Thankfulness and Discouragement

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Although I like to cover politics and many world events on here I want to remind everyone (including myself) that we must be careful not to get discouraged. My family is very political. We enjoy listening to talk radio and I especially enjoy reading things on the Internet regarding what is going on in our world. I want to be made aware of issues that pertain to us as Americans.

As my blog states I think a lot of people (especially Moms) get busy with life and miss out on important things. When you have children at home, especially small children your whole world can easily become just your own family. We sometimes lose sight of things that are going on outside of our four walls. If it doesn't have to do with cooking, cleaning, disciplining, and maybe reading up on a topic related to being a wife or mother we may miss it.

We live in an important time. So many things are going on every day in this country and around the world. Things are changing quickly and important decisions are being made every day. Often, these decisions are going to affect if not us directly most certainly those children we are working so hard to raise. In light of that, I encourage everyone, no matter what season of life you are in to pay attention to the world around you.

As Christians we know that we are "in the world but not of it". That is a hard balance to achieve sometimes, I know. However, we are also supposed to be a light in this dark world. The dark forces are working over time I think to make changes and do some very damaging things. It is important to be informed so that we can take action when necessary, be able to talk to friends or co-workers in an educated way on issues, and be able to vote having all the facts.

Having said all of that I want to tell you not to get discouraged and how to accomplish that. This has been something I have been learning this year and it was brought up again at church yesterday. Of course, shortly after it was brought up I had an opportunity to be discouraged. Like a kid on a warm summer day, I put my toe in the pool to get a good feel for it, just a little bit of course. Then my whole foot went in.

This morning I am remembering and trying to encourage myself. While I am at it maybe I can help you too. The secret to getting out of discouragement (or not getting into it at all) is thankfulness. It seems so simple and you may wonder how it can be that easy. I believe in most cases being discouraged is just a sign that we have taken our eyes off the things we are thankful for. We are focusing on on the things we are NOT thankful for. It happens to all of us.

When you honestly put some thought into many of the things you are thankful for it is in my opinion, impossible to be discouraged. How can you be discouraged when you are thinking of all the many wonderful things in your life? Yes, I know times are hard for a lot of people. I know that people are worried. I know that we are hearing from many voices lots of discouraging news. There are times when you do need to take yourself away for a while. Get your mind off of what the world is saying. Go to the Bible and see what God is saying. There are many promises in the Word. As that old hymn says, it really is time to "count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done".

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching I say it is time to actually write down those blessings. Get your family involved. Then on Thanksgiving Day you can read them out loud if you like. Even when it is not Thanksgiving keeping a list of things you are thankful for is a great idea. When you feel that discouragement creeping in, go get your list or make a new one. Really focus on that list and I am sure it will be a short amount of time that the discouragement is replaced by rejoicing.

I will leave you today with that great hymn. It was written well over 100 years ago but certainly applies to today. Read it for the first time or read it again with a deeper commitment to actually counting your blessings and naming them one by one.


Verse 1

When upon life's billows You are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged Thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings Name them one by one,
And it will surprise you What the Lord hath done.

Chorus:

Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your blessings See what God hath done.
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings See what God hath done.

Verse 2

Are you ever burdened With a load of care,
Does the cross seem heavy You are called to bear.
Count your many blessings Every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing As the days go by.

Verse 3

When you look at others With their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised You His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings Money cannot buy,
Your reward in heaven Nor your home on high.

Verse 4

So amid the conflict Whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged God is over all.
Count your many blessings Angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you To your journey's end.

The words to the hymn above were found here.

Government In Charge of Political Balance on Radio?

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Recent polling data now suggests nearly half of Americans agree
that the GOVERNMENT SHOULD MANDATE political balance on radio
and TV airwaves!

While some American people actually believe re-instatement of
the "Censorship Doctrine" (aka the Fairness Doctrine) would
accomplish political balance, the stark reality is, in the
interest of showing both sides of a controversial issue, people
will get neither!

It's not a stretch to think that broadcasters, intimidated by
the FCC, will run from anything close to controversial. Programming
like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and scores of others would
vaporize because of government censorship...

..and we can't allow that to happen.

Click here right now to help:

http://www.mrcaction.org/r.asp?u=13663&RID=11827900


++ Change is Coming...

