Let's Make Ourselves Uncomfortable

When Deanna asked me to speak, I was of course honored. People don’t usually ask me to speak. They generally want me to just shut up. I also felt a bit anxious. Deanna wanted me to tell my story. I don’t like talking about myself. I’d rather talk about issues or ideas, but I will do my best.


I guess if I had to give this speech a title it would be Make yourself uncomfortable. First, let me tell you a little about myself and what makes me comfortable. I grew up with a lot of chaos. My mom was ill during my entire childhood so our home was very disorganized and chaotic. I like order and peace and quiet. I like organization and lists and plans. Until not too long ago, my life was pretty orderly and organized.

Not that I have always had my life go as planned. All I really wanted was to get married and have lots of babies. I got married 23 years ago, but the babies didn’t come. So I kind of fell into a career. I ended up starting my own business 18 years ago. In 1999, I finally got my hearts desire when we adopted our son, Jack. My life was pretty perfect by my standards. I had my family and my business. I was active in my local church and homeschooling Jack. Life was pretty good.

Before I go on, you need to understand some things. My husband and I both grew up in Geauga County. When we got married, we bought our house in Farmington almost on the Geauga line. We both worked in Geauga and we also went to church there. Our orbit and our circle of friends were in Geauga County. We knew there were problems in Trumbull, but we sort of pretended we didn’t live there. In the last few years, though, some things happened that began to wake me up to some of what was happening here in Trumbull.

One thing was that we left a church we’d been members of for 20 years. This church was a small church maybe 30-40 people attending on a Sunday. I had been very active-played piano, taught Sunday School, planned the music each Sunday. I was a big fish in a very small pond. The church we ended up at is Grace Fellowship. Some of you might be familiar with Grace. It seats around 1000 people and is close to full most weeks. This was quite a big change and significant for a couple of reasons. First, my circle of friends enlarged to include folks who were far more Trumbull County than I am. Our orbit changed so that we were spending more time in Trumbull County. Also, the change from a small church where I was always busy to a large church where I had some difficulty figuring out where I could serve gave me some time to get involved in other things.

Another thing that happened to me and probably to lots of you was Facebook. The interesting thing that happened with me and facebook is how it led me to meet people in my own backyard. I met Deanna and Berry on Facebook. One other big thing that came from Facebook and had an impact on me is that I got involved with volunteering for Jim Graham’s campaign for Congress. Now understand I’ve been interested in politics since I was 15 years old, but I’d been busy with my perfect little life so I’d never gotten very involved. I did volunteer in the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, but this was the first local campaign I had ever been involved with. Through the campaign, I met more Trumbull County people who knew way more than I did about the issues we have here in Trumbull County. I was starting to realize that maybe I needed to get more involved.

One thing that happened during that campaign is that I became a precinct committee person and executive committee person for the Trumbull County GOP. At the beginning of this year, I was asked to be a part of their communications group. Now the purpose of this group is to try to communicate conservative ideas through letters to the editor, social media,etc. We study the issues, not just national and international, but also local. One of the local issues that we became involved was the court consolidation. I ended up not only writing about this issue but getting involved in pressuring our Commissioners to move forward on it.

Also, out of the communications group came the opportunity to write for the Trib as a Community Columnist for a year. My goal in writing this column is to try to speak to people who are like I was-kind of out there busy with their own little lives not really involved in what is happening. I knew about some of what was going on, and I thought that somebody should do something. Over the last few years, I realized that I needed to be one of those somebodies. In the last 7 or 8 months, I guess I’ve done just that. However, it has come at a cost to me. I’ve always been a busy person, but as I have gotten more involved not just with writing the column, but also with campaigns, and going to meetings, etc.,-all the while running my business and homeschooling my son- I have become busy to a point where my life is very chaotic-exactly the opposite of my comfort zone. I don’t have any peace and quiet and calm. I’ve become less organized than I like, and often my plans and lists get thrown out the window.

I need to tell one other thing that has happened over the last few years. It is a little bit personal but I need to share because of the truth that it revealed to me. In the last several years, my husband began to change physically and mentally. I made excuses for these changes but realized in May of this year that something was truly wrong with him. I took him to the doctor and after ruling out a few other things, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

All of my organization and lists and plans for our future were gone with the wind. What was left of my comfort zone had been carried away like a house in a twister. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Unlike Dorothy, I would never return. I would never have my perfect little life back. I would forever be uncomfortable. In the last couple of months though, I’ve realized some things about being uncomfortable. First, it is not the end of the world. I can survive this. Also, and this is the big one: Nothing important gets accomplished when you’re comfortable. Think about it. A pearl is formed when sand irritates the oyster. A diamond is just a lump of coal under pressure.

Tonight I want to challenge you to make yourself uncomfortable. Now I know that everyone in here knows that we have big problems here in Trumbull County-not just septic problems not just health department or CSB problems. We have a pervasive culture among our public officials that makes them think they aren’t really public servants-that they are above the rules. They are little kings in their castles, and we are just allowed to live here. We need to change this, but we can’t change this until we change ourselves-make ourselves uncomfortable. Now not everyone has to be as uncomfortable as Berry and Deanna have been or even I have been. I do think though that there are some things that everyone needs to be doing. These are things that might be out of your comfort zone, but are really things that all good citizens should be doing.

