Courtney was looking for a new blog from me. I really don't feel like blogging, but I feel like sharing the following video.
So often I hear that others not of my faith question whether Mormons (or as we prefer to be called) members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are indeed Christians. I found this video and wanted to share it. This sent chills to my very being and brought tears to my eyes. Jesus Christ is my Savior, my redeemer, my teacher, my example, my brother, my God, and my friend! If knowing that does not make me a Christian, I don't know what does. I know I must have more Christ-like attributes, but I am working on them!
I plan to spend the next six weeks in earnest, developing my faith and obedience to His teachings. (I say six weeks because that is roughly how much time is left of this year!) Watching this video has inspired me. I want the Lord to say to me one day, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" He has given so much to and for me, and asks so little. Just for me to obey his commandments. Funny thing is, He has commanded nothing that is too tough. He has only thought of me (and mankind) when giving His commandments.
The problem with me and most of us, is that the world is just so tempting, so inviting. Satan has a way of tricking us so that we don't even realize it at first. BUT, he doesn't love us. He is patient, but he is NOT kind. He is selfish and destroying. He is clever and masks his attempts. But we each have the ability to see through the nonsense. All we have to do is love the Lord and serve Him. Pray and study. When we mess up, He has given us the miracle of repentance that assists us in becoming clean again.
Yes, world, I am a Mormon and yes, world, I am a Christian!!
And I am indeed thankful for both!
Enjoy the video!
For God so Loved the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05nA0cNEEqk&feature=youtu.be
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Letter to the President
Dear President Obama,
I would like to congratulate you on your reelection. I will admit, I did not vote for you, but I want you to know that as a fellow American, I will support you. I have been counseled by my church leaders to do just that.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/statement-on-election-result
I know that you have a tough job and I will continue to pray for you and your family. I will pray for your strength and good health. I will also pray for wisdom and good judgment in all of your decisions.
I have to ask two favors. Sir. I have two daughters in college. They are married to college students as well. They all work hard. Throughout their college careers, they have worked at a convenient stores, a telephone survey company, the college, cleaning offices and carpets, third shift Walmart, managed an apartment complex for students, and have held positions in social service. They have also sold plasma on a regular basis for anything extra. My first request is this: Will you please do what is in your power to ensure them employment when they are finished with their education?
I also have a son who has served in the military for over six years (I think). He has served his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan and is continuing to train now to be ready if you need him again. My request for him is two-fold: Will you please do whatever possible to keep him safe while he is in and ensure him employment if he chooses to leave the military?
Thank you for your consideration. God Bless You, Sir!
And I mean that sincerely,
Your friend through Christ, Connie Sandoval
I would like to congratulate you on your reelection. I will admit, I did not vote for you, but I want you to know that as a fellow American, I will support you. I have been counseled by my church leaders to do just that.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/statement-on-election-result
I know that you have a tough job and I will continue to pray for you and your family. I will pray for your strength and good health. I will also pray for wisdom and good judgment in all of your decisions.
I have to ask two favors. Sir. I have two daughters in college. They are married to college students as well. They all work hard. Throughout their college careers, they have worked at a convenient stores, a telephone survey company, the college, cleaning offices and carpets, third shift Walmart, managed an apartment complex for students, and have held positions in social service. They have also sold plasma on a regular basis for anything extra. My first request is this: Will you please do what is in your power to ensure them employment when they are finished with their education?
I also have a son who has served in the military for over six years (I think). He has served his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan and is continuing to train now to be ready if you need him again. My request for him is two-fold: Will you please do whatever possible to keep him safe while he is in and ensure him employment if he chooses to leave the military?
Thank you for your consideration. God Bless You, Sir!
And I mean that sincerely,
Your friend through Christ, Connie Sandoval
Monday, November 5, 2012
Twas the night before...........
Twas the night before elections and all through the land.........................
Sorry to disappoint you but as much as I love to write, I am not a poet. That is Emily's strong suit so I will leave that up to her.
Anyway, I have been thinking - again. Reading facebook posts does that to me. This has been the craziest election season I have ever experienced and I am pretty sure I am not the only one who feels this way. I don't remember ever feeling so anxious over an election. I didn't vote for Obama last time, but I didn't like McCain either. In fact, I told my mother early on that Obama would win and open the way for Romney in the next election. That was right after Romney dropped out of the last primary and had no official plans of running again. I just felt it in my bones.
What I didn't know is that the rest of the world would be so divided. I didn't agree with Obama's politics then, and still do not. I don't think he accomplished anything and I believe that our country is worse off today than it was before.
Yes, Bin Laden is dead, but is the al-Qaeda less of a threat today?
Sorry to disappoint you but as much as I love to write, I am not a poet. That is Emily's strong suit so I will leave that up to her.
Anyway, I have been thinking - again. Reading facebook posts does that to me. This has been the craziest election season I have ever experienced and I am pretty sure I am not the only one who feels this way. I don't remember ever feeling so anxious over an election. I didn't vote for Obama last time, but I didn't like McCain either. In fact, I told my mother early on that Obama would win and open the way for Romney in the next election. That was right after Romney dropped out of the last primary and had no official plans of running again. I just felt it in my bones.
What I didn't know is that the rest of the world would be so divided. I didn't agree with Obama's politics then, and still do not. I don't think he accomplished anything and I believe that our country is worse off today than it was before.
Yes, Bin Laden is dead, but is the al-Qaeda less of a threat today?
The Associated Press reports that “the insurgent group has more than doubled in numbers from a year ago — from about 1,000 to 2,500 fighters. And it is carrying out an average of 140 attacks each week across Iraq, up from 75 attacks each week earlier this year, according to Pentagon data.” There are said to be as many as ten al-Qaeda in Iraq training sites in the western deserts of Iraq.
Meanwhile, other al-Qaeda-associated organizations are gaining strength in Mali and Yemen, among other places. According to one report, Tuareg jihadists in Ansar al Dine and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, both affiliated with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, now control a region the size of France in Mali. And they are also making fresh inroads in Syria where the al-Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front for the People of the Levant has claimed responsibility for an attack on Tuesday by suicide bombers on an intelligence compound near Damascus.
The auto industry was bailed out. But, how much of a success was that?
Bailing out the car industry initially cost $80 billion, or roughly $30,000 per automotive worker. Despite the sector’s resurgence, taxpayers are still owed $25 billion from GM and its former financing firm.
Here is the rest of that article.
The war in Afghanistan over? Our troops are slated to come home
BUT
(CNN) -- At the NATO summit in Chicago,
President Obama and leaders of America's NATO allies agreed on an
"irreversible" plan to withdraw from Afghanistan. But challenges
remain.
