Happy Thanksgiving!

I love this turkey picture so much I used it from last year! Isn't this guy a noble one? To me, he almost looks like he is daring the hunter, "Go ahead and try, sir, I can take you on! I'm not going to be anyone's dinner!"

I hope you have a blessed, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving. I intend to eat my fair share of Tom!

President Theodore Roosevelt Defines Americanism

Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-13026 DLC

Theodore Roosevelt, Twenty-Sixth President of the United States

President Roosevelt served from 1901-1909.


This year, my eldest daughter is studying American Government and Economics. I was reading her textbook and came across this very interesting quote from our twenty-sixth president:

Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity
and hardihood -- the virtues that made America. The things that will
destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first
instead of duty-first, the love-of-soft-living, and the get-rich-quick theory of
life.

Could Roosevelt see the future?

What. Power. Where.

Can someone explain this to me?

Edwardian Era Information of Interest

Tea at Trianon posted a link today, to an article about tailor-made clothes, which happens to be the most recent posting on a blog called Edwardian Promenade. The post title will take you there. I have always had an interest in fashion, less recently as fashions are not worthy of notice, most of today's fashions lack modesty and complete respectability. I found this blog to be fascinating. Go visit and take special note of the tabs on the top. The Glossary of Slang was interesting, and The Titles and Orders of Precedence may help clarify such things if you like to read English Literature. I know as an American, when such things come up I'm completely lost. This is a great reference for we 'classless' people as are often found here in the US. (pun intended)

And, thanks to Tea at Trianon, I've found the next movie I'm going to track down in my library system, Juarez (1939) starring the incomparable Bette Davis. Read Elena Maria Vidal's review.

Here's the Answer

cocklebur

I was reading Divine Intimacy and found the answer to the question about how to explain the election.

"But, in the midst of all this good, the enemy comes to sow evil. Why does God permit this? To sift His servants as we sift grain, to test them. ... The cockle is spared, not because it is good, but in order save the wheat. In the same way God spares the wicked and does not destroy them, for the sake of the elect....[God] does not tell us to fraternize with evil, to make a league with the cockle, but He tells us to endure it with the longanimity (long suffering I believe) with which He Himself endured it. Was there not a traitor among the Apostles? Yet Jesus wanted him among His intimates -- and with how much love He treated him! ... When our love is perfect, we are able to live among the wicked without being harsh or contentious, without being influenced by them, but rather doing them good."

general google image
This is cocklebur growing up between the rows of corn. Even here at Trinity Acres we suffer from that blight! Nasty stuff!

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True Love and True Charity doesn't allow for compromise or letting evil get it's way, yet, at the same time, we must love our enemies as Christ. *phew* Now there is a lesson to learn.

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When Jesus told St. Teresa of Avila, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends."

Let's hope we are some of His elect (not the elected haha).

*NOTE*
This is from my friend over at Trinity Acres, the title is a link to her blog.

Time to Move On to Other Things

The election is over. It is what it is. There is so much to think about. So much to do. Yet, what is the right thing to do, now that it is what it is? I suppose there is still some hope that we will not suffer an abomination, albeit a very, very small hope. There is still a court order outstanding regarding Mr. Obama's birth certificate. I am watching with interest to see how this is handled, although I do not think for one moment it will have any effect the proceedings for Inauguration Day.

I, for one, need to put my family first, yet I want to mobilize to effect the mid-term election in some meaningful way, to try and offset the balance of power. But, as a home educating parent, I need to put the education of my children first and foremost. Additionally, we will likely be relocating before Christmas. There is all of that to deal with. What to do?

So, while I contemplate my immediate and long term actions and reactions, and while I plan a relocation, and we continue to pursue job opportunities for my husband, I will pray for our nation.

Prayer Request
While I am stressing about life, I have a friend who is in her third trimester, carrying a baby with such medical problems that it is not going to live long past birth, maybe not even survive beyond minutes. My friend has spent 8 days recently in the hospital because of her health problems related to the pregnancy. She has endured much pressure about aborting this baby of hers, a girl, who cannot survive. Yet the only life she can give this precious baby is the life she is supporting right now, inside her womb. This baby is created in the image and likeness of God, the most innocent of the innocent, and she is happy and alive right now. Please pray for my friend and her family.

MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON THE USA

Voting Today

I have decided to vote today, and I will cast my vote for McCain/Palin.

I've decided that despite his position on ESCR, I must go with the lesser-of-two-evils.

Despite my nausea, I will cast this vote, in NYS where it doesn't really matter anyway, because even though my vote will not count in any meaningful way, my voice should hopefully be heard through canceling an Obama vote.

I have decided not to vote third party, lest it work in favor of Obama. Any vote not for McCain in this election is almost like voting for Obama by proxy. It is just putting your vote into a pool of votes for naught, which ultimately takes the votes away from McCain, who although imperfect, has not sworn to make FOCA a priority in his first 100 days.

The winner in this election will likely nominate Supreme Court Justices, and I cannot sanction giving this power away to Obama because I refused to vote or because I voted third party which resulted in McCain losing votes; I honestly believe that those voting third party are doing so because they detest Obama.

A vote for McCain in this election is a vote for the lesser-of-two-evils. And there you have it. I'm going to vote and I've been sick about it for weeks now.

I'm going to be grateful for my lack of television tonight, although I've traditionally enjoyed election night coverage more than any other day in the year...it is always so entertaining to watch the newscasters forget themselves in their excitement and react to the data where their personal feelings are worn on their sleeves and their professionalism (or the guise of it) is completely lost. It actually is news television at its best...pure entertainment, absolutely zero value.

Tonight I will be grateful for the inability to watch the fiasco, and I will find out in the morning. I've done all I can, and now I will fast, pray, and go help out at the local school this morning, after I visit the voting booth.