It's another Friday night. After I got home from work Yvette and the kids, minus Stephanie who was at an FCA thing at school, went out and had supper at Firehouse subs. Then we went and played Ingress for a bit in the area. I do enjoy the game. I have been thinking more about what to write here and it keeps coming back to the same things over and over. This has been a long hard week with work and right now I am just feeling mentally exhausted. Then at dinner Sam pointed out, oh so helpfully, that I am growing "Old hair." Yes, I am starting to find some gray hairs in this head of mine. Aren't those supposed to be "Wisdom highlights" or something like that?
I don't feel any wiser as yet. Tomorrow will be the first saturday in quite some time that we do not have to be up bright and early and off to do something first thing in the morning. That will be nice for a change.
Earlier, and almost every night this week, I have had thoughts about what I should write, and how I could post more, but now it all leaves my mind. I just feel tired so I think I will sign off for the evening. Thank you for reading, and as always, i welcome feedback and ideas for more writing.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sunday night
This makes night two in a row of posting here.
I think tonight will likely be a short post.
Tomorrow is the start of a new week.
I think for tonight I will simply post a prayer for the coming week.
Lord, our Father in heaven.
Lord Tonight I pray first to simply thank you for the blessings seen and unseen you have poured out on our family and myself. Lord I thank you for the gift of your son Jesus, and Lord I want to just give you Glory.
Lord I ask for the forgiveness of the sins of the day and the past week, and I thank you for that forgiveness. Father I ask that you give me the wisdom and the desire to seek your will and your direction. I ask Lord that you help me to be the best Husband, Father, Employee and man that I can be.
Lord I pray for your blessings and protection for Yvette, Stephanie, Joseph, Samuel, and Jenna. I ray Lord that you will guide their hearts, minds and actions to glorify you. I pray Lord for their safety as they go to school and that their minds will be open to learning. I pray for Yvette and I that you will bless us and our marriage. And Lord Finally I ask that you would give wisdom to our leaders, National and local, that they will seek your will and that by doing so will bring your blessing to our country.
Father I pray that my heart would be open to you and Lord that I would learn to listen first to you, and then to those around me. that Lord I would, as your Word says, be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Lord I come to you in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen
I think tonight will likely be a short post.
Tomorrow is the start of a new week.
I think for tonight I will simply post a prayer for the coming week.
Lord, our Father in heaven.
Lord Tonight I pray first to simply thank you for the blessings seen and unseen you have poured out on our family and myself. Lord I thank you for the gift of your son Jesus, and Lord I want to just give you Glory.
Lord I ask for the forgiveness of the sins of the day and the past week, and I thank you for that forgiveness. Father I ask that you give me the wisdom and the desire to seek your will and your direction. I ask Lord that you help me to be the best Husband, Father, Employee and man that I can be.
Lord I pray for your blessings and protection for Yvette, Stephanie, Joseph, Samuel, and Jenna. I ray Lord that you will guide their hearts, minds and actions to glorify you. I pray Lord for their safety as they go to school and that their minds will be open to learning. I pray for Yvette and I that you will bless us and our marriage. And Lord Finally I ask that you would give wisdom to our leaders, National and local, that they will seek your will and that by doing so will bring your blessing to our country.
Father I pray that my heart would be open to you and Lord that I would learn to listen first to you, and then to those around me. that Lord I would, as your Word says, be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Lord I come to you in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Writing
Welcome back anyone who may read this.
I have been trying to get myself into the mood to write for sometime and try to come up with something to write about.
So far, I don't seem to come up with much, or everything I try to sit down and think about writing about just fizzles when it comes down to actually putting the thoughts to paper so to speak.
So I may just ramble a bit in stream-of-consciousness mode for a bit and see what falls out.
It's 2014, and the year is flying by already. This year will be my 16th Anniversary, my oldest's 15th birthday, and 16 years on the job at M3 Accounting + Analytics. We ahve started a new Men's bible study at church on Sunday evenings, "Dare to be Uncommon" by Tony Dungy. I am looking forward to it and to the growth and the time spent with the men of the church.
There are so many things I could try to right about, Freedom, the state of our country and world, my family, my faith and beliefs. Maybe I should post the "nuggets" of fan-fic I have written set in Star trek.
I just don't know at the moment.
What do you, my faithful and not so faithful readers want to see and read?
Let me know in the comments or email.
I have been trying to get myself into the mood to write for sometime and try to come up with something to write about.
So far, I don't seem to come up with much, or everything I try to sit down and think about writing about just fizzles when it comes down to actually putting the thoughts to paper so to speak.
So I may just ramble a bit in stream-of-consciousness mode for a bit and see what falls out.
It's 2014, and the year is flying by already. This year will be my 16th Anniversary, my oldest's 15th birthday, and 16 years on the job at M3 Accounting + Analytics. We ahve started a new Men's bible study at church on Sunday evenings, "Dare to be Uncommon" by Tony Dungy. I am looking forward to it and to the growth and the time spent with the men of the church.
There are so many things I could try to right about, Freedom, the state of our country and world, my family, my faith and beliefs. Maybe I should post the "nuggets" of fan-fic I have written set in Star trek.
I just don't know at the moment.
What do you, my faithful and not so faithful readers want to see and read?
Let me know in the comments or email.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Random Thoughts
Here is another post. Wow two days in a row!
Today is my birthday, or was my birthday. Its evening and I have had a good day. Turning 40 isn't terrible after all. I had a nice quiet day. I was up early to get the kids off to school, then got back home and crawled back into bed for a little more sleep and some serious cuddle time with Yvette. I love you hun! Then around noon we finally got ourselves into gear and went and had lunch at Chik-fil-a where we ran into my sister and one of her friends. From there it was off to the pet store for dog food and then Home depot. We pretty much finalized the floor, I just have to go back, pay for and pick the flooring and then let it acclimate in our house for 3 days or so. Then they will come and install it. We will have Laminate floors in the living room, Merry Christmas hun!
Tomorrow is the first Full day of work I since before Christmas, and it is going to be a bear getting back into the swing of things, though I think Yvette is ready to have the house to herself again for the day. Then on Monday Classes start up. The next 8 weeks are going to be hard. I haven;t tried to take 3 classes at once before and it is the final three classes before I can graduate. I will finally have a Degree. Of course at that point I also have to start paying back the student loans. I am a little worried about the work load this imposes, but I want to do well. It is going to be a long 8 weeks I am sure.
Once school finishes I hope to have time to get back into some photography at a hobby level. I haven't really had time to play with it for the past couple of years with school and I miss it.
I never thought I'd be trying to finish a degree when I turned 40. I think now that I wish I had stayed with school and not gone off and quit like I did. I don't recommend taking the 15 year break, or is 16 years? Either way its better to stick with it. That has been hard even this time around. The temptation and desire to just slack off has been hard to fight sometimes. I know its going to be especially bad this time around since there is so much to do.
I don't feel 40, if that makes sense. In many ways I still see myself as my early 20s or so, though I guess I didn't feel like an adult till I got married. Other times I am reminded I am not as young as I used to be. I pop and snap in the joints a lot more, I can tell my skin isn't the same texture, and I have a teenage daughter. I look back at pictures and see how much my face has changed and aged. Then add to that the cashiers at the grocery store keep looking younger and younger.
I guess I have probably bored you enough, that is if you read this entire rambling entry. If I am inspired I will try to write again tomorrow.
Good night and God Bless.
Today is my birthday, or was my birthday. Its evening and I have had a good day. Turning 40 isn't terrible after all. I had a nice quiet day. I was up early to get the kids off to school, then got back home and crawled back into bed for a little more sleep and some serious cuddle time with Yvette. I love you hun! Then around noon we finally got ourselves into gear and went and had lunch at Chik-fil-a where we ran into my sister and one of her friends. From there it was off to the pet store for dog food and then Home depot. We pretty much finalized the floor, I just have to go back, pay for and pick the flooring and then let it acclimate in our house for 3 days or so. Then they will come and install it. We will have Laminate floors in the living room, Merry Christmas hun!
Tomorrow is the first Full day of work I since before Christmas, and it is going to be a bear getting back into the swing of things, though I think Yvette is ready to have the house to herself again for the day. Then on Monday Classes start up. The next 8 weeks are going to be hard. I haven;t tried to take 3 classes at once before and it is the final three classes before I can graduate. I will finally have a Degree. Of course at that point I also have to start paying back the student loans. I am a little worried about the work load this imposes, but I want to do well. It is going to be a long 8 weeks I am sure.
Once school finishes I hope to have time to get back into some photography at a hobby level. I haven't really had time to play with it for the past couple of years with school and I miss it.
