Inauguration Day

To be honest, I don't like hearing our Presidents using foul language or bashing the opposition or anyone who says anything against them, but  I'm old enough to remember another President who's mouth was even worse than Donald J. Trump's.  He bashed and dissed everyone from Joseph Stalin to Martin Luther King. If I'm not mistaken, he even said some nastiness about Winston Churchill, although I could be wrong about that.






In fact, it was reported more than once that when a reporter asked the President when he thought of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it wasn't pretty. Aghast, the reporter shot back that Rev. King had won the Nobel Peace Prize.  "I didn't give it to him," was the response.







That President was Harry S. Truman, Democrat. His nickname was "Give 'em hell, Harry."  The man was notorious for speaking his mind, regardless of the consequences.  Republicans hated it and had no time for him.  Democrats loved it and applauded him for it. I've read that when his wife, Bess, was entertaining a guest and Harry walked into the room, he announced that it was time to put manure on the roses.  In the late 1940's or early 1950's, even the word "manure" in public was shocking.  How far we've fallen!  Mrs. Truman calmly told her shocked guest that she couldn't begin to tell her how long it took her to get her husband to use that word!

I vaguely remember seeing President Truman inaugurated.  His first term began in April of 1945, due to the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and I was too young to remember that one, if he even had an inauguration. He may have just been sworn into office because the country was mourning Roosevelt's death.  His inauguration on January 20, 1949, is the one I saw.  Since his first years in the White House Oval Office began in a mid term, it meant that technically, 1949, was his first term.  In fact, he could have run again in 1952, but chose not to. That was a very long time ago. In those days, televisions were extremely rare.  I doubt there were five TV's in our entire town.  One of those television owners happened to live across the street from Grandma and was her best friend. So, at the tender age of five, I saw my first inauguration.



The second one I saw was Dwight David Eisenhower.  By January 20, 1953, the school had a television and we were able to watch history in the making. When he left office, he was quoted as saying the title of EX-President was the best title. He told press to not call him Mr. President, but General.



 Today, history begins again.  A new chapter has begun.  Only God knows what His plans are, but I firmly believe Donald Trump was God's choice. Isiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.  He also said in the next verse, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways." It's often been said that God uses flawed people to bring about His perfect will.  Even people with foul mouths and harsh rhetoric.  If Harry Truman did nothing else right, he made it possible for Israel to exist as a nation for the first time since 70 AD.  God used him for His purpose.

As I watch another historic event, I am grateful for the privilege of being an American.  I'm grateful that God has given us another chance to get it right. Every former President has made major mistakes, but God brought us through. Psalm 118:8 says, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men." Words America needs to hear.

Supposedly, Donald John Trump will use II Chronicles 7:14 is his speech. "If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." It was God's response to Solomon's prayer as he began to lead Israel. Franklin Graham has led the nation in prayer in 2016, stating that there was much confession of sin.  I pray for President Trump as I have for former Presidents, but most of all, I pray for America.  I pray we have been sincere in our repentance and will turn from our wicked ways.

Detoxing

It hasn't been mentioned on the news, but multiple media sites and friends have posted that California has passed a law legalizing child prostitution.  I can't get it off my mind, especially since some people on Facebook think it's a good choice. Talk about giving a drowning child an anchor! They don't think children should be in jail.  Neither do I, but legalizing child prostitution is far more destructive to the child.  When I mentioned my distress to my pastor, he suggested I follow Pastor Erwin Lutzer's advice and take a three day detox from media.  Excellent idea.  I cannot change California.  I cannot stop this law.  I find it reprehensible and worse, to me, are those who see good in it.



My husband grew up very close to the California - Mexico border and was able to spend a great deal of time in Mexico. Back then, it was common for children to be sent to the streets to make money for the family.  Isn't that special? Don't think it will happen here? Don't kid yourself. Evil is evil, no matter where it happens and no matter who does it. And it feeds on weakness disguised as compassion.

There was a time when we protected out children. I happen to have two of the finest sons I could ever have asked for.  Yes, I protected them when I felt it was necessary, but I also prepared them for a world that would do anything to destroy them.  I would tell them they were too good looking and too smart to every expect anyone to feel sorry for them, but they weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouths, so anything they wanted in life, they'd have to earn.  Earn they have.  They also paid penalties for wrong doing.  Even when they thought they had a good excuse. So, what's my point about protection and prostitution? So many parents have gone far beyond protecting their children to pampering them and they really aren't prepared for the harsh realities of the world.  Hence snowflakes.

Now the pendulum has swung the other direction. Now we want our children to be rich and we don't care how they get that way.  Unfortunately, there's an even darker side.  Just this morning, I said that the law was passed because guilty people don't want to go to jail for such a heinous crime.  Stories are rife about twelve year old girls being given to directors and producers just to make sure they'd be hired.  Perverts and degenerates seem to be more rampant in Hollywood, but they're everywhere. Roman Polanski fled this country many years ago because he faced charges of molesting a twelve year old.

I'm not saying all child prostitutes in Hollywood were sent to those mean streets or casting couches by their parents. Many do it to pay for the drugs they're hooked on.  Some are runaways.  All are abused no matter the reason they're there. Legitimizing that abuse is despicable.

A favorite historian of mine has written about the early church after the ascension of Jesus.  The Apostle John lived in Ephesus, the most immoral city of that day. In the book, the author claims that young boys wore shirts that barely covered the buttocks, for the sole purpose of servicing men on the streets!  Get ready.  It's coming. As a Christian, I'm appalled and revolted by the very thought of such things going on and I certainly don't want to witness it. But, God put me on this earth at this time. If He gave the Apostle John the grace to not only endure but be a witness to a degenerate city, then He'll provide the grace I need to do the same.  I just need to seek Him and obey Him.  Hence, the detoxing.

By the way, when the homosexual law was passed some time back, a black pastor was interviewed on the Glen Beck show by Beck's associates.  He mentioned "bottomless pants" and the associates made jokes about that statement for the rest of the program.  Little did they know the pastor knew what he was talking about.  They did not.  It's no laughing matter.

Now, to the detoxing.  As of tomorrow morning, my TV, my laptop, and anything else to do with electronic media will be off for three days.  I need to restore and refresh my spirit to sanity.  As I said, I have no clout.  Nothing I do or say will change anyone's mind.  That would be about like me convincing Chuck Schumer et.al. that their scorched earth policy is about as helpful to solving America's problems as making it legal for a grown man to molest a child.

How far we've fallen.  It's been less than three years since the public outcry against the oldest Dugger boy fondling his sisters while they slept was so loud, so long, the family has been in tatters ever since.  I'm not applauding Dugger in any way.  What he did then and later as an adult was despicable. The way things are going, in ten years, he'll get a medal.  Scratch that.  He claims to be a Christian.

What I am saying America is no longer on a downward spiral.  It's a rapid, willful descent into hell. Genesis 6:5 says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Sound familiar?

When Trump won the election, I honestly believed God was merciful and giving America another chance to repent of our sin and perhaps have a reprieve from the destruction that is headed our way. Now, I have to wonder if America is going down because of the divisiveness.  Obama is staying in Washington to protect his legacy.  Schumer has promised to fight Trump every step of the way.  Harry Reid brags about being a liar. The media continues to promote their rhetoric.  I have no doubt America is going down.  I just don't know when.

I say again, I can't do a thing about it.  Except detox.  Several years ago a church we attended had several prayer vigils for a building project.  One of them was to do a lenten fast of something.  I gave up TV for 6 weeks.  It was fabulous.  About the only night time TV program I watch anymore is NCIS.  I gave them up for 5 months.  Again, it was a wonderful experience.  Therefore, I'm looking forward to 3 days unplugged.  Obama, Schumer, California, or any news making degenerate will not be on my mind.  It will be 3 days with Jesus and Jesus only.

Till then.

I Stand Corrected

No matter who anyone voted for, exchanges on Facebook have been pretty heated and at times, downright ugly.  I've been, at times, as guilty as the opposition.  I believe I've avoided name calling, but I've mentioned the bitterness and hatred I've noticed in what's been written about Trump and those who voted for him, me included.  That's when the nastiness really turns ugly. I pray I have not stooped to their kind of language or vitriol, but was merely pointing out that the name calling and the foul language is a sign of bitterness and hatred.

