Election Curiosities

My Daddy, who is eighty-six, thought his voting days were over. I didn't press the issue until he saw Mrs. Palin. He is quite enamoured of her, and told me several times, "I wish I could vote for *her* for President." So I called the voter registration in his new county (he moved last April to a nursing home in a different county), and they told me that the Activities Director at the nursing home could send in the paperwork, and arrange for the Mobile Voting Team to take his vote.

That was Friday. The Activities Director called me back and said that all the paperwork had to be at the County Clerk's office by 5:00 pm That Day. She had mailed all the stuff the day before. She told me she asked Daddy if he wanted to vote and he said no. (yep, having an elderly parent can be frustrating...) I told her I thought I would call the Voter Registration again and see if I could do something. The A.D. offered to do so for me. She called me right back and said that they were going to fax her another form. She ran down to Dad's room (it was near 4:30 already), got the info, and faxed it back. (by the way, I love Daddy's nursing home!)

So it looks like Daddy will be voting!

He called me that evening to tell me a story. He said, "it was one of you kids' being born, and it was Election Day." (well, only one of us was born near Election Day...it was '56) Mama was in the hospital, four days post-partum, and wanted to vote. A man from the Election Board came, accompanied by the sheriff. They had to move Mother's roommate's bed out into the hallway, and the sheriff Locked the Door and stood outside while mother gave her vote to the man. I don't know if they do that anymore (especially the Sheriff part) but it reminds me of my mother telling me (every election time) about how, in this country, voting is a Sacred Privilege.

"When I married your father, I promised to love, honor, and obey him. But when I step into that voting booth, it is between me and God. Not even your father has a right to tell me how to vote."

Gosh, I love that. It sounds so unbelievably barbaric to today's sensibilities. And, that is not to say that Daddy did not know how Mother voted. They would get the sample ballots out of the newspaper, and fill them out the night before, so they wouldn't take up too much time in the voting booth. And, I think they filled them out together!

Finally, a bit of history for you younger folks. When I was in high school, the 26th amendment was passed. This lowered the voting age from twenty-one to eighteen. I thought the argument "for" the amendment was well-founded. The Vietnam War was raging, and the slogan was, "if you are old enough to kill for your country, then you are old enough to vote." Remember, young men were being drafted--the army was not all-volunteer at that point. It gives me pause to think of all the young men drafted into all the previous wars, who had to fight without this right. So many of us don't have a clue how precious this privilege really is. Others of us take the right casually, seeing it as optional.

Of course, we cannot forget the fact that we, as women, have not always had the right to vote. Here is a link featuring women who were jailed and beaten for protesting because they did not have the right to vote. And here is a link to an article about the "night of terror" some of them endured in 1917, because they protested Mr. Wilson's White House.

This election, we keep hearing the words, "the most significant election in decades." Well, if you haven't been around as long as I have, I have news for you--they say that Every Election. Every election is significant--we saw that when we elected Mr. Bush in 2000. He took office in January 2001, and wasn't really expecting the world to change the next September.

So. Is your voter registration up to date?

A Psalm for Sunday

"By day the LORD directs His love,
at night His song is with me--
a prayer to the God of my life." --Psalm 42:8, NIV

Isn't that beautiful?

Better Every Day

I wrote yesterday that I was feeling anxious about many things, and that I was being blessed by reading a certain blog entry. Doesn't that happen to you? These Friends I've made, blogging, have so many riches to share. As we journey through our lives with our Father, our experiences are not just for us. II Corinthians, chapter 1 says that they are so we may comfort others who are going through the same things. In God's economy, nothing is wasted, and everything is reusable! [We can call it Recycling--God's way!]

The Lord spoke to me yesterday through my Bible reading. Now it has all "fallen into place." Of course, *I* was the one who was "out of place" in my thinking. Nothing has really changed. Money looks just as tight. Other areas of my life seem just as out of control. But God has been there All The Time, taking care of me as He always has.

This morning I read a post at Mrs. Copper's Wife. It is called "It's Enough." She looks at the word "enough"--what does it mean? OF COURSE it means that we have what we need! Here is a little bit:

God's provision is always enough, no matter the commodity. He gives
us time enough, if only we would be faithful to use those hours to their best
advantage. He gives us wisdom enough, if only we would seek it out as the
treasure that Scripture tells us that it is. He gives His children rest
enough, if we would only choose to take the rest He sends.

Wow. Isn't that cool?

And, thank you to my many other friends, who often have a word "just for me." I appreciate you all so much!

Climbing Back to Health

Well, I'm back "on the road" to health. Still only about 60% today...quite tired still. Thank you for all of your prayers.

I'm feeling anxious about many things.

And being blessed by reading Jewels today.

May Cause Exciteability

I'm three days into a major cold.

Blackeyed Susan and Alvin Fernald had it exactly a week ago. Not having caught it after two or three days, I thought I had escaped. After all, there are 200 rinoviruses, right? Isn't there a chance that my children would catch one that I've already had, and therefore am immune to? But no-o-o-o.

This one Slammed In. Like a hurricane, or maybe more like a blizzard. From 9 am on Sunday to 9 am on Monday, I logged seventeen hours sleep. So, Monday, I got up at 9, then *only* took a two-hour nap. After all, I didn't want to toss and turn all Monday night, from having too much sleep.

At 10 pm, I decided to Hedge my Bet. Took a big swig of nyquil. Fast forward to oh, one a.m. See me THRASHING around in my bed. Throwing myself around, waking poor Charming up. (he only gets to sleep till 3:45 am this morning...) Dreaming little silly dreams, like all the stop signs in Wasilla, Alaska, being shaped like all-day suckers.

Before Charming could kick me out of bed, I came downstairs. Fortunately, the 1933 Little Women was on Turner Classic Movies. By the time Jo fell in love with Professer Bhaer, I was sleepy enough to go back to bed. But before I did, I checked that bottle of nyquil--you know, the stuff with Alcohol in it...there it was, in little print: May Cause Exciteability, Especially In Children.

Well, I'm fifty-three years old. Does that qualify?

Oatmeal Cake

This is for Jen, who asked for the recipe a few weeks ago. It is wonderfully moist, and yummy supreme:

Oatmeal Cake

1 1/4 C. boiling water over 1 C. quick oats. Let stand 20 minutes.

In a bowl: 1/4 C. butter
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
Cream shortening with sugars. Add:
2 eggs 1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Mix well. Add alternately 1 1/3 C. flour and the oats. Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Topping:
1/3 C. melted butter 1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 C. coconut 1/2 C. chopped nuts
Mix the topping ingredients and pour over cake. Place under broiler just until brown.

And, if you like, you can use my Grandma's rule for the nuts:

"Whatever the recipe calls for [for nuts], double it, and it'll be just *about* right."

Always works for me!

If You're Still Considering Whom to Vote for...

My Daddy (86 years old), at our visit today:

"Yeah, I like that woman VP. She has a lot good to say, and she really loves her babies.

She reminds me of Mama." [my mother]

As far as I'm concerned, Sarah Palin can have no bigger endorsement!