Next week we will be having a primary election for state offices.  Here are my choices: Some of these will have districts or wards that may be different than mine. My choices are from the Greene Co…

Source: My State Primary Choices

Next week we will be having a primary election for state offices.  Here are my choices:

Some of these will have districts or wards that may be different than mine.

My choices are from the Greene County Republican Ballot.  You can find copies of these on KSGF or KY3 sites.

United State Senator:  Roy Blunt

Governor:  John Brunner

Lieutenant Governor:  Mike Parson

Secretary of State:  John (Jay) Ashcroft

State Treasurer:  Eric Schmitt (no competitor)

Attorney General: Josh Hawley

United States Rep in Congress 7th district: Matt Canovi

State Rep 130th District:  Jeff Messenger (no competitor)

Greene County Commissioner District 1:  Harold K Bengsch

Greene County Sheriff:  Jim Arnott ( nocompetitor)

Greene County Assessor:  Rick Kessinger

Greene County Treasurer: Justin Hill (no competitor)

Public Administrator:  Lee Ann Walker (no competitor)

There may be other issues in your area.  You can look it up and find out.

I didn’t go into a lot of detail but I have done some research on my own to decide who I wanted to vote for.  Pray over your decisions.

I had written a long blog earlier today and could not get it to publish.  I am now glad because after rethinking it my thoughts would have come across as angry, bitter and condemning.  My last thought on the elections for now is that no matter who my friends and family vote for, I REFUSE to let it cause divisions.  We all have to make our own decisions and I am well aware of what a hard election season this is.  God Bless you all and thank you so much for reading.

Coming in the next few weeks I am hoping to share more stories with you of times that have made an impact on me.

Times are crazy and sometimes it’s hard to tell good from evil, just remember deep in  your core, you know right from wrong.  If someone tries to convince you otherwise Take a Stand firmly on the sight of good and right.

Thanks for reading!

These are pictures of a vintage suitcase project I did for Erica, Alana and Alana’s doll Angelina.  It was a fun project and fairly easy.  Luggage with personality!!

I have waited awhile between postings because of wanting to see what happened at the RNC Convention held last week in Cleveland.  I believe God worked things out for me to be in Virginia Beach, VA visiting my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter while the convention was happening so that I was very busy and distracted.  It would not have been healthy for me to watch what I see as the destruction of the Republican party that I have been a part of.   I have just reached the  realization that I don’t fit with people who think that whatever candidate has an R by their name is who I need to vote for.  I intend to vote my conscience.

Ok, allow me to address the Ted Cruz non-endorsement of Donald Trump.  I totally support his decision not to endorse a man that attacked his wife and father in a personal way.  I am sure that most of us have enough family loyalty that we wouldn’t just let that slide, especially without an apology.  Please don’t insult me by trying to tell me that Cruz attacked first, if so, he would be in jail for consulting with a PAC.  Trump knows it’s a lie every time he says it.  I watched Trump the day after HE WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT.  Who did he attack and talk about for the majority of a press conference?  Ted Cruz, not Hillary Clinton or  Bernie Sanders.  Why?  Because Cruz got under his skin by telling voters to vote their conscience.  He didn’t say what that means but by the reaction of the public and the attendees and Trump supporters they obviously think that means voting your conscience is not voting for Trump.  I didn’t see it that way.  I am disappointed to not have the opportunity to vote for Cruz for President, however, I see that wasn’t in God’s plan. He gave us a choice and we once again threw it in His face.  Now what do I do?

The definition of conscience is: one’s moral sensibilities or scruples. I took this definition from the Life Application Study Bible.  I looked into scriptures about conscience and the one (there are several) that spoke to what I am trying to say is a sentence from Paul when giving a defense of his actions in Acts 24:16.  He said, “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man”.  This is what I try to do in my decisions and actions.  I would like for man to approve, however the most important is the peace I have when I feel I have followed the will of God for my life.  It’s wonderful that each of us can have a personal relationship with God and feel the peace when decisions are made according to the principles God gives us to live by.

When Moses was overwhelmed and could no longer settle all the disputes of the people God told him in Deuteronomy 1 to chose some wise, understanding and respected men from each tribe to set over the people.  This verse shows some great qualities to look for in a leader. ” They are wisdom, understanding and respect.  Not the ones we often use nowadays such as good looks, wealth, popularity or willingness to do whatever it takes to win.” (taken from the Life Application Study Bible)  I think these are some really good characteristics.  So if we use these let’s compare the two main candidates, Donald Trump for Republicans and Hillary Clinton for Democrats with these criteria.