This morning, as I was having my devotional time before going to the craft fair, I was reading Proverbs 10:19.  "Sin is not ended by
multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues." That's from the 2008 New International Version. Years ago, I memorized it in the 1984 version, which said, "Where words are many, sin is not absent." Somehow, in all those years, that verse didn't quite have the impact it did this morning. I was immediately convicted,  I know I'm not going to change anyone's mind with my debate. No one is going to change my mind with their vituperative invective.   Multiplying our words on each other is a waste of time and it ruins the peace of mind.  However, the prudent hold their tongues.  It was time for repentance, confession, and some holding of the tongue.

I went off to the Craft Fair with high expectations and although I had some wonderful interaction with potential customers, only one person bought.  I told my boss I felt like the heavens were shut up. My peace was gone. My joy was gone. Before I go to a Craft Fair, I ask the Lord to make me a blessing to those I meet and while He's at it, I would appreciate being blessed.  I was blessed. Very blessed, just not financially.

It wasn't the lack of sales that left me feeling like the heavens were shut up.  It was all because I let myself get sucked into some silly argument that is OVER. And, pointless. No one is changing their mind. We are as divided in our nation now as we were before the Civil War.

Glenn Beck said something several weeks ago along the same lines. Unfortunately, I didn't get the context or much of the content of what he was saying.  From what I did hear, it was my understanding that he was saying all this talk wasn't helping.  Did he mean all this talk was not uniting the nation?  If so, I couldn't agree more.  If he wasn't saying all the rhetoric is not helping, I am. That's what the Lord showed me in Proverbs 10:19 this morning.

When I am in need of comfort or learning a lesson, Scripture does the job.  Again, I was reminded that we are directed to "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17) I am convinced that Donald Trump is the President-elect for no other reason.  Thousands upon thousands were praying all across the country.  Franklin Graham spent a year, travelling to state capitols to hold prayer rallies. Over 200,000 people attended.  Thousands, perhaps even millions who couldn't get there were praying in other places, at all times.

Add to that the facts that Mr. Trump made every mistake in the book and even added a few of his own, was hated by the opposition and the media, and even disliked intensely by members of the party he was part of, and perhaps you can understand why I say his victory was an answer to prayer.

Therefore, it is now time to stop the blathering and start talking to the Lord about those things that disturb me. It disturbs me deeply that our country is so very divided and no one is willing to listen to any opinion other than their own.  Those who have followed my blogs know that I didn't come easily to the Trump camp.  I argued against him on several occasions, but as time has gone on, I have not only come to accept him as God's choice, but as my own as well.

Still here

The news we have from Sebastian this far is all good.  Really good
but we're still waiting for Matthew to decide where he's going to park.  We're still in the middle of the storm.  Experience says it won't be historic or even remembered after a year or two.  We were sure Floyd would be historic. The only reason it's being mentioned now is that it was the last one to come so close to Jacksonville.

A journalist is reporting from Sebastian as I write.  He's in a strip that's 4 miles from where we live. He said the worst damage he'd seen was a false front come down from the building at that mall. Good news, indeed! I remember shopping at that mall after Frances.  The parking lot was full of broken glass at that time.  If that's the worst of it, God has been very good to Sebastian.

Whether Matthew is mentioned, remembered, historic or not, it's heartening to hear the governor say so many other states have offered to help. We're not alone!  I have to say, too, that the governor is impressing a lot of folks.  He was not that popular and being re-elected was not a definite.  However, he's appreciated now.  As I watched his press conference just a few minutes ago, I was impressed with his organizational skills.  He's a businessman who knows how to get things done.  Such behavior bodes well for those who intend to vote for Trump. They're expecting him to do the same.

However, Matthew has not yet come calling on our doorstep. Waiting is really hard because the hype is so overblown.  I understand the need to warn people and some, no matter how strong the warning, will ignore it.  Surfers in Hawaii loved strong storms and without exception, someone always needed rescuing, endangering not only themselves, but the emergency responders. There's probably a few dummies trying to surf right now.

