Well, the votes are in and it would appear that an enormous monstrosity of a spending bill (AKA the Stimulus Bill, although it has acquired a few unflattering nicknames along the way) was passed by Congress, barely making it through the house (246 out of 216 needed to pass) and passing in the Senate (getting 61 out of 50 votes needed to pass). This is billions of dollars we don't have that will most likely do little to help the people who need it the most.
As I sit back, totally amazed, still recovering from the apparent lack of good judgment on part of a little over half of the American voters in November, echoed now by the same lack of any judgment on the part of many of our elected officials, who rushed this Pork bill through, without even taking the time to study what they were enacting into law. It makes me shudder.... kind of helps me to understand why the Ostrich stuck his head in the sand.
For better or for worse, here it is... we have given Congress and a Spend-happy new President Carte Blanche with our money ... billions of dollars, and this is on top of over 700 Billion they used to 'bail out banks and insurance companies' before Bush left office. Yet I hear even more banks are doomed. Where is this money going? Why is there no accountability? I fear we have just dug ourselves a little deeper into a grave ... a grave from which we may not recover. For those who would be interested in seeing just how their Congressmen/Senators voted, here is a site where you can get some insight ... this is also an excellent resource for keeping an eye on Representatives and Senators who are up for re-election: GovTrack
For those of you who voted for these people and are feeling a bit disillusioned, I heartily recommend that you take this experience and learn from it and take your next vote and use it wisely... become informed on candidates (voting records, what they stand for, etc..) and if they do not have a reputation for representing you and using their congressional or senate vote responsibly, FIRE them. It is time we stopped voting for someone because they were simply Democrat or Republican... we need to really examine these individuals, since we are bestowing upon them a great deal of power... power that will have an impact on our lives and the lives of all of our fellow Americans.
On the flip side of all of this... I cannot leave God out. He is the Great I AM. He is, was, and is to come, and none of this takes Him by surprise. He is also more than able to take care of His own, and I, for one, look to Him to provide, knowing full well that the Government will not.
"Trust in the Lord with all thy strength; lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths". We need to really get to KNOW our God, intimately, and then TRUST Him. He says He will never leave us nor forsake us, even when the world around us makes no sense, and we cannot see His hand in the circumstances of life.
February 14, 2009
February 10, 2009
What is the Answer?
I worked late last night and missed the speech by Barack Obama trying to push 'his' answer to our national woes. I can't help but feel blessed that I missed it, and definitely noticed the 'tweets' on Twitter were really abuzz, reminding me of a swarm of angry hornets. Evidently, something he had said had really set them off. Since I have never been a fan of our new President, I could not imagine what on earth that could have been.... there are so MANY things he says that can set people off.
We all have our favorites that we look to to 'rescue' us from all our problems... some of the GOP favorites are Palin, Jindal, and those like them. I am sensing, however, that no matter how noble, how forthright, and how strong a leader someone is, our 'salvation' is not going to be found in any single person or idea.
Since the dawn of civilization, man is noted for trying to make it on his own... without God. That is exactly what the fall of man was all about in the book of Genesis, when the first man, Adam, decided he wanted to be like God. We all want to be in control, and when we come face to face with the disturbing reality ... there is not much we DO control in this world ...
So, when it comes to trials and tribulations, we are not to look to a man (or woman), no matter how brightly their star seems to be shining. That does not mean we settle for mediocre or outright failures to look to for leadership, but unless that leader is on their knees, seeking wisdom from God, who IS in control, we are all wasting our time.
We all have our favorites that we look to to 'rescue' us from all our problems... some of the GOP favorites are Palin, Jindal, and those like them. I am sensing, however, that no matter how noble, how forthright, and how strong a leader someone is, our 'salvation' is not going to be found in any single person or idea.
