After all, the Democrats were the party of slavery and the Confederacy, the party of Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan, the party that fought tooth and bloody nail against voting rights, desegregation, and the Civil Rights Act.
And even today it is the Democrat Party that champions and enables Planned Parenthood, the mega-abortion business that is brutally destroying hundreds of thousands of preborn babies of color every year.
Sigh.
Sure, this is a post I've presented before. But its relevance to us all is timeless. Feel free to pass it along.
Here are ten practical exhortations to keep your marriage sharp, happy, and as effective a ministry as it can be.
10) Take Nothing for Granted.
Routine can be comfortable but it can also wreck spontaneity, passion, gratitude, and fun. So be careful. Cultivate a spirit of appreciation for one another. Understand that true love isn’t mere sentiment. It is action and thus requires time, effort and dedication. My friends in Belarus have a saying that fits here: “A wife isn’t a guitar. You can’t play with her awhile and then hang her on the wall!”
9) Build Up Your Marriage Partner.
Discover the compliments that are especially meaningful to your spouse and use them often. Expressions of gratitude, affection, and praise should be business as usual between the two of you...including in public. Billy Sunday, the major league infielder turned evangelist once advised husbands, “Try praising your wife...even if it does frighten her at first!” Convince one another that you are their best friend and their biggest fan. Don’t worry about their ego getting too big -- life will take care of that. For your part, you can’t be too much of a cheerleader for your spouse.
8) Hang Out with Godly People.
The company you keep is a far more important factor in a successful marriage than most people realize. Don’t underestimate it. Develop friendships as a couple with people who take seriously the things of God. Such friendships will be of immeasurable help in providing accountability, inspiration, assistance, and, as the Scriptures put it, the “stimulation to love and good deeds.”
7) Keep the TV in its Proper Place.
Don’t be fooled. People do become what they watch and listen to. And modern television presents an awful lot that is contrary to the spiritual values you’ll need to keep your conscience clean, your adventure with Christ active, and your romance pure and strong. Furthermore, don’t let the TV steal time that could be better spent in other ways. TV can sometimes be an innocent friend, but it can more often be a powerful distraction - even a tyrant. So beware the power of the tube. (This warning, of course, applies to the computer and phone too.)
6) Never Criticize Your Spouse in Public.
And I do mean, never! Anger, mockery, sarcasm, embarrassment -- these shouldn’t be part of your relationship, period. But when these things occur in front of an audience, it can create loads of hurt, a lot of resentment, and it can severely damage the trust, respect, and intimacy that every strong marriage needs.
5) Pray.
Become comfortable in praying together...not just in crises or during church services or with the kids at bedtime. Rather, pray together throughout the week as an expression of your union as a couple with God. And pray with a willingness to take the actions God directs you to. Also, developing a pattern of praying together will be a tremendous help to the next item in the list.
4) Fight Fair.
Conflicts and confrontations are going to occur. That’s natural and it’s no big deal if you observe some basic rules - rules that are simply applications of the vows you took on your wedding day. Examples? No rage, no threats, no leaving the house, no name-calling, no whining, no comparison to others, no unfair exaggerations (as in “You always” or “You have never, ever”), no dredging up the past, no bringing in your spouse’s family, and so on. The purpose of the argument should always be kept in view and that is seeking a unified, mature, spiritually sound solution to the problem – not creating wounds, getting your way, or getting even.
3) Serve God as a Team.
You don’t need to always be involved in the same things or be under each other’s feet, but you should always have a lot going on between you, including activities that require teamwork. Foremost in this area for most couples will be parenting. If and when that ministry comes along, both of you must embrace it. But there are also household chores, the budget, social interaction, Christian ministry, avocations, and so on. Make sure you are in fellowship and growing together, not apart.
2) Forgive.
Forgive frequently and genuinely. Forgive before being asked to. Forgive not only for love’s sake and for your own peace of mind, but forgive over and over because Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the ongoing effects of the Cross, forgives you over and over. One of the most important ways to express your appreciation of the life Jesus gave to pay the penalty of your sins is to lean completely into His grace. You can thereby forgive others, especially the one He has blessed you with as a life partner.
