Memorial Day… lest we forget!

This is going around in email. I’ve seen it before and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Let us never forget our true American Heroes.

 

 

It is the
VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.


It is the
VETERAN who
salutes the Flag,

It is
the
VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag,

 

ETERNAL
REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON
THEM.

God
Bless them all!!!

 

O Almighty God, please grant protect of millions of angels on our troops serving here and on foreign ground. Thank you, God for these mighty men of valour who paid the price for our freedom and the freedom of those in other countries. God bless America, land of the free. Stand beside her and guide her, forgive her God. Make us godly again, help us to bring you Glory, AMEN.

Technorati Tags: Memorial Day,salute to our fallen soldiers

Don't Ask Don't Tell--bull's eye on the forehead

It seems that this 1990's law just keeps on taking the hits. Fox News reports a compromise has been reached. No details have been released since the "negotiations are sensitive".

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in favor of repealing this law. I'm wondering if he has even thought about how this will effect the troops? I am mostly protected against the virulent platitudes of the homosexuals in hot pursuit of absolution and approval for their lifestyle. Why else would they spend millions of dollars on their agenda making American believe there are more of them than there really are?

Back in the 2000 Census, less than 4% of the US population admitted to living the homosexual lifestyle, yet they would have us believe that fully 10% of the population are homosexual. I kept hearing 10% and 12% being bandied about from news media. I kept hearing all kinds of reports of horror stories of how gays were being mistreated which made it appear that the problem was much worse than it actually was. (Please take note--I am not saying homosexuals should be mistreated!!!)

Now, we are living in a society in which the media are pushing the homosexual agenda. Amazing Race usually has at least one team of homosexuals. Stories about them always make the evening news and the morning papers. There is a larger force at work than just approval of a lifestyle that God proclaims is an abomination.

The lifestyle is evil. The people are deceived by Satan into believing they were "born that way," or that they "can't change what God made." Poppycock.

Robert Gates has no clue what repealing this will do to our troops. This will raise all kinds of problems with some of the misguided riff-raff which makes it into our military. The vast majority of our military are truly heroes and gentlemen. There are a few who are not. Trouble will come from the few, not the many.

My question remains: Why must we condone what goes on behind closed bedroom doors? Why do they feel it necessary to announce to all the world what they do?

If you want some stomach-churning stuff, just read Leviticus 18. It plainly states God finds the practice of this lifestyle abhorrent and an abomination. It is what our Sunday School lesson was on this past Sunday. As I read the background passages, I became more and more nauseated. I am glad that even the discussion of sin makes me nauseous. But, isn't it sad that we must be taught what is sin in God's eyes? Isn't it just plain awful that we Christians don't practice what God preaches?

I did some study on this god Molech (Maw-lekh). I was astounded at what came up. Somehow I landed on GayChristian101.com. This was an eyeopener for me, and yet I know I shouldn't be surprised. Here we see what is being taught as truth.

These demon gods of ancient times required baby sacrifices and fertility orgies, even having male and female temple prostitutes. Skipping right over the baby sacrifices, this website teaches that the sexual intercourse rituals practiced by the "worshipers" of the demon god Molech were not homosexual acts. [shock]

God specifically states that a man lying with a man as he would a woman is an abomination. It is Plain Speaking, a black and white statement of sin. This website says that Leviticus 18 "simply does not say that homosexuality is a sin." And that is a lie, because it does.

I shouldn't be shocked, but I am. I should know by now that people will read what they want to in scripture, and will twist God's words to match their own agenda.

Leviticus teaches  Lev 18:29  For anyone who does any of these disgusting things, even the persons who are doing them, shall be cut off from the midst of their people. 

Yet, there is forgiveness for the repentant persons. Manasseh was Hezekiah's son and offered up his sons (notice the plural?) to be passed through the fire. This is offering up to Molech for he was the fire god and his belly held the hottest fires which when the baby was placed in the idol's hand would roll off the hands into the fire to be burned...alive.  And Manasseh repented. 2 Chronicles tells the story. He was hooked by the Assyrians, meaning that they pierced his flesh with metal hooks and dragged him to Babylon. That is when he sought the face of God and was humbled exceedingly. He repented. He was given back his throne and he knew that Jehovah is God. He went about undoing everything he had done and he reigned for 55 years. But, he never got the sons who burned in the fires of Molech back. How he must have grieved over what he had done. But, he was forgiven.


Just as he did abominations and was forgiven, so too are we forgiven. Though our sins be as scarlet, the blood of Jesus makes them white as wool. While we are waiting for our Bridegroom to come fetch us, we should be about our Father's work which He prepared for us. Our works do not save us, make no mistake. However, we will wear bright white linen which are our righteous acts. let's be sure our heavenly garments cover us properly!


