Sadly, I’m too old for the childhood experience of show and tell, but I have a daughter who gave me the experience vicariously. I wish I had an embarrassing story to tell about her, but I don’t and that wouldn’t be the purpose of this blog.

Since 2020, with the intro of covid, I watched our government take our liberties and we gave them up, initially, without even a minor protest. I won’t go over all the talking points as it’s nauseating, but it started with “6 weeks to slow the spread.” And it went on and on. The media were the spokespersons and advocates FOR our stolen liberties as they shamed and canceled and dox’d the rebels. Yet somehow WE didn’t collectively protest in any large forum until November 2021 when parents were told to sit down and shut-up about their kid’s education. Yes, I screamed and yelled at my TV, wrote letters to every elected official too many times to count, encouraged others to do the same, all the while feeling extremely frustrated and impotent up to this moment. What in the world does 1 person do?

Now we’re watching Russia war against Ukraine.  What does that have to do with us? Media. Putin has control over his media. The only info the Russian people are allowed to know about his war against Ukraine is what HE allows the media to disseminate: It’s a “peace-keeping mission, ridding Ukraine of nazification.” That can’t happen here? No? What about: Hillary’s email scandal?, Hillary’s Russia/Trump Collusion LIE?, Hillary spying on a sitting President?, Biden family and foreign money – China, Russia, Ukraine?, Hunter’s laptop?, FBI’s acknowledged involvement in Gretchen Whitmer’s planned kidnapping?, FBI’s acknowledged involvement in January 6? Amazon taking down Parler?  Why did every major social media site along with mainstream media, minus Foxnews and Newsmax, suppress or lie about every single one of those stories?

We are free thinking adults who have the ability to take in information from multiple sources, use our own reasoning, do our research and make our own conclusions – even if they’re wrong. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights GUARANTEES our freedom of speech and thought. If we continue down the path we’re on we WILL be Russia or North Korea or China. What did Nancy Pelosi say to our athletes going to 2022 Olympics in China? “Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless. I know there is a temptation on the part of some to speak out while they are there. I respect that, but I also worry about what the Chinese government might do to their reputations and to their families.” or SHUT-UP. We’re almost there unless we start yelling!

In my first blog, February 3, 2022, I mentioned the view from our front door in the evenings were spectacular. Tonight’s view immediately brought to mine this promise from Christ: “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.” John 14:27.

Enjoy!

I am struggling with the concept and act of forgiveness. There’s not a day in my 61+ years of life that I haven’t consciously known about my God sending His Son, Jesus, to atone for and forgive my sins. I was raised in churches that pounded those doctrines in me for which I am grateful. Looking back, the pounding ended there. Yes! – those doctrines are vital, but there is so much more “Christian” life beyond atonement and forgiveness. Justification. Sanctification. Fruit of the spirit. Saved UNTO works. The EVIDENCES of the calling of the Holy Spirit and Christ’ work IN the heart and soul of God’s child.

And the ever confounding act of forgiveness. SO many catch phrases with that word: “its not for them, it’s for you”; “you’re never more like Christ than when you forgive.” Ugh! Just pile on the guilt please! I know forgiveness is needed, necessary, and commanded. I know I should. So I try. And try. And try. Is that what it looks like? A continuim? I know Christ’ forgiveness is once and for always – but OBVIOUSLY I’m not Christ. He taught us how to pray and in the prayer we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” He says, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Beautiful words! Sounds so easy, and it actually is. I think my problem is I expect a warm-fuzzy to engulf me when I forgive X, and then I remember as Christ was hanging on the cross, betrayed, beaten, bloody, humiliated, stabbed, with his mother watching – can you even? – He says, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” I KNOW there was NO warm-fuzzy feeling as He forgave His murderers. It was simply a fact – He forgave. That’s what He does. That’s what I am to do as God’s child and Christ’s follower.

There’s this idea floating around that you unified NATO. Let’s pull out and unpack that junk drawer. For 2+/- months you and your mouthpieces blurbed on and on “Putin will invade Ukraine ‘any day’.” You met with leaders of various countries including Germany, and if you will remember, Mr. Olaf DIDN’T agree to sanctions against Russia and WOULDN’T send arms to the Ukrainian military. Yes, there were some countries who did agree to sanctions and arms so if you want to take credit for that, dislocate your arm and pat yourself on your back.

