Carrie Wigal

Keeping the Sabbath: A Delight

2010-07-02T19:08:00.006-04:00

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." - Exodus 20:8-11

This being the fourth of the Ten Commandments, my husband and I started recognizing the Sabbath day earlier this year. Why we hadn't done it sooner, I really don't know. I guess we figured since we go to church on Sunday, that we were sort of recognizing that commandment already. But then, I started questioning what if there was some significance to the actual "seventh day" (being Saturday) deserving our observance?

In Matthew 24 Jesus spoke to his disciples concerning Signs of the End of the Age. He said in verse 20, "Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." That reference indicated to me a specific day still being recognized even after Jesus' resurrection.

Then my attention was drawn to Genesis 2:3 and the tail end of the Commandment itself, "the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." This day is blessed by God himself...He set it apart from the rest of the week. All we are asked to do is remember/observe it, by keeping it set apart, and to refrain from our work.

"'If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.' The mouth of the LORD has spoken." - Isaiah 58:13-14

The Sabbath truly is a delight: a 24-hour date with the Creator of the Universe; a gift made specifically for all mankind to enjoy; a weekly vacation from the workaday world; a family retreat like no other. I highly recommend it!

God of the Ages

2010-06-28T14:37:00.001-04:00

Changing Views on Motherhood

2010-01-22T15:34:00.007-05:00

Today marks the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. What a sad day in our nation's history. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the abortion issue because it has always been my understanding that life begins at conception. And the termination of a pregnancy is a termination of a life.

Last year, at the DC March for Life I was exposed to dozens of stories of mothers & fathers who regretted their abortions. It had an extreme impact on me and really demonstrated the many more victims affected by this horrific Supreme Court decision.

Then more recently, I had a change of heart on the significance of motherhood.

MY EARLY PERSPECTIVE

I was raised to value the sanctity of human life and abortion was never an option (except possibly in the cases of rape and incest). Not much was said about birth control except abstinence was the best way to avoid pregnancy. Beyond that I never paid much attention to having children, since I wasn't married.

Then I got married.

I wanted children, so birth control was never a consideration. So, within the first six months I was blessed with the news of a double pink line: a baby!

AFTER BABY #1

After she was born, I was instructed to refrain from sexual intercourse for the first six weeks, but I needed to start thinking about whether or not I wanted to have another child right away.

In my fairy tale mind, I always thought it would be good to space the children apart...about two years was good. However I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of using contraceptives because it seemed so unnatural, so I stuck with what worked my whole single life. Abstinence. Of course, that didn't work very well for my marriage.

Within a few months I became pregnant again. Oops, I messed up in my counting. The timing couldn't have been worse. We had just moved, our old house wasn't ready to leave, our new house wasn't ready to move in, we moved in with my parents, I left my job, my husband left his business, we started a brand new business in a brand new industry, and I was majorly depressed. Not good timing at all.

AFTER BABY #2

After he was born, I had no problem with the doctor's orders to abstain. These children were 15 months apart. But then my allotted recovery time was over and my wifely duty was expected to kick back in. Again, I relied on the calendar, and goofed in my math. The big joke was how fertile I was.

I'd like to say we were excited about the double pink line this time, but I was in over my head with the two I already had. This was such bad timing. And to top it off my condition was frowned upon by my own mother. I was devastated. We didn't initially tell anybody else I was pregnant because frankly I didn't want to have to go through the same discouragement I felt after my mother's comments. We figured we'd just wait. It would be obvious soon enough.

After a few prenatal visits, there appeared to be a problem. My doctor could not hear a fetal heartbeat. I was told it could just be the position of the baby. So we scheduled another visit. Again, nothing. By this time, I was getting concerned. An ultrasound was scheduled.

My husband joined me for the sonogram. I saw the baby on the monitor. By this time I was a pro at pointing out certain features. Of course this was much earlier in the term than my previous tests, but I could see the heart. It was not beating.

Boy, for not wanting to be pregnant again at this early point in my marriage, the realization of that miscarriage was devastating. My husband consoled me, stating God had other plans. After the initial emotional shock, I was able to accept the fate of this child. But this experience made me treasure the miracle of the lives of my other children all the more.

AFTER BABY #3

Ten months later, after a very rocky road of counting, abstaining and giving in, we were greeted with the news of yet another double pink line. While my mother still made comments over the number of children I was having, I reminded her I had just as many as she did. The only difference was our age. By this time I was almost 38 years old. She was concerned about the health risks (understandably so). I was grateful we were blessed with another child. I came to appreciate every moment of this pregnancy.

During the final trimester God blessed us with a new church family. It was close to home, it met my need for spiritual growth and it was a very family-friendly environment. (The pastor had eight kids of his own.) This new-found appreciation for multiple children was so refreshing.

From the time he was born, he was cherished by all those around. I truly felt blessed by not only the miracle of life, but healthy, perfectly formed babies. Oh, how grateful I was.

AFTER BABY #4

As time passed, either my counting improved, my eggs got old or my abstinence grew, because I remained pregnant-free for more than a year, the longest stretch of time in my seven years of marriage. Unfortunately my anxiety level was going through the roof. I was so afraid of getting pregnant again.

I kept thinking of... having to start all over again, the growing health risks...and what would my mother think. I just could not bear the thought of having another child. Naturally, this put a strain on my marriage. Because I relied heavily on the most effective birth control method I knew.

Then God started working on my heart. Okay, maybe the work began long before, but I started recognizing that my having more children was not my decision to make. It was the Creator of mankind's.

You see, he ordained the institutions of marriage and family. His plan was for a man and woman to become one. It was His intention for us to be fruitful and multiply. He opens and closes wombs, and it is He who knits bodies together in a mother's womb.

My decision to methodically determine when not to meet my husband's needs, not only caused my marriage to suffer, I believe it grieved the heart of God. I was elevating myself to His level in attempting to orchestrate the blessing of conception, and this was so wrong.

I surrendered my will to His and stopped keeping track. I worked on becoming the best help meet God created me to be for my husband, and I left the miracle of life in His hands.

There was a point several months ago I thought I might have conceived. To say I was overjoyed would be a lie, but I wasn't dreading the possibility either. At that point my greatest inhibition was what my mother would say, but I figured God would help me through it.

