Monday update.

1. At our co-op on Friday, Sutton's teacher told the preschool kids to pray whenever they needed help. One little girl said their baby was crying last night and she prayed to God for her to stop "and she didn't!". That led to a lesson in yes, no, or wait as answers from God. I did not think I'd enjoy being in a preschool classroom and a couple of them are difficult (gentle-parented, perhaps) but overall, it's a nice change from older kids. 

2. Our anniversary was on Friday.  Scott was on a hunting trip. I did get a gift out of it that I'll share this week. 

*Apparently Maverick is the worst hunting dog ever. I think it's too late for a refund. 

3. I had posts for last Thursday and Friday but I didn't feel right putting them up. I'm kind of shocked at how a subset of people are just kind of going on with things as usual. Influencers be influencing, I guess.

Nothing feels quite real right now, looking around at the cultural landscape. I'm so, so sad. I've never cried over something like this but, like many of you, I will just start thinking and start crying. If you watch anyone who cared for Charlie Kirk or followed Charlie Kirk talk in the last week, you just see people who are exhausted, haven't slept, and can't stop tearing up and are constantly consuming information at the same time. Everyone looks the same online right now. I just feel this shift in history is happening and I don't know what's coming next. That's not conspiracy theory, that's fact. I've seen the Christian commentators talk about it, I've seen Tim Pool talk about it, I've seen Theo Von talk about it. I saw a comment that said if this is truly affecting you, you know it's because we've lost a brother in Christ. People are waking up, people are being exposed, the debased are being revealed. Maybe the necessary evil of the internet is helping us in that way, separating not just evil people from the rest of society (losing your job is a good start for public shaming) but the wheat is starting to be separated from the chaff. 

I've shared a lot of instagram in the last few days so you can find me there. Or un-friend me there. Either/or at this point. But, ugh. 

For most of 2024, I listened to Charlie Kirk every day, sometimes twice. That's how much content TPUSA releases. He was where I got my news first thing in the morning. The discussion between him and his panel was fascinating. His assuredness calmed me down and got me through to election day. I was so scared Kamala would win and destroy our country (she absolutely would have, change my mind).  

For years, I listened to Charlie, Matt Walsh, Steven Crowder, all the commentators at The Daily Wire and Live Action and TPUSA debate. It gave me the confidence to actually sound like I know what I'm talking about political and cultural topics AND it gave me the discernment to know when others were misinformed, ignorant, or just lying. In the last year, I started watching Whatever panels and debates with Charlie, Michael Knowles, Andrew Wilson, etc. All of these people I've followed are deeply religious but they never used religion for their arguments; they used biology, science, common sense, and basic history.

The first time I listened to Charlie Kirk's podcast was way back in 2019. I think he'd just been on Allie Stuckey's podcast so I went over to his. I was pushing Wells in a stroller and walking Jett and Scout at a park in Pittsburgh every day that summer. Things were gearing up for the 2020 election. Charlie was giving a history and recap of Bernie Sanders' life. I remember he said "Bernie is a Bolshevik!" and I'm like "yeah, he is!" and he still is today. (I don't know why people don't see it. He doesn't hide it. He honeymooned in the USSR.) 

Anyway, I saw this and it is exactly what has happened in the last few years and I wish certain coalitions and cohorts would just open their eyes. (it's long but we live in a meme culture and should be reading long-form again)