Unique

Noting how very different my children are from each other is mind boggling. Even when they purposely mimic another sibling their differences are dramatically apparent. God's perfect design at work. It prohibits you from loving another child more. Sure you can recognize a child's weaknesses and strengths, but those traits that come from many lines of family are undeniably yours. 

Character

The perfect words for my own thoughts spoken from an amazing man of spiritual enlightenment and intellect- Dr. Albert Mohler:

Samuel Johnson once quipped that when a man knows he is going to face the gallows, "it concentrates his mind wonderfully." The same concentration of mind often comes with the final days of an election. This election cycle is no exception. The campaigns now move into their final strategies and the candidates make whatever closing pitches can be made. In this odd year, more than 50 million Americans have already voted.

President Donald J. Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are, by now, wearingly well-known to the American people. Donald Trump made himself known through decades of hyperactive self-promotion and business—and now almost four tumultuous years in the White House—while Joe Biden is known for working his way through more than four decades of holding public office. Having run for president in 1988 and 2008, Biden wanted to run for the Democratic Party's nomination in 2016, but lacked adequate support. He is back and, if elected, would be the oldest individual ever elected President of the United States. Both candidates are over age 70. That makes the vice presidency all the more important. I do not have to blink in deciding between the prospect of a President Mike Pence versus a President Kamala Harris.

We know who Donald Trump and Joe Biden are, how they behave, the manner of their self-presentation, and the substance of their policies. The act of voting is before us, and for many of us is already done. What do Christians make of all this?

I will try to summarize how I see the issues, trying my best to think and act consistent with my own Christian convictions and worldview.

There is the question of character. I have had to struggle with this question through about a half-century of political engagement. In the case of Donald Trump, the reality is that he is sadly deficient in many of the most crucial issues of character and moral virtue. He has bragged about many of his vices, written books promoting them, and given full vent to some of the baser instincts of the body politic. He appears to be driven by a narcissistic impulse that overrides nearly every opportunity to demonstrate moral virtues in public. He has been married to three women and has bragged about infidelity. He is divisive, arrogant, vitriolic, and sometimes cruel.

Joe Biden is generally cooler in temperament, and, like Trump, he is also known to Americans. Biden is the essence of a career politician. He has survived this long by being a part of the system, including years of Democratic Party service as senator and vice president. His principles have been . . . flexible . . . but he has served his party dutifully. His commitment to a liberal direction of the country has been clear, even if sometimes calculated. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he personally oversaw the destruction of Judge Robert Bork in confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court. He had to drop out of the 1988 race for the Democratic nomination when he was caught telling someone else's stories as his own. He seems repeatedly to have trouble telling the truth and he surrenders to the rising leftist wing of his own party while claiming to be a moderate. More importantly, he is an enthusiastic champion of many of the most wretched policies that threaten the moral survival of our nation.

If I am electing a neighbor, it would be Biden hands down. Biden would always be ready for a hamburger with friends, and he would always be ready to entertain with a story, whether or not the story is true. Biden seems to think they are true at the time. I would not choose Donald Trump for a neighbor. I am just not up to the tumult. I like a quiet neighborhood.

But I am not voting for who will be my neighbor, I am voting for who will be President of the United States.

I am a Christian, Baptist by conviction. I am a Christian theologian who has addressed issues of public policy, political theory, history, and cultural analysis for decades. I stand solidly within the Augustinian tradition, and thus I see politics and culture as being of temporal but nonetheless very real significance for human beings and the communities we build. I believe that human dignity and human rights are grounded in the transcendent truths of God, who is the source of all being and truth. I cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the saving truths of redeeming grace, but I am also thankful for the common grace whereby all humanity, formed in the image of God, is accountable to universal truths embedded by the Creator in his creation—including the goods of marriage and family and community and economy and culture. I believe that denying these universal truths is destructive of civilization.

I believe that, in a fallen world, all politics is some mixture of good and evil, all political gains are partial, and the perfect is—often tragically—the enemy of the good. As a Christian, I believe that love is to be the animating motivation for political action, but I understand love as revealed in Scripture to be manifested in concrete actions that are measured in moral effect. In other words, love is not merely a mood or an emotion. Love leads to policies that have good moral effects, not necessarily to actions that earn the applause of the world.