It was a false alarm, but it caused my husband and I to talk about the possibilities, and it opened my mind to reconsider the sanctity of marriage and family and the sovereignty of God.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." - Psalm 127:3 KJV

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." - Psalm 139:13 NIV

"My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth," - Psalm 139:15 NIV

"Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:16 NIV

"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." - Psalm 119:73 KJV

"Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." - Psalm 100:3 KJV

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

MY CURRENT PERSPECTIVE

I watched a DVD this past year called, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and it fascinated me to watch how miraculous conception really is. The path taken by the sperm to fertilize an egg and all of its obstacles. The cell division and DNA code kept in tact. Absolutely remarkable.

It was always my understanding that it was the mother and father's doing, creating new life. After all we are made in the image of God...we have the ability to procreate. But then I've come to realize even the animals and plant life can procreate. It is God who made us, not we ourselves. It is He who knits us together in our mothers' wombs. And all the days that were ordained for us were written before they came to be. God is God, and I am not.

With this new realization of the Creator's hand in the lives of my children, the severity of the choice to end that life at any time is magnified. God miraculously causes conception after the sexual union of a man and woman. He uniquely fashions the child every step of the way in the womb. He has plans to give us hope and a future...all of us...every life He creates.

Who are we to snuff that life out...whether it be before or after conception? God have mercy on us all.

Fluvanna Patriots Are Coming Together

2010-01-13T11:25:00.003-05:00

You have probably heard of the "Tea Party Movement" or the "912 Project", but I'm not sure what you might know about them. Well, there was a groundswell of average Joes and Janes all across America this past year that started getting fed up with the reckless spending going on in Washington DC. Whether it was the banker bailouts, the pork-filled stimulus package, the automobile bailout, the cap 'n trade bill, or this most recent health care takeover bill, many Americans started standing up, shouting, "Stop it! That's Enough!"

Both Charlottesville and Richmond coordinated efforts in their respective regions to hold "Tea Party" protests/demonstrations, freedom rallies, etc. Up until now, if we wanted to get involved, we had to join forces with them. In fact, I helped launch the Charlottesville 912 Project, simply because folks wanted to come together and someone had to coordinate the first event. I took the initiative to plan the first event and that group has grown to over 170 members. Meanwhile, Bill Hay, a fellow patriot out of Ruckersville took the lead in coordinating the Jefferson Area (Charlottesville) Tea Party group and has done wonders with it.

Well, I have young children and can't very well go gallivanting off to Charlottesville and/or Richmond to help mobilize fellow patriots on a regular basis. Plus, my heart truly is here in Fluvanna, and I'd like to do my part to be an engaged citizen in my own hometown. So...

This past weekend marks the launch of Fluvanna Patriots, our own "Tea Party"-like Patriot group, and I'd like to invite you to join us. It's free of charge and consists of folks just like you and I, and you can be as involved as you want to be. If you just want to stay informed, this is a great way to do so. If you want to meet up with other like-minded folks here in the county, you can do that. If you want to get more involved in the community, this can be a valuable resource. I highly recommend coming on board.

We are simply "a non-partisan group of engaged Fluvanna County citizens concerned about the direction our country, state and county are headed." I've laid out what we believe on our website: http://fluvannapatriots.com/about/ I encourage you to check it out, and subscribe to the group by entering your name and email address at the website.

Please understand this is not about "politics", it's about citizenship and civic virtue. As fellow Americans, and fellow Fluvanna residents, we have an obligation to engage in our communities...to make this a better place for our families and those around us. I hope you'll join me.

If you have any questions about this group at all, please don't hesitate to ask.

Tom Perriello: Foe to the American People

2009-11-08T20:32:00.005-05:00

Last week, I took my daughter into Washington DC to experience something I've never done before. We went to a Press Conference held on the steps of the Capitol Building, then went to pay our Congressman a visit.

My daughter was very excited about riding a train (the Metro) into DC, and I couldn't have been more pleased with the company we kept on the way in: other freedom-loving patriots disgusted with the HR 3962 Health Care Bill being considered by the House of Representatives.

We ducked out of the Press Conference a little early to get a head start on the tens of thousands of other folks wishing to speak to their congressman face to face about this horrific bill being jammed down our throats. Along with about 20 other folks we were able to congregate in Mr. Perriello's office and share our disdain for this bill. (We were the first batch of folks to make his acquaintance that afternoon.)

I was impressed with the civility of some of the gentlemen speaking about the devastation to the small businesses this legislation would bring. My friend videotaped the entire exchange. Seizing the opportunity to follow up on my question to him at the town hall meeting held here this summer, I asked him regarding the constitutionality of this bill why he indicated he was willing to "let the courts fight it out". I enlightened him on the pending lawsuit in the Virginia Supreme Court that a citizen brought against the County of Fluvanna on behalf of the residents in Fluvanna County for the failure to recognize two petitions for a referendum. The BOS knew there were well over 10% of the voting population who wanted a referendum on the Joint Water Authority (on two separate occasions), but they were willing to ignore the law and "let the courts fight it out". Now, the taxpayers are not only paying for the JWA, but we're paying for the defense of the lawsuit being waged on our own behalf.

After all my ranting and my questioning as to why he would let the courts fight it out when he knew this bill was unconstitutional considering he swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, he gave his response: He didn't believe this bill was unconstitutional.

Oh, I couldn't dig fast enough to pull out my copy of the US Constitution before someone else had a crack at him. Needless to say, it got a bit heated in that room. When all was said and done, he promised he would not vote for this bill if it included taxpayer-funded abortions. However, he would not commit to voting "no" on the bill even if the abortion provision was stripped. He said he considered himself "undecided". Then, he had to rush out of his office (after giving us about 10 minutes) to get down to the house floor for a vote.

I made sure I left a copy of the US Constitution on his desk along with a letter I wrote him following his Town Hall meeting held in Fluvanna County a few months ago.

I'm sorry, but I think the man is a liar...his mind was made up. He defended portions of the bill to us, claiming they were needed, yet failed to recognize the points that we each were making. He "listened" in that he kept his mouth shut so we could speak, but he didn't engage in conversation with us about our concerns. Instead he defended the bill and thanked us for coming in.

