Though I  through the valley of shadow,

O'er mountain or troubled sea,

And oft in the darkness have traveled,

The Lord has been mindful of me!

 

I'm rich! I am saved!  I am happy!

I've health and prosperity!

I've friends! I have doors ever open!

The Lord has been mindful of me!

 

The Lord has been mindful of me!

He blesses and blesses again!

My God is the God of the living!

How excellent is his name!

 

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By a reference from someone who visited www.ladiesagainstfeminism.org, I was able to find a patriotic man to interview.  I am not telling anyone what political party to belong to, nor am I telling them how to vote, however, the things this man has to say about government and politics are worth your consideration.  He has set forth some good standards by which to judge politics in our nation.

 

And now, allow me please to introduce to you Mr. Gary Antonacci of Illinois.

 

 

Gary: Thank you for the opportunity to share with people whose beliefs are so closely aligned with my own.  My beliefs are simple but basic: the Holy Scriptures (The Bible) is our standard of life and living.  All knowledge and wisdom is a gift which comes from Almighty God through His precious Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Most men and women refuse to acknowledge this, to their great detriment, yet they still receive many benefits of this gift. Those who have been brought to an awareness of this great truth receive untold blessings. To start with: love, joy, peace, patience, perseverance, etc.

 

Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, says: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."  He also said, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Knowledge", and "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of repentance."  Without the deepest respect and awe for the Creator of the universe, our knowledge and wisdom will be flawed at best, though He still grants many an unregenerate soul these gifts to some extent.  Without repentance, it is impossible to come to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.  If a man or woman receive the knowledge of God, and the wisdom to perceived his or her own state before a holy and righteous Judge, he or she will be drawn  to seek the forgiveness needed to overcome their depravity.  Since the fear of God is a gift in the first place, I would be remiss if I were to fail to say that these things are all gifts of the sovereign design of God.

 

I am currently chairman of the Constitution Party of Illinois. We are a nationally recognized independent party, created with he purpose of returning our state and national governments to their constitutional boundaries, and biblical presuppositions.  In short, this is smaller government and righteous laws.

 

We are the only political party which agrees with our Founding Fathers, that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights..." These rights, which in many cases are responsibilities, come from our Creator, not our government.  These truths have been largely forgotten in the last several generations, but not so at the time of the founding of our state and national governments.  If we are unsuccessful in our efforts, we as a nation will suffer greatly due to this grave oversight.  But, if we see victory, peace and tranquility will accompany our faithfulness for many years to come.

 

 

Gary: The main function of civil authority is for the protection of innocent life and to be a terror to evildoers.  If our nation would concentrate on these two things, we would be a much better society.

 

Alexis deTocqueville said at the beginning of the nineteenth century, "America is great because America is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."  A government's ability to usurp authority from the heads of households by such a heavy tax burden, does not cause that government to be good.  We have  in fact become a government of robbers, plundering the hard-earned wages of a once proud and free people, and with this tax money, have endorsed and promoted programs that we the people find abhorrent. Thomas Jefferson called this "sinful and tyrannical!" We can overturn the unconstitutional rulings and socialism that has gone on far too long in our nations capitol as well as every state capitol, if "we the people" will come together and stand firm against this tyranny.

 

 

Gary: Women today, I will admit, have the hardest task of all. Men have failed to hold themselves accountable to the laws of God, and to turn from their evil desires. That's why we see such a low level of morality on every street corner of America.  It's impossible to watch television for five minutes without being bombarded with lust and lasciviousness. Even the commercials display such a lack of respect for women, that young men everywhere are being taught by this form of media manipulation to treat women as objects of their own sinful desires. The churches of America have failed to fully come to terms with these problems, as they project a come-as-you-are, feel-good atmosphere, wanting to placate the self esteem of the members rather  than confront them on their carnal lifestyles.  The children of God were delivered out of Egypt, but most of them mentally never left Egypt, as they  wandered in the wilderness for forty years. This is the same case in the churches today.

 

So, to get back to your question, if the men will not lead their families, then it is important for the mothers to "train up the children in the way they should go."  It is not God's design for the mothers to have to teach the young male children how to grow up to be men. The men must be responsible for this work. However, this may be the only option, as so many men have neglected this duty.

 

If the husband/father is a God-fearing role model for his family, it is imperative that the wives graciously submit to their own husbands, as unto the Lord, for this is God's plan.

 

 

Gary: Feminism began in the Garden of Eden.  We haven't been told the whole story, but it is quite obvious that Eve persuaded Adam to disobey  God.  As she recognized how easily he could be deceived, women have since desired to control and lead men. This is one of the curses of the fall, and it is real today--just look around.

 

 

Gary: Young men need to be taught, at a very early age, to be obedient to parents; to respect their mothers and sisters; all females, as well as males.  Sibling rivalry has no place in a Christian home, and should be squelched as often as it raises it's ugly head. (Editor's note:  sibling rivalry often results in strained and bitter adult relationships)  We should teach our young men that their sisters are a gift from God. Yes, they are different, and they should be taught to respect those differences, not use them as a license to take advantage. They should be taught to protect their sisters, and stand up to bullies who would attempt to abuse them.

 

We must teach our children, boys and girls alike, that it is because of the love our Heavenly Father displayed in the person of Jesus Christ, that we want to be obedient to Him.  If we are truly His children, then everything we say and do, the music we listen to, the clothes we wear, all reflect our relationship with Him, and either brings Him glory or shame.

 

 

Gary: I like Patrick  Henry, for his uncompromising principles.  His devotion to the study of God's Word, and his commitment to his very large family. 