First we need to inform ourselves. Thomas Jefferson said “ An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” If we the people want to truly be in charge we must inform ourselves. If we don’t there are consequences.

Jefferson also said, "If once (the people) become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions."

Wolves, that’s just so Trumbull County.

But we have to do more than just inform ourselves and this is where it can get uncomfortable. We need to also inform others. It can be writing letters to the editor or just talking to our friends. This may mean bringing up touchy topics with our friends. Nudging them to find out for themselves what is really going on. It may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary that we inform others. I don’t think that we need to beat people over the head with stuff, but we need to work at making sure people know what is going on.

Finally, we need to get involved. Go to meetings. Find out who your trustees are and what they are doing. Go to commissioners meetings. Go to health department meetings. Support Deanna and Berry in their effort as this thing goes on. They are sacrificing a lot to do this and will need our support to help them.

I want to say something about this fight. I’ve heard people refer to it as a David and Goliath fight. It is, but not just because the little guy is fighting back. When David fought Goliath, he wasn’t just fighting for himself, he was fighting for the whole nation of Israel. We need to remember that Berry and Deanna are fighting for all of us-for every citizen of Trumbull County.

I love this county. It is beautiful, has a wonderful history and has great people, but it is dying in front of my eyes because of the corruption and ineptitude of its leaders. My son often tells me he wants to buy my house and live here forever. I would like that, but I fear that it won’t be possible if we don’t make some changes. This county is not going to change if we do nothing. Washington and Columbus aren’t going to save us. We must do it ourselves. If we want change, we must change. This is my challenge to you:
Let’s change Trumbull County.
Let’s change ourselves.
Let’s all make ourselves uncomfortable.

Pick Up Life Where it is Broken

I confess. I am a genealogy nerd. I have been researching my family tree for about twenty years. The thing that I love the most about doing this is the little stories I discover and sometimes the little artifacts I find. One of my most treasured finds is a letter written by my great-grandmother.


My grandparents were killed in a traffic accident in 1961. They left behind my mother and her sister who were both adults and married, as well as my Uncle Mitch who was a young teenager. My great-grandmother wrote them a letter to try to comfort them in their grief. I have a copy of that letter, and I treasure it for its simplicity and power.

She opened the letter with this sentence, “My heart is breaking with sorrow, and I don’t know what to say except to pick up life where it is broken, and try to live a life worthy of the parents who have gone before.”

My great-grandmother’s advice to “pick up life where it is broken” was not a simple platitude. She had experienced many times of picking up her own life. When she was a eight years old, her mother died in childbirth, and she was left to help take care of the household and mother her siblings. This was the 1880’s, and her life was not easy. Her family moved around from Kentucky to Missouri and finally to Oklahoma to homestead.

She met her future husband in Oklahoma, and together they homesteaded. They were original Sooners, having participated in the land run in 1890’s. She lost a four year old son to an infection. She watched another son, my grandfather, go off to fight in World War I. She lived through the Great Depression.

When she wrote this letter, she was suffering the greatest grief a mother could know-the death of her child. Yet, she reached out to comfort her grandchildren with her own simple words born of experience-“Pick up life where it is broken.”

I’ve heard a story of my great-grandmother her that shows what she was made of. She had been told by a doctor that she was dying. The family took a final family trip to Pike’s Peak. When they returned, she announced, “I’m not going to die.” She ended up living into her nineties.

Recently, I’ve been undergoing my own trials. In May, my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The day he was diagnosed, I re-read that letter. I had always treasured that letter for its history and beauty, but that day I felt like my great grandmother reached out from the past to comfort me and advise me. I knew that I needed to “pick up life where it is broken.” I had to keep moving forward.

In the months since the diagnosis, life has at times been difficult. I have often felt like giving up, but I know that I can’t do that. I have to, as a good friend likes to say, “keep plugging away.” I’m so grateful for the legacy I have from my great-grandmother, and for the advice that she left for me. I hope that I’ve inherited a bit of the resilience that she had, and that I can keep picking up life where it is broken, and leave that legacy for my own child.

Give the Class Act an Encore!

One of the big problems with one party rule is that the majority party begins taking the voters for granted. They think, sometimes correctly, that the voters will vote for anyone who is in the “right” party no matter who he is. A good example of that in our area is State Representative Tom Letson in the 64th District.

Let me start with my limited personal experience with Mr. Letson. Back in August, I attended a Northwest Neighborhood Association meeting where he spoke and answered questions in a town hall type setting.

Mr. Letson treated his constituents with disrespect and rudeness. At the beginning of his remarks, he referred to someone who wasn’t present with a vulgar word. A gentleman in the audience reminded Mr. Letson that he was in a church. Mr. Letson repeated the epithet. The gentleman again reminded Mr. Letson of where he was. Mr. Letson’s response was to make a smart aleck remark about Jesus riding a “donkey.”

Later, someone asked a question about upkeep on vacant lots. That person referred to the fact a weed filled lot could be both unsightly and dangerous. Mr. Letson responded with a rather bizarre statement about growing up on a farm and how beautiful a wheat field is. His attempt at humor was both strange and disrespectful to the person who asked the question.