Since the dawn of civilization, man is noted for trying to make it on his own... without God. That is exactly what the fall of man was all about in the book of Genesis, when the first man, Adam, decided he wanted to be like God. We all want to be in control, and when we come face to face with the disturbing reality ... there is not much we DO control in this world ...
So, when it comes to trials and tribulations, we are not to look to a man (or woman), no matter how brightly their star seems to be shining. That does not mean we settle for mediocre or outright failures to look to for leadership, but unless that leader is on their knees, seeking wisdom from God, who IS in control, we are all wasting our time.
February 4, 2009
No to Porkulus
As I sit here and reflect on the dire economic status of so many of my fellow Americans, and wonder at the unmitigated gall of Washington to spend billions of dollars we don't have in the guise of bolstering our faltering economy, I wonder if the children in D.C. are as reckless with their own personal checkbooks as they are the public funds to which they have been entrusted.
The new 'Economic Stimulus' package presented by the Democrats in D.C. is one of the most wasteful ideas our elected officials have ever come up with, and they have come up with plenty! It would seem the only way to stop this runaway train headed to a real disaster is to bombard Washington with our objections to this gross irresponsible mishandling of public funds.
The following is a link to a site for more info on how to protest this insanity. This needs to stop now... our politicians need to start really representing the better interests of this country, and I can't think of a better time to start holding them accountable.
NoPorkulus
Govtrack.us
Writerep.gov
The new 'Economic Stimulus' package presented by the Democrats in D.C. is one of the most wasteful ideas our elected officials have ever come up with, and they have come up with plenty! It would seem the only way to stop this runaway train headed to a real disaster is to bombard Washington with our objections to this gross irresponsible mishandling of public funds.
The following is a link to a site for more info on how to protest this insanity. This needs to stop now... our politicians need to start really representing the better interests of this country, and I can't think of a better time to start holding them accountable.
NoPorkulus
Govtrack.us
Writerep.gov
February 2, 2009
Guerilla Consumerism
Many of us (yes, almost half of American voters) were suspicious, upset, and even angry over the recent election. Conservative blogs and social networks have sprung up all over and are still growing in number and strength. The magnitude of the unrest and frustration also seems to be growing with every passing day under our new free spending leadership in D.C. Therefore, I am using this post to pass along an idea referred to as Guerrilla Consumerism ...
I cannot take credit for the idea suggested in this post... It is the brainstorm of an obviously unhappy Montana voter. The following is an email submitted to http://www.womenforsarahpalin.net and I asked permission to pass it along, as I wanted to give as many frustrated Americans an opportunity to take advantage of a good idea. So I am presenting his email in its entirety. Here it is ...
Subject: Guerilla Consumerism...
This is a good idea.
I am not happy about the outcome of this recent election. My wife wisely tells me that I need to get over it and that if I don't like it, to do something about it. So I'm exercising my right to free speech (while I still can) to tell you how I plan to "redistribute" my hard earned dollars.
We live in a small town and do a lot of shopping either by mail order catalogs or by internet. Today I emptied a stack of catalogs out of the mailbox and later happened to be looking at Fox News website. There is an interactive map ( http://elections.foxnews.com/states_map/index.html ) that shows how the election turned out in the United States. All the states are either blue for democrat or red for Republican. By clicking on a state you can see how the counties in each state voted. By entering a zip code you can see how that area voted.
Out of curiosity I entered a zip code off the back of a catalog. Blue state, blue county - into the trash it went. Hmmm.I may be onto something here. I'm choosing to spend my money in the areas of the country that didn't vote for socialism, redistribution of wealth, erosion of civil rights and tossing out the Constitution of the United States of America.
Examples:
I need a new coat:
LL Bean - Freeport, ME (blue county in a blue state - trash)
Cabelas - Sidney, NE (red county in a red state)
My favorite microbrewery is New Belgium in Ft Collins, CO (blue county in a blue state) but I also like Shiner in Shiner, TX (red county in a red state).