I never thought I'd be trying to finish a degree when I turned 40. I think now that I wish I had stayed with school and not gone off and quit like I did. I don't recommend taking the 15 year break, or is 16 years? Either way its better to stick with it. That has been hard even this time around. The temptation and desire to just slack off has been hard to fight sometimes. I know its going to be especially bad this time around since there is so much to do.
I don't feel 40, if that makes sense. In many ways I still see myself as my early 20s or so, though I guess I didn't feel like an adult till I got married. Other times I am reminded I am not as young as I used to be. I pop and snap in the joints a lot more, I can tell my skin isn't the same texture, and I have a teenage daughter. I look back at pictures and see how much my face has changed and aged. Then add to that the cashiers at the grocery store keep looking younger and younger.
I guess I have probably bored you enough, that is if you read this entire rambling entry. If I am inspired I will try to write again tomorrow.
Good night and God Bless.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
40? and other stuff
Well, its the start of a new year. Not only that but tomorrow is my 40th Birthday. The kids go back to school tomorrow, but I have one more day off of work. No real plans aside from taking down the Christmas tree and other decorations and then Dinner with the family at Chedders *yum*. I am not sure what all to write about this evening. I don't want to write about the fiscal cliff or politics or I will just make myself angry. I am not sure I want to do a retrospective about last year, or the last 39. I think I just want to take it easy, and relax. I am not sure I will stay up till midnight to ring in my birthday, though maybe I should since I don't have to be at work. I will be up early though to get the kids off to school. I may take a few moments to cycle through the Ingress portals on that side of town though. I need to keep up with them better as I let my links and field decay. I did manage to make it to level 4 today which is good. Now I need to get some recruit codes so I can get some help and push the local portals higher. Fortunately the Enlightened presence seems weak around here so far.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Freedom part 2
I have been thinking about this post for awhile, and I am sure have posted something similar before. But it occurs to me that there is a misunderstanding about Freedom, liberty and The American Dream, or Ideals.
It is often said, that freedom isn't free. Most often we use this to talk of the sacrifice and service or the members of the Armed Forces. And yes, that is part of the meaning, but it is not the whole meaning. Liberty and freedom are dangerous.
To be free means that one is able to make choices, and some of those choices are poor choices. It means the right to take a risk and the responsibility to accept failure and its consequences. The political 'right' in this country refers often to this right and its attendant responsibility. Freedom without responsibility is not Liberty, but is License, which boils down to the giving into one's animal instincts, to live according to the whims and desires of the body and its urges and have someone else clean up the mess. that is not freedom, it is slavery, slavery to the body of flesh. This is the freedom that the current 'Left' in this country espouses. It is a very seductive call, the desire to have a life of ease where every whim is indulged in, every carnal desire explored and every worry handled by someone else. Who hasn't at some point wanted that? The problem is that it soon enough a person finds they are trapped by those desires and controlled by those who take care of all the worries.
On the other hand True Freedom, True Liberty is founded not on the wallowing in all pleasures and desires, but the freedom to seek out the best way to better oneself or those around a person. The greatest freedom is found in Christ, through the Relationship with Jesus. Apart from that there is no freedom.
The question I think comes down to this, what is the greatest good, Safety or Liberty?
I say Liberty is the greatest good.
We can find true liberty and freedom in Christ and not only that but A properly restrained government can be a minimal impediment on liberty. On the other hand we can never be guaranteed safety. A lesson that was brought to our attention forcefully in Newtown CT this past month. A civil society must balance the Liberty of the individual against the Liberty of other individuals and the smooth functioning of society. The more people there are the more delicate that balance becomes as conflict naturally arises between even the best intentioned of people.
I think that the rules that are necessary can be argued endlessly and the line necessary between Liberty and the State will move some back and forth as times, people, and circumstances change. But in all things we should seek to maximize Liberty as much as possible.
What are the most basic principles of Liberty? I believe the core principles are as follows.
1) The Freedom of religion. The right to believe, or not believe and follow the tenets of that belief in ALL aspects of life.
2) The Freedom of Speech, or perhaps more accurately the freedom to communicate.
3) The Freedom to enjoy the fruits of one's own labor.
4) The Freedom to defend one's self and ones family and property against illegal and immoral taking. This ties into the the right to the fruits of one's own labor.
5) The Freedom to Live. This perhaps is the most fundamental. We are unique creations of The Lord. There is no right to destroy that which The Lord has given life.
