On Nehemiah and Esther
I finished reading both Nehemiah and Esther a while ago on my run through the Bible. I just have a few comments on the two books.
Nehemiah and Ezra are sister books. They each tell you about the rebuilding of Jerusalem from different perspectives. Ezra was the religious leader, Nehemiah the political leader. There's a lot of detail here that is great to learn about, very informative. There's also a number of interesting situations where Nehemiah's leadership is displayed - where he protects the poor, where he and Ezra re-institute Mosaic law. I do not have much else to say about Nehemiah.
Esther is an interesting book. Esther is the story of a Jewish girl who became Queen of Persia. In her role as Queen of Persia she saves the Jewish people from a conspiracy to kill them by the King's second in command, Naman. What's interesting about Esther is we see the Lord's work in a different way. From Genesis through Joshua, we see the Lord raising cities, parting waters, and creating plagues to destroy the firstborn of a nation. From Judges through Chronicles we see the Lord drop fire from Heaven and destroy entire oncoming armies with single individuals. In Esther, we see the Lord working in a different way. We see a subtle Lord.
The Lord could have smote Naman right away. He could have destroyed with a nod the man who was planning to destroy the Israelites. He didn't. Instead, the Lord placed Esther right where she needed to be. He provided her with the skills, the calm, and the right ideas to comfort the King and help him see the truth. He gave her courage. He provided her with what she needed in this situation.
That's how I've seen Him work in my life. The Lord comforts me in need. He provides me strength when I need it most. He provides me insight when I need it most. The Lord provides.
Is this how you see Him work in your life? Do you see Him providing you what you need? I do.
I am continuing to read through the Bible. Currently in the middle of Job and I ask you to join me. Start from the beginning - read the Bible cover to cover. You will be glad you did.
Ehrlich endorsed Jacobs
Former Governor Bob Ehrlich has endorsed Senator Nancy Jacobs for Congress in Maryland's second Congressional district. WBAL is reporting:
Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich has thrown his support behind Republican state Sen. Nancy Jacobs in her bid for Congress.
Jacobs announced Monday that Ehrlich had decided to endorse her.
"She's the kind of competitor taxpayers need to shake up Congress," the former governor said of Jacobs in a statement.
Jacobs officially threw her hat in the ring earlier this month, challenging Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger for his 2nd District seat in November.
This is a good get for Jacobs. Ehrlich is a big time endorsement that I'm sure other candidates were hoping for. In 2008, Ehrlich endorsed Andy Harris in MD-01 over incumbent Wayne Gilchrest. Harris won the primary, lost the general. Harris won in 2010.
Also running are former Lt Colonel and Harris aide Larry Smith and Delegate Rick Impallaria.
Interesting Same-Sex Marriage Testimony
People are attending hearings in Annapolis both for and against the proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. The reason I'm posting this up is because of one specific person's testimony that surprised me. I'll post the quote below without further comment:
[A] gay man from Potomac asked the committee to defeat the bill, saying the proposal by Gov. Martin O’Malley would undermine one of society’s most basic principles, that marriage is between a man and a woman.
“I’m gay and I’m opposed to this legislation,” said Doug Mainwaring, a divorced father of two who works for the National Capital Tea Party Patriots.
“I totally believe in civil unions, but I would like to see marriage preserved for one man and one woman. Marriage is the building block of our civilization,” he said.
Thoughts?
Waste of the Week: Two from Miller for Tuesday
State Senator Mike Miller (D) is the President of the Maryland State Senate. He's also a porker. This week, as I missed this last week, I decided to pull two new pieces of debt both proposed by Mike Miller both for the Town of North Beach - SB225 and SB171. Let's discuss Miller's attempts to pull in votes in North Beach.
First, SB171 is $100k for a waterfront pavilion to be built in North Beach. Really? We're over $1 billion in debt as a state and the Senate President wants to put the state further in debt to build a waterfront pavilion? Really? Come on now. I disagreed with, but I understood those legislators that proposed bills to help hospitals or rehab centers, but a waterfront pavilion. It doesn't seem like Miller can get more wasteful than that. Oh, but he does.
SB225 is for...a skate park. That's right. It's proposing to incur $150k more state debt for Maryland to build a skate park. Seriously. Now, again - the pavilion seems like a nice beautification project for a community - a waste of money when we don't have it, but still. A skate park? Is Miller planning to head out there and thrash with his skater friends? Is Miller a skater boi at heart and that's why he wants to take these funds and create new debt? I'm not sure, but what I do know is that this is irresponsible at a time like now.
We are too far in debt to be adding further debt for silliness such as this. Senator Miller should know better. He's been in office long enough to know better. Well, you would think so, but there I go assuming that our legislators will do the right thing again. Will not make that mistake again.
For that set of reasons Miller's two bills (SB171 and SB225) are Old Line Elephant's "Waste of the Week."
Congratulations to Senator Miller for wanting to put the state $250,000 in further debt to gain votes in North Beach!
Feel free to submit your suggestions in the comments section of wasteful spending in Maryland.
Baltimore County GOP – Say No to Gas Tax
The Baltimore County Republican Central Committee voted unanimously in their January meeting to approve a resolution opposing raising gas taxes in Maryland. As I was present at said meeting, I'll tell you this - a) there was no debate and b) no question that everyone in that room opposed the gas tax. It was a good meeting to attend. Here's the text of the press release:
The Baltimore County Republican Central Committee unanimously approved a resolution opposing tax increases on transportation during the 2012 session of the Maryland General Assembly, citing that, like the citizens of Maryland do every day, government must live within its means. Particularly hurt by this increase would be families who commute through one of the Baltimore area's three toll plazas each day to get to and from work.
In 2007, Martin O'Malley and Democrat cohorts forced the largest single tax increase in the history of the State of Maryland. Most of that revenue came from sales and use taxes, and according to 2010 Maryland State budget data, citizens of Baltimore County pay a greater share of sales and use tax than any other county in Maryland.
The total impact of the 2011-2012 transportation tax increases for commuters who drive through one of the Baltimore area's three toll plazas to get to work every day, estimated at $750, would be proportionally over six times greater than the 2007 tax increases. The gas tax alone is over two times greater.
"Martin O'Malley and his league of limousine liberals are once again waging class warfare against Maryland's working people. These regressive taxes add an unreasonable burden to a category of Baltimore County's people who travel south to their work in the Baltimore-Washington corridor," said Steve Kolbe, Chairman of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee. "Since Martin O'Malley says he stands for the working people of Maryland, perhaps he should find ways to balance the budget that doesn't hurt the very people he claims to stand for."
Maryland Blogs / Sites
- Augie "Citizen Watchdog"
- Baltimore County GOP
- Inside Charm City
- Maryland Public Policy Institute
- Maryland Society of Patriots
- MD Conservative Action Network
- monoblogue
- Potomac Tea Party Report
- PVRC Blog
- Red Maryland
- Right Coast Conservative
National Blogs / Sites
- 2012 Candidates on Twitter
- Anthropocon
- Bearing Drift
- Moe Lane
- Musings – It's Zarf-tastic!
- Oddly Said
- Other McCain
- Pithy Title Goes Here
- Pundit League
- Race42012
- Ramblings…
- RedState
- RightKlik
- Ruby Slippers
- Secular ProLife
- Sundries Shack
- The Quinton Report
- TORARADICALcom
Religious Blogs / Sites
- Ed Stetzer
- Edgemere Baptist Church
- Just1Word
- Tally Wilgis
- The 140 Bible
- The Girl On The Road To Self Discovery
- Thom Rainer
- TroyStouffer.com
