It's the Reason for the Seasons of America Thing

Dear America,

so many debates, so little time.

and just when you think the coast was clear for awhile, This Week with Christiane Amanpour throws another one into the mix...and so unexpectedly, I might add.  And can you say, that's entertainment?

For me, it is enough just to listen to the attitude drooling from the corners of Christiane's lips; but pursing that together with the left-leaning dribble, and we got ourselves a super model for media bias trying to pass herself off as the intellectual elite.  But maybe that's just me.

Gotta love the title for the show, though:  The Great American Debate -- "there is too much government in my life!"  Featuring....Barney Frank, Robert Reich, George Will, and my personal favorite (really), Paul Ryan.

Granted, I was making myself homemade mango turnovers with a vanilla bean glaze drizzled all over.  I was a wee bit distracted.  But the gist of it was this -- look what happened to Wall Street, that's why we need more government...and...look what happened with Fannie and Freddie, that's why we need less government.

Sure, it wasn't just about Wall Street and Home Loans; and it wasn't always so black and white -- there were times when the polar opposites almost agreed with each other.  But both sides seemed to keep far and away from a reality that nobody seems willing to talk about.

Whether we live in an environment where government is breathing down our backs, or not (which is certainly debatable until the end of time) -- we must first face a striking conclusion:

Until such time we restore our faith in Something Greater than ourselves, and return to the making of good, decent people -- starting at birth and continuing to give it our full attention until death do us part -- our society will falter.

end of story.
go to commercial.
start the reruns.

Now, I normally only turn the television on on a Sunday morning to tune into Joel Osteen, switching it to the Heart of the Nation to listen to the Catholic Mass immediately following.  It's just my thing.  The house is quiet, I have my coffee, and it becomes the time to bring me back to center, just me and God.

So, as Spirit should have it, Joel added another dimension to what I had just heard, you know, following the interruption of Christiane, Barney, Robert, George and Paul (who very well could be a saint in government issued clothing).

Joel reminded us not to get comfortable in our blessings.

cha-ching 

and cue the lightbulb against the green screen

It's not so much about too much government in our life (even though it IS); it is more about having too little faith --  hardly even enough God --  and very little reverence to the attention of the itty bitty details to growing our good.  In short, America has become way too comfortable in it's blessings.

And right now -- collectively -- we are being encouraged to change our ways (again).

Divine Providence is working behind the scenes.

Joel impressed upon his audience the importance of affirmative action in every way.  And paraphrasing here, he said something like this, 'every blessing isn't supposed to be permanent.'  Going on to remind us not to get too comfortable, even when life is good.  And then, he throws in a timely anecdote to make his point...

he's like, you know, in the beginning, mothers nurse their babies, right.  babies get all they ever needed right there...but eventually, it becomes time for the baby to start taking a bottle.  And they don't likey likey too much (ask me how I know).  they fight it every step of the way.  but eventually...they adapt. 

And as we all know, the bottle becomes the perfect replacement to mama and life is good again.   .....ah....but lo and behold...cog in wheel right around the corner...eventually, mama wants to replace the bottle with a sippy cup...and then a real cup...and then eating real peas and carrots and spinach (yuck!)   All the while, it is up to the baby to push itself beyond what it has come to know as comfortable, even letting go of the everything it every wants or needs for something better, and basically, only doing so by pure faith.  the baby trusts the mama every step of the way.

America has had some glorious years -- we have acquired wealth, expanded wealth, created wealth in ways unimaginable to the naked babe in the woods.   The logic back behind how we got here can be debated by ideology for the rest of time.  But history does not lie.

America was founded upon principles and values of the ages and for the ages.

"We have a right to expect that men so aggressively religious as to encounter persecution, and so rigidly conscientious as to become exiles rather than submit to ecclesiastical tyranny, would embody their convictions in the government they constructed, and stamp their characters upon the legislation they enacted."  Bishop Charles Galloway, Christianity and the American Commonwealth, part of a series of lectures.

continuing...