Thus, I am also a classical conservative in the Western tradition. I stand solidly in the tradition of Edmund Burke, affirming the real but limited responsibilities of government, the importance of the rule of law, the classical defense of liberty, the vital importance of free associations, and the necessary alignment of human government with human nature.

In the structure of partisan politics in the United States during my adult lifetime, I have openly identified with the Republican Party. I worked as a teenage volunteer in the presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan in 1976 and, having reached voting age, my first vote was for Reagan in 1980. By that year, the divide in the nation over major moral issues—and abortion most urgently—was evident in the divide between the two major political parties. The Democratic Party became the party defending abortion rights and the Republican Party became the party opposing abortion rights. Over time, the divide has grown even more dramatic. By 2016, the Democratic Party had eliminated all meaningful opposition to unconditional abortion rights and demanded that taxpayers be coerced into paying for abortion. The Republican Party defined abortion as the killing of an unborn human being and called for an affirmation of the sanctity of human life. I have worked closely with Republican administrations on policies and legislative goals. I have not always been satisfied, but I never doubted which party would defend unborn life and which would embrace the Culture of Death.

I didn't vote for Donald Trump in 2016. Repulsed by his character and unable to see him as a conservative, I voted for neither major party candidate. I made a symbolic vote. I had to hope that Hillary Clinton would not be elected president, but it seemed almost determined. As we know now, it was not. Having argued loudly for the resignation of President Bill Clinton on national television many times over in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky affair, I felt that I could not vote for Donald Trump without hypocrisy. I even went so far as to say that if I voted for Donald Trump I would have to apologize to Bill Clinton.

Well, I am voting for Donald Trump in 2020 and I make no apology to Bill Clinton. I do apologize, but my apology is for making a dumb statement that did not stand the test of time. I am not about to apologize to Bill Clinton, who stands guilty of having desecrated the presidency by his gross sexual immorality while in office. I still believe in the necessity of character for public office, but I have had to think more deeply about how character is evaluated in an historic context.

When it came to Donald Trump in 2016, I made note of his pro-life promises, especially with reference to the federal courts culminating in the Supreme Court. As a conservative Christian, I have lived through decades of frustration and heartbreak as the nation's highest court transformed itself into a super-legislature inventing newly-declared "rights" at the expense of human dignity and ordered liberty. But I doubted that Donald Trump meant to fulfill his promises. I was wrong. As I told the New Yorker in an article that was just published, "He actually did what he said he'd do," adding, "It's the oddest thing."

It is the oddest thing. The candidate who had been pro-abortion became pro-life. I have no means of reading Donald Trump's heart on this issue, but I can easily evaluate his actions. In terms of presidential action, Donald Trump has been the most effective and consequential pro-life president of the modern age. Furthermore, in both executive actions and court appointments, President Trump has gone far beyond what would have been politically necessary to secure his base. He has staked his place in history and has defied the accommodationist temptation and has given pro-life Americans more than any other president. In April, I said in public what was implicit in my commentary and actions since January 2017—I would vote for Donald Trump in 2020. And I already have. I sincerely hope that Donald Trump—and not Joe Biden—will be elected President of the United States on November 3.

Just consider the fact that a Biden-Harris administration would be, by any honest account, the most pro-abortion political force in American history. Biden, who once bragged of supporting the Hyde Amendment for decades, abandoned it in haste earlier this year when required to gain the nomination. Hardly a profile in courage. Biden has tried for decades to follow in the line of Mario Cuomo, Ted Kennedy, and other Catholic Democrats, claiming to be personally opposed to abortion but unwilling to "enforce" their views on the nation. That is pathetic evasion in itself. But listen now to the major Democrats and you will find virtually none who will speak of abortion—the strategic destruction of unborn human life—as a moral evil. The Democratic Party is now so pro-abortion (and yes, that is the right term) that it has declared opposition to any restriction on abortion and demands tax-payer funding for abortion. Led by Democratic governors, states such as New York and Illinois have adopted new abortion legislation that effectively allows for abortion right up to the moment of birth. Those who deny this reality are dishonest. The mainstream media run cover for the Democrats, with "fact checker" columns claiming that the Democrats do not support abortion, right to the moment of birth. But the easily confirmed truth is that the Democratic Party is opposed to any restriction on abortion, up until the moment of birth. The party's dogma would allow for unrestricted abortion in the case of Down syndrome diagnosis, for reasons of sex-selection, or for any other reason, or for no stated reason at all. The Democratic Party is linked hand-in-hand with Planned Parenthood, which is not only the nation's largest abortion provider, but is also the engine for the Culture of Death, unmasked for having targeted unborn babies for the strategic removal of specific organs and tissues.

