Patti Lynn Clark Barnett

I follow the blogs of  some people I don't know very well and some I don't know at all. These are usually friends/aquaintances of people I do know. My repeat visits are determined, of course, by how interesting I find them to be.  One such blog is that of Kelly Bowron. I hadn't checked out  Kelly and the Global Nomads for quite some time, for reasons I won't go into here. But recently I thought I would check in and see if she was still blogging. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to learn how much had taken place in her life, since my last visit. There was a new addition to the family, a bouncing baby boy, Griffin, who is precious! They have been back home to see their families in the south east, my neck of the woods, and are now back in Qutar, where her husband works. Kelly is the mother of four  boys. She bakes, she knits beautiful things, and home schools their three boys-- among many other things. Her pictures are  funny, interesting and some are even educational. The Bowrons seem like the ideal American family---living in Doha, Qutar. Kelly gives us an idea of what life is like in that part of the world.

Another interesting blog is that of my husband's nephew, Greg Ireland and wife Chris. They are a great Christian family with two small children. Esther is a beautiful 3 year old and Jadon, their adorable baby boy was born last December. Chris already has them in Bible study. Greg was a pilot with Alaska Airlines who felt the Lord was leading him into the ministry. So, after much prayer and careful deliberation, he is now a student in Seminary. His decision was not an easy one. But he finally decided to follow what he believes to be the Lord's plan for his life. 

And I must not forget John Teihlet down in Tennessee (Ahyesindeed). He is quite a character and  seems to always have something adventurous going on. His  pictures  and video postings should receive some kind of creative/ innovation award. Only problem, he doesn't blog  regularly, to which I can relate. In fact, he said not long ago he realized the "pulselessness" of his blog and was considering deleting the whole thing. But upon some sensible reflection, he reconsidered.  Just hope he never gets such a wild- hare idea again!

If you check out these blogs, you'll get an insight into how the average American family is coping with raising kids in today's society. If these three families are any indication of how the young are being raised, not to worry, everything is going to be OK.

It seems something is amiss about this family So, who knows the truth about  the whole bizarre incident. Maybe it was all a hoax.

It occurred to me that there are some interesting parallels between this balloon boy story and the Health Care Reform plans. For starters, both the reform plan and the balloon were/are  floating hither and yon, willy nilly. Nobody knows what is in the thing or where it will eventually wind up. And no one knows what may be found once it comes down to earth. Will it be full of nothing but gas or will some innocent die as the result of tragic incompetence? Like the now famous balloon, the Health Care Reform is an amateur experimental construction. It is convoluted, unpredictable and undependable. And at this point only one thing is clear. The proponents of this Health Care Reform are groundless 'loons full of hot air, and  as irresponsible as little Falcon's parents seem to be.  

Had the little boy been inside that helium filled balloon, it would have been a tragedy. So I say, bring this Health Care Reform balloon down, release all the gas and lets see what's in it.

Just like the Balloon Boy story, I hope the current Health Care Reform plan turns out to be nothing more than a suspenseful flight of a gas filled flying saucer balloon and not a catastrophe.

I am so happy to hear that Sarah Palin's book, "Going Rogue" is already # 1 at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. And it isn't even available yet. Now that's impressive! I don't believe the MSM has/will acknowledge it, but, of course, that is no surprise. The support for Palin is growing by the day. And if this level of support and urgency for her to run for president is like this now, what will it be in 2012?!

Her face book page is continually filled with  ardent/passionate supporters - many of whom have just discovered what she's all about. And many of whom have already ordered multiple copies of her book. Someone suggested that those people purchasing multiple copies might consider sending one to the troops. Great idea, and  we must not forget that her son, Track, has served in Iraq. 

The increasing admiration for Sarah is nothing short of amazing. And it isn't difficult to understand why the liberals are doing their best to ignore and dismiss her as a joke. The joke just might turn out to be on them. I think the liberals are beginning to realize they may have a tigress on their hands in 2012. Realistically, it is too early to predict, but considering her increasingly passionate support and the public embarrassment of an incompetent and dysfunctional Democratic party, she just may have a shot at the White House in 2012....if she wants it.

My song, "Thunder Rolls" expresses the sentiments of her growing multitude of fans and supporters.  Sarah  took the time to express her personal appreciation to me in a beautiful Christmas card, bearing Trig's picture. That's just the kind of person she is. And I hope, "Going Rogue" goes viral.

I want to thank all of you who have down loaded Sarah's song, "Thunder Rolls" and passed it along. The response has been great, and one e mailer said she is even using Twitter to distribute the song. Thanks to the posters on Sarah Palin's Face Book account, this song is getting tremendous response and other countries are weighing in -Austria and London  today- Japan yesterday.

Elvis Presley's favorite singer was, Jake Hess, lead singer of one of the most famous gospel quartets of all time, The Statesmen. According to Russ Cheatham, author of Calvin Newton's biography, Jake Hess's favorite singer was, Calvin Newton. On the cover of, "Bad Boy of Gospel Music-The Calvin Newton Story", Jake Hess wrote, "Anyone who reads this book and listens to Calvin Newton sing will discover what I have known all along-he is the finest gospel music singer there has ever been". That commentary could have caused some envy in Elvis Presley, since he loved singing gospel music. But Calvin's range and unique vocal ability set him apart from the vocalists of all genres.

