Being a native Tidewater Virginian, I always follow the news from back home.  It was a great place to grow up, with history abounding (Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown), strong pride in our military (large Army, Navy and Air Force facilities present), and our specialty agricultural products (Virginia peanuts and the timeless Smithfield ham, around since Colonial days).

I was shocked to learn that Smithfield Foods, a major pork producer and a landmark in the historic town of Smithfield for generations, was sold to a Chinese company.  Smithfield, truly a community company, located in the town named for Captain John Smith of Jamestown fame, would no longer be American owned.

First, I was just sad to hear the news and then I became angry; angry when I thought about what this action might mean to America.  It might be downright life-threatening.

Think about it.  Our country has allowed itself to  "go in hock" to China for trillions of dollars, we have recently found out that the Chinese have stolen secrets to the production of all of our most recent military weapons technology, and now they will own a major staple of American food.  And all of this is in addition to helping them get a foothold with Canadian oil since the government stalls on the new pipeline in the Midwest.

So where does this leave us?  Well, it is rapidly leading us to become totally dependent on the good will of China.  And the problem with that is the Chinese system.  For make no mistake about it, China is a brutally run dictatorship.  Oh, they put on a front about world peace and how we must get together, but their actions speak differently.  They are seriously ramping up their military, they are buying up all strategic supplies they need while we sit idly by, and now they are going to procure our quality foods to feed their people while continuing to export items of questionable safety.

Talking with an old friend of mine from Virginia yesterday, he summed it up best saying, "Well I guess they'll be getting the tenderloin and the cutlets, and they'll leave us with the pork rinds".

Meanwhile our President keeps on blah-blahing about how we're the greatest country on earth while he continually works hard to undermine his own claims.  How sad and how disgusting.

America, it's time to wake up and put America first.  We can still help others, but we can't if we no longer exist as a viable land.  Let's bring American back.

Attorney General Eric Holder is truly in the hot seat.  He has avoided, cajoled, harassed, lied, twisted the facts, and even recused himself from what he has done, but it appears that the walls are closing in on him. 

His department is rotten to the core and as Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the United States he has been derelict in his duty, likely  guilty of civil and even criminal misbehavior.  You see, Eric Holder is a left wing ideologue, so he sees his mission as doing whatever it takes to further the left's agenda.

Will Obama offer him up as a sacrifice as the pressure on the Administration continues?  Probably, for he has a track record of doing what it takes to cover himself at any cost.  So, if I were Mr. Holder I'd come clean, be honest and sincere for once, and resign.  His punishment would likely be less severe if he did.  And I'm not necessarily talking about his physical punishment here, but rather the punishment of knowing that he is a publicly ruined and corrupt man  who has violated his oath of office and our trust.

Sadly, I don't think he will do that.  The "Top Dogs" in this Administration have amazing hubris, thinking themselves clearly above the law and answerable to no one but themselves.  But remember, despite what they think, we have a great and powerful God,  Maker of all things, and he knows and will cast His judgment on them when he is ready.

So go make a big bag of popcorn and your favorite beverage, ladies and gentleman, for the show is about to begin in dead earnest.  Up to this point things have just been a game, but it is getting very serious now.  In addition to the tampering and flat out wrongdoing of the Justice Department, we have the IRS, EPA, HHS, State and Defense departments, even Agriculture with the Pigford scandal, plus the White House staff and quite likely the President himself, involved in shameful behavior.  And the longer it takes to come out in the open, the more damaging these travesties  will be.  I really do wonder how Jay Carney can sleep at night.

I hope that we get to the bottom of all of this, and that those who have perpetrated these things against the American people come to justice, just not justice as currently carried out by the Attorney General.  And I trust that if we will always turn to Him, Our Heavenly Father, who will see us through.

And Lord, have mercy on those who have blackened the honor of the United States and so dishonored the trust that they were given, for we will forgive them, but they must pay the full consequences of their actions.  We are called by Thee to love the sinner and hate the sin, and we will do that, no matter  how hard it is to do sometimes, for that is what is expected from us.

