It's No Present Like the Time Thing

Dear America,

"There's no present like the time."

The understatement on the day.

It's courtesy of Babul, 

and just a line from...

 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

during my usual Sunday ritual of listening to a wave of morning preachers one after the other, one of them pointed out what seemed to be something obvious -- and yet -- it wasn't.  He said that to worry is acting like a pagan, for where is thy faith if we sit and crumble under the pressure, consumed by the temporal fear of whatever is going on around us, or the things that may or may not ever be, as if God and All that God Is and All that God promises to believers, of the Life Everlasting and the Peace that Passes all Understanding, is in question.

exactly.

Where is thy faith?

In the midst of a world falling apart in the every day, reflecting upon this persistent conflict of reconciling and overcoming the things we witness on the outside with the things we know and believe on the inside becomes something of an acquired talent, over time really -- a magical feat against all odds, as the Ecclesiastic seasons come and go as they please.  [Of course, that would not be God's Odds, that would be human odds, complete with human limitations, and quickly parlaying into human results.]  

And clearly, as it would seem to the naked eye anyway, some days are just easier than others to have this kind of certain faith, while other days, we are just plum lost.

The only way our world -- this world, the only world we have -- gets better, is upon each new day when each and every one of us awakes, we individually commit to being and doing our very best, as one human being to another.

That's it.

For we all know what being and doing our best looks like and most importantly, feels like; for no doubt, this integrity within ourselves and among our fellow man produces exactly this result -- we reap what we sow.  This is, in part, what our founder's called Nature's Law, and this natural, organic, systematic, charismatic, meta-physic equation of Judeo-Christian roots soon became part and parcel of the foundation upon which this Republic was made, without question. [Dare you to look into it.]

The Founder's counted upon the generations to continue to be not of little faith, but an all-encompassing, never to be separated, free-exercising public body of believers in the Divine.  For a faithful lot is a happy lot; a happy lot is a happy life; a happy life is a happy community and a country who lives and works and does good things in the pursuit of happiness for all the neighborhood, if not the entire world, to witness and enjoy...albeit, happily.

From my favorite book, The 5,000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen,  "Benjamin Franklin Describes the Five Fundamentals of 'All Sound Religion' " --- stating the following,

"Here is my creed: I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe.  That he governs it by his providence.  That he ought to be worshipped.  That the most acceptable service we render to him is in doing good to his other children.  That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this.  These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion."

and thus when Alexis de Tocqueville, of France, came upon America to visit, he made the following observation:

"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.  Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.  America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

Indeed.  Our conduct counts, and ultimately it will be judged; but until that day, let's just agree to be good, for it makes things a whole lot easier and better and happier for the lot that is all of us.

The only Thing of this world that is Pure Good is God.

And without a faith in Something greater than ourselves, and moreover, Something that teaches us to be good,  the more America will find herself lost in every way and pretty much broken.

As long as we are all good to one another (and good encapsulating many different things -- respectful, honorable, kind, honest, loving...), each and every one of us could walk around with a gun in our back pocket and have no issues whatsoever.  As in none.

Just love Benjamin when he says, "[T]hat the most acceptable service we render to him is in doing good to his other children."

to his other children, Benjamin says.  oh and just how much love can one girl have in her heart for this fine specimen of a human being and founding father of this great country,.. oh how much love...it knows no bounds.  

That the best we can be, "the most acceptable service is doing good to his other children" says it all, does it not?  Which is why it is so worthy of repeating over and over again and until we get it right and it's completely understood, because clearly, it isn't.  We must care for, and be good to, our fellow man, above all else, as we go about our day.  This is the time to "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," indeed! and thank you JFK and your inaugural address of  1961.

In summation, let's go to Sam Adams --

"The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy the gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people; then shall we both deserve and enjoy it.  While, on the other hand, if we are universally vicious and debauched in our manners, though the form of our Constitution carries the face of the most exalted freedom, we shall in reality be the most abject slaves."

All that we are now -- in America -- is a sum of all of our moving parts, all 330 million of us.  Whether we sit in the pit of worry, utterly silent, or whether we are loud and making our voices heard, marching, screaming, and telling all the world of the things that matter, or whether we chose to take the law into our own hands, all combined it is a lethal injection of a moral crime against humanity, against America herself.  Combined, we kill the best of whatever is yet to come for all us.  Combined it is a corruption of everything America is or ever will be, while only a virtuous society has the power to mend...with a little help from Heaven above and God's grace below.

--------------------------------

Now this girl is moving swiftly in another direction, and my hope is that it reconnects somewhere in the heart of things, but please, bear with me as I awkwardly acknowledge Trump's running mate -- officially announced just yesterday -- Mike Pence.  The announcement was delayed a day, given the news coming out of Europe, for France fell victim to another terrorist attack underneath a celebratory sky in Nice, an attack that killed 84 souls, and wounding hundreds more, if not thousands or millions even, if counting the broken hearts,  My prayers are with you all.

Now, Pence is a sound pick; my congratulations to the pair, and especially to Trump, as he makes his first sound decision in the matter of becoming the next president of the United States.  And in so acknowledging this new phase, it just so happens that today's sermon from Joel Osteen hit upon the message of the things God has in store for us -- On most days, we are unaware of the glory upon the horizon and just around the bend.   We must soldier onward and upward by right action and by our faith realizing that if  all is not well, then all is not done.  God has a plan for each one of us.  

Osteen then told the story of Samuel anointing David as King.  

As the story goes, to be found in 1 Samuel 16, Samuel had mistaken the Lord's wishes, allowing for his rather human prerequisites for the next leader to forsake him.  And finally, the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not  look at the things man looks at, Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord at the heart."

For in this short verse, the yin and yang of the republican ticket  completes itself; the outside and the inside form together in a more perfect union of what the republican ticket should look like, sound like, act like, and hopefully be like when finally in office.  For better or worse, Trump seems to be the guy, and with great happiness, his other half will fill the requirements of the job!   How wonderful is that! 

 

In translation, Pence is my David -- the choice helps me over the Trump hump with a sense of less panic, less worry, less holy crap what on earth is happening to America right now?!  Of course, I still have concerns; but concerns are healthy --  and a far cry from complete worry to the point of being stunned and unable to respond or act, frozen with fear,  Far cry.   and yet the tears keep coming, go figure...it's a conundrum.

-----------------------------

Someone once said there is no present like the time.

This is that time.  This is that day.

The present, when it presents itself to us in the every day, and within every minute of the day, has the power to change everything, for better or worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health.

Pow, pow, pow pow pow!  Just like that, an Islamic extremist can plow down onlookers -- on the streets of beautiful Nice for a Bastille Day celebration -- in an horrific attack.

Poof!  Just like that,  Turkey can fall to an Islamic leader, possibly staging his own coup in order to justify a total, political, ideological sea change in the country.

