I don't know if I'm being overly sensitive today or what, but I'm really blown away by all the attention Senator Clinton is getting for her less-than-stellar rendition of our national anthem. I never in a hundred years would have ever thought that I would find myself defending her against Rush Limbaugh, but today I'm going to have to do just that.

And it's not just Rush. Yes, he gleefully opened each hour of the program today by playing the audio from Iowa. As I got into the car at the beginning of Sean Hannity's second hour, I noticed he was opening with it. But I'm sure they were just two of hundreds of conservative pundits across the country getting a kick out of the fact that Mrs. Clinton can't sing. Not a lick. And to be fair, it's probably getting a lot of air time from those not claiming to be conservative at all. I'm sure it will make the late night talk show rounds and get lots of laughs. But that's not the point.

I have several problems with focusing on Mrs. Clinton's lack of musical ability. First and foremost, one's singing voice is completely irrelevant to whether or not one is qualified to run the country. Senator Clinton is trying to be the next President of the United States. I feel so strongly that this would be a disaster for our country that I don't want anything to detract from debating her on the issues. By making fun of her in this incredibly unnecessary way, the image of conservatism is diminished each and every time it's played. We become what she has always accused us of being, mean-spirited, right-wing conspirators engaging in the politics of personal destruction. It pains me to even have to write this down.

I know some of you are thinking that I should lighten up. That it's just funny. I might agree with that if the stakes weren't so high. We can't afford to give Mrs. Clinton ammunition the next time she doesn't want to answer a hard question. By embarassing her in this way, thousands of women across the country will feel the need to take up for her and might be willing to give her a break on something that really matters. She'll be able to fall back on the crutch of being a victim of the right-wing attack machine and avoid facing the hard issues that must be addressed.

Hillary Clinton is on the campaign trail. She is already lying about her record. She's already beating the drum of "if I had known then what I know now, I'd have never voted to get into this mess." We're going to have to hear her bash our President unceasingly for the next two years. We have to focus on her policy, her core beliefs and her plans for the future of this nation.

So Rush, grow up. Don't ever make me defend this woman again. It's just not natural.

We had so much fun this weekend. It was one of those weekends where you just spend bunches of time together, everybody is mostly happy and you get to make lasting impressions in your children of what it means to be family.

Bradley had a birthday party to go to for a couple of hours on Friday night, so we let Bailey pick where we would eat dinner. She chose Shogun, a place that Bradley would never want to go because there is no cheese involved. She was in heaven! Mushrooms, broccoli, shrimp, noodles... all her favorites. At first she was very nervous about the fire, but our cook warmed her up with his personality pretty quick and then she had a ball, even commenting that she would like to come back in the morning for breakfast. Not a pretty thought, but I'm glad she was happy.

We had a little bit of time to kill after dinner, so we went to the mall for a quick ride on the carousel. Bryant decided to get it on the fun. He held on so tight! It was really sweet. We're not really sure what he thought, but he didn't cry or try to get away from it at all. He sort of hummed to himself as we went around. They were playing the Wiggles, so I think he was just trying to figure out where Greg, Anthony, Murray and Jeff were hiding.

Yesterday afternoon it pushed into the 50's, so we decided to head out to a nearby park. Unfortunately the sun disappeared by the time we got there, and with the wind blowing it was really cold! Jeff came back home to get some warmer coats, and when he returned, he brought some hot chocolate for the kids and coffee for us. The Abbotts (minus Darlene, who is teaching in Missouri this weekend) joined us for the fun.

I think that these are really the times that my kids will remember. Not because we were doing anything "special" like going to Disney or buying a new toy. But because we were just being, and we were doing it together. This time while they are young is so fleeting, I wouldn't trade these moments for an all-expense-paid trip around the world.

We'll save that for retirement!

If this is not the face of an angel...

Then surely this is...

I did not watch the State of the Union address. It's not because I'm on a TV fast. I just had something else to do last night. But even if I hadn't, I most likely wouldn't have watched. I really don't see the point. The entire thing is just a bunch of pomp and circumstance.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a great deal of respect for G.W. I think that no matter what his failures, he was the right man for the job at the right time. I shudder to think where we'd be had Al Gore been at the wheel these past six years.

