Every single time I share my testimony or a painful experience with a Christian, I am told that I need to forgive. They say they sense some deep unforgiveness within me and that I need to 'give it to God, let go and forgive'. This troubles me greatly as I have prayed through and gotten over, gotten past the grudge holding and KNOW in my heart that I have forgiven. But when I try to explain this, I am told that it is 'sensed' that I just have too much bitterness still and they 'feel' that I've not truly forgiven.
Well, let me explain something, once and for all...
Years ago my husband broke his ankle and he refused to go to the doctor. It healed, but it healed slowly. Who can say if it healed correctly or wrong, but it healed. A doctor even told him that about the only way to truly 'heal' a broken ankle was by surgery, screws and pins and that could often be more troublesome than allowing it to heal on it's own. But to this day, if he steps wrong or there is a sudden weather change, it hurts him. There are certain kinds of boots he can not wear or it tends to aggravate the old injury and sometimes after long walks & drives, that ankle swells. However, it is healed and he walks and he works. He can even run, but that ankle will always be weak and tender.
I had three babies, all by c-section. Each took me months to recover from; weeks for the incision to heal, months for the muscles to regain strength. Because the muscles had been severed, they will never again be as strong as they were before and to this day, that scar is sensitive. Scar tissue has formed and sometimes, if I move wrong, the pain is intense enough to take my breath away and make me cry. But, that incision is healed perfectly.
The same is true of wounds and hurts of our heart and mind.
Some are severe breaks. Some are deep stab wounds. Some are merely scratches and bruises. Sometimes the wound becomes infected and sometimes the wounds are aggravated by more woundings at the same site. Sometimes the wounds are picked at and sometimes they are just so deep that they must heal from the inside out before a protective scab can form, but often an ugly wide scar will remain. Regardless of the wound, each must go through a healing process and healing takes time.
However, no matter how well a wound heals, how invisible the scar might be, that area WILL ALWAYS BE SENSITIVE! It is just a fact of wounding, healing & scarring!
Just like my c-section scar. It healed beautifully twenty-two years ago, yet if I move wrong, or sneeze hard, the scar tissue pulls taunt and it feels as if I've ripped that incision open all over again!
That does not mean it has not healed. That does not mean that the wound is wide open. It is simply a fact of scar tissue.
The same is true with wounds of life.
I remember, with vivid detail, the wounds of my life. Some healed quickly and without any scarring. But others were never cleansed and never given time to heal before another wound was inflicted, and those wounds became infected, took longer to heal than they should have and left a very ugly scar...and the scar tissue still pulls taunt under the right circumstances, causing pain all over again. Of course, I know that the wound is healed, but the pain takes my breath away and causes me to remember the initial wound.
This does not mean that I have not forgiven. It simply means that my memory remains intact and it reminds me that there are areas of my life that will always be tender in order that I might have compassion for others suffering the same wounds and scars.
Perhaps the good thing about those who do not understand this thing about wounds, healing and scarring is that they themselves have not had to suffer wounds...The bad thing would be that they are in utter denial because we are all wounded to some degree. That is just a part of living this life.
Therefore, I am of the opinion that if I can love and pray for those who have caused my wounds, if my heart aches for the judgement they will one day suffer, then I HAVE most definitely FORGIVEN them...and it is only satan who pops his ugly head up to tell me I haven't forgiven in hopes that I will question my assurance and lie back down to wallow in the filthy mud that Jesus already cleaned up a long, long time ago!
Am I bitter?
Well, aren't we all a little bitter when we recall wounds of our past? I'm still a bit bitter when I remember falling down the steps and breaking 6 or 7 bones in my foot back in 2005! I was laid up all summer long and it hurt like the dickens. So yeah, I'm bitter about any injury I've ever suffered. But that's because I don't like pain of any sort. Doesn't mean I've not forgiven myself for not paying attention when I stepped wrong and fell down those stairs, just that I'm bitter recalling how careless I was at the time and how those bones sounded & felt when they broke!!!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
In defense of a small Texas town...
As I wander through this little world of mine, I am often perplexed at the arrogance and narrowmindedness of people. I've often found that this arrogance and narrowmindedness actually lends themselves to a better definition of complete and total stupidity!
One instance of this would be a small town...A small town that I have loved since I was a child. A town that seems to call for me, almost as if it is beckoning me to 'come home'.