And may our country learn a big lesson from these terrible times.  Each of us must, in the future, take the time to learn what those standing for election truly represent, find out what is in their hearts and minds, as well as those who they bring to power with them.  The information is readily available if we just take the time to look for it. And then, if we will just turn to Thee for guidance in these matters, we can preclude this situation from ever happening again.

God bless the United States of America and thank you, Lord, for being there for us.

I used to live at the beach.  I remember walking in the cool sand at the water's edge as the dawn was breaking.  The eastern sky went from gray, to pink, to red, and then the golden sun started gradually rising from the calm waters.

Those times gave me solitude and peace similar to the way I feel now on my small farm watching that same sunrise over the dark pine forest.  And that rising of the sun reminds me of the power of God the Father, Son and the Spirit and how important it is for us to put Him central in our lives and all that we do.  For with Him we are everything; without Him we are nothing.

As I look at this country that I love, and I think about all the dramatic changes that we have been through recently,  I know that things are terribly wrong.  We have lost our moral compass, we have allowed and even condoned behavior that clearly is unacceptable to our God, and many have substituted money, materialism and greed as a replacement for Thee.  Further, our government has lost all sense of ethical behavior, has violated its own laws to pursue a clearly Marxist direction, and we, the people have in many cases  just stood by quietly, unwilling to challenge this behavior.

There are some signs today that the nation is waking up from its stupor.  Patriotic groups, some Christian and some non-Christian but also representing God and moral principles and sound practices, have started to arise.  They are being threatened and cajoled, but it appears that they have the courage and fortitude to fight the good fight.  This fight is already underway, and let us pray that it will stay peaceful, using the force of logic and the good to change others. It is important that we support this movement and speak out loudly, for we are fast approaching a day that the changes will become irreversible.

When you hear some of those who would force us to accept their ways say that all they want is freedom of religion and free speech, don't believe them.  What they want is to eliminate freedom of religion and speech for all of us, while they, being special interests with support from some ingovernment, will be allowed to continue their filth and vile action and talk.  Marxism works that way; it breaks down all vestiges of morality and goodness in the name of  freedom, which in turn destroys our inner selves, our values and ultimately that freedom it claims to support..

Oh God of Abraham and Father of the Christ, Be with us in our struggle for the heart and soul of America.  Help us to be strong, outspoken for Thee, and always representing the Truth.  We know that America is a special place and that Thy guidance and love allowed our Founding Fathers to persevere until she was fully established.  Now it is our job to return her to what she was meant to be, a shining light for the rest of the world, which today needs that beacon of hope more than ever.

Like the dark days of the Depression and even the great World War II, Americans have always had the ability to rise up in times like these and do what needs to be done to maintain our freedoms.  Infect us with Thy Spirit and infuse us with Thy love so that we may peacefully, yet effectively, show the misguided how wonderful America can be when it walks in the bright light of They love.  We ask this prayer in His name, Amen

Never fear, never falter, and above all, never give up in your quest for a life filled with God.

As the storm clouds roll in, changing from light gray to dark, a bright flash and a following ominous roll of thunder makes me shudder.  As the winds pick up and the rains go from gentle to stinging,  I realize it's going to be a bad one and it's time to "hunker down" inside for a while until it passes.

The storm  reminds me of the impact of political correctness.  The unwillingness, or is it fear, to speak truthfully just gradually overtakes the sunshine of our spirit and turns us into little robots fearful of facing our real problems and the ensuing storm.

Unlike the thunderstorm, however, if we want to retain our freedom we can't just "hunker down" until it passes because it won't.  The only way we rid ourselves of this scourge is to refuse to continue accepting it in the first place.  Otherwise, the America we know will continue on its current path to destruction and disappear in the dust bin of old history books.

There are many things I can point to that show this, but for brevity, I want to focus on just a few.  They are competition, freedom of speech, and special interest preferences.  I hope to discuss others at a later time but these offer a good "jumping off point".  Let's take them one at a time.

 Competition 

Remember when you were a child and you participated in sports events?  Remember not being very good and spending lots of time on the bench, or being the last one picked on a team?  Well, it's true that those things at the time hurt your feelings but they were indicative of the way the world really operates.  Some of us have certain gifts, others have different talents.  In same cases, we gained determination to improve our efforts and we did better in the sport.  Other times we changed our focus to other things.

