Ever been on the road when another driver is making erratic moves and false signals? You don't know whether to pass him or hang way back and wait for the inevitable accident to occur and all you can do is pray he gets off the road before he hurts himself or worse, somebody else. Have you ever been the one others are looking at as if you got your license from a Cracker Jack box? If we compare these kinds of road experience to the nations of the world, you can look around and see other nations swerving all over the pavement bumping into one another vying for more prominent positions in world economy and military might. Little neighboring countries in Africa are like the cars behind us, they matter because we hate to see others hurt, but we are out of the danger zone. Others are nearer to us and most of them seem to have a steady hand at the wheel. One by one, others are coming up from behind and absolutely have no concern for their own welfare or anyone else's. It used to be that the drivers would take it upon themselves to scare the nuttiness out of those passing carelessly, it used to be that the other passengers in the car being driven so dangerously would take that driver away from the wheel and put in somebody much more careful. Nowadays, the passengers are divided, half cheering him on and the other half sitting quietly and grumbling. Nowadays, the other cars don't want to deal with the nut, so he is zipping by them and making sure everybody on the road is intimidated by him. Often times, there are fights in the front seat over the wheel.
Lately, even though we have been way out front, the rest of the field is watching us wander from right side to left side occasionally jerking onto the left shoulder and skidding back onto the pavement. Now, if you think of years as being minutes, its easy to see how that could be. Every four minutes we are changing drivers and there is always a huge discussion over who the next driver will be. The other drivers had grown accustomed to this and most would hang back whenever it was time to make the switch. Just lately we have the governmental powers fighting over the wheel. The president is supposed to be the one at the wheel. But Congress has been doing its best to usurp the authority of the president to steer the bus in defensive action and aggressive action. Add to that the Supreme court jumping in and pulling the wheel hard to the left working to take the authority to imprison battlefield combatants until war's end. Nobody else on the road wants to work with us to ensure security because they don't know if we'll be a friend or a backstabber in the next few minutes.
So, now its time to choose a new driver again and we need to consider all that this driver is going to have to face. Nobody in the other cars are willing to step up and do something about the gang of cars known as Islamic jihad. This president and this congress will have to make decisions about powers commandeering the wheel and if they don't or won't, we passengers are going to have to hit the brakes and decide for the three powers, who is supposed to drive. Wait! Where did the brake pedal go. Didn't we have one installed when we built this vehicle known as the union of states? The steering wheel is being fought over and we don't have brake pedal? Is anybody in the front seat doing something about this? Is anybody on the bus even concerned enough to sound an alarm?
Okay, so the analogy isn't perfect, but the concern should come through loud and clear. If we don't settle down and work out a clear plan of operation, we very likely will become the former world power. Those who think that would be a good thing are by definition anti-American. Who would step up to ensure the good things America does? Would China act as the world councilor and police for human rights? Do you think the United Nations could do it? Maybe you could place your trust in Islam? Which entity around the world has the muscle or the will to influence the world's drivers to serve their own well and work within the constraints of the rules of the road? No other country or world power has both the power and the will for the job and if we allow Islam or the UN or anybody with enough might to make the rules of the road, this will be a far different world. Islam would create a far more dangerous road by taking other vehicles and using them to their own ends. China would probably do something similar. The UN is basically a subset of Islam. Every other entity is either too weak or has already succumbed to the influence of radical Islam.
Once you put a light on the responsibility of the lead position, you begin to see how tenuous is the role we play in world politics and the consequences of dropping that responsibility begin to look more ominous than the 2nd amendment or a marriage certificate for homosexuals. This election will literally decide whether we place more judges who will fight for the wheel or more judges who will take the roll the builders and planners designed for them, whether we have a Congress who help and back the driver or are also pulling and fighting for the wheel. The parties have drawn clear lines on who will take the wheel from the assigned driver and who will support the decision making structure as designed by the original driver and navigators. I suggest you vote for a conservative veteran this election, whether for president or for Congress.
The last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence
We, therefore,
the Representatives of the United States of America, in General
Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for
the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of
the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That
these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and
Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the
British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the
State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that
as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War,
conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all
other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for
the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection
of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The conversations on recent articles have turned to the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way to God. You can track back to the conversations here and here. I am brought back to the event of my own conversion to dependency upon Christ from dependency on my own self will and wisdom. Some years ago, I wrote a poem relating my relationship with God before and after. It is my hope that the poem communicates to those who believe that Christ is one of many ways to God, something of why my personal experience is more than some wise instructions written in an ancient text. My relationship with God is present, personal, and constant. My relationship is no more metaphorical than was Paul's of Silas, the 12th apostle of Christ who met Him on the road to Damascus.
