Paul Revere and the 21st Century

I am angry. My heart pounds, my fists shake, and I sputter and cough out objections and exclamations. Why am I here, and not there? I ought to be running through the streets of Washington with my panting horse, crying “Congress is coming! Congress is coming!” for our foe is on their way, and will one day be parading into our homes. How can I help but be excited? Apathy only stirs me up, and were that this battle one beyond words and documents, and I a ready soldier, I would gladly take up arms to defend liberty.

My youthful frustration tells me there is nothing I can do and that it's out of my hands. My head tells me to go make some phone calls; write some letters. My heart tells me to rely on a sovereign God, and trust Him for the outcome. Which call is hardest to live out?

“What a historic time for our nation...” “What an honor for you, Mr. Speaker, in such a time...” “Today we will make history...” The Democrats are speaking on the floor. History? As the nation that once was founded on God-given rights and freedoms, and then abused and usurped those same freedoms in one big, record-breaking sweep?

I am an American girl of the past. My patriotic pride is based on those men who fought in the name of the Lord to protect the innocent, guard their families, and preserve the way of liberty for their future generations. When I place my hand over my heart, I gaze at the stripes on the flag; remembering not the personal and pure sacrifice of so many politicians today, but of the blood shed by men not so long ago during the forming of our nation. Will I and my family have the courage to show such sacrifice and dedication when the time comes?

This post may mean nothing to you. Maybe you found my blog through a random Google search, or happened to click a link from another blog. Maybe you don't care about the life and ramblings of a simple girl in Nebraska. But I ask you this: how much do you care about your freedom? Are you willing to pay fines, heavy taxes and penalties, and even spend time in jail if you refuse to purchase something you don't want? And even more importantly, how ardently will you oppose Satan's forces in our society, and proclaim the cross of Christ?

Sometimes my anger over injustice, and my eagerness to be a part of the action gets the best of me... and causes me to despair over my lack of control and influence. Tonight would be the opportune moment to let loose, as our Representatives vote on H.R. 3962, “Health Care for All of America”. Yes, we've written letters, we've called our Congressman, we've met with staff members and shared our concern over this very hot bill. Tonight we will pray. And then we will sleep, trusting our passions, concerns, anger, frustrations, and fears to Someone completely in control, and unconcerned.

Will you sleep tonight?

Campaign Slideshow 2008

Legislative Victory (i.e. involved teens)

It's been a long and short past few days as I look back at coordinating a volunteer group for a local campaign. My sister and I gathered 35 homeschoolers to make hundreds of phone calls, do literature drops and wave signs Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Our candidate was Beau McCoy for Legislature, and we were working in part as teen volunteer coordinators with the PAC.

I honestly had no idea what response we were going to get from the voters, and never saw any polls to know how Beau McCoy was coming. Even up to the few days before the election our opponent's supporters were making slanderous comments and sending out negative mailings about Beau McCoy. We were seeing money put to use, but money does not buy volunteers, and where negative rumors were sent circulating we had energetic teens running door to door and ten people to a street corner waving signs.

A month ago this quote was posted on New Nebraska Network;

"Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out."

We didn't have an army, but we did end up being blessed by having more volunteers than were expected. Regardless, the Lord didn't need an army to elect a godly man to office, but he chose to use homeschooled youth to impact society, and on Tuesday November 4^th Beau McCoy was elected Senator of District 39 with 54% of the votes.

We were so blessed by the Lord for protecting all the volunteers, and also for providing beautiful weather (which promptly changed the day after election!). He provided for everything and we are so thankful that He chose Beau McCoy to run, and to win.

I am tempted to now take a deep breath and go "now I can relax!" when in reality, now is the time we need action more than ever. The decline of morality in our candidates has come about because of failure by evangelicals to be involved at the state level. We have to work from the bottom up, starting right here in our own cities, districts and states. Responsibility has been thrown out the window and apathy has taken hold of many so called "Christians", and it will be everything we can do to raise up godly leaders, equip them to run, and campaign for them.

So don't relax. This is just the beginning.

Why campaign?

As a young person involved in politics, I receive many mixed reactions from people as I explain what I do and why I do it. Usually the expected response is “oh, wow! That’s great you’re so involved!” but it’s not uncommon to meet suspicion, questioning and sometimes ridicule as well. Of course you know, young people are so wrapped up in fun, games and frivolous things, that when someone under the age of 20 expresses an interest in big words such as government and legislature the first thing any sane adult does is wonder “what is wrong with that kid?

So what is it that makes teens campaign? Why are we seeing a growing number of young people working at a grassroots level for candidates? Obviously since teens care only about partying, it must be that the parents are forcing (i.e. pushing, telling, abusing) their kids to do slave labor for someone they couldn’t care less about.

Well, maybe if we’re talking about teens from public schools; they truly would feel as if campaigning for someone in the government or legislature would be abuse. However, it’s not teens attending public schools that are in question here (partly to fault because they simply have no time or freedom to volunteer). The explosion of young people we see going door to door, making phone calls and waving signs are largely homeschoolers.

As a homeschool graduate, I see these as the key reasons why teens like myself campaign:

We have the time

Homeschoolers have the flexibility and freedom to help a candidate when public schoolers may not

We have the energy

We’re young. We get restless. Having contests to see which team can get their literature drops done first; dancing and yelling at intersections with signs, making phone calls; it challenges us and gives us something to do where we can actually see our efforts directly impacting our culture.

We make friends

Simply the fact that we’re a group of peers with the same likes and dislikes, doing the same thing, makes an activity fun. The memories made on a campaign were not so great because of the work but more because of the people. I have never worked on a campaign where a teen was not there voluntarily and had a blast making new friends (and eating the great meals served!).

We care

Parents think their kids don’t care about culture, world issues, or politics. In our government schools, this is often the case. However, homeschoolers are taught up front by their parents that what happens in our legislature directly affects us, and that we have a duty to be involved and apply a biblical worldview to every area of our lives. We care, and this is what scares the secularists in our nation.

Our parents care

When we see our parents discussing the election, voting, and being involved, it’s not unnatural for us to pay attention to the same issues. Children follow in their parent’s footsteps and have many of the same priorities, and that’s where many parents fail in our nation today.

As of this summer my sister and I have been recruiting young people to campaign for Beau McCoy, a conservative homeschool graduate running for Legislature in Omaha’s District 39. Having been impressed with his honesty and conservatism on the issues, we have devoted more time to his campaign than any other we’ve worked on so far, working in part as coordinators with the newly created Political Action Committee of Omaha.

Recently the liberal site “New Nebraska Network” posted an article on Beau McCoy questioning the many young people working on his campaign, again asking the inevitable question; why ever do young people campaign?

“One of the great peculiarities of this race is the involvement of the home schooling movement on McCoy's behalf. McCoy is actually a product of home schooling, and they're evidently looking to get him elected so he might champion their cause in the legislature.”

As if it’s not bad enough that McCoy is a “product” of homeschooling, now he even has homeschool teens helping on his campaign! I think it is fair to say that we are electing him to “champion” our cause in the Legislature; if that means protecting our constitutional right to homeschool without restriction or harassment. (See my post “Declaration of War")

“This development becomes a little bit disturbing, though, in light of this PACs suspect efforts to recruit home schooled children as free labor for the McCoy campaign. When young people get involved of their own volition, as a step in developing their own political consciousness, that's a definite benefit to our democracy. But, where this involvement might cross the line into their school curriculum - dictated by parents pursuing their own political purposes - one starts to get a sense of why so many have such serious doubts about the quality and integrity of home school education.”

Of course when the Political Action Committee would consider asking teens to participate it is interpreted as an evil intention to force children to campaign against their will. This is a completely false and unfounded assumption. My sister and I as young adults ourselves have spearheaded a large part of the effort to bring specifically young people into Beau McCoy’s campaign, and not once have I met or worked with a teen on the campaign who was “forced” or unwilling to volunteer. This is an idea for teens, by teens. We work together, and it’s ultimately friends and peers, not parents, who get the fun-seeking, party-going kids out on the campaign trail.

The article on New Nebraska (which, remarkably, has everything to say about what Republicans do wrong, and little to say about what Democrats do right) ends with this quote;

“Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out.”

While each energetic and excited teen does an amazing part in campaigning, I am confident because it is not the army that wins a battle, but the God who goes before them. If the Lord is pleased with our efforts, and with the intents of our hearts, He will cause Beau McCoy to win on November 4^th, teens or no teens.

Just be sure to honk for McCoy when you see all us of slave laborers dancing on the street corners.

I quote...

