With this holiday season comes all the usual requests for my time and money. We have a charity budget and God has blessed us with the ability to helps others, but unfortunately He only created a 24 hour day. I recently contacted a wise friend, who seems to always be doing 10 wonderful things at a time for others along with homeschooling and taking care of her family, with the intent of convincing her to tell me how she does everything she wants and needs to do. Then I too could make the most of what sometimes seems like a miserly 24 hours. Her response was "Unless you can live without sleep, you can't do everything".
But what about knitting scarves hats and mittens for the soldiers and homeless? And filling care packages for the troops? Or filling the Christmas Shoe Boxes for the kids abroad? Or standing on the corner with signs of support for our country? What about all the extra church services? Teaching my child the true meanings of the Thanksgiving and Christmas? Thanksgiving dinner? Christmas shopping (or the ones I want to make)? Baking cookies? Making ornaments? Decorating? Laundry?
Her next wise words were, "Keep your family fed and in clean clothes, then pick the things your family can do together and all the rest that you need to do will fall into place, thanks to God".
She is wiser than I knew.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Why The Peaceful Majority Is Irrelevant
This is not my writing (obviously) but it is relevant to me.
By Paul E. Marek
I used to know a man whose family were German aristocracy prior to World War Two. They owned a number of large industries and estates. I asked him how many German people were true Nazis, and the answer he gave has stuck with me and guided my attitude toward fanaticism ever since.
“Very few people were true Nazis” he said, “but, many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.”
We are told again and again by “experts” and “talking heads” that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unquantified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is, that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars world wide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is, that the “peaceful majority” is the “silent majority” and it is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China’s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people. The Average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a war mongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of Killing that included the systematic killing of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were “peace loving”.
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by the fanatics. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun. Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Bosnians, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others, have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Paul E. Marek is a second-generation Canadian, whose grandparents fled Czechoslovakia just prior to the Nazi takeover. He wrote the following article in February of 2006.
By Paul E. Marek
I used to know a man whose family were German aristocracy prior to World War Two. They owned a number of large industries and estates. I asked him how many German people were true Nazis, and the answer he gave has stuck with me and guided my attitude toward fanaticism ever since.
“Very few people were true Nazis” he said, “but, many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.”
We are told again and again by “experts” and “talking heads” that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unquantified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is, that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars world wide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is, that the “peaceful majority” is the “silent majority” and it is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China’s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people. The Average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a war mongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of Killing that included the systematic killing of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were “peace loving”.
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by the fanatics. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun. Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Bosnians, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others, have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Paul E. Marek is a second-generation Canadian, whose grandparents fled Czechoslovakia just prior to the Nazi takeover. He wrote the following article in February of 2006.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Changing families
As I grow closer to my church family (along with my husband and son) I find myself growing farther away from the rest of my family. The thought of spending time with my blood relatives (I won't include my in-laws in this topic) is quite unnerving to me and I have, for the most part, quit doing it. They tend to be a pessimistic and/or superior group of humans. There isn't any place to be who you are, only what they expect or want you to be. I find it extremely surprising that the belief still exists that someone can't or doesn't grow mentally after their 18th birthday. Doesn't anyone pay attention to scientific research about how our brains change for most of our life? What about the old phrase "mellow with age"; doesn't that imply change? Even though I have successfully held the positions of wife (14 years) and mother (12 years) for some time now, I am still viewed as a problem waiting to happen. These people have changed; how do they not see my change? Perhaps they don't see their own. I'm sure I am not the only person on the planet to be viewed suspiciously because of actual behavior modification, but I always thought it was your family who was supposed to be cheering you on from the stands; not talking to you through the screen door. I realize my church family only knows me as I am now and not as I was, which puts an entirely different dynamic into play and can explains some responses, but since I never caused any of my relations anything but inconvenience (no body or property damage) I kind of hoped for more.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Frightening Territory
This morning the President of the United States is scheduled to speak to all of the public school children in the U.S. I find this a frightening event. Although the White House has released a copy of his prepared remarks, who says he has to stick to this statement? To me this is very Hitler youth like. Why can't he address us in our homes so that parents have the ability to include their input and opinions? I guess the previous sentence answers that question. Our local public school district is not requiring the individual schools or classrooms to broadcast the speech and is asking that those who do choose to show it only do so "in conjunction with relevant curriculum being studied currently". Not a glowing recommendation, but not a refusal either. Since we are homeschoolers, their decision does not impact my family, but I am concerned about my child's friends. As of this writing I still haven't decided as to whether my child will watch the live feed with me or not. His attitude of our current President is not a favorable one, but like anyone under 25 these days he is still impressionable. For now, at least until the government takes it away, it is still my job to make sure he is protected from things that might cause him irrevocable damage; unfortunately, I think this message might fall into this category.
