The Preservation of Liberty

 

In my Jan. 4 post, I listed three themes that Organic Mothering will be centered around this year. Considering the storming of the Capitol in D.C. during the Electoral College hearings yesterday, and the imminency of the Biden/Harris presidency, I will begin with the theme, the preservation of liberty. 

Like tens of millions of other Americans, many of whom believe that we just witnessed a fraudulent presidential election, I see disaster awaiting us with the new regime. The idea of the USA becoming a satellite of the Chinese Communist Party no longer seems like a dystopian fantasy. The Biden family has close ties to China, as was unearthed via the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. Joe Biden's will be a highly compromised administration at best. As vice president, Kamala Harris will have the power to break any tie in the Senate, which is now split 50/50 along party lines. The House has a Democrat majority. So the Executive and Legislative Branches will be under nearly unchecked Leftist control. The only possible checks and balances I see would be sane Senate Democrats brave enough to vote against any overreach or unconstitutional moves by the Exective Branch, and the supposedly conservative majority of the Supreme Court. That isn't much to bank on. 

With the federal government basically lost, what can Patriots do to preserve liberty? The best plan seems to be to revert our focus to states' rights and local governments. As Catholic author and YouTuber Timothy Gordon has said, we need to think of each state as it's own Republic. Here is his most recent video, which outlines the plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8AOib988Ms.

Gordon recommends the introduction and first two chapters of his own book, Catholic Republic, to understand the concepts of nullification and interposition, laid out by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, respectively. Our third president and author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, wrote "The Kentucky Resolution," and James Madison, our fourth president and author of our U.S. Constitution, wrote "The Virginia Resolution." Their concepts and resolutions reflect the same basic premise, and as these men are fathers of our nation, they can by no means be dismissed as radicals. 

I have ordered Gordon's book and will post my reflections down the road. In the meantime, get it ordered yourself and read the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions, which are both short and can be found together here: http://jackiewhiting.net/ap/TLdocs/KYVAres.htm.

Gordon sees nullification/interposition as first steps to blocking federal tyrrany. He seems to feel that secession movements are in our future. Though he stops short of saying the word in the above video, it is strongly implied. His belief is that Patriots living in blue states need to move to red states ASAP, in preparation for the fight to come. The COVID-19 response has provided us a good picture for which states are the most determined to stay free. 

Godspeed, Rita Michele

A Clutter Free January: Kitchen Drawer

Today I officially began my kitchen project for "a clutter free January," which I wrote about yesterday. My kitchen is actually already in reasonably good order, but there are some things that could be improved and made more functional. I started with the drawer next to my refrigerator. 

Our dining room used to be right next to the kitchen, separated by an open doorway. We use cloth napkins regularly, so they were kept in the dining room. That room also served as my husband's home office, but alas, he would not keep it neat on his own, and he didn't exactly appreciate my efforts to keep him organized. As such, I decided to convert my home dance studio into our dining room, which we've been loving. But retrieving the napkins from the home office has been inconvenient, so today I moved them into the kitchen, in the cabinet area seen at top. 

The drawer was previously a kind of junk drawer, but it held important paperwork for the dogs and house, and also odds and ends like seed packets, pictures, magnets, and recipes. I had forgotten about these recipes so never used them. I sorted through them, recycled what I didn't want, and put what remained with my recipe books. These will further need to be dealt with, but that will be a project for another day.

Once the drawer was empty, I cleaned it out and then transferred the napkins, plus a set of cloth place mats. The paperwork and some of the other odds and ends were swapped into the drawer in the home office. Items that did not belong either place either found a new home, or they were taken upstairs to my bedroom annex for future organizing. Here is the finished drawer: 

This drawer is the closest one in the kitchen to the dining room, so it will be perfectly convenient now to grab the napkins to set the table! The only drawback is that when this drawer is opened, it grazes the refrigerator handle, so I can no longer hang a towel there. But there is always a towel hanging from the oven door handle, and I also keep a work towel on the counter, which I often dry my hands on anyway. I don't anticipate any problem with having one less kitchen towel. 

Originally I planned to set a timer for 15 minutes to work on this project, but I decided to just do it, however long it took. I didn't anticipate it being a terribly long project. However, setting a timer is a great way to help you get started on a chore you don't really want to do, so I recommend it. If you don't finish in the first 15 minutes, you can set the timer for another right away, or you can go do something else for 15 minutes and then come back to it. 

Please share in the comments if you are joining me for decluttering this month, and whether you are starting on your kitchen or somewhere else. I would love to read about your progress! 