Truth is, it wasn’t until AFTER Putin invaded and the world watched the Ukrainian people – including mothers holding their babies take up long guns, and regular citizens build molotov cocktails along with countless other ways – defend THEIR country that Germany, Finland, Sweden, SWITZERLAND, and the remainder of Europe got all IN, and NATO unified.

YOU. DIDN’T.

WE THE PEOPLE KNOW

Jen Psaki: “Here’s what the president looks at. What steps he can take to maximize the impact on President Putin, on the cronies and the oligarchs who have been benefiting from so much corruption in Russia for decades. How he can squeeze the financial system there.

You have heard the President say before standing up for democracy is not without cost. And any instability in the global oil marketplace though is the result of the actions of Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.

The President shares the concern about any impact that gas prices, or energy prices for the American people. That’s why a range of options are still on the table. He already recently tapped into the strategic petroleum reserve just last fall which had an impact.”

I don’t pretend to know how to run a country, but my guess would be to bring in the most qualified people, with PROVEN experience to advise on how best to carry out the vision of that administration. And that word – VISION – is the starting point. If Ole joe had been honest about the vision he would be dictating on day one I don’t think he would have won’t the election…even given the anti-Trump votes. The heart of Americans – the TRUE majority – do not want what joe is dictating.

The loudest voices are rarely the majority, and that is now. The only cries to NOT restart our oil production that ended with joe are only coming from joe’s spokespersons. Ms Psaki stated there are 9000 sites that COULD pump oil but choose not to. Deceptive. The number is correct, the reason is not. They’re not pumping oil because of the exorbitant, cost prohibitive regulations that were exacted on day 1 of joe’s reign. Deflect. Half-truths may as well be lies – the outcome is the same.

I think there is a word that has permeated our lives since 2019: HYPOCRISY. It applies here also. For joe to lecture ANYONE on corruption, oligarchs, cronies after his family continues to make bank via his son, who still has financial holdings in a Chinese Communist Bank – after joe vowed, “My son, my family will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be a conflict, with the appropriate distance from, the presidency and the government.” Deflect to deceive.

#WE THE PEOPLE KNOW

I am not a conspiracy theorist. They’re just too complicated for my pea brain. However… Think about this… Hunter Biden – yes, I’m going there…

1) child Biden made roughly $83,333 +/- a month, with a total income $2,162,996, between 2016-2018, for just sitting on the board of Burisma Holdings ( Burisma Holdings is an oil and natural gas company owned by Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky.) https://nypost.com/2021/05/26/hunter-bidens-ukraine-salary-was-cut-after-joe-biden-left-office/

2) child Biden received a payment of $3.5 million from Russian Elena Baturina in 2015, widow of Yury Luzhkov, the former mayor of Moscow, with zero explanation.

3) child Biden was paid $3.5 million by MANY Chinese businessmen in intelligence. https://nypost.com/2022/01/27/chinese-elite-have-paid-some-31m-to-hunter-and-the-bidens/

4) child Biden continues to hold assets from his $1.5BILLION deal in Chinese Communist Party Banks.

Russia and China have now solidified their unholy union. Sadly, Russia WILL swallow Ukraine whole and that will give way to China to do the same to Taiwan. As you hear joe boast about unifying NATO and bringing all Europe together don’t be fooled. He has now started a new, MUCH MORE dangerous cold war. What joe has done is bankrupt America’s energy independence, made every street but especially our southern border a killing field, stomped our soul and depressed our nation, and made life financially unbearable while having the EASY and QUICK fix sitting on his desk but refusing to help. Only someone who hates his people would treat them this way.

Biden IS the link between Russia and China against Ukraine. His family sucked what they could from the people of Ukraine and he served them up. We are next.

#WE THE PEOPLE KNOW

Jen Psaki: “Here’s what the president looks at. What steps he can take to maximize the impact on President Putin, on the cronies and the oligarchs who have been benefiting from so much corruption in Russia for decades. How he can squeeze the financial system there.

You have heard the President say before standing up for democracy is not without cost. And any instability in the global oil marketplace though is the result of the actions of Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.

The President shares the concern about any impact that gas prices, or energy prices for the American people. That’s why a range of options are still on the table. He already recently tapped into the strategic petroleum reserve just last fall which had an impact.”

I don’t pretend to know how to run a country, but my guess would be to bring in the most qualified people, with PROVEN experience to advise on how best to carry out the vision of that administration. And that word – VISION – is the starting point. If Ole joe had been honest about the vision he would be dictating on day one I don’t think he would have won’t the election…even given the anti-Trump votes. The heart of Americans – the TRUE majority – do not want what joe is dictating.

