US Senate Upholds the Second Amendment

Fairfax, Va. - The United States Senate has voted, with overwhelming bipartisan support, to adopt an amendment offered by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) that seeks to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens in the District of Columbia. The amendment, attached to S.160, the D.C. Voting Rights Act, will repeal restrictive gun control laws passed by the District of Columbia's (D.C.) city council after the landmark D.C. v. Heller Supreme Court decision. The vote margin was 62-36.

Yesss! This very good Second Amendment news gives me some hope about our politicians.

How are our public schools doing?

Ann Coulter doesn't pull many punches. Here's a quote on the job our public schools are doing:

"With an additional eight years of a public school education under their belts, Americans fall from the 92nd percentile in science to the 29th percentile. While American fourth-graders are bested only by South Korea and Japan in science, by 12th grade, the only countries the American students can beat are Lithuania, Cyprus and South Africa."

Read the whole article here.

My Orders Are To Fight

Posted February 16th, 2009 by Tullian Tchividjian

There has always been considerable (and somewhat distracting) debate on whether, before Christ returns, things will get markedly worse, get markedly better, or just go on about the same. The answer to that is God’s business, not ours. We’re told to plant and water; God alone controls the results.

Our task as faithful disciples is proclaimed by the Welsh poet Ethelwyn Wetherald:

My orders are to fight;
Then if I bleed, or fail,
Or strongly win, what matters it?
God only doth prevail.
The servant craveth naught
Except to serve with might.
I was not told to win or lose—
My orders are to fight.

(This is from my sermon yesterday–which should be uploaded by Wednesday.)

Attorney General Eric Holder by LTC Allen West

I have held my peace long enough to allow Attorney General Eric Holder an opportunity to rectify his faux pas from last week. I am now compelled to offer my insights into Attorney General Holder's epidemic of diarrhea of the mouth when he called our Country a "Nation of Cowards".

Whenever I think of fools speaking unwisely I am drawn to the writings of one who is considered the wisest man the world has ever known, not you Bill Clinton. Rather, I speak of King Solomon and his words from the Book of Proverbs.

Solomon certainly has some advice which Eric Holder may wish to take to heart. I shall use The Soldiers New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Proverbs 15:7 "The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools"

Proverbs 15:14 "The discerning mind seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feed on foolishness"

For Eric Holder to castigate our America as a "nation of cowards", being someone who has capitalized on every opportunity this Country could afford, is pure foolishness. It also represents a malicious narcissism and hypocrisy from someone purported to be of great education.

I am a West Man, third of four generations of military servicemen; Dad World War II combat wounded veteran, older Brother Vietnam Marine combat wounded veteran, my serving 22 years active duty in 13 different countries and three combat zones, and my young nephew, Captain Herman Bernard West, commanding an artillery unit serving his second tour in Afghanistan. We are proud American black Men who certainly are not indicative of a "nation of cowards". Holder's comments are offensive to the legacy my Dad established for our family.

Perhaps also Attorney General Holder forgot about the many white Americans, and Jewish persons, who marched during the civil rights movement, some cowards huh?

Attorney General Holder, do not ever refer to my Country with such manner of disrespect. I have stood with Americans in many foreign lands, seen them everyday across this Nation, and we are not cowards!

Proverbs 17:28 "Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips"

Attorney General Holder has certainly lost respect as the enforcer of our Nation's laws. It would have bid him best to have kept his comment to himself, even though it must be in his heart. It has to be evident to the American people that this person cannot be trusted to protect a County which he holds in such disdain.

What could have persuaded Holder to make such an insidious comment and believe he would not be challenged? And anyone defending his comment or ignoring it is complicit in this terrible offense against our great Nation.

If Holder had any honor, which I doubt, he would have apologized. Since an apology seems to not be an option, Attorney General Holder MUST resign.

 If Holder does not resign then President Obama MUST dismiss Eric Holder from his Cabinet, or perhaps Obama and his cabinet hold the same contempt for America?

Proverbs 18:6 "A fools lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating"

My recommendation to Holder is to stay away from places where we cowards congregate; military bases, NASCAR races, around law enforcement officers, first responders, Southeast Conference college football and basketball games, Boy Scout meetings, biker bars, VFW and American Legion Posts, youth soccer games, anywhere true Americans exist.

Remain in those places where the bravest victims in America exist; your office, the White House, Ivy League schools, Hollywood, NAACP offices, Oprah Winfrey Show, and MSNBC. Cowardice is voting for an inexperienced usurper and charlatan just because he is black, do not be confused.

Yes, I am angry and therefore Attorney General Eric Holder you have earned a lifetime membership in The Phallus Cranium Club.

Sir, you are not there alone, Speaker Pelosi, Barney Frank, and Rod Blagojevich are members, and Congressman Clyburn of South Carolina membership is being processed as well.

Mediterranean diet associated with reduction in women’s deaths from heart attack and stroke

 
Close on the heels of the publication of a study in the AMA journal Archives of Neurology linking the consumption of a Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, an article published online on February 17, 2009 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation reports an association between greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet and a reduction in deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke in women.

Teresa T. Fung of Simmons College in Boston along with colleagues at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital evaluated data from 74,886 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study for the current analysis. Dietary questionnaires administered six times during the follow-up period were scored for adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fish, and monounsaturated fat, a low intake of saturated fat, red and processed meats, and moderate alcohol consumption (between 5 and 15 grams per day).

Over two decades of follow-up, 1,597 nonfatal and 794 fatal cases of coronary heart disease, and 1,480 nonfatal and 283 fatal strokes occurred. Women whose Mediterranean diet scores were in the top 20 percent of participants had a 29 percent lower adjusted risk of coronary heart disease, a 42 percent lower risk of fatal heart disease, a 13 percent lower risk of stroke, and a 31 percent lower risk of fatal stroke compared to women whose scores were among the lowest fifth. Combined coronary heart disease and stroke risk was lowered by 22 percent, and the risk of cardiovascular fatality by 39 percent, for those whose diet scores were in the top 20 percent.

Consumption of a Mediterranean diet has been associated with reductions in inflammatory markers (such as C-reactive protein), lipids and blood pressure, all of which increase cardiovascular disease risk when elevated. The beneficial effect of the diet on the vascular system may also explain the reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment observed in the Archives of Neurology study. The higher fish intake that characterizes the diet could explain, in part, the lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease events observed in the current study, since greater fish intake has been linked with a lower risk of death from heart disease.

“Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as reflected by a higher Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score, was associated with a lower risk of incident coronary heart disease and stroke in women,” the authors conclude. “Because this analysis is conducted in women and because it is the first report on the effects of Mediterranean diet on stroke, our results need to be replicated in other populations, especially men.”

Mediterranean diet associated with reduction in women’s deaths from heart attack and stroke - Life Extension Update

John’s Quick Health Report – and a God Story!

