relationship with each one of us. But what really blows me away is this idea that God wants to continue to use me to help advance His kingdom and display His glory. I am so deeply flawed and fail so profoundly and consistently that it would really make more sense for God to forgive me but then also say, "If you could just step out of My way for awhile so I can actually get something done here that would be great." But that just isn't the case. Why does God have so much faith in someone who has let Him down so often? I suppose it centers on His love for me and my reason for being here. Otherwise, I am just taking up space - a clanging gong as it were. It's an amazing truth that I know I will never fully comprehend. Thank you God for second chances.

A Ray of Light

For a case with such enormous implications, Tuesday's ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court has received relatively little media attention. The Rocky Mountain region is poised to take an enormous step in the movement to defend and define the personhood of the unborn. By a unanimous 7-0 decision, the high court gave its approval to language for a ballot initiative that pro-lifers hope to put before voters in November 2008.

If successful, the campaign would make Colorado the first state to vote on the question of when life begins. Even more importantly, it would give voters the opportunity to establish a human life in the womb as a "person" under state law. As such, even the smallest unborn child would receive the constitutional protections of "inalienable rights, justice, and due process." A victory would strike at the very heart of Roe v. Wade and have far-reaching significance in addressing the legality of abortion. While social conservatives have a momentous task before them--collecting 76,047 signatures in the next six months to secure the amendment's place on next year's ballot--they believe the momentum is building in their favor.

Hard to believe this can come from a state with the San Francisco-like Boulder in it. I guess God really CAN do anything.

Irony

John Edwards has offically called on his party to show some backbone. This from a guy who said the War on Terror was nothing more than a bumper sticker slogan. Good one Johnny. You've got about as much backbone as a jellyfish. The number one function of government is to keep its people...ALIVE. You might want to work on that one first.

On a completely unrelated note...I think someone is stealing my butter. I keep buying new tubs and hardly ever use any and I am always running out.

Very strange...

Congress

Just wanted to post a quick note on the latest shenanigans coming out of this country's legislative body. I am primarly referring to various Democrat leaders taking to the House floor to denounce Rush Limbaugh's "phony soldier" comment. This is sickening on so many levels. First, when did it become the business of Congress to go after talk show radio hosts? Aren't they supposed to be working on passing legislation to better the lives of Americans? Or is that too antiquated of a notion? Second, it's not like they just publicly condemned the comment...oh no...not these pillars of society. Tom Harkin decided to turn it into a personal attack and wondered aloud whether or not Rush was on drugs again. Well done Tom. The majority of potheads vote for your party so you might want to be careful not to alienate your constituency.

Of course, the comments of Harkin and Majority Leader Reid are even more deplorable because they have no basis in fact. Rush was referring to Jesse Macbeth when he issued his "phony soldier" comment. It was in no way an overriding indictment of the US military that so many Democrats claimed it was. Jesse Macbeth claimed to be an Army Ranger and to have witnessed many atrocities in Iraq at the hands of the American military. The leftists trotted him out as the latest example of how evil our country is. One small problem. Jesse wasn't an Army Ranger and he was never in Iraq. He is a liar, a fake, a charlatan, a...what was the word?...oh yes...PHONY.

I think Reid and Harkin probably knew the truth but they don't care about truth. They will simply lie to further their cause and the cause of those who dump millions into their coffers. That group would include George Soros and two of the worst purveyors of this kind of crap - MoveOn.org and Media Matters. The latter claims to be out to expose misinformation sown by conservatives but instead it makes its living off of distortions and fabrications. They are trying to take down every conservative commentator in this country. They've even gone after one of their liberal friends, Juan Williams, when he vouched for Bill O'Reilly in their latest witch hunt.

Many politicians have been bought in this country's history - both Democrats and Republicans. Neither party has been a beacon of truth. However, Democrats have reached a new level of absolute depravity. If you can't win the war of ideas and debate legitimately then simply try to eliminate the other side altogether.

Absolutely pathetic. No accountability. No honor. No shame.

Misery Loves...Misery?

"I simply want to thank you for telling the truth. I'm a missionary who just struggled through 2 years of depression brought on by physical problems. I don't think I'd ever been depressed a day in my life before, and had no idea how to deal with the negative thoughts and temptations that accompanied those dark days. Many days, your devotional was my lifeline. Some days it was an encouragement to me and some days it was a wake up call to keep me from sin. I thank God for walking me through this difficult time. I have a new love and understanding for those who lose their foothold. And I have a new awareness of the hand of God that reaches to the lowest valley."

The above paragraph was part of the praise reports that Bill Keller receives and occasionally shares with his readers. Pretty powerful, huh? I think I like this part the best..."I have a new love and understanding for those who lose their foothold." What a wonderful insight. I wonder if he was thinking that way in the midst of his depression. It was most likely a truth that was only clear after he had come through his ordeal and was once again viewing life through a healthy prism.

But what if we were able to grab a hold of that kind of thought in the middle of a crisis...whether it is emotional, financial, physical, relational or something else? When we feel like our world is caving in around us and our hope for the future is dimming...what if we had the foresight and wisdom to discern that God is allowing these circumstances to ultimately grant us better understanding of not only ourselves but those around us? I think it could offer quite a lift to our soul as our perspective would be widened to those around us instead of suffering from the myopia that can be so severe during those times.

I didn't have many moments of that type of clarity during my depression. I was more consumed with my own plight. I don't beat myself up for that. I think that is a natural part of what I was going through. However, I want to be prepared for the next time I deal with something of that nature. I want to be cognizant of the fact that God works for the good of those who love Him...even when He feels a million miles away...that maybe I am being refined by fire to be better able to serve Him and others. When I view it in that light, maybe some misery isn't so bad after all. Can we truly be happy if we have never been sad? Can we understand joy if we have never experienced sadness? It took utter loneliness and desperation for the prodigal son to realize what he was really missing. I have a feeling his life was much more fulfilling and meaningful after that horrific experience.

I pray that mine will be as well.