DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AGAIN

We all live this really good life these days.  I don’t mean we are all rich or have everything, but if we try, we do have a comfortable life.  Before God allowed electricity to be invented, people lived an entirely different life than we do nowadays.  How would you like to go back to that time.  Not me.  I am spoiled and like it that way.

So when we were given the benefits of electricity, what would we ever use that for except for a light bulb now and then.  But then just look around.  Not only did people get a light bulb, but then other people invented all those ways to use those light bulbs.   Look in your own room or your own house and notice the lamps and the light fixtures and all those other necessary things of today.

And then think about the woman washing on a washboard and how after electricity, she could have a washing machine and after that, an automatic washing machine.  How fortunate for all of us.

And then, take a walk around your kitchen and look at all those marvelous machines that do everything in the world for you.  From the coffee pot to the garbage disposal and even the toaster.  Do you remember when all toast was made in the oven?    And it had to be planned so we wouldn’t heat the house up in the summer and we only had oven toasted bread in the winter.  That was a treat in itself.  Now, we just pop that bread  or whatever it might be in that slot in the toaster and it is done in a matter of moments.

But then in today’s world, we have these people running around telling us that we don’t need to use the electricity anymore.    I need to use my electricity. And I don’t see any reason why they should think they are in charge of how much electricity anyone gets to use. God gave us this great gift because it was in His time to give it to the world.  Simple as that.  God is in charge of everything, including even the most basic things.  He is the one who decides when we are given the computers and the internet and the automobile and all other amenities that we sometimes take for granted.  He is the one who uses the individual for His plans.  He knows what He is doing.  He will be the One who runs everything.  Not some person who decides they know what is best for this world.

It is God’s world.  I hope people will wake up and let God run His world.  All we have to do is live by His rules and this world can be a great place, one of peace and tranquility, and happiness for all.

You know,  I remember a time before all these problems arose during the 1960′s and that generation decided they knew what we should all do and how immorality should rein.  Remember the words – Forty years I loathed that generation and I swore in My anger, they shall  not enter into my rest.

Enjoy your electricity.   We are all so fortunate.  Thank You, Dear God for everything You have given to us.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF US!

Just in case you might be interested in this little tidbit of news, thought I would pass it along.  Read in my local newspaper the other day that there are 565 BILLION BARRELS of undiscovered conventional oil out there in the big world – excluding any that the United States has.  A barrel is 42 gallons.  And the world has 565 Billion barrels not counting what the United States has.  Just think about that for a minute.  How much oil do you think you might use in your lifetime.  I am not going to try to figure it up, but I’ll just bet it won’t be any number resembling those.  And I don’t think we will run out of oil anytime soon at all.  By the time we do, God will have provided something else to take its place.  This is His world and He will provide for everything here.

And, as I said, that is EXCLUDING the United States.  So, why in the world are we saving our oil all the time.  I remember when those dumb democrats decided we didn’t need to explore and use our oil because we could use what someone else had first.  Then we could save ours.  Why!!  Why in the world are we doing any of this.  I am quite sure that we will have all the oil we could ever use in this world – ever.  We don’t need to be conserving our oil or anyone else’s as far as I am concerned.

What is the big deal in this world of ours.  Do these ultra smart people in this world today really think that they know what is best for all of us?  I don’t think so at all.  I think they are all pretty ignorant and don’t know which direction they are heading at any time.  Why are we supposed to live this half life where everyone has to save oil and electricity and water and everything else around.  Why not just enjoy what God has provided and get on with our lives.

I was at a gas station one morning filling up my tank and this hippie type came up to me and asked if I felt guilty about driving an big car.  I told him of course not.  Why should I.  Then he said I should be worried about using all that gasoline.  I told him I wasn’t worried at all and would let my grandchildren worry about that one. He stomped off as though I had insulted him.  And then he got in this raggedy old worn out station wagon with a raggedy old worn out trailer hitched to the back of it.  As he drove out towards the highway, he had smoke coming out of the exhaust of his car.  Who is causing the most damage here.  Me with my gasoline guzzler or him with his oil guzzling old rattle trap.  Makes you wonder just how smart those people are.