Bang!  Just like that, three more police officers have been assassinated, this time in the streets of Baton Rouge.  Add that to the five others in the last ten days, in Dallas, and we have ourselves not only another hate crime, but have reached a moral decay of new lows in the ruthless attack upon our very own public servants.

And abracadabra! like magic, we can go forth to our faith, and pray --  asking for guidance, asking for how we can serve better, as one human being to another and another -- perhaps on our knees begging for mercy, healing, and forgiveness for the distance we have placed in society to the God we know and love.

today, this girl aches, sensing a pain never felt before, in all of my days...

the only thing that saves me, lifts me, makes me feel the entirety of this present moment all at once, is KNOWING, without a doubt,  there is a reason for this season in America.  Understanding we are being tested like never before, recognizing there is a God and this God is still in charge  -- of everything, mind you -- we must go forth in faith, a certain and mighty faith, unwavering.  Even when by all appearances, all may be lost -- it is not finished.

There is no present like the time.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

Fascinating the things we pick apart these days.

First off, given the "breaking news" this morning of the Governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, talking directly to his people, a church crowd, he said  this...

"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too,"

and this, "Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother," while speaking at Dexter King Memorial Church, following the official inauguration to the office of Governor.

"If he does so [exclude people by religion, or use the office to convert his constituency], he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Bill Nigut, The Anti-Defamation League Regional Director, said.

I admit, even though it came out awkward, the message from Gov. Bentley is really one of acceptance, not separation; he makes references to the relation that HE wants to be to his audience -- a brother -- even if you are a non-believer in Jesus Christ.  Of course, HE wants you to be a brother, or a sister, and have the Holy Spirit in your heart -- but he can't make you to do anything, or believe something, you don't want to...but in any case, HE WANTS TO BE your brother all the same.

Looking at this from a glass half full point of view,  the newly elected Governor tells us, HIS hopes are that you are a believer, while he lets us know he still "wants to be your brother" anyway, even if you are not.

Now, as far as the statement coming from Bill Nigut, of the ADL, saying Bentley is "dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment..."

I say, no, not really;

for all persons, -- no matter their lot in life -- whether a student, teacher, or public servant -- have a right for the free expression of their religion at any time.

Let me be clear, the PERSON, and all of our individual rights that come with, automatically and naturally go with us -- we have every right to eat sleep breathe our religion, no matter where we go, or who we are with, for whatever purpose...unless of course, we intend to do harm...then certainly, we will have issues.

Just as the case last summer, when Ramadan was being celebrated, the local community has every right to allow for Muslims to totally upend normal football practice during the daylight hours in order to accommodate the time of fasting for Muslims, even if, crazy enough, it would directly affect the practice for others who are not Muslim -- it was a community decision -- and falls into the framework of exactly that which our founders intended and wanted to protect; in order to reflect and honor INDIVIDUAL preference and beliefs of the community, the founders protected the right for states and local communities to practice their religion(s) as the community sees fit.

For above all else, the founders believed in the basic tenet, that without religion, the government of a free people cannot be well maintained and supported.

... and likewise, because it is a free country, we do not have a national government standing over us and commanding us to believe in the same God (or acting and leading in such a way that is against God); in action, this looks like the right for atheists to NOT to have to bow their head in prayer with the rest of us who call ourselves believers -- like for instance, when congregating in the town square to inaugurate a president or a governor or a mayor -- or simply gathering to honor the victims of a tragic community shooting, leaving prayers, flowers, balloons, and holding a candlelight vigil, say, all in a makeshift memorial, in front of a local hospital, say in Tucson (or wherever else the Spirit moves us -- even if the side of the road -- a common sight here, especially on the windy back country roads) -- but they, being the atheists, do not have to pray with the rest of us.  It is their right not to do just as it is our right to do.

The First Amendment spells out "CONGRESS shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  THE control, the word NO, was hung on the door of CONGRESS -- for they could not be given the power to tell the people what to believe and how; not to mention, our rights were endowed to us by our Creator, not man, or any kind of Congress.  The protection was for our own good -- because it was already well established we were a nation of people who accepted and acknowledged the importance of God in our daily life, acted by the grace and peace that comes along naturally, and already enjoying the free practice and expression thereof.

This specifically tells our federal government to butt out -- you have no business telling us what religion we will establish within our own hearts, as individuals; as long as we do no harm, we are allowed by law, to speak, sing, or bow our head; we can fast and we can celebrate; we can wear a cross, a burqa, or ashes on our forehead -- for we have the right for the FREE EXERCISE thereof.  thank you, God.

Matter of fact, there was a time when it was required for our schools to TEACH religion, morality and the importance of obtaining a semblance of knowledge in various subjects (geography, science for example).

Believing not necessarily in the same God, or the same dogma, all the founders came to the same conclusions -- that being, the essential makings of a free, civil, responsible society, allowing individuals to pursue their own happiness under a limited, selfless government, required the individual to at least be in relationship with God, creating a flow of  understanding that recognized a "fundamental system of beliefs concerning man's origin and relationship to the cosmic universe, as well as his relationship with his fellowmen" [taken from The 5000 Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen]

While a "standard of behavior distinguishing from right and wrong,"  in other words, our moral teachings, remained as the third essential ingredient to a long and healthy community.

So PUBLIC SCHOOLS taught these things back in the day because these things are good: religion (in a favorable light, of all beliefs) morality, and knowledge.

IN the best of times, religion holds us to a level of respect for each other; it keeps us beholden to any number of customs, more than likely born from our Christian roots, yet all the while, respective of the universal beliefs and morals shared by every religion under the sun.

A simple observation from Ezra Taft Benson, "America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

Now one could argue, when our PRESIDENT talks directly to his people, his base, saying "It will be up to each of you to make sure that the young people, African Americans, Latinos and women, who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again," -- (white, not mentioned at all)

"If you help us do that -- if you help us make sure that first-time voters in 2008 make their voices heard again in November -- then together we will deliver on the promise of change and hope and prosperity for generations to come..."   

Our actual President, of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, was not speaking to you -- if you are so unlucky not to fall within his 'target market' -- if YOU happen to be white -- and I'm especially referring to you,  honky tonk white boy, you are not my brother -- or so we would assume by what he actually said, and never making any apologies for it, if for some reason we were to categorically misconstrue his remarks -- unlike Gov. Bentley's office, who immediately followed up with a deeper understanding in hopes of uniting, not dividing.

Or how about the time Obama said something like this, "we're gonna punish our enemies..." speaking directly to Latinos, sounding like he was right off the street, in the barrio, seeking their attention to come out and vote in the mid-term elections (last fall).  Never mind religion, let's just cut right to the race.

In his own words, the POTUS was advocating to Latinos to come out to vote, to "punish our enemies."

