My Heart of the Matter

The Long Journey

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My nephew Nick and his wife Michele at Oak Alley

  1. Oak Alley after Hurricane Ida

    Nothing irks me more than unexpected potholes and the inconvenience of road repairs and detours. In our life’s journey we will come across many obstacles that will redirect our walk with God. The other day, for the life of me, I could not get anything together. I needed to run errands, but had to go back inside the house because I kept forgetting things. I couldn’t find my keys, I forgot my water bottle, my phone was on silent so it took longer to find, but thank God, St. Anthony always comes through. Later I find out that there was an accident not far from where I was going. Our distractions could not only give us a message to slow down but save our lives.

Slow Down

We all have our daily routines. You must get ready for your workday and all it entails. If you have children, they need attending to as well.  Before our granddaughter learned to drive, and I had to babysit I had to get up extra early, pack lunches, prepare breakfast and then drive them to two different schools. By the time I got home all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed, thank God it was only for a few days.

The older we get, the slower we take life. My priorities have changed;  all I want to do is secure my free ticket to heaven. I want to share my life’s journey with everyone who crosses my path. God gifted me with a good sense of humor; sometimes all it takes to make someone smile is to get their attention. I have never mastered beating someone over the head with a Bible, but in today’s society it might not be such a bad idea. The Word of God keeps me grounded and when discouragement crosses my path, I take the high road to reach the silence of God’s peace. I don’t know exactly where many Bible verses are, but I do quote them whenever I’m in a state of desperation.

Sometimes when I’m not paying attention I step into dog excrement; my first thought is to get rid of this by taking my shoes off and cleaning them. We step into difficult situations in life as well. All we can do is try to clean off the mess we have caused, or else we walk around with an offensive stench. Our journey will always have choices of roads leading to different paths, but the road to heaven is always available. We clutter our path by wrong influences that take us away from the things of God. At no time does it get more difficult than when we run out of gas or forget to charge the electrical vehicle.

Recharging

Sometimes I struggle with prayer; I go through powerful prayer for several weeks, then spurts of prayer due to the distractions of the world. One thing is certain: with or without gas my journey in prayer is ever present. It took a while for me to train my spirit to call upon God for all of my needs. My journey led me to many other Christian denominations,  but in the end I came back to the Lord through my Catholic roots. I now have a Catholic church parish; for me it’s a comfortable home with a solid roof covering my beliefs and what I will always represent.

Don’t Give Up On Prayer

For many years I have been asking God for specific things in my life but have not gotten an answer. This does at times discourage me, but I continue on that lonely path, believing that God will answer my request. I’m a sinner, so when conviction overtakes my conscience, I pray. Prayer clears the highways of our minds so that we can reach our destination.  The living waters that Jesus promised refresh our spirits; the more we drink, the more we desire this fountain of healing. As I write this Blog, I thank God for my own health and family’s health. But deep in my spirit I’m doing battle for those who need a miracle with court cases, or healings of cancer, of marriages, and salvation for their loved ones.

I pray for others on a regular basis. Throughout the day my spirit is taking different crossroads to intercede for others. If you ask me to pray for someone or if God puts someone on my heart, I am obligated to pray for that person until He releases me.

The Debris 

My sister Jo and her cat Segundo evacuated to Mississippi

Our country just experienced Hurricane Ida. This cursed girl wreaked  havoc from Louisiana to New York until she finally ran out of breath. Ida’s disrespect of the hundred-year-old oak trees in her path, scattered their lifeless branches on the roads. My sister Jo and her sons surrendered to her destruction; they had to leave due to the loss of electrical power. There will not be a welcome mat spread out for them on their return; rather they will face the laborious task of cleaning up the mess Ida left behind. Without electricity food spoils and has to be discarded; this is another big expense. The Big Easy is a hot mess. While the rest of us are gearing up for the last barbecue of the summer, the people in the path of Ida are resilient and will make their way to the road of recovery. Because there is nowhere else to turn, these cataclysmic trials only make them stronger; they develop a deeper union with our Creator.

