Bryant is now securely tucked away with my sister and brother-in-law. We've eaten dinner. It's 7:25 p.m.

Let the packing begin.

To the two of you who get an e-mail everytime I post, I'm really sorry for all the updates. But for whatever reason blogging is helping me stay on track and focused (or is it called procrastinate?) so I'm going to keep doing it. And no, this picture wasn't taken today, but I always like posts better with pictures. And he is wearing this shirt today, so it counts.

I'm back home now. What a weird feeling to leave Orlando and be in Nashville before 8:00 in the morning. I realize that's how planes work but it seems odd just the same.

The flight was uneventful. I think I actually slept, although I never felt like I didn't know I was on a plane. You know the feeling where you can hear everything around you but you suddenly realize that your head is hanging down really low and your mouth is open. I'm hoping it wasn't a snore that woke me up, but the guy next to me was wearing an ipod, so it probably didn't matter too much. We landed safely and on time. As Bradley said when we landed last night, "No crashing... nobody got hurt... we're good!"

I'm off to pack. Yikes. Don't worry, though, I'm sure I'll be back!

Mornin'. I'm back at the airport, waiting for my 7:05 a.m. flight back to Nashville. I've been up since 3. Hopefully by the time I get on my 13-hour flight I'll be so sleep-deprived that I won't even need the drugs to crash.

Today will be a very busy one. I should be back in Nashville by 8:00, hopefully back home by 9. I'll pick up Bryant from Mom and Dad's and head home to pack the rest of his stuff. While he's napping I plan to start tackling my own packing job. I have a little anxiety about this. But once I get all my stuff out, I'll realize what I don't have and can hopefully go out and get it this evening.

Bryant will go to my sister tonight, since we have to be at the airport at 6:30 tomorrow morning. I'm thinking we may just stay up all night. Even if I don't try to, that's probably what will end up happening, so I guess I'll just see how it plays out.

I just pulled out my chronological Bible to read today's passage. I'm in Ecclesiastes. It's such a depressing book, and yet occasionally makes me chuckle. Like just now when Solomon said that out of 1000 men you will only find 1 who can be called upright, but not a single woman. Think having 700 wives and 300 concubines made him a little bitter towards the fairer sex?

But the verse that really caught my attention was 7:8, "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride." Wow. I think that's definitely worth meditating on over these next few days of traveling.

I've always known that patience is not one of my stronger points. I've never linked that to pride before. But now that I think about it, it makes complete sense. When I am impatient, it is because something is inconveniencing me. Me, me, me. Like this morning when I went down to the continental breakfast that supposedly started at 5:00 a.m., and it was 5:10, and there was hardly anything out. I had to hunt someone down to get a spoon. Partly because I'd been up a couple of hours, I was very annoyed. But the Lord spoke to me about all the people in Thailand who would gladly eat with their fingers to get anywhere near that continental breakfast bar.

I'm praying that God will change me this week. Make me more patient, a lot more patient. But mostly I pray that my focus will be off of me and on the work He has sent me to do. Everyone says going on a mission trip changes your life. I'm looking forward to it.

We made it to Orlando! My children had so much fun today. It made flying a little bit fun for me, just to watch their excitement. Orlando is having really bad storms right now, and we had to descend through some pretty rough winds, so it was a little bumpy. The flight attendants weren't even able to come through and take trash or anything. As we're shaking all around in the air and I'm holding on to my armrest for dear life and trying to smile for the kids while screaming inside, Bailey says, "Awesome! I want to go through the bumpy part again!" You have to love the complete lack of awareness of her own mortality. For now anyway.

Because of the lightening, they had to stop getting luggage, so it took almost an hour for us to get their bag. But by then we were with MiMi and Poppa G, so it didn't matter. After a delicious dinner at Bennigans (why don't we have this restaurant in Nashville anymore!?) they brought me to my hotel. Now they are on their way to a fun-filled vacation at The Villages. Bailey cried a little bit when they left, which surprised me, but she quickly got engrossed in her Game"girl" and was just fine.

So I'm going to try and get some sleep because the airport shuttle leaves at 5:40 a.m. On a happy note, that's p.m in Thailand. :)

It occurred to me that I've never ever stayed in a hotel room all by myself before. So add that to the list of things I've never done that I'm about to compile over the next two weeks.

One thing down. Bunches more to go. Thanks for praying, friends!

Anxiety. This is what I feel. In about six hours I'll hopefully be on a plane with Brad and Bailey headed towards Orlando. They are so excited they can't stand themselves. I have so much nervous energy that my hair is pumped up to about twice its normal size.

When I went to get Bryant at 6:30, I noticed the kids' doors were open. Their beds were made and they were dressed and downstairs ready to go. No anxiety on their part, just sheer unbridled eagerness. I wish that's how I felt.

Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Peter said, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

I'm working on it, guys.

My dad took Bradley down to Alabama today to visit the farm and check on the cows. Apparently my Uncle Alan thought it would be a good idea to let him drive the 4-Wheeler. Obviously there were no moms or grandmoms around. Which is probably a good thing, because he had a ball. It's time like these where we just need to find out later. Or not.

Wasn't he just a toddler? It's starting to scare me how much he looks like a teenager. I can't believe I'm old enough to have an almost-3rd grader.

Jadie Thomas took some AMAZING pictures of my family this weekend. If you live anywhere near Nashville, you should definitely check her out. www.jadiethomasphotography.com

You can read about our session on her blog under the "About Jadie" section of her website. It's funny!

I just went to Drudge to find a story that I saw reported on News 2 this morning about airport rankings. Apparently, out of 100 nationwide airports, Nashville ranks 7th as the least miserable. This is good news as I will be flying out of here in two days to take my kids to Florida to stay with Jeff's parents while Jeff and I are in Thailand.

The two worst in the nation? Chicago and Detroit. This is not good news, as our early-morning flight to Tokyo on Friday begins with a stop in Chicago. As a cute little tag to her story this morning, Jenna McKee said, "Want some evidence to back this up? One flight to Chicago has already been cancelled this morning, and one flight to Detroit has already been delayed." Normally this wouldn't cause my eyebrows to raise, but it suddenly occurred to me that this could throw a major kink in our travel plans this weekend.

Beginning tomorrow, 108 folks from Brentwood Baptist Church will be attempting to get to Chang Mai, Thailand. If you are a praying sort of person, please lift us up, that God will grant us traveling mercies and that we will have no issues making any of our connectors or getting our luggage. I think this might definitely require divine intervention.