You may have read recent reports (posted right here
on MRC) suggesting liberal leaders aren't terribly interested in
moving this Censorship Doctrine forward.

We're not buying it. Not for a minute. In fact, we are
fully convinced that this bolstered, heavily-muscled
liberal- controlled Congress will move quickly to censor
and ultimately silence conservative speech...

We believe this because conservative talk radio represents
the last stumbling block to liberal domination of the airwaves.

That's why we've started the Free Speech Alliance, and have made
a commitment to dedicate every possible resource at the MRC's
disposal to fighting this effort to silence the conservative voice.

We're calling on all concerned citizens to join us and make a strong
statement that we will not tolerate this blatant attempt to censor
and silence the conservative voice.

Perhaps you missed our first call to action, so please stand with
us right now by clicking here:

http://www.mrcaction.org/r.asp?u=13663&RID=11827900


After signing, forward this message to 25-30 friends, and carefully
explain to them why the "Censorship Doctrine" is so dangerous.
Urge them to join the fight against it by clicking here:

http://www.mrcaction.org/r.asp?u=13663&RID=11827900

Thank you in advance for your help, and for standing with the
MRC to stop these attacks on our free speech rights.

The Media Research Center is a research and education organization
operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions are tax-deductible for income tax purposes.

I believe that the information above is VERY important. (I did not write this of course, it came to me in an email from The Media Research Center.) This can NOT happen. 99% of what we see on tv is unbalanced in the favor of liberals. Talk radio is all that conservatives have left. We have to fight against this. Every time I have heard "we want equal rights" it eventually has turned into for many "special rights" above every one else. (Think about extreme feminists, extreme laws for only certain races, and the radical ones in the homosexual community attacking churchse.) When they start talking about making talk radio equal or balanced it will be the same way. It will get a lot of people off the air including Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Those are in the top two from what I last heard. The liberals had a chance at radio and it flopped. It just wasn't good. Conservatives can do it and do it well. That is why they are a threat. Also, if this attempt is successful how long do you think it will be before they go after the Internet. I for one am going to do all I can to keep this from happening. At this point we know this attack on our freedom is coming. If we do nothing we can't say we didn't know or we didn't know how to take action.

"Talk radio tends to be one-sided. It also tends to
be dwelling in
hyperbole. It's explosive. It pushes
people to, I think, extreme views
without a lot of
information ... I'm looking at the [Fairness Doctrine]...
Unfortunately, talk radio is overwhelmingly one way."

Dianne Feinstein

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce and brave man, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."

Mark Twain

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President."

President Theodore Roosevelt

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Edmund Burke

More Money Saving

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I have added a few more links to the "Coupons" area over there. ---->


Last night, at my home school support group meeting one of the Moms (thanks Kristi!) shared about her marvelous savings with coupons. She had so much stuff (purchased for free or almost free) stockpiled that she gave away tons of items to us. What a blessing she was. Anyway, she gave out more information and more websites. I added a few over there and I am going to put a few more on this post. Some are not coupons just money saving things. If you have started trying to save money with coupons leave a comment and let us know how you are doing. The neat thing about this is that you can start small. I am no where near the level some people are but I have seens some great deals. I saved $15 in coupons on a recent trip to Walmart so I was pretty excited about that. Hope you find these links helpful. Here is a very interesting article on how to use coupons....click here.


http://www.slickdeals.com/

http://www.refundcents.com/

http://www.graveyardmall.com/

http://www.blackfday.com/

Hope & Rainbows!

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Don't give up hope!

After the election there has been much sadness and fear. These are emotions that a lot of people are fighting. No matter who is elected we have to remember HE is still on the throne.

HOPE is the one word that has been used a lot during the campaign. Funny how at this time that is what a lot of us are really needing to focus on. My HOPE is in something much greater than any candidate or man on this earth. Our hope has to be in God.

There is no president or king higher than OUR King. Jesus Christ is above them all. There is a great temptation at this time to lose hope and be depressed but we can't do that.

As my husband left for work today I could see the discouragement & frustration in his eyes. I could see how concerned he was. As he walked out the door I said, "HE is still on the throne".

He called me a few minutes ago. He said that he wanted to tell me he was standing outside looking at a full rainbow. A FULL rainbow (not just part of one) he said more than once. I said, that sounds beautiful. He thought I would want to know. That rainbow meant a lot to him. As he hung up the phone he said to me, God is still on the throne.