"Those living seed, watched by a favoring Providence, watered by the tears of a sanctified patriotism, warmed by the genial sun of civic righteousness, and cultivated by the industrious  hands of a peerless statesmanship, have produced the magnificent Americanism of to-day. Despite its defects, and notwithstanding the sad chapters of its history, our Americanism stands for all that is purest and grandest in the world's modern civilization."

Let's just say we have evolved.

"The Christianity of the colonists taught the supremacy of conscience, the sovereignty of the individual, the inviolability of private rights, the sacredness of human life, and the brotherhood of man.  Out of these cardinal doctrines came the fundamental principles of our republican government:  liberty, equality, fraternity, and the protection of life and property.  Religious liberty created and sustained  an inexorable demand for political liberty.  Freedom of conscience claims the right of free speech and personal independence."

We have long ceased the nursing stage. Untethered to the heart of who we are as a nation, unattached to the true "freedom of conscience"  -- and the subsequent individual responsibility and duty to uphold it -- we are floundering.  The rattling of the line 'if men were angels...' seems to be ringing in my ear, right next to the clinking of a silver spoon.

The purposeful making of good people has been left to chance.

Minus the reality of the last few years staring at us in the face, America has become way to comfortable in its blessings.  We have forgotten to give thanks; we have extinguished the rites and ritual of a loving, peaceful people; we have suffocated our very existence with stuff that does not matter; we have stifled the voice of direction, and promise, and goodness, that only Divine Providence can bring.

More important, we can do whatever we want but we can't stay here.[reminds me of a great song about that...]

Finally -- and in a twist of irony -- perhaps it may be time to swaddle ourselves back up again and bring ourselves back to the creature comforts of the simpler things in life...'liberty, equality, fraternity, and the protection of life and property.'   ga ga goo goo

but maybe its just me.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

happy last day of 2010.
Is it possible to speed things up just a bit?  I'm kinda in a hurry.

So people who know me, know I have been met with one catastrophe after the next in this past year; for me, I find the whole thing rather humorous, or else, really, I would probably be in the funny farm -- or at the bottom of some lagoon by now, and around here, we have many, it might take awhile to find me.  If not for playing with my daily psyche, with love, acceptance and a little laugh from time to time --  if not non-stop on some days -- who knows where I would be. 

I do make a conscious effort to surround myself with all kinds of props and pick-me-ups, just for this very reason: you never know when you need an attitude adjustment, and if one bad thing lingers into the next, the more anecdotes, pictures of good times, family, a library of books, Bible phrases, bumper stickers, significant posts of the daily horoscope, and any other kind of trafficking of transcendent powers the better is what I say; these little things we can do are not only welcome, but just may stand as the final thread we cling to when we have two inches of rope left.

Wow G, way to be positive.

Actually, fear not!  It is not all doom and gloom today, for today we get to pass it all on; we get to leave it all behind in a spiritual, physical, emotional, timely rebirthing of a new year.  And oh, not a moment too soon, thank you God!

Some years get thrown back in time, and maybe a shot of whiskey, better than others -- and this is no exception; oh the joy it will be to wake up tomorrow morning, the first day of the rest of our life, or at least another 365.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

Steeped in doubt, a growing, living contagion of sorts (as told earlier in chapter six), an unsettling grumbling amongst the Jews persisted, when Jesus turned to them and said, "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life...I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

It may be hard, but God wants us to live in relationship with Him, everyday, in sickness or in health; and what God wants to see in us, is that our daily struggles do not adversely affect our living in joy, no matter what the day brings.  While over time, if relying on our faith in God teaches us anything at all, it is the constant lifting up from God's word that keeps us not only in relationship with God, but keeps us safely in alignment with the principles and values we can choose to live by, and ultimately, show to serve us well -- especially when buried in tough times.

