Resentment . . .

One thing that I have realized about myself is my tendency to hold grudges and to be resentful to people.

I could list names, but as this is the internet, I don't want to air my "dirty laundry".

But I've also realized that these resentments are unhealthy for my relationships.

We become resentful for many reasons.

Perhaps our husbands have wronged us in some way.

Maybe we have a child with special needs.

Perhaps a psycho-ex that's hovering in your life for one reason or another.

Maybe we were abused by someone we cared about and trusted.

Whatever the reason for our resentment, it's important for us to learn to let it go.

The bible tells us in Hebrews 12:14-15:

"Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; looking diligently lest any man fall from the Grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby made defiled" (KJV)

Letting go of our bitterness and our resentments will bring us closer to God.

We cannot possibly fill ourselves with the beautiful light and love of God if we are filled with the ugly darkness of hatred.

This fact is something that I struggle with daily.

Jesus tells us that we we are wronged we should 

"turn the other cheek" 

(Matthew 5:39)

 and that we should forgive others 

"seventy times seven" 

times over 

(Matthew 18:22). 

And he also tells us to

 "love one another as I have loved you" 

(John 13:34).

It's hard to let go.

It's hard to forgive.

It's hard to forget.

But there is one thing to think about when we feel the ugly green bitterness rising up within us to consume our hearts:

Jesus loved us so much that he died for us.

God loves us so much that he will forgive ANY sin of us.

Now I know, we're not Christ. And we're not God. But it's good to remember these things as we struggle so that we can remember just how insignificant our "issues" are in the larger scheme of things. 

One day, not one iota of these problems will remain.

They won't matter. 

They won't even exist.

If God can forgive us our sins,

Shouldn't we take a moment to try to forgive others?

Blessings,

He's Alive!

Easter Story.
Adapted from Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20-21.
© Copyright Jennifer June DeMoss, 2011

Mary, still aching from the loss of her friend, went to the tomb with some other women to anoint Jesus' body. It was a custom then to do so, and to pray over it and wrap it. As they walked to the simple hole in the side of the mountain they were all surprised to see the stone that had covered it to keep the animals and bugs out had been removed. Mary was a little petered at this - it was a sign of disrespect to leave a tomb unopened. She saw the gardener standing with his back turned, so she walked up to him, with the full intent of griping at him for such a mistake.

"Why is this tomb open?" She demanded. She then turned to look inside to check on Jesus' body, but it was empty. Angry and upset she returned outside to find her companions staring in awe at something behind her. She turned and shock filled her body. There, atop the stone, sat a man all in white. He was smiling joyously and had an ethereal glow about him. "Why are you looking for someone that's not there! Jesus isn't in that tomb, HE HAS RISEN!"

Mary and the others turned to return to the base camp. Faster than she, the other women went ahead. Mary weakened and collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
"Woman," sad a voice with a familiar kindness and love, "Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

Mary looked up and her heart soared with joy and love as she saw the man standing before her. How was it possible? Through some wonderful miracle of the Lord, Jesus was standing right in front of her. He gently touched her cheek, and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face in rivers. "Mary . . ." he whispered.

"Rabboni . . ." Mary managed to choke out.

"Mary, let me go. I still have to return to the Father. Go tell our brothers that you have seen me and that I am returning to God."

Mary kissed the ground at his feet. She didn't want to leave, she wanted to hold on for dear life. But she knew that He was right. She turned to return to the inn where they were staying.

"I have seen Him," She said breathlessly as she ran into the meeting room. "He's alive. He's risen again!" The men stared at her - she obviously had had a little too much wine.

"Who are you talking about, Mary?" Peter asked.

"Jesus!!"

Then men all stared at her, mouths open. Thomas' face betrayed his thoughts - he thought she was a loon.
But Peter got up, placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Mary, are you sure?" Mary nodded. Without hesitating, Peter ran out the door.

Thomas got tired of waiting, and left the room. A while later,Peter returned, holding some of the burial cloth in his hand. "He wasn't there . . ." he said, sadly. "He just . . . wasn't there."

Then a voice sudden said, "Peace be with you!" The room fell silent. All eyes were on the man that had just appeared in the room. "The father has sent me, now I am sending you." He touched each of their heads and breathed on them. "Receive the Holy Spirit. Forgive others of their sins" he commanded. Then he left.