Thank you God for sending us encouragement and even visible signs that you are still there. Thank you for the reminder that we can still trust in YOUR promises and put our hope in YOU.

Today I challenge you to look for the rainbows! Ask God to show them to you.

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Come back and post the rainbows you see today in the comments below.

Vote Today & A New King?

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The big day is finally here. Can you believe it? It will be over soon....one way or another.

I told my husband that I would like to go on vacation until it is over. Of course, that would be AFTER I vote. Then I want to go on a vacation where I don't hear anything about the election. I don't want to deal with the emotional roller coaster! Just give me the bottom line at the end. Just tell me who won and how close it was. That's it! I don't need a minute by minute analysis or that kind of stress in my life.
However, I am sure my curiosity is going to get the best of me. :-(

Don't forget to vote today and vote early. To get an idea of how my readers are doing, please leave a comment below after you have voted. Spread the word that you are voting!


A lot of places around here are giving away free things (coffee, chicken, donuts) if you wear your "I Voted" sticker.

I was reading my friend's blog today. Part of something she had on there really jumped out at me. The whole post is excellent but this part really stopped me in my tracks. This is part of a post regarding a black mans attitude toward Obama and why he will NOT vote for him. I am sure you will find it very interesting.


You will find her post here

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the
beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king.
First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 “Now listen to
them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over
them will do.”

Then God says

1 Samuel 1:18 ” When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have
chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”



19 But the people refused to listen to
Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.



20 Then we will be like all the other
nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our
battles.”



21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he
repeated it before the LORD.



22 The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give
them a king.”




In America, I see this king as "The King of Change" Of course, he would also be the King of Change at any cost? That is what amazes me. A lot of people have to be going against their very core beliefs and values to vote for this man. They are willing to put aside their morals on the hope of change.
What kind of change though?
That is the frightening part.

Now, hurry up and go vote!

Flu Fighting Fruit!

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Saw this article and thought it would be good to share. I see that people are getting their flu shots during this time of year so this should be good timing.

The Fruit That Fights the Flu

Once November hits, the rest of the year is a giant sprint to the Dick Clark ball-dropping finish line. Here’s the game plan for keeping healthy through it.
Start by getting a flu shot. Then, buy yourself a bag of apples and munch away. The quercetin in apples may help bolster your immune system during vulnerable times.

Boon to Immunity
Yep. Apples (and red onions, broccoli, and tea) are great sources of quercetin -- a flavonoid that may stave off the influenza virus when the body is under stress. In a recent animal study, quercetin did just that: The normal dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue was pretty much cancelled out by the flavonoid. If it works as well in humans, quercetin could help power the body through both physical and psychological stress. (Is stress already getting the best of you? Use this tool to take the edge off.)

Talking ’Bout Disease Prevention . . .
Quercetin may not only quash the flu but also stave off health conditions like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and pancreatic cancer. So get more quercetin with these quick and easy recipes from EatingWell:

Slip some quercetin-rich broccoli into the king of all comfort foods with Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash.
Give the holidays a twist with this Chunky Apple-Rhubarb Sauce with Dried Cranberries. (You’ll get loads of quercetin from the apples, apple juice, and red onion.)
Or try this quicker, healthier take on a favorite dessert: Old-Fashioned Apple-Nut Crisp.
Has the flu already gotten you? Check out the sinus-soothing ideas on this page.

RealAge Benefit: Getting 31 milligrams of flavonoids a day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger.

This article was found at "Real Age", click here.

Friend of Planned Parenthood

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Go to Mrspsycho's Pub blog and check out this post.

Have you ever heard of Margaret Sanger's American Birth Control League? That is what eventually became what we know today as Planned Parenthood.

"Margaret Sanger spoke of sterilizing those she designated as "unfit," a plan she said would be the "salvation of American civilization.: And she also spike of those who were "irresponsible and reckless," among whom she included those " whose religious scruples prevent their exercising control over their numbers." She further contended that "there is no doubt in the minds of all thinking people that the procreation of this group should be stopped." That many Americans of African origin constituted a segment of Sanger considered "unfit" cannot be easily refuted."

That and more information on this topic can be found here.

