Ann's Blog

I am at a time in my life where I have lived more years than I have left to live. I reflect on ‘life as I knew it’ growing up in the 50s. Our nation was God-based, moral, and patriotic. We believed in the teachings of our forefathers and expected a bright future.

Now, some 60 + years later, I look around and see only evil, moral decay, self-serving leaders and no hope for our future as a free nation.

When a majority of people shut their eyes to reality around them in exchange for ‘reality shows’ on TV, they sealed the fate of our nation. By the time people wake up to the REAL reality around them it will be too late to stop the ‘train wreck.’

In just under 5 years our government has had most of our individual rights taken or are in the process of removing them. You think you have free speech? Try standing in a mall and read your Bible out loud. See how fast you are shut down! Your child wants to play with a toy gun in HIS OWN FRONT YARD? If a neighbor complains, he could be suspended from school, the gun removed and, depending on his age, charged by the police…ON HIS OWN PROPERTY!!

If the so-called silent majority does not wake up, we will lose this free nation in less than three years. You think that can’t happen? Would you have believed that an ENTIRE city would be shut down like was done after the Boston bombing? Do you not realize that Homeland Security has vehicles that say “POLICE” on the side? Do you know that the IRS is being armed and taught how to shoot? Do you remember Resident “O” in OUR Whitehouse saying he will have a civilian army?

Here is my prediction before the next Presidential election: There will be a crisis – either manufactured or allowed to happen – that will necessitate Martial Law to be imposed on our nation causing the “delay” of the Presidential election paving the way to perpetuate the current administration indefinitely. You think this can’t happen? Remember where you were when you read this when it DOES happen. I will be in a safe, protected secure place unknown to all but a chosen few.

You had better find your “hidey hole” or wake up and change things NOW.

In my 70 years of life this is the first time…EVER…that I believe my beloved United States of America – founded on the Constitution, fought with blood and treasure – has been so severely damaged that we may, in fact, not recover.

This has NOT been about a popularity contest between two ‘worthy’ candidates vying to lead our country, it is about our nation surviving as a Republic with freedoms; a leader of the free world; a strong, independent nation.

My disappointment in my ‘fellow man’ has diminished to the point of no respect, to say the least, and pure outrage, to say the most. Is it even possible to believe that so many people are so far detached from reality that they would actually believe four more years of the hell we have just lived these past four years will somehow ‘magically’ improve?

My faith in our Dear LORD Jesus is what sustains me at all times…in all circumstances…without wavering and I believe there is a bigger picture here that needs to be seen. I believe we have not fallen down far enough on our knees yet to be brought back to the faith in God and trust upon which our country was founded.

I believe there will be suffering and pain and disappointment and struggle not matched since the very founding of our country. The complacency of the people in our nation has not even seen the darkness that is about to unfold.

A small taste of it can be seen by the suffering that is happening on the East Coast from that Hurricane, Sandy. Where is the government handouts? Where is their ‘savior’? Who will make their suffering go away? It astonishes me that most of those people long ago stopped learning self-reliance and the means to sustain themselves in hard times. They have preferred to just stand in a line and say, “Where are my Obama Bucks?” Well, I am taking steps to ensure that they do not ‘rob’ me of MY hard-earned money.

If anyone comes across this blog, my advice to you is to subscribe to: WWW.GLENNBECK.COM because that will be the LAST place to find the truth!

“I don’t carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed. I don’t carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place. I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid. I carry a gun because there are very real threats in the world. I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world. I don’t carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government. I don’t carry a gun because I am angry. I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

“I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon. I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

“I don’t carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing 3 armed thugs, I am inadequate. I don’t carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make life meaningful to me.

“Police protection is an oxymoron: Police do not protect you from crime they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone to clean up the mess. Free citizens must protect themselves.

“I carry a gun because God gave me the Right to do so, it is ‘inalienable.’ With guns, we are “citizens.” Without them, we are “subjects.”

As I spend time with my young granddaughters, I come in direct contact with how their world is slanting their thinking. They want all games to end in a tie. No one should be declared an absolute ‘Winner’ that it is not important to try to do the best you can to win.

An interesting conversation with the almost 10 year-old went like this: “Grami, if you are in a race and are about to win and the person close to you suddenly stops to tie her shoe, would you stop to help her?”

I, of course, replied, “No, I would finish the race to win. What would you do?” She told me that she would stop to help the person. My husband mumbled in the background, “With that attitude, she will be a perpetual loser in life.”

It saddened me to realize that she is being taught that excellence is NOT to be achieved; that one must sacrifice for others rather than ‘win the race.’ I did not have an opportunity to pose this question to her : “Let’s say you have been training your whole life for the Olympics, costing your parents money, time and sacrifice. Now you have qualified and are in the race for the gold at the summer Olympics. Would you still stop to help the other person tie their shoe, thereby losing the most important race of your life?”