In her path of devastation, Ida took the lives of  67 persons  and left millions without power.  Our nephew Torie and his family fled north to Rustin to a friend’s vacation home; later, they rented a two-bedroom apartment for one month until their power is restored. Of this family of five, four suffer from a mild case of COVID. Once the dust settles and the rush of crowds getting gas and food is over, they will head back home.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for protecting our family during Hurricane Ida. I pray for all who lost family members. Lord, embrace them and comfort their hurting hearts. Heavenly Father, may You always direct our path and clear the way for us to take the pathway You have set for us. I pray for my nephew Mario; give him special graces and favor, and lead him back to You. I pray for Bobbie, who is in need of a miracle; restore her health and hear the cries of her heart. I pray for all who are suffering with COVID. May this pandemic be eradicated from the earth. Amen.

 

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My Heart of the Matter

The Wrath

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We are all feeling the anger, pain, and disgust over losing 13 American soldiers and the countless Afghans who were killed by the suicide bombers . Where are all the Biden supporters now? Why aren’t they blasting Facebook with their supportive messages? Biden can’t blame anyone but himself for this debacle. But the liberal media is struggling to unravel a way to spin this story.  The beauty of truth is that it will always prevail and no one will be able to contest it. The families of these beautiful young men and women will always know that they paid the ultimate price for the mistakes of President Biden.

“Save the Date Card”

In the United States it is customary to send out a “save the date card” months before the wedding invitation. This allows their guests to make the proper arrangements to be able to attend the wedding. What the president has done was to essentially send out “save the date cards” to the Taliban. Did it not cross Biden’s mind that Americans had to be evacuated before making this absurd decision? Then he gave out the list of those invited, and injudiciously handed the names of Americans and Afghan allies to the terrorists. How does this get past White House briefings? The Taliban’s history of murdering Afghans who colluded with Americans is no secret; in the eyes of the terrorists these Afghans are traitors.

In Harms Way Using Our Arms

We will never know the real cost or have an accurate account of all the military equipment left behind in Afghanistan. According to OpenTheBooks.com, two key reports on the U.S. war chest of military gear in Afghanistan had disappeared from the federal website. If we pay for these audits, the U.S. should provide the information that would allow us to follow the money. Citizens from war-torn Afghanistan are genuine refugees; their claims for political asylum are warranted.

According to the Pew Research Center, the U.S. Border Patrol reported over 200,000 migrants along the U.S.- Mexican border in July. This is the highest monthly total in more than two decades. Newsweek reported that since January 2021, 1,111,000 immigrants have crossed the U.S.- Mexican border.

The numbers are not in yet as to how many Afghan refugees will be welcomed into this country. One thing is certain: it will also be in the millions. Call it what you may, but in my eyes this is another example of poor planning. Who is going to pay for this? If we allow this liberal Congress to continue to rule, they will vote to make every refugee a citizen. Why? Because the Democrats need their votes. But don’t count on the Afghan refugees to vote for them, because they are well familiar with communism.

No God, No Favor

President Biden is a CINO (Catholic in name only). He does not follow the teachings of the Catholic Church and, for this reason, he should be excommunicated from the Church. His beliefs are offensive to God and to most of us, especially Christians who are serving the Lord. His reprobate mindset is cemented and, unless he repents, he will never change. He will forever support ungodly teachings and continue to warp the minds of those who believe his lies. He can not cry out to God because he has forsaken the core teachings and laws that God sent for us to live by. Even if Biden cries out to God, God will not listen to him.

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
Biden has blood on his hands – not only for the 13 soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country, but for all the babies killed through abortions and for supporting all the gender dysphoria and whatever else is connected to this confusion of sin. We who believe will continue to pray for God to pull us out of this abyss.

Isaiah 1:15  New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Global Warming Or The Hand of God?
How many natural disasters is it going to take to wake us up? God is slowly lifting His hand from this country because of sin. As of today, this year, 1.66 million acres have burned in California alone.  My sister and some of her family members are hunkered down with Hurricane Ida in their direct path. Please pray for their safety.
21 See, the Lord goes forth from his place, to punish the wickedness of the earth’s inhabitants; The earth will reveal the blood shed upon it, and no longer conceal the slain.

Many Christians are crying out that we are living in the Last Days. It sure seems that way. What we should be doing is asking God to intervene on our behalf and to allow us another opportunity to serve. We can’t be like Lot’s wife, looking back at all the material things she left behind. We must always look ahead, pray without ceasing, and believe that God will change the hearts of evil men. The wrath of God is imminent; the signs are all the natural disasters, global warming and climate change. Call it what you may, it’s banging on our doors.

