I have been reading the 1828 Elementary Catechism of the Constitution… to my boys for the last several months.  We finished it today.  

So, as the public school system, this administration, our judges, Congress try to rewrite the Constitution, cause it to be irrelevant, omit it completely, or just ignore it; we were reading this heart grabbing nugget today:

"…remember that this precious Constitution, thus wise, thus just, is your birthright.  It has been earned for you by your fathers, who counseled much, labored long, and shed their dearest blood, to win it for their children.  To them, it was the fruit of toil and danger -- to you, it is a gift.  Do not slight it on that account, but prize it as you ought.  It is yours, no human power can deprive you of it, but your own folly and wickedness.  To undervalue, is one of the surest ways to lose it.  Take pains to know what the Constitution is -- the more you study, the higher you will esteem it.  The better you understand your own rights, the more likely you will be to preserve and guard them."

I wept as I read these words…almost 200 years old.  True.  Prophetic.  Hope-filled…if we will break free of our national ignorance and cling to the freedoms entrusted to us; and fight with everything that is within us to secure our liberty.

The Presidential Oath of Office

Regarding the presidential oath of office:

Q:  What is an oath?

A:  It is a solemn calling upon God, who knows the hearts of all men, and will call every man to account for his conduct in this world, to bear witness that what a man says is true, or that what he promises he means to perform.

Q:  What is the President's oath of office?

A:  It is in these words ---  "I do solemnly swear, 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."

~Elementary Catechism on the Constitution of the United States for the use of schools, by Arthur J. Stansbury, 1828

_____________

Real Patriots in my heritage!

My recently-retired, darling Aunt Toby is taking on a new hobby: Ancestry research.

Apparently, my sixth great grandfather on my Grandpa McClain's side, John Drury Ledbetter, served in the 6th Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War.

This makes me (and all the women in my family) eligible to be a member of Daughters of the America Revolution.
Not sure that I will pursue that.  I am still researching it.  

Also, this fun find today:

"193 years before the Kori's birth, Colonel Arthur Forbis from Philladelphia, husband of 5th great grandmother Elizabeth Wiley (on the McClain side), was gravely wound during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Guilford_Court_HouseHe died on March 15, 1781 [my birthday]
Elizabeth found him on the battleground. Upon his death, she applied for state aid was awarded 25 barrels of corn.She then married Arthur's brother Major John Forbis also a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
So that makes three patriots so far on Dad's side of the family."

Anyway, fun for me.  I feel like a revolutionary princess. :)  Very proud to have had family that served in securing the independence of this great nation.

eroding our foundation

"To preserve the government, we must also preserve morals.  Morality rests on religion; if you destroy the foundation, the superstructure must fall.  When the public mind becomes vitiated and corrupt laws are a nullity and constitutions are waste paper." ~Daniel Webster

"When we throw God out, all our laws and Constitution become waste paper - we can make them say whatever we want." ~Del Tackett commenting on Webster's quote

Constitution catechism nugget

from page 18-19 of The Catechism on the Constitution of the United States:

Q:  May ever the President of the United States be thus impeached and punished?

A:  Yes.  In this free and happy country no man is so great as to be above the law.  The laws are supreme; to them all persons, from the President of the United States to the poorest and the meanest beggar, must alike submit.  This is our glory.  Let every youthful American exult that he has no master but the law; let him mark the man who would change this happy state of things as the enemy of his country; and above all let him remember that as soon as he himself breaks the law, he becomes himself that enemy.  Whoever violates the law helps to weaken its force, and, as far as he disobeys, does what in him lies to destroy it: but he who honors and obeys the law strengthens the law, and thereby helps to preserve the freedom and happiness of his country.  In some governments it is held that "the king can do no wrong;" here we know no king but the law, no monarch but the constitution: we hold that every man may do wrong; that the higher he is in office, the more reason there is that he be obliged to answer for his conduct; and that as a great officer, if treacherous, is a great criminal, so he  ought to be made to suffer a great and exemplary punishment."

