Fröhliche Weihnachten!!

Well, Christmas is essentially over. It's usually at this time of the day that I get a little sad. All of the hype and anticipation are over. This year, as we were driving home from my mom's house, I had some time to reflect on my favorite part(s) of Christmas.

#1. My mom goes way out of her way to try and make Christmas special for everyone in some way. That's something I hope to pass along to my children someday.

#2. I love to watch others open their presents. I want to see the look on their faces when they get that one special Christmas wish.

#3. Danny and I started officially dating on Christmas day 7 years ago. We've made it a tradition to write each other a letter reflecting on the year and the things we've learned and the ways we've grown in our love for one another. More than any other gift, I look forward to this one from him the most. I have a drawer packed full of letters and notes from him that I'll cherish forever. My hope and prayer is that we will continue this Christmas tradition for the rest of our lives despite the hustle and bustle of children and other things.

Finally, I hope that everyone had an amazing Christmas. I hope that you are blessed in the coming year and that your faith in Christ will deepen and blossom.

1+1=3

It's been a bit of a secret until now (even though so many people knew...haha), but now the cat is completely out of the bag. We'll be having our first little baby around July 10th, and we are so extremely excited.

 

We had our first doctor visit December 3rd, and it was incredible!! I was so nervous. I don't really know why. A part of me was scared that there would be nothing there or something would be wrong, but at the first glimpse of our little baby, we were totally in love. We were able to see the heart beating. It was so fast...185bpm. We sat there and watched the baby move for a little while. It was kicking its little leg buds and moving its hands. I couldn't believe how much like a baby it already looked.

Here's the baby's first picture:

 

Why I Hate Cleaning...

Most of the people of my generation were addicted to the sitcom, Friends, on tv. Those of you who know Monica know that she is the stereotypical Type A personality and clean freak. I can truly identify with Monica the most except for in one area...CLEANING! While I am a serious Type A personality, when it comes to cleaning I cringe! I don't tend to be a complainer but here are the top reasons I hate cleaning:

1. I clean, and in two days, it's back to the way it was before I cleaned.

2. Cleaning, for the most part, is mindless activity. There's no life or death problem to try and figure out. I'm not stretching my brain in any way.

3. I think that time spent making my house emaculate could be better spent making my husband happy and spending quality time with him.

Ha! So now when I invite you over to our house, you will probably think we live in filth, and that's not the case at all. It's not that I don't clean, it's just that I'm not too happy about it...lol.

I leave you with this quote that I find incredibly satisfying:

"A clean house is a sign of a wasted life."

I Know, I Know...

I totally need to update this thing, but there's a lot going on right now that I'm not quite ready to talk about publically. So be patient, and check back often to see what we're up to.

Oh, one more thing: Congrats Chris, Beth, and Carrie on the birth of their daughter/sister, Hannah!! She looks just like Carrie when she was teenie tiny. We are super excited for you guys.

The Results Are In...

Barack Obama is set to be our next president!! While he may not have been my first choice, I am so proud to be an American right now. Whether you voted for Obama or not, you should be so proud of our democracy!! When I think about all of the oppression going on in other countries...people being murdered for making their voices heard, I cannot help but be so happy that my voice was heard (and I lived to tell about it).

I see that many Christians are really concerned about Obama becoming president, and I would just like to say (truly in love) that we cannot put our God in a box. God has been using people we wouldn't expect for centuries!! We have nothing to fear, because God has our past, present, and future in His awesome hands. I am truly looking forward to how God dumbfounds us all through Obama's presidency. I am looking forward to seeing Obama moving in such ways that could only be explained by him hearing the small whisper of God's voice. And I'm looking forward to God proving that He is good once again. Don't let fear and worry cloud your vision during the next four years! Watch and see!! God is going to do great things!!

Instead of berating Obama, let's start praying for him now as the leader of our country. My prayer is that we can come together as a country, and that this nation will change for the better despite who our president is.

I would love to hear your opinions on this subject.

Beth

Weekend Trip to the Mountains

So this past weekend, we went up to the N.C. mountains with the Tuckers. It was so much fun and oh, so relaxing. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

 

So many beautiful colors!

 

 

Worthy of a frame, I think

 

Kinda looks like an album cover

Facebook and Grace

Facebook is an amazing tool. With it, you can get in touch with people who once loved you, hated you, or just felt indifferent towards you. You can look in awe at people you that you went to high school with who have really made their lives great, who have overcome struggles, or who have failed miserably and may need a helping hand. It's honestly like a constant high school/college reunion!

Recently, I re-met an old friend on facebook who has been touched tremendously by the grace of God. She is an amazing woman of God, even though she may not know that yet, but she, like most of us, didn't come to know God the easy way. She rebelled against religion, church, and anything to do with Christianity, but God met her where she was and lifted her out of a life that was nothing but destructive. I had the pleasure of hanging out with her for the whole day today, and it was amazing to hear her testimony of grace. I feel blessed to know her!

One of the things I found really interesting in our meeting today was that she had, at one time, googled the word grace. The first website that pops up, if you want to do it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_grace. In this website grace is defined as:

"enabling power sufficient for progression. Grace divine is an indispensable gift from God for development, improvement, and character expansion. Without God's grace, there are certain limitations, weaknesses, flaws, impurities, and faults (i.e. carnality) humankind cannot overcome. Therefore, it is necessary to increase in God's grace for added perfection, completeness, and flawlessness."