Some years ago, this town was a thriving town, considering it's location. But as the years passed by and 'progress' happened, it has slowly dwindled.
There is a public school there. Some say it is great. Others say, not so much. Regardless, it isn't filled with gangster wanna-be's or big time drug dealers and the classrooms are small and manageable.
The rail road still travels through there and Amtrack has a Whistle Stop.
There is a bank, a post office, a court house, a couple of convenience stores, a feed store, a good dependable eatery, and a few other small places of business. But a metroplex it is not.
There is a nice park for the kids and an even better hiking trail to the top of a hill/mountain that overlooks the town. There is a quaint visitors center where a sweet lady can tell you just about anything factual you want to know about the area and the county. There is an RV park, a place to refill your propane bottles and there is a place that can work on your auto & tires. There are two real estate offices in the town as well.
There is a Hunter's Feast in the fall and a few other interesting gatherings throughout the year that can be fun for all and profitable for the town.
And there are some really wonderful people there...Unfortunately, not all of the wonderful people hold positions of leadership or status, which is a shame.
The largest convenience store & gas station is without a doubt the slowest, most aggravating convenience store I've ever had the displeasure of doing business with!
One of the realtors, while a kind and likable man, is also the least prompt businessman I've ever had to deal with!
A real estate agent once showed me a property & when said agent found out that I was a simple housewife and could offer neither big money or trade to the town, she was more or less done with me!
A business owner had a property I was interested in, but when I went to his business to inquire about it, he was busy shooting the bull with another person and never acknowledged my presence.
I recently sent another business owner an idea that would possibly help the town recieve good attention, since they are constantly saying they want tourism, and he scoffed at my idea. More or less said it was a silly idea & he wasn't interested in wide publicity for the town.
One person even told me, when I complained about the lack of prompt attention to a business matter, "We're a small town. We do things a lot slower in small towns than y'all do in big cities."
This struck me as hilarious because, you see, the town I grew up in, the town I often refer to as my 'home' was so small it wasn't even considered a town! Just a 'settlement'! But I well remember that if you called someone, they called you back immediately. If you walked into the store on the corner, they looked up and welcomed you or at the least, made eye contact with you. If you were new to the area, someone would stop in to welcome you. It might be your next door neighbor or the white haired ladies from the Baptist Church, but someone would take the time to say, "Welcome!" And if there was a 'happening', everyone called everyone else and got the word out. We wanted to be recognized & we liked as much piblicity as we could get!
So, as I ponder this subject, I find that this town might very well die, eventually, if these arrogant, selfserving people with their rude attitudes and lack of Texan-styled hospitality are allowed to represent this beautiful little town indefinitely.
If tourist passing through can not be waited on in a timely and polite manner, they will realize that they'd better stock up before leaving the big town and use their bank cards at the pumps.
If a realtor can not return your correspondence within 24 hours, regardless, then how in the heck can he sell properties?
If a realtor's agent isn't interested in your purchasing property because you aren't wealthy and can not or will not be bringing a business to the town, wouldn't that give anyone pause about relocating there to send their kids to a small, safe school?
If a 'leader' in the community was only interested in his chosen, and very limited, vocation in getting any word of this town, it's happenings & events out to the world, only because he fears it would cost him dollars in revenue, wouldn't that be selfserving and just a bit greedy? Especially if the proposed idea was free & had the ability to create more tourism for the town???
In closing, as crazy as it might sound, I would still like to one day be a resident of this town because I kind of have the feeling that they need an outspoken old woman like myself! I might not be able to change anything, but I guarantee you, I'd sure give 'em hell!!!
One instance of this would be a small town...A small town that I have loved since I was a child. A town that seems to call for me, almost as if it is beckoning me to 'come home'.
Some years ago, this town was a thriving town, considering it's location. But as the years passed by and 'progress' happened, it has slowly dwindled.
There is a public school there. Some say it is great. Others say, not so much. Regardless, it isn't filled with gangster wanna-be's or big time drug dealers and the classrooms are small and manageable.
The rail road still travels through there and Amtrack has a Whistle Stop.
There is a bank, a post office, a court house, a couple of convenience stores, a feed store, a good dependable eatery, and a few other small places of business. But a metroplex it is not.
