This last Sunday was a bittersweet day for Melissa and I as we said goodbye to our precious daughter Alicia. She has grown up to be a beautiful, strong young woman who is now seeking her God given destiny in life. Filled with equal parts excitement, trepidation, anticipation and carefully prepared to climb her own mountains, off she went to Chicago. I don't know how you all prepare for moments like that as parents, but I just criled. That's right, criled. The art of graciously smiling but crying at the same time. My word for the absolute joy and sadness engulfing me as her father watching her fly the nest. So I gave her my last words of loving advice face to face and reassured her to come home if it didn't work out, but knowing it was a life changing moment for her and us. It is a great joy and sense of quantitative relief for us as parents that they made it through those dreaded know it all teen years. But the sadness comes from the break of the parental bond of guidance and protection. My wife and I have always had these distinct roles. She is gifted as nurturer and counselor and fierce prayer warrior, I as protector and provider. Each one of us ideally suited by our wise Father to carry out these duties. Through the progression of DeAnna, Christina, Ricky and now Alicia we have striven to give them a firm foundation of part wisdom, common sense, compassion and most of all unshakeable faith. It is that faith that I know will be tested the most. But God is good!
Anyway, after my wife got a mop and soaked me up off the floor, I composed myself long enough to thank God for his strength and guidance in seeing us through these twenty one years with Alicia and never failing to give us the unconditional love we often need as parents to do our job faithfully! I was also reminded back to when I left home and moved to California when I was twenty. Although, because of my youthful indiscretions and general rebelliousness the sendoff wasn't quite so sentimental. But the pain that my parents experienced at the time was offset by the peace of knowing they had made the right decisions and given me the foundation I needed to take responsibility and grow up into the son they had desired in their hearts to see. So, Alicia if you read this, know that your dad will always see both the busy, bouncy little redhead with those steely blue green eyes and mischievous grin and the strong, fearless and determined radiant young woman you've grown to be. I will miss them both, but am excited for God's great work in your life! Now, that leaves just Rebecca left. The baby has seen it all, both good and bad, taken it all in and is unfortunately for her mom and I growing up too. But that's a story for another day. As for me, it's off to the hardware store to buy a chain and lock to keep her with us forever! ;)
Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A Lesson of Faith or Lack Thereof...
I don't know if this happens to you but it seems to happen to me, a lot. You think you've got life pretty much all figured out as you mature in age, then something else happens and you realize that you don't. Back to square one! I have been a Christian for many years now. Twenty four to be exact since I gave my heart fully to the Lord and was baptized. I had made a very public proclamation of my faith that day in front of family and friends and the church congregation. I was born again, behold all thing become new, all old things have passed away. That was a milestone day for me and set me on a journey these past two plus decades that have been full of adventure; four moves, four homes, five children, three jobs and countless moments of joy and unfortunately tremendous heartache and sadness. It's called quite simply, life. But something changed that day of hope when I had acknowledged my faith publicly. I had entered into the most rewarding and perplexing relationship with a man called Jesus. Never boring, always challenging, sometimes frustrating but always, and I mean always blessed. Yes, blessed, meaning even though I didn't think it at the time. His answers or silence maybe weren't what I had prayed for or even desired, never the less, if my faith was absolutely childlike, in trust and obedience, He would see me through the trial. His end would always justify the means and I would come away with another blessing that would allow me to place another step forward on His solid foundation for my life. That is of course until that old schoolyard bully came along and took my lunch money again. You know him well! Oh, he goes by many names. Pride, arrogance, conceit, doubt, self empowerment, envy just to name a few. I lump it all into one word faithlessness. You can call it human nature, sin nature or whatever nature you want. The results are the same. Our lack of accepting and applying the real tangible faith that is so generously given to us through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ and His promises cause us to listen to the voice of this world, Satan, the father of lies.
