Faith, Family & Freedom

 

Greetings Gail-Friends:

I'm BAAACK!  In my last post (February 8, 2023), I said this:  " Within the next week, I'll write a post about what G-d has been laying on my heart about this subject."  Well, a lot has happened  since then.

I thought I'd do a little catch-up post about life at Golden Cottage.

 

 

 

 

Sadly, we lost our little dog, Zoe, in January.  She was over twelve years old and developed liver problems.   We found this sweet, little blind doggie at the local pound and rescued her. Even though she was blind, you'd never know it.  She could run like Rin Tin Tin,  and jump like a kangaroo, and was fiercely protective of us and our grandson.  Her favorite thing to do was ride in my bicycle basket. We loved her so much, and miss her every day.

 When she passed away, we prayed for another dog -- the one that needed us, and the one that we needed.   God led us to this little girl at our local Humane Society, and they had named her Lucy.  

We kept that name because she sure does make us laugh.  Jem wanted an "active" dog.  Well, God sure answered that prayer.  She runs like the wind - and will make up to fourteen laps from one end of the house to the other.  Of course, she had to learn to live with our cat, Toonie Woo, Esq.  

He's a very laid-back cat, so they are still working that out.  Sometimes, they run together in those laps and it's a hoot to watch the race.

 On February 20, I had total knee replacement surgery.  I had some complications and had to stay in the hospital longer than expected.  A couple of weeks later, I developed a painful rash around the incision which necessitated more doctor visits with a dermatologist - this in addition to regular visits to the ortho doctor and several days a week for rehab therapy.  So, it's been a long, painful road to recovery. 

I'm back now, and beginning to feel like my old self.  It feels so good to feel good and be able to do things I want / need to do.  I give praises to Hashem for His healing power, and for the amazing medical treatments we are blessed to have in this time in history.  Without the surgery, I'd be crippled.  I'm also so thankful for my dear, sweet, kind husband for his patient nursing care through it all.  And for the wonderful ladies at the synagogue who provided meals, encouragement, and prayers over these past five months.  I'm so blessed.

In May, we celebrated our seventeenth wedding anniversary. 

 

 It's hard to believe it's been that long.  The days, and weeks, and months seem to fly by.   I can honestly say my husband has made me a very happy wife.  I tell everybody that he is the best husband in the world, and he tells them I'm the best wife in the world.  God has blessed us abundantly...more than I could ever ask or think.

We also celebrated our youngest grandson's birthday with a pizza party.  He's two years old now and he's a DYNAMO!!  Getting him to sit still for a photo was a trick!  We had a good time together with our co-grandparents,  Betty and Ray.  Such a blessed, fun day. 

 Speaking of time passing so fast, it's hard to believe that our first grandson is now almost fourteen years old.  Wow!

 

He's home schooled, but also attends a music school.  We really enjoyed the concert put on by the students at the end of the semester.  He is in the band as well as the chorus and is very talented - plays the xylophone and is first chair of the percussion section.  Also, he 's a member of a STEM program at the museum where Jem works.  It's so interesting to me that he's musical like his mom, and loves computers and engineering like his dad.  And, oh, what a sweet boy he is!

Also in May, we celebrated Shavuot at the synagogue.  Sadly, I only got one photo.  This is a beautiful charcuterie board made by one of our sweet ladies.  She's amazingly talented with fruits and veggies!

 Here at Golden Cottage, Jem always puts out 50+ flags on patriotic holidays.  We want all of our neighbors to know that we love America!

On this past Shabbat, a few days before Independence Day, we sang several patriotic songs during our praise and worship time.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the congregation.  We were all overwhelmed with the love and blessings of being Americans.

I think I'm most thankful for the freedom to worship and for God's Holy Word that He has preserved over thousands of years.  We are the most blessed generation in that regard.  We can have the Bible readily accessible on our smart phones.  Amazing!  Think of the people in the past who didn't even have Bibles to read and study.  We are blessed, but we are also accountable.  We have the truth in our hands...something to ponder, Gail-Friends.