Despite the deliberately unambiguous word choice used to
describe the withdrawal, uncertainty about how the West will confront the
obstacles ahead remains. Issues specifically related to Afghanistan are yet to
be resolved, and plenty of others are tied to the volatile politics of the
area.
The Afghan National Army is already taking the lead in
regions with roughly 75% of the population, with U.S. and other NATO troops
acting as support. However, this does not include the most contested areas in
the south and east, where Afghan forces are slated to assume responsibility by
next summer. Serious doubts persist about their readiness to do so.
Despite significant training efforts, the army's level of
competence remains in question. It lacks many of the support functions needed
for war fighting. The army will remain dependent on international forces for
these capabilities and on the international community for financial assistance,
expected to cost at least $4 billion a year (.
Roe v Wade, revoked??? I don't know if that can happen since the highest court in the land found it constitutional but
Who does that affect? NOT those who were raped, or victims of incest, or those whose health is in question. Only those who choose to use abortion as a means of birth control.
These are things that President Obama has been hinging his campaign on.
And his Health Care Reform. Yes, we all need insurance. I am happy that the issue is being addressed. But at whose expense? Business owners and tax payers, as well as the deficit.
To be honest, either way we go, Social Security is hurting and will soon run out of money. For the first time ever, recipients are using more than they paid in. We are living longer and we are having less children to pay into the fund. Same thing for Medicare. It needs to be revamped!!!
We cannot afford to go to war! Financially, that could ruin us right now! But, we cannot afford to cut back on our military budget. That could hurt us even more! We cannot or should not even look remotely vulnerable to our enemies.
What are we to do? So many things to work on.
............................................................................................................
There are so many things wrong in the United States today. But, if we really look, there are a lot of things that are right!!!! Let's not forget that no matter which way the election goes. I don't think we all need to really worry ourselves sick.
We may tighten our belts and reduce the deficit. If that happens, that will make a lot of folks very uncomfortable. Just like fundraising in our schools to make up for the lack of money for each of our programs, there will have to be other ways for groups to raise money OR there will be things that our cut out.
Or we may continue the way we have been. The poor will not have to worry because there will be an endless (?) supply of money for them. Plus according to the economist, so called experts in the field, the economy is heading in the right direction and will continue either way..........
We are going to survive the next four years. Actually, none of us are promised to survive the night, but as a nation, we will be here in four years!
The way I see it, either
A) we will all be happy that it is Obama's last term in office and any republican will do.
B) he will have done such a good job that it will pave the way for any democratic successor.
C) Romney will gave proven himself and have an easy time at reelection
D) The democrats are going to have to come up with a candidate to replace him.
And we will go through this all over again!!!!!! Actually my prediction is that we will NEVER go through another campaign like this one in our lifetimes. At least I pray that is the case.
Have a good night before election...........................
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Down to the wire!
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” — President John Quincy Adams.
We have Sunday and Monday. Two more days of phone calls. One more day of mailings (Yay for no mail on Sunday) Of course, you may get some really pushy folks on Election Day. Just do not answer your phones and don't go to the mailbox until after you vote. Tuesday is the day for all who haven't voted early. Polls in Ohio close at 7:30. It is going to be a long day and the election is going to come down to Ohio, or so they say.
Emily made a comment to me that she is a nervous wreck. I have decided that we should all vote our principle as Pres Adams stated. That is all we can do. Our country is set up to have checks and balances. According to the economists, either way, the economy should look up. We are heading in the right direction. Neither candidate wants us in a war. Even though they have different visions and ideas of how to make those visions become reality, both want to see us as a nation succeed. It was never one man that put us in the tough situations that we, as a nation, have been in. It will take more than one man to get us out.
FOR THE RECORD
I am voting for Mitt Romney.
Why? Well, I have studied the issues. I have listened to what both sides, candidates and supporters have had to say. And then I prayed about it. There was not a huge booming voice in my ear with the answers. Just a quiet peaceful thought and feeling.
Here is the number one reason I have decided on Romney - Because I believe that he will prayerfully make decisions that will affect me and my children. That is what I came up with while praying.
Do I believe that he has all the answers? Nope.
Do I believe that he will do things that are probably not always perfect? Sure.
But, do I believe that he will pray about his decisions? Yes, I do.
Do I believe in the power of prayer? Yes, I do.
That is my reason. Mitt Romney is my choice. Now it is up to all of you to make your own decisions based on your reasons.
Don't believe the ads. They are designed to make you do something that you may or may not do without them. Millions of dollars were spent on them. Like someone recently told me, if advertising didn't work, money wouldn't be spent on it.
Happy Voting!!!! We won't have to go through this for another four years!!!!!
Monday, October 22, 2012
A last look at the political arena, I promise - I think
This is the last one -------- I think ------- in my political posts.
First off, I thought the last debate was much more civil than the last two. YAY! I am a little puzzled by the fact that both men showed so much more respect to the mediator. I just wonder if it was simply because it was a male, rather than a female. Just a thought. Or perhaps they realized that all the past craziness was just not accepted by the American public.
Foreign policy. I have no idea. I know that I don't want a war of any kind. I don't understand all of the ins and outs of foreign affairs. I know that the middle east is important. I know that all of the countries that were mentioned affect us in ways that I can't comprehend. I know that it is imperative that we show the world that we are strong. And I know that the rest of the world looks to the United States to be leaders in every way! Because I don't have a clear understanding, I can't comment on who has the better handle on things. What I can say is that I was in awe at just how many things and issues are thrown at the president of the United States in that area.
I honestly, with everything that I am, want to see Governor Mitt Romney become the next President of the United States. I want to see a leader in business help us to get out of the economic mess we are in. There are so many things involved in that. I think he has proved himself professionally. Being successful and wealthy should not be something to be feared. It should be something to be admired. Not only professionally is he second to none, but I believe that his personal life is one to be recognized. You don't have to agree with his religious beliefs. In fact, I would be willing to guess that the majority of the American public does not even know what he really believes. But, look at his moral strengths. He believes in the family. He and his family worship God. They believe in service to their fellow man. There has never been a question about his past in those areas. His allegiance has not been questioned!
This is what I wonder and would like you to think about. Why would a man like Mitt Romney want to be the president in the first place? What in the world would he get out of it? It isn't financial gain. He may have a lifelong six figure paycheck as a president or past-president, but he doesn't need it. Shoot, he gave up a lot of money in earnings by leaving Bain to campaign. You can just look that up through a google search. You can also look up the amount of his own personal money he spent on both campaigns. Why would he do it once, yet alone twice?
I have two theories on this.
