Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.

Recently a friend and I were discussing some current issues happening in our country. She was feeling confused by the constant battles and falsities being given by both of the major parties here in America. As I told her, I think the key is to "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thes. 5:16-18.

We need to rejoice! We live in a country where we have the right to disagree. We can say we don't like the views of a person or party and that's OK. In a few years we can vote for him/her or someone else! However, as Christians we have an obligation to pray for and support our President. We need to pray for the current administration and give thanks for the hard work they are doing. Because they are working hard!

Rejoice, pray and be thankful, remembering that God is in control. 1 Peter 2:13-17 tells us to ...Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Peter was talking about Nero here. Nero was way worse than any President we could have. He didn't just make some bad decisions, but he killed those who disagreed with him. He killed people just for the fun of it. Those people knew problems we American's can never imagine. They had to have faith in God to follow Peter's teaching here.

Faith in God, I think is the order of the day. We can't do what the Democrats want to do and blanketly blame Bush for all the bad. Nor do as the Republicans are doing now and scaring us into hating President Obama. Neither men are all bad, neither are all good. They are men, being used of the Lord to bring about His business! And if you read the book of Revelation, you'll see GOD WINS!

So, who do we believe in the media? Who do we believe of our friends? Who do we believe?

Believe God! That's who to believe!

Common Ground?

Recently our President made a speech at Notre Dame University. In it her talked about the abortion debate. He said we need to listen to one another and find a common ground. I am all for this. Yes, let me listen to your reasons for supporting abortion, but stick around and listen to my reasons for supporting life. The problem is he doesn't mean they should listen to us. Only we should listen to them. Anyone who seriously looks into abortion can not go away and say "no, we are not killing a baby." So they just don't want to look at it.
Recently John Piper had this article on his blog. I liked it, so I want to make it available for your to read. Here are other reasons to oppose abortion (other than the basic fact that it is murder). Read and enjoy.

When do we get to talk about the other consequences of abortion, Mr. President?

I've read the transcript of your speech to the graduates of Notre Dame, Mr. President. I have a question: Do words mean anything to you, Mr. President?

In your story about the doctor who challenged a statement on your website as you ran for the presidency, you said this:

He wrote, "I do not ask at this point that you oppose abortion, only that you speak about this issue in fair-minded words." Fair-minded words.

After I read the doctor's letter, I wrote back to him and I thanked him. And I didn't change my underlying position (emphasis mine), but I did tell my staff to change the words on my website. And I said a prayer that night that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that the doctor had extended to me. Because when we do that -- when we open up our hearts and our minds to those who may not think precisely like we do or believe precisely what we believe -- that's when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.

That's when we begin to say, "Maybe we won't agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this heart-wrenching decision for any woman is not made casually, it has both moral and spiritual dimensions.

So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions, let's reduce unintended pregnancies. (Applause.) Let's make adoption more available. (Applause.) Let's provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term. (Applause.) Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded not only in sound science, but also in clear ethics, as well as respect for the equality of women." Those are things we can do. (Applause.)

So, is that the point, Mr. President - we get to talk, but the underlying positions get to remain the same? The only thing that actually changes is we think a little more charitably about each other?

Please, sir, tell me how that is supposed to make a difference?

I have a few more questions, Mr. President:

When do we get to talk about how the behavior of men on virtually every measurable level has gotten worse since abortion was made legal across the United States? Men are more likely to leave women today, more likely to be abusive, less likely to care for the children they father, and less likely to consider the consequences of their sexual behavior. Up to 75% of marriages that have a disabled child end in divorce, and most of the time it is the man who walks away from his family. When do we get to talk about men being encouraged to act like men rather than petulant, irresponsible, selfish little boys?

When do we get to talk about the cultural expectation that a mother is expected to abort her baby with an identified disability in the womb? Doctors, nurses, social workers assume a diagnosis of downs syndrome or spina bifida means a woman should terminate the pregnancy. What do you call a 90% abortion rate, Mr. President? If it were babies of any ethnicity, you would rightly call it genocide. What do you believe about families in this situation, Mr. President?

Finally, Mr. President, you said yourself that "the strong too often dominate the weak." Please explain to me, Mr. President, who is more weak and thus more worthy of your protection as the leader of the free world than a baby in his or her mother's womb?

But, of course, I'm just part of that opposition not really worthy of your attention or of 'Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words.' How did you put it?

"You'll hear talking heads scream on cable, and you'll read blogs that claim definitive knowledge, and you will watch politicians pretend they know what they're talking about."

Eli's Wish List

Eli just came and said he wants to be Spiderman for his birthday wish list. I'm not sure I know how to do that. Should I have a spider bite him?

Katie's Wish List

Katie and Elisha's birthday is coming up (same day, remember!). They have both began asking to add things to their wish lists. Katie is getting older and more sophisticated in her wishes. She has asked for an ipod, a cell phone, her own lap top computer, a t.v./d.v.d. player in her room, and high healed shoes. Well, yesterday she said she wants to add one more thing to the top of her list...a trip to England to see her Kinder Prep teacher, Mrs. Kennedy. I'm not sure I can afford to have this child much longer. This is her request at almost 8. What will she want when she's 16?