It's not a choice it's a life

Which Candidate Would You Choose?
by Sandy Rios


It was the annual “Summerfest” in a community about 60 miles west of Chicago. We were expecting rides and cotton candy, but were greeted instead by tractors and a pork chop dinner. The crowd was populated by just plain folks—old and young, enjoying the easy camaraderie of small town life. One family stood out. It was a mom and dad with a boy about eight I’ll call “Johnny.”
We had come to see a Chicago band, awkwardly positioned on a flatbed truck, who didn’t disappoint. They delivered great Chicago-style blues and rock, but as great as they were, they were promptly upstaged by Johnny. As the band started, he bolted to the grassy area before the stage and began to dance deliciously. He didn’t just have one “move,” he had lots of them with finger strategically pointed, and attitude enough for the whole band. As the singer jumped off the stage, Johnny would follow, imitating him playing harmonica and clutching his cordless mic as he serenaded a select few. When he finished a set and took a bow, Johnny took his too … deeply, like a shadow on the lawn. The crowd roared and I was especially delighted when he came to serenade me with his imaginary microphone. I wanted to grab and hug him, but he would have none of it.
I looked down the row to see his parents standing silently, not with wild cheering but with wonder, amazement and … pride. You see, Johnny has Down syndrome. It was a moment parents of special needs kids seldom get to enjoy.
It struck me in that moment that nearly 90 percent of babies born with Down syndrome are now aborted. Most Johnnys never get the chance to delight a crowd or bring deep, abiding joy to their parents—because they never get a chance to live.
It was a Down syndrome baby that nurse Jill Stanek cradled until death at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, denied of food or medical treatment. Another imperfect baby, unwanted by its parents, starved out of existence.
When legislation to prevent such callousness and neglect sprang to life as a result of Stanek’s story, Barack Obama spoke out against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. He argued that it was unfair to the mothers to let these babies live—that it would turn back abortion rights (as though infanticide and abortion were in the same legal ballpark). He voted against the legislation and tried to persuade others in the Illinois legislature to follow his lead. On the issue of abortion, he later publicly declared that he wouldn’t want his daughters “punished with a baby,” should they find themselves pregnant and unmarried. With that perspective Obama would surely find a Down syndrome baby beyond punishment.
It’s not the only time in human history when something like this has happened.
In attempt to breed the Aryan race, the Nazis began a systematic extermination of “useless eaters.” Videos were produced to illustrate the horrors of the disabled and thousands were led to their death with the approval of the German citizenry. One notable exception was Dietrich Bohhoeffer, a pastor later hanged to death with a piano wire for opposing the Nazis. In the face of the Aryan tide he penned these words: “Not only do the weak need the strong, but the strong need the weak.” One has only to be the parent of a child like Johnny to grasp the truth of Bonhoeffer’s words. The Johnnys of the world teach us to endure with perseverance, build character and allow for a love that wells up from a place too deep for words to describe.
Sarah Palin gets it. That’s why she and husband Todd chose not to abort baby Trig in spite of his alleged imperfections. To some, he is a “useless eater.” He will never win the snow machine race his father is famous for or be mayor or governor of anything, but Sarah and Todd know the value of his life in ways that can never be explained to a man like Barack Obama. A baby like Trig is a precious life. And the baby carried by his sister is not punishment.
In his book, “The Power of the Powerless,” Christopher De Vinck tells the story of his severely disabled brother, Oliver. As Christopher grew older and began dating, he brought his girlfriend to the family farmhouse and eventually asked if she would like to meet Oliver. Since Oliver lived on the top floor and had to be fed and diapered by family members, the first girl said a polite “no.” The next girl, however, said, “Yes!”…climbed the stairs, crawled up on the bed with Oliver and proceeded to patiently spoon feed him.
“Which girl would you have married?” asked De Vinck. The power of the powerless; the ability of the helpless or infirm to reveal not their infirmity, but the character of those around them.
We have two candidates, one for president and the other for vice president, with very different views on the value of life. What does their attitude toward the Johnnys of this world—or the tiny lives who have come inconveniently—tell us about them? And by the way, which girl would you have chosen?