When discussing Mr. Letson’s faults, I guess the most glaring are his personal issues. Some would say that his previous problems with taxes and his substance abuse issues are in the past, and it is not fair to bring them up in this election. However, I disagree. While I feel compassion for people who struggle with addiction-in fact two of the people I love most in the world have had these struggles-the skeptic in me cringes each time I see a public figure follow this same tired script that Mr. Letson followed back in January, 2011. It goes like this: public figure has an embarrassing mishap, accident, tax problem, etc.; public figure goes to rehab. Quite frankly, I think using the rehab card is a mockery to people who sincerely seek help.

Mr. Letson’s tax problems are a matter of public record, but let me review the facts for those who haven’t paid attention. In January of 2011, it came to light that Mr. Letson had a tax lien placed on his property by the IRS for $37,416.58 for taxes, interest, and penalties for the tax year 2006. WhiIe I understand how easy it can be to get into trouble with the IRS, my issue with this is not just that he owed that tax. In February of this year, Mr. Letson spoke to another newspaper about the tax issue. He said that he spent money he that he needed for his own taxes on his parents’ care, but that now all of his taxes have “since been paid.” As of September 13, 2012, the county recorder’s office still had the federal tax lien listed as unpaid. It is my understanding that once the taxes have been paid, and a form filed, that the lien must be released within 30 days. It seems to me that a sensible person, having paid those taxes, would make sure that he filed any forms necessary to have the lien released as soon as possible. I’m not sure if Mr. Letson was being dishonest in his interview; or if he doesn’t have the good sense to take care of the paperwork and get the lien off of his property. Neither option inspires much confidence.

More important than Mr. Letson’s personal deficiencies is his history of not putting the best interests of his constituents first. As a member of the Warren City Board of Health, he voted to approve the renewal of the Warren Recycling Landfill in spite of the Ohio EPA’s recommendations and the concerns of the community about the hazards posed by the landfill. It was eventually shut down and declared a Superfund cleanup site.

In 2009, Letson co-sponsored a bill to raise state income taxes by 4.3% and delay a planned tax decrease. In his version of the bill, the pay for state representatives was also increased. That’s right, folks, he co-sponsored a bill to increase taxes on his constituents while raising his own pay.

More recently, as outlined in a previous column, Mr. Letson assisted in successfully blocking the consolidation of the Eastern and Central District Courts. He and his fellow Democrats cared more about making sure the Democrats keep power than saving the taxpayers $150,000-$200,000 a year.

So do the people of the 64th District have an alternative this year? Yes, they do. Former State Representative Randy Law is Mr. Letson’s opponent.

While Mr. Law doesn’t come from a family of attorneys like Mr. Letson, he is a lifelong resident of this area. He has owned several businesses over the years and has been very involved in the community.

Mr. Law was elected to the Ohio House in 2004, and during his time there, he voted for the largest tax cut in state history. Representative Law also sponsored the Landfill Reform Bill as well as the Firefighter Safety Training Bill. It is especially important to note Mr. Law’s work on the Landfill Reform Bill in light on Mr. Letson’s failure in this while on the Warren City Board of Health. Mr. Law had to fight hard for this legislation working to convince his own party that it was the right thing to do. As a true public servant, he put the needs of his constituents before partisan politics.

This year the citizens of the 64th District need to realize that they deserve better than what they have. They have a choice between Letson and the better man. I’ve heard Mr. Law referred to as a “class act.” That is an apt description. I sincerely hope the voters choose to give the “class act” an encore.

Trumbull County, We have a problem...

Most people in Trumbull County know we have a septic problem. A few people understand why we have that problem, and even fewer people know how we can fix it.


First, a little Septic 101 for everyone: If a home can’t be tied in to a centralized sewer system, it must have a septic system. On lot septic systems have a tank for solid waste and the liquid waste or black water is filtered through the soil. All of the waste is contained to the property and none enters the streams and rivers (waters of the state). Off lot systems have a tank for solid waste and a filtering system that cleans the liquid waste before it enters the streams and rivers.

Where there are no central sewers available, the method preferred by the Ohio EPA is an on lot system. Unfortunately, in our area, we have a clay soil that does not filter the liquid waste well. In order to make an on lot system possible, work has to be done to the soil to make it filter. There is also usually a larger footprint required for this system; and of course, it can get very expensive. Usually it is impossible to have an on lot system for lots less than one acre. The Ohio EPA requires that all options be exhausted before an off lot system be installed.

From 1992 to 2002, the Trumbull County Board of Health did not follow Ohio Administrative Code for approving permits for off-lot systems. They also subdivided property into lots smaller than five acres without a plan for a central sewer system or a determination that such a system would be impracticable or inadvisable. As a result, in 2006, the Trumbull County Board of Health was sued by the State of Ohio. To settle that lawsuit, the parties entered into an agreement-the “consent decree.” In this agreement, the Trumbull County Board of Health agreed among other things to only allow off lot systems when it is impossible for the homeowner to connect to a central sewer system or to install an on lot system. They also agreed to only allow sand filter systems for off lot systems. In 2008, the agreement was amended to allow other filtration devices that are “certified by the manufacturer to meet or exceed the performance of a sand filter.” However, the guidelines for accepting these devices are established by the Trumbull County Board of Health.