Now of course, literally, we know words are expressed in the public arena that we really do not mean; there are times we say things, we really should have thought better; there are times we actually sound like we are advocating violence, when it is simply strategy lingo, an expression of the cause, an amplification of the campaign and keeping our sights set on the end result; and having said all that, there are times when even the Road Runner and the Coyote could make throwing down a boulder, or an anvil, look downright funny.

IN an educated, learned, civil, moral, sane society -- one that centers around our individual civic duty to do no harm to each other more often than not -- we recognize, out of the goodness of our hearts, and out of pure common sense, we say things that are not meant to be taken literally, as if condoning any violent action or outburst.  IF we harm someone, it is wrong, no matter what; while, even our words can cut like a knife.

For kicks and giggles, this idea of not taking things literally swings both ways -- as in, you know that when someone says "I love Glenn Beck"  they aren't really IN LOVE with Glenn Beck... it's just what we say... like we love ice cream or coconut cream pie, right...      Right Glenn?  You know, that if I were to say to you, 'I love you', you would know I'm not really In Love with you, right? (or maybe...) No, really, honestly, we don't truly mean what we say through and through (unless of course, we really truly mean it...what?).

luv ya.  mean it. moving on.

There has been much discussion over the political rhetoric used by both sides of the aisle, regularly, and figuratively, and most definitely, without really thinking clearly way too many times. way.

How about the time Alan Grayson said on the House floor, with poster boards for props, "I apologize to America...for not ending the holocaust sooner...republicans want you to die quickly" when arguing his position over health care.  really, Alan? can we get an amen that this man was not re-elected...

But seriously, I know we can be kinder and gentler -- but do I wish for us to change the entire political rules of debate and conversation?  Absolutely not.

Do I think, if we are reared correctly and of sound mind, that we can make responsible conclusions when hearing that certain districts, and maybe even specific people, are in the cross-hairs and the target of the opposition party?  Absolutely yes.

But Oh the fascination of what  incites violence, the vitriolic remarks notwithstanding  --

We can't use the word "nigger" -- and WELL understood that we don't, without question [unless you are black, or perhaps a rapper, but that's beside the point] -- but what we can do is label someone a racist, to their face, on camera or off, and nobody thinks anything of it?  We can discredit an entire body of tea party enthusiasts, individually or combined, as "Nazi's" and  "Racists" and nobody thinks twice.  How do you think that makes a white person feel, let alone the African-American, Latino or Asian associated in the bunch?

And haven't we gone down this road before?

If we are going to have a conversation on what in fact incites violence. let's have that talk; can we direct our attention to Hollywood for a moment -- I mean, where do we begin with that machine pumping out violent acts against women and children every day, blowing people up, using handguns, using abrasive language and condoning senseless acts of violence in every which way they possibly can.  Did you know they have a new show simple titled, "HUMAN TARGET" ?  I wonder how that got approved; where for goodness sakes is the good conscience of Hollywood, right?

Then as we mentioned a bit earlier, how about Hip Hop Music, Rap, songs that glorify and make sweet melody about someone who is about to make a hit on someone, or just finished making a hit on someone, or daydreams about the possibility in the future, to have revenge, you know what I'm saying, yo?

Going down that road then, it would be just wrong not to bring up video games -- I would think if anything might incite an act of violence, a video game nearly walks you through all the possibilities of seeing it through, with sound affects and trash talk to go along with your every move.

AS IF --
when it comes to political rhetoric --
we just don't have the strength and the common sense
to think for ourselves, and more important, do the right thing! 
yup, that's where our level of intelligence drops off --
bada bing bada boom.

We can be surrounded, with all the senses fully engaged, in an environment that eat sleeps breathes some form of a violent act through live stage, in the movies, on TV, on the freeway, even in the school yard and on the football field, and nobody stops to discuss it, make political points for it, does anything about it or thinks it is, in the least bit, to be just a wee bit offensive, if not something we should stop, or even see fit to change --

-- but oh no, get someone like Sarah Palin talking about tea party districts she wants to pick off and have for lunch and we've got a mutiny on the bounty. (Even with all proof pointing otherwise -- EVEN WHEN it comes LONG after the leftwing media and specific democratic campaigns did the EXACT same thing in 2004, and 2008 -- and even with some marking their attacks on one of their own, Gabrielle Giffords, just the same -- see G's blog last week, coupled with this from Newsmax, about the Daily Kos)

But just look at the things we choose, as a society, to pick apart... a well meaning comment that says "I WANT to be your brother."  ATTACK!  ATTACK!

To wrap things up, if we take out "nigger" as we should (respectfully agreed), then let's mutually come to an understanding to cease and desist words like "nazi" and "racist" -- if being used in the context of specifically targeting an individual, or a group thereof, carelessly, and loosely thrown around with a vengeance to attack, disparage, and ridicule without merit.  just sayin' ...for 'dems fightin' words, you know what I'm saying?  That is, without a doubt, a harmful attack, equal to that of the "N" word, if you wanna get real and get down and dirty with everybody's bad self; whether being called a nazi or a nigger, they are two "N" words that do the same thing to the heart and soul of a good, decent  man.  and really, who wants to be called a racist when your heart is in the right place?  that is just plain mean.

Maybe we are due to have our "religion, morals and knowledge" re-evaluated and brought back to life in the public schools -- let's make it open season for deep, rich discussions everywhere -- about our Creator, the meaning of life, the responsibility and duty to each other, in word and in deed, and attempt to live up to "Christina's expectations." 

That is the visual I want to hold dear -- a President reminding us to be the America a young Christina Green imagined -- without question, an idea lofty and worthy enough to call for real conversation and lively debate; wasn't everybody listening?         Punish my enemies, not -- but love thy neighbor as thyself, treat others as you would wish to be treated, honor thy mother and thy father, do no harm, oh yeah, and don't call each other names -- be nice and good and happy people, people!

bring it! bring that stuff all day long with a vengeance! 

I am not ashamed to say, I WANT each and every American to stand shoulder to shoulder as brothers and sisters - in Christ -  in Allah - in Buddha - in spirit, just because it is the right thing to do -- take your pick and have at it; either way, we will not survive as a nation of good people, doing good things, and prospering one by one until we do; surely we will falter if we become that nation -- fallen to the deep dark side of despair, distrust, distaste, and desolation -- abandoning our own principles and living without thought; we will fall from grace, like we have never seen the likes before, imprisoned within the afterthought of what once was.

and you thought it was just a meaningless, stupid, little cliche to close with...every    single    day...
Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

it was the best moment of his presidency.
it was the best moment of his presidency.

things said were repeated a lot...just thought I would carry on with the pace...

when he began, there were uncomfortable moments -- oddly sounding more like a campaign speech -- his voice began to rise at the wrong time, people started cheering for nearly everything that came out of his mouth, but then, he acclimated, he settled in, and reminded himself of all the things he needed to say to the American people and took control right before our very eyes.

when he began, we were seated before just another run of the mill, partisan driven, rhetorically challenged politician -- but we ended up, bearing witness to a national leader.


