Journey… the archetypal rock bank of the 1980s.  I recently downloaded some Journey tunes to my iPod and climbed aboard an elliptical for some sweat equity.  Listening to Steve Perry belt out, “Don’t Stop Believin’”, with his madcap catchy lyrics about small town girls, city boys, midnight trains, streetlights, and people who lived just to find emotion, I was reminded of what it takes to keep our heads up, our eyes forward, and our feet moving in the face of great disappointment. When your heart is broken… Don’t Stop Believin’ When you get the wind knocked out of you… Don’t Stop Believin’ When you are in a situation that seems hopeless…  Don’t Stop Believin’ When your world is falling apart and you find yourself lost and alone… Don’t Stop Believin’ and When Governor Sarah Palin, the most qualified conservative public servant to come along in three decades, decides not to run for president in 2012… Don’t Stop Believin’ Remember when we were kids and we sang that song about God having the whole world in His hands? When we grew up, instead of leaving “our world” in His hands, we thought that now we could handle anything life threw at us on our own, thank you very much. But in our own strength, we can’t do anything. Neither can Gov. Palin. She has prayerfully placed “her world” squarely in her Creator’s hands letting Him guide her compass. Gov. Palin wants us to keep moving forward with her and “don’t stop believin’” that America’s best days are ahead. We are an exceptional nation. Everything will be all right. Just you wait and see! Our country is in a dark time.  We’ve been in darker.  We need to see the bigger picture. In the beginning, independence from the most powerful Western nation (Britain) on earth was a long shot at best.  But those patriots didn’t give up.  Even in the bloody snows of Valley Forge they found strength to keep fighting.  And they won. What darker time could be imagined than the Civil War when brother fought against brother and the very fabric of the republic was being ripped apart?  Then the great leader who had struggled to keep the nation together was murdered.  But we’re still here. The Great Depression, two world wars, we could go on.  But America has an indefinable quality that is found nowhere else.  We will make it.  Those common folks that have cheered Sarah Palin on are still around and they still have the same fighting spirit that is in her and attracted them to her potential candidacy in the first place. Don’t stop believing.  Believe in that ideal called “America.”  Believe in something bigger than yourself. It’s for sure that Sarah Palin does.  

  by Sarah Palin as published in USA Today, January 24, 2011 "We were told that we must accept that the era of American greatness was over; but with his optimism and common sense, President Reagan held up a mirror to the American soul to remind us of our exceptionalism." I had the privilege of coming of age during the era of Ronald Reagan. I like to think of him as America's lifeguard. As a teenager, Ronald Reagan saved 77 lives as a lifeguard on the Rock River, which ran through his hometown of Dixon, Ill. The day he was inaugurated in 1981, a local radio announcer famously declared, "The Rock River flows for you tonight, Mr. President."   The image of the lifeguard seems to represent what Reagan was to America and to the freedom-loving people of the world. He lifted our country up at a time when we were in the depths of economic, cultural and spiritual malaise. We were told that we must accept that the era of American greatness was over; but with his optimism and common sense, President Reagan held up a mirror to the American soul to remind us of our exceptionalism. Reagan as lifeguard on Rock River in 1926 Reagan showed us that despite a deep recession, there could still be morning in America. He could speak to the economic troubles facing ordinary Americans because he understood what it was like to live through a Great Depression where families scraped to get by. And yet, he saw us recover from our Great Depression, and under his leadership we experienced the greatest peacetime economic boom in our history. He could speak to our fears that our years as a superpower were over, because he understood what it was like to see America at war and really fear that we might lose. And yet, he saw us win two world wars, and under his leadership we won the Cold War without firing a single shot. Reagan's belief in American greatness was rooted in historic fact, not blind optimism. He was a sunny optimist because he knew that our best days are yet to come.  Reagan at Brandenburg Gate, West Germany, 1987 Today, when we hear the worry in the voices of Americans wondering where the jobs will be for our children and grandchildren and wondering if the world will be safe and prosperous in the years to come, we should remember Reagan's faith in our inherent heroism and greatness. When we see people around the globe looking to the White House for leadership, we should remember Reagan's steel spine. He understood America's purpose in this world and what we need to do to secure liberty. As Margaret Thatcher said of him, "He sought to mend America's wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism." He sought those things and he succeeded. This year, as we celebrate the centennial of Reagan's birth, let's remember the lifeguard from the Rock River who rescued us with his optimism and common sense. We need more lifeguards like him.  -Sarah Palin __________________________________________________________________ Author's Note: Prayer is our spiritual oxygen, and just as oxygen is vital to natural life, so is prayer vital to  spiritual life. We need to pray regularly and continually for Governor Sarah Palin and her family as she "lifeguards" to protect our country's future. Her message of American exceptionalism breathes new life --- oxygen --- into our belief that we are the greatest nation on earth. God bless you, Governor Palin. Governor Palin is "America's Oxygen" "Pray at all times --- on every occasion, in every season-- in the Spirit with all manner of prayer and entreaty." - Ephesians 6:18

  Governor Palin speaks in India Guests packed the India Today Conclave 2011 on Saturday, March 19th in New Delhi to get a glimpse of Governor Sarah Palin, the gutsy 2008 Republican Vice Presidential Nominee and self-proclaimed "Mama Grizzly" as she gave the keynote address at the evening's gala. Gov. Palin's husband Todd was by her side for this important occasion, and she talked lovingly of his undying devotion and support of her and her political career. She wistfully mentioned regret in that their schedule did not allow the opportunity for them to reaffirm their love, teamwork, and committment at the Taj Mahal, a monument "to eternal love", as Gov. Palin described it. Keeping the love theme alive during her speech, Gov. Palin spoke of her love of Alaska and the great outdoors, her love of family and community, and her love of America and the exceptional spirit shared between America and India. Always gracious and compassionate, Gov. Palin offered comforting words of encouragement to the Japanese people in the wake of the recent national disasters that shook that nation to its core. "Thoughts and prayers are with you, Japan.  Life is fragile - precious - we're in this together; may Japan know our caring heart at this time."  Transcribed below is Gov. Palin's keynote address as reported in India Today  (photos from various news sources): Thank you!  Such an honor! I appreciate getting to see some of your magnificent city - this is my first time here and I sincerely hope it won't be my last!  During my brief time here I've enjoyed India's famous "Gift for Hospitality." And next time, I want to visit the Taj Mahal with my husband, Todd. Considering how patiently he's endured during my political career and been so supportive, it would be nice to reinforce our teamwork/commitment before that monument to eternal love. Todd is here with us tonight.        Always by Her Side-- Todd Palin supports his wife Monument to Eternal Love--- Taj Mahal When I had the honour of meeting your Prime Minister a few years ago, I expressed my admiration for your country's rich history & culture & most recent achievements! I now am humbled with this opportunity to express that to you, here, in this beautiful ancient land. This has so captured the imaginations of artists & poets & explorers throughout human history. Todd & I are honoured to be here to see the site of some of the world's oldest civilizations...the birthplace of major religions, the crossroads of the ancient "Spice Route & Silk Road". Republican VP Candidate Palin shakes hands with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in 2008. All those precious resources of their day: spices, pepper, silk, indigo - My country was essentially "discovered" in the age of exploration, because Western Europeans were looking for a route to your country to exchange & enjoy those resources!  (Yes, the connection between our two countries was there from the beginning!) During the flight here, between our countries, it did not escape me that Japan lies about halfway between my Alaskan home & India. I trust you will join me in expressing solidarity with the Japanese people as they recover from such tragic events. Their determination & resiliency won't fail them. The world community stands united to offer help to them in the "Land of the Rising Sun". Thoughts and prayers are with you, Japan.  