Remember a few months back when Obama was subpoenaed to a GA court and didn't appear?  If that were you or me, we would have a warrant out for our arrest and the next time the police interacted with us, we would be hauled off to jail.  Since we have no king, then technically no one is above the law.  But the reality seems to be that Obama thinks himself above the law and we must also think so since we have not called him to accountability. Even a subpoena for a baseless case must be obeyed.
In January, we took a family vacation to the northwest.  Jamie received a subpoena that required him, in the middle of our vacation, to appear at a DUI hearing he had to testify in.  We tried everything possible to continue the case so it wouldn't interrupt our vacation...to no avail.  We had to rearrange our plans so that Jamie could fly to San Diego in order to appear in court.  I won't elaborate on the incredible headache it was to accomplish this, but Jamie was threatened that if he did not appear in court, he would have a warrant.  Enough said.  "No man is above the law."  If law enforcement isn't, then should the President be?  No one ought to be.  We do not have a king who is above the law.  We are all subject to it.

"We are a nation of laws and not of men." ~John Adams

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."  (Federalist 51)

"If every man were perfectly virtuous, and knew what would be best for himself and others, they might [govern themselves].  But this is far from being the case; and therefore the people of every country are and must be governed." (Elementary Catechism...)

Constitutional betrayal = treason

"...whoever goes contrary to [the Constitution] betrays his country, injures you, injures me, betrays us all, and is deserving of the heaviest punishment.  Whoever, on the contrary, loves and keeps it sacred, is his country's friend, secures his own safety, and farthers the happiness of all around him.  Let every American learn, from his earliest years, to love, cherish and obey the Constitution.  Without it he can neither be a great or a good citizen; without this his name will never be engraved with honor in the pages of our history, nor transmitted, like that of Washington, with praises and blessings to a late posterity."

~Elementary Catechism on the Constitution of the United States for the use of schools by Arthur J. Stansbury, p.10

This is a great book.  I read about a page and a half to my boys every morning at breakfast for five days in a row.  We discuss it and understand it.  It's an easy way to teach the Constitution and our unique form of government to your children and to learn about it yourself.


When I first read this section, I had to read it again and again.  It sort of knocked me upside the head and brought to mind one person in particular who has very nearly wiped his rear end with our glorious Constitution.  These words are so relevant for our president today and so many politicians who swear an oath that they will uphold and defend the Constitution and yet defy it in every way they can in order to have their own will done.  To know that this offense was not taken lightly in the past and should not be taken lightly now is vital.  Yet, we are so overwhelmed by the multiple attempts and successes to blatantly disregard and defy of the Constitution that we can hardly keep up.  But really one offense is enough to call out the President and any other leader who will betray us and the Constitution.  To not defend it is nothing short of treason --- "whoever goes contrary to [the Constitution] betrays his country, injures you, injures me, betrays us all, and is deserving of the heaviest punishment."  Our checks and balances have become ever so corrupt that they no longer hold one another accountable.  The legislature buddies up with the president who matches their party and agenda and the president appoints agenda activated judges that will do his bidding.  It is becoming difficult to differentiate our government from an oligarchy.  Once the picturesque ideal of a Republic, the image is becoming blurry and faded and our "public servants" are becoming the elite that assert their will upon us.


"I do solemnly swear 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."  (Presidential oath of office)   ....well then do it!  And we the people ought to raise our voices and use our vote to recall any who will not do the job they were hired to do.

the truth about history

History is not a limited territory with defined borders that can be contained, conquered, and controlled.  It is instead a vast and limitless ocean that can only be explored and charted.  The farther you sail into the ocean of world history, the more you realize it is a journey with no end.  However, you can drop anchor at any point and probe the depths of world history where you are, and those anchors can become permanent places in your children's minds.  People, events and ideas are the anchors that will hold history in place for your children.  Your goal is not to try to cover the entire ocean surface of world history, which would require a very fast and shallow trip, but rather to pick some specific routes, stop at the most interesting places, and out down as many historical anchors as you can.  The more anchors you can create, the easier it will be for your children to begin to sort out and make sense of world history.  The best way to create those anchors is through reading whole, living books that make history come alive.

~Clay & Sally Clarkson

What do I think of Monumental?

Last week, I saw Monumental and really loved it.  The Pilgrim's history is thorough and accurate from my own studies on the subject, and I loved the 3rd section on the Founding Fathers and the input from David Barton.