"Behind every system of law there is a god. To find the god in any system, look for the source of law in that system. If the source of law is the people, or the dictatorship of the proletariat, then these things are the gods of those systems. If our source of law is court, then the court is our god. If there is no higher law beyond man, then man is his own god, or else his creatures, the institutions he has made, have become his gods. When you choose your authority, you choose your god, and where you look for your law, there is your god."

R. J. Rushdoony, "Law and Liberty"

Looking for cracks? Try our public schools.

On Tuesday, February 26th, 1,300 homeschool parents and children gathered at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska; setting a record number of attendance for any bill hearing in Nebraska’s history. The reason for such a crowd? With a proposed bill that takes away the freedom of a family to choose their form of education, parents concerned over the spiritual and physical well being of their children made sure that our Legislature hears our opposition.


One large chamber and five overflow rooms were filled with men wearing suits and ladies wearing skirts as homeschoolers gathered to watch the opponents and proponents (of which there were only 3 out of nearly 25 who testified) on TV screens. Among those testifying before the Education Committee against LB 1141 were UNO professors, HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly and several homeschooling parents with their own stories of past struggles in the failing public school system.


The opponents spoke well, clearly and calmly stating facts proving the unconstitutional restriction of the bill over families who choose an education based on Christian principles. Senator Schimeck’s support for her bill was weak in light of the statistics brought forth showing the wide success of homeschooling, and the widespread failure of public schools. The concern for those children “falling through the cracks” has been pinned down on the minority; those who choose to stay at home, when the high numbers of dropouts and failing grades are in not in the home but in the State’s own government schools. It is clear to see that this bill was born out of an atheistic and non-biblical perspective, as Schimeck herself stated that it is the State’s responsibility to insure that children are receiving a good education.


HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly said “This was an incredible work of God and an amazing testimony to Nebraska homeschoolers. Thirteen hundred people in attendance is an overwhelming number, and the decorum and behavior of all reflected greatly on the homeschool community. It is such a privilege to serve the people of Nebraska, and I pray that the Education Committee can see that there is no need or public demand for this legislation. Homeschoolers do an incredible work even as they fund the public schools without much complaint through their taxes. All they want is to be left alone to continue turning out successful graduates.”


Truly, the best our senators can do is recognize the success of homeschooling in Nebraska, and focus their “concern” on the failures in public school. One is tempted to wonder with all this attention to the successful minority, if this is something besides a genuine concern for homeschooled children, such as a desire for money and power over those who have chosen not to follow the crowd. Hitler also chose to exercise his power through the schools and children, and the similarities between his reign and the direction our government run schools are going is not a little unnerving.


So, Nebraskans, we had a good turnout.


Now what?


While we wait a week to hear which direction the Education Committee votes, what can we do to keep up the pressure, and insure that bills like this are not passed (or even proposed) in the future in our Legislature?

1. Keep up the phone calls and letters!
2. Pray that the Education Committee would vote against the bill; that they would not be blind to the needless and negative affects the bill would have.

Read HSLDA’s report on the hearing

I want YOU for the homeschool movement...

Last Wednesday, on February 6th, six hundred homeschool students and their parents attended the second annual Legislative Day at the state capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska. Though the number in attendance was lower than the expected 1,000 (because of the ever-present snow) the capitol building was filled and senators kept busy. From 10:00am to 4:30pm, students listened to senators' thoughts on LB1141, met with and spoke to their own senators privately, and listened to various speakers on the importance of being involved in our Legislature, such as Al Riskowski of the Nebraska Family Council.


All in all, it was a very good turnout, with this being only the second year for NCHEA to hold Legislative Day at the capitol. Governor Dave Heineman stated that he would veto the bill 1141 if it reaches him, while many homeschoolers pray that it will not go that far. Senators that spoke strongly against the bill, and in great support of homeschoolers and the advancement of Christ's kingdom, were applauded and greatly appreciated. It's encouraging to see and be reminded that there still are Godly, convicted men still in office today, despite the decline in upstanding or backbone among our senate.


So we had one good turnout, but the fight for the killing of this bill is yet continuing, and requires even more attention and work than ever before Saturday the 26th, when the bill will be discussed at a hearing. This is a serious encroachment of the rights of homeschoolers, and I urge my readers, even those outside the State, to take action and make your voice heard.