The Turnaround
Peace I want, for peace I'm searching
hard to find in this world, but well worth reaching
Peace long lost if indeed I've ever known her
Peace moves not, 'tis I who is lost and losing
Not easily reached nor easily sought
too many years wasted because I thought
'twas to be found without, while 'twas within
My own self doubt, my justifying sin
I knew, I knew and seriously didn't want to,
the truth I'd been rejecting, "God is present!"
He's designed a blessing, it was my dissent
that brought me curses, the rules are for ME,
not for Him, and I couldn't see
through closed eyes, His continued plea
fell on covered ears until my pain
and endless tears convinced me my disdain
was foolishly placed against my God.
I turned my face and finally called,
"You're right, You were right all along."
JudgeRight
Christians aren't perfect. We are sinners just like unbelievers. The only difference is in the fact that we have accepted Christ's sacrifice to be justified before the Father and in the fact that we turned from our self will. We have all this programming inducted into our lifestyle by parents, by friends, society, etc., and by our own desires for pleasure and security. We have determined to read and meditate on the Bible and to employ its instruction. In doing so, we intend to subject ourselves to the will of God, to put His will above our own. This is not a simple thing. For most, lack of self discipline is an early and major hurdle. Its easy for a while, but as the new experience of absence of guilt wears off, the old habits begin to roll back in like a tide having rolled away rolls back again. Each bad habit has to be defeated and replaced with good habits as we discover the ill they portray in the Bible's revelation.
It is in this sense, when we say we are traveling the same road as the unbeliever, but we are going in the opposite direction. We mean we are moving toward God while the rest are moving away from Him. Again, the Christian is not perfect. He can still choose to move away from God and prefer to make his own choices according to his desires rather than adhere to the instruction he knows and understands the Bible gives. Without getting into theological debates over whether this means he has rejected Christ, we recognize that the Christian walk is difficult and any person who has had to break even one habit knows, you can sway back and forth and still wind up defeating the habit. The point I'm making here is that Christians sin. That doesn't make him a hypocrite. It does mean he is working out his salvation. In the same sense, the unbeliever is not perfectly evil, disdaining the Creator. He may be wavering between acceptance and rejection of God's will.
Since we are not perfect and still sin, we absolutely cannot depend on our works to make our way to God. Heaven's reward by any other means than through the sacrificial payment made by Jesus Christ is named as thievery by Christ. This grace (reward by Christ's sacrifice) is unique to Christianity. In every other form of religion, works are counted as the only avenue to God and/or reward. Now, this is where I have to get theological. Why aren't good works good enough? This verse in the letter Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus explains just one reason why works are not sufficient to get you into heaven.
For by grace are ye saved
through faith;
and that not of yourselves [it is] the gift of God Not
of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
However, this verse gives the most basic reason. God has supplied the means and to reject this sacrifice is to reject the most valuable gift God could offer.
He that is not with me is against
me: and he that gathereth not with me
scattereth.
Luke 11:23
Kim Kommando is a computer guru who runs a nationally syndicated radio talk show based out of Phoenix Arizona. I usually listen to her shows on podcast sense she isn't available in the Orange County area in the L.A. basin. I discovered her when I was working weekends up in Sacramento. I was so impressed with her show that I subscribed to her Kim's club online and so get all her newsletters and updates. You have seen several of her video of the day featured here on my blog but this article I found to be informative if troubling.
Remember FenFen, the supposedly harmless weight loss over the counter drug? Many died from taking FenFen and since then the FDA has come down on the supplements industry. Not hard enough in my opinion but they are taking a harder look at supplements and requiring warning labels on their packaging. Similarly, Idoze is not regulated. Idoze is a form of sound induced druglike effecting chemical responses in the brain, or so they claim. Supposedly, the effects can be similar to marijuana, painkillers, and even heroin. Please look into Kim's article for the full story.
I will be looking into this indepth at a later date but for now, the best information I have is that their claims are likely bogus. The real concern at the moment is the kids' interest in feeling the effects of any drugs and the websites' glorifying the experience.
“Digital drugs” targeting kids6/28/2008 |
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I got an interesting question from a concerned mother. Her 17-year-old told her about something called “idozer.” She checked it out online, and thought it might be dangerous. But she didn’t mention exactly what it was in her e-mail. So, I looked it up. And I have to say, this is a weird one. An idozer is referred to as a digital drug. It’s the idea that you can get high using technology. You don’t need to take drugs. All you need is your computer or an MP3 player. |
Kim Kimmando sent me another great video courtesy of Jay Leno. This one features a candid camera booth. Imagine getting into a photo booth equipped with one of those ultra-polite female voice recordings giving you directions to make it function. Only thing is, she's live and you don't know it.