This tears at my heart like no other issue. I agree that there are many other issues that press on the Christian conscience—questions of economic policy and foreign affairs and energy and the stewardship of the earth. The searing pain of racial injustice and the unraveling of our social fabric demand Christian response and urgency. Christians must be concerned about questions of immigration policy and refugees—and these issues defy the simplifications of the sound-bite and tweet culture.

But human dignity and the sanctity of human life are even more basic truths, and I believe there is no hope for defending human dignity for all if it is denied in the womb. To be intellectually responsible is to recognize the array of issues confronting us, but the same intellectual responsibility demands that we know which questions are prior to others and on which truths the entire superstructure of human dignity and human rights depend.

We are tempted to separate personal character and political policies as if they can be cleanly divided, but character is policy and policy is character.

Let me be as clear as I know possible: President Trump's behavior on Twitter and his divisive comments and sub-presidential behavior are an embarrassment to me. Constantly. His arrogance and ego and constant need for adulation drive me to distraction. But character is some strange combination of the personal, the principled, and the practical. Let me put it another way—I cannot accept the argument that a calm man who affirms the dismembering of babies in the womb has a superior character to a man who rants like Genghis Khan but acts to preserve that life. In my ideal world, I would vote for a candidate in whom the personal, the principled, and the practical earn my admiration. I do not live in that world. I live in this world, and I must act accordingly.

In the protection of liberty, religious liberty is fundamental. President Trump has corrected many of the infringements on religious liberty caused by the policy mandates of previous administrations. He has made religious liberty an American priority at home and abroad. Under his administration, the Department of Justice and the Attorney General have defended religious liberty. President Trump even extended conscience protection to those whose worldviews are not explicitly religious.

Biden, on the other hand, has already indicated that he would immediately put the Obama Administration contraception mandate back in place, stripped of the religious liberty protections President Trump has established. The Little Sisters of the Poor will find themselves once again under the gun, their conscience rights denied. They will not be alone. The Democratic Party has also decried other forms of conscience protection and would deny religious liberty to Christian cake-bakers, wedding photographers, and pharmacists. Christians in many medical fields will face the reduction or removal of conscience protections related to abortion. These are not idle threats. The legal establishment of the Democratic Party is eager to press these agendas. Mr. Biden has made clear that he would appoint judges to follow that party orthodoxy.

Furthermore, in another act of stunning cowardice, the former Vice President has refused to answer whether or not he would support calls for enlarging the Supreme Court to allow for the appointment of additional liberal justices. He actually said what I cannot recall any presidential nominee saying out loud—that he would answer the question only after the election. He eventually said that he would appoint a special commission to consider such options. Again, any sane person knows what he is saying. He will eventually argue for the expansion of the Court. After all, it is the left wing of his party, clearly in the ascent, which will control the debate and the outcome.

The primary front of religious liberty controversy is likely to be related to LGBTQ issues, and both Biden and Harris are eager to advance the sexual revolution on every front. Biden was Vice President under President Barack Obama, whose Solicitor General, Donald Verrilli, when asked about whether a Christian college would be forced to forfeit its Christian convictions in light of the legalization of same-sex marriage, told the Supreme Court of the United States, "it will be an issue." In a Biden administration, count on it becoming "an issue" very quickly.

On issues such as the transgender revolution, which will reshape the entire society, Biden went so far in a recent town hall appearance that he said he would support transgender demands all the way to supporting gender transition among 8 and 10 year old children. "There should be zero discrimination," Biden said. Keep in mind that "zero discrimination" in that context means enforced submission to transgender claims throughout society. That means your Christian college, adoption agency, mission board, or school. The Democratic administration will steamroll these issues through the entire society and leave no arena untouched. Just listen to them describe their policies, and then understand what is at stake. As a senator, Kamala Harris berated a nominee for having been a member of the Knights of Columbus, a venerable Catholic men's organization. As a long-standing men's organization, its membership is unsurprisingly limited to men (as is the Roman Catholic priesthood). In Senator Harris's world, that is scandalous discrimination. Religious liberty means nothing if being a part of the most famous Catholic men's organization is now a disqualification for federal office. As a boy, I was a proud member of the Royal Ambassadors, a Baptist organization for boys. If the Knights of Columbus are a scandalous organization, so are the Royal Ambassadors.

Evangelical Christians are almost certain to vote in overwhelming numbers for the re-election of President Trump. This is not a surprise to anyone who has been awake during the last 40 years of American life. Ever since 1980, the pattern has been very consistent. Evangelical Christians have voted, by large percentages, for the Republican ticket. Every four years, the mainstream media claim to be shocked by this pattern, which turns out to be the same pattern that supposedly shocked them four years previously. The basic partisan divide reveals an even more basic worldview divide, and the pattern shows no sign of changing. No one should be shocked. The majority of evangelicals continue to vote in a predictable pattern that reveals evangelical concerns.

Every cycle or so, a group claiming evangelical identity forms something like "Evangelicals for Biden" and the media swarm to suggest it is big news. This year, a group calls itself "Pro-life Evangelicals for Biden." The insanity of endorsing a pro-abortion ticket of this magnitude while claiming to advance the pro-life cause is more than I can deal with here. But a look at the organizers reveals that many of the major figures are not exactly new to this kind of pattern. One actually established "Evangelicals for McGovern" in 1972. Seriously.

I quickly lose respect for those who now endorse Joe Biden while claiming to save the pro-life cause or the conservative movement. As a classical conservative, I do not believe that conservative policies and principles can long survive without conservative virtues. But I see some who claim to be conservative falsely ascribing virtue to a Democratic candidate and failing to concede that a Biden election would lead to direct threats to conscience and religious liberty among American Christians. Think tank Washington will, for the most part, find a way to get along and go along, whatever political winds may come. It always does.

There will be evangelicals who cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump. I understand their predicament. But not voting for Donald Trump, though a political decision in itself, is not the same as voting for Joe Biden. This is beyond my moral imagination.

I also recognize that I know brothers and sisters in Christ who see this differently. The vast majority of Black voters in America vote regularly and predictably for the Democratic ticket, and have since 1960. Like the pattern of white evangelical voting, this is not a surprise. There are long historical reasons why both are so. With my black brothers and sisters, I make my best case for how I see the issues. They have every right to do the same. We each have a vote. Both of us will answer to God for that vote. We earnestly seek to persuade the other. We will likely vote differently in the end. We remain brothers and sisters in Christ.

What does this mean for a local church or a denomination? I am thankful to be a Southern Baptist, and extremely thankful that Southern Baptists have for nearly four decades spoken clearly and courageously for the unborn, and just as clearly and courageously about marriage and sexuality and gender. The convictions of Southern Baptists are clear, and I am confident that the vast majority of Southern Baptists will vote according to those convictions. That pattern has been in place for many decades.

But Christian fellowship is based on shared convictions and common faith in Christ. In my denomination, that means shared passion for the gospel, shared commitment to cooperative ministry, and shared convictions about marriage, the sanctity of human life, human beings made male and female, and the wholeness of the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

I know of no church or denomination that makes voting choices a matter of church discipline or church order. It is the convictions themselves that constitute grounds for church discipline and church order. On the other side of this election, brothers and sisters who share the same convictions will have to find a way to work together to forge a way forward. If politics becomes primary, the church is reduced to a political party. Politics is never off the horizon, but if it dominates the horizon, Christian fellowship is undermined.

At this stage in an election cycle, politics seems to dominate every horizon. Given the uncertainties of this pandemic election, the stresses will continue. Soon, we hope, we will know the reality we face. The Christian church cannot exist in a constant state of political fervor. Election by election, we debate, we organize, we advocate, we vote, and we pray. So much is on the line, but I thank God that the Kingdom of Christ is not up for a vote.