My 2021 Blog Themes | A Clutter Free January

 (old monastery turned into a home, homeworldlife.com)

I was delighted today to watch Jennifer L. Scott's first video of the new year at "The Daily Connoisseur" and to learn about a cooperative project of YouTube vloggers called "A Clutter Free January," begun by Dawn at "The Minimal Mom." Another of the participants is "Diane in Denmark," and she has a playlist of all of the videos so far. They have begun with their kitchens. 

I'm joining in this project, not as a vlogger myself, but just to get inspiration and focus my efforts, as I had already decided to set decluttering tasks for my home this month. And this fits nicely into one of my blog themes for 2021, the domestic monastery. My other two themes will be the preservation of liberty and the literary life. I will outline the basics of each theme in the days to come. 

We experienced so many alarming things in 2020, which unfortunately promise to continue well into this new year, and many people are exhausted, frazzled, in grief, and very uncertain of the future. I think the Catholic principle of subsidiarity can help us to navigate these tumultuous times, by teaching us to put first things first, and to begin with what we can most easily and effectively influence and control. 

I will keep it short today, and simply encourage you to check out the videos for A Clutter Free January posted so far. Ruminate on some plans for how you can get started in your own home, beginning today with just 10 minutes in the kitchen, which Diane in Denmark can guide you through.

Peace and joy to you this New Year!!

 

COVID Finally Hits My County | Masks and Magical Thinking

 

For most of the COVID pandemic, my northwest Ohio county has been a safe place to be, with low numbers of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. But the rural areas of the state are being hit hard now too, and tomorrow grades 7 through 12 of our local school will go to remote learning. There is concern that our hospitals will not have enough beds and health care staff, and the governor has imposed a statewide curfew, with businesses closed and citizens grounded at home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. 

So how do I feel now that we actually have reason to be especially cautious in my area? Not much different. I have always taken this seriously and will continue to do so. At the same time, I don't think lock downs, curfews, masks, etc. have had any positive effect, and the cure of draconian government protocols has certainly been worse than the disease. The toll on people's livelihoods and mental health and the loss of constitutional freedom that we may never get back are too high a price to pay for the illusion of "staying safe" and "slowing the spread." 

The CDC itself presented a study showing that the vast majority of people who got COVID always wore masks (over 70%), and that under 4% of those who got sick did not wear masks. Read about it here: https://thefederalist.com/2020/10/12/cdc-study-finds-overwhelming-majority-of-people-getting-coronavirus-wore-masks/?fbclid=IwAR3Zsbj39hbyxYjLU0HSJ2iEkZ-zkREkEe7w2FbemM-sNwYcNXN5pSLuN_c. 

Yet another distinguished doctor in the field came out recently saying that the masks and distancing are useless, and all that can effectively be done is to protect the most vulnerable (https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-youtube-censors-lifesite?fbclid=IwAR1w7WZTYFg0Lak7f4Nv0slGfofjp15By0tl7MoCbDrJIx73IjVXdSA6MOM).  The audio recording of his statements on YouTube was removed, with Life Site News, which had posted it, having their channel closed down for a week, with the threat of permanent deletion. 

So why are we still wearing masks? Why have we been robbed for the past 9 months of our 1st Ammendment rights and our ability to make the best decisions for ourselves, our families, and our local communities that we can? Why is big tech allowed such prevalent censorship? Perhaps our government leaders are simply power hungry. Some clearly are. I think others are in denial. They are being told by a very limited number of "experts" that these safety protocols work, and that the only reason we still have a problem is that citizens aren't being responsible. 

I suppose a small minority of folks have thrown caution to the wind, ironically, the most draconian government leaders being among the most personally irresponsible. But the great majority of folks have done their very best to follow the mandates, and if these measures were going to work, they would have done so long before now. 

My local school had all staff and students wearing masks even during gym and recess, which should have been exempt according to Gov. DeWine's own orders. So even with precautions above and beyond, we still had a significant breakout. Everywhere I have gone in the two largest towns in the county, I have seen very few people not wearing masks. I assumed that they, like myself, had health exemptions. 

As I suspected months ago and feel I have seen confirmed to be true, nothing can be done to stop this airborne virus, and the widespread use of masks and social distancing has likely lowered our immune responses and harmed our respiratory function. We have made it all that much worse for ourselves, and between disagreements over COVID and the election (which are no doubt connected issues), many have lost their support and connection with family and friends--an emotional loss on top of the physical separation. 

We have to stop this magical thinking, this grand illusion of control. Businesses and schools should stay open, most of us should toss the masks aside, and while being prudent and protecting our most vulnerable, we should control what we actually can and make steps forward to return to our normal lives and a free society. Going backward is not the answer and will result in nothing but increased devastation. If people don't start standing up and demanding their due sovereignty, we may never get to the point of being able to again. Especially if we are facing a Biden presidency, which I pray to God we are not, there is the very real and terrifying possibility of a Communist United States. 