I left there knowing in the pit of my stomach he was going to vote for this thing...and he did.

Tom Perriello is a smooth talker, but he's no friend to the Fifth District.

He voted for the Stimulus Package, claiming he was kept up to date on all that was in it through text messages, understanding we would have to print money in order to pay for it, and in light of the fact that the majority of the American public did not want this.

He voted for the Cap & Trade, without possibly ever reading the bill, going totally against the will of the people, and hid from us when we came to let him know how we felt about his vote.

And now, after a landslide victory for Republicans in Virginia's elections last Tuesday, a grassroots-driven 1,000,000+ patriot march on Washington on September 12th, and another grassroots-driven last minute 20,000 - 40,000 patriot onslaught on Washington this past Thursday, he voted for the Health Care Bill last night.

This man must be run out of office...starting today.

Join Me in DC to Stop Health Care Bill

2009-10-30T22:53:00.003-04:00

The 1990 page Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) has been released and the House of Representatives is expected to vote on it next week. The original bill was only about 1000 pages, and it has now doubled.

It includes taxpayer-funded abortions, mandated health insurance coverage, a public option, ultimate single-payer option (page 92), "death panels", loss of more jobs and higher taxes. This is socialized medicine and we only have a small window of opportunity to stop this.

Michele Bachmann, Congresswoman from MN, has invited all Americans to join her in Washington DC on the steps at the Capitol Building on Thursday at noon where she's holding a press conference. Following the press conference she has asked us to join her as she walks the halls of Congress to speak to our representatives about this horrific bill.

Watch this interview between Ms. Bachmann and Sean Hannity:

I'm seriously considering going. Anyone interested in joining me? This truly is a line in the sand for our country. We must do everything we can to stop this bill. Let me know what you think.

Monticello & UVA under UN Management

2009-10-19T13:42:00.008-04:00

I discovered a few weeks ago that Yellowstone National Park is currently under the management of the United Nations (and has been for several decades). When I told my dad about it, he was surprised. So I set out to find the proof to back up my claim, and this is what I found: Both Monticello and UVA are under the UN's authority as well!

Here's a little blurb about UNESCO, an arm of the United Nations...

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

You can learn more about UNESCO's World Heritage mission here.

They have a list of properties on their website that are "protected" by the UN, and here's just a smattering of what's listed.

Cultural

* Independence Hall (1979)
* Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (1987)
* Statue of Liberty (1984)

Natural

* Everglades National Park (1979)
* Grand Canyon National Park (1979)
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1983)
* Olympic National Park (1981)
* Redwood National Park (1980)
* Yellowstone National Park (1978)
* Yosemite National Park (1984)

There doesn't appear to be any added in in the 1990s or even 2000s. I'm not sure why, but there's a list of properties that have been submitted for consideration in 2008. And look what's being considered here in Virginia:

* Thomas Jefferson Buildings (2008)
* Mount Vernon (2008)

Can you imagine what Thomas Jefferson and George Washington would have thought to have had their homes placed under the control of World Government? By the way, one of those "Thomas Jefferson Buildings" is our very own State Capitol Building in Richmond!

What do you think about that?

UPDATE 2:46PM: I called Monticello this afternoon and asked what this meant being on "the list". The young lady I spoke to (very nice, by the way) indicated Monticello was owned by a private non-profit foundation and they controlled the operations of the site. However, she confirmed that this location was recognized as a World Heritage site, the only home in America to have this honor. She referred me to wikipedia for more information.

Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General

2009-10-15T22:12:00.005-04:00

Virginia State Senator Ken Cuccinelli is my choice for State Attorney General. In fact I put a yard sign out showing my support for him many months ago. This man is the real deal, and we need him at the helm protecting our Constitutional rights. I trust this man's character, I approve of his record, and I whole-heartily support him for AG.

Here are a few highlights:
-Pro-Life
-Pro-Traditional Marriage
-Pro-Parental Rights
-Pro-2nd Amendment
-Anti-Illegal Immigration
-Pro-Transparency in Government
-Strict Constitutionalist

While there are several people on the ballot in my district this year in Virginia, there are only a few that I feel so strongly about campaigning for: Doug Johnson for School Board (he's my father), Rob Bell for State Delegate, & Ken Cuccinelli for State Attorney General. While I have every intention to cast my vote for the other positions available this term, I want all those who know me to know I personally endorse these individuals for office.

Rob Bell Gets Results in Fluvanna County

2009-10-15T21:39:00.006-04:00

Rob Bell is my current delegate in the VA State Legislature and he is up for re-election next month. Several years ago when I was experiencing difficulty with the DMV, my father suggested I call Rob Bell. I had never called an elected official's office before and wasn't sure what to expect. Well a member of his staff helped me get in touch with someone at the Richmond DMV who helped me right away. I couldn't believe how quickly my problem was resolved.

Also, I have seen Rob on many, many occasions at local events (when he was not campaigning for re-election), and he has always been open to talk about any concerns I might have, and he has thoughtfully replied to every letter/email I have every sent him over the years. For example, I was concerned about State Sovereignty and exercising our 10th amendment. I brought this up in an email to him during the last session. He responded rather quickly...and then again several weeks later when something new happened concerning the bill that was in the legislature concerning this issue. He remembered my concern and made a point to keep me abreast of what was happening with that issue in Richmond. I so appreciate this in a public servant.

If you live in the 58th district, I encourage you to check him out.

While there are not many incumbents I'm happy about these days, Rob Bell is one I'd like to keep in office. He's attentive, accessible and is more in line with my values and concerns than his opponent. As for me and my household, we are voting for Delegate Rob Bell.

Mark Warner Openly Dismisses US Constitution Concerning Health Care

2009-10-05T23:24:00.006-04:00

According to a post on US Senator Mark Warner's website concerning a Town Hall Meeting held late this summer in Fredericksburg VA, it quoted the Free-Lance Star which gave a summary of the types of questions that were asked:

"One questioner asked Warner where the Constitution gives the government the right to meddle in health care. Warner said it doesn't, and that also doesn't provide for government-provided education or transportation, but that the American people over the years have chosen to have government involved in those things." [emphasis mine]

So if the Constitution doesn't give him the right to do something, yet he chooses to usurp its authority, then why on earth did he bother swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution upon taking office?

