NEWBORNS AND PRESIDENTS

Do you know much about Walt Disney? Me, either. But it's a good guess that Mr. Walt must have been a total kid-at-heart. All we have to do to know him is to look at the things his creativity brought to life. Wonder how many, many little eyes have grown wide over what Walt Disney imagined. That's a delightful legacy.

In the same way, we can know about God from the things He has made. We can stand at the Grand Canyon rim and fall back at the majesty. We can feel a baby's skin and know even the plushest velvet cannot be so gentle. We hear thunder and respectfully apprehend might and

power. The Lord is seen in the world He made.

Mike and I just came home from a two week road trip to the northeast. Our appreciation for creation increased as we drank in our country's many visuals. We loved the perfect patchwork symmetry of the cornfields in Iowa and the lush green mountains of Pennsylvania. But New York City was our target.

We had a "meet and greet" in NYC with our newest little grandgirl, Lily. And we kept her two sisters for a couple of nights while Brad and Laura moved apartments. Of course, we think Lily and Hanna and Caroline are some of the Creator's finest work. But God is also a

Provider...

Stopping at three presidential libraries as we made our way north, we learned about a trio of

back-to-back presidents whose terms took us through the Depression and WW2.

We stopped overnight in Independence, Missouri to learn about Harry Truman, then stopped in a tiny town in Iowa (West Branch) to learn surprising new things about Herbert Hoover, and we stopped beside the Hudson River in New York state to check out the New Dealer, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

We were struck with these leaders' differences and similarities. Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt had an equal and intense dislike for one another. Democrat Harry Truman was fond of Republican Hoover and called on him to help in the Truman administration. They each had differing means. Truman was born to a struggling farmer, Hoover was an orphan raised by relatives who later was a self-made millionaire, and Roosevelt was born with a family tree full of dollars. They all had an Achilles heel. Hoover lost his good name because of the Depression...polio left Roosevelt with a major physical liability in his prime (age 39)...and Truman strained all his married life for the respect of his beloved Bess.

But at the end of the day, these men all worked diligently and served their country to the best of their ability. We may disagree with a particular decision made, but no one would doubt the hearts of these men to want America's best.

That made me think of government's purpose. Isn't government to be authority/structure around our lives to protect us and provide for the common good? When Mike and I considered these three Presidents, we see that the Lord gave us men equal to the times. They were willing and available men who became uncommon leaders to steer our country through peril.

In the end, their governance allowed us to live the "quiet and peaceable lives" that the Bible talks about. In 1Timothy 2 we are told to "pray for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

I read that to say...God would have us pray for our leaders so that in the safety their authority provides, our lives could be lived vertically (in godliness) and horizontally (in dignity toward others) so the gospel would have opportunity to flourish and many would come to faith.

Times were desperate when Presidents Hoover/Roosevelt devised strategies to get us out of joblessness and starvation. Times were desperate when President Truman made the decision to drop the atomic bomb and save American lives. Now here we are today in another cycle of desperate times and we LONG for sound governance. The latest Rasmussen poll indicates a -17 presidential approval index for President Obama. In fact, more than 20% of the people now think he is a Muslim. If that were true, would it be important?

God will do what He purposes. When I look back at the examples left for us in Scripture, I find examples of how God used pagan kings as instruments of His justice when He spanked Israel. Sometimes the pagans cooperated; sometimes God overruled.

Consider King Cyrus, the Persian king who in 546BC ruled the largest empire the world had ever known. The Bible talked of Cyrus 150 years before his birth. In chapter 44.28 of Isaiah, he wrote that a king named Cyrus would allow captive Israel to come back to her native land and rebuild her temple. And that is what history records. How amazing is that? (see also Ezra 1.1)

Then there's a verse in Daniel where God calls Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar "my servant". Ancient Babylon set the "wicked" standard for their day...and the King of Babylon was God's SERVANT? Yep. That is because nothing is too hard for God. King Neb did serve God, but not until he was brought to his knees.

