Southern Politics, Abortion and an Identity Crisis

As Americans begin weighing their options in terms of which presidential candidate is worthy of our votes, there’s been a slow-burning mindset that this presidential election could very well go down in history as one with an incredibly low number in terms of voter turnout. Many Republicans are finding themselves struggling with a bit of an identity crisis.

Those glorious years of the Reagan and Bush presidencies are long gone. Those were the good ol’ days when a proud Republican could be sure of one thing – the core belief system of the collective Republican president. These days, however, many conservatives are taking a step back for a better perspective and what they’re finding is a scenario that’s anything but proud or certain. And if you’re a female Republican? Indeed, your back is definitely against the wall.

By now, everyone’s had the opportunity to mirror the about-face Republican candidate Mitt Romney made in his stance on abortion. He’d gone on record several times in support of pro-choice before changing his view in 2007, when he declared he is now pro-life. He’s also said he would support any efforts that included overturning the historic Roe v. Wade decision and then allowing states to decide whether they would allow abortions to be performed. This is where things become a bit more complicated.

The Mississippi Factor

In late 2011, Mississippi voters were given the opportunity to pass the Personhood Amendment, or Prop 26 as it was sometimes referred to. In essence, this bill would define “life” as beginning at conception.

What made this such a heated controversy was the vague nature of the bill’s wording: “Article III of the state constitution, “The term ‘person’ or ‘persons’ shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.”

The threat associated with this bill was the very real possibility that birth control, in-vitro fertilization and the morning after pill would be outlawed. It got worse, though. There were absolutely no provisions made for extraordinary circumstances, including pregnancies as products of rape, incest or pregnancies that jeopardize the mother’s life if carried to term. Many ever-faithful, southern conservatives held their ground by insisting God would have to make that decision if it come down to saving only one life between the mother and the fetus. This would be a highly debated bill and one that very narrowly was voted down.

Abortion Law Quietly Signed in Mississippi

This week, Mississippi’s new governor, Phil Bryant, signed into a law that affects abortion providers. What many aren’t aware of is Mississippi is home to just one abortion clinic, located in the state’s capital. House Bill 1390 quietly made it through the state’s legislative process and onto Governor Bryant’s desk, where he wasted no time in signing it into law.

The new law requires abortion providers to be board-certified OB GYNs and they must also have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The three physicians employed with the Jackson Women’s Health Organization are all board certified gynecologists; however, only one of those doctors has admitting privileges. The clinic’s owner, Diane Derzis, is now preparing for a legal battle. She has vowed to sue the state. Governor Bryant continues to reiterate his goal of eliminating abortion not only in Mississippi, but the entire country.

With Mitt Romney agreeing to participate in any efforts of overturning Roe v. Wade and returning the choice to each state to decide the legality of abortion and these “fanfare-free” bills being quickly signed into law that make it nearly impossible for physicians to perform these procedures, there’s no doubt a movement in some states is taking place.

Not Birth Control

While no one argues that abortion should be an acceptable form of birth control, what many are failing to see is the devastation many young girls and women will face in some circumstances. There are those times when abortion is appropriate. To eliminate this as a possible avenue, especially for rape victims or when other extraordinary dynamics are present, is unnecessarily cruel.

The irony is found in Romney’s own words. In 2010, he is quoted as saying about abortion, “…the fact is that two lives, not one, is involved.” The truth is, there are many more than one or two lives involved. Women contemplating abortions have hundreds of politicians along for the ride, making it anything but “only” one or two lives involved.

 

A Dangerous Precedent? Prop 26 and its Devastation

My beautiful home state of Mississippi is in the national spotlight; once again because someone decides our residents are “just ignorant enough” to buy into a dangerous new initiative. Prop 26, also known as the Personhood Amendment is being voted on next week. Make no mistake: whether you’re in Mississippi or Minnesota, the implications will most certainly affect you, a close friend, a family member or your own unborn child (or lack thereof).

So here’s the dynamic in this blog: much as I try to maintain some degree of objectivity, this is one area where  I won’t. My refusal to do so doesn’t come from my stubborn mindset, but because I truly believe there is nowhere to go (in terms of finding the “good”) were it to pass. So there it is – no objectivity here. I vehemently oppose this bill. I’ve spent the past several weeks screaming it from the rooftops (OK…maybe not the rooftops, but Facebook, Twitter and anywhere else there was someone willing to listen).