Jem and I were blessed to hear President Trump speak at the Faith & Freedom Conference on 6/24/2023.  I have to share it with y'all because it really touched us.  I hope you will listen.  I set the video to play at the beginning of his speech.  https://www.youtube.com/live/mF2QUfMdhNk?feature=share&t=9068

I would like to recommend a group to you, dear Gail-Friends.  It's called Moms For Liberty.  They are "dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government." If you love your country  and are concerned about the direction America is headed (especially in public education),  you need to join this organization.  https://www.momsforliberty.org/

The group held a conference,  Joyful Warriors National Summit,  where I watched President Trump speak at their conference, too, along with other dynamic speakers.  You can see the conference speakers on YouTube at this link: 

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9muQQiOA9CjBVwrSZ00wCcpxOEtLHydl

 They also have a podcast.

And while I'm at it, check out Tucker Carlson's recent videos on Twitter, Truth Social, or Rumble.  He's speaking the TRUTH!

Well, that's all the news from Golden Cottage.  I hope all is well with y'all. Let us know what's happening in your world.  I'll be posting on a more regular basis, Lord willing, so come back by, grab a cup of tea, and sit a spell as we say in the South. :)

A Threat to America?

 

 

 I woke this morning to learn that the current president hates me. Calls me a threat to America. I haven't listened to his speech, but my friend, Betty Jackson, shared her thoughts, and I agree:

www.bettyjackson.net

 

"Words matter.  (used with Betty's permission)

 

I was dismayed as we listened to news broadcasts last evening after the President had given his "Unity" speech. It was anything but unifying. Words matter. Attitudes matter. Our nation matters. I had trouble getting to sleep, even after Ev and I prayed about it. We are taught to pray for our leaders, and we do. But our hearts were heavy with the denouncement of all who refuse his progressive agenda with which we adamantly disagree. The last I heard and understood, healthy debate is what keeps this country free, and honest discourse allows for respect for others' opinions and viewpoints.

 

I abhor the idea that this administration is denying constitutional freedoms in the guise of either we all agree or we will destroy the opposition by using the power of government to do so. Our founding fathers are shivering in their graves that in eighteen months, and administration can run roughshod over the freedoms the nation has embraced. Words matter. Government does not subject its people to such rancor.

 

I respect the Presidency. I respect that an executive branch is necessary as a coequal. I admit that party loyalty takes over so that nothing much can get accomplished legislatively, and that the complexity of bills necessitates voting for or against the whole bill whether its provisions are good or bad. But characterizing a party and half the country's patriots as those to be hated is frightening. The President has the opportunity and the bully pulpit to unite us to fight the elephants (not the symbol of the GOP) in the room: illegal immigration, drugs killing our children, homelessness, crime, energy, inflation, corruption, etc. What good does it do to throw terms like ultra-maga (Make America Great Again) and fascist, a term we octogenarians know all too well by the setting behind the speech last night. The symbolism of uniformed soldiers and red and black sent chills through me. I've lived through the cold war, the communist era, and seen what socialism has done to the world's great nations. I watched in horror as cities burned because violence reigned instead of discussion and problem solving. I've seen the demeaning of officials by both political parties, and it hurts my soul. I've seen the justice system used to demonize, demoralize, and dismiss truth.

I'm praying for peace today."

 

I join Betty's prayer, and also ask you, dear Gail-Friends, to join us.  I also pray for national repentance - a return to obedience to Torah.  Righteousness exalts a nation!

 

Blessings to you all.

 

P.S. I've been working on several projects over the last few months, but I haven't forgotten y'all.  I'll b e posting more often in the future.

God Bless the USA

 

We have much to celebrate this 4th of July.  Most certainly, we remember and celebrate our founders, and their decisions and actions that freed us from British rule, but this, Gail-Friends, is a very happy, special celebration for us.  God Has blessed America with three very important SCOTUS decisions:

• The overthrow of Roe v Wade - I'm especially praising Him for this decision.  I've been praying for this to happen for decades - ever since abortion was made the law of the land in the 1970's.  Millions of babies died.  Millions of women have suffered mental problems because of those decisions.  I do feel for the women who want to abort their babies.  I found this on Focus on the Family:
  
  "In light of the historic Roe Vs. Wade decision made today, we want you to know that we are here to provide compassionate care for you and your baby.

  To find a local Pregnancy Resource Center near you, please visit https://bddy.me/3blqpGR
• The preservation of American gun rights.  
• The reigning in of the EPA.  This decision should set precedent for the removal of edicts from other government agencies that have made far-reaching decisions without the process of legislation.   
  

Let's give ADONAI praise!!!   HALLELUYAH!!!

At Golden Cottage, we celebrate Independence Day by putting out 100+ American flags (Jem does it), by going to a parade, and then joining friends for a meal at the American Legion.  We always watch the fireworks in our neighborhood - lots and lots of them.  Then we watch the celebration in Washington D.C, called A Capitol Fourth, on PBS.

 

I think I will add one more to that list - to read the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Have you ever read them?  Have you read them since your high school civics class?  Here's  a link for you. Founding documents

God bless you all, and God Bless the USA.  Here's a link to my favorite patriotic song.  I'll never forget when my daughter, Melissa, sang this song in front of thousands of people.  She did such a great job.God Bless the USA with lyrics - by Lee Greenwood 

 I'd love to hear what you do to celebrate Independence Day, Gail-Friends.

Put Feet to Your Prayers

 

I've been greatly informed and inspired by this LIVE event - America Fest 2021.  Speakers like Sarah Palin and Marjorie Taylor Greene (my heroines) have reminded me to Take America Back and to Make America Great Again.  

Governor Sarah Palin reminded me to fight even though I'm misunderstood, hated, and called names.  She and her family have been through so much during, and after, her run for Vice President. What the left did to her is shameful.  But, she inspired me by saying, "I know I'm right, so I don't let it bother me!"  Yay, Sarah.  I needed to hear that.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is a fighter, too.  She shared some things that are going on in our government - such as the abuse and neglect of people imprisoned because of the January 6 event in Washington D.C. You won't hear about these things on the alphabet news. 

Topics I've listened to so far have informed me about Critical Race Theory (CRT), our freedoms established by our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and to fight back against the evil people trying to destroy our beloved country.

One panel discussed how public education and colleges are destroying our families by using the "trans" push.  I hope you'll listen to How Cultural Marxists Hijacked America, which aired on December 19.

This is a four-day event with speakers (so far) such as Nick Vujicic (amazing man), Congressman Jim Jordan, Judge Jeanne Pirro (a real spitfire), Dennis Prager (I recommend his website), Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, and Sebastion Gorka (amazing stories).  

Today, I'm listening to a panel discussion of election integrity.  In spite of the fact that the media refuses to cover it, the fraud is being uncovered daily. So much, in fact, that I sincerely believe Donald Trump won that election.  Audits show that Joe Biden did not win Arizona or Georgia.    If you want to know what's really going on, you'll never hear it on the mainstream news shows.  And, I think you should have to dip your finger in purple ink, like Iraq, to show that you've voted and can't vote twice. Lots of that went on, trust me.

Rep. Louie Gohmert spoke truth when he said, "People say, 'it's alright.' God's in control'."  Louie said, "That's true, but God doesn't expect us to lean on our shovel and pray for a hole."  

I agree because we have a duty, as citizens, to do our part.  I've preached this for years, and still believe it even though it looks hopeless at times.  I want to hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" one day.  As long as I'm here, I'll do my best to be the best believer, wife, mother, grandmother, rebbetzin, and citizen that I can be.  It's called putting feet to my faith.  This event has reminded me to pray and take action while we have the freedom to do it.  These speakers talk about actions we can take to affect our country and our future.

I hope you'll visit this link for the list of speakers and topics:  Turning Point USA - America Fest 2021   Today is the third day and it ends tomorrow (12/21).  I'm sure the videos will be recorded and  available there and on YouTube.

This event is geared toward young people / college students, so the music is loud and the crowd (and some speakers) are a bit raucous.  I'm enjoying it, though.  I hope you will, too.

PRAY AND PUT FEET TO YOUR PRAYERS,  GAIL-FRIENDS!