After a quick decision last Thursday in my cardiologist’s office, I underwent a cardio catheterization at Broward General on Monday, 2/16/2009. All three of the primary coronary arteries had very significant blockage – evidently in the 80%-90% ranges. The first one was “beautifully” repaired with a medicinal stent. The second will be repaired in about 5 weeks. The third will never be repaired as it is congenitally damaged and irreparable.

I already feel better and expect that the second repair will be even more noticeable. What it seems to have done for me is give me more energy. I had not had much in the way of symptoms except for a lack of energy and trouble with stairs and quick movements. I was blaming those symptoms on having one lung. But I just had a nagging sensation that something was not right. As it turns out, I was a “walking time bomb”.

By the way, I have had a whole lot of cardio workups done in the last two years due to the lung cancer and diabetes. There had only been a suggestion last August in a stress test that maybe there should be some follow-up but my previous cardiologist was in no hurry. I do not mean in any way that he was wrong. The current cardiologist saw that, did a little listening to me and to my heart and simply asked how soon I wanted to have him go in. After a bit of a recoil, I said let’s get it over.

The procedure was painless. Of course the valium, morphine and versed helped. But having to lie quietly for 12 hours was torture till they got me sufficiently doped up. I had already made it perfectly clear that I had absolutely no interest in the procedure itself and was out for it. The most interesting part of the whole operation to me was as follows. After six hours they remove a sleeve that they have around the femoral artery where they went in, using millions of dollars of equipment and a whole lot of computer guidance. But then a human, in this case a very nice and experienced RN, uses her thumb to press down on the femoral artery for 20-30 minutes. The artery repairs itself, they hope. Otherwise, things get really, really dicey. But I kept praying that that thumb was God’s thumb. As always, it was!

Now – a bit of a God story! The cardio assistant took all my history before the doctor came in the room, meticulously writing down my now rather complicated medical history. Then Dr. Chizner came in and, as were were chatting, mainly about FBCFL and Pastor Thompson, I mentioned that I had gotten “my new heart” in 2004. He smiled but, at the same time, we both noticed the assistant rise up in her seat, stricken that I had not mentioned that I had a heart replacement. After both the Doctor and I managed to quit giggling, I got to do a little testifying by way of explaining what my “new heart” was. He always gives us a way to do HIs work, doesn’t He. We just need to see it and use it.

And on that line, my wonderful wife Linda and dedicated, great friend Brian Doyle were there, as was ever faithful Toni Hamilton. I think, between the three of us, we must have about 10 nurses and family members coming to the next Pageant.

My health journey for the last several years has been a bit troubling at times. I don’t think anyone likes to feel like a 63 year old sicky. I mean high fevers to cancer to hypertension to diabetes and now coronary artery disease would have had me railing at the world – bitter, at the least very, very grouchy, and very unpleasant to be around. But finding the Lord in 2004 altered that. I have been able to face this with equanimity and peace. I know where I am going and I know that I will go when He wants me. I only pray throughout whatever journey remains that I am able to figure out what He wants me to do, to learn where He would have me be.

Vaya con Dios, my brothers and sisters, actual or to be, and thank you for all your prayers……………

545 PEOPLE

By Charlie Reese

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes..

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall.

No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.

The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party.

She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ.

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Heard the One About the Two Duck Hunters? True Story?

A guy buys a new Lincoln Navigator for $42,500.00 (with monthly payments of $860.00).

He and a friend go duck hunting in upper Wisconsin It's mid-winter; and of course all of the lakes are frozen. These two guys go out on the ice with their GUNS, a DOG, and of course the new NAVIGATOR.

They decide they want to make a natural looking open water for the ducks to focus on, something for the decoys to float in Now making a hole in the ice large enough to invite a passing duck, is going to take a little more power than the average drill auger can produce. So, out of the back of the new Navigator comes a stick of dynamite with a short 40 second-fuse. Now our two Rocket Scientists, afraid they might slip on the ice while trying to run away after lighting the fuse (and becoming toast, along with the Navigator), decide on the following course of action:

They light the 40 second fuse; then, with a mighty thrust, they throw the stick of dynamite as far away as possible. Remember a couple of paragraphs back when I mentioned the NAVIGATOR, The GUNS, and the DOG...?

Let's talk about the dog: A highly trained Black Lab used for RETRIEVING; especially things thrown by the owner.?

You guessed it:? The dog takes off across the ice at a high rate of? speed and grabs the stick of dynamite, with the burning 40-second fuse, just as it hits the ice.

The two men swallow , blink, start waving their arms and, with veins in their necks swelling to resemble stalks of rhubarb, scream and holler at the dog to stop. The dog, now apparently cheered on by his Master, keeps coming.? One hunter panics, grabs the shotgun and shoots the dog. The shotgun is loaded with #8 bird shot, hardly big enough to stop a Black Lab.

The dog stops for a moment, slightly confused, then continues on.? Another shot, and this time the dog, still standing, becomes really confused and of course terrified, thinks these two geniuses have gone insane. The dog takes off to find cover, UNDER the brand new Navigator

The men continue to scream as they run. The red hot exhaust pipe on the truck touches the dog's rear end, he yelps, drops the dynamite under the truck and takes off after his master.

Then " "" "" "" "" BOOOOOOOOOOOOM "" "" "" "" ! ! !

The truck is blown to bits and sinks to the bottom of the lake, leaving the two idiots standing there with "I can't believe this just happened" looks on their faces.

The insurance company says that sinking a vehicle in a lake by illegal use of explosives is NOT COVERED by the policy. And he still had yet to ma ke the first of those $860.00 a month payments.

The dog is okay. . .doing fine.

Five Rules for Concealed Handgun Carry

"...your goal is to avoid conflict and only use force as a last resort..." by Tom Perroni

1. Your concealed handgun is for the protection of life only. Draw it solely in preparation to protect yourself or an innocent third party from wrongful and life threatening criminal actions of another.

2. You must know exactly when you can use your handgun. A criminal adversary must have, or reasonably appear to have, the four elements in order for you to claim that you were in fear of your life (or the lives of others you had the right to protect i.e.; family). These elements are:

2a. The ABILITY to inflict serious bodily injury or death. The attacker or attackers must have the ability to inflict death or grave bodily injury or harm (he / she is armed or reasonably appears to be armed with a weapon that could cause death or serious bodily injury, or there is a disparity of force, such as a male versus a female or a 300lb person versus a 110lb person or if you are an average citizen and your attacker is a skilled or professional fighter or a group attack three or more people versus one person).