One, he is an egomaniac who sees himself as someone who already succeeded in the challenges he had before him. He is already multizillionaire! He already turned a hurting Olympics into a success that was seen by the entire world. Now he is out to prove that through his leadership, he can turn an economy in the worst weakened condition that anyone who didn't live through the great depression has ever seen.
OR
Two, he honestly believes in the future of America and is concerned for the future of his children and grandchildren. He feels that he has had success and truly believes that his ideas can make a difference for his posterity as well as ours.
Either way, it could be a win for all of us!
I have to disbelieve most of what I hear about President Obama. I do not believe he is a socialist, communist, terrorist, etc. I do not believe that the United States of American will be in ruin if he is reelected. I have to believe that we have enough safeguards in place to prevent that. BUT, I do believe that it is time for things to look up! We have to do better as a country! We have to be better! I have children and grandchildren. I worry about what kind of situation they will encounter down the road.
I do not believe my little blogs have changed the minds of Americans. I probably haven't even convinced a single Democrat or Obama supporter to change their vote. My real objective was to perhaps give one or two people something to think about, something to investigate.
Some people who have commented to me have questioned the Bible, questioned the Godhead, etc. I have always been strong in my religious beliefs. I believe in a living and loving God and I will continue to pray for this country and its leadership - whoever that may be.
Thanks for reading!
First off, I thought the last debate was much more civil than the last two. YAY! I am a little puzzled by the fact that both men showed so much more respect to the mediator. I just wonder if it was simply because it was a male, rather than a female. Just a thought. Or perhaps they realized that all the past craziness was just not accepted by the American public.
Foreign policy. I have no idea. I know that I don't want a war of any kind. I don't understand all of the ins and outs of foreign affairs. I know that the middle east is important. I know that all of the countries that were mentioned affect us in ways that I can't comprehend. I know that it is imperative that we show the world that we are strong. And I know that the rest of the world looks to the United States to be leaders in every way! Because I don't have a clear understanding, I can't comment on who has the better handle on things. What I can say is that I was in awe at just how many things and issues are thrown at the president of the United States in that area.
I honestly, with everything that I am, want to see Governor Mitt Romney become the next President of the United States. I want to see a leader in business help us to get out of the economic mess we are in. There are so many things involved in that. I think he has proved himself professionally. Being successful and wealthy should not be something to be feared. It should be something to be admired. Not only professionally is he second to none, but I believe that his personal life is one to be recognized. You don't have to agree with his religious beliefs. In fact, I would be willing to guess that the majority of the American public does not even know what he really believes. But, look at his moral strengths. He believes in the family. He and his family worship God. They believe in service to their fellow man. There has never been a question about his past in those areas. His allegiance has not been questioned!
This is what I wonder and would like you to think about. Why would a man like Mitt Romney want to be the president in the first place? What in the world would he get out of it? It isn't financial gain. He may have a lifelong six figure paycheck as a president or past-president, but he doesn't need it. Shoot, he gave up a lot of money in earnings by leaving Bain to campaign. You can just look that up through a google search. You can also look up the amount of his own personal money he spent on both campaigns. Why would he do it once, yet alone twice?
I have two theories on this.
One, he is an egomaniac who sees himself as someone who already succeeded in the challenges he had before him. He is already multizillionaire! He already turned a hurting Olympics into a success that was seen by the entire world. Now he is out to prove that through his leadership, he can turn an economy in the worst weakened condition that anyone who didn't live through the great depression has ever seen.
OR
Two, he honestly believes in the future of America and is concerned for the future of his children and grandchildren. He feels that he has had success and truly believes that his ideas can make a difference for his posterity as well as ours.
Either way, it could be a win for all of us!
I have to disbelieve most of what I hear about President Obama. I do not believe he is a socialist, communist, terrorist, etc. I do not believe that the United States of American will be in ruin if he is reelected. I have to believe that we have enough safeguards in place to prevent that. BUT, I do believe that it is time for things to look up! We have to do better as a country! We have to be better! I have children and grandchildren. I worry about what kind of situation they will encounter down the road.
I do not believe my little blogs have changed the minds of Americans. I probably haven't even convinced a single Democrat or Obama supporter to change their vote. My real objective was to perhaps give one or two people something to think about, something to investigate.
Some people who have commented to me have questioned the Bible, questioned the Godhead, etc. I have always been strong in my religious beliefs. I believe in a living and loving God and I will continue to pray for this country and its leadership - whoever that may be.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
More issues! Student loans - arghhhhh
In my earlier blog I promised to say something about the relevance of unemployed young people, but I can't remember what point I planned to make. I am sure it had to do with student loans. If not, oh well. I am going to talk about the student loan issues in the United States.
Our student loan program is an absolute mess and a drain on the American Tax Payer!!!! I don't know if that is an absolute fact or my opinion. As I was researching this issue, I was just getting frustrated. This is something you will have to decide on your own. BUT here are some facts - well facts as nearly as I can figure anyway.
One in five households have student loan debt!!! One if five - that is crazy!!!! If I believed that the debt ratio was equivalent with the ratio of productive, contributing college graduates, that number wouldn't be so bad. But I do not believe that at all.
Before everyone gets all upset, rest assured that I believe everyone should be entitled to an education. I have no idea how to make it work, but I don't believe that the current program is doing the job!
Government loaning money for schools??? Government giving longer period for that money to be repaid??? Government forgiving that debt???? What the heck? And where is government getting the money to loan out? Tax payers and China?? How did we get in the loan business in the first place? If government is going to be in the loan business, I should think that there would be stipulations to receiving that loan. #1 Go to a college that meets qualifications such as a good education at a reasonable cost. #2 Major in something that will be marketable and benefit both the educated and society.
If government is going to be loaning college money, they better be checking into the colleges! It seems to me that if there is more money available, and more students going to college, colleges are really taking advantages of that. Rising tuition costs prove that. And that is our free enterprise system at its best. Profit and demand - more demand, more rising costs, more profit!
Student debt crushes our economy! How?
1. First off the jobs are not there for college graduates! Period. There are way too many people graduating with no employment or at least under employment. But that is a different topic.
2. Debt lowers the chances of buying a home. Graduates are having a difficult time getting home loans because of the debt/income ratio. If homes are not purchased, the housing market tumbles. If the housing market goes under, there goes jobs! Vicious circle.
3. Same goes for the auto industry.
Remember, I am not against a college education. Right now I have two daughters and their husbands in college. But every one of those kids/adults have worked towards their education. They have held jobs, sometimes more than one, and have earned the grades to receive scholarships from the school. I assure you that when they are finished with their education, they will appreciate it! Isn't that the way it should be?
