Cheers & Jeers: Copenhagen

Cheers to China & India for walking out on this Copenhagen "Climate Change" fiasco.

Jeers to Pres. Obama's typical egocentric speech at the same "conference."

Draw a pic of Jesus & get suspended

The Rutherford Institute Defends Second Grader Forced by School Officials to Undergo Psych Evaluation for Drawing Crucified Jesus

Hello again

Hello my small hand full of readers. I know it has been awhile...I have reasons.

1. Moved into my new house. YAY! I'll post pictures one of these days. :)
2. New job. I'm now the lead tech (supervisor) of radiology at an outpatient imaging clinic & stand alone ER. I've never been in this type of position, so to say I'm scared to death & feeling like a fish out of water, would be an understatement. I am not comfortable in this role but I know it will be good for me. Most importantly, I argued with God several times when considering this position & told Him many times I wasn't right for this job & then He told me Moses wasn't either. Now I'm not comparing myself to Moses or my little role to leading the Jewish nation through the wilderness for several decades but, that vision of Moses reminding God of his shortcomings & God choosing him anyway, comforted me & stopped me from arguing with Him anymore.
3. My computer just got back last Friday from being in the shop for about a month. That is a long frustrating story & basically, my computer is still acting up but I'm not in the mood to annoy you all with that. Essentially, I think I have decided to learn to build my own computer. I have an old computer that the hard drive is fried on (I assume) & a laptop that is beyond recovery. I thought about throwing them out but I think that I have pretty much decided to use what is still good on them to rebuild them. The best way to learn about computers is to build your own, so I think I'm going to set up one of my extra bedrooms as an office & IT workshop. :)

So, needless to say my life has been a little nutty lately. I can't wait to get back to blogging but this coming week is ridiculously crazy & the next isn't much better but once life settles a bit or at least I get use to it, I may not be blogging quite as much. So, until next time...

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

Crapcare brought to you by your local Congressman

Well, a healthcare bill has been proposed by the Senate & Obama is sure to sign this text book case of government usurpation.

For one thing, when a Democrat or our President says that this bill will not cover illegal aliens or cover abortion, in the words of Rep. Joe Wilson...the lie! If this bill wasn't going to cover those two cases then why did every amendment that a Republican brought forth to restrict them get voted down every time?

Second, this new bill is going to cut Medicare & increase Medicade. Those who already have insurance, rather provided by their job or purchased personally will notice an increase in the cost.

Medical devices, such as stents, hip replacement hardware, pacemakers, etc... will have a significant taxation. If the insurance you have does not follow exactly what the government is mandating, you will be fined. For example, if your insurance doesn't cover drug or alcohol counseling, you will be fined. Drug & alcohol counseling may sound nice but if you are like me & don't do drugs & may have 5-6 drinks a year, why should I pay extra for such a service?

Government has no business sticking their nose in healthcare. The reform we need for healthcare is for the government to get out of it.

"Hate Crimes" bill passes Senate

clipped from www3.capwiz.com

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

This bill includes the "hate crimes" amendment

Agreed to: 68-29

By 68 yeas to 29 nays (Vote No. 327), Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany H.R. 2647, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense. In a devious maneuver by Democrats, a "Hate Crimes" amendment was attached to this bill. Though AFA supports adequate funding for the military, this attachment is a poison pill that makes the bill unacceptable. Our military deserved a stand-alone vote on funding.

A vote in favor of this bill criminalizes thought, endangers freedom of religion and speech, and destroys the American principle of equality under the law.

Both Senators Hutchison & Cornyn voted for this bill. Needless to say, I sent them an email telling them of my disappointment in them. In case you don't know, this is a huge step in direction of Christian persecution. This will take our Freedom's of Religion, Speech, & Protest and throw them under the bus. Basically, if you speak out against homosexuality, call it a sin as the Bible does, you can be held responsible for another person's violence toward a homosexual. It shouldn't be ignored that this may eventually lead to making the Bible, written the way it is now, illegal. Already, certain verses (those that condemn homosexuality) are banned from public display in certain cities. And, don't for a second, think that the liberals won't push this as far as they can.

Speaking out against homosexuality is not "hate speech." Granted, I know some people do it in a hateful way, but that is also a sin & they should be counseled on that also. However, if Christians hated homosexuals, they would let continue in their sin & never try to help them see the light. God does not hate homosexuals, he does, however, hate homosexuality. If someone is standing on a train track & you see a train coming, if you love that person you will let them know that the train is coming. However, if you don't care for that person or hate them, you'll ignore the train. I heard one commentator that was talking about another topic but he said, "We are loving them into Hell." He wasn't talking about homosexuals but I think the same statement could be made in this situation.

U.S. Political Parties: Conclusion

Well, thank God that is over. I learned a lot but as you could tell, I got a bit distracted for a little while. I mean, hello, I'm buying a house & moving...geeze. Hehe

For a list of several other political parties in the U.S. check out this Wikipedia page. Some of the are quite interesting like the Marijuana Party, the Christian Socialist Party, the Pirate Party of the United States, etc... LOL

Here is a chart I found that did an overview of the differences in the parties I covered.

From this research, I have decided that I'm somewhere between a Constitutionalist and a Republican. I like the more conservative stance the Constitution Party takes but I disagree with them about pulling out of Iraq & Afghanistan and I also don't really understand their idea on taxation. They don't support a flat tax or sales tax or much of taxation at all. While that would be great, how do you pay for the military? I do support a flat tax but not a sales tax, but then again, I really don't understand much about taxation, I just know that I pay for a lot of crap that our government has no business sticking their noses in not to mention the immoral issues our taxes support.

I do have more ideas for more series I want to do including a series on comparative religions, comparative denominations, basic theology, and a series on heroes in the history of the Church such as John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, etc. Anyone have any opinion on what you would like me to cover first?