I know personally I enjoyed sports but I was at best a journeyman, able to play the game but never a star.  The teamwork aspect, however, was good for me and it taught me about how competitive life is.  As a result, while still playing sports, I devoted more time to schoolwork and got good grades and the opportunity to attend a good college, ultimately getting both bachelors and masters degrees. 

And what about today's kids.  Well, PC has infected us with its no winner, no loser approach.  Some team sports don't even keep score any longer, and the push is on to end the grading system in many schools.  What rubbish.  These kids grow up full of phony self-esteem "feelings" and then fall flat on their face in the real world.  Maybe that's why we have so many twenty-somethings returning home to live because they can't get a job.

Freedom of speech.

What's on your mind?  Whatever it is, today we are often fearful to express ourselves.  It seems like the only group with strong core values based on truth that can be bashed unabated by anyone is the Christian Community.  Just look at what goes on in our own country today.  An Islamic terrorist murders people with a bomb at a crowded sporting event and society looks to make excuses for the perpetrator.  We all know what the truth is, that he is filled with hate for America, but rather than deal with this we look for ways to excuse him. 

At the same time, the Army is trying to control the free discussion by soldiers of their Christian faith while still refusing to call the Islamic terrorism at Fort Hood what is was, instead using the bland term workplace violence. This is just one example  but it is an outrage and its not alone.  At the same time, our government initiated  a campaign to identify patriotic, constitution and Christian groups as being our primary threat, putting bulletins out to various law enforcement groups in this regard while the IRS is even caught violating their rights..

Speak out, America.  Don't accept this drivel and don't fall for it.  These groups being persecuted are the ones who truly want to return our land to its traditions and foundations.  The false prophets of PC are trying to stymie that by any means possible.  America was made great by hard work, honor and truthfulness with a strong belief in a Divine Creator, our God, who allowed us to prosper.  Do we want him to divert his guidance from us, allowing us to falter and die?  Think about it.

Special interest preferences.

This is another key problem area and we will end this discussion here.  When I talk of special interests, I am referring to large politically active organizations, some one issue groups, others big government business interests, who try to control the debate and thereby control the outcome.  Many of these groups, be they civil rights, environmental or green, corporate, or social activists involved with such things as freedom of choice or gay rights, as well as many others, try to infiltrate the political process with large cash outlays to sway the democratic process.  The groups I have in mind all seem to have one ultimate goal: larger government with displacement of individualism with group think, a la George Orwell's 1984.

What is right for America and acceptable to God no longer seems to matter.   No, now it is what is right for me and what I think and how can I force others to accept my views, usually to the detriment of the American experience, and frequently with the support of bad legislation.  Just jam it down our throats and make us accept it; the end justifies the means.

All of these factors have put America in a straight jacket.  The survival and growth of the greatest nation on earth is no longer important.  In fact, for some it is desirable to weaken her as if America is somehow the evil "kid on the block" when history, if reviewed honestly, shows just the opposite.  For America is truly the light of the world, and has been since its creation, and we must keep this light brightly shining.

Think about this, fellow Americans.  We can turn things around but it will take hard work, courage, and a willingness to fight hard, not with guns and deadly weapons, but with the best weapons of all, our spoken and written words.  They are, indeed, mighty, and they spread like wildfire. 

People are yearning for a turn to the truth.  Let's all be a part of the Army that will do so, peacefully, yet with great strength and perseverance.  It's up to us.   May God bless us on our journey.

I met an interesting and brave Patriot recently.  He was in the service for many years, first in World War II, where he saw hazardous duty with the Navy as an enlisted man in the Pacific, and then in Korea as an Army officer, facing bloody hand-to-hand fighting at the Chosen Reservoir.

Between wars, he attended college on the GI Bill and earned  a commission in the Army as a 2d Lieutenant which resulted in his posting to Korea later.

I asked him why, after fighting for nearly four years, he wanted to get a commission knowing full well that it would make him readily available to face additional horrors and bloodshed.  He just looked at me and replied simply, "It was the right thing to do."

He wasn't cocky, he wasn't bragging, he just wanted me to know that he did what he thought was right and it made me ask  myself a question. How many Americans are willing to sacrifice like that today?