On another note, my trip to Drudge revealed some shocking news. Apparently our friend Ahmadeinejad said yesterday, "With God's help, the countdown button for the destruction of the Zionist regime has been pushed by the hands of the children of Lebanon and Palestine." He's hoping that the currently escalating conflict in Israel is the beginning of the end.

"If you make a mistake and create another war against the oppressed Lebanese nation, this time the angry ocean of the nations of the region will remove your rotten ... roots from the region," the president said in another speech on Sunday night.

And in Russia, Putin stated his intentions to aim their missile systems, potentially containing nuclear weapons, at European targets in retaliation to our decision to establish antimissile bases there in the face of a nuclear threat from Iran. Mr. Putin dismissed this threat as a myth, and claimed that he was being forced into this position by US agression in the area.

Our peaceful years with Russia are over. The arms race has begun to redevelop. The Eastern Hemisphere of our world is literally falling apart before our eyes. Africa is a mess. The Middle East is a ticking time bomb. Russia is vying to become a superpower once again, and they already have plenty of nuclear capability.

Were either of these stories on the news this morning? I just watched GMA's opening segment. Their three big stories are yet another interview with the family of Andrew Speaker, Mr. TB, a discussion of last night's Democratic presidential candidate debate, and the most newsworthy item of all, Paris Hilton going to jail. Yes, the goings on of a sad, sad, socialite whose sole claim to fame is being rich, is more important than some extemely serious threats to our national security. But of course, focusing on national security might accidentally end up leading to another Republican president, and that certainly can't be allowed to happen. Is there any such thing as responsible journalism in this country?

At least the plot to blow up JFK made the news. Somehow.

two more...

fun at the fountains

Today we went to the fountains at Bicentennial Park in downtown Nashville. A mostly-good time was had by all!

It's summer. Three kids. All day. No time to blog.

Things I've overheard this week:

Bradley explaining to Bailey about how when you die and get to Heaven, there's a special machine that checks your heart to see if Jesus is in it. If it doesn't find Jesus, a big hole opens up under your feet and you fall straight through to hell. Not quite doctrinally accurate, but I decided to let it go for now.
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Today Bailey asked me who my grandkids are. I told her that I don't have any because none of them have children yet.

She said, "Yes, I do. I have Bryant."

"Yes, but Bryant came out of my belly, not yours."

This led to a fascinating walk down memory lane about how fat I was when Bryant was in my belly. I said, "You'll understand one day how uncomfortable that is."

Bradley said, "Not me."

"No, but your wife will understand. You'll have to hear her complaining about wanting the baby to come out."

"Yeah. Then I'll have to have surgery to get her to stop having kids."

Sometimes it would be nice if he didn't pick up on EVERYTHING.

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This conversation led to him saying he would let McKenzie have 60 babies if she wanted to -- or whoever he married.

Bailey said, "You aren't going to marry McKenzie??"

"No. She said she didn't want to anymore."

I asked him if this made him sad. He said, "I don't know. She said we could talk about it again when we're old."

Congratulations, Bailey. I am so proud of you!

I can't believe I'm about to have two children in grade school. What has happened to me?

Is it just me, or is this prolonged delay in entering the presidential race bothering anyone else? I understand that he has a full plate, and there are a myriad of things that I don't know, but I wish he would just come out already.

I am psyched about a Fred Thompson run. I think that he would fill a niche that we are currently completely lacking on the Republican side. I think he is funny, charismatic, conservative, and would be an asset to our national security.

That said, this seeming reluctance to enter the race is starting to make him look wishy-washy and indecisive, regardless of how fair that characterization may be. While I don't want someone in the White House who wants it so bad that a loss would completely devastate him and turn him into the raving lunatic that we've all seen Al Gore become, I do want my President to be fully invested in the job.

I sincerely hope he jumps in soon so we can all get on with it. I know the election is still 17 1/2 months away, but in the political realm, it's getting late.

On the other hand, I could have this in my party...


NEW YORK (AP) - Democrat John Edwards Wednesday repudiated the notion that there is a "global war on terror," calling it an ideological doctrine advanced by the Bush administration that has strained American military resources and emboldened terrorists.

In a defense policy speech he planned to deliver at the Council on Foreign Relations, Edwards called the war on terror a "bumper sticker" slogan Bush had used to justify everything from abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison to the invasion of Iraq.

"We need a post-Bush, post-9/11, post-Iraq military that is mission focused on protecting Americans from 21st century threats, not misused for discredited ideological purposes," Edwards said in remarks prepared for delivery. "By framing this as a war, we have walked right into the trap the terrorists have set—that we are engaged in some kind of clash of civilizations and a war on Islam."

Senator Edwards, you are a complete idiot. I can not even believe that this is what you think, you overpaid, narcissistic hypocritical moron.

We already know that the Democratic leadership has been pressing the media to stop using the phrase "global war on terror," or any other form of GWOT. I understand that that keeps what is actually happening in the mindset of the American people, so of course the Democrats don't want that phrase being used.

But to call it a bumper sticker, an ideological doctrine put forth by Bush to justify his policies? Senator Edwards, where have you been the last six years? Are you one of the whackos who believes that we knew 9-11 was going to happen? Do you follow Rosie O'Donnell's theory that we wired the buildings with explosives so that we could justify a war with Iraq to get oil? I so wouldn't be surprised, but it's still causing me a mini-stroke.

Global war on terror. Let's see. Currently terrorists are in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia -- oh my gosh, you're right! I have never heard of any Islamic extremists coming over from Antarctica. Bush is such a liar. I am so ashamed.

War. Yes, I think we can all acknowledge that we are in a war. We are in a fight for our very existence. But that's hard to think about, so it's much better to pretend it isn't happening.

Terror. I know AP isn't allowed to call them terrorists, but that doesn't make it any less accurate. What else to you call randomly blowing up buildings and vehicles with the idea of killing the most civilians possible? Is there a symantic issue here that I am unaware of?

How incredibly sophomoric and irresponsible for Senator Edwards to say that this is a war on Islam. We are at war with a mentality, an ideology that is unfortunately spawned by Islam. We are at war with a mindset that believes to do us harm is the will of Allah. We are fighting a group of people who want to remove any memory of our existence from this planet, a mentality that allows parents to justify allowing their children to strap bombs to their back and blow up buses full of innocent people, because to do so is the only way that they are guaranteed salvation. It is unlike any enemy that we have ever faced. And it is global. They are here.

I don't think Senator Edwards has a snowball's chance in hell of being elected next year. But how different is his rhetoric from the "mainstream" Democratic party? Nancy Pelosi has certainly put forth this sentiment. Harry Reid has already claimed our defeat and is ready to move on. These are the people that Americans put in office.

