Freedom is never free...

...but I am afraid that it is all too easily lost, even willingly given away!




And I am a nervous wreck as I wait. And pray. And I wonder if next year, we will still possess the freedoms we do now.

I already voted this past weekend, via absentee ballot, so I guess all there is to do is wait and pray. And my prayer is more of a sigh/plea/groan. Do you know what I mean? I don't think I have stopped praying since last night when I saw this on Shell in Your Pocket . It disturbed me so much I did not sleep well.





Contrast this to some statements made by those who came far before us, our Founding Fathers:

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." ~Thomas Jefferson

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" ~ Patrick Henry

"A wise and frugal government... which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government..." ~Thomas Jefferson

And consider these as well:

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." ~ John Adams

"Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that ever I took half the pains to preserve it." ~John Adams

"Government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." ~ Thomas Jefferson

As a family, we have been reading our way through "The Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It got me thinking~ Charles and Caroline Ingalls had no assurance that everything would be all right, traveling from place to place. They had no certainty of safety or wealth. (They also had zero health care coverage.) But they had something far greater: their freedom. I believe they were freer then, than we are now. What happened to our desire for freedom? Why is living a comfortable life more important than these basic rights to life and liberty? Why is peace patriotic, but fighting for it is not? Have we forgotten the blood that has been spilled for this freedom we enjoy?

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
~ George Santayana

I am afraid we have forgotten the heavy price those who have come before us have paid for our freedom. I am afraid we will lose this precious freedom if we are too hasty to exchange it for ANY promise of safety, well-being or monetary benefits from our government.

I would rather have freedom, than be "provided for". I would rather have freedom than find I am enslaved by the tyranny of socialism instead. I would rather work hard in this free country than obtain ANY spreading of wealth, thank you very much, Senator Obama!

AND...one last picture, a little food for thought.




All I have to say about THIS is:

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." ~ John Adams

It is difficult for me to say these things, I'm human and tend to worry too much what people will think, don't want to ruffle any feathers. But then I think about how precious our freedom is, and suddenly, it seemed wrong not to say anything. I know that, in good conscience, I need to speak out for what I believe.


*Edited to add: I forgot to say thank you to Shell in Your Pocket for letting me borrow the video clip, a picture, and a couple of quotes!