Also, the newspaper article said that according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the world has 5,606 TRILLION cubic feet of natural gas.  And just in case you were worrying about running out of that, the United States alone has 388 TRILLION cubic feet of gas on and off its shores.  The agency also estimates that right here in the United States we have approximately 27 BILLION barrels of oil and 388 TRILLION cubic feet of gas on and offshore.  And on our continental shelf alone, there are 398 TRILLION cubic feet of gas and 81 BILLION barrels of oil.

So hurry right out and buy one of those teeny, tiny little cars that those environmentalists say we need to have.  You know, those that won’t go very far so you won’t be able to travel anymore.  And while you are at it, be sure and notice our landscape being covered up with windmills so we can capture the wind so we won’t run out of electricity either.  Of course this is because we are going to run out of oil and gas to run our generators and we all need to cut down on electricity use too.  Oh dear, what will we do.  What will we do.  Chicken Little is running around the barnyard wringing her hands because the world is going to crash any moment.  At least it is according to those environmentalists who make up all these stories all the time anyway.

I still want to know what they are going to do when God stops the wind.  Are they going to run out, pitch their tents, and blow those windmills around?  They are not in charge of anything ever.  Period.  End of subject!

Wish they would give it a rest, get a job,  and run their own lives and let God take care of the rest of us.  Otherwise, they would  have us all living in caves again so we wouldn’t mess up THEIR world.  Dear God:  Thank You for taking care of us.  We sure do need You in this world.  Thank You!

 

DEAR GOD: THANKS TO THE FEMINISTS

In the 1950′s which was truly a wonderful time for just about everybody, things were o.k.  We lived in an 800 square foot house with three children and didn’t even realize how cramped we were.  We had such a nice time.  The kids played outside all day every day.  We had picnics in the backyard.  They and all their neighborhood friends played in the sandbox that Dad  built.  I ran that washer every single day.  When the local gas company offered a deal of $3 a month to everyone who bought a gas dryer, I was one of the lucky ones on that issue, too.  They had to run a gas line out to my garage in order to install the dryer, but it was truly, truly wonderful.  That meant I had to carry the wet clothes outside through the back yard to the dryer in the garage.  And I didn’t mind that one single bit.  Life was very nice at that time.

Then we all had the Hong Kong Flu which about killed us, but we were still very happy people. My husband had a sales job and the salesmen were making more money that just about anyone in the area.  All the men in our neighborhood were traveling salesman.  We ladies watched out for each other and thoroughly enjoyed our every day lives.  Note – we were all stay at home moms on purpose.

Then those Feminists came along a few years later and gave us all those wonderful benefits we didn’t even know we ever wanted.  And sure enough, we didn’t.  They gave us the right to go to work every day.  Who wants that!    Certainly not anyone I knew.

They gave us the right to have an abortion.   Who wants that!  Certainly not anyone I knew.

They gave us the right to be smarter and more smart aleck than our husbands.  Who wants that!  Certainly not anyone I knew.

And then we could compete with our husbands!  Oh yes.   And lots of people got divorces over that one issue.   No one I knew wanted that one either.

Those feminists marched, hollered, yelled, and whooped it up.  They chanted and ranted and generally caused a lot of noise and trouble.  They even got that glass ceiling broken.  Who wanted that one either!  If I had a glass ceiling, I would just have to clean it!

They gave us the right that every single woman had to get a college education so she could get a good job.  Before them, there were a lot of jobs out there that did not require a college education.  A lot of women could work from their home doing part time secretarial work or insurance work or other things like that.  I know, I did that myself, drawing a decent hourly wage and working in that dab of typing along with cooking, cleaning, and loving my children.

And then they gave us all the right to get to buy and pay for our own cars.  Who wants that!  Before that, our husbands bought and paid for those new cars.  Or used cars. Or whatever as long as it had 4 wheels and a key.  And it moved forward.  We didn’t have to go in the car much so it really didn’t matter.  Until they gave us that right to drive all the time.  After them, we were on a constant treadmill of driving children and driving ourselves nuts.

By that time, we didn’t have many neighborhood schools anymore because we didn’t have much in the way of neighborhoods anymore.  All those happy moms had to go to work to satisfy all those changes. So the houses were all empty every day because the moms were at work and the children were in the daycares or care centers of some kind.  And following that, everyone had to send their children to kindergarten because they couldn’t wait until first grade to learn to start reading and writing.  Everyone was on a fast track now.  It was so important that the children  needed to know so much before age 6.  Why.  Because they said so, of course.