You may also remember the story of how the Lord used Baalam's donkey to accomplish His purposes. God can use anything. So maybe we should quit worrying about whether a Muslim is in the White House. Our leader can be His instrument regardless of the leader's puny plans or the leader's cooperation.

We need to be appealing directly to God to intervene, rather than fretting about mere man. Remember that Scripture says the kings heart is in God's hand and He turns it wherever He wants (Proverbs 21.1).

But as I write this, isn't the real problem becoming obvious? Why would God want to rescue us? America was established uniquely in the world as a refuge for people to worship God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlfEdJNn15E

But we have forgotten why we were founded. We have poked God in the eye over and over and insisted He wait outside while we live as we please. And now we're beginning to realize that we just might need His help. Hmm, this is familiar. Isn't that exactly what happened to Israel?

Let's pray without ceasing for God to save us from ourselves. The quiet and peaceable life that we all desire is found in Him.

A WHOLE LOTTA TOLERATIN' GOIN' ON

American citizens are grateful for the freedom that we enjoy in our country. We take pride in our inclusiveness. We prize tolerance. There is nowhere on earth that is structured like our republic with intentional liberty and justice for all.

But tolerance is not double jointed. It can bend over just so far, then it loses it's balance. Consider an instance when our tolerance has been used against us...the building of a mosque at Ground Zero.

Let's start by pretending the cause is kosher. What does the imam say? He SAYS the purpose of the mosque is to heal. That is not happening. How much healing has the thought of the mosque afforded? If the imam purposed to bring healing, wouldn't it seem rational to provide space that included a place of worship of all faiths? All faiths died that day. At the very least, couldn't a reasonable compromise be that it be built somewhere farther from hallowed ground?

You know neither of these prospects will see the light of day. Certainly an inclusive community center won't happen. Can you see an Islamic leader building something that included a Jewish temple and a Christian church? Now we are getting to the problem. They want to milk our tolerance, but there is no reciprocal slack that exists in their theology. In fact, if a person adheres to the tenants of their faith, their book calls for either submission or death. So much for multiculturalism. The only slack Muslims catch is a weird permission slip granted to "lie" or "pose" in order for them to be able to accomplish their ultimate goal. Extremists even see the death of Muslims secondary to accomplishing their goal. Where is regard for life? The enemy comes to kill and steal our way of life.

Some Americans can't abide with those observations. They can't wrap their minds around a belief system whose goal over thousands of years has been "Allah or the sword". They have trouble looking back at the history books and seeing Islam's pattern. They can't believe evil exists to that degree. So when a Muslim doc at Ft. Hood goes off and kills thirteen, the naive in America wonder if maybe we were as neighborly as we needed to be. Did someone call him names? If we had been better to him, he would have loved us. It doesn't dawn on them that the shooter prepared for that day for years. According to his lifebook, he went out in "glory".

There is a piece on this website about Islamic history called "Wanted: Context" (April, 2009). Last night on the news there was another report about home-grown terrorists...those Americans who actually choose to go across the world to learn to kill their fellow countrymen. Can we just consider raising our heads above the fray and see this eternal struggle coming full circle before our eyes? We need to be wise; we are sheep among wolves.

The proposed mosque has been branded The Cordoba Mosque. There was a Caliphate of Cordoba who ruled a golden period of Islam on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). Muslims are very proud of that period because according to Wiki there was "remarkable success in trade and culture". What a coincidence! We would have a mosque overlooking the Islamic terrorists' wound to the center of trade and culture of the Western world.

And who is in favor of this mosque? Not the people. Not Americans or even New Yorkers. The people in favor of the mosque are the ruling class, liberals like the mayor. How ironic! The same people who will be among the Jihadists' first victims (the leftists, the ruling class, the godless) are running interference for them.

Toleration is not always a virtue.

Postscript from an article by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury:

"Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is planning the Islamic Community Center and mosque near Ground Zero, says his critics are bigots, and that the project will stamp out terrorism -- not fan the flames: 'We condemn terrorists', said Rauf, who is leading the charge to build the Cordoba House, as it is called. 'We recognize it exists in our faith, but we are committed to eradicate it. We want to rebuild this community. This is about moderate Muslims who intend to be and want to be part of the solution.'