God help us if they get the White House too.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on with my president? I have delayed in blogging about the current proposed immigration bill because I have been listening in disbelief to what is supposedly in it. I say supposedly, since the thing is something like 750 pages long and unreadable to the average Joe.

But the major point, taking out all the little nuances, is that legal status would be granted to the millions of people who are here illegally. Period. I'm completely baffled by this. Not that Ted Kennedy would think it's a good idea. He's an idiot. But why is George W. not balking at this? I've never understood his ideas when it came to immigration. I don't know if it stems from his geographic origin or his "compassionate conservatism" ideals or what, but it makes no sense.

Why would a president whose number one strength has been national security find it logical or reasonable to grant legal status to millions of people that we know nothing about? Is this amnesty bill supposed to keep millions more from flocking over the border in the future? The very idea is absurd.

What a slap in the face to those people who have come to America through the legal channels and spent years seeking legal citizenship through endless miles of red tape. What a slap in the face to American citizens as a whole, who are already forced to support this largely indigent nation through welfare programs and rising healthcare costs because they treat the emergency room like a walk-in clinic. Illegal immigrants are being offered in-state tuition at some universities, while those legally in this country are penalized for wanting to attend that same university with an out-of-state address.

I am not anti-immigration. But I am anti-illegal immigration. What if this was the way I disciplined my own children? Oh, you broke the rules and ate a popsicle on the living room couch? Must have been a bad rule. I'll just make it not a rule anymore, and then you'll be forgiven for the huge purple stain and sticky woodwork. You want to stay up until midnight on a school night? Sounds reasonable to me. You want to watch Rated R movies? I guess we can work that out, although the therapy for dealing with your post-Freddie Kruger nightmares might get a little expensive. We don't allow our children to break rules because to do so on a consistent basis would lead to chaos and their ultimate harm. Why should we expect anything less to happen to our country?

In his article today in World Net Daily, Pat Buchanan quotes Theodore Roosevelt from a 1915 speech to the Knights of Columbus. Almost 100 years ago, Mr. Roosevelt warned, "The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities."

By offering amnesty to millions of people who are in this country illegally, with absolutely no mention of assimilation into our culture, combined with the constantly-rising demands that their rights be met, we are sending ourselves down a path of destruction. Throughout history, every great society has come to an end, usually by becoming so weak from within that when an outside force attacks, they are powerless to respond accordingly. America is so divided right now on everything from stem cell research to immigration to the war in Iraq. It is not hard to imagine a future where we have torn ourselves into such tiny pieces, that those who seek our harm will only have to cause a small ripple, and it will grow into a tsunami that washes us away into oblivion.

Please, Mr. President, apply the same wisdom and train of thought to this issue that you do to the war on terror. They are not unrelated issues. I've always supported you because I have believed that you thought what you were doing was crucial to the well-being of our nation. What are you thinking now?

I CAN SEE!!!

Yesterday will be marked on my list of best days ever. You might say it will go on my Greatest Hits (for all of you Lost fans out there!) At 3:00 yesterday afternoon, my 20/400 vision, as depicted above, was restored. So amazing.

After 24 years of needing visual correction, and being forced to wear my glasses for almost two weeks, which really weren't all that great to begin with, I couldn't have been more ready for this surgery. When I arrived at Loden Vision Center yesterday, they told me to leave my stuff, including my glasses, with Jeff. I went back to the prep room for what seemed like 20 different sets of eye drops, at least some of which were to dilate my eyes, a valium and the biggest ibuprofin I had ever seen.

After a few minutes, Dr. Loden marked my eyes to give the laser a reference point. I didn't really understand it, but by that point the valium was kicking in so I didn't really care either.

After going back for a few more measurements, they put me in the machine that makes the corneal flap. If you have a weak stomach, you may want to skip a few paragraphs. Dr. Loden inserted a suction cup thing in my eye, then pushed my head under the machine that makes the actual cut. I felt some pretty intense pressure as the machine pushed into my eyeball. It was like when you push on your eye and see those tiny little red dots. It lasted about a minute for each eye, and was probably the most unpleasant part of the whole ordeal.

After he had made my flaps, I walked over to the actual LASIK machine. This was like something out of a sci-fi movie. He inserted a vise-like contraption in my eye to keep it open, and then I was supposed to stare at a blinking red dot as best as I could throughout the procedure. This woman's voice, straight out of Alien, would say, "Procedure 35% complete, approximately 45 seconds remain," and so on, until it was over. Dr. Loden was very encouraging, telling me I was doing great and just reminding me to hold still. It didn't hurt, but the smell was similar to the dentist's drill when you are getting a cavity filled. A very odd sensation, indeed. Once the laser part was over, I could feel him putting the corneal flap back in place with what seemed like tweezers, and then it felt wet, like he was spraying it with saline or something. It was very hard to keep looking at the red light, but I did the best that I could.

After it was over, I laid there for a couple of minutes, and then they had me get up and walk back to the recovery room. I could tell immediately that I could see, but everything was still very hazy and the light was intense. Once in recovery I had a few more rounds of drops, then Dr. Loden checked out my eyes to make sure everything looked good. He gave me his blessing and I was free to leave.

When Jeff came back to get me I was decked out in a blue hairnet, blue footies and some really nice, thick, white-rimmed goggles. My instructions were to wear the goggles until the following morning when Dr. Loden would remove them. I had some eye drops to take every four hours yesterday and 4x a day for the next 5 days. Everything was very sensitive, and my eyes still feel a little bit scratchy, as if there's sand in them, but I can see. I just can't get over it.

We stayed in a hotel room next to the surgical center because it was north of town and about an hour away from our house. Once I got there I climbed straight in bed because the Valium was just knocking me out. I slept for a couple of hours, and Jeff came back and woke me up to see if I was okay and if I wanted dinner. He went out and got us something so I wouldn't have to dine in front of others wearing my classy eyewear. I had to wait until 8:30 to take my second set of drops, and then I was out again for the rest of the night.

This morning I woke up and I could SEE what time it was, and the alarm clock was on Jeff's side of the bed! It was unbelievable. My eyes were still really dilated, so light was still making me hurt, but the discomfort was significantly less than the night before. We went back to the Vision Center for my follow-up, and Dr. Loden said everything looked perfect. I could see 20/20 in my right eye and about 20/25 in my left. He said I was about 85% of what I will be in a few days as far as clarity goes. I just can't wait to see how things are going to look by Friday.

