Monday, December 8, 2008

Bah Humbug! I love Christmas, but I HATE "A Christmas Carol"


Query "Christmas carol" at Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) and you will see something like 56 movie versions. They range from Rich Little's classic to the latest Barbie DVD. Add in all of the variations on the Christmas Carol story line, like Veggie Tales "An Easter Carol" and "The Gospel According to Scrooge" and it seems like there are an astronomical number of retellings of Charles Dickens' story. I AM SICK OF THEM ALL!
Don't ask me why because I don't really know. That story just grates on me like chalk on a blackboard. It replays over and over and over during the holiday season and it drives me mad.
I also hate any movie or television show theme that is driven by deception or confusion cause by purposeful or accidental miscommunication. I don't know what that has to do with A Christmas Carol, but I thought I'd throw it out there. That pretty much means that I don't watch old reruns of "Three's Company" or particularly enjoy "Romeo and Juliet".
I do get a bit depressed during the holidays. My parents are both gone, so I feel slightly resentful of friends with large extended families, especially those with family members nearby. As a Christian with a global worldview, I try to minimize my children's materialistic tendencies while maintaining a sense of joy and excitement. We have never perpetuated the Santa myth - a fact that my two older kids seem to appreciate.
I love Christmas. The way it is celebrated in the U.S. stirs so much turmoil in my spirit. I love the story of Jesus coming as a baby, born to Mary in a stable. I never get tired of God's redemptive love and his plan for reconciling the world. Retell it a million ways and it still brings tears to my eyes.
The world doesn't need another "A Christmas Carol". The world doesn't need redemption through humanism or some altruistic capitalist spirit. It is not the true story of Christmas, no matter how many different ways it is portrayed.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Responsibility of Christians in A Post-Election America

From Obama's victory speech:

"This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other."

This is more true now than ever. It has never been up to the government, or even the church for that matter, to fix the world for us. It has always been up to each of us, individually, empowered by God, collectively, to bring about positive change. We can no longer be content to live in a world where we elevate ourselves above our neighbor. We must redevelop a sense of civic responsibility and a dedication to the common good. This is not socialism. This is Christ's call to us.

I am more proud of America now than I have ever been. As Christians we must look beyond what is good for the US alone and keep our focus on the Kingdom that is to come, God's Kingdom on Earth. May God "grant us the privilege of His worldview" (Toby Mac)

Where do we go from here? The first step is to be in prayer. We must pray for our leaders. We must pray that the church will stand up for the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. Pray that the evil forces of racism will not prevail. Pray for our new president's safety and the safety of his family. Pray that he will earnestly seek God's will as he goes forward. Pray that the nation our children inherit will be one where the oppression of people based on the color of their skin is unimaginable. Pray that the economic forces of oppression would also be eradicated. Pray that America's promise, the promise of liberty and justice for all, would be fully realized. Pray for the unborn. Pray that the Democrat's pro-life voice would be heard. If we all begin to pray it will be impossible for God to ignore us. Remember the hope that we have is in Christ, not in the institutions of this world and not in politicians.

We must also move beyond prayer and ask God what our part will be in this new era. How can we effect and influence the world around us for God's glory. How can we make a positive impact toward protecting the rights of the unborn. Our government hasn't done it for us. Our new president won't do it for us. If these are the issues that most concern us, what will our life's testimony be when we stand before the Almighty and give an account for ourselves. I don't think that, "I voted Republican" will cut it.

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Let this be the testimony of your life.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

THE BIG LIE About the Democratic Party.

The overwhelming reason why Christians say they vote for Republican candidates is that they are pro-life. It is the biggest decision rule cited by Evangelical Christians. Most feel that it is unconscionable to vote for a democrat or to be politically liberal. To vote Republican means overlooking a whole host of un-Christ-like policies and attitudes concerning economic, social, and foreign policy. Voting for a Democrat is tantamount to voting for baby-killers, in their minds. This attitude is just wrong.
First of all, despite platitudes about being pro-life, the Republican party has not, on a national or state level, made any significant progress toward either reducing the number of abortions in the United States or toward reversing Roe v. Wade. A growing majority of national leaders in the Republican party are actually pro-choice. http://www.gopchoice.org/
Conversely, Barack Obama has said that he is committed to reducing the number of abortions in the United Sates. In large part, this new direction for the Democrats comes from a growing number of voices inside the party itself that are pro-life. http://www.democratsforlife.org/
They include people like Tony Campollo , who now sits on the Democrat's abortion platform committee.
It is possible to be a pro-life voice and be a Democrat.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

And You May Quote Me...These are a Few of My Favorite Quotes.....Part 1

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. And you may quote me.

-Jimmy Stewart in Harvey 1950

Monday, October 6, 2008

Revelations From Holy Hip Hop Vol. 5

God regularly gives me meditations. One of my favorite things to ponder is what Richard J. Foster terms, "the book of nature". The bible says,

"The heavens declare the glory of God;the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.-- Psalm 19:1-3"

It's so true. One of my favorite illustrations is how water teaches about the Holy Trinity.

So, yesterday I was getting ready for church and listening to "Holy Hip Hop Vol. 5: Taking the Gospel to the Streets" and I heard the line, "only God can make a diamond out of coal." How profound! If you think about it - coal is only good for one thing - for burning. With God's tools- time and pressure - coal becomes diamond. Able to endure anything - the strongest substance on earth. A very good lesson to remember - God can take anyone - no matter how "dirty" - and make a priceless treasure.

I thank God for the meditations he gives me. A miracle indeed that a white suburban housewife can be ministered to through young urban music. Further proof that God's spirit anoints any music dedicated to his glory.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Freudian Chandeliers and Light Fixtures - Is It Just Me Or Is This A Little Creepy?














Call me crazy (it wouldn't be the first time), but something is just not right with these pictures. Not just the pictures, but this style of chandelier, in general. More than 125 years after the invention of the electric light, we are still installing chandeliers with candles. Candles? On an electric light fixture? That seems absolutely ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is the fact that I have two of these hideous things in my house. As soon as I can afford it (or don't have something more pressing to spend money on) I am going to replace them. Would we build a suspension bridge out of wood? Do we design cars with a set of reins? Why on earth, in the 21st century are we putting fake candles on electric light fixtures.

Speaking of replacing light fixtures........
I had a fixture in my kitchen that was even more gruesome than the fake candle conundrum. It hung just low enough over my kitchen table that anyone who stood 5'6" or taller bumped their head on it or damaged their vision after staring into it too long. It looked a lot like this:

I know! It's a wagon wheel! The only explanation I can think of is that they took some really scary drugs back in the seventies when this house was built.



I thought - simple, no problem, I will just go down to the home improvement box mart and buy a fixture to replace it. No candles, just something simple. Imagine my horror when, at Home Despot I saw row after row, aisle after aisle of these:


Are you starting to see the problem? Here's a hint, the third fixture is from the "Melon Collection".......... Still not clicking?? They're BREASTS!! Don't you see it?? Breasts!!! Hanging from the ceiling!!! I am trapped in a nightmare of inappropriate lighting options. This is the world I live in. It's is right there in front of us all the time. This is what happens when synapses start firing late at night. I, too, would be oblivious if it weren't for these momentary flashes of reason. What does it all mean? Is it a Freudian nightmare? Is it all phallic candles and breast-like pendulum fixtures? Is it a sign of the end times? I will let you know, as soon as I have it all figured out!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Flesh Eating Bacteria?? I Should Probably Get More Sleep.

Do you ever think about flesh eating bacteria?

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/necrotizing-fasciitis-flesh-eating-bacteria-topic-overview

It is certainly nothing to joke about. I think about it a lot and wonder if doctors actually try every possible remedy at their disposal before they either start chopping off large pieces of flesh or before a person dies from it. What about hydrogen peroxide? Raw honey? Bleach? Not really sure what that last one would do to a person, even if it managed to wipe out the bacteria, but if there was no other alternative?

Wow - it's like they read my mind. This one tried bleach:
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/news/article_1366174.php/Flesh-eating_Superbug_leaves_Florida_mom_fighting_for_her_life

Testimony for raw honey:
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2006/10/71925

Monday, September 8, 2008

Google Defines Radical

A Netizen in Atlanta wrote:
"One of the wonders of Google is that you can wind up looking at someone’s bio and wonder how you got there. After looking at your blogger web site I noticed something that appeared to be unusual. You say that you are a radical (mother of three) and content with life. So what is so radical about you? "

Definitions of radical on the Web:
group: (chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule
free radical: an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule that has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule; "in the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly ...
extremist: (used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm; "extremist political views"; "radical opinions on education"; "an ultra conservative"
revolutionary: markedly new or introducing radical change; "a revolutionary discovery"; "radical political views"
a person who has radical ideas or opinions
arising from or going to the root or source; "a radical flaw in the plan"
(mathematics) a quantity expressed as the root of another quantity
a character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogram
of or relating to or constituting a linguistic root; "a radical verb form"
root: (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed; "thematic vowels are part of the stem"
especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem; "basal placentation"; "radical leaves" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

or my personal interpretation:
Radical: a person who likes to enter data into little boxes; especially blog text fields.

smile.... smile for the FBI


U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
August 13, 2008

The fingerprints printed on the attached fingerprint cards are not adequate for accurate identification purposes. The reason for return are set forth below:
CODE L0008 The quality of characteristics is too low to be used. (Determined by the FBI's Automated Fingerprint Identification System)
It is requested that the individual be reprinted and fully rolled and clearly recorded fingerprint cards be resubmitted to the FBI, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.


ARG!!!

This is the second time my fingerprints have been rejected. We completed our Alabama Foster Care certification classes in March, had our home visits, filled out all of our paperwork, only to be roadblocked by the federal government. Again. (See my post)

http://www.adoptioninformation.com/Foster_care states:
"Today in the United States, there are over 500,000 children in foster care. They are cared for in foster homes, group homes, or facilities offering specialized levels of care, depending on their needs, and depending on space available. There is a critical shortage of foster parents in the U.S., and foster children are often housed inappropriately because of it."

I thought the FBI could lift a print off of a dead, decaying corpse - but it can't read four independent sets of them (8 counting the two prints of each finger on each card X the four cards that they have received) on an official fingerprint card. I know, I know - they scan them in to their computer cataloging system, but still.......! I can't help feeling rejected and unappreciated in my efforts. Doesn't the FBI have a heart for the those of us who want to serve the "least of these"?? Maybe they found out that I am voting for Obama?? Maybe they knew I was planning to vote for Hilary if she got the nomination?? Maybe they are getting me back for that one time in the 11th grade my friend Renee and I tried to hide out in the lobby of the FBI Building to get warm?? Maybe they are reading this blog right now???!!!
Of course, I don't really blame the FBI. I could blame the guy who fingerprinted me incorrectly (both times). Actually, I don't think anyone is to blame. Often we try to outguess God's plan for us. Usually I try to do what seems like the "smart" thing without really asking God what he wants. I am certain that this will all work out to be a part of God's timing. So I will go, a third time, and have my prints redone. And I will wait and see how it all plays out. And then I will blog about it.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A Refugee in a Morning Person World...Up At the Crack of Noon

I heard a great statistic awhile back: only 30% of people are morning people, the other 70% are night owls. I tried to track down the source of that stat, but haven't found it yet. I did find another stat - that it's actually 50/50. I don't believe it! It is the GUILT. 20% of the late-nighters gave in to peer pressure and LIED, LIED, LIED! The ranks of the majority need to band together and change the way the world works.......it's just not fair. It is time for the tyranny to end!


I truly believe I am meant to live somewhere else in the world - perhaps a Polynesian Island or maybe South America. Maybe I was born without an adrenal gland (or maybe some Hunter S. Thompson fanatic stole it). I just do not get enough sleep. I am forced out of bed every Monday through Friday during the school year, at 6:00 AM. My kids' bus stops in front of our house at 6:37. Yes, I do mean AM. We live two miles from the school and school doesn't start until 8:00. Last year I prayed to God, "Please God, let them change the bus route, so the kids don't have to get on the bus at 6:45 anymore." That's when we ended up with 6:37. God is definitely refining me like silver.

The only thing worse than living in a morning person world would be if my husband were a morning person. Thankfully he is like me, although he is slightly more energetic in the morning. Two of our three children are morning people - don't ask me how that happened. Our oldest daughter, Maddy, is exactly like I was as a child. She has terrible insomnia and wants to stay up and read. In the morning she is nearly impossible to get out of bed. She has gotten more skilled at getting ready for school and has learned to sleep on the bus. Someday, when it is no longer my job to drag her out of bed, she and I will be the best of friends.

So if you are reading this and you are a morning person, know that you are in the minority (now where is the site on that darn statistic). Raspberries to you and your whole culture of clock-watchers and the early-riser patriarchs who crafted our society on guilt and and sun-worship. I am not lazy and you will not make me feel guilty. Now be quiet, I am going back to sleep.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

God Is So Good...Welcoming Julia into the Community of Faith

Today I had the extreme pleasure of baptizing my youngest child. As a parent, I am so grateful that all three of my children have a living, active relationship with Jesus. Each of them asked Jesus into their heart at the age of three and asked to be baptized at age four. This was not my plan, but God's.

Age three seems so young for a child to have a genuine relationship with God. They have a keen desire to please, so they are certainly susceptible to doing something in order to make Mommy or Daddy happy. When a child turns three they have barely outgrown the toddler phase, really they are still babies in many ways. By the time they turn four - in the span of just one year - they are little kids, savvy and opinionated and testing every boundary (again and again and again) . Age three is also the time when they become aware of their own sin nature. A young three year-old may know the basics about Jesus and about God's redemptive plan, but without an awareness of sin, they have no need for a savior. My daughter, Maddy, at age three, in conversation about Jesus dying on the cross for the bad things that we do, said, "Oh mommy, I don't do bad things." Just a few days later, she came to me and said, "Mommy, I want to tell Jesus I am sorry for the bad things I do." Ian was with us while visiting my mother-in-law. He ran out from the room where he was supposed to be sleeping and exclaimed, "Mommy, I just asked Jesus into my heart!" I proceeded to question him about what he thought that meant - fully expecting him to deny his own wrong-doing, but instead he talked about Jesus dying for his sins and making him clean. Julia also had this same self-awareness. She had recently seen a passion play at the Miracle theater in Pigeon Forge, TN. She had been talking about the story of Jesus and Satan and how Jesus died on the cross and won over Satan. One day in the car on the way to the YMCA, she said from her car seat, "I'm sorry mommy, that Jesus had to die for my sins." I asked her if she wanted to pray and tell him she was sorry, so she said, "Yes." I asked her if she wanted to ask him into her heart, and again, she said, "Yes." So I led her in a short prayer. Already she has been sharing her testimony with anyone who will listen.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Mark 10:13-16 ......."Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