What my well-intentioned granddaughter fails to understand is that personal responsibility trumps charity. It was the other person’s responsibility to see that her equipment functioned correctly so she would not have had the problem. It was NOT my granddaughter’s responsibility to sacrifice for the other person’s negligence.

This attitude reflects the current schooling in our country that excellence is NOT rewarded; everyone must ‘dumb down’; no one can stand above the others; it’s O.K. to be needy, unaccomplished, a taker and a user.

Since I am not raising her, I have little influence to counter this unbelievable way of thinking. I am fearful that she will have a life of always giving and rarely having her needs met and never fully reaching her potential.

The fact that she and her sister do not have the benefit of a Christian upbringing is the saddest thing of all. That is where she would learn a moral responsibility to herself, to reach her God-given full potential as a child of God with Jesus Christ as her savior.

My daily prayers are for her to find our Lord Jesus. I love her no matter what but am so sad for her, nevertheless.

June 7, 2011

INCIDENT in Temecula Dentist Office

The day started in the office waiting room where I sat for 40 minutes past my appointment. I had to ask why I was still waiting. They went in the back to find out and came back to tell me that “We are kinda backed up today. They are cleaning the room for you now. It will be ready in a couple of minutes.” Ten minutes later I was escorted to the room to have my teeth cleaned.

The procedures that day included: teeth cleaning, drilling for two crowns, and fitting for the temporary crowns. (It should be noted here that this place was like walking into a car dealership! They seemed ‘bent’ on promoting all the ‘latest and best options available for whiter, brighter, straighter teeth’  including ‘state-of-the-art crowns in a day’ – just what I do NOT want at this point in my life after retirement – certainly NOT for the prices they quoted!)

The incident occurred after the tech finished fitting me with the two temporary crowns. She said to me, “You’re all finished.” She then proceeded to start cleaning the station and ignored me.

I sat up, from a partially reclining position (with no assistance), took the bib off myself and laid it on the tray and stood up. As I turned to approach the counter to retrieve my handbag, my right foot caught on the exposed cord to the foot pedal causing me to fall to my knees.

I reached with my left arm to the counter to break my fall, which was marginally successful in preventing a hard fall to my knees.

This action caused me to wrench my arm and scrapped an area in the inner, lower part of my arm near my wrist. I felt pain in my arm muscle above the elbow and in my chest muscle.

I managed to stand up with help from the tech and another person who had entered the room. I sat in a chair and checked my knees for any abrasions. Seeing none I did notice a tenderness in both knees at the point of impact.

I checked my inner arm and saw the abrasion but no bleeding. I then checked range of motion of my shoulder and felt pain in my upper arm muscle and muscle of my chest but was able to use my arm. I was asked if I was alright and I stated that I could walk and was ready to leave. I went to the front desk and paid my bill.

During the ensuing week, my arm muscle and chest muscle continued to be sore when used, but Ibuprofen and ice gave some relief.

My knees did not hurt at all unless I pressed on the two areas where small bruises appeared.

A bruise appeared at the abraided spot on my inner arm the size of a silver dollar and was sore to touch.

Range of motion in my left arm is sufficient, limited only by the muscle pain and weakness.

CONCLUSION

The cord to the foot pedal NOT being secured is an OSHA violation.

Employees need to be taught to see to the patient’s needs FIRST before proceeding to clean their station.

June 14th Return Visit for Crowns

When I signed in for my appointment, I was asked, “Do you have a question?” I replied that I had an appointment to which she responded, “We don’t have you down. The doctor had an emergency and it could take a while. Do you want to re-schedule?”

I replied, “I live 20 miles away in the mountains and that would be very inconvenient. Do you know how much longer it could be?” She left and when she came back said they were just finishing up and it would be 15-20 minutes. I decided to wait.

Finally, after 30 minutes, I was taken back to the room (same one where I fell) and the assistant started to prep me. I waited another 15 minutes and the doctor finally came in. They removed the temporary crowns and he left. The assistant sat there with me and we talked a bit. She asked if I would want to have the areas deadened before they put the permanent crowns in place.

The last time I had a crown – some 15-20 years ago – there was only minimal discomfort but certainly tolerable so I said I would be fine. The doctor returned and they fitted the crowns, making sure there was clearance between teeth. He proceeded to put a ‘bonding agent’ in place and I experienced EXTREME pain. I nearly jumped out of the chair! On a scale of 1 to 10 this was a 10 pain level!! Oh My Gosh!! I could not believe the pain! They removed the bonding material and said they would deaden the areas. “YA THINK????” I wanted to scream but I was too busy crying and shaking from the pain. The dentist felt really, really bad that I had experienced such pain and kept apologizing. They deadened the areas – both places, upper and lower – and left the room. As the pain subsided and I started to feel the numbness, they returned but I said that I could still feel in the lower tooth. They gave me more local and left again. I told the tech that they needed to warn older patients who had crowns put in the “Old Fashioned Way” that they may experience a lot of pain and it was HIGHLY recommended that the areas be deadened. I repeated this advice to the dentist later.

