Pray for the Troops/Poor Thomas Edison

Right now I'm a little frustrated with our Congress. They have voted (both House and Senate) to limit our military's intelligence and information sources. Our troops are now in considerably more danger than ever before. One congresswoman said "we have made them deaf and blind" and still ask them to protect us. Opposing legislation was introduced, and defeated. As soon as the session resumes (they are now on a two-week break), it will be reintroduced. The safety of our troops and our nation is at risk. Keep an eye out for that bill when it is introduced, and be in contact with your representatives! At least 19 terror plots the magnitude of 9/11 have been thwarted because of our intelligence sources. Why does our Democratic Congress think that those who want to destroy us have a right to privacy? Why have they consciously chosen to limit our ability to intercept their plans? If you think of it, please pray for our troops while they are in a more vulnerable position.

As a conservative, it seems that the conflict never ceases. There are these biggies that we fight all the time, such as war and terrorism, abortion, homosexual marriage, educational issues, religious issues, etc. I don't want to have to worry about the "little" things, too. But I am realizing more and more that the "little" issues are not really little either. A bill that was passed in the House of Representatives last week (which was already passed by the Senate) will make it illegal to use incandescent lightbulbs in the United States. "Big deal" you say. Yeah. It is. Did you know that florescent lightbulbs are exponentially more expensive than incandescent? And did you know that florescent lightbulbs contain dangerous amounts of mercury? A lady recently dropped a florescent lightbulb on her hardwood floor and it shattered. She vaccuumed the pieces and immediately made a call to ask what to do. She was told that if the bulb had broken on her carpet she would have had to cut out and replace the section of carpet in which it had landed, but since it was on a hard surface she would simply have to throw away and replace the vaccuum she had used. Florescent lightbulbs require special disposal, you can't just throw them away. I don't really want to be in constant danger of mercury poisoning. Another bill was just passed, heavily increasing federal income taxes. How do they expect us to pay for our new florescent lightbulbs?

Thankfully, concerned Congress members have introduced legislation to counteract the initial bill (Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Title III, Subtitle B). I know it might seem like a small thing, but our Democratic Congress is making decisions like this for us all the time. If you have the time, please contact your representative and let them know you support the Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act.

We can make a difference!

Selfish Guilt

Greater Love Hath No Man

This evening our family watched a documentary on D-Day.  Whenever I watch something like this my mind is overwhelmed at the bravery, patriotism, and love of the soldiers who fought and died in foreign lands.  Thousands upon thousands of American men died in World War II for the cause of freedom.  And not just their own freedom - but the freedom of nations that had been ravaged on the authority of madmen.  We watched footage of the landing at Normandy, and of the Allied troops rolling into French cities.  When the soldiers arrived, the people of France peeled the bells in the church steeples and ran to greet the soldiers with warm "hellos" and grateful cheers.  Why did they not cower and hide in fear as they did when the Germans came to call?  It was because they knew that with the arrival of Americans (and the other allied troops) there would be freedom.  They knew that the soldiers were not there for power, for resources, for control.  They weren't there for themselves at all.  They were there to remove the bondage, to destroy the threat to freedom.

I wonder if anyone has ever thought of the amazing damage that America could do if she ever allowed self ambition to cloud her regard for freedom.  The military power that America has wielded over the past century has been enough to destroy every threat that has arisen against its freedom, and that leads to the conclusion that if the leaders of this nation ever had an inkling to possess other lands, she could probably do so.  Many of the radical liberals (and even not so radical) would have us believe that this is exactly what is happening today in the Middle East.  But is it really the case?  Is Bush just a power-hungry madman who wants control of the oil region?  If that were truly the objective, that would have been easily accomplished long ago.  The desire for base conquest does not require much precision.  One does not worry about protecting civilians, take care to pinpoint exact locations of targeted leaders in order to leave as much property undamaged as possible, give supplies and medical attention to the nationals, relinquish political control to the people (by vote, no less).  I think that the American troops of today have demonstrated the same bravery, patriotism, and love that was demonstrated a few generations ago.  They are stemming the tide of terror, not just in the Middle East, but for everyone.  But I pity them.  Because they have a far more thankless job than those who fought in WWII.  The battles they fight are debated around tables and in tabloids all over America, and no one is quite convinced that we should really be in Iraq.  In WWII, the troops had the unswerving support of their people.  They knew that they were fighting and dying for their wives, for their children, for their country.  It was the war of the nation, one common objective.  The country was not polarized by propoganda.  Shame on ungrateful and unsupportive Americans for failing to stand behind and support the men who are fulfilling the duty of a righteous and powerful nation to preserve the freedom that is a gift from God Himself.  We are an example to the world.  If we fail to love freedom and our ability to share it more than self-preservation then we will not be preserved.  It's like Jesus said: "He who would save his life shall lose it, but he who loses his life, for My sake, shall find it."   

One quote from the documentary will stick me a long time: "Our weakness was their strength."  Our weakness is our divisiveness.  It's our need to tolerate and embrace the very ones who would destroy us.  I wish Americans could all remember what it is to stand for freedom.  

Now do you understand?

Of New Haircuts and Shoes...the trivial matters that don't have anything to do with real life

Is it just me, or is everybody significantly disappointed by a new haircut?  I suppose the issue I'm dealing with is expectations, because without fail I find myself really depressed after a haircut.  I really shouldn't have gotten my hopes up again.  I think my hair was just waiting to be set free.  The days leading up to a haircut I usually think something along the lines of: " my hair just doesn't curl like it should anymore, and the ends are so dry-looking."  It is these realizations that push me over the edge and finally resolve to spend my precious money on something that I'd rather not do anyway.  And I'm always right about the curling thing.  It's the weight of the hair that keeps it from staying curled right, but just as soon as it's cut, even just an inch or two, it goes crazy with more body and bounce than is good for anything.  I'm not a crazy person.  But you would never guess that by my hair right now.  And now I'm depressed again because it will take me awhile to adjust and remanage my hair, and it's too short.  I told the lady 2 inches, but guess what?  We started talking.  Whenever you get a stylist talking you're on a slipperly slope.  I think she just kept cutting as long as our conversation was good, and finally quit when we ran out of interesting topics.  So I'm about four inches shorter, and not any happier for it.  I loved the length of my hair, and now it will take months to get it back to where it was...just in time for another haircut.

But the day was not an entire waste.  My feelings about new shoes are exactly the opposite of those generated by a new haircut.  There is nothing depressing about new shoes.  Even if there is a slight twinge of remorse at the immediate monetary loss, the emotional dividends are well worth the expenditure.  I got three pair of shoes/sandals today.  Triple the happiness...and I only spent $19.  It was almost enough to make me forget my hair.