2b. The opportunity to inflict bodily injury or death. The attacker or attackers must have the opportunity to employ the ability just defined. While the attacker may have the ability to cause death or bodily injury, they must have the opportunity to do so at this moment - right here right now. "Right here right now" means that moment they are in a position to cause you bodily injury or death. They can not be threatening you from a block away with a knife claiming they will stab you right now. They must be in close enough proximity to employ the knife. How close is too close? Is someone say 21 feet away with a knife to close? The answer would be yes the average person can cover that distance in about 1.5 seconds. So if someone was say eight yards away with a knife and no obstacles between you would they be to close? The answer is yes. However we will discuss the 21 foot rule in a future article.

2c. You must be in JEOPARDY the attacker must be behaving in such a manner that you as a reasonable and prudent person taking into account the totality of the circumstance at that moment, conclude that the attacker is placing you in jeopardy. You must at this point be in fear of your life or serious bodily injury. You need not know that attackers intent (we aren't mind readers). However if the actions noted put you in fear of your life or serious bodily injury then this represents jeopardy.

2d. PRECLUSION is not so much an individual consideration as it is an all encompassing lens through which to view your actions. It is more complex that the other three, but just as important. It is the concept that, in any situation, you are to use force only as a last resort, or only when circumstances preclude all other option. Then you must use only the force necessary to control the situation. Your use of force must stop when the threat ceases. The point is you must exercise self restraint to the greatest extent possible. You must remember you bear the burden of proof. Until your lawyer proves otherwise, the law merely sees you as two citizens in a dispute. There must have been no other course of action you could have taken to maintain your safety or the safety of the innocent third party except the use of force (such as escape).

3. Fight or Flight As a CHP holder I will assume that you will be armed a great majority of the time. However if you are a (Sheepdog) does this mean that you will always stand and fight when confronted? Just because you are armed does not mean you must confront the BG (Bad Guy) at gunpoint. You must develop your "situational awareness" skills. I would recommend my article on the "Combat Mind set" which can be found on the USCCA web site. You must be in condition Yellow at all times. However your goal is to avoid conflict and only use force as a last resort. You can "Tactically Relocate" that's a cool way to say RUN... or move to a position of cover and observe the situation. I teach that the BRAIN is our greatest weapon... we all need to use it. "Conflict is inevitable; Combat is an option".

4. Do not let your emotions get the best of you. If, despite your best efforts to the contrary, you do get in some kind of heated dispute or altercation with another person while you are armed, never mention, imply or brandish your handgun for the purpose of in intimidation or one-upmanship. This will simply make a bad situation worse for you.

5. You must get Training. I can't say this enough: take as much training as you can from as many different instructors that you can. Your tactical toolbox needs to be full, but not just with handgun training; also include training on other tools such as knife, empty handed, martial arts, and shotgun, AR-15 / M4. Learn as much as you can from everyone you can. However you need to progress in your training to get a solid foundation. At Perroni's Tactical Training Academy we use the crawl, walk, run method of training.

Tom Perroni is the owner, President and Chief Instructor of Perroni's Tactical Training Academy. Pulling on a five-year law enforcement operational background, Tom has spent the last fifteen years delivering training to government, military, law enforcement and private security companies. Tom is also the lead contract instructor trainer for the Virginia Dept. of Criminal Justice Services, responsible for vetting private security trainers approved by DCJS. Tom is also a Contract Instructor for Blackwater Training Center. Tom appreciates feedback and can be reached through the Contact page on his company website at http://www.perronitactical.com.

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan: Betsy McCaughey

Bloomberg.com: Opinion

Commentary by Betsy McCaughey

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.

Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).

The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.

New Penalties

Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)

What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make.

The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs. He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept “hopeless diagnoses” and “forgo experimental treatments,” and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.

Elderly Hardest Hit

Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.

Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).

The Federal Council is modeled after a U.K. board discussed in Daschle’s book. This board approves or rejects treatments using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to benefit. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly, such as osteoporosis.

In 2006, a U.K. health board decreed that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a costly new drug to save the other eye. It took almost three years of public protests before the board reversed its decision.

Hidden Provisions

If the Obama administration’s economic stimulus bill passes the Senate in its current form, seniors in the U.S. will face similar rationing. Defenders of the system say that individuals benefit in younger years and sacrifice later.

The stimulus bill will affect every part of health care, from medical and nursing education, to how patients are treated and how much hospitals get paid. The bill allocates more funding for this bureaucracy than for the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force combined (90-92, 174-177, 181).

Hiding health legislation in a stimulus bill is intentional. Daschle supported the Clinton administration’s health-care overhaul in 1994, and attributed its failure to debate and delay. A year ago, Daschle wrote that the next president should act quickly before critics mount an opposition. “If that means attaching a health-care plan to the federal budget, so be it,” he said. “The issue is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol.”

More Scrutiny Needed

On Friday, President Obama called it “inexcusable and irresponsible” for senators to delay passing the stimulus bill. In truth, this bill needs more scrutiny.

The health-care industry is the largest employer in the U.S. It produces almost 17 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Yet the bill treats health care the way European governments do: as a cost problem instead of a growth industry. Imagine limiting growth and innovation in the electronics or auto industry during this downturn. This stimulus is dangerous to your health and the economy.

(Betsy McCaughey is former lieutenant governor of New York and is an adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Betsy McCaughey at Betsymross@aol.com

Why are you surprised at what Pres. Obama is doing?

It’s time to review President Obama’s voting record if you are surprised at what he is doing. This video is frightening because it probably shows us what more we have coming at us from him.

OK God! I got it ……….

by Linda Sykes

This is a story about how God kept giving me a message over and over and over. Once I got it, He told me to share it with you. Like many things in life, I don’t know why.

What I do know, this is for you.

Our story.

After battling a nagging case of pneumonia my husband John was diagnosed with a tumor in his left lung September 2006. Repeated testing revealed the tumor was not cancer, and we rejoiced. Nevertheless his wise doctor said the 7 cm tumor should be removed and we agreed. But there was a catch. Since it wasn’t cancer my courageous John decided to wait until after the Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant at our church home, First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale.

If you haven't been let me tell you it is a very big deal. It is a big deal to the 50,000 people who attend because it rivals a Broadway production. It is a bigger deal to the 1,000+ cast members who donate their time in 19 performances and thousands of hours of practice as an act of worship.

2006 was John's 3^rd pageant. He joined the family of Christ in May 2004. His pageant “job” was to stand guard on the stage door, where he quickly began to know everyone. He wouldn't miss it for the world, and that little ‘ole tumor would just have to wait.

First, the card.

We received a Christmas card that year from my cousin Irene with a hand written bible verse on the inside. It simply said, 'Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed.' There wasn’t any scripture reference for the verse. It touched me. I didn't know my cousin all that well, growing up in separate states, and thought she too must have my faith. Pretty cool I thought.
Next, the radio show.

The next day while listening to a Christian radio station I heard a prayer request for a man who had been diagnosed with cancer and was going in for surgery. The prayer request claimed a verse for healing 'Heal me oh Lord, and I shall be healed'. Of course it caught my ear but I missed the verse’s reference. I thought how interesting that the same verse had come to me twice in 2 days.

