This Weeks Hero Was Submitted By Mark Bell

LCpl.
Nicholas J. Manoukian
22 years old from Lathrup, Michigan
1st Marines 6th Batallion 2nd Marine Division
Oct 21, 2006


Here
is a website that LCpl. Manoukian's mother set up for her son after he lost
his life in Ramadi.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may
enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them
Hero.
It Is Foolish And Wrong To Mourn The Men Who Died.
Rather We Should Thank God That Such Men Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to
participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country,
you can find out how by clicking here.

For all of you who love your Treadmills. I guess you can tell what I did today.

Big Dancing, Little Town

More Islamic Tolerance

Here are a few incidents that has recently happened as reported by Voice of the Martyrs.

ETHIOPIA
Homes of Christians Burned, Christian Man Killed - VOM SourcesOn January 8, the homes of three Christian families were burned by Muslims in the village of Begge. Even though the family belongings were burnt, no one was injured in the attack. At last report, the police had not yet investigated the incident or taken any action to bring the arsonists to justice. In the same area, 10 Christian youths have been living in a church building in Begge three months after fleeing from their homes. They were chased from their homes after their families threatened to execute them for converting from Islam. In a separate incident, a Christian man was killed by an unknown person in the town of Kofele. The father of five was hit on the head with a metal iron rod. His family believes he was killed by Muslims, since the Kofele area is dominated by Muslims.

NIGERIA
Christians Attacked while Rebuilding Burnt Church - Compass Direct NewsChristians in Nasarawa state were attacked by more than 200 Islamists as they were trying to rebuild a Reformed Church building that Muslims burnt down two years ago. The Nasarawa state government has since banned reconstruction of the facility. The church was planted more than a century ago by missionaries.

SUDAN
Sudanese Police Deny New Year's Church Attack - Compass Direct NewsSudanese police have denied attacking 800 Christians at a New Year's Eve service in Khartoum's Anglican cathedral. Six members of the congregation were injured after the police fired tear gas into the church. As a result of the attack, the sound system, pews, chairs and windows were damaged. Pray God will heal believers injured in the attack.

PAKISTAN
Evangelists Attacked by Taliban; One Killed; Two Injured - VOM SourcesOn January 2, 2007, two evangelists working with Muslim converts in the dangerous Northern areas of Pakistan were attacked by the Taliban. One of the men was shot and killed instantly, two other Muslim friends were wounded and one escaped. The Taliban has since sent threatening calls to one of the evangelists. Since the police in this area favor the Taliban, pray for God's protection for these brothers and for healing for those wounded in the attack.

In The News

Iran prepares people for 'messiah miracles'
Government broadcasts series on imminent appearance of apocalyptic Islamic 'Mahdi'
Posted: January 27, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

Official Iranian radio has completed broadcasting a lengthy series on the imminent appearance of a messianic figure who will defeat Islam's enemies and impose Islamic Shiite rule over the entire world – even speculating on specific dates the so-called "Mahdi" will be revealed.

"Be joyous my heart, miracles of the Messiah will soon be here," reads a poem used to conclude the first broadcast. "The scent of breaths of the One we know comes from near. Grieve not of sorrow and melancholy, as assured I was … last night that a Savior will come, it's clear."

After the coming of the 12th imam, or Mahdi, "liberal democratic civilization" will be found only in "history museums," explained the program.

"Contrary to the views of western theoreticians, who usually depict an ambiguous and dark future for mankind, Muslim experts believe human history, despite its many ups and downs, has a very auspicious fate," explained the program. "Muslims believe hopes for the realization of such a happy ending for the world are called 'Awaiting Redemption,' and means waiting for man's problems to be solved by the Savior at the end of time. This awaiting influences many, and inspired them with activity and enthusiasm in confronting darkness and oppression for changing the existing situation. …"

This messianic figure will be a direct descendant of Muhammad, according to the broadcasts. (Read the whole story here.)

