The Power of Gratitude

I'm With the Government and I'm Here to Help You

I was at the gym this morning and the TV was on the 700 club. Pat Robertson was talking about how more Hispanics are becoming evangelicals and we need to teach them how important Israel is. They need to understand that the Bible says we need to support Israel. 

Then, he added that the Republican party isn't being good to the Hispanics, but he was glad to see Newt Gingrich say something good about them. 

The next story that came up was about how Ron Paul is number one in the Iowa polls. The anchorwoman called Ron Paul a "new frontrunner." She defined Ron Paul's campaign by saying that he wants to cut foreign aid, including to Israel. She reported that Ron Paul may have support in Iowa, but he doesn't in the rest of the country. The rest of the country "only" showed 45% of the people seeing Ron Paul as a positive candidate (I thought that was pretty impressive for someone who's been laughed at and ignored by the media for years). She continued to explain that odds were slim he'd win the rest of the country, but he could deny Gingrich and Romney an influential win in Iowa. 

In essence, this flow of logic says, "The Bible says we need to support Israel. Ron Paul wants to stop sending aid to Israel, so a good Bible believing evangelical shouldn't vote for Ron Paul. Besides, he isn't going to win anyway. Perhaps, we should be annoyed with him, even, because he's going to deny more suitable candidates an influential Iowa win." 

So the real question comes down to the definition of "support."  What does it mean for the government to support someone or something?"  In our current socialist society, support generally means to throw money at it. But Ron Paul doesn't define support the same way. 

Let's say the government comes to me as a business person and says, "We want to support you. How can we help?" You know what my answer would be?  "Just stay out of my way and let me keep what I earn. Let me make my own decisions about my business and run my affairs as I see fit." 

That is what Ron Paul is saying with his foreign affairs policy. He isn't saying that Israel isn't our friend or we don't care about them. He isn't saying that you can't personally donate to causes that support Israel. He's saying that the Constitution  doesn't support meddling in other nations' affairs, yet that's exactly what our government has been doing. The UN and US are constantly getting in Israel's way and crippling their efforts to protect their country. 

The best support you can give a person, a business, or a nation is to get out of their way and let them be sovereign and free to make their own choices. 

You hear people talk about "helicopter parents" -- mothers and fathers who enable their children by constantly making decisions for them and meddling in their lives. The U.S. has become a helicopter parent for the globe. It's not healthy for other nations and it's not healthy for us. 

If you want to hear what Ron Paul really believes about Israel, listen to him explain it for himself and you decide.

 

Why I'll Be Voting for Ron Paul in 2012

A lot of people say leave religion and politics out of your social media and/or your business. Back in 2000 when I started SheLovesGod.com, people warned me that getting too "religious" would hurt my business. It didn't. In fact, it's grown and flourished exponentially ever since.

I don't often get political, but as someone whose mantra is "highlighting truth and talent," I can't sit still when someone as honorable and steadfast as Dr. Ron Paul is proclaiming the truth about what's happening in this country and running for office. While the media has tended to ignore him, they didn't this morning. I saw on ABC where he is #1 in the Iowa polls, surpassing both Romney and Gingrich. You can't ignore the man whose been preaching, "return to the Constitution" any longer.

There are lots of reasons I'm actively supporting Ron Paul -- primarily his constant adherence to the U.S. Constitution. "By their fruits ye shall know them." Dr. Paul's voting record in Congress stands as a witness of this.  He has always stood for the same things my Dad taught me growing up, "Less government, more personal responsibility, and with God's help a better world." 

He constantly reminds America to stop passing laws at a centralized government level and leave issues for the states to decide. This is what the Constitution says to do. Paul is reminscent of George Washington who refused to be king, in that he will not usurp power. He consistently votes in harmony with the way the Founders designed this nation. They knew that an all-powerful centralized government that entagled itself constantly in foreign affairs would spell the downfall of our nation and destroy our liberty.

If the American way of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness means anything to you, please study the Constitution and learn more about Ron Paul at www.ronpaul2012.com . Decide for yourself which candidate honors the liberty our Founding Fathers fought and died to give us.

 

 

Redistribution Robs the Charitable

What makes you feel better?

1. You pull a $20 out of your pocket and voluntarily hand it to the Salvation Army volunteer outside a local superstore.
2. A thug holds a gun to your head, demanding you give him all your money. You open your wallet and hand him the $20 that’s in there.

Which one makes you feel warm and fuzzy afterward? Which one unlocks “good karma” aka heavenly blessings?

“Redistribution of income” is forcibly taking money from one group of people and giving it to another that the government deems deserves it more. Along the way, the government takes their sizable bureaucratic cut. Does this smack more of the thug with a gun to your head or the warm fuzzy feeling you get by voluntarily pulling out $20 and handing it to the Salvation Army volunteer?

There are no heavenly blessings unlocked by forced charity. There’s no good karma released when you’re compelled to give.

Forcibly compelling people to “share” takes away their freedom to choose where, how and with whom they would like to be generous. If enough of their discretionary income is taken, they are unable to give anything of their own free will, and they are robbed completely of blessings they could have obtained by choosing to be generous.

I testify to you that there are amazing, abundant blessings – far more valuable than money – available to us as we generously share our substance with those in need. We don’t want or need government to come in and force us to be generous. All the blessings associated with voluntarily giving are lost at that point. Besides that, bureaucracy takes a significant portion of the money to fund their own operations so that the receiver gets only a fraction of what we would have given them ourselves.

Both the giver and the receiver suffer under "redistribution of income."

Doctors Freedom of Choice to Be Stripped Away by President Obama

American Family Action Alert just sent out a note about President Barack Obama's decision to rescind the "conscience rule" that protects health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions or other medical procedures that go against their moral and religious beliefs. Here's an excerpt from that news alert:

"If the rule is rescinded, doctors, nurses and other health care workers could lose their jobs or be punished professionally for adhering to their sincerely held religious convictions. Obama's proposal would take away their religious freedom.

The current rule empowers federal health officials to cut off federal funding for any state or local government, hospital, clinic, health plan, doctor's office or other entity if it does not accommodate employees who exercise their right of conscience. It applies to more than 584,000 health care facilities..." For more details and to write the White House, go here.

Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, you should stand up and fight this. Why? Because if the President can take away one group of people's right to choose what to believe and how to live their lives, he can take away YOUR right to choose how you'll live your life! Power corrupts, my friends, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you want your rights, you HAVE to allow other people their rights. If you allow one group of people to be trampled upon, you allow yourself to be trampled upon.

My Letter to President Obama

It you expect to give women the "right to choose" to have an abortion then why are you taking away the right of a doctor to choose what he will do in his own practice? If you usurp the freedom of one group, Mr. President, you usurp the freedom of others. And you do not have that right. You are usurping powers you are not authorized or delegated to have.

It is morally wrong for the federal government to force a doctor, nurse or other health care professional to participate in abortion – which stops a heartbeat and kills an innocent human life. This could cripple and damage the sensitive souls of doctors and nurses who value human life. More likely they will step down from their jobs, and our country will lose the very best health care providers we have ... the ones who actually value and uphold their oath to "do no harm."

Then again, I guess you don't value your oaths, do you Mr. President? You made an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. And the U.S. Constitution gives you absolutely NO RIGHT to interfere in freedom of religion or the freedom of a doctor to choose by his conscience which procedures s/he will or will not legally perform.

I urge you to a) go back and read the Constitution and Bill of Rights and b) uphold the oath you took two months ago to defend it. (Actually you took that same oath before that as a Senator). Please, for once in your political career, keep an oath that you have made. Do not to rescind the “conscience rule.”

No News Is Good News

Do you remember the story about Jesus walking on the water, and Peter asking Him if he could do it too? Peter got out of the ship and started walking on the water toward Jesus.

