Author: djpasternak

Inspired by a meditation from a book, “Come to Mary’s House” by Shawn Chapman

A tiny nest above my head An arch of iron and vine The flash of fluttering wings Hardly noticed disappears A glimpse of abandonment to deviate my sight From above to beyond.

Protect and persevere A mother bent on caring for her own As God’s own mother watches over us–our souls Unharmed and fully grown, To fly to Him through her.

DJ Pasternak June 2024

Are we becoming a third world country, as Judge George Daggett stated in his recent concise letter to our local paper, The Township Journal?

Barack Obama made a disturbing statement about his plans as president in an Oct 2008 campaign visit to Colombia, Mo: “…we are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America”. I also saw and heard a statement he made recently when a reporter asked if he regrets not being able to run for a third term as president. He said, no, but he would like to be able to tell a president what to do with an ear phone in that president’s ear.

During the Obama terms, race relations deteriorated, socialist programs increased. He bowed to an anti America dictator of Iran, refused to host Netanyaha but rolled out the red carpet for the Chinese leader, admitted giving Iran 400 million dollars in cash, etc etc.

In our pledge of allegiance to the flag, we say “..to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. However, under the Biden’s administration, this desired transformation could become a reality: a third world communist country with liberty and justice for the chosen few. Certainly not for the thousand imprisoned Jan. 6th protesters, or the nine and counting men and women imprisoned for saving babies lives, nor for Donald Trump or for you or me.

In 2016, we couldn’t believe he received the nomination for president of the United States. What could we do? I remembered ‘way back a thousand years ago’ when I first heard this builder, playboy, casino owner millionaire said he wanted to run for president. It thought it was incredulous and I refused to belief he could ever in a ‘million years’ win the nomination.

My mother was living with us and she just couldn’t believe the color of his hair. My husband and I held our noses and voted for him and I’ve heard several other people say they voted the same way. I went to bed the night of the election when it seemed Hilary would certainly win. My husband woke me up in the middle of the night with the news Trump won. I was elated because his opponent stood for most everything I opposed. This was the first surprise of many to follow.

I can’t relate the ride he took us on in his four years in office, but in spite of his gigantic ego, he was bringing My America back with gusto! I had confidence in my government again, In 2020, I watched all four of his rallies in my home state of Pennsylvania, in ‘coal country’. I watched them to the end and sang and danced as he did his thing to the the music of Young Man.

I have no idea if he will be president again, but I’m routing for him and for my country. The Greatness I’m looking for is a return to faith in God, and an end to the craziness attacking our sanity: bad is good and good is bad, he is she or perhaps a goat or xyz, destruction, injustice and persecution….

I can say all of this because I live in the United States of America! But for how long this is true is up to God in his mercy and perhaps the remnant of believers…and to my amazement Donald Trump!

In a previous blog, I wrote about GK Chesterton and his response when a news publication in London told him he could write a column for the paper, as long as he didn’t write about politics or religion. He did take the job, but he said, “I didn’t write about anything but politics and religion.” He held that position for the publication for thirty years,

What I know of this huge man, both in scope and in physique, I find in his prolific writing and debating— courageous presentation of the truth. I do wonder if he wrote for a newspaper in the USA today, what would he say about our President Trump. I can only speculate; but I believe it would be most articulate, insightful and also include more than a touch of humor. Seriously, this is a philosopher who was known for catching buns in his mouth.

The truth is, I just know GK would love Trump with all his indictments and charges (unspecified by the court) and those women standing in line with open hands and money sacks over their shoulder. His observations would be sometimes strikingly piercing and other times hilariously humorous. They would of course be political and religious, whether overt or subtle.

To sum it up, although GK Chesterton was huge in his physical body and his body of work. I leave you with one short quote to ponder: “The way to love anything is to realize it may be lost.”

We have much to lose and only one man blocking this loss is Our beloved DJ Trump. Yes, I do believe in my heart of hearts, GK would love him! And pray our country will be preserved by God with Trump as his instrument, a most unlikely saint.