U.S. Political Parties: The Green Party

Ok, this one isn’t as long. Also…I am so not a Green Party person. LOL

The Green Party was officially recognized in 2001.

The Ten Key Values of the Green Party are as follows:

1. Grassroots Democracy
“Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process.”

2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
“All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.”

3. Ecological Wisdom
“Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.”

4 Non-Violence
“It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.”

5. Decentralization
“Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social, political and economical institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefit’s the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.”

6. Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice
“We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a ‘living wage’ which reflects the real value of a person’s work.” “Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our ‘quality of life.’ We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.”

7. Feminism and Gender Equity
“We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.”

8. Respect for Diversity
“We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.” “We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of our leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.”

9. Personal and Global Responsibility
“We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.”

10. Future Focus and Sustainability
“Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of our ‘unmaking’ all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.”


In addition to these, the Green Party is for reducing the military budget, are pro-choice, support a single-payer national health insurance (socialized medicine), oppose capital punishment, oppose the war on drugs, against penalties for marijuana, and they are against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA which states that marriage is to be between a man and woman only).


Resources:
The Green Party
Wikipedia: The Green Party

Christian Persecution: "Raid on Full Gospel Church"

Pray that God encourage & strengthen these Christians and that He will send his angels to protect them. Pray that He use them whether they are in or out of prison. Pray that their persecutors & the rest of the community see their faith & ask what it is about this Christianity that causes them to risk their lives & make people hate them so much. Also, pray that when we begin to suffer persecution, that we will hold fast & never bend under the pressure of Satan & his emissaries.

A muscle does not grow unless stress it put upon it. It is the same with the church. Those Christians who suffer persecution are like no other Christian you will ever meet. Persecution against the Church is begging to grow. Every time the Church has been persecuted in the past it resulted in a stronger, more faithful Church.

Many times in the Bible, persecution has been compared to the threshing of wheat. Back before we had machines to do all of it for us, the farmers would place wheat on the ground & toss the wheat into the air. As the wind blew, the chaff (the useless part of the wheat) would blow away, leaving only the good, useful grain.

This is what happens when the Church is put under persecution. Persecution is a time of weeding out the weak & useless, a time for the chaff to be blown away.

You need to decide now. Are you going to be chaff or grain?

Just before Stephen was stoned (Acts 7), he looked up to Heaven & proclaimed that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Act 7:55-56).

I heard a preacher once preach on this & he commented that he couldn't find any other reference of Jesus standing next to God, he was always sitting next to God. So he asked, "Why did Stephen say he was standing? Did he make a mistake?" He went on to say that he believed that Jesus, seeing Stephen's faith & knowing what was about to happen to him, Jesus stood.

Just as when we are at a football game & the whole game depends on the last couple of seconds & your team is just slightly behind but has the ball. What do you do? You stand. You are excited.

This preacher thought it was a similar reaction with Jesus. He saw that his boy, Stephen had just stood up & witnessed to the Sanhedrin and knowing that because of what Stephen had just said he was about to die, Jesus stood up. He was excited, he was proud of him, & he was about to welcome his friend home.

When the gun or knife is pointed at you, are you going to cower away later to feel the shame that Peter felt at denying Christ, or when you die is Christ going to raise to his feet & say to God, "Father, just wait till you meet this girl/guy!"?

U.S. Political Parties: The Constitution Party

First off, I want to apologize for the length of this post. I didn't think it would be anywhere near this long. Feel free to ignore this post, jump around to the headings of interest, or read it in completion. Really this whole series has been more for me to learn about our political system.

Next, I would like to say that I knew virtually nothing about this political party going in to this but I would have to say that this is probably the party I fall more in line with. I thought I was a Republican but now, I think this party is more how I feel. Granted, both parties share many of the same ideals. I also don't necessarily agree fully on every topic but I do with the vast majority of what they believe.

-------------------------------------------------------

The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 under the name of U.S. Taxpayers’ Party. The name was later changed in 1999 however, some state affiliate parties use other names. In Michigan they have kept the name the U.S. Taxpayers’ Party, in Connecticut they call themselves the Concerned Citizens Party, in Nebraska they are now known as The Nebraska Independent Party. Other Parties, such as the Reform Party, Independent American Party, American Independent Party (yes, those are two different parties), & America First Party, have discussed merging with The Constitution Party. They now refer to themselves, “America’s Fastest Growing Political Party.”

According to their website:

“We declare the platform of the Constitution Party to be predicated on the principles of The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights. According to the original intent of the Founding Fathers, these founding documents are the foundation of our Liberty and the Supreme Law of the Land. The sole purpose of government, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, is to secure our unalienable rights given us by our Creator. When Government grows beyond this scope, it is usurpation, an liberty is compromised. We believe the major issues we face today are best solved by a renewed allegiance to the original intent of these founding documents.”

Their Preamble of their platform reads:

“The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of the United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States.

“This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.

“The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.

“The Constitution of these United States provides that ‘no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.’ The Constitution Party supports the original intent of this language. Therefore, the Constitution Party calls on all those who love liberty and value their inherent rights to join with us in the pursuit of these goals and in the restoration of these founding principles.

“The U.S. Constitution established a Republic rooted in Biblical law, administered by representatives who are Constitutionally elected by the citizens. In such a Republic all Life, Liberty and Property are protected because law rules.

“We affirm the principles of inherent individual rights upon which these United States of America were founded:

• That each individual is endowed by his Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are the rights to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness;
• That the freedom to own, use, exchange, control, protect, and freely dispose of property is a natural, necessary and inseparable extension of the individual’s unalienable rights;
• That the legitimate function of government is to secure these rights through the preservation of domestic tranquility, the maintenance of a strong national defense, and the promotion of equal justice for all;
• That history makes clear that left unchecked, it is the nature of government to usurp the liberty of its citizens and eventually become a major violator of the people’s rights; and
• That, therefore, it is essential to bind government with chains of the Constitution and carefully divide and jealously limit government powers to those assigned by the consent of the governed.