It literally feels like a miracle. I am so thankful that God gave his kids the ability to come up with this amazing procedure, and empowered some very wise people to figure out how to do it. What a blessing it will be to not have to wear contacts or glasses for the next several years until I get old enough to need reading glasses. I don't think my brain is fully wrapped around it yet.

But for today, I'm just going to enjoy the view.

I cannot even believe what I just read. I knew that reality TV was bringing out the worst in us, but never imagined that things could go so low.

Apparently, CBS is just wrapping up a new reality show using 40 children, ages 8-15, and putting them in an abandoned ghost town in New Mexico with no adult supervision. It is supposedly based on Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, one of the most disturbing stories ever written. I watched the movie based on this book that came out several years ago and I was upset about it for weeks. It's one of those premises that I just would have been fine not thinking about.

Now, those of you who watch Lost know that the scenario playing out on this show could be likened to Lord of the Flies. However, there are some major differences. First, it is fiction. Second, it is a story told by actors. Third, 98% of those actors are adults.

Can we even comprehend how depraved it is to send 40 kids to a deserted ghost town and "see what happens"? What kind of parent would allow their 8-yr-old to do such a thing? My son is 8. He's afraid of going upstairs at night by himself. Does no one care that some of these kids could be traumatized for the rest of their lives by the way this thing plays out?

Yes, the kids are going to be allowed to leave whenever they want. (I'm sure there won't be any pressure techniques used to get them to stay.) And, yes, they are going to reward a child at the end of each show. The idea is to see if they can create a functioning society. I get it. I know that there will be tons of adults there doing the filming and whatnot. But if the premise is to be true, then these adults will supposedly not be interfering with what goes on. And since when is leaving your 8-yr-old alone for 40 days with a bunch of kids not considered at least neglect?

Now, personally it wouldn't suprise me if the idea gets trashed, because I think there are still a huge number of people in this country who will be disgusted by this idea. But the point is that someone came up with this and thought it would be a good idea. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this person does not have children. But even more shocking, CBS thought it had legs. They're thinking it's going to be their next breakout reality show. I'm so disgusted by this I physically feel nausea.

CBS, as a general rule, has problems. Their news is laughable. They obviously have issues with decision making. But they did begin the whole reality TV invasion when Survivor was such a hit. Apparently it has gone to their heads. But this... there are just no more words.

Gatlinburg. This is where we spent Mother's Day weekend. It couldn't have been more fun.

A few weeks ago I was really starting to feel down, like there was never enough time for anything and that my kids never seemed to get me at my best. It felt like I was always pushing them aside, saying "not right now," or whatever variation of that fit the situation. I told Jeff that I wanted to just get away by ourselves. Being the amazing man that he is, he booked us a cabin the very next day.

We suddenly realized that we had never gone away as a family all by ourselves. It is something we will most definitely do again. We did whatever the kids wanted to do, playing board and card games, miniature golf, and even eating at -- you guessed it -- McDonald's.

Our cabin was absolutely incredible. Three stories high, located at the top of Ski Mountain Road, even higher than Ober. Thankfully it was built on the side of a very steep cliff, meaning that our lowest balcony was still 40 feet off the ground. I say thankfully, because Saturday morning as we were sitting out on the balcony eating breakfast, we heard a rustling noise in the woods. We looked down and watched as a black bear made his way all the way up to the stilts our cabin was built on. It was amazing. We couldn't have tailor-made a more realistic mountain weekend!
Saturday afternoon, and again on Sunday, we spent a lot of time up at Ober. The kids had a blast riding the Alpine Slide. Bradley was able to ride it himself (that's him coming down the mountain), but Bailey was too young. We had fun taking turns riding it with her. They loved riding the ski lift, but it made me just a little bit nervous!

Brad, Bailey and I also rode the Blue Cyclone water slide. It was a blast! I couldn't believe how fast it went. All three of us screamed all the way down.
Probably the most fun we had all weekend was our Saturday afternoon swim in the hot tub. We kept having to remind Bailey that she was not in a swimming pool. She was swimming like crazy back and forth. Bryant got to sit on the side of the tub and play in the fountain. He was squealing and laughing so hard. I'm sure the owners would have been shocked to see their hot tub used in quite this fashion, but it was a definite memory maker for the Swords kids!

Of all of my Mother's Days, this has been my favorite by far. This is what it is all about, cherishing our time together. Loving each other. Laughing out loud. I'll remember it always.

18,000 Mexicans strip naked for a photo shoot. I'm struggling to find an intellectual discourse on this one.

But seriously, what does this say about the moral decay of society as a whole when thousands of people can stand around naked all day being placed in various poses to be photographed? Did anyone there get a sense that what they were doing was wrong? Or at the very least, uncomfortable? Although I don't think that this could happen in America today, I am quite sure that it is only a matter of time if we continue down the slope we are on. This barely caused a blip on the moral radar. In fact, most people probably thought it was funny, as I did when I first heard it.

Our morality has been so desensitized, that we don't even recognize how things like this must grieve our Father. We just shrug our shoulders and think that's bizarre. The majority of moral outrage we see in this country is towards those who are intolerant. How did things get so upside down?

I know some would say I should lighten up. But that's exactly my point. Haven't we lightened up so much that our sensitivity towards what is right and wrong is so blurred as to almost be completely destroyed?

I will say this, though. If the trend catches on, it should make the job of INS a little bit easier. They sure wouldn't be hard to spot crossing the border like that.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A controversial religious figure who claims he is Jesus Christ incarnate with a following of millions with "666" tattoos on their bodies, filled an amphitheater in Orlando this weekend, and promised joy, peace and prosperity.

I find this story completely fascinating. Not because I think this guy is the antichrist. I think he's just another cult leader. But you have to admit that it is pretty amazing that his followers are tattooing themselves with 666, whether they number in the millions or not. He has been banned from at least 3 countries. He says that he is known as God in at least 30.

I may be wrong, but I never hear of anyone claiming to be Muhammad, or Buddha, or Vishnu, or any other god, for that matter. They're always claiming to be Jesus. You have to wonder why that is. Or not.

For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many.

(Matthew 24:5)

PRAISE GOD!!

Per Abel's multiple scans and tests yesterday, there is NO EVIDENCE of the cancer. Please go to their CaringBridge journal to read more. This is just incredible news.

Abel still has a long way to go towards recovery, and medically his chances of surviving the next 5 years are still only 20-30%. But my God doesn't work on percentages or statistics. He is the Healer, the God who Sees. He is all powerful, and there is nothing He can't do. And He will not be ignored. He is REAL. Praise you, Jesus!

Here's a thought. The racial makeup of the NBA is over 80% black. You do the math.