The loudest voices are rarely the majority, and that is now. The only cries to NOT restart our oil production that ended with joe are only coming from joe’s spokespersons. Ms Psaki stated there are 9000 sites that COULD pump oil but choose not to. Deceptive. The number is correct, the reason is not. They’re not pumping oil because of the exorbitant, cost prohibitive regulations that were exacted on day 1 of joe’s reign. Deflect. Half-truths may as well be lies – the outcome is the same.

I think there is a word that has permeated our lives since 2019: HYPOCRISY. It applies here also. For joe to lecture ANYONE on corruption, oligarchs, cronies after his family continues to make bank via his son, who still has financial holdings in a Chinese Communist Bank – after joe vowed, “My son, my family will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be a conflict, with the appropriate distance from, the presidency and the government.” Deflect to deceive.

#WE THE PEOPLE KNOW

Watching Putin war on the Ukrainians is infuriating and inspiring. I listened to his hour long rant in which he stated Ukraine USED to belong to the USSR and his feelings were hurt when the USSR fell. Well boo hoo. I have a saying, “used-to-bes don’t count anymore.” I USED to be skinny. I USED to do gymnastics. I USED to not have gray hair. We USED to own a different house, but just because we USED to own it, we can’t just drive up with guns blazing and kick out the current owners. There are some things you simply have to accept. But the fact that Putin is blowing up, infiltrating, killing Ukrainians can be boiled down to pure ego makes it that much more egregious.

What inspires me is watching the non-military Ukrainian citizens fighting the Russian troops with long guns and molotov cocktails. Mamas holding their babies while holding their guns. Assembly lines of Ukrainians making the cocktails. They OWN their country.

I can only pray American citizens who have been freely giving up freedoms to our government without a WHY – lock-downs, masks, school closings, critical race theory, cancel culture, vax passports, allowing private companies subsidized with government money to suppress/censor free speech with mainstream media egging them on – will rethink our Constitutional Bill of Rights and NEVER allow anyone to alter them. If we don’t stop these incursions by our government on our rights we WILL be the Ukrainians soon!

The pic attached to this was taken by a cancer friend, Elsie. We met back in 2010 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was her 3rd separate type cancer diagnosis, my first. We talked, laughed, shared stories, but never cried.

My diagnosis was, as always, a WHAT??? I was 50. My child had just graduated high school, was entering college. Life was humming along. But when my dr said “cancer” it really didn’t scare me as he had a clear-cut plan. My utter belief and trust in the God of the Universe and His sovereignty and providence never left me from the day before my diagnosis and I knew, as Elsie did, no matter the outcome, I was just fine. The tough part was for my husband and kid. Yes, they believe as I do – yet through all the treatments, they could only watch.

I remember telling an “in-law” about my diagnosis and their response was a not so comforting…. “I would DIE”. Thanks, but PLEASE stay away from me while I go through chemo and radiation!!

I am now 12 years out and considered “cured.” I’m thankful to God I had one of the cancers that can be cured, not just put in remission. But sadly, my friend, Elsie, is on her FIFTH – YES, 5TH – type cancer and it’s not going well. Yet Elsie continues to fight as she did with her first. I pray for her continually. I know she will be fine, no matter because we serve the same God.

As a life-long insomniac, I am in awe and envious of anyone/anydog that can simply fall asleep without ritual, and stay asleep. I’m sure 50+/- years ago I was able to, but it’s been so far removed from my experience I have no memory. In college, when I HAD to cram for an exam, or write the term paper ALL NIGHT, it served me well. Also, while readying for my senior recital, i found that it’s a MUCH more creative time to emote on the piano after midnight. I mean, seriously, didn’t Slow Hand, Eric Clapton, sing about, “After Midnight”??? Oops… I digress.

If you’re part of the sleepless you’ll recognize the following:
*melatonin
*valerian root
*benadryl
*nyquil
*tryptophan (Thanksgiving turkey)
*lavender
*chamomile tea

*kava kava
…and the list goes on ….. of things …I DO NOT RECOMMEND BECAUSE OF ALLLLL THE DISCLAIMER REASONS!!!

WHY??? Why am I talking about this? Because my sweet doodle, Bonnie, can konk-out in the most epic ways – AND on a dime. One moment bugging the crap out of us to play…next … OUT!