James Earl Jones ~ Character Counts

The Character Counts Meme posts every first and third Tuesday of the month. I’d love to have you join me for spotlighting, celebrating and honoring people of good character, who’ve led exemplary lives and who’ve lived with honor, integrity, dignity and sacrifice, and those who’ve inspired others by overcome great obstacles in their own lives. I believe that when we celebrate and exhort good character traits, we can turn the tide, and see more of them. At least I’d like to try! If you are joining us, please leave your name and link at the Mr. Linky down below and don’t forget to leave a comment!


UPDATE: Mr.Linky doesn't appear to be working at this time. If you are participating in Character Counts, simply notify us in the comments part of this post. Thank you!

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This week I have chosen to spotlight a man who is a fantastic actor and orator. He has long been a favorite (actor) of mine, but when I learned his history, I grew to admire him even more. While he is best known for his deep, rich voice, it wasn’t always that way. I hope you are as inspired as I was.


James Earl Jones was born January 13, 1931, in Arkabulta, MS. His parents separated before he was born, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. When he was five, the family moved to a farm in rural Michigan. The move was so traumatic for the young boy, he developed an incapacitating stutter, and he refused to speak, essentially becoming mute. Though he could speak some, his stuttering was so bad, he wouldn’t do speak more than a few words at a time, even for his family. This debilitating condition lasted for eight years.


Jones began communicating through writing. He began to express himself through writing poetry. Things started to change for Jones in high school. He had a teacher, Donald Crouch, who saw through his insecurities, believed in him, and challenged him. When Jones turned in a well-written poem, Crouch pretended to believe that Jones couldn’t have written it himself, and had him recite it in front of the class to prove it. With his own words memorized, Jones found he could speak without stuttering. Crouch encouraged Jones to compete in high school debates and oratorical contests. One day, when he was a senior, Jones won both a public-speaking contest and a scholarship to University of Michigan.


When he started at the University, Jones majored in pre-med. He also joined the Reserve Officer Training Corp, where he excelled. It wasn’t long before he found himself more drawn to drama than medicine. Though he completed four years of college, he left without a degree. In late summer of 1953, he received his 2nd Lieutenant’s commission and his official orders. He was off to Ft. Benning, where he completed Ranger training.


After completing his service as an Army Ranger, Jones then headed to New York City to pursue his acting career. In time, he began getting small roles, which eventually led to larger, better roles. He has performed on Broadway, in movies, in TV shows, and has done voiceover work. Many people were surprised to find that his was the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies. And he lent his voice to Disney for his role as Mufasa, in the animated film The Lion King. One very special project he did though was to narrate an audio version of the KJV New Testament.

Jones is believed to be politically conservative, due to the fact that he supported the Gulf and Iraq wars, and is also a 2nd Amendment advocate. However, he prefers to keep his political views secret, and has stated that his endorsement is not for sale (which I respect).


James Earl Jones has become a well-respected and beloved actor and orator. He has won numerous awards for his voice and performances, including an Oscar nomination, numerous Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony awards and nominations. And all of this was accomplished by a man, who couldn’t even speak as a boy! Through encouragement from others, hard work, persistence, and an arduous program of public speaking, he overcame his debilitating handicap, to become one of the most talented and sought after voices in our time. Today he is one of America's most celebrated actors, renowned for what critics have called "the voice of the century."

Anguish, Anger, and Acceptance . . . Again

When I first started this blog, one year ago, I was being obedient to God by sharing my words, thoughts, etc. Most of what I post here comes solely from me, but some of what I post is from another source (My Princess book, American Patriot’s Almanac, etc). Sometimes I like to be informative, other times I like to simply have fun, and once in awhile I share with you my journey.


Regardless of what is posted each day, I strive to be real and relevant. Sometimes my words are for God, sometimes for others, and sometimes they are for me. Like most of you who do much writing, I find it to be cathartic. Sometimes, I simply have to let what is deep inside of me out. This is one of those times. While this is for me, it is not private otherwise I wouldn’t be posting it here. It is real and it is honest. I don't do fake Christianity.