Here’s how it works out –

This amendment is all about deciding whether life begins at conception. Sounds simple enough and if it were that simple, I wouldn’t be so adamant in my stance. This vote decides much more, though. And this is where some folks are getting confused.

First, the measure would make abortion illegal. Again, sounds reasonable, yes? Except….rape victims would be forced to carry their rapist’s fetus and would have no say in what ultimately happens for the next nine months.

The one story I keep coming back to is about a mother and her daughter, who was eleven at the time and who came to a domestic violence shelter I volunteered at. The young girl was pregnant. By her stepfather. Mom had bruises, stitches down her right side where her hairline began and no shortage of deep scratches down both arms. Across her foot, and through her sandals, I saw where it was twice the size of her other foot with what looked like to me the heel of boots impressed, as though someone wearing boots had stomped this woman’s foot and likely broke one or more bones. On her daughter, I saw an emptiness that scared the hell out of me. This child was terrified and her mother even more so because she didn’t know how she was going to protect her. They wanted information first on safe shelter and then they wanted information on physicians in the area who provided abortions. I gave them information for both. And would do it again.

Don’t see yourself in that scenario? Maybe you won’t see yourself in this next one either, but your daughter or daughter in law or your best friend may:

In-vitro becomes impossible. And on the off chance you DO find a physician who’s willing to do it, good luck getting it through the court systems before you’re old enough to be a grandmother. That’s right. You have no control over what happens in your uterus –but the United States Supreme Court does. It’ll set up shop like a bad case of an STD you can’t get rid of.  Oh – and then you might still not live to see the day you give birth.

Think your birth control efforts are safe? Think again. Here’s what one Personhood member said when pressed by Dianne Rehm of NPR  about whether birth control would be affected:

HOYE: Any birth control that ends the life of a human being will be impacted by this measure.

REHM: So that would then include the IUD. What about the birth control pill?

HOYE: If that falls into the same category, yes.

REHM: So you’re saying that the birth control pill could be considered as taking the life of a human being?

HOYE: I’m saying that once the egg and the oocyte come together and you have that single-celled embryo, at that point you have human life, you’ve got a human being and we’re taking the life of a human being with some forms of birth control and if birth control falls into that category, yes I am.

Don’t take my word for any of this, do the research. There are simply too many ambiguous phrases in this measure. Governor Haley Barbour voted for it via absentee vote, though he went on record later the same day and said he too believed there were many inconsistencies – but he’s pro-life, so for him, and I suspect many others, that’s all they need to hear. Too bad the folks who are pushing for its passage aren’t telling the WHOLE story. There are groups of parents and groups of Mississippi physicians who are determined to see this not pass. Up until today, I was quite confident it would never, ever pass either, but now? I’m no longer sure.

 

 

Free Thinkers? You Got That Right!

I received an email this morning about why there was no prayer during a local high school football game. A lot of parents were more than a little upset that the game didn’t begin with prayer, which is traditionally what has opened ball games, graduations and other ceremonies since, well, forever I guess.  These prayers are simple with a request for God to keep the players safe and ensure every family returns home safely and unharmed. I’m sure it’s the same prayer said thousands of times across the nation every single day. There’s a sense of unity and peace for most Americans and for many, it might be the closest they get to Sunday morning services. Either way, it’s what bonds everyone to each other and the other team; a common strength everyone shares.

The absence of the opening prayer recently resulted in a lot of upset players and families in south Mississippi. The superintendent released the document that scared him into ceasing these prayers. The letter was from a group called Freedom From Religion Foundation. I read the letter and then hit their website.

At first, I thought, “Oh, they only have 17,000 members” and then (crazy as this sounds) it occurred to me a line from an old Law & Order episode where a huge group of pedophiles had just escaped the law. The captain was having problems in his department about the refusal of some departments to share information. The episode closed with, “They’ll always have us beat. They’re organized and work together.” So even though this group is “just” 17,000 strong, it occurred to me they’re a tight knit group. Maybe they have to be. Maybe they, like pedophiles, are viewed as the crud on society’s shoes.