However, Rauf is also on record telling CNN, right after the 9/11 attacks, 'U.S. policies were an accessory to the crime that happened. We [the U.S.] have been an accessory to a lot of innocent lives dying in the world. Osama bin Laden was made in the USA.' "

PEERING INTO A CRYSTAL BALL

Media Matters was founded in 2004 to massage the news according to the progressive mindset. You have to look closely to realize the genesis of this group.

The founding dollars came largely from Daddy DeepPockets, George Soros. The worldview that Mr. Soros embraces and pours money into (as if from a boot)...the same worldview that he seeks to influence others toward...can be understood at this link:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/10/the_religious_quest_of_george.html

Mr. Soros has some pretty interesting ideas. On death and dying, for instance, he gave a speech in 1994 and reported that he had offered to help his mother, a member of the Hemlock Society, commit suicide.

Then there is Hillary Clinton. She had something to do with the founding of Media Matters according to her own words in a speech given on 08.04.07 to the Kos Convention.

Soros/Clinton. There's a pair of progressives.

Walk back in your mind to the early 2008 campaign. Would anyone ever have predicted defeat for the Clinton machine?

And didn't Hillary seem to step back toward the end of the campaign...and acquiesce to her opponent? It was surprising that there were no hardballs from the Clinton war room.

More surprises. President Obama talked of putting Hillary in his cabinet. Didn't he know how badly she wanted his job? But she played ball and Mrs. Clinton did become his Secretary of State.

Now all of a sudden we are hearing James Carville in soundbites again. And Hillary is making critical comments from foreign countries about our debt. Is the old Clinton machine firing up again? Hold that thought.

What is one thing that has been repeated about our president besides that he is a socialist and big-spender? OK, you're right. That question is too broad. I'll just tell you what I'm looking for. President Obama is known for his use of a teleprompter.

Although glib of tongue, could it be that President Obama follows a "script"? Could Mr. Soros be controlling this fray from on high? Let's also wonder if the plan from the beginning was the old "one, two punch". What would the one, two punch look like?

Well, at the risk of sounding conspiratorial...how could the progressives win and keep the White House? Perhaps George Soros' plan was to run the black candidate first (because America was ready to erase their guilt). Barack Obama comes in with hurricane force and gets as much social policy changed as his fawning popularity will allow. He would not be worried about a second term; he knows he lives in the daylight for a season. That would make sense as to why President Obama goes on vacation after vacation and entertains lavishly in the White House (think $100/pound Wagyu steaks) and flies First Dog Bo to their Maine vacation in a separate jet. What does he care?

That's the first punch.

Then raise the curtain on the second act. Entering stage left (of course) Mrs. Clinton arrives for the next punch. She positions herself as the moderate candidate (sound Clintonesque?) and swoops in to the rescue. "Oh, President Obama was way too far left. Let me bring us back to center."

Tell me, now. When President Obama started showing his true color as a waaay left guy, didn't that make Hillary look reasonable? I even had that thought. I thought "well, she's on a power trip, but at least she likes our country".

America, please know that progressives will not come proclaiming change. We've swallowed that line already. Now progressives count on us falling for the bait-of-the-day, moderate.

There is nothing moderate about the progressive ideas Mrs. Clinton has for our country. Hillary and Mr. Soros want to take America to a place unimagined ten years ago. If President Obama got elected because the media did not vet his candidacy, let's not make the same mistake twice. KNOW what George Soros and Hillary Clinton believe.

It doesn't take a crystal ball.

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF AMERICA?

Time was...when people took to the streets with political grievances,

they were perhaps either the idealistic young, or miscreants with fringe causes.

But now even grannies like this author are out demonstrating.

The rallies are peaceful expressions of discontent,

but you have to know we're hacked off enough to be inconvenienced. Why?

What could motivate what Nixon called "the silent majority" to become activists?