Life is fragile - precious - we're in this together; may Japan know our caring heart at this time. I've been asked to speak today about my vision for America, & share with you a little about my background. I grew up in a very small town, perhaps like some of you (though half-a-world-away). My town's tucked between two grand mountain ranges, in a valley quite far from the avenues of political power. There, in my home state of Alaska, we're so proud of nature's beauty & our towering mountains, but certainly here relatively near the spectacular Himalayas can I appreciate an even greater sense of nature's enormity! One of the mountains near my home (I see it everyday from my kitchen window!) is called "Pioneer Peak" - named in honour of the brave pioneers who settled our Valley just a few generations ago. By the sweat of their brow & rugged work ethic - they turned raw land into a valuable agriculture community. Majestic Pioneer Peak as seen from Palmer, Alaska I have loved my upbringing there…big family, Todd's from a big family. I was a school teacher's kid, loved sports & anything outdoor. I tell my parents the greatest gift they ever gave me was this upbringing in AK, the young, 49th state of the United States. AK is known as the "Last Frontier" & it's a place that IS rugged & you can still feel an optimistic, pioneering spirit - like the spirit that had inspired Americans to carve a nation out of the wilderness! It was "pioneer families" - strong & hopeful - who made a good life (though not an easy one) for themselves in the Northern Wilds! That "pioneering spirit" shaped me. It instilled in me a sense of independence & self-reliance. And: a belief in the 'Power of Ordinary People' working together to help one another. In a small community in such a vast state (AK's about half the size of India), you learn to help your neighbour; & to help yourself. And you learn to value (& have faith in) personal freedom - especially the freedom to chart your own course!  So, it was there I learned there's no limit to what you can achieve with strong work ethic. That optimism & respect for (& empowerment of) individual liberty shaped both my political beliefs & my vision for my country. I started in politics on the local level two decades ago; inspired by a desire to serve the ordinary folks in my hometown! As a city councilman, then a city mayor, I led the fastest growing area in our state. I experienced firsthand the power & success of the free market, & the proper role of government in fostering economic growth. I cut property taxes, I invited business in & focused on building infrastructure (roads, water & sewer systems); not a lot of glamour in that - but I have a solid belief in what government's proper role is & it shouldn't be glamorous. It's not government business to spend the working man's tax dollars recklessly - & certainly not government's business to centrally "plan" an economy & control an entrepreneurial spirit! That doesn't work. Government should lay infrastructure, level the playing field, then get out of the way. Allow the private sector to grow/thrive/create jobs & generate wealth! Then as governor of my state, my goal was to clean up corruption & develop our rich natural resources: Our abundant oil, gas, minerals & our robust fisheries! An important project that was a 'center-point' was jump starting a natural gas pipeline project that had been stalled for decades. We brought all stakeholders together for mutual benefit - our state, the energy industry, our neighboring country, consumers & together with ordinary citizens (who are the resource owners) & major energy producers who 'bid on the right to develop our resources', AK was finally able to move forward on a project that can help lead America towards energy independence. Through my work in AK (as an oil & gas regulator, then as governor), I've seen firsthand how energy development, job creation & national security are inextricably linked.  Access to affordable, reliable energy is the key to economic growth, which is the key to job growth. Securing that stable domestic supply of fuel will lead to a more peaceful & prosperous America - an America that's not subject to the whims of foreign dictators who could cut off energy supplies & seek to control. Governor Palin and team at the Alaska Pipeline Of course, energy issues are critical to the whole world's stability & economic opportunities! By 2030, the world's energy consumption will increase by 50% & almost half of that will come from here in India & from China. We all face similar challenges in this arena & this makes America's quest for energy security all the more crucial as we seek to stabilize our economy, secure our homeland & cooperate with our allies who would also seek peace on earth. Energy is key! My vision for a free & prosperous America has much to do with energy. Now, we hear a lot about "green energy" today.  And I am a true believer in environmental conservation & responsible stewardship of our lands. (It's why I live in AK! A pristine environment to be passed on to future generations - I don't want to mess it up! I am a conservationist. I married into an Alaska native family, where Todd's connection to the land through his Yupik Eskimo heritage, an indigenous people, reinforces my respect for God's creation. And we've made our living off the land - as commercial fishermen & Todd working in North Slope oil fields - so we don't want to mess it up!) So, I'm in favour of "all-of-the-above" approach to energy security. But "all-of-the-above" means including "conventional" resources! That means, the kind we actually use to reliably fuel our economy. That means crude oil, for