Fully capable of disrupting the course of our ship, upending the most noble of plans and spoiling the fruit of the spirit, he works tirelessly. He is vehemently opposed to your faith. His one sole mission is to cast dispersions and doubt and break the bonds of reconciliation to our precious Lord and become slaves to our fallen attributes. He seeks and destroys all with extreme prejudice. The bible says he is like a wolf that lurks about ready to pounce and tear apart we the precious sheep of Christ. The results are often devastating and tragic. The Word of God is full of knowledge, wisdom, hope and permanent sustainable victory! Jesus is Lord and Savior, the Word is our blueprint and the Holy Spirit is our Helper. Triple protection with divine substance that is real. I notice when I have fallen in life, it is because of my conscious choosing to not trust Him who loves me more than any other. It is in those circumstances, I often find carnal destruction but more devastating than that shame and spiritual poverty. More importantly, not once in my selfish quest to abandon Him was my situation resolved for blessing. Not once! All situations will resolve themselves but not all will be blessed. That is the difference between exercising your faith and not. When I walk with my precious Lord, my peace is saturating to my soul. I find blessing in my circumstances and the lessons learned become opportunities to encourage and help others. I no longer stand defeated! We will all have trials in our lives and we will have to choose the faith we will use to endure through them. You can choose our leaky, unsteady, shortsighted and unreliable human nature or tap into the well of living water and never thirst. In Him and Him alone is victory and strength. I urge you to take stock of your journey and see where you have gotten to on your own. But I caution you, the veneer of temporal victory will mask the infestation that has eaten away at your soul, much like termites. The damage is usually never seen until you look inside and then it is too late. So choose wisely, seek His truth, accept His salvation and watch the victories build you up and carry you home!
Matthew 17:20
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Fully capable of disrupting the course of our ship, upending the most noble of plans and spoiling the fruit of the spirit, he works tirelessly. He is vehemently opposed to your faith. His one sole mission is to cast dispersions and doubt and break the bonds of reconciliation to our precious Lord and become slaves to our fallen attributes. He seeks and destroys all with extreme prejudice. The bible says he is like a wolf that lurks about ready to pounce and tear apart we the precious sheep of Christ. The results are often devastating and tragic. The Word of God is full of knowledge, wisdom, hope and permanent sustainable victory! Jesus is Lord and Savior, the Word is our blueprint and the Holy Spirit is our Helper. Triple protection with divine substance that is real. I notice when I have fallen in life, it is because of my conscious choosing to not trust Him who loves me more than any other. It is in those circumstances, I often find carnal destruction but more devastating than that shame and spiritual poverty. More importantly, not once in my selfish quest to abandon Him was my situation resolved for blessing. Not once! All situations will resolve themselves but not all will be blessed. That is the difference between exercising your faith and not. When I walk with my precious Lord, my peace is saturating to my soul. I find blessing in my circumstances and the lessons learned become opportunities to encourage and help others. I no longer stand defeated! We will all have trials in our lives and we will have to choose the faith we will use to endure through them. You can choose our leaky, unsteady, shortsighted and unreliable human nature or tap into the well of living water and never thirst. In Him and Him alone is victory and strength. I urge you to take stock of your journey and see where you have gotten to on your own. But I caution you, the veneer of temporal victory will mask the infestation that has eaten away at your soul, much like termites. The damage is usually never seen until you look inside and then it is too late. So choose wisely, seek His truth, accept His salvation and watch the victories build you up and carry you home!
Matthew 17:20
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Happy Valentines Day!....Really?
This upcoming Tuesday, February 14th is the annual love fest known as Valentine's Day. Chocolates, flowers, romantic cards, candies, hearts and more hearts, teddy bears and dinners out dominate the day all in the spirit of love. It is the one day a year that we glorify the concept of love into a practice of it. Or is it? Now before you think I am going to rain on your dozen roses and dinner at Applebee's evening just hold on. I am going to challenge you instead. But first let me give you a little history lesson into cupid's annual bow hunt.