There is a nice park for the kids and an even better hiking trail to the top of a hill/mountain that overlooks the town. There is a quaint visitors center where a sweet lady can tell you just about anything factual you want to know about the area and the county. There is an RV park, a place to refill your propane bottles and there is a place that can work on your auto & tires. There are two real estate offices in the town as well.
There is a Hunter's Feast in the fall and a few other interesting gatherings throughout the year that can be fun for all and profitable for the town.
And there are some really wonderful people there...Unfortunately, not all of the wonderful people hold positions of leadership or status, which is a shame.
The largest convenience store & gas station is without a doubt the slowest, most aggravating convenience store I've ever had the displeasure of doing business with!
One of the realtors, while a kind and likable man, is also the least prompt businessman I've ever had to deal with!
A real estate agent once showed me a property & when said agent found out that I was a simple housewife and could offer neither big money or trade to the town, she was more or less done with me!
A business owner had a property I was interested in, but when I went to his business to inquire about it, he was busy shooting the bull with another person and never acknowledged my presence.
I recently sent another business owner an idea that would possibly help the town recieve good attention, since they are constantly saying they want tourism, and he scoffed at my idea. More or less said it was a silly idea & he wasn't interested in wide publicity for the town.
One person even told me, when I complained about the lack of prompt attention to a business matter, "We're a small town. We do things a lot slower in small towns than y'all do in big cities."
This struck me as hilarious because, you see, the town I grew up in, the town I often refer to as my 'home' was so small it wasn't even considered a town! Just a 'settlement'! But I well remember that if you called someone, they called you back immediately. If you walked into the store on the corner, they looked up and welcomed you or at the least, made eye contact with you. If you were new to the area, someone would stop in to welcome you. It might be your next door neighbor or the white haired ladies from the Baptist Church, but someone would take the time to say, "Welcome!" And if there was a 'happening', everyone called everyone else and got the word out. We wanted to be recognized & we liked as much piblicity as we could get!
So, as I ponder this subject, I find that this town might very well die, eventually, if these arrogant, selfserving people with their rude attitudes and lack of Texan-styled hospitality are allowed to represent this beautiful little town indefinitely.
If tourist passing through can not be waited on in a timely and polite manner, they will realize that they'd better stock up before leaving the big town and use their bank cards at the pumps.
If a realtor can not return your correspondence within 24 hours, regardless, then how in the heck can he sell properties?
If a realtor's agent isn't interested in your purchasing property because you aren't wealthy and can not or will not be bringing a business to the town, wouldn't that give anyone pause about relocating there to send their kids to a small, safe school?
If a 'leader' in the community was only interested in his chosen, and very limited, vocation in getting any word of this town, it's happenings & events out to the world, only because he fears it would cost him dollars in revenue, wouldn't that be selfserving and just a bit greedy? Especially if the proposed idea was free & had the ability to create more tourism for the town???
In closing, as crazy as it might sound, I would still like to one day be a resident of this town because I kind of have the feeling that they need an outspoken old woman like myself! I might not be able to change anything, but I guarantee you, I'd sure give 'em hell!!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Laughing Owl
Laughing - To express certain emotions, especially mirth or delight, by a series of spontaneous, usually unarticulated sounds often accompanied by corresponding facial and bodily movements.
To show or feel amusement or good humor.
To feel a triumphant or exultant sense of well-being.
To affect or influence by laughter.
The act and the sound of laughing; laughter.
OWL - denotes wisdom, a symbol of knowledge, heightened observational skills, introspective, brooding, can see in the dark, developed awareness, high spiritual enlightenment It can also mean to use more judgment in a life situation. In the negative, it represents nocturnal "furtive' habits, solitude, silent flight, a plaintive 'harbinger of death' cry, and symbolize a turning away from spiritual light.
To show or feel amusement or good humor.
To feel a triumphant or exultant sense of well-being.
To affect or influence by laughter.
The act and the sound of laughing; laughter.
OWL - denotes wisdom, a symbol of knowledge, heightened observational skills, introspective, brooding, can see in the dark, developed awareness, high spiritual enlightenment It can also mean to use more judgment in a life situation. In the negative, it represents nocturnal "furtive' habits, solitude, silent flight, a plaintive 'harbinger of death' cry, and symbolize a turning away from spiritual light.
Names....
Names can be peculiar.
When we are born, our 'civilized' parents give us names that THEY like and if we are fortunate, those names will fit us and not be too awfully repulsive to us as we grow older and wiser and then have a chance to name our own children.
