Paul Ryan Praises Oklahoma, Condemns Big Government

Look for Pat McGuigan's report tomorrow on CapitolBeatOK.

On Resisting ObamaCare

America has changed course, perhaps forever, "becoming just another European nation," Pete DuPont writes. Professor John Mark Reynolds does not support "this liberty- and life-destroying law" either. Fortunately, pastor Doug Wilson offers a 10-point theology of resistance. Phil Gramm shows that resistance is not futile ("as Gandhi once explained, 40,000 British troops cannot force 300 million Indians to do what they will not do"), and Shikha Dalmia has more on resisting ObamaCare, Gandhi-style. Indeed, resistance may be a tad easier if indeed the individual mandate -- whoops! -- lacks any real enforcement mechanism. Meanwhile, Gov. Jindal says we don't want to be labeled the party of "no," preferring instead the party of "hell no."

With Friends Like These

Wherein liberal Oklahoma Democrats say to state-government employees: You're fired.

The Week in Pictures

We've had a busy week trying to get back into the swing of school after spring break. We did find time to color eggs -- I think this is the first time I've colored eggs when there was snow on the ground outside:

The highlight of the week was the Cubs' season opener tonight:

Here's Jack Henry making a great catch at shortstop:

And getting a nice hit:

Commies ♥ ObamaCare

"We join with those who hail this legislation ..."

Considerably Shorter Than 2,400 Pages

Here's the text of a newly introduced bill to repeal ObamaCare:

To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REPEAL.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the amendments made by that Act, are repealed.

Great Moments in Prognostication

"I believe Senator Obama is uniquely positioned to unite our nation and move beyond the divisiveness and partisan skirmishes that too often characterize politics as usual in Washington. ... Senator Obama understands that the serious concerns facing average Americans must transcend partisan games if we are to rise to the challenges of today and tomorrow. He is a strong, committed and inspirational leader, ideally suited to bring together Democrats, independents and Republicans." 

—Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, endorsing Barack Obama for president, April 23, 2008

Bush Surprised, Comforted by Prayers

In an article today in The Oklahoman ('Bush surprised by Americans' prayers'), former president George W. Bush is quoted as saying, "The biggest surprise of the presidency was the calming effect of prayer by total strangers." This comports perfectly with something I wrote in The Oklahoman ('Bush comforted by prayers') during the first year of his presidency.

A Day at the Zoo

Earlier this week Jack Henry and I spent a day at the zoo with my dad, my brother, and his two girls ...

I think the highlight of the day was the lorikeet exhibit ...

Although the cotton candy was a big hit, too ...

Letting Go

My kids know what spring break around our house means -- spring cleaning. Yes, we also have fun, we sometimes go see grandparents, we sleep late, etc. But over spring break I always clean. I've been in the kitchen cleaning cabinets, in Jack Henry's room cleaning out his closet, and in the garage cleaning and reorganizing things.

I've also been in the attic sorting through toys and clothes. I have a bag of maternity clothes to give away, and a few things I just can't part with. There are the few maternity outfits I wore over and over in Dallas because I was so big nothing else would fit. These are tucked away in a container labeled "Dallas" with other things from our apartment that I can't let go of. When I look at those black pants and white shirt I remember waddling around NorthPark Mall with Brandon and the kids. I've also been packing away toys that I had hoped Anne Marie would play with. There are some to give away and some to store away. I've put our car seat up in the attic and have given my neighbor's bouncy seat back to her. And I find myself saying goodbye to Anne Marie all over again.

I put the high chair in the back of the attic and said goodbye to the one-year-old Anne Marie. The one all of us would have laughed at as she sat in her high chair with food on her face. I put away the baby seat for the bike and the little baby helmet and said goodbye to the two-year-old Anne Marie -- the one who would have been able to ride on the back of our tandem bike with Brandon and me. I sorted through clothes and said goodbye to the three-year-old Anne Marie -- the little girl who would have worn her sister's sun dresses and sandals. In the attic is Mary Margaret's old princess bike. I will bring it down and set it aside for someone else to ride and say goodbye to the four-year-old Anne Marie who would have ridden around the cul-de-sac on that little pink princess bike. One by one, things packed away and put aside to give away. One by one, hopes and dreams packed away.

Another hard thing has been trying to "say goodbye" to the hope of another baby for our family. Anne Marie was our long hoped-for and prayed-for baby. The baby God gave us in our "old age." She is also our third baby in heaven. One brother or sister in 2007 at 13 weeks, and another brother or sister in 2008, just a few days after the doctor confirmed a positive pregnancy test. I cried long and hard over these babies as well, only in private. And when we passed the 13-week mark with Anne Marie and saw a strong heartbeat and the doctor said everything looked good, I rejoiced. A baby to hold in my arms, after all this time. Until now, I have never minded getting old. I'm not bothered by wrinkles. I didn't care that at Anne Marie's ballet recitals we might have been the parents who would be mistaken for grandparents or that when I was 55 I would still be homeschooling. If it weren't for the cruel biological clock telling me I am too old for another baby, I wouldn't mind getting old.