To follow the footsteps of his little Mrs...I don't believe I have ever been more proud of my country -- under this presidency -- until now.


It turned out to be a rather raucous affair to the surprise of many; but honestly, I think the whole event, every word, every incantation, every moment in either silence or applause ended up feeling right, good, hopeful and healing.


I LOVED LOVED LOVED Carlos Gonzales and his feather -- his authentic message, birthed from our Native American heritage, was endearing and heartfelt, as it pushed us into another realm of sacred consciousness and awareness; the imagery of the four doors, Eastern - Southern - Western - Northern, all bringing lessons to guide us in our healing process, searching for the Creator of all things, seen and unseen, in hopes of making the crooked, straight, turn our darkness into light, was beautiful.

many cultures acknowledge and respect the juxtaposition of two energies in everything under heaven, the yin and the yang,  good and evil; Carlos captured this very essence as his way of leading us into the proper receptivity of the moment, to lead us into the service, preparing us to open up our hearts and minds.

Of course, his humor touched me in a big way; and I loved how he interrupted the end of his prayer with a personal extension of blessings for his son, in Afghanistan -- it was perfect.  Our brothers and sisters we walk this earth with, and share this beautiful country with, each have a story, a family; drawing us personally into his world, refreshes the understanding of what living in a community really means -- sometimes we walk around totally unaware of each other, oblivious to the needs of others, only caring for our own, and immediately casting false judgments, in a guilty by association manner, not just as individuals, but as entire groups of people!  what I took away, one of many, is the lesson to stop, listen and pay attention to those around me better...

Bless you Carlos, and thank you for your prayer for America...thank you for your prayer...Yahweh...Yahweh

And how about Daniel Hernandez Jr...we have already talked about him here on Gthing, but how about that...in a week and a half, you go from first day intern jitters (not that I really think he had any) to speaking before 300 million and sitting next to the president of the United States of America.

Thrust into stardom as the hero of the night, he quickly brushed it off as anything but and proceeded to name, by heart, all those who selflessly came to the aid that day..."must humbly reject" [being hero] he said.  Adding in a few soundbites on what E Pluribus Unum means, profiling us en mass as "Tucsonians... Arizonians...[and most of all] Americans" and topping it off with the realization that "what defines us is NOT our differences..."

Amen to that, Daniel, amen to that.

Governor Jan....all good...all good.

And then the service really kicked it up, really kicked it up,  with surprises and more surprises.

Picture this, if you weren't lucky enough to watch with your own eyes, a certain Janet Napolitano and an Eric Holder each chiming in with a text from the Bible.  I kid you not. I kid you not.

From Janet, we get a reading from Isaiah 40, "comfort, comfort my people says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins..make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Each valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low..."

And Eric, my man, how you, just this once, have pleased me so -- this was a good moment for you -- I believe the verse, a message from Paul, was from 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, my gorgeous Woman of Faith Study Bible, NIV, chooses a slightly different tongue, but in any event, Eric recited something like this:  "I believed; therefore I have spoken.  With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause Thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God...So we fix our eyes not on what's seen, but on what is unseen. For what we see is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Now to our Chosen One.

First, he had me at "there is nothing I can say ...to fill the sudden hole in your heart..."

Okay, getting the partisan humor out of the way right out of the gate, we can move on now.


So, I think it took about the first ten minutes for him to recalibrate the mood; for up until that time, the scene warped into an abrupt rah rah rah almost on a beat of every other word...

and I was sitting there thinking...and I was sitting there thinking...is he gonna reel us all in here anytime soon...is he gonna reel us all in here anytime soon...

Of course, part of it was his fault...adding to the level of excitement, he got special permission from Mark Kelly to tell us the good news, "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time...she opened her eyes..."  to a roaring thunder of applause...

The conversation quickly spiraled out of control from there though, ringing in his natural tendency to swing into preacher mode, yelling out names and heroes, sounding all MLK like, and rattling off the names of first responders, the fearless bystanders who jumped to the call of duty, and adding a dramatic shout out to all the doctors and nurses and public servants who came to everyone's aid.  It turned into a hot mess for a second.

But then, a miracle happened,
posing the question, "how can we honor the fallen?...be true to their memory..."

"WHAT", he asks of us, challenging us to look inside ourselves in our darkest hour, "what, beyond our prayers and concern...WHAT, going forward...how can we honor the fallen?"

And then he was off, to the races, in full stride and gliding past the posts one by one, and never looking back.

G's Fine Print Disclosure: going forward from here, I am merely paraphrasing off of a crazy slew of notes... so if you will be so kind, take a chill, have a mint julep and allow me have a little creative license to stretch things just a bit from here on out; allow me to spill it in the way that I heard it... trust me, it's more fun for both of us this way...just keeping it real...

"already -- national conversation has commenced -- everything from gun safety laws to adequate mental health laws...

but at a time when our discourse 

becomes so sharply polarized...

it is important to pause, 

to make sure we are talking 

in such a way that heals and not wounds."

  

Yeah baby!  that's what I'm talkin about!  Annihilation pop, pop, pop pop pop  and the pundits thought he would run as far away from the politics of the last few days like a bat out of hell.  wrong again.  and can we get an amen, let's bow our head in thanksgiving and praise.

Of course, after making such an outlandish wish yesterday, I never thought it would really come true either...doubting Thomas' we all were...doubting Thomas' we all were.

But it did.  it really did!
And by the way, if you are wondering how I could use the word annihilation and run off the mouth with a few inconsiderate pops, if you follow me, regularly, you would know I am not condoning harm to people, place or thing in a way, shape or form...if you actually read my week's worth of blogs leading into today, the annihilation was in reference to 'removing any  room  for doubt' that our president stood for not just the left side of America, but also the right.  And he did!  ya see...context is EVERYTHING.

And by, by the way, he was addressing the crowd who veers left -- and their vicious attacks on the right -- within minutes of the massacre. 

My wish was that we would see our president lead ALL Americans out of the darkness, and he did, and then some.
He said, "scripture tells us there is evil in the world..." citing a passage in Job. Continuing on with...

"None of us can know, with any certainty, what...what could have stopped...what...in a violent man's mind..."

"BUT what we CANNOT DO....

is use this tragedy to turn on each other!  

That we cannot do!  

That we cannot do!" 

to a standing ovation for the umpteenth time.

calling for humility, begging us not to point fingers, asking us to temper our blame...yes!  go baby go!

"If it prompts debate -- let us make sure it is worthy."  

Amen, brother, amen

Calling upon us to personally recognize "all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together..."

"tell a spouse...how much we love them, not once in awhile, EVERY SINGLE DAY!  Nurture the relationships with those who are still with us...what matters... is how well we have loved."

calling for civility in our public discourse even further, driving the point all the way home...