The following day; same time, driving the same path, same station, I heard the report that he was healed. The cancer was gone when they examined him before surgery! They were rejoicing and I was with them. I was going to have to look this bible verse up!

The twist.

John had surgery to remove the tumor December 20, 2006. Our 15 year-old daughter Alice and I were in the waiting room surrounded by our beloved church family. Pastor Brian and Connie Doyle were there early enough to pray with John before surgery. There was a whole slew of others, around 20 friends in all. In the waiting room we effectively had church, which is what happens when this family is together.

I decided with all this bible brainpower in the room that someone could tell me the reference to the verse 'Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed'. After much search through Bibles on hand we couldn't find it. Someone finally said with authority it was in Psalms so I decided to find it later.

As the day dragged on we really embraced the concept of ‘waiting‘ room. John should have been out of surgery at noon, but it wasn't until 2 that the doctor finally showed up. He came right at me and told me that the tumor was much larger than expected and it was cancer.

We were all stunned. However the family of faith quickly kicked into gear with prayer networks and simple hugs. What was supposed to have been a serious surgery with a good outcome grew into something bigger and sinister. As the day turned to evening friends filtered to their homes. One of the last to leave, my dear sister in Christ, Connie Doyle was urged to go home.

Then the gift.

Less than an hour later Connie called me all excited. She had found the verse!

When she arrived home she opened a Christmas gift from Cynthia Thompson, Pastor Larry's wife. It was a daily devotional; you know the kind, with a verse on every day. She decided to turn to the entry for that day and there it was...Jeremiah 17:14 ' Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved!' We were just blown away.

By this time God really had my attention. We wrote the verse on the white board in John’s hospital room and claimed it for his healing. And we added the next part of the verse which I truly love.

Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved, for you are the one that I praise.

Three times He sent this word to me for John and our family to have faith for healing, to trust him for salvation and to praise him in the storm. He sent the message in a card, on a radio show and in a gift.

And then very much to my surprise, He gave it to me again.

Many nights had passed after the surgery before I again crawled into our bed at home. It was strange being there without John, but he had recovered enough to let me go home and rest in good conscious. As I had done many nights in my life before turning out the light, I picked up my bedside bible I thought , I am going to look up our verse! I flipped my bible to Jeremiah and then chapter 17... I couldn't believe it. A dog eared page marked my starting point, flipping back just one page was Jeremiah 17. My last sleepy reading before the hospital ordeal began, 'Heal me oh Lord and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved, for you are the one that I praise’.

Four times! God knows I am slow to get the message sometimes and he loves me enough to speak to me again and again until I get it.

It is now February 2009. John has been cancer free for 2 years. And we are still giving praise to the one who heals and saves us.

If you are still reading this, thank you. To say these words are life changing to me is an understatement.

Let me attempt to tell you what I mean.

‘Heal me oh Lord‘. It is a cry out to Him, the one who can heal, the master physician. It is a simple and yet bold request, and it recognizes the sovereignty of the Lord. We submit to his will and we come to ask for help. Who do you ask for help when you need it?

The next part, ‘and I shall be healed’ is a statement of faith, belief and strength, claiming the victory of healing in advance!

And the second sweet part, ‘save me’, another cry out for help, for salvation, for relief, for peace, to Abba Father the comforter, the only one who can save me and you too for that matter. Whatever you need to be saved from, he can lift your burden. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.

Then it goes on to say ‘and I shall be saved’, again reflecting wonderful faith, a position of strength, a confession of complete trust, just a word to our Lord and it is done. Those of us who believe in Christ can come freely to our heavenly Father by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. We can make ‘I shall’ statements in the very toughest of times. Can you?

Then last ‘for you are the one that I praise’ is a love note. If I could, I would have everyone on this planet have one sweet moment when they are washed in God’s love.

You can see how this verse touches our family.

But I now know that wasn’t the only reason he showed this to me.

He showed this verse to me so I could tell you that He loves you and He wants you to know that He is there for you.

That is why I wrote this.

And that is why you read it.

He is waiting for you to seek Him, and He won’t give up on you until you do.

Part One of a Three Part Series: A Gun, A Laser, and Some Home Schooling

written by Cody S. Alderson

Note from John Sykes: This is the same weapon that is my primary carry pistol. I use it with an RSS laser. I also have a Keltec P3AT .380, with an Armalaser as a backup. I think this review is bang on (pardon the pun).

The Pre-Ramble

I'm a concealed carry permit holder. I have a permit issued by a government entity that permits me to carry a firearm concealed. The permit doesn't make me a cop. Even if I was a cop, the permit wouldn't have anything to do with my charter or sanction as an officer of the law. It doesn't make me a secret double-naught spy. It isn't a letter of marque for me to be a vigilante, and seek out justice from those who do evil. As a matter of fact, it isn't a license to do anything other than carry a firearm concealed. It isn't a charter or a sanction. It's just a permit. Other than not being prosecuted for carrying a concealed weapon, the permit is not going to help out one bit if I'm ever involved in a situation where I use my weapon for self-defense.

The District Attorney won't be able to prosecute me for carrying a concealed weapon if I should ever have to use my weapon because I have that permit. Unless, of course, I'm carrying in an area not covered by my permit. He or she will still be able rake me over the coals for just about anything else if I ever have to shoot someone to stop them from maiming or killing me. My permit runs out of gas, so-to-speak, after it covers me for the simple act of carrying a concealed firearm. All of the rest is covered under other laws.

Okay, so now we have that out of the way. Let's talk a bit about a gun. The choices are almost endless. Even a mediocre gun store has a dizzying array of choices for the person wanting to exercise their new "permission" to carry a concealed firearm. Yes, there is a big can of worms in that last sentence. I thought that it is a right, and the Supreme Court said it is a right. But obviously not everyone considers it to be a right. Regardless of where we are politically, to carry a concealed firearm requires a firearm. Hopefully you are financially, legally, and physically able to carry two. A primary and a secondary firearm.

Does it make me an unbalanced citizen to want to carry a gun? Does it make me even more unbalanced to want to carry two? Yes it does. It makes me unbalanced all the way to the point of where I start to really lean to the political right. Yes, that was a play on words. I know that not every liberal is a gun grabber. At least not at the constituent level.

Not doing a play on the word unbalanced this time, I want it to be clear that it is FACT that citizens of these United States of America who possess permits to carry concealed firearms are actually more balanced than many other demographic groups. They are more law abiding, more patriotic, much less likely to commit ANY crime of violence, much better equipped to save a fellow unarmed human being from those who do commit crimes of violence, and they are prettier too. Okay, scratch that last one for me. I know I'm ugly.