The Mystery of Poetry

Rhyme begins with noticing; from stillness, sometimes sounds
As chirping birds and inner words, given 
Yet unable to express the silence of a springtime sunrise.
The writer eking out the meaning; ever seeking, communicating
What cannot be said in words; but known and felt
In a heart most open to noticing rhyme
In early springtime mornings.

DJ Pasternak          April 29, 2024


  

Around three am last night I couldn’t sleep. So I did what I often do in the case of sleeplessness. I got up, heated some milk, toasted a slice of bread, and went outside on the deck. We are fortunate to live in an area where city lights do not interfere with viewing the stars in the night sky and there was no moon. The contrast of the diminutive spark-like dots and the vast expanse of darkness where they existed, never ceased to amaze me.

This morning I looked up the readings for today and also saw it is the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Mary and announced that she would conceive and bear a child. She asked how could that be possible for she was a virgin. The angel replied that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the child she would bear would be the Son of God. And furthermore, the angel added Mary’s elderly cousin Elizabeth had conceived and was in her sixth month carrying a son.

Finally, Gabriel answered Mary’s question : “For with God nothing will be impossible.” And she said, “…be it to me according to thy word.” Did this teenage girl in her own reasoning understand how it could be possible physically? Of course not; but she did believe the ‘possibility of the impossible’ with God.

Today we’ll experience a few minutes of darkness as the path of the moon obstructs the light of the sun. Two days ago we felt the movement of the earth beneath us as a 4.8 earthquake took place. Like the stars above in the night sky, the quake reminded us of how minute we are in relation to the Creator.

How did I feel when the house shook and a strange rumble accompanied the movement? It was a feeling of peace because I knew this was beyond my control but somehow I trusted in the One who was shaking us up and revealing His power. Thankfully no devastation took place.

No Matter the struggles of night, the dreary rising from bed When daybreak comes known through light, the soul rises to meet the day. And when cloudy or partly so the light seen east surprises Even though we know it will rise due to His faithfulness

This morning it was glorious, the sliver of light above the horizon Shown with soft hues of color, violet, pink, orange and red. The rest of the sky gray with clouds bearing water for the spring buds Soon to grace us with their presence, beauty to be unfurled in bloom.

The greatness of the love of Him, radiant to light the morn. Could not but show His face

April 8, 2017

Last night after a wonderful evening of celebrating a birthday with our family, my husband and I watched a replay of the President’s State of the Union Speech. For a man called by one of his special counsel not competent to stand trial for offenses, he rallied to project a vigorous oration in rapid strung together sentences. I guess it proves he is ready and able to be elected and serve four more years as President of these United States of America?

Let’s say, this is obvious, attested to by the joyous and perhaps relieved ovations from his constituents. Some of the ‘highlights’ of the speech included: The great economy we are experiencing and the much lower inflation rate as well. A constant referral to ‘my predecessor’ who really got everything wrong in the last administration.

Under his ‘predecessor’, freedom of democracy was under attack, even comparing the severity to the time of the Civil War. Ukraine can defeat Putin and we will not send any American troops. Biden’s ‘predecessor’ said to “the h… let Putin do whatever he wants” and this same ’predecessor’ bowed down to Putin. The Prsident went on and on about how Ukraine was being invaded and we must send money to protect their nation from the Russian dictator.

In ad nauseam, speaking about the state of Ukraine, he failed to mention the most pressing threat to the United States until much later in his speech: invasion by millions of ‘undocumented immigrants’ according to the rubric of Nancy Pelosi or aptly described by President Biden himself as ‘illegal immigrants’.

The speech was for us, tortuous and upsetting especially the emphasis on reinstating Roe V Wade and a national law legalizing abortion in every state of the union. (After all we need to make room for the ‘newcomers’ and control population of the palefaces. This is my interpretation not the president’s words.)

On rethinking the speech I believe it clarifies the position of our present administration, as well as, the nefarious characters behind the scenes. For heavens sake, they have laid out for all of us their ‘game plan’. They actually did us a favor. Because we know their strategies for the battle we are experiencing.

As is so often the case, one line from an Old Testament prophet succinctly summarizes the President’s speech on the state of the union.

This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips. Jeremiah 7:28

It is difficult, but do watch the replay of the speech. There is a great deal more than covered here.