I just went on Amazon to place an order, and the nonfiction bestseller list caught my eye. This book is the Amazon #2 bestseller right now in nonfiction. I was intrigued, so I read the synopsis. It sounds like it is exactly as the title would lead you to believe, a 300-page book about the evil religion brings into the world.

As my friend Brandon's most recent post brings to light, there are so many people out there struggling with the idea of faith, whether there is a god or not. Many have chosen to believe that there is not, or else why would the world be in the shape it is. I hear the argument often that religion is the cause of almost all war, so how can it be a good thing.

Listen to the reviewers' thoughts:

I think Christopher Hitchens is a national - no, make that Global - treasure, and his newest book here only underscores this. To carry on with my baseball metaphor, when Hitchens stepped up to the plate with this book on religion the bases were already loaded: Vonnegut on third, Sam Harris [Letter to a Christian Nation] on second, and Richard Dawkins [The God Delusion] on first. Hitchens knocks 'em all in with one swing of the bat. He cuts through the BS of religion and "faith" better than anybody. His excellent writing style enlivens and enriches the soul at the same time. What more could a reader want?

I would add that perhaps what motivated Hitchens to write this book and so to "come out" more publicly with his critiques of religion and faith is what has also motivated me: the increasingly publicly-accepted insanity of religion in this, the 21st century. This insanity threatens to bring down all of civilization and, in the case of American fundamentalists in our government with their quivering fingers poised atop the launch buttons of our nuclear weapons, the end of Everything, which religious nut-jobs anticipate with unrestrained glee, so certain they are that they, at least, will be OK in the aftermath. This is just absolutely nuts, and Christopher Hitchens does us all a great service in pointing this out.
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Back in the 1990s, religion in America seemed to be on its last legs. I genuinely believed that the turning of the millennial clock would drive the final stake through its heart. How could anyone continue to believe after yet another postponement of the Second Coming?

Well, here we are almost ten years later, and religion is going stronger than it has in decades despite the advances of science which keep forcing god to hide in ever smaller gaps in our knowledge. Its revival reminds me of the Wizard of Oz story. After Dorothy & friends discover that the Wizard of Oz is really just an old man behind a curtain, they still expect him to work his magic. And so he does. The illusion persists. Which leads me to conclude that most people just want the illusion of an old man in the sky who will make everything right at some indeterminable point in the future.

I am halfway through Hitchens book and enjoying it immensely. One only need consider the past 7 years in the USA to see that Hitchens is right about religion poisoning everything. It's unfortunate that the people who need to read this book the most will flee from it. At least the Net has opened up a lively debate over the value of religion.
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Well, let's see, you either follow a bronze age myth made up over 2,000 years ago or you follow science and progress. The war against religion will continue as long as there are people with knowledge and science. Hitchens book takes us on a literary ride you will always cherish and enjoy makes the case against religion stronger and compliments Dawkins and Harris.

What's intriguing about the first review is the idea that it is becoming more and more acceptable to "come out" against the insanity of religion. I'd say that's an accurate statement. While at the same time, more and more people are turning to God for answers in a world full of fear and seemingly hopeless situations.

But I happen to think that everyone has a religion of one sort or the other. Mine is a belief in Almighty God, the Creator of the world, the Alpha and Omega, the one who has always been and always will be. I believe in a God who created us to be in fellowship with Him, but who doesn't force that fellowship. A God who loved His creation so much, that when they rebelled against Him and made eternity together an impossibility, was willing to sacrifice His most priceless possession, His son Jesus Christ, in order to bring reconciliation to a people who were otherwise doomed.

Everyone believes in something. Christopher Hitchens' religion may be self-worship. It may be the worship of money. Perhaps he has found faith in the ever-increasing religion of global warming. But he believes in something.

Again, this book is #2 on the Amazon bestseller list. There are SO many people out there who are missing it. We are to be the light to them. We are to live in truth, so they will recognize it when they see it. Live authentically. Love fully. Be ready.

Okay, this is hilarious. The thought pattern to get me to this place was completely random, but I had to share what I'd learned. Apparently Anthony and Jeff have been wiggling together for a long time. It seems the Cockroaches were quite the '80s band in Australia.

For those of you with no kids, the Asian guy on top and the guy in the red shirt are Jeff and Anthony from the extremely popular kids' group, The Wiggles (Bryant's personal favorite). I've just learned that they toured together for several years in this rock group. When the band broke up, Anthony enrolled in an early childhood education program, where he became friends with two of the programs' other male students (apparently a rarity, as you might imagine) who just happened to be Greg Page and Murray Cook (the other two Wiggles).

They originally got together to do a music project for school, but soon decided to record a children's album. Anthony called his old buddy Jeff to join them.

And for those of you who care, you now know... the rest of the story.

Who's Your Daddy?

It is now 12 minutes after 7, and GMA has already referenced the George Tenet "bombshell" three times. They've quoted the same two sentences from his book and repeatedly stressed that this is devastating to the administration.

What did Tenet say? “There was never a serious debate that I know of within the administration about the imminence of the Iraqi threat,” Mr. Tenet writes in a devastating judgment that is likely to be debated for many years. Nor, he adds, “was there ever a significant discussion” about the possibility of containing Iraq without an invasion.

What is new here? We've known from the beginning that they believed Iraq was a threat, but they actually made great pains to not use the word "imminent." If I remember correctly, the President's point was that to wait for the threat to be imminent would put our nation in extreme danger, something that still makes complete sense.

Why is it that the facts can so completely be ignored? The fact that it was not just American intelligence indicating that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. The fact that Bill Clinton made almost the exact same statements about Iraq and Saddam, as well as the Democratic members of Congress when Clinton was in power. Virtually everyone in the world believed that Iraq was a huge threat to international security. George W. Bush just happened to be the guy in charge when it was crucial to make a decision about what to do.

"No significant discussion" about containing Iraq without an invasion? What about the 14 UN Resolutions that were passed and summarily ignored by Saddam Hussein? What about the years of UN inspections leading up to the point when Saddam mysteriously kicked them out? The idea that we "rushed to war" is completely overstated.

If you look at the rest of what's in Mr. Tenet's book, it's actually not that devastating at all, which is why the media will focus on these two supposedly new revelations, a move from their playbook that gets rehearsed every single time someone close to the administration decides to unload some frustration. Because clearly George Tenet has reason to be frustrated. He did pretty much get thrown under the bus, but it was the MEDIA who demanded it. President Bush tried to hold on to him for quite a while. The truth of politics and media in this country is that scapegoats are demanded. Those playing the game are aware of this, and they all know that their number could be up any day, no matter what level they are playing on. George Tenet was media enemy #2 (after Bush) until he came out with these supposedly shocking revelations. All it takes to get on the good side of our esteemed news agencies is to slam President Bush, period. Need to regain your credibility, write a book about how terrible the Bush administration has been. It works every time.