There is some hope on the political horizon though. It seems that some of the liberal Democrats are actually secret Republicans. Tom Daschle and Timothy Geithner don't seem to like to pay taxes either. Of course they go about it in a different way than most of us do, but they make their point loud and clear. We look for honest deductions and vote for politicians that promise less taxes. They just don't pay until they get caught. I can hear their actions screaming to me that they want everyone else to pay for their liberal pork-n-beans except them.

But I'm with ya' Tom and Tim. I don't want to pay anymore taxes either! I want to keep what I earn, and I want to decide how I want to distribute it, and to whom. Of course though, I don't have the fortitude that you guys have to just not pay. If I don't write a check for my taxes, it is because I'm broke--not because I'm trying to skip out on the government. Maybe you guys could make payment arrangements or something next time?

The Review

Sorry... Let's get back on task here. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, having a gun to carry since we have that new "permit" to carry now. Let me tell you about a fine secondary weapon. Yeah, I know the NRA wants us all to just call them guns, but they are weapons. I don't write to the general public. I write to those who are members, or want to be members, of The United States Concealed Carry Association. You folks know that guns are weapons, and know that understanding the word gives a little more respect to safety considerations.

The Kel-Tec PF-9 is a fine secondary weapon, or back up gun if you prefer. In many life situations of concealed carry permit holders, it may serve very well as a primary weapon too. I've got my PF-9 on me right now as I am writing this article. It works very well for me, being carried in a DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster. It fits in the front pocket of all my pants (I'm from the Pittsburgh region. We don't call them slacks or trousers). Being a big guy actually helps the little PF-9 to disappear in my pocket.

If I get one or two hairs on the back of my neck standing up while out and about, I can put my hands into my pockets at any time of year and not look suspicious. If things look a little questionable while I'm walking to my vehicle in a dark parking lot, I can have a grip on the gun without anyone around me even knowing. Criminals use the element of surprise to be able to successfully maim or kill with the least amount of risk of them getting hurt. A Kel-Tec PF-9 in my pocket lets me be just a little more prepared to counter a surprise attack from a sociopath.

The Kel-Tec PF-9 is an 8 round (7 in the magazine and one in the pipe) 9mm semi-automatic handgun with a double-action only trigger. Its steel slide is available in blued, Parkerized, or hard chrome, with a polymer grip that is available in black, olive drab, or gray. It comes with one 7 round magazine that includes an extra floor plate for it that serves as an extension to the grip to make a spot for the little finger. If you don't want to use it, then use the included flat floor plate.

Extra magazines are only about twenty bucks, but Kel-Tec charges $6.65 for each grip extension floor plate for their magazines. That little hunk of plastic is not worth the price they are asking for it. It should be included with all new magazines so that the customer can choose which floor plate they wish to use. That's one thing I didn't like about Kel-Tec, but overall I have heard nothing but positive accounts of their customer service. My gun works perfectly so I haven't had to utilize their customer service.

The finger extension floor plate can be seen on the right in the photo above.

My Kel-Tec cost me a little shy of $200 brand new with the hard chrome finish on the slide back in March of 2008. The prices of the Kel-Tecs and every other gun I'm aware of have went up considerably in just one year. I called Ace Sporting Goods in Washington, PA. where I bought mine, and they are $299.88 for the hard chrome model now. It's not a bright reflective chrome. It's a matte finish that I chose mostly for its resistance to corrosion since I will be primarily carrying this weapon in my pocket. I clean it after I shoot it, and about once a month if I don't. A pocket gun picks up stuff like it is a debris magnet, even in a holster. I've been carrying it for about a year now, and it still looks brand spanking new.

Let me tell you right off the bat that I don't like the trigger. It would be unacceptable on a full size gun, but it is tolerable on a pocket gun. I do like nearly everything else about the PF-9. It hasn't failed to feed any round of 9mm Luger (Parabellum) that I put into it. Even mixing ammo in the magazine is no issue. However, there have been reports of issues with 147 grain 9mm rounds. I don't carry that bullet weight in the gun, so I don't have to worry about it. If you absolutely must use 147 grain bullets, then you might want to call Kel-Tec before buying a PF-9.

If I was to make a guess about the reported issues with 147 grain rounds, I would think that the size of the bullet causes a problem letting the gun get fully into battery when it cycles after firing a round. It may also be an issue with the bullet size making the cartridge a tad too long, causing it to not make the trip successfully from the magazine, up the feed ramp, and into the chamber. It might be getting hung up on the top of the breech end of the barrel as it is moving forward from the magazine into the chamber.

I haven't had any issues at all with 115 grain rounds. They feed perfectly into my weapon every single time. I even limp-wristed the gun several times when firing it to try and create a malfunction. I couldn't get it to fail to feed a new round. For the new shooters out there, limp-wristing an autoloader is basically having a grip on the gun that is too relaxed, and it causes the gun to not fully cycle after being fired.

When you pull the trigger on an autoloader, your hands, arms, and body are supposed to be the stationary support that allows the slide to cycle fully rearward. If the gun is held too loosely, the action won't be able to completely cycle to successfully eject the spent round. This will result most often in what is called a "stovepipe" where the spent round ends up stuck halfway out of the gun looking like, well, a stove pipe.

The Kel-Tec PF-9 has plastic sights. The rear sight is adjustable for windage using an included Allen Wrench. If you need to adjust it for elevation, it will require shims that are not included. The front sight is just a black plastic ramp sight that has two plastic posts underneath it that fit into two holes at the end of the slide. The posts are melted a bit on the underneath of the slide so that the site won't fall out. Sights are not on the plus side of features for any tiny pocket gun. Many pocket revolvers just have a rudimentary notch and blade that isn't even adjustable. This little gun is a point and shoot weapon that is perfectly suited for a LASER aiming device. We will talk about two of them in Part Two of this series.

The PF-9 is a locked breech pistol that is based on Kel-Tec's P-11 and P3-AT designs. Kel-Tec says, "It is the lightest and flattest 9 mm ever made." I don't know if that is true or not. I don't have all of the measurements of other guns in its class. I can tell you that it is the smallest 9mm that I have ever seen. I've got small hands, and this little gun is reaching the point of where I wouldn't want it to be any smaller.

I do hope that all of the readers realize that these little autoloaders and their revolver cousins are considered to be guns for expert shooters. That doesn't mean that one has to be a competition shooter to be able to handle one. The word "expert" in this case means someone who has a level of experience and familiarity with firearms to be able to adapt their grip to the smaller gun, be able to handle the increased felt recoil, and also be able to handle the lousy sighting radius that any short gun offers.

For someone who has never shot a small pistol or revolver before, I would say a weekend and a couple of hundred rounds would get that shooter very close to being an expert on whatever new gun they are wanting to carry. The shooter would just need to pay close attention to learning how to adapt to the idiosyncrasies of a smaller gun without developing any bad habits. Then that shooter would have to regularly practice to keep any level of learned proficiency.