And of course prices increased because most households now had two salaries.  In case you don’t remember the saying – prices always rise to meet income. And that is so true.  So prices went up.  That $10,000 house now costs approximately $150,000.  And it is still the 800 square foot house that is cramped.  Only now it is a lot older.  But those modern people all knew they were smarter.   Oh Yeah!

So, thanks to the feminists, we all progressed or regressed depending upon your point of view.  Mine is regression.  Terrible regression.  And for what!  Nothing!  Except hard nosed loud women.

So, Dear God:  Thanks to the Feminists, we all got a good dose of change of life.  What a shame!

 

DEAR GOD: HELP THESE FAMILIES OF TODAY

Have you happened to notice the high pitched almost scream that most babies to age 5 exhibit these days?  I can almost hear them in my sleep.  I know when I was raising all my children, they each had a particular sound.  They did not all sound alike all the time.  But today’s littlest ones all have the same shriek.  And it almost echoes off the walls of the grocery store, the local WalMart, and even in church.

This particular sound comes from the fact that they are all lumped together in the day cares and the preschools.  As they play outside on the playground together, you can hear this particular sound.  It doesn’t matter if it is boys or girls, they all still sound the same.  If you get a chance, listen and you will recognize it everywhere you go.

I was in church last night and a 3 year old was acting up a couple of pews in front of me. It wasn’t that in particular that bothered me. (I have had children who acted up in church before, so I know exactly how that mother felt).  But it was the fact that the little girl had that piercing scream all the time.  She had a pacifier in her mouth and every few moments, she would shift it to the side of her mouth and utter that scream.  It seemed almost necessary to her.  I assume she probably does that along with all those other children in her class wherever she is dumped for the day. Now I know there are single mothers everywhere these days and they must work to provide.  But that is simply not the way to live.  It is far, far better to get married and then have children and then take care of them as individuals.  Not lumped together dumped somewhere.  After the children start to school in first grade, then the mother can go out into the working world but not unless she just absolutely has to.

You know, the real problem in every household in this country is not that there is not enough money and thus financial problems. It is not that everyone is so harassed and hurried.   It is that those poor children never have any opportunity to just stay home and be themselves.  They are regulated and motivated by others than their families constantly.  They do not know what it is like to have a serene, quiet day at home with just their mother and father.  Please, for God’s Holy Sake, give these poor children a chance at a normal life.  The only way they will get that is if the Mother stays home and cares for them.

The women’s movement such as it was and is was and is a disgrace to most of mankind.  Women are the ones who are the stabilizers in the home.  They are the center of that existence.  They are the ones who are supposed to be there.  They are the ones who are the backbone of that family.  It is the husband’s place to make the money and provide for the family.  It is the mother’s place to do those little necessary things that make up everyone’s life.  She is the one who nurtures and cares for everyone.  She is the one who makes sure everyone is happy and  satisfied in their daily lives.

I know that ever since the 1960′s when those who thought they knew everything there was to know decided to tell us all how to live and what to do,  decided that every young mother needed to get out and get a job and make money and provide and still do her job as a mother and wife.  Well, it has always been my thoughts that she already had a job as wife and mother.  She didn’t need to have another one.  And as more women entered the work force, the salaries of the men seemed smaller all the time and the prices went up on everything and suddenly that second job for the wife was a necessity and not an extra.  So here we are.  If you don’t believe that, check on the money situations of the late 1940′s and early 1950′s when women stayed home and the husband made the money.

We now have these poor children who have no home life.  We have a worn out harried wife and mother working two full time jobs.  And we have a husband who is supposed to provide more and more although the money he makes goes around less and less.

Mother, go home and care for your family.  Father, do the best you can and provide all you can for that growing family.  And women’s movement, get out of the way.  People want to live a normal life again.  And family, work at being a family.  Try very hard to stay together and to provide that pleasant life for all.  You will be so glad you did.  Everyone will be glad you did.

Dear God:  Help these families of today.   They all need you, but those poor children need You the most of all.