From The New York Times: Mr. Tenet takes blame for the flawed 2002 National Intelligence Estimate about Iraq’s weapons programs, calling the episode “one of the lowest moments of my seven-year tenure.” He expresses regret that the document was not more nuanced, but says there was no doubt in his mind at the time that Saddam Hussein possessed unconventional weapons. “In retrospect, we got it wrong partly because the truth was so implausible,” he writes.

Would that be the truth that Saddam didn't actually possess weapons of mass destruction, even though quite a few defected scientists have said that he did? Even though there is evidence that they were moved out of Iraq into Syria before the invasion? Even though he actually used chemical weapons against his own people? Just because we didn't find them doesn't mean that they weren't there. Anyone even slightly familiar with the madness of Saddam Hussein has to consciously make an effort to conclude that he wouldn't have been seeking these weapons, and that he wouldn't have used them at the first possible opportunity. Or are we supposed to have faith that he actually was just a misunderstood nice guy, and he really didn't mean us any harm? Give me a break.

What's interesting about Tenet's book is that he expresses surprise that Al Qaeda hasn't sent suicide bombers into American malls on any given day. He says, "I do know one thing in my gut. Al Qaeda is here and waiting." And yet that is less newsworthy than the fact that President Bush found Iraq to be a serious threat that needed to be dealt with swiftly and harshly. You're right, Diane, that's just shocking.

My daughter has a passion... about bugs. She loves them all. Roly polies and ladybugs are her special favorites. Every chance she gets, she's turning over rocks and bricks looking for her treasures.

I can choose to be grossed out by this, or celebrate her passion for life and her unique interest. Of course it's really no choice. If she wants to be a bug scientist, then I hope she's the greatest one this world has ever seen. Because I have a passion... for her.

But I do make her wash her hands a lot.

I've not been blogging the past few days out of fear that it would just be bad. I haven't really had anything to say. Last week was overwhelmingly defined by sadness and pain. From the national news to the international news to those people all around me, it seemed like everything I heard was unbearably sad. So it made me go inward instead of wanting to be open with my thoughts, which was probably not a bad thing. Even now I'm struggling with what to share, so I think it's best that I keep it close to the vest. Maybe things will lighten up a bit soon.

I have gotten serious amusement from the whole Sheryl Crow one-square-of-toilet-paper-per-bathroom-visit-will-save-the-planet thing. (Which, by the way, she claims was written as a joke. That's probably true, but when it coincides so beautifully with the rest of her message, it's kind of hard to tell.) It was funny to begin with, but then to hear about Rosie O'Donnell's comments on The View, I actually laughed out loud at something Rosie said for its hilarity rather than its absurdity for the first time in years. It was totally unexpected. I'd link you there, but I just don't have the energy. Google is a beautiful thing.

So, good night for now. Hope to be back soon. After all, in the words of my favorite heroine, tomorrow is... another day.

ABC News has posted a link to the interview with Dr. Welner this morning. Interestingly enough, most of their website coverage is now devoted to whether or not the media should have released the tape. Pretty fascinating. Maybe this backlash will teach them something for the future. Should we dare to hope?

I just witnessed the most amazing interview on GMA.

Those of you that are news junkies know that Cho Seung-Hui mailed a video of himself to NBC news on Monday in between his killing sprees. It is full of rage, hatred, profanity and utterly disturbing images. When I heard last night that he had done this, I immediately flipped over to the news channels to see if they were actually running the footage. Of course, they were. This is so sick.

Sadly, I know that there were executives at NBC who were ecstatic to have been the chosen network. Because every other news channel is showing the video with a big "NBC News" logo in the corner. Reportedly they copied the contents and then handed it over to law forces. They began releasing the footage during last night's evening newscast with Brian Williams.

Okay, I'm not an idiot. I know that it would be ridiculous for me to assume that news organizations would show some restraint and compassion for the victims of this horrible episode and not plaster the image of their child's killer all over the television. In one of the pictures, the observer is actually looking straight into the barrel of the gun, much like the victims did before they died.

If I was in one of those rooms that day and survived only by jumping out of a window or playing dead, those images are going to be burned into my brain forever. Can you even imagine the nightmares that these people will live with for the rest of their lives? And now the man who did this to him is being allowed to dominate American society with not only news about him, but images and video of him. It is so twisted. Is this not what inspires other sociopaths to want to go out and do the same thing? Why reward him with fame for one of the most evil acts in American history?

So, back to the interview. Robin Roberts just interviewed a forensic psychiatrist named Dr. Michael Welner. She thought he was going to give insight into the mind of this madman. Instead, he was appealing to ABC and all the other networks to take the video off the air NOW. He was practically begging. Robin was completely thrown off balance, and admitted that they had had a very "heated debate" in their newsroom that morning about what to show. Dr. Welner said that it is delusional ramblings that we can learn absolutely nothing from. It is pure voyeurism to watch and listen to what he had to say and it is glamorizing what he did and making it seem appealing to all the other crazies out there. It was utterly amazing that this doctor didn't kowtow to what he knew were the expectations of the network, but instead appealed that they would be the first to pull the footage. I'm sure the interview will show up on You Tube at some point, and it would be worth the time it takes to look for it.

Robin also admitted that the message boards were lit up with people demanding that the footage be pulled. This is very encouraging to me, that there are a lot of people out there more concerned with the victims than trying to "figure" this guy out.

Because, can we just agree that we will never be able to understand why he did this? There is no mystery here. The guy was evil. There is absolutely nothing that could have been done to prevent his actions, outside of him being locked up. In our country, we don't lock people up for being suicidal or strange. If he was intent on killing a bunch of people, he would have done it one way or the other.

Now, are there implications here about privacy laws in healthcare? Perhaps. Cho's parents were not informed of his erratic behavior because it was not legal for anyone to alert them. Could they have done anything? There's no way to know. What about the antidepressant medication that he was on? It's not the first red flag that some of those medicines cause suicidal and violent tendencies when the recipient withdraws or stops taking them cold turkey. I think a very serious look is needed at restrictions on prescribing these drugs.

But I hope the networks will seriously consider pulling this footage. I'm reminded of the days shortly after 9-11 when they made the decision to pull the footage of the airplanes and the towers crumbling out of "respect for the victims." The images were just too disturbing to show over and over again. The psychopathic ramblings of a deranged serial killer are pretty disturbing to me.

