Monday, October 29, 2012

Election 2012

Election 2012


 

Super Bowl for Political Junkies

What an exciting time in America’s history! We are about to vote for our next President of the United States of America! This is like the Super Bowl for political junkies like me. Does that describe you? As political junkies, we planned our whole summer around the Primaries, which led up to the opportunity to cast our vote for our Presidential candidate. Then came the back and forth between President Obama and Governor Romney. Daily we watched the political news, fast-forwarding through the day-to-day events just to catch a sound bite or an intelligent assessment given by some expert of the man we chose for our party’s nomination.

 

My husband and I planned “date” nights around the four final debates, and I recorded them so I could watch them a second (and sometimes a third) time. [This is where you insert “she is crazy!”] But I like to make up my own mind. I don’t want to be told that President Obama said this or that Governor Romney seemed this way or that way.

 

A Country Divided

Now there is only seven days left—seven days!—until we elect our next President. As expected tensions are high on both sides, political commercials are flooding our TV programs, junk mail is filling up our mailboxes, and unfortunately, most of our country is divided into two very intolerant groups of people.

 

I’ve been on social media and face-to-face with people who are adamant about not getting along with someone else because of their political association. And it’s on both sides. Republicans and Democrats are disrespectful, condescending, intolerant, and even vicious at times because someone will not be voting for their approved candidate.

 

Historical Facts

One of the things that have always made America strong is our freedom of speech. If you get up and say that the sky is yellow, you will be wrong, but you have the right to say it—and I have the right to disagree with you. But morally, I don’t have the right to hate you because you are a believer of “the yellow sky”.

 

I do however have a right to voice my opinion and try to convince others to be a “blue skyer” instead of a “yellow skyer”. Not by hating them, but by using the facts…facts that I have studied out and learned about, and am a witness to. There is another way to prove my point also, by history. Historically the sky has been blue. Sometimes pink when the sun is setting, sometimes gray when a storm blows in, and sometimes green when a tornado is about to pass, but historically, when the sky is clear it has always been blue.

 

The candidates and their respective minions continually spout off things that they are equipped to do for our country. Back and forth…going to raise taxes on the rich, going to decrease taxes on the poor, going to provide healthcare, going to fix Medicare, going to decrease the budget, going to balance the books..blah..blah..blah..yadda..yadda..yadda.

 

We can’t really believe everything they say, because a lot of it is hypothetical. And we need to realize that they are not running for “King” of the United States, so they will have to play nice with others (the Congress) in order to get anything done.

 

Now that we’ve heard all of the debates, all of the talking points, all of the commercials, and all of the spin, let’s look at the history of the candidates. As I’m writing this I have two editorials on either side of me, respectfully positioned: on my left a Democrat backed paper that we received from the union and on my right a Republican backed paper we received from our church. And although they both claim to be unbiased (they’re just reporting the truth…right…) I’m only going to use the points that each side believes is positive for their candidate.

 

Historically, President Obama has been a lawyer, a Senator, and a President.

  • As of July, he is averaging +0.84% annual job growth in his term

  • He passed the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

  • He passed the Making Home Affordable program

  • He has doubled investments in Pell Grants

  • His stimulus package includes $100 billion for education

  • In May 2012, he said his belief is that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry

  • He is pro-choice


 

Historically, Governor Romney has been a missionary, a businessman, and a Governor.

  • He led Bain & Company out of financial crisis

  • He organized and led the 2002 Olympics to financial success

  • He reformed the state’s health care program when he was governor of Massachusetts

  • He presided over the elimination of a projected $1.2-1.5 billion deficit through a combination of spending cuts, increased fees, and the closure of corporate tax loopholes

  • In 2006, he urged the U.S. Senate to vote in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment

  • He is pro-life


The United States of America

So…chose your president. And whichever man wins, we as Americans, should “unite” behind him. Don’t be a sore loser and take your ball and go home. We don’t have to support his policies, and if he doesn’t keep his promises, the next time we get the opportunity we’ll vote him out. Together we are The United States of America…oh sure we have different parties and different opinions, and different ways of doing things, but that’s what makes us unique. We need to discuss, debate, and argue our beliefs, but at the end, we need to unite. …Don’t allow race, religion, or some commercial to decide your vote, dig out the history of these men and make up your own mind. And play nice…

 

A Voice from the Past

Just to finish, I was reading a small article about the past Presidents and I found an endearing quote from John Adams. In 1800, President Adams, from the unfinished rooms of the nation’s Capitol City, wrote his wife, “Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May not but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”

 

 

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents

What Say You?