• 
  

Here are some of the platforms upon which they stand:

Sanctity of Life

• They believe that life begins at fertilization & that abortion should be illegal in all cases including rape & incest. As to matters involving in which the life of the mother is directly compromised, they did not clearly say in what I read.
• They also oppose supporting or funding “any state or local government or any organization or entity, foreign or domestic, which advocates, encourages or participates in the practice of abortion. We also oppose the distribution & use of all abortifacients.”
• They believe the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Roe vs. Wade was a usurpation of their position & should be resisted by all levels of government.
• “Further, we condemn the misuse of federal laws against pro-life demonstrators, and strongly urge the repeal of the FACE Acts as an unconstitutional expansion of federal power into areas reserved to the states or people by the Tenth Amendment.”
• They also “oppose the funding and legalization of bio-research involving human embryonic or pre-embryonic cells.”
• They are “also oppose all government ‘legalization’ of euthanasia, infanticide and suicide.”

Conscription

• They are opposed to the draft & any other form of compulsory government service. (Which if you have been paying attention to what Pres. Obama has said & by the his administration asking Hollywood to include volunteering in their scripts of last weeks sit-coms, one could postulate that our President may have in his mind some idea to make “volunteer” work required by all. I’m not being irrational. He has stated in several of his speeches that he believes all people, from the youngest to the oldest, should volunteer in some way, shape, or form. Also, free tickets were offered for a speech that Pres. Obama was going to give back in August. People who claimed the tickets were later called & told that in order to receive a ticket they would have to volunteer 6 hrs for the campaign in a 3 day time period. Sorry…I digress)

Cost of Big Government

• “A legitimate & primary purpose of civil government is to safeguard the God-given rights of its citizens; namely, life, liberty, and property. Only those duties, functions, and programs specifically assigned to the federal government by the Constitution should be funded. We cal upon Congress and the President to stop all federal expenditures which are not specifically authorized by the U.S. Constitution, and to restore the states those powers, programs, and sources of revenue that the federal government has usurped.”
• “One of the greatest contributors to deficit spending is war. If the country is to get rid of debt, these United States cannot become gratuitously involved in constant wars. Constitutional government, as the founders envisioned it, was not imperial. It was certainly not contemplated that America would police the world at the taxpayers’ expense.”

Crime

• They favor capital punishment & requiring restitution for the victims.
• They are opposed to “hate crime” laws.

Defense

• “It is a primary obligation of the federal government to provide for the common defense, and to be vigilant regarding potential threats, prospective capabilities, and perceived intentions of potential enemies”
• “We oppose unilateral disarmament and dismemberment of America’s defense infrastructure.”
• “We condemn the presidential assumption of authority to deploy American troops into combat without a declaration of war by Congress, pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.”
• “We are opposed to any New World Order, and we reject U.S. participation in or a relinquishing of command to any foreign authority.” (Be on alert, because this one is quite possibly about to happen this year…hopefully not, but possible.)
• “We call for the maintenance of a strong, state-of-the-art military on land, sea, in the air, and in space.”
• “We reject the policies and practices that permit women to train for or participate in combat.”
• “We fully support well regulated militias organized at the state level. Further, we fully support and encourage the restoration of unorganized militia at the county and community level in compliance with our patriotic and legal responsibilities as free citizens of these United States.”

Education

• “The law of our Creator assigns the authority and responsibility of educating children to their parents. Education should be free from all federal government subsidies, including vouchers, tax incentives, and loans, except with respect to veterans.”
• “Because the federal government has absolutely no jurisdiction concerning the education of our children, the United States Department of Education should be abolished; all federal legislation related to education should be repealed.”…”Under no circumstances should the federal government be involved in national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel.”
• “We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. We oppose all legislation from any level of government that would interfere with or restrict that liberty. We support equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools.”

Energy

• “We call attention to the continuing need of the United States for a sufficient supply of energy for national security and for the immediate adoption of a policy of free market solutions to achieve energy independence for these United States. We call for the abolishing the Department of Energy.”

Environment

• They believe that we should be good stewards of the natural resources God has given us. “In that role, we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, and to replenish the earth and develop it (e.g., to turn deserts into farms and wastelands into groves). This requires a proper and continuing dynamic balance between development and conservation, between use and preservation.”
• “we wholeheartedly support realistic efforts to preserve the environment and reduce pollution - air, water, and land. We reject, however, the argument of the perceived threat of man-made global warming which has been refuted by a large number of scientists.”
• “We also call for the repeal of federal wetlands legislation and the federal Endangered Species Act. Moreover, we oppose any attempt to designate private or public property as United Nations World Heritage sites or Biosphere reserves. We call fro an end to this United States participation in UN programs such as UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere, and the UN Council on Sustainable Development. We oppose environmental treaties and conventions such as the Biodiversity Treaty, the Convention on Climate Control, and Agenda 21, which destroy our sovereignty and right to private property.” (I would also assume they are against the Copenhagen Treaty set to be signed this December.)

Family

• “The law of our Creator defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman.”…”No government may legitimately authorize or define marriage or family relations contrary to what God has instituted. We are opposed to amending the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of defining marriage.”
• “We reject the notion that sexual offenders are deserving of legal favor or special protection, and affirm the rights of the states and localities to proscribe offensive behavior.”
• “We stand against so-called ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘hate crime’ statutes that attempt to legitimize inappropriate sexual behavior and to stifle public resistance to its expression. We oppose government funding of ‘partner’ benefits for unmarried individuals. Finally, we oppose any legal recognitions of homosexual unions.”
• “We recognize that parents have the fundamental right and responsibility to nurture, educate, and discipline their children.”…”We affirm the value of the father and the mother in the home, and we oppose efforts to legalize adoption of children by homosexual singles or couples.”