Here's what you can do to fight LB1141:

• Write a personal letter to senator/s voicing your opposition

• Give them a phone call

• Write an article for your local paper

• Let your friends know; spread the word

• Pray and alert your Church

• Keep informed and up to date (join NCHEA and sign up for their newsletters)

• Attend the hearing at the capitol on Saturday, January 26th (where HSLDA attorney Michael Donnelly will be testifying against the bill)

Get out there and start fighting this! You may not be “into politics”, or concerned for the present, but I can assure you that if this bill goes through, your children and their children will be harrassed and restricted by it. This bill will not only bring to pass the harsh control that it spells out, but will open doors for harsher and even more restrictive bills to be passed. Join the army. Pick up your sword (the Word), and march with us into battle. The Lord wants YOU to join his army, and defend the God-given rights of the family.


Lex, Rex

600 passionate, conservative home educators all in one room. Quite the experience.

We met with our senator, Kent Rogert, to voice our opposition to LB1141. It was disappointing that he did not know much about the bill, or give us a clear answer as to whether or not he would oppose it.

Go here to read an article and watch the video of Lincoln's coverage for Legislative Day, as well as leave your opinion in the lengthy comment section.

Declaration of War- Nebraska

When the President sent troops overseas to fight the Taliban after 9/11, people made a fuss over the fact that we had not officially declared war. However, despite that fact, we were, indeed, already engaged in war with Muslim extremists. It wasn’t something we wanted, it wasn’t something we asked for, but it was something we were thrown into without a doubt of the intentions posed by our enemies; kill the infidels and destroy the moral foundations our country was founded on.

Only a few weeks ago, war was declared in Nebraska. Only this time, M16’s and grenades were replaced for the Sword of the Word and the armor of God. On January 23^rd, Nebraska State Senator DiAnna Schimek introduced LB 1141 that would, in essence, make homeschooling in our State nearly impossible. Below is a list of what the bill would require from homeschoolers (the entire list can be found here):

• Have to submit to discretionary approval by the Commissioner of Education.
• Gives the Department of Education (“NDE”) approval authority over whether homeschoolers may file under Rule 12 or 13 and over their curriculum;
• 
  

• Have to submit to intrusive and ill-conceived annual assessments.
• Requires an annual in person evaluation, at the parents’ expense, but by a person of the Commissioner’s choosing and at a time and place determined by the NDE. Parents may be allowed to observe as long as they are “under the supervision of the Commissioner or designated staff person.”
• To avoid the NDE’s required annual in person evaluation, a homeschooling parent would have to submit extensive documentation to a certified and approved teacher, including a complete written record of all the educational activities a child has been involved in and a portfolio of the student’s work, and the results of any assessments conducted. And even then, the teacher’s positive report would merely create a “presumption” that adequate progress was being made.
• Requires that assessments be conducted against standards created and approved by the NDE and based on age/grade levels of their peers in public schools;
• 
  

• Have to submit detailed attendance records every year.
• Requires homeschoolers to submit attendance records annually to the Nebraska Department of Education (“NDE”);
• 
  

• Have to test before you start.
• Requires first time homeschooled students to take an NDE-approved test for “baseline educational data” (presumably this test is to be used by the NDE to determine whether or not “progress has been achieved”);
• 
  

• Give the Commissioner authority to hold your kids hostage in public schools at his discretion.
• Require homeschooled children to attend an accredited public or private school if they do not make adequate progress as defined by the NDE and would prevent the child from being homeschooled until the NDE approves.

Before I go on to make my readers presume that Nebraska is in a unique situation, I would hasten to remind that Senators and Governors across the United States are working for the destruction of the structure in Christian families, just as our own beloved Senator Shimeck is here in our own Red State.

Just can’t take “no” for an answer

HSLDA has called this bill one of the worst homeschooling bills ever proposed. Angered and passionate Nebraskans would have to agree. In the 1980’s a similar bill was introduced and passed, which resulted in fathers being thrown into jail and mothers being forced to flee the State with their children, including a couple from our Church. Since then Nebraska had relaxed its laws on homeschoolers, after a long and hard fight, only to have another bill introduced by, ironically, the wife of the head of Government Relations for the Nebraska State Education Association. Don’t even attempt to claim that this bill wasn’t introduced for personal gain!