Photo by Marion Ruben

Life drainers and life fillers

Ask God to manage you time. He is worthy of that kind of trust and that task. He reminds me all the time of this, but I somehow have to be reminded daily in numerous different ways.

***Disclaimer***
Don't worry, I asked Angela Hunt if I could use this piece at our ladies retreat way back a long time ago in a galaxy..uh, er... state far away. She said I could use it however, just give her the credit. AND how! She is a wonderful author and quite gifted with short points as well as completely fleshed-out works.
******

Life-drainer: accepting a position on my neighborhood's board of directors.

Life-filler: starting a neighborhood book club (where we frequently discuss spiritual themes).

Life-drainer: working seven days a week.

Life-filler: taking a Sabbath and keeping it holy.

Life-drainer: bad books, bad movies, bad TV.

Life-filler: good books, good movies, great TV.

Life-drainer: trying to exercise someone else's spiritual gift.

Life-filler: exercising mine.

Life-drainer: joining a fitness club.

Life-filler: hitting the treadmill every morning while watching good TV.

Life-drainer: trying to be all things to all people.

Life-filler: finding my God-ordained niche and filling it.

Miscellaneous life-drainers: purposeless meetings, trying to maintain fake nails, window shopping, foolish arguments, email chain letters and urban myths.

Miscellaneous life-fillers: any time spent encouraging children, a good hair cut, time spent with my hubby, shopping with a purpose, riveting debates with friends who speak the truth in love, going back to school to keep learning.

We need never go a few days without being reminded that our time is worth a lot. How do we get ourselves in a Life Drainer situation? Does the word "No" mean anything any more?

I went on the hunt to find Angela to let her know I was using this again, and got side-tracked by my friend Wayne Carlan's new post "Help me Tom Cruise" which is hilarious, but you'll have to go to my Facebook page to see it because I can't figure out how to link a Facebook entry on a blog post. Just when I think I've got some savvy in this technology thing, I find out I'm not as smart as I'd like to think I am. That was the first sidetrack, then I notice that Jayce O'Neal said something to me on Twitter with a link to his new video. So, of course I must watch it and answer back, then I see several Tweets by Newt Gingrich I have to reTweet because they are so good, I think of something that is good to Tweet, I notice something on Tammie Rigney's wall that I want to Tweet. By this time there are almost another 100 Tweets to look at. Which I do.

My daughter calls to tell me that my phone is out again. For some reason, when it rains, our phone goes out. No clue why. Now, I've got to get the phone guy here to fix that problem.

I write my post for Everyday Christian and send that in. It is now 1:22 pm and I have yet to start on the task God told me to do last night. I wonder if it is procrastination or if I'm just bubble-headed today.... Hey! no cracks about that! God is good enough with His practical jokes on me.

Whenever it looks like rain or it is raining when we go to church, the conversation is, "Should we take the umbrella?" "Naw, it isn't far and we won't melt." But yesterday, I took my umbrella because it was raining. All the other times in the past months and months, God turned the faucet off so we could go into church or out of church without getting wet. Yesterday, God looked in the back seat and saw the umbrella. What happened when I put the car in park? Whoosh! The bottom dropped out of the clouds and God said, "Okay, Baby, you brought the umbrella, you use the umbrella!"

Don't you just love it when God "gently" reminds you that when you trust Him, He will take care of you? So do I. And I especially love it when He does it in such a funny way! He has assured me in many different ways that He will help when I ask and give Him enough elbow room to work. Sometimes my faith for this is huge and sometimes it gets lost in a tea cup. No matter how large or small, God is faithful and true.

How to give your cat a pill

Anyone that has had to give a cat a pill or drops or any kind of medicine has had all kinds of trouble making the creature understand that Medicine is Good, being sick is Bad, and Medicine will cure the Sick Kitty. Cats just don't get it. If you really want to know what works, watch this video. However, it is NOT as easy as the video makes it look.

We cannot take our cat to the vet without a huge ruckus. People who are stopped at the red lights next to us crane their necks, positive that we are some how abusing children in the back seat. Our cat can be heard over the boom-ba-boom sounds of the loudest music. He is never in tune or sync which makes the pain all the more unbearable.

Having to undergo this torture reminded me of this piece I've had for eons which still makes me laugh until tears stream down my face. My cheeks hurt even now... I hope you enjoy as well. I do not know who wrote the thing. Laughing is Good. It is Jogging on the Inside. Do not laugh while giving your cat a pill. Cats just do not like jogging whether it is on the inside or the outside.