Foreign Policy

• “We are opposed to the negotiation or ratification of any treaty, agreement, or partnership that would deprive United States citizens of their rights protected by the United States Constitution. We are also opposed to any union whether political or economic, of these United States, Mexico, and Canada (NAU).”
• They believe we should withdraw from NATO.
• They “oppose American participation in any form of world government organization, including any world court under United Nations auspices.” They also call upon the termination of our participation in the UN & any of it’s subsidiary organizations.
• “There is no constitutional basis for foreign aid.” “Therefore, we demand that: no further funds be appropriated for any kind of foreign aid program; United States participation in international lending institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, be ended; the Export-Import Bank be abolished; all government subsidies, tax preferences, and investment guarantees to encourage U.S. businesses to invest in foreign lands be immediately terminated; and all debts owed to the United States by foreign countries, or foreign entities, be collected.”

Gun Control

• “The right to keep & bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution”
• “We oppose any attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition.”
• “We call for the repeal of all federal firearms legislation, beginning with the Federal Firearms Act of 1968.”
• “We call for the rescinding of all executive orders, the prohibition of any future executive orders, and the prohibition of treaty ratification which would in any way limit the right to keep and bear arms.”

Health Care and Government

• “The Constitution Party opposes the governmentalization and bureaucratization of American medicine.”
• “We denounce any civil government entity using age or any other personal characteristic to: preclude people and insurance firms from freely contracting for medical coverage; conscript people into socialized medicine, e.g., Medicare; or prohibit these people from using insurance payments and/or their own money to obtain medical services in addition to, or to augment the quality of, those services prescribed by the program.”
• “The federal government has no Constitutional provision to regulate or restrict the freedom of the people to have access to medical care, supplies or treatments. We advocate, therefore, the elimination of the federal Food and Drug Administration…”
• “We affirm freedom of choice of practitioner and treatment for all citizens for their health care.”

Immigration

• “We oppose the abuse of the H-1B and L-1 visa provisions of the immigration act which are displacing American workers with foreign.”
• “We favor a moratorium on immigration to these United States, except in extreme hardship cases or in other individual special circumstances, until the availability of all federal subsidies and assistance be discontinued, and proper security procedures have been instituted to protect against terrorist infiltration.”
• “We also insist that every individual group and/or private agency which requests the admission of an immigrant to the U.S., on whatever basis, be required to commit legally to provide housing and sustenance for such immigrants, bear full responsibility for the economic independence of the immigrants, and post appropriate bonds to seal such covenants.”
• “The Constitution Party demands that the federal government restore immigration policies based on the practice that potential immigrants will be disqualified from admission to the U.S. if, on the grounds of health, criminality, morals, or financial dependence, they would impose an improper burden on these United States, any state, or any citizen of the United States.”
• “We oppose the provision of welfare subsidies and other taxpayer-supported benefits to illegal aliens, and reject the practice of bestowing U.S. citizenship on children born to illegal alien parents while in their country.”
• “We oppose any extension of amnesty to illegal aliens. We call for the use of the U.S. troops to protect the states against invasion.”
• “We oppose bilingual ballots. We insist that those who wish to take part in the electoral process and governance of this nation be required to read and comprehend basic English as a precondition of citizenship. We support English as the official language for all governmental business by these United States.”

Personal and Private Property Security

• “We affirm the Fourth Amendment right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effect against unreasonable searches and seizures, including arbitrary or de facto registration, general and unwarranted electronic surveillance, national computer databases, and national identification cards.”
• “We deplore and oppose vigorously legislation and executive action that deprived the people of their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights under claims of necessity to ‘combat terrorism’ or to ‘protect national security.’”
• “We oppose the monitoring and controlling of the financial transactions of the people through such proposed laws as ‘Know Your Customer.’”
• “We support privacy legislation that prohibits private parties from discrimination against individuals who refuse to disclose or obtain a Social Security number. We also call for legislation prohibiting all governmental entities from requiring the use of the Social Security number except for Social Security transactions. Additionally, we call for the repeal of all laws, regulations, and statutes that require the use of the Social Security number for any purpose other than Social Security transactions.”

Religious Freedom

• “We call upon all branches of government to cease their attacks on the religious liberties of the people and the states, regardless of the forum in which these liberties are exercised.”
• “We assert that any form of taxation on churches and other religious organizations is a direct and dangerous step toward state control of the church.”
• “We assert that private organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, can determine their own membership, volunteers, and employment based on their oaths and creeds.”

Social Security

• “The Constitution Party advocates phasing out the entire Social Security program, while continuing to meet the obligations already incurred under the system.”

State Sovereignty

• “The federal government has no authority to mandate policies relating to state education, natural resources, transportation, private business, housing, and health care, ad infinitum.”

Taxes

• “We propose legislation to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, and will veto any authorization, appropriation, or continuing resolution which contains any funding whatsoever for the illicit and unconstitutional agency. We are opposed to the flat-rate tax, national sales tax, and the value added tax proposals that are being promoted as an improvement of the current tax system. The Sixteenth Amendment does not provide authority for an un-apportioned direct tax.”
• “When elected, we will act to cease collection of direct Federal personal income taxes. We also support ratification of the Liberty Amendment which would repeal the Sixteenth Amendment, and provide that ‘Congress shall not levy taxes on personal incomes, estates, and/or gifts.’”