Of course, these freedoms, These rights also come with a responsibility. When used wrongly and abused these freedoms cause harm to those around us. The freedoms are not a license to do anything that comes to mind.
Thank you for bearing with me. I know I can ramble at times in my writing.
It is often said, that freedom isn't free. Most often we use this to talk of the sacrifice and service or the members of the Armed Forces. And yes, that is part of the meaning, but it is not the whole meaning. Liberty and freedom are dangerous.
To be free means that one is able to make choices, and some of those choices are poor choices. It means the right to take a risk and the responsibility to accept failure and its consequences. The political 'right' in this country refers often to this right and its attendant responsibility. Freedom without responsibility is not Liberty, but is License, which boils down to the giving into one's animal instincts, to live according to the whims and desires of the body and its urges and have someone else clean up the mess. that is not freedom, it is slavery, slavery to the body of flesh. This is the freedom that the current 'Left' in this country espouses. It is a very seductive call, the desire to have a life of ease where every whim is indulged in, every carnal desire explored and every worry handled by someone else. Who hasn't at some point wanted that? The problem is that it soon enough a person finds they are trapped by those desires and controlled by those who take care of all the worries.
On the other hand True Freedom, True Liberty is founded not on the wallowing in all pleasures and desires, but the freedom to seek out the best way to better oneself or those around a person. The greatest freedom is found in Christ, through the Relationship with Jesus. Apart from that there is no freedom.
The question I think comes down to this, what is the greatest good, Safety or Liberty?
I say Liberty is the greatest good.
We can find true liberty and freedom in Christ and not only that but A properly restrained government can be a minimal impediment on liberty. On the other hand we can never be guaranteed safety. A lesson that was brought to our attention forcefully in Newtown CT this past month. A civil society must balance the Liberty of the individual against the Liberty of other individuals and the smooth functioning of society. The more people there are the more delicate that balance becomes as conflict naturally arises between even the best intentioned of people.
I think that the rules that are necessary can be argued endlessly and the line necessary between Liberty and the State will move some back and forth as times, people, and circumstances change. But in all things we should seek to maximize Liberty as much as possible.
What are the most basic principles of Liberty? I believe the core principles are as follows.
1) The Freedom of religion. The right to believe, or not believe and follow the tenets of that belief in ALL aspects of life.
2) The Freedom of Speech, or perhaps more accurately the freedom to communicate.
3) The Freedom to enjoy the fruits of one's own labor.
4) The Freedom to defend one's self and ones family and property against illegal and immoral taking. This ties into the the right to the fruits of one's own labor.
5) The Freedom to Live. This perhaps is the most fundamental. We are unique creations of The Lord. There is no right to destroy that which The Lord has given life.
Of course, these freedoms, These rights also come with a responsibility. When used wrongly and abused these freedoms cause harm to those around us. The freedoms are not a license to do anything that comes to mind.
Thank you for bearing with me. I know I can ramble at times in my writing.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
The day the world changed
Today, around the world, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the day that truly changed the world like no other day in history. No other day will change the world in a similar way until the day He returns. The magnitude of what Christ has done is lost on us. I don't think that we can truly comprehend it.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Recovery
I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support and most especially thank my wife Yvette for taking care of me and being a wonderful strong woman who has shouldered having to deal with not only an immobile husband, but the entire care of kids and home all at once. You are a strong woman Yvette and I love you and appreciate everything you do and have done for our family and for me.
It isn't easy for me to be cooped up in bed like this. I independent by nature and having to get help for almost everything isn't easy. I know we will all be glad when I am mobile again and can take up my normal routine. The hardest part in some ways is that it is my right ankle so I can't drive anywhere till it heals up.
It isn't easy, but we will get through this and we will be stronger afterward. The Lord never gives us more than we can handle. And when we do reach our limit, he is there to pick us up and carry us.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Freedom
I have had this bouncing around in my head now for a couple of days, but haven't had the time to put it down.
i posted the thought to Twitter(@jraypatten) and Facebook today.
"Freedom isn't free, or cheap or safe, but it is worth the price."
There has been a lot in the news lately about freedom. Part of it is inevitable, the country is in an election cycle. A lot has revolved around the controversy over the mandate on contraceptive coverage. The right is claiming a freedom of religion issue, and the left a women's health and "Freedom of choice" issue. But I am not really ready to address that particular aspect. Instead I want to take on a more basic look.