First, let me say that I’ve been a Christian for ten years now. My relationship with God is deep enough that I can be real with Him, and He's big enough to handle it. I know there are mountain top experiences and valley experiences – and neither last forever. I understand that elation is on the mountain top while growth happens in the valley. I know God has a plan. I know He will never forsake me. I know He collects all my tears in a bottle. I know He uses things intended for harm and turns them into good. I know that God is good. I know all of this. But sometimes, I feel . . .


I had hoped to make a wonderful announcement soon. Instead I’m disappointed again. On March 31st, I discovered I was pregnant. We decided to wait until our first scheduled u/s to make the announcement. We were hopeful that this one would take. It hasn’t. We are now in the midst of our third miscarriage. Third. We have been dealing with this “threatened miscarriage” for two weeks already. The pregnancy is not viable, there’s basically nothing left but an empty sac, which is not passing on its own, so we had to schedule a D & C for next Wednesday. The day before what would have been our first scheduled u/s. Five days before Mother’s Day.


I don’t understand any of this. I’m hurt, disappointed, confused and angry. Very angry. I’m angry with my body for once again rejecting the life that was trying to grow within. And I’m angry with God. I know He could have intervened, but He didn’t. For whatever reason, known only to Him, He has allowed me to carry this burden again. As I have continued to delight myself in Him, I have not gotten the desires of my heart, but rather heartache.


I have an amazing, healthy and beautiful daughter that I love with all of my heart and I am eternally grateful for, but I wanted at least one more. Is that so wrong? This has been a five year journey. We are “older” first time parents and I desperately wanted to give Sweet Pea a sibling or two, because the likelihood of our passing when she is still relatively young is pretty strong. Of course that’s not the only reason we wanted another child. We just did.


The thing that gets me, is that those who seem least able or worthy of having children, have no problem doing so. Teens who are still children themselves, girls and guys who’d rather party than parent, drug addicts, welfare recipients, child abusers or murderers, etc. Rarely does a day go by that there’s not news of terrible child abuse. Just yesterday I heard of a local man and wife who’d been arrested for extreme child abuse. They admitted to breaking both the legs and an arm, as well as numerous other injuries, on their four year old daughter, over a potty training incident!


Once again, I just don’t understand. I come from a screwed up, dysfunctional family, both immediate and extended. I am the only one who’s worked to better myself. Booze, drugs, poverty, stripping, welfare, abuse, etc, is the normal way of life to my family. So is breeding like rabbits. The girls (my cousins) have lots of kids, who all have different fathers, whom they seldom marry. The guys really aren’t any better – it’s just harder to determine how many illegitimate children they really have. None of them take responsibility for the actual raising of the kids they have.


I grew up knowing life wasn’t fair. I accepted it. I didn’t really care that I’d been neglected, sexually and emotionally abused, was treated like a piece of dirt for being a welfare kid (that was before it was cool to be so), and many other things I survived or overcame from my childhood. I believed I could change the direction of my life and I did so. And yes, it was with God’s help. But He didn’t offer me anything that He hasn’t also offered my family (and millions others), I just reached out to receive it.


But this one thing makes me cry out to God, “It’s not fair!” Why is it that I am having such difficulty, when I’ve overcome so much and have so much to offer? We can provide a safe, loving home, and meet the needs of a child financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And I know I’m not the only one. Before I became a Christian, I’d only known one person who’d dealt with infertility – my friend LaNae, who was a Christian. But since I’ve become a Christian, I’ve met, known, and have heard of lots of other people who also struggle with this issue. Once again, it’s not fair!


So now we are faced with more choices. Do we continue on, trying to have another child of our own, trusting God to provide, and likely facing more bitter disappointment? Do we look into the option of adoption? Do we simply quit, accept the one child God has given us and be content to be a family of three? I’ve thought of adoption in the past, but I would rather it be a choice because that is what we want to do, not because we are forced into it because we have no other option.


I ‘feel’ very differently than what I ‘know’ and right now, this is my reality. I don’t need pat Christian answers or patronizing platitudes. Since the miscarriage is not yet complete, obviously neither is the grief. This is something we will get through, but I wish we didn’t have to. Frankly, it sucks. I wish this wasn’t happening again, but it is. And I know, that in the grand scheme of things, my problems are pretty minor compared to what millions, perhaps billions, throughout the world are suffering. Still, they are my problems and they do hurt. I haven’t been ok in the last couple of weeks, and it will probably be awhile before I am. Please don’t tell me that my pain will help someone else some day, because right now, I just don’t care.