"only a more civil, honest public discourse can face up to the difficulties [in the days ahead...] in a way we can be proud...
"we should be civil "[almost annoyed with his flock]
"we can do better " [as if why we make it so hard on ourselves]
impressing upon us to "constantly widen our circle of concern.."  beautiful.

"how we treat one another is entirely up to us..

.forces that divide us 

are not as strong 

as the forces that unite us."

thank you for having something good to say.
thank you for having something good to say.

Then he rounded the final turn giving it everything he got, throwing out all the stops, pushing the envelope, making the grade, giving everyone in his company a run for the money.

calling upon us to remember what it is like to be NINE in this world -- that everything is real, everything is possible, everything is doable, remarkable, fascinating and splendid; all the wishes and imaginations of a young Christina Taylor Green were invoked and ceased upon.  We were instantly thrust into yet another realm of living and believing and hoping and praying -- through the eyes of a child.

"I want us to live up to her expectations. 

I want America to be as good as she imagined it."

and rising to the level we were hoping, the president harnessed all 300 million of us, referencing the Faces of Hope book, and the page keeping Christina's smile emblazoned forever, along with her wishes for the world:  "I hope you help those in need. I hope you will know all the words of our National Anthem and place your hand over your heart when you sing them.  I hope you jump in rain puddles."

himself, finishing with,

"if there are rain puddles in Heaven, 

I'm sure she is jumping in them today...

may God bless you..."

And in the winner's circle, much to everyone's surprise, coming off a couple of really bad appearances, we have Healer-in-Chief; in second place, in a photo finish, we have We-the-People;  and to Show,  the United States of America...

And coming in dead last, we have  a three-way split...'oh my, better days have come and gone for a few here today, huh, Charlie?' ... 'yeah I think you're right Frank, a pasture or two may be calling their name... get a load of these guys hobbling in...  "111thCongressionalCaucusRaucus", struggling along side her, is an old mare "Moveon.orgOrBust" and then we have, "InANewYorkTIMESminute" (an offbeat bit to tie in here, Frank, apparently the trainer, Paul Krugman, is retiring).

well well better days ahead  better days ahead.

MOMENT OF SILENCE

que the music..."'tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free...'tis a gift to come down where we ought to be...and when we find ourselves in a place just right...'twill be in the valley of love and delight..."

And  then a poem, by W.S. Merwin, "To the New Year"...

"...to make sure that this country lives up to our children's expectations"

Together we Thrive

together we thrive

G thing is feeling frisky today; may just want to bask in the sunshine of a brand new day for awhile in this here united states of america, the land that I love; our healer in chief pulled off a really good show, one of his best day's ever, and a big purse to show for it.

just a girl.  her name is gretchen. a day in the life of an american girl just got better.  May the good lord willing and the creek don't rise, be only the beginning.

My hat's off to you, today, Mr. President!
You took the lead, and set the people straight, turning our differences into something of the divine.
(of course, I would be remiss, at this point, if I didn't forewarn, not to let it go to your head...you know you are not God, right? ...right?)

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

A "stunt" he says.

"Listen to those better angels..."

It's not that we don't all agree with what he said; it's just that once again, he, the president, is failing to recognize the wisdom behind when to speak and when not to speak -- and that is my ponderance today.

"If he's listening,

I hope he understands that what he's proposing to do

is completely contrary to our values as Americans...

that this country has been built

on the notion of freedom and religious tolerance."

First of all, stop calling it "a notion;" our founders were not speaking generally not one iota, okay. Every word was hand picked and specific to the very nature of the depth and breadth of the divine providence at play.  You can't just throw around angels, harps and Martin Luther, all willy nilly and irreverently. But the broader question is this,

Do you liken the building of the mosque to a stunt? -- because it is.

Sure, you did come out and question the "wisdom" of building the Cordoba House Community Center -- but did you go so far as to call it like you see it, for what it really is, as in a stunt? -- because it is.

Sure, duly noted that you proclaim that everybody has the right, the freedom to express, but did you call on the imam to listen to his better angels and refrain from pulling a stunt like this?  -- because it is.

It never ceases to amaze me when inferences of religious tolerance comes up in question these days; the opportunity to chime in, in unison with the church bells, seems to be more in tune with serving a point of view, than that of humble followers simply being aligned with Spirit.  For with 73% of the community we call America hoping and praying for "religious tolerance" in ceasing the construction of a celebratory mosque at the foot of Ground Zero, the president reserves the wisdom of such an act to other Americans to rise up and speak -- never to dare to call it a stunt -- even though it is.

Yes, Mr. President, the preacher down south is pulling a stunt -- as is the imam to the north; do we have to have another civil war to figure this one out, or could you just slap some cold water on your face and snap out of it?

Did you ever consider "the notion" that perhaps if your general had not given this Quran burning any attention, that perhaps the church of fifty ignorant followers of the gospel according to Terry would go unnoticed?  Or think that if by chance the mainstream media did not use it as just one more reason to nail all evidence of Christianity to the cross and leave it for dead upon this era of no country for old men mentality --and hey, just maybe kill two birds with one stone, throwing all remnants to the bottom of a nasty dungeoness coal mine and sealing it up for good?

WE are free in this country to do as we please, yes, there is that.

And surely as it has taken us 234 years to get here, if the good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, we have no intention of turning back now.

WE do live by the principles set forth by our founders, allowing for the common man to live and work and eat, pray, love according to one's own belief and good graces.  Without question, this is how America was made.

The truth is, both the preacher and the imam are taking advantage of this free to be you and me country of ours -- trying to pull off a couple a stunts.

Now granted, I'm taking pot shots at the messenger here, but for you Mr. President, to wave your own personal bias in the air, sheltered under something called "freedom" and this country's "religious tolerance" is utter blasphemous, really; for clearly, you have no idea what you are talking about.  Our natural and self-evident reverance to a Higher Power in this country -- and our great responsibility to align ourselves with It -- grew from an understanding never before seen; but it is as if you say the words and have no idea what they truly mean.

This religion of ours...has absolutely no resemblance to the black liberation theology you followed for twenty years, under a man who became widely known as a father figure and mentor, a man who became so easily and suspiciously quick for you to bury when seeking, shall we say, a higher calling. Whatever.

Our life and times were fully integrated according to the word of God, living in the image of God as best we possibly could, while representative of the deeper aspirations for both ourselves and our country. For it was this cherished embodiment of God's grace and teachings which divinely led us into the new world to begin with -- and everything from that point, was forever guided by our undying gratitude, our compassion for all people, of all faiths, and our absolute and resounding adherence to living a life under God as a nation.

But above all,  our religion came from within, beginning with just one person, as our individual duty became more apparent; while in order for it to work within a system of governance, our founders recognized the state could not dictate a belief -- or use it to control the people -- as in the Church of England, which they couldn't leave fast enough, and as in Sharia, which goes against everything this nation was founded. 

