I'm usually an optimistic person. I try to look on the bright side of things. No matter how bad things seem sometimes, there's always a silver lining.
I have to say, though, the future of our country doesn't look very bright right now. In fact, it looks pretty grim. The choices we make this year will determine whether we turn this country around or we send it completely over the cliff.
We are one Supreme Court justice away from losing some of our fundamental rights. Gun rights, religious freedom and even our First Amendment right to free speech all hang in the balance. Whether the next justice is nominated by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, we will see dramatic changes to our country's values system. If you don't believe it, just look at how the high court went around the will of the people to legalize same-sex marriage. The next justice will help shape the direction of the country for decades to come. We can't afford to have another liberal judge on the court. We need a Supreme Court justice who will uphold the rights in the Constitution.
The next president will chart the course of the country. If we elect the wrong person, we may reach the point of no return.
A lot of voters and even some of the candidates themselves are treating this election like it's a reality TV show. We have a cocky billionaire TV star on one side and a lawless compulsive liar on the other side. Neither has the best interests of the country in mind. It's all a power grab for them.
Yet people are flocking to Trump and Clinton in record number. Even socialist Bernie Sanders has attracted an unbelievable number of supporters. What wrong with people? This isn't a game. The future of the country is in our hands. We can continue to follow the crowd and elect another pop culture icon, or we can stand firm in our convictions and pick someone who will restore law and order.
There are some good and worthy candidates running for president. We just have to take the time to look and see what they really stand for.
When Obama came on the national scene in 2007, the crowds flocked to him because he was new and different, and he promised hope and change. The crowds are now lining up behind Trump and Clinton. Don't follow the crowd. Stand with the candidates who most closely reflect your values.
There's still hope for America, but it's not in a man. Our hope is found only in God. We must remember to do three things: Pray, research the candidates and their positions (with the Internet, there's no excuse for not being informed about the candidates) and, finally, we must get out and vote! The Texas primary and Super Tuesday is a week from today. We have one week to do these three simple things. Will you do it? Or will you sit back and let others make these important decisions? The future of our country depends on you!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Circle of Life
Life is a funny thing. It can take you 'round and 'round in this world, but you often end up right where you started. As I sit here typing, I can look out my window and down the street I see a bank building. That bank building was once a hospital.... the hospital where I was born. Now, I find myself in a nursing home less than half a mile from where I was born. Interesting, isn't it?
I've also discovered that some people come into and out of your life, and some of them reappear in your life years later. It's the circle of life.
Since I've been in the nursing home, I have reconnected with several friends from the past. One of them, Mildred, was my Sunday school teacher when I was in about the third grade. She had an influence on my life when I was young. Now, she's in a room just down the hall, and we eat breakfast together at the same table.
Another dear lady, whom we all call 'Little Granny,' worked in the children's church ministry for more than 50 years. She's now nearly 90 and is a resident here at the nursing home. She may be nearly 90, but she still has some pep in her step. She even dances! They evaluated her recently, and the therapist asked her if she could walk across the room. She jumped up and started dancing across the room. She spreads a lot of cheer around here and is an inspiration to all.
Then, there's Johnnie, who has been a friend of my mom's and our family for many years. Johnnie's family and my grandparents were neighbors when Mom was just a little girl. They went to church together for years. Johnnie is now 95 and was recently honored for her service and faithfulness to attend the same church for almost 85 years.
It's neat to get to be around these special ladies along with other longtime friends Maxine and Carolyn, the mother of one of my schoolmates. I'm glad they are all part of my circle of life.
I've also discovered that some people come into and out of your life, and some of them reappear in your life years later. It's the circle of life.
Since I've been in the nursing home, I have reconnected with several friends from the past. One of them, Mildred, was my Sunday school teacher when I was in about the third grade. She had an influence on my life when I was young. Now, she's in a room just down the hall, and we eat breakfast together at the same table.
Another dear lady, whom we all call 'Little Granny,' worked in the children's church ministry for more than 50 years. She's now nearly 90 and is a resident here at the nursing home. She may be nearly 90, but she still has some pep in her step. She even dances! They evaluated her recently, and the therapist asked her if she could walk across the room. She jumped up and started dancing across the room. She spreads a lot of cheer around here and is an inspiration to all.