My only unsure spot was the interpretation of the Monument.  It seemed a little like it was pulled out of thin air.  I thought it a beautiful interpretation and probably even accurate, but didn't find it wholly credible during the viewing of the movie.  I would've really like if it could have been backed up with something a little more substantial than just the assumption of the interpreter.  I'm not saying that he was just making it up as he went, but it could be construed as such.  If I was a critic, that would be the first thing I would call into question.  I'd love to see a more definitive roadmap of how he came to this interpretive conclusion.  I do hope the Monumental resources cover this interpretation in more detail and with a firm backing.

Skepticism aside, there is much to the Monument and it is inspiring.  If you saw the detail and pure fullness of this sculpture, can you imagine the incredible thought and design that went into it?

Our theater was bursting at the seams.  My party sat in the fourth row and we were there plenty early.  It was very encouraging to see such an impressive turnout for something so desperately important.

As a Patriot mom, I sure appreciate what Kirk Cameron is doing to stir a love of our Providential history into the hearts of families.  May we all know the truth, and may the truth keep us ever free!

I really love that Monumental resources and even curriculum are available to those who need to start teaching a firm foundation of our American history to the next generation.  My prayer is that all American families will embrace our true history.

As Kirk closed the film, he emphasized the importance of not passing the blame, but taking responsibility within the walls of our own homes.  That was excellent.  Ronald Reagan said, "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." YES!

I exhort you all to raise your own precious little (and big) ones in Biblical and historical truth.  It is our children who will change the world.  As the pilgrims were, so we are stepping stones to our posterity.  Attend local public service meetings.  Speak truth.  Have a voice in the public square.  We must be involved in our families, and we must be involved in our communities.  Bottom up, not top down.

Do you think your children are too young for history?  No!  History is just a lot of really cool, true stories.  Better than fiction!  If your kids like stories (what child doesn't?), then they will LOVE history!  The story of Paul Revere and the Lexington Battle Green is invigorating!  And the pilgrims and Squanto...wow!  Excitement, intrigue, adventure, suspense....kids love that stuff! 

If you are looking for books or resources to help guide you toward a love of history with your children, click on the "books & stuff" tab at the top of this blog.  I try to post our favorite history resources.  If your kids enjoy and memorize twaddle stories or even Bible stories, then they can totally love American history stories, too!  This ain't your dry, boring high school history course: the dull textbook and date-memorizing we had to laborious suffer through in school that cause our default perspective of history to be so dreadful and excruciating.  But, really, history is the best subject EVER!

The other day I was reading through Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9 and noticed how he cited the hand of God in Israel's history.  Isn't it so cool that Israel is so blessed in the fact that their history is God's history on earth? ...but we also, as Americans, have a unique history that no other nation (save Israel) can claim.  We have a Godly heritage.  We are truly a privileged nation. 

even a little child knows

"...No one wanted to let it appear that he could see nothing, for that would prove him unfit for his post... 

'But he has nothing on!' said a little child. 

The emperor was startled by this, for he had a suspicion that they were right.  ...So he held himself more stiffly than ever, and the chamberlains held up the train that was not there at all."  ~The Emperor's New Clothes 

If you don't know this story, find it and understand it.

In our studies of the 1960's, we stumbled across a book about the Kennedy brothers.  Beautifully illustrated and sweet, yet it fails (as most books do) to hit the reality of the truth.  In this case it promoted a sweeping assumption of "fighting for the rights of all." What does that really mean?  We live in a world where two diametrically opposite opinions can be discussed and seem not so different after all... because we use the same words but the definitions of those words are polar opposites.

Example:  Women's rights.  On the liberal front, this means providing abortion to any woman who wants one resulting in the death of an innocent person.  Alternately, on the conservative front, it means equality among the sexes: equal pay, equal opportunity, etc.  Granted, I think the conservative perspective is also that of the libs, but they are so blinded by their obsession with abortion that they can see nothing else.

Yesterday, we were reading specifically about Edward Kennedy and his "fight for the rights of all" and how wonderful and great he was, but what is omitted here is that he was an undying advocate of abortion.  I don't care who you are and how many nice words can be said about you, if you permit murder, then you are a murderer.  Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "Boys, it's true that the Kennedy's were influential and it seems genuinely that they wanted to affect good in our country, but Edward Kennedy wanted abortion to be legal."  (My boys's mouths dropped wide-open at this point.  They are in utter disbelief that people think abortion should be ok.)  "He (Ted Kennedy) said he wanted women to have rights and in his mind he believed that a woman's right is to be able to have an abortion." 