Does this not bother anybody else?

Affordable Health Care: Not a Moral Right

2009-09-26T23:31:00.004-04:00

In the 9/24/09 issue of the Fluvanna Review someone stated, "Affordable health care is every American's moral right" and proceeded to reference the popular parable of "The Good Samaritan" and a quote from Christ. She asked if Jesus walked our streets today, teaching His parables, would He be branded as a socialist and jeered.

The problem I see with correlations such as these between Christ's teachings and social justice is the assumption that Christ was teaching these lessons to governmental institutions, but He wasn't. He was speaking to individuals, specifically His followers. It is not the Federal Government's role to "love their neighbor", but rather it is the role of Christians.

None of us are due bandaged wounds, continued care and a comfy bed all at the expense of another. Parables such as "The Good Samaritan" are talking about the voluntary expression of love and mercy toward one another.

While God has created all men equal and given us the inalienable rights to life and liberty as recognized by our founding fathers, He did not give us the "right" to affordable health care, and the US Constitution does not give the power to our government to bestow "affordable health care" on all Americans. The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.

As for Christ being a socialist, absolutely not. He never taught to "steal from the rich to give to the poor".

Our federal government should not be taking money from select portions of society to redistribute to others in order to "make things fair". America is a free market economy and the only way for us to thrive as a nation is to minimize governmental regulations and let the market do its thing.

Affordable health care is not every American's moral right.

Fluvanna Fire Station Gets Stimulus Funds

2009-09-25T22:16:00.009-04:00

In a press release dated September 24th, 2009 Congressman Tom Perriello announced over $1.4 million in Federal Stimulus money has been granted to Fluvanna County to construct a new Fire Station in Fork Union.

While the headline "Construction of New Fire Station Will Employ 100 People, Benefit Numerous Area Businesses" sounds wonderful, I feel very sick over the whole thing. How can we in good conscience take this money?

I fought hard against the Stimulus bill and I believe passing that legislation was absolutely reckless.

Perriello indicated at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at the Ashlawn Grille in Lake Monticello shortly after his vote for this horrendous pork-filled package that our taxes would not go up. Instead, he confessed that we would have to print money in order to pay for this bill. He evidently did not have a problem with this.

However, I did. I thought "printing money" was a crime. I mean, I'm not allowed to do that, so why is the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank allowed to do so?

My sister then asked the Congressman, "Well, wouldn't that lead to inflation?" His reply? "Yes, but not right away."

What!? Oh, I can't tell you how many shades of red I saw at that moment. I kept quiet because I was trying to refrain from exploding at the man, but I was livid. He saw nothing wrong with this!

But this is so wrong. The value of the dollar diminishes every time the printing presses fire up. We work hard to earn a living, but the cost of living goes up whenever inflation comes into play, so what we earned (and saved) yesterday can no longer pay for tomorrow. Whatever the difference is has been stolen from us. So someone please explain to me why our Congressman thinks this is okay.

It's not. Unfortunately though, it's the way of the world...we've accepted it in the past and for some odd reason most folks are content with just accepting it going forward. I say, NO!

Printing money (with nothing to back it up) leads to deflating dollars, which essentially is stealing and that is morally wrong.

So this brings me to...if we know that we are having to print money on the federal level in order to pay for this grant, then how on earth can we in Fluvanna County accept these funds in good faith?

"Oh, but it's for a new fire station," you might say.

It shouldn't matter what the money is for. The fact is we (at the local level, state level and federal level) don't have the money to pay for it, and we don't have the right to steal it from anyone else in order to satisfy our own needs/desires...no matter how noble the cause.

It looks like I will be paying my local Board of Supervisors a visit in the next few weeks to discuss my concern with them. If you feel the same and you reside here in Fluvanna County, join me at the New County Courthouse in Palmyra on Wednesday, October 7th at 2PM and share your thoughts as well.

Congressman Tom Perriello: Oath of Office

2009-09-04T22:10:00.006-04:00

I wrote a letter to my 5th District Congressman this evening. While I emailed a slightly abbreviated version to him, here is what I wrote in full:

Dear Congressman Perriello,

I contacted your office in DC today to follow up on my question that I posed to you at the Fluvanna Town Hall Meeting. The man who spoke before me pointed out the unconstitutionality of the Health Care Bill referencing the enumerated powers in Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution. He also pointed out that the 10th Amendment supports the idea of the federal government being limited in power to what is stated in the Constitution.

I considered the fact that this man spoke before me (I had no idea what he was going to say) and that there was a break in constituent comments/questions giving you an opportunity to respond to him was an act of God. Your response indicated that you were aware of constitutional issues concerning this bill but you were "willing to let the courts fight it out". Then it was my turn to speak.

I reminded you that you swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, and if you knew that there were constitutional issues concerning this piece of legislation, I asked why you were willing to let the courts fight it out. After addressing specific items in the bill and my personal concerns as a small business owner and tax-paying citizen, I asked the following question, "Knowing that this legislation without a shadow of a doubt is in violation of the US Constitution, who and/or what gives you the power to take away our God-given rights to life and liberty by casting anything but a "no" vote concerning this bill?"

To this you never replied.

So, I called your office in Washington today (9/4/09) and spoke with one of your staffers. I explained that I never got a response to my question. I said I could not understand why you would be willing to "let the courts fight it out" if you indeed recognized that this was unconstitutional. Perhaps you don't feel it is unconstitutional. Your staffer explained to me that there was an elastic clause at the end of Article 1 Section 8 that gives you the power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper. However, I had a copy of the Constitution in my hand and read him the complete clause. It states,

"To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all the Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

Please note that it says "...the foregoing Powers..." referencing the enumerated powers laid out in the previous clauses. It also says "...the Powers vested by this Constitution..." reiterating that the powers being referred to are in the Constitution. It seems pretty clear to me that these are qualifiers in this "elastic clause". If you can make any law you feel like, then why did the founders lay out the specific powers in Article 1 Section 8 (to establish and maintain an army and navy, to establish post offices, to create courts, to regulate commerce between the states, to declare war, and to levy taxes for these purposes)?