Soon after, Thomas returned. They told him what had happened. He thought everyone must have gotten into whatever wine Mary'd been drinking.  "Unless he appears to me right now and shows me the marks in his hands and the wound in his side, I will not believe it."

A week later, the men were sitting down to dinner. Then, as before, a familiar voice said, "Peace be with you!" He looked at Thomas. "Hello Thomas." Thomas could barely stammer out a "hello". "Here," Jesus said. "Touch the wounds. Put your fingers here, in the hole. Here, put your hand in my side." He took Thomas' head in his hands and turned it up to face him. "Stop doubting, Thomas. BELIEVE."

Thomas wrapped his arms around his friend in a sobbing embrace. He was embarrassed to have doubted the truth. "My Lord and my God" he exclaimed.

Jesus stayed with the men for some time, teaching them how to run the church now that he was no longer going to be able to. He told them to go and tell the world what they had witnessed. Then, one day, he turned to them all. He blessed them. And then the men witnessed Jesus being taken into heaven by the Lord.

"His return is very soon, and so you better be believin' that our God is an AWESOME God . . ."
- Rich Mullins

Good Friday . . .

Today is the day that our Savior took away our sins.
A friend posted on Facebook that he recently watched The Passion of the Christ again, a movie that I would actually like to watch again myself.
But it reminds me of something that breaks my heart and lifts my soul with joy all at once.
HE died for ME.
ME - who is completely unworthy of salvation.
ME - who spent much of my early adulthood denying His existance
ME - who is a sinner through and through

A few years ago I went with my church's youth group to church camp. At the end of camp we had a walk through, where I'd lead the kids through a maze of dark rooms. In each of the rooms, there are sounds, smells, flooring, even tactile items to make it seem that you are there listening and experiencing the last few days of Christ's life on Earth. You experience the last supper, the arrest, and the trial. But the one thing that got every child in that entire camp, the one thing that affected ME more than anything, was the death. In a dark room you only hear three things. First, the crack of a whip, over and over. Then, the sound of nails being driven into a piece of wood. Finally a man cries out in Aramaic: "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"


Even now this simple scene gives me chills.


Jesus knew what he was on Earth for. It wasn't as though he WANTED this to happen to him - on the contrary, he asked God many times to save him from this deed. But he knew that God's will must be fulfilled, and HE was God's will.


So he took it. Every lash of the whip. Every drop of saliva that the soldiers spit on him. Every drop of sour wine they shoved into his face to drink. Every pound of the hammer. And every. single. nail.


He didn't see our faults. He didn't see our sin. All He saw was God's will and His love for us. For ALL of us. He wanted us to have salvation, weather we wanted it or not. His undying love and grace and mercy saved us all  from an eternity without Him.


We are filthy. All He sees is clean. We are ugly. All He sees is beauty. We are unworthy. All He sees is worth.


There is a song that I am reminded of right now by Nichole Nordeman called "Anyway". There is a line that goes:


"You called me beautiful when you saw my shame, and you placed me on the wall anyway . . ."


God sees our beauty and our worth. He knows our needs and fulfills them.
Almost 1000 years ago He fulfilled our need for salvation by sacrificing His own.
God Bless you all.

Be Blessed

One of my biggest downfalls is that I try to do everything myself. And I do mean everything. From cooking to cleaning to child rearing to school (I finish my BA in May). It is VERY rare that I ever ask for help or that I even ACCEPT help. This kind of irritates some of the most important people in my life - namely my husband. So it is something that I've been working on. When we try to do it all ourselves, this can be harmful to us in so many ways. We get stressed, we get exhausted, we get depressed, and often these things make us sick - literally - with an array of different physical problems.  Sometimes it's important to ask for help.


As it is in our earthly lives, so it applies in our spiritual lives. I personally  find it hard to stop and ask God for help, and then ALLOW him to help. As a result, I am not ALLOWING his blessings to flow. Because of this, I am stressed, exhausted, depressed, and have been sick - both in the physical and the spiritual sense.


Yesterday, God gave me another one of His "kicks in the butt" as I like to call them. I wasn't allowing Him to take control, so He forced it upon me in a blessing that I did not expect. At first I was angry - why did this person do this when I didn't even ask for or need the help. Then, I prayed about it. And I realized that God touched this person's heart on my behalf. He told them that I needed something. They rose up and answered the call, and I am so glad they did. 