To date, only two devices have been approved by the Trumbull County Board of Health. One of these is more expensive than the sand filter system. It is also even more unsightly than the sand filter system. We effectively have one system outside of the sand filter system that can be used in an off lot system. The Board of Health has created a monopoly for that manufacturer. Because we have the consent decree which gives TCHD the final authority to regulate competition, it costs more in Trumbull County to have an off lot system installed here than it does anywhere else in Ohio.

The Trumbull County Board of Health has rejected requests to approve another system that was approved by the Ohio Department of Health in 2010. This system was approved for use in all the other counties in Ohio. Our Board of Health believes that it doesn’t conform to the consent decree. Because of the consent decree, they have the power to set the guidelines for approving the systems.

What are the effects of this situation? The cost of putting in an off lot septic is higher here than anywhere in the state. We live in an area where home values are not that high to begin with. Often, when a property is sold, the septic needs to be replaced. Sometimes the cost of the new system is actually close to what the home is actually worth. Also, because our Board of Health now has the reputation of being unfair and heavy handed, people don’t want to buy in Trumbull County. By the way, the heavy handed reputation is earned. They have jailed people for not replacing their septic system. The sales of homes have been stalled making our already depressed economy even worse.

So what is the solution? First, we need to get out from under the consent decree. The intent of the decree was to make us compliant, but it has now become punitive with Trumbull County’s rules now being stricter than the rest of the state. The decree has been amended; why can’t it be revoked? The candidate for 64th District State Representative Randy Law thinks that it can. He believes that as state representative, he would be able to help put pressure on the Administration and the Ohio EPA to bring the parties to the table to agree to revoke the decree. In a candidate meet and greet in September, he vowed to be relentless in trying to solve this problem. Please note in 2005, when he was in the General Assembly, Mr. Law worked diligently to sponsor and pass the Landfill Reform Bill. So he has a history of working hard to solve difficult problems. Tom Letson, the incumbent in that race, hasn’t addressed this issue in the three terms he has been in office.

We also need to realize that we don’t just have a septic problem. We have a Trumbull County Board of Health problem. They have been heavy handed in the enforcement of this decree. Their creation of the monopoly for off lot systems has added to an already difficult situation. They need to be replaced. How do we do that? Understand that your township trustees and some village officials elect the Board of Health. Find out who your trustees are. Go to their meetings. Make sure they understand what is happening at our Board of Health. If they don’t listen, replace them. Remember this: two trustees from each township are up for re-election in 2013.

These people-the State Representatives, the trustees, the Board of Health- are public servants. If they forget that, we need to remember that We the People have the power to replace them. We need to use that power, or we will lose it. We need to pay more attention to what our public officials are doing and hold them accountable for their actions. If we don’t, things will just get worse; and we will have only ourselves to blame.

Hope

This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent, traditionally the Hope Sunday. I have been feeling pretty hopeLESS lately. Aside from being very overwhelmed by all that I have to do, I have a dear friend who is dying before my eyes. But as I've pondered Advent, I realize that it for just this hopelessness, that Jesus came to our earth. I went to the Creation museum in last week with my family. One of things that struck me as we looked at the exhibits is that the results of the first sin are the causes of hopelessness-illness, death, destruction. Jesus came to deliver us from sin and its resulting hopelessness. We can have hope in Him. I'm so thankful that I can see and feel that hope in the actions of people around me-my spouse who sees my pain and does all he can to help me, my Pastor who prays the prayers for me that I can not even form the words to say, my employees who sacrifice so I can spend time with my friend, and my friends who remind me they are praying for her and for me. I'm especially thankful for the Blessed Hope I have in Him that this world is not all there is.

Size 2

I want to be legally recognized as a Size 2. I know that historically the measurements of my jeans and me have not been recognized as the definition of a Size 2, but shouldn’t our definitions of such things evolve with the times in which we live. I shouldn’t have to conform to some narrow definition of a size 2 made of years ago by narrow minded bigoted people who don’t understand the way we modern people live our lives. For a while some judges ruled that I was legally a Size 2, and my jeans and I had a big party and invited all of our friends. Then some bigoted skinny people decided to put a measure on the ballot denying me my right to be legally recognized as a size 2.l and it passed. I can’t believe how fataphobic some people are. What does it hurt them if even though I weigh a hundred pounds more than a size 2 that we are both legally a size 2?