Going back to the talking heads, I understand radios and televisions cannot have dead air, so the journalists have to keep the conversation going.  Since hurricanes travel at 10-15 miles per hour, and it has hundreds of miles to cover, obviously the talking gets thin on substance. Then, too, weather is so unpredictable, even with all the sophisticated equipment. Hurricanes rarely follow the path predicted. Thank you, Lord, that Matthew decided to follow the earliest predictions rather than the ones of last evening.

 So, now I'm sure you're thinking I'm getting thin on substance!  Stay tuned.

In the middle

Our son called Tuesday evening and asked us to seek shelter with his family while Matthew came close to Florida's east coast.  When the first indications of the storm were announced on the news, Matthew wasn't even supposed to make landfall in Florida.  Typical of hurricanes, it's following it's own path.

It's always a pleasure to visit with our son, so we packed our bags and made our way north, fully expecting to leave any possible danger behind.  NOT. The storm of the century has followed us. Well, it's following us. It's still beating up the Bahamas as I write this. Waiting for hurricanes to make landfall feels like FOREVER, but once it hits, then it seems to rush right on by-unless it stalls. Typical of hurricanes, it's also following it's own time schedule.

If memory serves, this will be the eighth hurricane we've encountered in the 21 years we've lived in Florida.  Each is different.  We also have been through a tropical storm.  The only thing I remember about that is taking care of Sheila, our 10 week old puppy. At that time, I had the strangest prayer I've ever had and God answered!  I asked the Lord to help Sheila make her deposit between rain bands and she did! I guess there are funny moments as well as serious ones. Scary ones and dangerous ones, too.

The first hurricane we encountered in our adopted state was Bertha in July of 1996.  Our son's family had endured Erin the year before.  The evacuation and endurance of Erin was enough to make him say he was staying home unless Bertha reached a category 3.  We left, telling him we'd rather he laughed at our skittishness than us crying over his grave.  Bertha steamed right on by, never reaching more than a category 1 and staying hundreds of miles off shore.  We left in sunshine and returned in sunshine while our son continued to build the backyard playhouse for our granddaughter.

Irene hit somewhere in there, but she, too. was no real problem.  We didn't even lose power, so we had our daughter-in-law and granddaughter over for a pizza luncheon because they'd lost power even though our houses were less than a mile apart.  Different grids, I guess.

Floyd was the terrifying one.  A monster storm, at times reaching a category 5.  Fortunately, those strong winds can't be sustained for long period of time.  He was a 3 when he hit the North Carolina coast.  That one, we drove all the way to north Georgia to avoid it.  Driving home was more annoying than any inconvenience of the storm.  Radio personalities in Atlanta made the remark that there was no gas available on I-75 all the way to Savannah.  I-75 doesn't go to Savannah!  Worse, they thought it was funny. Idiots.  Those poor people in North Carolina who'd fled to safety in Atlanta faced enough heartbreak when they returned.  They didn't need overpaid jerks making light of their situation.

2004 was the year of the storms.  Charlie hit the west coast of Florida.  Shortly thereafter, Francis hit us. We spent the night in Shiloh's school, laughing and having a party while the storm raged outside. When a hurricane passes, the sky is such a bright blue, the grass and shrubs a sparkling green.  Wires hanging precariously over the middle of the road and telephone poles leaning dangerously in the middle of flooded swales  juxtaposed with blue skies and green shrubbery makes for a confusing picture.  We were grateful that our condo suffered so little damage, we didn't even bother to make an insurance claim.

The hardest part of Frances was the 9 days without power in a hot, humid, tropical climate.  I've always said Florida is hottest in September because the heat and humidity builds toward the peak of hurricane season.  September was HOT and HUMID. 9 days without power had me concerned that Bob was going to have a heart attack.  He could hardly breath. Red slashes painted his cheekbones while his hands and feet had a bluish cast.  On day 9, he announced there was a snake on the porch, which meant we had to close the living room sliders and lose any breath of fresh air we were trying to find.  Ten minutes later, the power came on!  Thank you, Lord.