I remember a few months back, hearing the words of Joel Osteen, saying something to the affect of "if we're not careful, we will go through life in fear instead of faith."  The thing is, things may get really bad -- but fear will only add to the drama and our delinquency -- only faith can lead us into better days; only a cheerful heart can attract that which we need to overcome troubled waters.

How do we know this to be true?  I liken the experience when lost in the company of those who get stuck in negative chatter, discouraging words, or a poor me why me mentality -- the self talk does not lift the spirit up -- and just being around it can be debilitating and heavy hearted, right?  We see the affects of this everyday.


On a grander scale, we are living under the prevailing consciousness of an administration who believes first and foremost, "let us not let a crisis go to waste," using fear to motivate change!  And catastrophic change, at that.  What used to be a fundamental, enriching principle -- an entire nation's self-reliance -- built up and supported by our inherent connection to Nature's law, endowed by our Creator, maker of all things seen and unseen -- has been replaced by government, by man.  And the kicker, we did this to ourselves.

Isn't that just the way it works in our own life; we do things, sometimes without thinking it all the way through, we react, we over-react, we jump to conclusions, we make rash decisions -- and all the while, we may be making the very thing that started the downward struggle in a trickle come to a torrential flow!  IF perhaps we just stopped.  Took a breath.  Looked at all the options.  Meditated on it, prayed on it for just a day, or five minutes, before acting...how things might have turned out a whole lot different.

Admittedly, I know I'm not smart enough to get around in this world without my faith, in God, and more important,  I am sooooooooo not ashamed to tell you.   But  read Psalm 91, if you will, just a few verses is all you really need to hear. Highlighted by Joel, on the very same day he is reminding us to cling to faith, not fear; the psalm begins with  "he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High..."

In Joel Osteen fashion, he quickly remembers a story of a miracle discovered in Yellowstone Park -- recounting a few years back, when they had the horrific fires rage through, a ranger came upon the wings of  what used to be a beautiful, majestic bird.  He got down closer to it, overcome by the loss of one of the park's finest and lifted up a corner of her burnt wing...when he did so, running out from the cover of a mama's pure love came her babies!  Unharmed! and ready for whatever life was to bring them.

"surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of the night, not the arrow that flies by day..." Psalm 91:3-5

Living in faith brings new life, everlasting, no matter what we face.  And when you get right down to it, the truth is, entire nations have risen and fallen by the ebb and flow of a simple faith. 

Obama brought his family to church over the Christmas Holiday, something he doesn't normally do when inside the beltway.  Perhaps he is realizing just how important our founding principles might be; perhaps, he, too, will return from vacation enlivened in the new year to see through his duties and responsibilities with the grace and peace and understanding of living in relationship with God, and lead the nation, by example,  into better days to come.  That is, certainly, hope this girl can believe in.

We have much to do in the new year; while in actuality, a closer look would tell us, we have much to take away.  Hard times have probably only just begun for a nation buried in debt, deficit spending, while growing all the more accustomed to false-Gods and a government living large abusing the rule of law by the fumblings of man -- a behemoth of uncertainty and wickedness all the way around.

We are witness to a time when we know deep in our heart more government is not the answer; and as a matter of record over the last hundred years, the un-serving, overbearing, and unfortunately, more prevalent belief system, rotting from the inside out, wreaked in entitlements and regulation, breeding secular, fear based reaction, versus a life of faith, is keeping us from all that is good; but oh the joy to know we are flourishing under the refuge of a Higher Purpose under Heaven, we were just waiting for someone to lift the wing.

One of the many sayings pinned up on the wall next to me came from an ad (god knows what it was for) but it simply reads:

CELEBRATE WHAT'S NEXT

This is good enough for me to end ten, and move onto eleven...how about you?