I hear that he actually did a pretty good job last night. Much to the surprise of most media pundits, the immediate poll numbers for the speech were somewhat favorable. Of course they were then quick to point out that it's mostly Republicans watching the speech, so you really can't go by those polls. Which begs the question, why do them then? You people are so ridiculous.

Anyway, what makes me not want to watch the speech is 1) I already know everything he is going to say by the time he gets to the speech because it's all been leaked to the media and they've been dishing over it all day, and 2) I can read it online in about 1/10 of the time it takes to watch due to all the gratuitous applause and ovations.

When exactly did the State of the Union turn into this ridiculously childish display of schoolyard politics? I can't answer this, because it's been going on as long as I've been watching. I must admit that I never watched it when Clinton was President because for most of his presidency I was in college and a newlywed and just wasn't paying all that much attention. But I also couldn't stand to look at him, so it would have pained me to have to listen to him fawn all over himself and the great job he'd been doing the past year for an hour. (Which I realize is precisely the way most liberals feel about Bush and why they weren't watching last night either.)

But can we address the whole "we don't like you so we're just going to stay seated, na, na, na, nee, boo boo" mentality? This looks SO RIDICULOUS! Would you PLEASE grow up!? I mean, truly, you look like a bunch of big babies. When did this first get started? Whose idea was it that this would be a really meaningful and powerful display against the President? It is so juvenile.

And while we're at it, do the Republicans really have to stand up and applaud every other sentence fragment? That is almost just as annoying. Let's applaud the President out of respect when he gets up to the mic. Then let's make a rule that you only get to stand up and clap at three predetermined intervals. They should all get a marked-up copy of the speech on arrival that has the appropriate clapping times highlighted. Would that really be so much less contrived than what goes on now? At least maybe we could shave a little bit of time and save the President from those awkward moments where he thinks people are going to clap and they don't so there's just a slightly too long pause, which then throws off his concentration and makes him get that scared look which we wish was endearing but somehow just isn't.

Perhaps it's time to go back to radio. Maybe if our esteemed members of Congress weren't so preoccupied with how they look on TV they might actually pay attention to the speech instead of just watching Pelosi for cues on which posture to take and making sure they are sitting with their best side to the camera.

There are times that it really scares me how much power these people have. If they would start to act like grown-ups instead of whiny, selfish pre-pubescents, things might actually get accomplished to help make this incredible country of ours even better.

Good job, George. You've still got supporters out here, no matter how lonely it must feel from where you stand. You're coming up on the home stretch. Please finish strong.

Okay, this is an open letter of apology to my friends.

Forgive me for EVER having worried that you would support me in my break from TV. I have been so blessed by talking to several of you over the past couple of days, and now know that it would have been much simpler if I'd just done this in the beginning instead of needlessly worrying about how it would make you feel. I did not give any of you the credit you deserve and I have learned my lesson. God has blessed my life with you, dear friends. I am so inspired by you.

As Darlene and I were discussing tonight, we're trying so hard to teach our kids first-time obedience. I think this may be what my Father is trying to teach me. That, and to believe Him and not the deceiver.

I love you guys. Thanks for being a part of my life.

So long, Jack

I'm turning off the TV for a while. I'm not sure for how long, and quite honestly I'm hoping to be back before the end of the season.

Why am I doing this? I can only tell you that I'm feeling convicted that this is what I need to do. I have actually felt this for several months and chosen to interpret God's calling in ways that still let me watch my shows. I'm feeling like I can't do that anymore.

I am scared to do this. I'm scared that my friends are going to think I'm a weirdo. I'm afraid of not having any input when the girls get together and start talking TV. I'm afraid of making them feel awkward around me, or feel like I'm judging them for watching the shows that I really want to be watching.

Friends, please believe me that this is not the case. I see this as a very personal conviction and I don't in any way think that this is something God is calling everyone to do. I don't think that it is a sin to watch 24. But for me, I feel like at times I've become more passionate about what Jack Bauer is doing to save the world than what Christ has already done. I just need to reshift my focus for a little while.

