Welcome Benjamin Rush Becker

Weight - 7lb 9oz

Length - 20"

Location : Becker Birth Center

Timeline:

-- sporadic labor all day-- nothing to get excited about-- let's decorate for Christmas and have Grandma & Grandpa over for soup dinner!

6:15 pm Called friends in Clovis to let them know we would be coming down that night because Alicia said, “We should probably go down tonight so we are there just in case.” One of the kids asked, "Are we going to have the baby tonight?" Alicia said, "Probably not until tomorrow or the next day."

6:20 pm Hannah tells me Alicia needs me in the bathroom

6:21 pm I called 911 at her request

6:23 pm I was holding Benjamin Rush Becker, our 6^th child, after Alicia delivered him into my hands!

What is behind the name?

Benjamin Rush was one of the three most influential founding fathers along with Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. Over time, he has garnered the least notoriety, probably because of his open embrace of Christianity and his view of its role in the nation. Read more here.

We had been leaning toward Benjamin, but did not realize it's meaning. After the delivery, I researched it and it means "Son of my right hand." Since that is how I caught him, it seemed all the more appropriate.

"Rush" fit for obvious reasons if you see the timeline above!

Mama and baby are doing exceptionally well at this point. We praise Jesus for their good health and ask this to remain the case. Alicia posted other pics here.

We are delighting in God's sense of humor in reminding us Who is really in charge of the timeline!

Understanding Women

James Madison of State vs Federal Power

"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."
–James Madison, Federalist No. 45

Unfortunately, today one has to look extremely hard to find any glimmer of the concept of limited federal authority in any aspect of life. It is time for local responsibility to be re-instituted and federal responsibility to be diminished. Realistically, I am not sure the majority of the American people have enough in them to stand up and take responsibility for their lives.

My hope lies in the fact that many in my generation are looking at things quite differently and choosing another course of travel. Many are homeschooling their children because they realize the public school experiment is a disaster. Some, like myself, make the stand based on the principle that it is a parent's responsibility to raise their children to be responsible adults. It is not the job of a secular humanist government to raise morally responsible citizens.

Liberty vs Equality

"In my opinion, a society that aims for equality before liberty will end up with neither equality, nor liberty. A society that aims first for liberty will not end up with equality, but will end up with a closer approach to equality than any other kind of system that has ever been developed...You can only aim at equality by giving some the right to take things from others. What ultimately happens when you aim at equality is that A and B decide what C shall do for D. Accept that they take a little bit of a commission of the top on the way."
- Dr. Milton Friedman, Lecture given in 1978 to Stanford University

You can read more from this genius economist who rightly won the Nobel Prize in Economics by visiting, www.freetochoose.com

Knowledge = Happiness...What is Knowledge?

"Knowledge is, in every country, the surest basis of public happiness."
-George Washington's First Annual Message, 1790

We have a population of people who have associate, bachelor, master and doctoral degrees at a higher percentage than ever before. Yet, this same academic demographic is so unhappy, feeling the need to parade their discontent in vivid display of hatred for the capitalistic society Washington spent his life establishing.

If Washington's case is correct, then what does this say about our educational systems in America today?

Leaving An Inheritance

What is an inheritance? Obviously houses and wealth are an inheritance given by fathers to their children. Is that the extent of the inheritance? I would say emphatically no! I have been thinking lately about this little phrase:

Rather than leave the world to my children,
I want to make sure I leave my children for the world.

There is a great deal of depth in this little phrase. May God grant me the grace, wisdom and discernment to leave a legacy that impacts the world for Jesus Christ!

Jesse Jackson Jr. calls for President to Extra-Constitutional Action

I am amazed to hear an elected member of Congress demanding the President ignore the constitutionally apportioned separation of powers and to simply do what he sees fit. Here is a link to the interview with Jesse Jackson Jr., elected to represent Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

Impeachment proceedings should begin immediately for Jackson! He is in direct rebellion against the constitution he was sworn to uphold. On top of that, the Ethics panel is currently investigating him for allegedly trying to buy Obama's vacated senate seat.

Vegetarian Meatballs

The other day I took my daughter to a camp overnight event. It was a grand time and a great camp setting. I knew the camp was a Seventh Day Adventist camp, but it had not registered when the staff serving dinner offered me "Vegetarian Meatballs." I responded by saying, "You're kidding, right?"

Vegetarian Meatballs...that's like...

Kosher Bacon
Christian Porn
Soft Hammer
Systematic Chaos
Graduate Student
Industrial Park
Jumbo Shrimp
Limited Freedom
Practice Test
A Peace Force
Renegade Lawmakers
Routine Surgery
Zero Deficit
Socialist Worker
A Practical Joke
A Loose Knot
Good Grief
Dodge Ram
Civil Strife
Marijuana Initiative
Rush Hour
Serious Humor

Maybe you can come up with more...

Flea Party vs Tea Party

This was posted on www.theblaze.com on Oct. 13th, 2011.