As for the felt recoil, it isn't an issue for me. I used various ammunition brands from the cheap hardball rounds to my carry rounds, which are Hornady's 115 grain HP/XTP. I didn't have any serious issues with recoil. The issue I had with recoil is that I had to remember that I was using a smaller gun. I couldn't grip it as lightly as my heavier Smith & Wesson 9mm.

The little grip of the PF-9 would shift in my hand ever so slightly after firing several rounds in rapid succession. It was a combination of how the trigger of the PF-9 works for me, and how I was gripping the gun. Don't get me wrong, the felt recoil of the PF-9 was not perceptibly different to me on a conscious level than the recoil of my heavier 9mm. It's not one of those guns that barks in your hand and then bites you. I'm saying that you will have to learn to adjust the way you grip this gun, and how you press the trigger if you are used to a mid-size or full-size 9mm.

Another thought on ammunition. Kel-Tec states that, "the PF-9 will accept +P ammunition, however, not with continuous use." So there shouldn't be any worries about shooting enough rounds of a +P rated carry ammo to be certain it works flawlessly in the gun. However, the steady diet of ammunition one regularly feeds the PF-9 during practice sessions should not be +P rated ammo.

It comes down to this. The thing goes bang every time I pull the trigger, as long as there is a round in the chamber. I just don't particularly enjoy shooting a small gun even though I have small hands for such a big guy, and I don't like long trigger pulls on any gun. That being said, I still really, really like my PF-9. And here's why:

It weighs 12.7 ounces unloaded, without a magazine. It doesn't weigh down my pocket even fully loaded since it comes in at just about a pound when it is fully charged with self-defense ammunition. The magazine release is where I like it to be on any autoloader that I own. It is on the left side of the grip just behind the trigger guard. The PF-9 is 5.85 inches long and 4.3 inches high. A thing about it in the "really like" category is that it is .88 inches thick! Another really like, is that it has a 3.1 inch barrel. I have a Smith & Wesson model 669 9mm that is much bigger, holds only five more rounds than my PF-9, and only has a 3 ½ inch barrel.

Now as for mounting stuff on the PF-9, it does have a Picatinny rail that meets the standards of MIL-STD-1913, but there is only one notch that locks in the forward position. It holds the Crimson Trace LaserGrip, and the ArmaLaser just fine. My PF-9 with either LASER is a small package that can be very easily concealed. On Kel-Tec's website they show a PF-9 with a big X2 on it. Why someone would want one of those on a pocket gun I don't know. I thought that the idea of these pocket guns was to have them fit nicely in a pocket, holster purse, or maybe one of those garter type holsters that fit mid-thigh under a skirt. I don't have the legs for that kind of carry, but maybe you do.

There aren't any external safeties on the PF-9. It has a double-action only trigger that seems to vary in trigger weight amongst reviewers from about five and a half pounds to almost eight. Here's what I have to say about the trigger. It is long and heavy and takes some getting used to. That long and heavy trigger pull would be unacceptable for a bigger carry gun, but great for a gun that I'm carrying in my pocket. Still, that doesn't get me to like the trigger. I like that it isn't anywhere close to being a hair-trigger, but I'm not a fan of it.

Removing any consideration of having a long and heavy trigger pull that is okay on a pocket gun, I don't like the trigger when it comes time to shoot the PF-9 for practice on the range. I know that the trigger is good for being a point and shoot weapon that would be used in a situation where I'm fighting for my life up close with someone trying to kill me. This gun isn't made to shoot someone who is trying to kill me through their eyeball at fifty yards. It is made for conversational distance encounters, and the trigger reflects that design.

When I first started shooting my PF-9 at the range, I had to stop myself from indexing the trigger to the point of where it was just about to break. That is a big NO-NO for combat shooting. If there ever comes a time when there is a legal reason for a concealed carry permit holder to hold a weapon on a criminal, the finger should be off of the trigger until if and when it is time to shoot.

Practicing with the PF-9 as one would with a target pistol is bad. It is natural to want to index that long trigger pull to get better groups on paper when the shot breaks. This is bad for those who carry. If IT happens, it's going to happen fast. You will know that your life is in danger. The gun will come out, be pointed at whoever is trying to maim or kill you, and you will not be thinking front sight, press. You'll be lucky to get a yank and bang.

Most of us aren't trained to the point of being cool under fire. Many of us concealed carry permit holders have never been under fire. Most of us will never be shot at. That's a good thing. If it happens, you and I will default to a response that is less than how we optimally perform under training scenarios and in practice sessions at the range.

Practicing with a gun that you plan on carrying to save your life should be different than how you would practice with a target pistol where you are trying to get the smallest groups possible on paper. When practicing with your carry weapon, you should point at the target you intend to shoot, with your finger off of the trigger. When you decide to shoot, it should be just press, bang. No indexing!

If you teach yourself to index your shots, it is as bad as cocking the hammer on a revolver in sudden self-defense situation. If you index your shots at the range, you will index under stress, and someone may accidentally get killed. That's what I don't like about long and heavy trigger pulls on any gun. At the range when I'm just shooting at paper I might want to start to index my shots instead of going the route of following the front sight, press method. If you can understand that and accept that the PF-9's trigger will take some practice, then you will probably like the gun. If not, then the trigger will be a problem for you.

Rather than showing you some photos of how the PF-9 shoots, I thought I'd put a link back to a video supplemental of another product that I reviewed. The BulletBlocker backpack was reviewed on September 19, 2008, and has a video where I am using my Kel-Tec PF-9 to shoot the backpack. If you look at the section of the video of where I tear open the pack after shooting it to show where the rounds hit, you can see that my shot placement is exactly how I called it out in the video. The gun is quite accurate for its size and price point. Click HERE to see that video. Adding a LASER to it makes it even easier to put a round into a small target area. We'll see that next week.

Below is a photo of the PF-9 field stripped. As you can see, it has a double recoil spring. One spring fits inside the other, and they both go over the plastic guide rod. You can also see that the magazines have witness holes to show how many rounds are in them.

Here are a couple of photos of the simple takedown process. The rim of a spent 9mm case fits perfectly into the takedown pin making it easy to get out.

It shoots every time there is a round in the chamber and I press the trigger. It costs less than an S&W pocket revolver. It is an autoloader. It is a 9mm, and not a .380. It can handle +P ammo, just not a steady diet of it. It is a point and shoot gun like a pocket revolver is. There aren't any external knobs, levers, or buttons to play with to make it ready to go. It has a long and heavy trigger pull that helps in the safety department, much like what one gets in a double-action only pocket revolver, but the trigger isn't as smooth as some revolvers. It fits in my pants pocket. It has a couple of LASERS made for it. It has a 3.1 inch barrel versus the smaller barrels of some pocket revolvers. Yes, the sights are plastic, but you really won't be using them if this gun has to be put into combat use. It is less than an inch thick and still holds 8 rounds of 9mm ammo! Pocket revolvers have that thick cylinder with a capacity of fewer rounds. Carrying spare ammo is bulkier in a speed loader for a pocket revolver. Extra magazines for a PF-9 are slim and compact, and hold 8 rounds each. It has a lot going for it, and I would like to own a couple more of them.

