Welcome to Change, Part 1

Recent News:
Obama Receives Wish List from Abortion Activists. Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America and more than 50 of their pro-abortion allies have laid out their priorities for the incoming president in a 55-page memo. The document covers everything from suggested executive orders and presidential memorandums to legislative changes and regulatory initiatives. Included in this list are requests to eliminate funding for abstinence education, pro-abortion judicial nominees, a $400 million increase in funding for Planned Parenthood and funding for international organizations that promote abortion.

Of course, none of this is shocking news. What else would they seek to promote? However, there are some smaller things mentioned that surprised me and might surprise you as well. I'm also planning on commenting on some of the obvious requests, just because I want everyone to be aware of this.

First, a listing of some of the groups that signed onto this memorandum that you may not have expected (or maybe you did).

• Advocates for Youth
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American Medical Student Association
• American Social Health Association
• Healthy Teen Network
• Sierra Club

A few of these are reputable organizations that are heavily involved in the education of our medical professionals. And involved in our schools in promoting teen health. Unfortunately, you'll see that what they are advocating for does not actually help teens.

Second, I am saddened when I read this and when I see the list of organizations represented. Those who put together this paper are lost and blinded. They need our prayers most of all.

More to follow...

Coming Soon

coming soon to a blog near you...I'm going to pick apart the pro-abortion "wish list" submitted to the Obama-Biden transition team.

Read it for yourself.

My Christmas present to my readers (the few that are left).

Picture Tagging

My friend Allie tagged me in this little picture thing going around so I thought I'd participate, but I won't be tagging anyone else. Sorry.

I was supposed to go to the sixth picture folder on my computer and pick the sixth picture.

The picture to the left is that picture. It's my friend Andy from college. I say friend, although since we've graduated I don't think we've talked at all. But he's a pretty cool guy, very funny, very nice, but a little afraid of girls. Maybe I took this picture to help him find a lady...I have no idea.

Not very interesting, eh?

Great Luther Quote

Great quote from Martin Luther:

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all of the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.

Where Were You On This Day in 2001?

Today is September 11, 2008. It's hard to realize that it was seven years ago when the World Trade Centers fell. I remember that day so vividly. It was one of the first weeks of my freshman year in college. They announced in chapel that a plane (I was thinking small chartered plane) flew into one of the towers and we had a special time of prayer before ending that morning. I quickly raced back to my room to find news on this piece, but the internet was ridiculously slow and I couldn't get on to any news site. I went downstairs to the lobby where there was a crowd gathered around the television in the corner. We watched as they replayed tape of a plane (a commercial jet) fly into the first tower and explode. Then live footage started as a second plane flew into the second tower, and then the first tower completely collapsed from the first explosion (I think, my timeline may be faulty...just going by memory). I broke down crying, right there, in front of all these other people who I didn't know, but who were also greatly affected by what they saw. I don't cry often, but I just realized that I was watching something that would impact our country. I thought, "we're the United States, this isn't supposed to happen here." And to realize that those buildings would be gone forever, and those people would be gone forever, and children who right now were in daycare or school would go home to find out that their parent or parents were never coming home again. Today, pray for those who lost loved ones in those buildings, in the Pentagon and the crash in Schwenksville, either because they worked there or were working to rescue those inside. I'm sure today is still a sad memory for them.

The plane in Shanksville, I believe, was somewhat of a blessing from God? Not that those people died, I don't mean that at all. That is a tragedy. But that we were left at the end of that day with a glimmer of hope and profiles of courage. The people on that plane realized what was happening and decided to take a stand. Todd Beamer and others showed us, and the world, that Americans aren't weak pansies, that we're not just going to let people walk all over us. But we'll fight back and thwart their evil plans. I cannot imagine doing that myself, although I wish I would, but the sacrifice of the people on that plane to spare the lives of others is awesome and humbling.

My words are pretty shabby to talk about all of this and to express what I'm really feeling today, but I hope that this gives you a glimpse.

Where were you on this day in 2001? I want to hear from you.

P.S. - I recommend watching the movie, United 93. I think it does a good job of telling the story of what was going on during that day.