Consider…

• The State is asking not only that homeschoolers pay outrageous taxes for a failing school system they do not even attend, but that we now ad the costs of annual exams that we don’t even want to take

• The State is assuming that the public school system is the only answer to supposed learning disabilities and problems (why should we hand ours over when they can’t even handle their own?). What happens when children at schools shoot each other, abuse each other, struggle on their tests and show lack of cleanliness and happiness? Then I think it’s time they hand over the kids to the parents.

• The State is assuming the right to protect your child and provide safety and education. One might have to ask, then, did God give my children to me, or to the government? As my Dad says; over my dead body will you walk into my home and assume that God-given right.

As a homeschool senior about to graduate from high school myself, I cannot stress how glad I am that my parents chose to be my teachers, instead of dumping me off at school and asking a total stranger (and in some cases, a rapist or ex-convict) to educate me for the next 12 years. Believe it or not, I am healthy, happy, and not a complete idiot because of it. Homeschooling works, and so well it’s scaring the Board of Education. The growth and success of God’s army is scaring Satan, and he is now visibly taking steps to defeat us through our own government.

So please, brothers and sisters;

• Be aware that wars are being fought all across the States. If LB 1141 goes through in Nebraska, it could very well go through in your State. One thing leads to another and we MUST pull out of political apathy and be constantly aware of what goes on in our legislature.

• Be in prayer for Wednesday, February 6^th. Nebraska will be holding it’s second annual Legislative day for homeschoolers at the capitol. Last year 300 people attended to meet with Senators and go to hearings, and this year, after the introduction of the bill, the expected number blew up to 1,000 homeschoolers and counting. This is going to be an awesome time of witnessing and fighting not only 1141 but the impetus to introduce other such restrictive bills. Be in prayer that the weather would cooperate, and that the senators would be greatly impacted by the turnout, and have their eyes open to the constitutional right they are breaking.

I have great trust in the God who created our nation, and I am totally pumped about attending Legislative Day at the capitol tomorrow. I know God is going to do amazing things through this bill as we work to fight it and have victory in His name.

Soli Deo Gloria…

Links:

(More reasons) why this is a stupid bill

The bill in it's un-translated entirety

NCHEA on 1141

NCHEA Legislative Day Info

HEN on 1141

Stem Cell debate

Gary L. Bauer, Thursday, June 21, 2007

About President Bush’s veto yesterday of the embryonic stem cell research bill:

I happened to be in the East Room of the White House yesterday when the president vetoed the legislation. I’m not happy with several recent decisions by the president – the immigration bill and funding of Fatah being at the top of the list. But on this issue, President Bush is absolutely right. Here’s the truth you won’t hear from the Big Media propagandists.

• The veto does not prevent or block embryonic stem cell research. It does prevent the government from forcing you to pay for it with your tax dollars. The research continues around the country.
• Embryonic stem cells are not the only option for life-saving cures. Stem cells from umbilical cords, placentas and amniotic fluid show just as much, and in many cases more, promise for cures. In fact, adult stem cells have actually provided successful treatments for scores of individuals with a variety of illnesses.

The evidence is overwhelming that many of those pushing for the right to destroy human embryos in order to harvest cells have a larger agenda – unregulated human cloning.
The ink from the president’s veto pen was barely dry yesterday by the time Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid and Howard Dean had all condemned the president with the same theme Big Media has used in the last 24 hours: science should not be limited by morality. They are wrong. That is one dangerous idea, my friends.

Founder's Quote Daily:

"The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is
to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue,
and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the
object and life of all republican governments."

-- Benjamin Rush (On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic,1806)

Help! The President is human!

“Jonny, pick up that mess you make!” “Heavens Andrew, do you have to track mud everywhere you go?” “SHUT THE DOOR!” And for the 999^th time, the door is left wide open as the cold air rushes in. Why can’t people just be like me? Then all our problems would be solved!

On paper, that statement really looks rather shocking (even more so when posted on the internet for all to see). But the comments I make and thoughts that I freely share in my home are not so shocking when compared to the outlandish requirements and demands made by the American people, media, and leaders in congress today. We want this war finished, victorious and without casualty in one year! We want the temperature to be 75 degrees tomorrow! And please, no more hurricanes. How much can we ask of leaders and protectors who are, in fact, human?

It’s amazing, really, how my little brothers can be doing a chore, and then end up leaving more of a mess in the process than when they first started out. I point out little details, constantly call them back to finish the job, give long detailed speeches on how to wipe the table off. And yet still, they never seem to get it right the first time… or they leave something out. Though perfection can always be strived for and practiced, I have found that the ultimate problem in dissatisfaction is my expectations. I have asked my little brothers to perfectly complete every little detail that I myself often forget or overlook. And how easily do we do this in larger areas of our lives?