Thankful Thursday - Remembering 9/11

We all remember September 11 as the day our beloved country was attacked.  I was working in downtown Jacksonville, Florida when our office got the devastating news that a plane had hit one of the twin towers in New York City.  I remember being shocked and horrified as we watched the video of the attack.  Management announced that work was over for the day and we all hurried out.  Before I left, my daughter, Melissa, called me with the awful news that one of our close friends was in downtown New York City when it all happened.  It took her several days to escape the city.

Ordinarily, I used the above-ground people mover to get into downtown, but it was shut down.  We didn't know if there would be more attacks on major cities, so people were racing to the people mover parking lot to get out of the city.  It was a surreal scene that I will never forget.  I ran --  praying for myself, for others running beside me, my family, and my country to be protected -- all the while watching the skies for airplanes.

My parent's house was not far from downtown, so I rushed over there, wondering what would happen next.  Would we have to evacuate?  Thankfully, we did not.  We spent the remainder of the day glued to the television, watching the two attacks on the towers.  Horrified is the only word I can use to express our emotions.

Those are my memories of that horrible day.

As the graphic says, that day inspired tremendous patriotism in America.  That was a wonderful experience.  We were united in love for our country and wanted to defend and protect her with all our might.  That was the beauty that came out of the ashes, and it lasted for a long time.  It never stopped in my heart.

I see it happening again with the election of President Trump.  The chant, "USA, USA, USA!!!" is always heard in his rallies.  He has inspired us to love and preserve our country, and I'm so thankful for it.

Our last president hated America and set out to change it.  He told us America was a bad country and called us evil colonialists.  His wife even said she'd never proud of America until her husband was elected.    He said we'd never reach the heights of the past - economically or globally.  Determined to make America pay for her colonialist sins, he worked hard at making it happen by destroying the auto industry, attempting to destroy our private healthcare system, and our wonderful military.

He lied about many things - including his stand on abortion and homosexuality.  Once in office, he set about to encourage more abortions and expanded the homosexual agenda.  He even mandated bi-sexual bathrooms in public places and in public schools.  He taught people to disrespect the military and the police force.

He disdained people like me and called us "people who cling to their guns and their Bibles."  He claimed to be a Christian, but sung the praises of Islam and bowed down to and kissed the ring of a Muslim king.

He increased our national debt by trillions of dollars and even put billions of dollars of CASH on a plane for Iran, our enemy. He perpetrated a tremendous fraud on our country.  He misrepresented himself to be a patriot, but was, in reality, a Saul Alinsky devotee.  I, and others knew this because we vetted him.  We had researched his background thoroughly.   America's news journalists of the mainstream media outlets did not.  They lauded him and praised him like the blind and deceived propaganda machines that they are. They were, and are still, all for turning America into a socialist country.

We paid a high price for that mistake.  But God had mercy on us.  Donald Trump was elected and he loves America.  He wants her to rise and be the shining city on the hill -- which is how I see her.  And it's happening, friends.  I'm proud to be an American like the song says.

America has thrived in so many ways.  We've seen wonderful economic news in the stock market, employment, new small businesses, the return of businesses to America, new trade agreements to bring business here again,  the advancement of women and minorities, immigration reforms, help for our wonderful military veterans, and so much more.

The thing I'm most thankful for is the changes he's made to Planned Parenthood.  He has vetoed funding for that baby-murder business, and many of their clinics have been completely closed down!  I read recently that in some states there are NO ABORTION CLINICS AT ALL.  Join me in shouting a great, big, "HALELUYAH!"

If you love America, my friends, do not . . . I repeat . . . DO NOT VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT.  Every single one of the people running for president is a progressive/socialist who wants to continue  Obama's agenda.

I'll be voting for Trump in 2020 because I want to KEEP AMERICA GREAT!   I hope you will, too.

Thankful Thursday - Small Town Life

I am so very,. very thankful that we live in a small town.  When I moved here from a large north Florida city, I thought I'd arrived in Green Acres*.  But, this area has become dear to my heart.

One thing we have here are lots of  lizards (that jump -- hence the name "leaping lizards"), mosquitos, gators, and . . . FROGS. The one in the photo above nearly scared me to death.  In his position there, he's as long as my hand. . . maybe longer.  He was outside the screen, but I still called dear hubby and told him to come home asap and fill any holes on the patio so it couldn't get inside.  I was SO scared, Gail-Friends.