example. And our natural gas, our coal, nuclear power. Unfortunately, some have stymied resource development - like responsible domestic oil drilling. As a result, hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs won't be created in the U.S. until we change course; it means Americans get hit with huge gas prices at the pump unless we change course; it means we're continuing to transfer hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars to foreign regimes to purchase energy from them - regimes that don't have our best interests at heart. And I'm not just talking about gasoline here. Remember that 'petroleum products' are all around you! Look at your everyday surroundings - the foodstuffs; the agriculture products grown with fertilizer; the plastics all around you; medical supplies; the transportation of all these products. It's not just gas that increases as the price of crude increases: Everything is affected. Basic commodities. So as government locks up land & we lose good jobs in the 'Conventional Resource' arena, you may hear that "green jobs" will be the saviour! But look around the world & try telling that to the thousands of English & Scottish workers who've lost jobs as a result of government investments in "green energy" projects. A recent UK study shows that for every "green job" created, nearly four jobs were lost elsewhere in the economy due to lack of affordable energy! Same story in Spain - investment in "green jobs" brought massive debt, skyrocketing energy costs & 20% unemployment. This push for 'green' at the expense of 'conventional, reliable' sources is not a credible energy policy or economic policy. It's "Social Engineering" by Central Government Planners. And it leads to nothing but more debt & more job loss. And taxpayers will be stuck subsidizing the failure and paying more for energy. Gov. Palin: "I'm in favor of an "all of the above" approach to energy security." The good news is there's a choice/another option! Instead of funding non-viable special interest projects, Americans can capitalize on our own viable resources that are just waiting to be tapped - they're right on our doorstep!  Billions of barrels of oil warehoused underground in AK!  And so much natural gas - Clean, green, affordable! Easy to transport, abundant across the U.S. - Whether used conventionally, or to power natural gas cars, or run power plants that charge electric cars, natural gas is an ideal "bridge fuel" to the future. (A future when renewable gas can someday become more available, reliable & affordable.) I warn Americans so often: it's a 'false, utopian fairytale' told that would want you to believe we don't need to drill for oil today. No, government manipulating energy supplies? Manipulating any aspect of an economy - it leads to more people becoming more dependent upon government to meet needs - it is social engineering, it's immoral, & it's a problem we-the-people must be brave enough to take on. Our need for energy independence is only one of the strategic challenges we face today. The other is an unsustainable government debt which hampers economic growth. On this: there are no "easy" solutions, but there are "simple" ones, if we just apply courage & political will to confront the problem squarely. Obviously, we need to stop digging the hole we're in; cut spending; cut government back down to size; get rid of overly-burdensome regulations. And most of all, we need job growth! And that won't come from 'top-down government planning'!  It'll come from the 'Free Market Ingenuity' of ordinary American entrepreneurs! To release creative energy, we need to do on a national level what President Ronald Reagan did in the 1980's. It's what I believed in as a 'Reforming Mayor & Governor' in my state, because I want the free economic choices of ordinary men & women to power the marketplace - rather than distant bureaucrats thinking they can plan & grow an economy by "government decree". (That just doesn't work!) I know you understand this, because in the early 1990's, due to clear, commonsense, pro free-market reforms, India's economy took off! You abolished import licenses; cut import duties; removed investment caps & broke the union's grip on industry. You unleashed the creativity & hard work of the Indian people; you turned away from a system where 'Central Government' sets targets for all sectors of the economy, to a system that lets the market set its own targets. That works. People no longer speak of India as a "struggling economy" as they would have 30 years ago. Today we speak of India as a "dynamic & vibrant economy". You empowered individuals & in doing so, you've reminded America of the free, entrepreneurial model that made our country great, prosperous & exceptional! See, if we unshackle the creative energy of our workers, & entrepreneurs, there is no reason in the world why we can't get back to rapid growth & prosperity! "My faith has never been in big government, my faith is in the American people." Friends: some people want to claim that the geopolitical stage is 'so changing' & some actually claim 'America is in decline'. "The United States," they'd say, "will soon be a shadow of its former self."  