Gun Control

Okay, I am going to say this as clearly as I can.  I do not think that guns are evil.  Guns are inanimate objects.  They have no ability other than being manipulated by the hands of man.  There is no one in this world who feels any worse about what has happened so many times in our country when it comes to innocent children losing their lives at the hands of evil people.  But that is the problem, evil people.  No inanimate object can be evil in and of itself.  It can be used in an evil way, or it can be used in a useful and productive way.  It is the mind of a man that takes and turns something into a tool of evil.

Now, do there need to be restrictions?  Yes.  I am all for making our public safer.  Do we need to make it more difficult for evil people to acquire weapons like those used in Newtown?  Yes.  I believe we do.  We also need harsher punishment for selling weapons without registration of those guns.  This goes against a lot of the conservative thinking but I am all for making it more of a crime to use any weapon to kill another human being.  It isn't the weapon that killed it is the person wielding the weapon that cause the fatality.  We need to be more strict in acquiring guns.  But, it does not need to punish those who are law abiding and caring citizens by banning any weapon. 

Stricter applications and licensing for all guns is perfectly fine with me.  But, you will take my guns out of my home under major protest, and major being I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of those who walk up to my home to take my guns.  As long as I am alive, I'll be the last one in America to have their guns taken away.

I am sorry for the tragedy we have seen over the last week and the 69 other school incidents involving guns and schools since 1994.  It saddens me and makes me ill to think that anyone would hurt another human without provocation.  I am reminded daily of a personal situation in my life where no guns would have allowed someone I thought a lot of to live.  However, the evil of the other person allowed them to steal the gun they used to kill with.  Evil in a person turns a gun against the innocent, not the gun itself.

I'll see you later.

Holidays

Bah...Humbug! 

Yes, that is the way I felt for years about the holiday season.  I didn't dislike the holidays as much as I realized how many times in my life that was the time that I felt so inadequate as to what and how to treat this special season.

I have always enjoyed giving gifts and seeing my children open their gifts has always been a wonderful experience.  Now seeing my grandchildren doing the same thing also brings a special feeling of joy.

My problem has always been the world's view on the "commercial aspects" of Christmas and the entire holiday season.  When this time of year is motivated by the purchasing of items and the guilt they spread for not purchasing the "best gifts" for those you love.  I am not good at picking out gifts.  I guess that is one of the things I inherited from my dad.  He always gave credit to "Nay", JoAnn,  his wonderful bride of over 30 years.  And he is right in doing so.  She is the gift picker for that family and does a great job.

My wife also does most of our gifting.  I am thankful that she does.  She is good at it and can filter some of the things I feel are special for the season and special for our children and grandchildren. 

I love giving gifts, but there is an underlying aspect I want you to think about.

My greatest gift has never been as important to me as it is now.  The greatest gift I have ever received I was given by God.  His Son!

I want Jesus to be the gift I share with my family above all other gifts.  I want to keep Christ in Christmas. I want more than anything to see my children and grandchildren be faithful loving children of God so that they may receive the gift of an eternity in heaven with God.  If I can give that gift to my children I have given the best gift I believe has ever been offered.

Then it will truly be a holiday and it will last through all the season.

I'll see you later.

I Can't Do It!

Have you ever said the words, "I can't do it"?

I have, and it hurts my pride, ego (whats left after 53 years) when I have to admit that I can't do everything. 

I don't know it all! Now that should grab my children's and my family's attention.  But I admit it.  I have come to realize that not only do I not know everything, I can't know everything.  I can't do everything.  There are limits that are on me as an aging adult with many flaws that keep me from being able to believe I can do anything.  Knowing and doing are just as important in the realm of knowing to admit "Can't" as fighting the hatred I carried for those few words all of my life.

I hated admitting that I couldn't do it all.  I refused to make the statement that I didn't know something.  It was a war in my life that I, admittedly, still have to fight on occasion. 

But there is one thing I do know.  I know that because of the grace of my God and the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus, I have eternal life within me.  I know that there are no spiritual boundaries in my spiritual walk with the God I love.  I am not perfect and I get angry when I choose to sin, but I know my God is a forgiving God who searches our hearts and minds to know us and lead us toward Him.

When someone says that they "can't" do something, I am not as critical anymore.  When I hear someone say "I don't know" I am not as flippant about their remark as I once was.  I have a lot more patience with others and myself as I have matured (term used in expectation).

When you find yourself not knowing, it is okay to admit it.
When you find yourself not being able to do, it is okay to say, "I can't do it!"

Just make sure that when you are faced with the spiritual challenges in your life that you say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"   Philippians 4:13

I'll see you later!

Black Sunday

I found the following article and just had to share it with the family here.  Be blessed.

Wow! I found the best deal ever and I want to share it with everyone I know. Forget about “Black Friday!” Forget about “Cyber Monday!” The REAL deal is something most people haven’t figured out yet. I am about to give you the best savings tip ever! I promise you will not find a deal this good at any retailer. Just read a bit further to find out about this amazing deal!

