Do Politics Matter?

Have you heard the retort, "Well, this world is gonna burn, anyway!"?  I know I have.  And, I would have to say that until yesterday I had a very apathetic attitude about politics and how our government works.  Yes, I had a big day yesterday.

Our church has missions' month every March and one of our speakers (three years in a row, now), was Julaine Appling, a strong-minded, clear orater about the importance of legislating values.  Now, don't get me wrong... I am all for getting "good" laws passed into our system; it just hasn't seemed likely or possible.  What I realized yesterday was that it takes regular people, like myself, to change laws.  It takes one or two people to make a phone call to their representatives.  It takes one or two people to share their thoughts with like-minded friends who will then share the passion to get things changed to better our own lives.

God has been priming me, I think, for a little while by sending messages via Facebook and email through friends who are passionate (maybe?) about certain causes.  One of them was a 30-minute video talking about how parental rights are being violated.  That caused me to sit up and take notice for once.  I am a mother.  That is my job.  I value being able to make decisions for my children that I deem "in their best interest".  What if that was taken away from me?  It already is.  People around our country have experienced it.  Being arrested for not wanting your child to have "Sexual Tolerance" teaching in Kindergarten, being court-ordered by a judge that you are only allowed to take your child to church one service a week, being told by a family physician that you must get permission from your underage child for the results of a drug test YOU paid for.

IT IS HAPPENING.  TODAY.  In our Free and Liberated Country.

So, what are you going to do about it?

Sitting in church, hearing Ms. Appling talk about her role in Wisconsin Family Council and realizing that you CAN and SHOULD legislate morality was eye-opening.  Everyone else is making laws based on what they believe is right, why not me??

Were they legislating morality when they legalized gay marriage?  YES!
Were they legislating morality when they legalized abortion? YES!

The candidates you want to put into office are those that closely mirror your values and beliefs when it comes to upholding marriage and family.  If your candidate does not have those in line, nothing else they try to fix (jobs, economy, etc) will turn out properly.

God puts up kings and takes them down.  He has given each country and people their own set of government and laws.  Ours is a republic (or was)... and is so close to being ruined.  It is our responsibility to keep things the way God intended until He decides to "let it burn".

If we aren't legislating our biblical ethics and morality, it will be someone else's views and opinions.  Stand up and start talking!

Until next time, review the issues in your area and get ready to VOTE!

Showing Love

"If I belittle those whom I am called to serve,

 talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points;

if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting 'who made thee to differ?

and what hast thou that thou hast not received?'

then I know nothing of Calvary love."

--Amy Carmichael

Of course I've never done this... right, let's be honest.  I'm sure I could accuse myself of having a superior attitude because I'm not in the same position as others.  And also talked about people and their situations, not to belittle, but to puzzle over and analyze.  Of course, in my immature days there may have been some snooty comments to myself (since I really didn't have friends).  But who made me so special?  Why did I escape certain snares and consequences.  I am by no means a saint and yet I can say with certainty that God protected me from myself during a particular time in my life.

I was talking to my 4-year-old just this morning about consequences.  We were reading about Moses and the children of Israel and how they didn't believe that God would protect them when trying to enter the Promised Land.  Because they didn't believe, their consequence was not being allowed to enter and they had to wander in the wilderness until they died off.  Of course, my son made the jump that if we disobey, God will leave us.  Not exactly what I was trying to imply.

Regardless of my inept Mommy Moments, there is an understanding of our complete and utter humanity before God.  You are no better than me and I am no better than the homeless person down the street (actually, we don't have any homeless in our town; but that's beside the point).  We are all children of God and made in His image.  It doesn't matter what we do, we are all sinners and in need of His saving grace in our lives.

My son just started Awana and is learning some verses in his Cubbies book, grossly shortened but still makes the point. Romans 3:23 "All have sinned."  Who has sinned, Jeremiah?  YOU!  Yes, I have sinned... but have you sinned, too?  Yes.  What does "all" mean?  Everyone.  So... all people have sinned?  Yes.

Romans 5:8 "While we were sinners, Christ died for us."  Pretty explanatory, I suppose.  Since we're all guilty of sin, we understand that while we were still wallowing in it (our sin, that is), Christ died for us.  Okay... so why did He die?  From old age?  No.  Christ died because it says in Romans 6:23 That "the wages (price/cost) of sin is death."  Are we all going to have to pay for our own sin?  That's how it was meant to work.  Are we capable of paying for our sin? Yes... which is why there is a place called Hell where we would be separated from God forever.

The whole point of Christ's death was that He was a sinless payment.  He only had to shed His blood once in order to cover everyone's sin.  If we believe on Him, that he died for us and rose from the dead, we will be looked on as sinless also.  Standing before God on Judgment Day, God will not see us... but Jesus who stands before us and His sinlessness.  We are not worthy on our own... only worthy because of who has loved us and shed His blood for us.

Okay, that post took a turn... but I guess it needed to be said.

Until next time... look around you and see everyone (undesirables and desirables, alike) as God does... as sinners in need of a Savior, and treat them accordingly.  And share the good news, too!

Extraordinary Women

This past weekend I went to Illinois to attend a conference by Extraordinary Women.  It has been over 2 years since I last left my family (now consisting of two boy-children and husband and Opie, the beagle puppy) to get "space", "Me Time" and regain perspective on my plight as a stay-at-home mom who homeschools, teaches piano, has piles of clean laundry for months that never gets folded and is always striving to do better.

This type of conference is really not my preference.  It was held at a stadium and felt so sterile and commercialized that it was difficult to enjoy or relax.  Part of the reason I don't appreciate such large venues is that I have had trouble, in my past, with agoraphobia and severe anxiety in large crowds.  It didn't seem to matter how much space I allowed for myself, having a pocket of emptiness... women kept bumping me with their hips.  It confused me that they had at least 10 feet on either side of me and they HAD to touch me in the process of whatever they were trying to accomplish. 

--"Back off, lady!"  So, I'm the round, dumpy lady wearing jeans that drag on the ground and a pumpkin orange-and-white striped sweater glaring at women standing too closely.--

Alright, back to my lofty thoughts.  The weekend was profitable, however uncomfortable it was in the moment.

A couple of the speakers were certainly well worth hearing... Elisa Morgan and Ann Voskamp (author of One Thousand Blessings), specifically, as well as being able to collect a couple of resources by Sheri Rose Shepherd about raising boys.  Since I have two sons (alternately Spiderman, Batman, Superman or any other kind of MAN), she had a refreshing book about God's little warriors that covers some basic life situations that my 4-year old is encountering now that he has a social life at school.  It also has prayers for each section which will allow him to become more comfortable and familiar with praying about anything and everything (another concern of mine).  The other book was about Raising Future Husbands (or some similar title).  I am waiting for it to come in the mail... so when I get it, we will have a book review.

All in all, not a complete waste of time; but I still prefer smaller women's conferences where you actually open your Bible and study.

Until next time, be a woman of prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING!