The Blame Game

• I am assuming that all the people criticizing the parents (whose child was ripped away from them by an alligator they never saw coming, who they watched leave them never to come back as they fought desperately to hold on)…I am assuming these criticizers never took their children swimming (or wading) in the ocean where with or without signs we know there are sharks in great quantities.

 

• Wondering why Christianity is such a big deal to those who don’t agree with it.  Why are you so desperate to throw Jesus out of everything, to get rid of God from a country built on His laws?  Fear is the only answer to that question.  What are you afraid of?

 

•  Why is it that the president felt it so desperate to leave his family vacation to talk to the country (or scold us…tsk tsk) about “global warming” but wouldn’t leave a baseball game when terrorists attacked Brussels?

 

• Why are most people still convinced that guns are the enemy instead of the people shooting them?  And why are they convinced that if we ban them the people who shouldn’t have them now, will suddenly not be able to get ahold of them when more laws are put in place…and the ones who are safe with them will be left defenseless?

 

I don’t know what these questions spark in you, but in me it seems like we all (yes I include myself, even if not on these specific issues) are desperate to find someone to blame for every tragedy, accident, or uncool thing that happens in our lives.  Let’s start to look at ourselves before looking at another.  Let’s have some personal responsibility for what we do or say.  Let’s start thinking before adding to drama or trauma.  Let’s put blame where it is due…because yes, if a mass shooting occurs we should blame the shooter, but if a lightning bolt strikes a man on a golf course 3 states away from where his parents live, we should not blame the parents for raising him to get hit by lightning.  And let’s turn to a God who loves us instead of running away from Him.  If that’s not your kind of thing, give it a shot, just for a day…take all your problems to God.  Let’s band together and really know what we are fighting for or against, and who is with us and who is against us.

 

 

 

9.21.14

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4

11.4.13

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

—1 Thessalonians 4:14

2.20.13

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21

1.25.13

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139: 13-16

Selfishness

I am angry.  I don’t often get angry, but I am angry.

I am disappointed.

And I am a bit disgusted to tell you the truth.

The mindset of the majority of people is “look out for number one,”  “all about me,”  “I can do it because I want to and who cares who I hurt along the way,” “it feels right right now, lets not worry how it will feel in a day/week/month/year”

I know that God is sovereign and reigns over all, no matter what the government decides, but as I have said previously, I am sickened by what my children will be “taught” is acceptable behavior, what their friends will try to convince them is good when it is evil, and that they will be persecuted for believing in Our Savior.

After Tuesday I didn’t mourn, because I know God is in charge, but I did get angry.  Part of me was even ashamed to be a woman, because I think many women were fooled by smooth words during the campaigning.  I was not fooled, I did the research, separated the lies from the truth as best as anyone.  Not everyone did…male or female.  Some didn’t want to be bothered.  Some like being selfish and setting our future up for failure because they won’t be here to see it.  Some are just clueless.  Some did research and still voted the opposite of what I did, but at least they knew what they were voting for.

Too many people are saying “I want,” which are the very words my children are scolded for saying.  We “wanted” ourselves into a multi-trillion dollar debt.  Why is no one concerned about this?  We “wanted” ourselves into killing millions of unborn children and having others take care of the medical bill.  We “wanted” ourselves into losing the traditional family as a standard.  I use the term we loosely, because I don’t want any of that.

Even if you don’t believe the words of the Bible, lets look at these issues without using the Bible.  How is debt good for anyone?  The majority of abortions are not for medical reasons or rape, so why should my tax dollars go toward killing your baby?  The statistics are extremely clear that children do better with 2 parents in the household…and they do better with a female and a male role model (aka: mom and dad).  This is not always possible, sometimes parents leave or pass away, but in the instances where it is possible, shouldn’t we do our best for our children?  We should not be killing them or showing them by example that sleeping around is okay or leaving them in debt or making them feel persecuted for standing up for their beliefs.

I know I offended people in this post.  I am sorry if you feel bad, but I am not sorry for speaking up.  We cannot be sorry that people are offended because we believe the Word of God.  I would rather you be offended today and maybe look into what I am saying and maybe escape hell, then live for eternity in hell.  Being offended is much better than going to hell.  You can think I am a horrible person, and you know what?  I am.   I am a sinner just like everyone else in the world.  But, I love people.  I love you no matter what choices you make, because I am no better than you.  I will be your friend, because why wouldn’t I be?  Can you be mine?  If I don’t agree with you, can you really be my friend?  I can love you if you are gay, or if you have had an abortion, or if you voted for Obama…can you say the same thing back to me?  Or is it only okay for non-Christians to stand up for what they believe?