My daughter is having a birthday and Christmas is coming up: I have toy catalogs from VA (blue), MO (mostly red but still counting), MA (blue), VA (blue) & TX (Red). Howdy y'all!
Vacations: Colorado and New Mexico are out for weekend trips. Maybe we'll check out Oklahoma this next year. I was planning on taking my family to
Disney World in Dec 2009. (Orlando, FL - blue county in a blue state) I'll have to weigh my values against the promise I've made to my daughter here..maybe I can talk her into Six Flags Over Texas.
Movies and the liberal media? Don't get me started.
Obama had the largest political donations EVER. He has not published his donor list (or birth certificate, resume, college transcripts, bar exam.) but, Liberals gave him that money. I found a searchable website that gives names, amounts and to which party the donation was made. http://www.newsmeat.com/And another site is http://www.followthemoney.org/index.phtmlBe informed.
If I buy something from a liberal, some of that money may go to Obama 2012, the DNC, the PLO, ACORN, the Karl Marx Appreciation Society or any other bunch of left wing boneheads. If I buy from conservatives maybe the GOP or the NRA get some money.
My guess is that conservatives have more disposable income than the college kids and the unemployed that elected him. But probably not as much as Oprah. I'm just one guy and my small amount of cash doesn't mean much. Together we can make a difference.
Be sure to let those blue companies know why they aren't getting your business or they'll blame their economic down turn on President Bush. I'm still buying from Americans. I'm just choosing which Americans to buy from now.
If you agree with me, pass it on. If you don't agree, come up with a better idea and pass that on.
God bless America!
I cannot take credit for the idea suggested in this post... It is the brainstorm of an obviously unhappy Montana voter. The following is an email submitted to http://www.womenforsarahpalin.net and I asked permission to pass it along, as I wanted to give as many frustrated Americans an opportunity to take advantage of a good idea. So I am presenting his email in its entirety. Here it is ...
Subject: Guerilla Consumerism...
This is a good idea.
I am not happy about the outcome of this recent election. My wife wisely tells me that I need to get over it and that if I don't like it, to do something about it. So I'm exercising my right to free speech (while I still can) to tell you how I plan to "redistribute" my hard earned dollars.
We live in a small town and do a lot of shopping either by mail order catalogs or by internet. Today I emptied a stack of catalogs out of the mailbox and later happened to be looking at Fox News website. There is an interactive map (
Out of curiosity I entered a zip code off the back of a catalog. Blue state, blue county - into the trash it went. Hmmm.I may be onto something here. I'm choosing to spend my money in the areas of the country that didn't vote for socialism, redistribution of wealth, erosion of civil rights and tossing out the Constitution of the United States of America.
Examples:
I need a new coat:
LL Bean - Freeport, ME (blue county in a blue state - trash)
Cabelas - Sidney, NE (red county in a red state)
My favorite microbrewery is New Belgium in Ft Collins, CO (blue county in a blue state) but I also like Shiner in Shiner, TX (red county in a red state).
My daughter is having a birthday and Christmas is coming up: I have toy catalogs from VA (blue), MO (mostly red but still counting), MA (blue), VA (blue) & TX (Red). Howdy y'all!
Vacations: Colorado and New Mexico are out for weekend trips. Maybe we'll check out Oklahoma this next year. I was planning on taking my family to
Disney World in Dec 2009. (Orlando, FL - blue county in a blue state) I'll have to weigh my values against the promise I've made to my daughter here..maybe I can talk her into Six Flags Over Texas.
Movies and the liberal media? Don't get me started.
Obama had the largest political donations EVER. He has not published his donor list (or birth certificate, resume, college transcripts, bar exam.) but, Liberals gave him that money. I found a searchable website that gives names, amounts and to which party the donation was made. http://www.newsmeat.com/And another site is http://www.followthemoney.org/index.phtmlBe informed.