We Have A Greater Hope

At church this morning someone shared a word from Philippians 3:20-21, "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." We have a citizenship in something other than the U.S. Yes, we should be good citizens here and vote and get involved in our government and country, but as Christians that's not all there is to our life. We can look past this world here and this election and look forward to when we will be with Christ for all eternity. Everything on earth is subject to God, doesn't that make you feel a whole lot better about life?

We also sang "Nothing But the Blood" by Matt Redman and this line stuck out to me:
"What can wash away our sin?
What can make us whole again?
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood of Jesus"

I was struck by these words because of all the talk about uniting the country and bringing us all back on track, etc. While we need good government to do this, we can't rely fully on it. Only the blood of Jesus has the power to change anyone or anything. So while others are begging for more government programs and relying on certain candidates as a "messiah," let's remember the real Messiah and the change that he brings. Let's pray for revival. That's a real change you can believe in!

Why I love Sarah Palin

1) She's a wife and mother who cares about her family
2) Not afraid of her femininity and honoring her husband
3) Strong charisma
4) Dynamic speaker
5) Clear with the facts
6) Funny
7) A great role model for younger women
8) Reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher (from my knowledge of Thatcher)
9) The future of the Republican Party (a party I'm able to support with passion)
10) Not afraid to burn the competition

For more on the Margaret Thatcher comparison check out the two following articles from the Wall Street Journal:

John Fund - A future Thatcher

Obama is the Anti-Thatcher

Why do you like Sarah Palin? Post your comments.

Establishing My Street Cred

When I interned for Townhall.com I was attacked on a few blogs because I made some crazy liberals angry. Just thought I'd share from the World O'Crap blog that obviously didn't like me:

Emily the Intern:

It is with great delight that we present a major new wingnut talent: Townhall summer intern Emily Shaheen. She has written a brilliant column about the profound and beautiful lessons taught by Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Here are some highlights:

White Goodman (Ben Stiller) is the founder and owner of Globo Gym, frequented by the professional athlete and all around beautiful person. Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn) is the laid-back lackadaisical owner of Average Joe's Gym, which caters to the misfits of the community. Debt problems force La Fleur to come up with $50,000 to prevent Goodman from turning Average Joe's into a parking lot. This leaves his gang of misfits searching for a way to raise the money. They find it in an "Obscure Sports Quarterly" ad for The National Dodgeball Championships, which offers a grand prize of $50,000.

The Championships have no prizes for second, third, or fourth places. This is very different from the feel-good sports of today, including the Olympics, which give almost everyone a prize. Why should a 16th place finisher receive a ribbon? They have not achieved the goal of being the best.

Liberals espouse this same ideology in society. They want all winners and no losers, but this is not real life.

In real life, and in sports, the losers go home with shame.

Emily claims that liberals are outraged that "Bill Gates makes more money than Joe Schmo." See, in real life, Bill is a winner. Everybody else is a loser. They should go home in shame -- and not get any insurance or retirement benefits.

Liberals want everyone to be winners, but if everyone is a winner then there is no excellence. There's no motivation to become better if nobody is in front to beat. Failure creates motivation, motivation inspires work, and work leads to victory.

Emily, honey, you're a loser and a failure -- even Ben Shapiro and Mike Adams did better than you did. I hope this motivates you to work harder so you won't suck so bad next time.

I don't really like talking about my flair...

Excerpt from my latest column in the magazine I edit:

How many pieces of flair do you have? What are your favorites? Do you even know what a piece of flair is?

Pieces of Flair are the latest application on Facebook (a social networking site). Here’s the online description:

“Show off your interests with Pieces of Flair for your profile! Describe yourself with buttons. Send them to friends as gifts. Browse through our growing collection. If you don't find what you want, it's easy to make your own! Track how popular your creations become as they spread from friend to friend all over Facebook!”

This sounds very exciting to a teenager or a college student, or, I admit, even to a young professional like me. But, as I began sifting through all the different buttons with their unique phrases and designs, I caught myself wondering, what does describe me and my interests? How can I narrow that down to several buttons?

Most of the buttons say, “I love shoes,” “I love frogs,” “swimmers rule” or include movie quotes. There are buttons with different pictures of actors and actresses, singers, athletes and brand names. All designed to fit specific interests and to help the user display a broad picture of themselves so their friends can know more about them.

