What We’ve Been up To…

Happy May!

Nearly half a year gone by, I wonder what the rest will hold...

For the Carey Family, January –Mid April have been filled to the brim.

You see…

Father has a consulting business – Heritage Communications. Its purpose is to assist churches, homeschoolers, and others who wish to protect and defend their God-given liberties, rights and freedoms. Currently, Heritage is assisting one state, but our desire is to equip others to defend themselves across the country.

This state’s Legislative Season (the time of year in which the legislative bodies gather to pass legislation) is a 60 period, this year from – to - , but the six weeks previous are dedicated to organization and preparation. Once the Legislative Season starts, the preparation time seems easy…

In the beginning, Father goes weekly to the capitol (a couple hour drive away), and comes home to write synopsis of events, explain bills of importance, and generally inform and educate clients about the legislature. We (primarily Mother and Mia) edit his articles and newsletters (I assist with content). Dad and I set up the webpage (I’m in charge of maintenance, finding bills of note, and whatever else Dad needs me to do). We prepare Heritage (and ourselves) for the weeks ahead…

It is interesting to note that though 2000 bills may be introduced over the session, only ten percent of those become laws. Perhaps this gives an indication of the magnitude of what is accomplished in the official 60-day session.

As the Legislative Season continues, Father stays at the Capitol City for longer and longer periods, communicating ideas with legislators, defending Biblical freedoms, writing articles and working with legislation. We stay on-call at home, ready and waiting of whatever he needs us to do (while we have gone to the Capitol with him, our staying at the “base of operations” is usually of more assistance). While it can be "long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror," the “periods of boredom grow increasingly shorter as the legislative season progresses.

We pray to be faithful to accomplish the Lord’s purposes. We do not believe that “salvation for a nation comes through legislation,” but rather that by defending Biblical principles down at the capitol, we are making Christ Lord of every area of our lives and declaring his dominion over all things, including the affairs of men.

The last two weeks of the session are the busiest; as no more bills may be introduced and those that have been tend to progress rapidly. Vigilance is key, and we strive to make certain that all literature is perfect; no bills are overlooked, and whatever Father needs is supplied swiftly and simply.

And then - at midnight of the 60^th day - it is all over. Though there will be committee and interim meetings once a month, no more bills may be introduced or run until the next legislative season…

"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

~Isaiah 62:6-7

We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power…The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.

~ Patrick Henry

Speech in Virginia Convention,

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Richmond, VA [March 23, 1775]

(from his “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech)