“US Rep. Andy Ogles (R) just sent a letter to AG Pam Bondi calling for the denaturalization and deportation of NYC Democrat mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani.
Rep. Andy Ogles cites that Mamdani may have concealed “material in support for terrorism” when he obtained U.S. citizenship.”
I am choosing not to read some of the more recent/extreme comments here. It shows up more on one side here, but it’s “out there” on both sides.
But my concerns about the extremism that has taken hold in our country’s dialogue in some corners on both sides of the aisle generally are concerning.
I tend to believe that centrist tendencies serve the nation best as something of a “time out” and in the most stablizing way as it teeters between both extremes and in such loud voices — until the dueling fevers break (and they will, God willing).
The further out the political extremes go, on both sides, the more the parties follow (or perhaps it’s the other way around, I’m never sure). And I don’t think that bodes well for our nation as a whole should this continue.
Not sure where that all leads and some of us may not live long enough to see whether it all pulls back to a more rational center or not. I do hope so.
But in the meantime, remembering the calling of our faith is probably the most important message we can all keep preaching to ourselves daily.
And I’ll keep preaching the gospel to myself. 🙂
May our nation continue to survive — and thrive — under God’s grace if that be His will.
Keep the faith!
The nation is not perfect and never will be. But it has long been a beacon on this imperfect earth. May that continue for a while longer.
It sounds like Israel is still bombing civilians. It seems like the time for bombs is over and they should be more careful of civilian casualties or lose US support.
Trump is demanding that Bibi’s corruption trial in Israel be stopped. I guess we don’t have problem interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign country if we feel like it.
“NOW — a HISTORIC peace deal is signed by @SecRubio and officials from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to end decades of deadly fighting. 👏”
That’s wonderful news, Mumsee. It’s always good news when people can live their lives in peace and without unreasonable fear. And it seems to have been affecting a huge number of people.
I don’t often hear news of what’s happening in the African nations since the famine conditions that used to prevail in Chad and some other countries.
We hear a lot about Africa since we have missionaries through church who we support there. Also we have heard a lot in the past about Russia and Ukraine since our pastor and his wife were missionaries in Moscow and he was working in Ukraine in missions before Russia. That war broke their hearts since they have Christian friends in both nations. My friend’s church pastor has top connections in Israel so I can hear news occasionally through that church. One of my Sunday school teachers is married to a lady from the Congo. It seems strange to have all these connections to war torn nations.
My parents met and married in Nigeria, and my oldest brother was born there. He was so young that he had to learn to walk all over ago after they came back (by ship) to America and he gave up trying to walk during the crossing. That brother and my third brother just came back from Nigeria–first time anyone in my family has been there since the 1950s when my parents came back to the US. Both brothers reported with horror about what life is like in Nigeria, the dire poverty, the general lawlessness (e.g., people driving the wrong way on highways at highway speed), the shock of visiting huge cities and meeting teenagers who’d never seen a white person, etc. Both of these brothers have visited dozens of countries, and both said this is the worst they have ever visited.
Earlier today I was thinking about how much of today’s rhetoric is extremely divisive. We live in a culture that encourages men to hate (or envy) women and vice versa, blacks to hate whites, Democrats to hate Republicans, most of the country to despise Southerners. When I was a child, the nation celebrated her bicentennial. We happened to be visiting family friends for my ninth birthday (exactly one week before), and the woman of the house made me a cake with flag memorabilia, including a plastic firecracker–that was probably easier to find in the store that week than birthday decorations! We’re a year out from 250 years. Will we celebrate as a nation? Hard to imagine.
“If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds…But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
I found this quote at thepourover.com which someone (NJ?) had suggested a few days ago. It’s a good reminder that vilifying other people groups is a bad idea, as the problem is always much closer to home than you think.
When I think of the dire poverty or persecution being experienced in places like Nigeria or Haiti and so many other places, I feel how deeply ungrateful I must be to complain about anything at all in my own life. God is so merciful yet just. Who can know his heart in all of these turmoils. and global convulsions.
The Iranian regime has issued a blistering response to President Trump’s calls for a new deal — and it’s anything but diplomatic.
Official Iranian Statement:
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers.”
But it didn’t stop there…
Iran boasted about its missile barrage on Israel,
claiming:
“The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to threats and insults.”
!And the chilling final line:
“If illusions lead to worse mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to unveil its Real Capabilities — which will certainly END any delusion about the power of Iran.
Debra @6:57 (have always liked that Solzhenitsyn quote) and Cheryl @6:52 Good thoughts and thought-provoking posts. Thank you. And others too.
I pray for the anger and division I see only growing in our nation and too often reflected here to settle down soon.
I do hope, in time, it begins to dissipate. But it comes so often from our own government, and daily, I hear it coming from our very own leaders.
Tense times.
Tonight I’m seeing film clips of the Bezos’ wedding, the elaborate spending the “outfits.”
Tonight there will an early fireworks show over the harbor, which happens every year put on by the Port of L.A. and will be heard where I live just up the hill. It’s always a happy event but tonight may not seem so celebratory for some reason?
Wandering Views 
“US Rep. Andy Ogles (R) just sent a letter to AG Pam Bondi calling for the denaturalization and deportation of NYC Democrat mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani.
Rep. Andy Ogles cites that Mamdani may have concealed “material in support for terrorism” when he obtained U.S. citizenship.”
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1938317678835298547?t=tl41EXUbfj8hMTqPpsY_xw&s=19
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/us/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lot of good news on the Supreme Court decisions today!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am choosing not to read some of the more recent/extreme comments here. It shows up more on one side here, but it’s “out there” on both sides.
But my concerns about the extremism that has taken hold in our country’s dialogue in some corners on both sides of the aisle generally are concerning.
