Bias. Liberal bias. Conservative bias. Bias against Bill Clinton. Bias against George W. Bush. Bias colors our world even when we think we are above the it. If you read this blog at all you know that I am a huge Mike Huckabee fan. I have been an ardent supporter since November, 2007. I also listen to talk radio constantly. I have been amazed at the rhetoric coming from the political "pundits" and talk radio "gurus". In fact, it's almost comic to listen to them twist in the wind with each day's poll numbers or debate performance. Justifying every gaffe, restating every spin. Who won last night's CNN debate? If you listen to Michael Medved, who is a McCain supporter, Ron Paul! Yep, that's right. He's claimed Ron Paul came off looking the best. At least Michael tried to be intellectually honest. He admitted that John McCain came off looking less than presidential. More like a squabbling child. John McCain revealed his true colors last night. But, here's where bias comes in. He is so enamored of John McCain that he couldn't bear to admit that Huckabee outperformed his guy. He would rather praise Ron Paul. He couldn't give credit where credit is due. Bias. Every time it turns around and bites you in the rear.

Check out the video, it's so true:

In September, I signed Tory up for a class in writing. Every week with much wailing and gnashing of teeth she churns out another descriptive paragraph, revises last week's using the teacher's notes and prints out a final copy. This class has been a stretch for her, but I am incredibly pleased with the progress she has made. Here is her latest addition to her portfolio.

An Autumn Day

Crisp and breezy, the wind blows as I stand outside quickly raking leaves. The chilled air nips my face as I step on the crackling foliage below. I look up at the tree above and see scarlet, amber, and burnt orange leaves jostling in the wind waiting for their turn to fall. The air is scented with the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie. As I turn to look at the house, I see smoke rising from the chimney. It tells me that a fire is burning inside. Finally, I tuck away the last leaf in the pile and run inside. I plop on a chair and warm by the fire as I sip hot cocoa.
Tory, age 12

I listen to them all. Michael Medved, Laura Ingraham, Hugh Hewitt, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly. Ok, I'm really forced to listen to O'Reilly and Hannity because my husband likes them so well and they're usually on sometime in the evening. Between you and me, the aforementioned duo are a couple of blow-hards. My favorite is Michael Medved - he's one of the best talk radio hosts I've ever heard. His debating of the issues is unrivaled. He is even-handed in the way he approaches each issue and does not walk lock-step with the other talk radio gurus. In fact it was Michael Medved that first pointed out the viability of a Huckabee nomination. Before that I really had not considered him an electable option. But, once I started checking him out, the better I liked him. Now I am a full-blown supporter. I've actually donated money (first-time ever) and I've made phone calls to Iowa to get out the vote. I take a little credit for the win in Iowa. So, why the long introduction to this post?

Michael has turned on me. He's now supporting McCain. I never saw this stab in the back coming. Why, Michael, why? After all we've been through. How could you do this to me? How?

Here's how. For all their bloviating about who is the true conservative the talk radio pundits have gotten it wrong. Michael likes McCain, Hannity has been pushing Rudy Guiliani down our throats, Hugh Hewitt wants Romney (his support is a bit tainted, more on that later). And their big complaint about Huckabee? He's a fiscal liberal. He offered a helping hand to the children of illegal immigrants. It's amazing how they can overlook the liberal tendencies of their candidate, but when it comes to Huckabee they can't forgive his indiscretions. Here's the rundown according to this homeschooling evangelical Mom.

John McCain - Do you not remember the last presidential race, the Gang of 14, McCain-Feingold, need I go on? Also, he's such a Washington insider. It doesn't get anymore inside than him.

Mitt Romney - Too slick for the room. You thought Bill Clinton was slick? Take a gander at Slick Mitt. I just do not trust him on the pro-life issue. He is from the Northeast for goodness sakes. He's the governor of a liberal bastion, Massachusetts. Also, I don't want a businessman running the government. The businessman will fire you because it's good for his bottom line. Fiscal heresy, you say! Be that as it may, I still respond to Huckabee's comment about the next President being less like the guy who fired you.

