Within the Lines

Pray for NE Iowa

I came online this morning to post an idea that was rumbling around in my head all night, BUT then I remembered that Melissa from Down Mulberry Lane lives somewhere in Iowa so thought I'd check and see how they're doing.  So far, seems okay, just wet!  You can read about their weather problems at her site.  I don't have time to post my other thoughts, so thought I'd just say

Pray for the people of  Iowa!

Huckabee Mess

Rush vs. Huckabee

I became concerned after hearing a brief portion of dialoge from Rush re: Huckabee.  I got the impression that Huckabee is a social liberal, supporting amnesty for illegals, national health care, and increased taxes; basically only conservative in his stand on abortion.  I certainly didn't want to be advertising this sort of candidate.  So I went back to Huckabee's site, to the "Issues" tab at the top and read thru everything.  I can't find anything that sounds like what Rush said.  He seems to support increased border security -- fence, etc -- no amnesty, no licenses.  He didn't support universal health care, but wants to reform areas such as health liability.  And he has a plan called "Fair Tax" that would limit most of our taxation to non-necessity goods purchased.  (Now how all this works economically would be for the economists to figure out; not me!!) But since I normally feel quite confident with the info I get from Rush, I'm beginning to wonder -- is Huckabee talking different on campaign than what he states at his website??  We don't watch t.v. so I'm not hearing him directly.  I based my support on the stands he takes at his website.

I know, I know, politics are about the last thing anyone wants to talk about right now.  But I'm really wondering what I'm missing.

Mike Huckabee

Why, oh Why, Did the Republicans Lose?

Hungry??

I really want some opinions on this one!  My husband and I long to find a way to fulfill God's call to help the poor.  Our struggle is with finding any truly poor people.  The poor around us would be tremendously rich by third world standards.  I've been to Juarez, Mexico, and have seen how the "middle class" of Mexico lives; our poor are waaaaayyyy better off.  Now today I was looking through last week's church bulletin and came across an announcement from the local food shelf.  To me, it is a perfect demonstration of what I mean.  (I don't know enough on the computer to scan it in so you'll have to take my word for it.)  It says at the top:

Fill a grocery bag for a hungry family.

Then it says:

"DONATE HEALTHY FOOD" 

"Many people who receive food from the food shelf have health concerns such as diabetes and obesity so nutrition is important." 

It goes on to list ideas of some "healthy" items to consider donating.  HUH?!!  Did I miss something?  Since when did obesity and hunger go together?!?? 

I realize that there are poor people that are overweight.  I'm a bit overweight and still close to the "poverty level"; but I think we throw out more food from one meal than some people get to eat in a day.  Our country is so rich, in resources and opportunities, that I have difficulty believing any of our poverty counts in comparison to the real thing. 

Marriage in Conflict

I haven't written in a while, but had a thought I wanted to write and hope to keep writing more...

If I remember right, Rush Limbaugh (or something I read) recently referred to a report that more and more women are choosing to live alone.  Men and women were interviewed for the article, both saying essentially the same thing:  when they were married they couldn't do anything right; when alone, they can do as they like without criticism.  I find this interesting because I find the same dynamic at work in my marriage also.  Silly little differences become a pile of irritation that seems almost insurmountable at times.  Marriages all over are falling apart because she wants to watch something romantic and he wants something rowdy, because he likes hunting and she likes talking, because she likes yellow for the kitchen and he likes green, because he wants seen-and-not-heard kids and she wants a family sing-along, because she drives fast while he is cautious, because he wants bills paid a week early and she thinks the due date is sufficient, because she wants the dishes scraped before putting in the dishwasher and he doesn't want to, because he wants to buy a big boat and small house and she wants a big house and no boat, because she wants to go for a ride on the weekend and he wants to watch a football game, because he wants a big dinner every night and she wants to skip dinner, etc, etc.  And, for some reason, we are not content to accept each other's differences; we each feel criticized by the other's different desires.  We want to really share our lives, or not at all.  So, what's the answer??

I don't know.  I struggle with these things often.  If one gives in, neither seems very happy with the results.  If both are supposed to give in, it creates the impasse of "you, first."  The only biblical answer God's brought to me so far is James 4:1 & 7:

"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?"

"Submit, therefore, to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."