KANSAS Presidential Caucuses

My Kansas correspondent reminds me that the Kansas Republican Party caucuses will be held on February 9, and the Democratic Party caucuses will be held on February 5. See http://www.ksgopcaucus.org/ and http://www.ksdp.org/supertuesday for more information. The basic requirement is that a Kansas citizen be a registered Republican to vote in a Republican Caucus, and a registered Democrat to vote in a Democratic Caucus.

I was asked today which Presidential candidate is most pro-life. Obviously that candidate is NOT a Democrat. Among the Republicans, Huckabee is the most pro-life candidate. He actively opposed abortion while Governor of Arkansas, led a pro-life rally in Georgia on January 22, and supports a Human Life Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Rep. Ron Paul is the only candidate who came to the March for Life in Washington DC on January 22 and gave a supporting address. He believes abortion is a crime to be regulated by the States--if they choose to do so.

Governor Romney's position was examined by pro-life Senator Brownback who concluded Romney is anti-Roe, but not pro-life. During his unsuccessful 1994 bid for the Senate and during his run for Governor of Massachusetts, he courted pro-abortionists by touting his pro-choice positions. Catholic Fire notes that Romney's health care plan in Massachusetts provides for abortions at government expense.

Senator John McCain says he is a life-long friend of Right to Life. He has voted to restrict or regulate the practice of abortion and says Roe v. Wade should be overturned. However, he is not a great pro-life leader in the U.S. Senate as is Senator Brownback.

So what's the answer?

1. Take a look at American Family Association's list of candidate positions"on support for a Human Life Amendment, Traditional Marriage, Gay Pride and requiring businesses to favor homosexuality, the Iraq War, and Moral Education.
2. Also see "Will the Republican Nominee respect Us in the Morning" published by the Republican Coalition for Life.
3. Next, review the American Life League's Voter Guide.
4. Then pray that God will enlighten you on the Presidential candidate to support.
   

I am Fascinated and Encouraged....

by Sheriff Joe of Maricopa County (Phoenix), the most famous sheriff in the country.

What is he doing for Super Bowl Sunday? See here.

Reminder about Cultivation of Fields

My sister sent me this very short but powerful discussion by Saint Caesarius of Arles (470-543), monk and Bishop. [Sermons, no. 6; CCL 103,32 (SC 175)

Brethren, there are two kinds of field: the first is God’s field, the second is man’s. You have your property; God has his, too. Your own property is your land; God’s property is your soul. Is it right that you should cultivate your property and leave God’s lying fallow?

If you cultivate your land but fail to cultivate your soul, is this because you want to set your own property in order but leave God’s fallow? Is that right? Does God deserve that we should neglect the soul he holds so dear?

You are delighted when you see your property well cultivated; why don’t you weep when you see your soul lying fallow? We cause the fields on our property to come alive for a few days in this world; caring for our souls will enable us to live forever in heaven…

God has deigned to entrust our souls to us as his property; so let us set to work with all our might, by his help, so that when he comes to visit his property he will find it well cultivated and in perfect order.

May he find a harvest and not thorns; may he find wine and not vinegar, corn rather than chaff. If he finds everything in it that can be pleasing in his eyes, he will give us an eternal reward in exchange, but thorns will be committed to the fire.

Handy Little Warming Bag

As I get older and the weather seems to feel colder, my favorite companion is this sock bag. It's filled with cheap dry beans and is heated in my 20+ year old microwave for about a minute to become toasty warm!

In the daytime, the bean bag warms my hands and the cold chair bottom before I start typing this blog. At night, I love to feel the bag's warmth on my feet under the covers at the end of the bed. [Even though my husband's feet are usually warmer than mine, I am reluctant to place my cold feet on his!]

The warmth of a heated bean bag endures for at least 30 min. And I've been using the same beans for at least a month.

Another way I try to get warm is a cup of hot tea! Especially Constant Comment Green Tea flavored with orange and spices. Splenda works great to sweeten the tea.