Then, there's Johnnie, who has been a friend of my mom's and our family for many years. Johnnie's family and my grandparents were neighbors when Mom was just a little girl. They went to church together for years. Johnnie is now 95 and was recently honored for her service and faithfulness to attend the same church for almost 85 years.
It's neat to get to be around these special ladies along with other longtime friends Maxine and Carolyn, the mother of one of my schoolmates. I'm glad they are all part of my circle of life.
Friday, January 1, 2016
There Is Hope
Happy new year! There's something about the start of a new year that brings a renewed hope for good things to happen. The past and its failures and disappointments are behind us. The new year brings a fresh start.
My Bible reading for today reminded me of all the benefits we have in serving God. It is in Psalm 103, and I wanted to share part of it here:
My Bible reading for today reminded me of all the benefits we have in serving God. It is in Psalm 103, and I wanted to share part of it here:
Psalm 103
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
What great promises! When I read that, it gives me such hope for the future. I hope it gives you hope, too. If we don't know the Lord, our past brings regrets, our future brings fear, and our present is filled with turmoil. But if we do know Him, our past brings forgiveness, our future brings hope, and our present is filled with peace.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Christmas
WARNING: This blog contains a message that may be offensive to some. I'm going to say it anyway..... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
There it is. I said it, and I'm not sorry, even though some people want those words banned. One dopey principal in New York wants everything related to Christmas and God eliminated from the public school system.
At one school in Brooklyn, Santa Claus is banned. The Pledge of Allegiance is no longer allowed.. “Harvest festival” has replaced Thanksgiving, and “winter celebrations” substitute for Christmas parties.
The dopey principal, Eujin Jaela Kim, has given the school a politically correct scrub-down, to the dismay of many teachers and parents.
“We definitely can’t say Christmas, nothing with Christmas on it, nothing with Santa,” PTA President Mimi Ferrer said administrators told her. “No angels. We can’t even have a star because it can represent a religious system, like the Star of David.”
A memo last month from assistant principal Jose Chaparro suggested a “harvest festival instead of Thanksgiving or a winter celebration instead of a Christmas party.” He urged staff to “be sensitive of the diversity of our families. Not all children celebrate the same holidays.”
If I went to that school, I would go out and buy a bunch of Merry Christmas shirts and wear one every day! If I got suspended, I would just enjoy my extended Christmas break!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this. The Bible says as followers of Jesus we will be persecuted and even hated: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."
In the end, though, this principal reversed her decision because of the protests from students and parents. Christmas will still be celebrated. But this principal is still a dope!
There it is. I said it, and I'm not sorry, even though some people want those words banned. One dopey principal in New York wants everything related to Christmas and God eliminated from the public school system.
At one school in Brooklyn, Santa Claus is banned. The Pledge of Allegiance is no longer allowed.. “Harvest festival” has replaced Thanksgiving, and “winter celebrations” substitute for Christmas parties.
The dopey principal, Eujin Jaela Kim, has given the school a politically correct scrub-down, to the dismay of many teachers and parents.
“We definitely can’t say Christmas, nothing with Christmas on it, nothing with Santa,” PTA President Mimi Ferrer said administrators told her. “No angels. We can’t even have a star because it can represent a religious system, like the Star of David.”
A memo last month from assistant principal Jose Chaparro suggested a “harvest festival instead of Thanksgiving or a winter celebration instead of a Christmas party.” He urged staff to “be sensitive of the diversity of our families. Not all children celebrate the same holidays.”
If I went to that school, I would go out and buy a bunch of Merry Christmas shirts and wear one every day! If I got suspended, I would just enjoy my extended Christmas break!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this. The Bible says as followers of Jesus we will be persecuted and even hated: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."
In the end, though, this principal reversed her decision because of the protests from students and parents. Christmas will still be celebrated. But this principal is still a dope!