Romans 1:18 New American Bible (Revised Edition)

 18 The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

God will not be mocked: godless leaders will not go unpunished. In the words of Biden, “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.” It’s a little too late to play the tough guy! Biden’s ill-advised, disastrous policy decisions will become his downfall.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, let us never forget the brave soldiers who were taken from their families at such a young age. May You comfort broken hearts and heal the anger and pain of these families. Through all this agony, bring peace to them. Lord, You are the Healer, the Comforter, the One we seek when we are numb from our brokenness. We pray for President Biden to repent and to serve our country in the Name of God and all it stands for. I pray for my sister Jo and her family; protect her and all that are in Hurricane Ida’s path. Amen.
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My Heart of the Matter

Time To Dethrone Governor Newsom

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King Newsom
King David

 

Despite California’s reputation as a deeply liberal state, there are plenty of people who refuse to go down without a fight — and that fight will be a fair one. The era of political dynasties and their hand-picked successors ruling this state unchallenged has gone on far too long, and the patience of faithful Californians is running out.

2 He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.

Governor Newsom calls to mind a modern-day King Saul. Tall, handsome, and beloved by his people, Saul thought himself invincible — until the moment he disobeyed God and was stripped of his kingdom. It takes more than good looks and political charisma to govern well. And by that measure, Newsom has failed California.

The infiltration of ideologically driven curricula into California’s public schools — including the imposition of Critical Race Theory — has bypassed parents, undermined objective truth, and turned classrooms into ideological battlegrounds. The border crisis, long simmering on the back burner, is approaching a full boil, and the lack of serious leadership at the state level has only made it worse.

The misuse of federal and state dollars — extending dependency rather than opportunity — has not lifted people up. It has kept them down. When government aid becomes a substitute for work rather than a bridge back to it, the result is not compassion. It is control. And the consequences ripple outward: businesses absorbing the weight of inflation, forced to raise wages not because the economy is thriving but because the cost of living has been artificially driven up. Those costs pass to consumers. And in the end, every Californian bears the financial burden of policies that were sold as generosity but function as dependency.

King Saul’s downfall was not his enemies — it was his own disobedience and pride. The lesson has not changed. Leadership without accountability to truth — or to God — does not end well. California deserves better, and there are plenty of people here who know it.

A question worth sitting with: King Saul was given every gift needed to lead well — and still fell. What does that say about the difference between talent and virtue in those who hold power over others?

Last week the recall ballot arrived — and with it, a genuine sense of hope, along with no small amount of confusion. The desire to see Governor Newsom removed from office is clear. Who should replace him is less so, and that discernment is still a matter of prayer.

What has become clear, however, is what the media’s response to the leading candidates reveals. The concentrated effort to smear Larry Elder’s character and dismantle his campaign tells its own story: he is a threat. That kind of attention from the press is not random — it is strategic, and it is telling.

Perhaps the most revealing attack has been the claim that Elder is Black only in skin color. Let that sink in. For decades, the political left has claimed to champion the advancement of Black Americans — and the moment one rises to prominence with the wrong set of views, the mask slips. His values do not fit the approved narrative, so his identity is dismissed. That is not advocacy. That is control.

One issue in particular demands serious attention: Elder’s stated intention to take on the California Teachers Union. It is past time. This is not a fight against teachers — the vast majority of whom are dedicated, hardworking people. It is a fight against an organization that has placed its own institutional interests above the welfare of children and the rights of parents. Parents are not stakeholders in their children’s education — they are the primary educators. The Church has always taught this. It is time for policy to reflect it.

Taking on that Goliath will not be easy. But David did not wait for a more convenient moment.

The Ballot

If conservatives really want this recall to succeed, we need to be united. How can this happen with 24 Republicans on the ballot? There are nine Democrats, two Greens, one Libertarian and ten Nones. Of all these names I am familiar with only two: Larry Elder and Caitlyn Jenner. Bruce Jenner has always been a conservative so I imagine that despite his new “they/them” his conservative views remain the same. The “Nones” really are a big concern because they are like wolves in sheep’s clothing; three of them are involved in education. I have eliminated all but two: Larry Elder and maybe John Cox. As much as I would like to write in a certain candidate, it would be a lost cause.