Terrorism and Personal Liberty

• They oppose the National Security Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the Domestic Securities Enhancement Act, and the Military Commissions Act.
• “The Constitution Party is unalterably opposed to the criminal acts of terrorist, and their organizations, as well as the governments which condone them. Individuals responsible for acts of terrorism must be punished for their crimes, including the infliction of capital punishment where appropriate. In responding to terrorism, however, these United States must avoid acts of retaliation abroad which destroy innocent human lives, creating enmity toward these United States and its people…”

Wage and Price Control

• “We deny that civil government has the authority to set wages and prices; so doing is inconsistent with principles of individual liberty and the free market.”

Welfare

• “Charity, and provision of welfare to those in need, is not a Constitutional responsibility of the federal government. Under no circumstances should taxpayers of these United States be obligated, under penalty of law through forced taxation, to assume the cost of providing welfare for other citizens. Neither should taxpayers be indentured to subsidize welfare for persons who enter these United States illegally.”
• “The message of Christian charity is fundamentally at odds with the concept of welfare maintenance as a right. In many cases, welfare provisions by the Federal government are not only misdirected, but morally destructive.”
• “It is the intended purpose of civil government to safeguard life, liberty and property - not to redistribute wealth. Such redistribution is contrary to the Biblical command against theft.”
• “We encourage individuals, families, churches, civic groups and other private organizations, to fulfill their personal responsibility to help those in need.”

Resources:
Constitution Party
Wikipedia: Constitution Party

Great Story: "A Meal On The Moon"

A Meal On The Moon: A little-known fact about the Apollo 11 moon landing

Warning: A World Government is about to be established & America will be loosing it's freedom

Politics: Anita Dunn names Mao Tse Tung as one of her favorite philosophers

Watch this video:



Ok, so who is Mao Tse Tung & why is this such a big deal?

Mao Tse Tung is the founder of Maoism which is a version of Marxism leading ideology of the Communist Party of China. Wikipedia states, "Mao's socio-political programs, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, are blamed for causing severe famine and damage to the culture, society and economy of China. Mao's policies and political purges from 1949-1975 are widely believed to have caused the deaths of tens of millions of people."

Now, just a few years ago, she would have been booed off stage for saying she admired such a person. But, not now, not today, no, these days she is given the job of White House Communications Director. Does this President of ours have any one with any morals, with any class, with any dignity anywhere near him?It is amazing to me that an American President would place into position anyone who would admit to the slightest admiration of a Socialist/Communist/Marxist/Maoist. I could possibly see having maybe one that way back in their youth went to a meeting but kept it as a deep secret all these years but Pres. Obama has many advisers who not only sympathize with these ideologies but openly admire them or even claim to be members of these parties or hold the same beliefs & hope to move our country in that direction. Very sad.

Granted, none of this should surprise Christians that have studied even the basics of end time prophecy. As we move closer to that day, the Bible talks about a one world currency (which the President of Russia showed a film crew this year's G-8 meeting) & all the nations of the world will come against Jerusalem (as if that isn't happening at break neck speeds). All the same, most Christians had high hopes that America would always stand with Israel. No, I do not thing President Obama is the Anti-Christ...I don't think he is liked nearly enough...but I do think the is laying down the red carpet & oiling the door hinges for him.



Wow, I didn't mean for this entry to take that turn. I just wanted to alert you all to this nutty woman in Washington D.C. Oh, well, the rest is just an observation/thought I have been having lately.

Inaugural prayers under attack in DC (OneNewsNow.com)

Inaugural prayers under attack in DC (OneNewsNow.com)

Shared via AddThis

President taps lesbian activist to EEOC (OneNewsNow.com)

President taps lesbian activist to EEOC (OneNewsNow.com)

Shared via AddThis

Great Video: Way to go, Cokie!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Politics/Great Video: Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

Politics: I think I may be sick...literally.

President Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

For what?!

For "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

According to Breitbart.com,

"The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in
international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and
institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage."

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama
captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better
future," Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee said. "In the
past year Obama has been a key person for important initiatives in the U.N.
for nuclear disarmament and to set a completely new agenda for the Muslim
world and East-West relations."

Disregarding the complete farce of "climate change," Pres. Obama has done nothing but make this a more dangerous place to live...well, that is, if you are a Christian & don't want to be told how to run your life) by alienating our allies, cozying up to our enemies, & completely retreating on the missile defense plan in Europe.

"We trust that this award will strengthen his commitment, as the leader of the
most powerful nation in the world, to continue promoting peace and the
eradication of poverty," the foundation said.

What?! "Eradication of poverty?!" Have they even seen what he proposed as his budget?

We really do live on opposite planet.

States Exploration: Assignment 1: Bordering States

How many states border your state?: 4

Which ones are they?: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, & Louisiana

Have you ever been to any of them?: I've been to all of them multiple times.

Was there a reason you visited or are they close enough you visit often?: Usually trips to Louisiana & New Mexico were driving through on vacations. Same with Oklahoma except we use to have our family reunions up there. With Arkansas, I went to college in Fayetteville & I have family who live there too. I go with my family quite often to Little Rock to a fantastic dinner theater there (Murry's Dinner Playhouse). We have a mini-family reunion (almost every summer) in northern Arkansas & stay in a cabin & trout fish on the White River. I grew up near Texarkana which is a city that is half in Arkansas & half in Texas so I use to go there all the time just to go out to eat or shopping or to visit someone in the hospital or to go to college when I was in x-ray school. I will be going back to AR in a few weeks for our Thanksgiving family reunion & I can't wait!

Of the ones you have visited which is your favorite?: Arkansas

Bonus Question (do not look this question up on the web and don’t look at a map. Just guess!) – Which two states have the most bordering states?: I have no idea...I'll have to look it up...anyone want to take a guess?....I'm not going to tell you...you'll have to look it up too....hehe. :D

States Exploration: Assignment 3: My Part of the State

Do you live in a county or a parish or does it go by another name?: I live in a county.