I have seen people who get grants for school and then get loans. When the loan money comes in, they use the excess to buy TVs, cars, and even Christmas presents for their kids. I met a lady who works at a college book store. She was telling me how the student loans are used to purchase entire wardrobes from the book store! Is that the way the program is intended? I don't think so. What happens to those people when the loans come due? That $40 sweatshirt will cost $400 over the course of the loan, people!
Here is what my hero, Dave Ramsey, has to say about college debt. He isn't endorsing a candidate, he is teaching financial responsibility.
Getting a student loan can hurt you much worse than just a monthly payment.
Borrowing so much hurts the economy in multiple ways. More debt means less money invested. If money isn't invested, the economy doesn't grow as well. More debt also means less money to outright buy things, which leads to more financing to buy things
You can read the rest of this article here.
http://www.daveramsey.com/article/student-loan-backlash/lifeandmoney_college
My head is spinning over all of this. Look up each candidate's policy proposals. They both seem to agree with me in certain ways. Then decide for yourself who has the best ideas.
Our student loan program is an absolute mess and a drain on the American Tax Payer!!!! I don't know if that is an absolute fact or my opinion. As I was researching this issue, I was just getting frustrated. This is something you will have to decide on your own. BUT here are some facts - well facts as nearly as I can figure anyway.
One in five households have student loan debt!!! One if five - that is crazy!!!! If I believed that the debt ratio was equivalent with the ratio of productive, contributing college graduates, that number wouldn't be so bad. But I do not believe that at all.
Before everyone gets all upset, rest assured that I believe everyone should be entitled to an education. I have no idea how to make it work, but I don't believe that the current program is doing the job!
Government loaning money for schools??? Government giving longer period for that money to be repaid??? Government forgiving that debt???? What the heck? And where is government getting the money to loan out? Tax payers and China?? How did we get in the loan business in the first place? If government is going to be in the loan business, I should think that there would be stipulations to receiving that loan. #1 Go to a college that meets qualifications such as a good education at a reasonable cost. #2 Major in something that will be marketable and benefit both the educated and society.
If government is going to be loaning college money, they better be checking into the colleges! It seems to me that if there is more money available, and more students going to college, colleges are really taking advantages of that. Rising tuition costs prove that. And that is our free enterprise system at its best. Profit and demand - more demand, more rising costs, more profit!
Student debt crushes our economy! How?
1. First off the jobs are not there for college graduates! Period. There are way too many people graduating with no employment or at least under employment. But that is a different topic.
2. Debt lowers the chances of buying a home. Graduates are having a difficult time getting home loans because of the debt/income ratio. If homes are not purchased, the housing market tumbles. If the housing market goes under, there goes jobs! Vicious circle.
3. Same goes for the auto industry.
Remember, I am not against a college education. Right now I have two daughters and their husbands in college. But every one of those kids/adults have worked towards their education. They have held jobs, sometimes more than one, and have earned the grades to receive scholarships from the school. I assure you that when they are finished with their education, they will appreciate it! Isn't that the way it should be?
I have seen people who get grants for school and then get loans. When the loan money comes in, they use the excess to buy TVs, cars, and even Christmas presents for their kids. I met a lady who works at a college book store. She was telling me how the student loans are used to purchase entire wardrobes from the book store! Is that the way the program is intended? I don't think so. What happens to those people when the loans come due? That $40 sweatshirt will cost $400 over the course of the loan, people!
Here is what my hero, Dave Ramsey, has to say about college debt. He isn't endorsing a candidate, he is teaching financial responsibility. Getting a student loan can hurt you much worse than just a monthly payment.
Borrowing so much hurts the economy in multiple ways. More debt means less money invested. If money isn't invested, the economy doesn't grow as well. More debt also means less money to outright buy things, which leads to more financing to buy things
The sad part is that after you've gotten a student loan and paid on it for a couple of years, that's when the reality hits you. That's when you realize that you have obligated yourself to pay thousands of dollars in interest over several years, instead of keeping that money for yourself and investing it, or giving it away, or even saving up and buying things with cash.
Well, this is your wake-up call! Don't take out a student loan. You can apply for scholarships and grants, work part-time or go to a cheaper school. But it's not worth it to take out a loan and start behind the financial 8-ball in life when you graduate
You can read the rest of this article here.
http://www.daveramsey.com/article/student-loan-backlash/lifeandmoney_college
My head is spinning over all of this. Look up each candidate's policy proposals. They both seem to agree with me in certain ways. Then decide for yourself who has the best ideas.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Change, Part Two (But not really it is just my thoughts on issues)
I don't know where I left off. But, I do know that we, as a country, need to go back to work. To me, and most Americans, at least I assume that most believe, that this is one of the most important issues facing us today. To be strong, we must work. Both candidates are addressing that issue. I don't know how we got into this high unemployment mess we are in. It was a long process that did NOT start with the Obama administration. I do know that the president did not keep his promises to put Americans back to work. But, how much of it was under his control? I will let you do that research because frankly, it is exhausting. I do feel that Romney has a good plan to put us back to work.
I have a friend who is concerned with women's rights. She does not like Romney's or Republican's stand on abortion issues. If Romney is elected will Roe v Wade be reversed? I truly do not believe it will but......Here is my thought on abortion.
Since this is my blog, I can give my opinion. And yes, I am a Christian woman with deep feelings for the sacredness of human life and the miracle of it. I really think one has to decide on when life begins to make a decision on abortion.
Do women have the right to choose what happens to their bodies? Sure! That right is prior to including another human being. Before one gets pregnant, they have the right to STOP that pregnancy. Even the catholic church has loosened up on that issue. I vaguely remember the talks when Roe v Wade was initiated. I remember the biggest argument was safe abortion practices. Put a stop to unsafe illegal abortions. But, what has happened? Anyone can have an abortion for any reason. While I was in North Carolina (many many years ago) I befriended a woman who was in a mess. She was single and made some very wrong choices in her life. Those choices resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. She painfully chose to terminate the pregnancy. I went to the clinic with her. While I was there, I met two woman. I was surprised and shocked to find those women laughing and joking about being there again. One woman was on her third abortion, the other her second. Abortion as a birth control method just seems wrong to me on so many levels!