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Imagine Heaven (The End)
One thing is certain about heaven.... you'll never be bored! People often think heaven will be one long worship service. In Imagine Heaven, John Burke writes about the important jobs and responsibilities we'll have in heaven.
He says we'll be rewarded with special assignments and projects. It will be work perfectly fitted to what God created you to do. It's what you were wired to do. If you love creativity, imagine creating something for the Creator of the universe.
The Bible says some of us will rule cities and nations. Burke suggests others will compose music, paint beautiful pictures or write stories for God. All those special projects you didn't have time for here on earth, you'll be able to complete. You'll have all the time in the world to finish it.
Some NDErs in the book said there's plenty to do in heaven. You can explore the beautiful mountains and breath-taking scenery in heaven. Some said there are libraries, museums, art galleries, music concerts and sporting events. Now, I'm not sure about all that, but it makes sense. If God gave us all these things to enjoy while we were on earth, why would He take them away when we get to heaven?
Heaven will be a partying place. There will banquets and extravagant dinner parties. For us Texans, it may be a Bar-B-Que hoedown! It will be the best tasting food you've ever eaten. We can finally pick fruit from the Tree of Life and eat it. The best part is that Jesus will be the guest of honor at our parties!
Of course, there will also be music and worship before the very throne of God. We'll never want to leave His presence, and the good news is we'll never have to leave. This is only the beginning of what awaits us in heaven.
As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this book. In writing these blogs, I hope it makes you want to go to heaven as much as it makes me want to go there. Heaven is real. Don't miss it!
He says we'll be rewarded with special assignments and projects. It will be work perfectly fitted to what God created you to do. It's what you were wired to do. If you love creativity, imagine creating something for the Creator of the universe.
The Bible says some of us will rule cities and nations. Burke suggests others will compose music, paint beautiful pictures or write stories for God. All those special projects you didn't have time for here on earth, you'll be able to complete. You'll have all the time in the world to finish it.
Some NDErs in the book said there's plenty to do in heaven. You can explore the beautiful mountains and breath-taking scenery in heaven. Some said there are libraries, museums, art galleries, music concerts and sporting events. Now, I'm not sure about all that, but it makes sense. If God gave us all these things to enjoy while we were on earth, why would He take them away when we get to heaven?
Heaven will be a partying place. There will banquets and extravagant dinner parties. For us Texans, it may be a Bar-B-Que hoedown! It will be the best tasting food you've ever eaten. We can finally pick fruit from the Tree of Life and eat it. The best part is that Jesus will be the guest of honor at our parties!
Of course, there will also be music and worship before the very throne of God. We'll never want to leave His presence, and the good news is we'll never have to leave. This is only the beginning of what awaits us in heaven.
As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this book. In writing these blogs, I hope it makes you want to go to heaven as much as it makes me want to go there. Heaven is real. Don't miss it!
Monday, December 7, 2015
Imagine Heaven (Part 5)
What we do with our lives matters. Every moment matters more than we can even imagine. That's what John Burke writes in his book, Imagine Heaven. He says we should live every day with eternity in mind.
While most of the people in the book who described their near-death experience said they didn't feel condemned or judged when they "visited" heaven, many of them reported seeing lots of books in heaven. Lots and lots of books that record our words and actions while on earth.
The Bible describes two judgments in heaven. The white throne judgment is a judgment of faith and determines who belongs to God. Anyone whose name isn't found in the Book of Life will be thrown into hell.
Burke explains that the other judgment is called the bema seat judgment and is where God will reward us for things we did for Him in our earthly life. The word judgment is translated from the Greek word bema and refers to the judge's seat at the ancient games. It's like the Olympic judge's stand, Burke says. He likens it to a giant awards ceremony, such as the Oscars.
While everyone in heaven will experience the bliss of an eternal home with God, there will be levels of rewards. God loves to reward every faithful deed. We don't earn God's love or acceptance into heaven -- that's a gift that we receive or reject. But our faithfulness to God in this life determines our experience in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-20 tells us, "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven."
I don't know what kind of rewards we'll receive. We always hear about earning another jewel in your crown. I think the rewards will be something more substantial. If God blesses us with so many good things in this life, I can only imagine what He has in store for us in heaven!