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying Lord save me. Immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand, caught him, and said, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:30-31)

What is the "boisterous wind" today? What blows a lot of hot air, stirs up a lot of commotion, and makes people afraid? Can you guess it? You know what it is, don't you! It's the media! They tell us 

• what to think, 
• what to worry about, 
• who our voting choices are, 
• what's politically correct
• how to dress, and 
• how horrible everything is on a minute to minute basis. 

To a great degree the wind is the media. Whatever negative it doesn't amplify, it manufactures! Just because it's on the news doesn't make it true!

In a conversation with my friend Lisa Rae Preston, she made a profound statement. She said, "We don't live in a free country anymore. Our dictator is the media." Think about it. There is a lot of truth to that statement. To the degree to which we pay attention to the media, we are enslaved by it. To the degree to which we believe it and live our lives by it, it creates that reality in our lives.

When they were really ramping up about how bad the economy was, do you know the first places that were suffering? It was the local charities that provide food for the needy. People saw financial troubles on the horizon and the first thing they did was stop giving. That is the LAST thing to do. Did you ever once see a picture of Jesus with tight-clenched fists? Did He ever say, "Go away"? Did He ever lament, "There's not enough food for you here"? 

Rather he said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). 

When things get difficult, it's not time to contract and withdraw (become afraid and sink). It's time to reach out, lift, give and bless!

There is plenty and to spare on this planet. God created it that way. Everything in nature is about abundance. It's when we start listening to the howling wind and watching the waves whip that we go against what we know is true. That's when we start to sink.

That's why I'm asking you to join me in turning off the negative news! That's right. I challenge you to turn off the negativity for a week. When you do, you'll see you don't need it anymore. You might stretch it into a month, or even into a way of life. I haven't watched the news in years. Sure, I've seen a bit in passing here or there, but I haven't actively watched it in over a decade. People around me do, and they keep me well informed -- too informed. I've heard too much about how bad things are, and I don't even actively feed my brain with it!

So I challenge you, for one week, turn off the news. 

• Don't watch those contentious talk shows that abound. 
• Flip the channel on the radio when it goes to a news break. 
• Walk away or change the subject when other people start passing along the negativity they've heard.
• Don't talk about it yourself.

If you need weather updates, watch the Weather Channel or go to www.weather.com . You can even install the weather on your desktop and know at all times what the temperature is. It'll warn you if there's a REAL storm coming. You can also subscribe to www.Congress.org to know what issues Congress is voting on so you can write your representatives and senators accordingly.

Fast from negativity for one week, and replace it with good things. 

• Share more time with your family, 
• read a good book, 
• read more in the Word of God, 
• get creative with your business, 
• share positive conversations with others, 
• and count your blessings!

I predict that as you do this, you'll feel a sense of peace, a sense of liberation, and a feeling of gratitude for the good that surrounds you. Focus on the good, and you'll find more of it. If we keep focusing on the negative by watching the media, we're going to find more and more of it until we're overrun by it.

Join me in this campaign I'm calling, "No News Is Good News." Forward this to your friends and family. Let's vote with our eyeballs, and tell the media we're sick of their negativity and mind games. We're ready to ACT for ourselves and not be acted upon any longer! Let's start a revolution against the dictator media and proclaim our liberty today!

Sarah Palin - Should True Conservatives Vote for Her?

The benefit and curse of being a "peacemaker" personality in the Ennegram chart is that I tend to see all sides of an argument. After posting a little while ago, I ran across this blog with an article by Chuck Baldwin entitled, "Can Two Walk Together without Agreement?"  He makes some excellent points and I think the answer comes down to one question -- Will Sarah Palin hold to her values and constantly nip at McCain's heels like that pesky pit bull she's been since her basketball days or will she cave and become like the rest of Washington? And in the grand scheme of things, is it right to put Sarah's soul at risk to find out? Can "Mrs. Smith Go to Washington" and come out the other side with her integrity entact?