One of the things I love are our local parades.  There were lots of Trump supporters out today, and they were loud and proud!  Elvis even showed up (see below).

#MAGA - MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

There was lots of excitement when the Trump float came by because they gave out free popsicles.  That was great because it was 100 degrees.  (When the Democrats came by, there was only very quiet, polite applause.)

When the Betsy Ross flags came by, everybody cheered, "USA! USA!" Oh, and about the controversy over that flag this week -- Jem threw away his Nike shoes and went out to buy a Betsy Ross flag.  They were SOLD OUT, but have lots on order.  I don't think Nike understands how OFFENDED people are over their bowing down to that football player (we don't say his name).  If he's so offended and hates this country so much, why doesn't he just leave it?

Daughters of the American Revolution.

And they even had (gasp) military vehicles!! This is a snarky remark due to the mockingbird media's angst over tanks being at the Trump speech tonight.  Well, there have been tanks at other events in D.C.  We're proud of our military!!!  God bless President Trump for his support of them.  I'm thankful for him as our president and I'm thankful for our men and women who serve.  I'm also thankful for his pride in America!  He has encouraged and developed a great revival of patriotism and I'm thankful for that.

And lots and lots of our beloved Old Glory!  The blue striped flag means we back the BLUE (policemen).

And our fabulous Sheriff Wayne Ivey walked the entire parade route.  God bless this man.  He has videos on YouTube that everybody should watch. I'm thankful for his service to our county.

Oh, and (I almost forgot) . . . Elvis was there!  I thought he was dead didn't you??????  LOL! I think he's one of the sheriff's officers.

We were planning on having the kids over for a cookout, but our grandson was sick, so they had to cancel.  So, Jem and I've spent the day watching the parades in D.C. and other towns.  We are looking forward to hearing President Trump's speech tonight at 6:30.  He's gonna have tanks!  Yessir, buddy.  And we like that!  He believes a strong military is a safe America and we do, too.

Jem did a great job of putting out the flags this year!  We usually put them out for Flag Day, but it was raining.

Here's Jem with his masterpiece:

We're proud of his hard work - 101 flags to celebrate Independence Day.

Jem's mortified by his lawn.  It's a long story . . . suffice to say he'll never put that spray-on grass stuff you see advertised on tv.  He's working on bringing it back to life.  I'm so thankful for my gardener.

 Our two rescued kitties were nearby while we were having fun with flags:

Freckles aka Scaredey Cat - he's very loving, but everything scares him.

And Toonie decided to make the trash pile by the road his temporary throne.  He's such a sweet boy.  He has a rash on his nose.  The vet says it's a reaction to mosquito bites and put him on antibiotics.  It hasn't helped.  If anybody knows of a treatment for this, please tell me.

We put him in ICU (the screened room) for ten days to administer the meds.  He enjoyed being pampered.

Anyway, then Freckles got ear mites so the vet gave us meds for that.  We put him in ICU (the screened room) when Toonie got out, but he didn't like it.  That night, he busted through the screen and is avoiding us like the plague.   We rescued them when our neighbor moved and left them behind.  They have always been outside cats and don't like being inside.  Not good, right?  Anyway, please pray for our boys.

We've had lots of baby birds lately.  I've seen tit-mice, cardinals, wrens, and blue jays being fed by parents.This young one has learned to use the feeder.

My peace lilies have twenty-seven blooms right now.  Aren't they gorgeous!

Speaking of peace, I pray for you to have the peace that passes understanding.  It comes from knowing Yeshua as Messiah and Lord, and obeying His Word.  His ways are LIFE!

I hope you and yours have a blessed Independence Day.


*Green Acres was a television show about a couple from New York who move to the country.

For Our Families' Sake - Please!

FOR OUR FAMILIES’ SAKE

PLEASE!

By Nancy Campbell (used by permission)

Dear wives and mothers, I know that many of you are so busy in your homes that you often don’t know what’s going on in the country politically You’re not even interested in politics. I don’t want Above Rubies to be political either. It is totally for encouraging wives, mothers, and homemakers in their God-given mandate.