Finally, an hour and a half after entering the exam room, they put the two crowns in place. We proceeded to try to determine if I could feel them when I bit down. I could, so he filed off first one then the other. After a while, I remarked that it was like trying to level a three-legged stool.

FINALLY we determined that they both seemed to be O.K. I told the dentist that I needed to speak to him so he stayed and I read the account of my fall from the week ago. He was very concerned and seemed upset that it had happened to me. I told him that I was not going any further with it, since the injuries were O.K. What he did about the future was up to him. I gave him the written report and he said, “We will discuss this in our ‘huddle’ tomorrow morning.”

I said, “You probably won’t believe this but this has been the WORST experience of my 68 years of life!” He was very sad about that and said so.

The assistant came back in to polish the two crowns and to take pictures of them. She was very sweet and attentive (clearly he had said something to her in the hall) and I went to the desk to leave. They wanted me to sign that I was satisfied with the color, shape and fit of the new crowns. I said, “I was not given a mirror to look at them.” She left to find a mirror but I pulled the one from my purse to look. They seemed fine so I signed and left, vowing to NEVER RETURN!!!!

Another Holiday came and went and no call from the kids. I don’t seem to grasp the fact that adult kids will always disappoint..Out of sight…out of mind, so it seems.

They go about their busy lives, visit with the other family who live close and we are relegated to oblivion because we are not physically close. It always baffles me why they seem to think it is O.K. to just forget that we, too want to be a part of their lives.

Just because I have a husband and we travel and do things whereas our son’s mother-in-law is a widow and chooses to NOT go anywhere or do anything, somehow we are punished and left out. What does any of that have to do with us being grandparents and having a desire to be a part of our grandchildrens’ lives? Why are we left out and ignored?

It seems to be the same with the other adult child. The other grandmother visited for Easter so we were ignored because we are not there.

I try to not really care and end up making excuses but it hurts all the same. I guess that is my penalty for having my mate, being free to travel, and not physically near them.

I guess I need to return to the premise: “Kids will always disappoint…”

To My Daughter,
March 18th 2011

Someday you will realize that our caring about informing you of possible things to come is NOT about rejecting you as a person. When you have been a parent longer (when your own children are grown and make choices for themselves apart from yours) you will begin to understand our motives.

Would parents try to warn a child who is about to step off a cliff or would they just hold each other and and shake their heads and say, “Well, I hope she survives the fall.”

We have obviously lived longer, experienced more and clearly read and studied MANY sources to form our opinions. To withhold information from those we love dearly would be irresponsible of us.

We DO NOT reject YOU, our first born child whom we love dearly, just because you do not chose to learn from us. When you allow yourself to believe otherwise, you shut yourself off from the very information that could make a difference in your life.

This saddens us a great deal for several reasons. For the one we love to reject, out of hand, anything we offer counter to your beliefs could, if we approached it the way you do, make us feel rejected and unloved by you. Also, your refusal to learn from us could put us in a situation to end up having to help you, thereby compromising our ability to take care of ourselves – What if you lose your job? What if you have to sell your house…at a loss…and downsize? Where would you go? What would you do? Have you even prepared for the worst case? Have you set aside savings for emergencies? Have you even prepared for something as obvious as an earthquake? There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ that, just because you two are only in your 40’s does not mean you are immune. (Remember, Astre was only 59) We would ALWAYS step up to help you in any way we could!

I am really sorry you have chosen to take our counsel, advice, information-sharing as a personal affront to your beliefs. I have always thought of you as highly educated, able to ask questions and research, and draw conclusions. I guess I was wrong…

You have hamstrung us in our relationship – especially your father – by asking us to be less than who we are; to measure everything we say or write so as not to offend. Things I receive from friends that I do not like or do not believe, I just hit the ‘delete’ button. I do not reject them as friends!!

At this point in your parenting, you believe that you have total influence on what your children believe, trust, know and practice. The time will come – in the not to distant future – when they will start to form their own beliefs…apart from yours, maybe…Will you feel that they are rejecting you personally when they try to influence you to their way of thinking?

By your personalizing (in the negative) our attempts to inform, warn and protect you, you are cheating yourself of the very best we have to offer at this point in our ‘parenting.’