I completely reject this! It represents wrong-headed thinking by some friends & wishful thinking by our enemies! America's demise has been predicted before. It didn't happen then. It won't happen now. No, America is not in decline! What is in decline? It is the idea of a 'Tax-&-Spend, Centralized Bureaucracy' that has brought America to the point of debt & deficits in the first place. These "Big Government" ideas are once again being consigned to the ash heap of history - though they won't go quietly to the grave. From the beginning: my faith has never been in Big Govt.  My faith is in the American people, & we are turning things around! All great nations face the challenges that come with a changing economy, demographics, & new technologies. The nations that succeed in the face of these challenges are the ones that show innovation & ingenuity - & will empower a free power! These qualities are the hallmarks of the "American Experience" & the unique strengths of the American people. My vision for my country is a strong America that unleashes those strengths & confidently engages in leadership in the world & can welcome the healthy competition & partnership of rising economic powers in a democracy, like India. The relationship between our countries could shape the course of the next century! Tilting it in the direction of free people & free markets! The future lies with us!  We're half-a-world apart geographically, but connected with much in common! We both have deep & historical 'democratic traditions'. We are the world's most diverse, tolerant & dynamic societies. Our peoples enjoy very close ties (& in recent years our governments have been catching up!) There are few limits to what India & America can do together to allow a more peaceful & prosperous world. Tragically, we have both been the targets of terrorism. We have both witnessed the courage of our people in combating terror. Both our peoples want it defeated. And we both want to ensure that China's rise is peaceful - while hedging against risks that it could be otherwise.  We both want to expand trade & investment with allies in a liberal international order that will soon boast India as its fastest-growing major economy. Our diplomatic, military & political ties are deepening, because we have a genuine strategic partnership! But it is our people who are driving this relationship!  Indian entrepreneurs are investing in the U.S., even as U.S. businesses expand here.  Indian students are throughout American universities & more Americans seek to study here - including through an expanded Fulbright programme. Our tech companies are working together in impressive ways. And our ethical partnerships could transform both our development trajectories. Gov. Palin: "We are on the side of religious tolerance and women's rights." Our ties & bonds are deep! And they're not driven so much by "political leadership summits" & bureaucrats - they're driven by free people & free markets! That's why there are no natural limits to the future of U.S.- India relations. And that is why the world's largest democracies - NOT its largest autocracy - will lead the 21st century. We will lead because we are on the side of empowering individuals to make choices for themselves. Not government /not some New World Order organization making decisions & decrees for us.  We are on the side of religious tolerance & women's rights! (And in recent years, India has helped lead by example in the area of women's education by narrowing the gender gap in women's literacy. You've helped remind the world that a culture cannot advance when it holds back half its creative & intellectual power!) And its political power! I admire India's tradition of strong women leaders - at home & abroad! In fact, last year, I had the honour of supporting a strong American woman of Indian descent when I endorsed the candidacy of South Carolina's new governor - their first female - Nikki Haley! Governor Palin endorses Nikki Haley, the GOP South Carolina gubernatorial nominee in 2010 I met Nikki's parents & was impressed by their story, work ethic! And, by Nikki's upbringing that led her to become part of a 'grassroots movement in American politics' that's known as "The Tea Party"!  (I'm proud to be a part of this movement as well.)  The "Tea Party" is named after that famous event in American politics that was a precursor to our Independence! In 1773, when American patriots were upset about British taxes, they dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. (The British had forced a monopoly on the American people that prevented us from importing tea from anyone but the British East India Company. See, even back then we believed in free trade!) Today's "Tea Party" is a strong & vibrant movement in the U.S. & it's only going to grow & become more influential! India Conclave:  the theme of this conference is the "Changing Balance of Power". Well, the present day Tea Party is a perfect example of that!  