Now I don't have the answer but I do know that Americans have a long history of answering their nation's call.  And the brave souls who fought and died for this country during the World War II era were special and they set a high bar to follow.  They had a bond of courage and honor that kept them on track and kept them going.  And while we celebrate the thousands of brave Americans who gave "the ultimate sacrifice" for their country today, we must also recognize the thousands and thousands more who put their family and career on serious hold in order to keep us free, only to return home almost as a stranger. 

Some came home after being away so long their families hardly knew them.  Some met children they had never seen.  Many had to start their careers over from scratch after an absence of up to five years, yet they labored on after return, despite their scars and memories of war.  They raised families, developing in them the same patriotic spirit that had kept them alive during those difficult times.

All of these folks deserve our honor and our respect and I ask of you, should  you meet any of these brave souls today at ceremonies around the country, step up to them, shake their hand, and offer a simple thank you.  And, of course, this goes for any of our active and uniformed forces who willingly stepped up to do what had to be done at many different times in our history.

On Memorial Day 2013, I thank God for the souls of our dearly departed heroes and the fine veterans of combat over the years.  I also pray that we can find a way to avoid future bloodshed.  But I also thank God that when we can't avoid conflict, we have citizens willing to step up and do what has to be done.  As long as this is the case, America will never die.

Happy Memorial Day and God bless America.

I think it appropriate to offer a prayer on this Sunday before Memorial Day for all of our fallen heroes in war.  Many young men and women have answered the call to serve our country in uniform and a large number of them died for the cause.  The ultimate sacrifice is something that can't be take lightly by any of us.  They died so that others might live free.

So on this beautiful Sunday morning, join with me in prayer, or say your own, but above all, don't forget them ever.  The cause of freedom will always require vigilance and sacrifice in our American life, and may it always include faith in God, for faith provides us both love and strength for any challenge.

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father:  Today we honor the lives of all of those brave souls who gave their life in battle for the cause of freedom and the love of country.  Bless their souls as we honor them this weekend, an honor richly deserved for their valor and courage.

And help those of us who are here to honor them to never forget them and to use their shining example of love for their fellow man in our own lives.  For love like this doesn't come easily, but it sustains us and keeps us strong in the knowledge that only through Thee can we conquer whatever enemies or demons we face. 

And also bless their loved ones who still miss them, the wives and husbands, siblings , children, and even grandchildren who remember them as Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister, and Grandpa and Grandma.  Help them keep the spirit and love alive that made their loved ones heroes, for this is the true Spirit of America.

And Father, we are also facing some different times here in America today, and help us remember our history and the lessons of the past to keep our trust in Thee, not materialistic tools or false prophets that are in abundance, ever mindful that there is only one true God.  God bless us and keep America on the course toward Truth.  Amen.

For you were called to freedom, brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  GALATIANS 5:13 (ESV)

What greater love could they give for their country?  And we are eternally grateful.

I woke up this morning to weather more like early March.  Now we've been through one hot and humid spell, and usually by now we are stuck in that pattern until mid-September.  Today was very different, and the forecast is for at least two, maybe three nights like this. High in the low to mid-80s, with lows going down to the mid-50s.  I will enjoy it while it lasts.

The flowers are all blooming and are beautiful.  Our roses  are in full glory and the tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper and strawberries are already starting to produce.  This is the best season in at least five years.  The grass is very green, which the horses enjoy, and the sky is crystal clear.  Days like this make you forget your troubles and just thank God that days like this happen.

Also remember that this is the Memorial Day weekend.  It's  a time for fun, family, friends and remembrance of those  brave souls who gave  their lives so that we might live free.  Tomorrow my blog will be a prayer for the souls of those heroes with the hope that we have learned something from their example and are willing to do the same if the call of freedom ever requires it.  Whatever trials which we might face, the freedom offered by faith in God provides the willpower to prevail.

On Monday, I will tell a little story about a World War II veteran that I met and his service beyond the call of duty.  He is a wonderful man who sacrificed much but is very thankful for being an American.

So there will be no politics on this blog until Tuesday; now is not the time for that.  Enjoy your long weekend if you have one and be thankful for having the good fortune to be able to call yourself an American.  I'll be back in full political operating mode on Tuesday.