I truly believe that this presidential election, with the control of the Senate also clearly at stake, is likely to be transformational. The stakes just keep getting higher. The difference between a Trump administration and a Biden administration will shape a generation and have a very great deal to do with the future of our nation. My convictions lead me to a very clear conclusion in this election. I hope and vote for the election of Donald Trump and the Republican ticket for a second term and for a continued Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. I do so precisely because of my convictions. I am accountable to make those convictions and reasons clear. May God bless the United States of America, and may this nation bless the nations of the world.

R. ALBERT MOHLER, JR.

Reference: https://albertmohler.com/2020/10/26/christians-conscience-and-the-looming-2020-election

Heavenly Country

 A friend from our homeschooling coop invited us to play and feed the newly added kids to the goat herd. My girls were not enthusiastic face to face with a goat, but they loved playing in the field with their friends behaving as beautiful human beings with beautiful imaginations. The weather was perfect. The atmosphere was peaceful. As the sun began to set a little bit of heaven shown through us all.

Picture Perfect

 This was not a good day.  It was undoubtedly a picture perfect autumn day. Unfortunately, that meant little to the tempers of little children. Maybe they had a bad dream. Perhaps breakfast was inadequate. Possibly the waistband of a pair of underwear squeezed too tight with an itchy tag. The point being, who can explain the rational of a disgruntled child. The child's behavior can explain the mother's agitation, however. 

It was one of those days where patience was nowhere to be seen. The volume of anger was high and the day could not end soon enough. 

Yet, two great things occurred. I met a mom who was of similar yoke to me. Creative, purposeful, and full of action. She observed me and my children then responded, "These are the survival years. When the kids are a little older you'll thrive." This simple statement offered me eminence hope. 

I have come to the conclusion there are moms who obsess over babies and cling to every achieved milestone and burp and giggle. I am not one of those moms, yet many of my role models are. Yes, babies are cute. I delight in their smiles. Although, if I'm being honest with myself, I find the dependency of babies widely overwhelming. Not to mention the lack of understanding as they pull hair or jab electric outlets or fling their bodies into the air assured someone will catch them. 

I like independence. Every day that my six year grows older I gain a renewed fondness for her. My three year old, though still a toddler with tantrums, I can see the potential for a cool kid. Which gives me hope for the youngest. 

The next great occurrence for the day, I went to a mother's bible study. I confessed my anger and frustration requesting prayer for gentleness and self-control. The last three days remained to have conflict, but because of my attitude I didn't end my days feeling defeated by rage. Frustration is still apart of the daily routine as I manage four very different personalities, mine included. For the time being though I'm not yelling to show higher dominance. I'm firm, but at peace. Thank you, prayer warrior friends. 

Years from now hopefully I'll review these sweet faces never recalling my hopelessness. Instead, to assume it was a perfectly lovely day all around. 

Why A Suburban Mom is Voting for Trump

During 2016 as the Republican candidates started announcing their bid to run for president of the United States my excitement increased. 2008 had produced squishy moderate John McCain, a maverick dressed in just another white man’s boring suit. 2012 it was Mitt Romney, a super nice centrist pushover. However, in both cases like a good little Republican I held my nose pulling the lever for “R.”

 As the list for the 2016 Republican grew longer, I knew I would not have to compromise my conscience. Finally, I might be able to vote for a true conservative, like Scott Walker who proved to act against popular convention working to balance the Wisconsin’s budget. Maybe Rand Paul, a Libertarian at heart, who always declared less government was necessary. The young Marc Rubio of Cuban decent might be a nice ethnic voice. I loved Ben Carson’s testimony of overcoming poverty to rise above cultural norms. Even Ted Cruz’s Baptist preacher rants as a fellow tea partier to balance the federal deficits was music to my ears. What I did not see coming was the ultimate reality show star riding down the escalator.

 As a housewife of three children with a nursing background living in the suburbs of the southeast I wanted to establish high standards in which to live life. If you have read any of my previous posts from 2016 you will know I was upset about Trump winning the primary. I was flat out furious Trump was selected to be the voice of the Republican party. A man who had “New York Values,” a major donor of the Democratic candidates, someone who seemed to lack all moral character was wanting my vote.