Conservative Women | There's a Place for Us

 

I watched portions here and there of the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court last week. Nothing stood out to me like the comments from Senator Lindsey Graham (R--S. Carolina), when he told Amy that her confirmation will signal to conservative women that there's a place for them. What I heard him saying was that there's a place for me, and women like me, in this country. I've thought about this every day since, including watching Barbara Streisand sing "Somewhere" on YouTube!

Can we indeed find a new way of living? Amy's confirmation will surely be a step in the right direction. But if Joe Biden wins the presidency in November, and he packs the court, which seems to be the plan, I feel like we will be left in a very dark place, with an expansion certain of the culture of death, socialist Marxism, and mob rule destroying our democratic Republic and its rights and principles like a flesh eating bacteria. 

We need a plan, in our own minds and families, if President Trump is not re-elected. Ultimately, we cannot seek a savior outside of us, except Jesus Christ, and we must steep ourselves in the light, love, and freedom of the Gospel. To what extent our opposition to tyranny and totalitarianism is either quiet, or public and active, is an individual choice, but we have to be willing to stand firm in that resistance, gather the strength of Our Lord firmly within ourselves, and not wait to see what happens. Conservative women, especially, must insist that there is a place for us, a place of honor and respect, and stop accepting unacceptable behavior. 

I've seen no end to leftist liberal women supporting one another, defending even lewd behavior and the abortion genocide, and pretending like any views differing from theirs are intrinsically wrong and anti-woman. Just one case in point was the lascivious Super Bowl half-time show put on this year by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, complete with "dancing" that drew special attention to the crotch, and camera close-ups to accentuate it. JLo gyrated on a stripper pole and ended that performance in a gesture as if she were on the cross of Christ. 

On so many levels it was a disgusting show, and even my teenage daughter had the good sense to characterize it as "gross." Yet my impressions of the show posted to Facebook led to responses implying that as a dance artist myself, and a middle aged woman like the performers, I ought to have appreciated their athleticism. It was even suggested that I felt threatened and jealous. 

My opinion, as is so typical of how conservative women are treated, was invalidated. I saw lots of posts in my newsfeed defending against the backlash Jennifer and Shakira received from many people, who expected a family friendly show, and got nothing of the sort. As supposedly strong feminine role models, these women were lauded as deserving of being lifted up, just because they were women, and especially because they were also Hispanic. 

What a difference conservative women could make if they banded together and unapologetically, and without concessions to diplomacy in order to be "nice," stood up for what we value. The Bible tells us nowhere that we must be nice. Kind, yes, but not nice. Patient, yes, but not nice. We must not be rude, that's true, but we are not called to be nice. Niceness is not a virtue. We are called to be virtuous women. We are called to certain roles in our family, in our churches, and in society, and I have been wanting for a long time to speak up about the biblical truths in this area. However, I know some will certainly be offended, and feelings may be hurt. But ultimately, only good comes from living the Truth. 

There's a place for conservative women. Conservative women helped to found this great country. There's a place for me, and I'm of an age where Scripture calls me to teach the younger women. That is a responsibility that I need to have the courage to shoulder. Conservative women are called to do their part to save a once godly nation, which has not ceased to be abundantly blessed by God and filled with a great many people of real and abiding faith. 

Amy Coney Barrett | A Turning Point for America | Coronacult Weakens Its Hold

 

My, how suddenly the tide can turn! I was feeling very discouraged at the time of my last post, but things definitely seem to be heading in a better direction. 

On Sept. 18, liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a staunch supporter of unlimited abortion rights, died of cancer. Though she had been ill for some time, the timing of her death, so close to the upcoming presidential election, came as a shock to many. President Trump wasted no time in proceeding with his duty to fill the gap in the court, nominating conservative Catholic Amy Coney Barrett this past Saturday. It's expected that the Senate will confirm her before the election. 

I prayed for Ruth and do hope that God had mercy on her soul. But I honestly felt a profound sense of relief at the news of her death. It seemed to mark the end of an era plagued by the ungodliness of radical feminism and the scourge of abortion that it has produced under the guise of women's health and reproductive rights. Ruth literally sanctioned the murder of millions of children in the wombs of their mothers, and this unthinkable evil has become the primary platform issue of the Democrat Party. 

Amy Coney Barrett has made her Catholic faith and pro-life stance no secret. She is the mother of 7 children, 5 of them biological, and two adopted from Haiti. Her youngest is a special needs child. Amy's qualifications are of the highest order and are undeniable, and Democrats are unlikely to find any skeletons in her closet. Though you would think that her adoption of two black children would rule out the Left's ability to play the racist card, Amy has already been called a white supremacist specifically because she adopted them!