Random Thoughts on my week and current life

Okay, I have posted for a while. I've had a busy....er...three months. I decided I better post something, anything so here are some random thoughts....
I volunteered to be music minister at my church because nobody else wanted it. Mostly what I do is pick out the songs based on the sermon. My pastor has been using the Old Testament scriptures from the lectionary. This has presented challenges for me in picking out songs. This week is the worst. The sermon is on Deborah including where Jael puts a spike in Sisera's head. I came up with a few songs that somewhat fit the theme. Today I thought of a great one...If I had a hammer.
School has been challenging given my aforementioned busy-ness, but we're settling down to our new year in earnest now. I've made a bit of a switch to a more Latin centered classical. I'm using The Latin Centered Curriculum as a guide. It's more of a challenge for both of us, but I'm seeing some results. One of the recommended books is Tales of Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. The plays are re-written as stories, but they are at about a 6th grade level. Jack's been reading it and the other day he said, " Mom, wouldn't it be cool to go back and see a play by Shakespeare when he wrote it." It just warmed my heart to hear that. This book was in the "youth" section of the library we use. The children's librarian at the library tried to steer me to some easier versions of Shakespeare's plays. I politely told her that I wanted this book. I'm glad I did. Another thing we're doing is reading our way through American History. We're still in the early explorers stage, reading mostly biographies. We're reading a biography of Magellen right now. I usually try to read the book before Jack, but I've had to read it while he's reading this time. He's gotten ahead of me part of the time. The other night I was reading a chapter he'd already read. He asked, "Did you get to the mutiny, yet?" I hadn't, but then I told him when I had. He said, "Isn't it exciting?" I'm so glad he gets excited over history. This year for science, we're doing Botany. I'm very impaired when it comes to growing things. We planted herbs over a month ago and well, I'm pretty sure I'm just watering dirt these days. We're going to try again with some system my sister said is fool proof-We.. shall...see.... One thing that did grow is a bean seed we "planted" in a zippy bag with a wet paper towel and taped to the bathroom window. It's still growing long after the experiment was over. We've named it Jack's beanstalk.
Well I can't think of anything else to rattle on about so I'll close.

Jack's Baptism

Here it is: My first effort at Window's Moviemaker-a slide show of stills and video from Jack's baptism. He at first wanted "I'll Fly Away" as done by Jars of Clay but later decided he liked this song better. It definitely fits the theme better. By the way, some of these stills were taken by my pastor's wife, Carrie Miller, although I did do some editting on them.

Social Gospel/Social Justice

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the idea of social gospel and/or social justice. I admit I am a bit conflicted on this area. I do believe as Christians we need to help our neighbor whoever that may be, but I also think that if we focus too much on idea of social justice, we tend to forget that our primary focus is the gospel. As I've been thinking about this, I've also been following what's been happening in the Anglican church: There is a schism developing between The Espiscopal Church in the United States and much of the rest of the Anglican church worldwide over the ordination of homosexuals as well as some other issues. The homosexual issue gets a lot of the press, but it is actually a symptom of a church that has lost its way, its focus on the gospel. The head of the church in the US believes that Jesus is a way not the way. I think this is real problem; everything else is just a symptom. Anyway, some of the US churches have actually left the ECUSA and placed themselves under the leadership of foriegn bishops, mostly African and South American. I've been reading a great deal about this on blogs like Stand Firm. I read the following as part a discussion on homosexuality and trying to justify it Biblically. I think that it really clarifies for me the idea that it is the gospel we are to give to people and that through it, people can find the healing that they need.
It was made in response to this comment:
"[D]o the specific condemnations, in Leviticus and the Epistles, outpunch Gospel evidence of Jesus’s concern for the marginalized?"

This argument drives me bonkers, and now I need to rant.
I’m not aware of the Gospels, or any Scriptures, using the term, “marginalized.” Jesus was concerned for the poor, i.e, his own family and probably 90 percent or more of the people of Judah. He told them they should not worry about how to clothe themselves or where their next meal would come from because God would provide for them in accordance with his plan.
He was concerned about, specifically, tax collectors (who were often some of the wealthiest people in Judah because of their dishonest practices) and sinners. He even ate and drank with them. He did this so that he might call them to repentance.
He commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, tend to the sick, and visit the prisoner. He healed some lepers and some who were blind, deaf, mute, crippled, or possessed by demons. Some of these people were social outcasts. Some were not. It wasn’t they way they were regarded by others that concerned Jesus. It was their own brokenness. Your faith could move mountains even if you had the tiniest amount, he taught them.
Today the poor we still have with us, as Jesus prophesied, and as well we have the hungry, the naked, the sick, the prisoner, the lame, the blind, the deaf, and the demon-possessed. Broken people still in need of wholeness. A fallen world still in desperate need of good news.
This business about his concern for the marginalized that is so often touted by liberal theologians makes it sound as if Jesus’ primary concern was to set aright the relationship between rich and poor so that we would learn to eliminate poverty and discrimination through our own efforts. To the contrary, his primary concern was the relationship between each of us and God, which is to be set aright by the simple act of each of us believing what God has said and trusting that he can and will keep his promises. If every person were in such a faithful relationship with God, there would be no poverty, because the Holy Spirit would be at work in each of our hearts to meet our neighbors’ needs.
We don’t attain social justice by working for it. We don’t “attain” social justice at all. Social justice arises through the efforts of God alone when we step back, take our hands of the steering wheel completely and permanently, and trust God’s providence. In the realm of the kingdom, prayer is our most powerful tool. It can accomplish anything. It is those still mired in this world who are heeding the call of the ruler of this world, working through our pride, that we must earn our salvation and that we can fix what is wrong in the world without God’s help.
You can’t save Judah through your own personal acts that you consider righteous, Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees. You must instead humble yourself, ask God’s forgiveness, and cast your burdens on the Lord. In that way, and in that way only, you open the door to your salvation and to miracles here on earth. The message, then and now, is counter-intuitive. Satan still does everything he can do, as he did then, to mask the gospel and change it so that we will not grasp its true implications.
Making sure people hear and understand the authentic message of Jesus, countering those who would distort it, is a vital vocation to which many, clergy and lay, are called by God. Thanks be to God that he is sending laborers into the harvest. Let us pray that he will continue to do so in the Anglican Communion.
[9] Posted by Rick O.P. on 06-25-2008 at 11:06 AM