The wikipedia entry goes on to say that grace is God's gift to humankind!! Ha! I love it!! Grace is a gift that you don't have to earn. As a matter of fact, there's nothing in this world you could do to earn the measure of grace given to us by our Father. Isn't it amazing that He loves us so much?! Well, it just makes me freakin' excited...that's all I have to say.

So my challenge is for everyone to think about and write out your testimony of grace. I've felt that I've needed to do this for long time, but I've never had the time. It would be a novel; I can tell you that with certainty. It will be interesting for us all to see what God has done for us...to be able to quantify it. Let me know your thoughts.

Beth

Wanted!!

Hey,
I'm looking for a great left handed acoustic guitar. Send me a message if you have one you're willing to sell or give away!! Thanks!!

Random Thoughts for the Week

1. If something ever happens to my husband, I'll never be able to watch television again. He's the only one who knows how he wired up our sound system.

2. Watching a friend go through hard times is rough, but knowing that someone is intentionally hurting them is torture.

3. Coffee should only be prepared using a coffee press. Everyone, throw out your coffee machines and make real coffee!!

4. I go to the greatest church on the planet, and I am lucky to be a part of what's going on there.

5. Everyone (well, maybe just women) should indulge themselves in reading a love story involving vampires and werewolves. It's just awesome! Thanks Twilight Series...I'm hooked.

6. Being employed is entirely overrated.

7. My husband is a stud!!

8. My cat makes me smile. She's cuddling with me as I type. How sweet!

9. I want to be used by God not because I want people to look at me and say, "Oh, look! She's being used by God." I want to be used, b/c there's a lot of work that needs to be done. It's not about me!!

10. I just ate a hot cheesecake brownie with Rocky Road ice cream on it, and it was almost better than sex.

Pure and Faultless Religion

James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

With everything that is going on economically in the world today, I am reminded of this verse. There are those who are sick and tired of paying for the health care and other costs of those who are less fortunate and those who are just too lazy to get a job. I understand this being part of the highly taxed middle class, but consider this verse. Our job as genuine Christians is to take care of those less fortunate than us. It is not an option. James says that it is the "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless..." Nothing else matters in this world other than us taking care of others...showing the love and mercy to others that was so freely given us.

"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'" (Matthew 22:37-40)

So who is our neighbor? Our neighbors are ALL of those around us...good or bad...genuinely unfortunate or not...who need Christ. I firmly believe that if we show the love of Christ to everyone, whether they are taking advantage or not, Christ is glorified, and that is all I want to do. It is not my job to judge whether someone is worthy of my help or not. It is simply my job to help and wait for Christ to do His work. When we love without conditions (something the world doesn't expect) and give without regulations, His Word is brought forth, and His love is shown. Jesus loved me without conditions and regulations. Who am I to not love others the way He loves and takes care of me?

Sunday Refections-October 5, 2008

This Sunday's Communion message was, for me, exactly what I needed. During the message Pastor Mark said that there are 3 things that Communion encourages us to do. Those include:
1. To look within ourselves and examine our own lives
2. To look back at how God has delivered us from things in our lives
3. To look ahead to the time when we will see Him face to face.

Pastor Mark also asked us 3 questions related to these 3 concepts:
1. What do you see when you look within yourself?
2. What "God-memory" is most special to you?
3. What are you looking forward to with God?

It's the answer to the 3rd question that I wanted to talk about in this blog. When I was about 2-3 years old, my biological father committed suicide. I never got to know my real father, and that has truly affected me over the years. I ask myself questions like, "Why was I not worth him living?" This was a constant battle in my mind as I was growing up and even now, at times. I was adopted by my mom's next husband, but I never felt like I was good enough for him. I grew up feeling like a major burden in his life. So, for me, when I think about the answer to this 3rd question, my eyes fill with tears, because I can just picture it in my mind...when I see Him face to face. I picture myself running as fast as I can to Him, laughing the whole way, and He's running full-on towards me. Then He grabs me up and twirls me around, and we just laugh and play like this for hours. (Ha...you REALLY don't want to be behind me in line to meet Him. Prepare to wait). Then He speaks to me and tells me how much He's always loved me and cared about me. I sit there completely dumbfounded that it's even possible to feel such amazing love and grace. And then I fold my head into His chest, and I just stay there for a really long time listening to His heart beat...His arms engulf me without a hint of Him ever wanting to let go. I never want to move from this position. Just let me stay like this for all of eternity. I am with my Daddy...

God is so real and so full of love. When I think about all of the things we must endure in life, I think about how all of that will just fade away when we see Him face to face. All of the hurt, frustration, and anger that we carry around will melt at the very sight of Him. But the amazing thing is that we don't even have to wait that long to let all of these issues go. If we surrender to Christ right now, even in this very moment, He floods our hearts with His grace and mercy, and everything else just falls away. He is good and faithful. If we seek Him, He will not hide Himself from us. That's a promise that we can count on.

Update...

