What I Have Learned About Life While Running

Abigail and Dolley readers I am not a natural runner, I am a natural cookie baker and couch snuggler.  I have a love/hate relationship with exercise... I never WANT to do it but usually makes me feel good afterward and I am vain enough to realize that if I want to stay in a reasonable dress size, I have to do it.  I try to motivate myself with cute running clothes, new iPod music, and a heart rate monitor that measures my performance.

I decided last May that I was going to learn to run and believe me, I use the term run very loosely.  When I run, I look like a defensive lineman that suddenly finds himself holding the ball and needs to run down the field for a touchdown, it is not pretty.  I have done the research (of course I have) and intellectually know all about Good Form Running, Chi Running, and 180 footfalls per minute running.  I know how to do it, I just suck at it.

Some days I go out and it is like I am running through jello.  I can't breathe, my heart rate goes through the roof, and my body feels like I weigh 300 pounds.  Other days, I am stronger and every once in a while I can catch a rhythm.  All in all, I am really slow and it is embarrassing how long it takes me to pass a walker.  Inevitably, I have to speed up so much, to not look like a dork, that once I pass the walker, I can no longer breathe and end up walking a few steps just so I don't pass out....

I went out today, to my favorite spot.  I run 4 miles or shall I say I jog, walk, run 4 miles.  It was a beautiful day and I hit the trail.  I am always quite optimistic when I start, the first mile will usually determine if its going to be a good one or a jello one.  It was a decent one.  As I was finishing the last half mile, I knew I wasn't going to beat my record but I had a shot at a respectable time and I started thinking about all I had learned about myself and about life through running.  In no particular order, these are some:

1. You can not cry and run at the same time.  I learned that the day my Grandma died.
2. You can intellectually know how to do something but still not do it well.
3. Progress is slow.
4. Some days everything is going for you and your performance sucks.
5. Other days, you head out hurting and in a rotten mood and beat your best time.
6. You can go farther and work harder than you think you can.
7. You can take way more pain than you ever thought possible.
8. Cute running outfits don't improve performance but new shoes do.
9. Always go to the bathroom before you get out on the trail.
10. It is easier running in cool weather but the trail is prettier when it is hot and muggy.
11. It doesn't matter how hard you are breathing, everybody has in headphones.
12. If one part of the trail is flooded, there is a good chance that so are others - turn around!
13. God hangs out on the jogging trail, he'll run beside you if you let Him.

So I keep at it and I hope one day to actually be good at it but I am not holding my breath.

GOP Media Betrayal

Abigail and Dolley have you ever seen such a spectacle as we have witnessed in the past month?  Tried and true, trusted media outlets, commentators, and institutions have betrayed the faith we have placed in them.  It is baffling and disconcerting to realize that there is almost no one left to turn for news that is not propaganda force fed to us by a GOP establishment bent on their own power and control.  No where is this more evident than at Fox News; with the exception of Greta, Hannity, and Brett who are still playing it straight.

Rush has said for years, the reason he lives in Florida and not NYC or DC is that being human, you want to hang out in your social group.  You want to be liked and respected, you want to be invited to the right parties, you can not help it you are human.  What is the best way to fit in?  You must conform to the crowd, you remember high school?  Well, we don't change that much.

The truly shocking thing to me is the vitriol directed at Newt, as if he was the enemy.  Really?  When did a Conservative Icon become the enemy?  When did one of the greatest idea man of our age become worse than BHO?  I just shake my head and say that we are indeed living in strange times.

There are several that have struck a deep chord in me and my trust and respect in them is gone forever:  Beck, Coulter, Hume, and Drudge.  Thank God for Rush and Brietbart...

Mourning My Dad

Mourning my Dad is hard work.  Being who I am, ya'll know I have done my research on grief.  I do not expect that I will go through all the stages in perfect order, nor do I think there will be a timetable.  I merely wanted to understand what was coming my way.  I'm still in the shock and disbelief stage right now, it is hard for me to fathom a world where Jack Robinson is not here.

The grief comes in waves and I am comforted by talking about him, comforted by writing about him.  Nobody is sick of me yet, so I am taking advantage of their sympathetic ears while they are willing to listen to me.  I am in regular contact with all of my family, even my extended family is feeling the loss of such a good man. 

In the days leading up to the funeral, I had to think about what I was going to say.  Each Daughter had a minute or two to say something about him and I struggled with what I could possibly convey in such a short period of time.  The night before the funeral, I was talking with some of the family and feel like the Lord laid on my heart that I should tell folks how Dad mirrored God the Father.  This is what I said:

"When I was four years old, someone pointed to picture of a man I did not know and asked who it was.  The answer was that he had been the best man at Jack and Pat's wedding.  I was appalled and quickly spoke up saying, "MY Daddy was the Best Man at that wedding!"  I believe I speak for all of us girls, when I say we all felt the same way.  Dad was one of the rate people in this life that preached the Gospel without saying a word.  He modeled Godly behavior to all of us and especially showed us what a loving Father was like.  As a result, I have a wonderful relationship with my Heavenly Father.

I understand the reverential fear that the Proverbs speak of.  I understand the protectiveness and intense love that He feels for me and how no matter how bad I screw up, I can never loose his love.  I understand loving discipline and even at my age Dad would come and talk to me if he did not agree with something I was doing.  I carry with me a fierce desire to make Him proud of me.

Everyday, when I pray the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father" carries with it all the warmth and love that it is supposed to and I have my Daddy to thank for that."

In the days that have passed, I realized that my relationship with the Lord has been primarily with Jesus.  My prayers, my conversations, my images - they were all about and to Jesus.  The other night as I was praying, I felt a strong presence of God the Father and was comforted beyond measure.  When I was feeling bruised and battered and buffeted by guilt and regret, I felt the protective hand of the Father on my behalf and I was safe.  I will trust in this process, I will thank God for his provision, and I will rest while He keeps watch.

Jack Robinson - A Tribute

Abigail and Dolley readers my Dad, Jack Robinson went to be with the Lord on Friday, January 6, 2012.  He leaves behind a powerful legacy and he was an exemplary man who deserves a tribute.  I figured in the trillions of pieces of data on the internet, such a fine man deserves a few, so I will endeavor to do him justice.  For the purpose of this blog, I will not attempt to write a biography but instead I'd like to pay tribute to his life from a daughter's perspective.

Jack Robinson and Family

Dad was one of those rare men who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ without speaking a word, he lived it.  The Holy Spirit resided quietly behind his kind brown eyes.  He was a church going man but was never "religious".  He dragged me out of bed every Sunday for the entire 18 years I lived under his roof and believe me I complained almost every Sunday.  He never wavered.  His favorite Scripture was Rev 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  He realized that salvation was each individual's choice and he loved the below picture and would always point out that Jesus did not have a door knob on his side of the door.

He was honest and demonstrated it to me one Christmas when a store clerk gave him too much change.  Times were lean that winter and he loaded me back up in the van and drove back to the crowded mall to return the extra cash.  I groused about going back and told him he should just keep the money since it had not been his fault.  He shrugged and said, "That would be stealing.  How is it different than if I would have gone in and taken it from the register?"  Several months ago, I was faced with the same situation and after an internal struggle handed the extra money back to the surprised cashier who commented on my honesty.  I just smiled and said, "I was raised that way."

Jack Robinson was a smart guy and well respected in the field of mechanical engineering.  His name is on several pattens and a report he did was presented before Congress but you would never know it by talking to him.  He was quite humble and always praised others intelligence while never bragging on himself.  My 10 year old son commented the other day that his Grandpa Jack had known how to do all kinds of stuff but he never bragged.  That is indeed some of the highest praise a boy can give a man.