Sarah Palin response

Can Two Walk Together Without Agreement?
by Chuck Baldwin
September 3, 2008

John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate was exactly what he needed to do to make himself competitive against Barack Obama in the November elections. (For the record, I predicted three weeks ago that Palin would be his choice.) As a result (and right on cue), conservatives throughout the country--especially Christian conservatives--are now fully supporting McCain's candidacy for President. Even James "I-will-never-vote-for-John-McCain" Dobson has endorsed McCain.

By all appearances, Governor Palin is a true conservative. She is pro-life. She is pro-Second Amendment. Alaska is one of only two states (Vermont is the other) that recognize the right of their citizens to carry handguns without a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) permit. She was rightly critical of the invasion of Iraq, once calling it a "war for oil." Speaking of oil, she believes we should drill for oil in Alaska and throughout the U.S., and is critical of the federal government for allowing America to become dependent upon foreign oil for our energy needs. She even heaped praises upon the Republican that Republicans love to hate: Ron Paul. Beyond that, Lynette Clark, the chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party (the party under which yours truly is on the Presidential ballot this year) reports that Sarah Palin was a member of the party back in the early 90s. This is very encouraging in that the AIP is a patriotic, states' rights party that holds strong sentiments opposing the New World Order propensities of the two major parties. In essence, Sarah Palin is everything that John McCain isn't. Which leads to the question that was asked long ago by the Hebrew prophet: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

When the no-compromise constitutionalist, Ron Paul, was asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer if he would consider being John McCain's running mate, he said no. His reason for that was that should McCain do something fundamentally counter to his constitutional convictions--such as bombing Iran without a Declaration of War (or other possible unconstitutional actions that Paul knows McCain is predisposed to)--he would have to resign. Knowing this, he (Paul) could not in good conscience accept a McCain invitation to join his ticket (not that McCain would ever ask him to be his running mate; Ron was not even invited to participate in the Republican convention, for Pete's sake).

Herein lies the problem for Sarah Palin. How can a principled conservative support the policies and actions of an unprincipled globalist such as John McCain? As Vice President, Palin will be required to promote and defend McCain's big-government, liberal, and globalist plans. For example, what will she do when John McCain proposes amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, which he is certain to do? What will she do when McCain proposes to close gun shows, or at least the private sale of firearms at gun shows? What will she do when he proposes to increase federal spending for abortion providers (which he has done numerous times as senator)? What will she do when he promotes federal spending for embryonic stem cell research? What will she do when John McCain proliferates Bush's police state machinations by expanding the Patriot Act and similar legislation? What will Palin do when McCain decides to nuke Iran (and who knows what else), not only without a Declaration of War by Congress, but also without provocation or justification? What will she do as John McCain expands the Security and Prosperity Partnership with Canada and Mexico? What will she do as McCain opens the door of the NAFTA superhighway and the North American Union? What will she do as John McCain allows the United Nations to dictate and manipulate America's foreign policy? Again, can two walk together except they be agreed?

Let's face it: John McCain is using Sarah Palin as inducement to trick conservatives into accepting his liberal, big-government, globalist candidacy. And, sadly, it is working.

As I have said before, today's national Christian leaders are among the most gullible people on the planet. They are so desperate to be invited to sit at the king's table that they will compromise practically any principle. But accepting John McCain was a not only a bitter pill, it was a BIG pill, one they could not get down without a major dose of syrup. And that is exactly what Governor Palin brings to the table: sweet syrup to help conservatives swallow John McCain.

Unfortunately, the things that make Palin so attractive (her conservative principles) are the things that she will be forced to surrender in order to be John McCain's running mate. The best thing that can happen to Sarah Palin is for John McCain to lose the November election. This would allow her to go into the 2012 elections as perhaps the Republican Presidential frontrunner. If McCain wins in November, and Palin is forced to serve at the pleasure of this globalist insider for four years, she will be forever ruined as a genuine constitutional conservative. Remember, "No man can serve two masters." One cannot be faithful to the Constitution and a constitutional apostate such as John McCain at the same time. That is an absolute impossibility.