Valentines Day is named after St. Valentine who was a priest in late second century Rome. Unbeknownst to at first and under the authority of Emperor Claudius II, Valentine assisted in marrying Christian couples and aiding others of the faith in the continuing of their worship. He was eventually jailed and persecuted then stoned, beaten and ultimately beheaded in 269 AD by Claudius for defying the secular rule of Rome. Rome, if you don't know, was given over at that point to all sorts of moral decay and depravity and the once great empire was beginning to crumble under the weight of it's own sin and corruption. Hmmm, sound like any other country you know? Anyway, here was a man of devout faith who professed the love of Christ, supported traditional Godly marriages and love among people who was martyred mercilessly. Killed because Claudius had become angry with him for subverting the excellent rule of Rome and trying to convert him to Christianity. Now, we all know Rome's fate a few hundred years later. You've heard the phrase Rome is burning? Ok, so that chocolate Lindt Truffle doesn't taste as good right now? Well don't worry, I'll fix it. Unwrap another and relax!
Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving have all borne the brunt of attacks by our modern Roman government in recent years through the polarizing over the top political correctness known as secularization. From sordid attempts to abolish Christian symbolism and worship of these most sacred and important holidays, to a campaign to rename and remake the honor of Christ our Lord into the glorification of mans temporal selfishness and materialism, it is doomed to all fail. Why, well, love of course! Because, love conquers all. That is the one human emotion over time that propagated by God the Father and through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ has never lost it's light. In the midst of tragedy, despair, heartbreak, death and veils of tears blooms love. It's ability to heal and restore life and hope is truly magical and supernatural and not of man's own shortsighted volition. Love may lose some battles but will win all wars. Now pop that second truffle into your mouth. All better isn't it? You see Valentine's Day like Christmas and the other days of holy celebration all inevitably come back to one Man who spoke of nothing but love. So when you are out to dinner next Tuesday or picking up some flowers or a special gift for someone you love, remember love is not but for the day but for the seasons. What a difference we would all make in this cold world sometimes if we would stand for love everyday as Christ stood, proclaimed and ultimately died for in His love for you!
1 Cor. 13 1-13
Valentines Day is named after St. Valentine who was a priest in late second century Rome. Unbeknownst to at first and under the authority of Emperor Claudius II, Valentine assisted in marrying Christian couples and aiding others of the faith in the continuing of their worship. He was eventually jailed and persecuted then stoned, beaten and ultimately beheaded in 269 AD by Claudius for defying the secular rule of Rome. Rome, if you don't know, was given over at that point to all sorts of moral decay and depravity and the once great empire was beginning to crumble under the weight of it's own sin and corruption. Hmmm, sound like any other country you know? Anyway, here was a man of devout faith who professed the love of Christ, supported traditional Godly marriages and love among people who was martyred mercilessly. Killed because Claudius had become angry with him for subverting the excellent rule of Rome and trying to convert him to Christianity. Now, we all know Rome's fate a few hundred years later. You've heard the phrase Rome is burning? Ok, so that chocolate Lindt Truffle doesn't taste as good right now? Well don't worry, I'll fix it. Unwrap another and relax!
Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving have all borne the brunt of attacks by our modern Roman government in recent years through the polarizing over the top political correctness known as secularization. From sordid attempts to abolish Christian symbolism and worship of these most sacred and important holidays, to a campaign to rename and remake the honor of Christ our Lord into the glorification of mans temporal selfishness and materialism, it is doomed to all fail. Why, well, love of course! Because, love conquers all. That is the one human emotion over time that propagated by God the Father and through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ has never lost it's light. In the midst of tragedy, despair, heartbreak, death and veils of tears blooms love. It's ability to heal and restore life and hope is truly magical and supernatural and not of man's own shortsighted volition. Love may lose some battles but will win all wars. Now pop that second truffle into your mouth. All better isn't it? You see Valentine's Day like Christmas and the other days of holy celebration all inevitably come back to one Man who spoke of nothing but love. So when you are out to dinner next Tuesday or picking up some flowers or a special gift for someone you love, remember love is not but for the day but for the seasons. What a difference we would all make in this cold world sometimes if we would stand for love everyday as Christ stood, proclaimed and ultimately died for in His love for you!
