JeffR

Busy, Busy, Busy

Ok gang, I know everyone is busy, busy, busy, and trust me, I am no exception, but I do apologize for the lack of blogs. I will try to make more of an effort.

Summer is traditionally the time when most people usually try to be more relaxed & enjoy life a little. You know take a few more breaks, long weekends, barbecue's, swimming, vacations, etc. In today's society, the more we "relax" the more we seem to be busy. I know it sounds crazy, but most of you will quickly agree once you think about it. Relaxing, in the traditional sense, has somehow become something that is bad or deemed as being lazy. I have noticed even though I no longer have to work for a living, it seems I am always busy (which can be a good thing). Now mind you, I have never been one to just sit around watching soap operas & Oprah, but you would think that I have all this time on my hands since I don't have a work place to go to everyday. Yet it seems that there still is never enough time. Should I take a time management course, structure my day better, do a better job of setting my priorities? Sure that may help and I already do a decent job of setting priorities each day, but I think it goes a little deeper than that.

We need to change our way of thinking. Relaxing IS GOOD! God intended for us to take time to relax, enjoy our families, enjoy the day, enjoy friends, enjoy sports, enjoy life and enjoy His creation, His love and enjoy HIM. We have gotten so caught up in getting ahead, getting our newest gadgets, getting more and better STUFF,  getting our ______________ (fill in the blank), that we stay busy, busy, busy. I think Satan is just sitting back laughing his fool head off at us & God is sitting there just shaking His head in disbelief. Whether Satan has conceived this plan or not does not matter (I believe he has). What matters is what this type of thinking in today's society has done to us, our families, & most importantly our relationship with God. We are just too busy to enjoy what God has given us already. Too busy to spend time with God and our families. The Bible says Satan is here to kill, steal & destroy. I think he has done a pretty good job of stealing our joy, killing our relationships with each other and God and finally destroying what God intends for us to be a part of and what God has intended for us to have joy & power over during our short stay on this earth.

The Bible also says we are to be in this world, not of this world. It also says we are to be different than those of the world and yet we have gotten ourselves caught up in this world's view on success and the importance of material things, thus keeping us busy all the time. Satan is sneaky, subtle and sly in his deceptions. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with enjoying material things and being successful. God does not intend for us to live as paupers and be miserable. We just have to make sure that in our quest for these things, that they are in accordance to God's purpose, plan and will. If we are too consumed with these things and they take so much of our time, that we just stay too busy for time to relax & enjoy the many gifts of God, then we have become of the world. I have been guilty of this way too much!

 So I challenge everyone who reads this to change your thinking TODAY and continue this new thinking everyday. Take more time to relax and enjoy life, your family, and God's gifts. As for me I plan on doing a little bit of relaxing starting NOW!

Be Blessed & be a Blessing!

 

Ch-Ch-Changes

    Ok all my faithful readers...lol. I apologize for my extremely long break from blogging. My family and I have been going through some "Changes" as my title reads and it has taken me quite some time to get back into the swing of things. As I made the decision to sit down and start blogging again, the theme of "Changes" reminded me of an old song by David Bowie from 1971. Yes it is "Changes" I have even attached a video from a concert at the end (no I was not at this one, uh, I don't think, even though we did see this show in 76).

 I hope you enjoy the visuals as much as you do the song.

We have gone through quite a few changes over the several months. First off we brought our nephew, Josh, down from Ohio to live with us (actually he is our grand-nephew). That in itself is huge. Josh is a good kid that we are trusting God will help us help him find what we have, that is a relationship with Jesus. Bringing an 18 year old into your home causes many changes to say the least. So far things have been going pretty well overall. There are still lots of challenges for all of us to tackle, but God is working things out in His time frame. We had to build an office in our garage since Josh needed a room. Thanks to my brother-in-law, Tony, that was accomplished shortly after Josh got here. Then I had to mud & tape, sand & mud & sand some more. Then the primer, then the paint, then the electrical devices and finally move everything in. Well almost everything..lol.

Jessica & Josh have quickly become like brother & sister. Constantly picking at each other, scheming to outwit Bren & me, fighting, etc. They actually get along pretty well and enjoy each others company, most of the time at least.