Make it a Good Day  --
for at the very least it remains good karma for tomorrow, G

Dear America,

One thing that is still lingering from yesterday's discussion on What Price Happiness? is something that was given little attention in Naomi's lamentations upon the spiraling effects of Western feminism -- that being, our connection to a Higher Power in our daily life; I am quite certain, those who partake and value being in relationship with a God of one's choosing -- daily, joyously, solemnly, respectfully -- without fail, and no matter what, would find happiness to come as the existential icing on the cake.

In my experience, watching and listening to the "Western Feminists" of our time, more often than not, there seems to be an unspoken rule that showing reverence to a small town God diminishes the intellect, shows ignorance rather than renaissance, and bestows upon It's followers a lifetime of restrictions and commandments -- surely a relationship without benefits to speak in a modern term we might all understand.

There was a moment in Naomi's article when she highlights a brief interlude with an Indian woman -- concerned that "Western feminism is coming," pointing to the wake of an even greater concern, "the loss of the deepest personal attachments...[saying] they want to be spared what appears to them to be the brutal transformation of roles and general damage to relationships."  ...good luck with that India...now that we're on the precipice to a better trade agreement and symbiotic working relationship, let us know when you figure that one out...

Needless to say, over there, harmony for the whole is a much greater influence upon how they live and operate, than the selfish creation of happiness for simply one's self.

OMMMMMMM
A place that may provide another way of looking at this, may be found within an organization known as AS A MOM.org : a sisterhood of mommy patriots, as they call themselves.  Here, if I'm not mistaken, and I am most certain I am not, a plethora of happy mommies congregate, daily.


No, not saying they don't have issues; but the overall belief system, the one that binds the "sisterhood," is a firm faith in God and Family -- while some days, not necessarily in that order.

I would be willing to bet, the preponderance of happy mommy patriots outshines the not-so-happy, simply for one thing, and one thing only -- God; in times of triumph or tribulation, the faithful are stewards of the greater good, followers by God's grace, who humbly go wherever Spirit leads them; if aligned with the values and characteristics of Christ, Omniscience finds you -- and uses you, in harmony, for the good of the whole.  They have little time to argue, or question, what the Lord knows best, so they simply get on with life, living it, as best they can,  moving to effect others to do the same, and maybe even affect change.

In the same vein, having just received my 2011 Calendar Girls in the mailbox -- the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute, founded in 1993, celebrates American Conservative Women each year, giving a powerful, hand-held tool for organizing the daily grind, while extending a complimentary nod to the twelve most notable and powerful women in the conservative movement.

It's nice to be surrounded with like-minded women -- and likewise, the Luce Policy Institute strives for the advancement of conservative women, traditional values, and all the economic freedoms and liberties that a life safely held under the arm of a limited government can muster; by reaching out to young women across America on college campuses -- the Institute leads the way in providing a real choice, one that offers a valuable and positive environment, along with leadership training, through daily efforts mounting an effective, conservative activism campaign -- all to combat the proliferation of the liberal bias normally associated to places of "higher learning," of course, with left wing intellectual elites at the podiums leading the charge, the Institute has their work cut out for them...


To find out more information, and ways you can get involved, go to the Luce Policy Institute, @ cblpi.org, or contact Michelle Easton, current president and honorable happy sender of my calendar (THANK YOU!), located in Virginia, at (888) 891-4288. 

The calendar reminded me of a famous quote of Clare Boothe Luce (1903 - 1987):

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Funny girl. 

Again, Luce is an example of one of my longtime held beliefs, epitomizing "Western Feminism" before there ever was such a thing; once again, another conservative woman proves, we don't have to wait for it to become popular, to become "a movement,"  we just go out and do it -- be it -- make it -- stand up for it.  There she is....Ms. America... wife, mother, and oh yes, congresswoman, U.S. Ambassador, editor of Vanity Fair, among other things in her happy little life, but all the while, a woman of great FAITH.

