One spark causes a firestorm.

Darling Michelle Smith, daughter to my CWA Area Director predecessor, Ruth Smith, wanted to write a little thing about me for The Desert Review online news.

Since I have been so committed to this fight for life and against the baby-killing Planned Parenthood scheduled to open in El Centro, CA, I have become a regular to the Imperial Valley.  The opportunity to work with Concerned Women for America has raised the volume of my personal voice on this issue.  I am very thankful that God chooses to send me.  It is not a place of comfort or familiarity to me, but I prefer to be obedient to Him who redeemed and saved me than comfortable in my own skin.

This article, "Making An Impact One Life At A Time", blessed me so much and I hope it will encourage you.  So many don't love what I do, so it's nice when someone does and goes out of their way to make mention of it.  I don't deserve this.  I am, in fact, selfish and a failure in so many ways.  But, I do love Jesus and try to do my best...much of the time.  ;)

I've been reading (ever-so-slowly) the amazingly brave and good William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation.

Read this yesterday:

Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise.

Shine.  Kindle your flame.  Light another.  Be brave!  You can make a difference!

Bravery

Tonight , I did the scariest thing ever.  Like Esther, we must say "And if I perish, I perish."

I spoke to a group of Board members for a hospital, urging them to not accept a transfer agreement with Planned Parenthood which will allow them to perform abortions.  I shared my personal Planned Parenthood abortion experience.  

It wasn't beautiful or eloquent. But it was obedience and truth. I am content. If you prayed for me, thank you so much. I was such a foggy, fumbling mess. 

Here's what I journaled tonight to give you an idea of my state. I'm still crying...probably just build up from my last few days of fearfulness. Glad it's over...for now. 

_____________________

Bravery is like love.

You do not have to feel love or affection toward someone to be able to display love to them, or to love them. So it is with bravery. A person doesn't have to feel brave to be brave. You just do bravery. Like you do love.

Tonight, I was brave. I didn't look brave. I didn't sound brave. I was afraid, and I was brave. Bravery is doing what is right when it is hard and when you don't want to. Bravery is fighting for virtue and nobility and truth when the world is upside down and is standing against you. Bravery is saving life when no one else will. Bravery is doing what you fear the most because you know you must. It doesn't always look beautiful. It doesn't always sound eloquent. Sometimes it looks really messy and sort of disastrous, but in your heart you know you did the bravest thing you could do in that moment. You know that no matter what the end result is, you stood, you spoke, you may have cried, but you did it anyway. Bravery is showing that no matter who you are, you can be brave. Anybody can be brave. Bravery is being brave so that someone else may be inspired to be brave, too.

What may be no big deal to one person is a monumental obstacle to another. I spoke for a whopping four minutes to a bunch of people I do not know with a shaky voice and foggy mind and teary eyes and trembling hands and fidgety feet and overwhelming fear. But I did it! And we never are alone. And this is not a scary thing to other people. But it is to me.

When you can see the disaster you are and still know that you obeyed the Creator of the universe; and be ok with how good or not-so-good it went... And settle in your heart and mind, “God, you asked. I said yes even though I am afraid. You knew how I would be. And You are pleased with me anyway. Because You love obedience more than sacrifice. And so I will rest in You. Make me brave over and over again...no matter how hard it is. I will walk through this valley if You want me to. I will walk through this fire if You want me to.”

That is everything. God's will is everything. Peace and fullness, and life abundant.

If nothing else, let me be genuine. Let me be real. Let me be true. More of Him. Less of me.

The pathway is broken and the signs are unclear

And I don't know the reasons why You brought me here

But just because You love me the way that You do

I'm gonna walk through this valley if You want me to

'Cause I'm not who I was when I took my first step

And I'm clinging to the promise You're not finished with me yet

So if all these trials that bring me closer to You

Then I will go through the fire if You want me to

And it may not be the way I would've chosen

When You lead me through a world that's not my home

But you never said it would be easy

You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me

And I'm all by myself

And I can't hear You answer my cries for help

I'll remember the suffering that Your love put You through

And I will go through this valley if You want me to.

  

~from "If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens

Be brave, my precious brothers and sisters. Keep eternity in your sights.

_____________________

So, what happened at this meeting?