Thanks for letting me vent and process. Thank you for allowing me to share my anguish, anger, and acceptance. Again.

50 All-American Movies ~ All About America

Anyone who really knows me understands that I am a passionate patriot. I love America immensely. It offers freedom, hope and opportunity like no other country in the world. As such, I will be posting All About America every Wednesday, because I am proud to be an American! The content will vary and may include photos, facts, commentary, quotes, excerpts of speeches, etc. I will use different sources and make every attempt to site the source. Sometimes I may offer commentary, other times, if I think the content speaks for itself, I may not. I hope you enjoy All About America as much as I do, and that you’ll come back and visit often. And may God Bless America!

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This has been taken from my second favorite book of all time, The American Patriot’s Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb. It is filled with tons of amazing information and history, and anyone who loves history or consider themselves to be patriotic, will love this book. I did a full review of this book and if you would like to see it, simply click here.

Fifty All-American Movies

Here are fifty movies that, one way or another, capture the American spirit. Heroes tall in the saddle, pioneers of land and air, defenders of freedom, men and women who dared to hitch their wagon to a star – they’re all here. John Wayne once said that in his work he tried to express a deep and profound love for “a country whose immense beauty and grandeur are matched only by the greatness of her people.” That’s what these films are about.

1) Apollo 13 *
2) The Best Years of Our Lives
3) The Big Country
4) Boys Town
5) Cinderella Man *
6) Coal Miner’s Daughter *
7) Davey Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
8) Driving Miss Daisy *
9) Field of Dreams *
10) Forrest Gump *
11) Gettysburg *
12) Giant
13) The Glenn Miller Story
14) Glory *
15) Gone With the Wind *
16) The Grapes of Wrath *
17) High Noon
18) Hoosiers
19) How the West Was Won
20) Independence Day *
21) It’s a Wonderful Life *
22) John Adams
23) The Last of the Mohicans *
24) Little Women *
25) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
26) Miracle *
27) Miracle of 34th Street *
28) The Miracle Worker *
29) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
30) The Music Man *
31) October Sky *
32) Oklahoma! *
33) Patton
34) The Pride of the Yankees *
35) The Pursuit of Happiness *
36) Red River
37) Rocky *
38) Roots *
39) Rudy *
40) Sands of Iwo Jima
41) Saving Private Ryan *
42) Seabiscutt *
43) The Searchers
44) Sergeant York
45) Shane
46) Stagecoach
47) Stand and Deliver
48) To Kill a Mockingbird *
49) Tora! Tora! Tora! *
50) Yankee Doodle Dandy


~ The * indicates movies that I have seen. Can you guess which five are my favorites? How many have you seen? Which are your favorites? Can you guess which ones I would add? What would you add? I'll be back later to reveal my answers!

Two Days of Rememberance ~ Current Events Wrap Up

Ok, it’s Thursday, and you know what that means… It’s time for The Current Events Wrap Up meme, hosted by the amazing Julie Arduini at her The Surrendered Scribe blog. The Current Events Wrap Up meme is the vision God gave Julie for discussing what is going on in the world, nation and even our own lives. There is so much happening these days and it would be amazing to have a team of conservative commentators discussing their thoughts. Please go and check out Julie’s blog, and if you like current events or news, think about joining in and/or spreading the word!

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This week held two days of some importance to some people. Tuesday, April 21st, was Holocaust Remembrance Day. Did you hear all the news stories about it in the media? No? Neither did I. I bet you heard an abundance of news stories about the other one though. Wednesday, April 22nd, was Earth Day. Did you hear something about that? Yep, me too.


It is staggering to me, that one of the darkest periods in the history of all humanity could either be forgotten, dismissed, or even removed from history. And yes, in England the schools and history books are removing any mention of the Holocaust because it is offensive to Muslims. How long until that happens here in America?


On the other hand, the indoctrination into the cult of environmentalism is still going strong. Global warming remains the number one threat to all mankind – despite the fact that numerous scientists call the theories junk science and have actual evidence to the contrary. But don’t let that get out, we don’t want to stop the hysteria.