If you want an autoloader instead of a revolver for a pocket gun, then try the PF-9. You can read more about Kel-Tec's products at www.kel-tec-cnc.com.

I would like to hear from you. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about the Gear Reviews email me at cody@uscca.us.

Leann Rimes – Amazing Grace

So Much For Our 2nd Amendment Rights or Can the Democrats Move Any Faster?

A new gun law, Bill HR 45, has recently and very quietly been introduced into congressional system. Here’s a summary:

* You will have to carry a photo ID firearms license for every gun!
* A training class is required to be licensed.
* Disclosure of your storage method is required for license.
* A thumb print is required for license.
* Every sale recorded by the federal government.
* If you move, and don't tell the Attorney General within 60 days, you are a criminal.
* If a firearm is stolen and you don't report it, you are a criminal.
* There will be no grand fathered firearms.
* If you do not obtain a license and report every firearm you currently own, you are a criminal.
* There will be a license fee and a fee for the "services" provided at purchase time.
* Licenses must be renewed every 5 years.
* H.R. 45 does not apply to Criminals or Illegal Aliens.

Read about the bill, H.R. 45, dated 12/6/09,  at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-45 . And then start yelling loud and clear. It sure didn’t take the Democrats and our President to start waffling on all their campaign utterances about supporting 2nd Amendment rights. It’s disgusting what they tell us when they want to get elected. What’s even more disgusting is what they will do to “take care of us”. Please tell your politicians so!
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Poor Richard Knew The Truth

Posted by: Kathryn Kist | 02/05/2009 4:00 PM

Doubtful of my own wisdom and poor in hope for our country, I call upon one of our country's native sages for inspiration. Here are some of Ben Franklin's thoughts that speak to America's ongoing crisis with my connections following.

"God grant that not only the love of liberty but a thorough knowledge of the rights of man may pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may set his foot anywhere on its surface and say: 'This is my country.'" --Rights are granted not by government but by the Creator. Unfortunately, such knowledge has been preempted by studies of how to get the most of the latest government  handout.

"He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money." --ask any Democrat who wants to throw more (of someone else's) money at a problem. Then ask that Democrat to be vetted for high office and see what he has done for money.

"When there's no Law, there's no Bread."--and we are fast approaching the end of the rule of Law in America. Humpty Dumpty ("Words mean what I say they mean") would feel at home in any of the three branches of our federal government. Eventually the gross theft by government agencies will impoverish us all.

"He that lives upon hope will die fasting."--Here's an alternative ending. Somehow this was not included in the Obamantra.

"When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."--Hark! I hear the trumpet. To the tune of $1 Trillion.

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."--Can Obama find any virtuous leaders to fill his cabinet posts? And do our leaders reflect a sea change in the national character? If we cannot rule ourselves, we will be ruled by others.

"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."--Fairness Doctrine, anyone? Hate crimes legislation? Politically correct movement? Tolerance replacing love as the highest of virtues?

Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A republic, if you can keep it."--222 years and counting. I would like to keep it a while longer.

"Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. ... Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them." End the handouts and bailouts and get government out of the way: that's the recipe for recovery and freedom, not wealth redistribution.

"It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part."--10% flat tax! Well, God only asked for 10%, so why should the government get any more?

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"--That's why Democrats want to take away our guns and make us believe we never had a right to defend ourselves from them in the first place. We should ask the Britons and Australians if they feel safer now with no guns.

"Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants."--That's our choice. We can submit to eternal precepts of moral behavior, or we can end up groveling before a human despot who was the most clever, ruthless, or luckiest of our immoral counterparts. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Florida Court Rules On Atheist Holy Day

In Florida , an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days. The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor,how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays.."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists..

"The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned.

Love Glen Beck, You’ll Love This Video “Comrade Obama”

The Prayer Shawl

by Reverend Brian Doyle at The First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale

On Jan. 26^th, 2009 my grandson, Parker, had his 5^th surgery in 2 years at Boston Children’s Hospital.  The surgeries encompassed the removal of most of his scalp on the back of his head and the implanting of two “expanders”, silicon balloons, to stretch his scalp for reconstruction. 

A sweet believer of our church, First Baptist Church of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Elizabeth Covello, gave Grammy, Connie my wife, a prayer shawl to give to our son Kirk.  Connie gave the prayer shawl to Kirk and Amy, Parker’s parents, when Parker went into the operating room.  Kirk looked at the prayer shawl, read all the reasons for the prayer shawl, prayed, and then got up and headed out of the waiting room.  Connie asked where he was going and he said to the operating room to give Parker the shawl.  Obviously, Connie told him that the doctor would not allow him to go in and compromise the OR.  Kirk went anyway.  The doctor and nurse in charge allowed Kirk to give them the shawl and they placed it with Parker.

The surgery was a success.  The surgeon came out to the waiting room to give the news to Kirk, Amy, and Connie.  He said that he did not know that Doyle was a Jewish name and that they were Jewish.  Connie spoke up and said of course they were, that they had been grafted in and that their Savior, Jesus Christ was Jewish.

The Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, gave Elizabeth Covello the thought of giving a prayer shawl for Parker.  Because of her obedience The Lord Jesus was glorified and a strong witness to Him was given to a Jewish surgeon.  Our Lord desires for us to glorify Him at all times.  The gift of a prayer shawl shows to an unbelieving world, the confidence of prayer, the faith of knowing that Jesus hears, and the power of healing through our Lord Jesus.  Salvation!!!!!  Jesus is the Life, the Truth, and the Way. 

Praise Him and thank you Elizabeth Covello.  Thank you my son, Kirk for hearing the Holy Spirit and being obedient even when man’s rules say you shouldn’t.

Healthy And Cheap

When family budgets get tight, it's tempting to reach for bargain boxes of macaroni and cheese or ramen noodles.

But if you do the nutritional math, there are better food bargains at the grocery store.

Nutrient-rich, inexpensive vegetables, legumes and grains are better options than most cheap convenience food, said Sharon Stroud, a certified nutritionist at Whole Foods Market, 1401 E. 41st St. Stroud leads regular tours through the market to show shoppers how to get more nutrition for their money.

"I have people tell me all the time they can't afford to eat healthy," Stroud said.

But the long-term medical expense of eating unhealthy foods is something people should also consider, she said. Many inexpensive convenience foods are loaded with salt, sugar and trans fats that offer little nutritional value and lots of empty calories.

Nutritional guidelines recommend at least nine servings of fruits or vegetables per day, and if you're eating all nine, you're not going to have as much room in your diet for junk food, Stroud said.