Our culture and political arena wreak of self pride and judgment. We elect, by majority vote, leaders to make decisions for us, and then pounce upon every little move or decision that we feel we would have handled differently. If Jonny hadn’t tracked mud in the house, my stress level would have been lower. If my stress level were lower, I wouldn’t have ruined the biscuits. And since I ruined the biscuits, the whole family had indigestion and missed work days, threw our workplaces out of whack, which dramatically impacted the economy, which resulted in havoc and chaos. All because Jonny tracked mud in the house! So much more do we blame those in charge for the natural, God-ordained happenings and occurrences that tick us off.

The President is human. Anyone have a problem with that? Go find Superman! Our troops are not mindless, perfectly functioning, invincible robots. Those around us are human, and if we would only take a look at our own sad imperfections and fumbles, we might think twice before demanding that the climate be milder or that radical Muslims be invited to a peaceful resolving tea at the White House. We can only ask of those around us what we would expect of ourselves.

My brothers will probably track mud in the house until the day they die. But you know what? As long as they take out the garbage, feed the animals, and do their part in our family, I think I can learn to bite my tongue and thank God that He does not expect perfection of me!

Iowa pictures 2

Our van drivers really had to put up with a lot... this is Cody, a Patrick Henry student and SAT leader. He was such a fun guy to be around and we really appreciated his energy and cheerfulness!

Please pardon the sorry expression: it was a cold two hours! Here I am waving signs for Mike Whalen

L-R: me, our friend Rosanna from Canada, and Emily. Thank God for such good sisters in Christ! It was so cool to meet a Canadian, too!

Sorry this picture is so tiny! This is our whole SAT group for Davenport, Iowa. On the left front row in the blue is Doug Price, our leader. Emily is in the pink (front row) with long hair. I am in the pink and purple in front, and Cody, our driver, is on my right.

Thank God for an awesome week!

Iowa pictures

The best thing about being on a SAT was the people. All of the kids were like-minded, Christian home-schoolers and it was such a blessing to make friends there. Here I am on the right with Regenerate our Culture tech staff member Katie Marie and blogger Pete. It was really cool to meet my second blogger ever!

My sister, Emily, doing phone banking. She must be getting a positive response!!!

Honk for WHALEN!

Mike Whalen giving his speech at the victory party

Iowa: an unforgettable experience

Well, Emily and I got back Wednesday night from an awesome five days in Iowa. We were on the Mike Whalen (House) and Jim Nussle (for governor) campaigns, and we did do a little volunteer work for some other candidates. Our days were filled with phone banking, literature dropping (knocking on doors and handing out pamphlets), and waving signs at intersections. We were all working on little sleep and did a lot of running during the literature drops, so the days were long and we worked hard. But it was a good feeling to know we were working hard for Godly candidates who truly appreciated our efforts.

In the five days that I was in Iowa I:

Made over 300 calls to angry, ticked off registered voters

Knocked on the doors of hundreds of people with bloodthirsty dogs

Waved signs in front of unnumberable drivers on their way to the polls

I got to meet candidates Mike Whalen, Dave Hartsuch, Linda Miller, and Roby Smith. The two candidates that really made an impression on me were Whalen and Smith. Whalen did not win, and we were there at the victory party to hear his excellent speech. After giving his live speech he spoke privately with our SAT group, telling us how we had not lost, but how we could learn from this experience and still glorify God through it. It was so amazing to hear a politician speak in such a humble, God honoring way... it was such an incredible opportunity for me to witness the faith of such men.

Roby Smith, as far as we know, did not win either. While my group was out doing literature drops one morning we saw him going door to door speaking personally with residents, encouraging them to vote. He had been walking to each house for 6 months; reaching thousands of people.

Our candidates were strongly pro-family and pro-life. They were men who believed in God and carried that belief clearly into politics, which takes a lot of strength to do. It reminds me of a line from the movie "Facing the Giants"; "when we win, we praise him... and when we lose, we praise him". These men were not defeated by losing the election. They reached hundreds of people through faith and hard work, and in the doing so left a huge impression on a 16 year old girl. It was an incredible week full of learning and growing for me, and I will never forget it.