Men and Women

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the "Battle of the Sexes." When I was at a children's retreat recently, I encountered a woman who was very negative about the male gender. It made me think about my own behavior towards the men in my life. I hear a lot of bashing on both sides, but maybe I am more sensitive to the male bashing because I am the mother of a boy. I want him to find a mate (someday) who appreciates him in all of his maleness, embraces the differences and doesn't bash him for being a guy. I sometimes wonder if any of these little girls wearing their "Girls rule" t-shirts will grow up to love and appreciate him, or if he's doomed to be feminized by the first cute chick who comes along.
Along these lines, I read a blog discussing the idea of equality and "Battle of the Sexes" from a Biblical standpoint. It was good discussion of equality without the negativity and bashing. Here it is: http://menandwomenleaderstogether.blogspot.com/2008/05/adam-and-eve-in-genesis-and-first.html
Hopefully I've posted that correctly.

I guess I'm needed

Well, I guess I am needed by my husband and son. I had to put in a long shift over the weekend which caused me to be gone from home from Saturday AM until Sunday AM. I came home Sunday morning about nine and then left straightaway for church. During church, I looked over at my son who was leaning forward and noticed that his undies were showing. Upon further inspection, I realized that they were not his undies, but his dad's. I guess they do need me at least to keep their undies sorted.

Pictures from my week

(All of the images in this post are from my cell phone so forgive the quality.)

I asked this fellow why he was crossing the road, but he didn't answer, he just went to the other side.

This rooster was one of a group of chickens that got loose from a neighbors and hung out in the woods near us for the week. They were pretty amusing to watch.




These are my parents' graves. I planted daffodils last fall, (surprise!) they came up. I have just about the brownest thumb of anyone I know. Last year, my annuals did better while I was on vacation-my husband said they knew I was gone, and it was safe to grow. Anyway, I guess planting these in such close proximity to my dad (who had a very green thumb) helped them grow well. Not sure you can really mess up daffy's anyway.

This was taken through a screen on a window at church. The robins have built a nest in the bush just outside of one of the windows.

Interesting Blogs

Please check out my new blog list. These are blogs that I've been reading and find interesting. I've put two up there but will add ones as I have time. The Constructive Curmudgeon is a very good blog that I've just started reading thanks to the Vere Loqui blog. The author seems to think a lot like me but puts things into words better than I do. Vere Loqui is also quite good, but Martin Cothran is very active in Kentucky politics. The result is that there are many entries about Kentucky politics. Some of these are about things that are national issues and issues that we are facing in Ohio as well-accountability in education and legalized gambling. He can also get very deep at times; and I don't know how other people are, but I have difficulty reading this kind of material on a computer screen. I do hope that you will check them out and enjoy them as much as I do.

Maple Syrup Time

The following is a reprint from my myspace blog from about this time last year.
A couple of updates are in order: First, the price of pancakes has gone up-we went last week and it's about $18 for all three of us-still a deal. Second, my comment about not having DSL-finally got it last summer, but with the weather it's been a little iffy this week.
I have to share a little funny from our meal last week. When I was served, they gave me a HUGE pancake telling me I was the 300th customer (not sure I bought that). I only took the one since it was as big as my plate. I barely finished it, but I told Geno, "Well I can tell people I only had one pancake and not be a liar."
Another little note about Pancake breakfast, we do this every year. It's one of those little traditions that we've started. I think that this is such a great thing to do for kids-it just builds those happy childhood memories. We go every year to the breakfast at Century Village and then go to the little general store there and get a little something. Jack loves this. I'm glad I can do this for him. You know, we don't know how long we'll have with our children and we need to just make time to do these kinds of things. I lost my parents when I was pretty young-an adult, but a very young adult. I miss my dad everyday, but one of the things that sustains me, aside from knowing I'll see him again one day, are the memories I have of him.

Maple syrup time. I live in Northeast Ohio, and a sure sign that Spring is coming is that there are pancake breakfasts everywhere. If you don't know, Northeast Ohio is big maple syrup country-Vermont gets all the acclaim, but we are just as syrupy here. Every school child learns the steps to making syrup. (I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you.) Seriously from mid February until sometime in April we are just Maple Crazy here.
And I love it. First, I love maple syrup. I love candy and to me Maple syrup is like having candy for breakfast. When I was a little girl, I could eat french toast or pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner because I got to have syrup on them. (Per my last blog-I guess maybe I need to add gluttony to my sin list.) You can see from my childhood pictures, I was just a little thing, but boy could I put away the pancakes. That may be why I'm not a little thing now. When I was at church camp, I ate over 20 pancakes one morning in a pancake eating contest. BTW, I never could eat pancakes without getting syrup in my hair. I wore braids ala Laura from Little House from the time I was 8 or 9 until I was 12 and usually one would end up in syrup. I have very thick coarse hair and things tend to stick to it even today (kind of like velcro) so syrup was hard to get out.
I still love pancakes although I don't think I could eat 20 now. I actually don't eat them much now. I'm not very good at making them. When I do make them, I usually give my son the best ones and get the goofy burnt ones. (I just cover them with syrup ) I also don't have a lot of time to make them. I get them at restaurants when we're on vacation and every year we go to a local pancake breakfast in March. Today was the day to keep that tradition. After church, we went to Century Village and had our pancakes for lunch. It's a good deal. You get all the pancakes you can eat 3 sausage links, applesauce, milk, and oj for $6. Kids are only $3 so we got a really great lunch for $15. What a deal. They've gotten kind of fancy-offering blueberry and applesauce pancakes, but I'm a traditonalist and stick with the buttermilk.
You know sometimes small town life is kind of a pain. My current headache is a lack of DSL. Actually some people in my area have it-some don't. I don't. However, with all the faults, I love living here. I love that we have stuff like pancake breakfasts. I love the fact that I've lived in the area for almost 35 years and wherever I go, I see someone I know. Chances are I've known that person since I was a kid.
I also love Maple Syrup-it's candy..........for breakfast.

