Signs of Life From Within?

I never campaigned for Joe Wilson while living in South Carolina, but I certainly voted for him. He was my representative. He never struck me as a particularly bold or controversial figure. So why the shouting now? Why in the middle of a presidential address? Why scream out such a blatant accusation on national television? What was he thinking? He should have at least said something milder, along the lines of, "Now that's not really true, Mr. President." But the garishness of calling Obama a liar? That's a bit much.

Perhaps he found the lyrics of Twisted Sister running through his mind,"We're not gonna take it. No, we ain't gonna take it. We're not gonna take it anymore!"

Anyone who knows me knows I am hardly a heavy metal rock band fan. But I couldn't help but finding those chorus words roaming boldly through my brain.

Why? Because if we keep taking it, apathy is going to strangle us, literally. Jean-Jacques Rousseau reasoned a large nation could not sustain a democracy because apathy would destroy it. Let's only hope his brand of forced freedom and anti-individualism will not come to reign. Let's hope more Joe Wilsons of Congress will stand up for truth over decorum. For even Jesus displayed righteous anger.

So go get 'em, Joe. Don't apologize for the truth. Speak your mind.

You just might be a healthy sign of life. And it's about time.

The Rock of Pop

I loved the Thriller video. I am an 80s girl. Michael Jackson was fun to watch, especially while he was still attractive and black rather than mutilated and white.

He was, indeed, a talented entertainer to my generation.

But a national hero?

Where are our priorities? This is a sad state of affairs, not merely because of the public's wasteful, ridiculous infatuation with all things pop culture, but more significantly because of the media's gross irresponsibility in what it covers.

Forget the the daily destruction of the fabric of our country, the wars, the genocide, the joblessness, the trampling of our Constitution, the crumbling of our economy, and on and on. Days and days of 24-hour coverage devoted to a pop icon.

Maybe if people crept out from under their rock of pop culture more would care about the things that actually matter in life. And maybe if journalists returned to their responsible roots, the susceptible public would stand a fighting chance. But wait, that would mean the media having to crawl out from under that same rock. And sadly, I think they are stuck there - still waiting for the next breaking news in the Anna Nicole Smith story, and now they have Michael Jackson.

Let's find some new rocks.

Government Minds: Good or the Best?

Why are we okay to turn the education of our children over to the government when in so many other aspects of our lives we fight at every turn to get the government out? When it comes to business and taxes and individual liberty and social issues and private property and gun control, we want the government nowhere near our rights. Yet, when our children turn five, we gladly invite the government into our lives in the most influential way possible: the education of our children.

I challenge, far too many of us (conservatives, Republicans, evangelicals and all other freedom-loving, America-loving, God-fearing people) have succumbed to the same entitleitis gripping the rest of the nation on so many levels. Many of us now feel entitled to free education, and we gladly give up our rights and the privilege to secure a non-government education for our children, in order to easily access the free education offered around the corner.

Many conservatives would denounce the countless entitlement programs stemming from FDR's New Deal. But are we not using the same fallacy entitlement-minded liberals do when we readily accept the government education of our children? Is this really the government's role - to educate our children? It may suffice. In some areas, with certain teachers, it may even be good. But is it best?

I went to both public and private schools growing up. My children have attended both public and private schools. I am no more a fan of uppity, private schools than I am of public schools. And I am not here to tell you what school your child should attend. I think this is a highly individual, family-based decision. However, I do challenge you to think about the government's role in your child's education.

By the time a child graduates from high school, he/she has spent over 15,000 hours in school. This is an enormous chunk of time and influence! Is government-run education really the best option, or is it just the easiest option? Let's apply the same logic to our educational decisions as we do our political decisions. Our children's minds and our future are at stake.

Go Big Orange

You know you're a die-hard basketball fan when...

You are sick - exhausted - watching a college team just because your husband was once recruited by them - and it is after midnight.

But, it is the 6th overtime - you've just gotta keep watching. Don't you? Well, in our family you do. The boys are even still up. We're all the same basketball addicts.

Go Orangemen!

Polar Opposites, Disparate Friends

Ever seen the movie, Beaches? Classic chic flick. Well, that was Faith and I. Fortunately, she only moved away; she is still here - only five hours away now.

Where Faith was quiet, I was loud.
Where Faith was flexible, I was scheduled.
Where Faith was scattered, I was organized.
Where Faith could sing, I could not.
Where Faith was a home body, I was out and about.
Where Faith was petite, I was large.
Where Faith was sweet, I was tough.
Where Faith ate natural foods, I ate burgers.
Where Faith needed rest, I charged ahead.
Where Faith was calm, I was in a tizzy.
Where nothing bothered Faith, I was annoyed.
Where Faith was au natural, I had to have lipstick.
Where Faith was a free spirit, I had to have a plan.
Where Faith loved science, I loved grammar.
Where Faith wore Keens and earthtones, I wore pearls and red flats.

But where she loved politics, so did I.
Where she listened to Talk Radio, so did I.
Where she home-schooled, so did I.
Where she was new to town, so was I.
Where she was looking for a church, so was I.
Where she had boys, so did I.
Where she searched for Biblical truth, so did I.
Where she loved her family, so did I.
Where she loved the Lord, so did I.
Where she needed a friend, so did I.

Of course, Faith is not gone. It only feels like it sometimes. I so miss our tennis talks, Taekwondo political updates, and Friday afternoon lunches. But she is not far away - only a phone call.

Isn't it so like God to bring such disparate friends together? He bound us tightly for three wonderful years despite ourselves. I learned so much from her. God will send new relationships, as many friendships here develop. And Faith and I will always remain. But for now, I am grateful for my One Friend during these three special years surviving new life in Auburn together. I could not have done it without her.

I love you, Faithy.

I Wish You a Merry Something

The other day I unintentionally began to type happy holidays at the end of an email to a friend. Ugh, I thought. What am I thinking? Even I have succumbed to the political correctness bug. How could I? I want a politically correct vaccine. Unfortunately, that would involve complete removal from society, as my instinct to make Christmas any number of other holidays proves. Happy holidays has crept into our culture, slowly replacing Christmas as the real celebration for this period in December every year.

Really, there is nothing particularly wrong with the phrase. Christmas is a holiday. And if you desire someone to experience both a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, the phrase works well as an abbreviated wish.

But it is so vague. Are you really wanting the person you are greeting to have a happy Christmas or Hanukkah or first day of winter or Boxing Day or New Year's Day or Winter Solstice or St. Stephen's Day or Kwanzaa? Who knows?

Why not just say nothing at all?

Apparently, that's exactly what many are doing. Tonight, my husband purchased a book at a popular local bookstore. The place was swarming with shoppers. As the sales person handed him his book, Rich politely replied, Merry Christmas. The woman stared at him for a minute, thinking, and replied, You know, I have worked here every day since Black Friday and you are the first person to tell me that. Thank you.

Can you imagine 25 days working retail at the most popular bookstore in town and never hearing, Merry Christmas?

It is Christ we are celebrating - not trees, or families, or good times, or gifts, or warm memories, or fuzzy hearts, or Kawanzaa, or Winter Solstice, or Santa Clause, or anything else. It is Christ who began this thing we call the holidays. It is God Himself who condescended to come to earth as a man to save mankind. It is that babe in a manger who I celebrate, so why would I say anything else? Let's wish those around us the hope of the only One who has hope to offer.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Classic Kickball