Letters to God, Answers from Life, The Power of Prayer

We went to go see a new Christian movie called “Letters to God”. If you've ever been close to someone who has lived with cancer, it will definitely force some heavy reflection, and may leave you fighting tears.

The movie is about a boy battling cancer who writes letters to God. He writes God asking for his mom to laugh, his friend to get a new friend if he dies, and for a kid who picks on him at school to learn about what Jesus would do, among other requests and thoughts. He writes what seems like several letters everyday. Many of those letters are read by his mailman, who is having his own struggles with alcohol. Meeting the boy with cancer and reading those letters give the mailman a greater since of peace, and he begins to know God. The boy with cancer even asks his brother to write a letter to God, which his mother finds and reads. She's able to understand both boys better, and begins to cater to both of their needs.

By the end, it becomes clear that the boy's letters to God inspire people beyond his family. The boy who picked on him at school and the mailman help the neighborhood get the message by spreading some of the boy's letters around.

All in all, it was a great movie that might give you a new way to pray, connect with God, and understand the true power of your prayers.

Who's Running for Governor in Georgia?

Get informed before the July primary! Here are links to the campaign websites

Republicans
Jeff Chapman
Nathan Deal
Karen Handel
Eric Johnson
Ray McBerry
John Oxendine
Austin Scott

Democrats
Thurbert Baker
Roy Barnes
Carl Camon
DuBose Porter
David Poythress

Libertarian
John Monds

Georgia Candidate for Governor Will Work for Free Until...

From a news release:

General David Poythress, Democratic candidate for Governor, had the memorable moment in tonight’s first televised candidate debate.

General Poythress displayed the pledge he had signed, calling it a “solemn promise” to the people of Georgia that he “will not accept a paycheck as Governor until we get Georgia's unemployment rate under 7%."

There were audible gasps in the room from his bold statement which he reiterated in his closing.

General Poythress stated his commitment to moving our economy forward again by saying, “I'm willing to the walk the walk with folks, and I will share in the sacrifice until we get people back to work, period."

Former Governor Barnes was given the chance to apologize to the teachers of Georgia for his misguided policies which led to his defeat in 2002. He didn’t apologize and affirmed his commitment to “No Child Left Behind.”

In addition to touting his experience as Secretary of State, Labor Commissioner and Commanding General of the Georgia National Guard, General Poythress emphasized his commitment to valuing our state’s educators by protecting their fair employment rights, showing respect for the sacrifices our teachers make while shaping the future of our state.

“Tonight was a clear contrast between the stale policies of the past and a Governor who will move the state forward,” says General Poythress.

Why isn't the shooting incident at Fort Hood called terrorism?

I can admit, I'm not a terrorism expert, but on the surface I feel like the shootings at Fort Hood in Texas should have been called acts of terrorism. I am really surprised that word really hasn't been coming up.

Here's why I expected that word to be used. If the shooting had been at a base abroad, the terrorism label would have been attached. If a similar shooting, with that number of casualties had occurred at a government office building, the terrorism label would have been attached.

There are a lot of unanswered questions about what motivated this shooter to attack, including how he reconciled his religion and service to his country. Some have even said that Major Hasan, the alleged shooter, may be one of many who take issue with our country's policies, serve in the military, and wish to harm Americans.  I pray that is not the case.

The following is from a conservative writer. It makes for an interesting read. Some of the allegations have been debunked, but so little information out there about the shooter, its worth reading.

Fort Hood triggerman aided team on Homeland Security task force


By Jerome R. Corsi
2009 WorldNetDaily


NEW YORK - Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the alleged shooter in yesterday's massacre at Fort Hood, played a homeland security advisory role in President Barack Obama's transition into the White House, according to a key university policy institute document.


The Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University published a document May 19, entitled "Thinking Anew Security Priorities for the Next Administration: Proceedings Report of the HSPI Presidential Transition Task Force, April 2008 January 2009," in which Hasan of the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine is listed on page 29 of the document as a Task Force Event Participant.


Hasan received his medical degree from the military's Uniformed Services University School in Bethesda, Md., in 2001.


Noting that the Obama administration transition was proceeding, the GWU Homeland Security Policy Institute report described on the first page the role of the Presidential Transition Task Force as including "representatives from past Administrations, State government, Fortune 500 companies, academia, research institutions and non-governmental organizations with global reach."