The Ballot

If conservatives really want this recall to succeed, we need to be united. How can this happen with 24 Republicans on the ballot? There are nine Democrats, two Greens, one Libertarian and ten Nones. Of all these names I am familiar with only two: Larry Elder and Caitlyn Jenner. Bruce Jenner has always been a conservative so I imagine that despite his new “they/them” his conservative views remain the same. The “Nones” really are a big concern because they are like wolves in sheep’s clothing; three of them are involved in education. I have eliminated all but two: Larry Elder and maybe John Cox. As much as I would like to write in a certain candidate, it would be a lost cause.

1 Samuel 8:6-7 New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Can we not see what is unfolding around us? To many, it is unmistakable: God has permitted these trials to take place — not out of indifference, but out of providence. Did the pandemic shake us awake? The fires, the hurricanes, the earthquakes, the collapse of nations — have these calamities brought the soul to its knees, or has the noise of the world drowned out what God is saying through them?

Scripture is not silent on this. Throughout salvation history, God has used suffering, disorder, and consequence to call His people back. The question is never whether He is speaking — the question is whether anyone is listening.

The way of the world is despair. But despair is not the last word. Hope is. And that hope — not the shallow optimism of politics, but the theological virtue rooted in God’s faithfulness — is what remains on the horizon for California, no matter how dark the present moment appears.

No evil is wished upon Governor Newsom. Every soul is made in the image and likeness of God, and that dignity demands charity even toward those whose governance has caused serious harm. But charity does not require silence. Newsom has allowed disastrous policies to take root in this state — policies that have harmed families, undermined parental rights, deepened dependency, and left the most vulnerable without adequate protection. That record demands accountability, regardless of how the recall concludes.

A name can survive an election loss. It cannot as easily survive the verdict of history — especially when that history is written honestly. If it is, Newsom’s tenure will be remembered the way King Saul’s was: a leader given every advantage, who chose his own path over the one God required, and paid the price for it.

The door for repentance is always open. But so is the door of consequence.

Saul’s Death

The story of King Saul does not end well — and it was not meant to.

After God anointed David as the true king, Saul refused to relinquish his grip on power. He continued fighting battles he was no longer appointed to win, clinging to a kingdom that had already been taken from him — not by an enemy, but by his own disobedience. When the prophet Samuel died and God fell silent in response to Saul’s pleas, Saul did the unthinkable: he sought out the Witch of Endor, a medium, to conjure Samuel’s spirit from the dead. It was a final, desperate act of a man who had long since stopped trusting God and started trusting himself.

The parallel is worth sitting with. When leaders exhaust the counsel of the wise and find themselves without answers, the temptation is not to turn back to God — it is to turn to whatever voice promises relief. The question worth asking of any leader in crisis is not just what they are doing, but whom they are consulting. Policy does not emerge from a vacuum. It reflects the voices a leader has decided to trust.

Saul’s story ends on the battlefield at Mount Gilboa — surrounded, defeated, and without hope. Out of despair, he fell on his own sword. It was not the death of a warrior. It was the death of a man who had chosen fear over faith at every critical moment, until there were no more moments left.

The lesson is not one of condemnation — it is one of warning. Power without

4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through; otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me.” But the armor-bearer, badly frightened, refused, so Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.
My Prayer

Dear Lord,

Grant us Your wisdom in this recall election. May we, as Your children, be obedient to Your Word and not to the voices of the world. Guide each voter to choose rightly — not according to preference or fear, but according to what is true, just, and pleasing in Your eyes.

Lord, You are the God who brings hidden things to light. Just as You exposed the actions of those in power who have harmed the innocent, turn that same light upon the governance of our state. Let nothing that has been done in darkness remain concealed.

Prick the conscience of Governor Newsom, Lord. May he come to understand not only why he is being recalled, but why every act of leadership will one day be held to account before You. Soften his heart. Open his eyes. And if it is Your will, use this moment to call him back — not merely to better governance, but to You.

We place this election, this state, and its people in Your hands. Your will be done.

Amen.

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