A Quarantine Activity Option (The Next Installment)

Last week's Vital Signs Blog post ("A Quarantine Activity Option") outlined our plan to do something for the residents of the 12 senior living/senior care facilities where (due to the China coronavirus quarantines) our "When Swing Was King" shows have been cancelled this month. As I mentioned in that post, we wanted to do a little something to help the residents occupy their time as well as to know that we are thinking of them and lifting prayers to God in their behalf. We print below today's activity project...and please know that the primary reason we do is so that you can copy it and send it along to the seniors in your family, church family, neighborhood, and local senior care facilities.

Here from Denny & Claire, your "When Swing Was King" friends, is our latest activity project. We send it along, of course, in hopes that it might provide a little break from the quarantine blues, but also to remind you that you are all in our thoughts and, more important, our prayers. Hoping to see you soon in person!

1) Which of the following is NOT a Pat Boone hit record?
a) “Lonely Street”
b) “Love Letters in the Sand”
c) “Moody River”
d) “Speedy Gonzalez”

2) What 1942 movie starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains, a film that won Oscars for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay?
a) Maltese Falcon
b) This Gun for Hire
c) Sahara
d) Casablanca

3) In a decade with a variety of sports champions (six different NFL champions, five different World Series winners and collegiate football national champions, and eight different college basketball national champions), one sport had only one world champion from 1937 to 1949. The sport was heavyweight-boxing. And who was that longtime champion?
a) Jack Dempsey
b) Sugar Ray Robinson
c) Joe Louis
d) Rocky Marciano

4) The comic strip that included the characters of Peppermint Patty, Linus, and Pigpen was:
a) Katzenjammer Kids
b) Family Circus
c) Peanuts
d) Huckleberry Hound

5) Tommy Dorsey's instrument was:
a) trombone
b) clarinet
c) saxophone
d) drums

6) The big band that gave the world such sensational hits as “String of Pearls,” “Little Brown Jug,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Pennsylvania 6500” was:
a) Guy Lombardo Orchestra
b) Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
c) Glenn Miller Orchestra
d) Shep Fields Orchestra

7) What award-winning 1947 Christmas movie was set in New York City, began its action on Thanksgiving Day, and featured Kris Kringle hauled into court.
a) Miracle on 34th Street
b) Shop Around The Corner
c) Christmas in Central Park
d) Going My Way

8) What Broadway musical includes the songs “Bali Hai,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” and “I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair”?
a) Brigadoon
b) Kiss Me Kate
c) Kismet
d) South Pacific

9) The 1948 World Series was the first to be televised on a national network.  And it was the first World Series that included an African-American pitcher (Satchel Paige). Who were the teams involved? (Hint: one of these teams would be moved in 1953 to Milwaukee.)
a) New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers
b) Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals
c) Boston Braves and Cleveland Indians
d) New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates

10) The famous "Road pictures" featured what team of Hollywood stars?
a) Laurel & Hardy
b) Crosby, Hope, and Lamour
c) The Marx Brothers
d) The Three Stooges

11) Most of the most popular records in the year 1940 came from the big bands or crooners like Crosby. However, a relative unknown by the name of Cliff Edwards scored a number one hit after singing it for the soundtrack of a Walt Disney movie. What was the song?
a) “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”
b) “As Time Goes By”
c) “When You Wish Upon a Star”
d) “A Tisket a Tasket”

12) And what was the Disney movie referred to in the above question?
a) Pinocchio
b) Song of the South
c) Sleeping Beauty
d) Fantasia

13) Which of the following is NOT a Hank Williams hit record?
a) “Lovesick Blues”
b) “Cold, Cold Heart”
c) “Big Bad John”
d) “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry”

14) Top radio shows of 1946 included comedy/variety series starring such big names as Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, and Fred Allen. But the top-rated show, was headlined by actual husband-and-wife team Jim and Marian Jordan. The show also featured Gale Gordon as Mayor LaTrivia?
a) Fibber Magee and Molly
b) The Great Gildersleeve
c) Amos and Andy
d) The Bickersons

15) Led by "Mr. Inside" (Doc Blanchard) and "Mr. Outside" (Glenn Davis), two sophomores who would win the Heisman Trophy in 1945 and 1946 respectively, this team was the undefeated NCAA football National Champions in 1944.
a) Army
b) Notre Dame
c) Ohio State
d) USC

16) It was in 1951 that the Topps Company first released what form of collectable items?
a) Hula Hoops
b) Baseball cards
c) Barbie dolls
d) Kewpie dolls

17) What was NOT a popular dance of the 1940's?
a) “Jitterbug”
b) “Lindy Hop”
c) “Charleston”
d) “The Twist”

18) Nat King Cole's instrument was:
a) trombone
b) piano
c) saxophone
d) drums

19) Making its debut as a comic strip in 1948 was a gem by Walt Kelly. Set in the Okefenokee Swamp, its characters included Albert Alligator, Churchy LaFemme, and Howland Owl.
a) Pogo
b) Fearless Fosdick
c) Lil Abner
d) The Katzenjammer Kids

20) What smash Broadway hit contained the songs “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',” and “People Will Say We're in Love”?
a) Guys and Dolls
b) South Pacific
c) Oklahoma!
d) The King and I

21) Which early TV series was introduced by the music of Rossini's "William Tell Overture"?
a) The Shadow
b) Johnny Dollar
c) Dragnet
d) The Lone Ranger

22) Which of the following is NOT an Elvis hit record?
a) “Love Me Tender”
b) “Only the Lonely”
c) “Jailhouse Rock”
d) “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

23) What songwriter gave us “Begin the Beguine,” “Anything Goes,” “Night and Day,” “True Love,” “I've Got You Under My Skin,” and many more terrific songs?
a) Irving Berlin
b) Cole Porter
c) Oscar Hammerstein II
d) Hoagy Carmichael

24) It was in 1952 that the first episode aired of a TV show featuring a real-life family. Originally begun on radio, the show would become a huge TV hit. It featured two sons (one who would become a successful pop star) and parents who had been stars in their own right in the big band era. That show was:
a) Make Room for Daddy
b) The Donna Reed Show
c) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
d) Father Knows Best

25) Harry James' instrument was:
a) trombone
b) clarinet
c) saxophone
d) trumpet

26) Yank magazine named this singer as the man who had done the most for the morale of American soldiers at war during World War II.
a) Bing Crosby
b) Frankie Laine
c) Perry Como
d) Frank Sinatra

27) "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?" was the introduction to one of the top-rated daytime radio shows of all time. That show was?
a) Inner Sanctum
b) The Whistler
c) The Shadow
d) Suspense

28) Which of the following was NOT part of the Jack Benny radio cast?
a) Phil Harris
b) Eddie Anderson
c) Dennis Day
d) Red Skelton