Even the Romney camp has given exceptions to the abortion issue by including the rape, incest, and health of the mother. I don't even know how I feel about that. I worked with a young man while in the Army. He was such a good example of what a man and father should be. I became great friends with his wife and I adored their three children. I was even there for the birth of their fourth. During the course of our friendship, I found out that their oldest son, who was 7 at the time, was the result of a rape. Her aunt's husband forced himself on her until she became pregnant and was finally able to escape from his abuse. She had very strong religious beliefs and never once considered abortion to be an option. She told me that she never regretted having her son. She always felt that he was a great blessing to her. Her husband accepted the baby as his own. In fact, it was the love of her baby, that first attracted him to her. Now was that couple the exception to the rule? I don't know, but I know that meeting them and knowing them changed my life for the better.
Next - Debt! For or against? Definitely against!!!! I will make a political point, but bear with me.
Personally, I am in debt up to my eyebrows. I know that I am not really as bad as a lot of people but I do feel that I have gone against the advice of my church leaders and have a pile of debt that feels like a stone around my neck. One day I looked at it and said to myself, "Self, this is ENOUGH!" What did I do about it? Well, first off, I read a book by Dave Ramsey. actually I probably read the book before I said that. After reading his book, I got online and read everything I could that was written by him. (I often go to extremes, I will admit, but I did not spend money on his programs.) I do recommend him to anyone who has money issues or concerns of any kind.
Anyway, the first thing I did was to cut up my credit cards. If I was ever going to get out of the debt bondage, I had to prevent getting in deeper. Second thing, I called my creditors and made agreements that would help me actually pay them off. My arrangements have probably put my credit standings in jeopardy, which could actually be to my advantage in the long run. I am not at all tempted to borrow, because I don't want to fill out another credit application. *shiver* Third, I quit spending more money than I brought in. Do I hate living so tight and going without some of the finer things in life? Sure. But, it is only temporary. True, I spend every single dime, but not more! Fourth, I learned ways to get a bigger bang for my buck. Did you know that buying shoes in the kids section costs less than in the women's? I have big feet (8 1/2 wide) but found brand name running shoes for half the cost of in that section. And fifth, I started working more to pay down the debts sooner. I get tired, but see an end in sight.
Our country is in debt. We spend way more money than we make. Somehow that has to stop!! I have a strong feeling that if you really want to improve in financial matters, looking for a president that has absolute success in those matters would be an obvious choice!
Is Mitt Romney totally out of touch with the middle class? Don't think so, but I am pretty sure he has never eaten beans because that was what he could afford. Is that a bad thing? Nope. One does not have to sink to my level to care about me! I read once that if you really wanted to be successful you should study what other successful people do and try to emulate them. Made sense to me. (I KNOW a lot more things than I put into practice, it is true.) Governor Romney is a successful business man and I think it would behoove us to listen to what he has to say. He wants to stop spending money. That will be hard. Some people are going to lose programs that they have come to rely on. Do I like that? No! I wish everyone could have everything! It just doesn't work that way! Cuts have to come about and that is a fact!
Some people seemed to make the whole Big Bird comment from the first debate an issue. I honestly thing that became an issue because of biased media reporting. For pete's sake. He wants to stop government spending. Cutting $446 million dollars for PBS from the spending budget does not seem wrong to me. I have seen reports that because he wants to stop this expense he doesn't love children or care about quality and educational television. That is totally absurd. The reality is that cutting $446 million dollars barely puts a dent into what we need to do and it won't really have a strong impact on PBS television, but we have to start somewhere.
People are worried about the food stamp program. Oh my, it is going to be cut and people will go hungry. Good grief. I am not against giving a hand up. Once again a personal note. I have had a rough time in my life. My daughter was 15 and died in her sleep. That changed my life!!! I will always claim temporary insanity brought on by grief. I did some strange things during that time. First crazy thing I did was to actually throw her bed down the stairs! I insisted it leave my house!!! Why? I have no idea. I was crazy. Next thing, I left my husband! My husband had nothing to do with the tragedy that our family had to face, but I was crazy! I packed up seven children and moved them into a beat up two bedroom house. I didn't know at the time that I would be basically paralyzed for a year, unable to work or function in a normal fashion. But all of a sudden I was faced with the fact that I had NO money, NO job, and NO desire to help myself. I sought the help of my church and was given it in so many ways. I also got food stamps for my kids. I personally didn't care what I ate, but I knew that they needed me to provide for them in some way.
Our system is so messed up. Jose had to go through it in order to pay child support. He never hedged on that, but it literally took MONTHS for his money to reach us! I got on a short term disability (craziness qualifies for that and I will always be grateful to the people who helped me know that). Once again even though it was approved, it took months to see any money. Finally when all was said and done, I was able to see some financial relief. I did return back to the workforce. Funny thing. Once I got a job and regular child support, I went to the food stamp office to get off the program. The woman there was really annoyed with me because I still qualified but didn't feel it was the right thing to do. I hate to think I am the exception in this, but I didn't want to take advantage of the system.
I qualified for $735 per month. Wow, I had never spent that kind of money in groceries alone in my life. That was almost 8 years ago when food wasn't as costly. I was surprised to find out that a person can buy any type of food on food stamps. Did you all know that you could buy pop and candy? I didn't do a lot of that, but I could have! A friend of mine is a manager at a store. He gets very passionate about this subject. When he was working a woman bought 97 chocolate bunnies and put it on her food card. UGH! I have another friend that was in the grocery store buying hamburger and hotdogs. The woman in front of her purchased t-bone steaks and chips. Yep, on her EBT card. What about that is right?
There has to be a better way!!!!
I personally feel that the program should be run more like the WIC program. WIC foods are particular. There is a list of things that can be purchased and those things are healthy and not conveniently packaged (which raises the cost of everything as you well know.) Going through all of the checking can be a hassle at the grocery store if you are behind someone using WIC, but we should all slow down a bit anyway.
What about nutritional education and perhaps cooking lessons for people who receive benefits? Years ago I worked for the county as a daycare provider and received money for food for my daycare. Because of that program, I was able to keep costs down for working women. I was required to plan and prepare nutritional foods. At any given time a woman could come into my home and check out my menus. If I wasn't prepared with them, I would lose money. Why couldn't something like that be implemented in our food stamp program? Let's all talk to our congressmen or women!!!!
Romney doesn't want to stop people who need them from getting food stamps. He wants to fix a broken system! Wonder if he would listen to my ideas.
Well, if you are still reading this, I want to apologize for the lengthy ramble. I will stop now to give you a break. Tune in again for another segment! I will be speaking on education, family values, and military issues.
I have a friend who is concerned with women's rights. She does not like Romney's or Republican's stand on abortion issues. If Romney is elected will Roe v Wade be reversed? I truly do not believe it will but......Here is my thought on abortion.
Since this is my blog, I can give my opinion. And yes, I am a Christian woman with deep feelings for the sacredness of human life and the miracle of it. I really think one has to decide on when life begins to make a decision on abortion.