You mustn’t be content with your album of wedding photos. Make your marriage an existential, active, even a celebratory relationship. And that comes not only from spending time together but from your personal spiritual growth. Robert Browning, one of Western civilization’s most romantic poets, nevertheless took a practical view of what’s most essential in marriage. “Success in marriage,” he wrote, “is more than finding the right person, it is being the right person.” Dedicate yourselves to developing your relationship with Christ as individuals and you will improve your relationship at the same time.
And consider becoming a regular to such sites as those I mention in a brief post entitled "Living in the Big Tech World." You'll find it right here.
* "Biden administration fills vacancies with abundance of former abortion industry employees" ( Carole Novielli, Live Action News)
* "Dying In Darkness: Biden STILL Won’t Publish Schedule, Visitor Logs, Nor Hold A Presser… Deletes White House Comments And Petitions Pages." (Raheem Kassam, National Pulse)
* "How Democracy Dies: Big Tech Becomes Big Brother" (Leni Friedman Valenta with Dr. Jiri Valenta, Gatestone Institute)
* "Planned Parenthood’s past decade: 3.3 million abortions and $6 billion in taxpayer dollars" (Carole Novielli, Live Action News)
* "The 'World’s Largest Bookstore' Gets Into the Censorship Business" (Roger Kimball, American Greatness)
* "Number of Illegal Border Crossings Now 6 Times What Obama Team Considered 'Crisis'" (James Carafano, Daily Signal)
* "U.S. House passes taxpayer-funded 'slush fund' for abortion industry in COVID-19 relief bill" (Nancy Flanders, Live Action News)
* "DHS Secretary Invites Unlimited Number of 'Asylum Seekers' to the U.S." (Katie Pavlich, Town Hall)
* "British Doctors Order 'Do No Resuscitate' Those with Mental Disabilities" (John Stonestreet & Roberto Rivera, BreakPoint)
* "Cuomo Aides Altered Nursing Home Report to Conceal Death Toll" (Brittany Bernstein, National Review)
* "Cuomo’s Fatal Nursing Home Order May Be Payback For Major Campaign Donations" (Jeff Dunetz, The Lid)
* "The dangerous cult of neo-segregation" (Ryan Bomberger, Christian Post)
* "Authoritarian Left on the March" (Ben Shapiro, Daily Signal)
* "Biden cancels Trump’s ‘Operation Talon’ Program that Targeted Sex Offenders Living in U.S. Illegally" (Human Events Staff)* "Why The Texas Blackout Has The Greens So Scared" (Rael Jean Isaac, FrontPage Mag)
* "Supreme Court Denial Of 2020 Election Cases Invites 'Erosion Of Voter Confidence'" (Margot Cleveland, Federalist)
* "7 Consequences of the Equality Act" (Monica Burke, Daily Signal)
* "Where Did Millions of Dollars in Donations to Black Lives Matter Go?" (Katie Pavlich, Town Hall)
* "It’s Time For Conservatives To Take On Big Tech Tyrants. Here’s How." (Rachel Bovard, Federalist)
* "Who Is in Control? The Need to Rein in Big Tech" (Allum Bokhari, Imprimis)
* "Big tech employees opened wallets for Biden campaign: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and Facebook made up biggest source of donations to Democrat among corporate employees" (Brody Mullins & Emily Glazer, The Wall Street Journal via Fox News)
* "Universities’ Insane COVID Rules And Snitch Culture Are Training The Next Generation To Embrace Totalitarianism" (Evita Duffy, Federalist)
* "Joe Biden’s abortion imperialism" (Kurt Mahlburg, Mercator)
* "Biden Grovels to Iran's Terrorists" (Katie Pavlich, Town Hall)
* "Our descent into collective madness" (Victor Davis Hanson, Jewish World Review)
* "Black pro-life leader on the crisis of abortion: ‘If you can’t get out of the womb, nothing matters’" (Bettina di Fiore, Live Action)
* "What Left-Wing Educators Don't Teach During Black History Month" (Larry Elder, Jewish World Review)
* "Inside Wikipedia's leftist bias: socialism pages whitewashed, communist atrocities buried" (Maxim Lott, Fox News)
* "Texas’s Blackouts Are The Result Of Unreliable ‘Green’ Energy" (Jason Isaac, Federalist)
* "McDowell rips MSNBC for ignoring The Lincoln Project scandals: 'It was common knowledge'" (Joshua Q. Nelson, Fox News)
But this morning I’d like to examine a text that you may not have connected to the sanctity of human life. In fact, it is a text that we tend to associate with Christmas in that it tells of the annunciation of the virgin birth followed by Mary’s visit to Elizabeth...”