This week has been such a stressful week for me. Here's the situation: Before we decided to take an amazing assignment in Germany, I had such a great job. The call back part was a little difficult at times, but in all, it was a good job. I was financially well taken care of. I was able to schedule things in my life and therefore actually have a life. Not many nurses can brag about that. Yes, the doctors would occasionally fly off the handle, and you'd want to quit just because of the amount of emotional abuse you'd have to take from them on a daily basis. But I worked with a great group of people, and we really had a lot of fun.

So we take off and have such an amazing time in Germany. We are just so blessed. Meanwhile, my boss in the cath lab is doing all that she can to hold my job for me for the year I'm gone. I checked the job postings on the St. Francis website every month or so just to see if my position was still there. After 11 months in Germany, my position was still there, but I wasn't sure if I even wanted the job back. God was really speaking to my heart about some things. I just wasn't sure where He wanted me to be. After talking to the director of the cath lab about a month before I came home, I thought the position was, at any rate, still mine for the taking. Two weeks before leaving Germany, the position is still there. Three days before leaving Germany, the job is suddenly gone! I thought, "Ok, God has a way of closing doors and opening others. It's ok." I wasn't all that upset about it.

So now we come to this last week. I've had 4 interviews at 3 different hospitals and only one job in which I'm actually interested. The one job I'm interested in would be a HUGE HUGE HUGE (get the point) pay cut, but I don't do nursing just for the money. I'd rather be happy and have less money than miserable in a job that pays great. Anyway, so the nurse manager in the job that I really wanted absolutely loved me, and I thought that it was just a perfect fit for me. All week, I've been waiting to hear the definite, for sure, job offer, and I've only gotten the run-around. I am the ONLY person they've interviewed for this position, so I'm knew that there was something else going on. Finally, I get a clear answer...budget. Apparently, they posted this dream job without actually having the money in the budget to pay for it. Hmmm...not good, and yesterday it got even better (note sarcasm).

Yesterday, I had my fourth interview. I was set up on an interview in PACU, an area I know little about. The CV OR people set it up, because according to them, this is where the greatest need lies. Ok, I'm open minded, so I go to the interview. PACU seems like a really great area. The job seems like it's challenging and rewarding. So far, so good. Then I ask about hours, and they are stinking nuts...third shift call, working sometimes 8:30am-11pm, days off spent recovering from third shift call, working every other weekend, etc. So, I'm thinking this job doesn't provide much along the lines of being able to have a life. Then I have a meeting with the boss of the nurse manager of the CV OR. He wanted to clear things up with me and explain why the CV OR position is not actually available even tough it's been posted since July. He asks me if I am at all interested in the PACU position, and I told him that it was not a dream job like the CV OR. I went on to really try and sell it to this guy that I would be awesome in CV OR. I could tell he was disappointed that he could not pacify me with the PACU job. I asked him, straight up, if the position was completely off the table, and he told me that he'd really have to think about it. So, I left that meeting with no answers, and after 4 interviews this week, I still have no job.

I do, however, have an amazing amount of peace. I know that God has something for me. I know that He called me to be a nurse, and I know that He's called me to be a worship leader. He has the perfect job out there that will allow me to do both wholeheartedly, and I'll wait until He provides it. God really spoke to my heart over this last year in Germany. (It's amazing how much He talks to you when you're listening). I know that I'm not supposed to settle, and that I am supposed to wait for Him no matter what the cost. Right now, financially, the cost is pretty high, but I have to wait, obey, and trust that God will always provide.

So that's what I've been doing this week. What have you been up to? I'd love to hear your stories. What has God spoken in your heart?

Change of Focus

Since we aren't in Germany anymore, I can no longer tell you about the amazing places we get to see, so I've decided to change my blog up a bit to talk to you more about my relationship with Christ, my husband, and maybe Lilly, the cat. I am incredibly open to your ideas and opinions, so leave comments! Also, if you have a particular topic you'd like for me to discuss, bring it on. I love the opportunies to learn about things I may not know anything about! Email me your suggestions: mrsehl@gmail.com.

Beth

Job Hunting

So I've been looking for a job now for about 1.5 weeks. It is quite frustrating work! I came to this realization while I was in Germany that I was sick and tired of working ALL the time, and even when I wasn't working, if I was on call, I was still kinda working. Granted, the money is great, but life isn't all about that. I want to live!! So I've been searching for a fulfilling job that meets several qualifications.

1.) No weekends...haha...yeah right
2.) Day shift only...I did nights for a year, and I'll never do it again
3.) Something that is challenging and something from which I can really grow

Ok, so right now there's not a single nursing job in the Anderson/Greenville area that 100% meets those specifications...not even 85%...haha. It must be unreasonable to think that I can have a career, hopefully a family someday soon, and a reasonably fulfilling life. Hmmm...there's just gotta be more, you know?

Thoughts? Comment? Further Observations?

One Week Later...Reflections

Well, we've been home now for one week. (It was really strange to drive home from Atlanta and see all of the gigantic cars). We had a fabulous surprise party waiting for us at our house. Andrea Evans probably spent hours cleaning everything up for us. God bless her!! It was great to go home and everything be there almost exactly how we left it. We felt so loved having so many people there waiting on us. We are truly blessed individuals...no doubt.

So our first few days were quite nice actually. All the unpacking and organizing went very smoothly thanks to my husband...such a diligent guy.

I had band practice for the first time in a year. It was great to sing again. In all, leading worship was the hardest thing I had to give up this past year, and I think God has some great things in store.

I've been applying for various nursing positions. This morning, in fact, I've had three calls for interviews. That's pretty exciting. Maybe I'll have options! Pray for clarity.

It's nice to have all of our friends again. Kenny and Tiffany are literally a phone call away. Playing Wii boxing was freakin' awesome!!! Watching Kenny play Wii Boxing was priceless.

So here are my reflections from Sunday: I was so nervous singing. I was thinking maybe they remember me as something I'm not...haha. You always kind of inflate a person in your mind when they've been gone for a while. I was really humbled and thankful for the warm reception. It's hard coming back after not having sung in an entire year. I think there is a very warm chemistry between Jeff, Becky, and I, and I think that God is going to do amazing things. It was just incredible to see everyone again and to see all the new faces. Hope is a great church, and I can't imagine being anywhere else. It's a church that truly desires to reach its community and to fulfill the great commission. It's just awesome to be a part of such a ministry! Danny and I are both ready and willing to be contributors, as Pastor Mark talked about, and not consumers.

Question of the Day...9/11/2001

Where were you and what were you doing when the terrorist attacks occurred? What was your initial reaction?

I am going to answer this myself first. It was a huge turning point in my life, I think. I was living in the garage apartment at the Parkinson's house. I woke up, turned on the television to watch the news, and that's when I saw the first building in flames. I watched for several minutes in complete disbelief, and then when I thought it couldn't get any worse, a second plane crashed into the second building. I saw it on Live tv. I remember one reporter in the background had been debating whether it was an accident or a terrorist attack, but after that second one happened, she began to panic. Then I began to panic. I ran downstairs to try and wake up the Parkinsons. I really thought we were under attack or something. I remember thinking that life as I know it will never be the same, and I was right.

Seven years later, terrorism is still a major problem in the world, and it will probably always be. Not long after we moved here to Germany, there was an attempted terrorist attack at the Frankfurt Airport. They traced the terrorists back to the town of Ulm...about 1.5 hours away from where we live in Reutlingen. Recently, it was uncovered that these men had plans of attacking about 5 other German airports. These were all attempts to target Americans. One of these 5 airports is the one we are flying out of on Sunday. It's kinda scary, but my trust and faith is in Jesus. Ok, enough of that. What are your thoughts?

Why So Serious?

Ok, so my last few posts have been too serious, so I wanted to write you and tell you what's going on. We are in our last two weeks here in Germany. It's kinda surreal to us right now. We have been so blessed this year. We've had many opportunities to share our faith, and we've made so many life-long friends here. Now, we're already having to say goodbye to some of them...so sad. We do, however, have the best friends in the world to come home to, and we are SOOOOO excited about that. I can't wait to start singing again on the worship team, and we both are so excited about having our church family again. I'm not looking forward to the whole job hunting process, but apart from that, things couldn't be better.

Tomorrow the packers are coming to take away the majority of our things, and then we'll be living out of suitcases for the next 9 or so days. My mom and step-dad are picking us up at the airport, and Danny's family is going to meet us at our house when we get home. It's going to be so nice to sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen with my own kitchen stuff...hehe, and chill on my own couch. We need to have a party when we get back, but I am not sure when we'll do it. We need to get settled first.

We also have to buy another car...yikes! I sold my little red machine before we left, and I think we are looking into buying a hybrid Ford Escape. We aren't sure, however, how available those cars are. If we weren't looking to start a family soon, I'd want one of those Smart cars. Have you seen them? They are so cute. Lots of people have them here in Germany, and they are incredibly convenient. You can park those things perpendicular in a parallel parking space. It's amazing!

I heard that hurricane Fay brought some rain to Anderson, and that the lake is a bit higher now. That's great, b/c we've gone a year without wakeboarding and that's just unacceptable. I am also hoping to get to the beach soon. We are so landlocked here, and it's no fun. Unfortunately, it looks like there are about 3 more hurricanes brewing in the Atlantic, so we may have to take in some people in our house rather than them taking us in. I MISS YOU, BETH,CHRIS, AND CARRIE!! You are welcome anytime at our house...lol.

Alright, enough of my rambling. We love you all so much, and we are looking forward to seeing you again really soon!!

Beth

What I Believe

I've had people who have questioned my morals and values over the last few weeks just for simply evaluating both presidential candidates fairly and without bias. I think that it's easy for people who don't really know me to judge me in such a harsh way. So I'd like to clear up some things.

I believe:

1. Most importantly, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. I believe that my life must, in every way, reflect the mercy and grace that was given to me so freely in that I show the same grace and mercy to others.

2. Abortion and especially partial birth abortion are definitely the most hideous practices that we have in the U.S. I was talking to a German friend here, and he absolutely could not believe that in some states in the U.S. the practice of partial birth abortion is legal and acceptable. For people who say that life doesn't begin until such and such a time, I say, "How do you know?" Are you willing to take a chance on such an assumption? I am not. Life begins when Jesus breathes life into a child, and that happens at conception. Who are we as mere mortals to decide who lives and dies? We are not God, and we should not pretend to be.

3. The war in Iraq is an illegal and unethical war which is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people: our soldiers and innocent civilians. However, I believe that our soldiers are brave and are doing a noble thing by fulfilling the duty in which they were assigned. I think our soldiers' votes in this election should count twice!

4. The genocide that is going on in Zimbabwe and in other parts of Africa is one of the worst in our lifetime, and I think if they had oil, we'd be "liberating" them as well. Unfortunately, they have no one to fight for them, so women are being castrated and raped, children are being brutally murdered, and people are literally starving to death. No one is there to help them, and it grieves my heart more than you can imagine.

5. It is the church's job to provide the majority of the social services that the U.S. so desperately needs. How much money do we put into social activities and various programs in our churches that could be used to feed families in our communities who have no food? Why don't we have more orphanages that are church supported so that women who want to have an abortion have an alternative? The Bible says in James that true religion is taking care of the widows and orphans, and I think that many churches in America have missed the mark. Please note that I am not trying to dis the church, but I think that most of us can agree that for some churches the priorities just aren't in the right place. I can also say that there are many churches who are doing the right thing, but I just want to appeal to the ones who may not be.

6. Insurance companies in America are the bane of our existence. Because of insurance companies and their deals with doctors and hospitals, people are paying unbelievable prices for healthcare. There needs to be radical reforms here. I don't know if universal healthcare is the answer, but I think we can all agree that something has got to give.

7. Many people in America misuse their 2nd Ammendment rights, and as a result we have too many incredibly dangerous weapons on our streets. Why does a person need a semi-automatic or an automatic weapon? There is absolutely no reason! These types of guns are polluting our streets and causing the deaths of too many Americans. The laws need to be more strict, not less. Many would say, "Guns don't kill people; people kill people." And to that I say, if the person with the gun didn't have a gun, maybe that person on the other end would still be alive. Why are we so blah see when it comes to human life?

8. Racism in America and all over the world is completely unacceptable. To discriminate against someone based on religion or color is atrocious. We can all agree that people are people. Everyone has a vital role to play in this life, and how dare we suggest that one race is inferior to another. Our differences should be things we celebrate and respect. Some of the racial things that I've heard about Obama from people who live in my community have embarrassed me so much. I love the south and America, but I am ashamed of the racial prejudices we have in our country. I don't know how we bridge the gap, but we have to find a way.

9. Americans are some of the most wasteful people in the world, and we have to take responsibility for our actions and the damage our actions have caused to the environment. How many Americans drive gas-guzzling cars for no reason other than vanity? How many Americans drive around in F250s or 350s, and they don't even have a farm. Oil is not a renewable resource and America with its 300 million people uses 1/3 of the world's yearly oil supply. That is preposterous. On top of that, we don't recycle, and therefore, our landfills are overflowing and pollution is at an all time high. For the record, in Germany it is unacceptable for a person not to recycle. It is mandated here as it should be in America. I applaud Gov. Schwarzenegger for leading the way in these good practices in America.

Ok, so I think that's enough for now. I beg you, before you judge me, get to know me. If you have a question about what I say, ask, but don't attack me. You have your own opinions, and they are valid just like mine. I've been crushed by people this week who have even questioned my commitment to Christ. Please know that I weigh everything I believe against what the Bible says and the example that Jesus Himself left for us. I am changing and growing and learning (the reason for the title of this entire blog), and I am very opened to others' opinions as I continue on this journey of knowing Christ and following Him wholeheartedly. I welcome your thoughts and opinions, but I do not welcome personal attacks against me. I am willing to accept that I am wrong about certain issues, and I would hope that anyone who reads my blog is also open to the fact that they may also be wrong. We are all learning here. No one has all the answers, and we need to listen to one another rather than arguing. I hope this helps clear up some doubts that people have had about me. =)

Question of the Day

Why should Americans be FORCED to vote for the "lesser of two evils" come election day? I really wish someone would run for president who represents all of the issues that I and most Christians are passionate about!!

The Issues

Today, I've decided (since I'm still sick) to make a very comprehensive list of the the issues of both candidates. This goes beyond my list from yesterday. How many Americans have honestly gone to BOTH candidates' websites to read about where they (supposedly) stand on issues? Not a whole lot of people; I can pretty much guarantee that!

So here goes:



McCain:

*Energy
-Believes in breaking our dependence on foreign oil by utilizing our oil reserves at home and promotes off shore drilling as a short term solution until more efficient fuel methods are discovered. (How long is that going to actually take?)
-Wants to give a $5000 tax credit to those who buy a car with zero carbon emissions
-Wants to construct 45 nuclear power plants by 2030 with an ultimate goal of 100 total
-Wants to "encourage" the market in producing more wind, hydro, and solar energy sources

*National Security
-Believes in a stronger military and giving them all of the tools they need to combat terrorism and any threat to American soil.
-Believes in "shoring up our alliances".
-Wants to ensure "quality intelligence necessary to uncover plots before they take root, the resources to protect critical infrastructure and our borders against attack, and the capability to respond and recover from a terrorist incident swiftly."
-Supports a national missile defense system "to reduce the possibility of strategic blackmail by rogue regimes and to secure our homeland from the very real prospect of missile attack by present or future adversaries."
-Wants to make the military larger, give it all of the necessary tools it needs and increase funding, and decrease the frivolous and wasteful spending in the military