Name of the county you’re in and surrounding counties: I live in Denton County. The surrounding counties are: Cooke, Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Tarrent, & Wise Counties.

How many counties total are there in your state?: There are 254 counties in TX.

The state capital is in which county? The capital, Austin, is not in Austin County like one would think but, instead, it is located in Travis County.

Post a picture of your country courthouse: I'm not going to do this because my county court house is quite a drive away & I only go up there if I have to. Since I have no other reason to drive to that town right now I don't want to waste gas going up there...sorry...trying to be more frugal.

Post a picture map showing your state’s counties:

How close is the next town/city from yours?: Most of the towns in my area are pretty much on top of each other.

What is the population of your city/town? There are approximately 101,624 people in my town...however I am planning on moving to a nearby town in about a month that has about 20,773. Ah, that is so much better. Personally, I would live to live in a place of less than 1000 but this will be much better regardless. I'll feel like I can breath at least.

Another change I may be making soon.

I have had DirecTV for the last 5 yrs & I have loved it. I use to have a pretty serious TV addiction but I have broken that in the last couple of years. Now, the only programs I really watch is Monk (this is the last season), Psych, & The Office. I sometimes also watch Life Essentials, a scrapbooking show, & a cooking show on BYU (no, I'm not Mormon but they have some great homemaking shows on there) if they are topics I'm interested in & I'm not doing anything. Other than that, if I just want the TV on, I usually turn it to FOX News. With those exceptions, if I want to watch TV, I usually stream some movie or show from Netflix via my x-box.

Anyway, since I can get most of the programs I really like online or just wait until it comes out on box sets, I can't really validate spending $75 each month. I was seriously considering cancelling my TV completely, even though I would miss FOX News. However, I listen to AFR (American Family Radio) a whole lot & I kept hearing them refer to "SkyAngel" so I decided to research it. SkyAngel is a TV programing service provider like cable or DirecTV or Dish Network but it is provided via the Internet. The thing that separates it from the others is that it is a Christian service &, guess what....it includes FOX News. Also, it is a little over $50 cheaper. I was concerned that it wouldn't be DVR compatible but it will work with TiVo. I'll need to get a TiVo because the one supplied by DirecTV is leased (another negative, in my mind because you have to pay an "up front" fee too). However, TiVo has some refurbished ones for $80 as opposed to a new one for $150.

The Christian programing is a huge benefit. There is so much on TV now days that is not worth viewing. We have become so numb to much of what we see these days. I would one day like to have a family & I know I would not want my children to see 90% of what I see just flipping around the channels so I should get in the habit of analyzing what I watch with discernment now rather than after I have a house full of kids. This kind of programming just takes the thought work out of a lot of it but also removes much of the temptation of watching something that, as a Christian wanting to guard my heart more, has no business watching.

So, what do you think? Any thoughts?

Adventures in Homebuying: The Inspection

Friday morning my Realtor & I met my home inspector at the house for the inspection. The inspector was very nice & open about what he was doing, his findings, his opinions, & patient & thorough in answering my questions.

He was very impressed with the condition of the house especially considering the age of the house (23 yrs). There were only a few minor issues that could be resolved with a trip to Lowes & 20 mins. There was only one issue that would require a quick stop of an electrician & a couple that would require a handyman or daddy.

I've asked the homeowners to fix a couple of the problems that need fixing sooner rather than later & the rest of them I'll fix along the way. Nothing I asked them to fix will cost much money or time & they seem to be pretty miticulous about how well they've kept their home & I doubt they will mind fixing them. We had a storm the night before & a couple of shingles were blown off & there are two cap things that go around the vents in the roof that need replacing. The only other things were some insulation on the refrigerant coolant tubes that are connected to the AC & the shower diverter is stuck in the master bath which means you can only run the shower & not the tube faucet. Two other things I've asked them about are if their sprinkler system has a backflow preventer/shut off & if so, where it is, and there was a light switch in the living room that we couldn't figure out what it went to.

I emailed my broker & told him I definitely want this house so he said he would order the appraisal & now, I've just got to find some property insurance.

What 40% chance of rain looks like

Retro Ads: Girls & Cars

CAR PHONE!!!

clipped from www.darkroastedblend.com

Tell me, why is this girl pushing a car (not to mention she is pushing the side of the car & not behind it) in the snow in nothing but a bikini? This girl needs therapy...plus a coat.

clipped from www.darkroastedblend.com

Adventures in Homebuying: An offer they can't refuse...I hope

Well, I made an offer on a house. It is a bit smaller than what I wanted, particularly the kitchen, but there is so many benefits to this house that everything balanced out.

My sister & I met with my realtor Thursday morning. We toured 4 houses & this particular one happened to be the first & the cheapest we looked at, however it was the one that would need the least amount of work. After touring all 4 houses, I called my dad & asked if he could come out & look at the house on Saturday. He & mom walked though the house with me on Saturday morning. They were both very impressed & I decided to make an offer. So now it is just a waiting game. I hope I know in the next couple of days because I have to give 60 days notice to my apartment.

So, here are the some of the pluses of this house:

• big, beautiful back yard...I'm not kidding this yard is to die for
• raised planters perfect for the garden I have been wanting for 5 years
• huge tool shed in the back
• absolutely nothing needs to be done in order to move in
• garage with tons of built in storage
  
• the price was perfect

The kitchen is a bit smaller than what I would love but it is still nice & all the large appliances are pretty new & clean as opposed to the ones I have in my apartment which are older than me & were filthy when I moved in & still are quite terrible no matter how much time I have spent scrubbing them. The closets aren't huge but there are three bedroom closets & it is just me so I think I'll manage. :) The only other thing that my dad noticed was the AC unit is getting a bit old but even if I have to spend $5000 in the next few years it still wouldn't be the cost of the other houses I looked at that needed several thousands of dollars of work just to bring the house up to being able to move in.