How to give a cat a pill…
1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2) Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3) Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
4) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right fore-finger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees. Hold front and rear paws firmly. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail. Get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
8) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to stretch out flat on top of cat with head just visible from below arm-pit. Put pill in end of drinking straw. Force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
9) Check label to make sure pill is not harmful to humans. Drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
10) Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11) Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of your last tetanus shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12) Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.
13) Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Hold head vertically and pour pint of water down throat to wash pill down.
14) Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by the furniture store on way home to order new table.
15) Arrange for SPCA to find a new home for cat and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

listen to ‘How to give your cat a pill’ on Audioboo

Silly Tweet? Absurd Police?

Here we have a guy who was mad at the snow.


Yes. That's correct, he's mad at the snow which closed Robin Hood Airport (yes, that's the name and did I mention all this takes place in England?) Because the airport is closed and he's ticked off, so he tweets his anger and frustration ending the 140 characters with "...otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!" 


Does that bear any resemblance to a joke? Hmmmm Nope. Not at all.


The police show up at his work, handcuff him and take him to the precinct for a seven hour interrogation. He was arrested for a bomb threat. 


"...otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!" 


Yes. That is exactly what it looks like. A bomb threat. After reading all the sympathetic claptrap comments patting him on the back, urging him to appeal, starting a legal fund for him, I got fed up to my flaming neck. This guy actually thinks his civil liberties were violated and he had about 100 people agreeing with him. Poppycock!


How can anyone joke about something like this and then blame the police for being johnny-on-the-spot with to investigate the threat? Apparently, a lot of people can. The comments are quite indicative of just how far down the human race has sunk into the mire of politically correct horse manure. 


I opine that anyone who breaths a threat against any public or private institution, against any individual or group should suffer precisely the same consequence this guy is suffering. In fact, I don't think the £1,000 he was fined and the additional out of pocket £1,000 was enough penalty. It isn't funny.


Anyone who lets off steam with wild threats in social media is disturbed and possibly deranged. 


How often does it need to hit the news services that a person loses a job because of their stupid remarks disparaging their boss on their blog... Facebook... Twitter... where ever before people wise up? How many times does a naked picture or suggestive photo have to show up on every school kid's iPhone for cool jets to reign supreme? People! Quit acting like a chicken with its head cut off. The reason the thing flops around is because it doesn't have a head!



Job 28:20  Where then does wisdom come from, and where is the place of understanding? 21  Yea, it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the heavens; 22  the Place of Ruin and Death say, We have heard its fame with our ears. 23  God knows its way, and He knows its place. 

What price integrity?

I was so disappointed Sunday night that the Cowboys did not win the Amazing Race 16. Talk about an extreme class act, and letting Jesus' light shine you've got it all in these two men.


I am a huge fan of the Amazing Race. I am usually tired and thirsty after watching each show because the endurance level of this race is up there around the Olympic stratus. Although, the training these racers go through probably isn't on the same scale. I have to admire anyone who would attempt this race simply because it puts a magnifier upon your character and every flaw, no matter how minute, is magnified for all the world to see. 


For the first time since I've been watching the Race, I have been so completely captivated by a team that I amaze myself. For once, the Race wasn't just a Sunday evening pastime, it was something I actually prayed  about. Some would say, how stupid is that? Especially when the Race was already in the can by the time the first leg aired on TV. Oh, well. If I can pray for our President and for actors, I can pray for a team on the Amazing Race.


Jet and Cord McCoy proved themselves sons of the King by their extremely high moral and ethical standards throughout the race. James 1:22 Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, comes to mind. They never once acted in anyway that would shame Jesus. 


The last leg of the Race proved something about them that shamed me because I kept telling Jet to run through the dude. He didn't listen to me or his brother, Cord. There was a virtual maze that one team member had to guide the other team member through. It wasn't hard, but the Cowboys got to Lucas Films where the virtual maze was located several minutes later than the Gay Brothers got there. Cord guided brother Jet all the way through to the final challenge on the second level and Jordan was standing in his way. 


Jet stood there while Cord kept saying, "Can you just walk through him?"


"Nope. I'm not going to do that. He's right in front of me and I won't knock him over," Jet replied. 


And he didn't. He stood patiently behind Jordan while his brother Dan tried to figure out what the message was flashing by on the computer screen. 


I kept shouting, "Go around him! Step over him! Good grief! I would. It's a MILLION DOLLARS, man!" 


But Jet stood patiently until Cord persuaded him to sidle around Jordan. Then suddenly the message started flashing by Cord to figure out. 


Jet proved something to all the world, the price of integrity is more than a million dollars and he wouldn't be seduced. He could have won $1 Million by simply bowling over his opponent, but that price was too high to pay. Astounding!


I wonder how many Christians can look into the camera of the world and say, "I stand here with a clean conscience, completely blameless before God in that I did not defame my Lord or myself by reaching for a pile of money at the cost of my integrity and God's honor."


Was it costly? Hell no. Not costly at all when our real home has streets paved with gold and gates of priceless pearls, walls of translucent gold and daily wear is the righteousness of the saints!

The evolution of Mom

The following appeared in the February 1998 issue of Parenting.

Yes, parenthood changes everything. But parenthood also changes with each baby. Here, some of the ways having a second and third child differs from having your first:
Your Clothes

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your regular clothes.
The Baby's Name

1st baby: You pore over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favorites.
2nd baby: Someone has to name their kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as well be you.
3rd baby: You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger falls. Bimaldo? Perfect!
Preparing for the Birth

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.
The Layette

1st baby: You prewash your newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Worries

1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown - you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing. Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
Going Out

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
At Home

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Praying for our Country

  The National Day of Prayer...


Father in Heaven, I humbly ask you to reach out to our President, and to those in Congress, and to those who sit on the benches of the Supreme Court to pour Yourself into their hearts. Please reveal yourself to them as you did to Moses. Help them to see the far reaching consequences of their actions and decisions. Give them wisdom beyond human understanding, but wisdom that comes straight from You. Give them a peacefulness that is so satisfying that the human soul craves it beyond food or rest when they make decisions and act according to Your will. Take their peace and their sleep from them when they are tempted to tread a path which ends in ungodly disaster. Help them to know the difference and why. Help them to realize beyond doubt that it is only You who is in control and that the relationship with You has eternal impact.


Holy LORD, King of the Universe, I ask that you please forgive this Nation for unseemly, ungodly actions. Please forgive our cavalier attitude toward life, and toward justice. Give the Bride of Christ godly wisdom so that we follow You, stepping where You step, sitting on Your feet. Guard our thoughts, O, LORD. Guard our tongues, let only that which will ignite a fire for You pass lips which You have cleansed, and let ears hear Your message, deaf to that which seduces away from Your path.


Father, I pray for the Lost of this country. We are known as a Christian Nation, help us to act like it. Make tender the hardened hearts of the Lost so that we may reach them. Above all, help us to recognize those who do not know You as those whom You greatly desire to know and tuck under Your wings of refuge so they may drink in the Living Water and be satisfied.


Give us the grace of forgiveness and the ability to give that grace to all who wrong us tempered with Your wisdom to know when to fight and when to let go. Give us the strength everyday to put on Your whole armor. Help us to recognize the deceitful seductions of the Evil One. Your kingdom come. Your will be done.


In Jesus name, AMEN.

God and Atonement

The difference between a saved person and an unsaved person is Jesus rose from the dead. 

The saved person knows that Jesus not only died, but also rose from the dead. The Old Testament saint hoped for it. The unsaved person does not believe it.

The crux is that God had to be satisfied which is why there must be atonement:

kâphar כּפר  kaw-far'

A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: - appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).

To say that the unsaved person must pay for his sins is wrong because we all know that we cannot. There is nothing that we can do that will pay for our sins. Burning in Hell does not pay for our sins. It is punishment for not believing God, but it does not pay for the sins because only a perfect sacrifice would atone, satisfy, appease the perfect and holy God Almighty. Jesus was the only perfect human and willing sacrifice.

That takes care of the first part of the requirement which is payment of the debt of sin’s wages. 

The second part, victory over death, was achieved when God raised Jesus from the dead. Only then could the Old Testament saints rise from the dead and walk about Jerusalem (Matthew 27:52-53), only then was the Door to Heaven created so that all who believe in Jesus may enter into God’s holy presence.

Jesus bought the whole world’s debt. There are too many verses that state this. Buying the ticket does not automatically put a person inside the gates of Disneyland. A person must use the ticket. A person must believe the ticket is good in order to use the ticket. Chapter 11 of Hebrews indicates numerous people who used their ticket.

Abel used his ticket and offered a better sacrifice than Cain. Enoch used his ticket by living a life that was pleasing to God so that he was translated by God. Abraham used his ticket by obeying God’s command to go, and he went.

I used my ticket by declaring before God and my whole church that I believed Him. I believed that He sent His only Son to die on the cross to pay for my sins and that God raised Him from the dead on the third day; and I know that He shall one day raise me from the physical death to be with Him forevermore.

Just because you have a ticket does not mean that you will take the trip. You must first believe the ticket is real, believe that it will do what it is meant to do and then you must use the ticket. 

Redefining the debate of Christianity vs Homosexuality

I just read one of the best discussions on the public debate that homosexuality is a sin argument. 


Of course we Christians know it is a sin, but we are all sinners. That is where Trevin Wax says the debate is lost by Christians. He points out that in the Larry King show discussion Jennifer Knapp asked the question (loosely paraphrased here) So we are all sinners, then why are you judging me and I'm not judging you? 


He says that we should go back to basics and focus on repentance instead of the sin. All I can say is WOW! Isn't this what we've been taught since Primary in Sunday School? All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. Which is the ultimate reason we should repent and turn to Him for only He has made the one perfect sacrifice. Thank you, God! Thank you.


Trevin Wax also points out that we should not allow ourselves to be defined by our sexuality. This is what I've been preaching for years and years. The main thing I hate that homosexuals do is that stick out there hand and say, "Hi I'm _____, and I'm gay." So? I do not want to know what you do behind a closed bedroom door! But, since you bring it up... I'm celibate because God declared certain things concerning Man and Woman and one of those things is that sexual intimacy is between a man and his wife and no others. There is the blessing, and it is sin otherwise. Since we all sin, we all must repent. Being celibate is not who I am, nor am I defined by my singleness, or that I am female, yet all of those things are part of me.


What truly aggravates me is that these people (both those who have loved ones who are homosexual and those who practice homosexuality), are in my face flaunting it and calling me judgmental when they exhibit a huge intolerance for literal Scripture and those of faith before me. The so-called Christian homosexual declares that everyone since Moses has misunderstood the Bible and the Biblical principle dealing with same gender sex. The arrogance of this is distressing to me. It distresses me because I know that they have bought into Satan's lies.


Satan has deceived them for one reason which is to deflate and putrefy the Christian witness. When someone is struggling with same gender attraction, it is a sign of something much deeper than sex. It is a sign of misdirected esteem, a lack of deep Biblical roots, and a desperate searching for acceptance and love. That cuts me to the heart. I weep for them because they do not understand just how much God loves them, and because of His Son, accepts them just where they are. Just as I am without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me. How incredibly wonderful that is. 


We Christians, who know better, should keep David's Psalm 39 in mind. 
Psalm 39:1  To the chief musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will keep my ways from sinning with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a muzzle while the wicked are before me.


We would do well to put a muzzle on judgment and focus on repentance... 

Porn found on Wikipedia, deputy director defends it

I use Wikipedia quite often. Of course, I know it is not the end all of information and in fact, quite a bit of it is balderdash. But, it does have a wealth of information and links for research. I was shocked to see this article on my homepage this morning: Wikipedia Distributing Child Porn, Co-Founder Tells FBI.  

One 2000 article translated from German to English, Erik Moller  defends pedophilia. He is quite cavalier about the innocence of children, even indicating that since 15 and 16 year olds cannot be distinguished from adults, that sex with them is not pedophilia. At least I think that is what he said because Google’s translation is very rough and the syntax of German is not at all like English. For that article, you can go here.

What is the most disturbing to me is that whether we like it or not, Wikipedia is a well known and much used research tool especially by children. The fact that the filters of porn may not work as well on research sites and that school children may be exposed to all these pictures makes my stomach roil in disgust.

I am praying that the FBI will take swift and decisive action on this. Life is dangerous, and some places are dangerous so we take precautions, we protect our children as best we can. But, there are some things that we can’t protect them from except to give them the best education in the Lord that we can. Once they have an excellent grasp of love and what is good in God’s eyes, then perhaps that old Dragon won’t be able to deceive them.

Self esteem vs Godly esteem

There are certain people in this world that have come to believe that they are completely useless. They have come to believe this for many various reasons. They believe they are only useful to be punching bags for others, to be rugs for others and that they could never be worthy to even breathe air much less to be of use for anything other than to cook, clean and be a repository for sperm.

These people believe what the world tells them and that is they are ugly. They believe what those around them tell them and that is they are useless. They do not believe what God tells them. I know, because I used to be like this as well.

One thing I have learned during my years with my Beloved Lord God and that is there is No Faith where there is no Hope. The two are so entwined and bonded together that it is impossible to have one without the other. And the third cord in the unbreakable heavenly rope is Love. With Faith and Hope comes Love. First the Godly Love that He pours into our hearts so that we can at least lift our face up to Him. Then comes the Faith and the Hope that Life really isn't ugly.

Most people equate self-esteem with selfishness, old nature, flesh, pride etc. This is demonstrated with false humility when we've done something for God. When we sing, "such a worm as I" and has now been changed to "such a one as I". We have changed the lyrics in our beloved hymns to remove the "wretches" and the "worms" because it is debilitating to our "self-esteem".  When we listen to the teaching that Selfishness and Ego and the Flesh are the same as Self-Esteem, we are removing Hope which takes away Faith and that takes away the capacity to recognize God's Love.