When I was 12, my Sunday School Class needed a teacher so I volunteered him.  He taught for most of the next 31 years.  Dad opened the Bible to dozens of students, young and old, who gained an understanding and appreciation for God's Word in ways that they never would have without him.  He took his role as a teacher seriously and would make time during the week to prepare and plan his lesson for the following Sunday.  One of his concerns after his heart attack was that somebody needed to take care of his class.  He was especially intrigued and interested in eschatology and my husband and I both share a wonderful memory of the day he came over with his charts and bible verses and explained the sequence of events in End Times Prophecy.

Dad and me with his Mom and Dad

We shared a love of science and the study of God's world.  We could talk for hours about the proofs for a young Earth and a Creator.  While he was in the hospital, we spoke of the marvels of the human body and its intricacies. We were blessed with several hours to just sit and talk, we enjoyed each other.  I know there will be many times over the course of the rest of my life that I will wish my Dad was around to talk about some interesting fact or another.

The Original Captain Jack

Dad was great with kids, his own of course, but also with our friends.  When I was really young, the neighborhood children would hear the rumble of his Dark Green GTO coming down the street and greet him with cries for him to play "Monster".  He'd laugh, his brown eyes sparkling, and give the kids what they were clamoring for by sticking out his long pointed tongue, dragging a leg behind him with arms flalling, all the while growling, "I'm gonna get you kids... Raaaahhhhh!"  Screams of delight mixed with a touch of childish fear filled the neighborhood as the children ran for cover.  The kids loved him.  There was one boy, who had lost his Father in Vietnam, that would come over and ask if "Jack could come out and play?"

Dad was rough and tumble with his girls.  My earliest memory of him is playing, running from him.  If he caught you, you knew you were getting tickled and he was a great tickler.  He wasn't too rough and he didn't hurt you when he tickled you.  I guess he had a lot of practice on his two younger siblings and his four daughters.  He called it "The Claw" and depending on where he was tickling you it changed names, my particular spot was the "Knee Claw".  It would send me into near apoplectic fits of laughter.  He had a weakness though, if you could get to his feet he'd throw all us kids off and run away.  He was so very ticklish on the bottom of his feet.

He was quite gracious and would never mean to hurt your feelings.  He'd praise the worst drawing or eat the worlds most horrible pancakes with a smile.  Jack Robinson took the words, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" to heart and you rarely would hear him speak ill of someone else.  He never engaged in gossip and did not want any part of folks who did.

Daddy's Girl

Dad was a handsome man and the first love of all us girls.  I remember being quite devastated to learn that I would not be allowed to marry him when I grew up.  We adored him and I believe it could be said that we were all "Daddy's Girls".  Many a boy tried but few ever managed to live up to our Dad's example.  He became the model for Manhood but also the living example of our loving Father in Heaven.  I relate to God the Father in a way that would not be possible had my Dad not demonstrated his strong, protective, and fearful love to me. 

He put his family first, always.  He drove older cars so he could afford Christian Schools for us girls.  He faithfully made generous child support payments for many years.  In spite of a divorce, he never abdicated his role as Father in our lives.  He left a job of many years to avoid going overseas.  He demoted himself when he realized the job he had grown into was going to take too much time away from his family.  Engineering changed over the years and he commuted long distances and worked long hours when he had to do so.  He wasn't happy about it but he was a man of honor and he did what he had to do to provide for his family.

God gave Dad four girls and he raised us to be "tough".  We were all athletic, we all played and excelled at sports and he was always there to watch and to teach.  He had a great jump shot and I do not know if I ever won a game of Horse or Cat with him, I don't know if anyone ever did.  He taught me to play softball and must have thrown the softball to me and with me several thousand hours.  He did the same for all of us girls and in later years he got to with my son.

In Canada with his Grandson

One of the greatest honors of my life was to share my precious son with him.  He was Grandpa Jack's boy and quite proud of it.  They got to fish, sharpen knives, build bird houses, and drive the tractor.  They hiked to the Indian Rock and flew through the air on the zip line, then they'd pile up in the man cave upstairs and laugh at the Three Stooges.  There was always a swagger in my son's steps after he spent a few hours with my Dad, he would come home with a confidence and a reassurance of his manhood.  I regret that they will have no more time, but I praise God for the time they had together.  I think all who knew him and loved him are feeling that way.

As he passed away, I was overwhelmed with peace and comfort that he was not dead but alive in Christ.  The blessed assurance of salvation and the peace that surpasses all understanding has sustained me through these difficult days.  I know that he lives in all of us who he loved and loved him back.  His wit, his humor, his intelligence, his faith, and his spirit survive in us.  I will endeavor to do my part in living up to that legacy and honor his memory with my life.

Jack Randall Robinson

  May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you.

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace.

Migdal Edar, "The Tower of the Flock"

Abigail and Dolley readers some years ago I read the story of the shepherds, the significance of Bethlehem, and the wonderful plan of God.  Every Christmas I am reminded of the story and wish that more folks knew and understood the significance of Bethlehem.

You see, Bethlehem was where the lambs of the temple were kept and raised.  These were the perfect lambs of God.  The shepherds who tended them were trained in the laws and the rules of the law.  They were special, set apart, and holy unto God.

Midgal Edar - over the fields of Bethlehem

It was no accident that there was no room at the inn, for the true Lamb of God would not be born in a house but in a pure, clean, and holy lambing barn.  The final sacrifice for our Sin, the Holy Lamb of God, born for us in that special place.

The depth of the story, the significance of the place, the foreshadowing of the event in Genesis is full of wonder and majesty.  We do indeed worship a Holy and Blessed Lord.  If you'd like to read more, check out these links:

Why Bethlehem? and Christmas Past Messages from Abigail and Dolley

Merry Christmas, Friends.

How Do They Make It Through?

Abigail and Dolley readers I have been much less introspective these days.  The lost days of 2010 are retreating into the past and the rebuilding and renewal days of 2011 are coming to a close.  I have turned outward to my country, my friends, and my work.  I am passionate about the up coming electoral season and will work to play my part as a citizen.  Lest I become too absorbed in the world, I am disciplined in my prayer time.

I find myself increasingly burdened for those who are without Christ.  They play across the landscape of my mind, I see their faces, I weep for them in their lost state.  I pray earnestly that they come into a relationship with the Living God.  I wonder how they make it through this hard life without the blessed assurance that they are love, saved, and not alone.  How do the deal with sickness, death, or unemployment?  How indeed?

I pray, "Lord, if you would have me witness, give me the words and the opportunity."  From my human perspective, I want to argue with them, I want to convince them of the truth.  I want to use reason and logic, I want to use history and prophecy.  I want to prove to them the validity of faith and in the end I feel totally ill equipped for the task.  I have been a Christian since I was a child.  I do not believe I have ever helped lead anyone to the Lord.

My husband, on the other hand, has been privileged to lead hundreds to faith and help guide hundreds more along their journey.  Perhaps these folks will be credited to me in Heaven because I have worked very hard to enable my hubby to have that opportunity.  Regardless, the burden for souls does not abate with large successes, you either have it or you don't.  I feel it intensely. 

Blogger has added the analytics tab to the settings for easy access to their analysis.  When the blog was first launched, I was very intent to promote it and bring traffic to the site.  Today, I am just thankful that I have this small forum and that I have faithful readers who stop by and have a cup of tea with me every now and then.  Perhaps there are some, who have stumbled upon this blog and been encouraged.  Perhaps there are some, who have been directed here and enjoyed their stay and even learned a thing or two.  I hope I have been a light, I hope that the love I feel for the Lord has come through.  I hope the love I have for our Country has been represented well.  In short, I hope I have been a good and faithful servant,

Bless you all, my Friends.
Dolley

Email Rumors, Social Media, and a Healthy Dose of Skeptism

Abigail and Dolley readers do you remember the world before email?  If you remember that time, then you will also remember the first time you received an email that tampons were giving women cancer, that Nutra Sweet was killing people, and that their were spiders lurking under public toilet seats ready to strike.  Maybe you received an email about a gang initiation with headlight flashing or a prayer request for a cancer patient; in the beginning, we passed them on as true! We typed dire warnings to our friends and colleagues, MUST READ!  There have always been Urban Legends but email made them instantly accessible to everyone and they flew from keystroke to email box with lightening speed.