It's all about the empowerment of ordinary, everyday, independent patriots who are rising up & making their voices heard to positively change the "Balance of Power"! To protect our U.S. Constitution & live out our Declaration of Independence!  It reminds our 'Central Govt' that our Constitution gives great power to our 50 individual states - and to individual citizens - & that these powers (these God-given 'RIGHTS') aren't to be trampled on. The "Changing Balance of Power" throughout the world today is driven by the empowerment of the individual - & mankind's desire for freedom! The American people understand this. And India understands this, too. Back home in AK, where the fresh snow blankets the ground today, where my kids texted me to report they see a Mama Moose & her two baby calves outside our door by the firewood pile: There at home, I have a beautiful pencil drawing on my kitchen wall. A framed drawing by Robin Coran. It's a picture of Mother Teresa, of Calcutta. She's holding a precious child (a baby). Gov. Palin: "I have a beautiful pencil drawing on my kitchen wall... Mother Teresa." It was said of Mother Teresa that "perhaps the greatest message she has given to the world is the value & dignity of human life!" From India, she was able to share this crucial message with the world! And it is a crucial message because the freedom & empowerment of the individual is rooted in an understanding of every man & woman's inherent dignity & worth! I looked at the picture as I typed out this speech on my home computer set up there in the kitchen. I was struck with this: Countries that deny that message of individual worth (& destiny) inevitably stifle their own advancement because the fire of human progress is spaked by the aspirations of ordinary men& women seeking a better life! These simple "working class" aspirations for a good job, a home, a good education for our children are what motivate economic progress & positive change! Not bureaucrats! Not 'Central Planners'! Not government decrees! Just hard-working women & men seeking the freedom to chart their own course & succeed by their own merits! When people realise even the briefest glimpse of this freedom & opportunity - even a hint that they can succeed through honest hard work - they run towards it!  They embrace the promise of "better days ahead!"  They will sacrifice today for a better tomorrow for their children & grandchildren. With individual responsibility, drive & determination, they will work together to carve a life for themselves out of the wilderness! They'll voluntarily contribute to help their neighbours even those half-a-world-away! That's the 'Optimistic/Pioneering Spirit of America's Frontier'! That's the spirit of India's progress too. America has long been famous for our rags-to-riches stories. Now India is, too. Take pride in this - it's inspiring! Together, as the worlds' largest democracies, we are a testament to the positive force of human aspirations! Today, all across the world, we see individuals, "ordinary" men & women, rising up/moving to advance (& a great tool they're using in this 'demand of human rights' is social media). We don't know where all of this will lead. But we should look at it as opportunity to advance the cause of human freedom - not naively, but optimistically. Gov. Palin: "The hunger for freedom and opportunity... the American dream" Friends: our two democracies understand this struggle for freedom. It's the struggle of those who defiantly dumped tea in Boston Harbor to protest a British tea tax. & it's the struggle of those who courageously marched to the seacoast near Don-dee to make their own salt in defiance of a British salt tax! This hunger for 'Freedom & Opportunity' is proof that what we call the "American Dream" is not just "American." It is the universal dream of people everywhere! I believe it's created within us! And that is where the march for freedom has found its most eager advocates: 'ordinary people' who have 'extraordinary determination' to seek justice & make a better life for their families. This is as true in AK, as in Andhra Pradesh.  Half-a-world-apart?  And yet we are connected by this.  My 'Vision for America' is one of a country that lives that dream! And, in turn, inspires & empowers women & men around the world to live it, too! We can lead by example. What America can show the world is what is possible - the potential of human possibilities when women & men are free…Yes, may we be free! Thank you and God bless you! Gov. Palin with Editor-in-Chief of India Today Group, Aroon Purie, following her keynote address Editor's Note: Gov. Palin spoke with wisdom and compassion with a heart of gratitude today in India. She is everything that is good and right about our America. How blessed we are that she was given such an important platform from which to speak into the lives of the Indian people on behalf of America.  This scripture is for you, Governor Palin: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6). God bless you, Governor Palin!!

