~ Merry Christmas ~

Though the Christmas season lasts a little longer, we are taking down our tree today and packing away our ornaments until next year.  I always feel a bit sad doing this.  I was able to really take in Christmas this year  though the week before was a little crazy.  I was sick on top of it all and am still recovering.  But I have managed.  The day after Christmas I literally just existed for 3 days and it was wonderful.  I was able to finish a Christmas novel (one by Thomas Kinkade who offer quality fiction) and start a new one I received for Christmas - actually the third novel in the Fatherless/Motherless Trilogy appropriately called Childless.  I am close to half done already.  I haven't had much time to wiz through books but the trilogy is hard to put down.  I bought my husband a good book too which is also third in the Crusades trilogy written by Swedish author, Jan Guillou.  The first book was made into a foreign film that we saw.  I have found that I am losing my taste for most mainstream TV, movies and books.  I just can't put up with much of it anymore.  It can be hard to avoid everything because sometimes I still can find myself watching something that I conclude later seemed like a waste of time.  I prefer things that are quality and inspiring or atleast entertaining with little or no compromise.  This can be a hard one.  Some things I have watched lately is the Hallmark Love series starting with Love Come Softly.  I've seen it around and saw small parts of it but those parts just never grabbed me until I saw one part recently and I knew I was hooked.  Also, we have been watching a TV mini-series now on  DVD called Into the West which is very good about the settlers moving west and the native Americans.  I have enjoyed with my husband (surprisingly) the BBC TV series, Lark Rise to Candleford and just recently another British production called Downton Abbey though we are just starting it and I can't say for overall quality viewing yet.  It is well done but there was one scene in the first episode that showed homosexual affection which I fast forwarded through.  This leads me to another topic...

...I live in the state of Washington and it has long been known to me mainly through our parish priest but also in the media that our governor is a strong liberal.  She is trying to force her liberal social agenda down our throats.  One example is forcing by law and threat of imprisonment all doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and give oral contraception including the "morning after pill."  Now this week she is pushing to allow for homosexual marriage.  When she speaks she talks all about what "she believes."  She is a rather harsh and stern woman and I get bad feelings when I watch or hear her.  The other day when I was in a local bookstore I first heard about her agenda for allowing homosexual marriage on NPR.  This happens to be a station that my husband grew up listening to and whose parents still avidly do.  They are Catholics who have a rich faith and went to charismatic conferences with others of the faith some years back and who have been involved with the local church and volunteering.  They also are strong Democrats.  Recently this subject came to head over a family dinner and it wasn't pretty.  They feel strongly that the Republican party cannot give this country what it needs for such things as the economy and with the war.  I honestly don't know all of their positions.  This is because for me and my husband none of these things matter enough when it comes down to the non-negotiable social issues like abortion and homosexual marriage.  I cannot help to conclude that their listening to NPR reinforces their perspectives and support of democratic political thinking.  Therefore their votes and those like them (from Catholics and otherwise) now mean the people of our state have to live with the strong likelihood of sanctioned immorality.   The only point I was able to make in the discussion that night that was mainly between my husband and his father was that to vote democrat was disobedient to the Church and my father-in-law conceded to that.  I additionally tried to say that is more than just about abortion but other social issues like homosexual marriage - and now look - just a few short weeks later, it's happening here.  But I don't know if he heard me.  Both of my husband's parents were eager to defend Obama.  I just couldn't hear it.  I know they likely have good arguments as to why the democratic political agenda may be more helpful to our country but I can't vote that way if it compromises the non-negotiable issues. My husband thankfully is of the same thinking.

Now at the same time, the Republican nominees are coming forth and there is much to be hopeful about.  I think it's amazing how Rick Santorum came our of nowhere and almost won the Iowa Caucus.  I had no idea about him until earlier that day .  He is actually a fellow bereaved father of an infant son and father to seven living children.  Being Catholic and on the conservative right, I am drawn to him naturally but he is also inspiring.  Not everyone thinks he's the man to beat Obama.  I don't know.  I do know I want Obama out.  That is the priority but I cannot help to hope for Santorum.   Imagine if he were to win the nomination and be the opponent to Obama.  Would my in-laws actually vote for Obama against a Catholic like themselves?  I pray that it would not be the case.  Actually, I have been praying wholeheartedly since that dinner for them that they can see the error in their thinking and the deep consequences it brings for the people of our country and for their spiritual well-being.  I have been praying to love them through this difference too which really isn't too hard to do since they are great loving people.  I know how much the Lord loves them.  I have been praying for justice to reign in our country and for Obama to be defeated and for an effective candidate to win the nomination.  The future is at stake.