This house is a bit small but is just fine for me, even if I get married & have a baby. Now if I do have a kid one of these days I'll want to look for a bigger house but for now, I don't need any more space to clean. :)

I'll have plenty of room for Rock Band parties & Bible studys. I've wanted to have a Halloween party for years but never felt comfortable having one in my apartment. Now, I'll have a place of my own for one. :) Unfortunately, I won't have the house for this year's Halloween but maybe next year. :D

States Exploration: Assignment 2: My State's Name

State Name: Texas

Research where the name of your state came from. Is there a story to tell?: There are several stories but the most common is that the Native Americans in East Texas referred to themselves as thecas or “friend” when they met some Spanish explorers. Later it was found that this word was probably actually Texias which more correctly translated into any ally against the Apaches. It was spelt differently many times including tejas, but eventually we ended up with Texas. You can read a more in-depth story here.

What does the state name (the word) itself mean?: According to another site & supporting what I said above, “Texas comes from the Hasinai Indian word tejas meaning friends or allies.”

When was it established as it’s “official” name?: After breaking away from Mexico during the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas became a it’s own nation in 1836. Nine years later, in 1845, Texas joined the United States of American as the 28th state.

Several states were owned by other countries. What was your state’s name before it was a part of the US?: Six flags have flown over Texas. This is where you get the name of the amusement park Six Flags which originated in Texas. Those countries that have owned Texas are: Spain (1519-1685 & 1690-1821), France (1685-1690), Mexico (1821-1836), The Republic of Texas (1836-1845), United States of America (1845-1861 & 1865-present), and the Confederate States of America (1861-1865).

What main nationality were those who first populated your state? Did their nationality have anything to do with the naming of your state?: The native people of Texas were several groups of Indians including: Comanche, Caddo (where we get the name “Texas”), Tonkawa, Apache, Lipan, Karankawas, & Coahuiltecan. Read more about them here.

Was your state name after a person? Tell us about the person & how they inspired the name.: No, the name is not after a person but many of the cities & counties are named after famous people including: Bowie county (after James Bowie who fought at the Alamo; the county I am originally from), Austin (after Stephen F. Austin who is known as “The Father of Texas”), & Houston (after Sam Houston who commanded the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution).

Were there any particular people involved in naming the state?: The Caddo Indians & the Spanish explorers (especially Alonso De Leon, Damian Massanet, & Francisco de Jesus Maria)

Great Video/Politics: "Mr. Tax Law Writing Evader"

U.S. Political Parties: The Libertarian Party

Founded in 1971, “Libertarians believe the answer to America’s political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy & the abundance & prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties & personal freedom that the makers this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, & free trade as prescribed by America’s founders.”

2008 early registration ballots announced 24.82% of the population registered Libertarians making it the third largest political party in the US.

Their Stance on the Issues:

The Economy: "A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society."

Civil Liberties: “ The defense of the country requires that we have adequate intelligence to detect & to counter threats to domestic security. This requirement must not take priority over maintaining the civil liberties of our citizens. The Bill of Rights provides no exceptions for a time of war. Intelligence agencies that legitimately seek to preserve the security of the nation must be subject to oversight & transparency.”

Crime & Violence:

• Step 1. Protect Victim’s Rights: “Libertarians would do more than just punish criminals. We would also make them pay restitution to their victims for the damage they’ve caused, including property loss, medical costs, pain, & suffering.”

• Step 2. End Prohibition: “Drug prohibition does more to make Americans unsafe than any other factor.”

• Step 3. Get Tough on Real Crime: 'The Libertarian Party is the party of personal responsibility. We believe that anyone who harms another person should be held responsible for that action. By contrast, the Democrats & Republicans have created a system where criminals can get away with almost anything." "For instance: sentences seldom mean what they say. Fewer than one out of every four violent felons serves more than four years. Libertarians would dramatically reduce the number of these early releases by elimination their root cause - prison over-crowding."'Since nearly six out of every ten federal prison inmates are there for non-violent drug-related offenses, it’s clear that drug prohibition is the primary source of this over-crowding."
  

• Step 4. Protect the Right to Self-Defense: “We believe that the private ownership of firearms is part of the solution to America’s crime epidemic, not part of the problem.”

• Step 5. Address the Root Causes of Crime: “The Libertarian Party would increase employment opportunities by slashing taxes & government red tape. We would also end the welfare system with its culture of dependence & hopelessness. Most important of all, we would promote low-cost private alternatives to the failed government school system.”

Environment: “Government, both federal & local, is the greatest single polluter in the U.S. This polluter literally gets away with murder because of sovereign immunity. Libertarians would make government as responsible for its actions as everyone else is expected to be. Libertarians would protect the environment by first abolishing sovereign immunity.”

Foreign Policy: “Foreign aid is little more than welfare for nations -- with the same disastrous effects as domestic welfare programs.” “If Americans truly want to help other countries, they can best do so not through failed foreign aid programs, but by improving the U.S. economy, so that U.S. businesses have funds to invest abroad, and pursuing free trade policies.”
Freedom of Speech: “We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech, freedom of press & the right of individuals to dissent from government itself.”

Gun Laws: “Law-abiding, responsible citizens do not & should not need to ask anyone’s permission or approval to engage in a peaceful activity. Gun ownership, by itself, harms no other person & cannot morally justify criminal penalties.” “Studies show that where gun ownership is illegal, residential burglaries are higher. A man with a gun in his home is no threat to you if you aren’t breaking into it.” “Rather than banning guns, the politicians and the police should encourage gun ownership, as well as education and training programs. A responsible, well-armed and trained citizenry is the best protection against domestic crime and the threat of foreign invasion.”