Addition 11:32am (CST)
He did stick to the general speech released. My son did watch. My son's first response when it was over? "His (Obama's) statements don't match his policies." I have to agree; being told how to live by the government will not inspire ingenuity.
Addition 11:32am (CST)
He did stick to the general speech released. My son did watch. My son's first response when it was over? "His (Obama's) statements don't match his policies." I have to agree; being told how to live by the government will not inspire ingenuity.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Please be honest with me
I have always considered myself a girly girl. Long hair, long nails, things plucked and shaved and perfumed. Not a fashion slave, but must coordinate in color,style, SHOES and I adore skirts. I do like some guy type things; camping (in a pop-up that has electricity and must be close to flush toilets and showers), baseball (at home though; not out in the heat), hockey (my language at games would stun some of my friends) and...okay I think that may be it. But at the ripe old age of 40 I found out how really different I am from most women. I have been married 15 years (dated plenty before that) and am aware of how sometimes males and females have trouble communicating. I have always attributed this to different brains patterns, but apparently there are a WHOLE LOT of women out there who don't say what they really mean. It isn't just to men either, but to other women as well. And since I am part of this "fairer" sex I am supposed to recognize the nuances that clue me in to what they are truly saying. Unfortunately, I am clueless. I'm not sure how I missed out on this comprehension training while growing up. I was raised in 2 households of almost complete women. How did I miss this? My friendship history (mostly guys, all my life) shows my lack of familiarization with these niceties; which is what these women believe they are doing by not speaking their mind. I do not, nor will I ever, consider it pleasant to get so angry with me that you have to end our friendship just because you wouldn’t tell me what was on your mind; especially if I am bugging the crud out of you. Now I realize more women than men are going to be likely to read my ramblings, and I'm not trying to bug the crud out of you, but cut your fellow sisters some slack. Feel free to mess with your man's mind, but tell me like it is!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Just Plugging Along...
"Just Plugging Along..."
A phrase my grandmother used for years, but I am just now truly coming to understand. For me, it means getting caught up in the day to day necessities and forgetting to notice the bigger picture of your world. The past several months have seen quite a change for our country, and quite a bit of change for my Midwest. No longer do we feel safe in our center of the country. We are being attacked on all of our core views and values. It is no longer acceptable to be a moral, conservative, hard working, take care of your own (and those you know and love) type of person. I am supposed to want to depend on the government for my every need and want, instead of being responsible for my own actions, needs, wants or happiness. If the leaders of our country have their way I will no longer have the right to pursue my happiness. My happiness will never include the government making my life decisions. So now many of us have been pushed from plugging into high gear, but the government isn't listening because they got used to us just being concerned about our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. They need to remember who they work for and let me get back to my normal speed.
A phrase my grandmother used for years, but I am just now truly coming to understand. For me, it means getting caught up in the day to day necessities and forgetting to notice the bigger picture of your world. The past several months have seen quite a change for our country, and quite a bit of change for my Midwest. No longer do we feel safe in our center of the country. We are being attacked on all of our core views and values. It is no longer acceptable to be a moral, conservative, hard working, take care of your own (and those you know and love) type of person. I am supposed to want to depend on the government for my every need and want, instead of being responsible for my own actions, needs, wants or happiness. If the leaders of our country have their way I will no longer have the right to pursue my happiness. My happiness will never include the government making my life decisions. So now many of us have been pushed from plugging into high gear, but the government isn't listening because they got used to us just being concerned about our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. They need to remember who they work for and let me get back to my normal speed.
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