When I was a child, I found my name acceptable, but often dreamed of it being something more...such as Holly or Jessica, Jacqueline or Molly, Shiloh or Rebecca...I even found it ironic that had my mother had her way, she would have named me Rebecca and it sometimes saddened me that she did not.
Later, when I begin to write fictional stories, I named my characters Molly, Jessica, Jacqueline, Holly and Rebecca, just to name a few. I could live through these women and I could be them because I could envision myself called by these names that I'd given them.
Later, as my writing sometimes took on a more personal note and not always of kind and generous nature, I became a little fearful of what might happen if one day, out of sheer curiosity, one of my antagonist read something written by me about them! Even if I changed names to protect the guilty, they would know their crimes and their sins and they would be riled!
Along about this time, I also discovered some very interesting data concerning my ancestors and I finally had a clear reason why I'd always been drawn to certain groups and embraced certain codes for living. It finally made sense. I finally understood. The blood that flows through me, while diluted, still flows.
It occured to me one night, as I was conversing with a woman whose ancestral blood was thicker than my own, that I COULD have another name and it could be one that fit me, one that embraced me, one that meant something to ME!
She gave me a two worded name, but I was unhappy with the 2nd. It simply did not fit who I am or who I have ever been. But the first name? She couldn't have been more accurate!
I had had an encounter with an animal that left me with more questions than answers. I was advised to study this creature and study it well for it was possible that God was trying to tell me something about myself; impart a little wisdom, warn me of foolish behavior, remind me of my strengths and challenge me to strengthen those things within me that were weak.
And so I studied this creature, and the more I studied it, the more I saw pieces of my own personality made evident by this creature.
It's strengths were strengths I possessed, though not many people ever take the time to know me well enough to see. It's weaknesses were similar to my own and sadly, more people see this part of my nature than I'd like.
And so, one night it just hit me...This creature would be my 2nd name.
I wrote it down. I liked how it looked. It felt right. It felt comfortable. It felt like the true me that people seldom, if ever see.
I added the 3rd name as tribute to my ancestor, as well as in memory of a Great man whose words in the 1700's would prove absolutely prophetic as they all came true!
There are few that know that I am of two names and of those few, a couple have laughed at me...thought me silly and I little (or maybe a lot) off in the head. But that is okay because I am who I am, of dual nature and always ready to break the molds of society's expectations and the 'way things are done'.
I can call myself any old thing I want to call myself...My birth given name that my parents chose for me and put on my legal, recorded birth certificate, AND the name I chose for myself with the help of someone who was blessed by a certain aspect of my personality and by a creature that God sent into my path for an encounter I will not soon forget.
So laugh, if you will, and wallow around in your skepticism and critical judgement...It will have no effect on me as I observe you closely and laugh for the pure joy of laughing:)
When we are born, our 'civilized' parents give us names that THEY like and if we are fortunate, those names will fit us and not be too awfully repulsive to us as we grow older and wiser and then have a chance to name our own children.
When I was a child, I found my name acceptable, but often dreamed of it being something more...such as Holly or Jessica, Jacqueline or Molly, Shiloh or Rebecca...I even found it ironic that had my mother had her way, she would have named me Rebecca and it sometimes saddened me that she did not.
Later, when I begin to write fictional stories, I named my characters Molly, Jessica, Jacqueline, Holly and Rebecca, just to name a few. I could live through these women and I could be them because I could envision myself called by these names that I'd given them.
Later, as my writing sometimes took on a more personal note and not always of kind and generous nature, I became a little fearful of what might happen if one day, out of sheer curiosity, one of my antagonist read something written by me about them! Even if I changed names to protect the guilty, they would know their crimes and their sins and they would be riled!
Along about this time, I also discovered some very interesting data concerning my ancestors and I finally had a clear reason why I'd always been drawn to certain groups and embraced certain codes for living. It finally made sense. I finally understood. The blood that flows through me, while diluted, still flows.
It occured to me one night, as I was conversing with a woman whose ancestral blood was thicker than my own, that I COULD have another name and it could be one that fit me, one that embraced me, one that meant something to ME!
She gave me a two worded name, but I was unhappy with the 2nd. It simply did not fit who I am or who I have ever been. But the first name? She couldn't have been more accurate!
