Educational Choice & National Standards

Thank you Mark Souder!!
I was thrilled to read this article in which Mr. Souder was the voice of reason in defending my rights to educate my children in the manner in which God has called us. He has been so reasonable to look to ALL of his constiuency and preserving what is in their best interest. What we have in Indiana is true freedom of educational choice and I'd like it to stay that way! Thank you Mark Souder!!

Pro-choice....

Pope Benedict ROCKS!

Superbowl ads will all be noncontroversial?

Read the article - Superbowl Rejects Pro-Life Ad

http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=987

March For Life

God willing (if the baby's cold gets better) Dave and the kids and I will be able to attend Fort Wayne's March for Life.

Inauguration Day

"...and the TRUTH will set you free"

http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=987

FOCA letters to Indiana Senators

A friend sent this to me so as many people as possible could write to their senators to vote against FOCA.

I'm sure many of you have signed the e-petition against FOCA. I'm not sure how much pull e-petitions have with our elected officials. My Husband recently wrote these letters. I'm thinking if you want to copy them but change the personal information and sign them go ahead...we're sending ours out....feel free to forward them to pro life Indiana friends sharing the same views. These are our Indiana Senators. I thought having the letters ready to go might help some of you. I know it helps me.

Copy and paste this letter into a Word Document, changing the specifics for yourself. Then print off a second letter changing the Senator's address to :

Senator Evan Bayh
131 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Your name
Your address
Fort Wayne, IN 46804

December 10, 2008

Senator Richard G. Lugar
306 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1401

Dear Senator Lugar,

This letter is to urge you to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act. I strongly feel that this act, which President-elect Obama has pledged to sign into law, would be gravely detrimental to the well being of our country. It would overturn the reasonable restrictions on abortion enacted into law in many of our states and in Congress. Specifically, it would overturn the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, the Child Custody Protection Act, and the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, all of which you supported. It would also jeopardize the ability of hospitals and health care professionals to decline to perform abortions for conscientious reasons.

Senator, I am sure we all want to reduce the number of abortions. We cannot reduce the number of abortions, however, by removing all state and federal restrictions on abortion, restrictions which enjoy the support of a consensus of Americans. Again, I urge you to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act and even to support a Senate filibuster to keep the bill from being voted on.

Respectfully,

Your name and signature

Fight FOCA - go sign the petition and keep the Freedom of Choice Act from passing in congress. That is the piece of legislation that would throw away all the protections against abortion people have worked for in the last 35 years. It's the one Obama said he'd sign his first days in office. It's the one I blogged about here.

I don't know if signing a petition would make a difference, but every little bit helps and it took me 30 seconds.

How are you doing after the election?

I am disappointed...and sad. I've decided, however, to be joyful. It's a choice. These are snippets of thoughts I've read, heard or been given that allow me to sing a new song.

I will celebrate my Risen Lord in the face of evil and sin.

We are not made for the sin and death of this world, but for eternal life in the next -- it's right that we're at odds with the evil of this world.

We understand more fully how the oppressed people of Israel felt as they cried out to God for Messiah in the face of a pagan culture so abrasive to their own -- we must be patient and hopeful as we pour ourselves out to God in the face of this culture of death.

WHILE HE WAS BEING STONED, St. Stephen cried out to God in hope and joy and asked for forgiveness for the people murdering him. We are to forgive and fight with all our might with spiritual weapons, while serving God with our whole body, mind and soul.

We participate fully in Christ's crucifixion and death and the darkness of the tomb, however..."We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song." - St. Augustine of Hippo

Sick at heart

I have been sick to my stomach for weeks, now. The idea that Obama could win makes me ill. The idea that people I know (several people I know have specifically told me) will be voting for him on Tuesday. To willingly choose to usher in someone who has promised to wipe away all the parental notification laws (a teen needs parental permission for the school to give asprin, but doesn't need to notify about an invasive proceedure to kill their grandchild), all the waiting periods (waiting periods on guns which is potentially life threatening, where abortion is completely life ending) and everything else pro-life Democrats and Republicans and Independants have voted for in their individual states -- all would be wiped away in his signing the Freedom of Choice Act - a bill he's promised to sign as his first act as president.


My friends and family have given various reasons for voting for Obama : socialized medicine, being against the war, he's soft-spoken so he must virtuous.... none of it stands up to over 1 million babies' lives per year.


The next president will name 2-3 Supreme Court Justices! That means their choices will have huge influence over our nation for 25-35 years! And not just our nation, but all over the world MY TAX DOLLARS would support abortions! By paying my taxes, doesn't that make me complicit in evil?

