SILLY SONGS FOR PARKER

This is the first song I made up for my son, Parker. I started to sing it to him while my wife was still carrying him around in her belly. It seemed an especially appropriate song of encouragement to him once we learned of his special needs. As soon as we found out we were having a boy I adapted the words to the church camp song, "My God is so big." My version for Parker, sung to the same tune, goes like this:

My son is so big

so strong

and so mighty.

There's nothing my son cannot do.

My son is so big

so strong

and so mighty.

There's nothing my son cannot do.

Parker Drew!

Christians, Conservatives and Candidates

How do we convince conservative Christians that they have to do more than just vote, they have to get out and work for their candidates for elected office? This is a divided country and conservatives are not going to win many elections, especially for President, unless we get involved with blood, sweat and tears. We cannot just sit on the sidelines and then say, when we lose, that it was God's will. Baloney. It was our will. We were lazy. We didn't get involved. We didn't make it happen. Christian conservatives need to stop relying on the mainstream media for their news and information. We need to recruit strong conservative candidates and support them with our time and money and effort. That means donating money to conservative campaigns, attending political rallies, participating in polls when called, displaying and passing out yard signs, making phone calls and writing emails on behalf of our preferred candidates, praying about the election, and the list goes on.

THE CHICK FLICK GENE

I am a guy. The husband of Mrs. MM, who lets me guest post here. But even though it has been established that I am a guy, I have the "chick flick" gene. I am not sure how. I just do. And I am willing to admit it. I like a good action flick or comedy, too. But movies where the main characters are female seem to appeal to me as well. I finally figured out why. Chick flicks are the best at examining the human condition. Though they usually leave God out of the equation, which is unfortunate, they nevertheless are the best at showing how relationships can help to heal our hurts and restore our lives. Take for example, the movie I watched last night, "The Holiday." Total chick flick. Kate Winslett and Cameron Diaz star as women who are losers in love and need to escape their scene for the Christmas season. So they swap houses and Winslett moves into Diaz' estate in LA while Diaz inhabits Winslett's cottage in England. I doubt this sort of plot point ever happens in real life, but somehow the movie made it believable. And through the course of the movie, Winslett meets some men who help her get some gumption. While Diaz meets a man and they grieve together over the love they have lost in their life. Of course, it's a love story so the two women fall in love with the men they meet. There's a lot of romance and tears and emotional baggage. Yet I felt connected to the healing these characters experienced. It moved me. It made me want to help other people, real people, find healing in their lives through relationships. Not that I necessarily know how to do that at this point, but maybe a few more chick movies and that will become more obvious as well.

CONSERVATIVES THANKFULNESS

This Thanksgiving 2008, we conservatives don't have a lot to be thankful for. But I have compiled a list of a few things in the political realm that I can thank God for.

1. Gov. Sarah Palin - she reinvigorated the conservative movement and saved John McCain from being absolutely demolished in the presidential election. Palin is the only reason it was as close as it was.

2. Conservative blogs are a reliable source of daily news and commentary. My favorites include Powerline, Thirdwavedave and Michelle Malkin.

3. During the election season, I relied on talk radio to maintain my sanity. The best of the best in conservative talk include Rush, Hugh and Sean.

4. I have a small group of friends who not only get why I am so depressed about the outcome of the election they actually share my intense distrust of Sen. Obama. There are a few of us that didn't drink the Kool-Aid.

5. Sen. Mitch McConnell was re-elected in Kentucky and remains the minority leader for the Republicans in the US Senate. McConnell is a true conservative and a master tactician who may be the only thing that keeps the Democrats in line in 2009.

PARKER A POP STAR?

My son LOVES to sing. Everything from the ABC song to "Jesus Loves Me". Actually, right now he enjoys singing along to CDs in the stereo. At this moment it is a Veggie Tales CD (see above) and the song is "This Little Light of Mine." But he also enjoys the Jonas Brothers and knows many of the words to their big hit "S.O.S." He knows the JoBros because he loves to listen to Radio Disney. Who knows, maybe he will be a future American Idol. That would mean mommy and daddy would have to start watching that show. I think right now we are the only two people in America who don't. Never have. But if Parker were on it, it would automatically become our favorite show. I wish I knew how to post audio and I would treat everyone to one of Parker's hits.

PARKER'S PRAYER WARRIORS

Mr. MM would appreciate your prayers for Parker this week. He has his (semi) annual MRI on Wednesday the 26th.

This is always a difficult procedure simply because it is hard to get a toddler to cooperate with the anesthesia process.

The MRI is necessary to track the progress of the cyst on his brain. We are hoping and praying that the cyst is not growing, moving, leaking or communicating in any way with the brain.

The MRI isn't necessary in terms of Parker's Cerebral Palsy because that has already been diagnosed. Though it might be helpful for his doctors to get another look at the malformation in his brain. Mainly, though, it is to evaluate the status of his cyst.

We will get the results in December.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE A GAS, GAS, GAS

The image above may say more about why the Republicans lost the presidential election than just about anything else. Falling gas prices during September and October took the urgency of the "drill, baby drill" message off the front page. One of the main reasons Sen. McCain chose Gov. Palin to be his running mate was because of her expertise on the energy issue. But she never got to shine in this capacity because as gas prices went down, Americans forgot about the need to drill for more oil in our own land and seas. So while the falling gas prices certainly helped our pocketbooks, for conservatives, it also ruined our presidential aspirations.