I hope it doesn't sound like I see this as any great sacrifice for the faith, nor do I consider myself a TV martyr. There are so many people around the world making real, true sacrifices for Jesus, that to suggest this compares to anything important is ridiculous. Right now I just feel like God has something he wants to teach me, and I'm more afraid of missing whatever that is than I am of missing Prison Break.

Do I want to know what's happening on my shows? Yes. So I will still enjoy hearing my friends discuss it. Please don't feel weird around me. What has kept me from being obedient up until now is the fear of what you will think. Satan is a deceiver and he has used this lie to keep me from doing what God is telling me for far too long. In my heart I know that we are bound to each other in friendship by the blood of Christ and not the epic saga of Jack, Kate and Sawyer.

But I will miss them. :)

Who says computer geeks can't be gorgeous?

What, exactly, does Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., have to do with the war in Iraq? I have just watched exerpts of a speech given by Dr. Otis Moss at the Ebenezer Baptist Church today in celebration of Martin Luther King. I'm totally disgusted.

Why do people get to hijack the memory of a man who has been dead for decades and attach whatever Bush-hating propaganda happens to be popular that day? Last year it was all about Katrina. Of course we all know that President Bush personally asked God to aim the hurricanes at New Orleans and be sure and wipe out as many black people as possible. That should just be obvious. So it's easy to see how MLK would have supported the idea. After all, he was black.

But today's argument was so moronic and nonsensical, I just hope that the Reverand wasn't listening. Dr. Moss actually said that we should bring our boys home from Iraq and get to work on universal healthcare. I just don't even know where to begin with this. Do these people pay ANY attention to what's happening in the world? It's unfathomable that they do.

Why not take today to celebrate the fact that Dr. King led the way to racial equality in our country, theoretical as it may be. The fact that I have to explain to my almost 8-year-old that in the past white people and black people didn't get along too well should be a testament to how far we've come. Unless someone had told him that he wouldn't have been able to be friends with his black companions long ago, this thought wouldn't have crossed his mind.

Why not honor his memory instead of degrading it with sheer liberal craziness? Can we assume that Dr. King would have hated George Bush? I think absolutely not. They shared a common faith, in God, life and liberty. I wholeheartedly disagree that because he was a black leader he would be in support of the modern day liberal agenda. I'm certain that MLK would have wanted to smack Jesse Jackson around just as much as I do for continuing to fuel the fires of racism rather than working to eradicate them. The Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons of the country do so much harm when they show up with their rent-a-mobs every time they think there's a news story where they can play the race card. If they would just shut up, maybe some real progress could be made. Wishful thinking, I know. But after all, I can have a dream too.

My baby started walking this weekend. We got down the push toy from the attic and put it in his playroom. Brad picked him up and put his hands on the handle bar and he was off! This is all he wants to do now, just walk back and forth across the room. When he runs into an obstacle he yells and shakes it until he can manage to turn a little bit or gets some help from his brother and sister. It's just so cute.

This morning he let go of my hands and reached for Jeff, and in the process took about one and a half steps all by himself. It won't be long now. I can't believe how fast he's growing up.

The puzzle is complete. Life has resumed. Man, I have a lot of laundry to do.

I'm completely paralyzed from all activity right now until I finish a jigsaw puzzle that is consuming the better part of my dining room table. I always do this when I have a puzzle, which is why I almost never do them. But I saw this really cool "Lost" jigsaw puzzle over Christmas when Bailey was picking out a new puzzle, and thought it would be fun. Oh. My. Gosh. This thing is so hard and it has taken an inordinate amount of my time since I started last Friday. It's truly absurd. Fun, but absurd.

Bryant got tubes this morning. They told us to be there at 8, but when we got there we found out the surgery wasn't until 9. That seems reasonable for a 9-month-old who isn't allowed to eat or drink until after the procedure. He did AMAZINGLY well, considering not getting to eat and being totally ready for a nap by the time they got to him. He woke up extremely agitated, though, and was pretty much inconsolable until I got him home and in his own bed. He slept for a couple of hours, and seems to be doing well now. I gave him a bottle a few minutes ago and I'm waiting to see if he gets nauseous before giving him any solids. Considering he's found the bottle and is sucking air, I think he's hungry, so I better get to that.