The Board decided to grant the transfer agreement even though the vote was not on the agenda.  They cowardly took it during closed session after the crowd upwards of 1500 people dispersed.   Attorney David Gibbs (from the 2005 Terry Schiavo case), myself, and a pastor spoke on behalf of the Imperial Valley pro-lifers. David Gibbs was on fire. It was a blessing to be there beside him. Pastor Chris Nunn is an inspiration to be sure.  Attorney Gibbs offered his supreme court level legal representation pro-bono, but the Board hastily took the vote.  For more information, go here.

Please Protect Life because...

Californians For Life is promoting a campaign called

"Please Protect Life because..."

Click here for more information, 

and take a peek at the promo vid I got to do:

 Here are the boys' entries: 

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.

there's a par-tay goin' on!

Our 6th annual Christmas Open House is just around the corner.  I love planning this event and my family has come to love it as well.  It's become a great kick-off amongst our friends and family for the Christmas season.  Yea!

I really try to keep it simple...yet, still find that I am running around like a chicken with her head cut off.  Can't imagine what it would be like if it wasn't "simple." Ha!  Anyhoo... I try to limit food to just a few items.  Finger foods only or things that can be obtained by a skewer or toothpick.  The boys and I already had our cookie making afternoon.  It was dreadful!  LOL.  I REALLY don't like the kitchen.  I mean, I think they're cute and all, but I am so not a domestic diva and I hate all that has to happen in the kitchen.  Can't someone else please cook all our meals?!!

Ok, so simple foods:  we bake a zillion gingerbread and sugar cookies.  Then we frost the dang things 'til our tummies ache and the poor, little brown men start looking like hideously dressed blobs or wounded zombies.  Six hours later we're done and every year I swear it'll be at least a year before I ever do anything that crazy again...so I guess that works out.  I buy a couple bags of candies and crackers.  I throw together two cheese balls and I make several batches of what have become very popular cranberry meatballs.   That's it!   Of course, there's punch, tea, coffee, cocoa, and cider.

I set up the bounce house, have the boys stock every fire place (indoors and out) with ample firewood, and decorate, decorate, decorate.  Play music, light candles, have fun!  And don't forget to invite family, friends, and neighbors (obviously this should occur way before lighting candles).

So, how 'bout those recipes...  I usually find a cheese ball recipe online.  Still haven't found one that I love enough to repeat, but this year I discovered (in my mom's stuff while moving her and her hub out of their home) my Grandma's fabulous pineapple cheese ball.  Oh my goodness gracious great-balls-of-fire it is to die for!


Pineapple Cheese Ball
(F. Maxine McClain)

12 oz. cream cheese
green pepper, diced
small can crushed pineapple (well drained)

Mix it all together (let the cream cheese stand at room temp to soften).   Refrigerate for 24 hours.  Shape into a ball and roll in crushed pecans or bacon bits.  Ta da!  Try not to devour the whole thing before hand.  It is SO good!


Sweet Cranberry Meatballs
(Fix It and Forget It)

50 meatballs (Obviously I multiply this like crazy for our shindig.)
1 cup brown gravy
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T. heavy cream
2 t. Dijon mustard

Put meatballs in slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients to gather and pour over meatballs.
Cover.  Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 5-6 hours.

Easy peasy.  That's how I like it.  If food involves more than 10 minutes to organize, then I'm so out of there.  So, you know this has to be easy enough for someone with a cooking allergy like me to be able to pull it off.

this manipulated generation

"Whoever controls the media controls the culture." 

~Francis Schaeffer

"No generation has ever been more manipulated 

than the generation that lives today." 

~Gordon Pennington, Burning Media Group

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. 

no workie, no eatie

Mr. Prez,
Please stop taking scripture out of context in order to promote your own personal agenda and unBiblical way of thinking.  (Here it is, again.)  No where is socialism or communism advocated in Scripture...even if you quote "my brother's keeper" a million times over.  However, charity is... and it ought to be done cheerfully and of our own will and not mandated by a power-hungry dictator.  "For God loves a cheerful giver." (because your forcing us to do it is starting to make us bitter; did you notice?) (2 Corinthians 9:7)  And "Therefore if your enemy is hungry feed him, and if he is thirsty give him a drink..." (Romans 12:20) And "whatever you do to the least of these, You have done unto me." (Matt. 25:35-45)  Give charity and blessing back to the people.  We do it better anyway.  If you keep taking away the fruits of the labors of hard-working people, eventually those hard workers will become unmotivated to work their tails off when the end result is for you to take it and give it away to those who refuse to work.  Then, we will have a nation full of couch potatoes with zero ambition, zero ingenuity, zero innovation, and zero money.  Say goodbye to industry and "progress" as you claim to pursue.  But, you will have that communistic "everybody's the same" utopia that is the paradise of your dreams.