I had had an encounter with an animal that left me with more questions than answers. I was advised to study this creature and study it well for it was possible that God was trying to tell me something about myself; impart a little wisdom, warn me of foolish behavior, remind me of my strengths and challenge me to strengthen those things within me that were weak.
And so I studied this creature, and the more I studied it, the more I saw pieces of my own personality made evident by this creature.
It's strengths were strengths I possessed, though not many people ever take the time to know me well enough to see. It's weaknesses were similar to my own and sadly, more people see this part of my nature than I'd like.
And so, one night it just hit me...This creature would be my 2nd name.
I wrote it down. I liked how it looked. It felt right. It felt comfortable. It felt like the true me that people seldom, if ever see.
I added the 3rd name as tribute to my ancestor, as well as in memory of a Great man whose words in the 1700's would prove absolutely prophetic as they all came true!
There are few that know that I am of two names and of those few, a couple have laughed at me...thought me silly and I little (or maybe a lot) off in the head. But that is okay because I am who I am, of dual nature and always ready to break the molds of society's expectations and the 'way things are done'.
I can call myself any old thing I want to call myself...My birth given name that my parents chose for me and put on my legal, recorded birth certificate, AND the name I chose for myself with the help of someone who was blessed by a certain aspect of my personality and by a creature that God sent into my path for an encounter I will not soon forget.
So laugh, if you will, and wallow around in your skepticism and critical judgement...It will have no effect on me as I observe you closely and laugh for the pure joy of laughing:)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Herman Cain
I gotta vent...
Politics have always been boring to me. I didn't care, didn't give them a second thought...Until the last presidential election.
I hated Obama, but wasn't too awfully thrilled with McCain, either. Both seemed to me to be glory hounds, career politicians and or power seekers. Neither told me anything I cared to hear, about anything that interested me. BUT, I didn't want Obama to win because he was really throwing that race card around and courting the hispanic population, many of which were not even legal voters...though I am pretty sure those illegal voters voted and had their votes counted!
So, when he won, I wanted to vomit...and have kept that nausea ever day since!
I don't care what all the democratic folks say...Obama has done NOTHING good for the United States of America! NOTHING!!!
He's talked bad about us to other countries. He's ignored our governers, unless of course they are democrats and can further his socialist cause. He's tried to force federal regulations on states, left & right. Not because it is the will of the people, but because it is his and his cabinets will. The list goes on and on...
The sonofabitch just needs to freakin' GO!
Lately, I've been seeing and hearing about all of these people throwing their hats in the ring for the Republican nomination. Some pulled out early, thank God, but I wish a whole lot others would pull out, too!
Newt Gingrich...Are you kidding me? This man is a career politician, makes more money than God, spends more money than satan, is a womanizer who can't seem to make one marriage work, let alone two and now he's in his third...And not only that, he changed his religious beliefs and converted to Catholicism not long ago. Well, this should give pause to just about anyone with any sense...The man is apparently ADD, maybe even ADHD. Can't make his mind up, jumps from one set of bones to another, isn't sure what he believes so he changes his beliefs AFTER mid-life, charges excessively on credit cards, sticks his liberal foot in his mouth every chance he gets, and so on.
He'd be NO Better than the idjit we already have in office. Hell, he'd probably make Bill CLinton look like a school boy with his sexual escapades! Not to mention hocking the White House at Tiffany's!
And just about every other candidate stirs up the same fears, same worries, same questions, same negativity....save one.
I was raised in Texas; a descendant of MANY Southerners, a few even fought for the Confederacy back in the Civil War. Many people would have others believe that the Civil War was ALL about slavery. It wasn't. It was about the South's refusal to be controlled by the Union government. We did not think it was fair or right for the Union to dictate to our states how we should think, feel, behave, etc. We wanted the RIGHT to govern ourselves, and unfortunately slavery just happened to be a major topic in these differences.
And now look where we are!!!!
I am not a racist because I am a child of God, and God made us ALL.
I am a Christian and I am a patriotic American.
I am SICK of career politicians being elected to office, promising us all kinds of things, yet once elected, these people seek out and complete their own selfish, greed ridden agendas and the rest of the United States of America be damned!
I mean, seriously...Look at where we are at today!
So, I heard about this man from Georgia, Herman Cain, and I decided to check him out. Man, was I EVER surprised!