We’ve all heard about Black Friday. It is a day that retailers look forward to all year. It has the name Black Friday” because, traditionally, this is the day that many retailers go from being “in the red” (an accounting way of showing that expenses exceed revenue) to being “in the black” (revenue exceeds expenses). Black Friday, and the relatively new Cyber Monday (Internet sales), are generally the most profitable days of the year for many retailers. So why would you shop on a day that literally gets its name from the fact that companies are getting their greatest profit from YOU?

I HAVE A BETTER IDEA. Why not go somewhere that YOU profit from the expense of someone else! You see, the best deal isn’t Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but something we might call “Black Sunday.” About 2,000 years ago, Jesus went to the cross on our behalf. Corporate humanity was in debt for our sins. Rather than offering cheap deals, Jesus offered the most costly expense imaginable, His blood. And if that were the end of the story, then expenses would still exceed revenue and we would still be “in the red.”

But Sunday came, and with it, the greatest profit ever…the risen savior! Because of “Black Sunday,” we now benefit from His profit – salvation. That’s right. We get the profit, not some corporation! You don’t have to camp out all night or wait in line this Thursday. Christ rose on Sunday, and you can receive His gift TODAY! If you want to receive His “profit,” turn away from a life of sin, confess Jesus as the Son of God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin. Then begin attending a bible believing, New Testament church where you can learn more about walking in the light! What a deal! A true savings!  By Greg Wanderman.

 I'll see you later!

Does Time Heal All Wounds?

I have heard the statement that "Time heals all wounds." I have even used it on occasion until one day when I stopped and thought about the ramifications of this statement.

Time does not heal all wounds!  Time can heal wounds of a physical nature, but what about wounds that are inflicted with the desired interest of painful, lasting jolts of insult, hurt, and the ultimate destruction of the soul.

"Surely," you may ask, "no one would deliberately hurt someone to give them lasting or permanent pain?"

Yes, we see it everyday.  My sermon this past week was called "The Big Lie" and I spoke of the way we use our words and that the old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is a lie.  Words hurt and there are those who are out there viciously hurting others with their words.

Many reasons are at the root of this attitude.  I remember a sermon I heard from one of my mentors, Jim Hackney.  He told of the children in the sand box playing together until one of them became upset at how the playing had progressed.  Ultimately all play stopped and words were slung with the savagery with the power that even adults will many times avoid.  One of the children who had a sand shovel and pale decided she/he didn't like the way things were going and so left the group vowing never to return.

We, as adults many times, do the same thing in our relationships and wounds are created and over time begin to fester and even bleed in an emotional mess.  Words can maim, wound and yes, even kill relationships and even total groups of people.

Time can't heal all those wounds.  It is impossible for them to go away, even when healed, without leaving the visible scars that torment us for the rest of our lives.  Words, used in anger, jealousy, hate, etc. are better left unspoken, because time does not heal all wounds, but scars remind us for the rest of our lives.

Be careful to choose slowness of speech as you are confronted with the situations in life that bring about the desire to sling the arrows of disgust, hatred, and anger.  Words do hurt and time can never heal all wounds.

I'll see you later!

The Political Side of Me

I was sitting at my desk and reading some of the political junk that is floating around.  There, I said it.  I think it is junk.

Look, as a Christian I have to do what I can to inform and encourage those around me who might not be as morally motivated as I am.  So, let me make just a few statements that will let you know where I come from on my political views.

First...I believe in doing things the way I believe the Bible teaches and I always try to ask the question "what would Jesus do?"  I really believe that this is a great start to any decision. 

Second...I will not vote for someone who is affiliated with or believes in a platform of acceptance to abortion, same sex marriage, or has a lack of moral fiber based upon the establishment of this country through its constitution.

Third...I will not vote for someone who wants to make bigger government. I think that the "fathers of our country" wanted us to be governed by men of the community not career politicians.

There, I said it.  These are the three things I think about the most when it comes to my vote.  Where a man stands on my issues will determine my vote.

I'll see you later!

Time to Go!

Ready? Set? Go!

My granddaughter said this over and over as she would run from one side of their living room to the other.  The only thing is she would begin running before she got to "Go!"  I laughed and told her to not leave before she said go.  Quick as a flash she answered me, "NO!  I got to go fast!"

How many times are we in such a rush in our lives that we start running before it is time and before we get to "Go!"?  I have found myself in those situations so many times I can't count them.  You get ready to do something but you are too ready and you jump the gun.

In track, if you jump the gun too many times you are disqualified for trying to gain an unfair advantage.  In life, if you jump the gun, you are just not doing your part with as much thought as you probably should have in the process.  I wonder if our lives are lived trying to gain an unfair advantage. 

My granddaughter wasn't trying to defeat anyone in a race, she just wanted to get where she was going "fast!"  The mentality that we have in our society is that getting there first or the fastest means we are better than those behind us. 

In Christianity, it isn't who finishes first, it is just finishing.  "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." Acts 20:24.

But it is important to run to win the prize "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24 But we never jump the gun or run in a way to cause others to question our motives.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." Heb.12:1

I need to plan my future but I need to run a good race.  I need to plan it out and live life as to win the prize at the end of the race, but I also need to run the race cleanly so that others watching will realize I have not "jumped the gun" or run in a way that could cost me the prize.

Run to try to win, but run with the intent of finishing, and never jump the gun or make others question the motive behind your race.

I'll see you later!