We love God because He created us with a huge God-sized hole within our hearts that only He can fill but we can only recognize something that Spiritual because He created us with a self-esteem that requires self-preservation almost at all costs. 

It is a God-created characteristic and is necessary for us to be able to recognize God's love. In other words, God created it on purpose. 

What would you have me do?

That question was a global rotation stopping question. It is a double-edged sword. It pierced me to the core.

The question is as powerful today as it was several years ago when I first heard it. I was sitting on a comfortable couch. My friends from several different churches gathered about the TV with Beth Moore teaching her Bible Study, "Jesus the One and Only" on the tube. We had our Bibles open on our laps and she was talking about having a deep, open relationship with God through our prayer life. It must be vibrant. It must be personal… be a priority… be on purpose… and for a purpose. I'm nodding my head, 'Yes, of course! I knew all this.'

Then she tells the story of being wronged by a Christian sister.

My brain moves from what she's saying to an incident that had happened not so very before. A woman who professed Jesus, but never acted like she possessed Jesus was trying to get me fired from my job. I was very good at my job, but she couldn't stand the thought of me getting praise for a job well done. She took credit for several things that I developed. She assassinated my character to the point that I still cannot get a job where I live. I'm thinking she couldn't stand the sight of Jesus in me. Every day of the week there was new trumped up evidence that she would present to my bosses putting me in the wrong and her in the Wonder Woman suit saving the day. I can't tell you the number of times she took credit for my work... and not just to my bosses. She was so busy smearing mud all over me, her work suffered. She finally succeeded in getting me fired.

I told God on her. I told Him everything she did. I pointed out how hurt I was and how this demonic attack was affecting my job, distracting me from bringing a better economy to my part of the state. I prayed that God would expose her. I prayed that God would take her peace from her, if she really was a Christian. I prayed that God would convict her of her sins of lies and intrigues and strife. Steam was building in my soul, and anger was about to boil over, then I suddenly came back to the present. "I heard Him ask me, 'What would you have Me do to her, Beth?' What could I say, but 'Have mercy, Lord! Have mercy!'"

Forgiveness. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." There isn't anything in that prayer Jesus taught His disciples which says, "Forgive us as we forgive only our brothers that offend us." Nor does it say, "Forgive us as we go about our daily life and never mind about those folks who offend us regardless whether they are Christian or not. They'll get theirs in the end anyway!"

Forgive them for they know not what they do. Stephen begged this as he was stoned. Jesus begged this as He hung on the cross. If they can do it in those circumstances, what is losing a job compared to that? There is much that God has forgiven me for, too much for me to harbor anger or bitterness against a woman that didn't understand eternal things. Nor did she know she was doing me a great favor in bringing me to my knees in front of my Lord and Savior. What a great blessing. What a great privilege. What a marvelous relationship builder as the Lord steps between me and Satan."Have mercy, Lord. Forgive her and bring her to Your side. Forgive her because she had no clue what she was doing because she didn't know the sweetness of Your forgiveness."

Several months went by. I thought I had forgiven her. I found out that I had not. She was sitting on the back pew of my church one Sunday night a few weeks ago. I didn’t recognize her until I was on my way home. So I had a bit of an excuse that night. But she was back the next Sunday. I had all week long to pray about it and still thought I’d forgiven her. I had not. I could not bring myself to go talk to her or to shake her hand and welcome her to church.

Have mercy on me, Lord. Forgive me for I did know what I was doing and I failed You. I did know the sweetness of Your forgiveness and I failed.

Then God reminded me that forgiveness isn’t horizontal. Forgiveness is vertical. It is between my heart and the Lord. If I harbor anger, resentment and bitterness, that comes between the Lord and me and that ruins our sweet relationship. That is a choice I have… a choice of action on my part.

I must guard my heart against grudges or feuds. If I consciously decide to release that anger and resentment to God, bitterness never forms and my relationship is refreshed. I do not have to be best friends with someone in order to forgive her. In fact, it is wise to be wary of the sinner’s ways, for they can entice away from God’s side and God’s ways.  Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

My siblings, this is a lesson we need to keep close because we face this kind of soul shaking all the time. Christians slice and dice each other with surgical precision. In order to keep the communication lines open, we need to pray without ceasing, and forgive without measure.

Weary and worn?

Are you weary and worn in this storm tossed life? That question from the hymn runs through my mind a lot, especially when I'm doing something I do not like to do--housework comes to mind rather quickly. So often we get bogged down in doing things we think we should do instead of asking God what He would have us do. We get caught up in church work and civic work, never taking the time to be with the Refresher, and the carrier of our load. 


