How can a grown man want to have sex with a child?  How can a ‘so called’ man of God do this?  Tony Alamo was arrested today.  He is a controversial evangelist leader.  He has made the statement that it is okay for children that haven’t even gone through puberty to have sex because they did it in the bible.  Not in my bible.

You can take a verse from one part and another part to prove anything you want it to say.  I have heard people quote scripture proving you are supposed to hate certain people but is not one of the 10 Commandments ‘Love thy Neighbor’?  That means who ever your neighbor is, not only the ones you want to love.  It’s supposed to be unconditional love.  I don’t think for one minute it meant sexually either.  Too many people think that sex is love and love is sex.

I’m confused.  I thought love was taking care of someone, being compassionate towards them and keeping them safe.  Love is many different things to different people.  You love your husband or wife one way and love a child another way but not the same way.  Like I said, I’m confused.

Well it’s another beautiful Saturday on the coast and the beaches are surprisingly full of people.  Since Hurricane Ike hit, gas has been hard to come by in a lot of places and the price has gone out of this world at some of the gas stations that do have gas.  They should be ashamed of taking advantage of the fact that people have to have fuel to get to and from work and raising the prices so high.  I sure won’t be going to any of those gas stations after the gas starts flowing again.  They have made enough off of us.

We all have suffered this summer because of the price of gas and then to have local gas stations raise their prices so much during this time is a crime if nothing else.  It’s a sign of pure greed and not caring for your community what-so-ever.  I don’t like that.  We have to help each other in tough times or that’s the way I was raised to believe anyway.  It’s a shame there aren’t more that believe that way too and then it is surprising how many in this community have pulled together for other causes when they are needed.  I do love it here but I won’t go to those gas stations if I can help it and that’s my choice.

I thought it was tough here but it seems it’s getting tough everywhere.  I just read an article saying that Alaska Air is cutting 1000 jobs.  That’s a lot of people left without a job, a lot of families to have to do without and winter on the way on top if it all. They also plan to reduce their flight departures by 15%. The job losses will account for about 10% of their work force and affects pilots, cabin crew, technicians and service staff. The cuts are due to start on November 9th of this year and then lead into 2009 the article said.

It’s always hardest on people when they lose their jobs that close to Christmas. “The one-two punch of record oil prices and a softening economy, on top of increased competition, has burdened Alaska Air Group with a $50 million loss on an adjusted basis for the first half of this year. That demands decisive action to ensure the viability of our company,” Bill Ayer, chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group said.  Like I said earlier, it’s getting tough everywhere.  No wonder they are having to cut so many jobs with loses like that.

Cuba may be the country my father fled from but it is still our homeland.  Yes I am an American girl and proud of it but I am also a Cuban.  We still have family members in Cuba that I have never and will probably never see.  Because of that, there is much fear within my American family for my Cuban family.  We have heard that there is so much damage there that many have lost everything but one blessing is that the Cuban Government evacuates everyone and they don’t have a choice like they do here.  That’s part of why deaths because of storms like these are very rare in Cuba.  That’s the one part of the Cuban Government I think is good but the only part too.

America allows us to be stupid or brave if you prefer it to be called, and stay if we want to.  Cubans don’t have that choice.  In fact, they don’t have many choices at all.  Life is good here even with all the problems, it’s better to be free.  It’s a shame more Americans don’t realize how lucky we all are and appreciate the fact that we are free instead of looking for reasons to be angry that we don’t have even more freedom.  I don’t understand.

My Papa’s birthday is today.  He is 65 years old.  What do you give to the man that made sure you have advantages he never had?  What can I give to a man that took care of me and loved me with all his heart and soul?  What can I give the man that risked his own life to bring us to this country so I could go to college, buy my own house and start my own business?  What do you give to the first man you ever loved, your father?  All I have is my love and gratitude.  I only hope that’s enough because that’s enough for me from him.