DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR MY FATHER

I grew up in this really great typical family.  There was a mother, father, grandmother, sister and brother.  We lived a perfectly normal life in the decade of the 1940′s.  Everyone was treated fairly, both in praise and in reprimands.  And I am so glad I was placed there by Almighty God because it couldn’t have been any better.

My father was always the last word on anything.  He was very fair and very kind and very strict.  But he always was striving to make people happy and to feel better about themselves.  We had this neighbor who was always talking about his ‘hogs head cheese’ that his family ate when he was growing up. My father had eaten some of that before, too, down in the country where it was made.  So he talked with the neighbor and they both agreed that cheese was just simply great.

Next month or so, the neighbor family invited us over for Sunday dinner. And guess what!  They served hogs head cheese, the real kind, made out of real hog’s heads. The neighbor had made a trip to the country just to get that for us.  We had been taught all our lives to be nice and complimentary and kind to anyone, so when it came time to eat that hogs head cheese, all us kids smiled and swallowed – really, really hard.  I remember my brother looked a little green, but he didn’t say so.  And it was all I could do to eat mine, especially thinking about those hog’s heads.  But we ate it and raved over how good it was.  My father was raving over it, too, complimenting the neighbor for such a wonderful treat.  But, oh boy, we were really glad to get back home so we could brush our teeth and say what we really thought about that hogs head cheese.

Another time, our Great Aunt Mary was coming for a visit.  I had never seen her before as it had been so long since she had visited.  She and her husband were driving from California just to see us.  She had helped in raising my father and so he was really excited about her visit.  He kept talking about how he wanted her to make some of that great chili she had made for him as a kid.  He kept saying it had big chunks of garlic in it and we would just love it.  Well, after visiting for a couple of days, Aunt Mary decided to make some of that chili that my father was just raving about.  You know, the one with the big chunks of garlic in it.

My father watched while she cooked and he was so anxious to taste.  That night  at dinner, we had garlic chili with a little meat thrown in for flavor.  It had so much garlic in it that it was all we could do to swallow it.  But we did.  And we all complimented Aunt Mary for such wonderful chili.  I can still taste that garlic every time I think about it.  But we were kind and thoughtful and smiled a lot even if we did smell sort of funny that evening.

It was truly a great family full of all the things that families did back then.  And lots of fun and happiness.  You might like to read a little more about this family of mine along with living history about what was really going on in the world around us.  My book IN THE 1940′S  tells all that.  The War was raging all over the world and we were living with the rationing and the allotment checks since my father went to War and the air raids and everything else that was going on.  It was a very interesting time and if you like my writing, you will really enjoy this book.

Each book only $10 plus $2 postage.  Send check or money order to BET   P.O. Box 2249   Benton, AR  72018    Thanks, Bet

 

DEAR GOD: CAN YOU HEAR THE CHILDREN CRYING?

In this supposedly enlightened world of today, our poor children are crying and moaning and hurting.  Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  I hear them over and over again constantly.  I see them on television and I read about them in the newspapers and I get gobs of mail every day telling me to listen to YOUR poor children.  As You have said, ‘whatever you do to the least of these, you do also unto Me.’  But those people are not listening to You anymore.  They think they are in charge of Your world.  And the children are crying. All the time.

There are those that are slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers.  The poor baby has no one else in this world to protect him. He is completely dependent upon his mother.  And who is she that she would deliberately destroy his life.  Surely, she cannot mean to do this.  Surely, she cannot intend to destroy the very basic being within her own body.  Do those poor children cry throughout eternity?  Do their mothers cry throughout all eternity?  The only animal that destroys their own is the Guppy that eats their babies.   Surely, we have not descended to that level.

I read of other atrocities against children every day, too.  Just today, I read of a child only 3 months old who already had broken ribs and a concussion from being thrown around or mistreated in some way.  Why on earth would any human being do that to a 3 month old child.  I certainly remember that babies cry and it is hard to listen to them sometimes.  But no right thinking adult would ever hurt a tiny child like that.

In another instance, a child had actually walked to school and when he arrived, his teacher noticed something wrong.  By that time, the flesh was  falling off his bones because he had been scalded in a tub of water.  Why would anyone ever think to do that to a small child.  Oh, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?

And then there are those whose parents do not feed them nor care for them in any way.  Why is this?  Why in the world would anyone not feed their children.  All animals feed their offspring.  I see pictures in my mail and on the television and in the newspapers every day showing small children who need a good meal.  Most of them also need a good home. Why has this happened in our beloved Country.  The government is not supposed to be feeding them.  The schools are not supposed to be sending food home with them to tide them over the weekend until they can come back for a meal at school again.  What is wrong here.  Why are those parents not being made to take care of their own children.  Surely there is something akin to responsibility within their hearts, minds and souls.