Do women have the right to choose what happens to their bodies? Sure! That right is prior to including another human being. Before one gets pregnant, they have the right to STOP that pregnancy. Even the catholic church has loosened up on that issue. I vaguely remember the talks when Roe v Wade was initiated. I remember the biggest argument was safe abortion practices. Put a stop to unsafe illegal abortions. But, what has happened? Anyone can have an abortion for any reason. While I was in North Carolina (many many years ago) I befriended a woman who was in a mess. She was single and made some very wrong choices in her life. Those choices resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. She painfully chose to terminate the pregnancy. I went to the clinic with her. While I was there, I met two woman. I was surprised and shocked to find those women laughing and joking about being there again. One woman was on her third abortion, the other her second. Abortion as a birth control method just seems wrong to me on so many levels!
Even the Romney camp has given exceptions to the abortion issue by including the rape, incest, and health of the mother. I don't even know how I feel about that. I worked with a young man while in the Army. He was such a good example of what a man and father should be. I became great friends with his wife and I adored their three children. I was even there for the birth of their fourth. During the course of our friendship, I found out that their oldest son, who was 7 at the time, was the result of a rape. Her aunt's husband forced himself on her until she became pregnant and was finally able to escape from his abuse. She had very strong religious beliefs and never once considered abortion to be an option. She told me that she never regretted having her son. She always felt that he was a great blessing to her. Her husband accepted the baby as his own. In fact, it was the love of her baby, that first attracted him to her. Now was that couple the exception to the rule? I don't know, but I know that meeting them and knowing them changed my life for the better.
Next - Debt! For or against? Definitely against!!!! I will make a political point, but bear with me.
Personally, I am in debt up to my eyebrows. I know that I am not really as bad as a lot of people but I do feel that I have gone against the advice of my church leaders and have a pile of debt that feels like a stone around my neck. One day I looked at it and said to myself, "Self, this is ENOUGH!" What did I do about it? Well, first off, I read a book by Dave Ramsey. actually I probably read the book before I said that. After reading his book, I got online and read everything I could that was written by him. (I often go to extremes, I will admit, but I did not spend money on his programs.) I do recommend him to anyone who has money issues or concerns of any kind.
Anyway, the first thing I did was to cut up my credit cards. If I was ever going to get out of the debt bondage, I had to prevent getting in deeper. Second thing, I called my creditors and made agreements that would help me actually pay them off. My arrangements have probably put my credit standings in jeopardy, which could actually be to my advantage in the long run. I am not at all tempted to borrow, because I don't want to fill out another credit application. *shiver* Third, I quit spending more money than I brought in. Do I hate living so tight and going without some of the finer things in life? Sure. But, it is only temporary. True, I spend every single dime, but not more! Fourth, I learned ways to get a bigger bang for my buck. Did you know that buying shoes in the kids section costs less than in the women's? I have big feet (8 1/2 wide) but found brand name running shoes for half the cost of in that section. And fifth, I started working more to pay down the debts sooner. I get tired, but see an end in sight.
Our country is in debt. We spend way more money than we make. Somehow that has to stop!! I have a strong feeling that if you really want to improve in financial matters, looking for a president that has absolute success in those matters would be an obvious choice!
Is Mitt Romney totally out of touch with the middle class? Don't think so, but I am pretty sure he has never eaten beans because that was what he could afford. Is that a bad thing? Nope. One does not have to sink to my level to care about me! I read once that if you really wanted to be successful you should study what other successful people do and try to emulate them. Made sense to me. (I KNOW a lot more things than I put into practice, it is true.) Governor Romney is a successful business man and I think it would behoove us to listen to what he has to say. He wants to stop spending money. That will be hard. Some people are going to lose programs that they have come to rely on. Do I like that? No! I wish everyone could have everything! It just doesn't work that way! Cuts have to come about and that is a fact!
Some people seemed to make the whole Big Bird comment from the first debate an issue. I honestly thing that became an issue because of biased media reporting. For pete's sake. He wants to stop government spending. Cutting $446 million dollars for PBS from the spending budget does not seem wrong to me. I have seen reports that because he wants to stop this expense he doesn't love children or care about quality and educational television. That is totally absurd. The reality is that cutting $446 million dollars barely puts a dent into what we need to do and it won't really have a strong impact on PBS television, but we have to start somewhere.
People are worried about the food stamp program. Oh my, it is going to be cut and people will go hungry. Good grief. I am not against giving a hand up. Once again a personal note. I have had a rough time in my life. My daughter was 15 and died in her sleep. That changed my life!!! I will always claim temporary insanity brought on by grief. I did some strange things during that time. First crazy thing I did was to actually throw her bed down the stairs! I insisted it leave my house!!! Why? I have no idea. I was crazy. Next thing, I left my husband! My husband had nothing to do with the tragedy that our family had to face, but I was crazy! I packed up seven children and moved them into a beat up two bedroom house. I didn't know at the time that I would be basically paralyzed for a year, unable to work or function in a normal fashion. But all of a sudden I was faced with the fact that I had NO money, NO job, and NO desire to help myself. I sought the help of my church and was given it in so many ways. I also got food stamps for my kids. I personally didn't care what I ate, but I knew that they needed me to provide for them in some way.
Our system is so messed up. Jose had to go through it in order to pay child support. He never hedged on that, but it literally took MONTHS for his money to reach us! I got on a short term disability (craziness qualifies for that and I will always be grateful to the people who helped me know that). Once again even though it was approved, it took months to see any money. Finally when all was said and done, I was able to see some financial relief. I did return back to the workforce. Funny thing. Once I got a job and regular child support, I went to the food stamp office to get off the program. The woman there was really annoyed with me because I still qualified but didn't feel it was the right thing to do. I hate to think I am the exception in this, but I didn't want to take advantage of the system.
I qualified for $735 per month. Wow, I had never spent that kind of money in groceries alone in my life. That was almost 8 years ago when food wasn't as costly. I was surprised to find out that a person can buy any type of food on food stamps. Did you all know that you could buy pop and candy? I didn't do a lot of that, but I could have! A friend of mine is a manager at a store. He gets very passionate about this subject. When he was working a woman bought 97 chocolate bunnies and put it on her food card. UGH! I have another friend that was in the grocery store buying hamburger and hotdogs. The woman in front of her purchased t-bone steaks and chips. Yep, on her EBT card. What about that is right?
There has to be a better way!!!!
I personally feel that the program should be run more like the WIC program. WIC foods are particular. There is a list of things that can be purchased and those things are healthy and not conveniently packaged (which raises the cost of everything as you well know.) Going through all of the checking can be a hassle at the grocery store if you are behind someone using WIC, but we should all slow down a bit anyway.