Rudy Guiliani - Strong on the war, weak on the social issues. I don't trust Rudy if it comes to the pro-life issue. Would he sign a partial birth abortion ban? I don't know. By the by, Rudy is my second choice of candidate.

Fred Thompson - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ oh I'm sorry I must've dozed off.

Ron Paul - Nut Job with a few good points. His argument against giving three times the aid to the Arab nations as we give to Israel? Why do we do that anyway?

Mike Huckabee - The only man that can rally the evangelical base and attract the African-American evangelicals and the average Joe. What's not to like? He's down-to-earth, folksy, and extremely electable. He has a good head on his shoulders and cares about the common people. He has also beaten the Clinton political machine two different times. Oh, by the way, being governor of Arkansas for ten years doesn't make him qualified to run for president? Just ask Bill Clinton. Put Huckabee head to head against shrill Hillary and you've got yourself a winner.

Imagine a rolling piano score, the sweet timber of a soprano solo and finally the swelling sounds of a choir. This is one of my favorite hymns. The lyrics were written by Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century. The music was arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach in the 18th century. Combined they speak a truth that is powerful yet beautiful.

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down;
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine.

What thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve thy place;
Look on me with thy favor, vouchsafe to me thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank thee dearest Friend!
For this, thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee."

The last line "O make me thine forever, and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee." is my life's prayer. I pray that the Lord would take me home before I would betray Him.

Scripture for tonight - Luke 5-9. We finished up Matthew and listened to Mark. Mark seemed to only hit the highlights of Jesus life on earth. Whereas Matthew focused on the teachings, parables and miracles of Jesus, Mark focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Out of sixteen chapters, the last four dealt with the death of Jesus. We have found it interesting to see what each Gospel has concentrated on. Luke spent a lot of time with Jesus birth and early life. It is in Luke 1 that you have the Christmas story, the birth of John the Baptist, all the stories associated with Jesus before He began His ministry. Also, Luke is the first gospel to be a letter written to someone, Theophilus.

I have one unanswered question. In all the accounts of Jesus healing someone, it usually ended with Jesus telling the recipient to "Go and tell no one of what has happened." Yet, the Scripture states that each went and told everyone. Why is that? I don't know...I am pondering...praying that the Holy Spirit will reveal that to me. I find it odd that Jesus would command such a thing. I don't know about your tradition, but in my church tradition people are always "testifying" about God's goodness. I do it myself. When God blesses us, or speaks a word of truth I usually share that with my closest friends. Why would Jesus forbid that in Scripture? If I get an answer I'll "testify" and let you know. For now it remains a mystery.

Day two of Scripture reading ~ er ~ listening. We listened to Matthew 8-12. These chapters spoke of the miracles Jesus performed. It was amazing how many of them had to do with demon possession. Also, I was struck by how much like hapless sheep people are. We are blithely eating our grass while the wolf is pacing just outside the fence waiting for one of us to stray too far. Jesus truly is the Great Shepherd. Another impression from these chapters is the compassion that Jesus felt for people. Think of it, the God of Creation felt compassion for hurts and needs. For the man who was crippled Jesus came, felt compassion and healed him. I don't think Jesus healed to impress people, I think He healed, because he wanted to bring comfort to the hurting. I find that comforting.