It has taught me that I need to allow God to take control in my life and I need to ALLOW the BLESSINGS to happen instead of trying to take control myself. I need to stop and ASK for help. As my anonymous (to you all) person told me in a message "The opposite of pride is the virtue humility - and we grow when we humble ourselves to ask for help. So, know that we would never judge you . . . but would be more than willing to answer the call."  This touched me in a way that I never imagined. You see, this person - who has been a blessing in my life for more years than I care to mention - never fails to send me just the right message when I need it. God has a way of getting to me through them.


God loves it when we stop and say "I can't do this". Maybe He's a bit of a control freak, in fact. But I, for one, am so glad he is. Because only when we stop and say "I need you, Lord" can our relationships with him grow.


God's blessings to each of you!  

Sunday Scripture . . . The Book of Isaiah

For the last couple of days, I have been reading Isaiah in my daily bible reading. I know that many people think that with it being the Christmas season, I might want to be in John, or Mark or Luke, reading about Elizabeth and Mary and the angels that spoke to them. But no, Isaiah is really the place to be.

There is no other book in the Old Testament that has as many prophecies about the coming of the Christ child than Isaiah:

7:14 (NIV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

9:1(NIV) Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan

9:6 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

53:5 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 

53:9 (NIV) He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

53:12 (NIV) Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

These are just a few of the dozens of prophecies about Christ in Isaiah. Why is this important?

Through Isaiah (and other prophets), God was preparing the Way for Salvation. God realized that humankind was incapable of salvation on their own, so he made the choice to intercede on our behalf. God came to earth, first as a child, then as a man, with the sole purpose of sacrificing himself for the good of all man. 

How much must he love us to do this? I am so humbled to think about it. 

I encourage anyone that reads this blog today to peek into the book of Isaiah and see what I'm talking about. Throughout the book, Isaiah is admonishing the Israelites, but in the midst of the scolding there is a message of love, hope, and salvation.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

God bless you all!

She's Baaaaa-aaaack!! Back with a message!

Wow, it seems like forever since I've been writing. I've missed it tremendously. Between schoolwork, moving, cleaning, family raising, etc, it just seems I didn't have the time anymore! But I have made a vow that I will MAKE the time - at least once a week - to sit down and blog. Why? Because I miss it, and I miss my followers (most of whom I follow back!).

We've moved! We left our rent house (which we pretty much hated) and moved into a nice 120 (almost) year old home. There is a lot of history in this house, from a lot of families. Most recently, my husband's family. His grandparents bought this house in the 70's and it's been in the family ever since. We are blessed to be here - rent-free - and we believe the utilities will be a lot lower as well. Those two blessings will enable us to repair our credit and save up some money. It will be nice to be debt free.

Christmas is coming - YEA! I love this time of year. I'll love it even more when we get the Christmas decorations up. The music, the decor, the movies . . . the COOKIES! I have made a promise to myself (and my kids) that I will try MANY different cookie recipes this year. Of course I've already made a batch of my I-wish-they-were-famous chocolate chip cookies. Next - snickerdoodles. Then gingerbread, sugar cookies, candy cane cookies, and Kissy-Thumbprints (thumb prints with a Hershey's kiss instead of jam). Yes, 'tis the season for sweets in the DeMoss house!

Speaking of Christmas, this brings me to a very important message - What is Christmas about?

For many people this year, Christmas is going to be hard. They will scramble and go into debt to make sure their kids get a "good Christmas". But what makes a good Christmas? Is it the gifts? Is it the mountains of food piled up on the table? Is it the decorations, the music, the movies, the cookies?

No. Christmas is about three things - memories, family, and a tiny little baby that was brought into the world to atone for man's sin.

We, as a society, teach our children that Christmas is about how many toys Santa brought, or how many candy canes Billy can fit into his mouth, or how many cookies did mommy bake (yes, I am guilty of this as well). But we should be stepping up to teach our children "in the way they should go". This year, for example, my kids will get one or two okay gifts - nothing overly special or fancy - from "Santa". The rest of the gifts (three gifts to represent the Magi that visited Christ) will be used items from a thrift store or from yard sales. We want our focus this year to be on the REASON for Christmas. They'll get tons of other stuff from their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. It's our job, as parents, to teach them.

