I haven’t really been in Fort Worth…I just like that song by Chris LeDoux.
I have been in Dallas for the past several days. I feel like I should have an apartment here. I really like it here in Dallas. But I don’t think it is anywhere I would want to live…too many people. However, I like all of the people that I meet! I go home tomorrow. I will have a few days at home until I leave for Illinois on Thursday.
Yesterday I saw a truck with filled with packing peanuts. I kind of laughed because I never thought about transporting packing peanuts. It would actually be a great way to smuggle things. I mean, packing peanuts weigh nothing. So, you could put stuff at the bottom…who in the world is going to dive into the bottom of a huge bag of packing peanuts??? You would NEVER be able to get those things off of you! What is it with those things having so much static in them anyway?
I got to be at an event with Sarah Palin on Friday…while it is neat to be around famous people, it is even cooler to be around all of the people who are directly involved in any sort of pro-life ministry. As cool as Sarah Palin and Bill O’Reilly and all of these other people are…you all are the ones who are out there, feet on the ground, saving lives. That is the coolest and most inspiring thing. It is such an honor to know all of you!
Hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend. It is the beginning of a new week. Let’s all make it count!
I have really been slacking on the blog. I will be better. I really like doing it, so I don’t know why I have not posted in so long.
I am writing from Tennessee today. I am doing a pregnancy center event tonight. Pregnancy centers are awesome, aren’t they???!! They used to only to pregnancy tests…but now they do ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, STD tests, counseling, parenting classes, education in schools, and all kind of other things. They are so comprehensive now. It is amazing! And the people that work there are amazing, too. It is not just a job to them. It is really a calling…a mission. They sincerely care about the men and women to enter their doors. It is such great work. Tomorrow I am off to New York to speak at another pregnancy center event. Saturday I am back in Houston speaking at a Right to Life event. So many great things happening in the pro-life movement!!
Doug and I decided that we would take a family vacation to Tennessee this summer. Lots of fun family things to do here. They have an indoor water park thingy that is a resort. We will probably check that out. Then we will HAVE to go to Dollywood!! They have rides and things that Grace will love. We will drive so that we can stop along the way. I think it will be fun. It will be our first family trip like that. It should definitely be an experience.
Today is Earth Day. I think it is funny how people think that if you are environmentally aware then you are a liberal hippy. That is ridiculous. It’s like people think that if you recycle and drive a hybrid then you worship mother Earth. You know, I believe that we need to take care of this beautiful creation that God has given us. I believe that is part of loving Christ…we have to love the gifts He gives us. It’s like people think that if you believe in global warming, then you are a pagan. It is so silly. We have to protect our planet so that our children will have a place to raise their children…that is kind of part of the pro-life message. That actually is about worshipping God…I think so, anyway. So, protect our planet, protect our children, protect all of the things that God creates.
So, my awesome website guru, Thomas, said that my blogs need to be shorter…so I guess I should wrap it up…although, I feel like I hardly said anything. He knows what he’s doing, so I will take his advice and close by saying thank you to all of my followers. I will have an awesome website up soon. It will be http://www.abbyjohnson.org/. I will let you know when it is completed. I know you will all love it.
I am currently in Nashville writing from my hotel. I have a legislative event to speak at tomorrow morning. It is an event of all women who are lobbying at the capital in Tennessee. I am excited about it.
I was in Canada last week…hence the title of this blog. I loved Canada. The people were all super nice…too bad they will all die of lung cancer. EVERYONE smokes in Canada…or at least it seems that way. Things are super expensive there. So, I didn’t buy much. They have basically no abortion laws in Canada. No waiting period, no limit on gestational weeks, no parental consent…nothing. It is pretty tragic. But, they have an awesome 40 Days for Life team there! Like I say…one heart and one mind at a time. That’s exactly what they are doing. I had a horrible hamburger in Canada. It was like I was eating cardboard. AND, the service at the restaurant was even worse! I kept trying to find someone to give me my check and there were no waitstaff in the whole restaurant that I could find. So, I had to just leave a 20 dollar bill on the table and leave…20 dollars in US money. They will have to figure out how to convert it. At least I left something!
I had another stinky flight on the way up here today…yuck. I ended up closing my air vent. It didn’t help.
I am having someone get a website designed for me. I am really excited about that. It will be a good place for people to go and get information about me and my upcoming book. Oh yeah, if you didn’t know, I am writing a book. It should be out in January.
So, I have a group page on Facebook…well, actually there are three, but this is the official one. I didn’t have anything to do with the other two, but it is cute that other people made them. I haven’t joined the group. I think that may be a little weird to join your own group. This will be a way for people to find out what is going on with my travels and my book. Another thing I have to keep updated…
There are a group (a huge one) of high school 4-Hers here in the hotel. They better settle down in the hallway…I would hate to have to give them the stink eye.
After the event tomorrow I get to hang out with the folks from Ambassador. I am so lucky to have them represent me. I don’t know what I would do without them. They are my little travel angels. Now I just need someone to handle my facebook. Then I could just lay on the couch and eat bon-bons. Just kidding. I don’t even like bon-bons.
I am looking forward to the next few days. I don’t travel again until April 7th. That will give me a lot of time home with Grace and Doug. I miss them so much when I am away. I even watched wrestling again tonight just because it made me think of Doug. He needs to start watching better shows. Actually, there was a wrestler on tonight from College Station. That was pretty interesting.