Am I really only about shoes, sports and my favorite movie catchphrases? Is that what I want people to see about me? What if I died and the only thing left were my Pieces of Flair? That doesn’t really describe my life, or at least I hope not. To truly know someone, you need to make a connection with them and get beyond the flair.

When voting for a candidate for office, don’t just latch onto the catchphrases and the media sound bites. Delve into their policy statements and their voting records. When reading about the numbers of women choosing an abortion, don’t assume that they made an informed decision, volunteer for a pregnancy care center and find out what’s really going on in their lives and offer them an option for life. When a strip club sets up shop in your small town, don’t assume that the goings-on are legal, go find out if you can fight for your community.

We need to get beyond the statistics and the news and get involved. Will you join me?

PA Primary Today

Don't forget to vote!

The Things that Divide Us

In today's political climate you hear a lot about the evil of divisiveness. We need unity and change, not arguments and disagreements. Let's all hold hands and chant or something...*note sarcasm*

This theme of divisiveness has been used recently to attack the "religious right" who bring up those polarizing issues of abortion and "same-sex marriage." How dare they introduce legislation that makes people feel uncomfortable, bring up topics in conversation where people passionately disagree. That's not loving. That's not compassionate. This Sunday's Patriot-News featured an op-ed by the president of Messiah College talking about their forum they held with presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

"The Compassion Forum is an important step forward to broaden the religious-political dialogue. The time has come for people of faith to expand the dialogue beyond a few limited issues and include morally significant concerns such as the global AIDS epidemic, domestic and international poverty, climate change, abortion, genocide in Darfur, human rights and torture."

Mrs. Phipps said their forum was going to be hospitable and gracious, not hostile and divisive. Good deal. EXCEPT, do we really believe that abortion and homosexuality are the only issues people disagree on? Let's talk about each of these topics mentioned in the quote above:

• global AIDS epidemic-
  
• side one: throw money at the problem, give them condoms and comprehensive sex education.
  
• side two: abstinence education, encouraging strong families. Very divisive. We have had debate on this very issue in Congress within the past few weeks.
• domestic and international poverty-
  
• side one: forgive all international debt and add more welfare programs and free handouts for poor Americans.
  
• side two: support beginning democracies and good money management, and domestically, focus on incentives to work and get out of poverty. Another passionate debate in the U.S.
• climate change-
  
• Wait, there are two sides to this issue? I thought we all agreed on this. Yeah, we don't. There are a large number of scientists who disagree with the whole global warming scare. This issue is so divisive that the pro-side chooses to act like the other side doesn't even exist!
• genocide in Darfur- I actually don't know two sides to this one, but I am sure there are.
• human rights-
  
• side one: right to abortion and right to marry anyone you want.
  
• side two: not everything is a right. Yikes, they kind of stumbled into very divisive waters here including the ones they wanted to avoid...(note: I was not at the forum so I don't know what this topic covered).
• torture-
  
• side one: waterboarding is evil.
  
• side two: we love Jack Bauer and waterboarding is A-ok. Pretty divisive. Did you see the protests in DC?

Why did I point all this out? Just to show you, my readers, that almost every issue is divisive. It's not a bad word. Yes, we should be polite and hospitable, but that doesn't mean not disagreeing and never telling someone that they are wrong. It's called public discourse. When people complain about divisiveness, it means they want you to just shut up and go along with what they think. Don't let them bully you.

Please leave comments.

There's a whole lot more!

I've seen some mass emails go by and some shout outs to Pennsylvania Republicans to switch their party registration to Democrat so they can vote for Obama or Hillary. I think that's a bad idea.

I have six reasons why you should keep your registration unchanged:
1. State Attorney General
2. State Auditor General
3. State Treasurer
4. Representative in Congress
5. State Senator (odd-numbered districts)
6. State Representative

If you change your registration to Democrat, then you cannot vote for these races on the Republican ticket. Some of these races might be contested. Do you want to have a say for who represents the Republican party, which aligns more with conservative views than the Dems? Then don't change your registration. And if you're registered as an Independent...well then your opinion doesn't matter a whole lot since you shut yourself out.

Just remember that there's a whole lot more to this election than just a presidential candidate.

Obama - Bipartisan?

No. Obama is the most liberal senator. While in the Illinois state senate, he voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that prohibited anyone from killing an infant that had survived an abortion. His comments speak for themselves:

"How could someone possibly justify such a vote? In March 2001, Obama was the sole speaker in opposition to the bill on the floor of the Illinois Senate. He said: "We're saying they are persons entitled to the kinds of protections provided to a child, a 9-month child delivered to term. I mean, it would essentially bar abortions, because the equal-protection clause does not allow somebody to kill a child." So according to Obama, "they," babies who survive abortions or any other preterm newborns, should be permitted to be killed because giving legal protection to preterm newborns would have the effect of banning all abortions."

Read the rest here.

Oscars = Depressing

Michael Medved gets it right in his latest blog post on Townhall.com. Why did the Oscars tank?

"...in Hollywood’s Golden Age, we looked on celebrities with admiration and envy; today, we often see them with contempt and pity. The scandal-obsessed, non-stop, cable-and-internet Britney-Lindsay-Paris culture focuses on broken lives and self-destructive decadence. Like passing a car wreck, it’s sometimes hard to look away, but if we have other choices for entertainment and escape than dwelling in this dysfunctional world, we generally take them."

How true.

Nature's Quality Control

Maggie Gallagher's latest column on Townhall.com:

"My own position on sperm donation is considered beyond the pale. Ideally, before a man becomes a father he ought to be able to persuade some woman to marry him. But consider this an absolute minimum: A man who wants to be a father ought to be able to find some actual live woman who wants to have sex with him. Call it nature's quality control."

Or Forever Hold Your Peace...

Just heard on the Michael Medved show:

Michael Medved: To all who said Huckabee ruined his state (Arkansas) and that he was a big spend liberal, Shut up. He got 61% of the vote.

Yeah!

Voter-Based Reality - What's Really Going On?

Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost has a great new post. He really knows what's going on in this election cycle.

Truth Is Not Relative

I wanted to write this post last Sunday, but I just did not have the time.

The worship team at my church has recently started playing the song, "Only True God" by Paul Baloche, frequently and it has quickly become one of my favorites. I was struck last Sunday by the chorus:

Father, Spirit, Son
Only true God
Exalted three in one
Only true God
Only true God

It's absolute. It's exclusive. No room for any other deity or interpretation. The perfect triune God is it. He is the only true God. Where else do you experience such clarity?

The world is afraid of absolutes. Although it's ironic since I think the only way you can feel truly at peace is when you know something is certain. But nonetheless, our society is afraid of saying right and wrong. There are many examples, including the war on terror and the federal marriage amendment. It's refreshing on a Sunday to rejoice in absolute truth.

I've decided that that is what I am looking for in a presidential candidate. I want a president who is not afraid to say that something is right or wrong. I want someone who believes in absolute truth and holds society and government to a standard other than his own feelings or the whims of the people. I think Mike Huckabee fills that bill the best, but I am afraid that tomorrow he may not last much longer. Mitt Romney is next on my list for someone who I think holds to a truth higher than himself. He has changed his mind on some issues and I don't agree with him on everything, but I think his Mormon faith is strong and that the moral standard of absolute truth will come through on his policies. I don't think John McCain holds to any absolute truth other than what he thinks is right (which is highly questionable...). And don't get me started on the Democrats!

Do you think it's important for a president who holds to a higher standard than himself? What are some criteria that you look for in a candidate?

Still Supporting Huckabee!

I know there has not been a whole lot of activity on this blog lately, but I want you to know it is NOT because I'm discontinuing support of Huckabee. He is still the best candidate for President in this race. I am continuing to pray that he will win the GOP nomination and I will try to help here in Pennsylvania in whatever way possible.

I see that I have some comments from people who are backing other candidates. Great! We need more conversation about all the candidates and why each of us have chosen that person to support. Too many people are afraid of "offending" someone if they talk about who they want for president. Get out there and get active and start talking!

I hope to get a more meaty post up soon. Meanwhile, what do you all think about the coverage of the March for Life from this past Tuesday?

Pledge for Huckabee - Get Active!