Eventually though, cooler heads prevailed and sites such as Truth or Fiction.com and Snopes were launched to combat these internet rumors.  You will occasionally still get one via email but not like in those first days of email.  People have become wiser, they are skeptical, and they do their own research.

I think we need to employ this same level of wisdom, skeptism, and research to news stories of the day and specifically to smear pieces put out to destroy one GOP candidate or the other.  Much like when email began, this is our first Presidential election where Social media is coming into play on a big way.  In that regard, we have not yet developed the same level of control we exhibit about hairless cats that turn out to be giant rats that eat your other pets...

Come on people, we need to get a grip here.

Conspiracies EVERYWHERE!

Abigail and Dolley readers it is a testament to the age we live in, where trust of the media and public officials has reached such a low level that anything is plausible.  The libertarians are the absolute worst about spreading this kind of thing.  There is a rumor running rampant among the Paulbots that the FEMA prison camps are opening back up and they are all going to be herded into them before the election, presumably so Ron Paul won't be elected President.  They buy into this garbage with a fervor that is amazing.

Another Libertarian lie is that Newt Gingrich is a big government  Progressive who believes in a New World Order.  They are compiling videos of Newt speaking of historical politicians who are on their "Progressive Enemies Lists."  There is no context to these videos, no more that 10 second snippets, and they prove nothing except that the compilers are out to paint Newt as an evil enemy.


If you want to look at someone's beliefs is it really necessary to dig into their nuances when the surface level behavior does not support your hypothesis?  Think about it, if Newt was a Progressive wouldn't his speeches, his institutions, his books, and his movies reflect his core beliefs?  I would venture a guess that in the dozen years since Newt left public office he would be free to pursue his Progressive Agenda uninhibited by the need to be reelected.

Just look at Gingrich Productions, does this site seem a Progressive media site to you?  Look at the DVD titles:

• A City Upon a Hill - Rediscovering American Exceptional-ism
• America at Risk - Post 9/11 dangers facing the USA
• Nine Days that Changed the World - The Pope and Poland and how it was the first shot in destroying the Iron Curtain
• Ronald Reagan: A Rendezvous with Destiny
• Rediscovering God in America Part 1 and Part 2 - Our Godly History
• We Have the Power - American Energy

 Does that seem like Titles a Progressive would produce?  No?  Me either.

Newt - the Progressive?

Is Newt Gingrich really a Progressive in disguise?  Glenn Beck seems to think so and is absolutely tearing up the airwaves to insure everyone who is still paying attention to him hears it, too.  I heard the interview that Beck did with Gingrich last week - I also saw it.  I saw how Beck was rolling his eyes, not paying attention to answers to his questions; the man had clearly made up his mind before the interview started and it was a sham to try to prove to his audience that he "gave him a chance to explain these things."  Immediately after hanging up with Gingrich, he got Bauchmann on the line and they held a Newt bashing.  Beck is publicly supporting and endorsing Bauchmann, so take this assault with a grain.

I've been a long time fan of Beck's and have caught him on the radio in the weeks leading up to this "interview" and was appalled at the lies he was spouting.  I kept yelling at my radio, "That is propaganda, Glenn!  Do your research."  I was relieved when Newt agreed to do the interview and figured that once they had a chance to speak and once Beck had done his research he would quit with the smear, alas I was wrong. Beck has revealed himself to the public, what others in the industry have known for a while now, he is a charlatan. 

Many pundits have been open about their dislike of Newt and while I don't agree with them, I respect their right to feel that way.  Beck has taken it several steps further and he is dead to me.  He has incorrectly labeled Newt a Progressive - a label that Beck has raised to the level of evil incarnate to his audience.  He has then gone on to say that anyone that supports Newt over Obama is doing so because they are a racist.  Then he goes on to say the furor over his remark comes from the Progressive GOP media...ummm, no Glenn, it's from your former audience.

Now the Tea Party is once again racists.  The liberal media will make hay out of this one.  Glenn's attack on Gingrich is absolutely irrational.  Thanks a lot Glenn.  I would venture a guess, he will have Paulbots swarming to his side but what of the 35% of GOP voters that are supporting Newt?  What of the Reagan Democrats who are emerging from hibernation?  What of the 45% of Tea Party folks that are supporting Newt?  They are gone and once you loose folks in a manner like this, they don't come back.  Bye Glenn, you broke my heart.

This Present Darkness

Abigail and Dolley readers I have to admit that I wept before the Lord today.  I fell to my knees and sobbed.  I cried because when I speak the truth of Christ, many condemn me.  I cried because a good friend of mine claimed I was deaf to racial insensitivity and when I sought him out, to show me, he condemned me for my blindness.  I cried because we heard the same speech in different ways, and if we did, then I will never be effective in outreach.  I cried because the world's financial system is on the precipice of a bottomless pit.  I cried because the new unemployment figures are lies and for people hurting everywhere.  I cried because I have friends that are not saved and the Rapture is coming soon.  I cried today because Billy Graham is gravely ill and the world will be a much darker place without him.  I cried today because I have prayed for the Lord to come and get us but I never realized how dark it would be here before He came.

2 Timothy 3

The Dangers of the Last Days

 ¹ You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Denial of Evil and the Appeal of Ron Paul

Abigail and Dolley readers I am deeply disturbed by the rise and popularity of Ron Paul.  The unlikely assent of an elderly, squeaky voiced, isolationist, Libertarian begs the question - why?  Why have hoards of people latched on to this man and why are they all but worshiping him?  Furthermore, why are they so ANGRY with everyone else?  If you have run into any of them online, you will know of what I speak.  They are collectively vicious tongued zealots who gleefully libel all of the other candidates and spread lies and smear, like jelly on toast.

I believe I have figured out the appeal, these folks are deeply afraid.  They are afraid of what is happening to our economy.  They are afraid of what is happening on the world's stage and they are afraid of where Big Government is taking us.  Okay, most of us are also afraid of that, so what is the difference?  The difference is, that Ron Paul preaches a gospel that there is no evil in the world other than us, if we would just behave, evil would leave us alone.

You have to admit, it is sort of enticing.  I mean, if we could just behave in a certain manner and evil would disappear, that seems like a pretty good deal.  The Paulian worldview, at its core, asserts that you can control evil.  His followers are buying into this with a fervor and a zealotry that always attaches itself to a cultish figure that claims to have the answers and is the only one who can save them.

Unfortunately, Ron Paul and his supporters are wrong.  You don't control evil by being good.  It is naive and while understandable, ultimately very dangerous.  Evil exists in the hearts of men and in the powers and principality, in the spiritual dark places of wickedness and the only way to defeat it is to fight it.  To shine the light of righteousness on it and to go after it with everything that you have.

We as a nation are tired of fighting off the evil.  We look around and see spent lives, endless war, collapsing world economies, ineffective governments and we say enough!  I just want to go home and live my life!  Leave me alone and I will leave you alone, okay?  Have we been perfect, of course not!  Have we made mistakes, yes but is it time to retreat?  To stop being a global force that stands up to the evil in the world and says, "Not so fast, Buster."  The results, if we were to follow the Paulian plan, would be disaster on a scale of which the world has never seen.  Evil does not change, evil does not get nicer, evil only grows and seeks to destroy all that is in its path and it wants to consume all that is good and righteous in this world.

Don't fall for the lie folks, it's an old one and if you pay careful attention, it smells of fire and brimstone.