And then there’s this, for linking these two topics together. In 2007 Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for his fantasy film An Inconvenient Truth. In doing so, he beat out an actual hero, Irena Sendler, a Polish Roman Catholic nurse and social worker who smuggled thousands of Jewish children to safety from the Warsaw Ghetto. Her story has recently been turned into a Hallmark Movie, The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. (For more on this story, click here.)

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And on a personal note, I was incredibly honored that Seed Thoughts has been included in a list of the Top 100 Blogs on Christian Families. I am continually amazed at the goodness and blessing of God. I remain shocked that He would use me to speak His Word and touch others through the words that I write. I encourage you to click on the link and check out some of the other wonderful blogs!

Arrogant Americans, Mr. President? ~ All About America

Anyone who really knows me, understands that I am a passionate patriot. I love America immensely. It offers freedom, hope and opportunity like no other country in the world. As such, I will be posting All About America every Wednesday, because I am proud to be an American! The content will vary and may include photos, facts, commentary, quotes, excerpts of speeches, etc. I will use different sources and make every attempt to site the source. Sometimes I may offer commentary, other times, if I think the content speaks for itself, I may not. I hope you enjoy All About America as much as I do, and that you’ll come back and visit often. And may God Bless America!

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This week for All About America, I’ve decided to post an article I recently read that was written by Peter Heck, and published by One News Now online (www.onenewsnow.com), an alternative to the mainstream media. The article is published in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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As I was sitting in church waiting for the start of the service, my grandpa came walking towards me pointing his finger. No matter how old I get, and no matter how long he's been out of the U.S. Navy, that's still an intimidating sight. As he approached me, his voice quivered as he said, "We saved that continent twice...how dare my president apologize for this country's arrogance." My grandpa is right. Americans need not apologize to the world for their arrogance; rather, Americans should apologize to their forefathers for the arrogance of their president.


Barack Obama's first foreign trip as President of the United States has confirmed the naiveté so many of us feared during the election cycle. But worse than that, it has also demonstrated that our president suffers from either a complete misunderstanding of our heritage and history, or an utter contempt for it. Neither is excusable.


Garnering cheers from the French of all people, President Obama declared, "In America, there is a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive." Consider that Obama spoke these words just 500 miles from the beaches of Normandy, where the sand is still stained with 65-year-old blood of "arrogant Americans."


Indeed, columnist Mark Whittington observes, "One should remind Mr. Obama and the Europeans how America has 'shown arrogance' by saving Europe from itself innumerable times in the 20th Century. World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and the wars in the Balkans were largely resolved by American blood, treasure, and leadership." But all that appears lost on the president's seemingly insatiable quest to mend fences he imagines have been tarnished by the bullish George W. Bush.


If Obama wishes to continue trampling the presidential tradition of showing class to former office holders and publicly trash Bush for his own personal gain, so be it. But all Americans should make clear that no man – even if he is the president – will tarnish the legacy of those Americans who have gone before us. Ours is not a history of arrogance. It is a history of courage, self-sacrifice, and honor.


When abusive monarchs repressed the masses, Americans resisted and overthrew them. When misguided policies led to the unjust oppression of fellow citizens, Americans rebelled and overturned them. When millions of impoverished and destitute wretches sought a new beginning, Americans threw open the door and welcomed them. When imperial dictators were on the march, Americans surrendered their lives to stop them. When communist thugs threatened world peace, Americans bled to defeat them. When an entire continent was overwhelmed with famine and hunger, Americans gave of themselves to sustain it. When terrorist madmen killed the innocent and subjugated millions, Americans led the fight to topple them.


This is the legacy that generations of Americans have left. If President Obama seeks stronger relations with the world community, perhaps he should begin by reminding them of these very truths, rather than condemning his own countrymen on foreign shores.


This "obsessive need to put down his own country," has caused blogger James Lewis to call President Obama a "stunningly ignorant man" who has evidently never spoken to a concentration camp survivor, a Cuban refugee, a boat person from Vietnam, a Soviet dissident, or a survivor of Mao's purges.


Unfortunately, I can no longer bring myself to give Mr. Obama that benefit of the doubt. Not after looking at the pain in my grandpa's eyes...a man who still carries shrapnel in his body from his service to this country.


As a student and teacher of history, I recognize that America has made mistakes...plenty of them, in fact. But one of the great things about our people has been their courage and humility in admitting and correcting those mistakes. God willing, they will prove that willingness again in four years and correct the mistake that is the presidency of Barack Obama.

Nonna Bannister ~ Character Counts

The Character Counts Meme posts every first and third Tuesday of the month. I’d love to have you join me for spotlighting, celebrating and honoring people of good character, who’ve led exemplary lives and who’ve lived with honor, integrity, dignity and sacrifice, and those who’ve inspired others by overcome great obstacles in their own lives. I believe that when we celebrate and exhort good character traits, we can turn the tide, and see more of them. At least I’d like to try! If you are joining us, please leave your name and link at the Mr. Linky down below and don’t forget to leave a comment! Blessings!

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This week’s Character Counts post is very special. It is about someone who was amazing, but you’ve probably never heard of her. However, you will, I’m sure. As you probably know, I’ve been doing book reviews for some time. Because of that, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of a Blog Book Tour that is going on right now. My participation will be on Friday, April 24th. I will be posting an author interview along with my brief book review. This book is called The Secret Holocaust Diaries. It is the untold story of Nonna Bannister, my Character Counts profile.


Nonna Bannister was born on Sept. 22, 1927, and lived in Russia when the Germans invaded in World War II. Her family had been wealthy, educated and affluent despite the fact that the Bolsheviks had overthrown Imperial Russia following World War I, and communism became the way of life. She was brought up in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, though religion had been outlawed by the Communists. Her father had made several attempts to flee Russia with his family to escape the tyranny of Josef Stalin. He was never successful.


As a young girl, Nonna’s life went from one of privilege to one of loss and hardship. In her adolescent years she saw and experienced much cruelty, misery and pain. Through it all, her Christian faith remained strong. Though her father was viciously beat nearly to death and had his eyes gouged out by German soldiers, he implored young Nonna to forgive them, because they were just following orders. He survived his beating by three weeks when he finally succumbed to his massive injuries and died.


Most of the rest of Nonna’s family were killed on the trains leaving the area of the Ukraine to go to Siberia to escape the German’s. The trains were blown up with dynamite by the Soviets, rather than let them (the trains not the people) fall into the hands of the Germans. After surviving through the first year of war, with a brutally cold winter, and little food or fuel, Nonna and her mother, Anna, decided to accept an offer by the Nazi’s to go work in the factories in Germany. This was offered to women who were capable to work, since there was a shortage of workers in Germany. They thought things would go better for them by volunteering. They were very wrong. They quickly realized they had surrendered as prisoners and were sent by trains to labor camps that were a little better than the concentration camps, but not by much.


Throughout her young life, Nonna kept diaries, sometimes in actual books, other times using scraps of papers, to record the happenings of her life. She survived the war, though barely, however her mother did not. She is the only member of her family and extended family to do so. Nonna was very sick when the war ended and it took her over two years to recover. Five years after the war ended, Nonna was able to come to the America. Soon she met, then married her husband, Henry, and they lived together happily for 53 years. They also had three children of their own.


In the many years that Nonna and Henry were married, he didn’t know about Nonna’s past, until she chose to tell him, in the late 1980’s. She transcribed all of her diaries and notes, which had been written in six different languages, into English and shared them with him. She knew it would be important to share this with the world, but couldn’t bear the pain of it, so she asked him to wait to publish her story until two or three years after her death. He lovingly complied. Nonna died in 2004, and her story is now being shared.


Though Nonna saw and experienced horrific things we hope and pray we never do, she did not let that define her. Yes, it affected her deeply, but she understood that forgiveness was the only way for her to move forward. Both during and after the war, Nonna had a deep faith, and lived according to that faith. She trusted loved and trusted God deeply. Perhaps that is why Nonna Bannister lived a full life, that was filled with love and family. She never grew bitter and twisted by the memories of her past. Rather, her experiences deepened her faith in God. She believed he saved her for a reason, and love and compassion ruled her heart.


Today, April 21st, is Holocaust Remembrance Day. So as we celebrate this wonderful woman of character, let us also pause and remember what she, and millions more, went through during the Holocaust, because forgetting would be even worse.