This being Holy Week and everything, I was thinking about some spiritual stuff. I was watching some TV today and noticed that almost half of the channels were talking about celebrities and their lives. I mean, I guess I care about Kate Gosslin’s hair extensions, but I started to think about how obsessed our society is with the way other people live and the decisions that they make. I was thinking that we should worry less about “celebrities” and more about our own life choices. I mean, we are so worried about the marriages of other people and what they are wearing and how they raise their children. I wonder if that is just a way for everyone to NOT think about their own shortcomings. We don’t want to be accountable for how we live. Would we act differently if every part of our lives were on tape and broadcast nationally? In a way, our lives are like that. We may think the things that we say and the thoughts that we have are private…but they are not. God hears everything we think and say. We don’t seem to worry about that too much. But He is the most important critic we have. We should act that way…me included.
Well, this blog has been pretty boring. I will spice it up next time. Until then…
Last time I blogged about things I saw on a plane after I was off the plane. Well, now I blogging from my airplane seat 35,000 feet above ground. On my first flight today I was sitting close to a very young woman who was on her way to boot camp. She is serving in the army. I actually saw her parents telling her goodbye in the terminal. They seemed pretty upset. She couldn’t have been over 21. I kept wondering why a young woman like that would want to go into the service. True story…I actually considered going into the National Guard…I have a heart for disaster relief. So, I called the recruiter and asked if there was any way that I could enlist but not attend boot camp. I think he thought I was joking at first…but after I made it pretty clear that I was serious, he told me no. Bummer. He said that I should look into the peace corps. HAHAHA! Anyway, back to this woman. While I was wondering about her motives, I suddenly became acutely aware of my own selfishness. I mean, I don’t know why she joined, but she did. She has to wear her hair in an ugly bun. She can’t wear any make-up. She has to wear ugly uniforms. No cell phone. She can’t get her nails done…and definitely no pedicure. No shopping just for fun on the weekends. I am just not someone who would voluntarily give all of that up. I became suddenly so proud of her and the decision that she made. It was probably hard on her parents…but their daughter is working for all of us. She is putting it all on the line for people she doesn’t even know. She had a little bag that she was carrying with her. It said “Army Strong.” I thought…that’s right. You are army stong. You are stronger than most people and definitely most women that I know. I could tell that she was super nervous. She kept trying to go to sleep, but couldn’t. She was holding her little Bible during the entire flight. She had a little journal that she kept writing little notes in and then would quickly put it away…just to get it back out a few moments later. I, of course, told her “thank you for your service.” But I also told her that I would be praying for her. I think she needs prayers right now…prayers of courage and strength. I will be someone who will do that for her…I mean, she is doing a lot for me.
I am wearing leggings today. I don’t usually wear leggings in public, but I have a long sweater that is covering the top of my legs. I was looking at my calves today and I think they are looking pretty good. I got a pair of those Reebok easy tone shoes for Christmas and I think they are working. But, also remember that I said I have the opposite of anorexia…it could be my mind playing tricks on me. I should take a picture of myself in these leggings. I would probably burn them after I saw what I really look like in them.
You know, I have been thinking about this health care plan that just passed. I am not feeling discouraged anymore. Whether abortion is being paid for by our taxes is really not that important to me. It’s not about not have tax-payer funded abortions for me…it is about not having abortion, period. So, for me, I am just going to continue to do what I have been doing. I am not going to let things like laws discourage me. Our goal is to change hearts and minds, one person at a time. We will still be doing that. I hear so many people griping about the abortion deal…but what are they doing besides griping. That is not going to save children. I hope this bill encourages other people to get out there to the clinics and pray. Maybe they will eventually sidewalk counsel. I just hope people are motivated by this and not disheartened.
You know how there is a law prohibiting smoking on an airplane? Well, let me tell you something, they need to enforce another law…no passing gas or stinking up the bathrooms on planes. There is nothing worse than smelling a recirculated toot on the plane. I mean, you can’t escape it. I do get a little joy in knowing that even the first class passengers have to deal with the smell. See, it’s not always perfect to be in first class. They will have to plug up their noses with hot towels.
Today, when we were flying into Dallas, I saw a house that looked big even from 3,000 feet up. I can’t imagine what it looks like on the ground. That type of arrogance is vulgar. I mean, who needs a house with more than 10 bedrooms…well, maybe the Duggars.
Having WiFi on the plane makes the trip go by so much faster. I wish this was on all planes!
Shawn and I are speaking in New Jersey together tonight. It is so much fun for us to speak together. I fly to Canada tomorrow.
I went to Houston yesterday for an interview with CBN. After the interview, Claire and I went to pray outside the Fannin location. Oh man, PP was in a tizzy because I was out there. I saw employees coming down and peering out the front door to look at me. Even the COO, Melaney, came down to check it out. It was great. I talked to the PP volunteers a lot. One I knew very well. The others were new to me. Anyway, on our way out I started to talking to one of the female volunteers. I told her that I would be praying for her. She then stated, of course, “I will be praying for you, too.” I said that I really appreciated it and that I could use it. Anyway, I don’t know why these words came out of my mouth…but then I said, “I know that many PP volunteers are post-abortive. If that is the case for you, I just want to let you know that we can help provide healing for you.” She then told me that she didn’t need healing from me. I told her that I couldn’t provide the healing, but Christ could. Then she started going on about how she is a Christian. I swear, as I was listening to her, I could hear myself. She was saying the exact things that I used to say. Empty justifications. I told her that because she was engaging with me, I knew that there were doubts in her mind about her work there. I told her that I believed that was a good sign. Well, then she got really mad and just eventually walked off. So, I will be praying for her. I ask that you pray for her, too. I don’t know her name, but I will call her Charlotte. Please pray for Charlotte…God knows who we are talking about.
Well, we are about to land. Time to put up my tray table and my laptop. I hope everyone has a great day and a great rest of the week!!! Blessings!
I go home tomorrow. I will have a few days at home until I leave for Illinois on Thursday.