We have two promises that I can think of right off the bat, "The LORD lifts those who are heavy laden and those bent beneath their loads," Psalm 145; and "Come to Me you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest," Matt. 11:28


I wrote a post about talents and gifts and it was sort of a half post, I had more to say but now it has gone past the newsworthy phase. So, I've revised it into weary and worn because that seems to be hitting a nerve with Christians recently. 


I said in my post that the Master gave the talents according to the abilities, but did not give the abilities in that particular parable. The story Jesus was telling was not about abilities or what kind of abilities, but more about willingness to use the ability to increase what was given.


Obviously, the servant who received the most from the Master enjoyed using it to make even more. He wanted to make the Master proud. He obviously used it wisely because he doubled what he was given. In the exact same way, the Holy Spirit gives us motivations which spur us on to do God's work without becoming weary or heavy laden. We just need to know what our motivations are in order to operate in them to the fullest extent of our ability.


Take a moment and analyze what motivates you... What interests you the most, and how to you go about solving problems?


Let's take one example and look at how each of the Motivational Spiritual Gifts Paul outlines in Romans 12:6-8 would handle the situation. The gifts Paul lists are: Prophecy/Perception, Server/Minister, Teacher, Exhorter, Administrator, Giver, Compassion with Cheerfulness.


Let's say that in a neighborhood live all the gifts, please note that every Christian has all the gifts of motivation each in proportion to their abilities and in proportion to their faith (something most teachers of the Spiritual gifts forget to mention, but Paul does not).


One neighbor gets sick. Which of these reactions best suits your instinctive desire to help your sick neighbor?


__will take over meals, offer to do housework, run errands, mow the lawn.


__ will ask how she feels, empathize, hug, weep, stay by her bedside.


__ will find it hard to relate to her, but will take a good book and tapes, magazines, or read out loud.


__ will go right over and encourage her, share uplifting Scripture, make sure she is following doctor's orders.


__ will find out what she needs and organize the neighborhood to meet all the needs.


__ will bring food and other gifts, spend time talking and listening, or just sitting quietly.


__ will pray both privately and with her for healing, strength and endurance.


When you've figured out what your motivation is, then you will operate according to that gift and you won't burn out, get weary, or get worn. It is when we are doing things with a mistaken motivation of DUTY that we get overwhelmed. 


Have you decided yet which way you respond to a friend or loved one who is sick? 


1.  Server
2. Compassion/Mercy
3. Teacher
4. Exhorter
5. Administrator
6. Giver
7. Perceiver


Would you like to know more about these gifts? Go here

Video called Collateral Murder is a ‘soda straw’ view of war

I reported on April 6, 2010 the story that Wiki Leaks has posted a full version and a shorter version of a military operation in Iraq. They call it  Collateral Murder. The fact that they have editorialized the title is a good indication of the bias view of the subtitles and focus WikiLeaks has put on the leaked video. The video shows several men who are carrying weapons and two who carry cameras. The journalists carrying the cameras are from Reuters. You can click on the link and view the video for yourself. I recommend you study the thing hard because it gives only a slice of the real story.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates lambasts the posting of the video from Iraq in 2007 because it is a "soda straw" view of war in a Fox News article. I agree wholeheartedly.

There are so many who think that war is where everyone fights fair and plays fair, when any military person could tell you that is not the case. Just ask anyone who fought in Viet Nam. Wiki Leaks proclaims they have scientifically analyzed this video and declare that murder was committed. I watched the full version which is 39 minutes long, beginning with several men walking along carrying AK47s, and several others who are not armed, gathering together before they enter a building. It ends with the US Military finally blowing up the building.

I am proud to be an American, and proud of how our boys reacted to this clear and present danger. Perhaps there was a bit of callousness in the radio transmission, but after so many years of this kind of war, I have no problem with their judgment. What the military guys said was true. Once the weapons are spotted, permission is asked to engage, meaning to fire upon those with weapons. In a war zone, any person carrying a weapon, and is not a military friendly, is up to no good. The Rules of Engagement were followed to the T, every i is dotted and every t is crossed.

Common sense dictates that you do not bring your children toward a military engagement where shooting is happening, you would run the other way. War has been going on in Iraq for a very long time and people there know that the US military is not playing games. Our boys have suffered more from sniper fire, roadside bombs, car bombs, suicide bombers and the like. These fanatics are not playing games either as this jihad bears witness.  They did right to not hold back from engaging those with weapons who regularly hide behind women and children. A point which Gates points out saying, "Let's also face the reality that we are in a war and our adversaries ... use civilians. They purposely put civilians in harm's way."