If that isn't upsetting enough here is something that happened much more recently. This happened in March of this year. A UCLA student group made some phone calls. I guess they wanted to do an experiment and see what the reaction was from Planned Parenthood. I am sure most will be shocked.

Idaho donor: The abortion—I can give money specifically for a black baby, that would be the purpose?


PP Rep: Absolutely. If you wanted to designate that your gift be used to help an African-American woman in need, then we would certainly make sure that the gift was earmarked for that purpose.


Idaho donor: Great, because I really faced trouble with affirmative action, and I don’t want my kids to be disadvantaged against black kids. I just had a baby; I want to put it in his name.


PP Rep: Yes, absolutely.


Idaho donor: And we don’t, you know we just think, the less black kids out there the better.

PP Rep: Understandable, understandable.


Idaho donor: Right. I want to protect my son, so he can get into college


PP Rep: Alright. Excuse my hesitation, this is the first time I’ve had a donor call and make this kind of request, so I’m excited, and want to make sure I don’t leave anything out.


This information came from here also.

Your gift will be used to HELP an African-American woman in need? Are you kidding me? How awful is this? What she calls help I call murder....put that word in place of help above. It is very likely an African-American woman in the womb.

Doesn't this make the video I referenced above even more interesting? Very sad.

Regarding the cartoon above. Take it from a family that knows. There are so many people in this world that would love and cherish a baby. There are many people who can't have a baby. Please, don't abort, give the gift of life to your child and to a family that would love that baby.

My Top 7 Biggest Concerns...Part 3

My Top 7 Biggest Concerns Regarding A Candidate Part 3

This is a continuation. To read yesterdays part 2 click here.

# 5 "Bitter Clingers". Have you heard this new phrase? This is where it came from....what do you think?

Our challenge is to get people persuaded
that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily
lives," he said. "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot
of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and
nothings replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and
the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that
somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have
not.

"And it's not surprising then they get bitter,
they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or
anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their
frustrations." -Obama

That was certainly a slap in the face to small town people but won't he need a lot of them to win this election? Not a smart thing to say.

Click here to see some of those small town people clinging to God and their guns while being accused of being bitter.

#6 From his own mouth....spread the wealth.

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Here is the quote.

"It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to
make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for
success too," Obama responded. "My attitude is that if the economy's good for
folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think
when you spread the wealth around, it's good for
everybody." -Obama

It seems like there really shouldn't be a need for coments here. However, this is another example of something said that apparently has not upset as man people as I thought it would. I assumed that MOST Americans would be gravely concerned about this. I certainly am.

#7 Birth Certificate.

This is the most recent controversy I have been hearing about. Click here for a lot more details. Here is an overview.

"HONOLULU, Hawaii – Although the legitimacy of Sen. Barack Obama's birth certificate has become a focus of intense speculation – and even several lawsuits – WND has learned that Hawaii's Gov. Linda Lingle has placed the candidate's birth certificate under seal and instructed the state's Department of Health to make sure no one in the press obtains access to the original document under any circumstances....

In a startling development, Obama's Kenyan grandmother has reportedly alleged she witnessed Obama's birth at the Coast Provincial Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya."

Friday, U.S. Federal judge Richard Barclay Surrick, a Clinton appointee, dismissed a lawsuit brought by Pennsylvania attorney Phillip J. Berg who alleged Obama was not a U.S. "natural born" citizen and therefore ineligible for the presidency under the specifications of the U.S. Constitution, under Article II, Section 1.Berg told WND last week he does not have a copy of a Kenyan birth certificate for Obama that he alleges exists. In Kenya, WND was told by government authorities that all documents concerning Obama were under seal until after the U.S. presidential election on November 4.

Does it sound like he is trying to hide something? I don't want a president that is deceptive, do you? I think we already had one of those and it was a terrible embarrassment to this nation.

In closing, yeah I know, you thought I never would. ;-)

Vote people...it is urgent.

You must get the facts and then make an educated decision. I know we have all heard before how THIS election is so important. They all are really. However, this election is going to change the way America is and has been for hundreds of years of the wrong person is elected. The America that Obama wants us to "change" into is NOT the America our founding fathers came here to establish. It is NOT the America that I want my children or grand children living in either.

If you pray, then pray too but everyone should be making an educated decision and voting in a few days.