I am in fear of him - and the knowledge that people I dearly love would help him...makes me feel so sick...all I can do is pray and continue to pray. I am praying. I received an email requesting "pray the Divine Mercy chaplet three times and to insert 'our country' in the chaplet prayer said on each of the small beads: 'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on our country, and on the whole world".

Sarah Palin in Fort Wayne, IN

Road to Victory Rally in Ft. Wayne, IN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Address: Memorial Coliseum
4000 Parnell Ave.
Ft. Wayne, IN 46805

Please join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Ft. Wayne, IN
Featuring Country Music Star, Hank Williams Jr.
Doors Open at 4:00 p.m.

Ticket Locations
Indiana Republican Party
47 South Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-635-756112 noon to 9pm Thursday and Friday

Allen County Republican Party
135 West Main Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-422-1554 10am to 9pm Thursday and Friday 9am to 12Noon Saturday

Souder for Congress Campaign Headquarters
7301 W Jefferson BlvdFort Wayne, IN 46804
10am to 9pm Thursday and Friday

Elkhart County Republican Party
115 East LincolnGoshen, IN 46528
12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

Grant County Republican Party
333 West 4th StreetMarion, IN 46952
12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

Howard County Republican Party
204 North Main StreetKokomo, IN 46901
12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

Kosciusko County Republican Party
109 East Market StreetWarsaw, IN 46580
12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

Porter County Republican Party
212 East Lincoln WayValparaiso, IN 46384
219-464-2213 12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

St. Joseph County Republican Party
4133 S. Main StSouth Bend, IN 46614
574-299-1388 12noon to 9pm Thursday 9am to 9pm Friday

Tippecanoe County Republican Party
313 Columbia StreetLafayette, IN 47901
765-742-2910 12noon to 7pm Thursday and Friday

Sarah Palin Rally Highlights

You can watch highlights HERE

We left Fort Wayne about 12:30pm and were in our seats on or before 3pm. The speakers started at 4:30, but then they played about 1/2 hour of music. Dd#1 was struck by the fact that so many people knew Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline as well as she did. Her friends were struck by the fact that she knew the words to that old song! Sarah spoke from about 5:40-6:30ish. We pulled out of the venue at 7:45pm and stopped for dinner. We had to stop several times for potty & nursing breaks (the other mom I rode with had a baby, too). We got home at 11:45pm and I was sooo glad to see my husband (to hand off the baby) and get in my bed. So were the girls. I probably wouldn't do it with the baby again. We're glad that we made the effort. It was definately an experience! (and I'm counting it as a field trip)

We got to sit with our friends and chat for 2-3 hours before the speakers started. It was warmer than I had feared, but definately nippy. I had a hard time keeping the baby wrapped up, but he was mostly content to be in my arms under my shawl. I loved cuddling my baby, chatting with friends, waiting to see the next Vice President.
Going through security was one of the highlights of rally. There was a guy telling people in line that any weapons or anything that could be used as a weapon should be taken back to their car.

• He said they'd taken away a surprising amount of weapons, especially guns. I found this really funny -- I don't think I know anyone who would try to bring a gun through a Secret Service Checkpoint and I can't imagine who would try it -- but I guess they're out there...
• We were also told to make sure all our electronic equipment was turned on and working (cell phones, cameras) and if it didn't work it would be taken away. Are unworking cameras a place to put a bomb?? I wasn't sure...
• When it was our turn to go through the checkpoint and the metal detector, they had to go through my diaper bag. They told me the tennis ball I packed to keep the baby busy wasn't allowed, as it was considered a "projectile". I told the guy to keep the tennis ball. He was really reluctant and asked me if I didn't want to take it back to my car. I guess this guy has never carried a fat 27 pound baby through what seemed like a mile long line. "No, keep the tennis ball." He hesitated before he tossed it in his box of goodies that he'd taken from people.
• At the bottom of my diaper bag I always keep baby food. I hardly ever use baby food, but I keep it with me "just in case". He informed me, "Ma'am, no glass is allowed in the rally. Glass jars can't go through." I found this amusing, too, and told him to keep the baby food, so he put those in his box. I didn't want to embarass him and tell him that we didn't really need the baby food because I'd just nurse the baby when he got hungry. Just then, the Secret Service guy (they really looked like the guys in the movie MIB) who was waiting with his wand on the other side of the metal detector for me to go through, walked over to the table at this checkpoint. He leaned down to the guy going through the diaper bag and whispered something in his ear. I didn't know what juicy piece of information he had to discretely tell the other guy, but I was curious. It must have been too secretly relayed because the guy couldn't hear him. So the Secret Service guy leaned down and whispered to him again, then he walked back to his place on the other side of the metal detector. "Ma'am," the guy at the table needed my attention, "You can have your baby food back." I was almost in stitches. They were so serious and it was all so funny to me.