Ivan followed Frances.  I was stunned to learn that Ivan went all the way to Pennsylvania and then circled back to dump pouring rain on Florida.  Not finished with the hurricane season, Jeanne struck exactly 3 weeks after Frances.  Already weakened from the previous 2 hurricanes, Sebastian was devastated.  Most houses had a blue tarp roof. Many of the trees were twisted in the middle of the trunk and then snapped and laid over. Construction people descended like locusts, gypping people every way they could.  Some of the condos in our development had no exhaust pipe from the dryer to the outside of the building.  It took 6 years for residents to realize they were sitting under loads of lint and mold.  We were fortunate.  Our hot and cold water taps were reversed and had to be fixed before we could sell, but it was only an annoyance.  Our 2 year old kitchen was completely destroyed, thanks to the ignorant plumber.  That was more than an annoyance.

Finding the neighbor's cancelled checks littering the lawn along with bits and pieces of insulation wasn't pretty.  But, it was their pillow laying in the curb and their bathtub hanging out of the second story where the wall used to be was the saddest. Being homeless for 2 1/2 weeks was no picnic and waiting 22 months before we could return to the condo wasn't easy, either.  But, by God's grace we survived it all.  And became the better for it.

Wilma, sassy lady that she was, brought us to our son's place, but then she stalled over the Yucatan Peninsula, so we ended up going home and enduring the storm there.  No big deal.  We're pros by now at this hurricane thing. NOT.  You never know what's going to happen.  Literally.  It's all in God's hands and He has been gracious to us.  Losing stuff in nothing.  In fact, it can be freeing.  Losing health or life is another matter and many have done that.  108 in Haiti at the most recent count.

Matthew has already been declared the storm of the century, replacing Sandy from a few short years ago.  The "cone" is the strangest one ever. It started out looking like a backwards apostrophe, meaning the track was up the coast of Florida before turning east and going out into the Atlantic.  As time has passed, that apostrophe has taken the shape of a huge circle, meaning several models are now saying after it devastates the coasts of Florida, Georgia, South and possibly North Carolina, it will circle back around and hit Florida a second time.

Most of the models indicate landfall will take place close to Sebastian-both times. The devastation would be beyond description.





This gives you some idea of where Matthew might go. There's no telling.  It's must watch TV for those in its path.  Mind numbing, fear provoking it might be, but the minute you turn away, it might change.  That's why it's a relief when it finally arrives.  Then, it's the loss of power-usually in the wee hours of the morning, so it's pitch black.  Howling winds and pounding rain serenade you to sleep or insanity, depending on your nerves and faith in the Lord.  Falling trees, snapping trees can make you feel like you're in the middle of a war zone. They sound like cannon booming when they snap. Usually that's the result of tornadoes, which hurricanes add to the arsenal. The trees twist in the middle of the trunk, like you'd twist a wet towel to snap someone. When the twist becomes too great, the tree snaps and the tree falls from the twist.

When it's over, which it may not be for Sebastian until early tomorrow morning-if it doesn't return- and for us, late tomorrow night, it's a matter of assessing the damage and picking up the pieces. Worst of all is the warfare with the insurance company.  We've learned insurance companies are worse than the federal government when it comes to caring about the people they are supposed to service. Insurance is a pre-paid service, but you'll never convince them of that. Quite an adventure for a couple of old foggies.  Stay tuned.  

I apoligize

Can you see me blush?  Ever do something dumb on the computer and can't change it?  I did. Blush.  A poll came the other day and out of idle curiosity, I began to fill it out.  There were 30 questions and the more I answered, the more intrigued I became.  There were 4 possible answers: Yes, No, No opinion, and Other.  If other was the chosen answer, there was a place to enter the answer.  The fact that I chose yes or no didn't stop me from also filling out why I answered the way I did.  Whether or not that will be seen by those who check the answers is unknown and not the reason I'm embarrassed.

When I finished answering the questions, there was a request for donations and I tried to send my answers on without donating.  No dice. The poll indicated that $1.00 was the minimum, so I entered $1.00.  Then, I was embarrassed at being such a cheap skate and I tried to change it, but couldn't. I'm sure it was thought I meant it to be an insult.

Truly, I didn't.  I just wanted my answers to go forward.  Yes, we could make a donation now and I'm not generally superstitious, but we have donated three times to politicians-who lost!  I do not want Donald Trump to lose, and I'm concerned we'll jinx his campaign.  Instead, I pray for him.