The greatest reward of all will be being with Jesus. We'll be in His presence forever. Nothing can compare with that!
While most of the people in the book who described their near-death experience said they didn't feel condemned or judged when they "visited" heaven, many of them reported seeing lots of books in heaven. Lots and lots of books that record our words and actions while on earth.
The Bible describes two judgments in heaven. The white throne judgment is a judgment of faith and determines who belongs to God. Anyone whose name isn't found in the Book of Life will be thrown into hell.
Burke explains that the other judgment is called the bema seat judgment and is where God will reward us for things we did for Him in our earthly life. The word judgment is translated from the Greek word bema and refers to the judge's seat at the ancient games. It's like the Olympic judge's stand, Burke says. He likens it to a giant awards ceremony, such as the Oscars.
While everyone in heaven will experience the bliss of an eternal home with God, there will be levels of rewards. God loves to reward every faithful deed. We don't earn God's love or acceptance into heaven -- that's a gift that we receive or reject. But our faithfulness to God in this life determines our experience in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-20 tells us, "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven."
I don't know what kind of rewards we'll receive. We always hear about earning another jewel in your crown. I think the rewards will be something more substantial. If God blesses us with so many good things in this life, I can only imagine what He has in store for us in heaven!
The greatest reward of all will be being with Jesus. We'll be in His presence forever. Nothing can compare with that!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Imagine Heaven (Part 4)
Heaven is real. That was made very clear by many of the people in John Burke's book, Imagine Heaven. But not everyone who had a near-death experience (NDEs) saw heaven. Some saw a very different place. They got a glimpse into the hellish afterlife that awaits those who aren't saved. They found that hell is also real.
A lot of us, including some Christians, believe in a "fairly tale" version of hell, complete with a little red devil with a tail and holding a pitchfork. We know hell is a bad place, but it is far worse than we can ever imagine.
The NDErs who "visited" hell don't like to talk about their experience. It's too painful. Those who did share their experiences in the book say it felt like they were trapped in a cave or deep pit where there is complete darkness. They describe a putrid smell like feces, burning sulfur or death. The odor was so overwhelming that it was nearly impossible to breathe.
The ones who visited heaven said they felt such incredible love and acceptance, but those who went to hell said they felt totally alone and abandoned. They could hear the cries and screams from others, but the complete darkness kept them for seeing another soul. They felt such isolation in hell because they had been separated from God forever.
The NDErs who saw hell believe their experience was meant to be a warning. They were given a chance to come back to their earthly lives so they could change and avoid spending eternity in that place of torment.
We all have that same chance now. God never intended for humans to be in hell. He created hell for Satan and his angels. God gives us a choice. We can accept Jesus and live for Him and spend eternity in that wonderful place called heaven, or we can reject Him and spend eternity in hell.
Heaven is real, and hell is just as real. Which will you choose?
A lot of us, including some Christians, believe in a "fairly tale" version of hell, complete with a little red devil with a tail and holding a pitchfork. We know hell is a bad place, but it is far worse than we can ever imagine.
The NDErs who "visited" hell don't like to talk about their experience. It's too painful. Those who did share their experiences in the book say it felt like they were trapped in a cave or deep pit where there is complete darkness. They describe a putrid smell like feces, burning sulfur or death. The odor was so overwhelming that it was nearly impossible to breathe.
The ones who visited heaven said they felt such incredible love and acceptance, but those who went to hell said they felt totally alone and abandoned. They could hear the cries and screams from others, but the complete darkness kept them for seeing another soul. They felt such isolation in hell because they had been separated from God forever.
The NDErs who saw hell believe their experience was meant to be a warning. They were given a chance to come back to their earthly lives so they could change and avoid spending eternity in that place of torment.
We all have that same chance now. God never intended for humans to be in hell. He created hell for Satan and his angels. God gives us a choice. We can accept Jesus and live for Him and spend eternity in that wonderful place called heaven, or we can reject Him and spend eternity in hell.
Heaven is real, and hell is just as real. Which will you choose?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)