Bigfoot 'discovery' confirmed as fake

Show of hands who believed the report that there were Bigfoot or Bigfeet (whatever the plural is) running around the woods in Georgia. There has never been a sighting in our beloved state and with good reason. What are the odds of a Bigfoot surviving in the woods here where hordes of Rednecks schlep through the woods and swamps daily looking for something to kill and eat? NOT VERY LIKELY FOLKS. You can cease trying to track Bigfoot in our fair forests for they were all shot dead and devoured ages ago. Maybe they should search for Bigfoot in a state that is filled with vegetarians that shun hunting and shotguns.

Jekyll Island, GA

Sailboat
Driftwood on the beach
Storm clouds

Phil watching me put up the tent in 130 degree weather
The finished product (I melted)
Driftwood beach
Clam Creek Cove
Clam Creek fishing pier

Phil and I spent Monday and Tuesday camping on Jekyll Island. The island is beautiful but I would not return until the fall or spring when it's cooler and not so humid. Camping was interesting. We haven't been camping in a long time so we learned a lot and I'm sure the next camping trip will go smoother. The campground was in a good location on the North end of the island but the sites were small and right on top of each other and the bathrooms and showers were in need of cleaning and repairs. Our next camping trip will be to the GA mountains where it is much cooler!

The Lunch Bunch

Today I had "The Lunch Bunch" over for-you guessed it-lunch. The day started out with the toilet backing up into the tub. Not the best thing to go when you're having company. Wal*Mart to the rescue. After averting the plumbing disaster it was time to make lunch. I made baked spaghetti, salad, hot french bread, and Mississippi mud cake for dessert. Now the best part of a meal is the company you share it with which included me age 39, Beverly in her 50's, Mom in her 60's, and Ms. Jean in her 80's. Some people may be uncomfortable around those from another generation-they don't know what they're missing! We all learn so much from each other. One of my dearest friends, Ruth, is in her 80's and I can't tell you how much I have learned from her. My best friend is Jean and she is a year younger than me and I have learned much from her also. I surmise that if you pick good, Godly friends, no matter their age, there is much wisdom to be gained, strong shoulders to cry on, fierce prayer warriors to intercede for you, and someone to laugh until you cry with. My friends are a blessing to me and I thank God for each and every one of you.

Some people have cats and go on to lead normal lives.

How do these funny, fickle, felines claw their way into our hearts and homes so quickly and completely? We bring them home or they follow us home and next thing we know we can't imagine how we ever lived a happy, complete life without them. Within about 12 hours of entering a home they have all the human occupants at their beckon call. Tiger came in the house yesterday and gave me that "Meet me at the fridge" look as he was passing the sofa. I immediately got up and followed him into the kitchen. I pulled some burrs off him, gave him some turkey from the fridge, filled his dish with cat food then gave him some of his treats. He then ignored me for the next few hours. When I called him to come in at night he ran under the car where he knew I couldn't reach him and wouldn't even look at me. Such is life with a cat. Dad got Mom a cat last week for Mother's Day. When they pulled into Petsmart Mom said "Oh no Tony, I don't want a dog or cat." Dad said "Let's just take a look so you don't have any regrets." Twenty minutes later they emerged from the store with Hope. She's about six months old, weighs all of four pounds and is already running the Dziadul home. I went to their house Wednesday and noticed Hope was sneezing and her eye was swollen and oozing so I called my Vet and made her an appointment. Mom said "I don't even go to the doctor because it's so expensive." I assured her it was only about $40 for a visit (wink, wink). So they returned from the vet $90 lighter and Hope is on antibiotics, steroids, eye drops, and eye ointment. Common, said the vet, when cats come from that setting (around lots of other kittys). So Mom and Dad are going camping this weekend with the church if you can call a two bedroom, one bath, kitchen and living room cabin on the lake 'camping'. They were going to leave Hope home and I was going to check on her but that was before they were smitten. Now Hope and all her meds and accoutrement's are in a cabin on a lake with her Mom and Pop. Thank you Lord! I was not looking forward to putting eye drops in a cats eye. It's hard enough with humans! Such is life with our feline friends. They can be a lot of work and worry but the love and joy they bring to a home makes them well worth it.

"Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia."