Today we celebrate the birthday of America, the 4th of July, do we still have true independence, the kind it was founded on?

Today we have our annual 4th of July party, any and all are welcome, well there is one exception but I will not digress.  I think that liberty, independence, freedoms, and Republic vs European socialism have been much in the news of late.  Is this country the country that the forefathers envisioned.  Or is it so alien from their thoughts and values that they would be aghast and appalled?  Did our forefathers die for naught? or is it still the country with the most personal freedoms on earth?  Are we allowing it to be ripped from our hands?  Do the "freedom from religion" groups now out way the values of the God fearing?  Is marriage going to mean what God intended it to to our grand children's lives?  Will they be able to protect their homes with their guns as the 2nd amendment intended?  Are we soon going to be taxed as a way of getting it by on everything, bought broccoli lately? well you better or they may enact a tax because you didn't or couldn't afford to, just like health insurance.  Why is it that the dems think that bigger government is better and that we should be regulated, lawed and ruled at our every move and to our graves?  Dems are supposed to be the liberal political vehicle so why is it that their platform wants to control all of our lives in such minute detail? They say they want everyone to be free to do anything they want to but then they tax it, regulate it,  or politically correct it to where no one even knows where they stand.

I find it funny that so many of my friend have no idea what their political views really are, this is true young or old, from 81 to 18.  Usually the ones that don't have a clue say they are independents but when you asked them what their particular views are they don't really seem to actually know what an independent really is.  Oh, some of them are really truly independents that actually vote the issues, the candidates and not just along party lines.  They know that they don't have a political vehicle that fits them and they have my respect.  However there are alot of people out there who just don't vote, so they claim to be independent, or they don't actually know what the republican or the democrat stance is so they say I am an independent, meaning that if they vote they vote for some of each with no knowledge of why they do.  I understand that kind of voting but what about the independents who like to say they are independent but always act as radical left wing democrats, or they are right wing conservative republican or tea partiest but just don't know it or maybe won't admit it?  I think that they bug me the most.  I actually heard some one the other day say "I like the tea party they are more independent than the republicans"?  really?  did they even try to find out what the tea party was all about?  No, the tea partiest aren't independent or moderate republicans.  How about the young people who claim to be independent voters but sing the song of woes of the OWSist.  really do they even know what an independent is?  I love that there are independent voters, I love that their is the freedom to vote or not to vote in this country and still have a right to debate the out come.  I, myself, almost always lean toward the democratic candidates on the school issues and I always read the bills to know what I am actually voting for so no I am not a blind partisan voter.  I am not an independent I am a republican.  I don't like bigger government, I don't lean toward socializing our country but I do believe in taking care of the poor and the elderly, so I am a moderate republican, much to the dismay of the Preacher, I am sure.  I think it is great to be anything you want in this country but I do think you should actually know what it is you are.

Today we celebrate the richest most free country that ever was and maybe still is.  Do you know that even the poorest among us, even those who make around 20 thousand a year, and of course those who make more are in the top one half percent of the riches people on earth.  Really, I heard that statistic the other day and was shocked.  We almost to a man are in the top one have percent of wealthiest people in the world, that means that 99 point 99 and one half of all the other peoples in this world make less than you do, so that really kicks the OWSes 99 percent right out the window doesn't it? We are all the half percenters and the rest of the world is the 99.99.5, now are you ashamed of all the complaining you do? We need to remember all the advantages that we have been afforded in this country.  We need to give back a little and stop whining about what we don't have and remember that we are the half percenters, if only the OWS really did their home work they might shut up get off their butts, and if they practiced what they are preaching, they would be happy that they are so wealthy, blessed and give back. It gave me a new perspective on my own life, really in the top half percent and no, that does not make me more concerned about the one percenters of the half percenters, money is just paper, people are what makes a real difference.

God particle found. My life has always been about studying something to death when faith was the answer I was looking for.

I was a child that always wanted to know why and if I someone did teach me it I went out and learned why.  I have a Mother who taught us all the comforts and idiosyncrasies of homemaking.  I remember always being asked "how do you know how to do that?" I always wondered how others didn't, "didn't they have a mother that loved them enough to teach them anything."  Well with age I know that isn't always the case, but then again sometimes it just is.  My dad wanted to be a history teacher, couldn't afforded to and wouldn't give up one of his children to have been one, and still is an avid reader and studier of history.  My mother is hands on smart and my dad it intelligent, a lowly mill worker (to some) that was a master chess player and didn't that make the professors at the U mad when he beat their pants off.  He no longer has all of the mental capabilities that he once did but still knows more about somethings than others will ever know.  He is a self made, self taught man and I am his daughter.  My faith in the Lord has not always given me all the patience I need to over come my upset when someone looks at me and sees a stupid uneducated fat woman.  I am much more than that and judging a book by it's cover is just wrong.  I digress.