   Governor Palin Heart to Heart in Haiti It's Christmastime. The lights, the carols, and the beautifully wrapped packages are all part of the sights and sounds of this magical holiday season. To some, Christmas is the shepherds, the magi riding their camels, and the angels singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). But we must not allow the sights and sounds of the season to take away from the true meaning of Christmas. As I thought about all of the gifts that would be given and received during this festive holiday celebration, my thoughts drifted far away to Haiti to the recent compassionate visit by Governor Sarah Palin, her husband Todd, and their daughter Bristol, as volunteers with Rev. Franklin Graham's humanitarian outreach, Samaritan's Purse. Following the January 2010 catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti, the photos and news from that nation have been mind-boggling. The images have been inescapable from the quake-cracked structures to wars and rumors of wars to a deadly cholera epidemic. Gov. Palin and Bristol Palin comfort a cholera stricken infant in Haiti Yet in the midst of this country's great devastation, Governor Palin and family reached out to hundreds of Haitians by sharing comforting smiles, speaking kind words, lending helping hands, opening compassionate arms, and yes, even distributing Christmas gifts.  Governor Palin distributes Christmas gifts to Haitian children while volunteering with Samaritan's Purse As the Palins and other volunteers were lovingly handing out gifts to Haitian children, Rev. Graham commented that, "For most of these kids it is the first time they've ever had a gift in their life. Some... just sat there and didn't know what to do."  He went on to say, "It just breaks your heart. But at the same time it fills your heart to know that there's so many people behind this program that have prayed, that have worked, that have given." "The kids don't have much", observed Governor Palin, "yet they have smiles and they're looking around for... I think for some little bit of compassion that the rest of us can provide." "It's quite sobering, puts things in perspective, reminds us as Americans who have so much, that we were put on this earth to reach out and help those who are less fortunate", Governor Palin tells Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren after seeing the devastation first-hand. The Palins, Greta Van Susteren, and Rev. Graham inside one of the 10,000+ Samaritan's Purse shelters Shaking my thoughts back to the present, I pondered how over the past few days and weeks, the stores were crowded with shoppers who purchased many gifts that will be placed under Christmas trees. As these gifts are opened, there will be lots of bows, wrapping paper, and boxes strewn around the tree—all because this is the season for giving gifts. But as we open gifts in celebration of Christmas, let us remember that Jesus lived and died for one purpose—to redeem the world from the devil’s tyranny. God gave his greatest gift, His only Son, and we can pass the gift on by following Governor Palin's example of giving of ourselves to those in need.    

  “Great to be in the hometown of Elvis Presley-- Tupelo, Mississippi!  I went out jogging this morning… as I’m running down the street seeing all those guitars [street art] and signs of Elvis Presley, I thought well it’s a good thing in honor of Elvis I got to borrow my daughter Bristol’s blue suede shoes!” Elvis Presley may be Tupelo’s favorite son, but after Governor Sarah Palin took the stage sporting blue suede shoes before a crowd of more than 8,000 cheering supporters, there’s no doubt she’s Tupelo’s favorite daughter. Governor Palin was in Tupelo as the keynote speaker for the Extraordinary Women’s Conference on Saturday, October 22, 2011. The former vice-presidential candidate spoke of Mississippi’s native land and waters being a crossroads in America, making the point that America is now at a crossroads: “I believe that God has shed His grace on thee, America, and I don’t want us to sit back and squander what it is that He has blessed us with… our forefathers and our foremothers fought and died to protect our freedoms today. I do not believe that we shall fulfill our destiny as a nation that puts its trust in God if we sit back and watch some fundamental transformation of our country, turning it in to something that we don’t recognize.  