The morning schedule is hectic, as another person getting ready in the A.M. called for more changes for everyone. Meals, shopping, clothes, budgets, everything needed changes. Weekend schedules, evening schedules, yep, changes!

We have been praying about what to do for another vehicle because with Jessica having her learners permit and Josh working on getting his, then we would need another vehicle for when they get summer jobs. Yep, more changes. Well God had that covered (as He always does). The administrator over Bren's dept. at SGMC Cancer Center GAVE us a 2000 Ford Contour. PRAISE GOD. Not only did she give it to us, she had the windshield replaced, new tires put on and had a mechanic fix whatever might be wrong with the car. God IS SO GOOD (and thank you Pam for your generosity & listening to God)!

I also had my medication changed. That has been good and bad. The good is I don't take as many pills. The bad is getting used to the side effects. I have really been battling this Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). It seems as if since November of 2008 I have not been well enough to do much of anything for more than a day or two at a time and then I am back down again for a week or two. Unfortunately this disease does more than attack all of your joints & spine, it can and does mess with little things like your stomach, colon, eyes, lungs, migraines, mental fatigue, forgetfulness (yeah blame it on the AS...lol) etc. The constant battle that it wages with my body leaves me feeling very weak & fatigued most days. The medicines also help keep you tired, but this new pain medicine seems to keep the pain more manageable.This week so far has been good.

Brenda just got over a week of being sick. I mean stay at home & do nothing type sick. She usually battles through being sick pretty good. This time she was wiped out for most of the week. THANK GOD she is feeling better today! Jessica has been battling some stomach issues for several months now and the doctors FINALLY got her on some medicine that seems to be helping. THANK YOU JESUS!

Life is never boring, changes are part of life! Some changes are good, some are not. Some changes we decide to make, some changes God makes for us. One thing is for certain, changes sure do make life interesting and challenging at times, but with God, we survive the changes and actually grow and learn from them. After watching this video you will probably say, thank God that some things DID change from 1971 to 2009.

 

545 people

 Normally I would not give you 2 cents for anything Charlie Reese says, but he hits it on the head here! Also try and remember that the Congress has been controlled by the Democrats for the last 2 years and they all won by promising to STOP high gas prices that "Bush and his cronies" i.e. any Republican were responsible for. Hmmmmmm all I saw for the last 2 years was EVERYTHING, including gas prices skyrocket. The media seems to have forgotten that! Also the Congress passed the bills that has our housing industry & sub-prime loans in a mess. As I have said in other blogs. They are ALL responsible. Now it is our turn to be responsible. Stop believing the lies that Bush is at fault and the Democrats will fix everything. If you believe that go back & re-read the above and then re-read the column below! Vote your CHRISTIAN conscience. Do your own homework on voting records (who voted for what) & vote the bums OUT, whether they be Democrats or Republicans. SEND A MESSAGE!!!!

 

 

                                            

 

 

          

 

 545 PEOPLE

 

 By Charlie Reese

 

 Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and

 then campaign against them.

  

 Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans

 are against deficits,  WHY do we have deficits?

 

 Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, just WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

 

 You and I don't propose a federal budget   ~   The President does.

 

 You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on

 appropriations, The House of Representatives does.

  

 You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

 

 You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

  

 You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

 

 One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme

 Court justices, 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly,

 legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic

 problems that plague this country.

 

 I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that

 problem was created by the Congress.  In 1913, Congress delegated its

 Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally

 chartered, but private, central bank.

  

 I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason.

 They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a

 senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing.

 I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. 

 The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what

 the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

 

 Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what

 they did is not their fault.   They cooperate in this common con regardless

 of party.

 

 What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive

 amount of gall.  No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood

 up and criticized the President for creating deficits.   The president can

 only propose a budget.   He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

  

 The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole

 responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving

 appropriations and taxes.    Who is the speaker of the House?  The leader of

 the majority party.  He/She and fellow House members, not the

 president, can approve any budget they want.  If the president vetoes

 it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

 It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not

 replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and

 irresponsibility.   I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not

 traceable directly to those 545 people.   When you fully grasp the plain

 truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government,

 then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

 

 If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

  

 If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

  

 If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ.

  

 If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement

 plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

 

 There are no insoluble government problems.