FEDERAL RESERVE AGAIN

Since I brought up the subject of the Federal Reserve and their terrible plans for all of us, thought I would continue with that just a bit.  People usually do not pay too much attention to whatever the Federal Reserve is doing because they don’t think it applies to them directly.  But it really does.  You just have to get used to the terminology and read between the lines like you have to do on everything these days.

We live in a Capitalistic Country.  Thank Heavens for that!  But – and this is a big but – if you take the capital out of the system, then you slowly but surely destroy the system by just simply starving it to death.  It is a long, drawn out death, but it will definitely occur unless something is done to stop it.l

Our administration such as it is these days is backing the Federal Reserve System while it does just this.  If you have no monetary interest being paid on money that is loaned out, then you stop the system from loaning – over time.  As I said, this takes a long time, but after awhile, no one pays any attention until all the Capitalistic System is gone.  What comes next. Have you ever even thought of that?  Remember the countries in Europe when they had no money at all?  I do.  I remember when they had to rely on us for their very existence.  But we were doing well since we had administrations that understood all of that and could control their actions.  Remember we could all go to the bank and buy a C.D.  And we made a little bit of interest.  This is what most people aimed to do as they got older and saved their money.  This was called their nest egg.  No interest on nest eggs any more.

Nowadays, the Federal Reserve says they pay no interest to keep inflation down. Well, as I said previously, just take a look at the prices that are slowly but surely creeping upwards on everything you buy.  Not in great amounts at once as it did under Jimmy Carter, but those prices are beginning to take a toll on everyone.  Clothing costs just a dab more.  Schools have raised their tuitions just a dab.  Groceries are inching up every week.  Gasoline is over the top already.  And everyone these days has at least one car and some have more than that.  And they cannot drive much because the gasoline is so high.  Oh, My!  Could that be the start of telling us where we can go and how we can get there?  Pay attention to your freedoms to go and come as you please.

If the people in the Country cannot invest and make a little interest on their investment, then there will b e no investment.  Period.  End of that subject.  People will just hold onto the money they have and sit it out.  This means the Country will eventually come to a standstill.  Who are you reading about that is investing now.  Why, it is our Government.  They are the ones who are going to build the new roads.  They are the one with the stimulus cash.  They are the ones who are in charge.  Watch that!  They are in charge?  Why?  Usually, it would be up to the local people to invest in their own issues, schools, roads, etc.  Not now.  All the money comes through the Government. And remember, you are the Government and you are the one who is going to pay those taxes forever and ever to pay for whatever the Government chooses to spend your money on. Only you don’t have anything to say about it.

Please pay attention this year.  And don’t vote for anymore dishonest politicians.  Study up on each of them and find out exactly where they stand.  If they are not honest and above board on everything, then find someone else to vote for.   And by all means, Vote Republican!  It is very important this time around.  After this time, you may never get the opportunity again.  Just look at the disasters of the last few years and remember what can happen in the next four years.

Vote Republican!!!!

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE PART 2

The Federal Reserve keeps announcing that they will keep interest rates at the lowest rates – EVER – in order to keep inflation down.  Well, hate to tell them but it isn’t working.  Never has, never will.  The head of the Federal Reserve has been saying this same rhetoric for several years now and it still isn’t working.  Have you bought groceries lately?  Someone needs to tell him what a box of cereal costs now or the price of a bag of chips or any other of those regular groceries.  And take a look at that gasoline price today.  More today than yesterday or the month before or even several years before.  Wonder why if keeping the interest rates down avoids all this inflationary jump in prices.  Maybe we need a new head of the Federal Reserve.  One who knows what is going on in this world of today.

And then I read of the unemployment figures for the month or week or whatever it was the last time I read it.  These numbers are supposedly down.   Not so.  Not so.  Instead, that drop is just because so many people have run through all their benefits on unemployment and so they are not counted anymore.  The number of jobs is not up either.  Whoever makes up these figures evidently doesn’t mesh with the ones I see on the television set.

And how about that pipeline.  Seems it was stopped – permanently.  And now it is on go again part of the way and I understand from reading the papers again that the pipeline people are being told to hurry up and get this done.  What is it.  Go or not.  Hurry up or stop.  Hard to tell.  Almost like watching a fantasy movie.  Up and down, around and around.