29) In 1945, a young English actress famed for her beautiful eyes starred in a film called National Velvet. Who was she?
a) Olivia DeHaviland
b) Elizabeth Taylor
c) Joan Collins
d) Vivien Leigh

30) Chick Webb's instrument was:
a) trombone
b) clarinet
c) saxophone
d) drums

Answers:

1) a
2) d
3) c
4) c
5) a

6) c
7) a
8) d
9) c
10) b

11) c
12) a
13) c
14) a
15) a

16) b
17) d
18) b
19) a
20) c

21) d
22) b
23) b
24) c
25) d

26) a
27) c
28) d
29) b
30) d

The Latest "Must Reads"

* "Pelosi’s Identity Politics Pork Barrel" (Mike Gonzalez, Daily Signal)

* "Consider the costs" (Heather MacDonald, American Spectator)

* "Media And Corporate Elites Act As PR Machine For Chinese Communist Party" (Madeline Osburn, Federalist)

* "Jeff Jacoby: Charity in the Time of Coronavirus" (Scott Johnson, Power Line)

* "Top W.H.O. Official Won Election With China’s Help. Now He’s Running Interference for China on Coronavirus." (Peter Hasson, Daily Signal)

* "Dear Congress: I’m A Small Business Owner. Here’s What My Business Needs To Survive" (Houston Loper, Federalist)

* "Is U.S. Too Dependent on China for Medical Supplies?" (Rachel del Guidice, Daily Signal)

Writing Letters in the "Great Hunkering Down"

We were scheduled to host at our home tonight this quarter's Vital Signs
Ministries letter-writing party. But with the restrictions from local government as well as some genuine concerns from some of our regulars, we are giving our team effort a couple of different spins.

1) The letters will be written at your own homes.

And

2) Unlike our other parties where our agenda involves specific legislation, advocacy of pro-life and pro-family issues, principled protests, thank yous for jobs well done, and so on, this time around we are suggesting letter-writers deal with a single area; namely, taking aim at the depression, loneliness, boredom which can so easily arise in the coronavirus quarantines all around us.

To who are we suggesting your letters go?

* Letters and cards to those in your church family who are most affected by the social isolation. We're thinking primarily of seniors but it could include a weary mom or dad who might be stressed out over job worries, taking care of the kids, and all the rest.

* Residents of senior care facilities. In many cases, these folks are even having their meals served in their individual rooms. The need is an aching one for encouragement and spiritual uplift.  Letters, greeting cards, coloring pages made by your kids, Scripture cards -- you name it -- can be collected and sent to a senior care facility that you have contact with. Or, if you don't have one, ask us. You could even introduce your letters as coming from a Vital Signs Ministries event.

Let me give you an example that we learned of just today regarding the power of a single letter.

Last week we sent to all 12 of the facilities where we present our "When Swing Was King" shows (all cancelled, this month...and probably next) an entertainment--activity--encouragement pack which the activity directors then printed off and handed around to residents. Furthermore, we promised we would do something in this line every few days during the "Great Hunkering Down" period. Well, the results are coming in that not only were the activity directors very excited and appreciative about the idea, so are the residents themselves. This thrills us to no end.

And here is a letter that one of the A.D.s sent to us this morning written by one of the "When Swing Was King" fans. It was a direct response to our letter and the accompanying packet.

“Denny, Thank you and your wife for the items. I have told you before that your “Swing” show is my favorite entertainment at Aksarben. As a 93-year old WWII guy (my wife is 91), we related to the 40’s and 50’s songs. Thank you for your concern. Everyone has to 'hang tough' and stay positive!"

The A.D. then added, "I heard many others say how much they appreciated the letter from you! Thanks again!"

As we've said for almost 40 years of pro-life ministry, letters make a difference.

And finally, a third target group. 3) Caregivers. This would include doctors, nurses, med techs, pharmacists, and other medical workers. These people are also feeling the stress and so a letter or card with a word of thanks, encouragement, and promise to pray could mean an awful lot.

Can we measure the impact of our joint effort in writing letters? Not on this side of heaven. Nevertheless, we can encourage one another by joining in this team effort. You can do this by letting us know if you're in and how many cards or letters you sent. (We're considering the deadline for this particular "party" to be this Thursday noon.) And an added feature is that we are going to host a Zoom video cast get together on Friday evening at 7. If you're interested in that, let us know too.

By the way, if you’d like to see the first of our entertainment-activity-encouragement packets sent to the senior facilities, check out this Vital Signs Blog link

A Quarantine Activity Option

With all 12 of our "When Swing Was King" shows cancelled this month because of fears of the China coronavirus, we wanted to do a little something to help the residents of these senior care facilities occupy their time as well as to know that we are thinking of them and lifting prayers to God in their behalf. We began today by sending over an entertainment/activity/encouragement pack that the activity directors (who were very excited and appreciative about the idea) could then print off and hand around. We promised that we would do something in this line every few days during the "Great Hunkering Down" period.

Already planned for future installments are quizzes, trivia, quotations (including Scriptures), and even some copyright free crossword puzzles we found. We began today with creating a pop culture quiz, an American history quiz, and a small collection of quotations on friendship. And, for those of you who are interested (as well as those of you who are looking for a little respite from your own "quarantine boredom"), I print below what we sent over today.

By the way, you might want to consider a similar activity with a nursing home, hospital, or even friends that aren't able to get around much.

============================

Hey, friends! We are so sorry that we can’t present a “When Swing Was King”
show for you this month but the “Great Hunkering Down” of Spring 2020 has us all in its grip. And that’s okay. Because of the dangers represented by the Wuhan coronavirus, it makes perfect sense to do what we can to deal with it. Nevertheless, in addition to our fervent and frequent prayers for your safety and health, we also wanted to do something that might relieve a little of the boredom that the quarantine is creating. We thought, therefore, that a few quizzes and trivia might be of some interest to you. If you like them, we will go ahead and send over to you similar “activity items” every few days. May God pour out His mercies on you, on our caregivers and health officials, our political leaders, and on all those already dealing with not only the coronavirus but all other health issues.