It's hard to let go of a desire. Hard to say goodbye to a yearning that is so strong. It's hard to be content. Hard to accept God's plan. Yes, I am so grateful for the children God has given me. I think I'm more grateful than ever. I see how fragile life is. And yet, I had hoped for one more baby.


And soon I will take down our baby bed. The one that we have been waiting to fill for years. And I will pray the same prayer. The one I pray when these dark times surround me. The one I pray when I see the signs of spring -- warm weather, flowers peeking through the earth, buds on the trees -- and yet in my soul it feels like winter. Lord, help me to love and trust you more. Help me to love you so much that I am able to die to what I want so badly. Help me to trust that you know what is best for me and our family. And Lord, please be patient with me. Letting go is harder than I thought.

Freedom Works

Went to the U.S. post office over the noon hour. Terribly long line. Cars were backed up in the parking lot. Fortunately, an employee came outside and walked from car to car, waiting on customers.

Oh, wait a minute. My bad. Did I say post office? I meant Wendy's.

Oklahoma Voters: More Spending Won't Help

Tomorrow in The Oklahoman, I make the case that more school spending in Oklahoma won't translate into better student performance. And I am pleasantly surprised by some new polling data which show that Oklahomans agree -- and by a stunning two-to-one margin.

A scientific telephone survey of 1,000 likely voters registered in Oklahoma was conducted February 25 through March 8 by SoonerPoll, the same firm that conducts the “Oklahoma Poll” for the Tulsa World. The poll, which I commissioned last month, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

“Now I’m going to read you a statement,” the surveyor said. “Please tell me whether you agree or disagree: If more money is spent on public schools in my district, students will learn more.” Only 32 percent of respondents agree with that statement, while 64 percent disagree. 

Even Oklahoma Democrats (39 percent to 57 percent) don’t think more money will improve student learning. Oklahoma Republicans (24 percent to 70 percent) are more emphatic.

It's almost as if people are familiar with this chart.

feist·y [fahy-stee] -- adjective, feist·i·er, feist·i·est

full of animation, energy, or courage:

 

spirited:

 

spunky; plucky:

Thank You for Saying So

This happens with some regularity. Today it happened to me four times in a span of two-and-a-half hours. I'll run into a friend or acquaintance I haven't seen since Anne Marie's death. With great earnestness this person will approach me and tell me that he or she had followed Anne Marie's story on this blog and is terribly sorry for Susie's and my loss. Oftentimes the person will tell me the particular ways our family's journey has affected them.

As the person begins to speak -- literally, no more than three seconds into the conversation -- I start to get (sorry, but I don't know of a better word here) verklempt. If I allowed myself, I could start weeping on the spot. Easily. But I don't, because (1) that would be embarrassing, and (2) I don't want the person to feel he or she has dug up painful memories and has sent me into a tailspin. Because truly, that's not what the tears would be about.

Here's what's really going on. As the person begins to speak, these thoughts rush in, pretty much in this order: (1) She's dead. My baby really is dead. (2) This person knows about her life. I am so pleased and gratified this person knows her story. (3) This person, even though it may be uncomfortable for him, is making the effort to express these things to me. This is very kind, and edifying, and comforting, and I am truly moved by what's happening here.

Oftentimes the person will say, "I really don't know what to say." But in fact, they needn't worry. Anyone who cares enough to make the effort, and who is sensitive enough to fear their words may be inadequate, is someone whose words (whatever they are) are treasured. This has been my experience every time.

"I'm sorry Anne Marie died," the five-year-old girl said to me this evening at Jack Henry's batting practice. She just came up and announced it to me. (Five-year-olds aren't always big on context.) She said she had been thinking about it lately. You think that wasn't a gift to me?

Sorry, but I'm getting ...

Talk amongst yourselves.

Happy Birthday, Mary Margaret!

Do Right-to-Work Laws Promote Economic Growth?

Economist Richard Vedder tests the hypothesis in the current issue of The Cato Journal ("Right-to-Work Laws: Liberty, Prosperity, and Quality of Life") and finds there is "a very strong and highly statistically significant (at the 1 percent level) positive relationship between Right-to-Work laws and economic growth. ... This is a powerful finding: a seemingly modest change in the legal environment in which labor markets operate has a significant impact on the rate of economic growth."

Just one more reason I'm proud of Susie and the kids for doing their part to help Oklahomans secure their employment liberty.

'A Real Connectedness'

With her nearly 22 million page views per month, Osage County blogger Ree Drummond finds herself on Forbes magazine's Web Celeb 25 list of "the biggest and brightest stars on the Internet." Ree blogged yesterday on why she homeschools her children. One benefit she mentioned was "the sheer amount of time we get to spend together as a family."

I do sense a real connectedness that has formed in our household over the past few years. There's a sense that we're a team, that we're all in this together, and that any learning that needs to be done around here is a group effort.