1 Cor. 13 1-13
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Why Is Peace So Elusive?
Funny thing about my daily devotional time in the morning. It tends to soothe rather quickly the uneasiness of the upcoming days worries and duties. There is always encouragement in the Word and through prayer time. It's almost as if the day's business is complete before it even begins. Why is this so? I believe it's because I've learned over the years that true peace comes from within first. It's not an external benefit. You can't purchase it through a great job, stellar financial planning, great health or material possessions. Those are just comfort food. You know feel good stuff for the moment. As the moment passes you end up yearning for more instead of being content with what you have. I see a lot of that uneasiness in the world today. Certainly on the physical stage of the planet today peace is not breaking out all over the place. There are numerous conflicts threatening the sovereignty of nations and even continents. At any given time there are well over one hundred regional conflicts going on around the world. Whether it be financial, territorial, religious or political, war and strife has become the norm and prosperity and peace has become the rarity. Why do we always seem to spinning out of control? Why can't we all just get along? Why are we often calloused to or apathetic to all the pain and misery? I believe it's because inside most of us whirls our own storms.
Over the centuries and throughout history wars have been fought and millions have died for the cause of peace. But whose peace? Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism? Mohammed, Confucius, Gandhi or Jesus? Blood has spilled and is still being spilled in the name of peace fronted by the banner of some of these great movements today. So which one has credibility? Which great prophet or savior is true and real? Certainly, all of these men have existed. All of them have been written about, researched, discussed and taught in universities, churches, synagogues and seat's of government. Millions of people and whole nations are hedging their collective futures and eternal destinies on the bold promises of such men. Ahh, but therein lies the difference. All but one of these great men are just that, men. They are separated by one unequivocal historical fact. The bones of Mohammed, Confucius, Gandhi and any other men of peace are entombed here on earth. Only one, Who spoke of true peace has not been located anywhere on earth. Many have tried and still do. Outlandish claims are made. Still no bones! Find the bones of Jesus Christ and you discredit the entire Holy Bible and all of Christianity in one big giant swipe! But there are none. Because Jesus is gone. He has gone to prepare His Kingdom for everlasting peace. He is and remains to this today the one true Son of the Most High God and his life and death and resurrection stand as the exception to and replacement of all man's turmoil, failings and sin. He and He alone reigns, gives life, and true peace to all of us. Jesus said " My peace I give to you, not as the world gives." Real peace, spiritual, soulful, inner peace. My human condition fallen and filthy, replaced by purity and forgiveness. Given to me and you by the Prince Of Peace. Only One came to live then die for you. No other has or will ever. He is coming soon to reclaim His Kingdom this time as judge and king not savior. Peace if we are to find it begins with us. It is a wholesale transformation spiritually by laying down our carnal thoughts and lives and accepting the transforming blood of Jesus Christ to reign in our hearts. I encourage you to be over comers of the condition you are struggling with. Calm the inner storms. Jesus also said, "I stand at the door and knock, if any man here my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me." Find your peace, accept this gift of salvation and life and watch the impact you will have. Peace is contagious and I don't know of anybody who doesn't welcome it's spread!