Blessings,

Denny and Claire Hartford

American Pop Culture Quiz

1) Who created Desilu Productions?
a) Elvis Presley and Arthur Miller
b) Richard Nixon and Elizabeth Taylor
c) Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz
d) Frank Sinatra and John Wayne

2) The character Tonto is from which television show?
a) Dragnet
b) Hopalong Cassidy
c) The Lone Ranger
d) Lassie

3) This 1953 show has three ghosts, one of which can be described as a real booze-hound.
a) Topper
b) The Outer Limits
c) Love That Bob
d) Dark Shadows

4) Which television show is the phrase "Get out of Dodge" from?
a) The Jackie Gleason Show
b) Gunsmoke
c) Dinah Shore Show
d) Leave it to Beaver

5) This children's program had a carrot stealing rabbit and a sleeping/talking clock.
a) Ding Dong School
b) Romper Room
c) Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
d) Captain Kangaroo

6) In this show, you would often hear, "All we want are the facts, ma'am".
a) The Detectives starring Robert Taylor
b) Dragnet
c) The Adventures of Sam Spade
d) Adam 12

7) The sadder the story, the more applause for that person. And the one with the saddest story was usually the winner.
a) You Bet Your Life
b) To Tell The Truth
c) This is Your Life
d) Queen For a Day

8) Who hosted "American Bandstand"?
a) Dick Clark
b) Johnny Cash
c) Wink Martindale
d) Allen Ludden

9) Who narrated "The Twilight Zone"?
a) William Conrad
b) Jack Paar
c) Lowell Thomas
d) Rod Serling

10) Groucho Marx hosted what game show in the '50s?
a) What's My Line?
b) Father Knows Best
c) You Bet Your Life
d) The Today Show

ANSWERS:
1) c
2) c
3) a
4) b
5) d
6) b
7) d
8) a
9) d
10) c

American History Quiz

1) Who was Jackie Robinson?
2) Who was President of the United States during World War Two? (Look out, this is kind of a trick question.)
3) Who was Benny Goodman?
4) Who was Al Capone?
5) What general led the Confederate armies in the American Civil War?
6) Who led the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill?
7) Who was Clark Gable?
8) What was a U-boat?
9) Who was Charles Lindberg?
10) Who was Wyatt Earp?

ANSWERS:

1) Jackie Robinson was the first African-American allowed to play in major league baseball.
2) The Presidents of the United States during World War Two were Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
3) Benny Goodman was a big band clarinetist and bandleader.
4) Al Capone was a Chicago gangster of the 1920’s and 1930’s.
5) The general who led the Confederate forces in America's War Between the States was Robert E. Lee.
6) The Rough Riders were led up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War by Teddy Roosevelt.
7) Clark Gable was a movie star.
8) A U-boat was a German submarine.
9) Charles Lindbergh was a pioneer aviator; the first to fly solo over the Atlantic.
10) Wyatt Earp was an Old West lawman and gunfighter.

Wit & Wisdom -- On Friendship

“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.”
(St. Thomas Aquinas)

“A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and
admires the flowers in your garden.” (Anonymous)

“A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.”
(Proverbs 17:17)

“Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life.
Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend.”(Charles H. Spurgeon)

“Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.”
(Euripides)

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
(Colossians 3:13)

“Sometimes being with your best friend
is all the therapy you need.” (Anonymous)

“No friendship is an accident.” (O. Henry)

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way,
you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

“Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the
usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.” (Cicero)

Alternatives to the "Great Hunkering Down"

Church being cancelled last Sunday was the shot across the bow.  Yesterday’s directives from the governor and mayor prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people hit even closer.  But then this morning, when I pulled up at 6 in the Panera parking lot only to find that the public was locked out (except the drive-through), I realized there was going to be no escape from “The Great Hunkering Down” of Spring 2020.

Are we dealing here with an inevitable plague, the sword of the Wuhan CV dangling above us by a hair?  Or is this an overreaction steeped in panic, politics, corruption, conspiracy, nanny state bureaucracy, the domino effect of peer pressure, or a combination of any or all of the above?

Who knows? Not me, certainly. However, whatever the cause, there is no denying that the world is facing a terribly severe crisis.  So far in the U.S. this has meant economic disaster – no small thing, certainly – but (particularly in Italy), the Wuhan Coronavirus has taken thousands of lives.  Thus it is a plague of horrible proportions dealing out suffering and death, widespread economic erosion that could well become ruin, and increasing fear and despair.

How then should we respond?  Well, at the close of this note, I’m posting 4 links where I’ve found particularly helpful answers to this crucial question.  They are meaningful, hopeful, and imminently practical messages from Joni Eareckson Tada, Sean McDowell, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Dr. Abdhu Sharkawy. Please check them out.

The perspectives of these people spell out our basic and most important responsibilities in this present crisis.  Indeed, they are foundational.  However, I also think it helpful that we make plans to deal with the “Great Hunkering Down” part of the challenge; that is, how do we best “redeem the time” (as Scripture puts it) in these next few weeks in which school closings, event cancellations, quarantines, work from home orders, and social distancing are part of the scene.

So it is that my counsel here doesn’t concern hand-washing techniques, but rather how to avoid hand-wringing in worry or, what is sometimes just as bad, thumb-twiddling in boredom for the duration.  I have four general suggestions.

1)  Find better uses for your extra time than “binge watching” a television series which, as you are well aware, is one of the main recommendations popping up on your computer screens.  Instead of wasting these days in cultivating mindlessness, do something productive.  Have any home projects or your to-do list?  Anything like cleaning the windows?  Clearing out the drawers?  Lightening the load in your storage room, basement, or garage?  Preparation for lawn and garden projects?  Even in your entertainment choices, think creatively and in terms of true, lasting value.  Work on a jigsaw puzzle with the family.  Put a model together.  Read quality books.  Think of how much better off you’ll be, if and when normalcy returns, with productive projects completed and time well invested.

2) Service to others.  We will all be experiencing various degrees of quarantine (either self-imposed or frustratingly imposed upon us by others) but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend some of our “hunkering down” time in meaningful ministry.  Among the options?  Writing letters and cards.  Phone calls, especially to those who could use an uplifting word of encouragement.  Baking cookies or preparing in-home meals for seniors and others – even if the “social distancing” might mean you freeze them for later distribution.  You get the idea.  Look for opportunities and the Lord will provide them.

3) Be careful where you get your news.  A major reason for the panic being felt by the American public is because of the panic-heavy agenda promoted by the alarm-loving, leftist media.  So, for your own sakes as well as all of those in your sphere of influence, find the best (that is, fact-based) information on the virus and its effects.  My recommendations?  Power Line, The Federalist, Daily Signal, Fox News, the Stream and yes, the White House website.

And finally, and certainly not the least crucial, 4) Prayer.  However, this isn’t just a repetition of the theme as you’ll see it in the links I’m providing below.  No, here too I’d like to encourage you with a few practical helps.  For instance, connect your worries to quick prayers; that is, throughout the day, as you hear or read virus-related news items, pause and say a prayer.  But also take two or three times a day to more carefully pray for God’s deliverance, strength, and holy purposes to be revealed to mankind.  Thank Him for His sovereignty and wisdom.  Thank Him for the glorious and secure reality of heaven.  And pray that the crisis be a marvelous awakening of non-believers and backslidden Christians.  Other options?  Take a prayer walk.  Make a call and spend a few minutes in prayer with a friend.  Be a bright example to your kids of how to go confidently and joyfully before God in moments of trial.