The issue I have been thinking of is this. One multiple occasions I have listened on his show as he debates with someone who says that our treatment of the prisoners at Guantanamo does not rise to the level of torture and even if it did it is justified given the stakes involved.
Here is the problem with that argument. We can have a truly spirited and merited debate about whether or not the interrogation methods used are torture or not. I do not know.
If they are, then they should NOT be used.
Sean's argument back is that If he were holding YOUR family captive or you KNEW your family would die if the information were not wrangled from him wouldn't you support doing anything, no matter what, to get that information out?
The answer for many of us is "Yes, of course." But, that does not make it right. Two wrongs do not equal a right.
Sean makes a good point about the constitution being for a limited government.
Why? Why does the constitution limit government? Not because the constitution grants us rights, but because those rights are ours as a condition of being Human. We are endowed by our Creator, the Lord most High, with those rights and no Government, no person, and no entity outside of God himself has the right to forcefully infringe on those rights.
What this means is that we do not have the justification to use torture, or to indefinitely hold people or take other steps that go around the constitution and the rights that are spelled out within it.
This goes Doubly true for American citizens and the Patriot Act, the NDAA and other related laws unconstitutionally infringe on these rights.
the truth of the matter is that we can either have a Free society, or a apparently safe society. But there is no true safety. Reducing the danger from foreign terrorists, or even domestic ones, comes at a price. that price is making EVERYONE a suspect. We must decide if we want a free society or a society where our own government has decided that its own population is the enemy.
Our freedom has a price, and that price is the fact that we may be hurt or killed for our freedom and in the exercise of it. That is why the tree of liberty is watered by patriots. It does not necessarily mean that we are dying in a war to protect ourselves or defend ourselves, but that freedom carries a risk simply by exercising it. I hope that my children learn this lesson. I want to protect them, I want them to live long and full lives, but their lives cannot be full if they are wrapped up in plastic bubble-wrap. and locked away for their 'protection.'
Freedom is precious, and as with all precious things it is expensive. We must be willing to pay the price.
i posted the thought to Twitter(@jraypatten) and Facebook today.
"Freedom isn't free, or cheap or safe, but it is worth the price."
There has been a lot in the news lately about freedom. Part of it is inevitable, the country is in an election cycle. A lot has revolved around the controversy over the mandate on contraceptive coverage. The right is claiming a freedom of religion issue, and the left a women's health and "Freedom of choice" issue. But I am not really ready to address that particular aspect. Instead I want to take on a more basic look.
The issue I have been thinking of is this. One multiple occasions I have listened on his show as he debates with someone who says that our treatment of the prisoners at Guantanamo does not rise to the level of torture and even if it did it is justified given the stakes involved.
Here is the problem with that argument. We can have a truly spirited and merited debate about whether or not the interrogation methods used are torture or not. I do not know.
If they are, then they should NOT be used.
Sean's argument back is that If he were holding YOUR family captive or you KNEW your family would die if the information were not wrangled from him wouldn't you support doing anything, no matter what, to get that information out?
The answer for many of us is "Yes, of course." But, that does not make it right. Two wrongs do not equal a right.
Sean makes a good point about the constitution being for a limited government.
Why? Why does the constitution limit government? Not because the constitution grants us rights, but because those rights are ours as a condition of being Human. We are endowed by our Creator, the Lord most High, with those rights and no Government, no person, and no entity outside of God himself has the right to forcefully infringe on those rights.
What this means is that we do not have the justification to use torture, or to indefinitely hold people or take other steps that go around the constitution and the rights that are spelled out within it.
This goes Doubly true for American citizens and the Patriot Act, the NDAA and other related laws unconstitutionally infringe on these rights.
the truth of the matter is that we can either have a Free society, or a apparently safe society. But there is no true safety. Reducing the danger from foreign terrorists, or even domestic ones, comes at a price. that price is making EVERYONE a suspect. We must decide if we want a free society or a society where our own government has decided that its own population is the enemy.
Our freedom has a price, and that price is the fact that we may be hurt or killed for our freedom and in the exercise of it. That is why the tree of liberty is watered by patriots. It does not necessarily mean that we are dying in a war to protect ourselves or defend ourselves, but that freedom carries a risk simply by exercising it. I hope that my children learn this lesson. I want to protect them, I want them to live long and full lives, but their lives cannot be full if they are wrapped up in plastic bubble-wrap. and locked away for their 'protection.'
