"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Vote.
  
Photo by Those Shirts

ushistory.org Declaration of Independence

Whose Fault Is It?

author unknown

A preacher and an atheist barber were once walking through the city slums. Said the atheist barber to the preacher: "This is why I cannot believe in a God of love. If God was as kind as you say, He would not permit all this poverty, disease, and squalor. He would not allow these poor bums to be addicted to dope and other character-destroying habits. No, I cannot believe in a God who permits these things."

The minister was silent until they met a man who was especially unkempt and filthy. His hair was hanging down his neck and he had a half-inch of stubble on his face. Said the minister, "You cannot be a very good barber or you would not permit a man like that to continue living in this neighborhood without a haircut or a shave."

Indignantly the barber answered: "Why blame me for that man's condition. I cannot help it that he is like that. He has never come in my shop; I could fix him up and make him look like a gentleman!"

Giving the barber a penetrating look, the minister said: "Then do not blame God for allowing these people to continue in their evil ways, when He is constantly inviting them to come and be saved. The reason these people are slaves to sin and evil habits is that they refuse the One who died to save and deliver them."

Who do you feed?

author unknown

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

interesting misquote

"a government big enough to give us everything we want is a government big enough to take from us everything we have.".

This quotation, usually attributed to Thomas Jefferson, is actually by President Gerald R. Ford.

"Let me reaffirm to you today my deep personal conviction that the best way to begin in our efforts is to improve the government we have, not to enlarge it. I do not believe a bigger government is necessarily a better government. May I add this: Please never forget, a government big enough to give us everything we want is a government big enough to take from us everything we have."  ~ President Gerald R. Ford's Remarks at the Annual Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, April 28, 1975

This quotation is sometimes followed by a variation of an actual Jefferson quotation, "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yeild, and government to gain ground.", Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, Paris, May 27, 1788.


Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
The Jefferson Encyclopedia

and we all need to stop "giving power" ...

Islam must turn other cheek

"“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." " ~ Luke 6:27-42

I wonder ...

My youngest daughter and I watched an interesting show yesterday, "30 Days".  The premise of the show is that one person will live someone else's life, walk in their shoes, for 30 days.  The episodes watched yesterday from the first season, concerned a Christan man from Virginia living with a Muslim family in Dearborn, Michigan and a young couple living on minimum wage.

I recommend both episodes, available on Netflix, if you have it.

The episode concerning living as a Muslim was eye opening, to say the least, and should lead to some thoughtful discussion; the episode of living on minimum wage took me back to my first year in Texas and the eerily similar struggles to survive.

Netflix
30 Days

I was intrigued in watching my 11 year old daughter's face  as she watched these two episodes and look forward to the dialogue as we get opportunity to compare the "virtual" display with real time examples of life in America, not always pleasant, not always as black and white as we sometimes paint it to be, and for a great many Americans, a struggle just to survive from day to day..

EMU officials: Change your beliefs or leave the Counseling Program

always another piece of the pie

Muslims toning down Eid festivities in honor of Sept. 11 

Thanks to Kathleen McKinley for pointing out this story on her blog,  Texas Sparkle.

"little pitchers (still) have big ears"

Racy Talk: Kids Are Listening (and Learning)


The following was originally posted on 05/02/09; seems to bear repeating today.


I'm sorry for some of the movies I have let my children watch.  I have spent a lifetime becoming anesthetized to violence and profanity in movies; I can't allow that numbness, however, to color my judgement of the movies I allow my minor children to watch.

But I have.

While condemning others for allowing their children to view movies I don't think are appropriate, I have been guilty of the same behavior; different movies, same lapse in judgment.

Girls, I'm sorry for allowing your minds to take on a perverse edge.  I'm sorry that you have witnessed events on the screen that no child, and few adults, should "enjoy".  I'm sorry for the bad dreams that so often accompanied your sleep.  I'm sorry for disturbing your precious minds.

Rom 1:28-32 "And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know full well God's just sentence--that those who practice such things deserve to die--they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them."

All of these things I have allowed my children to watch from time to time.  All of these things, I have allowed my children to "applaud others who practice them.".

I ask God to forgive me for my sin of accepting a "worthless mind" that does not belong with a follower of the Lord Jesus.  I ask my children for forgiveness in allowing them to be corrupted at my hand.  I ask my wife for forgiveness in leading her astray and in not standing against evil in my home.

I have just read the review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a movie I was looking forward to watching, a sequel to the X-Men movies I have enjoyed.  I had heard a reviewer on the radio the other day compare this movie to the recent Dark Knight, a movie I rented for my daughter,  and was stunned at his comparison of violence and language.  Upon reading his review, I'm no longer ready to watch this new film and am disgusted that I allowed my baby girl to watch the other.  It was not so long ago that I never allowed my girls to watch anything without my wife or I pre-viewing it for them and making a judgement based upon biblical standards.  I can not lay claim to that standard in the recent past.  I have reviewed in my mind some of the movies and shows I have allowed the girls, myself and my wife to watch, and I am ashamed.

I can't erase the scenes played out before my children's eyes or the words spoken into their ears, but I can ask God for His mercy on them and make sure that I do not engage in such unrighteous stupidity in the future.

dodge, duck, parry and heal

I'm reminded of a scene from The Matrix; Neo is being fired upon by his enemy and has learned that he can move at super speed to dodge the bullets as they whiz in his direction.   Most miss him, but one brings him down; just one.  That bullet reminds Neo, that, while he can resist, he is not invulnerable.

Many of us are wrestle with a variety of difficult and challenging areas of our lives, while enjoying freedom and victory in others.  We have learned to deflect, parry, dodge and absorb many of the "bullets" flung in our direction, but occasionally one will bring us down, for a time, "for a season".  Depending on the proximity of that wounding to our "heart", the recovery time may be short or lengthy, and, if we allow it, it can be permanently crippling or even deadly to us.

 "Trust in Jehovah, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness.  Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart.   Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.   And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noon-day.   Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:"  ~ Psalm 37:3-8a

I have wounded people in my days; some have forgiven me, others have not, some use it as a bludgeon against me.  I can not undo my actions, only repent, attempt to reconcile and seek forgiveness.

I have allowed wounds to embitter me and to withhold that same forgiveness for others.  That's the crippling and deadly wound; the wound that alters the course of my demeanor, my heart.  That's the wound that not only hardens me against the person who "flung the bullet", but grows skeptical hardness against innocent bystanders.

And that's the wound that most needs to heal.

"And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"   ~ Luke 23:33-34a

Father, help me to forgive with the same heart that Jesus called upon, Yours.

Heal my wounded heart, Lord, and bring healing to the hearts of those I have wounded.

In Jesus name, I bring this prayer to you.

Amen