Guys, the “Great Hunkering Down” doesn’t have to be the description of our lives in these next few weeks. Instead, it can be a time of spiritual peace, growth, and genuine accomplishment.  And, as we pursue holy purposes in this time of challenge, we are presenting a winsome witness to a frightened, confused world.  Let’s do it.

Those links?

1) A Calming Word During the Coronavirus by Joni Eareckson-Tada

2) A Calming Word During the Coronavirus by Sean McDowell

3) 3 Billy Graham Quotes to Help Fight Coronavirus Fears from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

4) Letter from Toronto: An Infectious Diseases Specialist Reflects on COVID-19 by Dr. Abdhu Sharkawy.

The "Musts" from the "Must Read" File

Okay, my "must read' list has been growing higher and higher in my bookmarks file until I finally got round to it this afternoon. The result? I've pared down the 38 "must reads" into the 8 "must must reads." How's that for discipline? Here they are, all of them articles of insight, eloquence, and practicality.

* "The Greatest Fear Is Fear Itself" (Conrad Black, American Greatness)

* "Abortion Industry To Supreme Court: Women Don’t Need Safety Standards When Their Wombs Are Being Scraped Out" (Margot Cleveland, Federalist)

* "'Trump Lies' -- And Other Misleading Statements We Are Fed" (Shane Idelman, The Stream)

* "How Bad Is Antisemitism In Europe? Surveys Suggest It’s Rampant" (Melissa Langsam Braunstein, Federalist)

* "How Democrats Get Away with Justifying Infanticide" (Alexandra DeSanctis, National Review)

* "California Is a Cruel Medieval State" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

* "Setting the Record Straight on the Climate Debate" (Mark Mendlovitz, The Pipeline)

* "Obama’s Homeland Security IG Indicted On Fraud, Theft Charges" (Tristan Justice, Federalist)

The Next P.A.L. Night Is Coming Soon!

Hey -- mark your calendars.

The next Vital Signs Ministries letter-writing party (a terrific event proven over the last 35 years to be an effective way to advocate for pro-life and pro-family causes) will be held at Denny & Claire Hartford's home on Monday evening, March 23rd at 7:00 PM.

We provide letter targets, relevant information, stationary and cards, envelopes, stamps, and delicious treats to sustain your writing strength and uplift your spirits!

Interested in joining the team for this splendid outreach? Let us know!

The Uneven Playing Field: Illustrative Articles from Recent Days

* "Pro-Lifers’ Social Media Bans Are Too Numerous To Not Be Censorship" (Lila Rose, The Federalist)

* "Phil Haney: My Friend and Colleague, Assassinated" (James Simpson, American Thinker)

* "Lawsuit: 1.6K Dead People Registered to Vote in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" (John Binder, Breitbart)

* "New Impeachment Rules Would Snare Obama" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

* "Pro-Life Group Exposes How Companies Like Nike, AT&T, Macys and Microsoft Support Abortion" (Tony Perkins, LifeNews.com)

* "Corporations Killing Their Customers – Literally" (Justin Danhof, Breitbart)

* "Why Public Schools Are So Likely To Teach Leftist Propaganda" (Auguste Meyrat, Federalist)

* "Mike Bloomberg Donated $14 Million Planned Parenthood, Would Fund Killing 23,154 Babies in Abortions" (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* "Judge Tosses Defamation Suit In Svetlana Lokhova Spygate Case" (Margot Cleveland, The Federalist)

The Longing for Paradise

The final song in our February “When Swing Was King” program was Judy Garland’s gorgeous 1939 rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”  It is, as you well know, a hauntingly beautiful song, one that underscores the human yearning for home, beauty, innocence and wonder.  Our audiences love it…and we do too.

Nevertheless, it must be said that when the song ends, the listener is left only with the yearning, a sweet wishful longing that there might be a place of safety and bliss “somewhere over the rainbow” instead of this dark, troublesome, and increasingly decadent world we live in now. Actually, there are many songs that touch our hearts in this same way, songs that resonate with our oh-so-human longing for beauty, love, purity, and peace.  “There’s a Place for Us.”  “Somewhere, My Love.”  “Rainbow Connection.”  “A Summer Place.”  “Up, Up and Away.”  “Moon River.” “Bali Hai.” “There’s a New World Coming.”

 What is behind this? I believe Randy Alcorn points to the answer in his marvelous book, Heaven. Writes Randy, “We are homesick for Eden. We're nostalgic for what is implanted in our hearts. It's built into us.”  He adds, “Desire is a signpost pointing to heaven…I’ve never been to heaven, yet I miss it. Eden is in my blood. And the best things of earth are souvenirs of Eden, appetizers of the New Earth.”

 Donald Bloesch in his Theological Notebook (1989) writes, “Man’s greatest affliction is not anxiety, or even guilt, but rather homesickness – a nostalgia or ineradicable yearning to be at home with God.”

 I couldn't agree more with these remarks. Indeed, two of my favorite authors C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton also speak of his matter eloquently and often. The undeniable fact is that man is created in the image of God and is wired for paradise. We lost Eden through sin but God, in His great mercy and to glorify His Name, has offered mankind something even better than Adam’s garden. Through the promise of the gospel, the Lord offers us the wholeness, security, love, and bliss which will be ours forever in the New Jerusalem. Wow. And wow again.

So, while I certainly wouldn’t suggest you stop loving songs like “Moon River” or “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” I do urge you to remind yourself often of the rock-solid reality that is our eternal inheritance, one that the apostle Peter describes as “imperishable and undefiled [which] will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” And, in celebration of that immeasurably wonderful home that awaits us (a home that our Lord Jesus is personally creating and customizing for us), may I offer you a song full of confident, joyful expectations of that stronger, weightier, infinitely more beautiful home beyond. It is performed, by the way, by a dear sister who has even now begun to enjoy her inheritance in the glorious presence of Jesus.

O Tempora O Mores! (The Last Week of February List)

* "Wokeness, Free Speech, and the Role of Education" (Roger Kimball, American Greatness)

* "The Terrorists Migrating into Europe" (Judith Bergman, Gatestone Institute)

* "Obama’s Bird-Killing Death Machines Bad for Environment" (Andrew Stiles, Washington Free Beacon)

* "Sesame Street: Brought to You by the Letters L-G-B-T" (Tony Perkins, FRC Action)

* "Millennials and the False Gospel of Politics" (John Stonestreet & Shane Morris, BreakPoint)

* "Bernie Sanders just loves America's enemies" (Rich Lowry, Jewish World Review)

* "Teachers Union Demands Kids Share Bathrooms With Transgender Educators" (M.D. Kittle, Daily Signal)

O Tempora O Mores! (The Latest Compilation)

* "Bernie Sanders defends Fidel Castro's socialist Cuba" (Vandana Rambaran, Fox News)

* "Europe's New Academic Fascism" (Giulio Meotti, Gatestone Institute)

* "Yale against Western Art" (Heather Mac Donald, Quillette)

* "Ohio Court Orders Christian Professor To Use Trans Pronouns Or Lose His Job" (Chad Felix Greene, The Federalist)

* "Trump signs memorandum diverting more water to California farmers" (Andrew O'Reilly, Fox News)

* "The Moral Crisis of Skid Row" (Christopher F. Rufo, City Journal)

* "The Curious Case of America’s Suicide Crisis" (Charles Fain Lehman, Washington Free Beacon)

Current Events, Current Controversies

I was delighted at the invitation to speak last Sunday afternoon about “current events” to a group of Christian seniors at the monthly dinner they have together after their church service.  Among the group were several people we know and admire and so it was a special honor for me.  The general purpose of my talk was to encourage my colleagues (and myself) to take seriously the duty Christ gives us to be salt and light in our rapidly decaying culture.  I’m printing below a condensed (and otherwise edited) version of my remarks.