As for you and your proneness to twist Scripture for your own pride and personal gain: "...untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also with the rest of the Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:16)   So, twist away, Mr. Obama.  But in case you want to rescue yourself from your own destruction, here's one for you: "...if any would not work, neither should he eat.  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)

Freedom is not defined as government-ordained rights, but by God-given rights.   Stop making yourself God and deciding what our values ought to be according to your skewed and crooked way of thinking.  And stop giving freebies to lazy, entitlement-minded, and often illegal alien leeches.

Those of us who refuse to be indoctrinated and told what to think ARE paying attention and are not asleep...as I know you would wish us to be.  I hope we are a GIANT thorn in your side.

An America citizen fed up with your crap,

See October Baby!

It comes out this week.

Don't miss it!

returning to the yoke of bondage?

Precious friends of ours fled to the U.S. from Russia in 1991 because they had seen horrors of communism and were concerned that the future of Russia would not be good.  Tonight, I engaged in conversation with them about World War II, Russia, etc... and the husband brought up the current GOP political candidates.  He became incredibly impassioned about the route America is heading down and how totally horrendous it is.  He was angry that he had fled from the oppressions of communism in Russia only to find that it is chasing him and breathing down his neck here in "free" America.  And he asked, "Where do we go if we can't be free here?!"

If an ex-Russian American who survived the horrors of communism during the Cold War is fearful and angry over what this present administration is doing to our country, then we all ought to be gravely concerned; and we all ought to speak and act.  

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." ~Galatians 5:1

This man has vowed to continue to speak against communism and the direction many leaders of this country wish to take us.  He has vowed to share his own experiences.  Will we listen and heed?

We must.

"If we lose freedom here,

there is no place to escape to.

This is the last stand on earth."

~Ronald Reagan

Abolish Abortion

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!

more for Feinstein

...and when Boxer responds, I'll be cc-ing these to her.

After further thought on my last email to Feinstein, I had another inquiry of Senator Feinstein.  Here it is:




Dear Ms. Feinstein,

Regarding your failure to support the Blunt (conscience protection) amendment, AND your enthusiastic support of the unConstitutional HHS mandate requiring employers (including religious employers...even private businesses run by religious men/women) to pay for birth control/abortifacients that strongly violate their faith and consciences [and be sure that We The People are aware that the "compromise" is only an accounting maneuver that will require employers to pay via premiums]; how do you justify this when your top priority as a Senator of the United States is to defend the Constitution...chief of which is religious liberties?  I'm curious to know how you are able to prioritize birth control/abortifacients as more important than the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.

Can you please respond and explain this to me?  You took an oath to protect the Constitution, not to provide birth control/abortifacients.

I don't see the logic.

Kori Peterson

___________________

I'll keep you posted on how this goes.  I don't have high hopes.  But would love for her to tell me the Constitution doesn't matter to her...because I'm not sure it does.

Dear Ms. Feinstein... Thanks for nothing.

My latest email to Senator Dianne Feinstein in our back and forth over the recent HHS mandate and her lack of support for the Blunt (conscience protection) amendment.  Can we PLEASE not reelect her?  You've got to be kidding me!

____________________

Here's her email:

Dear Mrs. Peterson:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for an amendment introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I understand you support Senator Blunt's amendment, which would authorize employers to decline to cover any health service authorized by the health reform law on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions.

I oppose efforts to restrict access to preventative health benefits such as contraception. In addition to preventing unplanned pregnancies and reducing the number of abortions, oral contraception is also often prescribed to treat medical issues. Since my election to the Senate, I have strongly supported access to comprehensive reproductive care for all women.

As you know, there has been substantial debate regarding the requirement that employers provide no-cost contraception coverage for their employees.

The Obama Administration recently finalized its policy to include contraception coverage as part of the preventive health services recommended for women. The policy stated that employers are required to provide no-cost contraception or another option to their employees, with a narrow exemption for religious employers. 

On February 10, 2012, the Administration announced an accommodation to this policy, which will expand the exemption to organizations with religious affiliations, such as hospitals and universities. The accommodation requires health insurance companies to directly offer contraception at no-cost to employees if the employer with religious affiliations declines to pay for this coverage.

