Show & Tell: Whatever is on My Mind...

This may be the most random and lengthy "Show and Tell" in Making Home history, but I'm trying to do a brain dump and clear out my bookmarks. So, you all are the beneficiaries of my desire to downsize my bookmark folders. :)

MIKE HUCKABEE/PRESIDENTIAL RACE 2008

• The GOP's Cynical Use of Religion Has Come to Roost: Even liberal journalists see that evangelicals have been used by the Republican elite, who now want to keep Republicans from choosing a leader that's not from the establishment.
• The View from the Back of the Bus: Evangelicals have bucked the "advice" of their supposed leaders and are choosing candidates that are more diverse than the "leaders" would like.
• Stop Lying About Huckabee!
• Mike Huckabee responds to a letter about his record on taxes.
• Mitt Romney has a problem... his problem is the fact that what he's said has been recorded. The things he says either sound like a guy completely out of touch with average Americans, or he outright contradicts facts or contradicts things he's previously said. Click to read: Romney's efforts to be an everyday guy at an MLK march (yes, he did say, "who let the dogs out?", and compliment a child for wearing "bling-bling"), Romney's comments about "seeing" his dad march with Martin Luther King, Jr. (even though it never actually happened), and a tongue-in-cheek "Mitt Romney's Dictionary of the English Language". Read here about Romney's viability as a candidate (from a guy who doesn't like my guy... still, we agree about Romney).

Conservative Talk Radio, Journalists and "Conservative Leaders"Clearly, these guys didn't predict anywhere close to what has happened. Giuliani and Thompson were supposed to be slugging it out right about now. And both are near the bottom of every poll and primary. The most interesting campaigns are those that have come out of nowhere: Huckabee- no one saw him coming; McCain- remember all the articles in the summer and fall about him flying solo to events because he was out of campaign funds?; and Paul- the "fringe" candidate who has raised tons of cash. Though there's still no clear winner (the next two weeks will be interesting, though), one thing is clear: the media got it wrong. And the conservative media is still waging war against all the guys that the Republican voters actually like. Here are some articles you may want to check out, if this is interesting to you.

• Rush & the New Reagan Coalition
• What's Next for Conservative Talk Radio?
• Why Campaign Coverage Sucks: Horse-race journalism works for journalists but fails the public (Ed. note: Finally! Someone admits it!)

ABORTION

• Will Roe v. Wade be overturned? One legal expert says it's inevitable.
• Planned Parenthood's agenda
• Not quite the whole story: It's often overlooked or completely ignored that feminist pioneers and leaders were completely against abortion.
• Your Appointment With the Dismemberer- 35 years of abortion... and now an election... what will you do for all the innocents who lose their lives to this "choice"?

THE ROLE OF WOMEN?

• Can We Start By Being Honest? What does "keepers at home" mean? And is it a mandate or an ideal?
• Terry followed up the previous article with this: Husbands ARE involved in the home!
• Elisabeth Elliot's excellent words on Feminism & Femininity
• Mike Huckabee got pounded for believing what the Bible says about marriage. See his recent debate response about marriage HERE.
• Amy weighs in on working women.
• Frugal Homemaker began working around Summer of last year, and she kept a log of how much money she spent vs. how much she made. She writes candidly about the other costs of working... and the toll it has taken on she and her husband.
• Kelly wrote a great series entitled, "Why Would I WANT to Stay Home?" Click to read part one, part two, part three, and part four.
• Mary Mohler talks about "Feminism & Feminists"... worth your time (about one hour) to listen and learn! "We are losing the battle in the post-Christian society in which we live to show the world that we as Christian women celebrate all that God has given us in our assigned role as women."
• Another recovering feminist writes about her relationship with her mom and her feminist upbringing: "My Mother, the Feminist"

HOMESCHOOLING: THREE EXCELLENT LINKS

• My friend Carletta has put together an excellent website resource for the beginning homeschooler: SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOLING. (For you seasoned homeschoolers out there, she's still wanting to make it as good and helpful as it can be, so if you see things that should be added or tweaked, use the "Contact Me" button on her sidebar.)
• How to Proceed with Homeschooling Your Children: Christine has put together some basic, helpful tips about homeschooling
• Dealing With Naysayers About Your Decision to Homeschool: Christine offers wise advice about the negative comments homeschoolers can get from relatives and friends alike... and how to be more confident about your decision to homeschool.

DATING/PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE

• Should young women take time to prepare for marriage?
• The Bayly brothers offer sage advice for fathers with adult daughters:

  Yes we are to protect... It's our God-given duty. But protection begins at birth, not puberty. Training begins before our daughters can speak, not when they're giving their hearts to a man.
  ...Yes, we have a duty to counsel--and ultimately to give her hand in marriage. But if we suddenly stand and act as men only at the point of romance, when our daughters' hearts are being claimed by others, it's too little too late. The cows are already in the pasture, there's no sense rushing to close the gate.

CELEBRATING WITH FRIENDS

• Congrats to my friend, Renee, on the adoption of her two sons from Ghana! I'll share two posts with you that have touched my heart as they've brought these boys into their family: FIRSTS- all the things her new sons are experiencing for the first time; and SIMPLE ADJUSTMENTS- some other insights into adjusting to one another in adoption.
• Congrats to my friend, EmmyJ, on her continuing weight loss! Check out this post with all her "goals" and her progress so far... it's inspiring!

ODDS AND ENDS

• The Anti-Children Culture
• Get some SLEEP! (and be eco-friendly while you're at it!)
• Escape From Polygamy- after reading "Under the Banner of Heaven", I found this article to be an insightful peek into polygamous households.
• Go Green: BREASTFEED! (My fourth "round" of this will begin in approximately 9 weeks!)
• Losing our Freedom in a Pornified Culture: Take time to listen to this Al Mohler radio program... it's spot-on!
• Younger women growing more Okay with Porn? This is the inevitable decline that happens when culture impacts our young people rather than our young people impacting culture.
• Masculinity & Being Raised By a Single Mom
• My Daddy's Name is "Donor": what happens when technology intervenes in "family planning"
• The Future of the "Quick & Easy" Meal: Does it really exist? And what happens when you don't use convenience foods? This is a long, but very interesting, article... worth your time if you're at all interested.
• Someone asked me back in December, "What do you do about Santa Clause?" This blogger's post pretty much sums up my views (and you can read my comment in her comments section). I wonder how others deal with this. (Note to commenter: Sorry I didn't respond until now... I couldn't decide whether to bring up the controversy or not and then it was too late... but this should answer your question, even if it is after the holidays.)

And then, a little humor-- well, this is funny to me, anyway:
Amy writes, "Why I Write in Generalizations".

[Personal note: I am constantly amazed (and I'll admit, sometimes irritated) at people who come onto my blog and then make it their mission to comment about posts that don't apply to them... and harangue me for not making every post all-inclusive to everyone who might read it. Sometimes I want to say, "if you're against everything that has to do with being a biblical Christian woman, then why are you reading my blog?" Or simply, "I don't have time to list all the possible exceptions to every biblical ideal/principle in every post that I write." Amy handled it much better than me. ] :)

Blessings to you all and HAPPY READING!!!