All I have to say about the President's speech is can anyone possibly imagine Bill Clinton making that speech? Just hearing him accept total blame for the failures over there, whether that's a true representation or not, makes me remember why I voted for him. He knows what it means to be a leader. Bill never accepted responsibility for anything, which is just one of the reasons why I think he was a lousy president. But considering that it would take me a while to follow that rabbit and the fact that Bryant looks like he's trying to eat the carpet, I guess I'll save it for another day.

We took down our Christmas decorations this weekend. I'm amazed at how I have the exact same thought progression each and every year. As soon as November arrives, I start getting psyched up to get everything down out of the attic and I just can't wait to have all of the decorations in place. We usually start decorating the inside of the house the weekend before Thanksgiving and continue throughout the week, finishing up the weekend of Thanksgiving putting up the outdoor lights.

Every year when I get finished, I think to myself, "I love this so much. I'm never going to want to take them down." And I think that all the way up through Christmas.

Once Christmas is over, for whatever weird reason, I can't wait to get them down. I never take them down until after New Year's, but once January 1 gets here, it's a literal obsession to get everything away and back up in the attic. I really can't figure this out.

As I was coming home tonight, I noticed that virtually everyone in the neighborhood that was holding out until this weekend to take down their lights has done so. But there's this one house down the street that still has them up. I can understand that. Perhaps they've been out of town or had to work on the weekends or whatever. I realize ladders are involved and it's kind of a big deal to take them down. But do you have to turn them on? It just looks really weird. Move on already. Christmas was two weeks ago.

And then I think, why do I care if somebody still has their lights on? If they still want their house decked out until Martin Luther King's birthday, what business is it of mine? What does this really have to do with Christmas anyway? Could I possibly ramble any more in this post?

Tonight I discovered that Starbucks has a coffee and cream liqueur and that Macaroni Grille has a delightful little drink where they mix it with amaretto. It's really quite yummy. Clearly I shouldn't have consumed the whole thing.

Happy Birthday, Debo. :)

Earlier today I came up with a list of liberal talking points in response to a comment on a previous post. Since then, I've been thinking of what might be the list of conservative talking points. Perhaps something like this, just to name a few:

#1 - Liberals hate America.
#2 - Liberals are stupid.
#3 - Liberals are touchy-feely.
#4 - Liberals are gay.
#5 - Liberals want to be defeated in Iraq.
#6 - Liberals want to dissolve the United States military all together.
#7 - Liberals want to remove any notion of God from our society.
#8 - Liberals want to completely redistribute the wealth of our nation so that we are all monetarily equal (and poor.)
#9 - Liberals are, if not communists, at least socialists.

In doing this, I realize that as much as I hate being put into a conservative box and know that it's neither fair nor accurate, it is equally wrong to do the same to my political opposition. In truth, I think that what drives MOST people of liberal tendencies is that they genuinely want the world to be a better place, so they act out of what feels good and helpful versus what makes good common sense. This is primarily because true liberalism fails to take into account human nature and the nature of evil in the world. Those who want to acheive world peace by reasoning with terrorists have no concept of their all-consuming hatred for us that will not change no matter what we might say or acquiesce to them. In wanting to help the poor and underpriveleged by giving them more and more entitlement programs, there is no understanding of how that keeps them enslaved to their own lack of productivity.

A few years ago, I think I was mostly identified by my political persuasions. I don't want this to be the case anymore. I don't want people to think of me first as a Republican or a conservative, although if I have to check a box that is the political party that I most identify with, assuredly. Rather, I want to be identified first and foremost as a child of God, someone whose first desire is to share the love of Jesus with those that I come in contact with. I'm asking those of you who are my friends to hold me accountable to this.

Especially as Decision 2008 heats up.

UPDATE: Please click the link to Jane Anne's blog for an insightful look at this topic. Well put, my friend!

Okay, for those of you that watched the Outback Bowl from home and wondered what the heck happened, here's a tiny bit of insight from an attendee...

The thing that didn't come through on television was that Penn State had this game won from before the coin toss. When we arrived, Jeff, his sister and brother-in-law and I all found our seats in the upper deck. They were GREAT seats, even though they were high, and we were surrounded by fans from both teams. We were all set for a fun game.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the stadium began to get really tense as the Penn State fans started shouting, "WE ARE," answered by "PENN STATE," over and over and over and over again. I must tell you that it was intimidating. Truly.

What was the most frustrating was that Tennessee had nothing to come back at them with. A few people tried, but it was mostly lame things like answering their "We Are" with "Yankees," or "drunk," or other various cusswords. Totally uninspring.

This one jerk stood up behind us and started yelling, "WE CAN. SPELL. WE CAN. ADD. WE CAN MULTIPLY." And as much as it pissed everybody off, (Even I thought about spelling some choice words for the guy) we had nothing to come back at them with that would really make a difference.

Every single offensive play of a Tennessee drive was drowned out by crowd yells that are usually reserved for punts and kick-offs. It was unbelievable. I felt so sorry for our guys on the field, because they were frantically raising their arms trying to get some inspiration from their fans. I fear that we failed them miserably.

So do I think that the fans were the only reason we lost? No. Our guys were playing as if it was the first game of the season. But honestly the play was pretty unimpressive on both sides of the field. It just wasn't a very good game.

But sadly, I do feel that the lack of unified support from the stands was definitely a contributing factor to the boys in orange not being able to get any confidence going. It felt like they never got over their nervousness, and I think that a large part of that unsettled feeling came from the overwhelming noise coming out of the Penn State folks.

So I know that those of you watching on TV were wondering why Tennessee performed so miserably after a pretty great season. I think this has a lot to do with it. Hopefully somebody can come up with a way to get the Volunteers unified so that this doesn't happen to us again. It was NO fun losing to those guys. They were so arrogant and cocky that it felt like losing to the Gators. But at least when that happens it's all in the family.

Now I know why my dad and Jeff's dad have always hated Penn State. Here's to next year.

Today I was all set to blog about the Outback Bowl. I have much to say about it since I have a perspective of having been there that I think is different from the one that came through on TV. (For those of you who don't know, that's the bowl where Tennessee lost to Penn State 20 - 10.) I still have plans to blog about this, because I know there are at least two of you who will care, but it's going to have to wait. I had an experience this morning that I feel I must share.

My parents got me a new Bible for Christmas. It was something I had asked them for, because I've been using Jeff's NIV study Bible for the last several months and had decided that I liked it better than mine. When my dad gave it to me, he told me that he had learned from a man that used to sell Bibles that the first thing you need to do when you get a new Bible is go through and flip a few pages and crease it down the middle, then skip a few more pages and crease, and so on until you've done it to the whole book. This is supposed to help prevent cracking of the spine or something like that.

I hadn't done it yet, so this morning before I opened up my Bible study book I decided to go through and crease. What happened then has stayed with me all day. As I flipped through the pages, going from Genesis to Revelation, I got this amazing picture of the word of God. Glancing at the headings, I saw so many of the familiar stories that I've known since childhood, mixed in with the law that was so important to the Israelites during their stay in the desert. I read David's amazing psalm of praise in 1 Chronicles and just had a moment with God there.

I flipped through the prophets and realized that so much of what they were talking about is incredibly relevant now. I've always just sort of skipped over those books, but as I was flipping through Ezekiel I was reminded of the prophecies dealing with Russia and Iran and Israel, which led me to a different kind of praying.

Then I got to Jesus, his birth, life, death and amazing love for me. I had to give thanks for this most amazing gift that has defined my life. For whether I am acting from my spirit or my flesh at whatever particular moment, I know that I am sealed by that grace and love. And it makes me want to share that love and grow to know Him more and more.

After that comes Peter and Paul and the works of the early Saints. How amazing that a church that began with just a handful of men and women spread all the way to Rome in just a matter of decades. And just glancing at the headings makes it obvious that the issues the earliest Christians dealt with haven't changed all that much today.

And finally I got to Revelation, and the promises that what we see here isn't all there is. I know that one day Jesus is coming back and it will be a glorious day. Hallelujia!

Anyway, I'm sharing this because what started out as an exercise in preservation of a physical book turned into a precious act of worship. I think it would be a cool thing for anyone to do, whether they have a new Bible or not. You may experience the same thing.

Can I just say that I love my God? Happy New Year, friends.