Healthcare: “The Libertarian Party knows the only healthcare reforms that will make a real difference are those that draw on the strength of the free market. The Libertarian Party will work towards the following: (1) establish medical savings accounts, (2) deregulate the healthcare industry, and (3) remove barriers to safe, affordably medicines.”

Immigration: “For those workers already in the United States illegally, we can avoid ‘amnesty’ and still offer a pathway out of the underground economy. Newly legalized workers can be assessed fines & back taxes & serve probation befitting the misdemeanor they’ve committed. They can be required to take their place at the back of the line should they eventually apply for permanent residency.”

Websites to check out:

Libertarian Party
Wikipedia: Libertarian Party

New Book: "The Valley of Vision"

So I ordered a few new books the other day. Not because I had finished the ones I already had but I have an addiction to books that I really need to work on. Anyway, one of the new ones, The Valley of Vision, I opened this morning & read a bit of it. I think I am already hooked & I think this may be one of those books you read & refer to continuously.

It is "a collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions" & after reading only one prayer, I am in love with it. Here is the first prayer in the book called "The Valley of Vision."

The Valley of Vision

Lord, High & Holy, Meek & Lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold they glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find they light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
they joy in my sorrow,
they grace in my sin,
they riches in my poverty,
they glory in my valley.

Adventures in Homebuying: The Decision

Well, I decided the other night that I am going to take the plunge. I'm going to buy a house.

My dad has been bugging me to buy a house for years telling me that renting is just "throwing your money away." And he is right...as usual. I kept putting it off because I really don't care much for the city & didn't really like living here & wanted to move back to Arkansas but I really think I was just running from myself & God. I don't think I would have been happy no matter where I was. Now my relationship with the Lord is back on the right track & I am genuinely happy. I have things I want to change in my life & longings but you always do. The joy that comes from Christ is different than from having all your wants & desires...but I digress. So, after living here for 5 yrs I have decided to take that enormously frightening step into home-ownership & hope I don't crash & burn.

So how did I just decide all of a sudden? I'm glad you asked...Ms/Mr. Nosy...

Well, every year about this time (& usually just after the New Year) I get the itch to start looking. I usually get scared & blow it off but this year I decided it was time to quite playing & do this thing. Actually, I really hadn't thought much about it lately. I knew that my lease was coming up for renewal pretty soon but I really hadn't thought of what I was going to do. I knew that I really didn't want to stay here in this apartment another year but I have very little money saved up (at least not as much as I have always planed on) due to me not living as frugally as I should (I'm working on that & actually I have done a lot better...with a few exceptions).

Anyway, lately the weather has been quite nice so I have been skipping the gym & taking advantage of the nice weather & walking the neighborhood across the street from my apartment. (I've also had a cough for the last month & didn't want to do anything too vigorous to get me into a coughing fit...I do plan on starting back to running sometime soon.) One day a couple of weeks ago I walked by one house & noticed a "For Sale By Owner" sign & decided to take one of their flyers out of the old Pringles/Stacked Lays canister. They were asking a reasonable price for my neighborhood & that is what sparked the idea.

Now, don't get excited, I probably won't purchase this particular house. The asking price is still a bit out of my max price zone & they have a pool. While I would absolutely love a pool & probably use it quite a bit, pools always raise your electricity, water, & insurance rates, not to mention the price of upkeep (chemicals, cleaning, replacing pumps, etc). I still want a pool but I'm really going to have to watch what I spend for the next few years. Now if I could attract me some rich young man, things might change but until then, it's Ramen Noodles & Velveeta. Well, maybe not that extreme but still...can't be careless.

The final push that made me decide was that I finally got my new lease agreement & noticed they had gone up on my rent again & while I expected it, seeing the actual number they were going to be charging me, ticked me off for some reason & I said that was it, I am buying. :)

Really, there is no reason for me not to buy right now & with that $8000 tax credit that they are offering right now, it would kind of be stupid not to...at least for me. So, this morning I met with a realtor & a mortgage broker to see what I can afford & get things moving. The tax credit thing ends at the end of November along with my lease so we have to get the ball rolling. The broker told me I was in good shape & can afford what I was thinking I could afford & maybe slightly more (but not too much). Now I've just got to get my paperwork together for him & sign the other paperwork for the realtor & get this show on the road.

Now I'm freaking out a bit. What am I getting myself into? Am I making a terrible mistake? What if I get careless with my money & mess up big time? What if this is my will & not the Lords?

People who make less than me, have much worse credit, tons of debt &/or loans buy houses everyday, why am I freaking out so much? If they can do this, then surly I can too.

I think the a one of the big stressors for me is in order to be in a safe neighborhood, I am going to have to be willing to spend a little bit more &/or maybe live a little further out. The living a little further out actually would be nice...at least in the areas that I would consider. I grew up in the country & for 4 years drove 45 min one way twice a day so adding 5 mins onto already 5-10 min commute would be nothing. Plus, moving a little further out gets me away from so much city like life & two of my closest friends live in or at least closer to the area I am referring to, so that would be nice too.

Another stressor is being I'm a single income really restricts you on how much you can spend & if something happens, I'm it. Eek!

Another is that I really want my parents to like the place I pick out but being limited with budget & time means that (1) I may not get as big of a house my dad would like to see me in & (2) it may not have some of the features that would really be nice such as a back or side facing garage. My did really does not like the garage facing the street & with good reason & I also agree but it is actually pretty rare to find houses like that. Also, I do not care for a fire place. They take up wall space & I doubt I would use it enough to get any worth out of it but for some really strange reason, almost every house in this area have a fireplace. We're in Texas people! Of course I may change my mind when the electricity goes out during an ice storm . LOL

Ok well, I would talk more but this is already long enough & I've been up over 24 hrs now & I've got to clean house tomorrow so I am heading to bed. Pray for me, guys. I really need guidance, wisdom, peace, & self-discipline/restraint.