  

 Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they

 hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and

 advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from

 whom they can take this power.   Above all, do not let them con you into the

 belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like 'the economy,'

 inflation,' or 'politics' that prevent them from doing what they take

 an oath to do.

  

 Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

  

 They, and they alone, have the power.

  

 They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are

 their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees..

 

 We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

 

                                     Charlie Reese is a former

 columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

Y Christians & (others) should NOT vote for Obama

 I got this in an email & checked it out at Snopes. com.    
 
A link at the end is provided.

Below is exactly what is on the page at Snopes. com.

I agree with Mr. Brown even though I am not black, I feel too many people regardless of race are voting for Obama and not fully realizing what this man stands for. The issues the liberal media focuses, on while important, pale in comparision to the real issues voters should look at. If you believe in the things Obama stands for, then, yes vote for him. If you claim to be a Christian and an Obama supporter, then I suggest that you read this, pray about it, and I pray you let God help you understand the real issues. it is not about economy, race, or Republican vs. Democrat. Vote your Christian          conscience and trust God with the other issues. Besides, neither candidate can do any thing they boast about, the Congress, controlled by the Democrats for 2 years now, have the power to overide, change or approve any bill the President wants passed.
The President can ONLY lead, veto, present bills, etc, he can NOT single handedly pass laws, change the constitution, rasise or lower taxes, etc.

Huntley Brown

Claim:   Editorial by pianist Huntley Brown explains why he won't vote for Barack Obama.

 

Status:   True.

 

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, October 2008]

 

 

I wanted to send this article from Huntley Brown - a fabulous concert pianist, a man of God and a black man. I appreciate so much his reasoning for not voting for Obama. I would like to see his article published or spread out via Email to as many as possible. It's good stuff!

Why I Can't Vote For Obama

By Huntley Brown

 

Dear Friends, A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating...

 

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

 

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness. I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader.

 

I can't vote black because I am black; I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

 

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few, wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

 

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know

Obama so all I can go off is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.

 

NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

 

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

 

There is a reason Planned Parenthood gives him a 100% rating. There is a reason the homosexual community supports him. There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion. There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

 

Let's take a look at the practice he wanted to continue

 

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedures:

 

A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps. (Remember this is a live baby)

B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.

C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.

D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.

E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

 

God help him. There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

 

Think about this: You can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

 

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

 

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

 

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 "Go and make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

 

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a ...

 

1. Commitment to the White Community

2. Commitment to the White Family

3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic

4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.

5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions

6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System

7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

 

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

 

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

 

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

 

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if itʼs a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

 

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him.

 

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

 

So what does all this mean for the nation?

 

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

 

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king. First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

 

Then God says

 

1 Samuel 1:18 " When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

 

Here is what we know for sure.

 

God is not schizophrenic

 

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.

 

Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

 

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say; Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four Supreme Court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

 

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

 

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,

 

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.

 

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

 

Blessings, Huntley Brown

Origins:   Huntley Brown is, as described on his web site, a "a Christian concert pianist whose versatile repertoire includes classical, jazz, gospel, reggae and many other styles." An e-mail to Mr. Brown about the item reproduced above, an explanation attributed to him about why he would not be voting for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, drew the following response:

Yes, I wrote this e-mail. I was responding to my friends who asked me to vote for Senator Obama because he is black.

 

It was not my intention to send it around the world.

 

I did not post this e-mail or send out any pictures attached. I wish they had not done that.

 

My friends did not ask me to vote for Senator Mccain which explains why my e-mail was geared towards Senator Obama.

 

My e-mail was not meant to influence public opinion in any way, but simply to share with my friends my views on why I could not vote for Senator Obama.

 

I have problems with both candidates, but the differences I have with Senator Mccain are pale in comparison with the ones I have with Senator Obama

 

For the record, I am not a politician. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I am a Christian independent who just loves the Lord.

 

If Senator Obama wins he can count on my prayer support every day.

 

I tell my friends it's like a family where you have different opinions, but you love each other just the same. I love and appreciate Senator Obama but our views are diametrically opposed.