Silas (6 years old): "Doesn't he know that some of the babies that die would grow up to be women?!  What about their rights?"

Thank you, Silas.  Even a child understands how absurd the arguments for abortion are.

Only a child lacked the hesitation to speak what was plainly before them all: The Emperor was naked.

Liberty Treehouse

Liberty Treehouse!

Our new favorite show!   Check out www.gbtv.com and try the 14-day free trial to see if you want to commit.  But, we are loving this show.  (GBTV also has a reality show, Independence U.S.A., about a family attempting to live off the grid, a news show, and other stuff.)   In the last 3 days, we've learned about Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, the brain, bullying/forgiveness, Leap Year, the walk-along glider and ScienceToymaker.com...and the list goes on.

This is a great home school friendly (but really all-types-of-kids friendly) show.  I'm totally incorporating this into my daily home school schedule.  It airs every day at 4:30 pm, and you can archive all the shows from the beginning.  I accessed it a couple of months ago to teach my kids about the economy.  And they love it!  So do I!

Enjoy!

Faith that goes forward triumphs

A poem I discovered in Streams in the Desert about Columbus and the value of perseverance.

Behind him lay the gray Azores,

Behind the gates of Hercules;

 Before him not the ghost of shores, 

Before him only shoreless seas,

The good Mate said,  "Now we must pray,

For lo! the very stars are gone.

Braved, Admiral, speak, what shall I say?"

Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!'"

"My men grow mutinous day by day,

My men grow ghastly wan and weak!"

The stout Mate thought of home, a spray

Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek.

"What shall I say, brave Admiral, say,

If we sight naught but seas at dawn?"

"Why, you shall say at break of day,

'Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!'"

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the Mate:

"This mad sea shows its teeth tonight.

He curls his lip, he lies in wait,

With lifted teeth, as if to bite!

Brave Admiral, say but one good word;

What shall we do when hope is gone?"

The words leapt like a leaping sword;

"Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!"

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck

And peered through darkness.  Ah! that night

Of all dark nights! And then a speck--

A light! A light! A light! A light!

It grew, a starlit flag unfurled!

It grew to be Time's burst of dawn.

He gained a world; he gave that world

Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!"

~Joaquin Miller

Proverbs 17

"He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished." (v. 5b)

Calamity (def.) = a state of deep distress or misery caused by major misfortune or loss

On September 11, 2001, I turned on my t.v. and witnessed the most horrific attack on America in our history.  I also saw a gleeful woman in the middle east surrounded by equally wickedly gleeful people celebrating and dancing in the streets in celebration of the murder of 3000+ innocent Americans.
Romans says "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."  (Rom. 12:19)  I have know this verse since early in my conversion and wrong or right, it has always brought me comfort and taught me to not retaliate.

"...the glory of children is their father." (v. 6b)  

My Jamie is the glory, honor, hero to Brandon and Silas.  How true this is!  They utterly adore their daddy.

"He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord." (v. 15)

"[Abraham Lincoln] was... a man of integrity.  He never tried to win more for a client than he felt the client deserved.  And if someone wanted his services, he had to convince Lincoln that his cause was just.  Moreover, if it turned out that a client had deceived him, Abe would simply quit the case. --- On one occasion, Lincoln had present his client's side to the judge.  After he was through, the opposing counsel produced a receipt proving Lincoln's client had lied.  Before this attorney had finished talking, Lincoln had left the courtroom and returned to his hotel. --- 'Go get Mr. Lincoln,' the judge ordered. --- 'Tell the judge I can't come,' Lincoln replied to the clerk. 'My hands are dirty, and I came over to clean them.'" (Sounding Forth the Trumpet for Children. p.152)

I loved this story as I read it to my boys yesterday morning.  As I read this scripture this morning, I was reminded of it.

"Oddly enough, presidents who are children of privilege sometimes feel an obligation to reform society in order to give children of poverty a better break.  And...presidents who are children of poverty sometimes feel that there is no need to reform a society that has enabled them to rise from privation to the summit."

~Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., Childhood of the Presidents: Andrew Jackson 

our D.C. excursion, part 7: the Grande Finale

(for the beginning of this series, click here.)

Tobi and Rich dropped us at our hotel in D.C.   After getting some laundry taken care of, we walked a mile or so to the most charming Irish Pub you ever saw...with real Irish people working there displaying their hospitality.