The quote on her page -- and she is Ms. July, by the way -- comes the call, "courage is the ladder on which all other virtues mount."  Indeed. Does she stand as a mom, and as a leading lady of courage, or what?! Wouldn't she be surprised to have been the inspiration behind the "Luce Ladies", at cblpi.org.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEoKR-WFaFc

We don't need a "Western Feminist Movement" to validate what we do, or lead the way in creating our own happiness -- being either a liberal or conservative woman, it should make no difference whatsoever; we just need the courage TO DO, all else, as a good dose of hardcore faith teaches us, shall be added unto you.

Make it a Good Day, G

Before I leave you today, here's another zinger from Clare:
"there are no hopeless situations, only men who have grown hopeless about them."  Is that a little "western feminism" at it's best, or what?!  ... and funny thing,  long before Woodstock, hmmmmmmmmmm...

Dear America,

"Is there any doubt that the handwriting is on the wall for where we are heading?  If we look around, we will see the outcome of these trends in countries that are ahead of us in teaching the logical conclusions of such cultural drift.  We see in such cases that manners have been corrupted, morality has sunk into depravity, indulgence is out of control and above all, faith has been discredited and unbelief has become fashionable.  When a culture reaches this point, it becomes so out of touch with truth that masses of people deny outright the existence of God.  God's will for the nation has been abandoned and man has been made God."

 William Wilberforce, adaptation by Bob Beltz, Real Christianity

My guess is you'll never guess when that was first published?

Try 1797.

And it wasn't even about the United States, it was jolly old England he was speaking about.

But it could have been Anytown, USA -- and not some odd two hundred years ago, but more like just last week.

The book makes quite the case for getting the masses' head out of our proverbial a** -- with a greater sense of elegance, of course.  But his point, throughout every phrase, exclamation and lamentation, is that "a nominal faith" will not save us; "it will take a vital faith for Christianity [our culture, society...whatever] to survive at all..."

..."When the cement that has held a nation 

together

no longer exists, 

the state soon dissolves into anarchy."

We, as a nation, and as a people, are being surrounded by wake up calls; and likewise, it is how we choose to respond that will make all the difference.  Will we roll over for five more minutes?  Will we keep hitting the snooze button?  Will we just rationalize not showing up today because we owe it to ourselves to have a day off, a day to play, a day to play hookie?  We've been good; we're a good person, deep down; I deserve it...what's a little white lie gonna do really?

Few books these days have the ability to really touch us -- speak to us.  This is one.  Buy it today.

In a word, we have issues -- and it's not for lack of intelligence, or understanding of history, or misrepresentation of the facts.  

Oops. Scratch that; maybe it is.

We just think we are so hot these days, don't we?  We just think, I am, therefore, I AM!  Who needs a God anymore?  Who needs to live from the soul, in relationship to that which gave us everything?

We are simply too smart, too studied, too full of ourselves and what we know -- we can do it all, without any help, without living from a higher consciousness and spiritual connection to that which is greater than ourselves, any day, everyday, bring it.

Granted this version of Wilberforce is a force to be reckoned with; it's a modern take that almost takes your breath away; but can you just imagine it?  Wilberforce was thinking this stuff over two hundred years ago; he got to the core of a touchy, cultural phenomenon without mincing words or sugarcoating his disfavor -- basically calling everybody out and saying, get over yourselves, will you!  with an attitude of just look at us, look around, don't you see what is happening here?  

Delving deeper he simply says, if you think God is satisfied with this "cultural Christianity" thing we got going on, then you got another thing coming; adding, it's not enough to be born into Christianity and be done with it -- deliberate and contemplative attention to the details is absolute and required. [kind of like it's not enough to be born in America, that makes you an American...it becomes so much more than that, over a lifetime.]

Describing "true Christians" in terms of "it is a joy for them to serve the Lord.  They don't live lives out of obedience out of some heartless obligation to a punitive deity.  They live joyfully in the blessing of the life God designed...this kind of faith is filled with happiness."