Take care and be safe.

An amazing discussion happened on the floor of the United States Senate late in the week.  Ted Cruz, the new Conservative Republican Senator from Texas, took on a key member of the Old Guard of Republicans and let him know that the old tricks won't work any more. 

It was a refreshing display of truth, concern for the problems we as a nation face, and just what those who sent him to the Senate wanted him to do.  What an appropriate approach to governing; he actually went to Washington to represent the people, not the special interests. Kind of like a modern day Mr. Smith.

We all know how the debt ceiling issue has gone for years.  Everyone complains that we are going broke, that we are spending ourselves into oblivion.  Our Senators and Congressmen/women give "lip" service to these sentiments, then they use their usual gimmick to get around going public.  They establish a joint committee to put forward the issue, which avoids large scale public debate, and then each House votes to approve the increase.  The supposed true conservatives who have been railing against it in the Senate can then vote no, knowing full well that the Dems have a majority and the ceiling will be once again increased.

Well, Senator Cruz, supported by Senators Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Marco Rubio, put a monkey wrench in the process.  He explained on the Senate floor just what the process has been and how it undermines the public and their right to know as well as the long-term solvency of the nation.

Senator John McCain, who I think is really an undercover lefty at heart, went ballistic, telling Cruz that he was a newbie and didn't know how business was done in the Senate.  How dare he challenge the wisdom of this fossilized chamber with its years of experience.

Always the gentleman, Senator Cruz calmly explained that the process needed to be visible to the general public, that he had been sent to Washington to change the way business is being done, and that the country, not the pride and ego of any Senator, is what really mattered.  Bingo, the charade was out of the box at long last.

I think we "flyover country" citizens owe the good Senator a big thank you.  It is the first time in years that I have seen anyone take a truly principled stand publicly, and with gusto,  on the debt ceiling.  And America will be much the better for it.

As for Senator McCain and his gang of "go along with the Democrats RINOs",  you have been openly seen for what you are, and America doesn't like it.  We want fair, open, and sound government, not a continuation of the "scratch my back" philosophy anymore.

And by the way, Senator McCain, you and your posse are the real WackoBirds, for you have consistently worked compromise with those who have no interest in truly solving our real problems.  There is a new party rising in town and I think it will ultimately prevail.  The winds of change are blowing to the right.

God bless Senator Ted Cruz and those supporting him and God bless their work to save America.

Summer is coming quickly here in North Florida.  After a few days of glorious rain, the sun is out bright this morning and we are looking at several days of weather in the low 90's.  It's really getting hot and it reminds me of what is going on in Washington, D.C. where the IRS scandal is getting hotter.

Lois Lerner, head of the division that handled tax status for 501-type organizations, was called to testify.  She gave a rather arrogant statement at the start professing that she had done nothing wrong and that she had broken no laws.  Then, in response to the first real question, she took the 5th, stating that she had been advised by her counsel not to respond.

The Chairman looked a little bewildered; after all, he is not a lawyer but a former businessman, and he let her off the hook.  But Trey Gowdy, the firebrand Conservative Congressman from South Carolina, and a former prosecutor, spoke up.  He told Chairman Issa that Ms. Lerner had no 5th amendment protection, that she had waived those rights with her opening statement.

As a result, Ms. Lerner is now going to be called back for another session under oath.  While she probably still won't answer, she will probably end up in Contempt of Congress, and this will add fuel to the fire in the search for the answer to who did what and when and why they did it.

Coupled with the other problems that the Obama Administration is causing itself by its actions and its lies, the Summer should prove to be interesting for politics.  And I can only hope and pray that the truth comes out, which should lead to some changes.  I know as long as Obama is President we will never get back to our traditions as a country, but at least we will be slowing things down.  There are probably other scandals out there waiting to be found and now even some Democrats are voicing displeasure.

Dear Lord and Father,  Give us the strength to never falter in our faith and to speak up and demand the truth of our elected officials.  They must be held accountable for what they do.  And we also give thanks to those among them who are truthful and believe in Thy truth, for only the truth can set us free. 

Be with us always and make us always live our lives in a way that Thou wouldst have us do.  Amen

Have a wonderful day and God bless you.