What about nutritional education and perhaps cooking lessons for people who receive benefits? Years ago I worked for the county as a daycare provider and received money for food for my daycare. Because of that program, I was able to keep costs down for working women. I was required to plan and prepare nutritional foods. At any given time a woman could come into my home and check out my menus. If I wasn't prepared with them, I would lose money. Why couldn't something like that be implemented in our food stamp program? Let's all talk to our congressmen or women!!!!
Romney doesn't want to stop people who need them from getting food stamps. He wants to fix a broken system! Wonder if he would listen to my ideas.
Well, if you are still reading this, I want to apologize for the lengthy ramble. I will stop now to give you a break. Tune in again for another segment! I will be speaking on education, family values, and military issues.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Change is Good!
Ladies and Gentleman, Brothers and Sisters, Fellow Ohioans, Friends, Romans, and Countrymen,
Did I get your attention? I certainly hope so because I feel that what I have to say is important!! I worked last night and spent most of my time alone while the residents slept. Let that be a forewarning; I had a lot of solitude time to think. It all made perfect sense in my head at 3:00 a.m. so hopefully it will here.
First off, yes, I am talking politics! I hope you didn't leave my blog............ Voting in this country is NOT a right, it is a privilege! There are many U.S citizens who can't do that. For example, one must be 18 years of age. That leaves out a lot of folks. One also must not be a felon. Unfortunately, that leaves out way too many people as well. To clarify that, I mean it is unfortunate to have so many people convicted of felonies in this country, not that we don't allow them to vote. ---------- I have heard so many people during this election season say that they don't vote or that there vote doesn't matter. That seems sad to me. Yes, it is true that a president can win without the majority of popular vote, BUT the electoral congress votes the way the people in a particular state votes. Ohio has 18 votes. Those votes count! Statistics show that NO republican has ever won the presidential election without winning Ohio. If a candidate loses by even one popular vote, all of the electoral votes could conceivably go to that winner. That is how important your vote can be!
Change was the title of this blog so here I go. When a company is going under, business is dropping, money is being lost, etc, guess what happens to that CEO. Exactly, he is booted out by the Board of Directors. For you sports fans, what happens to a coach who cannot produce a winning team? Does he get chance after chance to do something different? NO. The owners have a meeting and out goes the coach! Those leaders do not usually have the opportunity to make excuses or blame the other guy; they are simply replaced when their contracts are up! Shouldn't that be the same case in the United States? If something doesn't work, should we not try something else??? And frankly, even you nay-sayers have to admit, this is not working. We, as a country are NOT working!
Facts:
1. For you young people who may be reading this. Unemployment rates among young people ages 16-25 is up to 16.8%. That is a lot of young Americans not working. I will explain how that impacts our country further into this blog.
2. For you women (especially those who feel that Romney is out of touch with you) According to the Labor statistics, women are definitely getting the rough end of this economic mess we are in.
First off to address the working women - we are still earning 77% that of men. "Women with a college degree will earn hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a man over the course of their lifetime". Barack Obama made that statement in April 2012! That was 3 + years after he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Bill! Now as for that bill....... He made it a point in his debate to make sure everyone knew that he signed it on day one of his presidency. The point he didn't make is that the bill was not a new concept. The Equal Pay Act was initiated in 1963!!!!!! It has been there, just really handled poorly! What Pres Obama did was to basically amend that act stating that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding discrimination resets with each new paycheck affected by that discriminatory action. Just a reminder, he signed that bill in 2009. But in 2012 women are still getting "77 cents to every $1.00 that a man earns". His words, not mine. The law was not an equal pay law. It was about opening up lawsuits. Not sure what the statistics of lawsuits are because I couldn't find any. Just so you know, YES, I am in favor of equal pay for equal jobs, whether it is man/woman, white/black, hairy/bald. If you do the same job, you should get the same pay!
Follow this link to get an interesting viewpoint on women in cabinet positions. It seems both candidates need to work on this! http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/10/18/white-house-record-on-women-should-be-better/ Women are just not equally represented, period!
Now on to those unemployed women - I can go to 100 different sites (I basically did) and get 100 different reports on this. The two things that are agreed upon is that way too many women are not working, and that the recovery among women is much slower than that among men. Statistically, that has not been the case - in past recession recoveries, woman are usually must faster to recover than men. I am a little foggy as to why that matters and why that isn't happening.
Wow, I have said a lot. But I have so much more to say. Just can't continue right now. Come back tomorrow for part 2.
Did I get your attention? I certainly hope so because I feel that what I have to say is important!! I worked last night and spent most of my time alone while the residents slept. Let that be a forewarning; I had a lot of solitude time to think. It all made perfect sense in my head at 3:00 a.m. so hopefully it will here.
First off, yes, I am talking politics! I hope you didn't leave my blog............ Voting in this country is NOT a right, it is a privilege! There are many U.S citizens who can't do that. For example, one must be 18 years of age. That leaves out a lot of folks. One also must not be a felon. Unfortunately, that leaves out way too many people as well. To clarify that, I mean it is unfortunate to have so many people convicted of felonies in this country, not that we don't allow them to vote. ---------- I have heard so many people during this election season say that they don't vote or that there vote doesn't matter. That seems sad to me. Yes, it is true that a president can win without the majority of popular vote, BUT the electoral congress votes the way the people in a particular state votes. Ohio has 18 votes. Those votes count! Statistics show that NO republican has ever won the presidential election without winning Ohio. If a candidate loses by even one popular vote, all of the electoral votes could conceivably go to that winner. That is how important your vote can be!
Change was the title of this blog so here I go. When a company is going under, business is dropping, money is being lost, etc, guess what happens to that CEO. Exactly, he is booted out by the Board of Directors. For you sports fans, what happens to a coach who cannot produce a winning team? Does he get chance after chance to do something different? NO. The owners have a meeting and out goes the coach! Those leaders do not usually have the opportunity to make excuses or blame the other guy; they are simply replaced when their contracts are up! Shouldn't that be the same case in the United States? If something doesn't work, should we not try something else??? And frankly, even you nay-sayers have to admit, this is not working. We, as a country are NOT working!
Facts:
1. For you young people who may be reading this. Unemployment rates among young people ages 16-25 is up to 16.8%. That is a lot of young Americans not working. I will explain how that impacts our country further into this blog.
2. For you women (especially those who feel that Romney is out of touch with you) According to the Labor statistics, women are definitely getting the rough end of this economic mess we are in.