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Over the centuries and throughout history wars have been fought and millions have died for the cause of peace. But whose peace? Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism? Mohammed, Confucius, Gandhi or Jesus? Blood has spilled and is still being spilled in the name of peace fronted by the banner of some of these great movements today. So which one has credibility? Which great prophet or savior is true and real? Certainly, all of these men have existed. All of them have been written about, researched, discussed and taught in universities, churches, synagogues and seat's of government. Millions of people and whole nations are hedging their collective futures and eternal destinies on the bold promises of such men. Ahh, but therein lies the difference. All but one of these great men are just that, men. They are separated by one unequivocal historical fact. The bones of Mohammed, Confucius, Gandhi and any other men of peace are entombed here on earth. Only one, Who spoke of true peace has not been located anywhere on earth. Many have tried and still do. Outlandish claims are made. Still no bones! Find the bones of Jesus Christ and you discredit the entire Holy Bible and all of Christianity in one big giant swipe! But there are none. Because Jesus is gone. He has gone to prepare His Kingdom for everlasting peace. He is and remains to this today the one true Son of the Most High God and his life and death and resurrection stand as the exception to and replacement of all man's turmoil, failings and sin. He and He alone reigns, gives life, and true peace to all of us. Jesus said " My peace I give to you, not as the world gives." Real peace, spiritual, soulful, inner peace. My human condition fallen and filthy, replaced by purity and forgiveness. Given to me and you by the Prince Of Peace. Only One came to live then die for you. No other has or will ever. He is coming soon to reclaim His Kingdom this time as judge and king not savior. Peace if we are to find it begins with us. It is a wholesale transformation spiritually by laying down our carnal thoughts and lives and accepting the transforming blood of Jesus Christ to reign in our hearts. I encourage you to be over comers of the condition you are struggling with. Calm the inner storms. Jesus also said, "I stand at the door and knock, if any man here my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me." Find your peace, accept this gift of salvation and life and watch the impact you will have. Peace is contagious and I don't know of anybody who doesn't welcome it's spread!
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Who are you without your bank account?
The other morning I was in my office and going through the monthly drudgery of paying bills. You know the routine, grab the stack sort it out and decide what to pay this week, what to pay next week and who needs a talking to for the credit card bills. After all these years of toiling through this dreaded exercise in dismal necessity, I came to a conclusion. It doesn't matter how much money I have made, or have, or am coming into the feeling is the same, aggravated reluctant submission. That's right sort of like the feeling when you're in the dentist's chair and Dr. Malevolence is standing over you with the Turbo Ten Thousand nuclear powered drill ready to abolish you entire gum line. You know that it's going to hurt but it will cure the pain that's in the tooth now. That is at least until the next cavity comes along! So I go along writing checks, stuffing envelopes, licking and stamping, yes us old timers still pay that way, until my task is finished. Then I sit back and look at the finished pile with utter contempt as if I just survived a big old spoon of cod liver oil. No satisfaction just survival. I beat the wolves back from the door for another month! I live to fight another day! Great, just great. Talk about hollow victories. So I rush off to the post office and discard this stack of temporary reprieve as if I were throwing out a dead mouse. Victory is mine until the 15th of next month. Then I went back home sat down in our prayer center to do my morning devotion and was nudged, no better yet pushed. Not physically but spiritually.
The Lord was reminding me of something so very necessary to my daily walk with Him, gratitude. Where was my gratitude for the grace He had shown me for the gift of seeing us taken care of for another month. I felt a sense of sheepishness and a bit of shame come over me. Here I am a card carrying Christian man who spends a good portion of his life reading the Word, praying and professing the glories of our Great King Jesus and I am acting as if I'm a child who didn't get my sugar free sucker when I left the dentist's office. I immediately asked forgiveness and prayed for a new sensitivity to my calling. You see, in this life we have so many duties and obligations and most of them revolve around money. Money or love of money dominates our world so pervasively that it is the number one story that dominates the national and global news each day. Let me give you a few hints; stimulus package, recession, bank bailouts, home foreclosures, job losses, tax revenue, budget cuts, salary demands, CEO bonuses, oil prices, cost of living, shall I go on? We have built a brand new altar in this world and it's called MONEY. Resplendent in it's ability to do such good and destroy with swift abandon mercilessly in the same breath. All we talk about it seems nowadays is money or money problems. All the while forgetting that it is He who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He who feeds the sparrows, clothes the lilies of the valley and provides for His children. He gives and takes away. And He is no respecter of persons but loves us all equally and with total compassion. In fact the bible has over five hundred verses each about prayer and faith but over two thousand verses about money. Hmmm, you think God is trying to emphasize something here? We can't solve the problems in our nation right now because our vision is blurred by our misguided love of self and money over Him and His provision. When we die someday and face Him we will be asked about our life, our accomplishments and opportunities to do good for Him and His kingdom. Not for the ability to create wealth, store wealth, hoard wealth or like the USA today squander our wealth. For money is just the vessel to use to get through this life to create the opportunities for doing good or harm. Ultimately, it's the heart of the giver that determines the nature and to a lesser degree the results of the gift. Money comes and goes but God's love and purpose for us stands, unbreakable, unwavering and ever loving. So if your altar is colored green, I suggest you tear it down and build one that's made of true gold, repentance, submission, dedication and gratitude. You will be amazed how much easier it gets facing the bill monster each month, however cod liver oil will still taste badly.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
The Lord was reminding me of something so very necessary to my daily walk with Him, gratitude. Where was my gratitude for the grace He had shown me for the gift of seeing us taken care of for another month. I felt a sense of sheepishness and a bit of shame come over me. Here I am a card carrying Christian man who spends a good portion of his life reading the Word, praying and professing the glories of our Great King Jesus and I am acting as if I'm a child who didn't get my sugar free sucker when I left the dentist's office. I immediately asked forgiveness and prayed for a new sensitivity to my calling. You see, in this life we have so many duties and obligations and most of them revolve around money. Money or love of money dominates our world so pervasively that it is the number one story that dominates the national and global news each day. Let me give you a few hints; stimulus package, recession, bank bailouts, home foreclosures, job losses, tax revenue, budget cuts, salary demands, CEO bonuses, oil prices, cost of living, shall I go on? We have built a brand new altar in this world and it's called MONEY. Resplendent in it's ability to do such good and destroy with swift abandon mercilessly in the same breath. All we talk about it seems nowadays is money or money problems. All the while forgetting that it is He who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He who feeds the sparrows, clothes the lilies of the valley and provides for His children. He gives and takes away. And He is no respecter of persons but loves us all equally and with total compassion. In fact the bible has over five hundred verses each about prayer and faith but over two thousand verses about money. Hmmm, you think God is trying to emphasize something here? We can't solve the problems in our nation right now because our vision is blurred by our misguided love of self and money over Him and His provision. When we die someday and face Him we will be asked about our life, our accomplishments and opportunities to do good for Him and His kingdom. Not for the ability to create wealth, store wealth, hoard wealth or like the USA today squander our wealth. For money is just the vessel to use to get through this life to create the opportunities for doing good or harm. Ultimately, it's the heart of the giver that determines the nature and to a lesser degree the results of the gift. Money comes and goes but God's love and purpose for us stands, unbreakable, unwavering and ever loving. So if your altar is colored green, I suggest you tear it down and build one that's made of true gold, repentance, submission, dedication and gratitude. You will be amazed how much easier it gets facing the bill monster each month, however cod liver oil will still taste badly.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Growing Up Don Or Is It Donna?
This morning in the midst of my usual routine of quaffing piping hot java and perusing the world news for the day on my PC, I came across an article that made me wince with anger and shake my head in disappointment. It was about a couple in England who decided they were doing society and families in general a huge favor by conducting a wholly selfish and catastrophically damaging experiment by raising their child to be gender neutral. That's right neither boy nor girl just "it". The child's parents, both women, decided that raising a child with it's natural given sexuality and gender in a traditional manner would be stereotyping the child into accepting norms that would cause it's personality to be malformed. They didn't want to pigeon hole their child to accept gender as a definer of it's personality. That's right folks, I'm not kidding you and we wonder why the apocalypse is upon us! Ok, so back to the absurdity of this situation. They alternated dressing the child into both girls and boys clothes, had it play with gender neutral toys and refused to expose the child to the medium of TV, not necessarily a bad thing, to prevent exposure to male or female role models. One of the parents said that raising the child without stereotypes will allow the personality of the child to fully develop. Develop? Into what? They even said and I am quoting here, "Gender affects what children wear and what they can play with and that shapes the kind of person they become." Really, no kidding! Did it ever occur to these two completely lost and irresponsible individuals the damage they are potentially causing to this innocent child. Not only does the child grow up in a non traditional parental arrangement, but now they want to warp the natural sense of physical and mental as well as emotional growth of this innocent child too. So, if you haven't detected my disgust by now let me add this. By choosing to raise their child gender neutral, without any identity as to it's self worth or sexuality what do you think is going to happen when this child grows up?