I urge you to this year focus on the Christ Child this season. Teach your children about the blessing of grace and salvation, teach them about charity and giving.

This is what the Lord commands of us.

Atheism Revisited

There have been a few things weighing on my heart recently, and atheism is one of those things. About two years ago I wrote this post on atheism and Christianity. In the post I stated my beliefs that Christians are a leading cause of atheism. I still stand by that statement - let me explain.

I have a very good friend that is a non-believer. I'm not sure WHAT his beliefs are, to tell you the truth, but he says that he doesn't believe in "any of it". By that, I take it to mean that he doesn't believe in ANY religion (he sports a few pagan tattoos and has a few books on druidism, so I thought that was what he was into, but I could be wrong). Now, here's the kicker. His brother is an out-and-out atheist. He believes in NOTHING - not any religion, nothing paranormal, nothing spiritual, NOTHING. As far as he's concerned, there is no point to man's existance on this earth. Now, on the other hand, their father is a devout Christian. He is a believer through and through. Quite often this family gets into . . . debate over religion, because one person will make a comment about the other's beliefs.

Here's my thoughts on this:

As Christians, it is our DUTY and our CALLING to teach others about Christ. That being said, there's a way to go about things and there's a time and a place for things as well.

For example:
Telling someone that they are going to hell because they're Muslim while you're in the middle of a shopping mall is not going about things the right way, nor is it the proper time and place.

On the other hand:
You have a friend notice a cross you're wearing and asks you about your beliefs. They make an offhanded comment about how "every Christian" believes a certain way. This is an opportunity given to you by God to teach the facts about your beliefs, thus opening up a dialogue where you can share your personal faith.

Shoving your beliefs down ANYONE'S throat - NO MATTER WHAT THAT BELIEF - is NOT the right way to go about it.

As I said in the previous post, people didn't come to Christ because he was shouting at them from the street calling them names and telling them they were going to hell. On the contrary, Christ sat and spoke softly to those that were surrounding him and wanted to listen. They may not have agreed with what he was saying, but they were listening because they WANTED to, not because he was forcing them to.

So . . . those are my two cents (again). It's just something I had been thinking about lately, that I wanted to share with you all. What are your thoughts on religion? I would love to hear YOUR two cents . . .

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes for Mom or Marvelous Mommy

Looking for Magic . . .

I love taking my camera with me everywhere. 

Sometimes, there's no telling what you might find peeking out at you from around a corner or hiding amongst the trees. 

I can't say photography is my entire life, rather more of a hobby that I hope to make some extra money at some day. 

But the thing about photography is that it has opened my eyes to a whole new world - a world of God's majesty and wonder. 

A world filled with the magic of our Father and all he has created for us.  

Today I would like to share some of that magic with you:

Peace in the Woods

 

A Memorable Afternoon

A Child's Laughter

A Serene Moment

And a Child's Wonder

Each of these things come from God. Gifts to us to show his mercy and love. Today, I challenge you to find some of God's magic for yourself. It might be a raindrop, a rainbow, a hug, a smile, or a beautiful sunset.

Matthew 7:7 says " . . .Seek and ye shall find . . . " 

Why not give it a shot?

TYVM!

It's time, folks, for another edition of

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Wanna play and get some free therapy? Go see KMAMA at The Daily Dribbles!

To my children for refusing to get along for longer than five minutes.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

i really didn't need to finish photoshopping those nature photos for my portfolio

To my landlord for replacing our dishwasher with the cheapest disposable model around

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

i thought the whole point of a dishwasher was that I wasn't supposed to have to do them . . . ?

To the birds who think my car is a battle zone

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

i always wanted a polka dot paint job

To mother nature for making me a woman and putting me through torture once a month

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

no, i really didn't need "special time" with DH this week

To all the authors of the photoshop "help guides" that you find all over the internet and teach you absolutely nothing

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

who needs to make money doing what they love anyway?

And a very, truly sincere THANK YOU VERY MUCH! goes out to my friends, family, and other loved ones for keeping my family and I in your prayers over these past few weeks, thank you for the phone calls, the hugs, and the food. And a very special THANK YOU VERY MUCH! to my Lord and Savior for bringing Grandpa Home where he belongs!

God Bless!

Making Your Home Sing Monday!

Making Your Home Sing Monday:
This is something new for me, but to learn more about it, go to MomsTheWord
I am a day late this week.