 

If I knew my e-mail would have generated this much interest on a national level, I would have left out a few points. I don't want people to think I am against gay people or against people who have had abortions. (I am not) We are all sinners saved by grace but we need to have some absolute laws to govern society or else we will self destruct.

 

What has really bothered me is our beautiful black women constitute only 6% of the population, yet they comprise 36% of the abortion industry's clientele. Obama has done nothing to stop this. Most people don't know that the leading abortion providers have chosen to exploit us blacks by locating 94% of their abortuaries in urban neighborhoods with high black populations. Obama has done nothing to stop this?

 

To be honest I can't wait to vote for the first black President but it has to be a person who shares the values I read in the Bible.

 

Thanks for checking to make sure my e-mail is legit it is.

 

The sad part is I have been getting hate mail and my family is being harassed. As you can imagine not everyone is happy with my e-mail. God bless you richly.

Last updated:   15 October 2008

 

The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/huntleybrown.asp

 

McCain or Obama

As I said in my previous post I do NOT like either! Yes, I must choose one though. I usually follow what each candidate says  pretty closely and actually watched the whole debate last night. I normally do not have the stomach for hearing that many lies, distortions of the truth and facts, and all the finger pointing. I was not disappointed. Both proved they are very proficient in those things. So how are we to figure out who is the best for the country? Well there is a lot of good information out there that is neither politically correct, nor slanted in either direction. It takes a little time and work on our part, but if you truly want your vote to matter, if you truly want to know what you are voting for, it is worth it

First off, the candidates all have a record for what they have voted on in their time of service and it is public record. All you have to do is type Obama or McCain voting record in Google and go from there. Both have attacked each other for voting on certain things. You have to understand the bill, to understand the vote sometimes. The bill MAY be a great bill, but have a bunch of "pork" attached to it that really has nothing to do with the bill. So you either vote for the bill and it's pork or you don't. Unfortunately, we can only guess why someone voted for or against these type bills, but if you really pay attention & research the person on other bills, you can have a pretty educated guess as to why that person voted a particular way.

  From what I can tell McCain has been more willing to go against his party to vote for, endorse, or even create a bill that is actually in the best interest of the country, despite the party line, He called Obama out on that last night and Obama did not refute the fact that he has ALWAYS voted the party line, never once going against the tide, or even trying to be bipartisan. Well folks that spoke volumes to me. I am tired of the finger pointing and party line. Let's just do what is best for the country and it's citizens, the heck with which party is sponsoring it! No, McCain has not always got it right, but that tells me he has the guts to stand on his own. A good leader should NOT be one who is afraid to do what is right because it may ruffle a few feathers or it is not what "THE PARTY" wants. We NEED someone who is confidant & strong & willing to stand on his own.

If you go to factcheck.org you can get the truth about all the different things both candidates have been guilty about misleading us in. For waste in Govt. go to http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer. There are many "watchdog" groups out there that are non-partisan, but some have their own agenda so be careful. You can find out about many aspects of each candidates from donors, finances, corruption, where they stand on ethical issues, such as abortion, the war, same sex marriage, energy, etc.

Ok , here is what else I like about McCain. He has served his country in the armed services. He acted honorably when he was a POW. He does seem to rely on God & his faith for direction. he is not for raising taxes, he seems bipartisan to an extent, and I do NOT think he is a Bush clone. He also has more experience than Obama in almost every area that is important. While he appears a little nervous during the debate, that to me is OK because when you are telling so many half truths you should be nervous.

Obama on the other hand has little experience, State Senate for 8 years then was sworn in as a US Senator in January 2005. He has spent much of 2007 & 2008 campaigning for president. He has one of the most liberal records for voting on bills in the Senate on both state & US levels. He is strictly a party man, and has blamed everything on Bush and the last 8 years. Now if I remember correctly the White House is not in complete control of this country. We have a House of Representatives (Congress) and a Senate and the Democrats have controlled both houses since the last election. Also we are feeling the pain from many policies that Clinton pushed through. Just as the next President will be erroneously blamed for things that are actually a result of the last one,two, or more administrations. In actuality BOTH parties are responsible PERIOD! Obama is very charismatic and has a way of making you think that he has all the answers, even though he rarely gives details of how he plans to fix health care or Social Security or the energy problems. When he does they are just as flawed as McCain's plans. As for his speaking ability, Obama is VERY good. Too good if you ask me. Anyone who can be so calm and easy going while twisting the the truth and telling lies and partial truths, should be watched very carefully.