They’re atheists. They’re judgmental and in my opinion, hypocritical. There’s one image where several of the members are wearing t-shirts with the American flag. Yet they refuse to acknowledge the very foundation that flag is built upon. They have a campaign that encourages others to “come out of the closet” with their atheism. Then, they have images of past presidents whose words they’ve twisted. Their “freedom from religion” campaign is anything but for those they’re forcing their beliefs on. There’s no freedom when you demand others to abandon everything they believe in, including a brief prayer before their kids go onto the football field, whether as players or cheerleaders.  Forcing high schools to cease prayer is not freedom at all. Bullying school districts goes against everything that flag they’re wearing represents.

I think what strikes me as most disturbing is the willingness of these people to pose for these photos with t-shirts that say “This is what an atheist looks like”. It’s true we fear the unknown. But there are some things that go against everything I know and those are things I want to remain ignorant on. I don’t want to know what my heart would feel like if it were beating without my faith. I will say that I believe there’s a difference in faith and religion – just as I am at a loss as to why some people refuse to believe, I also find myself frustrated with those who go to the other extreme and are so judgmental about their neighbors and even family members. I don’t think God is any happier with those folks who choose who’s worthy of His grace than those who denounce Him. And finally, contrary to what the letter from this group to the superintendent says, I do not believe this group has received “thousands of letters from Mississippians who want prayer out of their school districts”.

So, as they proudly wear their declarations of atheism across their chests and smile boldly for the cameras, proud of what they’ve accomplished, maybe one day one of them will truly come out of the closet and let the rest of the world know what they do in those moments of silence, when they’re in their darkest hours, and when their lives are crumbling; who do they turn to? What is that foundation truly built on? I don’t think I’d find much comfort in knowing my foundation is a group of “17,000 strong”. I want something a bit more reliable than another human being – or even 17,000 human beings.

 

Hurricane Irene: Definitely Not a Camille

The entire East coast is watching every little move Hurricane Irene makes as she begins to wreak havoc. When North Carolina authorities announced they’d requested body bags from the government, it sort of brought the whole danger element front and center. It also reminded me of some information I’d come across while researching a story for Yahoo! News. Hurricane Camille remains one of the most devastating natural disasters this nation has ever seen. What’s been buried over the years are the eerie warnings the National Hurricane Center issued prior to its landfall; warnings never issued again until Hurricane Katrina. Note that the more time that passed, the more dire the warning became. Take a look -

Quick note – I tried to clean up the graphics, but keep in mind, they’re part of the archives of the National Hurricane Center for a storm that made landfall in 1969.

This first advisory surely was an ominous sign of what was to come :

I love how they referred to Camille as an “immature, young storm”:

On the 16th of August, as it was entering the Gulf, the biggest concerns were that it’d regain its maximum wind speed of 115 mph:

Here’s where it begins to get interesting. The 1 p.m. advisory on the 16th was urging Florida residents to stay current with the 115 mph storm. There were near-certainties that the storm would take a due-north course:

Note that it’s now 3 p.m. on the 16th. Camille has stalled and the winds remain at an estimated 115 mph.

Now look – it’s wind speeds jumped 35 mph and by 5 p.m. – a mere 2 hours later – Hurricane Camille was near to a cat 5 hurricane in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Also, note that the only hurricane warnings issued have been for Florida.

By 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, Camille was 300 due south of Pensacola. She was moving northwest; however, the NHC still had yet to post hurricane warnings for residents west of the Florida panhandle. Note that the belief was still leaning towards Camille turning due-north. Also, the winds had increased to 160 mph.

Finally, at 5 a.m., NHC issued hurricane warnings for Alabama and Mississippi – still, it believed Camille would lose that westerly “jog” and would begin moving north, even as she was only 250 miles offshore.

At 3 p.m., Camille’s winds were at 190 mph and the ominous warnings were verbatim to what was posted as Hurricane Katrina (see those below the graphic):

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS…PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL…LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. PERSONS…PETS…AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS…AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

Here are a few more photos of Camille’s damage:

 

The Fabric of Our Free Society

For those who weren’t immersed in the ongoing debt debates this past weekend, odds are, the only things you learned from mainstream media is that Miley Cyrus got a tattoo symbolizing her support for gay rights and that Amy Winehouse bought $2000 in crack cocaine and heroin the night before she died (if you believe a drug dealer named Mr. Big).

Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely you heard about a Mississippi judge who sentenced a former NAACP leader to five years in prison for each of the ten counts of voter fraud she was convicted of. Lessadolla Sowers will be allowed to serve her terms concurrently, though she will not be eligible for early release. In other words, she’s spending five years behind bars.

The trial ran in Tunica County, which is in the northwestern corner of the state. It gets its name for the Tunica Navtive Americans.

Circuit Court Judge Charles Webster said at sentencing that her crimes “cut against the fabric of our free society”. She voted many times in the 2007 Democratic Primary using the names of deceased people and six still-living people. She must also pay restitution and all court costs. While there were 31 ballots that had her DNA and were admitted into evidence, 21 counts were dropped.

This story and the fact the big media outlets chose to ignore it boggles the mind, especially considering the earlier-referenced stories that are still on at least two of the national media websites. It speaks volumes about the priorities of not only the media itself, but our society as a whole. Were it not for a local journalist in Tunica, it’s unlikely anyone outside that small town would’ve known about this blatant disregard for our judicial system.

 

I Tried, I Swear I Did

Y’all, I tried my best – honestly, I did. There’s no way I’m going to be able to not say something about the season premiere of Toddlers & Tiaras. I managed to wait until mid-season for my post last year, but TLC has outdone itself this season – the two little girls hit the floor running. Alright – before anyone emails me and tells me to bite my tongue, first – that’s never going to happen and second, I promise this isn’t about these little girls. It’s their hokey mothers! Granted, the little girls are rapidly approaching the obnoxious zone with their behavior, but it’s absolutely not their faults – I get that. What we have here, folks, is a psychological study in warped maternal instincts. Both of these women are doing their daughters HUGE disservices. They’re in no way equipped for a less-than-kind world because the lines between mother and child are seriously blurred. And as I pointed out last year, these women might be ooohing and ahhhing over their little girls, but when they grow up to be obnoxious women, no one is going to put up with it. Not an employer, not a husband and not the world in general.

OK…so remember when we were kids? If you were raised in the south, there was an unspoken rule that whichever mom was in the closest vicinity of a misbehaving child got the honor of threatening a switch across the legs. Worked like a charm, no doubt. The worst part was when we were told to go pick our own switch. Definitely not the kind of dilemma a kid wants to find himself facing. Just the threat of a spanking was enough of a deterrent. That’s not something these mothers have ever said. My guess? Their daughters scare them. Hell, they scare me – and I don’t scare easy. Back-talking my mom (or any other adult, for that matter) under my breath when I was 6 and then realizing she heard it? That scared me, too.

What’s so sad is both of the little girls in tonight’s episode, Makenzie and Eden, are adorable. They’re just more demanding and frustrating than a Mississippi mosquito. And they’re well spoken; then again, I guess they have to be so they can disrespect their mothers and make their unbelievable comments with a clear voice and colorful vocabulary.

Oh Lord….one little girl just said “I can wear this to church”. She has more makeup on than Boy George and more rhinestones than Liberace. Unfortunately, neither of these girls took home the big prize – and all hell broke loose as each unleashed her anger on her respective mother.

But aren’t you loving those kids on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding? Oooh….I wonder what would happen if TLC put these little pageant queens in the middle of a traveler family? Yeah…..there’s a ratings dream come true!

 

A Proud Moment for Mississippi

Anyone who’s ever read any my blogs likely knows first, that I was born and raised in Mississippi and second, I am so very proud of that fact. I love everything about my home state and the thought of living anywhere else is one I would never even consider. This weekend, a family had to put to rest a member of its family who was killed in Afghanistan April 7. Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers, who grew up in Brandon, Mississippi (right outside the state capital, Jackson) was very much loved by his family and community. The grief of the entire state was heavy but it soon turned to anger once it was announced Westboro hate group (again, I refuse to refer to it as a church) would be in attendance. I knew that would be a problem for them. And let me be clear: I hoped with every ounce of who I am that it would be a problem for them. It was.

First up, The Patriot Guard Riders made their presence known as well. I like to think of them as the antidote to the poison this Kansas group spews. They made their intentions clear, too. While they are effective in their presence and tend to allow that presence make their message, it’s what the Mississippi folks did that really hit the message home (despite my declarations on Facebook that coming to Mississippi really shouldn’t be an option this hate group should consider).