That's what the ruling class is wondering.

They should know nothing that sparks anger quicker than being ignored.

Ask any wife whose husband doesn't listen to her.

Today a percentage of Americans in power do not listen to the governed.

The governed are groaning.

Yesterday a long article in the American Spectator defined our predicament.

The author uses the terms "ruling class" and "country class".

The country class ("country" as in "my country tis of Thee") is bowing up.

The ruling class would like to think this is a recent phenomenon.

They would like to attribute a base motivation for our angst.

But this article documents the struggle's roots back through the 20th century.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

"The ruling class's appetite

for deference, power, and perks grows.

The country class disrespects its rulers, wants to curtail their power and reduce their perks. The ruling class wears on its sleeve the view that the rest of Americans are racist, greedy, and above all stupid.

The country class is ever more convinced that our rulers are corrupt, malevolent, and inept.

The rulers want the ruled to shut up and obey.

The ruled want self-governance."

The article is six pages long and if you are like me,

my A.D.D. had to be repeatedly overridden.

But my fascination for the way the author fleshed out the history

of our country's division was WAY worth it.

Please read the article by Angelo M. Codevilla.

I believe he is onto something.

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/

PRESENTING...DADDY BERT

May I present Daddy Bert? He's the good sport on the left in the blue lei...going along with his 89th birthday festivities in 2007. He hated bringing attention to himself, so we "lost" the blinking button and other adornments when we went down to the lunchroom.

Bert was my husband's father who lived 92 years. That's a pretty impressive number of years for "the runt of the litter" (as he called himself).

Dadddy Bert died this year on the Fourth of July. Now we will always remember the Fourth as HIS independence day.

Bert Cruse was born at home on the farm in Goobertown, AR in the spring of 1918. He was the last child in his family, and he MAY have gotten some "babying".

Bert had a really tender heart for others and was the one in his family who took care of his widowed mother until she died (also at 92).

This is our favorite picture of Bert when he was younger.

One of Bert's best traits was his great sense of humor. He actually kept a file marked "anecdotes", but by any other name it was a joke file.

He would clip out things from magazines like Readers Digest when something tickled him. The last funny on file was "if you'd like to make new friends, just pick up someone else's golf ball".

The game of golf was fun for Bert until his 80's. His golf buddies would say that he might not hit it the farthest, but he always hit it right down the middle.

Bert could also be found at the city pool hall where he liked to play snooker and pitch. The other men had to quit smoking when he came into the pool hall because he couldn't breathe the smoke. I guess that worked for them because he was a "regular" there.

The most fun Bert had was when he was giving. He gave obvious and continuous things such as a smile and a wave and a joke, but he also was financially generous. Bert was the first to reach out to those in need. We heard story after story of how he helped others during/after the Depression. Because his working years were in farm loans/real estate, over the years he helped people get and keep their property. There were many stories about Bert's later life when he gave to many unconditionally.

One thing Daddy Bert was not willing to talk about was dying. He had some fears about death and our prayer for years was that the Lord would take him gently. He had wonderful caregivers who enabled him to be able to live independently at an active retirement place until the last two months of his life. But when they began to tell us that Bert was talking about "going to see his mother and wife"...we knew something was up.

Pneumonia put Bert in the hospital for two brief stays, then he spent four days in rehab and two days at Jonesboro's new Hospice House. Looking back, we believe God more than honored the prayers.

There was one gift wrapped in a bow for Mike on the day before Bert died. His dad had been non-responsive and had his eyes shut. But on this particular Saturday, when we arrived Bert opened his eyes wide open. Mike leaned down in his ear and said "Good morning, Dad...it's good to see you!" And with bright eyes, Bert responded "Well...good morning to YOU, Son. It's good to see you, too!" Bert closed his eyes after that and those were the last words he said. The next morning, his soul left his body.

A fine lifestory and good name are wonderful legacies that pass to the next generation. The Bible says "a good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold." Proverbs 22.1 We are still getting Daddy Bert stories as people find out that he has died. What fun to hear of his "good works" from grateful hearts who speak fondly of Bert Thaddeus Cruse.