Over the years the Republican party has slowly turned into what used to be the Democratic party and the Democratic party is leaning heavily towards socialism. Take from the rich, give to the middle class & the poor! More taxes, more government, let the government fix your problems & take care of you. Yeah RIGHT! Like it or not if you take from the rich (taxing luxury things like boats for example) they take their money & spend it elsewhere resulting in layoffs and plant closures. Ask anyone who remembers Bayliner and Clinton's tax on luxury items. the rich still bought boats, just from Argentina, not the US. Trickle down sucks, but it is real and we are stuck with it!

Also look at who is backing Obama, Whooppie Goldberg, Bill Maher, Spike Lee, etc. Now if you have ever listened to any of these famous people and their political views you will know how scary Obama as President will really be. These people are the most liberal of the liberals, continually talking about socializing everything, don't stand up for nothing or stir up any international feathers, bashing Christians, and yet they live a lifestyle beyond belief.

Find some excerpts from Obama's book Barack Obama in Dreams from My Father , not the erumor, it has some inaccuracies. Some of these true excerpts really make me wonder. I mean he seems to be struggling with being part white - Quote 1 - 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'  Quote 2  - I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Dubois and Mandela. MalcolmX... REALLY? No I have not and do not intend to read his book. I also saw a youtube where he was very quick to use scripture (totally out of context) and ridicule it. Go here to listen & see for yourself. Youtube clip of Obama mocking the Bible.  Obama did however sit under a Pastor for quite a long time and that Pastor has come under fire for his militant view of whites. It really seems as if Obama has issues with race and Christianity as we know it.

Obama is smooth talking with little substance and more to the point just a puppet for his party. He speaks of change and promises us what we want to hear. Some equate him to the anti-Christ and I can understand why, even though I don't believe it. Obama is not what he is portrayed to be.

• Reformists...NO
• Left wing Liberal....YES
• Militant in his REAL views of race & Christianity...Seems like it

I truly believe that McCain stands more for traditional values, honor, one nation under God, an America that is strong because of it's people. He certainly is not on record mocking the Bible and will not easily cave to one world government via the UN. Obama will embrace the UN and sell us out much quicker in the name of peace. McCain has served his whole life and from all accounts I can not see where he is uncomfortable with who he is, who he serves, or has a problem with race. If we stay at war or have another, as a former soldier and POW, I believe he would not just rush in, but at the same time not be afraid to do what is necessary to protect the US and it's troops.

I believe if your candidate is for abortion & such, and you vote for him, you are helping to further that cause. Your candidate should represent as closely as possible your views on God, life and country. The Government can not and should not be expected to provide EVERYTHING for you. It always comes at a cost. Obama may not raise taxes, but his programs WILL have to be paid for somehow, and guess what, the middle class working man (woman) WILL be the ones paying the bill.

It is your choice, make it an informed choice!

 

 

Christians and politics

Well, I have been thinking about this blog for quite sometime now, and the closer it gets to election day the the more I feel I have to speak out and give my opinion on the two choices we have. I will be blunt here. I do NOT like either! Just as I have NOT liked the choices I have had to make for many of the past Presidential elections.  Washington and the vast majority of politicians that make up our major two political parties are greedy, self serving, power hungry, self serving liars.  We are basically choosing between the lesser of two evils once again. I watched the debate last night and must tell you that neither candidate can or will fix America or it's problems. Only the citizens of this great nation, can do that. As Christians we have a responsibility and moral obligation to be active participants in the way our communities, and nation are governed. We have been lethargic and apathetic for too many years concerning raising our voices for what our country was founded on and our beliefs. Our forefathers risked everything, fought and shed their blood so that America could be free from religious oppression and our whole nation was built on Christian values and the Bible.  As long as we the people of this nation kept God first, strived to be a Godly, morale nation, then God blessed this nation. I believe God has been removing His blessings for quite sometime now because Christians have given up, yes, given up, standing up for God and our Christian beliefs by burying our heads in the sand and allowing our leaders to pass laws that allow, encourage and protect sinful behavior. Mass murdering babies (abortion)and same sex marriage are just two of the most outrageous ones.  We have allowed prayer to be taken from schools and allow the government to regulate what is taught to our children. Some examples are the gay lifestyle is an acceptable alternative lifestyle, abortion is OK, that evolution is fact (when actually it is a constantly changing theory and a religion with man as his own god) and that God creating the earth is a fairytale that has no place in education.  We have become fearful and or apathetic of speaking out and standing up for God. We are told that Christians have no place in politics and if you evoke God's name then you are not only a religious fanatic, but you are infringing on someone's rights. So we do nothing. Where is the faith, the righteous anger and indignation that we as Christians should all feel when God is being thrown in the dirt, Jesus is being ridiculed and we are told by atheists, heathen, and all other sorts of mockers that we MUST be silent! We have given in! We have let God, our nation and several generations of lost souls down, because we have become afraid and apathetic and too self absorbed. How long will God tolerate us? How long will the church (and we the people are the church) be intimidated by mere humans, when we have the Creator, God Almighty on our side? Why are we so afraid to be vocal and stand up for our Savior?

