“I would not look to the U.S. Constitution if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012. “
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice, in an interview on Egyptian al-Hayat television

This is a judge that has sworn to uphold our constitution and has repeatedly failed to do that.
Massive failure is also there with the Executive and Legislative branches of the government.
Now on to this course on the Constitution:

Title: Constitution: The Meaning and History of the Constitution
Fee: Free, but with suggested donation of $50 a person
Structure: Ten 40 minute lectures, uploaded to the internet each Monday noon (see their Web site for more info)
Starting: February 20, 2012 with lectures remaining posted and online – listen any time after class date.

Outline:

Pre-Course Introductory Materials

The American Mind
Larry P. Arnn
Monday, February 20

The Declaration of Independence
Thomas G. West
Monday, February 27

The Problem of Majority Tyranny
David Bobb
Monday, March 5

Separation of Powers: Preventing Tyranny
Kevin Portteus
Monday, March 12

Separation of Powers: Ensuring Good Government
Will Morrisey
Monday, March 19

Religion, Morality, and Property
David Bobb
Monday, March 26

Crisis of Constitutional Government
Will Morrisey
Monday, April 2

Abraham Lincoln and the Constitution
Kevin Portteus
Monday, April 9

The Progressive Rejection of the Founding
Ronald J. Pestritto
Monday, April 16

The Recovery of the Constitution
Larry P. Arnn
Monday, April 23

For more information and registration, go to: http://www.constitution.hillsdale.edu. Have patience when registering. There are already over 187,000 registered participants and the site is slow.

PS – If you are really a glutton for their good stuff, go to the main college site at hillsdale.edu and go to the online library. There you will find speeches given at the college by the men and women who have led America. You will see names like Powell, Reagan, and much more. A real treasure!

At the beginning if 1 Samuel 3, it says:

And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.
1 Sam 3:1-2 NKJV

Here at the worship center of Shiloh, the high Priest Eli was old and failing. His sons were far from God, and Shiloh was no longer the worship center it once had been. Yet in this deep, Spiritual darkness the light still shown

…and the lamp of God had not yet gone out
1 Samuel 3:3 NASU

One person, Samuel, is about to feel, hear, and see God’s Presence in that temple (more likely a simple tent). But the end of the chapter, they are hearing God’s word from Samuel, vision is restored, and Place is restored.

When Christ came, the darkness with again penetrated by the light.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome) it.
John 1:4-5 NKJV

Now it’s your turn:

“You are the light of the world.”
Matt 5:14 NIV

For more of her ministry, see http://www.brookefraser.com/about/.

The nest question is – how long could Cornilles stay there if elected? I am pretty much ready to send everyone home at the national level (except Gabby). Cornilles would have to stand up to stop the reckless spending, speak into the corruption naming names, and hold the next President accountable. As a freshman there, can he do that? I know Bonamici can’t do it.

For the inside scoop on Suzanne Bonamici, see: http://oregoncatalyst.com/14166-suzanne-bonamicis-role-conspiracy-silence-protect-david-wu.html

I don’t agree with Cornilles on a lot of issues, but the Bonamici is not the answer.

It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.

John Adams

Not only do the liberals endorse immoral values, they are cramming one socialistic policy after another down the throat of the majority.
Russ Newman

The Prayer

The above is a clip from the Andrea Bocelli concert at Central Park – I believe September 11, 2011. In the clip Andrea sings the song with Celine Dion. In the clip you also see David Foster, also associated with the song, at the piano. Run this full screen and enjoy.

Although there are several versions of the lyrics as well as the singers (which include Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, Celtic Woman), the version sung here by the two is the Celine Dion version and her lyrics can be found here. As part of the song is sung in Italian and looks like an echo, it really isn’t an echo. To truly enjoy the message, you should download the lyrics (which has the translation) and follow them.

If you wish to follow the journey further do a Google wiki on The Prayer and again on David Foster, who is at the piano here. (Remember there are other songs with the same title. You want THIS song.) You can also find this song in a 1998 movie Quest for Camelot. This is an animated movie and targeted to kids, but has a lot there for adults and is cute and funny. The voicing is done by Pierce Brosnan, Jane Seymour, and other notables. A brave and independent young lady seeks to strike out and save Camelot and avenge her father’s death (a knight) at the hand of another knight that has gone corrupt, stolen the Excalibur sword, and wounded King Arthur. The sword is hidden in the Forbidden Forest and the young lady will need the help of a sightless recluse young man in the forest to find it. And there is also a physically challenged two-headed dragon (no fire and can’t fly) that is also mentally challenged (you would, too, if you had two heads) that is voiced by by Don Rickles. The Prayer is sung in the movie by the girl’s mother (voiced by Seymour) who is worried about her highly independent daughter attempting such a task. The singing voice of the mother is dubbed by Celine Dion. Rent the movie from Netflix.

1. How did the year begin?




2. What were the events of the winter? spring? summer? fall?




3. What took place in your home relations?




4. What took place in your work relations?




5. What took place in your church relations?




6. What events in the larger community of your city, country, and world captured your attention?




7. Who were the significant people in your life?




8. What books instructed your mind and heart?




9. What was the most important movie you saw? Why?




10. Did you create anything this year? What?




11. Did you make any new discoveries about yourself?




12. How were you gift last year to a person, community, or institution?




13. Who or what was gift to you?




14. What was the greatest joy of the year? Greatest sorrow? Most disappointment? What caused you the most sadness?




15. In what area of your life did you grow? Were those areas related to your joy or pain?




16. What are your regrets? How would you do things differently you you could live the year again? What did you learn?




17. Did you have a recurring dream or vision? What theme or themes ran through the year in this?




18. Did you grow in your capacity to be a person in community, to bear your own burdens, or let others bear theirs?




19. Did you have sufficient time apart with yourself?




20. Did your roots your life firmly in the scriptures?




21. Did you grow in your understanding of yourself?




22. What was your most important insight?




23. Did God seem near or far off?




24. What do you feel is the message of the year?




25. What do you think and feel God is saying to you?




26. What are the tasks that the old year leaves to you?




27. How can you increase your devotion and dedication?




28. How do you want to create the New Year? What kind of commitment do you want to make to yourself? Your community? The oppressed people of the world (they are also in your community)?




29. How do questions about spiritual commitment make you feel? (angry, challenged, hopeful)?




30. Who are the people with whom you would like to deepen yor relationships with in the year ahead? Are you willing to take that risk?




31. Do you have relationships that need to be healed?




32. What can you do to heal your own heart?




33. What can others to do assist in your healing?




34. How can you ask God for what you need?




35. How can you ask His people for what you need?




36. Is there a special piece of inward work that you would like to accomplish?




37. Is there a special piece of outward work that you would like to accomplish?




38. What are the goals that seem important to you?




39. What are your hopes? Your fears?




40. What are the immediate steps you can take toward the goals that seem important to you?

Carl STRONGLY advises reading the book before seeing the movie, which is still a long, long way from release. The reason for this is that “The Lord of the Rings” had several changes from Tolken’s novels, and in the process lost at least three key points (Part 1 and Part II. blog posts define two of the points). The third key point is the Dark Forest of the first volume, omitted in the movie. Each of us willing to take that journey faces that Dark Forest, and it is just as dangerous to us. In the book, how did they escape? The answer is very powerful.) The film version of Hobbit will probably differ from the novel. Read the novel first.