What better way to make your home sing then by SINGING!


The Bible tells us to "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High" Psalm 92:1.  In fact, throughout the book of Psalms, David talks about praising God with music throughout.


God loves to hear us proclaim his name in song.  It doesn't matter weather or not you think you can sing, it is all pleasing to God.  


So as you go about your daily chores today, try singing a song that you love that reminds you of your relationship with God.  Remember everything we do we do in His name, even housework. He sees what we do every day for our families, and it makes him happy to see us diligently working to make our homes a better place.

God and Housework . . . ?

I went back to "Sink Reflections" last night, and read Marla's take on marriage. Then I read it again, to make sure I really understood the message. The jist of it is (what I get out of it anyway) is that we CAN do it all, we just have to stop thinking that everyone has to do "their fair share".  In other words - if it's not getting done, just do it yourself. I need to go back and re-read this message periodically.  I'm notorious for using the words "It's not MY mess" and "Well, if they're not going to clean, I'm not . . . ".  Of course, I've gotten much better about that over the past few months and realized that I can't EXPECT them to do it. No, it SHOULDN'T all be on my shoulders, but most days if I don't do it, it won't get done.

So, I need to take a deep breath and forget when DH forgets to take the trash out - just pack it up and take it myself.  And I need to forgive when DD doesn't clean her room - just grab a trash bag and get after it.  The point I'm trying to make is this - if you are a wife and mother, and especially if you are a stay at home mom, more falls on your shoulders.  That's just the way it is.

If you want to look at it from a biblical standpoint, Titus 2:4-5 says "Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Proverbs 31 speaks of the Noble Wife throughout. Verse 13 says "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands". Proverbs 31:15 "She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls." And verse 17 "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." And 27 "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." The point I am trying to make here is that we should be looking at it all as a blessing to our families and to God.

It is for God that we wash the dishes.  It is for God that we make the beds.  It is for God that we vacuum, mop, scrub, wipe, and plan. It is for God that we raise our children. If we go through our days with God in our hearts and minds, then the "details" about who's doing the work (us) is forgotten.

Have You Been to Bowie Wal Mart Lately?

At the crossroad of 101 and Decatur St., right in front of the Wal Mart, a little old man stands. He is wearing a white shirt, black pants, and a tie. He looks older - like he's in his mid-late 60's. He stands there, day after day, holding a sign that simply reads "Need a Job".

I am not big on Beggars - I have learned from experience that they either use donations for booze or they actually make $50,000 a year in donations and are therefore, scam artists. But this one struck me. First, his appearance. Not scraggly (yet). He is well dressed and well groomed, considering the circumstances. Second his sign - Need a Job. Not, need money. Need a Job. And finally, his face. He looks so sad . . . He reminds me of someone that once had everything and then lost it all. I wonder if he's been affected by these layoffs. Maybe forced into retirement because of his age. He really struck me.

I've never met this man. I've never spoken to him either. Yet, I feel a draw to help him.
So, my friends, I am going to ask you all a favor. I am posting this on Myspace, on my blog (http://supermomblues.blogspot.com), and in an email to get the word out.
If you or you know someone that has work or of any place that might be hiring, would you please let me know? Better yet, if you live in Bowie or go to the Bowie Wal Mart on a regular basis, would you let HIM know? If you don't know someone, please forward this message to your friends, because SOMEONE might. And - Please pray for him. I feel that he really needs it.

Blessings and love to you all!
Jen

God is so good!

Well after this heck of a week, we get a phone call from our landlord telling us that she has a plumber coming out RIGHT THEN. We rush out to meet them at our house. The plumber (Keith's Plumbing from Nocona, to give him a plug) found where the pipeline went, did a little digging, and found out that we have another (hidden) cleanout close to the house. He runs his rooter through, and pulls out a wad of roots the size of my arm!!

With our pipes clear, we run out to check the mail.

Ronnie has recieved a check for an overpayment of child support - $152 worth!!

THEN I notice ANOTHER check in the mail - for me, from my OB/GYN - this was from a credit I had from Jake's birth.

It was, get this, $1094!!!!

ALL our prayers have been answered!!!

We will be able to 1) Pay off all our bills, 2) go to TRF with room to breathe, and 3) have enough left over to put up in savings for the next unforseen emergency.

He is SOO GOOD!!!