The "100 years" controversy dates back to a Jan. 3 town hall meeting in Derry, N.H. In response to a voter's question about how many years U.S. troops might stay in Iraq, McCain said:
"Maybe 100. We've been in South Korea -- we've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. It's fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaeda is training, recruiting, and equipping and motivating people every single day."
Seems to me the MoveOn message is fundamentally flawed and offers no challenge to John McCain. First, Baby Alex has to be at least 17 to sign up and 18 to enter the armed forces. Second, Mama don't get to say what 18 year old Alex will and won't do. Third, where's Dad? Does he want to encourage Alex to serve and is he equipped and willing to teach Alex about commitment and sacrifice and honor and a gratitude to this nation for the freedom he and his family has to say anything to anybody, including the leader of the nation?
That's the message MoveOn is
When trophies are doled out for participation rather than struggling for the win and everybody is honored whether extraordinary effort, or any effort, was invested in the work required to be a winner, then trophies and gold stars and accolades mean nothing. When we have entirely new concepts like kindergarchy where kids rule the house rather than parents, and more and more rules and laws applied to protect us from ourselves, and making businesses and property owners responsible for patrons' and visitors' irresponsible behavior through litigation nightmares, and the government is supposed to make sure every citizen is employed, insured, fed, housed, and clothed, we know that caring and social concern has lopsided influence over responsible, sacrificial commitment, self reliance, and respect for authority.
Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
I heard about this case through the Dennis Prager Show last week and found it stunning. The story comes out of Quebec Canada where a child can take a parent to court and sue the parent. Some may feel this to be a good thing, afterall aren't there numerous cases of parental abuse that nobody hears about until the kid is either dead or so screwed up in the head they'll never be a contributing member of society? Well, yes there are cases like this. However, when you get the courts involved in private matters, this is where you end up.
A twelve year old girl brought her dad to court in a lawsuit protesting her grounding over the fact that she was posting some inappropriate photos of herself on MySpace. Her father had... well here's the article.
Judge overrules dad's decision to ground daughter
GATINEAU, Quebec - A Quebec youngster has used the courts to avoid parental discipline in a "landmark" case. The 12-year-old girl, who is too young to be named, went to court to force her father to overturn his decision not to allow her to go on a school trip. Her father had decided to ground her after he found out she had posted photos of herself on a dating website against his wishes. The sixth-grader then took her father to court, arguing that his punishments were too severe.
Madam Justice Suzanne Tessier of the Quebec Superior Court ruled on Friday that denying the girl permission to go on the school trip was an excessive punishment. The girl's lawyer, Lucie Fortin, said, "She's becoming a big girl" and described the school trip as "a unique event in her life", the Globe and Mail reported. In arguing the case, Fortin cited Sections 159 and 604 of the Quebec Civil Code, which allow minors in some circumstances to initiate court proceedings relating to the exercise of parental authority. Section 159 is used in "extreme circumstances", such as cases of parental negligence.
The father's lawyer, Kim Beaudoin said that her client is "stunned by this situation. He feels like he's lost his daughter". He is appealing the court's decision.
You can read the full article here.
In a statement after the judge's ruling, the father refused to have the girl in his care citing; "If I have no authority over her, I can't raise her." He is entirely correct. His consequence for her behavior was not harmful to her in any way and the judge has effectively nulled his authority and affirmed the daughter's belief that her father is an overbearing authoritarian. I could not take care of any child of whom I have not the authority to train, correct, and enforce consequences, and certainly not in a circumstance where my authority has been undermined by a major figure of legal authority for such a minor consequence when the man was looking out for the child's welfare. He is appealing the case and I hope and pray for the sake of the child that this ruling is repealed. May that judge forever regret her decision to interfere in the rational council of a loving father.
Foreign Aid to U.S. for Katrina
I have argued with Liberals on world opinion about America. The Liberals have charged that the world hates America for its imperialism and its consumption of the world's resources. The Liberals really believe that we are a force for evil in the world. I think this video displays the fallacy of that charge. We have poured out our resources on struggling people around the world whether we are in good times or bad. We have spent trillions in efforts to spread human rights and humanitarian aid and we have spilt American blood in the attempt to defend the defenseless. When America was hit by hurricane Katrina, the world was ready to give back, many at great personal cost.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice. For ancient civilizations, this day was akin to our modern day New Year's Eve and was viewed as a time to reflect and renew. So why not kick off your summer celebration with a new theme?
See all of our themes in the Design Area.
Or choose from one of these brand-new themes. (Available under "New.")
Links from my Neighborhood
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Ministering to people who struggle with sexual addictions.