Iran said to be installing 3,000 centrifuges, N.Korea denies involvement
By Associated Press
KOMOTV.COM

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran is currently installing 3,000 centrifuges at a uranium enrichment plant, an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, a day after a senior U.S. diplomat warned that the country's plans to accelerate its nuclear program "would be a major miscalculation."The Iranian lawmaker, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said the installation "stabilizes Iran's capability in the field of nuclear technology," the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

We are right now installing 3,000 centrifuges," Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian Parliament's Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, was quoted as saying by IRNA.Large scale use of centrifuges is necessary to enrich enough uranium for use in a nuclear reactor. Highly enriched uranium is required to make nuclear weapons. (Read the whole story here.)


Iran rejects UN's chief inspector
BBC News

Iran has demanded the removal of the UN official in charge of inspecting the country's nuclear programme, diplomats have said.

The official, Chris Charlier, has already been banned from entering Iran.
Iran has the right to reject inspectors from the UN's nuclear agency, the IAEA, that it does not want.
There are growing international fears Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful uses only.

In a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Iran's government is reported to have also demanded that Mr Charlier not be allowed to see any reports on Iran. (Read the whole story here.)

Is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad planning something to bring about the appearance of the 12th Mahdi Savoir he believes he can make appear? (Read about his belief here.) Is the world on the edge a nuclear war? Does this sound familiar to you, not allowing UN Inspectors to enter the Country? Are we headed to another Iraq with Iran? Is Iranian President Ahmadinerjad serious or is he trying to lure us into another war in the Middle East? I hope not, but it sure looks like it.

A friend sent me this video today. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. So I thought I would share it with everyone. It really doesn’t get started good until a 1:30 into the video. Then you will see why everyone is laughing so much.

Muslims Are Converting To Christianity

More Muslims converted to faith in Jesus Christ over the past decade than at any other time in human history. A spiritual revolution is under way throughout North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia:

Iraq: More than 5,000 new Muslim converts to Christianity have been identified since the end of major combat operations. ... Also, more than 1 million Bibles [were] shipped into the country since 2003, and pastors report Iraqis are snatching them up so fast they constantly need more Bibles.

Afghanistan: only 17 Muslim converts to Christianity before 9/11/01, but now more than 10,000.

Kazakstan: only three known Christians in 1990, but now more than 15,000.

Uzbekistan: no known Christians in 1990, but now more than 30,000.

Iran: In 1979, there were only 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity, but today Iranian pastors and evangelical leaders tell me there are more than 1 million Iranian believers in Jesus Christ, most of whom meet in underground house churches.

Sudan: More than 1 million Sudanese have converted to Christianity just since 2000, and some 5 million have become Christians since the early 1990s, despite a radical Islamic regime and an ongoing genocide. ... Why such a dramatic spiritual awakening? "People have seen real Islam, and they want Jesus instead," one Sudanese evangelical leader told me.

Egypt: Some reports say 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over the past decade or so. The Egyptian Bible Society told me they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the JESUS film a year in the early 1990s. But last year they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape.

I found these statistics on WND. To read the whole article, click here.

Will We Close The Blinds?

This story was sent to me in a chain email. I have not been able to prove its authenticity. It was supposedly written by a CMSgt. Chandler stationed in Iraq. It is a good story though. After seeing some very Anti American Troops statements in Islam Chat today, I have decided to publish this story. Hopefully it will make it clear to everyone who has forgotten why we are in Iraq to remember what we are there for. But this goes beyond the War in Iraq. It goes for the War on Terrorism too. What will you do? Close the blinds and pretend that Muslims who want to kill us and take over the world isn't happening? Or will you open the blinds and stop them before it is too late?

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war...

My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our Country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation.

My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window.

He said "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"

"I see trees and cars and our neighbor's houses." he replied.

"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."

Our son giggled and said "OK!"

"Now son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country" my husband said.

"OK Dad, I'm pretending."

"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this, son....what do you do?

"Dad?"

"What do you do son?"

"I'd call the police, Dad."

"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations. They take your call. They listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then son?"

"Dad.......... but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine.

"They don't want to son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says.

"But Dad...he killed her!!" my son exclaims.

"I know he did...but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam, turn around and do the same thing to his children."

"Daddy...he kills them?"

"Yes son, he does. What do you do?"

"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him." our son says.

"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him," my husband says.