The best quote of the interview was when Dr. Welner said, "Listen, if you can take Imus off the air, you can certainly keep [Cho] from having his own morning show." That about sums it up.

Why is it when something so tragic and unexplainable happens we feel compelled to blame the innocent? I'm watching GMA this morning and I'm just astounded at the attacks on the president of Virginia Tech. Why didn't you lock the school down after the first shooting? Why didn't you let everyone know that this had happened? Are you going to resign? Don't you think if you had acted differently 30 people could have been spared?

This man is most likely in the midst of the biggest crisis he has ever faced, certainly in the professional realm. Doesn't he deserve support instead of suspicion? Clearly they believed that the dorm shooting was an isolated incident. They informed those in the general area of what had happened. They were investigating and believed that it was over. There was absolutely nothing to point to the rampage that was to occur. Why is it assumed that if they had immediately let everyone on campus know that anybody would have acted any differently? I guess they could have cancelled all classes, but who can say that the gunman wouldn't have just gone into another dorm or the student center or anywhere else that he found people?

I know if I was a parent of a slain student, I would be second-guessing everything that happened. I would be searching for someone to blame. Obviously the shooter is to blame, but he's dead, so there's no satisfaction there.

But shouldn't the media be more responsible than that? Hindsight is always 20/20, but it doesn't change what happened. It just sickens me that this university president may end up run out of his job to satisfy the hunger of the media monster. The power of the media to destroy lives is a huge problem in this country. Just ask the Duke lacrosse coach, who resigned in disgrace over a crime that never happened. Or the players, themselves, who just spent the past year living in fear of serving life sentences for something they didn't do. This is just one situation that shows how the media can get out of control when they smell blood in the water, but there are thousands more.

Please, take a breath. Blame the one who is responsible, the man who pulled the trigger. Not the gun. Not those who were struggling to contain a situation based on the information available. Not the NRA. Not George W. Bush. (Trust me, they will find a way.)

We live in a fallen world. There are messed up people living among us. Things like this will happen. We pray for the victims and their families. We pray for those who will be faced with a serious spiritual crisis in the face of death, that they will find the Truth. And mostly, we pray come quickly, Jesus. We need you so.

First of all, this press conference yesterday was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. I was STUNNED by the frank candor of the attorney general, and just shocked that he actually declared these guys innocent. I figured the best they could hope for was a dropping of charges based on there not being enough conclusive evidence to prove their guilt. The fact that the North Carolina AG said there was no evidence, and never had been any evidence, was totally unexpected, but the fact that he so unequivocally threw Nifong under the bus was just a jaw-dropper. If you haven't read the transcript, you should.

The obvious question then becomes, will Jesse Jackson rush down to North Carolina now to defend these boys' honor? Will he recant his article from last year, "Duke: Horror and Truth"? Strangely, all we're hearing from the Sharpton/Jackson camp are some pretty loud crickets.

I'm sure that they are just annoyed that this bombshell came at such a time that it would distract observers from their lynching of Don Imus. Surely Jesse was a little disappointed that Imus has already been pulled from MSNBC before he could get his boycott going. He didn't really want this to be over too quickly, because his phone had just started ringing again.

If only those boys could have hired Johnny Cochran long ago. Can't you just hear him from the grave... "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!"

Al, Jesse, your transparency has never been more obvious. Can I dare hope your irrelevance is not far behind?

Bryant's Mohawk

Who needs mousse when you've got bananas and time on your hands?

Question: Prior to the events of the past week, how many of you were even aware of Don Imus? If you happen to live in listening range of one of the 70 stations that carry his show, you might have heard him. (In comparison, nationally-syndicated talk show host Glenn Beck is heard on over 230 stations, Sean Hannity on over 500, and Rush Limbaugh on over 650 nationwide.) If you have ever been channel-surfing past MSNBC in the morning, you've seen an old geezer in a cowboy hat kind of mumbling into the microphone. Most likely you either became quickly bored or got tired of not being able to understand what he was saying and surfed on past.

I'm going to take a guess and say that the ladies of the Rutger's women's basketball team are probably not frequent listeners, although admittedly I have no way of knowing that. But I seriously doubt that they were offended by Imus' remarks last Wednesday, because I seriously doubt that they heard them. But things obviously changed.

Now the idiotic ramblings of Don Imus are being shoved down all of our throats. Now, I imagine, the Rutgers players are humiliated. Because, thanks to the nationwide media frenzy, the entire country and beyond have heard them called, "nappy-headed ho's."

If Al Sharpton actually cared about their feelings, then he could have handled this so much differently. But obviously Al Sharpton doesn't care about these players. All he cares about is his newest racist soundbite that he will now fully exploit as proof that racism exists in America. Well, of course racism exists in America. Racism exists everywhere around the world. It's part of life. It's not right, and I'm not defending it. But what I find incredible is that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are allowed to act the part of the self-appointed judge, jury and executioner to those that they deem racist.

I've said it before and I will say it over and over, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are two of the most racist men in America. They thrive on it because it keeps them in the public eye. Where would they be without it? Because, honestly, isn't this the only time anybody ever gives them a voice, when something comes up in the race category? How many people would have known that Al Sharpton has a radio show if it hadn't been such a spectacle yesterday?

Let's just pretend that Don Imus had said something racially derogatory towards the white players on either team. I know some wouldn't accept this hypothetical, but just work with me. If he had, would Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson be demanding his head on a platter? I don't think this will require much brain power to think through.

If Al Sharpton is serious about putting out the fires of racism in this country rather than fanning them, then the most effective thing he could have done would have been to dismiss Don Imus's comments as ignorant and unworthy of response. He could have suggested that the women of Rutgers were strong, confident women who would not find it necessary to dignify the remarks of a radio has-been, and express confidence that the people of this great country would see the remarks for what they were, stupid and insulting, and move on.

We live in a society based on capitalism. The most successful way to fight something is to cut it off financially. If Don Imus wants to have a radio show, then more power to him. We still have freedom of speech in this country, despite the many attacks it comes under. If you don't like what someone has to say, don't listen to them. If his ratings go down, the stations will drop him. If he doesn't have listeners, then he becomes irrelevant. I have serious qualms with people demanding he be fired for what he said. Because many things might be considered offensive to many different people. Just because you disagree with what I have to say doesn't mean that I don't have the right to say it.

Don Imus is learning what it feels like to be a Dixie Chick in the South, Mel Gibson or Michael Richards. This, too, shall pass. Then maybe our attention can turn back to the Middle East and those who are seeking our annhilation. But maybe not, because that's just racist.