On Tuesday night we did our annual Christmas with the Abbotts. Except this year instead of having a nice dinner and leisurely enjoying each other's company for the night, we were able to squeeze it in between 7:30 and 9:00 on a school night. Life has changed. We all acknowledge that we are far too busy to enjoy the season, but who is able to actually do anything about it? But I digress...

So this year instead of toys, I found these great purple bath towels and had the girls' names embroidered on in lime green in this really cool font to match their bathroom. This seemed like a great idea at the time of purchase. See, there is a store that I love down here called Polka Dots where I buy lots of gifts for myself and others. Unfortunately, the owner told me that she may have to close unless she has a really good Christmas. So I was trying to do my part by buying as many gifts there as I could. Hence the monogrammed bath towels.

Now Darlene has done an incredible job of teaching her girls how to react when they open a present that may not completely thrill their soul. McKenzie will always act like it's the best thing she's ever opened and will try to come up with something special to say about it. So when they opened their towels, it was pretty hard for me to tell what she really thought. Sweet Riley Grace, on the other hand, just sat there looking at it with an almost puzzled look on her face. It was at this moment that it occurred to me that 8 and 5 year old girls don't really get excited about bath towels for Christmas.

Meanwhile, my son opens up his super cool exo-force lego robot and grabs McKenzie to run off to his room and start putting it together. Bailey opens up her Polly Pockets Limosene, and because I have done such a fine job of raising her, says (with a slight tone of disgust) "I already have this one."

Because I'm embarassed by her reaction, I lean down and do the Mommy whisper, "That is not what you say when someone gives you a gift. Do you understand me?! You say, 'Thank you very much,' no matter whether you have it already or not."

So Bailey starts crying because she's embarassed that I got on to her. So I say, "You know what, Bailey? If you already have this one, it's no big deal to take it back and swap it."

Moment of truth for Riley Grace: "Sure, Bailey, you can swap it with me!"

You have to love the honesty of kids. Merry Christmas to you and yours. :)

I apologize for the long blogging hiatus. I realize that this has been hard for those millions of you who can't get through your day without checking in to see if I've had any words of wisdom, so I'll try not to be gone so long again. Thanks for your patience.

Last week was a week from hell. Every day, either I or one or more of my children were at the doctor for one ailment or another. Bryant had 3 shots, Bradley had spacers put in and I had a CT Scan. Those are the highlights.

As for my ringing ear, since my CT scan showed crystal clear sinus cavaties, the ENT is now going to test me for a couple of inner ear issues, one of them being Meniere's Disease. He reduced me to 2000 mg of sodium per day and told me to cut out caffeine and stress. I'm working on the caffeine.

So, what to blog about on my first day back? How about this:

What does a picture of Dennis Haysbert have to do with Senator Barack Obama, Democrat, Illinois? I think a lot. Because Dennis Haysbert is best known for his role on the hit show 24 as first Senator and then President David Palmer.

Now, I know that the ABC show Commander in Chief, starring Geena Davis, was a trial balloon to see how the country would react to a woman president, clearly in hopes of preparing us for a President Hillary Clinton. Well, for whatever reason, the show bombed. And things aren't looking too bright for Senator Clinton's presidential aspirations either.

However, the new rising star of the Democrat party is this man, Senator Barack Hussein Obama. He is extremely well-spoken, obviously intelligent, and just seemingly a pleasant guy to be around. Democrats are swooning over his potential, and I've heard more than one Republican show some interest in him as well.

My theory is that 24 did for the country unintentionally what Commander in Chief attempted but failed to do, get us ready for the first non-white male president. Look at the similarities: both are attractive, charismatic African-American family men with two kids, both senators (and senators normally do not become president - the last one was JFK in 1960. And for another wild hare - if TV were real, that would be quite the cooincidence seeing as how they were both assassinated by a sniper. But we all know TV isn't real, even if sometimes our friends have to remind us.)

Where was I? Oh, both democrats, both articulate and comfortable in their own skin. Interestingly, David Palmer was strong on terrorism, something democrats aren't real well known for. So will this be a subliminal message to the country that Obama would be hard on terrorists too?