Meanwhile, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  Please help them.  Please wake those parents up so they will start to take care of their very own children.  Please Dear God Help Them.  YOUR children are crying.

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!!!!

DEAR GOD: FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO

I remember when women stayed home and cared for their families. My mother did this day after day and all the women at her time also did this unless they were without a man to take care of them.  This was the accepted norm for married life and family life.

I did the same.  I went to work as soon as I got out of high school and had no trouble finding a secretarial job.  Worked for a couple of years and then started a family.  Pretty much the norm at that time.  Very happy life, too.  Never had any desire to be a career woman.  No thanks!  That job at  home was completely satisfying.  I was my own boss and could do as I please just so long as I took care of everyone in the household.  This was fine and dandy with me.  As I said, I was very happy and very satisfied with my life.  I was surrounded by friends and neighbors and family.  What more could I ask for.  We lived in a small home and then a larger one and a larger one as our family grew.  This meant I had more to do to take care of all this family and I loved it.  Wouldn’t have traded it for all the careers in the world. I eventually joined all those other women in the carpool section, driving that station wagon everywhere, but I loved every minute of taking care of and listening to and loving all my children.

But then, those women who thought my life was demeaning decided to band together and convince all those unsuspecting young women out there that they had to have a college education in order to have one of those great careers.  This meant they would all make a lot of money and not have to stay home and take care of that boring family.  They wouldn’t have to cook anymore or do laundry or run the vacuum or feed the babies or iron or do any of that demeaning work.  But – they forgot to tell them that they would have to be at a job every day at a certain time and someone else would tell them what to do every day and they would have to have more clothes and more expensive food and have to put those precious babies in a place where someone else could have the joy of watching them progress and grow.  But this was all to be so wonderful.  Especially all that money they would make.  Oh boy!  Who could pass that one up.  Only most of them ended up making a minimum salary and still having to wash and iron and vacuum and feed their family at home, which also meant they had to still wash dishes and mop floors and do all that demeaning work they had left behind when they embarked on that wonderful satisfying career.  Oh Yeah!

And besides that, those particular dissatisfied women also insisted until they got their way that all the women could have that choice of whether or not they wanted to have those precious children.  They were in complete charge.  After all, it was their body, wasn’t it.  It was their decision to make, wasn’t it.  Oh, but someone forgot to tell them that this is called murder and you don’t murder another human being.  You don’t even harm one much less kill it.  And that precious, innocent human being didn’t even have anything to say about it.  But, those career women knew everything, especially how to kill those babies.  This was the way to go.  They just forgot to tell any of the other women that they would always feel that regret.  They might hide it for a long time, but it would always be there.  And that child would always be in the back of their mind.  Wonder what it would be doing today.  How old would it be now.  Would it be a happy person with a family of its own by now?  And the shame of knowing they did this.  And eventually, what will God say.

So, if you are a young woman reading this today, rethink your future life. Marry that man you fall in love with.  Plan to stay at home and take care of your family.  Plan to have that satisfying wonderful life that you can have if you will just work at it.  Hug those babies.  Welcome them when they come along.  Love your husband and provide that comfortable existence for everyone in your family.  Appreciate what God gives you and thank Him frequently.  He is the one in charge.  He is the one who makes those special decisions.  Recognize that and get on with your life.  It can be wonderful.  Mine was and is today.

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.

Towards the end of the 1950′s, we had everything going our way.   Progress was in the air for everyone.  And everyone seemed to be pretty happy in their lives.  We were all saving a dab here and there in our Christmas Club Accounts in order to have a great Christmas again this year.  Catalogs for purchases were beginning to be used more by more and more families.  Those brand new cake mixes came out.  Ladies were hired to canvas the neighborhoods and urge the mothers to try out those new cake mixes.  A lady came to my door and gave me 2 new mixes.  All I had to do was bake the cakes and use the icings she brought and then she would come back another day and see what I thought about it.  What fun!  Of course with a houseful of kids, I was glad to bake two cakes that week.  And they ate every single bite.  It was so easy.  I had always had to make cakes from scratch which was a big job.  Just imagine – a cake mix in a box.  Hot Dog!