10 Things I Learned Three Years Ago Today...

1. Good Friday can be good... or not so much.
2. When your 2-yr-old daughter sees you on a ladder and sternly reprimands, "No, Mommy! Get down!" you might be wise to listen.
3. When you get to the place on the ladder that says, "Warning! Not a step," do not go any further.
4. It is possible to fall seven feet without losing your grip on a solo cup full of paint.
5. When in shock, you can make completely irrational demands, and people will agree to them through vicarious shock, which explains why my sweet husband did, indeed, roll in the paint I splattered all over the wall on my way down.
6. Pain and shock can make your teeth chatter worse than those poor people at yesterday's sunrise services.
7. ER triage nurses who say, "If you want my opinion, I think it's broke," don't seem especially helpful in a moment of crisis.
8. It is completely possible to shatter a bone into hundreds of tiny, indistinguishable pieces, and you should just take my word for it.
9. Morphine, while potentially dangerous stuff, can be a very, very good friend.
10. One should be careful of what one says and/or shows while under the influence of morphine, or at least surround oneself with friends who won't bring it up later.

When I woke up this morning, the first story I heard on the news was a gleeful report that President Bush's approval rating is under 40% for the seventh straight month. My first thought, of course, was "bless his heart!" because I do live in the South. I can't help it.

Then I started thinking, "Maybe if you would start sticking up for yourself more, people might come back around." I mean, the man is attacked each and every day of the year, and never responds. This is completely frustrating to those of us who still love and support him, despite the mistakes he's made or the times I may disagree with him on a particular issue. It makes me angry and I want to tell him to fight back a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, it makes me begin to perceive him as weak.

Then I came upon these verses from 1 Peter 2:19-24:

19For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

I immediately thought of our President. Knowing that he is a man of faith who strives to pattern his life after that of Christ, my perspective began to change a little. Because if he takes this teaching to heart, his behavior suddenly appears perfectly consistent with pursuing a godly lifestyle.

Now, if you are a man and you pattern your life after Christ, what is that going to look like? Were the teachings of Jesus what we would consider "manly"? Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. If you want to quote Jesus, you're going to have a hard time finding encouragement to stick up for yourself and demand that people give you the proper respect. In fact, He taught that you are to humble yourself, so that He can lift you up.

President Bush is no wimp. Consider the price he has paid for sticking to his pursuit of battling terror around the world. When it comes to his role as President and Commander in Chief, he fights for what he believes in. When he's doing that, he gets labeled as an arrogant and out-of-control cowboy. But I'm so glad that he puts the good of the country above his personal approval. We know what happens when the opposite is true. (And speaking of that, Bill Clinton pursued his own version of manliness while in office, and we all know where that got him.)

So, which would you rather have, a man who pursues manliness, or a man who pursues godliness? While the latter terrifies those who do not believe and therefore fear, to me the choice is obvious. So maybe next time I start wishing that he would defend himself, I'll remember that this is not what is important to him, and instead pray that he will continue to pursue the best interests of the country, while personally striving to live a life patterned after Christ. I don't think we can ask for more than that.

My friend Debo told me this morning that I am an expert in my own opinion. I think that's one of the truest, most profound things I've heard in a long time.

Happy Easter, everyone. Congratulations, Zach Johnson. That was awesome.

My head is literally about to explode. I would tell Speaker Pelosi to shut up and get her butt back home, but I don't want her here either. So how about just shut up.

However, if she keeps this up we won't have to keep pointing out her complete incompetency. She's doing a fabulous job on her own.

As a continuation of yesterday's rant, there's one more thing I failed to mention. Did you know that the Democrats in Congress are demanding that the phrase "global war on terror" be removed from future legislation in favor of more specific terms, such as "the war in Iraq" or "the conflict in the Horn of Africa"? The memo states that "global war on terror," or GWOT, is a colloquialism that is no longer acceptable, as well as any mention of a "long war."

I used to shy away from saying that the Democrats actually want to lose the war. (Keep in mind, I'm talking about elected, liberal Democrats when I use the general term. I know that there are many Americans who call themselves Democrats who do not agree with what's going on in Washington. This is why I'm imploring you who fit in this category to seriously think through next year's vote!) I can no longer hold to my optimism in this area. I think they actually do want to lose the war.

How can it be interpreted any other way? They want to cut funding. They want to set a deadline for getting our troops out of Iraq. Is there any other message for the terrorists to read into "we'll be leaving next March" than "let's hang on until March and then we can do whatever we want?" The entire idea is baffling to me if you have any intentions of actually winning the war.

But right now they are trying to deny the need for a war in the first place. They want to go back to the delusional mentality most of us were under before 9/11, where there aren't groups of people daily seeking to find ways to harm this country as much as they possibly can, who are seeking weapons of mass destruction and have absolutely no moral compass to keep them from pulling the proverbial trigger when it comes time. In fact, they follow a religion that they believe teaches them that this is the most honorable thing they can do for their god. There is no reasoning with people like this.

I would have laughed out loud at Rosie O'Donnell's comments last week if I hadn't been screaming at her through the television. On The View, she said, "They're terrorists. They have two choices, faith or fear. Faith or fear. That's your choice. You can walk through life believing in the goodness of the world or walk through life afraid of anyone who thinks differently than you and try to convert them to your way of thinking…Don't fear the terrorists. They're mothers and fathers."

Rosie, do you think that if given the chance these people wouldn't cut off your head or blow you up because you don't fear them? I would just feel sorry for you if I wasn't afraid of how many people out there agree with your mind-numbing ignorance. It's pathetic. What a slap in the face to your fellow New Yorkers.

I know that there are millions of Americans out there who are also angry. They are angry at George Bush because they think this whole thing is his fault. They blame the war on terrorism (oops, it just slipped out) on our President rather than the actual terrorists. It is so screwed up. On Tuesday, there was a story from Reuter's that seemed to suggest that because President Bush has been so successful at protecting our country from attack, we are actually more vulnerable to attack in the future. Where is the logic??

I believe we are extremely vulnerable to attack in the future. But I believe the chances of us being attacked will go up immeasurably if we follow the course the Democrats are prescribing and give up. Did we learn nothing from Vietnam? The ONLY reason that America has ever lost a war is because Congress and the media did exactly the same thing back then that they are doing now. And they have no shame. They are proud of what they did back then. And they are smug and arrogant now. It's almost more than I can stand.

I apologize for the profanity in my earlier post. I was somewhat overcome by emotion at the time. I'm feeling much better now.

Chocolate. Chocolate is the key.