Synopsis

My opinion on Obama, his "Obamacare", as well as his "followers" (i.e. Joe open-mouth-insert-foot Biden and Nancy the-plastic-surgery-killed-my-little-brain Pelosi) aren't a secret. In fact, if communism comes to pass, I will probably be disposed of quickly. Eh, like the cheesy bumper sticker says, "my treasure is in Heaven".

My synopsis comes here. I can't take credit for it, but I feel it pretty much sums up the mess that our once great nation has become. Don't get me worng: I am still EXTREMELY proud to be an American. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else and my patriotism runs deep. That's why I respond this way: these whatever you want to call them people are trying to ruin this incredible country.

"So we just passed a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman said he didn't understand it, passed by a Congress that exempts themselves from it, signed by a president who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is... obese, and financed by a country that is broke."

Yep, I can see how this is a FANTASTIC idea. When I'm in the hospital next week for 3 days, I will report back what the overall thoughts of those in the medical field are. I'm sure they ought to be interesting. To say the least (the very least).

Obamacare my tail!

WHERE TO BEGIN?! Last night's events are enough to make me nauseas if I were 100% healthy! For those of us who are actually sick and are actually going to need health care, it's that much scarier. You've got the health scare side PLUS the American/tax-payer/freedom-lover side.

Can people TRULY not see through the charisma of this regime and TRULY not see them for what they are? Socialists who will stop at nothing to get what they want?! What so many don't realize, is that it's not just healthcare; this isn't enough. The brew-ha-ha's want control of EVERYTHING. They won't stop here.

The entitlement mentality of our society is beyond scary, beyond sad, beyond pathetic. I'm pretty sure this video (courtesy of the oh so wonderful FoxNews), as well as every word that comes out of Glenn Beck & Mike Pence sums it up...

SHAME ON US

The power of prayer

Prayer is a powerful thing. That is a cliche statement. As well as a considerable UNDERstatement. The idea of prayer, if one sits down to actually thing about it, is nothing short of incredible. A direct line to the Creator of the universe. The opportunity for free and open communication to the maker of the heavens. Instant contact to the Ruler of all. To call it incredible seems like a grave understatement as well.

I can't speak for anyone else on this matter, but it's something I take for granted. Sometimes, I do it out of obligation "because I'm supposed to as a Christian". Sometimes, I feel like I'm talking to the ceiling and that there isn't anyone to hear. Other times, it's when I feel the closest to my Savior. Other times, it is the strength my soul needs and it grants me the divine peace to get through what lies ahead.

As my faith has grown deeper & my Christian walk more consistent, I continually become more and more grateful for prayer. The simple prayer on the inside to the audible conversations I have with my Jesus. It's unreal to me that the one who built the mountains and created the deep oceans cares about the relatively small & insignificance that is me and my life. SOMEHOW my fears, concerns, joys, frustrations, and shortcomings MATTER to the Lord. Because of prayer, I gain wisdom & knowledge on how to handle certain situations, stregnth & peace in times of need, and I GET to praise Him. I get to thank Him, worship Him, and talk to Him. Not only that, but He listens. I'm STILL trying to wrap my mind around this simple idea.

As I have been walking through a valley that seems to keep getting deeper, my appreciate for prayer and my understanding of what it means have both grown exponentially. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have this personal relationship (not religious practice) with the One who sacrificed for my sins. The power of prayer is something I know is deep, but I'm not sure the human, finite mind will ever be able to TRULY grasp. Thank you Lord, for that.

If you're going to be famous, you'd better be good at something...

Please don't get me wrong. I have ZERO problem with famous people. I will even admit to having bought many magazines over my lifetime that are of the likes of People, Us Weekly, OK!, etc. I'm not a regular reader but when you're at the airport or in a doctor's office (2 places I seem to spend a lot of my time), then they make for good reading. If nothing else, it allows me to put my mind in neutral for some time and try to pretend like I care what all of these people who live much different lives than I, do.