The Administration's accommodation solidifies its commitment to respecting religious and moral beliefs while ensuring women have access to contraception – a proven preventative health benefit. 

Again, thank you for writing. Should you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Sincerely yours,


  Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator

____________________

Here's  mine:

Dear Ms. Feinstein,

Thank you very much for your quick response to my email.

I am very aware of your stance on the issues.

I understand that there is indeed a very "narrow exemption for religious employers."  In fact, it is so narrow that a private business owner has no religious protection when they are forced to provide abortifacients.  This is wrong.  No doubt about it.  And just to be clear, insurance companies provide nothing for free.  I don't know what kind of insurance companies you have, but let's take my recent home owner's insurance case for example: We had a terrible wind storm where I live that damaged my garage door, knocked over our 20 year old tree, trashed my kids' play house, dented my car and our travel trailer, and broke our flag pole... after being assessed by our insurance co, we were awarded $1000 to repair all the damages.  That won't even pay for the garage door...let alone the other things.  My point is that insurance companies never give one penny more than they have to.  Are you planning to force insurance companies to pay for the birth control and abortifacients that employers won't?  Because all the insurance company will do is raise the premium....which those same "religiously exempted" employers will have to pay for...essentially not solving the problem at all.  This is no compromise and we are not stupid.

Also, let me address "preventative health."  Pregnancy is not a disease...contrary to popular belief.  So, please let's keep the facts straight.  I am happy to prevent disease, but I'm not happy to pay one penny of my tax dollar to kill one more baby...because, let's face it, I've unwillingly directed my money down that road for years now.  Thanks for not caring that I keep my conscience clear.  But, certainly you make it clear that you are more interested in women getting the birth control they "need" rather than protecting religious freedom.

I would appreciate another response.
Thank you,
Kori Peterson

Eric Metaxas thoughts

Quotes from Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy...

The people who are closest to God offend the most people. 

Satan can quote Scriptures.  Pharisees can quote Scriptures.  Religious bigots can quote Scriptures.  Theologians can quote Scriptures.  The question is not whether you are familiar with the Scriptures; the questions is: are you familiar with the God behind the scriptures, the God who wrote the scriptures, the God who wants to speak to you through the scriptures....  That is the kind of faith can stand up to evil...  Knowing Scripture or thinking you know the God of the Bible doesn't count.  Actually knowing the Bible, standing on the rock that is Christ Jesus: That is what is able to withstand evil in this world.

You have to fight as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ...  Conservatives have made an idol out of conservatism...  If you make an idol out of political action or you make an idol being a conservative politically, if you can make an idol out of being a religious conservative...it's still an idol.  You have to worship the living God.  That has to inform your political thinking and action.

It's not about winning.  It's about obedience to Jesus.  Even if I lose...the way Bonhoeffer went to the gallows with the peace of God, I win.  Jesus went to the cross.  Did he lose? No.  Satan lost.  ...It's not about winning at all costs, it's about obedience at all costs.

"Be anxious for nothing" ...Injustice should drive us to our knees... We shouldn't be moved toward anger.  You fight but you fight the Lord's way.  If you don't, God will not honor you and will not give victory.

Evil is defeated.  Evil can not win.

Birth control is not a health care issue.

So, how exactly is birth control a health care issue?

It doesn't improve your health.
It doesn't take care of some disease.

It alters the normal behavior of your body.  

Medicine is a health care issue.

Physical check-ups are a health care issue.

Surgery is a health care issue.

Child birth is a health care issue.

Cancer is a health care issue.

Birth control...is not a health care issue because birth is not a disease...contrary to popular and stupid belief.

How about if you don't want to get pregnant, you buy your own damn birth control?

How about self-control?

How about a brain?

an accurate perspective of the issue:

• Focus on the Family
• AlbertMohler.com

the power of language

"With the gift of language, you can move people in other places and in other times, many miles and years from the sound of your voice, just as God's Word does.  With the gift of language you will influence and shape your child's life for God."

"The power of God's gift of language is in the ability to use words to move people --- to cause another person to learn, to change, to act, to resist, to believe, to follow. ...those who understand its power use it to change lives and influence history."

~Clay Clarkson, Educating the Wholehearted Child. 

The depth of this I didn't understand until now, but my heart has moved in this direction for a while for I absolutely seek to change lives and influence history through passionate words and truth.