The next day, we headed over to the National Mall where we took in the Jefferson Memorial, had lunch with some of the CWA staff at their offices, visited the Star Spangled Banner at the American History Museum, pored over the greatest documents of freedom any nation has ever created at the National Archives (I tell ya, staring at George Washington's signature on the Constitution is something else), and eventually made our way toward Union Station to get some dinner and head back to the hotel.

This is, by far, the best exhibit in the Museum.
Take a minute to listen to this audio drama
(specifically the Star Spangled Banner episode)
before going to see this incredible work of history.

Thursday came and we set out for Mount Vernon.  We caught a bus from the Metro station and spent the majority of our day walking the grounds of the beautiful home of George Washington.

This is undoubtedly my very favorite place in America and perhaps the world.  Considering George Washington is indeed "First in war; First in peace; and First in the hearts of his countrymen," the opportunity to visit his home is a great privilege.  To walk through the rooms he resided and to stroll the land surrounding the mansion...well, it makes you realize why he loved it so very much; why he never wanted to leave his beloved Mount Vernon.

"I can truly say I had rather be at Mount Vernon with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the Seat of Government by the Officers of State and Representatives of every Power in Europe." ~G.W.

our D.C. excursion, part 6: Black Tom

(For the beginning of this series, click here.)

We left NYC and made a quick stop (in the rain) at the site of Black Tom.

What is Black Tom, you ask?
A little bit of history that Woodrow Wilson wanted you to forget about...or never even know about.  In the words of Glenn Beck, "I hate that guy!"  Ok, as my Grandma always said, "'Hate' is a very strong word."  And Jesus said to hate someone in your heart is the same as murder, sooooo....  I'll just say he's far from my favorite and I don't like him.

This is the only thing that marks such an unknown and  tragic event in our history.
Amongst dozens of picnic tables, this marker is barely noticeable and hard to seek out.

Jamie stumbled across this story a few days before leaving for our trip.
Click here for the story.  In a nutshell, Germans exploded a bunch of ammunition and artillery on this Island in the New York Harbor which blew out windows well into the city and registered a 5+ on the Richter scale, yet no one knew what it was. Because Wilson was seeking reelection and didn't want to rock his boat.  So shhhhh... there's nothing to see here.  This is the reason no one (except the National Park Service) is allowed to tour the arm of the Statue of Liberty: it was pierced by ammunition and has been closed since this explosion.

We headed back to DC via Philly for a cheesesteak.

(For the final part of our trip, click here.)

our D.C. excursion, part 5: 9/11 Memorial

(For the beginning of our trip, click here.)

The only thing I wanted to see in New York was the recently opened 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero.

It did not disappoint.

I reached my right hand forward over the black granite and swept my fingers over the name:

Renee A. May and her unborn child

Suddenly everything stopped.  I looked over toward the woman standing nearest me.  She had seen me reach my hand over the name.  Where before she was collectedly somber, her hands now covered her eyes as she convulsed with quiet sobs.

I saw at least 4 other such names.

Standing on this mountaintop

Looking just how far we've come

Knowing that for every step

You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much you've done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful.

~Matt Redman

"Never Once"

A work in progress - the Freedom Tower will rise to 1776 feet.

Survivor Tree.
This Callery Pear Tree was in the WTC Plaza,
was crushed and nursed back to health.
All the other trees at the Memorial
are swamp white oaks, so this one stands out
...as it should.

WTC Tridents can be seen through the unfinished museum scheduled to open next year.

(click here for part 6)

our D.C. excursion, part 2: the rest of the CWA leadership training

(part 1 of our trip can be found here.)

The rest of the CWA training was awesome.  It is so nice to be surrounded by likeminded people who not only love this country and our Constitution, but are wholly devoted to the Lord.
A favorite speaker of mine was George Tryfiates who expounded on some of our American history.  Well, what's not to love about that?!  ;)  He said that it was the story of Washington crossing the Delaware that caught his attention and flung him into a love of history.  So cool, because it's that same story that changed my life, too.   I recently wrote this article for our history club (a history co-op I am helping to teach) newsletter.

While visiting my aunt in New Jersey a few years ago, we visited the presumed site where George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas, surprised attacked the British, and changed the course of the Revolutionary War, the future of the United States, and history forever.

I hated history in school.  I was bored memorizing dates and names for the sake of passing the next test.