*Health Care
-Believes that health care is too expensive (yeah...duh).
-Believes that every citizen should have a right to healthcare.
-Want's to give every family $2500-5000 to offset the costs of insurance (that's really not that much...sorry).
-Wants to make insurance more portable. Say if you leave your job and go to another one, your insurance should go with you if you want.
-Encourages the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSA's), because there is more autonomy in health care choices. (Bosch just went to this form of insurance. Some people aren't sure how they feel about it yet.)
-Wants to help ensure those with pre-existing conditions
-Wants to "establish a nonprofit corporation that would contract with insurers to cover patients who have been denied insurance and could join with other state plans to enlarge pools and lower overhead costs. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level."
-Wants to reform Medicaid and Medicare
-Supports tort reform that would basically not allow a doctor to be sued if he technically followed the correct protocols in his practice. This would, in theory, put an end to frivolous lawsuits.

*Iraq (I'm just going to paste the three paragraphs from McCain's website).
"John McCain believes it is strategically and morally essential for the United States to support the Government of Iraq to become capable of governing itself and safeguarding its people. He strongly disagrees with those who advocate withdrawing American troops before that has occurred.

It would be a grave mistake to leave before Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated and before a competent, trained, and capable Iraqi security force is in place and operating effectively. We must help the Government of Iraq battle those who provoke sectarian tensions and promote a civil war that could destabilize the Middle East. Iraq must not become a failed state, a haven for terrorists, or a pawn of Iran. These likely consequences of America's failure in Iraq almost certainly would either require us to return or draw us into a wider and far costlier war.

The best way to secure long-term peace and security is to establish a stable, prosperous, and democratic state in Iraq that poses no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists. When Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home."

*Climate Change
-Believes that "climate policy should be built on scientifically-sound, mandatory emission reduction targets and timetables."
-"climate policy should utilize a market-based cap and trade system."
-"Climate Policy Must Include Mechanisms To Minimize Costs And Work Effectively With Other Markets."
-"Climate Policy Must Spur The Development And Deployment Of Advanced Technology."
-"Climate Policy Must Facilitate International Efforts To Solve The Problem."

*Veteran's Issues
-Believes in supporting and adequately funding the needs of service men, veterans, and those who become disabled serving our country
-Believes in providing great quality health care to our service men and women.
-Believes that it is our job to take care of our military as they have taken care of us.

*Immigration
-Wants to secure our borders, he has a comprehensive plan on how to go about doing that.
-Once borders are secure, he wants to initiate several measures that keep the nation secure: prosecute employers who employ illegal immigrants, ensure that we meet America's labor need (comprehensive plan for that too), ensure that undocumented aliens in the country go through the proper steps to become documented, perform background checks on aliens and deport those who have criminal records.
-Wants to ensure that all illegal, undocumented aliens either leave or follow correct paths in becoming legal residents.
-"Will commit to clearing out the backlog of individuals that are waiting legally outside of the country, some for up to 20 years, for their green card number to become available."

*Education (to summarize)
-Believes that student of any school that does not meet the standards of the No Child Left Behind policy should be able to change schools and attend one that does meet these standards.

*2nd Ammendment (The Right to Bear Arms)
-Strong supporter of the right of innocent civilians having and using guns
-Opposes legislation that holds gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using firearms.
-Opposes restrictions on so called "assault rifles".
-Supports legislation in requiring gun manufacturers to install gun locks on firearms.
-Supports the use of instant background checks on individuals buy guns.
-Opposes waiting periods for purchasing guns.
-Wants stiffer penalties for people who use firearms in a crime.

*Santity of Life
-Supports overturning Roe v. Wade
-Does not support abortion, but believes in encouraging adoption and creating social services for women who "have the courage" to keep their babies.
-Does not support "fetal farming," or creating embryos in order to perform stem cell research, but he agrees with using other means (i.e. amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, etc) for research.
-Defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
-Opposes human cloning

Note: all quotes come directly from http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/. This is as concise as I could possibly be on the issues that I personally really care about. To view more, you can obviously go to John McCain's Website yourself and read everything.



On to Barack Obama:

*Health Care
-Supports Universal Healthcare
-No one will be turned away due to a pre-existing condition.
-Federal subsidies to help those who cannot afford the plan.
-It will be mandatory for all children to have health insurance.
-He will expand eligibility criteria for those needing Medicaid.
-Wants to lower costs by ensuring more competition in the insurance and drug markets.

*Taxes
-Wants to take tax breaks away from companies who are moving their businesses overseas.
-Wants to raise the minimum wage whenever necessary.
-Increase workers' ability to organize unions.
-Wants to double funding for afterschool programs, and expand the Family Medical Leave Act.

*Social Security
-Wants to preserve it and protect it from those who would want to privatize it.
-Wants to ensure that companies don't neglect their pension obligations.

*Education
-Wants to create a "Zero to Five" Early education program.
-Wants to reform the No Child Left Behind mandate.
-Wants to increase compensation for teacher who really excel at what they do
-Wants to decrease the dropout rate by investing in "proven intervention stategies."
-"Will create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that will make tuition at the nation’s community colleges completely free and will cover up to two-thirds the cost of tuition at the nation’s public colleges and universities. This $4,000 tax credit will be fully refundable and available at the time of enrollment in college – when families need the money."