Wise or wisdom:  Hillary Clinton will at times tell you she is competent to lead this country and has far superior knowledge to Trump.  At other times, she says she doesn’t even know how emails work or how to tell if a document is classified or not.  Donald Trump is successful in business, however is he wise?  His choice to attack others and talk endlessly about polls and his numbers doesn’t show wisdom.  He has said some fairly dangerous and outrageous things that as our president could put lives in danger.  I won’t take time to list them.

Understanding:  Hillary can appear to be very understanding of others problems and will reassure them that the government can help them. However, for the mothers and families of the Bengahzi victims, she lied directly to their face on the day they met at the hanger for the caskets to be claimed.  As for understanding issues important to our country’s security………I have one word, Benghazi.  Either she doesn’t understand the threat of Islamic terrorism or she just doesn’t care.  Unfortunately, I think she may have just not taken the situation seriously enough.  Donald Trump has done some charitable things which are endlessly pointed out by the religious leaders to humanize him.  Giving money and truly understanding the “normal” people isn’t the same thing.  As for if he  understands foreign policy, Christian Conservatives, the importance of the Constitution and that not every one will agree with him on everything, he appears to  lack understanding.

Respect:  Hillary has respect from very few.  She is not liked and has not earned respect because she is corrupt and dishonest.  The only respect that she has is from feminists that want a woman president.    In all her actions she is untrustworthy.  Donald Trump would say people respect him.  He DEMANDS respect from those who want to hang around him.  He must be called Mr. Trump as a sign of respect.  I do not respect this man.  He hasn’t earned respect from me.  He has built a lot of large buildings and been successful monetarily and has a scary amount of power.  Would I classify him as worthy of respect of  a President?  No , to me  his actions are those of a narcissistic bully in the school yard.

So if these are our choices, in my opinion, I cannot at this point support either one.  I wouldn’t allow my children to act like Trump in public.  I cannot support a person that I cannot trust to handle problems without throwing a temper tantrum.  Donald Trump isn’t a man of his word.  He changes positions and promises every day.  I cannot vote for him, unless in my prayer and seeking God’s face on this I receive peace to do so.  I know many evangelical and religious leaders have come out supporting Donald Trump and that is fine for them.  My vote is between me and God.  I hold no man in higher regard than God.

I also would never vote for Hillary.  I think that’s enough said on that.

So who will I vote for?  I am not sure.  My plan will be to pray until November and where God leads. Possibly a write-in ( I’m not sure who) or vote the down ticket and not presidential.  I will be praying sincerely for my personal answer and encourage you all to pray and let God lead your conscience.

In the past week, since the convention, I went back and watched some of the key speeches. I was not at all comfortable with the way Christian conservatives were represented.  I hated the part of Trump’s speech where he threw a bone to the Evangelicals because it was on the teleprompter.  This was after he had said he doesn’t need Cruz’s support or the evangelical vote.  I am not as comfortable as some in just taking the word of religious leaders that he has been saved.  I want to hear Donald Trump renounce his statement that he has never needed God’s forgiveness.  I pray for him and I hope that it is true and there has been a transformation, at this point, I see no fruit or behavioral changes.  I don’t expect perfection and God forgive me if I am judging to harshly, however, MOST people, when they are first saved, have a desire to share it with the world and a humbleness that is reflected in their actions.

One last word about all the accusatory vote bullying going on, I am done with it.  I have spent the last year of my life watching all these campaigns, c-span, listening to everything possible to know as much as I can about the issues, how the process works, the little tricks going on behind the scenes and the history of the candidates.  I am a Christian Constitutionalist Conservative  and I will not compromise on those principles laid out in the Bible and Constitution of the United States of America for no one.  God is my leader and while I live by the laws of the land, I do not believe God expects me to elect the lesser of two evils.  It is still evil.  I know the consequences are that Hillary may win and nominate Supreme Court Justices.  I also know that I serve the One True Living God that can move mountains, that cause peoples hearts to change, that can heal the sick and raise the dead. Though there is no guarantee what will happen to the United States under these two people, I know that God will sustain His children and He will protect my family if I honor Him and stand for what I know to be right.

I know this is long and I apologize for that, however, I feel I wanted to put this out.   I hope that when praying for this election we pray for peace and unity.  That we pray for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to turn to God, and that America will once again bow on it’s knees before God and pray for healing of our country.

Tomorrow I am going to do a blog of random election tidbits that have been piling up and I want to get them out so that I can just let this all go.  Also, there is a primar election coming up next week in Missouri for state offices.  I will be doing a blog on that on Thursday.  Then I hope to use my blog for some things that are more inspiring than politics and elections.

Thanks for reading.  No matter what your decision on voting, line it up Biblically and then TAKE A STAND!!!