But this day on the banks of the Delaware River, something in me was set afire.  As I watched the short film in the Visitor's Center, I recognized in my mind and heart the very obvious hand of "Providence" in the shaping of the great and free nation we call home.  Though God was never mentioned, I was unable to ignore His absolute favor on George Washington and this land.

Fast forward three years:  My boys are 4 and 5 years old and we are planning a trip to return to the east coast.  It is the summer before our first school year and I decided that America's beautiful history is a great way to kick off our home schooling venture.  We dove into the Revolutionary War, great Presidents, history's heroes, America's great technological accomplishments, and so much more.  We fell in love with Paul Revere, George Washington, Nathan Hale, and Abraham Lincoln.  We gained courage and hope from the examples of these who gave their "lives, liberty and sacred honor" for the sake of their posterity: you and me!  We looked around at the current state of our national and global culture and realized that if these great founders could change the world, then so can we!  And so can you!

Mommies and Daddies, we are raising heroes! 

Dr. Janice Crouse also spoke to us on sexual trafficking and other unpleasant, but must-be-addressed issues.  And Kenda shared some beautiful words with us.  Her love for this country brought me to tears.  She also told me that I'm not normal.  Actually that none of us in the room were normal.  I sort of already knew that.  :)  I find great comfort in my non-normalities, and in the fact that there was a room full of "not normals" there with me.

Kenda led us on a prayer walk that Friday afternoon.  We learned the history about some of the not-so-noticeable buildings in Washington, D.C.  ...particularly those surrounding the White House such as the Blair-Lee House, LaFayette Square, Daughters of the American Revolution, etc.  How blessed we were to pray for specific things at each landmark.  For example: at St. John's church we prayed for the salvation of living Presidents; at the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs we prayed for the recovery of injured military veterans; at the National Christmas Tree we thanked God for our religious freedom; etc.
Since we had such a large group (20+), Jamie and I offered to hold up the rear to make sure we didn't lose anyone in the shuffle.  You should have seen us all parading from the hotel to the Metro station, trying to figure out tickets, and ultimately pouring onto the train.  Amazingly everyone made it.

a self-portrait of Jame & I
on the prayer walk.

Jamie was a hit with many of the ladies since his gender was a minority throughout the training.  (Note: Concerned Women for America typically attracts women...shocking, I know.  Though, it is not an organization solely comprised of women -- a little known fact.)  Silvia, a woman from Visalia, CA, immediately bonded with Jamie.  She's a Spanish-speaking lady, so Jamie took the opportunity to try his police-Spanish out on her -- always an entertaining enterprise.  In a moment, he was commanding her to put her arms up, get her license out, lace her fingers behind her head and stand with her feet apart...and she complied.

The pew that Lincoln
quietly occupied.

Some ladies found our stop at St. John's Church an irresistible opportunity to pray inside the building.  Jamie and I waited a while for the ladies to come out, but as Kenda and the front of the group got further and further away, I decided to go in and herd them so we could catch up.  I exited toward the double glass doors and...  wouldn't you know that in those 3 minutes I was inside trying to collect these ladies, we all got LOCKED INSIDE ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.  Ha!  Of all the churches to be locked in, the one Abraham Lincoln (as well as several other Presidents) frequented scores pretty high.  Still, here I (along with 3 ladies and a very friendly gentleman) remained trapped inside.  Jamie waited patiently outside wondering why I wasn't walking through  those doors until I grabbed the handles and mouthed to him,

"THE     DOORS     ARE     LOCKED."

Never a dull moment.

Finally we broke free thanks to the help of the aforementioned gentleman who hunted down the man with the key.  I guess when the sign says they close at 3, they aren't kidding.

It was a prayer adventure.  Eventually Kenda commissioned Jamie and I to escort a bunch of the ladies back to the Metro and the hotel while she sought out the stragglers of the group who somehow got lost trying to find a bathroom.

CWA CEO Penny Nance, Southern California Director Ruth Smith,
and Senator Rick Santorum

Ruth and I

Former PA Senator and current Presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke to us at an evening banquet that night.  It was really cool to hear his heart for the Lord, the nation, family, and his commitment to (and understanding of) the Constitution.  At the banquet, our worship leader for the training, Deborah, sang "Stand in the Rain."  Before she began the song, she said, "Do you ever feel like you are running and running and running, and you can't stop because if you do, you'll fail?"

