Happy Thanksgiving

1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
² But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
⁶ For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
⁹ Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
¹⁰ Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
¹¹ For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
¹² So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
¹³ We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
¹⁴ Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
¹⁶ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." ~ 2 Cor 4

Winds of Secession?

Update 11/13/12: Here is a list with total signatures of the states that currently have petitions to secede at whitehouse.gov. As you can see, there are a few states that have more than one petition. Interesting.

1. Alabama - 16,255
2. Alaska - 601
3. Arizona - 9,281
4. Arkansas - 12,186
5. California - #1- 12; #2- 3,561
6. Colorado - 12,395
7. Delaware - 3,393
8. Florida - 17,368
9. Georgia - #1-16,201; #2-8,555
10. Indiana - 10,969
11. Kansas - 736
12. Kentucky - 10,710
13. Louisiana - 25,465
14. Michigan - 11,168
15. Mississippi - 10,884
16. Missouri - #1-10,417; #2-9,077 #3-10,336
17. Montana - 8,744
18. Nevada - 4,617
19. New Jersey - 8,520
20. New York - #1-10,129; #2-2,691
21. North Carolina - 15,195
22. North Dakota - 7,837
23. Ohio - 3,352
24. Oklahoma - #1-1,643;#2-9,273
25. Oregon - 9,101
26. Pennsylvania - 5,986
27. South Carolina - #1-9,761; #2-12,758
28. Tennessee - 15,927
29. Texas - 57,276
30. Utah - 2,305
31. Wyoming - 2,375

And of course this list would be unfair if I didn't include a link to this petition: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/strip-citizenship-everyone-who-signed-petition-secede-and-exile-them/ZbMjcwPf
. Please note that the numbers had changed by the time I went back to double check them-usually by about 200+ signatures and Kansas appeared while I was making this list at 1:00am. I think anyone may sign any petition so I assume that there are some folks who are signing them all. Makes this a right mess to figure out. Still interesting. As with any document, be sure you read it before you sign it.

In the aftermath of the "election", some are choosing to play by the rules, in apparent denial of the fact that those whom they are opposing have thrown out the rule-book altogether, by demanding recounts and etc. It didn't work for those who opposed Saddam Hussein and I suspect it won't work in America either. It is the state of denial that insists that if we play nice, so will they. Reality is about to bite hard, but I wish them luck ...and a swift awakening to reality that isn't too painful.

Some folks are doing something a bit different. As of this writing, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, New York, Colorado,and North Carolina all have petitions at whitehouse.gov peacefully requesting secession. Now, this is not as official as it sounds, since anyone may start their own petition at the site and when it reaches 30,000 signatures, then the petition is bumped up to the next level bureaucrat who decides whether or not it will be ignored. I would guess that no matter how many signatures are gathered, these will be ignored unless this administration decides they can be used against us in some way. 

In point of fact the fellow who started the North Carolina petition, has people commenting on his blog that they would sign in a heartbeat, but for the fact that they don't want to put their name to anything that might drawn the negative attention of this administration. And that's the problem right there, isn't it? If they felt free enough to sign those petitions, there would be no need for them. That they feel too threatened by this administration to even sign such a thing is indicative of the tyranny with which this administration has been credited. I suspect it will get much worse before it gets better.    

 The entire premise of this nation, up to the Civil War was that the United States were united by their agreement to be so. The U. S. Constitution is the contract by which the states agreed to be united, which is why it is a list of restrictions on what the federal level of the government may do rather than a grant of authority to do whatever it thinks necessary. The states didn't want a high handed federal government telling them what they could and could not do - that was the bailiwick of the citizens of those states.

Many (mostly those who favor the out of control, micromanaging, spendthrift nanny state we currently suffer) will argue that the civil war ended state sovereignty. Others will argue that state sovereignty is no more negotiable that one's right to control what one eats or drinks, it is self evident and therefore unalienable.(Mrs. obama may have tried to force those kids to eat healthy, but they refused to eat her choices for them and went hungry instead - see the parallel to freedom there?) 

They have 30 days from their posting to get those signatures. What will be done if they get them? Hard to tell. I suspect this administration will, as they have done in so many other areas, simply ignore them. That's not the question. The question is what will the people do?

Update 11/11/12: As of this writing, 14 more states have added their petitions to the milieu. California, Missouri (Actually there are two petitions from Missouri), Tennessee, Michigan, South Carolina, Oregon, New Jersey, Indiana, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi , Montana, North Dakota, Apparently the petition for the secession of New York was filed by someone in North Dakota. Why? Who knows, but any number of reasons spring to mind from humor to cutting out the UN heart of this tyrannical administration. Keep up on new petitions here. Be aware that in order to sign the petitions there, one must have a whitehouse.gov account

"The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.
 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue."~ Proverbs 17:3-4

Freedom

 "Exactly", said Lord Vetinari. "There is always a choice".
"You mean . . . I could choose certain death?"
"A choice, nevertheless," said Vetinari. "Or, perhaps, an alternative. You see I believe in freedom, Mr. Lipwig. Not many people do, although they will, of course, protest otherwise. And no practical definition of freedom would be completely without the freedom to take the consequences. Indeed, it is the freedom upon which all others are based. ..." ~ Terry Pratchett in "Going Postal"

Elections have consequences. Will we retain America, or will it be "fundamentally transformed"? It's our choice. Be informed if you plan to vote. Don't vote without knowing the consequences of the choice you are making for yourself and your posterity. It's your duty to be an informed voter, not a team player.

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" ~ Isaiah 5:20