We were all told to wear red and I wasn't sure why until Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman told us that Indiana looked like a red state to her and that she was sure we'd keep Indiana a red state. Ohhhhh...then I got it. The funny thing was that I went to Walmart the evening before to buy them red t-shirts to wear a the indoor rally. When I realized during the 11pm news that it wasn't indoors, I knew both girls had their red fleece shawls. But my girls sure do look cute in red!

By the time the rally was over my arms were BURNING! The girls wanted to get an autograph from Sarah Palin, so we went down front and waited in the crush of people. The baby started to get fussy (he was ready to nurse) and I was ready to sit down. Even though 3 of us moms were keeping an eye on all 9 kids, I didn't feel like I could take my eyes off my girls to sit down and nurse. I told the girls we needed to go. My arms couldn't take much more of the huge baby. The girls were fine with it and said good-bye to their friends. We went to the restroom and sat down at a bench and fed the baby. Then the girls held him for me.

I felt really bad about that decision because we ended up leaving at the same time as our friends AND THEY GOT SARAH'S AUTOGRAPH!! I felt like I'd denied my girls...but they were great about it and understood the baby's and my limitations (and my need to keep them with me in a crowd that large).

Sarah didn't say too much different than I've heard her at other places. The crowd was so excited for her that as soon as she'd start to say something, they'd jump up and scream...so I only heard the first half of her sentences. I was really struck with how many Down Syndrom children were in the crowd. What a BEAUTIFUL testament to Sarah Palin that so many families with special needs children would be drawn to her and want to support her. I thought that spoke volumes!

Did YOU know that Sarah Palin is speaking in an OPEN AIR venue?

I...uh...didn't know that. It's supposed to be a high of 57 degrees (and probably won't be the high at 4:30 while she's speaking). I didn't realize how adventuresome I was! I'm not an "outside" girl at all and I rarely ever take my babies out in the cold if I can help it. This will definately be outside of my comfort zone (in more ways than one).
SEE HOW MUCH I'M WILLING TO SUPPORT MCCAIN/PALIN?

We're supposed to wear red to the rally & I bought red t-shirts for everyone thinking it would be hot in the building with 21,000 people. I guess we'll huddle under a red blanket instead. BOY, am I GLAD that God had me watch the news last night to see them constructing the OUTDOOR stage.

This was an eye-opening post

Reason #99,999,988 to homeschool by Michelle Malkin

In the bathroom at the Right To Life Banquet last night...

I was talking to Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman (why do so many good girl conversations happen in the bathroom?) and she said Sarah Palin was coming to Indy on Friday! Then after the banquet I was talking to the speaker, Marjorie Danenfelser (who was WONDERFUL!), and she suggested a website called TeamSarah.org

I joined the website and on the 'Hoosiers for Palin' section, they're talking about how to get tickets for Friday. I'd love to take my girls and have her meet the next vice president and hear her speak!

Since attending the banquet, I'm really fired up and excited about the election! Our prayers and efforts to serve Christ and our country MAKE A DIFFERENCE!! The positive message from Mike Pence last night was "Life is WINNING! We need to continue our efforts!"

It's coming! It's coming!!

Dave and I have chosen our individual commitments for the fast. We're discussing increased family prayer. I think even our girls are going to find a method of fast that satisfies the calling they feel and their mother's sensibilities about growing young women's nutrition. The 40 Days For Life campaign is about to be kicked off this Wednesday. What's 40 Days For Life? It's a national program that's been brought to Fort Wayne to help end the murder of innocent babies in our city. It involves prayer and fasting. If you feel called, you can also committ to praying at the abortion clinic in town Inwood DriveFort Wayne, IN 46815 (Off State Street, one (1) block east of Coliseum Blvd.)


Check out the website 40 Days For Life -- it's got LOTS more information!!
What an exciting time to be a follower of Christ -- when we can make such a difference in the battle for lives and souls!!

John McCain -- interesting facts

Here are many statistics and side articles on things that I had questions about : http://marriage.about.com/od/politics/p/johnmccain.htm

In particular, John McCain's family -- I found this article very interesting : Jennifer Steinhauer, "Bridging 2 marriages, a large, close-knit brood", MSNBC.msn.com, 12/26/2007.

Irreverent Policical Sarah Palin Cartoons

The 'Lions' one is my favorite: