One reason I support conservative politics, is because I oppose socialist politics. As you know, I often read Spunky and once again, she has me thinking. I know in posting the following quote from her that I will ruffle the feathers of some of my readers. I would love to read comments from those readers, especially. Here it is:
But I really do wonder how mad or fearful either one really is. Don't get me wrong, I see socialism as just as just as incidious as they do, but I question whether most in this nation are really afraid of government controlling their personal lives.
After all, most Americans still educate their children in govenrment controlled schools, transported in government controlled buses, and are fed government controlled lunches at noon. Isn't this just socialism in the worst form?
If you typically vote Republican and oppose socialist values (Marxism) how do you reconcile the issue of supporting government-run schools?
I know I said this wasn't going to become a political blog, but hey I HAVE NEWS TO SHARE!
I will be attending a DEBATE WATCHING PARTY this Thursday evening here in St. Louis. The much-anticipated Biden/Palin debate will be held on the Washington University campus. A few friends, and I will be in an arena near the debate to await Gov. Palin's arrival and remarks following the debate. I hope to live blog about it (assuming I can get this laptop to go along with my plan.)
What would you ask Gov. Palin if you were sitting across from her?
UPDATE: I just returned from the event, and those of us who attended were not disappointed. It was a good debate, and we were able to hear Gov. Palin speak. She arrived at the arena about 45 minutes following the debate, and the crowd was electrified. I will post more thoughts after I sleep for a few hours.
Yes, I heard the news yesterday that Gov. Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant. There are about a zillion different sides to this issue, and about that many people will hop on one bandwagon or another.
"Palin has just announced that their daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. This discredits some false allegations from the weekend and perhaps explains Palin's decision to homeschool.
Mrs. Palin and her husband Todd said in a statement: "Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realise very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family."
Good for them. I'm proud of the Palins and their daughter, Bristol, for choosing life and accepting their unborn baby as a blessing not a "punishment."
"Look, I got two daughters - 9 years old and 6 years old,” [Obama] said. "I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.
The contrast couldn't get any more clear."
I still love her even if her daughter made a mistake. I would hope my support system would do the same for me.
Well, I'm not finished with The Shack yet, and I might not finish it. I'm not really getting why this book is all the rage right now. Someone help me.
In the forward, the author warns us that if we don't like the book not to worry because it wasn't written for us. I'm assuming that means he doesn't want to hear or read a bad review. This isn't a bad review, it's just a statement, a warning.
I'm not sure that this is the book to introduce scores of non-Believers to the God of Agape Love. It seems like too much, too soon.
If you want a lifetime worth of theology stuffed in one book with a 5th grade reading level, then I guess this is the book for you.
I know this book has resonated with thousands of people who need to understand God's love in a tangible way. For that, the book has accomplished a great purpose. But, what do those readers do next? If there is no meeting at The Shack for them how do they move forward beyond their doubt?
If you've read it, please let me know what you think.
UPDATE: As I'm finishing this book, I do want to point out 2 areas where the author does an excellent job: his discussion of Jesus' view of church, and the forgiveness journey Papa takes Mack on. These are great models for us.
My sister gave us tickets to the Steven Curtis Chapman concert last week. Since then, I have been on a SCC kick checking his blogs and reading about his adoption ministry. Steven's appeal has evolved from entertaining, contemporary Christian music to passionate ministry outreaches and now into a shining example of how an entire family can join together to serve the Lord through music and ministry. Forgive me for posting another You Tube bit by SCC. But this one features Chris Tomlin - the 2 of them together, now that's WOW Worship!
One of the best things I've learned from Barbara's journey from Evangelical to Catholic is that we in the Protestant world have too much of a smorgasboard mentality. Don't like the worship leader? Go to another church! Don't think women should wear pants? Find a church that supports dresses only. Don't like the pastor's preaching style? Find a church where Sunday morning consists of 3 songs and a poem. We use our freedom in Christ as an excuse for this lack of commitment.
This article just popped up on My Yahoo. Seems like Evangelicals aren't the only ones.
From America's Unfaithful Faithful by David Van Biema...
"The report does not speculate on the implications of its data. But Lugo suggests, 'What it says is that this marketplace is highly competitive and that no one can sit on their laurels, because another group out there will make [its tenets] available' for potential converts to try out. While this dynamic 'may be partly responsible for the religious vitality of the American people,' he says, 'it also 'suggests that there is an institutional loosening of ties,' with less individual commitment to a given faith or denomination."
This article from the New York Times looks at the rising numbers of students who are being taught at home using online programs, some funded by public school systems. But, when the experts take a look at the benefits of these public-school-at-home programs they almost always refer to the loss of money the programs create. Never mind that the children are benefitting and receiving (sometimes) a higher level of education.
Despite enthusiastic support from parents, the schools have met with opposition from some educators, who say elementary students may be too young for Internet learning, and from teachers, unions and school boards, partly because they divert state payments from the online student’s home district.
UPDATE: Check out this article in Time Magazine where the writer attempts to explain why More Is Merrier.
According to this article by AP Medical Writer, Mike Stobbe, the birth rate in the U.S. is way up. Here's an excerpt...
Bucking the trend in many other wealthy industrialized nations, the United States seems to be experiencing a baby boomlet, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years...
Experts believe there is a mix of reasons: a decline in contraceptive use, a drop in access to abortion, poor education and poverty.
Could it be due to perhaps HIGHER education and more informed couples who are realizing the whole "population squeeze" theory is incorrect, and having big families is not a drain on society but rather good for our culture?
The last sentence of his article hints at it, but doesn't elaborate...
The influence of certain religions in those latter regions is an important factor, said Ron Lesthaeghe, a Belgian demographer who is a visiting professor at the University of Michigan. "Evangelical Protestantism and Mormons," he said.
Here is the transcript of an interview w/ Mike Huckabee by Terence P. Jeffrey. In the interview Huckabee specifically answers questions about his view of school vouchers, homeschooling, and teaching about God in the public schools. He sounds typically politically blah-blah, BUT he does answer the questions. I could do without all the self-promotion but I guess that's what running for President is about these days. May the Best Marketing Team win!
The stem cell initiative is losing supporters. Sadly, my fellow citizens succumbed to the pressure and voted to support state-funded research. So now my tax dollars are being used to study and promote embryonic stem cells. However, the tides are changing. This article describes how the Dolly cloner has changed her tune. Why? Now there is technology available to produce stem cells without using an embryo. And the discoveries just keep rolling in! Go here to learn about banking menstrual blood for stem cell research. I agree that there is the potential for wonderful medical breakthroughs using the unique physiology of a stem cell. But, I do not believe we should be manipulated by celebrity advertisements and political endorsements which misinform us that embryonic stem cell research is the only way to win the fight against deadly diseases. Sounds like another Tower of Babel to me. If we start acting too much like God He'll knock us down a few notches and we'll be more confused than when we started.
It's not often that I hear something new at church. I was raised in a wonderful non-denominational body of Believers, and sometimes it seems like I've seen it all and heard it all at some point in the last 30 years. But, this weekend I experienced something I had never heard before.
My husband and I were able to skip out of town for a 2 day break. No children, no schedule, no tv. It was wonderful. [Thanks to my sister for making it all possible ;) ] One of the things we did manage to squeeze in our "no agenda" weekend was a visit to IHOP. No, not for pancakes.
IHOP or The International House of Prayer is....just that. Inside this building there is 24/7 prayer and worship. What we witnessed was the closest thing I've seen to the heartbeat of God. Ongoing prayer, fasting, teaching and oh my, the worship. What we heard couldn't really be called worship as it is known in the modern day church. These sounds were raw prayers set to heavenly melodies. There are IHOPs all over the country, and after our brief visit I can tell you - I want to go back and spend some time camped out in that place. There's an IHOP in Atlanta, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Denver, Talahassee, Kansas City and all over the world!
As we walked out the door I was thinking about revival. That's what I felt like sitting among a congregation of 90% young people who were digging into the Word of God, praying without ceasing and singing spontaneous psalms to the Lord.
Historically, spiritual revivals have resulted from the long-term prayers of a committed group of Believers. I'm no prophet - but I know the Lord hears the heart cry of the IHOPpers and I, for one, will rejoice when He answers their prayers and they reap a huge harvest. I am glad to be alive right now to witness the amazing things this generation of young people will accomplish for the Lord.
Some others also believe God is ready to rain down His power on this fertile soil. Read here about the I-35 prophesies.
Go here to learn more about IHOP and if you are driving through the area, say around 3am stop in for spell. The Lord will meet you there.
My husband and I watched the movie, Elizabethtown last night. It wasn't that great. One part of the story which I thought was interesting though was the lead character's description of what a person's name means to her. For example, she said, "I've never had a good experience with an Ellen."
Today, I read this article from the Christian Science Monitor. According to the article, you can go here and pay someone to tell you what they think your child's name should be. It amazes me that people put so much stock in what other people think about their baby's name.
As I wrote earlier, we decided to use Biblical names for our children. It didn't start out that way, but after 2 or 3 have Bible names you can't really digress. I mean, would it make any sense to have a Matthew, Mark, Luke and Jasmine?
I love names. Even when I am not expecting a baby, and long before I was married, I would think about names and write all the different variations when I should have been paying attention during church.
How did you come up with your child's name? As I said, ours is a mix of Bible names and family names and names we just, plain like. And I didn't pay anyone to tell me that.
In the last 10 years a wave of seeker-sensitivity has hit churches across this country. Pastors went from preaching the gospel, to delivering relevant messages about self-esteem and relationships. Churches went from being a house where individuals could grow spiritually, to a place where our waistlines are growing from Starbucks and donuts. Classes used to focus on studying Matthew, Mark, Luke or John and now focus on hosting satelitte seminars from Maxwell, Barna and Osteen.
I have held off long enough, but my red head is about to blow. I've wavered back and forth, but the bottom line is........I do not believe in the seeker-sensitivity movement of today's churches. I believe what the Bible says is true. Yes, the gospel is offensive. But, we are to preach it anyway. "Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith." Romans 1:5
Evidently, the founders of this dumbed-down system have realized their error.
Check out this article where Willow Creek admits they are wrong.
I have 2 observations about this article: 1) it took a multi-year study for them to figure out this doesn't work? I'm no theologian and I coulda told you that. It's contrary to the Word of God - therefore it is by definition bound for failure. 2) Kudos to Willow Creek for disclosing the truth from the research. A lot of organizations would have sugar-coated the results and spinned them to meet their needs. Huge pats on their back for honesty.
I am familiar with this family through my membership on the MOMYS Digest. The Anaya family has 10 children and I remember reading Mrs. Anaya's emails about having to travel out of state to have a homebirth b/c their homestate of Nebraska had too many regulations that went against the Anaya's beliefs. Mrs. Anaya recently gave birth to a son in Nebraska. (I think the baby must have arrived early or she would have traveled to Iowa.) The Anaya's do not believe in blood testing b/c they believe life is in the blood. Therefore, they refused the newborn screen. Six weeks later, the sheriff's department barged into their home, took the baby and the judge ordered the baby had to be tested and kept in foster care until the test results came back.
This six week old baby had never been away from his mother and never had a bottle. But, what is even more grievous is the audacity of the Nebraska officials who snatched a baby from his mother's arms in order to prick him with a needle.
Someone needs to get the word out to the unsuspecting citizens of this country that we are now living in a socialist state. When is election day in Nebraska?
According to this article, parents are more involved in their children's lives now than they were 10 years ago. (I'm not sure if I would be included in this group or not since I started having babies about 10 years ago!)