Yes!  I feel like that every moment of every day.  That question stopped me in my tracks and brought tears to my eyes.  What precious little time God has given us on this earth "for such a time as this."  How desperately I want to be wise with my life and not waste it.  To stand for what is right.  To fight against what is wrong.  And to influence, influence, influence and to inspire, inspire, inspire a nation, my friends, my children, a poor innocent bystander toward righteousness and truth.

Sometimes though, we must pause, and refuel by standing under the spout of God's blessed rest.  

And then start moving again...centered in His will.

Saturday we said our goodbyes to the fabulous CWA ladies (and gentlemen) and awaited the arrival of my sis and her hubby.  But this post is too long already...so more on that later.

Click here to read about our time at my cousin Kyler's wedding.

Forever Changed: 9/11 in Remembrance

Remembering always those lost 10 years ago.  And how I was forever changed because of 9/11.

9/11 Parking Spots

An account of B. Viggiani after 9/11.  New York.


From "A Tribute to the Heroes of 9-11, 10 Year Memorial" calendar.
www.tfpublishing.com

"Those first days of Autumn 2001 seem to wash away the lingering darkness of loss that hung over the city, like a bad dream.  The smells were nearly gone or perhaps we had just gotten used to them by then.  The skies were clearer that day than they had been in some time and I found I could look upward with less fear than I had in some time.  I forced myself to get back to my regular pre 9/11 NJ Transit schedule I had so routinely done in the past, sitting in the last car at the same window seat reading the sports pages.  It was important to get back to reality; the quicker the better.  New York City was too quiet for too long.  Even the notorious horn honkers, New York City taxi drivers, were more courteous with fewer blasts.  People actually said hello or at least made eye contact on the city's streets.  It was time for the city to 'get back to normal'!

And so it was that cool October evening heading home from another day at work.  The early autumn sun made black silhouettes of the lower city skyline slowly descending from behind.  As much as I tried not looking across the expanse of the Hudson River toward "that skyline", I found myself unable to keep from looking, drawn there everyday almost as if to somehow keep their spirits alive.  So I looked.  And the towers still weren't there.

Same train, same car, same window seat.  Returning home.  Losing myself in the back pages of the NY Post, my beer sitting atop the flat metal screen under the window.  For a good part of the ride, I rarely, if ever glance out the window.  In fact the first stop that I usually put aside the paper and look out, is at the train's longest stop, Ridgewood.  Sitting in the last car, one could look straight down Ridgewood Avenue.  As dusk settled in, the town's many storefronts became lit to greet the night ahead.

I was about to return to the sports pages as the train slowly left the station when I noticed something odd just outside my window.  As the main street began to disappear from view, I watched a row of several automobiles go by, parked in those most sought after spots along the front row closest to the train platform.  Those commuters were the ones who left earlier than most to get those coveted spots.  I often wondered what they did for a living to get up so early to head into the city.

The first car that attracted my attention was a large model Mercedes Benz.  How dirty it was; especially sitting in such an upscale town as Ridgewood.  Dirty cars were just something you never saw, either driven or parked.  The car next to the Mercedes was just as dirty as was the next until the train was moving to fast for me to see anything more than the disappearing station.  The train was barely out of Ridgewood when it hit me like a lightning bolt.  The dirty cars parked there along the front row closest to the station platform; those same cars that made me wonder what the owners did for a living, their owners had parked their cars and headed off to work as they did every morning only...this time they never came back.

Now I can only wonder who each of them were as people, as husbands, wives, sons or daughters, friends to so many.  I wondered about their routines that day, that morning as they headed to work.  Did they stop for coffee and a bagel across the street from the train station after parking in their VIP-ish spots?  Did they kiss their loved ones goodbye?  What unfinished work awaited them at their offices across the Hudson?

Pulling into Ridgewood station that next morning on my way back to work, I held my breath and could feel my heart pounding.  It was that same feeling of not wanting to look but needing to as the train came to a stop.  At first I thought I would not be able to see that far, perhaps being saved from what I knew I'd encounter.  Yet, there they were.  I could barely see the tops of the cars but they were still there.  Dirty, side-by-side waiting for the turn of the car key, one dustier than the other, lined up in their front row spots closest to the platform.  Only now in daylight did I allow it to hit me.  As if seeing them in daylight confirmed my thoughts.