If I buy something from a liberal, some of that money may go to Obama 2012, the DNC, the PLO, ACORN, the Karl Marx Appreciation Society or any other bunch of left wing boneheads. If I buy from conservatives maybe the GOP or the NRA get some money.
My guess is that conservatives have more disposable income than the college kids and the unemployed that elected him. But probably not as much as Oprah. I'm just one guy and my small amount of cash doesn't mean much. Together we can make a difference.
Be sure to let those blue companies know why they aren't getting your business or they'll blame their economic down turn on President Bush. I'm still buying from Americans. I'm just choosing which Americans to buy from now.
If you agree with me, pass it on. If you don't agree, come up with a better idea and pass that on.
God bless America!
January 31, 2009
NO I don't want to come in
Tag loves the outdoors and this little guy (although not really so little) is still a pup, but probably weighs in at around 75-85 pounds right now. He and his brother, Rowdy (not shown) were dumped off here last summer and have given me new challenges, companionship, frustration, and entertainment... not to mention lots of love. This was taken when I asked him if he wanted to come in ... it has been very cold here ... but I got his usual 'look over the shoulder' instead of coming in.
Another long cold winter day
Another long, cold, winter day. It is registering 1 degree right now and I can't help but wonder when this interminable bitter spell is going to break. The winter season has been a long and cruel one this year. The horses don't seem to mind it ... they have weathered the bitter cold temps pretty well. I wish I wasn't as big of a cold weather wimp as I am ... I haven't been spending a lot of time with them... too cold out there.
Since we are now heading into February, it is time to start thinking about Spring ... with the grass, birds singing, warmer weather and flies. I was looking at some material the other day for ordering fly predators. I used them last year and think they helped, but still had some hanging around.
Since we are now heading into February, it is time to start thinking about Spring ... with the grass, birds singing, warmer weather and flies. I was looking at some material the other day for ordering fly predators. I used them last year and think they helped, but still had some hanging around.
January 27, 2009
Out of Reality
It is the start of a new day, and I have already heard the news that our Senate has confirmed a known tax cheat to an obviously important post in our Federal Government Along with the updates on our Government's 'stimulus package' to try and kick start the economy, it gives me cause to wonder if these people have lost all touch with reality. From some of the comments and reactions from the general public, it would seem that they have more common sense than our elected officials.
The government has spiraled out of control, leaving most of us feeling like we are caught in a huge dark whirlpool of events dragging us down and no way out. By 'out of control', I am suggesting that most of the people in D.C. are not paying the slightest bit of attention to their constituents, and whether this is being driven by power trips, egos, and/or financial gain by pandering to special interest groups, that leaves the average American taxpayer with nothing but the sensation that he is bearing the burden of Washington's blunders while they enjoy a free-for-all ... taking our money and wasting it on garbage that has nothing to do with the benefit of our nation.
My reaction to the confirmation of Geithner was disgust and more anger ... anger at an obviously corrupt system that desperately needs to be trimmed ... firstly of all the politicians that contribute to the problem or even allow this kind of nonsense to go on. Compounded by the massive wasteful spending package they are currently proposing, especially in light of the current economic crisis, the situation is mind boggling. I can't even imagine the catastrophic repercussions of this kind of irresponsible legislation. And we can look forward to at least two, possibly four, more years of the same, if we last that long.
The next election is in two years ... I strongly urge any caring American to begin paying attention to the voting record of his/her congressmen and senators. Contact them regarding your concerns and make note of their responses. Regardless of their party affiliation, if they do not truly represent you, or want to continue voting irresponsibly on issues, then it is time to fire them and get someone else in who WILL listen. To make it a little easier, I am including a link to a web site where you can keep an eye on your senators. I have a link to it on my desktop and plan on using it often ... check it out:
http://www.senate.gov/index.htm
The government has spiraled out of control, leaving most of us feeling like we are caught in a huge dark whirlpool of events dragging us down and no way out. By 'out of control', I am suggesting that most of the people in D.C. are not paying the slightest bit of attention to their constituents, and whether this is being driven by power trips, egos, and/or financial gain by pandering to special interest groups, that leaves the average American taxpayer with nothing but the sensation that he is bearing the burden of Washington's blunders while they enjoy a free-for-all ... taking our money and wasting it on garbage that has nothing to do with the benefit of our nation.
My reaction to the confirmation of Geithner was disgust and more anger ... anger at an obviously corrupt system that desperately needs to be trimmed ... firstly of all the politicians that contribute to the problem or even allow this kind of nonsense to go on. Compounded by the massive wasteful spending package they are currently proposing, especially in light of the current economic crisis, the situation is mind boggling. I can't even imagine the catastrophic repercussions of this kind of irresponsible legislation. And we can look forward to at least two, possibly four, more years of the same, if we last that long.
The next election is in two years ... I strongly urge any caring American to begin paying attention to the voting record of his/her congressmen and senators. Contact them regarding your concerns and make note of their responses. Regardless of their party affiliation, if they do not truly represent you, or want to continue voting irresponsibly on issues, then it is time to fire them and get someone else in who WILL listen. To make it a little easier, I am including a link to a web site where you can keep an eye on your senators. I have a link to it on my desktop and plan on using it often ... check it out:
http://www.senate.gov/index.htm
January 24, 2009
Hardened Hearts
I have just recently begun incorporating into my daily routine a daily bible reading from BibleGateway.com I can't help but find it ironic that I just happened to land in the book of Exodus, where God has instructed Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. As I have been reading along, I first noticed that Moses was God's classic reluctant servant, but he did end up doing what God told him. One of the most intriguing things I have noticed in these chapters, however, is that, after sending Moses back to Egypt, God repeatedly hardens Pharaoh's heart through all of the plagues and wonders until after the final one (it took 10 total), where he loses his firstborn son, as does anyone in the land whose doorpost is not covered with the blood of a sacrificial unblemished lamb (a type of Christ).
As I read through, the troubling facts are there, stated over and over again ... God tells Moses that HE has hardened Pharaoh's heart and so he won't let the people go. Since God is the One who sent Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt in the first place, this does not make any sense. He seems to defeat His own purpose by repeatedly hardening the heart of Pharaoh Himself, putting Moses, the Israelites, Pharaoh, and the inhabitants of Egypt through much testing, although I should mention here that the ordeals the Israelis suffered were at the hands of Pharaoh, not God.
The irony comes in when I look at the condition our country is in today, a nation that was founded by men who loved God and dedicated this land to Him, and can't help but draw a parallel to the situation in Exodus. Then, I wonder how we ever fell so far. There are exceptions, to be sure, but for the most part, our leadership, and I use the term loosely, is arrogant, self-exalting, and in disarray ... many of our senators and congressmen, who represent themselves more than they do their constituents, should be in prison for their corrupt and sometimes outright criminal actions. Often, it is due to the fact that many uninformed, gullible, and sometimes apathetic people keep voting them back into office, expecting the government to take away all their problems, when in fact, it is responsible for creating a good many of them. It is in this state of human pride and foolish attempts to remove God from our lives, bowing down to our own idols, that we stand facing some of the most critical days of our lives.... dangerous days.
The American family is struggling for survival, millions of innocent unborns are murdered daily via the self-centered ideology of 'freedom of choice', Anti-God legislation and rules dictated by humanistic forces are finding their way into our society, and as I have been reading through Exodus, I can't help but wonder who (or what) has hardened our hearts. Has God had a hand in this as in the days of Pharaoh, or have we just hardened our own hearts in defiance and arrogant independence from Him? In either case, we are in for a rough time ahead ... I don't know about the blood, fleas, locusts, frogs, and other plagues that God brought upon Egypt, but He does not seem to lack for imagination, and there are so many ways He can get our attention. 9/11 has been all but forgotten by a good many Americans, and yet it was a day that changed our lives forever ... so what WILL it take for this nation to stop treading the path of self-destruction and turn to God in true repentance?
Why did God continually harden Pharaoh's heart when it seemed contrary to His purpose? From the way Exodus reads, it actually wasn't. The human heart is proud and easily swayed. Human arrogance and tendency to exalt self against God boast themselves not only in Pharaoh's day, but in ours. My example of 9/11 points out just how fickle we really are ... and how easily we forget. Coast to coast, our nation wept and prayed right after that fateful day. Within 6 months, however, our leadership was back to bickering like a bunch of school kids and anti-Christian sentiment was once again rearing its ugly head. Did God know Pharaoh's heart would be so quick to forget ... or that we would?
We are in a precarious situation with our current President, who, for the most part, supports policies that are in direct contradiction with the Bible. He seems to be dangerously close to stepping over, if he has not already, the line. I do not know his heart ... only God does. I can only hope he is not as arrogant as he presents himself to be and that he does not dare to allow himself to be convinced by all his adoring fans that he is something he is not ... he is not our Savior ... he is an elected official. He is not the Messiah ... he is a mortal man. Without God, he can do nothing. God says He will share His glory with NO other. The mindless deifying of this man by millions has been, at least to me, even more alarming than any arrogance he may portray. If these people are knowingly (or even unwittingly) elevating a mere man to God-like status, then we are dealing with mass idolatry ... something that God can hardly bless ... and we really need His blessing now.
I wonder ... the hardening of America's heart ... is it of God, just as he hardened Pharaoh's hearts ... does He deem it necessary for us to suffer through numerous plagues before we bow before Him, or are we guilty of hardening our own hearts? We are warned of the dangers of hardening our hearts in the Bible .... once in the book of Psalms (95:8) and three times in the book of Hebrews (chapters 3 & 4). It also tells us to exhorts each other daily, lest we are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Whether it is God's doing or our own, what will it take for God to show Himself God ... not only of this nation, but of the world. He WILL show Himself as God. The Bible says "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess ... that Jesus is Lord, to the Glory of God, the Father".
As I read through, the troubling facts are there, stated over and over again ... God tells Moses that HE has hardened Pharaoh's heart and so he won't let the people go. Since God is the One who sent Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt in the first place, this does not make any sense. He seems to defeat His own purpose by repeatedly hardening the heart of Pharaoh Himself, putting Moses, the Israelites, Pharaoh, and the inhabitants of Egypt through much testing, although I should mention here that the ordeals the Israelis suffered were at the hands of Pharaoh, not God.
The irony comes in when I look at the condition our country is in today, a nation that was founded by men who loved God and dedicated this land to Him, and can't help but draw a parallel to the situation in Exodus. Then, I wonder how we ever fell so far. There are exceptions, to be sure, but for the most part, our leadership, and I use the term loosely, is arrogant, self-exalting, and in disarray ... many of our senators and congressmen, who represent themselves more than they do their constituents, should be in prison for their corrupt and sometimes outright criminal actions. Often, it is due to the fact that many uninformed, gullible, and sometimes apathetic people keep voting them back into office, expecting the government to take away all their problems, when in fact, it is responsible for creating a good many of them. It is in this state of human pride and foolish attempts to remove God from our lives, bowing down to our own idols, that we stand facing some of the most critical days of our lives.... dangerous days.
The American family is struggling for survival, millions of innocent unborns are murdered daily via the self-centered ideology of 'freedom of choice', Anti-God legislation and rules dictated by humanistic forces are finding their way into our society, and as I have been reading through Exodus, I can't help but wonder who (or what) has hardened our hearts. Has God had a hand in this as in the days of Pharaoh, or have we just hardened our own hearts in defiance and arrogant independence from Him? In either case, we are in for a rough time ahead ... I don't know about the blood, fleas, locusts, frogs, and other plagues that God brought upon Egypt, but He does not seem to lack for imagination, and there are so many ways He can get our attention. 9/11 has been all but forgotten by a good many Americans, and yet it was a day that changed our lives forever ... so what WILL it take for this nation to stop treading the path of self-destruction and turn to God in true repentance?
Why did God continually harden Pharaoh's heart when it seemed contrary to His purpose? From the way Exodus reads, it actually wasn't. The human heart is proud and easily swayed. Human arrogance and tendency to exalt self against God boast themselves not only in Pharaoh's day, but in ours. My example of 9/11 points out just how fickle we really are ... and how easily we forget. Coast to coast, our nation wept and prayed right after that fateful day. Within 6 months, however, our leadership was back to bickering like a bunch of school kids and anti-Christian sentiment was once again rearing its ugly head. Did God know Pharaoh's heart would be so quick to forget ... or that we would?
We are in a precarious situation with our current President, who, for the most part, supports policies that are in direct contradiction with the Bible. He seems to be dangerously close to stepping over, if he has not already, the line. I do not know his heart ... only God does. I can only hope he is not as arrogant as he presents himself to be and that he does not dare to allow himself to be convinced by all his adoring fans that he is something he is not ... he is not our Savior ... he is an elected official. He is not the Messiah ... he is a mortal man. Without God, he can do nothing. God says He will share His glory with NO other. The mindless deifying of this man by millions has been, at least to me, even more alarming than any arrogance he may portray. If these people are knowingly (or even unwittingly) elevating a mere man to God-like status, then we are dealing with mass idolatry ... something that God can hardly bless ... and we really need His blessing now.
I wonder ... the hardening of America's heart ... is it of God, just as he hardened Pharaoh's hearts ... does He deem it necessary for us to suffer through numerous plagues before we bow before Him, or are we guilty of hardening our own hearts? We are warned of the dangers of hardening our hearts in the Bible .... once in the book of Psalms (95:8) and three times in the book of Hebrews (chapters 3 & 4). It also tells us to exhorts each other daily, lest we are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Whether it is God's doing or our own, what will it take for God to show Himself God ... not only of this nation, but of the world. He WILL show Himself as God. The Bible says "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess ... that Jesus is Lord, to the Glory of God, the Father".
An Introduction
I am not into New Years resolutions, but this year, one of my goals is to draw in closer to God. It is not a resolution per se, but rather have been drawn into it by a rather unique set of circumstances along with my feeble attempts to understand what is going on around us in an increasingly frightening world.
I have been a born again, Spirit filled, Christian, for several years, and, in my walk with Jesus, have struggled through the dry deserts as well as rejoiced in the high places. I have wrestled with my doubts, anger and disappointment with God after going through a traumatic divorce, never letting go, but wondering at times what was I holding on to. The important thing is that I realized, beneath all my emotional fluff, that Jesus never let ME go.
As I begin this new venture, I want to admit I do not have all the answers ... far from. Nor do I think my opinion is the only one of value ... it is not. I love engaging in intelligent debate or discourse, but quickly withdraw when it degrades to name-calling or foul-mouthed attacks. There is no sense in it. Blogging has never really appealed to me, either, but maybe it was a need to 'vent' a little, or just do some journaling to help me sort out my thoughts, and in this case, share them with you ... in any case, here they are....
Just before the New Year, one of my customers, bless her heart, gave me a copy of a book "The Shack", authored by Wm. Young, which I found myself absorbed in and ended up bringing in the New Year reading in its entirety. The impact of the book was not necessarily earth shattering, but yet, haunting. I will not give away the details, but let it suffice to say that it addresses many questions and deep seated issues we have with God. In some ways, it answers them, but in others, we are left with more questions... at least I was. Even now, almost a month after the read, some parts of what I read come back to visit, and make me wonder ... and smile.
In light of our recent election, which was a cliff hanger for everyone, I have also found myself drawn into a more activist position. I have always loathed politics ... seen it as a very dirty business, and would involve myself to the extent of educating myself to candidates prior to elections, and contacting them if something came up to let them know my views. After receiving several 'form letters', as replies, I began to wonder if this was a waste of time. Maybe lobbyists are the only ones politicians listen to, I don't know, but I do know that, if our country is to survive, that would need to change.
I am a conservative ... therefore, I cannot take credit for the man who currently resides as our President. I have serious concerns about him ... right down to his eligibility to serve as our hallowed leader ... and I can see that there are millions of Americans who share those same concerns.... in some cases, coupled with a lot of anger. Whether that concern and/or anger is justified or not, I think it is important that our leaders, on whatever level of government, do not ignore this. Obama and his cohorts did not get swept into office by a landslide vote ... it was far from a public mandate ... it was a marginal win and that is important for those in power to keep in mind.
On closing ... the idol worship of one man who has promised the moon to the citizens of the U.S. is even more frightening than the man himself. He is only a man. He is not God. Those who have given up on God have given up on the One who truly can give them the hope they are so desperately searching for. It is my hope and prayer for Obama that God will visit him, and give him the wisdom it is going to take to lead this country in the coming days.
I have been a born again, Spirit filled, Christian, for several years, and, in my walk with Jesus, have struggled through the dry deserts as well as rejoiced in the high places. I have wrestled with my doubts, anger and disappointment with God after going through a traumatic divorce, never letting go, but wondering at times what was I holding on to. The important thing is that I realized, beneath all my emotional fluff, that Jesus never let ME go.
As I begin this new venture, I want to admit I do not have all the answers ... far from. Nor do I think my opinion is the only one of value ... it is not. I love engaging in intelligent debate or discourse, but quickly withdraw when it degrades to name-calling or foul-mouthed attacks. There is no sense in it. Blogging has never really appealed to me, either, but maybe it was a need to 'vent' a little, or just do some journaling to help me sort out my thoughts, and in this case, share them with you ... in any case, here they are....
Just before the New Year, one of my customers, bless her heart, gave me a copy of a book "The Shack", authored by Wm. Young, which I found myself absorbed in and ended up bringing in the New Year reading in its entirety. The impact of the book was not necessarily earth shattering, but yet, haunting. I will not give away the details, but let it suffice to say that it addresses many questions and deep seated issues we have with God. In some ways, it answers them, but in others, we are left with more questions... at least I was. Even now, almost a month after the read, some parts of what I read come back to visit, and make me wonder ... and smile.
In light of our recent election, which was a cliff hanger for everyone, I have also found myself drawn into a more activist position. I have always loathed politics ... seen it as a very dirty business, and would involve myself to the extent of educating myself to candidates prior to elections, and contacting them if something came up to let them know my views. After receiving several 'form letters', as replies, I began to wonder if this was a waste of time. Maybe lobbyists are the only ones politicians listen to, I don't know, but I do know that, if our country is to survive, that would need to change.
I am a conservative ... therefore, I cannot take credit for the man who currently resides as our President. I have serious concerns about him ... right down to his eligibility to serve as our hallowed leader ... and I can see that there are millions of Americans who share those same concerns.... in some cases, coupled with a lot of anger. Whether that concern and/or anger is justified or not, I think it is important that our leaders, on whatever level of government, do not ignore this. Obama and his cohorts did not get swept into office by a landslide vote ... it was far from a public mandate ... it was a marginal win and that is important for those in power to keep in mind.
On closing ... the idol worship of one man who has promised the moon to the citizens of the U.S. is even more frightening than the man himself. He is only a man. He is not God. Those who have given up on God have given up on the One who truly can give them the hope they are so desperately searching for. It is my hope and prayer for Obama that God will visit him, and give him the wisdom it is going to take to lead this country in the coming days.
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