 “Do you remember the TV show from the early 60s called ‘That Was the Week That Was’?  It was a combination news, commentary, and comedy program that originated in Great Britain.  Anyhow, as much as that program jammed in every week, it would have certainly been hard pressed to handle all the happenings from this past week.  Think about it. The week started off with the biggest sporting event in the world, the Super Bowl.  Now, I must tell you, since even before the shameful Colin Kaepernick business, I’ve been off the NFL.  I haven’t seen a single game, including the Super Bowl, for several years now.  I’ve been told this one was one of the most exciting and entertaining ever.  Terrific. Of course, I’ve also been told that the excitement level was substantially ratcheted up by a soft porn halftime show that was, even by modern television standards, a new low in decadence, tastelessness, and sexism. And there’s no excuse of a “wardrobe malfunction” this time around; these outfits and strutting stripper moves were all carefully planned beforehand. Good grief.

But again, all of that was just on Sunday, the first day of this remarkably roaring week. The very next day came a bombshell, the live and on-air announcement of a stage four cancer diagnosis affecting one of the most influential media figures of our time, Rush Limbaugh.  On Tuesday night there was a profoundly upbeat and inspiring State of the Union message from the President of the United States.  Both the speech and the introduction of the President’s special guests in the gallery were stirring celebrations of America’s success and ideals.

Nevertheless, a most remarkable counterpoint to that speech was played out at the same time for the millions of Americans watching; namely, the petulant, almost mindless discourtesy shown by the Democrats there in the Capitol.  I mean, obstinately sitting on your bottoms and refusing to applaud great economic news is one thing (though a terribly mean-spirited thing it was) but obstinately sitting on your bottoms and refusing to applaud the reunion of a military family, or the president-in-exile of Venezuela, or a 100 year-old Tuskegee airman who the President had just promoted to Brigadier General? Are you kidding? Those were truly over-the-top displays of unpatriotic, schoolyard crudeness.

And yet, that wasn’t the end of the insults to America we saw before our eyes. No, there was still to come the unbelievable sight of the Speaker of the House brazenly ripping up the official government document that was her copy of the State of the Union address. It was a moment America will never forget.

But this momentous week had plenty more in store for us; most notably, the Senate acquittal of President Trump from the national nightmare that had been the Democrats’ very expensive, quite unjust impeachment efforts. The following day the headlines (even that of the old guard liberal media) were full of the Democrat’s fiasco in the Iowa Caucuses and that was followed by a major court victory in which 230 Congressional Democrats were strikingly rebuffed in another of their efforts to smear the President.

Finally, President Trump appeared at the National Prayer Breakfast and a ‘victory lap’ press conference. At both of these widely reported events, the President showed himself understandably boisterous and bubbly but, most regrettably, he also made comments that were boorish and coarse. Now I am a consistent supporter of and cheerleader for President Trump and the unprecedented conservatism of his administration. Nevertheless, as with anyone, we need to call him out when we think he’s dropped the ball.

As I wrote on my Facebook page, “President Trump's performance both at the prayer breakfast and at his ‘victory lap’ news conference seriously detracted from what was otherwise a fantastic week for him and the conservative cause. That week could have been even sweeter for him and perhaps won new friends had he spoke with more kindness and class. So, c'mon, Mr. President; stay above the fray and don't let the Democrats get to you. After all, you're winning. But we need you (and the true conservatives in Congress and other political offices around the country) to win yet more goodwill, more momentum, and more votes.”

So, I’ll repeat myself – it was an amazing, surprising, seriously important week. Yet there was one more important item occurring last week and I’m going to guess it’s something you haven’t heard anything about.  It is this – the esteemed evangelist, humanitarian, and prophetic Christian leader Franklin Graham was given notice that all six of the public stadiums in Great Britain at which he was contracted to deliver gospel addresses this spring cancelled his appearances.  The reason was pressure brought against Rev. Graham from LGBQT and Muslim leaders.  Talk about strange bedfellows.  Indeed, one wonders what possibly could bring such two startlingly disparate groups together in a common cause?  The answer, of course, is a fear of and disdain for orthodox Christianity.

But wait; this terribly sad state of affairs becomes worse still when you learn that these cancellations found approval with many Christian leaders in Great Britain!  That’s right, Christian clerics (self labeled as such, anyway) have joined the wicked chorus which condemned Rev. Graham for being bigoted, homophobic, divisive, intolerant, misogynistic, and ad nauseum.  And, to tar him yet further, British newspapers are pleased to show graphic “evidence” of Rev. Graham’s being on the wrong side of morality; namely, photos of him in conversation with (gasp) Donald Trump. Case closed. Shut him up and ship him home.

Consider the tragic irony. The nation of John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, the Mayflower Pilgrims, William Wilberforce, William Carey, Thomas More, Hudson Taylor, G.K. Chesterton, John Wesley, Hannah More, George Müller, Charles Spurgeon, C. S. Lewis, William and Catherine Booth, Gladys Aylward, Mary Slessor, Eric Liddell, Amy Carmichael, Isaac Newton, John Bunyan, Florence Nightingale, Malcolm Muggeridge, and so on is now banning the open airing of Christian doctrine. And so-called Christians are in full-throttle agreement with such a thing.

I’m especially grieved to say that many evangelical leaders are accepting this unprecedented act of intolerance without a whisper of alarm or protest. Some are even joining in the thoroughly bogus castigation of Rev. Graham. Why? Because even formerly conservative voices within Catholic and evangelical churches are desperate nowadays to go along with the crowd, to avoid making any waves, to blend in as much as possible with the culture (sinister and decadent though it may be) so that they may hold onto, as Francis Schaeffer would have put it, their “personal peace and affluence.” These church leaders are deeply afraid of confrontation; they are worried about anything smacking of controversy; and so they are committed to providing safe and comfortable spaces for their congregations to “worship.” Salt? Light? Speaking truth to a dying world? Uh, no thanks.