It is also clear to me that those jobs that were supposedly manufactured for the anti-energy lobby have now disappeared also.  Oh, what are we to do.  When the windmills stop turning, are they going to hurry out  there and blow those blades around?  Sure makes you wonder about all this stuff.

Once again, those same people who put out all this rhetoric have forgotten that they are not in charge  anyway.   God runs this world and He will continue to do just that.  They can scurry around and act busy all they want.  I guess they call that walking fast and carrying a clipboard, but it just doesn’t work with most people anymore.  Either tell it truthfully or don’t bother the rest of us. We know better.   We can see through all this rubbish.

Just like the gas prices.  Watch and pay attention.  They are sky high now.  But before it is time to vote, the Democrats will somehow make those prices come down and then all their followers will be enthralled at how wonderful they are.    Of course those gas prices should never have been raised in the first place.  But now they will lower them just in time for the election.  Aren’t those Democrats just marvelous though.  Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire    Again and again.

And those jobs will just miraculously appear but only on paper.  And those unemployment figures will miraculously drop.  And that pipeline will be touted as the most wonderful thing that the Democrats ever did for us.  Just watch.  And then be sure and vote Republican.  Maybe then we can get some truth going in this country for a change.  I am sick of the lies.  Sure would be nice to know that we are being told the truth for a change.  Hopefully after the election, there will be a time of truth once again.

 

 

LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!

Do you remember that from when you were a kid?  I do.  Seems like someone was chanting that now and then at some other kid  Never knew why particularly, but still remember hearing it.

A Democratic Senator was speaking at a luncheon this past week and made the comment that the gas prices would go down just as soon as the election was over.  Now, I would like to know exactly how this educated, smart Senator could possibly know this.  He continued that it was all due to politics.  Again, how would he know that. Seems sort of fishy to me that he could stand before people and make this comment when supposedly the oil crisis which has resulted in higher gas prices is supposed to be strictly because of prices elsewhere in the world.  And blamed on the big oil companies of course.  So how could the Senator have any say about it at all.  Could it be that the Democrats have raised the prices in order to promote their energy policies so everyone will think that if we just go more to the green stuff, then gas prices will come down.

I note on the television news today that the Democrats are pushing the green ideas right now.  They think that if they channel the sun and the wind and whatever else they think they are in charge of, then they can control the world.  They have forgotten that God alone controls the wind and the sun and all the other stuff of this earth.  And He will be the Only One who will decide exactly what and when we will be able to use it.  As I have said in previous blogs, God is in complete control of His world. And He has provided for us up to this point.  What makes all these so-called smart people think they are in charge of anything.

In the 1920′s and 30′s, who could have even imagined the IPhone.  Who would ever have thought of the airplanes we fly on today or the cars we drive.  Who could have imagined the computers and the fact that I can write on this machine and you can read it today.

Watch who you vote for this year.  The Democrats are deliberately trying to destroy our way of life so they can run all our lives and tell us exactly how and when we should live.  As I have also written before in blogs, learn about Hitler and then watch what is going on in your world of today.  You would think he was back once again.  His policies certainly are.

Be sure and vote for the Republicans – all of them – in your area.  I will vote straight Republican this year and forever more.  Never vote for a Democrat again.  Certainly not for that one that says the gas prices will go down just as soon as the election is over.  And that leads to another blog tomorrow.

 

DEAR GOD: HOLD ONTO MY HAND AND NEVER LET GO

I have heard it said all my life that if you will just give yourself over to God, He will hold you tightly by the hand and lead throughout all your life.  That is a little hard to understand and even harder to swallow.  How can you just do that.  Who is going to really take care of you every single day.  Well, of course, that is not intended to tell you just to sit down and make yourself comfortable and then God will take care of you all the time.  Because more than likely, people forget the other side of that coin and that is that  God helps those who help themselves.  So, you see, you gotta’ do your part all the time, too.  If you expect God to take care of you every single day of your life, then you have to live your life to the very best of your abilities every day.  Simple tradeoff. And it does work.

My husband and I had a great marriage and several children.  And then alcohol sort of worked its way into his life and he became a different person.  And our marriage went downhill big time.  I knew nothing of his addiction and did not realize what the real problem was.  He hid his drinking so I knew nothing about it.  Never even suspected this was a problem in our life.