I tend to believe that centrist tendencies serve the nation best as something of a “time out” and in the most stablizing way as it teeters between both extremes and in such loud voices — until the dueling fevers break (and they will, God willing).
The further out the political extremes go, on both sides, the more the parties follow (or perhaps it’s the other way around, I’m never sure). And I don’t think that bodes well for our nation as a whole should this continue.
Not sure where that all leads and some of us may not live long enough to see whether it all pulls back to a more rational center or not. I do hope so.
But in the meantime, remembering the calling of our faith is probably the most important message we can all keep preaching to ourselves daily.
And I’ll keep preaching the gospel to myself. 🙂
May our nation continue to survive — and thrive — under God’s grace if that be His will.
Keep the faith!
The nation is not perfect and never will be. But it has long been a beacon on this imperfect earth. May that continue for a while longer.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It sounds like Israel is still bombing civilians. It seems like the time for bombs is over and they should be more careful of civilian casualties or lose US support.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israeli-strike-kills-18-picking-up-aid-as-idf-said-to-target-hamas-linked-unit-distributing-it/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Trump is demanding that Bibi’s corruption trial in Israel be stopped. I guess we don’t have problem interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign country if we feel like it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-demands-end-to-netanyahus-graft-trial-us-saved-israel-now-is-going-to-save-bibi/
LikeLike
“NOW — a HISTORIC peace deal is signed by @SecRubio and officials from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to end decades of deadly fighting. 👏”
https://x.com/townhallcom/status/1938660193371595013?t=rTI3yUCFgvtrnAn0LwOxOw&s=19
LikeLiked by 5 people
That’s wonderful news, Mumsee. It’s always good news when people can live their lives in peace and without unreasonable fear. And it seems to have been affecting a huge number of people.
I don’t often hear news of what’s happening in the African nations since the famine conditions that used to prevail in Chad and some other countries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We hear a lot about Africa since we have missionaries through church who we support there. Also we have heard a lot in the past about Russia and Ukraine since our pastor and his wife were missionaries in Moscow and he was working in Ukraine in missions before Russia. That war broke their hearts since they have Christian friends in both nations. My friend’s church pastor has top connections in Israel so I can hear news occasionally through that church. One of my Sunday school teachers is married to a lady from the Congo. It seems strange to have all these connections to war torn nations.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Not from me Debra, I can’t post places to go. But still, great news’
mumsee
LikeLiked by 2 people
My parents met and married in Nigeria, and my oldest brother was born there. He was so young that he had to learn to walk all over ago after they came back (by ship) to America and he gave up trying to walk during the crossing. That brother and my third brother just came back from Nigeria–first time anyone in my family has been there since the 1950s when my parents came back to the US. Both brothers reported with horror about what life is like in Nigeria, the dire poverty, the general lawlessness (e.g., people driving the wrong way on highways at highway speed), the shock of visiting huge cities and meeting teenagers who’d never seen a white person, etc. Both of these brothers have visited dozens of countries, and both said this is the worst they have ever visited.
Earlier today I was thinking about how much of today’s rhetoric is extremely divisive. We live in a culture that encourages men to hate (or envy) women and vice versa, blacks to hate whites, Democrats to hate Republicans, most of the country to despise Southerners. When I was a child, the nation celebrated her bicentennial. We happened to be visiting family friends for my ninth birthday (exactly one week before), and the woman of the house made me a cake with flag memorabilia, including a plastic firecracker–that was probably easier to find in the store that week than birthday decorations! We’re a year out from 250 years. Will we celebrate as a nation? Hard to imagine.
LikeLiked by 3 people
“If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds…But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
I found this quote at thepourover.com which someone (NJ?) had suggested a few days ago. It’s a good reminder that vilifying other people groups is a bad idea, as the problem is always much closer to home than you think.
LikeLiked by 4 people
When I think of the dire poverty or persecution being experienced in places like Nigeria or Haiti and so many other places, I feel how deeply ungrateful I must be to complain about anything at all in my own life. God is so merciful yet just. Who can know his heart in all of these turmoils. and global convulsions.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I have somehow been reminded today of that old childhood rebuttal to name calling. “It takes one to know one.”
LikeLiked by 3 people
JUST IN: Iran Fires Back at President Trump
with Ominous Warning
The Iranian regime has issued a blistering response to President Trump’s calls for a new deal — and it’s anything but diplomatic.
Official Iranian Statement:
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers.”
But it didn’t stop there…
Iran boasted about its missile barrage on Israel,
claiming:
“The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to threats and insults.”
!And the chilling final line:
“If illusions lead to worse mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to unveil its Real Capabilities — which will certainly END any delusion about the power of Iran.
LikeLike
Is a bluff? Maybe but do we trust the infiltrators let in by Biden??
LikeLiked by 1 person
Debra @6:57 (have always liked that Solzhenitsyn quote) and Cheryl @6:52 Good thoughts and thought-provoking posts. Thank you. And others too.
I pray for the anger and division I see only growing in our nation and too often reflected here to settle down soon.
I do hope, in time, it begins to dissipate. But it comes so often from our own government, and daily, I hear it coming from our very own leaders.
Tense times.
Tonight I’m seeing film clips of the Bezos’ wedding, the elaborate spending the “outfits.”
Tonight there will an early fireworks show over the harbor, which happens every year put on by the Port of L.A. and will be heard where I live just up the hill. It’s always a happy event but tonight may not seem so celebratory for some reason?
LikeLike
Oh, and there is, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Isn’t it wonderful that God holds our true identity no matter how others might choose to classify us by labels?
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I am concerned about President Trump losing his progress by running his mouth.
mumsee
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But words are revealing, are they not?
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“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matt. 12:34
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Character. It is revealed in time.
LikeLiked by 2 people