I have some friends right now who are making HORRIBLE choices in their lives…this would be agreed upon in the eyes of Christians and non-Christians alike.  Did you note that I said I “have friends”…even with these choices, I am not abandoning my friends.  Christians are able to be angry at the sin and still love the sinner.

Our country is divided right now.  It is obvious by the election.  It is obvious by the aftermath of the election.  Our pastor is awesome and not afraid to speak the truth and his words this weekend were right on.  The future doesn’t look bright.  I pray that we may not give up the fight.  We still have to make our government know what “we the people” stand for.  And above everything else we have to trust in Our Lord and Savior, because He will lead us Home.

Our unchanging God

Let me first say that I love our country.  I may not like what it is turning into, but I am a fan of freedom, and hope that remains for a long time to come.  In a world where tolerance is preached for everything except Christianity, where believing the Bible makes you intolerant, where you are told to embrace what makes you feel good and look out for number one, I have to say I am more a fan of the values the country used to hold dear…values and beliefs that are slipping away.  If there was running water available, I think I would fit perfectly in Little House on the Prairie times; where people didn’t own too much stuff, where people worked an honest day’s work and slept well because of the efforts of the day, where you helped your fellow neighbor even if it was inconvenient, where prayer was a natural thing not just said at mealtimes and church, but throughout the day and without shame.

I am glad that God is unchanging.  I am thankful that he is constant and consistent and His will and views don’t change based on what may feel right at the time.  I praise Him that He loves each person despite their choices.  Not saying that He likes their choices, in fact He hates all sin, mine and yours, but has great love for His people…such love that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins and suffer while living on earth.

Some interesting tidbits of our country’s history:

* In God We Trust is the official motto of the United States of America

* http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/odddayp.html

* teachers at many public schools are not allowed to have a Bible in their desk or pray silently at their desk or wear a chain with a cross on it

* “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

– George Washington

* “Congress passed this resolution: “The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.”

– United States Congress 1782

* “In regards to this great Book [the Bible], I have but to say it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are found portrayed in it.”

– Abraham Lincoln

* Dwight Eisenhower recieved intercessory prayer that saved his leg from being amputated.

http://books.google.com/books?id=hRBoNJIRhxoC&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=dwight+eisenhower+prayer+saved+leg&source=bl&ots=G38Qkjbou8&sig=BpzI8evtY5sWe-tBGYs_ZqAr780&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dbcnUK6yH-fo0QHL7ICQDg&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=dwight%20eisenhower%20prayer%20saved%20leg&f=false

* http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/eise/President/Presidency/EISE8530_prayer2.html

Just a little Sunday morning reading of what is, was and is to come.  🙂

Why is anyone shocked?

I have contemplated blogging on this topic.  I have contemplated what to say.  At the end of the day I am shocked that anyone is shocked that Dan Cathy believes the Bible.  Chick Fil A is not shy about being a Christian company.  On the contrary, they make a point to show they are Christian.  Why would the people in charge not believe the Bible?

And, because Dan Cathy believes the Bible, I am going to assume that he also believes the part that says we are not the ones who judge…only the Lord.  I would also be willing to bet that he has love in his heart for all people even if he disagrees with their life choices.  Maybe this is where the shock comes into play.  Do non-Christians find it hard to believe that Christians can love those who do not live their lives in the same manner?  I also wonder if Dan Cathy was Muslim and said he supports traditional families would it have brought about the same commotion as it has for a Christian to speak these words?

Let it be known that he did not speak against homosexuals.  He said he agrees with the Bible and the view of a traditional family.  There was no hate speech, no refusal of service, simply a Christian believing in Christianity.  Shocking.

Kirk Cameron went through a similar situation recently.  Everyone who knows Kirk Cameron knows he is a Christian, and yet, everyone was shocked that he believes in the traditional family.  However…he still loves those who make different choices.  How horrible of him to love everyone even if they don’t agree with him (much sarcasm here).

I like my Christian chicken.  I have always loved Chick Fil A food.  I support their beliefs because I support the Bible.  If people don’t want to go to Chick Fil A because of Chick Fil A’s viewpoints, by all means, stop eating good food.  Their views have not changed and I would be surprised if they do in the future.

Guess what?  Even though I support Chick Fil A and more importantly the Bible and God’s Word, I still love those who make choices that do not agree with mine.  Do I LIKE everything they do?  Of course not.  Are they going to make me change my mind? No.  Am I going to change theirs?  Who knows?  I do know that Jesus walked with all types of people while He was on this earth and I want to be like Him.

4.14.12

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

4.13.12

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1:15