They also did right by evacuating the little girl and getting her hospital care as soon as possible. They did right when they shot those who were trying to pick up the wounded because, if you watch closely, you see two from the van shooting missiles at the helicopter above. You can’t hear the hand-to-hand combat, or see it, but you hear it reported from the troops on the ground. War is nasty and there are casualties. Iraqis know by now, if there are military personnel around and there is someone armed close by, they need to run the other way… unless, of course, they are up to no good .

I’ll let you judge for yourself, but from what I observed, our boys were fired upon and met that fire with considerable patience. It was a military operation, carried out with military precision. I find no fault here, and I definitely am considerably ticked that anyone has the effrontery to call it murder.

You just knew it was from God?

            Numerous times God has spoken to me or given me a delight for encouragement. Oh, not out loud, but in such a way I knew it was Him talking to me.

            I was on my teeth-grinding drive home from Arizona after my second husband decided he didn’t want to be married anymore. I was devastated and yearned to turn back, yet God kept nudging me forward. Finally, the whole western sky was a brilliant orange and I heard plain as day, “I’ve got your back.” That night as I lay in a hard, motel bed, I was sobbing my eyes out and crying out to God, “Why?” “What is so terribly wrong with me?” I felt Him press me into the mattress, covering me with His hands, and I heard, “You are acceptable to me, beloved. You need only worry about what I say.” The next day, my heart was lighter but I was still angry.

            Along about Albuquerque, I was enjoying the sun on the snow. I’m a Southern Magnolia; and we don’t see much snow. It comes only often enough to know what it is when we see it. For miles and miles the pristine snow stretched out on both sides of the Interstate. A thought flashed through my mind.

            Why not bring some of that snow back to sweltering Louisiana? I didn’t have a thermos or ice chest, but I did have a plastic bag, and I decided to stop. At the next exit, I drove down the ramp and pulled to the side of the road.

            Angling from the Northeast, across the road through the ditch and around the maintenance building were some deer tracks. A jack rabbit had hopped right over those tracks. What a find! I scooped up those deer tracks and rabbit tracks into the bag, and tossed it into the seat next to me.

            Back on the road, I chuckled and then laughed out loud. God is so funny. Only God could have directed the timing of those animals and the timing of my arrival to the exact point of intersection on that day at that hour. All I had to do was glance in the seat beside me at that melted snow and I would grin. The lighter mood lasted the rest of the way home.

            I stopped in Amarillo for the night. It was freezing cold and it must have snowed after I laid my head down because I had to scrape a goodly portion of ice and snow from the windshield. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when I set out early the next morning. The first flush of dawn was just a thought in the back of God’s mind because He had done a spectacular job on the stars. When I hit Wichita Falls and turned south, the sky was His crystal footstool.

            I remembered something about a green flash that happened right at the nanosecond the sun touched the horizon. This phenomenon happens because the atmosphere has a prism effect, or so I had read. Not many people get to see this because conditions must be exactly right. I believe God reminded me of it so I’d watch for it.

            The first rays splashed across that crystal sky so beautiful it took my breath away. I glanced back at the road with a sigh because the green flash had not happened for me that morning. I sipped my coffee and thanked God for the morning. Then the sky, right at the horizon, turned this deep, brilliant emerald green and the color flashed across the sky from east to west. I was stunned. It was one of the most spectacular things I had ever seen and it happened so quickly I could have missed it if I’d blinked.

            I pondered the wonder of that as I drove through Dallas and somehow the stress of other drivers packed around me going 80 miles an hour melted away. God reached down to me to give me a delight to lift my sore heart. That trip was best thing I could have done to start the painful process of healing. It was just me and God on the road. I learned a lot about myself and about God. He absolutely does care deeply about each of us and what happens to us. He’s right there every second, in total control… like with the deer and rabbit tracks.

            I brought those deer tracks home to my Daddy. What a hoot that was!

            “What’s this?” Dad cleared his throat as he peered through the water in the bag.

            “Deer tracks and rabbit tracks,” I tossed at him dragging my suitcase from the back seat.

            “Whaaaa--deer tracks!”

            I told him what I’d done and where I’d scooped up the snow. He started laughing then and chuckled every little while then he told Mom, “I’m bringing that to church tomorrow.” She just laughed, fully aware of the “Top this!” game that he and someone at church were constantly playing. They would each bring something back from a trip... some gag gift or novelty toy and give it to the other just to watch the grins and hear the chuckles from everyone. Whatever it was, it would cause a stir in folks as they tried to figure out what it was.

            On Sunday, after I got my coffee at church, I passed a clump of people peering into that bag of water and one fellow was saying, “Yeah... I think I see it. What was it again?”

            It’s a God thing.

            Blessed are ye who weep now, for ye shall laugh Luke 6:21b