Furthermore, your staffer mentioned "checks and balances" and that the Supreme Court was set up to be one of those when it comes to determining Constitutional power. I agree. However, the Legislative branch is a check as well. You don't have the right to do whatever you want and expect either the President or SCOTUS to step up and keep you in line. You swear an oath to uphold the Constitution for the purpose of stating your intention to act in a manner that supports the US Constitution. If you are willing to vote on a piece of legislation that knowingly conflicts with the Constitution, how are you upholding it?

Now if you honestly believe that the US Constitution gives you the power to lay and collect taxes for the purpose of providing a government-run health care option or dictating how the private sector will conduct its affairs, then please explain to me where you find that power listed in that binding document.

I also explained to your staffer the following, which I would like you to be aware of as well:

There are a few lawsuits pending right now in your district (Fluvanna County) as well as at the state level concerning the actions of our local Board of Supervisors who were willing to "let the courts decide" when they were served twice with a petition of more than 10% of the voters in the county requesting a referendum on the formation of a Joint Water Authority. The law gives the people the right to petition their government for this specific issue (formation of a Joint Water Authority)...they did it twice, but the County Attorney advised the Board to disregard the petitions due to a legal technicality in his mind. Now five months later, we, the taxpayers are still paying for the Board's "defense" in multiple courts since a citizen rose up to challenge the Board's decision to throw away our petitions...*and* we're paying for the formation of the Joint Water Authority. What if the courts decide the petitions were valid and a referendum should have been called? It is too late to have the referendum in the November election, so a special election will have to be called. This is going to cost even more money to the taxpayer. And this is a result of our governing body letting the courts fight it out.

Sir, you have an obligation to the people whom you represent as a US Congressman. You must uphold the US Constitution. The Constitution does not give you the power to make this Health Care Reform law. You know it. While a threat to not vote for you in November may not mean much to you (you already lost my vote when you voted "yes" on the Cap & Trade bill), I would hope doing what's right in the sight of God would matter more.

How can you in good conscience go against the US Constitution when you swore an oath to uphold it?

Sincerely,
Carrie Wigal

Fluvanna BOS: Public Prayer vs Moment of Silence

2009-09-02T16:59:00.003-04:00

I spoke during the initial public comments section of this afternoon's (9/2/09) BOS meeting. Here's what I had to say:

My name is Carrie Wigal. I live at [edited for privacy purposes].

About a month or so ago there was an article in the Central Virginian that featured my plea to you to put prayer back into your public meetings. To be honest it surprised me that it received media coverage that long after my comments were made. But I read that piece and could hardly believe Attorney Tom Paine’s response. It was reported that he advised you a moment of silence would be more appropriate than prayer because he was afraid of litigation that might come as a result of public prayer in your meetings.

I have to tell you, I laughed out loud when I read this. Because as you know, my father, Doug Johnson is currently suing you for your failure to order a referendum over the formation of the Joint Water Authority. Your very own Mr. Ott warned you all at the public hearing in March that litigation might ensue if you didn’t act on the petitions of the people. Your attorney obviously didn’t fear that litigation when he advised you to disregard the two sets of petitions. So, needless to say, that particular statement struck me as rather funny.

But after my chuckle subsided, I thought to myself why does this man fear men over God? Wouldn’t God’s wrath cause more harm than some disgruntled citizen? Why are we more concerned about offending people than we are of offending the Almighty? Where are the priorities here?

Shortly after this article hit the newsstands I discovered that you all voted unanimously to include a moment of silence in your public agendas – and some thought I should be proud of my participation in getting this issue to the forefront. But I have to tell you, I was more proud of getting my concerns on the front page of the paper.

A moment of silence? My initial response…You all actually voted to have a moment of silence in your meetings? You already have a multitude of moments of silence in your meetings – everybody just needs to stop talking for a minute at the same time, and voila! There’s your moment of silence – you didn’t have to vote on it! This is crazy.

What purpose does this moment serve? Are you honoring fallen soldiers or mourning the loss of a loved one? – Or are you just trying to gather your thoughts for the next subject at hand? Maybe your honest intention was to allow individuals to pray if they chose to do so before you proceeded with your agendas. And I believe it was your honest intention. But, individuals can pray whenever they want – they don’t need a public “moment of silence” to permit that.

So many thoughts raced through my mind upon my hearing this news, but the most significant one was how much of a slap in the face to God this was.

Who do you think you’re fooling? Why are you afraid to talk to Him in public? Oh, it’s okay to publicly pledge allegiance to our nation – under God…and tender money publicly claiming we put our trust in God, but we just can’t publicly talk to Him. Can you see the lunacy in this?

He is the Creator of the Universe! When the sun goes down and you gaze up into the sky, marveling at the blanket of lights visible to the naked eye, know that he breathed them into existence…and the size of this little planet here pales in comparison to many of the stars flying around out there. Yet he knows each and every one of us. He knows the number of hairs on our head at any given moment of the day, and He knows our innermost thoughts, desires and fears. He designed us – and He loves us – even when we screw up!

God wants good things for us – He wants to help us. We have so much evidence in our nation’s history of his divine intervention. The Revolutionary War was won because He stepped in as a result of prayer. The huge success in the birth and life of our nation is a direct result of His providence and our recognition of Him and obedience to His laws. The Abolition of Slavery was realized because He intervened on the hearts of men.

God is real – He is all-knowing, all-powerful and willing to give wisdom to those who ask Him. He sees the big picture. He knows what goes on in the homes and hearts of every citizen in this county, and He not only knows what’s best for us, He wants it.

Quit ignoring Him. Quit dismissing Him. Quit offending Him.

Please, throw away your “moment of silence” – get a backbone when it comes to standing up for God in this county and exercise some humility by calling on His wisdom and direction through public prayer.

Thank you.

Perriello Fluvanna Town Hall Meeting Speech

2009-08-18T08:53:00.005-04:00

Last night, August 17th, Congressman Perriello held a Town Hall Meeting at the Fluvanna Middle School in Fork Union. I along with hundreds of citizens from the area attended. After waiting over an hour in line to speak, I had my turn at the podium.

The full text of my prepared speech is below. While I believe everything I had to say was important, I felt the need to cut out some of it in order to save time and be effective in what I was trying to ultimately convey. The sections I cut are included below but the words in red are what I chose to say while standing at the microphone.

The person who spoke directly ahead of me was the first in a long line to mention that this bill was unconstitutional and the 1oth amendment confirmed it. He was surprised that this had not come up yet. Perriello responded to his comments stating that this had come up in other Town Halls and that while there was definitely an issue concerning its constitutionality, that was something that could be fought out in the courts and ultimately taken to the Supreme Court.

I did a little research on your background and found you are a Yale graduate of Law, and you have been involved in community organizing because of your concerns over social injustices. It is to that experience I would like to make my appeal.

First I appreciate your concerns for social injustice. I agree we need to get more involved in our communities as a whole. As Christians, we are called to "Love our neighbor as ourselves"...I believe it is our Christian duty to help those in need.

The problem we've seen over the years is the transition from individuals voluntarily working in an organized fashion to help their fellow citizens to federal government agencies providing these services, mandating all law-abiding, income-producing citizens to pay for these services. While we thought we were doing a good thing by collectively pooling tax dollars to fund such noble causes as social services, we have created a monster. We have not only created generations dependent on the state, but we also have burdened the American people through taxation without representation (with all of these bureaucratic agencies, created by the federal legislative branch, unaccountable to the American people) and less-than-stellar, barely-surviving services (such as Social Security and Medicare). This is a huge disservice to our communities.

We are all created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible. God is our source, sir...not the federal government. Our charitable work must begin in our own homes and in our own communities, not dictated to us from top levels of government.

Getting back to "health care reform"...I admit we have issues in our current health care industry that need addressing, but the solutions are not found in the charitable contributions of Congress.

Upon taking office you swore an oath to uphold the United States Constitution. Therefore, if you are presented with a piece of legislation that falls outside of the jurisdiction of the powers identified in the Constitution, then you are compelled by your oath to vote "no" regardless of how we feel about it on the simple grounds that it is unconstitutional.

While we may have personal convictions to serve our communities who are lacking in need, it is not the role of the federal government to assure affordable, quality health care coverage for every person living within our borders. This power is nowhere to be found within the United States Constitution, specifically it is not listed in Article 1 Section 8 where your Congressional Powers are laid out. And the 10th Amendment confirms this when it addresses the powers that are not delegated to the United States (meaning the Federal Government) by the Constitution, as being reserved to the states.

[I paraphrased these two paragraphs above and interjected some other thoughts since the person ahead of me had just addressed this. I specifically questioned why the Congressman felt it was okay to vote for something unconstitutional, leaving it up to the courts to fight it out especially since he swore the oath to uphold the Constitution in the first place.]

For your convenience here is a copy of the Constitution along with a copy of Federalist Paper #41 written by James Madison where he discusses these particular powers and explains that the often-misrepresented "common Defence and general Welfare" clause is a general phrase that is clearly defined by the detailed phrases following it in the Constitution. Congress is limited to those powers listed in that document. I encourage you to read both of these documents and pass them along to your colleagues in DC...I promise these are much shorter than this health care bill.

Now since you are holding these Town Hall meetings for the sole purpose of hearing the concerns/questions of your constituents on this particular bill, I would like to share just a few of mine:

I am a 40-year-old wife, mother of four (ages 14, 5,4 & 2) and a tax-paying small business owner. I'm a college graduate and in the past have worked for temporary employment agencies as well as small, mid-size and large corporations. During that time I have been insured, uninsured and uninsurable (due to becoming pregnant). Presently I have a Health Savings Account along with a low premium, high deductible Health insurance policy to cover my family.

While I choose to have this current plan vs. no insurance at all, I am disgusted with the idea that this bill will rob me of my choice. Section 401.59B on Page 167 indicates that I as an individual will be required to have "acceptable" health care coverage or else the federal government is going to fine me. If I choose to pay all of my medical expenses out of pocket without the assistance of anyone else (whether it be the government or some insurance company), I am going to be penalized by my own government?

Also, Section 313 on Pages 149-150 indicates that I as an employer must provide all of my employees regardless of whether they are full or part-time workers with the public option or else I'll be fined a certain percentage. And if I am successful in my business and hire more employees, creating new jobs, pushing me up to the next bracket, then I'll be fined at a higher rate.

So, not only am I being punished for paying my own bills, I am also being punished for not paying someone else's?

[Congressman Perriello had already indicated several times he had an issue with the mandates on individuals and small businesses. I wanted to make sure he knew I had an issue with it as well.]

Concerning my family, my husband and I are adamantly opposed to injecting our children with unnatural vaccinations. However, if we were to participate in this public option, then the vaccinations that the government deems necessary will be REQUIRED according to Section 1711 on Page 764. If we choose not to participate, we still have to pay to force others to get these shots regardless of their personal convictions.

My husband and I are even more adamantly opposed to killing innocent babies whether they are still in their mothers' womb or not. Yet according to Section 1713 on page 768 there is a "nurse home visitation service" which will cater to those who seek "improving maternal or child health and pregnancy outcomes or increasing birth intervals between pregnancies". Increasing birth intervals between pregnancies? Sounds like birth control to me...it also sounds like an open door to abortion.

[I omitted the above paragraph because Perriello already indicated he would not vote in favor of taxpayer-funded abortions. And I omitted the next paragraph because I wanted to drive home my main point without going all over the place.]

While these items I have just mentioned are just a few that really bother me personally about this bill (a few others include the rationing of health care, end-of-life planning, national health ID card, government committees and task forces, Federal government mandated school-based health clinics integrated into the school environment, surcharges for high income individuals, and government involvement in marriage & family therapy) the absolute number one biggest problem I have with all of this combined with the bailouts & federal acquisitions of private industry is that this whole scheme wreaks of socialism. In this particular case the US Congress is proposing to tax a portion of its people in order to exercise mandatory health care coverage, establish more government bureacracy, and ration health care as it deems necessary amongst the entire population...including non-US citizens! You and your colleagues are seriously considering nationalized health care, forcing the American people to succomb to the government for its health needs.