"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"

"WHAT DO YOU DO SON?" Our son starts to cry.

"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next son?"

"What Daddy?"

"He walks across the street to the old ladies house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then...he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"Daddy..."

"WHAT DO YOU DO?"

Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, I'd close the blinds, Daddy."

My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him. "Why?"

"Because Daddy.....the police are supposed to help people who needs them.and they won't help.... You always say that neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either...they won't help me stop him...I'm afraid....I can't do it by myself Daddy! .....I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and...and.....do nothing...so....I'm just going to close the blinds.... so I can't see what he's doing........and I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."

I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions and he says... "Son"
"Yes, Daddy."

"Open the blinds because that man.... he's at your front door... "WHAT DO YOU DO?" My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, without hesitation he says: "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM!!!!!"

I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong and he' s already at YOUR front door son.....you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children and the old lady across the way.

You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before it's too late." my husband whispers. THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen, Son, THAT is because the greatest atrocities in the world won't affect him."

"YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!" BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!! SUPPORT THEM!!! SUPPORT AMERICA SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS..."

And These Are The Moderate Muslims?

These videos speak for themselves. They show the true nature and what is taught to Muslim’s in their mosques. How anyone can say Islam is a religion of peace or that Muslims are tolerant after watching these videos? You would have to be deaf, dumb and blind no to see the true nature of Islam in these videos. And these are the moderate Muslims. This is why I have no problem saying all Muslims are terrorists or support terrorism. Watch the top video first and work your way down.

7 Deaths Blamed on Icy Midwest Storm

Jan 14, 7:17 AM (ET)

By MARCUS KABEL
mywaynews

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A crippling winter storm lashed the central part of the nation with another blast of freezing rain, sleet and snow Saturday, causing widespread power outages and tying up highways and airports.

The storm was expected to continue through the weekend, laying down a coat of ice and snow from Texas to Illinois, where an ice storm warning was in effect through Monday morning.

"We're in the middle of this storm," said Joe Pedigo, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis. "Friday was the first of three waves." (Read the whole story here.)

This is a big event if you live somewhere in the path of this storm especially for some place like Oklahoma where we are not used to getting a lot of winter precipitation. At least where I live we haven’t got a lot of ice so far, just a lot of sleet. At my house we got at least 4 inches of sleet. I don’t know about you, but I have never seen sleet drift or this deep. Here are some pictures from my front porch. The first one shows my water hose box and how the sleet has drifted against the box. The other picture is of my flower bed, which needs a lot of work. That will give me something to do when it finally thaws out.

What was weird about this big 3 day storm was that it was thundering and lightening while it was sleeting. But I remember during the big Ice Storm Oklahoma had in 2001, it did that too. I was lucky to have just gotten sleet. Many others have gotten freezing rain and ice. Not just a little ice, but inches of ice that gets on power lines and trees and makes them break. And then people do not have electricity and that usually means they don’t have any heat. If they live in a rural area, they don’t have water either, because the pumps to their water wells are run off of electricity too. Usually people in rural areas that lose their power are the last to get power back because Electric Companies always restore power to hospitals and populated areas before they get to rural areas. So please keep those people in your prayers because it is going to be really tough on them until they can get their power back. Here are some more pictures of the Big Winter Storm of 2007.

I got these pictures off of an Oklahoma City TV station website.Their viewers had sent in a lot of pictures they had taken. If you would like to view the whole slideshow, you can do so by clicking here.

News And Other Thoughts

I hope everyone had a great New Year. I have to admit I am a little disappointed that my Sooners lost in a heartbreaker by one point in overtime. I guess there is always next year and now is the time to focus on Basketball. BOOMER SOONERS, BABY! And in the news I see that finally someone is taking a stand against Muslims disrespecting our beliefs.



Battle of Belmarsh prison
By JOHN ASKILL
January 01, 2007
The Sun

THREE lags routed terror suspects in a jail battle triggered by a row over Christmas celebrations.

Nine Muslims were PUNCHED, BOOTED and WHACKED with snooker cues.
Others fled to their cells to escape.

British prisoners accused Muslim inmates of a “lack of respect”.

