When Emotion Leads By the Nose

Man decides far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear, illusion or some other inward emotion, than by reality, authority, any legal standard, judicial precedent, or statute.

~Cicero~

Wow! Although this was written between 106 B.C and 43 B.C. , this sentiment certainly fits the way so many, including Congress and the President, reacted to the AIG bonus fiasco.

For My Country

Recently, I was awakened to patriotic action.

For a lot of years, I have been content to sit silently, feeling a disconnect from my country's government. Even my voting was more reactionary - more to keep someone else from being elected than for really standing solidly behind a candidate and helping elect him to office.

I figured it just really didn't matter, anyway. Government was the way it was and I, certainly, wasn't going to be able to change it. Already, many issues in the current administration bothered me more than in any prior administration, but what could I do?

Then, I began watching Glen Beck's show, which my husband would tape, during the day. The common sense and commitment to values and principles that he espoused really resonated with me. While politics, per se, had never really interested me, promoting America's return to the same principles and values to which our founding fathers were committed did grab my attention.

I'm excited about joining the 9-12 project and promoting values and principles in America. About taking action to hold my elected officials and representatives accountable, for not just the voice of their constituents, but the Constitution itself. Part of that action is to become involved with local TEA parties, to send a loud shout to Washington that we want our representatives to rightly represent us!

In the coming days, I'll post information about my foray into keeping politics honest.

...Perhaps my newfound active patriotism has made me too optimistic? LOL!

What Happens When Compassion and Hope are Extended

Today, our newspaper ran a wonderful story about compassion and hope, titled The Best Gifts Come From the Heart. Since the columnist did not have time to check the validity of the story before running it, and I was so entranced by the story, I ran to my trusty computer to see what I could find out about it.

It is a true and inspiring story that just happens to be local to us in North Texas.

Since my local newspaper only puts some things online, and didn't choose to add this story, I am including links to other articles that do relate the details. I wish our local paper had posted her story, because she saves a very important part of the information for the very last, and the link I'm directing you to, tells it pretty much up front, which loses some of the WOW factor ... but let me assure you, not much!

Warning: For the initial story, you may want to have a tissue handy.
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1112890.html

For the follow up story (and you will not want to miss this) you WILL NEED tissues!
http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=5082.0

Read, enjoy, cry and be inspired!

Is St. Patrick's Day Blue, Green or Orange?

Here's a little bit of interesting history regarding St. Patrick, and his special day.

Blue - not green - was the color associated with St. Patrick. In fact, there is a blue that is called St. Patrick's blue, which can be seen on the flag of the President of Ireland and the Coat of arms of Ireland, as well as other places.

Green became associated with St. Patrick's Day due to the phrase "wearing of the green" which referred to wearing a green shamrock on your clothing. St. Patrick used the three -leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to non-Christian Irish, so wearing a shamrock was a sign of Irish nationalism and loyalty to the Roman Catholic Faith.

The change to green, rather than blue, began in the 1750s.

So, where does orange make its appearance?

In 1690, William of Orange (King of England, Ireland and Scotland) defeated King James II, a Roman Catholic, causing Protestant military dominance. Although the 'Orange' in William's name actually referred to a province in France, Protestants began wearing the color orange on St. Patrick's day, in the late 1700s, as a sign of defiance.

Orange now appears on the Irish flag to symbolize the Protestant minority in Ireland.

The 912 Project

I must admit that I like Glenn Beck. I like the down-to-earth way he views America...government...politics. In fact, on so many occasions, I connect with him so strongly that I forget it's politics and feel as if he's laying out and teaching solid biblical principles (which always causes me a moment of shock when he lets loose with a curse word!).

This week, I watched a show that we had taped, in which he introduced The 912 Project.

He talked about how after the tragedy of 9/11, on 9/12, Americans did what Americans do. They didn't have to be told how to act - they followed a core group of principles.

He spoke about how necessary it is to 'gather' with other people to talk about values that are important to us, because people who do not or cannot express their beliefs feel that they are all alone, isolated - and that can be dangerous.

* In reports, doctors are cited, stating that the size of the concerned crowd waiting for a person in an emergency room is the X factor to that patient surviving.
* Isolation studies reported that the people with the greatest risk of dying in the next 9 years are those who do not have a community around them.
* In a top survival manual, survivors were interviewed and agreed that the #1 greatest survival secret is to:
- have faith in God, family and friends

Having a community of like-minded people around us is important.

In the 912 project, Glenn proposes that America has a gathering of friends, family and folk to sit around their kitchen tables to talk about our country, our founding fathers and our beliefs.

Again, I could've been at a Bible study, people!! Doesn't that sound like the way the church in Acts 2 lived , as well as sounding like other places in N.T. where the church was admonished to gather together, to encourage and uplift one another... to speak of good things, to help one another, to remember the faith of the fathers?

Glenn is focusing on 9 principles and 12 values, upon which the American people were founded ~ and upon which Americans should continue to anchor their lives.

THE NINE PRINCIPLES:
1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

THE 12 VALUES:
1. Honesty
2. Reverence
3. Hope
4. Thrift
5. Humility
6. Charity
7. Sincerity
8. Moderation
9. Hard Work
10. Courage
11. Personal Responsibility
12. Gratitude

Maybe, if we got back to living by the Bible, our country would be in a better shape...hmmm??

Glenn Beck's 912 Project has created such interest that their server cannot handle the traffic and keeps shutting down. If you get an opportunity, though, check out http://www.the912project.com/ to see how you can become a part of this heroic effort to gather America back together, one nation, under God, indivisible.