*Clean Energy Solutions
-Wants to implement the "cap and trade" program to reduce green house gas emissions (same as McCain)
-Wants to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to deploy cleaner technologies
-Wants to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

*Women's Issues
-Supports legislation for equal pay for women, fight discrimination, and increase child care options.
-Will require that employers much provide for 7 paid sick days.
-Encourage states to promote paid leave of absenses
-Supports women's rights to choose whether or not to abort their babies; upholds Roe vs. Wade.
-"Obama will work to reduce unintended pregnancy by guaranteeing equity in contraceptive coverage, providing sex education, and offering rape victims accurate information about emergency contraception."
-"Obama will appoint a special advisor who will report to him regularly on issues related to violence against women. Obama will also pass legislation that provides job security to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault."

*Immigration
-Wants to secure the borders
-Remove incentives for people who enter the US illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants
-"Supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens." (One note: The line for coming into the US legally is about 20 years long).
-"Believes we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration."

*Iraq
-Did not support the war in the first place.
-Wants to bring the troops home within 16 months.
-Wants to engage in diplomatic measures to help Iraq become a stable country.

*Terrorism
-Wants to finish the fight in Afghanistan.
-Wants to crack down on Al-Qaeda in it's safe haven of Pakistan.

*Iran
-Does not support a war with Iran
-Wants strong diplomacy to "offer Iran the choice of increased international pressure or incentives if it stops its disturbing behavior."

*Military
-Also wants to increase the military and its technology.

Note: All quotes and information come from Barack Obama's, "The Blueprint for Change," which can be downloaded directly from his website: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.

I hope that, for some people, this really helps clear up any misinformation that may have been received. You know, I really find it amazing that people will spend hours watching television or playing on the internet, but they hardly take time to find out the truth about their potential new president. This election is very important for America, as all elections are. How many of us take it for granted that we can actually vote? Remember that it wasn't so long ago that women and African Americans were not allowed to vote, and there are countries all over the world that are being oppressed by their governments. We are FREE!! Never take this for granted.

Wondering...

I am really struggling with who to vote for in this election. Honestly, I think both candidates are pretty full of crap...haha...sorry but that's just how it is. My faith in politicians isn't so high, as you can see.

McCain Pros:
Good military record and lots of experience
Seems to have a good energy idea (notice I didn't say plan)
Doesn't agree with EMBRYONIC stem cell research
Is not for abortion
Seems like a strong leader
Doesn't necessarily believe in bringing out our troops from Iraq until we clean up the mess we've made.
Strong reaction to the Russia/Georgia conflict

McCain Cons:
I don't really understand how someone can be pro-life but pro-war.
Off shore drilling is not a good idea...maybe a short term fix but not a solution
He's republican, and i am tired of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. There is, frankly no middle class anymore.
Possibly another George W. Bush, and frankly, the entire world is ready for that to be over.

Obama Pros:
Wants to ultimately get the troops out of Iraq
Seems to have good rapport with the rest of the world, so he may be able to restore a bit of our image.
Young and charasmatic
Wants a lot more funding for schools and education

Obama Cons:
Speaks really well, but I'm not sure he can honestly back up what he says.
Very wishy washy when it comes to matters of faith
Supports a woman's right to an abortion. What about the kid's rights? Or the dad's?
I'm not quite sure I'm for Universal health care...not completely sold on it yet. Do you know that Germans pay over $700 per month out of their paychecks to pay for their heathcare? How many Americans could honestly afford something like that?
He's democrat...I don't like them either...haha

This is just a preliminary list. I need some feedback from people who are actually in America. Give me your arguments. If you don't want to post them on the comments, you can email me (so that no one else will see) at mrsehl@gmail.com. Please, please give me some feedback!!

Beth

More Fun Trips

This past weekend, we traveled to Nürnberg and Rothenburg ober der Tauber. I'll tell you a little about Nürnberg first. (Man, Rick Steves should hook me up with a job)!!

