Another Political Rant

I just heard Mark Levin say on his radio show something to the effect that Barak Obama is the closest president to a dictator that the United States has ever had. I have to agree.

Scarcely a day goes by that Obama does not do something I find alarming or creepy. Why is he going around the country trying to convince the people that his health care bill is a good thing. It's already passed, thanks to the democrats' willingness to bribe, twist arms, and use unethical parliamentary maneuvers to get their way, in spite of the very clearly expressed disapproval of the American people.

Now I hear that the democrats are calling in for congressional hearings the four or so major companies that have expressed how much the health care bill is going to cost them. Congress wants them to justify what they've said, to produce the data, and to make public all emails pertaining to this question. Say what??!!?? Since when does our government tell businesses how to do business? Since when does the government have the authority to tell CEOs to come justify business decisions. This is still a free country. An organization can say whatever they want!! I hope they refuse. I hope they tell Congress that freedom of speech is guaranteed by our Constitution and they don't have to justify anything to a government body.

And the way that Obama belittles those who disagree with him is getting to be extremely annoying. Disagreeing with the President does not make you an extremist!! It doesn't make you someone who is divisive!! I find his dismissing of his opponents to be very unpresidential and, frankly, rather juvenile. What is he about?? I'm starting to think it may very well be his intention to become as close as we've ever had to a dictator of the United States. Every day he seems to grab more power. Where will he stop?

Why is he campaigning?

Why on Earth is our president in Iowa reassuring people that the health care bill is a good thing?

It's passed. OK? What is with this paternalism? It gives me the creeps.

At first I thought why isn't he in the Oval Office doing his job instead of taking Air Force One across the country for more grandstanding.

Then I realized the less time he spends in the Oval Office the better off we'll all be. Let him stay away all he wants.

The narcissism is just very disturbing.

Retreat!!

My daughter and I returned Monday from our annual retreat to the Abbey of Gethsemane in Kentucky. It was, as always, wonderful. As Trappists, the monks observe silence most of the time. This is what is so wonderful about the retreats at Gethsemane. They are silent. Sweetly silent.

I had my own room, my own BATHROOM, my own time, my own silence. It was delightful.

A gorgeous sunset.....How good God is.

I think I have written before about how much I love to see the moon from my bed at home. Around once a month, if the sky is clear, the moon will shine into my bedroom window at home. I just love this. It gives me such peace.
Would you believe that the bed in my room at Gethsemane was right next to this window. I mean, immediately next to it. So I kept the blind open. I could hardly believe it when I lay down my first night there. Just above the top of this tree there was the moon, together with a sky full of stars. I thought to myself what were the chances that the moon would be positioned right there and that I would have this room. I fell asleep with my glasses on because I did not want to miss any clarity of the splendid glory of God that seemed to be enveloping me.

I felt like an indulged child. God is so good.

Warning: Political Rant

I am utterly disgusted by the debate going on in the house over health care.

Why does no one question Nancy Pelosi when she says she has the votes to pass the bill? She obviously does not have the votes or she would be bringing it to the floor. To boldly declare something that is not true is to lie. Is there any reason there would be ongoing negotiations over the key votes if she already had enough?

Why would she lie? Perhaps to discourage her opponents? If they think it's over maybe they'll stop the phone calls to their congressmen? Maybe she wants people to get used to the idea in order to diffuse the opposition?

On Fox News Sunday, Gibbs and another democrat were going on and on about insurance companies raising their rates. They can't even have an honest discussion about policy without grandstanding about what are obviously their planned talking points. It was nauseating.

I'm disgusted with the democratic Congress. They are buying votes. In their arrogance they have decided they know better than the American people. They may even try to pass this bill without VOTING by using a procedural maneuver. This is politics at its ugliest. I hope the American people can see clearly now how very much the majority of democrats hold the average American man and woman in contempt. May they all be tossed out of office in 2010. They deserve to be sent home for their failure to represent the very clearly stated will of the majority of the American people.

Been just a little too busy here...

Sorry I've been out of contact for a little while here.

Added to the activities of my usual week were the following:

A sick child-- strep throat, trip to the doctor's, pharmacy, etc.

My turn to take snacks to the Youth Symphony Orchestra here

An appointment for one of my children with one of those super-specialists at U of M

My turn to feed my dear friend with ALS

One (or was it two?) appointments to look at bridesmaid dresses

An appointment to go over an estimate for the flowers for the wedding.

Dinner auction at our grade school

Whew. When push comes to shove in my schedule often it is the blogging that gets bumped. So.. that's where I've been. Now I have to get caught up with what my blogging friends are doing....

Growing in Virtue

This morning I read the following passage from "In Conversation with God" the Lenten volume:

The virtues demand the repetition of acts in order to grow, because each act disposes the soul to perform the next one more easily. For example, if a person lives the 'heroic minute' when he wakes up, thus overcoming his laziness from the very first moment of the day, he will find it easier to be diligent in going about his other duties whether they be large or small.

Well. I do not just pop out of bed in the morning. I usually give myself 5 or 10 minutes. I do pray during that time, but I see the point of this suggestion. It could be quite a mortification. And, in some ways, such a little thing....just a little denial of self comfort.

Of course, I'm already making excuses. Some people wake up more easily than others. Some always wake up before the alarm clock. Yeah, yeah. If it's harder for me than I just have a greater opportunity for more grace.

I'm going to give this a try.

It's meeeellllllting!! Woohoo!

You all know how I have this love-hate relationship with the snow. Well, it's mostly love. But by the time March rolls around I've usually had enough. (Although snow days are always welcome :-).

It's starting to melt off the roof!! And the last few days have been well into the thirties and even entered the forties. It speaks of hope!!

On Saturday I went to the Farmers' Market in Ann Arbor and saw these lovely pansies for $5 a pot. I asked the guy, "Can these survive frosts?" They were sitting there on the concrete looking this good with the temp below freezing. He told me yes! He said they can even freeze and then they come right back. I said, "That sounds like us! Hey, anything that can bloom in this weather I have to buy."

It seemed to be happy in the sun even with the frigid temperature. Then I forgot and left them out overnight. In the morning. they looked just as good!! I love it. Here they are (above). The vendor said they are called glacial pansies (or something like that). How cool is that? I think I will bring them in at night (when I remember) until we stop dipping in to the twenties.

I love it, love it, love it. God is so good. We get a little taste of Spring to keep us patient.

By the way, I survived my falls just fine. Thank you all for your concern. I did go to my chiropractor to make sure I hadn't set myself up for future injuries. (Those of you with back or neck problems know what I'm talking about.) But I didn't mess anything up. Just shook myself up a bit. I'm watching for those slippery spots now! Stay safe!

Had a lovely walk this morning just at dawn. The birds were chirping. It was lovely.

Tonight I had another right at twilight. I love the sky just before dark. The blue is just so magnificent.

All things work together for good....

I guess there are some real advantages to not wanting to let your dog out in her own fenced backyard.

Is this a dog you could be friends with? I'd say.

Is this dog cute or what? I mean, she's adorable, she really is. She belongs to my youngest daughter. She has the sweetest disposition. But she is a little cautious and barks if she doesn't know you.

If this dog were almost NEVER outside in the fenced yard longer than 5 or 10 minutes would you call that being out "all the time?"

If this dog barked at you because you always scowled at her and wouldn't talk to her or try to make friends....and if when she barked her owner almost always brought her in immediately would you say that this dog "barked incessantly?"

I'm just asking. A little annoyed right now.