What our conservative friends need to wake up to is the depth of duplicity and wickedness that permeates Washington politics (in both major parties) today. There is nothing that these globalist insiders at the Council on Foreign Relations (of which John McCain is a longtime member) will not do to fulfill their power-mad plans. There is nothing too evil, too sinister, or too iniquitous, including using, abusing, chewing up and then spitting out good people such as Sarah Palin. Even more unfortunate and sad is the fact that the James Dobsons of this world are too blind to see it.

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

This column is archived as http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2008/cbarchive_20080903.html

Sarah Palin Speech from a Ron Paul Supporter's Perspective

Up until earlier this week, I had just about decided I would not vote for a president in the next election. I couldn't stomach voting for Obama or McCain. Both represent big government, more government programs, and more government intervention in our pocketbooks and lives. McCain may talk a good game, but when you look at his voting record, you'll see very little to support that this man will promote less government or less taxation.

And so, I had just about decided not to vote, until this obscure governor from Alaska came on the scene as McCain's running mate. Actually, she wasn't so obscure to me. My husband and I had watched her on Glenn Beck a little while back and fell in love with her. Finally, someone who cuts to the chase, does what she says and has a proven track record of cleaning up corruption, balancing a budget and having the common sense to realize we're sitting on our energy solution up there in Alaska!

So the moment McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate, my husband walked into my office, had me pull up MSN and said, "Look at this!"  The question that came into my mind then as it does now is, "Why would liberal McCain choose this ethical watchdog with common sense as his running mate?" My father says it's "heaven throwing us a rope." And I'm inclined to agree with him. I'm guessing McCain's advisers chose her because a) she's a woman b) Americans want someone outside the corrupt Washington circle (Congress' approval rating is at an all-time low) c) she understands energy (which is a top concern for Americans) d) she's a governor(the logical place to look for a running mate)

Finally, I believe McCain's advisers knew something the media isn't telling us -- that a large segment of Americans believe in what Sarah Palin stands for. The same thing that got millions of people excited about Ron Paul's call to reclaim our republic is the same thing that gets us excited about Sarah Palin. And perhaps McCain's people learned a thing or two from watching Ron Paul's campaign when it comes to the media. The more the media attacks a genuinely good person, the more Americans a) want to know more about the person and b) run to the person's defense.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Sarah Palin is another Ron Paul when it comes to understanding the laws of liberty and what it takes to keep a society free. But there is a spirit about Sarah Palin that says she's honest, ethical, will go in the direction of smaller government and will look out for the interests of the hard working people and small businesses of America. She's sharp, can stand on her own two feet, and is probably the most well-educated politician when it comes to energy. (Sorry Al Gore... you just don't cut it in my book).

So... this Ron Paul supporter is most likely voting for McCain-Palin. Why? Not because a VP has a whole lot of influence in this country. But perhaps that "pit bull hockey mom" will nip at McCain's heels whenever he starts to break his campaign promises. And when McCain's 4 years are up, maybe we'll have our first woman president of the United States, and she'll be one of the best presidents we've seen in a century.

So, without further adieu, here are a few of my favorite moments from Sarah Palin's acceptance speech during CNN's airing of the Republican National Convention on 9/3/08:

Transform Neighborhoods

Please, VOTE to help Transform Neighborhoods

My friend Nancy Spivey is working with a group a people to start a non-profit to bring investors, communities, other non profits and government together to transform neighborhoods. The Transform a Neighborhood idea has been entered in a contest to win $10K. The prize is awarded based on votes.

Please help support a great cause by voting! Just click the link below!

Thank you!!!