B y this time, we had had a Democratic President for a very long time.  FDR  was the President almost all my life, from 1933 to 1945.  He died right at the end of World War II. Then Harry Truman as the Vice President took over and he was a pretty good President considering what he faced at that time.  The War was almost over and Truman made an urgent plea for Japan to surrender.  Of course they refused and that was when Truman ordered the atomic bombs to be dropped.  A lot of people to this day think that was the wrong decision, but it was not.  It was the only one that could have been made.  Too many men on both sides had already died.  It was time to be through with that War forever.  And with all wars.

But of course that did not happen.  Next, we had to put up with the Korean problems.  It always seemed to me that it was like two children drawing a line in the sand and saying – ‘This is my property.  Don’t cross that line.’  Of course nothing about the Korean Conflict was that simple.   But it was another War that no one wanted.  Truman won a second term and then did not seek re-election the next time.

This time in 1953, we had Dwight Eisenhower, the War hero as the winner.  We all wore our ‘I Like Ike’ pins and he was handily elected to the office. He was a Republican and most people were very happy to have him in the White House.  His promises made a lot of sense and he served two terms.  He was a pretty good President on most issues.  He did create the Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare.  Not so sure about that one.

He also conquered the City of Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957 and I most definitely am not so sure about that one.  We had the huge integration crisis at the local high school and Ike sent in the crack 101st Airborne Troops.  You know, those are the ones who conquer cities with their tanks.  Well, those tanks rolled into Little Rock and sat at the high school for weeks.  And the story that the media put out was simply not the real story of that situation.

If you would like to read that true and real story, you might want to purchase my book entitled The Real Story.  It is available on Amazon or from me.  Just send your check or money order to BET,   P.O. Box 2249, Benton, AR  72018.  Price is $10 plus $2 postage making a grand total of $12 per each book.  Or you can purchase any three of my books for $25 plus $5 for the postage, making that a grand total of $30.

Meanwhile, back in the neighborhood, the children were growing and those dark clouds were getting darker.   The next few years would be very interesting.

 

ORANGE JUICE

I heard that some imported orange juice had strange ingredients floating around in it and people were advised not to drink it.  In the first place, why would it have anything dangerous in it.  If it was made in America, it would be clean and healthful I am sure.

But instead, the news reported that at least 60% of our orange juice which is consumed in this country is from Brazil.  Now, someone needs to explain why orange juice of all things should be imported from Brazil.  Surely, there are enough oranges being grown in this country to provide for the healthy breakfasts of people in the good old U.S.A.  If not, why not.  It used to be.

Could it be the cost of the products here that make importing the orange juice better for all of us?  Could it be the added government regulations that cause the price to be so high here that it is more cost friendly to import it all the way from Brazil.  Or could it be simply that the labor costs are too high?  Wonder why.  Someone needs to have a congressional committee investigate this one for sure.  And then perhaps a year from now, we will read a tiny notice in the newspaper that says it is because of the cost of producing orange juice in the United States due to labor costs, government regulations and other mandated costs that it is more feasible to import orange juice from Brazil.  Then I will know for sure.

This is truly ridiculous.  Maybe it would help a lot if we all just read the labels and only bought what was made in the U.S  Think I have heard that one before, but it really would work if everyone just took the time to do this.  I am sure that somewhere in your town and mine it is possible to buy orange juice that has been produced in the U.S    Certainly not imported all the way from Brazil. No wonder it has strange particles in it.

HUNGRY CHILDREN

There was an article in my local paper the other day that told of a group of teachers who provide backpacks for hungry children to take home on the weekend.  These backpacks contain enough food to keep the child fed while at home and not receiving the free breakfast, lunch and snacks from the local school.  In another district, a group not only provides these backpacks for the children, but also enough food for their siblings at home.

My question is – why aren’t the parents feeding their own children.  I fed mine.  I’ll bet you fed yours.  Sometimes it wasn’t all that great, but they were fed and full when they left the table after each meal.  All species feed their young.   Why is it suddenly alright for today’s parents not to feed their young.  Is this the Great Society that Lyndon Johnson envisioned when he set up all these free programs?  Makes me wonder about those Democrats and all their freebie policies.  

I know some of these parents do not know how to cook a decent meal because they have never even tried.  But, you know, a box of oatmeal and a loaf of bread can go a long ways towards filling a hungry stomach of a youngster.  I used to figure my grocery money very carefully and I could pay for a box of oatmeal and plan on several morning’s breakfast instead of a box of cereal that would only go round a couple of times at a much higher price.  Why can’t these parents do the same thing.

Are these parents the ones that my tax money is supporting these days?  Are they the ones who holler all the time because they are out of a job when they don’t want to work anyway?  Are they the same ones who line up to get every freebie available?  And then they don’t even bother to feed their own youngsters.  I know times are tough.  I know there are fewer jobs.  I know everyone is having to tighten their belt a little bit.  But not everyone is out of a job.  And not everyone has to depend upon the freebies for sustenance.  