HUCK - A - BEE, HUCK - A - BEE, HUCK - A - BEE!! Woohoo, one down, forty-nine to go. Mike Huckabee pulled off the coup of the century. Being outspent 15 to 1 by Mitt Romney, who's just too slick for the room, Huckabee pulled 34% of the Republican vote to Romney's 25%. It just don't get any better than that. Check out Jay Leno's show with Mike Huckabee, he is a down-to-earth compassionate conservative. I Like Mike!~

Tonight was the first night of our 40 days of Scripture reading. Our church has started a 40 day program of the New Testament on CD. As a family we listened to Matthew chapters 1-7. It's interesting to come at the Bible from a different mode. I usually read Scripture, but tonight I listened. Having the Words of God come to me auditorily opened my heart to new meanings. Most of the time I focus on a single chapter, digging deep into each verse to find meaning. Listening to seven chapters at one sitting lifted me to a another level. Matthew 1-4 is a chronicle of the birth of Jesus and the beginnings of His ministry. Matthew 5-7 spells out The Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes. His teachings convicted my spirit. When I look at myself compared to the world and the people around me I feel pretty impressed with myself. I don't find that I'm much of a sinner. Oh sure, I might gossip, I might get angry at a colleague or disrespect my husband, but that's not near as bad as spreading slander, murdering someone, or committing adultery. Right? Wrong. I forget how holy God is. His holiness is like the whitest paint on the whitest wall. No speck of dirt or tint of gray. His essence is so pure that Scripture states that "No man may look on God and live." Next to him I look like a sinkful of dirty water, dark gray with swirls of grease and bits of food floating around. Now I may not be black and thick like tar, but I am definitely not a white wall. So, the moral in this tale? Get my eyes off of those around me and onto God's holiness. I am called to holiness. Matthew 5:48 says "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Honestly, when I read that Scripture, my heart seizes in panic. How can I be perfect? I can't even go one day without criticizing someone. But, this verse serves it's purpose. "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith." Gal. 3:24 The Scripture about being perfect leads me to Jesus, because the only way that I can be perfected is to run, flat out run as fast as I can, to the cross and the sanctifying work of Holy Spirit. Father help me.

Christmas Eve is a big deal in our house. We eat a meal, then while the adults are cleaning up the kids are usually in the back rooms putting together a variety show. This year Tory played "Fur Elise" and "The Carol of the Bells". My nieces Emily and Nataley did a dance to a Hannah Montana song and my nephew Brent sang a song he learned in church. After the talent show everybody winds down and my mother tells the story of the Jesse tree. The Jesse tree is a miniature Christmas tree that tells the story of Jesus from Creation through to his Second Coming. It includes the major stories of the Old Testament and one or two from the New Testament. More than anything it traces the scarlet thread of Redemption through history. After the Jesse tree we go around the room and everyone shares what God has done throughout the last year. Finally we take communion as a family. The tradition of communion and sharing began when I was a teenager and included all my aunts, uncles and cousins. Now that our family has grown and my grandparents have died we've continued that tradition with my sisters and their husbands and children.

It was definitely an electronic Christmas for the Roszak household. Tory and Abby asked for only one thing each, an iPod Nano and a Nintendo DS, respectively. Needless to say they didn't have many presents to open as those two presents by themselves cost an arm and a leg. However, they have played with these two presents non-stop since they opened them.

THANKS MINNESOTA ROSZAKS WE LOVE OUR GIFTS!

Books I read in 2007, in no particular order, just as I happen to remember them. Some I liked, others disliked.

War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy (long, but interesting)

Endangered Minds, Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It - Jane Healy (excellent)

All Creatures Great and Small - James Herriott

Protect and Defend - Vince Flynn (page turner)

The Once and Future King - T.H. White (King Arthur Legend)

Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott (as a fan of all things Scottish I found this surprisingly dull)

Mr. Midshipman Easy - Captain Marryat (fantastic)

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (absolutely fascinating)

Thanks to the great ladies at Ambleside Online for many recommendations, I would never have found some of these titles without your help.