We don’t need a fundamental transformation of America, we need a fundamental restoration of America!” Governor Palin then spoke of her own personal challenges and crossroads, specifically about callus criticism of her son, Trig, who was born with Down Syndrome almost four years ago: “Look, when society wants to eliminate their weakest links, as some would refer to the disabled or the very old… when society destroys them, it also destroy any ability or need for compassion, for tenderness, for empathy, even for goodwill, and those are the very best parts of humanity and the characteristics of a country that can embrace and know and share true hope comes from people like Trig… Trig is the best thing that has ever happened to our family.” “America is indeed the last best hope of man on earth”, she told the audience, explaining that  “some people are waiting on a superman or a superwoman to come in and fix the problems that we face, but we know that it’s going to be His [God’s] light, and His truth, and His love that makes all the difference. There’s not going to be a politician or a celebrity or a government program that meets the needs of our families and our nation. It’s all about Him and His everlasting hope that He gives us.” Governor Palin closed by encouraging everyone to “get up, get out there, and do good” because America is a shining city on a hill and God has shed His grace on America. Governor Palin receives the Key to the City of Tupelo Before leaving the stage, Governor Palin was presented the Key to the City of Tupelo by Fred Pitts, Tupelo City Council President. Thank you, Governor Palin and Todd, for visiting my home state of Mississippi. Words cannot express my gratitude for your graciousness and words of encouragement to me and my state. Like you said, Governor, there are no coincidences, just Divine appointments. God bless you both as you continue on His path to fulfill your destinies.... Missy

      It takes more than horsepower to win the world's longest toughest snowmachine race over an unforgiving Alaska landscape, just ask four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin. Drivers also need skill, knowledge, and the determination to stay in the race.  Iron Dog contendors also race with perseverance. Perseverance means “the ability to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint.” Perseverance keeps going and moving forward no matter what opponents say or do.  I once heard someone describe perseverance as "stick-to-it-ness".        Todd Palin is a world class snowmachine racer Four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin   Team #22 Davis/Palin ready to hit the Iron Dog Trail, the longest toughest snowmachine race in the world Like her world class snowmachine racing husband Todd, 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin personifies perseverance. No matter how the mainstream media elite, the liberal political pundits, the late night talk show hosts, or even the nosy neighbor peering through a wooden fence may slander her, Governor Palin consistently perseveres. She forges ahead endorsing commonsense conservative candidates, speaking the truth with boldness at fundraisers and rallies, and shares personally from her heart at pro-life events without giving a fleeting thought to inevitable media backlashes and hit-pieces. In contrast to the Iron Dog Champion's perseverance and Governor Palin's "stick-to-it-ness", how then shall we describe the liberal agenda of this generation? It is like children calling to their playmates: "We wanted to play wedding, but you didn't want to be happy; so we wanted to play funeral, and you didn't want to be sad. So, in other words, what DO you want!?  What would make you happy!?"  The answer is, sadly, NOTHING! You might as well not even try, and thus Governor Palin does not TRY to accommodate the liberal agenda.  No doubt she provokes furious responses from those who oppose, but at the end of the day, I am certain that their spitting, their foaming at the mouth, their wide-eyed carryings-on leave them confused as to why they are going so insane over the self-proclaimed hockey mom from Wasilla. Here's how I'd like to apply it to commonsense conservative freedom-loving Christian Americans. Jesus said in John 15:18-27 that the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord. If they were so offended with the Master, do you really think Governor Palin, a woman of devout Christian faith, can get by without getting anybody riled up? Well, she CAN'T.  In fact, she does everything exactly right, and she does it well, and humbly, and patiently, and with a good motive... and the liberal elite get so upset that they blame her for every ill on the planet. According to them, she must have had a hand in planning the September Attacks in 2001 and the Wall Street plunge last fall. She is the one causing the ice caps to shrink! She caused the deadlock in Congress, she engineered the Bird flu virus in her basement, and in their minds, there never WILL be peace and security as long as Governor Palin is on the loose. (Yes, it really is as Mahalia Jackson sings in Sweet Little Jesus Boy:  That's just the way things are down here below).  Silly, isn't it?     Gov. Palin with FL AG candidate Pam Bondi Endorsing Miller for AK US Senate Campaigning with Nikki Haley for SC Governor So what do we do? We vote for Palin-endorsed commonsense conservative candidates on November 2nd. We smile with both good humor and a heart of trustfulness, and pray, "Dear Lord, You know—much better than we do—how things are 'round here. Continue to give Governor Palin the bold strength to expose the socialist agenda seeking to take over our country. Protect her from the scornful enemies who plot to stone her dead! Keep her alive and her voice loud, Lord, and send her as many faithful supporters as can be gathered together across the nation. And one more thing dear Jesus: HEAL THEM ALL!"