I understand we need health care reform, but the idea of the federal government taking over the health care industry in America is absolutely obscene. [Many people cheered at this statement.]

My question to you, Congressman is, "Knowing that this legislation without a shadow of a doubt is in violation of the US Constitution, who and/or what gives you the power to take away our God-given rights to life and liberty by casting anything but a "no" vote concerning this bill?"

One local FoxNews affiliate captured a portion of my question on her news report (the underlined text above). Unfortunately she failed to recognize my whole point that this bill is unconstitutional. Also, it would have been nice to include the statement before my question since it was so widely received. But I'm just glad it received some attention.

General Welfare Clearly Defined

2009-08-04T23:49:00.003-04:00

According to the US Constitution in Article 1, Section 8 (the Congressional Powers), it seems many (if not most) of our Congressmen have a clear misunderstanding of their powers. There is a phrase, "general Welfare" that justifies legislation such as the proposed Obama Health Care Plan (HR 3200) and the recent house-passed Cap & Trade Bill (HR 2454)...at least in the minds of those who are actually considering or voted in favor of these atrocities.

However, the entire clause that includes this phrase is limited to the following powers laid out in the remainder of that section. This is clearly stated in Federalist paper #41 written by James Madison, the author of the US Constitution:

"Some, who have not denied the necessity of the power of taxation, have grounded a very fierce attack against the Constitution, on the language in which it is defined. It has been urged and echoed, that the power "to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts, and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States," amounts to an unlimited commission to exercise every power which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defense or general welfare. No stronger proof could be given of the distress under which these writers labor for objections, than their stooping to such a misconstruction.

"Had no other enumeration or definition of the powers of the Congress been found in the Constitution, than the general expressions just cited, the authors of the objection might have had some color for it; though it would have been difficult to find a reason for so awkward a form of describing an authority to legislate in all possible cases. A power to destroy the freedom of the press, the trial by jury, or even to regulate the course of descents, or the forms of conveyances, must be very singularly expressed by the terms "to raise money for the general welfare."

"But what color can the objection have, when a specification of the objects alluded to by these general terms immediately follows, and is not even separated by a longer pause than a semicolon? If the different parts of the same instrument ought to be so expounded, as to give meaning to every part which will bear it, shall one part of the same sentence be excluded altogether from a share in the meaning; and shall the more doubtful and indefinite terms be retained in their full extent, and the clear and precise expressions be denied any signification whatsoever? For what purpose could the enumeration of particular powers be inserted, if these and all others were meant to be included in the preceding general power? Nothing is more natural nor common than first to use a general phrase, and then to explain and qualify it by a recital of particulars. But the idea of an enumeration of particulars which neither explain nor qualify the general meaning, and can have no other effect than to confound and mislead, is an absurdity, which, as we are reduced to the dilemma of charging either on the authors of the objection or on the authors of the Constitution, we must take the liberty of supposing, had not its origin with the latter." [emphasis mine]

Madison, the author of the US Constitution, explains that the first phrase in section 8 is a "general phrase" and all of the following phrases, aka "particulars" (that begin with "To") explain and qualify that general phrase. Certainly that makes sense to me when you hear it's intention explained like this. Read Article 1 Section 8 yourself:

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof." [emphasis mine]

How is Congress expected "to establish post offices and post roads"? They need money to do that. How about "to provide and maintain a Navy"? They need money for that too. Where does the money come from? The "Taxes, Duties, imposts and Excises" they lay and collect and the "Money on the credit of the United States" they borrow.

See? The power to lay taxes & such are set in place in order to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence (such as the Navy) and general Welfare (such as the post offices and post roads) of the United States.

Health Care coverage is not listed as one of the powers, neither are Environmental and/or Energy concerns therefore these are not considered "general Welfare" as far as the author of the Constitution meant. As a matter of fact, there are lots of "coverages" and "concerns" Congress has legislated that are simply unconstitutional, but we'll save those for another day.

Grand Canyon: Act of God

2009-07-26T09:02:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder how the Grand Canyon came into place?

Some claim "a lot of time and a little bit of water" created this phenomenon, but Ken Hamm of Answers in Genesis claims it was "a little bit of time and a great deal of water", and I happen to agree.

Never mind the fact that I'm a Christian and I believe the Biblical account of Noah's Ark and the Great Flood to be true, but current events confirm this geological anomaly is highly probable.

The canyon below was carved out this past week in Durham England as a result of one day's worth of rain.

"Mother Nature" my foot...more like an "act of God". Imagine what 40 days of rain across the whole world would create.

Read the Historical Account of the Great Flood in Genesis 6-8.

There is a God and He Created...

2009-07-25T19:58:00.000-04:00

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 NIV

I believe there are two very significant factors that we as a nation have forgotten.

There is a God, and
He created.

If America would once again unabashedly return to this premise, I think we could stand a fighting chance in getting our country back. If not, we're sunk.

Our Founding Fathers recognized the fact that there is a God and that He created mankind with certain inalienable rights. This is clearly laid out in our Declaration of Independence. In fact it is the whole premise behind our breaking from Great Britain. The fundamental truth that we are all created equal is the very foundation of our freedom.

Why on earth have we allowed any reference to God to be removed from our public institutions? And why have we ushered in the notion that "creationism" is not only just a "theory" but in some cases a crock? What are we thinking?

We must get back to recognizing God as the Creator, and more specifically our Creator, lest we as a nation be completely destroyed. Not only do we need to know this truth for ourselves, but we also must teach the current generation as well as the next by incorporating this knowledge back into the Public School curriculum.

TAKE ACTION:

Read The History of Creation below right now.
Share The History of Creation with your loved ones (children, nieces & nephews) this week.
Contact each member of your local School Board and ask that they include The History of Creation in the county schools' curriculum. Explain that it is a matter of preserving our national heritage and the very foundation of our country's future. "...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..." - US Declaration of Independence, 2nd Paragraph.
Attend the next School Board meeting in your county/community and suggest ways to incorporate The History of Creation into the school system's curriculum (ie. art or essay contest).
Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper suggesting the importance of The History of Creation in our way of life in America.