However, I realize the seriousness of the situation in our nation currently and need to encourage you to become political for a little while—for the sake of your families. This goes beyond politics. This is about FAMILY! What we do now determines the future of our children, our grandchildren, and our greatgrandchildren. Future generations. Do you think about the future of your precious children and what kind of environment they will live in?

PREPARE!
It is time to become a voice to count for righteousness. To protect our children. Therefore, we must get ready. Are you registered to vote for the coming mid-term elections on November 6? If not, get registered right away. You must register before 9 October, so there’s not much time. You can do it locally or online.

Do you have children 18 years and over? Make sure they are registered. Please don’t waste their vote. Your young people can help turn the tide. Every single vote counts. It’s a priority.

PROACTIVE!
Why am I encouraging you to vote? Because this is no longer a choice between political parties, between Democrat and Republican. There was a time when people could choose between. But now the current Democrat party has moved far beyond where they used to be. They are now the party of extreme socialism and fascism. They want communism back.

Already we live in a nation that is completely unbiblical. This party advocates homosexuality which is now is condoned by law of our land and yet it is an abomination in the eyes of God. They are desperate to keep the laws of abortion which allow babies to be murdered up to the third trimester. They do not want to protect our nation but want open borders. They want sanctuary cities, so we can harbor terrorists and criminals.

This is only the beginning. They are no longer subtly working but FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL! Screaming and yelling. They hate God and hate Christians and if they get in persecution will begin. They are supposedly intelligent people, but their thinking is ridiculous. Because they don’t want God in their lives or decisions, He gives them over to a “reprobate mind,” undiscerning and void of judgment (Romans 1:28).

Years back the rhetoric of the feminists was to say they didn’t need men. Now they have gone further. They want to castrate them. They want to eradicate their role in society. Did you hear the senator from Hawaii state publicly: “All white men, SHUT UP!”
We don’t want this environment for our precious children and grandchildren, do we?
Therefore, we must be proactive and do something. The most important thing is to VOTE IN THESE MID-TERM ELECTIONS. Even if you’ve never done it before, do it this time.

PRAY!
And of course, pray. I am sure you are praying. Praying with your children morning and evening for our nation and for God to save us from this fascism coming into our nation. Pray against the liberal media that daily fills our nation with lies, deception, and propaganda.

Pray for the youth in our colleges who are being dumbed down and propagandized with all this nonsense by their liberal professors. Pray for a mighty move of God amongst our high schools and colleges. These youth are the future of our nation. What they believe determines the future of our country.

We can’t pray effectively if we don’t know who to pray for. We must pray for our president daily and those surrounding him. Do you know the name of the Secretary of State? Secretary of Defense, The Senate Leader? National Security Advisor? And so on. Do your children know who they are?
1 Timothy 2:1-4: “I exhort therefore, that FIRST OF ALL, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For KINGS, and for ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY: that we may lead a quiet and peace le life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

We have a prayer box which we use at our prayer times in our home called OUR NATION-CHANGING PRAYER BOX. We include the names of our national leaders and the important issues to pray for in our nation. That way, we don’t forget.

We notice that when the righteous get into authority there is more opportunity for people to come to Jesus and the truth. Let ’s pray for the right environment in our nation.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION.
Love and blessings to you today, Nancy

Please visit Nancy's website Above Rubies and on Facebook.  She is a great encourager of women of all ages.

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
  Spiritual Sundays  GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays

 Hearth and Soul Link Party
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday  Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up     
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday 
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
 OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

#MAGA - Our Holy Responsibility

Voting is a holy responsibility, and I pray for all who are voting in the primaries ahead.  Our state votes next week, and we are praying for an outcome that will support President Trump's agenda.

This year's election is just as impactful as the presidential election in 2016.  We elected a man who has worked tirelessly to turn our country around.  His motto is Make America Great Again, and he has made huge strides to make that happen.

This primary election determines who will be voted for in November, so take it very seriously.  Don't stay home, please.  Your vote is needed to keep conservative voices in Congress.

Conservative Republicans (not RINOs) support:

• strong borders
• spending for a strong military
• free-market capitalism 
• nationalism and patriotism 
• the pro-life position -- are against baby murder (aka abortion)

Democrats are pushing for:

• baby murder (I can't soft-pedal this anymore, friends.)
• socialism
• open borders, the abolition of ICE
• globalism
• a weak military - more of a social experiment, really
• bigger government  --  much, much more government control of our lives. 