I spent many a year watching documentaries, or reading books on scientific proof that the Bible was real and this is how someone I didn't know had proven the existence of some aspect of it, all wasted.  I did see lots of good stuff but I missed the point entirely.  I forgot the first rule of faith. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  I was looking at it like I didn't know that down to the bottom of my heart and soul.  My dad and I had a conversation several years back and I was excited because someone found an odd ridge in the Red Sea where the wind could have opened the sea up so the people who followed Moses could cross.  My dad just looked at me sad, I thought he is getting old.  Well I must be getting old because I now see the sadness of my words.  I was like the non believer needing the evidence of existence and not understand that it is not seen.  I know know that God didn't need a ridge or a small inlet, God beyond a doubt opened the Red Sea at his will and at the depth he chose, probably the deep middle I don't know but do know that it doesn't matter, he did it. Besides, if it was a small ridge how did they actually cross it?  The amount of people that crossed would have taken hours at even 5000 abreast, so surely a small ridge wouldn't have done the job only God could have opened a big enough swath for the exiles that passed in such a short time.   How did the burning bush burn? God told it to, it didn't need the sulfur of a hidden vent.  The fish did eat Jonah and spit him out on the shore, the flood did destroy the earth and Noah spent 120 years building an ark as the people laughed and ridiculed him.  He knew of the power of faith all along. 

Today the scientist are reporting they have found a God particle.  I know that God exists beyond all doubt and I don't have a clue what a God particle is but I do know that I don't need a particle to prove his presence to me.  God is and he told us so, he is the Great I Am, enough said... tomorrow.

Nice weekend, no time to blog, friends, potluck and living I suppose.

The farmers market was smaller this weekend.  Grandpa went to Zootown for his last time this year, probably, but you never know with him.  Several other vendors didn't make it either.  The relay for life was friday night and that sort of makes for a smaller one usually, people spend all night up and are ready to go home and get some rest so that cuts down on it as well. The girls had made more items so had a few more to share at the end.  They actually sold more items but they aren't really old enough to make the conection that more at the end doesn't mean they didn't sell more.  I did ok with soap.  I got to visit with people I hadn't seen, or new friends, so that is the best part of my going anyway.  Lady Hero is back, she stopped at my booth but I didn't get a chance to visit with her, but glad she is back safe and sound from her service abroad.  She got to go see the wonders of the world and since I never will it is exciting to see the photos she posts and shares with the rest of us.

I got home from the market and got to rehome my soaps, Poppie put shelves in the living room closet for all my soaps.  It smells so nice when you open it up.  It is easy access for people who want to see soaps and it is nice and neat to have them all together and in their own place. 

Lady, Hubbie and their two wonderful grandkids came to see the animals.  They got to see the baby bunnies but since Grand Girl had been scratched by her aunts cat she didn't want to hold the bunnies they had scratchers as well.  She did pet them as Lady took her photo, grandma is still getting used to a new camera.  Grand Boy was excited to see all the bunnies but he seemed to like the balls and the pinecones better.  Lady tells me he will be a ball player of some kind when he grows up, he is barely walking good and couldn't help himself from kicking the cones with as much intent as any punt kicker who was looking to win the game.  He did like the baby swing, he was in the middle as Cubbie and Grand Girl swung on either side of him.  Grand Girl liked the climbing wall and the slide.  They have never played together before but given some time together the two little ladies would think up lots of trouble to get into I am sure.  Grand Girls liked the pigs the best of all the animal,  the baby piglets had been born just a few hours before but were up and ready for their company, when the squealed the new mama sure came to check so not much holding moslty looking at them occured.  We had a nice visit one and all.

The potluck at church was nice, the Preacher and men grilled, Poppie and the kids churned ice cream, it was very good.  The potluck was longer than normal so we didn't get home until around 3.  We relaxed sort of getting a reboot for the week to come.  The Preacher and Young Adult came by in the early evening to gift us with some apple wood they had gotten at Belle's. Young Adult is her son who has recently spread his wings and gotten his own apartment and goes to our church instead of going to Zootown with his folks.  He is becoming such a responsible young man.  Always a pleaure for Poppie to spend time with.

Boy got pushed out of the new play house by Cubbie and Mokie had to take him to the ER as they thought his arm was broken, it doesn't appear to be at this point but Bubbles had to come and spend time with Nannie while they were gone as Poppie and the girls were milking.  I had used all the milk to make cheese earlier, after we got home from potluck, so Booboo had to fill her bottle from the milking bowl, she was pleasantly surprised at it being warm.  Bubble sucked it right down and fell asleep in my arms, for future reference Bubbles likes her milk the best right from the teat.  The girls spent the night with Mokie and family so Poppie and I had a quiet end to a long nice day... tomorrow. (spell check is broken so I do beg you pardon for my errors.)