Solutions - Not Talking Points

Abigail and Dolley readers, people are hungry for concrete solutions.  I, for one, am sick to death of campaign slogans and political positions.  Without an actual plan, political positions are defacto advocation of the status quo.  We elected Barack Obama on "Hope and Change" without specifics, and the fact of the matter is that he has led with no specifics.  Obama has abdicated his role as President to the czars and the liberals in Congress to absolute disastrous consequences.

Ultimately, that is why I could never get behind Ross Perot.  He did not have a plan, simply stating we need to get to Washington and have a look under the hood and let the experts fix things.  It rang hollow then and it still does today.  We the people, want some meat on any candidates proposal.  Perry's talking point about, "We need to get America workin' again" was great the first 5 or 6 times he said it, but when you went looking there was no plan to actually accomplish anything.  He has since released a plan but in the interim proved to most Americans that he's not up to the task of taking on the smooth debating Barack Obama.  In a stroke of complete irony, it was ultimately a poor debate and a mangled explanation on illegal aliens that sunk his campaign.  Perry has been handled horribly by the same people who parted ways with Newt early in the summer... Now, Newt grabs that third rail and in the end may actually strengthen his candidacy and have it play in the general election.  Put your big boy pants on folks, Newt is on a roll! 

Finally, everybody is up in arms about immigration.  People are politically posturing all over the place with impassioned absolutes.  They feel quite righteous in their political purity, but therein lies the rub.  Where is your plan?  It's great to have principals and positions, but what are you actually going to do about it?  I believe we have to stop being Political about this.  We need to leave our Party/Candidate jersey's at the door and finally do what is right for our country. 

Here are a couple of links to detailed solutions, no matter the outcome of the election, these serious proposals should be examined and adopted in whole or in part.

Immigration Overhaul
Newt on Immigration

Why I Left the Cain Train

Abigail and Dolley readers I find that I am increasingly insulted by the arrogance of some who subtly suggest that I have been fooled into supporting Newt Gingrich.  Others assume that I left the Cain camp because of the media firestorm over the sexual harassment charges; the facts declare a different story.  I left several days before that story hit the headlines.  I determined, in the end, that while I like and admire Herman Cain, his grasp of the issues is too shallow for this election.  His inexperience in the field for the job he is seeking is a major strike against him.  Honestly, we have had a novice in the White House for three years and I don't think the country can take more on the job training.

I have serious questions about 999 and sent them to the Cain campaign for clarification.  Eight weeks later, I still have not received and answer.  I went to his web site and searched for solutions on the most pressing items of the day.  There is little more than a paragraph or two of surface level positions and answers.  I have to say, "Where's the Beef?", Cain is missing the substance that I require.  The difference between Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich was readily apparent in the Lincoln Douglas debate held in Houston.  There is really no comparison between the two when it comes to substance.

Further more, I am  astounded that after putting Obama in office with little experience and not much in the way of a voting record that we would seriously consider doing that again.  Herman Cain does not have years of public service and votes to substantiate his points of view.  I can live with that, but on the converse with over 7500 votes in the House, Gingrich opponents will single out a few to hold up as objectionable.  They refuse to place them in the context of the times and instead use 30 years of hindsight to pick apart a record.  If they actually bothered to look, they would find that Newt has addressed many of these votes in recent years and realized himself some of them were mistakes.  We have no such record on Cain, his supporters assert that we have to take the man at his convictions and that what he represents now is how he will govern; yet they will not apply the same logic to other candidates.

It is lamentable to me that avid supporters of the Cain Campaign have turned on Newt like a brood of vipers.  When the two candidates were hanging out in the 6% range, there was a camaraderie between the two camps.  During Cain's rise this mutual admiration remained.  I am sad to say though, that the friendliness from the Cain supporter has evaporated as quickly as his lead has disappeared.  The Newt Camp remains largely friendly to the Cain folks but the reverse does not seem to be true.  Cain supporters have been willing to jump on every attack with a vengeance, refusing to entertain the whole story and seizing upon the opportunity to proclaim a fellow conservative as a villain. 

For me, this election is about substance and real solutions.  Newt has said over and over again that he trusts the American people to sift through the rhetoric and the hyperbole and make a good decision.  I can only hope he is right.

Political Purity, Flip Flopping, and Changing Positions

Abigail and Dolley readers, I have been a busy girl.  Since declaring myself a supporter of Newt Gingrich, I have become a social media warrior for the cause.  Much of my creative energy, writing, and talents have been given to persuading my fellow conservatives to join me.  I believe I have been moderately successful in this endeavor.  None the less, my sweet little blog has been terribly neglected and I shutter think what my once so important Google Analytics would tell me if I had the heart to look!  I will strive to do better.

Now, on to the subject of the day:  the consideration of political purity, changing positions, and flip flopping, all of which are playing a part in this primary season.  Many will hold up their esteemed candidates and declare ideological purity.  They claim that purity to cause and ideals must trump governmental compromise.  They proudly proclaim that their candidate never strays from absolute purity.  They fail to recognize that purity and inflexibility in our form of governance translates to ineffective and non-existent leadership.  Purity of purpose leaves no room to actually accomplish the things we elect leaders to do.  The purists do not seem to understand that even the Founding Fathers had to compromise, flex, and sacrifice some of their beliefs to actually get things done.  The case in point, the northern delegates that were against slavery.  If they followed in the "Purity" model, they would have never compromised and then where would we be?  I guess speaking with English accents...

Then we have the flip floppers.  These are the political animals that hold no position or conviction other than the ones help by whatever audience they are addressing at the time.  They stand for everything and hence stand for nothing.  The flip flopper does not hold a firmly held conviction and it is said that a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.  The flip flopper is the lukewarm drink of water that voters spit out of their mouths in disgust.  These political opportunists are interested only in power and position.  They care for nothing except their own personal aggrandizement and as such must be rejected completely.

Thus, we are left with the Position Changer.  This is the politician who once believed, spoke, or campaigned for an issue and has since changed their mind.  The purists rail against this claiming that the perfect candidate would never do such a thing.  The flip floppers gladly post videos showing the perceived flip flop and accuse the Position Changer of being a pot calling the kettle black, yet therein lies the rub.  People change.  People grow and learn, adapt and study, they take some ideas and strengthen them and they take others and say, "No, upon further review I don't believe that anymore."  Contrary to showing weakness, those who can grow and learn from their past positions show an emotional and intellectual growth that the purist lacks and the flip flopper will never know.

Given the choice between the three, I will take the position changer because at least they have thought about it.  They have studied it and examined it and researched it - whatever that may be.  Typically they have the intellectual honesty to say that in the past they were wrong, they made a mistake, and here is why they now believe as they do. The position changer is also in the unique position to engage with others who believe as they used to about and issue and come to a solution that solves the problem and moves the country forward.  That my friends is what we elect them to do in the first place.

Newt Gingrich - The Environment

Abigail and Dolley readers some of you long time readers will know that I have written extensively about the Environment.  Most of my articles have focused on the misguided policies on one hand to the fanatical religion on the other.  One of the reasons why I initially rejected Newt Gingrich for President was the commercial he did with Nancy Pelosi on "Climate Change".  Honestly, it still disturbs me.  It was a horrible idea and one of those missteps people make.  To all the critics out there who will post a link to the You Tube video of Gingrich on the couch with Pelosi, I would say that with a character such as Gingrich there are about 17 layers to the man and we can not define a career or a person by segments.


I do not pretend to understand all there is to know about this complicated man and his beliefs, I will tell you this is what I have been able to extrapolate from my research.  He is an avid naturalist, he loves animals, and he views the Earth with a stewards heart.  He is a Christian, he believes in a Creator, and thus he takes the biblical view that man is given dominion over the Earth with a responsibility to care for it.  He will also tell you he is not a scientist but that there is enough concern in the scientific community that we need to be cautious.