Freedom is precious, and as with all precious things it is expensive. We must be willing to pay the price.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Mid-week thoughts
This may be another rambling post, so bear with me.
Yesterday was, of course, Super Tuesday. Gingrich won Georgia, and Romney took 6 out of the ten states, but barely pulled the win in Ohio. I iwll admit that Romney is not my favored candidate. I just don't get a good vibe from him and I feel like he is too much of a technocrat. He believes that if he just assembles the correct experts in Washington than they can come up with a plan to fix things. Santorum suffers from this as well I think, though he is a big government compassionate conservative. He really has the right ideas on many social issues, but I don't think he is as committed to the reduction of the size and scope of government in our lives. From that stand point, I think It is Probably Ron Paul who has the best position, but for one, as I ahve mentioned, his foreign policy is dangerously isolationist. Additionally he is so far over on the libertarian side he will alienate members of both parties and not be able to achieve much. Neither party will co-operate with him.
The biggest issue with Gingrich is that he carries a lot of personal history and bad feelings inside the beltway. I am beginning to think it is Going to be Romney as the Republican Nominee and hopefully President if he gets the Nomination.
Of course the signature issue, for the republicans, is to get the Current Health care law overturned. There is some question as to whether Romney would really be committed to it or not because of his implementation of a similar program in Massachusetts. That I cannot speak to for certainty, but he has on many occasions laid out the reasoning why it is acceptable at a state level and not the Federal level.
A friend has stated to me that the energy in politics is better spent making a difference at a personal level then investing all of one's energy into politics and pinning hopes on the ability of one man to change the course of the nation. it is a good point, and the most important thing we can do is to model Christ to those around us and bring others to a knowledge of him and his love and incredible gift. We should also strive to minister to the needs of those around us. As an institution the church has abdicated its role as the caregiver for the poor, the downtrodden and those in need. When the church moved away from that role the government moved in and as a result the country is on a path to bankruptcy and collapse that it may already be too late to reverse. the problem is that to fix the problem requires the government to step back and cut the benefits and payouts it makes. Millions will suffer when this happens and the Church is NOT prepared to step in and take over the role. Onerous regulations only exacerbate the problem by making it almost impossible for a private organization to step in. In the political silly season, do not forget to reach out to those in need around you. Follow Christ's example and serve.
Yesterday was, of course, Super Tuesday. Gingrich won Georgia, and Romney took 6 out of the ten states, but barely pulled the win in Ohio. I iwll admit that Romney is not my favored candidate. I just don't get a good vibe from him and I feel like he is too much of a technocrat. He believes that if he just assembles the correct experts in Washington than they can come up with a plan to fix things. Santorum suffers from this as well I think, though he is a big government compassionate conservative. He really has the right ideas on many social issues, but I don't think he is as committed to the reduction of the size and scope of government in our lives. From that stand point, I think It is Probably Ron Paul who has the best position, but for one, as I ahve mentioned, his foreign policy is dangerously isolationist. Additionally he is so far over on the libertarian side he will alienate members of both parties and not be able to achieve much. Neither party will co-operate with him.
The biggest issue with Gingrich is that he carries a lot of personal history and bad feelings inside the beltway. I am beginning to think it is Going to be Romney as the Republican Nominee and hopefully President if he gets the Nomination.
Of course the signature issue, for the republicans, is to get the Current Health care law overturned. There is some question as to whether Romney would really be committed to it or not because of his implementation of a similar program in Massachusetts. That I cannot speak to for certainty, but he has on many occasions laid out the reasoning why it is acceptable at a state level and not the Federal level.
A friend has stated to me that the energy in politics is better spent making a difference at a personal level then investing all of one's energy into politics and pinning hopes on the ability of one man to change the course of the nation. it is a good point, and the most important thing we can do is to model Christ to those around us and bring others to a knowledge of him and his love and incredible gift. We should also strive to minister to the needs of those around us. As an institution the church has abdicated its role as the caregiver for the poor, the downtrodden and those in need. When the church moved away from that role the government moved in and as a result the country is on a path to bankruptcy and collapse that it may already be too late to reverse. the problem is that to fix the problem requires the government to step back and cut the benefits and payouts it makes. Millions will suffer when this happens and the Church is NOT prepared to step in and take over the role. Onerous regulations only exacerbate the problem by making it almost impossible for a private organization to step in. In the political silly season, do not forget to reach out to those in need around you. Follow Christ's example and serve.
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