Meanwhile, feed those young children.  They are hungry and they have no reason to be hungry.  Surely, the mother or the father is capable to providing something on the table for every child.  I’m sure the mother and father have something to eat.  If not, they would be lying in the ditches everywhere.  So we know they are eating and probably eating very well.  Just too much trouble to provide for their young ones.  Too much effort to stop playing on their computer or watching their TV set in order to take the time to provide that meal.  If they have any kind of income, feeding their children should come first.  Period.  

It is the parent’s RESPONSIBILITY to feed their own children.  It is not the RESPONSIBILITY of the government, nor the school, nor the neighbors, nor the church.  It is the PARENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to feed their own young chiildren

Feed those hungry children – NOW!

HOT DRYER

When I got the last load of laundry out of the dryer this afternoon, I started laughing to myself about an article I had read.  It was a very serious  ’helpful hint’   article telling how to save money on utilities.  Of course, it listed the usual things such as wash in cold water as often as possible.  And don’t hot dry your dishes, etc.  But then, the last hint said ‘Always use a hot dryer.’  Now, I know my dryer is HOT.  No doubt about that one.  But how to keep the dryer always HOT was the problem.  

With four teens and a couple of younger ones in the house, I washed about 5 loads per day. On Monday, I washed 8 loads because I did not wash on Sundays.  Some of those Sunday  clothes had to be dry cleaned instead of washed which explains the 8 loads instead of 10 for that day. For some reason, all those teens thought they were supposed to take at least one shower per day.  And they insisted upon changing their clothes at least once a day, too.  I never had the heart to tell them any different.  Our younger ones had to be washed down periodically also.  

I tried to keep that HOT dryer running.  But sometimes, it just wasn’t possible.  I had a habit of being through with the laundry by 3 in the afternoon when everyone started coming in from school.  That way, they could find their clean clothes for the next time.  That wasn’t too hard to do since the machines did all the work.  I just filled them up now and then.  But it still bugged me about that HOT dryer and how to keep it HOT so I could save money on the utility bills.  

Guess I could run the dryer all night. But then I couldn’t see how that would help on the bills very much.  I could imagine that meter going round and round and round outside my house.  Probably start whistling in the middle of the night, too.  Might make the neighbors wonder about me even more than they did now.  Maybe I can call the electric company and ask about this profound advice.  Then they can wonder about me, too.  

 Meanwhile, guess I’ll just have to pay that utility bill every month until I figure out how to keep my HOT dryer HOT.  But it gives me something to laugh about when I open that dryer and  all those clothes fall out onto the floor.

 I know what – this is what it means to Have a Nice Day!  Or another fun day.  Or – oh well, you know – another one of those days!  But at least I have a HOT dryer – sometimes.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Having raised a large number of very average children, I used to hate going to Parent Teacher Conferences.  Not because I dreaded meeting with the teachers, but because I simply did not have the extra time.  I knew what my children did at school.  I knew what they were capable of doing at school.  And I was pleased with all of them as they grew up.  None of them were of the Straight A variety, but I really didn’t care.  They were all well rounded, happy children who knew what was going on in their world, had nice friends, and were blessed with a good sense of humor.  I was a good Mom.  My husband was a good Dad.  And we had a very happy family.  No problems to speak of, ever, except the normal teaching of discipline and manners over the years.  And that usually depended  upon the personality of each individual child.  

But here come the Parent Teacher Conferences once again. Time to go sit in the hall outside the various doors and wait to be called.  

My only problem was that in each and every room with each and every teacher, I was usually told the same line – ‘If your child would just try, he could do a lot better.’  I thought to myself by the time I was through with Parent Teacher Conferences that if one more teacher said that to me I was going to go over the top of that desk.  Instead, I always smiled and acted like a lady  the way  my mother  had taught me to do. 

Maybe I am wrong in my thinking, but it would seem to me that it is the teacher’s job to make my child want to try and want to do better in her class and want to be interested in her subject.   That is what she is there for; to  teach my child her particular subject, whatever it might be.  If she does not stimulate his interest, he will not try in her class.  Period.  That is why different people have different jobs in life.  They are interested in different and various fields.  That is also true of children.  They all have different interests.  May not be science or reading, but then it is the teacher’s job to make them interested in that particular science project or that book to read.  

Sure am glad I am through with Parent Teacher’s Conferences.    I might have become dangerous.