Protest Songs...echoes of mercy and bravery..

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. "
Elmer Davis

It is politically correct these days, to sit around lunch rooms and parties etc and bash Bush, protest the war in Iraq. If you want to impress in the business world, you better have the politically correct thing to say around the water cooler. Candidates that spend too much money on their campaign ( because they have strong goals and visions they wish to bring to the state--such as bringing more high tec jobs here so we can keep our smart young people in Vermont with good paying jobs) are obscene. But candidates that help Vermont grow into a greater give away welfare state are humanitarian. Anyone who votes for them is concidered financially and morally discerning. It is better to give away money than work differently and harder to bring more technical jobs to Vermont. Likewise, people who sing protest songs and carry signs are also concidered merciful etc...because people die in war and that is bad of course. Let's not examine WHY the soldier sacrifices though. Then we may have to do something ourselves. It is easier to protest. Let others look outward. We only care about ourselves, right?

All these freedoms to criticize and protest were bought by others with a price. My son will likely return for his second tour of Iraq in a few precious months. As a Mom, I feel gut terror and sadness. I want the war to end and my boy to stay home. Is he messed up because he gets on a plane to go and help children and women in another country have the freedoms we take for granted? Does anyone who bashes Bush and the "war" ever care enough to list all the thousands of helpful meaningful deeds our boys have done over there for a grateful people?

I am concerned that for the bottom financial line, the political correctness of what we feel about war, and most of all, not to spill our lattes --this generation forgets what it means to stand up for something--such as helping women get the freedom to go to school. Will you just roll over and let any political force take over this country? Will you be brave and stand up for the oppressed or just run your mouth?

Jesus called me today....

Jesus called me today....in the early hours of the morning He whispered my name.

He told me to tell you that you should not be afraid....He will give you His power and love and sound mind.... that though the tears may endure the night, the joy will follow in the morning..... and that He loves you very much....

Passed By

Talked on the phone to a first class soldier the other day. Father of 4 children, great family man, done 3 overseas tours, and he got passed over for Warrant Officer. It was suppose to be a slam dunk --he had top recommendations and had "earned his stripes" so to speak. Great disappointment for his military career. He took it in stride but I could tell he was very discouraged. He mentioned also that since Warrant School wasn't in his immediate future, his second tour in Iraq would be back on the calendar in the fall. I could hear his children playing and laughing in the background as he spoke. Trying to bring some lightness in this serious conversation, I said I sort of wish the Democrats would get their way and just bring back the troops now, then he wouldn't have to go. I could hear him catch his breath and he very kindly told me that to set a time frame for troop withdrawal would play right into the hands of the insurgents and be a disaster for the Iraqi people. With his little twin girls giggling in play in the background, he was concerned for the welfare of a people far away that our country promised to help. That's the heart of a soldier---he won't pass you by without helping if he can... Take time to thank a soldier this month.... by the way---it you didn't know already, that soldier was my son Eric.

Septic-see-me-uh

Oh joy--one engineer, one health inspector (we invited over) and one excavator= equals new septic field location and new well in new location. I feel ill--good news is when all is said and done we will have our yard back better than it's ever been and things will be up to code WITH permits-something the last owner wasn't too good at.. Today I am off to see two doctors--one for Jacobs' hurt thumb (from secret rope swing Spring jump into Lake Bomoseen) and then David to Ortho for perhaps removal of old bone chip causing swelling lately. We shall see --but when you bring in the experts they all seem to want to move something or take something out!! Yikes...