When asked what role he felt man played in global warming, he admitted he did not know but in typical Newt style told the crowd what he did know from a historical perspective. The Earth at various points has been much colder than it is right now, but it has also been much warmer.  He shared the common sense scientific view that the sun is the primary driver of our climate and that it is well documented that sun spots have direct correlation to the Earth's temperature.  He went on to add that he doubts that humans are more important to climate than the Sun.

On policy, you do not want the Federal Government trying to manage local challenges.  He wants to completely disband the EPA and replace it with a business and solutions organization.  There is a direct correlation between environmental policy and energy policy but that is for another blog.

If you have some time, here is a link to a conversation:  
http://fora.tv/2008/03/20/The_Business_of_Going_Green_with_Newt_Gingrich#fullprogram

Getting Back Together with Newt Gingrich

Abigail and Dolley readers, I have had a ton of fun this year "dating" the candidates.  At one time or another, I entertained them all, as I wrote about in Dating the Candidates.  I am pleased to announce that I am sporting a big ole engagement ring and have made my choice:  Newt Gingrich.  As my previous blogs have covered, Newt and I go way back and I initially rejected him out of hand (Newt Gingrich - The Candidate I Did Not Want to Like).  He IS like an old boyfriend that you get back together with, one where you know his flaws, one where you know his mistakes, but one where you decide the good far outweighs the bad.

Your best friends are quite skeptical, your Mother is heartbroken, and your Father looks across the dinner table and sends him "You better be good to my daughter" looks.  You try to convince them that you've made the right choice and if they love you, they will give him a chance.  In the end, it's his responsibility to convince them, not yours.  Newt is smart enough and articulate enough to win them over.

Why have I come to this conclusion?  Well, I have been leaning this way for several weeks and have watched all of his interviews and speeches - I mean all of them, since he announced.  I have read just about every news article written; at least the ones written by people who don't believe that conservatives are minions of evil.  I have researched the 21st Century Contract With America.  I have dug into the dirty laundry. and looked at the high profile mistakes, missteps, and scandals.  I've prayed about it.

What finally convinced me?  I have to say it was the video embedded below.  I have worked with manufacturers and distributors my whole career.  As a salesperson, I have watched manufacturing sputter and in the case of furniture, textiles, and woodworking, all but die in the great state of North Carolina.  My livelihood depends on a healthy manufacturing environment and at the end of this video I was imagining the big fat commission checks that were going to grace my bank account if this man becomes President.

Alas, I am not merely voting my pocketbook.  I have chosen to support the candidate with the best ideas, the clearest understanding of the issues facing the country, and the greatest experience and credentials in the field.  If you have not already done so, I encourage you to give Newt a serious look.

A Child's Drawing

Yesterday, as I was driving to work, I was in prayer before the Lord.  I was surrendering my day to Him and asking Him to use me in anyway He saw fit.  As I sat at the stop light, I was struck by how absolutely inadequate and fallible I am, even in the midst of obedience and faithfulness.  In my human skin, this is as good as I am going to get.  I am doing all of the things we are directed to do as Christians: I am praying, reading my Bible, going to church, surrendering my will to his direction, and humbly worshiping before the Lord, yet I am still so full of sin.

He gently stroked my head and brought this image to my mind.  As a parent, often your small child will come and present you with a wonderful drawing they have made for you.  Perhaps it is a card or a picture that they have sat at their table and lovingly made you something special.  They present you with the art work.  They are proud and hopeful that you will love it, it was the best they could do.  You smile broadly and gush over how beautiful it is, you hug them and thank them for the wonderful gift.  You do not look at it and judge it for what it is not, for most certainly it is not the Mona Lisa!  Even so, you recognize that the offering is precious because they are incapable of doing better and you love them and the picture, exactly the way it is.

That is the way God sees us and our offerings to Him.  Not as a critic, but as a loving parent.  I am so grateful for that.  I must try to remember, when I look down at my little offering, that I should not be a critic, either.  For one day, I will stand before the King and the offering I give to Him will be more magnificent than any artwork ever created by human hands.  I will be perfected by His hand and molded in His love and we will rejoice together in this marvelous thing He has done.

Newt Gingrich - The Candidate I Did Not Want to Like

Abigail and Dolley readers some of ya'll might remember a few weeks ago, I wrote about dating the GOP candidates.  I concluded the blog with the statement that I was not even considering Newt Gingrich because he felt like an ex boyfriend and I was not going back.  Well, keeping with that theme let's just say that Newt showed up at my door this weekend with flowers, candy, and a bad ass old sports car that I certainly would look good driving around in.

He smiled his big ole smile and sweet talked me into taking a ride with him.  I had forgotten how much fun he could be and most of all I forgotten how darn smart he was and I do so love a smart man.  The more we cruised around, the more I remembered our first romance.  I remembered the balanced budgets, I remembered the reforms, I remembered all the great times... then he started telling me how he had changed since we broke up.  He told me of his plans for our future and the thing about Newt is, I believe him.  Not only do I believe his intentions, but I believe in his ability to get the job done.

We spent a lot of time together this weekend.  He wooed me with talk of judicial reform, lean six sigma, training and governmental transformation, repealing Obamacare and Dodd/Frank, and the appropriate executive orders... that new 21st Century contract with America, well that will get this Tea Party Girls heart thumping.  Stay tuned.

Manufacturing in America

Abigail and Dolley readers I have had a wonderful opportunity in my new position to sit and visit with business people from across the spectrum.  While confined to a geographic region, these business folks hail from companies large and small and cover the gambit of industries represented in the Southern USA.  I thought I would share some of the insights I have gathered on these conversations.

"We are doing very well but we are just waiting to see what this economy will bring..." - this is the overwhelming sentiment among business people.  Company health is solid, there is plenty of cash in the bank, and they have fundamentally changed the way they do business.  Risk and capitol investment are on hold, expansion is not in the cards right now, and even if they wanted to the banks are not lending.

"American manufacturing is returning.  Companies that had previously moved production to China are reopening factories in the USA.  We shipped an order to a factory in Mississippi that has not made this product in over a decade."  This my friends is good news.  The cost of fuel and labor has made the Chinese goods much less attractive.  If you factor in the absolute corruption in the communist run country you get a picture of a collapsing model.  I have written about the labor market in China before (Chinese Manufacturing) and how American workers and firms have a huge intrinsic advantage.

"We are always hiring at the plant but it's hard, dirty work and nobody wants to do it for $10/hour."  Hmmm, this one surprised me.  I guess when you get down to it, unemployment pays about the same wage and a lot of folks figure they are better off waiting for a higher paying job.  The thing about that is the benefits that this company pays equal about $8/hour and unemployment doesn't give you that.  Imagine though, if the income tax rate for corporations was cut to 9% what could happen to wages in this plant.

"Lead times on finished products have gone through the roof and retailers are still making Christmas purchases."  This plays into the first point but is quite telling.  Christmas purchases are usually completed and shipping commences in July - October.  Here we are in mid October and they are STILL buying.  For the first time in a decade, we did not have a peak season surcharge out of Asia.  This is a significant and fundamental change in the business cycle.  Folks are not producing on anticipated demand, they are producing by the order.

The companies that have survived this Great Recession have hunkered down, changed their behavior, mitigated risk, and saved their money.  The weak, inefficient, and poorly run enterprises have been weeded out.  Many misplaced workers are busting with ideas and the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in America, just cash starved and waiting for a break.  A repeal of the stifling regulatory climate, tax system overhaul, and new leadership is all that is missing.  November 2012 can't get here fast enough.  When this thing turns and it WILL turn we are going to see an explosion.  I guess I picked a good time to go back into sales...