Nürnberg is really old. There's even a house dating back to 1338 and a pharmacy dating back to 1486. So obviously, people have been hanging out here for a long time. Adolf Hilter also liked the place, and his aim was to make it the capital of the National Socialist Party (Nazis). An architect was hired to plan everything, and everything was set to go until America came to save the day. Haha...that's not exactly how it happened, but I just wanted to say that. Anyway, all the plans were in place. Laborers were working day and night to complete the plans. A capital building was partly built. A huge stadium that could hold 400,000 people was planned, and the sight of many of Hilter's speeches was completed. It was quite eerie to see all of this, because we were able to walk on the actual platform where Hilter gave so many of his speeches. You could imagine all of the hundreds of thousands of people standing there listening to these false promises thinking that this man was going to change Germany to make it a wonderful place. So many empty promises; so many lives lost, and for what? It made me really sad. Even the architecture that the Nazis used was very concrete and bland, but it was also so big; larger than life. You could see that it was truly Hilter's aim to take over the entire world removing the Jews, the Christians, and any other religion that exhalted itself above the power of the Nazi party. Sound like a story you've heard before from the Bible? It reminds me of when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Pharoah, and they were tossed into the fire. God ultimately received the glory in that situation, so sometimes I wonder why so many had to die in the Holocaust. I know I can't see the broad scheme of things, but it is just plain sad. I know that God saved and protected so many of the Jews, but I wonder what His purpose was or is in so much persecution taking place. Don't think I am doubting God. I know that if anything good happened from the Holocaust it would have to be our awareness to the dangers of the persecution of one religious group by another. I really do believe that in such a horrible situation that God was revealed to so many, and that His purposes, while they are unknown to us, were made known to many. Maybe the world is a better place because of the sacrifice. What do you think? Let's think about this for a minute. Sorry I am on a bit of a tangent right now. Can you imagine being a Christian during this time period? People had to honestly think that Hilter was THE antichrist and that Jesus was coming back on his chariot of fire at any minute. I wonder how many people found Jesus during that time. I mean, even during the cold war, there were so many Americans who honestly thought that they could be nuked at any time. I wonder where their hearts stood with Jesus. Maybe we have to go through things such as war so that we are reminded who is ultimately in control. It sure isn't us, and thank God for that!! Anyway, these are just some things I have been thinking about. Here's some pictures of Nürnberg:

 

On the River

 

I love all of the flowers on the houses and buildings in Germany.

 

Really old Pharmacy (1486). Just remember that America wasn't discovered by Columbus until 1492!

 

This house dates back to 1338. How do I know? Well, there's a plaque on the wall in front of it that tells me. haha.

Rothenburg ober der Tauber is honestly a place I know nothing about. All I know is that it's old, and a lot of tourists go there. There is, however, a really cool medieval wall that surrounds the town that you can actually walk in and circle most of the town. We did get to put our heads into the stocks which was kinda cool in a weird sort of way. Here are some photos:

 

Taken from inside the wall around the city.

 

Part of the city square

 

I am supposed to look like I am dying. Yeah, I can sing a little, but I surely can't act. haha.

 

Danny's the happiest guy you'll ever see in the stocks.

Fun Trips

We've been on some really fun trips over the last two weeks. We are trying to use all of our remaining weekends here for traveling to places around southern Germany that we haven't seen yet.

Our first visit was to Salzburg, Austria (not quite in Germany, I know). This is the place that The Sound of Music takes place and was filmed. By the way, I just saw that movie for the first time about 4-5 months ago, and I fell in love. It's funny, because most people in Germany and Austria have never even heard of this movie much less seen it. Anyway, back to Salzburg. So after driving for about 6 hours (it was only supposed to take 3 hours), we finally found our hotel and had some time to tour the city. There was something going on in every nook and cranny of this town...a concert here, people walking on stilts there. We actually came across this orchestra and choir...yes a full orchestra and choir...playing in front this big church. They actually played a medley of songs from The Sound of Music. I was on cloud nine, to say the least.

The next day, we went to the Königsee (the Lake of the King). This place is absolutely my favorite place in all of Germany. You literally ride in a boat down the lake surrounded by enormous mountains with waterfalls everywhere. I took so many great pictures, but even the photos don't do the place justice. So we hiked most of this day all around the mountains. We stopped at this little farm house to have a little lunch. It was so cute. They served fresh buttermilk and cheese and ham on bread. Kenny Tucker would have appreciated the cheese here. (It was stinky cheese, and everyone knows that the best tasting cheese is the kind that stinks the most...hehe).

I'll post some pictures here of the two locations, but to see all of them go to: http://mrsehl.picasaweb.com.

Salzburg:

 

Street in Salzburg

 

The famous glockenspiel

 

Where Mozart was born

 

Beautiful ladies on stilts

 

We thought this guy looked an awful lot like Kenny Tucker...hehe.

Königsee:

 

St. Bartolomä

 

The lake and the mountains

 

Mirror effect

 

The perky old witch

By the way...

I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE ARE COMING HOME!!

September 14th at 3:20pm. YIPPEEEEE!!

My 26th Birthday

Danny did an amazing job in throwing a great party for my birthday. We went to one of my favorite restaurants here in Reutlingen. It was my first birthday completely in German which was pretty cool. Danny invited some of our closest friends here. My speech partner, Barbara, was able to come. Our friend, Thorsten, who we met hiking the Achalm was also there. Also, our good friends, Michael and Claudia, we able to make it. I felt so completely overwhelmed with love the entire day. I probably received 30 emails or messages wishing me happy birthday...from people in America and here in Germany. I think I am just so blessed to have such great friends and family.

Here are some photos from the evening:

 

This is my Bavarian dress. Danny got it for me at the Königsee for my birthday. He convinced me to wear it for my birthday, and I'll tell you, I felt like a little Bavarian princess...haha!

 

Some of our friends here in the Deutschland: We met Thorsten while hiking the Achalm in our first two or so weeks here in Germany. We have been friends ever since. Barbara is my speech partner. She helps me speak German like a German which is not so easy. God bless her!

 

This is Michael and Claudia. They are awesome people, and we are hoping that they'll soon get an opportunity to take an assignment in the States.

 

My fabulously delicious cake: It made me so glad that I ran my booty off earlier that morning.

 

Me and my Danny...and the awesome cake...hehe.