Entitlements

Entitlement: {1} the state or condition of being entitled; a right to benefit specified especially by law or contract. {2} a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also: funds supporting or distributed by such a program {3} believe that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges. {Merriam-Webster}

The only thing we are “Entitled” to are our rights and opinions.  It says nowhere in the constitution that we are “Entitled” to Tax Payers dollars. A lot of the reasons we are having this “debt limit debate” is because citizens of the United States, have this crazy mindset that they are “Entitled” to government money! NO!

Now before you Judge… Let me explain:  If you lost your job, because your company is downsizing, I do not mind helping you out for 3-5 months, in order for you to become stable, or find other employment…. But this is where I get {ticked} at the government. There are people on “Unemployment” who have been on “Unemployment” for over TWO {2} years because they make more money on unemployment then they would if they went to work at Starbucks/McDonalds.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

via: Google

No wonder the US is broke and can’t afford to pay its bills…. We’re paying everyone else’s! Obviously I am not ok with FREE HANDOUTS!

My parents raised me by this philosophy: “Pick yourself up by the bootstraps and work for what you have” not “hey I don’t want to work, so I’m going to be lazy and live off the Government.”

Don’t get me wrong I support some of these programs listed below, but I’m not ok with “USING/ENABLING/TAKING ADVANTAGE”

United States Government Entitlement Programs:

{via: US government accountability office}

529 or Coverdell
Home Mortgage Interest Deduction
Hope or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
Student Loans
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
Earned Income Tax Credit
Social Security--Retirement & Survivors
Pell Grants
Unemployment Insurance
Veterans Benefits
G.I. Bill
Medicare
Head Start
Social Security Disability
SSI--Supplemental Security Income
Medicaid
Welfare/Public Assistance
Government Subsidized Housing
Food Stamps

“ I think the best way of doing good to the poor, in not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. ~ Benjamin Franklin  1766.

lucy

A few of my Favorite {summer} things….

WOW! I can’t believe that summer has almost come and gone! August is here! For those friends of mine who are teachers… I’m sorry! J So today I thought I would share my Summer’s Favorite things list!

L and I love to go to the pool, especially since the entire July its been a near 100* everyday!

Swimming Pool {Via}



I'm in L~O~V~E with Chick-fil-a Lemonade!

Lemonade {Via}

April at Jazzericise, helps me work off those calories from my Large Lemonade! Ha!



Jazzercise {via}

  At first, L golfed ALL- THE-TIME! Now since he has taught me, I enjoy it too, only when its not too windy or too hot. Ha! Anytime is good= Quality time with the hubs!


Golfin' with the Hubs {via}



Zac Brown Band. Amazing!

Zac Brown Band {via}

Zac Brown band photo by www.jeffography.com; courtesy of Shore Fire Media.

If I could wear these all the time I so would, cute, stylish, and comfy. Maybe I need to move to Florida?

Yellow Box Flip Flops {via}

Happy Summer! :)

lucy

What America Is up Against?

I came across this story yesterday, but I decided to wait to post it till today.  This story seriously {ticked me off} enraged me so much. It makes me want to go join the CIA and learn Arabic/Farsi. 

 I first learned of this story on Fox News {Read it Here}, but was re-directed to the writers {Michael Yon} website. About Michael Yon: “He is a former Green Beret, native of Winter Haven, Fl. who has been reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan since December 2004.  No other reporter has spent as much time with combat troops in these two wars.  Michael’s dispatches from the frontlines have earned him the reputation as the premier independent combat journalist of his generation.  His work has been featured on “Good Morning America,” The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, ABC, FOX, as well as hundreds of other major media outlets all around the world.” His website is pretty great!

READ the Entire Story Here.

Via Michael's Webstie: "I asked the Army to declassify the storyboard, and so they cleaned off some coordinates and other unimportant trivia, and here it is: {PDF}" *This is your warning; some images may be disturbing to some.

I am reminded of the quote by Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the World” .

Photo by Staff Sgt. Bradley Rhen
A Soldier from Co. C, 2nd Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt. hand out Skittles candy to Afghan kids Dec. 22 in Khezer Kheyl, Afghanistan.
Via: Google/Department of Defence

lucy

Big Foot vs. Sasquatch

Ha! This post is going to be hilarious to some and serious to others. So I should preface this post by saying my husband {whom I love} has become OBSESSED with watching “Finding Bigfoot” on Animal Planet, and special thanks to his friend “S” at work who has gotten him hooked. J

When I was little I remember watching “Harry and the Henderson’s”. We lived in the country on quite a few acres so my sister would always tease me after I watched that movie that “big foot” would get me if I wasn’t good. HA! Sadly, I so believed her. It wasn’t until later I realized Bigfoot was not real. Though my college roommate “A”  still believes in Bigfoot and that he is real till this day!

Via Google

Obviously I do not believe in Bigfoot/Sasquatch, though I do find much humor in the people who dedicate their life to finding him, make “Sasquatch Calls” or go on vacation to find Bigfoot/Sasquatch. HA! I still don’t’ understand why they haven’t videoed the encounters. They have sounds, some pictures, just not any “up-close videos”. I’m a skeptic.

