A voice out of our past speaks clearly to us today

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”

“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

- Thomas Jefferson

R. Lee Wrights reminds us today -

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.” - Thomas Jefferson

Cornbread!

Welcome to the world Jean-Yves Guidry. He’s a 9 pounds 8 ounces, 21 inch long baby boy, born yesterday to Jill and Tom Guidry. They will call him “Cornbread”! Congratulations Jillybean. I’m proud to be your friend.

-Al

Mr. Edgar…

Edgar Lancaster died today. He was 91.

Mr. Edgar was an attorney of the highest caliber and reputation. Skilled and trustworthy he was pillar of the Bar and still practiced what with him was truly an art. The profession has lost a great example of what the legal community should be about, service to the community and to law. There was no ‘lawyer’ joke ever made that one would apply to him.

Edgar Lancaster… Mr. Edgar.  One of a dying breed of a generation of the finest that ever lived.  He was a friend of my father. He was a friend to me.

Rest In Peace Mr. Edgar.  Your in the finest of company now.

Les Amies Louisianaises

Grace. Unto Him all things are given, and from Him Grace received.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56LNciQaabw

You gotta believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTY03nrkJo8

Water. What a precious gift it is.

“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name… I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Mark 9:41
http://www.allthingssouthern.com/

http://shellietomlinson.blogspot.com/2009/09/water-from-porch.html

Water from the Porch

Dear porchers,

I’d like to share a dream with y’all. If you’ve been with me any length of time you know that several years ago I decided to ask for a yearly donation to help defray expenses here at All Things Southern. You may also know that I quickly decided this once-a-year drive should instead benefit others knowing that, in turn, the Lord would sustain our cyber community.

This year, in lieu of a donation to All Things Southern, I’d like to ask y’all to join forces with me to drill a well of life-giving water in cooperation with Life Today’s Water for Life outreach program.

Our goal will be to raise $4800 in September ‘09 to give clean water to a community where children just like yours, grandchildren just like ours, drink contaminated water because it is all they have.

Please know this isn’t a whim. It’s a deep desire coming out of the latest bible study I’m writing on stewardship. I’m asking y’all, the ATS community, the folks who have become so dear to me, to share with me in the joy of supplying clean drinking water, and in doing so, to give life because it is in the power of our hands to do so. Ten dollars from two hundred and forty people. Can we do it? Why, not?

If you are enjoying the humor and inspiration of All Things Southern, please consider making your yearly donation for this good cause. You can use the paypal button at my website to donate, or you may send your donation to:

All Things Southern
Water from the Porch
610 Schneider Lane
Lake Providence, LA 71254

Please join me to share a drink of water in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hugs,
Shellie

A day of remembrance…

I was walking through the office where I work and the TV was playing (sound off and unnoticed by everyone else) in the corner. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the pictures of the burning building – the first tower hit. I brought everyone’s attention to what was going on… and we all watched in horror as the second plane struck. The rest of that day was spent in front of the television set, or on the phone with family and friends.

Today is 9-11. It’s a day we all should observe as a day of remembrance for those that died so tragically in those horrible acts of terror just a few years ago. Many seem to have forgotten, which is sad. We all joined together back then. We grew renewed pride in America. Patriotism soared. We remembered who we were, and why we were, and what it was that made us a great nation. Now, just a few years later…

Prophecy, or plain common sense…

In politics words often sound like just so much rhetoric when first spoken, just so much talk, and often we take them with a grain of salt. But hindsight, they say, is 20/20. Some people are criticized for they opinions when they speak, but we should be careful when we do so, for the room we leave at the end of the story for a “I told you so!” is more than plenty.

Her words were often laughed at as the words of a naive outsider, but as many tried to point out, sometimes you see better looking at things from a perspective removed from the status quo. Many back then scoffed at her, but now we know, as is said,  the rest of the story…

“But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed … when the roar of the crowd fades away … when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot – what exactly is our opponent’s plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?

The answer is to make government bigger … take more of your money … give you more orders from Washington … and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it. Victory in Iraq is finally in sight … he wants to forfeit. Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay … he wants to meet them without preconditions. Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America … he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights? Government is too big … he wants to grow it. Congress spends too much … he promises more. Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them.” — Sarah Palin

Al

(my thanks to RightWingNews)

Losing a paradox.

Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy,  dead at 77

The so called ‘Lion of the Senate’ was the last of a generation of  powerful politicians from a wealthy and elite family that rode the support of the poor and underprivileged to prominence. He was one of the longest serving members of the Senate. And he was a bit of a paradox.

Conservatives, me included, loved to hate on Ted Kennedy. He often espoused ideas and ideals that were far removed from my political viewpoint. I somewhat grew up with the Kennedy era, remembering the national tragedy of his brother John’s assassination, then the assassination of his brother Robert. Politically the family was on the other side of the stream, and while JFK had some ideas that I today find attractive (and might well lean to be on the conservative side of things), he was always a democrat, and by default the liberal standard barer. Teddy fell right into place following the legacy on the left. But, and it’s hard to admit, he on the not so rare occasion could give fair shake to the right.

Many still held Kennedy’s past against him. The Mary Jo Kapechne tragedy was never adequately explained nor forgiven by many. His womanizing and drinking was the butt of many a joke. His outspokenness and positions on liberal issues rubbed many wrong. He was seen by many of us on the outside as the archetypical liberal villain. Wrongheaded and pompous.  He was a Kennedy, the youngest and in the mind of many the least worthy of the lot. Many of use viewed him as wearing a mantle he didn’t earn or deserve.

But many Republicans, moderate and conservative alike, would often find that Sen. Kennedy would welcome their input on policies and programs he supported and would return the same, giving advice and input, and sometimes support to their own. He was viewed by those from the right that served with him as a consensus maker and a good compromiser. Often, well sometimes at least, joining in as a bipartisan co-sponsor on legislation from the republican side of the aisle. His input was valued by all, and by republicans in the senate he was viewed as the most bipartisan democrat to work with.

Therein the paradox. The liberals have lost a strong voice and leader in the Senate. But so too have the conservatives lost a person that would give their views a listen. Someone that on occasion would offer support. Someone that could be counted on as fair. Someone that was truly open to being bipartisan in a time when that is very much lacking in Washington.

Much of what he supported and pushed won’t be missed by me at all. Some of it ran from asinine to evil. But, bad as I hate to admit it, there might come a time we just might end up missing him too. Fairness isn’t something readily found in Washington politics any more. Even if it was found in a place so unexpected.

 Al