And really, not just Christianity, but in all faiths -- the key is found in the connection to God, any God, and being in relationship to It, day in and day out, thankfully, graciously, adoringly, lovingly, and living in the company of others coming from this spirit of understanding and grace, in every way.

So much of what was done by our founding fathers was connected to this core belief -- as they lived it, breathed it, embodied it -- as these truths to live by were transcendent and inherent by nature, endowed by our Creator.  The culture of the time, and in turn our government, came out of the forces of Divine Providence meeting up with the minds of men who deliberately elevated the essential element of the common man, the individual, becoming the cornerstone of a nation, and forever remaining the vital piece of the puzzle .

It was entirely up to the individual to make the connection with God -- as England had already taught them everything they needed to know; and to live by this connection not out of obedience to a "punitive deity" but to live joyously, finding purpose, vibrantly connected to the Source of all Good in order to create the new world with It.

It was an idea ahead of it's time; it was an idea obligating the individual to do his duty, to live right and good; it was an idea that allowed for the perfect pairing of freedom with unalienable rights, to grow into productive, active, participants in the life and times.  As long as we stayed in relationship with God -- and passionately so -- our culture could live in peace and harmony throughout all the days to come.

What we are witnessing today -- as in 1797 -- is the watering down of this Christianity, the very root of our beginning; and, if we are not careful, perhaps this will be the cause of our ultimate demise.  We have allowed modern conveniences and conforming to culture, rationalizing bad behavior and succumbing to vices, to take over right action.

Wilberforce claims that to live in authentic faith, requires right action, with a passion, and a real desire to please God -- from our heart and soul, never ceasing.  It is not enough to call ourselves Christian and not live by It, to not center our world around Christ and His teachings.  It is simply not enough.

But now, we have a culture who would rather discredit Christianity, bury it as just some old world teachings we no longer have any use for -- we have evolved beyond the need for belief in anything but ourselves, more loyal to our things than our faith, firmer allegiance to our careers than our God, finding our savior through an impoverished  lifestyle that simply can't be bothered -- for who's got time for It really --  all we want to do is roll over and hit snooze.  It's Sunday, after all -- yesterday -- my only day to rest, for Christ sake.  

Wilberforce believes that what is asked of us is an "unconditional surrender"  -- that when we live from this position of letting our lives be in the hands and heart of a loving God, we act according to our faith, we benefit in proportion to this faith, and create a life of happiness resting in the knowledge that this life on earth is temporal, that our true destiny is eternal life -- this life on earth is just a "passing through."  Above all, we will gladly do anything in this life to show our love for God, and take care of each other, authentically, reverently, overflowing in the spirit of this true faith.

"we are headed toward a society

that incurs the multitude of evils 

that result 

from living with 

no religion at all."

Many barbarisms of our past have been stricken from society simply with the influx of living according to true faith; culture is strengthened in every way imaginable when connected with each other by an authentic, real Christianity, illuminating a higher purpose to live by, inspired to please God, content in our own humility, and satisfied with the simple life; the more our culture finds it's way further and further away from this reality, the greater our chances to falter.  History proves it, time and time again.

As it was in 1797, don't kid yourselves, it can happen here, in a heartbeat.  It would behoove all of us not to roll over and play dead.

Nations have fallen on the decline of faith before, so..."Let this be a warning.  It would be a tragic mistake to think that even though the moral fiber of our country has deteriorated, our prosperity and wealth will keep us from drifting further.  Nor let us imagine that the fate of Rome might never be our own."

Yeah, like we really have that "prosperity and wealth" thing going on to fall back on...that's a good one.

Make it a Good Day, G

and just so you know -- just as in the making of good Christians (substitute Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Atheists, any belief system far and wide) anywhere and everywhere -- for future reference, it's not made a good day until YOU make it one.

Dear America,

Substance over style.

