Happy Thanksgiving

Proclamation for Thanksgiving
October 3, 1863

By Abraham Lincoln , President of the United States of America.

The year that is drawing toward its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watching providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised not hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

PETA silliness

MTV reports that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken to apologize for his anti-cat sentiments expressed in Rolling Stone, and they're holding their next ad campaign over his head until he does. An ad with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog featuring the slogan, "Get Neutered, It Didn't Hurt Clay Aiken" will commence unless Aiken makes amends to cat lovers. Should he do so, the slogan will be changed to "Cut 'em off. They don't taste that great anyway" .

I am so sick of PETA. (but both ads are pretty funny)

In the year 2005

The head of the Motion Picture Association of America said Wednesday that he believes the public could be watching newly-released movies on the Internet by 2005. Yeah, who wants to go to a movie theater when you can sit at your desk by yourself and watch movies on your massive 15" monitor.

Swearing In

Shelley got sworn in before the Texas Supreme Court this weekend.

In a word: awesome.

Headline News

Some thoughts from shelley on the ten commandments/alabama supreme court issue currently in the news.

There's been a lot of talk lately about about Roy Moore, the Alabama Supreme Court Justice who was removed from office yesterday for failing to follow a federal court order that he remove a Ten Commandments statue from the Alabama Supreme Court building. There's a lot of Christians all over the country that are rallying around this man and what he is doing. I, as a Christian, would like to speak out against him.

First, I would like to say that I don't necessarily think the federal court ruling was wrong. By allowing a Christian monument to be displayed in a building that is 100% about governemnt is opening a Pandora's box. If you have the Ten Commandments, you must also let Muslims make monuments to the Quoran and let Buddhists and Hinduis have there due space and time as well. A state court building is not the place for this kind of display.

Moving on, I agree with the removal of Roy Moore. He was given an order by a court that he was bound to follow because of his place in government. He is the Cheif Justice of a state's Supreme Court. By taking that office, he vowed that he would uphold the laws of Alabama and the laws of the United States. He did not do that. I understand that he felt his personal ethics and professional ethics were in conflict. But, instead of disobeying the order he was given, he should have stepped down from the office that he held. He can not disobey the law and expect to be able to keep his position.

I just wanted to get this all out of my system. I know many Christians see what happened to this judge as an attack on Christianity. I don't. I see it as the removal of a man who refused to do what his office and position of authority charged him to do. If the Cheif Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama does not have to obey the law, why do its citizens?

You can't make this stuff up

Hire Quality

Shelley received an offer of employment this week! we are very excited as she starts her career.

One other note: bar exam results come in on Thursday!

Guess who doesn't believe in God?

A study like this, just goes to show how meaningless so many "labels" that society has created for groups are. How can someone say "im Christian" and not actually believe in God... that doesn't make any sense.

It's also interesting to see how secular society labels Christians and separates that from an actual belief in Christ, let alone the actual existence of God. They aren't confused about whether or not vegetarians eat meat. that wouldn't make sense. But they have no problem understanding someone who says, "I'm a Christian, but don't believe in God." Faith and values have become a cultural status, not a spiritual one.

I don't know if this is more indicting on the church or our culture. Probably both.

Anyway, it is a very interesting read and it's short, so check it out!

http://channels.netscape.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/notbelieveingod/notbelieveingod