The state's responsibilities and duties stopped at the rule of law, beginning with our Bill of Rights -- as it was the state that needed the control, not the citizenry. Our "inalienable rights" came from God, as individuals, free to be you and me and free to believe in any way we so choose, and most importantly, we were free to live in faith fully and recognizably in every aspect of our lives.

The thing is, no matter what your faith, a true believer, one that listens to angels and Higher Powers, and lives by honor, humility and a happy heart, does not give credence to religious stunts of any kind; when our actions come from a Higher Source, we not only recognize it in ourselves, feeling It's magnificence and reeping It's rewards, others see it too -- and through it all, when It's coming from the right place, everything works.

Perceptions are kind and receptive, the commoners rally around it and embrace it with ease, as community backlash is all but nonexistent.  The thing is, we know, deep inside, when our own actions are misguided; and this knowing doesn't come from a president telling you so, or a general, or a family member from 9/11 -- it comes from Spirit, the inner guidance known only to us as God as ourselves.

What our founders declared over and over again in both the governance and by proclamation, is that as a people, IF we were to ever lose this connection to Spirit, to the Source of all Good Things, we would surely falter; our nation was designed to recognize God in every way -- not by decree -- but by the individual, inherent connection to that which is Maker of all that is seen and unseen. It wasn't our penance or punishment -- it was by design, a divine design, and one that we had to remain forever mindful and most certainly, one that we were entirely grateful as a people.

Paying particular attention to this ever loving detail was the key -- while teaching our children paramount --while allowing for all people to be free to be you and me on a wing and a prayer so that we could continue to live under God, under the rule of law, in peace and harmony -- became everything we stood for, providing for everything our freedom of religion to speak up for.

The thing is, the Higher Wisdom of all that we do does not play favorites; you can do your best to mask hidden agendas and intentions, but deep down, the people can see right through it and Heaven takes unkind to it -- no matter how big or how small; and unless you were born yesterday, no matter the country, we pretty much all know a stunt when we see one.

To be sure, I think, if we could sit down with God, God would say something like this:

"let me be clear, using religion for pulling jihad, waging war, committing massive death and inhumanities against other human beings, bearing false witness and otherwise manipulating faith like a game or a stunt, is not condoned in any way, shape or form...just sayin'...got a few more, but let's just leave it there for now."

The word of God was written in stone, with a history of time travelling by men who spoke softly and carried a big stick, to a time when all men were created equal, to a time when the word of God comes under question in thought, word and deed.

The common denominator behind every wrong action is man -- not the Omnicience.

So, in review:

The mosque, a stunt.

The burning of a special book, a stunt.

The calling out by a president of one event over another, on one hand, utterly priceless -- while on the other slight of hand, ho hum, is just another stunt... but without the proverbial bunny and top hat.

Are we the kid looking to the bottom of the Happy Meal box saying, "I don't see no hope" -- or the kid who knows real Hope, seen and unseen, and doesn't even need to look -- knowing full well It simply IS.

True religion calls upon us to be, if nothing else, true to the wisdom of a Higher Love; while in our communities across this great land, real religion -- humble as it comes -- does really good things, day in and day out.

How about we give our attention to all the ways our reverence to a nation under God saves lives and fills us with hope?

How about we observe people of all faiths choosing to do God's work and live a life accordingly?

No matter right action or wrong, Spirit expressing through us, decides our fate and our defines our world, indiscriminate to all creatures great and small.

A stunt can only get you so far, only sustenance and right intention builds a strong and vibrant community -- country and congregations alike.

Just sayin'...



Make it a Good Day, G


also, as much as the stunts outlined above are not sanctioned by a loving God, never you mind that Bibles sent to our troops in Afghanistan last year were actually burned by our military, at the request of Muslim leaders...true story.  just an interesting twist, that's all this is...just an interesting twist...

Dear America,

TGIF

Thank GOD it's Friday x

I guess we can still say this out loud?
Nobody is telling me that I can't... yet.

Such is the case until that one     fine     day...
 when a judge deems it harassment against the atheists...

Here's interesting Jeffersonian commentary to sink your teeth into this morning,

"In our village of Charlottesville, there is a good degree of religion, with a small spice only of fanaticsm [love that].  We have four sects, but without either church or meeting-house.  The court-house is the common temple, one Sunday in the month to each.  Here, Episcopalian and Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist, meet together, join in hymning their Maker, listen with attention and devotion to each others' preachers, and all mix in society with perfect harmony."                  

Thomas Jefferson, from The 5000 Year Leap, by C.W. Skousen

The Freedom From Religion Foundation out of Wisconsin, founded '76 -- Nineteen 76, is responsible for initiating lawsuits throughout the country on behalf of the separation of church and state; and recently, as in yesterday, has nationalized a real doozy of a decision.

Now we can preserve April 15th, in the year of our Lord Twenty Ten, as a day of infamy in judicial legislation in accordance with the general rule of law, the order of the day, the safe keeping of our nation's glory -- otherwise recognized under the simplicity and sanctity and founders intentions back behind America's Constitution. For on this day, the order of the day has been fully upturned and publicly disgraced in the town square. 

Sweet liberty maiden, Jurisprudence, has sunk to a whole new low.

First of all, let me offer Judge Barbara Crabb my sincere condolences -- I can't help myself, as I sit here caught up in the moment, now glaring at your last name, from not imagining the reflection of an empty vessel, drowned at sea, sitting as a host to various lower lifeforms, dark, alone, and without a remote chance for survival.

And second, just by language alone, the Freedom FROM Religion Followers (some might say Cult) should have made your response an easy one, and that being a simple no.  In this country, we live by Freedom OF Religion; It is there.  It lives with us part and parcel to everything there is and everything that shall be.

It's Essence is within us, It surrounds us, and is collectively within the body Of the Whole -- It already exists and we are well endowed with It -- we already possess the very nature of It's cause, for WE ARE the effect; and by all means, It is OF significance, hardly the reverse.  And certainly, by their own admission, they are seeking to move away FROM something (religion), making clearly evident the belief that It already Is.

The only argument with bountiful Precedence, made Manifest everyday, is the argument for the Of's of this magnificent world, so heaven help the From's.

Her ruling states:

"A determination that the government may not endorse a religious message is not a determination that the message itself is harmful, unimportant, or undeserving of dissemination. Rather it is part of the effort to carry out the Founders' plan of preserving religious liberty to the fullest extent possible in a pluralistic society [virtue giving way to secular pluralism, interesting]..."

Founders plan?  Seriously?  Me thinks you know noTHING about the founders, let alone their "plan" -- and besides, you would be more correct in calling it what it is, a Constitution, but I digress.

But even more than that, perhaps the political activism of the Honorable Crabb is a misguided jurisdiction suspending the free exercise of Christianity in particular?