This is what we crave today; and it will be this precise spirit that guides us, come November 2; bells and whistles, backdrops and props, have not a chance in hell to penetrate through the core belief -- we seek reform and revival of our founding principles.  Not for a day, not for a week, not for just until super Tuesday, but for forever and a day...for we are changed.  We've been there, done that. Enough already.

Gullibility, gone; ; no longer will we simply assume those we send to Washington have our best interests at heart.  Special interests, Unions, class warfare, deficit spending, national debt, social security, medicare, health care, cap and trade, ganging up on small business -- big business -- any business that creates real jobs, mortgage fraud, unfunded liabilities, unfunded pensions, apologizing for America, ridiculing those who simply think differently, rash moratoriums, cutting military tribunals to oversee terrorist trials, celebratory mosques built anywhere, dividing Americans through rhetoric and false racial accusations, fighting term limits in congress, obscene spending within congressional offices -- through excessive staffing, overhead, travel, private jets to petty cash, ALL of it, gone.

What we crave, is a Sebastian Pinera.

"there there, it's alright.

 it's alright, it's a moment of happiness. 

 it's good.  it's good. 

there, there,

just let all of those emotions out,

 it's fine, it's fine."

With genuine concern, like a father, his arm is softly draped over the woman's shoulder, consoling her with everything he's got left, bringing a sense of calm and security, offering his very best in the moment, to help her get through waiting painstakingly through just five minutes more...which seemed like a lifetime even after already waiting a full 69 days... the last two, utterly agonizing.

This was what he said, at about the time of miner number 29 nearly reaching the surface of 'the rest of his life', to the wife of Juan Carlos Aguilar.  And like anything a parent would say to a child, it wasn't so much what he said, it was the way he said it -- his demeanor, his priority in giving her his full attention, right there, bearing it all with her and giving her the strength to stay with it for just a moment or two longer, but more important, honoring her feelings, showing her the kind of empathy all of us crave in that kind of moment. 

Sometimes, all we want is someone to know how we feel, to listen, to really listen; and these wives and families have endured great pain simply by waiting all this time, and the Chilean President was right there -- I don't think he ever left over the course of twenty four hours -- and along with his first lady, too.  What a display of elegance under pressure; what an example to presidents of nations everywhere, astounding stamina and spirit shining through for his people at a time of need.

And it didn't just happen for the last two days, no, it was his very belief, from day one, that he could save all thirty three miners that made this rescue happen; his Minister of Mines, his closest confidants and administration told him to leave this disaster alone, to let it go...there, there... they said to him... just let it go. let them go. 

But Pinera couldn't do that; these were real Chileans who were still alive, and by God, he was going to find a way to get them out; and he had every faith that he would.

He committed himself to seeing it all the way through; he committed government resources from day one; he said yes, to offers of help -- from anywhere and everywhere -- his personal ego let go and let God work (that last bit, was my own interpretation).   But against all of his adviser's best advice, he said no to them, and said yes to the world and the possibility-in-waiting.

Let's review a few moments that are fresh in the memory of recent actions of our own Commander-in-Charge:

• Gulf Oil Spill, ah no thanks, we got it, turning away the Dutch, syphons, and boats and booms oh my, right quick, almost too quick.
• Military Tribunals for terrorists, ah no thanks, our civilian courts will be more fair and I think,  therefore I am in charge, I think that's the better way to go...and already showing trouble.
• Arizona immigration legislation, ah no thanks, don't need any help, The Fed knows more than you, and knows how to handle this, back off, or I will sue, and he did.
• IBM offering Health Care fraud detection technology, ah no thanks, we got this, walk away now, oh but now that I think, therefore I am in charge, you do know we'll sue you if your company does not comply with our new regulations.
• Military absentee votes, ah sorry guys, no can do, can't do anyything about that...taking the unsavory position that 'to not act is to act...' and what an ugly habit it seems to be growing into...
• just who is the party of no, now?

Polar (hemisphere) opposites, anyone?