Then, we got a robocall from Ivanka Trump about the Melbourne Rally.  A friend really wanted to go, so I sent for tickets and got them. But, she had a conflict she couldn't get out of.  I don't drive after dark and that ended my ride. I didn't want someone else who could attend to lose out on the opportunity because I had tickets they could have had. I asked everyone I could think of.  I was even willing to drive, but I couldn't get any takers.  Long story short, I didn't get anyone to go with me and I wasn't about to go by myself.

It's bad enough that I'm sorry I may have denied someone else an opportunity. Lo and behold, in this morning's emails, there is a note thanking me for attending the rally!  That's Presidential.  That's a gentleman.  Yeah, he's got thousands of people who do that for him. But, it's much more Presidential than Hillary Clinton dropping the f-bomb on Secret Service men when they say good morning to her. It gives me yet another reason to vote for him.

OJT

Like him or hate him, you have to give Trump credit.  He's done this political thing strictly OJT.
When the debates started with 17 Republican candidates, 16 of whom were professional politicians, he still won even though he had no experience in the political arena.

Then, last night, in the first debate with Hilary, he won 6 of 7 polls. Not bad.  Not bad all all. My congratulations to you Mr. Trump.  Anyone following my blog regularly knows I didn't start out rooting for him.  Even today, I have to say I do more praying for him than rooting for him.  He's not in the White House, yet. I'm praying He is God's choice and make no apology for it.

His rhetoric over the last year has toned down considerably. Whining about unfairness has all but completely gone away.  He was very gracious last night in refusing to bring up Clinton's infidelities because Chelsea was there.  A year ago might  have been a different story.  He's developing the demeanor of a President. His opponent, on the other hand, continues to lower her standards and degrade herself in the worst possible way.  Imagine what the country would have done to any other candidate who had called the opposition "deplorable" or the whole country "racist."

Being President of the United States has to be one of, if not the toughest job in the world.  Snap decisions have to be made at all times.  If the wrong one is made, the whole country suffers.  No matter what decision the President makes, there are many people who will criticize and condemn. That's the nature of the beast.  Who would want to put up with that? It takes a strong sense of self-confidence to endure that.  It seems to me his opponent is running for the office to prove herself. Trump has more than proved himself capable of handling criticism and snap judgments. He's done enough of both that seeking the Presidency would be unnecessary for him.  He said he's done it for the country and his previous success in the business world proves his words.

There are many, mostly "never Trumpers" and Democrats who continue to dredge up his past, who continue to denigrate him for his mistakes, but what good does that do?  The past can't be changed. If he's learned from his mistakes and for the most part, he seems to have done that, then getting snarky about something over and done with is petty on the part of the person doing it. There is not one single person in this world today who could have their mistakes made public and not blush.  Me included.

He's not nearly so off the cuff as he was.  Some people liked that, and he won their vote because of it. Can't say I agree, but the longer he's in the arena the more he's grasped the situation and learned to be more Presidential. I have to say I admire him for pulling himself out of the mud slinging and has moved on to more substantive speeches.

No, he's no orator.  That's undoubtedly why he won the nomination. Neither was Jimmy Carter and he was still elected. People are tired of the likes of Obama and Clinton (Bill) who promise you the moon and can't even deliver the cheese some people they've convinced it's made of.

However, Trump apparently does get results.  America is hungry for results.  Another reason he won. The number of qualified candidates that began over a year ago were probably all better at oratory.  I loved Lindsey Graham's sense of humor.  I appreciated Scott Walker's dignity in the face of Megan Kelly's disgraceful unprofessional question that cost him any further chance. Everyone I talked to appreciated Carly Fiorina.  If Trump is elected, I sincerely hope many of his nominations comes from those 16 candidates.  Every one of them has much to give for the betterment of America. That would also be very Lincolnesque.

All in all, Mr. Trump, you've come a long way, baby.  On-the-job training is not for the weak or the faint-of-heart.  Actually, every person who enters that august office will experience some degree of on-the-job training.  I seriously doubt anyone can be prepared enough or experienced enough so that nothing comes as a surprise.

I appreciate the way he's surrounded himself with Christians. Naysayers will dismiss that as a way to get votes.  Possibly.  We are none of us mind readers.  Deciding on his motives is judging and God frowns on that. Whatever he intends by doing so, God can use those men and women to His advantage.  And, that can only benefit America.