He's NOT a career politician. He's a southerner, he's a devout Christian, he believes and will fight for the Constitution of the United States of America. He's a businessman, having turned, not one, but two companies around that were on the verge of bankruptcy when he arrived and made them into profitable companies, both. He was diagnosed with stage IV cancer in 2006 & doctors told him he had a 30% chance of survival. He refused to give up and got a second opinion...God performed a miracle in his body and now he is cancer free and has been for several years.
He's outlined problems with the U.S. and then, he's offered detailed solutions to repairing those problems. He does not say it will be easy, nor does he promise an unrealistic, pain free healing...But for once, he is someone who offers actual, do-able, realistic means to solving our problems.
Oh...Did I mention that he is black?
Well, for those of you who take issue with this, let me throw you an idea...
Obama is not 'black'. He is bi-racial. However, Obama does enjoy throwing his 'race' card around for all to see, even while lying and saying it doesn't matter. It does...to him!
This man from Georgia is a true southern black man...and he does not like the race card!
(He also abhors the current welfare system. He can not stand dead beats who use it as a way of life. I agree with that!)
SO, I wonder...with whites headed toward becoming the minority race in the U.S., how interesting would it be to have a Southern Black man who was a devout Christian & who was super patriotic run against the liberal, lying, self serving bi-racial man who uses the race card like a shield???
I also think that the republican party will do themselves a deep injustice if they court the white career politicians with muddied backgrounds and track records that cause us to wince, and neglect this Southern Black Man who actually CAN inspire us to not only hope, but heal as a nation!
I pray for Herman Cain and I pray for you if you are leaning away from him simply due to his skin color or the stupid fact that he's never held office before. I mean, seriously? Why should that matter? Look at where the politicians have gotten us thus far...And besides, could he really do us anymore harm that Obama has already done?
And anyway, what better man to beat Obama in his run for another term of president than a TRUE black man???
Just my thoughts...
Politics have always been boring to me. I didn't care, didn't give them a second thought...Until the last presidential election.
I hated Obama, but wasn't too awfully thrilled with McCain, either. Both seemed to me to be glory hounds, career politicians and or power seekers. Neither told me anything I cared to hear, about anything that interested me. BUT, I didn't want Obama to win because he was really throwing that race card around and courting the hispanic population, many of which were not even legal voters...though I am pretty sure those illegal voters voted and had their votes counted!
So, when he won, I wanted to vomit...and have kept that nausea ever day since!
I don't care what all the democratic folks say...Obama has done NOTHING good for the United States of America! NOTHING!!!
He's talked bad about us to other countries. He's ignored our governers, unless of course they are democrats and can further his socialist cause. He's tried to force federal regulations on states, left & right. Not because it is the will of the people, but because it is his and his cabinets will. The list goes on and on...
The sonofabitch just needs to freakin' GO!
Lately, I've been seeing and hearing about all of these people throwing their hats in the ring for the Republican nomination. Some pulled out early, thank God, but I wish a whole lot others would pull out, too!
Newt Gingrich...Are you kidding me? This man is a career politician, makes more money than God, spends more money than satan, is a womanizer who can't seem to make one marriage work, let alone two and now he's in his third...And not only that, he changed his religious beliefs and converted to Catholicism not long ago. Well, this should give pause to just about anyone with any sense...The man is apparently ADD, maybe even ADHD. Can't make his mind up, jumps from one set of bones to another, isn't sure what he believes so he changes his beliefs AFTER mid-life, charges excessively on credit cards, sticks his liberal foot in his mouth every chance he gets, and so on.
He'd be NO Better than the idjit we already have in office. Hell, he'd probably make Bill CLinton look like a school boy with his sexual escapades! Not to mention hocking the White House at Tiffany's!
And just about every other candidate stirs up the same fears, same worries, same questions, same negativity....save one.
I was raised in Texas; a descendant of MANY Southerners, a few even fought for the Confederacy back in the Civil War. Many people would have others believe that the Civil War was ALL about slavery. It wasn't. It was about the South's refusal to be controlled by the Union government. We did not think it was fair or right for the Union to dictate to our states how we should think, feel, behave, etc. We wanted the RIGHT to govern ourselves, and unfortunately slavery just happened to be a major topic in these differences.
And now look where we are!!!!
I am not a racist because I am a child of God, and God made us ALL.
I am a Christian and I am a patriotic American.