By now, most of the country knows about the incident at a local Brandon gas station late last week. See, one of these idiots underestimated the pride our folks have in our country as a whole and most certainly those who defend our nation. The words “zero tolerance” come to mind. Well, down here in Mississippi, we have a saying: “Don’t let your bulldog mouth overload your jaybird ass”. Someone forgot to tell this guy, I guess. He toted a whuppin’ though no one knows who did it and the police investigation was unable to find anyone who witnessed the fight and could identify the one who obliged the ill-directed person.

Rankin County officials had a bad day all the way around. Can you believe all of their county vehicles were left unattended for several hours and no one knew where the keys were to move the vehicles? And isn’t it ironic they had inconvenienced a few folks at a local hotel by blocking them in? Of course, we have a deep respect for hospitality down here, you understand. But try as they might, they just couldn’t get the tow trucks there before these out of town folks could get where they felt they needed to be. But it all turned out OK. Eventually, the vehicles were moved – several hours later and after the funeral was held for SSGT Jason Rogers without incident. The family was allowed those final moments with their son, brother, cousin and nephew without the hatred of these uninvited Kansas idiots. May he rest in peace.

Despite what so many believe about Mississippi, hopefully, this will be what many will think of from now on. There’s such a deep pride in those who call Mississippi home. Tradition, faith and family are top priority and to travel here and then underestimate us in our own state? Not a good idea. There’s also another saying we have down here in Mississippi (well, actually, it’s my Mom’s saying she always used on my sister and me): “You don’t have to like me and you don’t have to love me, but you’re damn well gonna respect me”.

 

All This Going on in My Front Yard…

OK…so I couldn’t wait for the wisteria to bloom.  Here are some pictures – minus the pretty purple flowers that wisteria presents – of my yard.  And folks wonder why I could never see myself building a life anywhere else!

This is the lorapellum that blooms so beautifully this time of year. On the right is a huge camellia tree and in the background is my house.

These are tiny little huckleberry blooms waiting to burst open (they’ve already begun).  The magic in this is that it grows up in the center of a huge camellia. The reds and whites are just amazing! Can’t wait for them both to be in full bloom!

This is right outside my sliding glass door. This cedar tree, along with a huge live oak on the other side of the house, keeps my back yard very well shaded.  The pink camellia in the left side of the shot stands about 12 ft. high.  Just beautiful!

Another shot of the pink camellia.  The vines that you see are the wisteria that’s yet to bloom.  I can’t even describe how amazing these two look together when they’re both in bloom.

Another shot of the lorapellum with two red camellias in the background.

This, up until two weeks ago, was a pond that was sort of to the south of my house. I’m SO glad my neighbor filled it in. Hopefully, it’ll keep the snakes and mosquitoes at bay this year.  I see he’s already planted fruit trees.  Trixie is in the bottom of the shot.  She’s always right there next to me, along with Little One.

This shot was taken standing in front of my neighbor and bestie, Kristy’s house.  These are apple mayhaw trees. In the background is another pond that was filled in.  Now, there’s this huge plot between us that we can actually cross instead of having to walk all the around.  ***OK…..so the bestie knows her plants better than I do.  These aren’t apple trees…they’re mayhaw trees.  Go figure!  Thanks Kristy!

I’m actually standing in what was a pond a couple of weeks ago!

So there it is – the reason why there’s no better place in the world.  This Mississippi girl ain’t goin’ nowhere!!

 

Why Haley Barbour is the Answered Prayer for Republicans

Fox News is reporting today that Haley Barbour will make a formidable opponent in the 2012 presidential election.  I personally couldn’t agree more.  There are many reasons, including the fact he has rid Mississippi of more than a $720 million deficit he faced when he took office.  Oh, and did I mention he did it without raising taxes?  Further, and this was something I didn’t know, but he’s running the state on less money.  Let’s face it, there are no other governors currently serving who can make those claims.