Huckabee Momentum is running a pledge drive for Mike Huckabee. All they are asking you to do is pledge to give $25 to the Huckabee campaign if they reach their goal of signing up 10,000 people. All you give are your email address, name, city and state. No money up front. Just pledge to contribute and then spread the word! It's any easy way to get involved.

They have a lot of neat information on Huckabee and some other great incentives to spread the word about Mike Huckabee and why he will make a great president.

Visit Huckabee Momentum today and make a pledge!

What is Conservatism?

Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost (I love his blog!) just started a series of blog posts on conservatism. His first one is well-written and really lays out the role of the family in the conservative movement.

Excerpt:
"I believe that while ultimate sovereignty belongs to God alone, He delegates authority throughout society to various institutional structures (i.e., churches, businesses, the state, etc.). Naturally, these institutions are not immune to the effects of sin or human depravity but they still retain the legitimate authority given to them by our Creator. Although each of these institutions is important, the most essential is the family. My political philosophy could be called “family-first conservatism” for I believe that the institution of the family should be given pride of place in decisions about public policy."

Bush's Legacy in the Middle East

I support what President Bush has done in the Middle East during his two terms. The first time that democracy has really broken into that culture and I don't know how you can read about it and watch the news coverage of those first elections in Afghanistan, etc and not break into tears of joy for the freedom of these people.

Fouad Ajami agrees with me (well he doesn't really know me) and wrote a wonderful piece in the Wall Street Journal about the work that the President has done in that region of the world.

Some Straight Talk on Huckabee

Finally some straight talk on Mike Huckabee. Way to call the critics on the carpet. Read this op-ed from the American Spectator.

"Much of the contempt for Huckabee is confusing, alternating between descriptions of him as a socialist pansy and social reactionary. Which is it? Is he too liberal for the GOP or too conservative?"

Why I Cannot Support Ron Paul

A number of people have asked me why I am not supporting Ron Paul. There are a number of reasons, but there is one clear reason. Because of his support for so-called "same-sex" marriage. How do I know that he supports it? Here is a quote from Ron Paul, printed in the Philadelphia Bulletin (a pro-Paul newspaper): "'They can do whatever they want and they can call it whatever they want; just so they don't expect to impose their relationship on someone else,' Dr. Paul stated." He then goes onto to say that this is because government shouldn't be involved in marriage in the first place.

I disagree with Paul that the government should not be involved in marriage. The rights are from God, but government should be able to say who can marry (family members cannot marry one another, people should only have one spouse, children should not marry, etc). This promotes a healthy and growing society because marriage is primarily about procreation and family. The government needs to promote healthy families for the rearing and bringing up of children to further the society. One of these ways to promote families is by protecting traditional family as one man and one woman only.

It is dangerous for Ron Paul to say that homosexuals should be allowed to marry "as long as they don't impose this on anyone." It makes marriage meaningless and opens the door for group marriage, etc because maybe it won't bother anyone. If same-sex "marriage" is legalized then it will be imposed on the church and society that must now accept that union as perfectly fine even if it is against their beliefs. If you don't believe me, read Maggie Gallagher's article published in the Weekly Standard entitled, "Banned in Boston." She talks to a number of scholars who are in support of and against same-sex marriage and they all come to the same conclusion: religious liberty and same-sex unions cannot co-exist.

That is why I cannot support Ron Paul.

Iowa Caucus Today, Attacks on the Rise

The Iowa Caucuses start today and the panic begins. Commentators, columnists and bloggers are all scrambling to make predictions and/or warnings about the results. They try to make intelligent guesses while at the same time saying it's basically anyone's guess.

A lot of "conservative" pundits have their panties in a twist because they're scared that Huckabee might win Iowa, and then that would make them wrong about him. But they could just blame it on those crazy "evangelical voters" that are led astray just by someone calling themselves a "Christian leader." So the attacks escalate: Huckabee is mean-spirited, he blatantly uses the media for exposure, he's dirty, he's conniving, etc. Meanwhile, the candidates they support, *cough* Romney *cough*, get a free pass on everything they do or say.

I believe that Huckabee is going to blow them away and they're going to have to wake up and take notice.

Visit www.mikehuckabee.com to view his appearance on the Jay Leno show last night.