So do NOT look to Washington or these two candidates to change our government. Instead, be vocal,trust God and stop being spiritual sissies and be well informed about what any candidate stands for.

• look at their track record
• don't believe everything you read, research it yourself
• don't believe everything they say, research it yourself
• be active, call or write your representatives telling them your opinion on issues
• don't be afraid to be a Christian, trust God

2 Timothy 1:7  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV)

Since God gave us the power of love and a sound mind, then who is better suited to make decisions involving our communities and nation? Someone who depends on his own power & wisdom or someone that God guides, gives wisdom and power, the power of love. Decisions based on the Bible and God's love will ALWAYS be the best decisions.

Be Brave, Be Bold, Be Involved, Be Faithful to God and God will once again lift up this great nation. We can either trust God and be brave like the founding fathers of this country and risk it all, or we can just sit back and lose everything with a whimper!

America Bless God and God will Bless America!

Have we gone too far?

OK, I just got through reading Lori's post on "Krumping", an excellent post that everyone should read by the way, and there is a part in there that has rekindled some thoughts that I have had since Pastor Ryan's sermon on the 10 commandments. Thoughts about how we view God in today's churches and homes as Christians and I have to wonder, have we gone too far? We always hear about God being our friend, there is no friend like Jesus, and so on. While all this is without a doubt TRUE, have we crossed some lines that really should not be crossed. Ryan pointed out (and Lori reminded me of this in her blog)the part about taking God's name in vain, which I completely agree with, I think that we need to take it a step further. Let me explain. We hear people both Christian & non Christian people all the time say things like Oh my God, and I used to be very bad about this also. Can this be considered taking God's name in vain? I believe the answer is YES! I know most people are going to say, Jeff you really are taking this too far, or that is ridiculous, people don't mean anything by that when they say things like that, they are not cursing or angry. Well the point is that they do NOT mean anything by that. We are using God's name in a totally thoughtless, meaningless way. Let us look at the definition of the word vain (from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary):

1: having no real value : idle, worthless <vain pretensions>2: marked by futility or ineffectualness : unsuccessful, useless <vain efforts to escape>3archaic : foolish, silly

Hmmmm, that kinda sounds to me like that when God said, THOUGH SHALT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN,that he was just not talkng about using it as a cuss word. I think the definition of vain points out that we are indeed using His name in foolish, ineffctive, silly, idle worthless ways with no real value when we say things like Oh my God.

In the days of the old Testament when scribes were writing the scripture any time they came to the word Jehovah or any word used for God, they would stop writing and go through the process of making themselves ceremoniously clean, then write God's name. They would do this EVERYTIME! Imagine how long that would take to finish, but that was what was expected and I am sure if you research the old testament you will find that there is Biblical foundation for this. God had strict laws for the nation of Israel and it's people and then the Pharisees had a bunch more laws on top of that.