First things first, I was born and raised in Mississippi.  It’s home; always has been and always will be.  I can’t imagine living anywhere else in this world.  Contrary to the stereotypes that remain, Mississippi is a beautiful state with much to offer.  Three of the nation’s best colleges are found in Mississippi, the Gulf Coast offers beautiful beaches, casinos and folks who are warm, inviting and remain true to the slower paced living that’s built on a foundation of faith, hard work and hope for the future.  Mississippians take responsibility, we’re prideful, respectful and have a healthy fear and unending devotion to God.  It’s just who we are.  We love our technology, of course, but there are still more kitchens in this state that don’t have boxed cake mixes in the cabinets, but instead, are run by women who believe a cake “just ain’t a cake” unless it’s homemade (myself included).  Mississippi is home to the nation’s largest naval shipyard as well as the nation’s largest transformer manufacturer.  And they’re less than one hundred miles apart.  We know our neighbors, their kids and it’s quite likely we know their birthdays, fears, joys and yes, even their dirty laundry.  They know ours, too.

Here’s what sets Haley Barbour apart: he doesn’t have it in him to overreact.  He maintains a steady and consistent mindset, even during Hurricane Katrina and this summer’s rig explosion and ultimate oil spill that devastated us and several other Gulf states.  I can tell you from personal experience, it goes a long way, especially for me.  A wave forms off the coast of Africa and I’m blowing up the phones with “Run, run, run!!”  My family, God love them, calls me Hurricane Central – but I secretly love it.  Governor Barbour simply sees it for what it is, formulates a worse case scenario and then runs with it.  His politics and beliefs are consistent and if he says it or does it, you can be sure he owns it.  Period.   Best of all, though, he keeps the collective political arena in perspective.  That in itself is a powerful trait to have.

So there it is.  I am absolutely for Governor Barbour changing his title to read President Barbour.  Besides, it’s time for the White House to have some homemade biscuits and a bit of southern drawl.  Speaking of southern drawl, here’s a clip of a presser he made following Katrina and what his goals were regarding insurance rates.

 

Because We Can

It’s my belief we’re put here to do good with what we’re given.  I believe responsibility taken for choices we make lends to a richer and certainly a more mature existence.  And, for those who might not agree, it’s my belief that, at a minimum, we’re not put here to bring misery to others.  If you can’t do good, at least don’t allow your legacy be a sum of the harm you’ve done to others.  With that mindset, I do try – and believe we all should – to remember that we never know what another goes home to.

Very rarely do we stop long enough to remember that “statistics” are actually based on people, their experiences and their lives.  We never know if the neighbor three houses down is one of those women who make up the 5 million abused wives.  And if we don’t know that, then we certainly don’t know that she’s left her abusive husband and is now staying in a homeless shelter.

Do you know who the families are in your community who are missing a husband and father or wife and mother because of a choice made to join the military and who is now overseas?  You might not know it, but there’s a very good chance this decision, noble and unselfish, is also equated to a financial burden for the family as a whole.

When I worked with Mississippi’s two largest employers, there was an annual United Way drive.  This was important to me then and when I struck out on my own two years ago, that was something that I felt was missing on a personal level.  It was never much I could contribute; and even now, I wonder sometimes whether or not my small contributions really make a difference (even though I know they really do on some level).

It was important to me that I find some way to continue to make, small as it is, a difference.  I chose two organizations that were close to my heart for a few reasons.  Again – it’s important to me.  I contribute to the USO; my dad is a Vietnam vet and my family has always been incredibly supportive of our country’s military.  The USO is dedicated to our country’s military and tries to keep in mind the human aspect of all those statistics and numbers.

I also chose McKemie Place.  It’s a local shelter for homeless women and is the only overnight shelter in Mobile, AL.  It’s relatively new, but in two years, it’s helped more than 500 women whose options before included remaining in an abusive household or sleeping on the streets.  While I have never faced being homeless, I do know the fear that’s in the heart of these women.  The agency provides meals, job referrals and helps women pick up the pieces of what once was their lives.

With the holidays fast approaching, it’s a great time to take a step back from our lives and recognize that while we’re not trying to make anyone else’s life difficult, there are things we can do for others to make theirs a bit better.  Search your soul and then choose an agency or cause that’s worthy.  Choose local or national – whichever you prefer and do it for the right reasons.

As usual, you know I’m going to have a clip from a classic movie that fits this post.  Magnificent Obsession, written by Lloyd C. Douglas, was made into a movie in 1935 and then remade nearly twenty years later in 1954.  The 1954 version starred Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson.  Fantastic movie and in my list of Top 5 all-time faves, no doubt.  Rock Hudson learns the importance of doing good just because he can.