Anyway, this is good news for American children; but I wonder if this research is correct and if the correct questions were asked.
You've probably seen or read about the Maine school where 11 year-olds are receiving birth control pills. It's been all over the news. So have stories about teenagers serving jail time for having consenual sex with another teen. Anyone else confused? It's their argument (not mine)....If we give them birth control they'll use it! Ok, but why are we sending them to jail for using it? Sounds like blackmail to me. Sometimes I wish I'd finished law school.
Thanks to my friend, Jessie, for bringing this to my attention.
UPDATE: School refuses to reconsider even after threat of lawsuit. Read here.
UPDATE AGAIN: Here's an article that clearly makes my point.
Barbara Curtis has written a wonderful article at CrossWalk that sums up why so many Christian families have chucked popular norm and are letting God plan their family size. She says,
"As our family continued to grow, I continued to hear the same belittling banter about kids I’d heard for years – only now it was on my church steps:
“I don’t know how you do it! My two are enough to drive me crazy!” “I’ve finally got all the kids in school. I can’t imagine having to deal with another baby!” “I wanted more but my husband put his foot down.” “How can you afford it?”
My heart would ache for any children in earshot. My heart would ache for the missed opportunities. And finally, my heart would ache for the misunderstanding of how it all must sound to God – who certainly never got the memo that children were a burden."
I wrote about our journey to wanting more babies here.
This was my motto during high school and college. I would use it conveniently during job screenings, as an election slogan and for panel interviews. At that time I really didn't understand that it was more than a good way to market myself.
Senator Brownback recently spoke at the Washington Briefing. There he emphasized two points: we need to stop abortion (therefore promoting life) and we need to reclaim American culture.
This country has a huge responsibility. Why? To whom much is given, much is required. Senator Brownback used this to explain why America is so targeted by other nations. It's like when 9/11 happened and the Mayor just went to work fixing it. When you are called to do a big job (either by appointment or by accident) then it's your opportunity to give out of the abundance of which you've been given.
God has blessed America, and we in return have much to give. Are we living up to the challenge? Are we giving what is required of us? Or are we caught up in maintaining our level of abundance that we've forgotten where it came from?
For the complete audio from Senator Brownback go here.
Go here to check out the other speakers including Chuck Colson, James Dobson, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Phylis Schlafly.
I graduated from college, and even went on to do some post-graduate work. I never once considered not going to college. I have been daydreaming about the future, and what my children will become. What will they choose as a career? I am praying that they will follow the Lord all the days of their lives, and accomplish His plans for their life. Does that plan automatically include college? I'm not so sure anymore.
Some parents, however, have a different view. And they are willing to pay a hefty price for it.
Check this out from Newsweek. Parents are spending thousands of dollars to ensure their children attend top-ranked schools.
This is the place where I can journal my thoughts, and learn from others who blog as well. Even though I'm in my mid-thirties, I feel like I've only just begun to learn. I am a native of Kentucky, but have lived in 6 other states besides there. My husband and I have five, fun children.
El Shaddai Ranch is a non-profit, interdenominational, Christian camp ministry committed to furthering the Gospel of Christ among youth and families.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Lincoln County, just one hour Northwest of St. Louis, El Shaddai Ranch offers more than 80 acres of wooded spendor and wide-open ranges for your youth gatherings and church-sponsored events.
El Shaddai Ranch Ministries' Mission is to Provide a Christian Camp Setting that will seek to Nurture, Develop and Disciple Youth in the areas of Godliness and Principled Living.
At El Shaddai Ranch, we desire to Build Character and Develop Leadership in the Youth we Serve within a setting that is Honoring and Glorifying to God.
Ranch activities will place an emphasis on the Spiritual Development of the Child, while furthering their Physical and Emotional Development.
God has a Plan and Purpose for every Individual. It is our Hope and Prayer that each Child's experience at El Shaddai Ranch will serve to draw them closer toward the Calling that God has planted in their Hearts.
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