While the GWU task force participants included several members of government, including representatives of the Department of Justice and the U.S Department of Homeland Security, there is no indication in the document that the group played any formal role in the official Obama transition, other than to serve in a university-based advisory capacity.


According to the "About Us" section of the GWU Homeland Security Policy Institute, the group is a "nonpartisan 'think and do' tank whose mission is to build bridges between theory and practice to advance homeland security through an interdisciplinary approach."


The Homeland Security Policy Institute is led by Frank J Cilluffo, who formerly served in the White House as special assistant to President Bush for homeland security, and by Daniel Kaniewski, who formerly served in the White House as special assistant to President Bush for homeland security and senior director for response policy.


"Muslims should stand up and fight the aggressor," Hasan said about America before he and possibly other Muslim soldiers at Fort Hood shot 43 fellow soldiers, killing 12, who were returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.


"He said Muslims had a right to attack" the U.S., said Col. Terry Lee, who worked with Hasan at the Texas post, where the devout Sunni Muslim refused deployment. "He said Muslims shouldn't be fighting Muslims," he added. "He was very clear on that."


According to an explosive new book, "Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America," Hasan is just the tip of a jihadist Fifth Column operating within the ranks of the U.S. military which is too blinded by political correctness to see the threat.


Quoting from a classified military briefing, "Muslim Mafia" reveals that this Fifth Column has penetrated "every branch of the U.S. military." The Islamist enemy has even infiltrated the al-Qaida detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


About the Guest:


Dr. Jerome Corsi received a Ph.D. from Harvard University in political science in 1972. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality and the co-author of Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry, which was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. He is a regular contributor to WorldNetDaily.com.

Majority of Georgia Congressmen Opposed Healthcare Reform

Alright, here's the breakdown on how Georgia's members in the U.S. House voted for the healthcare reform bill. 


Notice that 2 Georgia democrats (Mashall & Barrow) voted against the bill, making the total of Georgia representatives against the plan 9.


Rep. Jack Kingston (R), 1st District - NO
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D), 2nd District - YES
Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland (R), 3rd District - NO
Rep. Hank Johnson (D), 4th District -  YES

Rep. John Lewis (D), 5th District - YES
Rep. Tom Price (R), 6th District  - NO
Rep. John Linder (R), 7th District  - NO
Rep. Jim Marshall (D), 8th District - NO
Rep. Nathan Deal (R), 9th District - NO
Rep. Paul C. Broun (R), 10th District - NO

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R), 11th District - NO
Rep. John Barrow (D), 12th District - NO

Rep. David Scott (D), 13th District -YES

Healthcare Reform Passes

U.S. House has passed healthcare reform bill 220-215.

If you are really bored or have a lot of spare time you can read it here:

111TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION 
H. R. 3962 
To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Enjoy all 1,190 pages!

Healthcare Reform Countdown

I've asked the question before: is it the government's job to provide healthcare for those who can't afford it or aren't able to access it? I still haven't decided, but I think I understand the concerns of the people on both sides of the issue a little better after watching CSPAN and listening to hour after hour of debate in the U.S. House.

Colorful speakers took anywhere from 15 seconds to 5 minutes to add their perspective to the bill being considered. Many of the loudest really didn't add much to the discussion. The calmest speakers seemed to know more. Funny how that works out.

The premise on one side is everyone should have health insurance. They believe our country is wealthy... or at least a lot of people in this country are wealthy enough to provide healthcare for those who can't afford it. At the core of their argument, most of the Democratic speakers maintained, its wrong for sick people to be second guessed by businessmen before receiving medical treatment. They painted a grim picture of the current system, made of bad guys and evil doers, who would rather see people die than loose money.

The other side pretty much disregards all of those points, and focuses on different issues altogether. For example, can the country afford this healthcare reform and what gives the Congress the authority to mandate health insurance for every American.

I think a lot of regular folks, like my grandparents, don't like to see other regular folks struggle. And that's the bottom line. They live through the depression and a World War, the second one, and saw how the country pulled together to not only fix this country, but also to improve living conditions for people all over the world. At the same time, they don't like government in their personal affairs. They would probably tell the people having this healthcare reform debate to help people, but don't mettle unnecessarily.