Gone to Iowa

Just a note to let you all know that I will be unable to post until Thursday of next week. My sister and I will be flying to Iowa to take part in Generation Joshua's SAT (Student Action Team) for a candidate there. This is our first time to take part in the a SAT and we are excited for the opportunity. However, after reading Kierstyn's account of her time in Alabama, I may just have to sneak some cayenne pepper spray onto my luggage in case I run into any weirdos along the way... :)

Have a blessed weekend!
Jennifer

Electing the King

It’s election season. For those of us who cannot escape the phone and mailing lists, this means receiving stacks of scalding flyers on opponents and listening to long, flowery speeches on the phone. Now, it’s not all bad, and granted there will always be some negativity in a race. But with the selfish “every man for himself” attitude that is so evident in secular societies, politicians have resorted to pointing fingers and childishly babbling (over the tiniest things!) to get ahead and claim our votes. Recently we received a flier with the bold headline “Congressman Fortenberry got too close to the culture of corruption”, and at the end “reject congressman Jeff Fortenberry” . The flier went on to accuse Fortenberry of accepting money from Tom Delay and Duke Cunningham, painting as dark a picture of him as possible and attempting to associate him with the bad guys.

Now, this is coming from a Democrat who sweet talks to the small town, but most likely does not attend any church and definitely does not display any Godly attitude in her campaigning. Pointed fingers and heated accusations is what we have gotten and still expect from Democrats these days, but conservatives? Republicans? Sometimes it takes some looking to find a politician who doesn’t resort to such methods. So we ask why; why are people who profess (and very well may be) to be Christians and strong conservatives act like everyone else when suddenly the race has begun? Simply put, it’s the belief that anything different can’t survive in a culture “defined” (dominated) by liberals. Even among our churches and supposedly Christian organizations is the thinking that anything too “strange” or “weird” will scare people away, and this is the exact opposite of how God intends for us to impact those around us.

Scared of the dragon

When the mainstream media and loud, badmouth Democrats are all out to ruin us, it’s hard to stay strongly outspoken and clear on our conservative beliefs. So when faced with the flashing stage lights and questioning crowds, the fear of an invisible dragon ready to spew it’s fire and melt us away can slowly dim our confidence in ourselves, and the sword we carry. Suddenly our armor seems silly and flimsy amongst the snazz and glamour, and our shield and sword are being mocked at for their unique design and appearance. And so we apologize to our King, promise to keep loving and serving Him, but in shame we put our sword in it’s sheath and hide our shield behind our backs. We have lost the battle to a dragon, even as our King and His unnumberable army stand behind us, ready to aid us in the battle. We have lost. We have given up our whole reason for entering the arena and accepted defeat. Conservatives MUST not tremble before their opponents, no matter how fierce or big they may seem. An army of angels stands behind us, ready to aid us when the time comes, and our God is too big to be defeated.

Go with the flow or ruin the show

I while ago I was talking with someone about politics, and I mentioned how conservatives need to learn to be different and take the clear opposing side; for if someone doesn’t take a stand against the Democrats, why even have a conservative party? The reply I received was this: anything too different won’t go over at all; it will simply scare people away, so why risk it? Had I been able to respond quickly with a clear answer (like some people can actually do!) I would have stated that risks are what Christians are all about. It’s not about going with the flow and being like everybody else. When one accepts Jesus into their hearts and lives, everything changes, and so a person becomes different- unique among the crowds of people who all look, talk, and think the same.

Too often we are tempted to be the in-between when it comes to our stand in the political arena. We are scared to say yes or no and step across the line. We don’t want to step on any toes or get on anyone’s bad side, so we opt for the gray; speaking out on some issues, yet shying away from the uncomfortable and heated areas. That guy’s a conservative, right? So even if he doesn’t battle against same sex marriage, he’s still a better candidate than that Democrat…

When it comes down to it, we cannot allow any hesitance or indecision. We must do what is RIGHT, regardless of the costs. If every conservative politician would stand for what is right, instead of opting for the in-between or dancing around it, then there would not be such a price to pay for speaking out honestly and decisively in an election. We cannot let our fears of man blind God’s purpose and vision in our lives. We must hold high the sword of God and stand fast behind our shield of faith, never looking in doubt at our armor, but holding high our head; confident of the army behind us, and our King before us.

"So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house..."

1 Kings 11:37, 38