But he was only interested in one thing and that was the alcohol.  I was interested in having a nice life, raising great children, paying bills and living the way people are supposed to.  As time marched on, he became more addicted and thus less of a person.  Not interested in living that nice life, nor in paying any bills either.  And then, I finally realized what the problem was and that was the end of that.

Because of help from AA and Alanon, we were able to scratch our way to the surface once again.  At this time, I had a tiny baby as well as several other children.  I began stopping by the local Catholic Church every day if I had a car to drive and if it ran.  I would only stay a minute, but took all those children and stopped to tell God thank you for all that He had done for me in my life and to tell Him whatever was going on today.  And I did that over and over again, spending at least 10 to 15 minutes before His Presence every day. Just enough to keep me going.  I was determined to have that good life again and I knew that God would get me there.  I not only placed my hand in His Hand, but I offered everything in my life to Him.

Gradually, very gradually our lives turned around again.  And I knew in my heart that God was the One in charge.  He was the One who made it all happen.  We did come back to that good life once again.  My husband started his own business and became very successful.   We had several more children and paid off all bills and were never in debt again, ever.  We also were able to provide well for our children and live in nice homes and drive nice cars and wear nice clothing.

All this was because I turned my life over to God and gave Him the reins to lead me and guide me on. And He did.

I tell this story in my latest book, THE REAL STORY.  Not only is this story in there – and it is very interesting in its detail – but there is also a chapter about my father who came up from abject poverty to be one of the most powerful people in our State.  And it also tells the REAL story about the 1957 crisis at Little Rock High School in 1957 and this is not the story as sent out by the media.

All my books are $10 each plus $2 postage.  Order through Amazon or send check or money order to BET   P.O. Box 2249, Benton,AR  72018.   I also sell my books 3 for $25, same postage.    Thanks, Bet

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR ALL OUR FREEDOMS

So many people, especially younger ones who have not traveled the world yet, do not realize what marvelous freedoms we enjoy every single day of our lives here in the United States of America.  As adults, we can choose to work at any job we please.  We can choose to further our education or not.  We can choose to live at home or go out on our own.  We are free to do all these things without having to get some kind of permit or license or permission from anyone.

Then we are also free to marry or not.  In many countries around this world, people are not free to do that.  And then we can choose to have as many or as few children as we want.  It is all up to us as individuals.  We never had to worry about a baby or an old person being slaughtered until the last few years.  Those are the most unprotected of our species and have no way of stopping that slaughter.  We can choose to hold that baby in our arms and promise him a future he cannot possibly imagine.  And we are free to help our parents as they age and make sure they have a dignified existence.  In a lot of countries of this world, these things are not possible.  In China for instance, you are only allowed to have 2 children.  I’m so glad I didn’t live there.  I have a wonderful family and would not want to have missed out on a single one of mine.

We can choose to live where and how we want to.  Even those who live on the streets have chosen that lifestyle for themselves.  We can choose to work hard, save our money, and progress in this life.  Or we can choose to do nothing and have nothing.  When we traveled to Russia, the guide told us that he lived in an apartment with 12 other people.  He and his wife had one child and they had to share everything they had with those  other people.  He talked of wishing he could have a life like ours.  He could not even choose where he would by his food.  He stated that the older the food was, the more valuable it became.For instance, the greener the cheese was,  the more it cost. And everything belonged to the state.  The people still had to buy their milk from a truck on the corner and their bread from a wagon on the next street.  I’ll take WalMart any day over a lifestyle like that.

We can get in our car, turn the key on, and drive to anywhere in this country that we want to go.  We don’t have to give our identification to anyone anywhere unless we are not a legal resident.  We don’t have to go through interrogation because we crossed a state line.  We are so fortunate.

We can also wear whatever clothing suits us.  And we can buy that clothing in any store we wish.  No one tells us how we have to look, where we have to shop, nor how many times we can shop.  We can send our children to any school we wish. We are free to make any friends anywhere that we please.  All these freedoms we take for granted each and every day.  But they are not available to most of the people in this world.

We are the most fortunate people in this world.  Remember that when you vote this coming election time.  Count up how many freedoms of yours are being threatened every day.  Put a list in your pocket to remind you.  Don’t let this election pass you by.  It is very important that you vote to keep your freedoms.