* "Biden is the most radical left-wing president in US history, period" (Rich Lowry, Jewish World Review)
* "We Must Break Up Big Tech: It’s The Greatest Private Threat to Liberty in Our Modern Age" (Rachel Bovard, American Consequences)
* "Faithfulness in the Future" (Rick Plasterer, Juicy Ecumenism)
* "Biden's Department of Homeland Sleaze Chief" (Michelle Malkin, Jewish World Review)
* "Twitter Suspends Christian Group for Accurately Describing Biden’s Transgendered Health Official Dr. Levine’s Biological Sex" (Penny Starr, Breitbart)
* "China Doesn't Have to Lift a Finger to Push Biden Around" (Gordon G. Chang, Gatestone Institute)
* "Facebook Bans Bible Professor’s Post Critical of Biden’s Transgender Order" (Lee Weeks, Decision)
This is in addition to Biden’s insistence that Planned Parenthood, the mega-abortion corporation that is already dripping with millions of dollars in excess profits, will receive even more money from U.S. citizens.
These draconian policies are, of course, opposed by more (much, much more) than half of the American public. Indeed, these Americans find Biden's abortion policies barbaric, disgusting, and unjust in the extreme.
But it's tragically obvious that President Biden (he who laughingly claims he is still a Catholic), doesn’t care a whit about the convictions or consciences of these Americans…no more than he cares about the democratic process, the teaching of the Catholic Church, or the lives of those hundreds of thousands of preborn boys and girls who will die because of his cruel and tyrannical actions.
And the newspapers said it was Donald Trump who was divisive and mean?
Lord, have mercy.
* "The River of Forgetfulness" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)
* "Don’t Worry, It’s Just Corporate Fascism" (David Marcus, Federalist)
* "The tragic rise of Andrew Cuomo amid COVID-19 -- a real American crisis" (Janice Dean, Fox News)
* "Refuse to Be Silenced" (Kurt Schlichter, Town Hall)
* "Technically (Not) Speaking: The Conservative Purge Begins" (Tony Perkins, CNS News)
* "Ignoring And Ridiculing Election Fraud Concerns Will Not Make Them Go Away" (Stella Morabito, Federalist)
From Claire's FB page...
The photos below show Denny with Dr. Greg Zielke, Dave Brown, and Ryan Lee at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas. shortly after Denny presented a pro-life talk at their chapel service. That talk today a fascinating and enlightening exposition of Luke Chapter 1. We then enjoyed visiting with Greg & Dave over lunch at the college cafeteria. And the other photo? That's the college's old administration building constructed in 1920.
By the way, our visit to Tabor had two interesting bookends. On one side was our spending Friday night through Sunday noon in Wichita where we enjoyed visits with Denny's little sister Sherry and her family. And then after leaving Tabor, we had to try and avoid the worst of the heavy snowstorm that hit eastern Nebraska. We did that by driving to Kansas City and getting a motel room by the airport, waiting for the next day to brave I-29 back to Omaha. That proved to be a good idea. But we are home again and back at it, thankful for the Lord's blessing us, using us, and protecting us.
In addition, the church we attend now (Grace Bible Church) set a record for attendance. For in addition to Claire and me there were 10 others: Stephen, Jeff, Joanna, Sheri, Scott & Laura Powers (and two of their kids), and Rob & Hope Golden. Joanna was also joined by her sister Robin.
Also, activity at our literature table was brisk this year, not only because everything we have there is always free, including even the Why Pro-Life books by Randy Alcorn and the Narnia buttons that were new this year). Thank you to everyone who came by.