Wealth Building: The Economy Is in Your Perspective

The media can be so gloom and doom about the economy that they never take the time to mention that within every problem is an equal and opposite opportunity. Here's some great blogs and articles about wealth building, investing and finances in today's economy:

It’s All About Personality – The Traits You Need to be a Successful Real Estate Investor
by Wealth Building Expert, Brenda Cote
Are you intrigued by real estate investing and wondering what traits you need to be successful? As a successful real estate investor who worked her way up the system, I believe that anyone can overcome anything, but having certain characteristics and personality traits definitely helps. Here are a few character traits that will help you...

Estate Planning for Real Estate Investors
by Real Estate Investing Coach, Nancy Spivey
Traci Ellis, my wonderful real estate attorney friend in Atlanta,  was the guest of my teleclass today on Estate Planning for real estate investors. Among other things, Traci shared , “Although our mortality may not be our favorite subject, it is an important subject to address because what we leave behind is our legacy.” 

Yes, Investor Funds Are Still Out There!!!
by Real Estate Investing Coach, Nancy Spivey
Don’t believe everything you hear.  I’ve heard all kinds of stories from people and the media over the past few weeks about how there is no more money for funding deals; and it’ s just simply not true.   One ezine that came out this week stated that there are no more stated income loans.   

Organize Your Money
by Financial Freedom Expert, Sharman Lawson
Organization is the key to a balanced life! Organization saves you time, energy, frustration, and confusion. To be organized means to be efficient in the way separate elements are arranged into a consistent structure. In other words, everything has its place, find the place, and when you're done put it back. In all my years of counseling people in the area of personal finances, one of the biggest issues that cause money woes is the lack of organization.

Prosperity: How to Survive the Downs
by Prosperity Expert, Leslie Householder
Have you ever met someone whose finances seem to be falling apart and they’re happy anyway? Have you ever wanted to say, “Hey, what on earth do you have to be happy about?? You’re supposed to be miserable and depressed about your finances!” There are those who are simply in denial, to be sure, and who hope that the problems will go away if they just ignore them. However, there are others who feel happy even when things are going down because they know a secret.

Are You Pro Constitution?

On at least three lines of my family history, we can trace our roots back to individuals who fought in the American Revolution. I don't know whether it's that heritage or an inherited tendency toward independence, but patriotism and a love for the U.S. Constitution and the Founding Fathers has been one of the foundational cornerstones of my upbringing. 

So, when my sister called me Friday with an idea for a web site that was Pro Constitution, I immediately ran with the idea. You hear a lot of buzzwords today - pro life, pro choice, pro this or pro that. She suggested, why not create our own buzzword that really gets people thinking - "Pro Constitution"? 

Personally, I'm not one to look on the dreary side of things. I don't enjoy watching the news and I really hate to hear about corruption in government - even though I'm perfectly aware it's happening. What gets me excited is being PRO something I believe in - pro U.S. Constitution and helping other people really appreciate the beauty and genius of that document. I'm particularly excited when I find an individual who consistently votes in support of the Constitution. 

Just as when I teach someone a gospel principle, I take them back to the Word of God, so when I talk or think about political ideas or issues, I go back to the Constitution and compare to see if what is being proposed is constitutional or not. When I learned Texas Representative Ron Paul was a contender in the Republican party for U.S. President in 2008, I got excited. This is a man I can stand behind, someone I feel comfortable promoting. This man thinks the way I do. He looks at an issue and compares it back to the "rule book" - back to the U.S. Constitution. 

At www.ProConstitution.com we'll be gathering constitutional resources and also be keeping people updated on the latest in Rep. Ron Paul's campaign for president. If you're not familiar with Dr. Paul, I invite you to stop by the site and listen to the video links we have there - TV interviews with him along with articles he's written and excerpts from debate transcripts. 

I think if you're pro Constitution, you'll agree that this man is a refreshing option in the 2008 presidential election. Whether he wins or not, I hope he will wake people up to the concept of comparing what's happening in government and politics back to the Constitution. As we focus on that standard, we'll have less government intrusion into our lives, more individual responsibility and with God's help a better world.