Daddy Bert was a special man.

SPENDING OPM (Other People's Money)

"Why do, basically, people with money have good healthcare and why do people who live on lower salaries not have good healthcare?" asked President Bush's 28-year-old daughter, Barbara (left). "Healthcare should be a right for everyone."

Universal healthcare is what everyone deserves. That would be optimum and it would also be nice to think that everyone deserves a home. Everyone deserves a decent wage. Everyone deserves adequate food on the table. Everyone deserves...(fill in the blank).

Short of eternity, we live in the reality that everyone may deserve all those things and more, but there is no feasible or economic way for the government to provide them.

History shows folks who have tried; the systems that tried to redistribute money failed. What works best is capitalism to give the "have nots" a better shot at providing for themselves. And we have laws that ensure that no one is turned away from emergency rooms.

We could look at Europe to see the systems that are failures, but if you don't have time to cross the ocean, just look at California and New York. They are in the process of trying to subsidize living and those states are going under. Look at Detroit. They already have gone under after thirty years of unchecked one-party "compassion". The same was true in New Orleans pre-Katrina. One party ruled with liberality and it was one big reservoir of helpless people. The poor didn't get richer, they got poorer.

How could that happen in the midst of such compassion?

Clearly, compassion is NOT "Uncle Sam picks up the tab". If Detroit and New Orleans are studied to see what happens when government tries to be everyone's Daddy...it should be obvious. Life just doesn't operate that way.

Instead, we should realize that Uncle Sam was never intended to provide for us. Uncle Sam's job is to protect us while we help each other. Americans are more generous than anyone else on the planet. And conservative/church goers are the most giving. HUH? Liberals are said to be caring and conservatives are thought to be cold. But as the articles below show, the numbers aren't witness to that assumption.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2682730&page=1

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/conservatives_more_liberal_giv.html

Here are some additional eye-openers:

Liberals call for sacrifice and volunteerism and paying higher taxes as though it was duty. But check out the tax returns and see who walks their talk. In 2007, the Bushes donated 23% of their income to charity. In 2008, the Obamas donated 6 1/2%. Vice President Dick Cheney gave 75% to charity ($6 million) in a single year...versus the $369 a year average for 10 years by Vice President Joe Biden. http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-12-biden-financial_N.htm

Conservatives give their money; liberals give taxpayer's money.

That brings us to today's spending and the national debt. Taxes are sure to rise and there will be less money in circulation. Charitable giving will go down. The people who give the most will not be able to give what they have in the past. That will not bode well for the needy. When that happens, the government will be benefactor and determiner of need.

I prefer the liberty of choice.

AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL

I don't remember how old I was when I came up with one of my more brilliant plans. Maybe I was twelve or thirteen when I decided that I would try smoking.

Smoking was against the house rules, but who thinks they will get caught in the beginning?

It's important to know that this plan was conceived in a 1,000 square foot home with one bathroom. My thought was to go into the bathroom and raise the window. Then no one would know.

Out in the hall by the bathroom door, there was a wrought iron bookshelf. One day I chose a book and cut out a square in the middle. I put glue around the edges of the pages. VOILA! The perfect stash for a pack of cigarettes.

I smiled at my book selection, An Old Fashioned Girl.

I can't say that I would recommend trying this at home because somehow my mother figured out my plan.

Today, I keep this book in our bookshelves. The book is empty now, but it reminds me that sometimes when I think I can swim upstream of the rules, it doesn't work.

Even if your Mama doesn't catch you, there is an invisible Observer who records all our deeds.

The Lord sees things done in secret. He saw the widow's mite and it impressed Him. And He also sees the sneakiest heart working in what they think is darkness.

The beauty of God is that He stands ready with an offer of divine exchange. In fact, His specialty is exchanging our hearts for His.

"Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'He did not make me'? Can the pot say of the potter, 'He knows nothing'?" Isaiah 29.15,16 NIV