Amen and amen. The entire post is worth reading. And here's a recent pic of The Pioneer Woman with some fellow homeschoolers:

God's Great Covenant

A few weeks ago Brandon and I were listening to a Michael Horton podcast and Dr. Horton said how important it was "to know deep in your bones, from Genesis to Revelation, the redeeming story of Jesus Christ." One of the reasons I love our homeschool Bible curriculum so much is that it tells this story of redemption. The book is called God's Great Covenant. The introduction in the teacher's guide says this: "The Bible is the story of God's dealings with mankind, whom He created in His image. Through this story, we learn who God is, who mankind is, how the world come to be the way it is, and how God worked through history to bring redemption to his people."


The curriculum is a four year series -- two books covering the Old Testament and two books covering the New Testament. Each chapter tells a story and gives a theme for that particular lesson. For example, Chapter 6 is about the call of Abraham and the theme is: God makes his promises and keeps them. The student book contains pages to help learn the memory verse and key facts about each story.


On a practical level I like it because it is very user-friendly. The stories are short, the student pages are easy to use, and the teacher's manual is simple and gives notes to parents/teachers to help with the lesson. Each chapter also asks "Who is God?" and teaches about the character of God. In chapter 10, the "Who is God?" section reads: God has a divine plan for His glory and our good. What God plans always happens just as He plans it to be. Each chapter also has corresponding questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism that go along with each lesson. But one of my favorite things about this curriculum is that every chapter points to Christ and to God's redemptive work. There is a section in each chapter entitled "Jesus in the Old Testament" that relates the story to Christ. In the back of the teacher's manual there is also a section giving more detailed notes about Jesus in the Old Testament.



This series is helping my children to see that the Bible isn't just a collection of random stories like Aesop's fables, but a tapestry woven by God telling God's story of the redemption of mankind.

And along the way, God is reminding me of His promises and His character. He is the God who makes promises and keeps them. The God who has a divine plan for His glory and my good.

Exquisite Timing

A few Sundays ago I sat in the worship service and could feel it coming. One of those times when it hits me from out of nowhere. Oh no, I thought. Please, not in church. Don't let me start crying now. I don't want the kids to see. I don't want Brandon to see. I don't want anyone to see. But the tears came anyway.

And then during the sermon the questions came. Just five minutes before the sermon started I had confessed my fear and unbelief and yet, there I sat, still full of fear and unbelief. I began to listen to the sermon and from my heart I cried, "Why? Why didn't you heal my daughter like you healed Jairus' daughter? I wanted You to say to Anne Marie, as you said to Jairus' daughter, Sweetheart, come here. Why not me? Why not Anne Marie? Why couldn't things have been different? Oh, God, if only things had been different."

This is not a place I can pull myself out of. I can't give myself a pep talk, or pull myself up by the bootstraps and keep going. On my own, I only sink further down. And the hole is deep and dark. I sat listening with my head down, tears dropping onto my skirt, and through our pastor's sermon the Holy Spirit spoke. He reminded me that His timing is perfect -- "exquisite timing," our pastor said. The Lord reminded me that He loves Anne Marie more than I ever could. He reminded me of His power and providence and of His complete redemption. He, once again, reminded me that He will also redeem this pain and that we were made for another world.

The Lord has given me and many others a testimony. I recall the marvelous things He has done for me. The specific, direct, answers to prayer. I know the changes He has made in my heart, the besetting sins he had freed me from. I recall the comfort He has given me when I was certain comfort would never come. It is a good and right thing to remember what the Lord has done. And yet at times when I am at my lowest, it is only the testimony of the Lord that gives me any strength at all. It is hearing His word preached and proclaimed that creates faith in my heart. It is in hearing our pastor say the words of Christ -- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" -- that my soul finds rest.

Big Monday

Mondays are usually one of our busiest school days, but this Monday was a little different. Brandon and I left Sunday afternoon to fly to Austin with the OU men's basketball team, so while the kids were here doing their schoolwork I was having a great time in Austin. We were able to go to shoot-arounds with the players and coaches, have dinner with them at our hotel, and then go to the game last night. The Sooners didn't win, but it was still a great trip! We got back to the Lloyd Noble Center this morning at 1:30.

Above is a photo from the Sunday evening shoot-around. In the distance you can see two great basketball minds (OK, maybe just one) analyzing the situation.

Coach Jeff Capel made three half-court shots in a row. Honest! All the coaches were very nice to us on the trip, and Coach Capel even made the effort last night in the freezing weather to grab our luggage from the baggage hold of the plane and later the bus.

Here's Cade Davis dunking during one of the shoot-arounds. Brandon says Cade "was doing 360s at will" (whatever that means), which Brandon assures me is as impressive as it is surprising.

Here's Keith "Tiny" Gallon (who shattered a glass backboard earlier this year) and Andrew Fitzgerald at one of the shoot-arounds. It was funny to have a 6' 9", nearly-300-pound kid introduce himself to me on the bus by saying, "Hi, I'm Tiny."

Here's Tiny shooting a free throw last night. You can tell we had good seats.

 Here's an ESPN screen shot. On the far left near the top of the screen Brandon and I are clapping after Cade Davis hit a 3-pointer.