Other guests at the dinner program at St. Vincent Catholic Church (the program was also live-streamed) included Gov. Ricketts, Lt. Governor Foley, Congressman Bacon, and a whole host of pro-life colleagues with whom we have been blessed to work with over these many years: John & Mary Ann Kellogg, Ann Marie Bowen, John & Karen Miller, Joe & Louise Ferrante, Larry Donlan, Mike Steil, Steve & Carolyn LaGreca, John Sieler, Sister Renee Merkes, David Zebolsky, and a few others.
In accepting the award, we presented the following remarks. I started off, "One of my favorite quotations of all time comes from my dear friend that many of you also know, Rick Duncan, a constitutional law professor at the UNL Law School. Like others of us in this room, Rick was a later convert to Christianity and I remember with great fondness this remark he once made at a pro-life event. Rick said, 'You know one of the neatest things I’ve discovered is this -- in Christianity your heroes can also be your friends.'
"Well, believe me, Rick’s observation is particularly relevant this evening as Claire and I humbly yet very gratefully accept this NEL award because it comes from the hands of some very special hero-friends. Some of you (I'm smiling especially now at Ann Marie Bowen) go back with us to the old days of Metro Right to Life, before we started the Omaha Christian Action Council which, of course, was long before we had ever imagined starting the AAA Crisis Pregnancy Center. We also remember so many of our beloved friends from those days that have already gone on to their reward: Rita Gradoville, Mary Ann Tiehen, Jo Elworth, Joyce Schuster, and others.
"So we accept this award, dear friends, in behalf of the whole team -- for all of you, for all of the steadfast champions who have stood alongside us with Vital Signs Ministries, even for the Christian pro-life friends we have made in our travels in England, Eastern Europe (especially Belarus), Africa, and all the other places we’ve been.
"We are blessed beyond measure in being part of a forever family of heroes because of the grace of God poured out upon us. Thank you so much for this honor…
And then Claire added, "Several months ago, Vital Signs Ministries hosted one of our book brunches in which we listened to a Peter Kreeft video about JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. And in our discussion afterwards, we talked about the difference it makes to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but also the crucial importance of friendship for those engaged in the grand adventure of heralding truth, justice, and such holy causes as defending the sanctity of life. There is no doubt that we have remained in this struggle through the years because we have taken full advantage of one of God's greatest gifts; namely, the friendship of like-minded brothers and sisters.
"One dramatic picture of how helpful this is looking down the line of friends when I'm standing in a public pro-life witness at an abortion business. Several such friends are sitting right here in this room tonight. In such situations, I look to those friends as a joy, a comfort, and a sanity check. I'm reminded of who I am, the Lord I serve, and what a blessing it is to be part of such a company of Christian 'doers of the Word.' Yes, the comfort of seeing those friends reminds me that we in the pro-life movement are truly on the side of the angels. And that’s a very good place to be! Again, thank you very much."
Yes, thank you so much for the honor, NEL, and for a truly wonderful evening.
* "What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccines" (Newsroom, Live Action)
* "5 Big Things We Learned About Our Elites In 2020" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)
* "Trump's Top 10 Accomplishments of 2020" (Steve Cortes, Real Clear Politics)
* "2020 media scandals and controversies, from Chris Cuomo’s coronavirus hypocrisy to New York Times’ turmoil" (Brian Flood, Fox News)
* "Cartoons Are the Left’s New Weapon to Target Your Kids" (Douglas Blair, Daily Signal)
* "C-Fam’s Top 5 Moments for Life and Family Internationally" (Stefano Gennarini, The Center for Family and Human Rights)* "NYT Promotes a Pro-LGBT Handel's 'Messiah,' with Jesus as a Muslim Woman" (Michael Foust, Christian Headlines)
"The rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?"
And indeed, as we enter a new year seemingly dominated by fear, political injustice, cultural chaos, economic meltdown, and moral cowardice, must we not be inspired by JRR Tolkien's character and commit ourselves, with God's grace, to prayerfully care for "all worthy things that are in peril," those things of truth, beauty, and holiness "that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come?"
Now is not the time for Christians to hunker down and hide. Indeed, there never was nor ever will be such a time. No, our duties (which should also be seen as our glorious opportunities) are to consistently herald the truths of Scripture and to make sure that our personal lifestyles and relationships thoroughly reflect the same.
For we, like Gandalf and his fellow adventurers, are stewards.
"Did you not know?"