On that beautiful clear blue sky day, each of the owners of those cars stepped onto their favorite train, sat in the same seat, sipping coffee and reading the papers.  Yet, they never came back.  Not to their cars parked in those front row spots.  Or home to waiting wives, husbands, children, or friends.  They never came back.  Ever.

Soon after that morning the cars were removed from the parking lot and from those coveted spots.  It did not take long for those spots to be filled with a new group of early commuters and I began to wonder all over again.  What did those people do for a living?

Dedicated to those we lost that day and those who live with their loss.  Never Forget."

-B. Viggiani, August 2009

Was the atomic bomb revenge for Pearl Harbor?

I recently received a message from a dear, precious friend who inaccurately accused the U.S. of taking "revenge" on Japan via the atomic bomb for their attack of Pearl Harbor; and he accused us of killing innocent children.  I was horrified since this message was also sent to several other people.  Here was my response:

I'm sorry, but I feel that you are inaccurate.  You know I love you more than life itself.  And truly your heart of love is so apparent in this message.  You are so special and precious to me.

The atomic bomb wasn't until 1945.  Pearl Harbor was in '41.  The Doolittle Raid was our response to Pearl Harbor.  Upon my recent reading about the Pacific side of WW2 (Unbroken about Louis Zamperini, POW), the atomic bomb was necessary because Hirohito would not back down and was preparing to send even Japanese women and children into war because so many Japanese men were lost.  He would not have stopped unless there was a decisive move on our end.  Certainly, the atomic bomb was extreme to say the least.  But, sometimes these things are necessary.  Hirohito was a Hitler in Asia...believing that the Japanese were superior to other Asian people groups - enslaving women and children from other Asian countries.  I'm not incredibly knowledgable about the Japanese side of WW2, but am learning more and more.  It was an incredibly devastating situation for non-Japanese Asians.  It is awful to think of the innocents that were casualites of the atomic bomb...especially children.  But there were several warnings in the weeks preceding the bomb to warn civilians to find safety (American B-25's dropped thousands of flyers warning the people).  It was the Japanese government that kept its own people from knowing about these warnings, or downplayed the seriousness of them.  War is a necessary evil.  But even God's chosen people, Israel, have been forced time and time again to defend themselves and typically to the utter destruction of their enemies.  Old Testament references even mention women and children not being spared in some situations.  I personally think that is awful, but who am I to argue with the commands of God in His Word?

However, when we (Americans) are viciously attacked on our own soil (Pearl Harbor, 9/11), a response is critical.  If we fail to respond, we portray weakness and are therefore vulnerable to more attacks.

I don't mean to counter your statements, my precious friend, but the atomic bomb was not the response to Pearl Harbor...it was what ended the war...and it was unfortunately necessary (in my opinion).  Hirohito brought it upon himself.  He was a tyrant and unwilling to back down.  Post-war crimes proved his guilt.

I want to encourage you not to blame the beautiful USA in a culture where so many Americans (particularly our very own president) are apologizing for our exceptionalism and success.  We are successful because God has blessed us and because we have supported Israel all these years (God said to Israel, "Blessed are those who bless you; and cursed are those who curse you.")

I would ask that you find the truth and make that known.  I feel that your message was a slam against our home country...which is the very last thing we need in our current cultural climate.  Will you please research the atomic bomb and Pearl Harbor and correct your statement?

I know it is a sensitive subject and one that stirs much opinion.  Let me just say that "response" and "revenge" are different.  And I agree with you that we, as Christians, are not ever to seek revenge, but forgiveness and reconciliation.  Don't you think that has happened between the U.S. and Japan?  I think it's really sweet to have visited Japan and seen the respect that the Japanese have shown to Americans.  I hope we would respond the same way.  I believe that there has been a beautiful reconciliation between our two countries.  Sometimes, it takes extreme measures (atomic bomb) to change the rules (Hirohito's dominance and tyranny).

I love you very much.  You know I am a patriotic freak-of-nature.  I couldn't let this one slide. :)

I post this in case you might be as ignorant as I recently was about the history of the Pacific side of World War II.  And to encourage you to not let people inaccurately portray this great nation.  Certainly mistakes have been made, but we must proclaim the truth no matter how pretty or ugly it may be.  Let's be honest and not give way to agenda and propaganda.

Bless you,