Her basic rules to follow for shopping cheap and healthy:

Buy seasonal and on sale: Butternut squash in season during fall and winter months is a nutritional bargain, so try to plan menus around what's on sale and in season.

Buy bulk: Whole grains and dried legumes are cheapest when purchased in bulk.Convenience packages of these foods may give you 1- 4 servings, whereas a bulk package can provide 20 or more servings.

Fill up: Bulking up your diet by adding fruits and vegetablesinto every meal will help fill you up, keep you from snacking on junk and trim the calorie content of your food.

Conventional: Organic is usually your healthiest option,Stroud said. But if you're trying to save money by buying conventionally grown produce, the vegetables and fruits least likely to have pesticides on them, according to Environmental Working Group, are onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi and bananas.

More bang for your buck: Add these foods to your shopping list

Skip the convenience foods and fill your grocery cart with these instead.

Beets: These roots are rich in folate and antioxidants. Fresh, raw and grated in salad is the healthiest way to eat beets, but you can also roast them, and the greens are also nutritious.

Cabbage: This cheap, cruciferous veggie is loaded with nutrients, but some are unlocked only by the cooking process -- so try it braised in addition to slaws and salads.

Canned sardines and chunk light tuna: Sardines are rich in heart-healthy, omega-3 fatty acids and calcium and have the bonus of being low in mercury. Chunk light tuna has less mercury than albacore, Stroud said, and it's an inexpensive, fast source of healthy protein. Mix either into salads to eat on wholegrain crackers or bread.

Butternut squash or canned pumpkin: Both are beta-carotene- rich bargains that fill you without lots of calories. Mash with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Oats: High-fiber and cholesterol-reducing, oats are a nutritional bargain, especially when bought in bulk. Try steel- cut oats for breakfast topped with fruit and nuts.

Eggs: One of the cheapest sources of protein at about $1 to $3 per dozen, and they can be scrambled with chopped vegetables and herbs for a quick, nutritious meal.

Kale: This inexpensive green is considered a superfood rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and it's easy to add to soups and stir- fries or eat on its own, braised or roasted.

Nuts and seeds: The healthy fats and proteins found in walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds should be a part of everyone's diet. Buy raw, unsalted ones in bulk and eat small portions for energy boosting snacks or sprinkle on salads.

Beans: These powerhouses add protein and fiber to your diet -- whether you slow cook dried beans that have been soaked overnight or opt for the quicker canned versions. Try quicker cooking lentils on busy weeknights and bean spreads such as hummus for a protein-rich snack, Stroud said.

Whole grains: Brown rice, whole-grain pasta, quinoa and other nutrient-rich grains are the key to quick, healthy weeknight dinners, especially when mixed with nutritious vegetables, beans and legumes.

Wayward Son Of A Preacher Man – Testimony

The Proper Role of Science by Chuck Colson

In his inaugural address, President Obama said he would “restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality.” By this, many suspect he means to spend taxpayer money on embryonic stem cell research, which destroys humans at the embryonic stage.

Evidently, President Obama has been listening to those who want research funded, some because they are driven by greed but many others driven by a dangerous worldview called scientism.

As Nancy Pearcey and I write in our book, How Now Shall We Live?, scientism has its roots in Darwinism. Tufts University professor Daniel Dennett writes that Darwinism, rightly understood, is a “universal acid” that dissolves away all traditional moral, metaphysical, and religious beliefs. For if humans have evolved by a material, purposeless process, then there is no basis for believing in a God who created us and revealed moral truths, or imposing those moral views in any area of life.

Dennett is using a common tactic—using science as a weapon to shoot down religious faith. The standard assumption is that science is objective knowledge, while religion is an expression of subjective need. Religion, therefore, must subordinate its claims about the world to whatever science decrees.  Please read the rest at The Proper Role of Science| Christianpost.com .

Vote No on the Economic Stimulus

Senator John McCain has just sent out this message:

”The Senate recently began debate on an economic stimulus package that is intended to get our economy get back on track and help Americans who are suffering through these difficult times. Unfortunately, the proposal on the table is big on the giveaways for the special interests and corporate high rollers, yet short on help for ordinary working Americans.

I cannot and do not support the package on the table from the Democrats and the Obama Administration. Our country does not need just another spending bill, particularly not one that will load future generations with the burden of massive debt. We need a short term stimulus bill that will directly help people, create jobs, and provide a jolt to our economy.

Please join me in saying no to this stimulus package as it currently exists by signing the petition to the right and telling your friends about our efforts.”

So please click on the following link, Vote No on the Economic Stimulus , to stop this crazy stimulus package by electonically signing the petition. It’s also great to see the Republicans getting a bit more digitally savvy.

True Stories Of Armed Self-Defense

True Stories Of Armed Self-Defense By Robert Waters [The month of January, 2001] brought numerous reminders of why many Americans own guns. But these stories were nowhere to be seen on ABC, CBS, CNN, or NBC. They weren't news to editors of the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Los Angeles Times. Overlooked by the mainstream media, these accounts show how lives are saved when law-abiding citizens own firearms. Forty-five home invasions occurred in Chattanooga, Tennessee between October, 2000 and January, 2001. But on the night of January 12, the home invasions came to an abrupt end. Two masked gunmen burst through the door of Tiffany Bibbs's home. When the mother, who was holding her baby, attempted to dial 911, one of the robbers knocked the phone out of her hands. Then the assailants forced the four occupants of the house to give up their money and jewelry. As they were leaving, one of the intruders snatched Bibbs's baby from her arms and ran outside. Gerald Lamar Beverly, a visitor in the home, grabbed a handgun and followed the robbers. The assailant placed the baby on the porch and began shooting at Beverly. The visitor returned fire. When police arrived, Beverly and an armed neighbor were standing over the body of Mica Kaba Townsend. Beverly was not charged. There have been no more home invasions reported in Chattanooga since January 12....

Robert Waters is the author of The Best Defense: True Stories of Intended Victims Who Defended Themselves with a Firearm.

True Stories Of Armed Self-Defense

A Christian Hero – Tony Dungee

This is a man who led his life as the Lord led him, not as the dog-eat-dog, business-not-sport NFL world would have tempted him to do. Fortunately others recognize that and he was recently honored just before the Super Bowl. Please click here to see the news report and some pictures. It’s really a motivating story. And it makes me sad that more of the world doesn’t see this kind of stuff.

Glary Utilities – The Best Free All-In-One Utility

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“The #1 free, powerful and all-in-one utility in the world market! Glary Utilities Optimize, clean and boost the speed of your Windows. Protect your privacy and security. Block spyware, trojans, adware, etc. Fix certain application errors. Simple, fast and User friendly interface For only private use.”

The quote above is true. I have been using this on my two computers and can highly recommend it. Just go to this link Glary Utilities and down load it.