Could they be any more different?

Self made Billionaire, Sebastian Pinera, having been credited to bringing credit to Chileans -- yes, the evil credit card market was brought to the hands of every consumer and entrepreneur, changing their economy and the way they do business nearly all by himself (okay, slight exaggeration maybe).  But still!  Can you picture our Obama-nator organizing communities in the south side of Chicago with credit card activism?  yeah, didn't think so...  Not that every American is credit worthy all the time, there is that angle as well -- and clearly, make no mistake, by his record, he wouldn't touch that one either (can you say fannie?  freddie? bravo, bravo).

Here's another interesting hmmmmmmmm about these two: both went to Harvard!  Yes, Sebastian has a degree in Economics, and apparently, became a real bonafide Professor of Economics for a time in his life; unlike, our own president, where information surfaced linking to an unthinkable reality that he really wasn't ever a "professor" but a senior lecturer from time to time (mr. fee fi faux-fessor, thank you Hillary campaign...huh...if only) ...while we might also question the constitutional law he mastered, when he can't in fact quote what is "constitutional" material and what is "Declaration of Independence" correctly (and a few times) ...and if that weren't enough, being a president fudging about his law license (and Michelle too), having turned in his law license , (designating "in-active" schmear-active) on the heels of an investigation that concluded he would most likely be losing it anyway (apparently in 2008...in the middle of a campaign?.. what no, say it isn't so). 

Bravo
Bravo
Bravo.

Substance versus style -- while sometimes, when we're really lucky, some countries get both.

The people of Chile love this man, Sebastian, right now, and what's not to love; and how proud this man was, Sebastian, last night.  Beaming from his heart and soul was pure adulation of his country, his people, his miners, of all the gracious assistance he let in; he acted as a true leader, by facilitating all the good to simply flow. (he gets the true economics of it all, of life, what a breath of fresh air).

This mentality comes naturally to a man with a business sense, a certain common sense, a sense that we can find a way to make something, build something, think of something, sell something, save something, invent something, dare to dream something, and maybe even rescue something, like it was nothing at all.

He didn't seek praise -- albeit the really cool unintended consequence of actions coming from the heart and substance of a man who really cares;  he simply sought the outcome of not taking NO for an answer.  His faith told him to go forward, keep going, start digging, find the thing that will save them; and he did.

When I was in like 3rd grade, I did a report on Chile and fell in love with it -- even as just a kid. There was just something about the way it was shaped, as I recall, it was different...funny looking... and along with being south of the equator, which seemed like going to the moon and back in those days, everything about the cultural mix, the Andes, the Incas, and of course, it's shape, intrigued this girl very much. Those memories came rushing back over the course of the last couple of days.

I remember, too, I just loved saying the name; which in those days, we said "Chilly,"  not "Cheelay."  Toomayto, tomahto, no matta no matto -- who's willing to bet that Cheelay tourism will be way up over the course of the next year; (if I had money) my money would be on airlines that go there!

Me thinks a few more things will only go up, too -- things like Pinera's approval rating, Chilean patriotism, church attendance (not that it's an issue, what with 70% of it's people Catholic), price of copper and gold, marriages and oh my, even baby making (bet me, nine months from now, births in Chile will blow through the roof). 

Yes.  It is all going up from here in Cheelay.  C - H - I - L- E hey! hey! hey!

If America doesn't work out, G's going there.

Make it a Good Day, G

A look at how far we've come: your movie today, just a click away on Dear America above, (dates to the first week of September) ends with the comment from a journalist quoting the administration, "it will be months before the men are rescued."...think again. Been there, done that. Next.

On another front, some presidential behavior around the world becomes almost entertaining, take for example the latest use of the poster unveiled by Iran's Ahmadinejad when visiting Hezbollah on the border(line) with Lebanon and Israel...his mug and a bit of Farsi, loosely translated as, YES WE CAN.  funny.