For instance, gasoline has skyrocketed in price this past year.  Think about that.  If the gas is so high that you cannot buy it, then your freedom of movement has been curtailed.  You cannot get in that car and turn the key and go anywhere. So you will end up living like the people in Russia or even England where travel is  restricted.  And soon, you will find yourself living in a ghetto like situation in old buildings, crammed together like rats simply because you could not afford the price of gasoline.  This would influence how you work, where you work, where you live, how you raise your children, where you shop, and what clothes you are able to buy.  That is only because of the price of gas.

Pay attention!  Be careful how you vote this year.  Be sure and vote for a Republican.  No matter who is running.  At least you will not lose your freedoms.  If you vote for a Democrat, you might just lose all that freedom.

PLEASE GOD: WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILIES?

By now in the 1950′s, we were beginning to see the first real split in the family unit.  For, not only were the children running the family, but there was so much outside interference, too.

The schools were transgressing into the family unit in various ways.   It was time for things to begin to change to give all our children a better education.   I’m still waiting for that one to materialize.  Before this time, we all learned reading, writing, and arithmetic on a regular basis.  Everyone knew what each year taught and we were all satisfied with that.  Now, things were confused and children were being taught in different and not so successful ways.

And then, the workplace started doing things a little differently.  After the big War, the advertising business blossomed and between that and the television sets, the family had become more open to the outside world.  Instead of being a close knit unit, it was beginning to become just another part of the world around us.  Everyone said the same things, everyone did the same things, everyone wore the same things, and  the power lunches and cocktail parties were a big part of the business world these days.  I cannot really imagine why as I never knew of much being accomplished when people were a little tipsy after a martini lunch or  a standing room only cocktail party.

Not only that, but the businesses started sending their executives all over the country and in some instances, all over the world.  If you were successful, you were going to move.  The business needed you in a new and ever expanding business world.  Some families moved numerous times. As their children grew older, they left children all over the country because that is where their roots were and their friends were and that is where their job was or their college was.  It was a disaster for the family unit.  Also, as the families were moved around, they dropped their extended family.  It had always been true before that a family had branches all nearby.  If you needed help, Aunt someone would come and babysit or help you out.  Or if financial help was needed, you could plan on Uncle somebody coming to the rescue.  Not true anymore.  Some children never even saw their grandparents.   This was also disruptive to the family unit.

And now, with all the hoopla about the women needing to go out into the big bad world and get a job, the family unit got even worse.  No longer could the mother know that she would be there when school was out.  Or that she could take care of her pre-schooler.  So, guess what!  After -school care and pre-school care became available.  As the years passed, everyone could find someone to take care of their children.  Thus, the mother was no longer needed at home.  And, as time went on, too, the government started paying some of the costs for this care for those working mothers.

So the children were pretty much raising themselves or being raised by someone who was not a member of the immediate family.  Wonder who would raise your children.  Certainly not those who were intended to do so.  God must have had that all wrong.  He didn’t know what He was doing I guess.  Sort of like the breast feeding of those babies.  Someone else always knew better.  And the children paid the price.

A lot of the fathers were salesmen during this time.  And a great number of them traveled on a regular basis.  This was the way it was done back then.  Father got in his car on Monday morning and didn’t come home again until Friday afternoon.  So, Mother and children were truly on their own.  Of course Father was making an enormous amount of money these days, but then he had to have a good car all the time, too.  And not all businesses provided for that.  And he spent his nights alone in a motel room.  Watching that television most of the time.  And Mother was home trying to catch up each evening after her day at work.   And the children were watching that television set, too.  Such was life.

As salaries and commissions rose, so did the price of all goods.  As once was said, ‘Expenses always rise to meet income’.  And that is so very true.  Mother had an automatic washer now and a dryer and a dishwasher because she couldn’t possibly do all that work and have an outside job, too.  So more money was spent.  And she didn’t have much time for ironing so most of the clothes went to the cleaners.  Pretty soon, all her paycheck was spent in order for her to afford to go to work.  In the business world, she had to have more money, so this meant that in order to pay her more money, the price of goods had to be raised.  But everyone was going to have that good life, just as soon as they could find out where it was or even what it was.

Our families really need Your Help, Dear God.