Ohio Winter

We are in the middle of a snowstorm today. I hope it's our last big hurrah. Somebody noted to me a few weeks ago that our winters don't seem as bad as they did when we were children. I don't think this is true, but I also think we had a couple of really outstanding winters as children in the late 70's that sort of cloud our memories a bit. Most notably, we had the big blizzard of '78. I know that this dominates my memories of winter growing up. We had no electricity for close to a week, hurricane force winds, and when it was all over, snow drifts you could dig tunnels in. This week's ice storm with its big power outage brought back memories of that to me. I'm embarrassed to say that as prepared as I usually am for things, the power outage really took me by surprise. We hardly ever have them, but I still should have more that just flashlights ready. We got rid of our kerosene heaters a few years ago. I can't use them on a regular basis because of my allergies, and on one of my frequent purges of belongings, I sold them. I promised Geno I would buy a new one as soon as I could and keep it and some kerosene in the shed-just in case.
I thought back to the big blizzard of my childhood and realized that it wasn't as disruptive to us because of our lifestyle. We used a woodburner to heat the house anyway. We had a propane stove. Some things haven't changed since then, though. I spent a big part of my time that week reading. I think I read 4 or 5 books-I know Little Women was one. The woodburner in our dining room had a metal cover over it that had doors on either side. I would sit in a chair with one of the doors open and my feet up on the cover, reading as long as the light lasted in a day. On Wednesday, after we did school, Jack and I got under the fifty covers on my bed and each read our own book. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that Jack didn't complain much about no TV or WII. He was unhappy about the cold, but he kept busy. He read and played.
He was not without his sarcastic comments. We had gone out briefly to a neighbor's; and when we pulled into the garage, he said, "Back to the house of the dead." I should note that by that time, our phone service was also out; and since I usually charge my cell phone at night, I really didn't have that either. The house must have seemed very quiet and dead to him without the almost constant ringing of one or both of the phones.
In spite of our current snowstorm, I am grateful that at least we still have power; and I have a nice warm house with lights and heat. Take care and keep warm.

Ice storm

I was all ready to complain about the ice storm and all of the problems it caused me, but somehow I can't. Last evening when we were on our way home from trying in vain to find a kerosene heater, even my Eeyore husband noted how beautiful everything was covered in ice. This morning I took these pictures, but they really don't do the scenes' justice. When I was outside this morning, the hymn For the Beauty of the Earth kept running through my head. Here are the first and last verses of it:

For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thyself, best gift divine, To our race so freely given,

For that great, great love of Thine, Peace on earth and joy in heaven

Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.

Amen.

My little girl Junior

Here's my sweet little girl Junior. Let me explain the name. Until November of '05, we had the greatest dog in the world, Bubba. He was a Great Dane/Lab mix-120lbs of pure love. I had him from '95 until we had to have him put down in '05. He was 13-old for either breed. He was deaf, was almost blind, and had arthritis. It was a difficult decision to make, but after seeing him come in from the cold one day, not able to use his back legs, I knew we had go ahead and put him to sleep. It was awful for all of us, but honestly I think it was hardest on me. He had been my companion when I would be home alone in those years before the boy came along. I worked at home, and I would talk to him when I was frustrated. He was a footstool for my short legs under the table when I was working. I absolutely loved him. Since his death, whenever we'd talk about gettting another dog, my son insisted that we call the next dog, Bubba, Jr. When I finally was able to bring myself to start looking for a dog, I decided to get a female Great Dane. I was able to talk the boy out of the Bubba part, but we compromised on Junior. So I have a female dog named Junior whom I call Junie. She is an awesome little girl, but I can't quite forget my Bubba so for now she's the second greatest dog ever.

Martin Cothran's take on Obama's Gay marriage remarks

Obama trying his hand at Biblical interpretation
I thought this was interesting. I wasn't aware that the book of Romans was obscure.

Winter Blahs

I have really suffered this year from the winter blahs. I live with two "eeyore's." I love them both but about this time of year, they can drive me a little nuts. I've also had some extra stress this year. I branched out in my business in October. I contract to the government for the services I provide, and long story short, I wasn't paid for anything I'd done until last week. I have two employees to pay for these services, rent, utilities, etc. so it's been a little stressful. I've also been sick and had a problem employee with whom I've been struggling. There are a few other things that have happened as well. All of this has added up to me feeling pretty blah. I wouldn't classify it as depression because I don't think it's risen to that level and I don't think it's been chemically related. I realized something last week though, and before I say it, I want to be clear about something. I believe that depression is a real disease that has physical causes. I don't think that the disease of depression is caused by not trusting God or having enough faith. I realized though last week that my "blahs"were worsened by something I wasn't doing-looking to Christ and all He's done for me. How I came to that conclusion will either make you laugh or think I do need medication: I listened to the VeggieTales Easter CD. When I listened to the CD which is full of Easter songs, I was reminded of what Christ did for me on the cross and of the miracle of his Resurrection and uplifted by that. I realized that I need to remind myself of His love for me and all that He's done for me when I get down like I've been recently. Somehow, when you know that your Redeemer Lives, it makes it difficult to stay down.