I normally don't go in for New Year's resolutions, I've really never seen the point, but I'm going to make an exception this year. I am normally a procrastinator with great bursts of energy followed by long bouts of lethargy. I've always claimed that I work better under pressure, but the truth is I'm a procrastinator. Why do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow? However, my husband has been an inspiration to me. I have learned in the last two months the value of daily actions. Over the course of 4 months he has lost 80 pounds by doing two things. He has started controlling his intake and exercising every day. He is religious in his exercise routine. He simply walks/runs every single day, rain or shine, cold or hot, windy or still. That's his big secret, consistency. Oooh, I shudder when I say that word. Consistency, it's like nails on a chalk board to me. But, I am beginning to see the pros of consistency. A little bit every day. Instead of waiting and having to face this great big task, why not do a little bit each day? So, my resolution for this year? Be consistent in the little things. Posting, balancing my checkbook, doing my laundry, picking up. Who knew?

Once again Europe's hypocrisy staggers the mind. Fox news reported that Germany "refuses to support the imposition of any further sanctions against Iran that could be imposed by the U.N. Security Council." Germany cited the economic effect that further sanctions would have on their economy. However, diplomats from other countries implied that Germany "gave the distinct impression that they would privately welcome, while publicly protesting, an American bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear facilities." Well, isn't that convenient?
America takes all the risk, all the denunciations, while Germany benefits from our "bombing action." I am fed up with the "elitist" European community. They publicly decry American foreign policy claiming that America is the bully of the region, while secretly applauding our willingness to battle the terrorists.

My friend, Lori, is urban and hip. She's also a strong believer and homeschooling Mom. We love to sit and visit while our girls swim in their pool. She was not raised in the church like I was and so she brings a perspective that I don't have. She is very deliberate in the way she lives and is not afraid to set her own course. She truly seeks to live by Scripture. So, I almost always try her recommendations on movies and books. Books, she's batting 1000, movies, she's batting .500. She recommended the movie "Babel", which I thought was awful. I couldn't deal with the Japanese girl. However, her book recommendations are almost always great. Her recent contribution to my education? "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. This book is by an Afghani that describes life in pre-Taliban and mid-Taliban Afghanistan. The book is incredibly well-written. It opens up life in a part of the world I've never understood or cared to understand. Another recommendation..."The Namesake" by Jhumpa L...? I can't remember the last name. It explores the perils of first-generation immigrants raising second-generation American children.

However...Grandmas and Aunties Rock
Grandpas and Dads can definitely be embarrassing to girls, but nothing beats Grandmas and Aunties. Who else thinks your the most awesome, fantastic kid in the whole world, buys you candy and clothes and generally does anything you ask? Nobody except a grandma or auntie!

Families can be sooooo
embarrassing!

While eating at Joe's Crab Shack Grandpa Tim got up and started dancing with the wait staff. Abby and Tory nearly died of embarrassment.

"Happy Birthday to you..."

Recently, Bob's parents and his sister Deanne came for a visit to celebrate his birthday. For his birthday dinner we went to Joe's Crab Shack...where, of course, we had to tell the waiter it was his birthday! What are family's for but to embarrass you? See next post for further comments.

Before heading home we stopped at Kohl's to do some shopping with Tory and Abby. Bob's patience is limited when it comes to shopping and he was griping just a tish, so his mother started singing Happy Birthday to shut him up. So, that became the theme song for the weekend. Anytime Bob got crabby we started singing Happy Birthday to him.

Spring has Sprung...

I love springtime in Texas. The shades of green are numerous. Everywhere you look you see trees budding, flowers blooming and birds nesting. This is probably the best time of year to live in Texas. Springtime always makes me want to garden, to get out of the house and into the open. I even love the weeds at this time of year. My favorite springtime activity is to go wildflower hunting. Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson we have wildflowers springing up all over the highways. Of course, no spring would be complete without pictures in the bluebonnets. My sisters and I will drag husbands and kids kicking and screaming to some highway field and make everyone squat down to get a good picture. Because we're making memories..."whether you like it or not!" Ahhh...springtime!

Hey...watch this!

Dads and their toys. Jim had a great idea for cleaning out the patch inside the old chicken coop fence. Why not burn it away? I wonder if he had to fill out a background check and wait 3 days to buy the flame thrower? B. was standing ready to grab the hose if necessary. Men...whaddya gonna do?