Being Thankful . . .

Have you ever spent a single day of your life not being able to take a shower, wash dishes or clothes, or even go to the bathroom or brush your teeth?

We are so there.

Our sewer is messed up. REALLY messed up.

I am looking at this and saying, Okay God, what are you trying to teach me THIS week . . . then it hit me. THANKFULNESS. I have been so set on the things that I DON'T have lately that I forgot to take a step back and remember the things I DO have.

For example, Ronnie's company went to three day work weeks. He was offered a position that will give him a larger salary during this time. That, and the partial unemployment check he will be getting, puts us back where we need to be in order to pay our bills and stay on track. THEN, the ENTIRE plant went to a two week furlow (temp layoff) EXCEPT his section and one other. If that's not God, I don't know what it.

And yet, instead of being thankful for what God has granted us, I have been whiney about "oh, we don't have a second car" or "oh we only have one bathroom" or something else silly and insignificant.

So now, instead of ONE bathroom, we have NO bathroom.

God is chastizing me . . . And you know what? I'm THANKFUL for it. See out of this, I have learned a very valuable lesson. Life is not about the HAVE-NOT's. It's about seeing the little things God gives us on a daily basis, and counting those blessings. It's about saying thank you every once in a while for that little butterfly or that shooting star . . .

I am looking at what we're going through right now, with the job situation and the sewar situation, and seeing it in a whole new light. Now, I am THANKFUL because Ronnie and I are going through this TOGETHER - as a team. I have the man I love beside me, loving me and supporting me through it all. I have him to hold on to in the midst of a nervous breakdown (of which I have had at lest three this week). I am also thankful because we have God on our side. And like my husband, I have Him to lean on and talk to.

So, as I stare at the unflushable toilet today and pack our bags to stay at my mother's until we have a usable bathroom, I am still THANKFUL.

God's Will

Sometimes I have to step back and ask myself, "what is it that God is asking of me?" Right now, I know that God is asking for sacrifice, and I am more than willing to make that sacrifice, I just don't know WHAT to sacrifice, see? Is it the cable and the internet? Is is all our "stuff" that just seems to accumulate in the corners of our house consistantly? Is it the cabinet full of canned goods that I'll probably never use? Is it our house? Our freedom?

See, I'm one of those Christians that occasionally needs a good kick in the butt. God has to be really streightforward with me and pretty well yell what He wants, otherwise I just don't get it. It's not that I don't listen. It's not that I don't pray about it. I just need it to be shoved in my face sometimes.

WOW.

Thank you Mary, for sending this.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.

It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.

I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... Terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

I knew I loved Ben Stien for a reason.

10 years . . .

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081208dnmetdorsey.43a6cf8.html

This is a link to an article about a man who impacted my life and the lives of others 10 years ago in Dallas.

He is a brutal madman.
He is a killer and a taker of innocence.
He knows what he has done to dozens, and does not care.

One of the victims they speak of in the article was a dear friend to me. I dated him off and on for years in high school, and even when we weren't together he was one of my very best friends. I mourned for him for several years before getting on with my life, and I have close friends that still have a hard time letting go.

Brad was an amazing person. He had this uncanny ability to make you feel better when you were down. I remember when he passed, my first thought was, "who's going to make me laugh now?".

Leon Dorsey stole that from me. He stole that from a lot of people.

I remember the funeral clearly. Brad's mom was in the front row, she looked numb. When they began to lower his casket into the ground, Aimee (a dear childhood friend) collapesed. They played his favorite music - we all sat together and sang with it.

The thing that impacted me the most then, and still does now, is the fact that the last time Brad and I spoke on the phone, we had an argument. A week later, I called to talk to him, and his girlfriend at the time answered. She wouldn't let me speak to him. Two weeks later, I was devastated.

This brings to mind an interesting thought. If you are not a supporter of the death penalty, you should probably stop reading now.

Leon Dorsey is getting his final judgement. He was an evil man - the article clearly states that through his actions and his own words. He felt no remorse. He didn't kill for money, or for need. He killed for the sheer sick enjoyment of the kill. When he reaches heaven, he will be turned away. He never allowed Christ to touch his heart. I pray that he finds Christ today. That some epiphany washes over him and he realizes the people he hurt were innocent. I pray that he asks for forgiveness for his sins. I pray that he finds the error in his ways and repents. I don't think any of these prayers will be answered.

