We told God to leave us alone and now the world is going to Hell

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees... I don't feel threatened.. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .. If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.


My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben S

When I'm Overwhelmed

On the days I feel most overwhelmed about how I'm going to handle our nearly Irish Twin babes I think of this and am grateful for my opportunity to even be overwhelmed by my children.

" our baby will not________"

Its incredible how time can slow down so much yet pass so quickly. A short trip to the garbage can now takes several minutes as my one year old pleads with me to grab her hands and let her walk with me there and back, yet I have never seen a year fly by like it does when watching your child grow.

It is also incredible how having a child of your own changes you. No matter how determined you are to "not let the baby run our house" or " not let my baby go around with a dirty face" and our personal favorite pre-parenthood proclamation "we will not let our baby into our bed."


Daren with Georgia 10 days old


Daren with Georgia 12 months old

Parenthood changes you, no matter what you think. And its the most wonderful, constant, exhausting, and fascinating gift God has ever given.

You've got personality

A brief glimpse into the developing personality of my fantastic child.

This morning while sharing breakfast at an outdoor cafe I turned back to Georgia just in time to see her drop her piece of croissant to feed the friendly white bird that had come over to say hi. I laughed and said " no feeding the birds, baby". I then tore off a few more pieces of our shared croissant and put them on the table for Georgia to eat herself. I said one more time " this is is Georgia to eat. Georgia eats this, don't feed it o the birds".

With that my girl picks up a piece of bread, holds it up to her mouth until I drop my bird guarding hand then launches her food down onto the ground and the bird. Very clever Little Miss!

I laughed out loud at her new found tricks and sly ideas. The elderly lady at the next table over didn't find it nearly as funny, so I pretended that I didn't see her throw the next few pieces.

As the quote says " never apologize for your children Because those with kids will understand and those without never will".

Your day of all days

If we didnt have birthdays, you wouldn't be you.
If you'd never been born, well then what would you do?
If you'd never been born, well then what would you be?
You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree!
You might be a doorknob! Or three baked potatoes!
You might be a bag full of hard green tomatoes.
Or worse than all that...why you might be a WASN'T !
A Wasn't has no fun at all. No, he doesn't.
A Wasn't just isn't. He just isnt present.
But you... You ARE YOU! And now isn't that pleasant!

Come on! Open your mouth and sound off at the sky!
Shout loud at the top of your voice, " I AM I!
ME!
I am I!
And I may not know why
But I know I like it.
Three cheers! I AM I!"
Sing loud, "I am lucky!" Sing loud, "I am I!"

Today you are you! That is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is you- er than you!
Shout loud, "I am lucky to be what I am!
Thank goodness I'm not just a clam or a ham
Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!
I am what I am! That's a great thing to be!
If I say so myself " Happy Birthday To Me!"

- dr seuss

Happy birthday my sweet girl, my joyful Georgia.
I love you just because you're you.

As of late..

As of late I have been sick, Georgia has been sick and then teething, and Daren has been working like crazy leaving before 7:00am and getting home anywhere between 7 and 10 at night. Toss in there the fact that I'm now 29 weeks pregnant and having the occasional break down/freak out about how to handle two non-walking babies on no sleep and it has been a few weeks of being tired and a little teary. When Daren came home late from work on Monday he came up the stairs to find both of his girls crying in the nursery.

Still, Georgia has found the time and energy to learn a few new tricks. We are quickly approaching the Official One Year Old mark and she is learning new things all the time. She can say Hi, Dada, Doggie, tell you what a doggie says, and Hot along with having her 6 signs. She loves to use her signs now and can sign milk, more, all done, water, eat, and occasionally she will bust out the Mama sign. She says Hi and waves to literally everyone we pass in the grocery store. The girl is a social little communicator. Daren has high hopes that she and I will be able to talk so much to each other that he won't have to say anything at all!

Here she is performing her newest feats of intelligence and dexterity.





This last one is just gratuitous cuteness of her sticking her tongue out and being adorable before bed.