If you only listen to the major news networks, you will think President Trump has accomplished very little.  Don't be deceived, friends.  The list of positives is long, and you can see some of them right HERE.  That list hasn't been updated since April so you can add to that a few more successes:

• His success in the economy. The stock market continues to soar, jobs are coming back because corporations are coming back to the USA.  Joblessness is at an all-time low, including women, blacks, and Hispanics.
• He's been effective on tariffs to rectify the horrible deals made by past presidents.  
• He's been successful in talks with North Korea for nuclear disarmament.  
• He's gotten us out of the Iran deal, which still makes me scratch my head.  Cash money stacked up in huge piles and sent by plane.  The truth will come out about that soon.
• He's making NATO pay up for all the favors we've done for decades.  They now will have to pay their share. 
• He's obliterated ISIS.  Heard anything about them lately?
• He's made it possible for veterans to get private medical care without having to go through the VA. (This means a lot to us since my husband is a veteran.) 
• He's working to clean up the FBI and several other agencies.  These have become corrupt and his efforts are what he calls "Draining the Swamp".  Believe me, there are some nasty creatures in the DC swamp, and I'm praying for them all to be removed quickly.   
• He's working to make social media a level playing field.  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, and others are not playing fair with conservatives. 

I could keep going with this list because it is much longer.  If you don't follow President Trump on Twitter, you must.  He tells you what the Main Stream Media (CNN, ABC, NBC. CBS) won't talk about.  The MSM hates his tweeting because they can't twist his words.  I'm very thankful to read them daily.

He's keeping his campaign promises, too.  You can see them at this link,   PROMISES KEPT.
President Trump has upheld conservative ideals with fervor and complete dedication.  I'm very glad he was elected, and I want to do everything I can to elect people to Congress who will support his agenda for the next two years.

How can I/we/you do that?

• Vet the candidates.  Don't believe the commercials you see about them.  Check the facts for yourself,  And don't trust your local news outlet to tell you the truth either.  Look up their voting record.  Do a search engine investigation of them and see what you find. 
• Vote.
• Stand outside the perimeter of your voting place and hold a sign saying, "Keep America Great - vote for Conservatives."  It's a lot of fun to wave signs.  Yes, you will get some hand gestures and mean words, but put on your big-girl panties and deal with it by smiling and waving back. 
•  Talk about politics.  I know this might be scary for you because you've been taught not to talk about politics and/or religion.  Wrong!  Wrong!  Wrong!  We must join in the conversation by talking about politics AND religion in person and on social media.  We must stop "putting our LIGHT under a bushel," as the Bible says, because "The entrance of His Word (Truth) brings light."  We also are to love those in darkness because we were there once ourselves. We're all on a journey, Gail-friends.

God really laid this blog post on my heart today when I read this Scripture passage this morning:

 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
– Ephesians 6:10-18

The forces of evil are raging. We have to use our spiritual weapons in this fight for America. We also, have to use our rights and duties as citizens to fight against these forces - voting, vetting the candidates, contacting our representatives about our concerns, and holding their feet to the fire, and most of all -- speaking out for the things that made America great:  

• The Judeo-Christian beliefs of the Bible
• Free-market capitalism
• Nationalism - not Globalism 
• Patriotism - pride in and love for our country, our flag, our language, and our culture
• Respect and protection for our Constitution
• Obedience to law and order
• Strong borders and legal immigration
• A strong military
• Respect for our military and law enforcement officers
• Respect for self and others. We were even taught this in public schools in the America I grew up in.  We were spanked!!!  At school and at home!!! (That's fodder for another blog post...)

These are some of the things I grew up with in America.  I pray for them to return and to be preserved for future generations.  It's our holy responsibility.

While I do not agree with everything listed, this website has a valuable tool for residents of our state: Voter Guides & Candidate Endorsements

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
  Spiritual Sundays  GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up     
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday 
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
 OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

Thankful Thursday - Our Great Country

During our last Erev Shabbat service, Rabbi Jem spoke about the founding of our country and the history of the 4th of July.  We thanked God for life in America, and we sang the song I Vow To Thee My Country.  The song is a British anthem, but I love the lyrics because they speak about the love of God and country and our commitment to preserve them.