Instead of Christian orthodoxy and strict obedience to Holy Scripture’s lifestyle commands, modern church leaders prefer an approach to religion that emphasizes enthusiastic, feel-good music – music that entertains and encourages positive emotions in the moment. They also present sermons strong on self-esteem, happiness, and spiritual feelings. And they create plenty of fellowship opportunities that provide the same things, including the occasional service opportunity -- provided it’s not too taxing and definitely nothing that might be considered politically incorrect.

Is it any wonder then why so many Christians who take seriously the deep importance of Scriptures that apply to social and political matters find themselves disappointed, frustrated, even angered by their church leaders? Should anyone be surprised by the move of these believers to sources like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Dennis Prager, and conservative websites that champion the practice and promotion of biblical values in the public square? After all, the pressing issues of our day include abortion, the most bizarre of sexual perversions (even the biological reality of gender), religious freedom, protection of conscience, euthanasia, socialism, free speech, immigration, the wildly inaccurate claims under the banner of “climate change” which are used as excuses to steal once-guaranteed freedoms, lawlessness, and so on. They are what everyone talks about (except in church); they are what children are being constantly indoctrinated about in government schools; they are what elections are decided over; they are the weighty matters that will determine the course of society’s future.

Yet the Christian so often looks in vain to his or her church leaders for answers and counsel about these enormously important issues, let alone being left without a principled course or example of response. Thus, the movement of interest and, eventually, loyalty and passion for the sources who do help such Christians to understand and relevantly act, as the Bible commands, to “strengthen the things that remain.”

So, in the light (perhaps, I should say, in the twilight) of this surrender to worldliness, how do we meet the daunting challenge to live for God? When not only the general irreligious culture is arrayed against us, but also when our own churches tend to be drifting downstream with whatever tides are fashionable, what do we do to hold the line of faithfulness to Bible doctrine, personal holiness, and a courageous witness for Jesus Christ?

As many of you know, I address this matter with some frequency. After all, being a Christian pro-life activist for 40 years, reminding my fellow believers in Christ of such biblical admonitions as “occupying” until Jesus comes, speaking the truth in love, “doing” justice, delivering those being dragged away to death, preaching the Word (that is, the whole counsel of God) in season and out of season, not participating in wicked deeds but rather exposing them, keeping one’s light from being hidden by a bushel basket, etc. are not only necessary calls to action for the prophetic ministry to which I have been called, but they are of enduring importance to every Christian’s sanctification, blessings, and eternal rewards.

Here are the basics. Be committed to an active and ever more consistent sanctification. Read, study, and seek to diligently put into practice the Word. Improve your life of prayer. Engage in purposeful fellowship with the sharpest saints you can find -- saints who are more eagles than ostriches when it comes to living out their faith in the public square. Be involved in ministries that reflect biblical priorities. And work hard to remain unstained by the world. Indeed, a counter-cultural lifestyle is what the Lord requires of His peculiar people, His chosen nation, His royal priesthood.

Simple to do? Of course not. But, by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is doable. And men and women who love the Lord and courageously, winsomely, and joyfully display his standard to the world are what it so desperately needs. More wonderful still, such saints are those who the Lord Jesus will reward throughout heaven’s eternity. Last week was a truly astonishing week though most of us, if we were to go by the silence of our churches on these matters, would never have known it. Nevertheless, by our faithfulness as informed Christian activists, we can make every week a significant, even supernatural, one for his glory. Let’s do so.

On the Issue of Forgiveness: A Correspondence

One of the blessings of Claire and I being in Great Britain last October was enjoying a stimulating luncheon conversation at a Manchester "carvery" with our old friend Stuart Cunliffe. Stuart is a pro-life colleague, a prayer warrior, an evangelist, and a well-informed observer of how the Church is interacting with the culture.

Stuart once hosted a blog to which I occasionally linked articles, but he has "wound down" quite a bit from that practice in recent years. And so, we discussed an idea over lunch that we might perhaps team up every once in awhile with a joint effort; namely, posting some of the correspondence between us. We will see how it goes and how it is received by others...beginning with this first experiment. Thus, I print one of Stuart's recent letters to me (in red type) and my reply (in blue type.) Let's get started.

Dear Denny,

When I accepted Christ I knew all my sins were forgiven. Old things passed away. Everything became new. I knew I had a fresh beginning. I was washed clean.

God forgives. But there is one thing He requires. He requires us to forgive others. “If you forgive men their trespasses,” said Jesus, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker’s daughter, was sent to a concentration camp by the Nazis for helping Jews. After the war -- she survived; her father and a sister did not -- she travelled the world speaking about God’s love. After she spoke at a church in Germany one day, a man came over. “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein,” he said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

She recognised him. He was a former concentration camp guard at Ravensbruck. Suddenly it all came back -- the mocking men, the piles of clothing, her sister’s pain-blanched face.

The man had his arm extended to shake her hand. Her hand stayed by her side. Lord Jesus, she prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

She couldn’t. Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts went through her mind, she recognised the sinfulness of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man. Was she going to ask for more? Again, she breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

As she took his hand, the most incredible thing happened. From her shoulder, along her arm and through her hand a current seemed to pass from her to him, while in her heart there sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed her.

“I forgive you!” she cried out. It was then she realised that the world’s healing doesn’t depend on our forgiveness, any more than on our goodness, but on His. When He commands us to love our enemies, He gives us, along with the command, the love to do it.

Is forgiveness a process, or is it a decision? Why is forgiveness important?  Will not forgiving others affect our Christian walk?

What do you think?

My regards to your wife.

Stuart.

-----

Hey, Stuart,

What a challenging account from Sister ten Boom.  Thank you for sending it over.

I believe you are spot on to underscore the importance of a Christian forgiving those who sin against him.  It is one of the hard duties of a disciple of Jesus – hard in the sense of being strongly contrary to our natural bent.  But Christ asks us nothing that we cannot actually perform.  He commands us nothing that we cannot faithfully obey.  And this is possible because He has given us (in addition to the matchless gift of forgiveness from our own sin) the power of the Holy Spirit to live above our natural selves.  He has made us new creatures, genuinely “born again,” with a brand new, spotlessly clean heart in which the Spirit dwells and inspires and empowers.  Forgiving others is a task the non-Christian simply cannot do.  However, the believer who can utilize the power of the Holy Spirit can do this otherwise impossible task.

But do we?  Do we accept the Lord’s command or do we instead stay sullenly in our flesh, acting as if we have not been wholly redeemed from our own wicked deeds and attitudes…and as if the Lord’s provision of the Spirit to obey His directives doesn’t exist?