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

My faith is the most important aspect of my life. At age twenty-one, I accepted God’s provision for my sin debt and made Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of my life and soul. From that point on, I have never looked back nor have I ever regretted my decision. Jesus is my Redeemer.

 

One of my favorite episodes in the Bible is found in Mark 8. Jesus asked his disciples a very important question--“Who do men say that I am?”

 

The disciples gave various answers, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and some say you are one of the prophets”.

 

Jesus then asked the most important question, “But who do you say that I am?”

 

What a great question! What a great way to make it personal. Jesus is not interested in hearing our theology of –anything--, he wants to know what you think, what you believe.

 

Who do you say Jesus is?

That’s a personal question; one that is answered in your heart—in the deepest part of your being. It’s an answer that, no matter what your words say to others, your answer will be known at the end of time (at the end of your time here on earth).

 

Who do you say Jesus is?

Peter answered the Lord rightly when he said, “Thou art the Christ”. The Bible says he is the Son of God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, The Bright and Morning Star, The Lion of Judah and The Lamb of God; He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He has been given a name above all names, and that all will eventually bow before him. His name is Jesus, the only begotten of the Heavenly Father. He is our Mediator, the Rock of our Salvation, and the propitiation for our sins.

 

Who do you say Jesus is?

Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

 

Who do you say Jesus is?

 

Mark 8:34 says that Jesus called his disciples and the people who were with them together, and said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

 

So what say you? Who do you say Jesus is?

Save Money

 

Back in January 2012, I started a coupon blog to help people save money by using coupons. On that site I have free online printable coupons from RedPlum, SmartSource, Coupons.com and Coupon Network. I also have some of the local matchup deals for the local stores like Schnucks, Target, Wal-Mart and Walgreens. Visit my coupon blog and if you like what you see, please share it with your friends.

CentsibleCouponing

 

There are other ways to save money, too:

Stockpile


You can save money by stocking up every week. When you find items that are on sale, buy two or three instead of just one. I know this can be difficult if your budget is already maxed out, but if you stock up on products that you use all the time when the price is low, you will begin to start a reserve pile.

Make Your Own


Instead of buying pre-packaged, make your own. Make homemade cookies instead of buying boxes of snack cakes. Make pancakes instead of buying the frozen waffles or Pop Tarts. My daughter makes her own cereal instead of buying pre-sweetened cereal for her kids. When you buy pre-packaged you are paying for the package. If you need convenience, then make things ahead of time and freeze them or store them in air-tight containers.

Make Fewer Trips


Make fewer trips to the grocery store. Instead of going shopping every day on the way home from work or extracurricular activities, make a grocery list and get everything at once. Try going shopping every two weeks or longer. You will save time, gas and money.

Make a List


Make a list. I make a list every time I go shopping—sometimes I leave it lying on the counter, but I do make a list. So make a list of everything you need, take it with you to the store, and try to only buy what’s on the list. *leave the kids at home so there are no “extras” placed in the shopping cart.

 

These are just a few of the things that you can do to save money with grocery shopping. Do you have any other ideas you would like to share? Leave your comment below.

Where's The Beef?





Where’s the Beef?


Well, I’m glad you asked. As you can probably guess by the name on my blog, we are a farming family. We live on the same farm where my husband grew up. Raising cattle and kids has been a full time job around here for the past 36 years, in fact today is our wedding anniversary! ♥



For the past four years, we have been marketing our cattle to local customers. If you would like to know more about that aspect of our farm, you can visit our other website >>Enloe Farms Beef<<



Although I didn’t actually grow up in a town, I surely wasn’t a farm girl, but I would say after 36 years I can proudly wear that title. :)



Here are just a few pics of our cattle and our farm.