Feel Good Friday 02/26/10

It's Feel Good Friday!!! Brenda, I love you. I hope you had a good birthday. You mean the world to me.

Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do

I truly try to not write about religion. Politics = Yes. Religion = No!! I suppose because I don't care what people believe when it comes to different religions. If you want to worship a tree that isn't going to effect my life. If you want to go to church on Sunday, that isn't going to effect my life. However, your politics may very well effect my life. Thus, I care what people think regarding politics. This post though is going to be about religion.
I just finished reading an article by John Avlon called Praying for Obama's Death. We have Christians (I am using that term VERY loosely at this moment!) that believe it is their duty to pray for the death of President Obama. Even at my worst, when I could not stand the thought of President George W. Bush for one more day, I did not pray for his death. I did pray for him to go back to his ranch in Texas!
From the article:
"Praying for President Obama’s death has become a sick cottage industry for some evangelicals on the lunatic fringe. Bumper stickers, T-shirts, and teddy bears are sold with the wholesome-sounding slogan “Pray for Obama” but tagged with the more troublesome “Psalm 109:8”—which reads “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership” followed by “May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.” "

Avlon interviewed two preachers ,Wiley Drake from California and Arizona’s Steven L. Anderson.
"With the death of Democratic Congressman John Murtha after gallbladder surgery last week, Drake declared that God had again listened to his imprecatory prayers. Drake’s Presidents’ Day weekend prayer hit-list reproduced Judicial Watch’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” list for 2009, without attribution and aiming for something well beyond indictment. The list includes Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Ensign, Representative Barney Frank, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Attorney General Eric Holder, Nancy Pelosi and, of course, President Obama. “We have listed here only a few of those that we are praying for,” wrote Wiley, “first for their salvation in Jesus, and if they continue to deny God and do unrighteous things to our country we then agree with God that He take them out.” “Take them out”—not words usually attributed to the Bible."

At this point, I must wonder if the government should list Drake as a Co-Conspirator for the murder of Murtha. Hmmm??
This is the drivel that Avlon had to endure from Andersen:
“I hate Barack Obama. You say, well, you just mean you don’t like what he stands for. No, I hate the person. Oh, you mean you just don’t like his policies. No, I hate him … I am not going to pray for his good. I am going to pray that he dies and goes to Hell.”

Some how, I just don't picture Jesus screaming about hate. Not even on the cross did Jesus spew this hate and venom. No, according to Luke 23:34 he said "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Some how, I think that message will apply here.

Please read the full article here Praying for Obama's Death - Page 1 - The Daily Beast

Equality, Feminism, and Diversity

Equality, Feminism, and Diversity are 3 topics that can make usually sane people sound like they have gone bonkers (bonkers = technical term for losing your mind for no damn good reason, not to be mistaken as slur toward people that are truly mental ill). On a quick side note, I really get annoyed by the politically correct speech police!!
Back on topic with my 3 topics. What is that makes people so emotional over these issues? In a word, Power. Someone has it and doesn't want to relenquish it. Someone does not have it and wants it. And it is here, along these lines that people with good intentions lose their way.
If you want a minority to have a job position or be accepted into a school based on either gender or race, then I think you have lost focus. Is it truly so bad to want to achieve something soley on your merit?
I do not want any person denied an opporotunity simply based on race or gender, but at the same time I think you should not recieve one based on race or gender either.
It is a very very basic principle.
Should I have to rush one of my children to the Emergency Room, I want them to have the best doctor possible. I do not want them to have the doctor that had less experience, a lower GPA, but happened to be the right color or gender. I also believe if you want a job that has traditionally been done by men, you should go for it! I hope you achieve it. I also hope that you have at least the same qualifications and ablities as your male counterparts.
When my niece was wanting to be a firefighter, 4'11 and maybe 120, I told her that's wonderful as long as she can lift my big butt out of a burning building! So, my husband worked with her over and over until we knew should could pass the requirements that a man would have to.
You see, to do anything else would be saying "I am not equal. I can't really do this job but give it to me anyway because I am a woman." She just was not going to have that!
Do not hire people just for diversity's sake! It is an insult! Hire people because they are the best qualified!!

Just follow the simple rule of removing gender and race from the selection process and the world will be a better place.

Feel Good Friday 02/12/10 Andy Gibb

Feel Good Friday with Andy Gibb!! Andy Gibb was the youngest of the Gibb brothers. This song was written by all four brothers and went platinum. Mr. Gibb died 5 days after his 30th birthday. His music, looks, and charm have been missed every since.

Alienation of Affection

According to the National Enquire, John Edwards has asked his mistress to marry him.

Knowing that Elizabeth Edwards is an attorney I am HOPING that she has remembered the law regarding alienation of affection. I also hope she files paperwork and subpeonas the "the sex tape", ya know for evidence. As if the child born from this affair isn't enough evidence of it.

As of 2008 there are only six states that recognize the alienation of affection law, they are Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah.
From wiki "At common law, alienation of affections is a tort action brought by a deserted spouse against a third party alleged to be responsible for the failure of the marriage. The defendant in an alienation of affections suit is typically an adulterous spouse's lover, although family members, counselors and therapists or clergy members who have advised a spouse to seek divorce have also been sued for alienation of affections."

In North Carolina it seems the juries really can be generous.
From Rosen Law Firm:
"Even in this decade, the trend of generosity has continued. In August of 2000, a Burke County judge awarded a devastated wife $86,250 for alienation of affection and $15,000 for criminal conversation, totaling $101,250. In May of 2001, in Richmond County, the jury answered the issues of alienation of affection and criminal conversation in favor of the scorned husband and awarded him compensatory damages of $50,000 plus punitive damages of $50,000. Another distraught husband, in Mecklenburg County, received an award of $1.4 million in May, 2001 comprised of $910,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.The jury found the doctor who had had an affair with this man’s wife liable for both alienation of affection and criminal conversation. After an appeal the original award of compensatory damages was reversed, the punitive damages award, however, was upheld."

I really would LOVE to Elizabeth Edwards put this "woman" in court , infront of the world and sue her for every penny she planned on taking from Elizabeth's family!!

Feel Good Friday 02/05/10

Feel Good Friday!!! Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me. I think this song pretty much sums up anything I could say. I hope you all have had people in your lives that have you loved this much. I am very blessed and very, very thankful that I have. You are my strength.

With Love,
Idava

If I Had My Life to Live Over

Perhaps it is because I will be turning 40 this year or perhaps it because of the large amount of death that has surrounded my family this year, either way I found myself working on my "bucket list". The bucket list is quite simply a list of things you want to accomplish, do or see before you die. I realized how much I had done when I was working on this list. Actually I was quite surprised even. Of course there are still things left to be done. One of the accomplishments was going on vacation with my sister and her family. On the list is still running away with my sister for girl's weekend, just Brenda and me. I have gone on vacation with brother and his family. But now, John has his pilot's license so on my list is to go flying with brother as the pilot. Not sure that is what he wants but he will get over it. Perhaps he should put it on his list too!!
While on my adventure to find things to add to my list of things to do before I die I found this article by Erma Bombeck. My Mom used to listen to Erma Bombeck while I was growing up. I can remember being a child and reading her books. I distinctly remember If Life is a Bowl of Cherries What am I doing in the pits? and The Grass is always greener over the septic tank. Mrs.Bombeck was absolutely genius when it came to being married and raising children.

If I Had My Life to Live Over
By Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it, live it, and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who DO love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with.

And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Life is too short to let it pass you by.

We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

I hope you all have a blessed day.