Confessions

Preface:
I haven't blogged here for quite some time, but I'd thought I'd start again. I have blogged a bit on myspace over the last year and thought I'd post one I did about a year ago on there since it is in the spirit of Lent.

Confession
Confession has been on my mind lately. Of course, it is Lent so I guess it is appropriate for it to be on my mind, but I seem to be reminded of it in all kinds of little ways. We had a meeting at church last Sunday of all the people who are involved in the worship service to try to reorganize the service. We were given a basic frame for the service for each week and part of that frame was a time for corporate confession. This is not something we have done as part of the weekly service so we spent a lot of time focusing on this part to determine how we should do this. My church is a non-denominational church, but we have mostly a Mennonite/Amish heritage. Almost everyone in the church is either ex-Amish, descended from ex-Amish or a spouse to one of the above. What's interesting is the diversity of backgrounds of the spouses. I grew up going to an Independent Fundamental Baptist church (I consider myself a "recovering fundie," but that's for another blog.), but I have Seventh Day Adventist and Episcopalian in my background as well. My pastor's wife grew up Lutheran. She shared a confession used in the Lutheran church. We also looked up some confessional prayers in prayer books that my pastor had.
On Monday, with this fresh in my mind, I opened Jack's Latin book to the new lesson and what was the practical Latin phrase for the week? Mea culpa-my fault. The origin for this saying is the Confiteor or confession portion of the Latin mass. The whole phrase is "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa"-through my own fault, through my own fault, through my own most grievous fault. The worshippers were to strike their chest with each mea culpa.
On a less classical note, I saw a sign in front of a church today-"If you mess up, 'fess up."
So there it is, confession is on my mind and in front of my eyes wherever I look these days. I saw the movie Amazing Grace, and it was very good. One line stood out for me. John Newton, the former slave trader and author of the hymn Amazing Grace is talking to his protege, William Wilberforce. He says, "I am sure of two things, I am a great sinner..."
People don't like to admit that they are great sinners. True, I haven't trafficked 20,000 men and women like Newton did, but I am a great sinner nonetheless. It is human nature to justify sin-Adam and Eve started passing the buck in the garden, but we seem to have taken it even farther in our times. We have the non-apology apology-"mistakes were made." We have the cult of self-esteem. It will hurt our psyche if we are horrified by our own sin as Newton was by his. One of the things that struck me in reading some on the history of Newton's hymn recently is how many people called the phrase, " a wretch like me" a hyperbole. It is not a hyperbole-compared to God we are all wretches. We need to see ourselves as God sees us and compare ourselves to a Holy God instead of to our neighbor.
For most of my life, I have been a "good girl." To some, my only fault would be that I am boring. I was not a perfect teenager, but most parents would have called me a good kid. I didn't smoke, drink, or do drugs. I got decent grades in school. During my late teens and early twenties, while a lot of my contemporaries were bar hopping and bed hopping, I was not. As a matter of fact, I only have one serious regret from that time period. As an adult, I've done it right. I've been married and faithful to one man for almost 18 years, am active in my church etc. I don't say this to brag, but to make a point. Most people who would look at my life would say I'm a pretty good person, better than most even. They would be wrong.
I have a dark heart. I am as horrified by my own sin as John Newton was by his. One of my sins is my own self righteousness. I sit here with my upright orderly life and look down on those who don't have my orderly upright life with such disdain. "Why do they make such messes of their lives?" I wonder when I should be saying,"There, but for the grace of God, go I." I am way too proud. A few weeks ago I almost ruined an outing with my family because I was too proud to stop and ask directions. I know that is usually a male stereotype, but I have difficulty asking for any type of help due to my pride. Our church elects people for their offices/jobs on an annual basis. My pride is so awful that inevitably when I am not elected to an office, my first thought is that the other person can not possibly do the job as well as I can. This is horrible. I am not the only capable person, but my pride is so great that I delude myself into thinking that I am.
I am also impatient with people. I am a Martha by name and by nature. I sometimes think my parents had the gift of prophecy when they named me. I am a doer and expect others to be doers, too. I am right there with Martha, complaining to God and anyone who will listen-why can't those people keep up? Why don't they just do as I tell them? I also have a sharp tongue, and I've been known to use it particularly when I am impatient. I have hurt people with my sharp tongue.
These are NOT the worst of my sins. The rest are too awful to put into print for the general public. So here I am horrified by my sins. What now? Just sit here and be horrified and know that I can never ever be as holy as God?
Back to the Newton quote: "I know two things. I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior." We do have a great Savior, One who died a horrible death for all our sins. If we believe this and trust in Him as our Savior, we can have forgiveness. This is that Amazing Grace and to this sinner, its sound is very sweet.