I'll be honest, my patriotism soured during the Obama years as I saw everything I loved trampled under the feet of ungodliness and the push for socialism.  I watched our society decline quickly.  He scorned our love of God and the Bible and praised his Islamic beliefs.  He embraced the immorality of homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion.  He pushed for a socialist society and scolded America for colonialism.  He disdained the American flag and kissed the ring of a Saudi Arabian king.   He taught disrespect of our police force and encouraged violence against them.  He almost destroyed our economy with his dismantling of our auto industry.  He made dirty deals with Iran and other countries, putting in place tariffs and taxes that made companies leave our country behind.  He attempted to put in place a socialist healthcare system that caused many doctors and healthcare professionals to leave their businesses.  I could go on and on because the list of his destructive actions is long.  This graphic outlines his agenda:

During those eight years, there were times I almost lost hope, but my husband's unfailing faith in God and this country sustained me.  His knowledge of history, and his experience with God and the patriotism of likeminded people kept him grounded in the belief that America would rise up and recover from the ruinous attempts of Obama and his cohorts to destroy us.  God heard our prayers and HE has turned things around by giving us President Trump.

I love the America I grew up in.  I think my generation was the most blessed in the history of the United States because we experienced a very different society from what we've seen over the last thirty years since Ronald Raegan left office.  President Trump is also of that generation.  We're called Baby Boomers, born following World War II, we experienced a booming economy and a faith-based society.  We were taught by The Greatest Generation, parents who'd experienced war and the Great Depression.  Those two events grounded them in faith in God and country, and thankfully those ideals were passed on to us.  We grew up in a society that loved and respected God, our country, our military and police, our teachers and others in authority, each other, and ourselves.  We were taught to
work for a living, provide for our families, and discipline our children.

Now, it is up to us to cling tightly to those ideals and pass them on to our children, grandchildren, and anyone else with whom we interact.  We have so many avenues today that we can use to proclaim our beliefs -- social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, blogs like this, and even writing and publishing our own books are just a few.  Let's take advantage of those things to share these society-preserving beliefs with others.

 
Obama, and his ilk, greatly underestimated Americans.  Our patriotism and love of American ideals run deeps.  His attempt to turn us into globalists, socialists, and blind followers of nonsense failed miserably.  America is awake and, with God's help, we will make America great again.

 

 

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
  Spiritual Sundays  GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up     
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday 
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
 OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

Sabbath Music - I Vow to Thee My Country

This has been the most exciting week I've seen in a long time.  A week ago, our new president was sworn in.  G-d has answered our prayers by putting Trump in office.  He hit the ground running and has made me so proud of America.  He has already begun reversing things that have brought great destruction to my beloved country.  To name a few, he's already taking action to make changes to abortion, immigration, American jobs, and international relations (including our beloved Israel).  This makes me happy, happy, happy.

Today, we have a pro-life president.  He sent Vice President Pence to speak on his behalf at the March for Life in Washington, DC.  I'm so thankful for a president who is not only pro-life but also pro-Israel.

My sweet husband introduced me to this song last week, and the lyrics are exactly how both of us feel about our country, and about the "other" country mentioned in the song.  I hope you enjoy I Vow to Thee My Country.

************

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:

Spiritual Sundays      THE SUNDAY COMMUNITY – #GIVE ME GRACE @SEE SPEAK HEAR MAMA Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life     GRAND Social       The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up   

Modest Mom Monday Link-up         Growing Homemakers Link-Up        The Gathering Spot Link-Up 

MOTIVATION MONDAYS – @EMBRACINGHISWILL      SHARING HIS BEAUTY – @THEBEAUTYINHISGRIP

The Art of Homemaking Mondays
Monday of Many Blessings 

Titus 2 Tuesday     Share Your Stuff Tuesday    TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    

Wordless Wednesdays    Jennifer Dukes Lee Tell His Story  Teaching What Is Good Link-Up

Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

 Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life 

Friendship Friday