The Jewish people of the Biblical days would probably want to stone us for how casual we are about God and using His name the way we sometimes do and consider us HEATHEN. I am not saying that we should start stoning people (although sometimes the thought crosses my mind..jk) or that we should make sure we are ceremoniously clean before we speak or write God's name. I do not think any less of people or judge them when they do say things such as Oh my God, as I said, I used to be very bad about saying things like that & still do at times. Nor do I think God wants us to go through all of that just to say His name or approach Him. Yes, God knows and judges our heart and intentions.God created us to be His friends, and that is still His desire today. The Bible says as His children we can approach His throne BODLY, but that does not mean we without respect.

I guess all I am saying is that maybe we should take a little more time to look at our relationship with God from His viewpoint and be a little less cavalier in our attitudes, including how we use His name. After all, we are His creation, created to worship and serve Him, created to be His friend. I hope all of us, and most definetly myself, continue to understand that God loves us, desires a relationship with us that does not have to be complex and we do not have to be ceremoniously clean, nor jump through hoops to talk with Him. Lets just try to love God enough to give Him the respect deserving of the one and only true God, the Creator, and when we use His name, let us try to use it with meaning and thoughtfullness, not in vain.

MaY God richly Bless you and may you be a Blessing to someone today!

Wow what a month

Wow, what a month it has been. Some people would say I have been procrastinating in my weblogs and they would be correct...lol.

Jessica went to Mexico for her first missions trip. She had an amazing time. We thought we would be able to talk to her a couple of times in the evening because they were supposed to stay in Brownsville at night. Well they actually stayed in Mexico the whole time and we did not get to talk with her at all that week. During this time Brenda's older brother in Ohio passed away. So we packed everything up along with Tony & Gloria and up to Ohio we go. Let me tell you, I am getting a little to old for "QUICK" trips that far. I did get some good pictures of the mountains in Virginia & West Virginia. I posted them on myspace if anyone likes that sort of thing. We got up there and were able to make the arrangements for the cremation and see most of her surviving family members. God really was in charge of all that because, as with many families, there were a lot of "issues" that have kept us apart on every level for years. Everyone got along well and it was good seeing most everyone. We got to spend quite a bit of time with our great nephew, Josh. We even prayed with him & his mother (sadly most of those we saw in the way of family [Brenda's & Gloria's] and friends are not Christians). Josh said he would like to move down here & finish high school and start going to church. We are praying for that to happen. While we were driving up my brother called (he knew we were coming up) and told me an aunt of mine died the same day as Brenda's brother. I was able to see some family members at her funeral that I had not seen in about 10 years and that I was not planning on seeing. I also was able to see my brother (older) & his wife and sister (younger) for a few hours. It has been several years since we have seen each other. We left Thursday afternoon to come back home and arrived Friday afternoon. A special thanks to Pastor Ryan for taking care of our animals and cleaning up the glass from our broken patio table...lol. Played catch up the rest of the week. Jessica went to church camp this week and got back today. We missed her and man was her and Terra wound up when they got home. As for me I stayed pretty busy all week and yes, I actually do enjoy having some "alone" time, but it is GREAT to have her back home! We go on vacation in about a week and then hopefully we will be done traveling for a while.

Only one thing to say to finish up here and that is "SILVERADO"!!!!

                      

   

 