Let me enlighten you a bit. And this is not from a PhD in psychology here but an intelligent person, a loving, God fearing and dedicated parent. Confusion, anxiety, lack of self confidence, relationship dysfunction, moody, withdrawn and isolated. Not to mention the dangerous warping of the role that God had intended for them to live by in their life to it's fullest. Why? Why it's all in the name of tolerance and love. Let's raise a generation of ambiguous children and set them upon the world with out any boundaries and role defining values and watch the mayhem begin. It's no wonder that we are in such a downward spiral. We are tearing at the fabric of the one institution under God that set's the standard for all societies lawful and moral restraint and that is the family. Without natural male and female roles to live by, we blur the divine intent of our Heavenly Father and have undermined the foundation of our world. Many sociologists agree that the breakdown of the traditional family is the single greatest cause for the decay in modern Western society today. What these two women are embarking on is nothing short of criminal almost in the sense of child neglect in my view. Some will say my views are narrow minded and obsolete in our modern utopian society called Toleranceville, but the practice of such behavior is wreaking havoc all around us. We serve a God that will not be mocked and set up the Ten Commandments and later on sent His only begotten Son to die for us and pay for our sins. Jesus said in Matthew 18:6, "But whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." I for one will pray for this child and his parents. That's right , it is a he. They had to reveal his gender to the school when their child became to old for them to conceal the sex anymore. Oh, and go figure his name is Sasha. Tick, tock, tick, tock and the clock approaches midnight!
Proverbs 6:20-23
Let me enlighten you a bit. And this is not from a PhD in psychology here but an intelligent person, a loving, God fearing and dedicated parent. Confusion, anxiety, lack of self confidence, relationship dysfunction, moody, withdrawn and isolated. Not to mention the dangerous warping of the role that God had intended for them to live by in their life to it's fullest. Why? Why it's all in the name of tolerance and love. Let's raise a generation of ambiguous children and set them upon the world with out any boundaries and role defining values and watch the mayhem begin. It's no wonder that we are in such a downward spiral. We are tearing at the fabric of the one institution under God that set's the standard for all societies lawful and moral restraint and that is the family. Without natural male and female roles to live by, we blur the divine intent of our Heavenly Father and have undermined the foundation of our world. Many sociologists agree that the breakdown of the traditional family is the single greatest cause for the decay in modern Western society today. What these two women are embarking on is nothing short of criminal almost in the sense of child neglect in my view. Some will say my views are narrow minded and obsolete in our modern utopian society called Toleranceville, but the practice of such behavior is wreaking havoc all around us. We serve a God that will not be mocked and set up the Ten Commandments and later on sent His only begotten Son to die for us and pay for our sins. Jesus said in Matthew 18:6, "But whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." I for one will pray for this child and his parents. That's right , it is a he. They had to reveal his gender to the school when their child became to old for them to conceal the sex anymore. Oh, and go figure his name is Sasha. Tick, tock, tick, tock and the clock approaches midnight!
Proverbs 6:20-23
My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's teaching.
Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way of life.
Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way of life.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
When Life Gives You Lemons, Ask God For More!