Dating the Candidates

Abigail and Dolley readers it came to me today that I am dating the candidates running for the GOP nomination and they are trying to date me.  I represent the Southern Evangelical Conservative Woman voter.  I am also a Tea Party Girl who happens to be a darn good business woman.  All that said, I am going to be one of the toughest people around to get to walk down the aisle with you oh GOP hopeful.  You see, I am coming out of several years of a bad relationship and I don't trust the GOP in general.

My first date was with Ron Paul.  Many of my Tea Party friends said he was the one for me.  It was still very early in the process and I really liked what I was hearing.  We met at a bar and talked all night.  We had so much in common!  I loved his stance on fiscal issues, taxation, the constitution, and limitations of the federal government.  It was a wonderful night!  We agreed to meet again and he showed up the next day wearing a tin foil hat and talking about fences to keep Americans IN and that it was okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.  I smiled sweetly, plead a headache, and haven't returned his text messages since.  All his friends keep trying to convince me there is nothing wrong with the tin foil hat but ummm, nope.

My next date was with Michelle Bachmann.  Definitely a Tea Party favorite a real patriot and a strong woman.  I like that.  She won my support when she ask Tim Geithner, aka Ernie the Elf, and Ben Bernake, aka the Godfather, where in the Constitution they found the authority for Tarp and the actions of the Federal Reserve.  She organized the Tea Party Caucus in the House, spoke and organized many grassroots rallies and was a light in the darkness of the 111th Congress.  I was excited about our date!  Now, I know this is petty, but hey, I'm a girl and I can be.  Her accent just grates on my nerves... that was the first thing.  Then throughout the date she kept saying embarrassing things to the waiter like happy Birthday Elvis.  She also failed to properly defend the subject of submission to your husband, which could have been an excellent bully pulpit moment.  She seemed to me as if she had prerecorded answers to all my questions and we just failed to connect.  She's still a facebook friend but I don't think I will be going on that next date.

My next date was Rick Perry.  What a man!  I love his Texas swagger and indeed he is a fine looking fellow.  His record in Texas is stellar and I have a fondness for a strong cowboy.  He threw his hat in the ring and I turned my head.  All of my Ron Paul friends started having a duck about this guy - calling him names and painting him in a horrible light.  It felt like Sarah Palin all over, like my friends were liberals on a smear campaign.  It was a bit disconcerting.  I read a couple of sound articles about various things that folks were saying and I had to admit that while it was not completely settled in my Tea Party heart I have run enough businesses to recognize that as a leader you sometimes have to make decisions that are not popular.  You have to do what you think is right and stand my your decisions.  I also realize that I have changed over the course of the last 10 years.   The country has changed!  What it meant to be a conservative in 2001 is vastly different in 2011.  If I can change well then so can a candidate.  So me and Rick we went on a couple dates.  I liked him, I liked his style, I liked his record, but ole Rick and I we've got to part ways.  I stood up for him on the Gardisil issue.  I stood up for him on the NAFTA super highway.  I even played the devil's advocate for him on the illegal immigration tuition issue but at the end of the day my friends convinced me that it is indefensible given my core values and beliefs and I've got to side with my friends.  I still like you Rick, but we can't date anymore.  Keep doing a good job in Texas and I'll call you sometime.

On to my newest man, Herman Cain.  Oh, Herman is a charming man.  He's simply delightful; smart, articulate, and with a great sense of humor.  His background appeals to the American Spirit in me - a self made man from humble beginnings.  He talks straight and he's got a plan that I can really get behind.  The more I watch, the more I like.  We had pizza and a beer this weekend and I am excited about this weekend when we are supposed to go to a show.  I'm doing my research on him but the more I see the more I like.

Let me briefly say that John Huntsman or Mitt Romney will never be in the running.  Huntsman because he is a douche who keeps talking about America being broken at her core and Mitt because he is a country club Republican who makes me want to vomit.  Newt and Santorum,  well they feel like that old boyfriend and I'm not going back there.

But hey, I'm not engaged to anybody at this point and honestly, I think I would vote for the Cookie Monster over Barack Obama....  so woo on you GOP candidates, woo on.

9/11 - Ten Years Later

Abigail and Dolley readers I still cry about 9/11.  Not just on the anniversary either.  I suppose not many people do that anymore.  The odd thing about that is, I don't cry easy or often.  I was traveling yesterday, alone in the car for 8 hours.  I turned on XM Radio and listened to the coverage and of course, I cried.  I make myself do it every year; I relive that day.  I take myself back and I force myself to remember, to feel, and to cheer for the heroes.

For me, United Flight 93, the plane that the passengers took down in Shanksville PA has the most profound effect on me.  This is not to minimize all of the other dramas and stories that took place that fateful day, no they are equally note worthy but Flight 93 has always touched me deeply.  In contrast to the first three planes, the passengers on UA 93 knew what was going on.  They had been delayed on the ground, they were missing a 4th highjacker, and the Lord had assembled an unbelievable cast of characters for His work that day.

UA 93 represents the valor of our country rising from their seats and saying, "No More!"  The bravery and the determination of those passengers embodies the American Spirit at its best.  The movie that chronicles the events of the day is a must see for every American.

What is the Tea Party?

Abigail and Dolley readers the debt debate recently has been a wonderful opportunity for the left and the liberal media to point the finger at the Tea Party as being the problem.  This is true insanity and I am saddened to see recent polling that 50% of Americans now have an unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party.  The liberal Congressional Black Caucus is a major player in this strategy and many fear their lies and rhetoric will begin to incite riots.  I am having a fb discussion with someone regarding this and I would like to share with you my response to the assertion that the Tea Party was an extreme movement:

I have been involved with the Tea Party since the very beginning and I will absolutely assure you that it was never and has never been about skin color. It has always been about the scope, size, and intrusion of the Federal Government. The people that consider themselves part of the Tea Party are a huge cross section of Americans. We believe that there is TRILLIONS of dollars in waste in the Federal government and that must be addressed. We believe that business and free enterprise are over regulated, stymieing the American ingenuity and growth. We believe that private enterprise, charity, and individuals can do EVERYTHING better than the federal government. Nowhere in these beliefs is there a vein of "terrorism" or "racism". The return of the 10th amendment is not some sort of sick twisted way of instituting racism, it is a call for the Federal government to operate within the bounds of the Constitution. Furthermore, from a historical perspective the states that would have in the past used the 10th amendment to propagate racism were controlled by the Dems. The Tea Party does not identify with those positions nor would we have been on that side of history. The Dems and the progressive own that dubious distinction, history bears that out quite effectively. You state above that the rhetoric from the Tea Party is angry, threatening, and dehumanizing can you please provide an example? I know I can site dozens of examples where the left has used violent rhetoric against this movement.

Some Observations

Abigail and Dolley readers I have noticed something recently, people are agitated.  They are short with each other and the level of just under the surface anger is rising.  I am a member of several conservative fb groups and the discussions on some of the treads are just down right nasty.  Mostly due to trolls whose sole purpose in life is to evoke anger in others but the volumes are rising. 

I must say that if BHO had been vetted by the MSM or by the DEMs during the 2008 Primaries like Rick Perry has been this last week and a half, I doubt he would be President.  There have been all sorts of drive by shootings at Perry and at first I bought into them but then Michael Reagan posted a very fair and balanced article on the issues, not the sound bites and I began to change  my mind.  I continued to see the bashers out there I attempted to guide them to the same site that had thoughtfully laid out the issues and show them the the other side only to become the target of their rage.  It was quite illuminating.

So, I have not yet made up my mind on who I will support but never the less, here is the article I found so interesting, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.The Pesky Truth

Bankruptcy 101

Abigail and Dolley readers I don't usually copy and paste, but I had to share this from fb:

Bankruptcy 101...

It's easy to dismiss individual programs that benefit non-citizens until they're put together and this picture emerges. Someone did a lot of research to put together all of this data.

Often these programs are buried within other programs making them difficult to find.