 

George Washington was our greatest president.  One of my favorite quotes of his is: "If to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how may we afterward defend our work?  Our duty is to raise the standard, to which the wise and honest may repair, recognizing that the event is in the hands of God."  Oh for a statesman like this today! I get weary of the age-old misconception that "our Founders were deists." Next time you hear someone say this, be sure to ask them to name three deist founding fathers. The average man on the street cannot even name three founding fathers, let alone three who were deists, yet they have believed this humanist lie and like to often repeat it.

 

 

Gary: God has established three governmental bodies: the family, the state, and the church. They all have their proper God given roles. When they get out of sorts, trauma will appear.  In our age, the state has usurped both the role of the family and the church, resulting in failure to be responsible for the role that God has given them. As the breakdown of the family occurred, heads of households have failed to hold the state accountable. The church is left to present Super Bowl parties and puppet shows. They have believed the 501C3 lie and aren't holding anyone accountable, not even themselves.

 

With the roles of each governmental body properly in place (family, state and church), all will function smoothly and efficiently.  After all, this is God's design.

 

 

Gary: My mother first introduced me to a sovereign God, One who was, and always will be; one who sees all things, knows all things, and is everywhere at all times.  As a result of my mothers' faith in God, I was able to see a glimpse of eternity at an early age.  This I am sure is why I am a Christian today. I learned a very healthy respect and awe, a fear of God, which has not left me to this day. This has been one of the three most important educational experiences the Lord Jesus has granted me.

 

My mother always stood by my dad. Even in hard times, they never said the "D" word.  She was faithful to the family, and made many sacrifices for us. I never heard her complain, though there were many times when it would have been easy. She stayed at home and watched not only our family, but took on the added responsibility of having my cousins spend the summers with us while her brother and his wife were working. She is a woman many young women today would be grateful to have as an example.

 

 

Below is a painting called "George Washington At Valley Forge" and quotes from a book, "The Real George Washington". To read more about George Washington, and also to find out what Thomas Jefferson wrote about him, go to http://www.theprayeratvalleyforge.com. This page also includes "Washington's Rules of Civility" which he wrote when he was only 13 years old. 

 

 

(excerpt from the book, "The Real George Washington:)

Those prayers at Valley Forge, romantically preserved in art, have almost been given the status of legend.  Yet the General really did pray during that dark winter.  According to the record, two eyewitnesses (General Henry Knox and the man with whom Washington was quartered at Valley Forge, Isaac Potts) tell of the General retiring to a quiet grove where he could be alone to seek the help of God.  But this man of great faith was not motivated to pray at Valley Forge simply because of the horrors of that winter.  Washington prayed at Valley Forge in large part because it was his habit to pray.  As his grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, later wrote, "Throughout the war, as it was understood in his military family, he gave a part of every day to private prayer and devotion."  George Washington prayed from the time of his youth, and he apparently continued that practice throughout his life.  His prayers at Valley Forge, then, were but one strand in a lifetime of devotion.

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(Note:  no doubt the mother of George Washington was a great influence on him. When he was a child, she read to him from the Bible, and  a book called "Contemplations, Moral and Divine.")

 

 

 

*Determine to stay close to God and live a moral life.

*Stay married.  Every divorce is another statistic that helps to break down our nation's strength. As goes the home, so goes the nation.

*Home school your own children, using  a curriculum that honors God,  or send them to a Christian school which  shares the parent's values.

*Dress femininely and modestly.

*At home, do your jobs  well, over and above what is required.

*Mother, please stay home with your children. They need you, and no one else will do. They have been given to you to raise, not to the rest of the world. They are special. Many children in daycare dream about being home and doing things with their mothers. The saddest sight to see are the faces in the windows, crying as their mothers leave them in daycare.  Please, mom, won't you stay home?

*Insist on obedience and cooperation from your children.  As you argue and contradict your own husband, you will find the children doing the same to you. The way we treat our authorities is the way our children will treat their authorities.

*Try to have your own family business, an enterprise in which the whole family can participate, even if you start out very small. Start out small by selling something you have made.This teaches the work ethic, and makes idle hands busy.

*Be the best homemaker you can be. Learn about new things to improve your skills. Make sure your children tag along with you in your work.

*Vote for people who will put God's law first.

*Be good stewards of your possessions and your property. Let your house and yard be a good example to those around you.

*Be not envious of other's success or possessions, but realize that God has blessed them, and He cares for you and has a purpose for you, also.

*Cheerfully help to better the lives of those around you, by being an  example and inspiration, using your God-given talents.

Antique Barn, by Colleen Eubanks, available from www.allposters.com.

 

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Ideas for your 4th of July celebration:

 

Watch "A Man Without A Country" starring Cliff Robertson, Beau Bridges and Peter Strauss. Go to the  literature section of Lady Lydia Speaks at www.ladiesagainstfeminism.org to read a review of this story.(June, 02)

 

From "The American Girls Handibook", first published in 1887, now reprinted by Amazon Dry Goods,  make lovely, safe fireworks for young children (and the rest of us too!)  The Fourth of July chapter features interior decoration, indoor illumination, fireworks made of tinsel, wrapping paper, beans, straws and paper.  Victorian children used to stand on the balcony and float these colorful, sparkly ornaments down on to the lawn. They are wonderful indoor  playthings on the 4th, as we often used them ourselves.  The best thing about them is that you can use them over and over, and they really work. You can make "whirls" and "winged fancies," "pinwheels," "parachutes,"  "jackstraws" and "bombs".  Lawn games are also  included in this chapter.  This is guaranteed to create wonderful family memories each year.

 

If you want to write to Gary and comment about this interview, go to www.illinoisconstitutionparty.com 

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"Trust in the Lord and do good, and so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily, thou shalt be fed."  Psalm 37:3 

 

It is a pleasure to serve you,

Mrs. Stanley Sherman

(Lydia)