That being said, if I'm going to read about you/hear about you on TV/have some TMZ thing pop up when I'm online about you, there'd better be a reason. The ONLY person who I actually like who is famous for reality TV is Lauren Conrad off the hills. First of all, she's not the typical drama queen who is ruining the world with one stupid comment at a time. Oh, and? She works. A job. It's in fashion, she obviously has great style and I saw a TV commercial advertising her line at Kohl's the other day, so she is at least making some kind of contribution to this world other than being annoying and dumb.

You know who I like to read about? Jennifer Aniston (because I like her). Michelle Obama (I don't like her, but she works for good causes). Faith Hill & Tim McGraw because they make beautiful music and have a clue about marriage & family. Even Tiger Woods (though he gets on my nerves & I don't agree with his choices) at least he's good at something. Potentially the greatest golfer to ever play the game. You know who I don't like to hear about? Paris Hilton, the Kardashians, Spiedi. All of them are not only not contributing to the world, they are taking away. They have been escalated to A-list status for reasons I'm still unsure of. Whatever, that's a whole other topic.

That leads me to the final group of people: all of those in between. They're not contributing, not taking away. Sometimes they do good things, sometimes they don't. Which leads me to the purpose of this post: Lindsay Lohan. I will admit, I used to love the movie "The Parent Trap", the one from the 90's that she was in. Loved it. Owned it. Watched it often. However, since then, though she has been in several decent things (i.e. Mean Girls... if you call that decent, I still admit I didn't hate it...), it's been her personal life and bad decisions that we've heard most about.

If you know me at all, you know what of my favorite commercials of ALL time is that e-trade baby that premiered at this year's superbowl: you know, the milkaholic? I watch it over and over and over. AND it's always as funny (if not funnier) than the time before. That is a GREAT piece of marketing. It came out yesterday that Lindsay Lohan is suing e-trade over the use of her likeness. And not JUST suing, but suing for $100 MILLION.

She's NOT EVEN A GOOD ACTRESS. Forget the fact that the name "Lindsay" is popular. Forget the fact that babies (all of them) ARE milkaholics. Funny... they need it to survive. Just because she has an addictive personality, somehow (probably because the whole world is about her) this refers to her. What on earth is this world coming to? Anyone??

...and the greatest of these, is LOVE.

Love is a funny thing. ("It makes one man weak, and another man sing..." -obnoxious Huey Lewis lyrics. Rewind to the 1980's). In my opinion, it may be one of the most over used, over marketed, misunderstood and often flippant terms of the English language.

What is Love? (...baby don't hurt me... no more...) Ha, ok, enough with the cheesy lyrics. But SERIOUSLY. I could probably sit here and come up with a bazillion sets of song words, titles, poems, etc. to back up the various aspects of it.

I'm now going to be really honest. I haven't the foggiest idea what love is. Per se. Do I love? Yes. My Savior, my family, pasta, exercise, shopping, etc. Notice the decline in importance? While I'm aware that my humanity prevents me from being capable of loving the way Jesus loves me, my daily journey to love more like the Lord does has posed some interesting questions. Those questions are now causing me to evaluate what "love" is; thus sparking the age old debate between love/lust/infatuation/like, etc.

I've decided to identify & define examples of love to hopefully clear up my understanding and definition...
1. The Bible. The whole thing. Every word. Period.
2. The way Grandpa Pete spent every day of 52 years next to Grandma Helen's side. Especially the last of those 3 years as the Alzheimer's turned her into a vegetable. She lived at the nursing home. Basically, so did he.
3. The looks I see my parents give one another when they think no one notices. The random hand holding in the car, the occasional middle of the day phone call, the special trip for no reason. After 26 years of marriage, they are truly more in love than ever before.
4. The eye roll that Grammy Barb gives Grampy Paul when he comes home at 10:00 from the hospital. She tries so hard to act annoyed (because she usually is), but after 57 years of marriage, she's still not fooling anyone.
5. Grandpa Rex's complete inability to pick out clothes to wear or accomplish anything without Gramma Ruthie's assistance. He may have been able to be a corporate executive for 47 years, but let's be serious... he can't match socks with shoes. He needs her. He wants to need her.
6. My little cousin Jack's NEED to fill up his mom's drink. He'll fill it to the brim, then shove it in her face and say "here mom, take a sip"! Even at a young age, he wants to love her.