FACEBOOK FRIENDS

I feel like such a young hipster. I now have a page on Facebook. And I already have 17 friends. It feels like high school again, when you are asking people to sign your yearbook. But so far it has been fun. I have been able to catch up with some people from high school via Facebook. And I can now count the very famous Michelle Malkin as one of my Facebook friends. How cool is that? Yoou're jealous, aren't you?

McCain isn't conservative enough

While I am still depressed over the outcome of the last presidential election, I am now starting to realize, as my brother Tucker said, how bad a President McCain would be for the conservative movement. So I have compiled a list of reasons why John McCain bothers me.

1. He buys into that global warming nonsense.

2. He did not vigorously defend Gov. Sarah Palin from the post-election sniping.

3. The gang of 14 regarding President Bush's judicial nominees.

4. He always wants to suck up to Democrats and the media instead of taking a stand and fighting for conservative principles.

5. He won't support drilling in ANWR.

That's enough for now. I still wish we could have Palin in or near the White House, though.

ROLOFF REALITY

In the MM household, we enjoy the TLC reality program, "Little People, Big World." It is good, wholesome programming about a godly family with challenges making the most of life and love. The dad in the family, Matt Roloff, reminds me of a good friend and I think that is part of the reason the show appeals to me so much. Matt recently took a courageous trip to Iraq, in cooperation with the generous US military, to help an Iraqi family with children who, like him, were diagnosed with dwarfism. The MM family took a trip to the Roloff family farm during the 2007 Halloween season. It was a colorful, rainy day in beautiful Oregon. I highly recommend the TV show, and a visit to the family farm.

ROVE IS RIGHT

The "Architect" of President George W. Bush's election victories, Karl Rove, had this to say about our current blowhard Vice President-elect Joe Biden. His answer came in an interview published in the New York Times magazine.



Do you like Joe Biden?



"I think he has an odd combination of longevity and long-windedness that passes for wisdom in Washington. "

WE SPELL LAUGH AFV

As a parent, one of the greatest joys in life is hearing your child laugh. We have just recently discovered that our son, Parker, loves America's Funniest Home Videos, now known as AFV. I have always enjoyed this show. It is so simple and so fun. Parker loves to laugh at the dog, cat and baby videos. His laugh is so cute, it is one of those laughs that makes you laugh because you are having so much fun listening to him laugh. It is adorable. Thanks, AFV, for making me laugh over the years, and even more importantly, for making my son laugh and bringing that much more fun to our home.

CHURCH SECURITY

With the violence and protests that have accompanied the passage of Measure 8 in California, which amends the Constitution to ban gay marriage, conservatives, Christians and churches must understand that they may continue to be the target of such behavior in the future by militant gay activists. The persecution has only just begun. Every church and congregation in America needs to think seriously about providing security for its worshippers at every service and event at the church's building. This is the world we live in.

BRILLIANT BILL

Recently ThirdwaveDave posted a comedy video featuring Bill Engvall. My wife and I love him, and his TBS sitcom. You can watch old episodes here. We watched two last night and lauged out loud, a lot! His humor is so smartly written, and true to family dynamics. He is very clever and his show is the best of its kind on TV. As a NASCAR loving, military respecting kind of guy, my guess is Engvall is a Republican. That's is an added bonus and another reason to like him.

ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION

I really don't know how to process the last election. The amount of anger I feel is disheartening. I am discouraged to know that the nation I grew up in is so shallow and petty and unwise and immoral that they would elect a man like Obama to be President. The most liberal, and the most inexperienced person. So much damage can be done in four years.

My concern is that America really is no longer a center-right country. While McCain didn't seem to ignite the conservative base like Bush did, maybe times and culture have changed such that no conservative ever will be able to do that again. After years and years of attacks and dumbing down our culture, it just may be that there aren't enough conservatives left to win an election.

The economy has never been my main issue. I have never understood the Bush hating and the need for change. I just plainly don't get it. But the bad omen I feel is palpable.

I really have to figure out how to shake this off. I think a lot of people were praying. Yet for reasons only God understands, he allowed the public's will to take precedence.

The ongoing trashing of Gov. Palin is hurtful. When they attack people who believe what I believe I feel like they are attacking me. And they get away with it. It really feels like we have no recourse. We certainly can't defend ourselves in the media. Rich Seiber

MIGHTY GOOD FILM

The Mrs. and I saw Evan Almighty recently. It was a cute film, full of chuckles if not so much belly laughs. What I liked most about it was the charming way it respected God and the people who listen to him. We need more movies with a message like that. It is appropriate for the whole family, wholesome and fun to the end.

CHURCH OF THE POISONED MIND

Yesterday my pastor really ticked me off. I left church early. He said it didn't matter how we voted. It didn't matter who was in the White House. He didn't care if Obama won. And I have heard from Christians that if Obama wins, it will be God's will. That is baloney. It may be our will and God allowing us to exercise that will. But I do not believe it is God's will to put a terrorist-loving, baby killing, tax hiking inexperienced person in charge.

I think the American church has been so hit by political correctness that we can no longer take a stand on a moral or political issue. We are afraid of being called racist or intolerant or of losing our nonprofit status. The service I go to has 3 black people who regularly attend. Maybe the pastor felt like he had to say things nice about Obama to encourage those three individuals. What a bunch of crap! It made me so angry.

Black churches get political all the time, and they get away with it. Why don't we fight back? Why don't we take a stand? Thank God the Catholic church has been brutal on Obama this election cycle. They are the only ones who have been.

I am so angry.