Anyone with a dollop of good sense sees right through this theater of the absurd, and all it does is make the Dems look bad, and pitiful. Biden and Harris have recently scurried to do damage control after they realized that the BLM/Antifa rioting was hurting them in the polls. A little too little, a little too late, they condemned the domestic terrorism and many-months-long violence. The truth of every case of supposedly unwarranted, lethal police action against black criminals has eventually come to light, exposing the media for their lies, bias, misinformation, and stoking of a race war. Blaming the president for the mess the media and Democrat governmant leaders have themselves caused isn't working anymore. 

Likewise, the coronacult is losing its grip. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently opened the state completely back up, eliminating mask requirements and prohibiting the forced closure of businesses. Restaurants and bars can open to 100% capacity. Local officials can only limit them to 50% if they can prove the necessity. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been gaining in popularity with people from other states, because she never locked her state down or imposed draconian mandates and restrictions. She's grabbed a lot of media attention for her enthusiastic invitation to other states to come visit her land of the free, and thumbing her nose at social distancing. All we need are a few more states to go back to normal social and business activity, and the pressure will be on for the rest of the country to follow suit. 

I believe that people on the fence will be emboldened by these recent events to go out on Nov. 3 and re-elect President Trump. Though they may not like Trump very well, they are waking up to what they have to lose if Biden and Harris take over the White House, which basically is America as they know it. People are tired of the coronacult fear mongering and tyranny, and they want to see the restoration of law and order. The hold of the sorcery is breaking. I predict that those of us who support Trump's commitment to patriotism and the upholding of the Constitution as it is written, those who value religious liberty, freedom of speech, the right to peaceably gather, the right to life, and the right to bear arms will turn out in droves (and in person whenever possible!) to save our country. 

As Laura Ingraham put it on Fox News, it is the choice between liberty or lockdown; strength or submission; the Constitution or chaos. And the choice is clear. 

When You Have Lost Yourself | How to Find Your Way Home

I just got a new keyboard for my Kindle HD 10, so I can write again! But since I last wrote a post, Blogger has changed its format, and I can't say I like it. I'm not fond of Facebook's new look, either. I suppose I will get used to these things, but I'm tired. I'm exhausted from fighting against the insidious agenda of "the new normal." I can barely keep my eyes open to prevent becoming one of the pod people I see all around me. 

I'm not usually a person opposed to change. For example, I generally welcome the change in seasons, and my favorite, fall, is upon us. Yet I am craving more than anything a sense of the familiar, the normal things we once could count on. As much as I try to just live my life as I wish, I can't block out the stark reality of a world gone helter skelter. How can you hope to hold onto your identity when so many around you have lost theirs, to the point of living in a country that has almost entirely forgotten from whence it came to be? 

I suppose the first thing is a radical acceptance of what is. We have to accept what we cannot change before moving to change the things we can. The children have had to go back to school wearing masks. In my town, the school system has gone beyond even Emperor DeWine's mandates, forcing the kids to wear masks during gym and recess, and denying them the 5-minute break they are supposed to get. Communities are not willing to fight back against government tyranny, even for the sake of their children. Those who do oppose the party line are told to shut up, to not make things any harder than they already are. I fully accept that this satanic inversion of what is held sacred is really happening, and I accept the challenge of the battle, despite feeling I have no energy for it.

I admit to being deeply disappointed in people for being weak, for being lemmings, for running off the cliff obediently, doing as they are told. For being so gullible as to believe all that has been destroyed was for the common good, for the sake of public health. I've come to accept that people are not as smart as I had given them credit for. They are not as good, as kind, as sensible, or as faithful as they ought to be. Having consciously acknowledged my disillusionment, I must accept the truth of the way things really are, the existence of evils that are no longer even a little hidden, but in fact, are embraced by so many. I accept that I am disappointed in myself as well. Then there is the hard work of detachment from it all, which mysteriously includes holding on to a state of compassion for myself and others.  

I have not lost hope. There are still plenty of fighters, a remnant of the righteous and the brave. But if you are among them, you must come out of the shadows. Take off the masks, all of them, and come back into the light. Find yourself again in the One who truly knows you. Let me know you are out there, and that you haven't given up. 

I'm tired of pressing the reset button, of feeling like I have to start all over again, as if I have made no progress at all. But sometimes, when we seem to have come back to the same place, we have actually traveled further up the spiral. Having come around again, we have picked up new tools and information; we have indeed gained wisdom. We are brought back to a place that still has weeds to pull, yet the clearing has widened and room has been made for fresh things, for Beauty, for a deeper, more expansive dimension of existence.

I think that fairy tales have had such staying power generation after generation, because we can all relate to feeling lost, abandoned, and hunted by witches. We should not need to be reminded that we are sons and daughters of the King, but for whatever reason, we do forget. It's time to remember. It's time to wake up from the dreamspell and claim your place at the throne.