An insider said: “It was a battle royal. Three of the most violent criminals in the jail took them on and gave them a real pasting. It was definitely nine-nil to the lags.”

The fight flared in the maximum-security unit at London’s Belmarsh jail — where some of Britain’s most high-profile terrorist suspects are being held while awaiting trials.

The source said: “Suddenly all hell broke out. One Muslim was knocked flat with a single punch which left him out cold, then another was smashed over the head with a snooker cue. Some of them tried to flee to their cells and they were left alone but the rest just took a hammering.” (Read whole story here.)



What a sad turn events, that it takes Inmates in a Prison to finally take a stand and tell Muslims that they do not respect our beliefs? This is something that has bothered me a lot about Islam. While claming to respect other religions they have no tolerance at all for other religions not only in their own actions but in Sharia Law too. And while they walk all over our rights to practice our own Religion, they try to force us to bow down and give them Special Rights to practice Islam. And they are using the Liberals and Political Correct Crowd to repress and dissolve our Religious Rights while making Islam take precedence over all other Religions. It is a ploy in their quest for World Dominance. But in case you still can't see the Islamic attitude against any other Religion and how they are trying to stamp them out and get World Dominance, here are more examples of Muslim Intolerance for other Religions.


Muslims shout at Jesus' home:
'Islam will dominate the world'
March through town of Nazareth 'meant to intimidate Christians'
Posted: January 1, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com


NAZARETH – Islamic groups held a large militant march down the main streets of Nazareth this weekend, highlighting for some here the plight of Christians in this ancient city where Muslims have become a majority and members of the dwindling Christian population say they suffer regular intimidation.

Nazareth, considered one of the holiest cities for Christians, is described in the New Testament as the childhood home of Jesus. It contains multiple important shrines and churches, including the famous Church of the Basilica of the Annunciation, the site at which many Christians believe the Virgin Mary was visited by the Archangel Gabriel and told that she had been selected as the mother of Jesus.

…Hundreds of activists strutted screaming Islamist epithets, including "Islam is the only truth" and "Islam shall rule all."

While the march was billed as a celebration, it's militant virtues were clearly visible. The event seemed more a show of force than a street party.

"The march is meant to intimidate Christians," said Saleem, a Nazareth Christian resident who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of what he said was "Muslim retaliation" for speaking out.

"It's part of the methods used by the Muslims in very obvious ways to create an atmosphere where the Christians should know the Muslims are the main power and we are not welcome anymore," Saleem said. (Read the rest of the story here.)


Christian woman facing fight for sons
Battle is over husband's desire to see them 'good Muslims or dead'
Posted: January 2, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

A Christian woman who once served as an FBI informant on her husband's alleged support of terrorism now is seeking divorce from the self-described radical Muslim who told her he would be proud if their two teen sons blew themselves up for Allah.

But she's finding herself on her own – completely – after a judge allowed her lawyer to withdraw, refused to allow an interested lawyer from appearing in her court, and then refused to allow time for any other replacement to be found before today's trial.

At stake are Rosine Collin Ghawji's sons, whose futures have been defined by her husband as being "good Muslims" or dead, she said.

The situation is developing in the case in which Mrs. Ghawji is seeking not only her freedom from her husband, Maher Ghawji, but also to protect her sons Louis and Takek from any violent Islamic plans their father may have for them. (Read the rest of the story here.)


As you can see Muslims may claim they respect other Religions, but that is just Al-Taqiyya (A case where Muslims can lie to non-Muslims and it not be a sin.) The Quran is very clean that Islam must Dominate the World and all must submit to Islam or be killed. (See here.)

Saddam Executed For Crimes Against Humanity

Saddam Hanged for War Crimes in Iraq
Dec 30, 9:06 AM (ET)
By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Saddam Hussein struggled briefly after American military guards handed him over to Iraqi executioners. But as his final moments approached, he grew calm.

He clutched a Quran as he was led to the gallows, and in one final moment of defiance, refused to have a hood pulled over his head before facing the same fate he was accused of inflicting on countless thousands during a quarter-century of ruthless power.

A man whose testimony helped lead to Saddam's conviction and execution before sunrise said he was shown the body because "everybody wanted to make sure that he was really executed."