My prayer is that you wll start to educate yourself as to what is happening around you. Your father is smart enough to question all sources of information and seek out opposing points of view and check for himself before he reaches conclusions. If you are unwilling to benefit from this, at least do what he does. Educate yourself. Read and listen to many points of view. Everything we hear and read from such sources as Glenn Beck, can be verified, independently. We do not just let ourselves be ‘spoon fed.’ We love you. Don’t EVER forget that. LOVE, MOM

Someday, when my grandchildren are grown will they turn to their parents and ask, “Where were you, Mom and Dad, when our country was collapsing; when our rights were being removed; when our U.S. Constitution was being shredded?” I hope they will be able to further state, ” We know where Grami and Grandad were. They were fighting for our future – their dear grandchildrens’ future. We know they were members of a powerful action group called ‘Tea Party Patriots’. We know they were in Washington D.C. during the historic rally called ‘Restoring Honor’ organized by the legendary patriot, Glenn Beck.”

“Again we ask, where were you, Mom and Dad when the national debt climbed to the point of collapse. We grew into adulthood already owing more than we can ever repay.”

“Why did you never teach us about Jesus and His promise of salvation? We know Grami and Grandad will be in heaven. Where will you be?”

“We remember Grami and Grandad praying before meals, taking us to church, giving us books about our history. Why did you never read them with us?”

This is the scenario I fear will take place in the not so distant future. It’s not too late for my grown children to take back their country, restore honor, ask forgiveness and accept Christ as their savior. I know my son has – what about my daughter? Where will she be….?

The strangest thing happened the other night. I had a dream about my left leg being amputated – for some unknown reason. But that is not the strange thing. The fact that I was not upset by this and had a prosthetic leg right away all seemed to be O.K.

Even when I woke up the next morning, I was not upset by this dream at all. Out of curiosity, more than anything else, I decided to Goolge the terms and see what came up. I found that this kind of dream indicates that my life is taking a new direction. I am ‘discarding’ old, unwanted ways in favor of a new outlook. I was amazed by this description because that is, in fact, what I believe my life is all about right now.

The pastor of our church issued a challenge to the congregation a couple of weeks ago to “detox” for a month from all those things that are of a worldly nature – TV, movies, etc. and instead focus more on reading the bible, praying, listening to praise music, spending time with family and reaching out more positively to friends.

I decided to accept this challenge and have been doing all of these things. In fact, this past year has been one of being more closely in touch with my Lord and Savior. I read the bible and pray every day, participate in bible studies, listen to sermons on-line from our other church at our winter home in Mexico, all of which has helped me to have a change in my attitude.

Contrast this with what happened to me in a dream almost two years ago when I dreamed – twice – that I was driven over a cliff. Let me tell you, THAT was one scary dream! I woke up, of course, before I hit bottom but it was startling, nevertheless. I found it interesting that it was not I who was driving but someone else.

Again, I Googled this and found it to mean that my life was out of control and others were trying to control my life. I didn’t do much about the situation at the time but did gradually begin to increase my biblical awareness and prayer life.

I forgot all about this dream until last summer, when we were driving along the coast of Oregon. We came around a bend high above the surf and I found myself pushing back into my seat, breathing rapidly and beginning to cry. I explained about the dream but this was the first time I thought about it in real terms.

Even though I knew what the dream meant, I had never, until this moment, experienced the actual feeling of the possibility of being driven off a cliff. We didn’t, of course, but I still had the anxiety attack!

Dreams are strange things and…they do have meaning. We just need to understand what is speaking to us and why. Putting my faith in the Lord and following Jesus teachings is paramount to survival in our dangerous, changing times. Knowing how to have strength, courage, hope and absolute faith in our future is all possible through a firm belief in Jesus and the promise of eternal life through him.

I am so blessed and now am even more sure that he DOES work miracles in our lives….

All of this has indeed given me a new outlook on life as well as a new attitude towards people in general. What an amazing thing!

We were always taught that family counts. Family is important, but I recently decided that my life is, has been and will always be better off without the connection with a family member – my brother. That ‘tie that binds’ has had me in bondage long enough.

He seems to believe his view of our family is the only valid one and seems not to have a clue what he did to me that shaped who I am today.

I reached out recently in order to mend things in me and FOR me. His response, of course, was totally self-serving.

Then I remembered something my mother once told me. “You do not have to let bad family members into your life. We are not doormats that they can wipe their feet on and step all over.”

I will pray for him as I am sure he does not know the Lord, or at least does not study His word about forgiveness.

Our parents are long gone, as is our older brother and he only seems to have room in his life for one side of the family – our father’s. Too bad he is blind to some truths there…

Since I believe he has poisoned the minds of all our cousins (on our father’s side) and nieces and nephews of our brother’s, there is little, if no, reason for me to reach out to them.

The saddest part of this is that the “tie that binds” is broken for my children and grandchildren. The well is poisoned, as it were, and their lives are much better off without that connection.