 Then all the Christian support came in like a flood. People I never thought would become political started declaring “Trump is our Cyrus,” as if we needed Trump more than God. All the acceptance and interpretation of Trump’s behavior was more than I could stomach. I had fights with my family members astonished by how trusting they could be of such a “player.”

 I thought “maybe I am crazy and irrational. Maybe I am turning into a liberal,” because all my mistrusts were aligning with the countering media. Yet I found other conservative voices just as mistrusting. I felt vindicated relying on my instincts. Then when Election day arrived for the first time in my voting history “R” was not marked for the presidential candidate.

 Please do not think I voted for “D.” In my book voting for Hillary Clinton would be like voting for Adolf Hitler.

 However, when I learned of the results, I experienced many different emotions. One was relief Hillary had not won. Another emotion was shock that all the polls had been wrong. One emotion I could not bring myself to enjoy was contentment. I was extremely concerned this pseudo-Republican lacking in any principles and descent character would cater to the whims of the liberal media and Democratic Party to receive highest praise. The name of the Republicans and Evangelicals voting for Trump would be completely tainted devastating the values of American ingenuity, prosperity, and self-reliance. Any trust in the Republican Party would fall by the wayside diminishing any credence to a self-governing republic. Essentially America would become and laughingstock of the world and the American experiment.

 What I did not expect to occur, Trump being a Pelosi and Schumer donor, was an all-out war on him. I assumed the political class including the media would sway Trump with flattery inducing him for their own agenda. It never occurred to me there would be four years of endless assaults and meaningless impeachments acting in total derangement.

 Year after year Trump surprised me with his actions and tactics. In the beginning I felt justified for my voting decision as President Trump wreaked havoc, like a bull in a china shop. I have compared the Trump administration like producing a reality show adding that expected plot twist as the unifying background music grows louder then fade to credits. There was one resignation after another from staffers and advisors who had no idea how to advise or make Trump satisfied. And the Twitter…. Why couldn’t someone grab his phone smashing it to pieces or at least recode his Twitter app preventing the tweets from ever being posted?

 In four years, President Trump had not confirmed all my worst fears, yet he did appear terribly undignified. More than ever though the barrage of demonizing attacks by the mainstream media was more apparent than ever. That maliciously vile hatred of Trump and everything he set to accomplish was so pungent you knew something was more sinister.

 Then Covid-19 hit. Then the world stopped. Then everyone went crazy.

 I will stop here on the topic of SARS-COV-19 because I have been quite forthright about my fears of the unknown. All I can say is read about the virus. Read about how SARS-COV-19 accesses the human cells and duplicates in the body. Read about treatments. How the treatments work. Read about the statistics. Have many sources particularly research from Norway, Australia, and Great Britain.

 When the lockdowns first started, I was horrified. I thought of all the small businesses that already operated on tight margins, how could they possibly survive six weeks of no income? I voiced my apprehensions on a Facebook comment. The response was the lockdown would be temporary and how could I be impatient in order to save lives. Well….. eight months later a virus with 99.6% survival rate (depending on how old you are and comorbidities) what have we achieved? My state of residence the case load has never decreased, but as we learn more about treatment death rates have decreased.

 My point being we have proven as the American people we are willing to turn a blind eye to some terrible deceptions to relinquish vital rights for fear of our immortality. We want our creature comforts and whoever or whatever looks less threatening we will face that direction as bomb fires devour from behind. In essence, there are some fundamental changes occurring that completely disregard constitutional principles. Every time you see a fist raised in the air it means a reckoning of the capitalist system which is a nice way of destroying commerce and livelihood. Because the alternative to Trump takes us backwards. We lose choice. We will be mandated. Freedom of speech will be dictated. Cost of living will go increase (mostly with taxes). My beliefs will be considered offensive and libel to punishment. The slippery slope to a progressive and already proven faulty path will proceed to destruction. The riots and unrest, the viruses and illness will not go away if Trump loses. Churches are fighting in the courts for their constitutional right to assemble in peace. Meanwhile, others are congregating in anger to be praised for their valiance. It is admirable to be pro-choice designating abortion as essential, yet I am not allowed a choice to not wear the mask (The science behind wearing a mask is extremely inconsistent. Determining whether SARS-COV-19 is spread by droplet or aerosol has seemed problematic to deduce, thus lacking confirmation for the usefulness of masks. If masks were in fact beneficial we would be wearing mask to protect us during every flu and cold season. It is virtue signaling. If we practiced sterile techniques maybe with a N95 mask there could be true protection). The suppression will grow heavier because we have proven we will yield without a fight. We read it. Think that is a shame. Then order from Amazon.

 Let me employ anyone who is uninterested to protest or write your congressman or run for office or volunteer your still vote is especially important. 2016 I was no longer motivated to vote for the two-party ticket, but I did cast my vote for it is my responsibility as an American citizen. I cannot fault anyone for disliking the options yet please address the federal and local candidates. It is when our local politics are overlooked, we lose adequate representation. Please do not take this lightly. VOTE FOR YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES.

 Now, allow me to offer a few insights into my presidential decision. Analyzing President Trump’s character: Trying to look beyond all the marital affairs and the business scams and the narcissistic pep rallies I think Trump is a man who genuinely wants to achieve greatness that can be shared. It could be acceptable to surmise Trump has lived a lifestyle in the confines of New York City vastly different from the common citizen. However, living the role of President of the United States has to be a tremendous eye-opening experience learning the vastness of the humanity of man.

 From the very beginning of Trump’s presidency Donald Trump has received attacks from the left and the right. Nothing President Trump has achieved or acted on has been blessed or congratulated by the main instruments of media. Even prior to the Covid lockdowns the GDP was soaring, the stock market made record highs, unemployment for all demographics were at all-time lows, yet Trump would not be recognized for the credit. I entirely believe the Tweets must go, but never to be credited for any good is ridiculous. Eventually, it is acceptable to acknowledge Trump is not the devil and certainly does not deserve to be damned for every little word written.

 It is getting to the point I wish Trump would push for masks and stronger Covid precautions. Then suddenly his totalitarian “rule” would be a step too far accusing him of smothering our health rights. Immediately the left would demand masks and lockdowns are no longer necessary just to be contrary of Trump. Trump yells “Yes.” The media screams “NO!” It is my theory a substantial group of voters are fatigued by all the compromising backsliding niceties of the Republican party. Perhaps Trump has banked on their frustrations ready to be the voice of very loud unyielding noises. He has changed the face of politics proving to be the mantra of opposition so desperately desired by weary exasperated people.

 Quite honestly, I do not understand why Trump and his family want to continue running the White House. To be treated as the most hated family must be entirely exhausting. Not to mention demoralizing. I heard a tape recording of Melania pouring her heart out (only to be backstabbed by a supposed friend) about the constant dissatisfaction of her performance. I know the family has its supporters, but to receive endless insults ought to be discouraging to one’s psyche. Nevertheless, the Trump family keeps pressing forward in earnest. Maybe their determination can say something about the commitment to serving the American people.

 I have finally concluded Trump by no stretch of the imagination is a politician, nor will he attempt to behave as one. He is a brand name. He has spent his entire life building the name Trump. Perhaps Trump’s father never encouraged or praised Donald Trump for any of his accomplishments forcing Donald to be his own cheerleader. But love it or hate it he is bombastic. I strongly agree Trump’s nonsensical megaphone is overwhelming along with distracting, however if I look at Trump’s actions along with his record, I can agree with him. If I can employ a mute button, I can admire all the campaign promises as successful achievements. If I am honest with myself Trump’s execution indeed align with my ideals. Perhaps the appearance of looking regal is not at all necessary.

 Remember how I said Trump is a bull in a china shop? I am learning this is a quality I like. There have been numerous examples where Trump has gone against diplomatic conventional norms kicking a china cabinet because that made more sense to him. Turns out the china is a fake, completely worthless. I thought the China trade deals were a huge mistake for risk of inflating cost on American consumers. Instead it makes America more competitive and less dependent by keeping more industry within the States. Regulations. Smash! Remove financial stalemates to education, healthcare, agriculture, and biotechnology. Trump’s greatest example of stubbornness is the Israeli UAE Peace Deal- KICK. The entire china store destroyed.