What makes it even more interesting to me is that 24 is a show loved by conservatives. I'm sure that the hard line against terrorism isn't all that appealing to a liberal democrat. So if Obama does get the Democratic nod, it will be really interesting to see how many Republicans jump on the bandwagon.

Sadly, I feel that Mr. Obama is just another liberal. Consider the statement he made last week when he was asked if he thought some people wouldn't vote for him because of his race. His answer was yes, he thought that there surely were people who wouldn't vote for him because of his race. But then he added that those are probably the same people who wouldn't vote for him because of his politics. Translation: Republicans are racist, Liberal talking point #13.

Be prepared, because once Christmas is over, the 2008 race to the presidency will be underway. It's going to get ugly out there. While my stomach doesn't lurch and convulse at the thought of President Obama quite as much as it does at the sound of having to say President Clinton again (or would it be President Rodham?) I still shudder to think about the course of our country under a liberal commander in chief. Mr. Obama would be a formidable opponent for any candidate.

Let's pray that a strong conservative steps up to the plate. Soon.

Have we mentioned that this is our accident-waiting-to-happen child?

Apparently these things don't just happen to the First Lady.

For the past couple of days, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what's going on right now in our country and the world. I'm so disturbed by this ridiculous Iraq Study Group report and the ever-increasing consensus among Americans that defeat in Iraq is inevitable and our only hope is to try and cut our losses and get out of there as soon as we can. I'm amazed that so many people in this country don't seem to understand what's going on. I can actually understand why average Americans, going about their daily business, not really paying attention to the news, wouldn't want to go to war with Iran. I get that. But people in Washington who are in a position to make decisions that affect the course of our nation's future - what is going on up there? My mind is literally blown, and yet numb at the same time.

The only conclusion that I can reach is that we are a nation beset by spiritual blindness. The reason that we seem to be abandoning Israel is because it was foretold that we would do so. The Bible clearly predicts that she will be alone in the end. I've always found it so hard to imagine the US not sticking by her, but isn't that exactly what Mr. Baker is proposing in this report? What exactly is he expecting to accomplish by having Israel give up the Golan Heights? Are we honestly assigning blame to Israel over the situation in Iraq? Last I checked, they aren't involved. And how interesting that Mr. Baker doesn't want to invite Israel to the regional conference. That is scary, scary stuff.

As usual, Joel Rosenberg discussed this quite eloquently this morning, so I highly recommend clicking on the link to his blog and reading his observations.

What is the most disturbing to me of anything is that this "defeat" in Iraq was caused by Americans. We have defeated ourselves. If our national media hadn't done everything that it could to turn Americans against our efforts there, had reported all of the positive things such as schools, power lines, water and electricity reaching places it hadn't been for decades, if ever, the fact that Iraqi citizens don't want us to leave and are terrified of what will happen if we do, along with many other things they could have been reporting instead of the death count that they are always so eager to update, we would be in a completely different place right now. So many people in this country have seemingly forgotten what happened here on 9/11, not realizing that it is precisely our military efforts at home and abroad that have kept another attack from coming our way. So many politicians have used Iraq as an issue to be won rather than a very real war that we are engaged in. They should be held accountable for doing everything they can to divide this country rather than fight our real enemies.

On Tuesday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the West that any nation who tries in any way to stop Iran's pursuit of a nuclear program will be considered hostile, and that Iran would "reconsider its relations" with that country. Subtle threat? I think not.

If I sound hopeless, I'm sorry for the downer. It would definitely be easier not to pay attention to what is going on out there. But Ahmadinejad is gaining encouragement on a daily basis from the wacked out policy coming out of this nation and those of our allies. One exception is that of John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia. That guy is amazing. I wish he would remind GW and Tony Blair that it's okay to talk tough and be tough when dealing with your enemies. Any concession will be seen as weakness. Consider how the animal kingdom deals with weakness. Does a cheetah avoid the struggling gazelle because it feels sorry for it? Does it appreciate that the gazelle just wants to get along? Or does it go in for the ruthless kill?

Our radical Islamic enemies will only be satisfied when everyone on the face of the planet either converts to Islam or dies. They really don't have a preference. They are totally invested in our defeat. And sadly, it appears, so are we.