The Corrie ten Boom story you relate vividly illustrates how we too often answer the above questions in the negative. But her story also emphasizes how we can, by God’s ongoing graces to us, overcome our natural selves and act instead like the heavenly children He has redeemed and empowered us to be. Hallelujah. 

Your closing questions are also provocative, Stuart.  Is forgiveness a process or is it a decision?  Is it important and does it affect our daily lives of sanctification.  It’s clear, of course, that you ask those questions not because you are looking for the answers but rather to stimulate me (and others who might look over our shoulders at the letters we exchange) to consider the important implications.  For, knowing you as I do and being aware of your life of steady purpose in following the Lord’s leading, you believe that:  a) Yes, forgiveness is a PROCESS in that the disciple of Christ becomes quicker to forgive and more consistent to forgiver as, over time, they know more and better act upon the Word of God.  

b) Yet, forgiveness is also a DECISION, more accurately, an ongoing series of decisions.  Spirituality is never automatic.  It always involves our will, our conscious action to trust biblical teaching over our own inclinations.  We will undoubtedly choose wrong sometimes and thus sin.  We will “go our own way” instead of His.  But God is yet merciful and, we confess those sins, He will give us a clean slate, a fresh start, and supernatural assistance to do the right thing next time.

And c) Yes, forgiveness affects all of our walk with Christ and so it is profoundly important.  Like any other sin, a lack of forgiveness will quench the Spirit’s power in our lives, deny us the comfort of free and intimate fellowship with the Lord, besmirch our public witness for God, and steal from us (for that period of time, we remain in sin) the heavenly rewards we would otherwise be storing up.

So, thank you, my dear friend for this stirring reminder of how critical forgiveness is – both our grateful reception of it because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and our duty to express to others the effects of God’s grace to us.  Stay the course, brother. And I will look forward to our next letter exchange.

Your Nebraska friend, 

Denny

Thursday's Compilation

* "Actress Patricia Heaton slams Dems' 'barbaric platform' on abortion" (Sam Dorman, Fox News)

* "Swarms of Locusts Sweep Across Africa: 'Most Devastating Plague' in Memory" (Rick Moran, PJ Media)

* "The Facts About Trump That Are Deadly For Democrats" (Editorial Board, Issues and Insights)

* "Florida man who drove van into GOP tent didn’t like Trump, says ‘someone had to take a stand’: arrest report" (Stephen Sorace, Fox News)

* "Once Again, Big Businesses Side With LGBT Activists" (Tony Perkins, Daily Signal)

* "Roger Stone jury foreperson's anti-Trump social media posts surface after she defends DOJ prosecutors" (Gregg Re, Fox News)

* "Switzerland votes to criminalize 'homophobia'" (Jeanne Smits, Life Site News)

“When Swing Was King:” Enriching the Lives of Heartland Seniors

“When Swing Was King: The Sights and Sounds of the Big Band Era” is a sentimental journey back to the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the heady days of youth for most of the residents of today’s retirement centers and nursing homes. It is a wholesome, fun program that brings comfort, awakens memories, and lifts spirits.

There are currently 23 volumes (including a special Christmas edition) in the "When Swing Was King" series, each running about 45 minutes and containing 12 different songs. Every volume includes music from such greats as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Artie Shaw. Also showing up in the mix are such popular singers as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Helen Forrest, Doris Day, and the Mills Brothers. And while the music plays, the audience enjoys some 160-180 pictures of the era’s musicians, cars, films, ads, celebrities, household furnishings, and more on the big screen in front of them.

“When Swing Was King” has been enthusiastically received by both residents and staff in every facility where it’s been presented. Here are a few examples:

"From the first song you played till the last, my legs and feet wouldn't keep still. And on some of those songs, other parts were moving that hadn't moved in quite awhile! What great music and such memories!" (Resident)

"'When Swing Was King' is a much enjoyed special event in our facility. Our residents look forward to this time of musical reminiscence...The quality of this presentation is awesome. I am so grateful to Denny and Claire for enhancing our activity calendar. I appreciate their kindness in sharing their time and talent." (Activities director, Lindenwood Nursing Home)

"That brought back so many memories, both sad and happy. I'm going to be thinking about this the whole afternoon. Thank you so much for coming. It was the best program we've ever had here." (Resident)

"This reminded me so well of the good old days. Why, I hadn't heard Vaughn Monroe or the Andrews Sisters for I can't remember when. Thank you. This was really grand." (Resident)

"Our residents love 'When Swing was King.' They await the program all morning and enjoy reminiscing about it after it is through. It’s like a window to the past and can get all of them reminiscing about those times. The pictures and the music are wonderful! We look forward to ‘When Swing was King’ every month! Thanks, Claire and Denny!" (Activities director, Skyline Retirement Community)

"We have no way to hear this music anymore. They don't play it on the radio and I don't have the records anymore. Thank you for bringing it to us. Please come back soon." (Resident)

"Denny and Claire do a fantastic job bringing to life the big band music with a Power Point presentation of photo clips from the ‘30s through the ‘50s which they designed themselves. Denny also narrates between the songs, sharing fascinating facts and trivia about the singers and music which make it very interesting and educational...The residents absolutely love to hear, see and experience ‘When Swing Was King!’” (Activities director, Assisted Living at Immanuel Courtyard)

"Where did you find all of those pictures? And the music! If I could have danced, I sure would have! This was delightful. Please come back again and again." (Resident)

“When Swing Was King” is fun. It’s festive. And it’s free! It is our thank-you to America’s “greatest generation” for their efforts in building, defending and enriching our nation.

“When Swing Was King” is presented by Denny and Claire Hartford of Vital Signs Ministries, a Christian organization that, throughout it’s 38 years of service, has provided various programs for nursing home residents. “When Swing Was King” is their newest program but it is clearly the most popular of all. Initially conceived as a ministry to Denny’s mother and her friends who lived at Life Care Center of Omaha, the program quickly created a buzz and the Hartfords started receiving requests from other facilities. The Hartfords now present “When Swing Was King” at 11 facilities every month. They provide all the equipment necessary for the program: the screen, Power Point projector, laptop computer, speakers, and even promotional posters for display in the facilities.

For more information, please contact us soon.