"...Recognizing the importance of prayer to many people does not mean the government may enact a statute in support of it, any more than the government may encourage citizens to fast during the month of Ramadan, attend a synagogue, purify themselves in a sweat lodge, or practice rune magic."

Can you even believe it, she compromised her own ruling!  There it is...in her own words.

She painstakingly, and most likely begrudgingly, went out of her way to illuminate all the ways Americans pray; she characterized each of the pillars of  theology, lined them up side by side in the light of day, gushing over the very Thing that not only makes America exceptional, but unmistakably mitigates the damages of this complaint right before our very eyes -- purely by outlining the Divine diversity in which we all share!

There are sooooooooo many ways we pray.

The "National Day of Prayer" has no religion in mind, for God's sakes; there is no endorsement of a particular prayer, nor way to pray, nor if you must.  It is a non-threatening, non-binding thought for the day or moment in silence -- that's all it is.

We are a nation of one God, many Gods, or no Gods, depending on whichever way you look at it (if only the porcelain god after a night foolishly sauced by the reckless or recluse); even atheism is a theology -- it is belief system based on discussions of God, or any other religious truths, and deciding you will have none! 

This whole thing is just absurd.

The rituals and practices surrounding their NoGod, the NoOneGod but themselves, somehow gives reason to litigate their way through the courts in order to crucify a harmless day of prayer, and the believers who wish to partake.  While the Honorable Crabb sits upon high ground making herself an accomplice to such fraud -- allowing the non-believers to take precedence, overriding all logic, making the entire process suspect and unbelievable.

But it doesn't really matter anyway.
We've got Obama-Rama to lead us out of the darkness...have you heard about this? 
When in Rome, when President of the Free World...
 f*** the court [oh you naughty girl],
just make a proclamation, write an Executive Order, do whatever it takes and just cancel it altogether.

For whatever reason,

whatever shall Obama make true

 today and forever more,  

let it be.

And it was good.

And so it is,

amen.

So let's talk about these National Days...what about National Day of Service...there's a couple of different versions out there...like the one proclaimed after 9/11 -- on 9/11 each year, and then there is another, named after Martin Luther King on January 18th every year...what about service? 

Not everyone prescribes to that. 

Not everyone believes in that. 

Doesn't a National Day of Service go against the selfish, narcissistic ingrates of this great nation?  And surely there must be some scuttlebutt surrounding the 9/11 proclamation, American Muslims must cringe at the annual reminder of that every year.

And what about Abraham Lincoln's National Day of Fasting...I can only imagine!  That went a bit too far, didn't it, asking of the people to stop eating of all things, crazy nut case of a President he was, throwing his agenda around like he runs the place?  And messing with our food, oi vey! (For cultural and spiritual perspective, fasting was commonplace as a way of purifying our body and soul -- turning our self over to God as an empty vessel, to fill and make whole, with humility, in service, with thanksgiving and praise.)

But what on earth could have been going on --- to have propelled Lincoln into making such a big f**** deal over it? (forgive me Father, for I have sinned, again...I promise to pray about it later)

"And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!"

The way it was, on March 30th (aka National Doctor's Day today), in the year of our Lord, Eighteen Sixty Three, as written one month before the National Day of Fasting to take place, April 30th; bare in mind, this was the age of the Civil War, not everybody wanted it, and we lost 600,000 men fighting for the rights of all men, endowed by our Creator -- from which all unalienable rights come.

At times like these, a President prayed for guidance, a nation prayed for consolation, soldiers prayed for their lives -- while those in the bonds of slavery prayed for the freedom to pray, and live,  like everybody else.

"Ineffable is the union of man and God in every act of the soul.  The simplest person who in his integrity worships God, becomes God; yet for ever and ever the influx of this better and universal self is new and unsearchable.  Ever it inspires awe and astonishment.  How dear, how soothing to man, arises the idea of God, peopling the lonely place, effacing the scars of our mistakes and disappointments!  When we have broken our god of tradition and ceased from our god of rhetoric, then may God fire the heart with his presence."       

Found in The Over-Soul, by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Omniscience flows throughout the world in each and every one of us; and no matter what people say or do or proclaim, Truth lives and reigns. We the People who believe in a Higher Power, a Supreme Being, Allah, Creative Genius, a Spirit Everlasting and Evermore, a loving Almighty God of all faiths and humble students, stand firm in foundation -- built upon rock no less -- undaunted by the show of ignorance or persecution of the Knowledge and Genius back behind all of life. 

"As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills."  As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

Going back to the Honorable Crabb on the bench, all she really ever needed to do was make one small change:
 
"National Day of Prayer" has been modified;  the new day, continuing now without prejudice, beginning with the first week, upon the first Thursday in May, from this day forward, is now rightfully designated the: 
 
"National Day of Prayer, or not" 
 
The freedom to do so with a kind and loving heart, or not, is at your whim... your price or peril.
 
Rest assured, those who do will pray for you.
 
Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

Things are really strange here; anyone else share the thought 'what the heck is going on in the nation's southwest-forty?'

San Diego is all over the national news, and to date, as far as the last couple of weeks are concerned, only one piece of notoriety has been favorable (and even that is depending upon which side your on, i guess).

We have had the horrific disappearance and discovery of Chelsea King.
We have had racial disturbances from our very own UCSD, in La Jolla.
We have an entire family of four missing since the first week of February, their abandoned vehicle found in San Ysidro, just south of the border.
We have had the Poway School system vs. a teacher, Bradley Johnson, over the word "God" displayed large and wide in his classroom.

Guess which one G finds happiness?

(You all get a gold star.)

Judge Roger T. Benetiz is my new best friend and the Thomas More Law Center is my new happy place.

FOR TWENTY FIVE YEARS mind you,
Mr. Bradley proudly displayed infamous American cornerstones:

 “In God We Trust”

“One Nation Under God”

“God Bless America”

“God Shed His Grace on Thee”

FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS let it be known
a second banner was on display, featuring excerpts from the Declaration of Independence:

“All Men Are Created Equal,

They Are Endowed By Their Creator.”

One fear outlined in the dispute by the Poway Unified School District, mitigated the claim that perhaps a "Muslim student might be offended by the slogans." (Within the Hon. Benetiz' response, he notes "more to the point, an imaginary Islamic student is not entitled to a heckler's veto on a teacher's passive, popular or unpopular expression about God's place in the history of the United States. see link below, pg. 28)

Not worthy of a "heckler's veto" ...love that.

The District believed Mr. Johnson was in violation of offensive display, among other things, as evident in his choice of classroom banners which “over-emphasized” God.