So I found this video online that I just had to share! There are multiple organizations that attempt every year to find Bigfoot/Sasquatch.  My sweet husband and his  friend “S” have even gone as far as finding a website. Bigfoot Field Research Organization {aka: B.F.R.O} HA! These people are Dedicated!

                                                Watch the video {here}

So whether you believe or don’t,  for those of you who are interested, “Finding Bigfoot” comes on Animal Planet on Sunday nights at 10 e.s.t. or 9pm c.s.t. If nothing else watch it so you can get a good laugh J or even… information.

       

Ha!

lucy



Approval Rating

According to The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday {See it here} , showing that Twenty-three percent {23%} of the nation's voters strongly approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president.

Forty-four percent {44%} Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21.Those numbers aren’t looking so great and by the looks of things they are continuing to decline. So with the approaching “Debt Ceiling Deadline” August 2^nd, why can’t they agree?

Well Obama: is concentrated on his upcoming election and is trying to base his decision for the debt ceiling off “What is going to win me another 4years”. Which I think he needs to focus on “What is going to help America” {obviously my own opinion.}

 {AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster}

Also from the {Washington Times} “Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he is working on a plan to raise the debt limit by $2.7 trillion, coupled with an equal reduction in projected future spending. In a concession to Republicans, he said that plan would not include tax increases, but that the new debt level would last through the 2012 elections.”

While Boehner: According to the Washington times {read it here} says:  House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, pitched his colleagues on a plan to raise the borrowing limit by about $1 trillion and match that with similar sized spending cuts — enough to last through the rest of the year, and leaving for later the heavy lifting on taxes and bigger spending items.

So my ultimate question is why would ANYBODY want “the new debt level lasting through the 2012 elections”? Would it not be more logical to fix the problem now, where we would not have to worry about it again in the future? No offence Men, but I think a room full of Women could do a much better job. Why? Because we don’t “Think about it” WE DO IT! And we do it with logical thinking and reasoning!

"The president believes that we must get this uncertainty in order, to help the American economy and help the American people," Daley said on NBC's "Meet the Press." {Read it here} REALLY? Because I’ve still yet to see him “help the American Economy” or “the American People”.  COS Daley also saying “Obama would veto a bill that didn't extend the borrowing limit into 2013.”

Men in Washington: GET IT TOGETHER STOP “Playing Politics”  and do the job you were elected to do!

lucy

Grace

Grace: “God’s unmerited favor and love that lead Him to grant salvation to believers through the exercise of their faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation cannot be earned; it's a gift of God’s Mercy “

I’ve been meaning to have a post like this for a while. I have so many questions as to “Why”?   Why God’s Grace? Why in my life? How am I so blessed to have received it? My intentions with this blog was to focus on life, politics, health, and whatever came about that I thought I should share with the world! Ha! But today! Today is different. Today Grace has been heavy on my heart.   Today I realize how lucky I am to have received his Grace, and that it is my duty here on earth to help others understand it.

I think of all the people in foreign countries who may have never had the opportunity to receive Christ. I think about orphans in countries that don’t have a Mommy or Daddy to influence their life or to share the gospel with them. I think of all walks of life. From every country, nation, village and town. I think of the other “religions” who worship everything other than God. This truly breaks my heart.



This picture is special for 2 reasons. Those who know, keep praying, those who don't stay tuned.



“For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8 {Bible Gateway}

How did I get to be so lucky? I was born and raised in America {the greatest Nation of all}. I was raised in a church that’s Mission is: “God intended for the Church to be the primary instrument to reach the world and to make disciples....and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.  Acts 1:8b”

I sometimes have a hard time believing that God loves me so much, no matter what. He knows the deepest pain, hurt, sin in my life. And... And he still loves me!  He picked me to live with him for eternity.

Forever I am grateful. Forever I am blessed.

lucy

Better late than Never!

So I know I always apologize for my inconstant blogging. But honestly I’ve been so lazy lately even though I have a large amount I need to blog about. Add laziness on top of a Job, Husband, a household, and 100* days, and it makes my brain hurt. Ha! Thus, I haven’t written, yet again my apologizes! J

So we have had a rather busy last couple of weekends. This past weekend though was probably the first in July we just hung out around the pool and relaxed.  It was Fabulous.

July 4^th, we had a big celebration. {would you expect anything less from me.. I HEART AMERICA!}  We went over to L’s family and had a cookout/firework watch party. When it got dark we walked up to the country club to watch the amazing fireworks. So Fun! It was sooo hot but Welcome to Arkansas in July!

Fireworks



L's Family

The Hubs and I! 

“Granddad” as he is known around the family celebrated his 80^th birthday on July 10^th. I highly doubt I will live to see 80 {I believe God has other plans} J but if I do I hope I can be half the Inspiration he is. “Granddad” lost his wife in 2006, received two new knees in 2009, and just recently joined Facebook! He also has a new lady in his life, so for 80 years old I’d say he’s doing pretty good! Great!  He’s a wonderful man and a Godly man at that! How I’m so blessed to know him.


The Kids {Table}



"Granddad's Birthday Cake"



The Feast!



Friends and Fam



The Birthday Boy {aka "Granddad"} and his new lady Friend.



The Men in an "indepth" convo.



Little Sam and the Kids

 Happy Birthday "Granddad"!  

Lucy