A Real Eye Opener
WHY is the USA BANKRUPT?

You think the war in Iraq was costingus too much? Read this:

We have been hammered with the

propaganda that it was the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us.

I hope the following 10 reasons are

forwarded over and over again until

they are read so many times that the

reader gets sick of reading them. I also have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts...

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.

Verify at: http://www.fairus.org/site/Pag​eServer?pagename=iic_immigrati​onissuecenters7fd8 <http://www.fairus.org/site/Pag​eServer?pagename=iic_immigrati​onissuecenters7fd8>

2. $22 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps,WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/20​04/fiscalexec.HTML <http://www.cis.org/articles/20​04/fiscalexec.HTML>

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on

Medicaid for illegal aliens.

Verify at:
http://www.cis..org/articles/2​004/fiscalexec.HTML <http://www.cis.org/articles/20​04/fiscalexec.HTML>

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!

Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NscriptS/0604/01/ldt.....0.HTM​L <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NscriptS/0604/01/ldt....0.HTML>

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.

Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01.HTML>

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.

Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/%20​TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTM​L <http://transcripts.cnn.com/%20​TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTM​L>
http://transcripts.cnn..com/%2​0TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HT​ML<http://transcripts.cnn.com/%20​TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTM​L><http://transcripts.cnn.com/%20​TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTM​L<http://transcripts.cnn.com/%20​TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTM​L>

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.

Verify at: http://transcripts.CNN..com/TR​ANscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01.HTM​L <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01.HTML>
<http://transcripts/ <http://transcripts/> .." href="" href="<><>
" href="" href="<>

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.

Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCI​PTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML <http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCI​PTS/0610/29/ldt.01..HTML>

9. $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.

Verify at: <" href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA​NSCRI<http://www.nationalpolicyinsti​tute/./.org/PDF/deportationPDF>

10. In 2006, illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.

Verify at: http://www/. <http://www/..rense.com/general​75/niht.htm> rense.com/general75/niht.htm < " href="http://www/..<>http://www/..<>
" href="; " ' href="" rel=nofollow target=_blank>; 20w.drdsk.com/articleshtml <" href="<>
" href="" href="<><>

The total cost is a whopping

338.3 BILLION DOLLARS

Are we THAT Stupid?
YES, FOR LETTING THOSE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS

GET AWAY WITH LETTING THIS HAPPEN YEAR AFTER

YEAR!!!!!

If the Tea Party are Hobbits; John McCain is Saruman

So, according to John McCain, we in the Tea Party are Hobbits?  As a fan of the Lord of the Rings, I am not particularly disturbed to be called a Hobbit.  After all, the Hobbits were specifically suited for the task given to them; destroy evil where it lived.

They were cunning, kindhearted, and did not concern themselves with their their foreign neighbors (at least in the sense that they did not want to become embroiled in their internal machinations and squabbles).  Life in the Shire is ideal; they work hard, they enjoy food, and they socialize with great gusto.  They run their affairs quite well on their own.

Hobbits are small and particularly good at hiding, blending into the landscape, and going about their business whilst the Ringwraiths (Demons) stalk them.  The Hobbits are stalwart and show an incredible resistance to the power and lure of evil, a resistance that no one else on Middle Earth seems to possess.  They are doggedly determined in great conflict to see the thing done, even if it costs them their lives.  In the face of sure defeat, overwhelming odds, and incredible evil, they trudge forward.

Hobbits shake their head in disappointment at the news from Isengard (Washington DC) and the fall of their supposed ally (although they have NEVER liked or trusted him), Saruman (John McCain).  Saruman was not interested in doing the right thing, he was simply interested in retaining power.  He chooses sides not by what is right, but by who he thinks will win.  His resolve is weak and treacherous and he seeks to destroy those whose actions highlight his own failures.  Even in the end, when the great evil was defeated, Saruman sought to punish and scourge the Shire.  Saruman was not a good guy and neither is John McCain.

Lest John McCain forget, it was the Hobbits who brought down evil in Middle Earth and it was the Hobbits who ultimately destroyed Saruman and throw him out of the Shire.  The day may seem dark, evil may look as if it is winning, but the Hobbits have the ring and they aren't stopping until they hurl it into Mordor.  Saruman should have never made an enemy of the Hobbits.

No Longer One of the Statistics

Abigail and Dolley readers many of you know I lost my job in January.  It has truly been one of the most difficult periods of my entire life.  I have ALWAYS worked and have never been out of a job.  It is really tough out there and I am very fortunate that my industry has not evaporated in this Depression.  I feel for the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and construction companies that have seen their business disappear.  Many private companies are surviving only through the patronage of the behemoth Feds.  It is indeed a sad state of affairs and does not seem to be getting better.

Alas, I am happy to report that I have secured another position and began today.  It was glorious to awaken this morning with somewhere to go!  It was wonderful to meet new people and to live outside my own head again.  I have to also give a praise report that the Lord saw me and my family through this difficult time and I am eternally thankful for His provision, protection, and guidance.

God Bless you Abigail and Dolley readers.  Thank you for visiting and for your support during this tough time.

Missing or Murdered - No One will ever know unless you are a pretty white girl

This post was originally published in early 2009, but it is as appropriate today as it was then.

Are you beautiful? If not, are you at least smart? If you are beautiful and you are smart - well, you hit the genetic lottery and you are by our societies standards our most valuable. We are all instinctively aware of this, but it was first brought to my attention while reading Dr. James Dobson. Dr. Dobson pointed out that for children in our society that are neither beautiful or smart parents need to validate and encourage those children for what they DO have to offer. He used the example of the notorious mass murderer, Richard Speck, who over the course of an evening, murdered eight nursing students in Chicago. A reporter commented that it was made even more tragic because all of the girls had been so attractive. In one off hand comment, he revealed what we truly believe, if you are beautiful, your life is more important.

National news coverage is only given to tragic abductions and murders of pretty white girls. When is the last time you saw a black child getting national news coverage? What about an ugly kid? Or what about a boy? I can answer that for you - you haven't. You can probably name the ones that come to mind: Jonbenet Ramsey, Polly Klaas, Elizabeth Smart, Jessica Lunsford and the latest Britanee Drexel. So our all inclusive media, who worships at the altar of promoting equality, fail, yet again, to present the news in an unbiased fashion.

I am by no means underplaying the seriousness and heart breaking reality of families dealing with the worst nightmare I can imagine. I am merely pointing out that if you are beautiful you get the coverage. Many of these families have channeled their tragedies into foundations that spot light this issue and have done great things to help save other children. John Walsh of America's Most Wanted, Mark Klaas of the Klaaskids Foundation, the Nationwide AMBER alert system - all beauty from ashes, made possible through national exposure of these cases.

Thankfully, there is someone who knows the pain these families suffer through, who comforts the grieving, and cares for the lost and the forgotten! He is incorruptible and eternal, He loves you so much He died for you. Jesus knows, and praise Him for that - because we fallible humans sure don't!

Thanksgiving 2022

Abigail and Dolley readers I did not write this and if I knew who did, I would give them credit.  This was copied off a Tea Party Page on facebook, for now they have not shut those down...


"Winston, come into the dining room, it's time to eat," Julia yelled to her husband.  "In a minute, honey, it's a tie score," he answered.

 Actually Winston wasn't very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and Washington . Ever since the government passed the Civility in Sports Statute of 2017, outlawing tackle football for its "unseemly violence" and the "bad example it sets for the rest of the world", Winston was far less of a football fan than he used to be.  Two-hand touch wasn't nearly as exciting.

Yet it wasn't the game that Winston was uninterested in. It was more the thought of eating another Tofu Turkey. Even though it was the best type of VeggieMeat available after the government revised the American Anti-Obesity Act of 2018, adding fowl to the list of federally-forbidden foods, (which already included potatoes, cranberry sauce, and mincemeat pie), it wasn't anything like real turkey. And ever since the government officially changed the name of "Thanksgiving Day" to "A National Day of Atonement" in 2020, to officially acknowledge the Pilgrims' historically brutal treatment of Native Americans, the holiday had lost a lot of its luster.


Eating in the dining room was also a bit daunting.  The unearthly gleam of government-mandated fluorescent  light bulbs made the Tofu Turkey look even weirder than it actually was, and the room was always cold.  Ever since Congress passed the Power Conservation Act of 2016, mandating all thermostats - which were monitored and controlled by the electric company - be kept at 68 degrees, every room on the north side of the house was barely tolerable throughout the entire winter.

Still, it was good getting together with family. Or at least most of the family. Winston missed his mother, who passed on in October, when she had used up her legal allotment of life-saving medical treatment. He had had many heated conversations with the Regional Health Consortium, spawned when the private insurance market finally went bankrupt, and everyone was forced into the government health care program. And though he demanded she be kept on her treatment, it was a futile effort. "The RHC's resources are limited", explained the government bureaucrat Winston spoke with on the phone. "Your mother received all the benefits to which she was entitled.---- I'm sorry for your loss."


Ed couldn't make it either. He had forgotten to plug in his electric car last night, the only kind available after the Anti-Fossil Fuel Bill of 2021 outlawed the use of the combustion engines - for everyone but government officials. The fifty mile round trip was about ten miles too far, and Ed didn't want to spend a frosty night on the road  somewhere between here and there.

Thankfully, Winston's brother, John, and his wife were flying in. Winston made sure that the dining room chairs had extra cushions for the occasion. No one complained more than John about the pain of sitting down so soon after the government-mandated cavity searches at airports, which severely aggravated his hemorrhoids.  Ever since a terrorist successfully smuggled a cavity bomb onto a jetliner, the TSA told Americans the added "inconvenience" was an "absolute necessity" in order to stay "one step ahead of the terrorists."


Winston's own body had grown accustomed to such probing ever since the government expanded their scope to just about anywhere a crowd gathered, via Anti-Profiling Act of 2022. That law made it a crime to single out any group or individual for "unequal scrutiny," even when probable cause was involved. Thus, cavity searches at malls, train stations, bus depots, etc., etc., had become almost routine.  Almost.

The Supreme Court is reviewing the statute, but most Americans expect a Court composed of six progressives and three conservatives to leave the law intact. "A living Constitution is extremely flexible", said the Court's eldest member, Elena Kagan. " Europe has had laws like this one for years.---- We should learn from their example", she added. 

Winston's thoughts turned to his own children. He got along fairly well with his 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, mostly because she ignored him. Winston had long ago surrendered to the idea that she could text anyone at any time, even during Atonement Dinner. Their only real confrontation had occurred when he limited her to 50,000 texts a month, explaining that was all he could afford. She whined for a week, but got over it.

His 16-year-old son, Jason, was another matter altogether. Perhaps it was the constant bombarding he got in public school that global warming, the bird flu, terrorism, or any of a number of other calamities were "just around the corner", but Jason had developed a kind of nihilistic attitude that ranged between simmering surliness and outright hostility.

It didn't help that Jason had reported his father to the police for smoking a cigarette in the house, an act made criminal by the Smoking Control Statute of 2018, which outlawed smoking anywhere within 500 feet of another human being.

Winston paid the $5,000 fine, which might have been considered excessive before the American dollar became  virtually worthless as a result of QE13. The latest round of quantitative easing the federal government initiated was, once again, to "spur economic growth." This time, they promised to push unemployment below its years-long rate of 18%, but Winston was not particularly hopeful.

Yet the family had a lot for which to be thankful, Winston thought, before remembering it was a Day of Atonement. At least, he had his memories.  He felt a twinge of sadness when he realized his children would never know what life was like in the Good Old Days,  long before government promises to make life "fair for everyone" realized their full potential.
 
Winston, like so many of his fellow Americans, never  realized how much things could change when they didn't happen all at once, but little by little, so people could get used to them. He wondered what might have happened if the public had stood up while there was still time, maybe back around 2011, when all the real nonsense began. "Maybe we wouldn't be where we are today if we'd just said 'enough is enough' when we had the chance," he thought. Maybe so, Winston. Maybe so.

Transformers 3 Movie Review

Abigail and Dolley readers my guys and I got a sneak peak at the movie Transformers 3 - The Dark Side of the Moon last night.  In a nut shell, save your money.  That is unless you like brainless action with improbable story lines.  The movie felt very much like Independence Day, started out promising and ended up being hookey and campy.  Another comparison is Spiderman 3, all special effects and no real story.  Like the Spiderman trilogy, the Transformers trilogy slides with each installment.  I will say, at least in Spiderman they kept the same girlfriend.  Meghan Fox might be a pain in the neck, but she would have at least added some continuity to the story.

There are so many plot holes in the film it is hard to know where to begin.  The absolutely unrealistic relationship between Sam and his new girlfriend, Rosey is one of the most glaring.  They have no chemistry, she is far out of his league, and the viewer is left wondering exactly how these two are together.  In the end, we really don't even care.  Where was John Voit?  He was awesome as the Secretary of Defense in the previous films.  Instead, he is replaced by Francis McDermont who plays a complete caricature of a woman in power.  The viewer is intrigued with the addition of the very talented John Malcovich, but alas I am not even sure what he was doing in the story.  He dropped in, hinted that he was going to be awesome, and then disappeared.  

There are two distinct parts to the film, the story and then the action.  The producers abandoned any type of engaging story to simply spoon feed drivel.  They then put whipped cream on the turd in the form of loud and long spectacular action sequences and expect the adoring public to dig in.  It was special effects overload and frankly it got boring. My advise to Hollywood, spend a little more time and money on the story after all if you seen one Transformer go from a car to a robot, you've seen them all.

Bridesmaids - The Movie

Abigail and Dolley readers recently I spent a wonderful afternoon with a friend.  We had lunch and then a chick flick.  We heard Bridesmaids was entertaining and funny and since I was preparing for my 10th time down the aisle as a bridesmaid, it seemed like a great choice.  I will admit that I laughed, but much of the humor is about being embarrassed for the main character.  That kind of humor has always been unsettling to me.  You know what I am talking about, sort of that "Meet the Faulkers" humor?  I kept saying out loud, "Oh, no... don't do it..."  In addition,  there are parts of the movie so crude and disgusting that I just could not watch.

The movie is not appropriately titled, in my opinion it should have been called, "She's Coming Undone" or "Hitting Rock Bottom".  It was painful to watch the horrendous decisions the main character made throughout the entire movie.  Time and time again she self destructed, allowed herself to be horribly used, and succumbed to jealously and selfishness at an alarming rate.  She debased herself on a number of occasions and made a complete fool of herself throughout the movie.

2011 has been the most trying year of my life and I have said dozens of times, "How do people without Christ get through something like this?"  Behold, on the big screen was my answer in the form of Bridesmaids.  The character had no center, except that she loved to bake, it had been her passion and she stopped.  Everyone around her thought that if she would just bake again, her life would turn back around and she would find salvation in the "Nice Guy".  To give the movie credit, it took more than a cake to get her life back on track but even with the "happy" ending it was quite pathetic.  It left me feeling the overwhelming emptiness that must accompany those without faith and hope.

Ironically, I was reading a book called, The Upside of Down: Finding Hope When it Hurts. 
It is a work that takes the reader through life changing crisis and allows them to not only get through it, but to become stronger at the end.   It is a journey through understanding, accepting, healing, and empowerment.  It is a gentle reminder that God loves us even when times are tough and He is strong enough for us to rely and depend on him.  So if you find yourself at the end of your rope, do yourself a favor and do it God's way, otherwise you might find yourself starring in your own "Bridesmaids" movie.