A crucial role in the Judge’s decision -- a simple matter really, one that, oh I don't know, the reality that umpteen other classrooms within the district made other "theism's"  wildly known and displayed, some more outlandish than another, and nobody said a word.
Of the items allowed -- according to the Poway Unified School District -- without reprimand:

• a 35 to 40-foot long string of Tibetan prayer flags with writings in Sanskrit and images of Buddha.

• a large poster of John Lennon and the lyrics to the song "Imagine":

"Imagine there's no Heaven, it's easy if you try"

(we all know the rest...)

• a poster of Hindu leader, Mahatma Gandhi's "7 Social Sins":

Politics without principle
Wealth without work

Commerce without morality

Pleasure without conscience

Education without character

Science without humanity

Worship without sacrifice.

• a poster that says: "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality."
• posters of Muslim minister, Malcolm X.
• a Greenpeace poster that says: "Stop Global Warming
• posters of professional athletes and sports teams.
• "Day of Silence" posters.
• Bumper stickers that say:

"Equal Rights Are Not Special Rights,"

"Dare to Think for Yourself,"

"Celebrate Diversity."

• a poster with a large peace sign and the word "peace" in several languages.
• a mock American flag with a peace sign replacing the 50 stars and appearing to be six feet wide and four feet tall.
• an anti-war poster that asks: "How many Iraqi children did we kill today?"
• and there were plenty more...

My new happy place, The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in preserving the law of the land, has been arguing on Mr. Bradley Johnson's behalf since January 2007, when the district asked that he remove the posters.

An article featured on the Thomas More website includes pieces of Judge Benitez’s MAGNIFICENT 32-page opinion, which by all standards extends an articulate and thorough criticism of the Poway school districts aversion to mentioning the word God, eloquently raking their undeniable bias over the coals:

“[The school district officials] apparently fear their students are incapable of dealing with diverse viewpoints that include God’s place in American history and culture. . . . That God places prominently in our Nation’s history does not create an Establishment Clause violation requiring curettage and disinfectant for Johnson’s public high school classroom walls. It is a matter of historical fact that our institutions and government actors have in past and present times given place to a supreme God."

[Copy of the Decision link]

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center, commented,

“Many school officials exhibit hostility towards our nation’s Christian heritage. Yet, these same officials see no problem in actively promoting atheism or other religions under the guise of cultural diversity and tolerance. Hopefully, Judge Benitez’s decision will help put an end to this double standard. It is the responsibility of our public schools to educate students on the crucial role Christianity played in our Nation’s founding.”

"In his ruling, Judge Benitez acknowledged that public schools provide students with a healthy exposure to diverse ideas and opinions. He then went on to rule,"

“Fostering diversity, however, does not mean bleaching out historical religious expression or mainstream morality. By squelching only Johnson’s patriotic and religious classroom banners, while permitting other diverse religious and anti-religious classroom displays, the school district does a disservice to the students of Westview High School and the federal and state constitutions do not permit this one-sided censorship.”

[TO read more of the full article, go to More.]
 
Of course, today on Glenn Beck, it is only fitting that he will dedicate the entire hour of his daily Fox News Channel program to the "Indoctrination of our Children" -- I can hardly wait.
 
I have highlighted the McGuffey Readers before, but think MORE than ever -- they ring the proverbial bell of what may ail us, and show what fails us, when it comes to the great duty to educate our children.
 
Here's some "Good Advice" as featured in a story found in the First Reader, for the young boys and girls from the 19th Century (this is the way we used to teach our children):
 

Lesson XXXI

 

Good Advice

If you have done anything during the day

that is wrong, ask forgiveness of God

and your parents.

Remember that you should learn

some good things every day.

If you have learned nothing all day,

that day is lost.

If anyone has done you wrong,

forgive him in your heart

before you go to sleep.

Do not go to sleep with hatred

in your heart toward anyone.

Never speak to anyone

in an angry or harsh voice.

If you have spoken unkind words to

a brother or sister, 

go and ask forgiveness.

If you have disobeyed your parents,

go and confess it.

Ask God to aid you always

to do good and avoid evil.

 

It's not like the math teacher, Mr. Johnson, was speaking the gospel, or for that matter saying anything more than what is imprinted on our money or upon the walls and portico's housing the documentation and representation of American courthouses, Capital buildings, as well as the monuments and iconic cultural architecture promenently built by our forefathers; these profound words are everywhere, self evident and steadfast, to carry us onward and upward, instilling the words of a nation to live by. 

 

These words do have history; these words do have meaning; they are not just words.  Back behind the word is the fundamental reason we became a nation -- separating us from England in order to express our religious freedoms in the first place -- and becoming the inherent foundation to everything we are today. 

 

These are not just simple words, they are words that bind us, unite us, declare us exceptional;

"IN GOD WE TRUST" --undoubtedly these words make a lasting impression upon our hearts and minds; "ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL" --  formally setting in stone words of wisdom and prized moments in American history;

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD" -- yet, look at us now; we have become one nation under God under attack at almost every turn. 

 

Oh but the lessons like "Good Advice" from the McGuffey readers don't stop at the end of the verse; the Readers continue to prescribe further supplemental readings for the teacher, requesting that each student turn to their Bible, to see how the lesson conforms to the word of God.  Following the "Good Advice", it recommends Ephesians 4:26 and 31, Ecclesiastes 7:9 and Proverbs 15:1.

 

"A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger."

 Proverbs 15:1

 

How many times have we witnessed this to be true for ourselves?

 

We no longer have to Imagine a world with "no heaven" -- we seem to be at pace for achieving that within days, unless of course, enough of us like the good teacher have anything to say about it.

 

All the ways Christianity is attacked these days only makes me want to be a better girl and persuades me to teach the importance of "Good Advice" to my own ; the horrific disrespect for another human life, as in the recent loss of a fellow San Diego girl, Chelsea King, only makes me pray harder; the destructive racial tensions and antagonism here in my neck of the woods, only makes me wish we all understood "all men are created equal" to the fullness and depth of our individual responsibility back behind the words;  in the midst of searching for answers to the whereabouts of an entire family so close to home, yet so far away, all I can do IS turn it over to God, for it is out of my hands.

 

BUT, as for the happy ending with Bradley Johnson and the able-bodied band of patriots helping him out at The Thomas More Law Center, I commend you all for your vigilance and applaud your undeniable allegiance to the flag and to the beautiful country we live; and last but not least, I sincerely hope that Mr. Johnson's students appreciate how lucky they are for all of the above.

 

Make it a Good Day, G

 

Somewhere along the way doing the right thing and being a good person has been either lost in translation or buried with bad behavior -- whether it is our own or somebody else's.  While in some cases, being good almost comes out appearing entirely unpopular!

WE must persevere and be of good nature; we must reward our children to be a good citizen -- we must grow more good than bad -- or we simply will no longer be.

If in doubt or feeling overwhelmed by the not-so-good, go to http://www.realamericanstories.com/ for more, real, feel good stories.  WE are there and everywhere, just have to look for it.