I am SICK of career politicians being elected to office, promising us all kinds of things, yet once elected, these people seek out and complete their own selfish, greed ridden agendas and the rest of the United States of America be damned!
I mean, seriously...Look at where we are at today!
So, I heard about this man from Georgia, Herman Cain, and I decided to check him out. Man, was I EVER surprised!
He's NOT a career politician. He's a southerner, he's a devout Christian, he believes and will fight for the Constitution of the United States of America. He's a businessman, having turned, not one, but two companies around that were on the verge of bankruptcy when he arrived and made them into profitable companies, both. He was diagnosed with stage IV cancer in 2006 & doctors told him he had a 30% chance of survival. He refused to give up and got a second opinion...God performed a miracle in his body and now he is cancer free and has been for several years.
He's outlined problems with the U.S. and then, he's offered detailed solutions to repairing those problems. He does not say it will be easy, nor does he promise an unrealistic, pain free healing...But for once, he is someone who offers actual, do-able, realistic means to solving our problems.
Oh...Did I mention that he is black?
Well, for those of you who take issue with this, let me throw you an idea...
Obama is not 'black'. He is bi-racial. However, Obama does enjoy throwing his 'race' card around for all to see, even while lying and saying it doesn't matter. It does...to him!
This man from Georgia is a true southern black man...and he does not like the race card!
(He also abhors the current welfare system. He can not stand dead beats who use it as a way of life. I agree with that!)
SO, I wonder...with whites headed toward becoming the minority race in the U.S., how interesting would it be to have a Southern Black man who was a devout Christian & who was super patriotic run against the liberal, lying, self serving bi-racial man who uses the race card like a shield???
I also think that the republican party will do themselves a deep injustice if they court the white career politicians with muddied backgrounds and track records that cause us to wince, and neglect this Southern Black Man who actually CAN inspire us to not only hope, but heal as a nation!
I pray for Herman Cain and I pray for you if you are leaning away from him simply due to his skin color or the stupid fact that he's never held office before. I mean, seriously? Why should that matter? Look at where the politicians have gotten us thus far...And besides, could he really do us anymore harm that Obama has already done?
And anyway, what better man to beat Obama in his run for another term of president than a TRUE black man???
Just my thoughts...
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Some People...
Some people are just so childish and manipulative.
I can handle 'childish' because I am often a portrayor of that type of behavior; not to be proud of the fact, but to be honest of the flaw.
However, I do not understand, comprehend or like manipulative people. Manipulative people, in my opinion, aren't much different than Lucifer. They, like Lucifer, control others through psychological, if you will, games and deceptive practices. They will play on a person's heartstrings, find and touch (often cruelly) sensitive areas of a person's conscience, thereby gaining access to and control over the actions and feelings of that person...and for no other reason than CONTROL.
That control gives them power. Makes them feel superior. Allows them a feeling of self-righteousness with a holier-than-thou attitude.
And it angers me greatly when I see this behavior in a person...Especially one I've walked away from, turned my back on, 'un-friended', if you will.
Because I AM the better person, I apologize and take the entire blame. I want no more whining, no more guilt trips, no more 'Woe is me' song & dance, and will happily accept full responsiblity for things I'm not responsible for IF it'll bring peace & closure & shut the other person up!!!
So I say I'm the bad guy, say I did all the wrongs & the other person did all the rights, and go so far as to beg for forgiveness when in truth, I don't WANT that person's forgiveness...I just want that person to SHUT UP and LEAVE ME ALONE! But, I eat the meal of crow anyway, one black feather at a time, and when I've finally swallowed the last feather, chewed on the last bone, we both walk away happy.
The other person because 'she' made me BEG for her forgiveness, thinking she'd weakened me, proving in her mind that she was superior to me in both word and deed, and allowing her to initiate the 'cold shoulder' response as 'pay back'.
And, me...because now she's giving me the cold shoulder (YAY!!!) and no longer bombarding me with her whining and false humility.
Yet in the end, I can't help but think that perhaps I, too, played the detestable game of manipulation...
It is one thing to be lost in unfamiliar territory while wandering around in a wilderness. It is quiet another thing to be wandering around in a wilderness in a territory that is all too familiar...
I can handle 'childish' because I am often a portrayor of that type of behavior; not to be proud of the fact, but to be honest of the flaw.