Optimism is defined in Merriam-Webster's dictionary as an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. Wow, why even the definition sounds so upbeat and positive! I just love it. But I love the challenge of the application of optimism more. You see it's precisely the remedy for the various maladies of life. It's copious use can greatly alter the situations we are already in or getting into or coming out of and it will greatly determine the path we will travel from that point on. Great you say, sounds good to me! I'll have a double scoop of that. Alrighty then step right up and get your helping. But use caution, as too much optimism may cause excessive jealousy, suspicion, envy and criticism from friends, coworkers and even family. Why would you or I want to bear the scorn of people thinking we are nuts or on drugs because we are so happy and upbeat and positive. Wouldn't it better or easier to blend in with all the other misery loves company crowd? It's like the lone fish that swims upstream against the tide. Just go with flow man, right down the proverbial sewer. Be a lemming! Ok, enough of my parabolic extended prose here let me explain.
These last three years or so my family and I have had a lot of personal testing. From the collapse of my real estate business, to the loss of our home, many possessions and money, the untimely death of my loving dad and just recently the loss of our faithful lab Gideon. We been pushed, pulled, humbled and at times knocked down but never defeated. In the midst of our sorrow we chose to make a whole bunch of lemonade and we've learned to enjoy and share it abundantly. God's recipe for perfect lemonade is just three ingredients. Lemons for the sour or bitter things that life affords sometimes, sugar for sweetness of God's promises to carry us through, and water to flow into us and then through us to share the wonder and power of the overcoming glory that is Jesus Christ For out of every single tear and seemingly inconsolable disappointment came the wonderful grace of God's lemonade, blessing. Blessing because my family and I have chosen to hold on to the hope of the promises of the optimist Himself, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! There are no man made doctrines or laws or governing documents that have ever been produced that give so graciously to the joyful healing of broken people as the testimony, life and ministry of Jesus. Christianity is the only belief system that gives so abundantly with out asking anything to qualify for it in return. Salvation was costly to God but is free to us. It's the greatest gift ever given. The ministry of Jesus established the path for all of us to walk on, His death accomplished the forgiveness and payment of our sins, and His resurrection establishes the hope, glory and everlasting kingdom of joy, peace and happiness that is to come. Or as my Uncle Joe used to say, "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Our world today is in dire shape and needs good news, The Good News. So here's my suggestion to you. Get to know Him who knows you. Read His Word, lean on His promises and accept His gift of salvation. You will find yourself smiling more, loving more and caring more for those around you and you'll be surprised how often you have a pitcher of lemonade in the frig when those that thirst stop by.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
These last three years or so my family and I have had a lot of personal testing. From the collapse of my real estate business, to the loss of our home, many possessions and money, the untimely death of my loving dad and just recently the loss of our faithful lab Gideon. We been pushed, pulled, humbled and at times knocked down but never defeated. In the midst of our sorrow we chose to make a whole bunch of lemonade and we've learned to enjoy and share it abundantly. God's recipe for perfect lemonade is just three ingredients. Lemons for the sour or bitter things that life affords sometimes, sugar for sweetness of God's promises to carry us through, and water to flow into us and then through us to share the wonder and power of the overcoming glory that is Jesus Christ For out of every single tear and seemingly inconsolable disappointment came the wonderful grace of God's lemonade, blessing. Blessing because my family and I have chosen to hold on to the hope of the promises of the optimist Himself, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! There are no man made doctrines or laws or governing documents that have ever been produced that give so graciously to the joyful healing of broken people as the testimony, life and ministry of Jesus. Christianity is the only belief system that gives so abundantly with out asking anything to qualify for it in return. Salvation was costly to God but is free to us. It's the greatest gift ever given. The ministry of Jesus established the path for all of us to walk on, His death accomplished the forgiveness and payment of our sins, and His resurrection establishes the hope, glory and everlasting kingdom of joy, peace and happiness that is to come. Or as my Uncle Joe used to say, "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Our world today is in dire shape and needs good news, The Good News. So here's my suggestion to you. Get to know Him who knows you. Read His Word, lean on His promises and accept His gift of salvation. You will find yourself smiling more, loving more and caring more for those around you and you'll be surprised how often you have a pitcher of lemonade in the frig when those that thirst stop by.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
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