Does he deserve to die? That's really not my judgement call. The Bible says "an eye for an eye". Well, by that law, God's will is being fulfilled. I am glad he is being executed. That is so horrible for me to say, I know, but if you felt what I felt. If you went throught what the families have gone through . . . I am glad he will never be allowed to hurt another person again. I wish I felt differently. I wish I could say "oh life in prison is enough. That way he can sit and think about it until he dies an old man". But you see, he won't sit and think about it. He truly doesn't care. So for that reason, I am glad.

It's been 10 years coming.

Proverbs 22:6

I am blogging today only because I feel I need to. I don't really have anything on my heart, but I felt I needed to put SOMETHING down . . .

Well, that's not entirely true. I have a LOT on my heart. Mostly child custody issues. I won't go into our story regarding that here, just because I'm not going to name names on the internet. If I know you, and you want to know what's going on, please feel free to email me and I will tell you all about it. Otherwise, sorry that I can't indulge you any more than that.

Funny that it's not just us -

My best friend is going to court on Friday to get full custody of her daughter.

My brother and his wife have decided to split up - there's going to be a nasty battle there, I can feel it . . .

It makes me ask - what is going on? WHY do people use their children as wepons? That's not why God blessed us with these little people!! We are supposed to love them, and nurture them and care for them . . . We are supposed to guide them in the Lord and in His ways and teach them about Him - WE are here for THEM -- NOT the other way around!

So WHY do these people use their kids to get back at their ex's?? I JUST DON'T GET IT!!! They are SCREWING their kids up for life - AND THEY DON'T CARE!!

It kills me to see children suffer for their parent's own selfish needs . . .

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
"Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it."

THIS should be our focus. NOT child support, or making "the Ex" mad. WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CHILDREN . . .

I am so mad right now I could throw something.

Anxioties and Creationism

I am freaking out over the prospect of my precious little one starting school. I was okay with preschoo, I could walk her to class, hang up her back pack, give her a kiss, give her a reminder, have a brief hello with her teacher, that kind of thing. Kindergarten? Different story. I have to leave my precious bundle at the front door (if even that close) to fend for her self with the possibilties of her getting lost, hurt, beat up, robbed, sad, have an accident, blow up in the middle of the hallway WHATEVER in the midst. Just thinking about it last night made me cry myself to sleep. What am I going to do? I know I can't be there for her ALL the time - she's going to have to learn to fend for herself in that dark, bleek jungle out there that we call the public school system. But it doesn't make it any easier.

See, I have two major fears. One, that my child will follow in her momma's footsteps and be an outcast. Two, that the school will fill my child's head with a whole lot of BS that I can neither fostor nor prevent.

Okay, so the outcast thing. This is why I'm worried.

I watch my child interact with other kids. She always seems to be the one shunned. She will be off playing by herself. "Emmy," I'll ask. "Why aren't you playing with the other kids?" "Because they don't want me to play." "Well did you ask?" "They told me to go away".

This happens every time. In school, at parties, at family functions, in the park. I just want to bawl my eyes out to think about it.

My little girl is the sweetest child on the planet (to other kids, anyway). She wants to play, and doesn't mind doing anything that anyone else wants to do. She just wants to PLAY. She is so beautiful and smart and sweet and I just want to scream to the world "WHY can't you see what I do in my baby??" Jake, I have no fears for Jake. He's a flirt (you should have seen that infant making eyes at his cousin yesterday, LOL). He's a tough kid. He'll be alright. Emily, well, she kinda wears her emotions on her sleeve. If they get stepped on, she'll crumble. We're working on this through Love and Logic Paranting (I'll go into more detail about THAT in another blog . . . after I finally get the book). But it doesn't change my fears. Maybe I'm too overprotective of her . . . but it breaks my heart.

Now, as for the other reason I am afraid of public school, that's another blog. Maybe I'll get to that later in the day. I'll leave you with this thought, though - Atheists rule our school's curriculum. Don't believe me? Read your child's science book when school starts. There is a particular theory that you will see is being taught as fact. The theory of creationism (here's a link for you to read up a bit) is not even being brought up b/c it is a CHRISTIAN CONCEPT. Hmm . . . don't get me started. I have to go make breakfast and a cup of much-needed STRONG coffee. I'll rant about that later.