"Now, he is in the garbage of history," said Jawad Abdul-Aziz, who lost his father, three brothers and 22 cousins in the reprisal killings that followed a botched 1982 assassination attempt against Saddam in the Shiite town of Dujail.

Iraqi television showed what it said was Saddam's body, his head uncovered and the neck twisted at a sharp angle.

The footage showed the man identified as Saddam lying on a stretcher, covered in a white shroud. His neck and part of the shroud have what appear to be bloodstains. His eyes are In Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City, hundreds of people danced in the streets while others fired guns in the air to celebrate. The government did not impose a round-the-clock curfew as it did last month when Saddam was convicted to thwart any surge in retaliatory violence.

It was a grim end for the 69-year-old leader who had vexed three U.S. presidents. Despite his ouster, Washington, its allies and the new Iraqi leaders remain mired in a fight to quell a stubborn insurgency by Saddam loyalists and a vicious sectarian conflict. (Read whole story here.)

More stories on the execution here:

World Net Daily

MSNBC

Fox News

Merry Christmas

Christmas Video

Christmas Video Codes by Christmas Gifts.net

This is obviously a spoof. Yet the words in the subtitles are the truth and very real. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

Zawahri's Christmas Greeting

Dedicated To Our Troops

This video is not in keeping with my Christmas theme; but it struck me as I listened to this song that when our troops come home now they will find that while they have been fighting for what they believe in, they come home and find that this country doesn't care anymore. Too many take our Freedoms for granted now. Too many have forgotten 9/11 and the threat that Terrorism is to us. Too many do not care to know about the real threat Islam is to us. Too many do not appreciate what our Troops have done to keep another 9/11 from happening to us. Too many do not appreciate what they do every day for us all over the world. I just want to say to the troops:

"Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you have made. I will never forget what you have done to keep me free. Merry Christmas to you all."

I Just Came Back From War
by Darryl Worley

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Look at the Candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me

White is for my Savior
Who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for Jesus My Lord, that's for sure!

Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me!

I know that this story is listed as an Urban Legend. I thought I would mention before some Scrooge brought it up. It is a neat story anyway and I thought I would post it.

THE STORY OF THE CANDY CANE MAKER

There once was a candy maker who wanted to make a candy that would be very special for Christmas. He decided to make a candy cane because he knew he could include a lot of signs and symbols to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. He used white as a symbol that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary who was always so pure and holy. He made it hard and crunchy to symbolize the solid rock on which the church is founded.

He bent over the top of the candy cane to make a hook like a shepherd’s staff. He remembered that Jesus called himself “The Good Shepherd” The candy maker remembered too that the first people who come to worship Jesus at the manger after he was born were shepherds. Then the candy maker looked at his candy cane and thought it looked a little plain. “It needs some color,” he said. Something red,” he thought. “That will give it Christmas look!” So, he began to stain the white candy cane with red stripes. First, he put on three thin red stripes. You see, he remembered that Jesus went through terrible torture before he died and was whipped across his back. The candy maker decided that the red stripes on the candy cane would remind everybody that Jesus shed his blood for us when he died on the cross on Good Friday.

The candy maker was doing well with his candy cane. He had a lot signs of Jesus in there but he wasn’t satisfied. Then he began to pray, “Dear Jesus, help me to make my candy cane show the true meaning of Christmas.” Then suddenly the candy cane slipped from his hands. It fell upside down on the floor. When he looked, he noticed that the candy cane was no longer a candy cane, but it was the letter “J”. It stands for “Jesus.” Jesus is really what Christmas is all about.

The Christmas Song

Yes this is one of mine. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Jib Jab Pokes Fun At This Last Year

Nuckin' Futs - The JibJab Year in Review | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

For The Troops At Christmas

I found this Christmas Tribute to our Troops on You Tube. I wish I had the idea to do this. It is great. But watching this, I got to thinking about how our troops are away from their families and what a good idea it would be to send Christmas Care packages to our troops. So here is a web site that you can go to find out how. But if you are going to do that, you will probably have to do it in the next day or two so it will have time to get there.

America Supports You