 I can imagine hearing a long-term white house strategist trying to explain to Trump why Israel needs to surrender to Palestine. “Mr. President, don’t you understand to create peace and stability in the Middle East Israel needs to avoid the appearance of hostility by forfeiting parts of Jerusalem?” Trump: “Why? That’s stupid. Haven’t we tried that for over 50 years and hasn’t worked yet? But…. What if we show Israel could be a great business partner? Let’s think bigly. It’s going to be beautiful.”

The truth is I am watching all the insane rhetoric and campaign bashing and people playing dirty and cities being devastated, and violence and groups being targeted, and it leaves me a little scared. I cannot say I am happy with Trump’s presentation, but he has not been a dictator or fascist or whatever Napoleon terms the media wants to use.

 The alternative to Donald J. Trump, trumpet boasting and all, alarms me more. I must vote against the challenger because his messages counter mine. I know there will be continued restrictions placed on personal freedoms. The courts may declare edicts as unconstitutional, but executive order will be mandated. The economic calamity devastated by SARS-COV-19 will only perpetuate with plundering overreactions. Senseless bailouts and stimuluses will engorge our debt beyond numbers ever known. Then there is the promotion of “free.” Free healthcare. Free college. Free internet. Free childcare. Free rent. Free cars. Free phones. Free computers. Who is paying for all this free? The United States currently has 27 trillion in debt. There is no amount of wealth on earth to pay for all this swag. Next comes the environmental battle. The United States for its population and production has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions. Everyone wants cars to go electric, yet no one is explaining what the source of all this energy is. California’s alternative energy is not working as they require blackouts during the heat of the summer. There are no fingers pointed at China and India, who are a part of the Paris Agreement, producing the worst emission pollutants. The solutions to all our woes: more taxes on the rich and everyone who is a good contributor to society.

 Finally, I know my civil liberties are at risk. My thoughts and faith are now considered a threat. I believe in working hard to achieve your goals and praising my creator who made me and this wonderful earth. If my ideas contradict yours, I am held liable for repercussions. Because I believe abortion will one day be as vile as slavery I have to be silenced and ridiculed. The Democratic candidate encompasses all this like a puppet by a nefarious shadow pulling the strings of a mentally aging man. The unknown players dictating the voice of the Democratic party is formidable. The oppression on daily life will continue to a slow boil neglecting our civil rights. Not to mention, there are now, or threatened to be, a change in the rules: add more supreme court judges, add more states, accumulate a bevy of lawyers ready to pounce, all in order to swing the weight of liberal persuasion to the left. The structure of our beautifully constructed limited government is about to topple.

 I am not trying to scare or be a Bible thumper coercing a bow to the Trump. Neither my salvation nor my hope is found in him. I do think it is important to elect someone who best represents the common good of our country. I know there are flaws, but Trump has proven a genuine benefit for all Americans. He will therefore have my vote as I select my other representatives.

 I will continue to raise my children in biblical manners that honor and praise God. I must remember and trust this election is not going to bring righteous stability. My security is found in the love of Jesus Christ and a community that shares this love. No matter what the election results are God has a plan that is perfect. If there is one final resolution I can end with, apart from please vote, cover yourself, your family, this country in prayer. Pray for God’s providence. Pray for salvation. Pray that Jesus will reign supreme. Therefore, during this election season I will meditate on this passage:

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading kept in heaven for you. I Peter 1:3-4

 

 

 

 

High Country Exploring

 It was a very rainy weekend consumed by rain. However, when you are up high in the clouds the air is a.......

clinging mist.

Experiments

This is our first year being apart of a homeschool co-op that meets once a week. The kids are divided into different age groups learning about various information. The last few weeks I have been assigned to educated about "World Changers" such as Sir Edmund Hillary and Elon Musk. The assignments have challenged me to be more intentional and interactive with my teaching approach at home rather than hammering away at worksheets. Going along with the theme of engineers we have analyzed the use of solar panels, examined the thrust of balloons, and tomorrow we will see if we can safely protect an egg from cracking as a result of a fall. Hint: toilet paper rolls and marshmallows will be involved.