Reality Check: The Latest Compilation

* "America’s Quiet Policing Crisis: In many cities, forces are shrinking—and that could spell trouble for public safety." (Charles Fain Lehman, City Journal)

* "Trump Wins Again" (Kyle Smith, National Review)

* "Clarence Thomas’s Life Repudiates The Left’s Hatred Of America" (Joy Pullmann, Federalist)

* "The Era of Limbaugh" (Matthew Continetti, Washington Free Beacon)

* "Trashing America as racist won’t help Democrats beat Trump" (John Podhoretz, New York Post)

* "RINO Romney's Desperate Attempt to Be Relevant Again (Re His Ludicrous Position to Justify Impeachment Vote)" (Vital Signs Blog)

* "What Does Mitt Romney Even Stand For? An Investigation" (Christopher Bedford, Federalist)

Reality Check (Ongoing Series)

* "Seattle’s Liberal Reckoning" (Robert W. Merry, The American Conservative)

* "How To Raise A 'Strong Daughter In A Toxic Culture'" (Holly Scheer, Federalist)

* "How the New Christian Left Is Twisting the Gospel" (Chelsea Vicari, Charisma News)

* "Female flogging force unveiled in Indonesia to publicly punish women who violate Sharia law" (Stephen Sorace, Fox News)

* "A Threat to Humanity" (Guy Sorman, City Journal)

* "Climate Worship Is Nothing More Than Rebranded Paganism" (Sumantra Maitra, Federalist)

* "San Francisco official in charge of cleaning up city's filthy streets arrested" (Morgan Phillips, Fox News)

* "In Retrospect: Amity Shlaes’s brilliant history of 1960s welfare programs and the flawed vision that underpinned them" (Edward Short, City Journal)

* "Stalin at Yale" (James Panero, Spectator USA)

* "'Never Again' again and again" (Jeff Jacoby Boston Globe)

RINO Romney's Desperate Attempt to Be Relevant Again (Re His Ludicrous Position to Justify Impeachment Vote)

Okay, Senator Romney, just last week you were insisting that more witnesses were needed for President Trump's impeachment. You wanted more information, more testimony, more evidence to see if an impeachable offense had, in fact, been perpetrated.

But now, without that evidence forthcoming, you decide Trump is guilty. I guess the facts didn't really matter to you after all, did they?

No, you can't have it both ways, Mr. Senator. Well, unless you don't mind underscoring for the public once again that you are not a man of reason, not a man of principle, not a man who takes justice (or even truth) at all seriously.

You know, Senator, I haven't done any thinking about you since you lied your way through a weak field in 2007 to secure the Republican nomination for the presidential election. You made it -- but only to then to fabricate, fritter, fumble, and faintheartedly furnish to Barack Obama all he needed to take the prize.

But just to make sure my memories served me correctly about you, Mr. Senator, I just scanned through Vital Signs Blog posts from 2007.  Here are titles to just a few of those posts with, in a few instances, a blurb from the contents.

"Uh...About Those Judges Romney Appointed"

At a speech in Davie Monday hosted by the conservative Federalist Society, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney defended passing over GOP lawyers for judicial appointments when he was governor of Massachusetts.

Of the 36 lawyers Romney nominated, 23 were registered Democrats or independents who donated to Democratic candidates or voted in Democratic primaries, according to a Boston Globe analysis that was circulated by rival Fred Thompson. Two appointees supported expanding gay rights.

'Romney's clear affinity for liberal activist Democrats on the bench in Massachusetts doesn't match well with the Federalist Society's belief in judges who `say what the law is, not what it should be,' '' Thompson spokesman Jeff Sadosky said in a written statement....

"Flips, Flops and Fibs: Mitt Romney and Abortion"

"Romney's Serious 'Tonight Show' Mistakes"

...The first unusual step Romney took was in bringing up (on his own) the fact that until 1978 the Latter Day Saints excluded blacks from becoming priests. He spoke of how he had to pull his car over to the side of the road to weep with gratitude when he heard the news on his radio.

That anecdote, of course, presents Romney as a man of proper sentiments. But sentiment alone doesn't make for a good president. Intelligence, discernment and courage count too. And, on that score, Romney's story simply reminded Americans that his "inner feelings" about racial equality were never strong enough to cause him to break from (or evenly openly criticize) his discriminatory religion. And, by the way, when this event happened, Romney wasn't just a dutiful, impressionable kid in a Mormon home. He was 30 years old, a graduate from a joint JD/MBA program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, and a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc., a management-consulting firm based in Boston.

Again, it wasn't the best moment for Romney to recall...

"Yawn: Romney's Religion Speech Doesn't Deliver Much"

"He of the Long Nose? Mitt Romney's Troubling Exaggerations"

"This Is a Win? Romney Loses 80 Counties."

The mainstream media is celebrating Mitt Romney's 8-vote win in Iowa. But that's no surprise; they have preferred him from the very start.

Why?

Because Mitt Romney will be the easiest candidate for Barack Obama to beat come next November.

"Mitt Romney Gives How Much to Mormonism?"

With those Mitt Romney tax returns finally made public, we learn that he and his wife donated a total of $8.73 million to the Mormon religion -- over just the last two years.

"It's That One Extra Step That Causes Him The Trouble": CBS Highlights Romney's Exaggerations

"Mitt Romney's Immoral Investments"

"Obama's Sex Ed Ideas Are Foolish...But is Romney the Right One to Criticize?

"I was governor four years,' said Romney. "I never had one person coming to me and say, 'You know what, governor, I'm concerned about something.' What's that? 'I'm concerned about sex education. I'm concerned my kids aren't learning enough about sex.' I never heard that."

Romney may have never heard that because Massachusetts -- the state where he served as governor from 2003 to 2007 -- has a decidedly progressive sex education curriculum. Under the state's non-binding framework, school districts can begin working towards the state's sex education goals as early as pre-kindergarten.

By the end of the fifth grade, it not only encourages schools to teach children the basics about puberty and the reproductive system, it also encourages them to know how to define "sexual orientation using the correct terminology (such as heterosexual, and gay and lesbian)." Before the end of fifth grade, the Massachusetts framework also aims to teach children about inappropriate touching.

While Romney had absolutely nothing to do with the development of the state's sex education curriculum, which was put into place more than three years before he became governor, Romney senior advisor Eric Fehrnstrom confirmed to ABC News that Romney did not take any efforts to undo it either...

A Quick Review of the March for Life (In Photos)

As always, Claire and I were humbled, challenged, and inspired by participating in the Walk for Life in Lincoln and the National March for Life in Washington, D.C. the following Friday. Here are some of the photos from those activities.

Monday's List of Pretty Important Stuff

* "Donald Trump and the mythmakers" (Caroline B. Glick, Israel Hayom)

* "Thief who robbed four banks is FREED on New York's no-bail policy - then knocks over another bank 24 hours after shouting 'I can't believe they let me out'" (Ralph Ortega, Daily Mail)

* "Banned in Aspen and 25 other towns; newspaper chain fires its only conservative" (Glenn K. Beaton, The Aspen Beat)

* "One Month Before Iowa Caucus, State University Bans Students From Emailing About Politics" (Chrissy Clark, The Federalist)

* "Why Trump will win again in 2020" (Victor Davis Hanson. Spectator USA)

* "Religious People Think Democrats Will Strip Our Rights Because It’s True" (Casey Chalk, The Federalist)

* "Dems silent on Iran protests as demonstrators blame regime, not Trump, for plane crash" (Ronn Blitzer, Fox News)