However, I do not understand, comprehend or like manipulative people. Manipulative people, in my opinion, aren't much different than Lucifer. They, like Lucifer, control others through psychological, if you will, games and deceptive practices. They will play on a person's heartstrings, find and touch (often cruelly) sensitive areas of a person's conscience, thereby gaining access to and control over the actions and feelings of that person...and for no other reason than CONTROL.
That control gives them power. Makes them feel superior. Allows them a feeling of self-righteousness with a holier-than-thou attitude.
And it angers me greatly when I see this behavior in a person...Especially one I've walked away from, turned my back on, 'un-friended', if you will.
Because I AM the better person, I apologize and take the entire blame. I want no more whining, no more guilt trips, no more 'Woe is me' song & dance, and will happily accept full responsiblity for things I'm not responsible for IF it'll bring peace & closure & shut the other person up!!!
So I say I'm the bad guy, say I did all the wrongs & the other person did all the rights, and go so far as to beg for forgiveness when in truth, I don't WANT that person's forgiveness...I just want that person to SHUT UP and LEAVE ME ALONE! But, I eat the meal of crow anyway, one black feather at a time, and when I've finally swallowed the last feather, chewed on the last bone, we both walk away happy.
The other person because 'she' made me BEG for her forgiveness, thinking she'd weakened me, proving in her mind that she was superior to me in both word and deed, and allowing her to initiate the 'cold shoulder' response as 'pay back'.
And, me...because now she's giving me the cold shoulder (YAY!!!) and no longer bombarding me with her whining and false humility.
Yet in the end, I can't help but think that perhaps I, too, played the detestable game of manipulation...
It is one thing to be lost in unfamiliar territory while wandering around in a wilderness. It is quiet another thing to be wandering around in a wilderness in a territory that is all too familiar...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Enough Running
At what point do I say, 'Enough is quiet enough'?
At what point do I admit, 'I'm tired of running'?
Though filled with wanderlust, a gypsy I am not.
I long for a home on this earth that I can grow old in, a home that I never have to leave until I die of contrariness & old age. Where the walls have yellowed around the many pictures and the wallpaper is older than my great grandkids. Where the scents of cedar, honeysuckle, lily-of-the-valley, rose water and baby powder fill every room. Where all the trinkets and what-nots I've collected throughout my life sit quietly and prettily throughout the house, and I'll take only the memories they brought me when I finally go. Where everything has it's place, even if only I understood the place everything has. Where outside the red rose bush of my Pappaw stands as tall as the plum trees and as wide as the spread of a fifty year old live oak. Where the gardenias bloom alongside the camelias and the 4 o'clocks threaten to take over the backyard. Where hummingbirds fight like rabid dogs as honey bees steal sips of syruppy coca-cola from a forgotten can on a railing. Where song birds return yearly to raise their young and sing sweet songs of joy simply because they can. Where one night, a long time from now, I will lay in the dark in my big old bed, and I will finally lay all of these burdens at the feet of God and say, 'I truly surrender ALL!'
And at the breaking of the dawn the voice of God will whisper through Pappaw's rose bush and say, "She's done enough running. She's finally come HOME!"
At what point do I admit, 'I'm tired of running'?
Though filled with wanderlust, a gypsy I am not.
I long for a home on this earth that I can grow old in, a home that I never have to leave until I die of contrariness & old age. Where the walls have yellowed around the many pictures and the wallpaper is older than my great grandkids. Where the scents of cedar, honeysuckle, lily-of-the-valley, rose water and baby powder fill every room. Where all the trinkets and what-nots I've collected throughout my life sit quietly and prettily throughout the house, and I'll take only the memories they brought me when I finally go. Where everything has it's place, even if only I understood the place everything has. Where outside the red rose bush of my Pappaw stands as tall as the plum trees and as wide as the spread of a fifty year old live oak. Where the gardenias bloom alongside the camelias and the 4 o'clocks threaten to take over the backyard. Where hummingbirds fight like rabid dogs as honey bees steal sips of syruppy coca-cola from a forgotten can on a railing. Where song birds return yearly to raise their young and sing sweet songs of joy simply because they can. Where one night, a long time from now, I will lay in the dark in my big old bed, and I will finally lay all of these burdens at the feet of God and say, 'I truly surrender ALL!'
And at the breaking of the dawn the voice of God will whisper through Pappaw's rose bush and say, "She's done enough running. She's finally come HOME!"
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