Is there a common theme here? Yes. Is it romance? No. Male/female interaction? No. It's servant-hood. It's the desire to serve because the love is so abundant. It's the ultimate manifestation of the so over-used 1 Corinthians 13. It's an unbelievable desire to be wanted, needed, cared for. Because the love is TRUE & GENUINE there is no self-seeking, self-fulfilling angle. Rather, there is this pure aspect of service; because ultimately one party gets what they want & need by providing what the other wants & needs. It's not about anything but making sure that other person has joy, feels fulfilled & is taken care of. That's all the lover desires. Is for the one whom they love to be completely at peace.

Love is a funny thing... it may not be "all you need", a "battlefield" or always "in the still of the night", but it IS "what makes the world go 'round" and it IS "powerful".

Fly on the wall.

There's this old cliche that my Grandma Helen used to love: "oh to be a fly on the wall". AND she said it as nauseum (similar to how she used all of her cliches to that extent...)

Anyways, had you been a fly on the wall at my parent's house yesterday, you'd have probably gotten a good laugh.

For instance...
K: (making fun of my health problems) I named my thyroid Bertha. And she's a BIG pain in my butt.
Glenn (my cousin's husband): Wouldn't you call that a hemorrhoid?

OR...
Hunter (my little cousin): So there was this one time...
Glenn (also his father): I get nervous when you start telling stories. We should prescreen them.

and...
Gramps: Kara Leigh, you've gained more weight!
K: Well Shorty, you're certainly not getting any skinnier.
Gramps: Hey, at least I don't have to still try to find a spouse.
K: That's a good thing... you're too short to be found!

then there's...
Jodi (looking through my parent's wedding album): Look how skinny I was...
Glenn: I remember when you were skinny!
Jodi: (mouth hanging open)
Glenn: Oh my gosh, I have no way to get out of this...

oh yeah...
Daddy: Kara, keep your fingers out of the food.
K: (picking fruit out of the bowl) NO.
Daddy: YES.
K: (chasing after him with pinching fingers) EW my fingers are red from the juice... AHHH

finally...
K: she called her special
Jodi: I thought that was the best way to put it... she's "special"
Glenn: Special? Ha, yeah. Special ED (leaves the kitchen convulsing in laughter)

Gramps' final thoughts on the day: "Kara Leigh, you are in big trouble. Not only are you pudgy, NO one is going to EVER want to marry into this mess."

"Oh this life..."

My best friend has been trying her best to make that a popular statement in today's society. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but it's sure become my anthem.

A wise man (my most favoritest football player to ever put on football pants) that there are always going to be obstacles, but that you must enjoy the ride. Well TT, that's what I'm doing. You & your wisdom are always welcome in my world.

Anyways. Today is March 1. This date carries several connotations.
1. It is the last of the 3 months that I hate (Jan., Feb., Mar.) Once I move to FL, hopefully my feelings will change. Until then, it's Indiana at its worst.
2. Today is the beginning of a long journey with Shorty. He will have both chemo & radiation every day for the next 5 weeks. So thankful I got to see him yesterday, and I know Jesus is in control... I just hope he fights.
3. Tomorrow is Gramma Ruthie's hip replacement. We can only pray that her thin body can handle the anesthetic. Once she gets into rehab post-surgery, she will then start fighting this mass this is sitting where her thyroid used to be.
4. March 10 is my d-day. And by d-day I mean D-DAY. EEK.
5. That blasted boy that has spent the last 5 days here leaves. Well good. I had to run into everyone under the sun that I didn't care about except for him. Not even a glimpse of his entourage. LAME.
6. Starting today, due to my circumstances (that's what we'll call them...) I am no longer allowed to have chocolate or soda. Though we all know I could only drink diet before, now I'm done for good. Oh gracious. I went out and bought caffeine pills last night, because I'm not going to give myself migraines on top of it all.

ALL of that being said, I look at it this way. Not very often does the 1st of the month fall on a Monday. So today is not only a new day and week, it's a new month. Spring comes in 20 days, and I pray it will start going up from here.