Tea Party

Boston style, not Princess style...

Many of you know that I keep a close eye on politics, that I care a great deal about our country, and that I have strong conservative sentiments about what makes government effective: small size, limited controls, fiscal responsibility, championing morality and the value of human life, encouraging individuals to excel as opposed to feeding a sense of entitlement and complacency.

When tax day rolled around and we as a nation were already looking at an irresponsible spending plan that promised to bring debt to generations to come and higher taxes (even hidden ones) as a result, I took note of the fact that there was a Tea Party planned in our general vicinity to peacefully show frustration with the direction of our government's leadership and also support of responsible fiscal policy and the values that make our nation distinct.

I consider myself informed, but not an activist; I had not intended to participate, but to monitor whatever information came out after the fact. We happened to be out and about that day, so before things got going with the event, we visited the site. It was a pretty day.


I ended up staying for the first 20 min. to see what would happen. Mimi kept the kids in the car watching a video. I was impressed with the diversity of the crowd and the balance of strong patriotic feelings and respectful discontent held by the participants. The event was scheduled to last 3 or 4 hours, and even as early as 20 min. following the beginning of the event, there were at least 500 there. Here are some pictures!

Families representing many cultures and economic backgrounds...
Many people carrying copies of the Constitution, homemade signs, flags, and teabags.

One girl's sign read "6 years old and already in debt".

This soldier was wearing his Camo hat and Squadron T-shirt from his service during the war in Iraq.

A speaker who facilitated discussion, celebration of the founding values of the country, and introduced other notable local speakers. Local news reported a ceremony at the end where the symbolic bags of "tea" were tossed into the Bay (and reeled back in to support stewardship of the environment, of course).
Let me encourage you out there to pay better attention to what is going on in our nation! It only takes a moment or two to call your Representative or Senator's office to register your opinion on upcoming legislation. They respond better to phone calls than emails or web-generated form submissions. Call even if you support your Congressman's proclaimed stance... they need encouragement as well as dissent!

Future generations will thank us for being involved and not just watching as things happen! Our liberties (read: religious expression, etc.) and our finances (read: not just income, but ability to give to ministry, missions, and charity) will be most certainly be affected --either preserved or damaged-- by decisions made by those who have been elected to represent us.

Another reason why I'm Pro-Life...

For the non-ultrasound-aware, view the pic above with this in mind: imagine the baby lying on its back with the head on your right and feet on your left, looking up and to your left. The feet are not really visible in this shot, but the large semi-white oval at mid-left is the belly. The bright white portions of the face are (l-r) the facial bones of the jaw area, the nose, and the forehead.

We are blessed to announce (to the blogosphere, at least, since many of you already know) that God has given us an addition to our family! I am 14 weeks pregnant and am already planning ways to beat the heat of summer here as we eagerly await our end of August due date!

As early as 3 weeks after I officially found out we were expecting, our first ultrasound showed a tiny little heart beating. Many moms-to-be don't even realize they are pregnant at this point, and already the heart is pumping blood throughout the developing baby! At the time of the above ultrasound, our baby was 11 weeks old and already at least 1.5 inches from top of the head to rump, and baby's little fingers and toes were already fully formed. We actually caught BabyMac sucking on a thumb or finger.

We hope, if BabyMac isn't too modest, to find out what we're having in just a few weeks! Yippee!
I plan to add a cute ticker soon to the blog and will keep you informed as we have more info!

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**Note, my laptop has met an untimely end! Thanks to our dear (and recently married) friend, Barron, I look forward to recuperating my files from it, but I've been away for too long. I'm commandeering Scott's work laptop for now, but I plan on catching up soon! Look forward to more pics, biopics, McDonaldSpot acoustics, perhaps some aesthetics, and only a little politics soon!

Life is Precious

This week is the Sanctity of Human Life week.

I find it convenient timing, as one of the first promises our new president made prior to his inauguration was to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would:

eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

• Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
• Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
• Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
• Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

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Watch this spot that's being aired on Black Entertainment Television:


No matter how inconvenient, every baby in the womb has value.

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Here are some really good related links. Chew on these for a while:

The case for life, around the web by Justin Taylor

Why are we striving to make abortion unthinkable? John Ensor, guest post on Challies.com

Who is Jane Roe from the Roe v. Wade case? "Roe no more" by Justin Taylor

Being Pro-life Christians under a Pro-choice President by John Piper

Number of Abortions since 1973 by Justin Taylor

Here are two reasons I'm prolife:

Parenting is never easy, but I'd never trade the joy and blessings these two have brought me!

HT: JT, DG, TC

He definitely has a sense of humor...

Check out the guest commentator on this week's episode of Saturday Night Live.



He may not have much of a chance, but at least he knows how to laugh at himself! (and when to bow out?)

Friday Footloose Funny

President Bush has been touring nations in Africa, offering assistance and mosquito nets to help combat Malaria. Watch as he follows the lead of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (dressed in maroon robe) at a celebration.




Whatever your politics, you have to admit that's cute! Reminds me a little of my dad doing the "Chapman Ranch Shuffle." I love it!

Super Tuesday? I'm glad I have till March.

For those of you who know me well, it's no surprise that I like to stay informed in areas of politics. Fox News is a channel I couldn't do without (though I fast from it occasionally). I actually scored 100% on the political awareness quiz on www.dontvote.org. (read the site's mission stmt)

So, as the coverage of Super Tuesday is unavoidable, I find myself considering for whom I will vote. No, I will not tell you straight up, because I have not decided for certain, and today's results may help me decide. On the one hand, there is one candidate who embraces my social conservative stances. Then there's another who is pretty conservative socially, but matches my fiscal conservative views better. Then there's another who claims to do both, yet in reality is fairly liberal, and could potentially be the nominee... (not to mention he flirted quite a bit with my sister at an event she was working at). Voting for one could take needed votes from another, and is there a third that I'd rather not see in office?

I heard some wise advice (second-hand) from presidential biographer Michael Beshloss (thanks, Dad, for passing it on!) . He said that regardless of who was elected, 8 to 11 of the past several presidents have, at some point in their terms, had to make some very difficult decisions that have ensured the survival of the US. Those decisions, however, have cost them their public image and their reputations/legacies as Presidents. He encouraged the crowd on hand to vote for someone who would be able to make those tough decisions and have the experience and humility to do so without considering how they would look afterward. Excellent advice, but that doesn't make my choice entirely clear....

Hence the conundrum. I'm glad that I have until the first week of March, now that I'm residing in a different state. I will pray through my decision for the primary election, and likely support whoever wins the nomination regardless. Will I stress over it or feel dejected like I did in 1992 when I thought the world as we knew it would end? No.

Here's why: It's not because politics don't matter (though they are not of ultimate importance either). It's because I know that ultimately whoever runs this great country is not in absolute control, nor is the congress.

For by him [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col. 1:16

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Rom. 13:1

So, while I know that God's not out there "rooting" for one candidate's views, I do know that whoever eventually wins, He has in there for a reason. That may bring about good, or that may bring about hard times, but either one will result in God getting the glory. And, since that matches the purpose for why we're here in the first place, I'm good with that, and I'll continue on no matter what.