Wow! What a couple of weeks since my last post. I’ll try real hard to capture all that has happened but I’m sure I’ll miss something.
First and absolutely foremost is a great report about our youth camp. Last night at Midway Baptist Church in Gulf Breeze, FL (my home church), we had 10 teenagers baptized as a demonstration of their new lives in Christ. I’m not sure of the total number of teens at camp making professions of Christ, but if it were just these ten that would be phenomenal. God worked powerfully and camp was a huge success. I’m already looking forward to next year and I’ve already told our youth pastor I’m going to work real hard to clear my calendar so I don’t have to leave on Thursday night. That was hard, but it was still very rewarding as 3 of the 10 teens were boys from my cabin. I want to take a moment to thank Andrew Bosak, my cabin assistant, who was such a great example of what a godly young man looks like. He did an outstanding job, even having just recovered from shoulder surgery for a broken collar bone.
Next on the agenda was the NFRA convention in St. Louis; what a great time! Now if the old cliche ideas of convention happenings come to mind, please erase them. There was real work being done and many lasting friendships made. Fred Thompson won the straw poll and most interesting is that after the first ballot of endorsing delegates, only Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter were left standing. Each candidate required 15% of the vote to remain on the subsequent ballots. Fred Thompson was the leader, followed by Duncan Hunter and I believe Mitt Romney came in third but still shy of the minimum 15% of votes cast. In a very telling note and a commendation of the NFRA and its desire to nominate only real conservatives, John McCain received none of the 120-some votes and Rudy Guiliani received only one. So much for the “leaders” of the Republican field. After 7 ballots casted, neither Thompson or Hunter gained the required two-thirds vote and so no endorsement was released.
Duncan Hunter’s performance among the NFRA speaks well of his conservative credentials. I personally think that a Fred Thompson/Mike Huckabee ticket would be very strong, with Duncan Hunter as Secretary of Defense. I would also like to see Newt Gingrich come aboard as Secretary of State. Now that would be a strong administration to face the global war on terror.
A strong set of resolutions was passed by the convention and I want to thank Rod Martin for giving me the privilege of sitting on the Resolutions Committee. If a link of the resolutions isn’t provided by the national website in the near future, I’ll scan my copies and provide one here.
Speaking of the NFRA convention, if you are not already a member of your local chapter, please join! If you don’t have a chapter, please consider beginning one. If you’re interested, visit the website link above and get involved. I know many of you are disappointed in the candidates we’ve had and many of the current GOP frontrunners. If this is you then do something about it and it means putting your money where you mouth is. I would also encourage you to join The Vanguard.org, which is the antidote to MoveON.org and this also will require you to give up some of your running around money for a bit, but it is well worth it. If you are in NW Florida, please contact me and I will get you signed up immediately.
I’ll get busy and start blogging on the presidential campaign in the next day or two. Talk to ya later!
Hi Dave- Wow, sounds like a busy, but excellent time. It must have been real great to see so many young people coming to Jesus that way. As for the convention- that would have been an interesting one. I keep being a little double minded with Fred Thompson- I don’t know why, becuase I know he’s old time conservative- but something niggles at my mind- if that makes sense. I love Newt- saw him speak years ago, and I like the way he thinks about things. Gingrich/Hukabee would be great- with Duncan Hunter- I like his stance on illegal issues! Anyways Dave- glad you’re back! God Bless! Carolyn