Calvin is an unique individual whose extraordinary life has had many twists and turns including one that landed him in prison. A gospel music singer in prison? Yes, something awfully wrong brought Calvin Newton to unimaginable depths, but by the grace of God and a good woman named, Joyce, now his wife, Calvin made a miraculous come back. The Sons of Song, the first trio in the gospel music business, were so exciting that no one wanted to follow them on stage. Someone noted that, "The Sons were so hot that other groups were afraid of melting in their tracks".

Calvin Newton, Bob Robinson and Don Butler had it all. Talent, charisma, movie star good looks and unbelievable stage presence. I suppose it is possible to be too blessed for your own good. But this first trio in gospel music was a force to be reckoned with. Their first public appearance was the result of actually begging to get on stage during the intermission of another group's concert.  As soon as they started singing, people stopped, turned and hurried back to their seats, spell bound. They knew they were hearing something wonderfully different from anything they'd ever heard before. The concessioners brought a law suit against the promoter because they sold hardly anything during intermission that night. That was the beginning of a career that sky rocketed the Sons of Song to fame. 

 Calvin Newton's life is a great example of how it is not possible for someone to fall so far from grace that they can't be retrieved by God's saving grace.

Today, a friend of mine was telling me about her grand daughter's first day at Penn State. This morning, her grand daughter had called her complaining about her professor's foul language in the class room. She told her grandmother the professor used curse words excessively including the "F' word. He also had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and was bemoaning the fact that he couldn't smoke in the class room.

Her grand daughter admitted she wasn't that shocked  at foul language. But was disappointed that there did not seem to be a distinction between regular campus crudity and a professor using such language in the class room. This 19 year old student was obviously very uncomfortable in this professor's class- especially since she comes from a Christian home.

Her concerned grandmother asked her why she didn't get up, walk out and report him. To which her grand daughter replied that it would probably result in her failing the required class and being labeled a snitch....not a great way to start her college tenure. And the professor was unlikely to be reprimanded, anyway.

What ever happened to common decency? It wasn't all that long ago that this type of behavior would have gotten the professor booted from his position pronto! Now, such people are tenured and they know that they can get away with almost anything (ex: Ward Churchill), including exhibiting such disrespect for their students and themselves. Of course, tenured professorship has been in place for many years. But there was a time when common sense, common decency and the awareness of responsibility to teach with honor and respect were expected traits of any teacher. In today's liberal educational environment, those traits are becoming increasingly rare.

The Penn State professor is just one example of how people in positions of responsibility, power and leadership are devaluing their roles as leaders. And we need better than that in this ever increasingly crass culture. Teachers/professors were once among our most respected role models.

What happened?!

I ate at Applebee's last night and had more crispy orange chicken than I could eat. So, scooping the left overs into the container to take home, I included the broccoli I had set aside earlier and jokingly told Stan we'd give the broccoli to the cats. And then that reminded me of a funny incident involving my grandmother (Ma) "Miss Fanny" Keefauver.

After losing my grandfather, Miss Fanny needed someone to stay with her. So, the family arranged for a little semi-literate woman named, Ludie, to stay with her in exchange for room and board, and she also  recieved a small Gov. check  . As soon as she got paid, she'd run to town and spend it on fancy red underwear and then come home and hide it. Ma wasn't too happy with any part of this arrangement, but out of necessity and as a result of Ludie's good cooking (especially the biscuits), she finally accepted the tough as shoe leather, cigarette smoking companion. As might have been predicted, Ma soon got Ludie cleaned up and into church.

One evening, Ma, Ludie and my aunt attended a big Farm Bureau dinner with all the community in attendance. After dinner, Ma was picking up some leftovers off the table and stuffing them into a bag for her and Ludie later. After all, every body had eaten their fill, so no big deal. But my aunt, having taught school in Arlington, Va. had picked up enough sophistication to be embarrassed at Ma's unapologetic collecting of the leftovers. So, cleverly to cover for her, my aunt said, "Ma, I guess you're going to take that home to the cats?" To which Ludie, innocent as a babe, immediately replied, "Us'ns ain't got no cats has us Ma!"

I attended a Tea Party in Philadelphia in April when Conservatives were protesting escalating government spending and tax hikes. And what I saw was just a lot of regular folks and  concerned citizens. Like today's town hall health care reform protesters, they were just there to express themselves and exercising their First Amendment Rights. These citizens are not, "goons" "frauds", "puppets", "Astro Turf" or "Nazis" as they  have been described by big government Liberals and the MSM. The healthcare reform protesters are being verbally and even physically assaulted  in an attempt to intimidate and silence opposing views. Now, that's un-American!

It has been  reported by those in the administration that some of the Republicans were wearing swastikas at the town halls.  I can't imagine any Republican, Conservative or Independent wearing swastikas to these meetings. But indeed, if they did, then they deserve all the shame and verbal blows hurled and heaped upon them. There is no excuse for such behavior.

Just how many neurons does it take to realize that the only people that could benefit from such a tactic are the Liberal Democrats? I wish some political background check could be conducted on these characters. Because they may really be faux Nazis and genuine Democrats for all we know. They just don't fit the profile/behavior of any Republican, Conservative or Independent I know. However, since anything is possible, there just may be those in the Republican Party with such a neuron deficit.

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