======================
The History of Creation
(Genesis 1:1 - 2:3)
======================

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Genesis 1:1-2 NIV

DAY 1: Day & Night
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning -- the first day." Genesis 1:3-5 NIV

DAY 2: Sky
"And God said, 'Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.' So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse 'sky'. And there was evening, and there was morning -- the second day." Genesis 1:6-8 NIV

DAY 3: Land & Vegetation
"And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' And it was so. God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good.

"Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning -- the third day." Genesis 1:9-13 NIV

DAY 4: Sun, Moon & Stars
"And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.' And it was so. God made two great lights -- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning -- the fourth day." Genesis 1:14-19 NIV

DAY 5: Sea & Flying Creatures
"And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.' And there was evening, and there was morning -- the fifth day." Genesis 1:20-23 NIV

DAY 6: Land Animals & Man
"And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.' And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to the kinds. And God saw that it was good.

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

"God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.
"The God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the the air and all the creatures that move on the ground -- everything that has the breath of life in it -- I give every green plant for food.' And it was so.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning -- the sixth day." Genesis 1:24-31 NIV

DAY 7: God Rests
"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Genesis 2:1-3 NIV
=================

Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, I encourage you to take the time to truly reflect on the truth that there is a God and He created everything, including you.

The cosmos did not haphazardly fall into place and you are not some freak accident of nature. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and He's got the whole world in His hands.

Share this with your loved ones, your county's School Board and your local community newspaper. Let's get the truth out there.

Do you have some ideas of your own on how to get this message out? Please share them with us, we'd love to hear them.

Citizen Calls Fluvanna BOS to Prayer

2009-06-13T22:33:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago while a few folks gathered in my living room to pray for our country and community, Doug Johnson noted that our local School Board and Board of Supervisors do not open their sessions with an invocation. I thought that was odd. Our local Republican committee opens each committee meeting with prayer. I attended a Chamber of Commerce luncheon a few months ago, and they opened their meeting with prayer.

Doug pointed out that our US Congress opens every session with a word of prayer, since it's first session following the Constitutional Convention in 1787 through our present day. Why don't our local bodies of government open their sessions with prayer?

So I suggested we ask each of these Boards to do so at the next opportunity.

While I was not able to attend the next BOS meeting, Faith Stuart did, and she made the suggestion during one of the "public comments" portions of the agenda. Evidently there was some discussion amongst the Board members and the Board's attorney, Mr. Paine concerning this request following her comment. It seems that they did open each session with prayer at one time but ceased after someone took issue with it. No names were mentioned as to who had the issue with it, but at least two of the individuals in the courtroom recollected who that person was.

There's a BOS meeting scheduled this Wednesday, June 17th at 7PM. I plan on making an appearance and reading the following excerpt from Dr. Benjamin Franklin's speech given at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 during the public comments of the BOS meeting myself:

In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. ”Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments be Human Wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move, that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of the City be requested to officiate in that service. [SOURCE]

I hope to point out that although no clergy was called upon to officiate prayers during that convention, the first Act of Congress following this Convention was to institute a chaplaincy program that exists to this day. Each session of Congress begins with prayer to the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe. It would behoove our local government to implore His assistance and blessings on their deliberations as well.

My concluding remarks will be:

I, too believe that without His concurring aid the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors, being the local governing body for this county, shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: You, too shall be divided by your little partial local interests; your projects will be confounded, and you yourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future generations. I'm afraid this has already begun to happen. I beg you to consider this regular call to prayer once again. Fluvanna County needs His assistance. Thank you.

Please pray for me as I deliver these remarks.

Time to Exercise the 10th Amendment, Virginia

2009-06-13T22:09:00.000-04:00

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. - 10th Amendment of US Constitution

What does this mean? (Don't worry, I had to read this about a dozen times to get it myself)

The US Constitution clearly lays out the powers granted to the Federal Government (what they can and can't do).

The powers that are not listed in this document are reserved to the States, or to the people (locally).
The powers that are not prohibited by this document are also reserved to the States, or to the people (locally).

The Framers of the United States Constitution were very concerned about forming a Federal Government. They saw a need for it (to protect the nation at large, to legitimize their nation, etc), but they wanted to limit its powers for fear of tyranny. They wanted the people to be able to govern themselves.

DEBATE OVER US SENATOR COUNT

For example, there was grave concern over how many US Senators each state would have represented in the US Congress. Some, James Madison in particular, wanted it to be proportional based on population similar to the House of Representatives because of his desire for the "people" to govern the nation. Others were concerned that certain states would carry more power because they were so large in comparison to the others, while the smaller states would be left virtually powerless at the Federal level (ie. Virginia vs Delaware).

After much heated debate and Benjamin Franklin's famous call to prayer, it was determined that each state would be given two Senators to represent each state in the US Senate, so that each state would have an equal say in the Union. However, the people still held all the power in each state with both State Senators and Delegates being proportional to the population and elected by district.

The idea was since the Federal Government or the "United States" would be limited in their powers as these were clearly laid out in the US Constitution, the individual states would still maintain its unlimited powers...and the people would still have the power.

The 10th Amendment as stated above was added to the US Constitution in order to further protect the states from tyrannical rule. So, should the Federal Government overstep its bounds (or try to) by exercising powers that are not stated in the US Constitution, then this amendment could be exercised.

IT IS TIME TO EXERCISE THE 10th AMENDMENT!

There is clear evidence that the Federal Government has clearly overstepped it's bounds, when it decided to "bailout" private industries. The US Constitution does not authorize this behavior. There are several other infractions that many may argue, but the takeovers of private businesses by the Federal Government is without a doubt not delegated by the Constitution.

Virginia's legislature has tabled a bill (HR 61) that seeks to exercise the 10th amendment by declaring our State Sovereignty. The current legislature is on recess, and is not expected to address this bill again until 2010. We need to contact our State Representative offices (both Delegates and Senators) today, demanding they vote "YES" on this bill. We want to protect our state from tyrannical rule at the Federal level. We want to keep the power within our state to govern ourselves.

Also, please sign the "Support HR61, VA State Sovereignty!" petition today!