First off to address the working women - we are still earning 77% that of men. "Women with a college degree will earn hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a man over the course of their lifetime". Barack Obama made that statement in April 2012! That was 3 + years after he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Bill! Now as for that bill....... He made it a point in his debate to make sure everyone knew that he signed it on day one of his presidency. The point he didn't make is that the bill was not a new concept. The Equal Pay Act was initiated in 1963!!!!!! It has been there, just really handled poorly! What Pres Obama did was to basically amend that act stating that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding discrimination resets with each new paycheck affected by that discriminatory action. Just a reminder, he signed that bill in 2009. But in 2012 women are still getting "77 cents to every $1.00 that a man earns". His words, not mine. The law was not an equal pay law. It was about opening up lawsuits. Not sure what the statistics of lawsuits are because I couldn't find any. Just so you know, YES, I am in favor of equal pay for equal jobs, whether it is man/woman, white/black, hairy/bald. If you do the same job, you should get the same pay!
Follow this link to get an interesting viewpoint on women in cabinet positions. It seems both candidates need to work on this! http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/10/18/white-house-record-on-women-should-be-better/ Women are just not equally represented, period!
Now on to those unemployed women - I can go to 100 different sites (I basically did) and get 100 different reports on this. The two things that are agreed upon is that way too many women are not working, and that the recovery among women is much slower than that among men. Statistically, that has not been the case - in past recession recoveries, woman are usually must faster to recover than men. I am a little foggy as to why that matters and why that isn't happening.
Wow, I have said a lot. But I have so much more to say. Just can't continue right now. Come back tomorrow for part 2.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Debate WHAT?
To say that I was disappointed doesn't really describe the feelings I had and still have. My feelings had nothing to do with the election or what the candidates had to say. It was the manner in which they delivered their messages that annoyed me. I am sure that if the election were based on that 90 minute session, I would have to vote write in my vote - probably for my friend, Duaine Cluckey.
Vice-president, Joe Biden, was arrogant and condescending. His cynical smile and inappropriate laughter was an insult to both Paul Ryan and the position which he holds and hopes to continue to hold. I think he felt that he had to find some way to make up for the ground that President Obama lost after his debate. I just hope the American voters saw it for what it was. He was trying to belittle Ryan and use the age factor to his advantage. He seemed to be lording over him, as if Ryan was an insignificant opponent. His manner seem to say to me, "Go away, little man. You bother me." I wish I would have tallied the number of times he referred to Ryan as his friend. My guess is that they are about as likely to be friends as........... Oh I don't have a reference, but they are NOT friends. Why use that term over and over again?
Before I left the house I asked Sarah to watch the debate and fill me in on what I missed. She did watch it but when I asked her what happened, she said honestly, "I have NO idea." Politics just does not interest her and she is totally unaware of the world around her and how she will be affected tomorrow by the adult choices of today. Since that is a typical teenage response to things, I am not worried. But she did say one more thing. "I discovered that I do NOT like Joe Biden." When I asked her why, my teenager replied that he was sooooooooo disrespectful. Yay, Sarah! She could see how he was in her few brief minutes of observation. It makes me proud that she had the same feelings that I did.
Now for Paul Ryan. He reminded me of a deer in the headlights. He was wide-eyed and didn't actually seem to know how to defend himself against Biden's crazy attacks. He let Biden talk way too much. What was up with the constant water drinking. Did he do that to put off an answer? Was that his thinking time? I do think he came filled with facts and I was especially impressed with his knowledge of foreign issues. He made some really good points when he talked and I felt educated on several different topics. I already knew he had lots to say about domestic issues such as the economy and the debt, so I was happy to hear more. I just don't feel that he brought his A game when it came to stopping the musings of Biden. Was he just being respectful? Or did he really not know what to say?
One thing I am grateful for. No election is ever decided on a vice-presidential debate!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
I decided to try to blog again. Actually, I had completely forgotten about this one. Emily found it when she was trying to help me set one up. Yes, for those of you who may be wondering, senility has set in!
Today was our annual Primary Program in church. For those who aren't sure what that is, it is a chance for the children to share what they had learned all year. Their testimonies were given in words and song. This year was a bittersweet one for me. Andy is eleven, which means that this is his last year of Primary, the last year that my children will participate in this manner. Andy was excited! Not for the program, but because it was his last one!!! He is so shy and hates getting in front of people. I was nervous for him, but he was a champ. No one could tell how much he HATED being up there and his talk was really sweet. OK, I helped him with it ALOT, but it was the delivery that counted. (And I will continue telling myself that!)
Choose the Right was the theme for the year. I was really touched. It always amazes me how much those sweet little spirits can grasp the gospel. In fact, when I see and hear them, I am reminded of why the Savior answered the question "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" with this statement, "Except ye... become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3).
After the program I had the privilege of spending time with some of those children. Fifteen kids participated and twelve of them are in my CTR class. They were exceptionally high-spirited after their presentation, but I felt very blessed. THEY GET IT! Sometimes I wonder who is teaching whom. I learn so much from them. In fact, they LOVE teaching me. Give any one of them the opportunity to talk, and they gladly take it. Gospel principles, their new puppies, their week in school, their broken toenails, etc. They teach it all. I get more hugs in that short period of time than I get all week, always leave that class on a spiritual high, and can't wait for the next week to do it all over again.
On that note, I will close!
Today was our annual Primary Program in church. For those who aren't sure what that is, it is a chance for the children to share what they had learned all year. Their testimonies were given in words and song. This year was a bittersweet one for me. Andy is eleven, which means that this is his last year of Primary, the last year that my children will participate in this manner. Andy was excited! Not for the program, but because it was his last one!!! He is so shy and hates getting in front of people. I was nervous for him, but he was a champ. No one could tell how much he HATED being up there and his talk was really sweet. OK, I helped him with it ALOT, but it was the delivery that counted. (And I will continue telling myself that!)
Choose the Right was the theme for the year. I was really touched. It always amazes me how much those sweet little spirits can grasp the gospel. In fact, when I see and hear them, I am reminded of why the Savior answered the question "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" with this statement, "Except ye... become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3).
After the program I had the privilege of spending time with some of those children. Fifteen kids participated and twelve of them are in my CTR class. They were exceptionally high-spirited after their presentation, but I felt very blessed. THEY GET IT! Sometimes I wonder who is teaching whom. I learn so much from them. In fact, they LOVE teaching me. Give any one of them the opportunity to talk, and they gladly take it. Gospel principles, their new puppies, their week in school, their broken toenails, etc. They teach it all. I get more hugs in that short period of time than I get all week, always leave that class on a spiritual high, and can't wait for the next week to do it all over again.
On that note, I will close!
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