My debut in church softball

OK folks, I made my softball debut last night and I will be the first to admit, it was NOT pretty. Growing up I loved to play softball & baseball almost daily. I never claimed to be good at the game, average at my best, which was seldom..lol. I had not played softball in well over five years and even then I played only one or two games that were really just for "fun". I don't think we even kept score. At the beginning of the season Thomas had ask me if I wanted to play & I declined due to my physical disability, but faithfully tried to make each game to cheer our guys on. As many of you know I have a condition called "ankylosing spondylitis (AS)" in the advanced stages. Most people do not know what AS really is. It is a genetically acquired, progressive, autoimmune disease that attacks the spine, joints, & organs. As the disease progresses joints and the spine fuse together causing loss of mobility, constant pain, severe fatigue, pain, inflammation in the organs and joints (severe arthritis) and did I mention pain. My hips and pelvis as of three years ago were already partially fused making it very hard and painful to bend, walk, stretch and run. Falls can be hard and breakage can occur easily. Nevertheless the more I watched the more I wanted to play. I love to compete and over the years have really learned to play games such as softball for the fun. Yes winning is awesome, but I was so competitive, that I took the fun out of games for everyone, myself included! Anyway, last night for me was "AWESOME". I had a great time & loads of fun. Unfortunately I was unable to help our team much. The first time the ball was hit my way (in the right outfield), I ran as fast as I could (granted it was not very fast or pretty and probably looked a bit humorous to any one watching) and made a heroic effort to catch the ball. I actually kinda dove and fell at the same time much to the horror of my concerned wife and others and..... missed the ball. My team mates and the faithful cheering section (God bless them all) were very concerned that I hurt myself. I was laughing the whole time and thinking WOW what a rush & dang I should of caught that. I'm sure the dive/fall looked very graceful. I did thank my wife for not going into panic mode and rushing the field screaming hysterically. When I came up to bat I was a little nervous to say the least. First pitch ...ball. Second pitch...strike. Third pitch...swing & a miss. Fourth pitch, I caught a piece of the ball...for an impressive third strike...I'm OUT....bummer. The next inning the other team had it all figured out. Hit it to right field, the guy can't run fast and can barely stay on his feet. I did OK on a few plays eventually getting to the ball and not throwing it 6 feet above or to the right or left of whomever I was throwing it to. There was a real nice easy fly ball coming my way, I ran, hobbled, or whatever you care to call it, to the ball, got under it (well next to it) put my glove up, said a quick prayer, took my eye off of the ball for just a split second (I know ALWAYS watch the ball THROUGH the catch), and it  glanced off the top of my glove and bounced behind me. My next at bat was better. I actually hit the ball (to the third baseman I think), I exploded in an amazing exhibition of speed that would make most Olympic sprinters jealous to first base. Actually, It was more like a three legged turtle speeding to first base. I made it to the base and was safe, but that is because the play for the other team was at second base and unfortunately our third out. The other team continued to attempt to hit the ball my way for obvious reasons making many of my team mates angry, not at me, but at the other team. Lets face it, this is church softball, and the other team was already solidly winning the game and we were a player short also. It is not like there was money involved, or careers at stake. Winning is great, everyone likes to win, nobody enjoys losing, but this is church softball, Christians competing against Christians. I am so proud of the guys on Newpoint's softball team. They play to win, but for the most part as far as I can tell, they are having fun, keeping the game in its proper perspective and most importantly representing Christ and our church in a way that we can be proud of.

THANK YOU for allowing me to play! I had an awesome time! Everyone there was extremely supportive towards me, when it would have been easy to point out my glaring lack of ability. A specials thanks to everyone that cheered me on, especially my wife & two daughters. Everybody's attitude and support really helped me over look the mistakes I made and have a GREAT time. Pastor Ryan jokingly said I should be the MVP. I think that stands for "Most Vulnerable Player"...lol. You guys are winners in my book because you keep Christ first. The important records are not win/losses on the softball field, but how you represent Christ in those wins and losses.

PS

Yes, I AM SORE TODAY! I may try to be on the team next year as long as everyone understands that I do not have to be played unless we don't have enough guys, or are so far ahead that we can't lose. Brenda says it is OK as long as I do not dive for any more balls and do NOT wear those black & HOT pink striped pants, but I can get striped socks like Mitch wears (they are awesome)!

A Bishop in our Midst

Last night (Wednesday) I was one of many people that had the honor and pleasure of being part of something very special. Our Pastor and friend RYAN OGDEN, was set forth by the church and the District Overseer (Brett Jarrel, Pastor of Azalea City Church of God) as a Bishop in the Church of God. This is the top tier in ministry for our denomination and I am so proud of Ryan for this accomplishment. I know that there were a few unexpected hurdles that he had to overcome and he did so rather well. He also will be able to join his father and brother-in-law in General Assembly this year which I know he is really looking forward to.

Pastor Ryan we are proud of you and feel fortunate to be able to call you more than Pastor, but friend also. We love you and your family.

Rana, thank you for supporting Ryan in all that he does. We realize that there are sacrifices made by your whole family so that Ryan can do what he is called to do. That in itself is a special calling. You both love, serve, share and sacrifice for others, and I wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you! We count you both as friends and are proud to have been part of setting Ryan forth as a Bishop. Thank you for sharing that with us.

 

                  

               

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!