WHERE'S MY STIMULUS CHECK?????

One more thing I have to get off my chest......

Where's My Stimulus Payment?
This table describes the status of your refund
Social Security Number: ***-**-**** Please select
this button to print your Rebate Results for your records.

-->Rebate Status Results

-->
There is a delay in processing your Stimulus payment.

If you have questions or need additional information, please have the following on hand when you call:
A copy of this page
The Social Security Number, Filing Status, and Total Exemptions claimed on your 2007 tax return
Please mention reference number 1647 to the IRS Customer Service Representative.
IRS Hours of Service:Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Call:1-800-829-0582, when asked for an extension, enter 726.From outside the US call 215-516-2000.TTY/TDD: 1-800-829-4059


AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE'S MY MONEY?????

We filed back in Feb or March, received the nice little letter (those cost the IRS $42 million, alone) saying we would be receiving our money on the first day of direct deposits and still haven't received one penny!!! The mistake we made was filing an amended return before we received our check. STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! We got a revised K1 in the mail, which amounted to us owing $40 to the IRS. Like good little citizens, we filed our amended return immediately - before April 15, in order to avoid paying penalties. What was our reward - A DELAY ON OUR STIMULUS PAYMENT! At first the FAQ website said allow 8-12 weeks after filing an amended return. Last week, it said allow 12 - 16 weeks. They cashed our check on April 6. That was 19 weeks ago!

Thanks Dr. Dobson - I Think I Will Vote For Obama After All!

I just hate the neocon Christian email propaganda that gets forwarded to me. Thankfully, anymore, it is usually sent to me to verify, since most of my friends know by now that I HATE FORWARDED EMAIL. (I ESPECIALLY HATE unverified hoaxmail.) I received this email the other day:

Please forward this important update on Barack Obama’s views on Christianity and government to your friends.
Dear *****, On Tuesday, presidential candidate Barack Obama lashed out at Dr. Dobson and accused Dr. Dobson of “making stuff up” about Obama.Nothing could be further from the truth! Here is what happened. On Tuesday's Focus on the Family radio broadcast (paid for by Focus Action), Dr. Dobson and I dissected a 2006 speech in which Obama made some very disturbing statements about his understating of Christianity, the role of religion in government and specifically Dr. Dobson.
Please click
here to watch Obama’s speech, listen to Dr. Dobson’s comments, and more.
Obama compares Dr. Dobson to Al Sharpton .In that 2006 speech, after stating that we are not a Christian nation, Obama directly compared Dr. Dobson to Al Sharpton. Obama then continued with an extremely convoluted discussion of the Bible – from Levitical law to the Sermon on the Mount – that caused Dr. Dobson to say Obama was “deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview.”While Obama’s statements about Dr. Dobson are offensive, Obama’s misunderstanding of the Bible is alarming -- especially considering the blind faith so many of our fellow Americans seem to have in him!
Again, I want you to
hear and see for yourself what Obama said, as well as Dr. Dobson’s comments.
*****, these are extremely important issues that we must contend with. That is why Focus Action sponsored this radio broadcast – and it's why we will not stand by silently as any public figure drags biblical understanding through the gutter or undermines the role of people of faith in our society.Thank you so much for standing with Focus on the Family Action.Tom Minnery Sr. Vice President, Government and Public PolicyFocus on the Family Action


There are few things I can think of that I would like to do less than watch an entire political speech, but that message was screaming, "I double dare you to verify the accusations for yourself!!" But, I must say, thanks Dr. Dobson, after watching and listening to Obama's entire speech, I have just heard everything I needed to hear to feel good about voting for him. That speech had it all - Obama's personal testimony about receiving Christ, his personal view on abortion and the difficulty of attempting to influence the party's platform toward a pro-life stance. A direct reference to Tony Campolo's work. The same totally pro-life Tony Campolo who recently joined the Democratic party's abortion platform committee to try and influence them toward a pro-life stance. Furthermore, Obama never compares Dobson to Sharpton, on the contrary, he uses them as an example of contrasting Christian views.

Funny how the neocons have stayed well away from addressing John McCain's faith, with good reason. On this issue Dr. Dobson says:
"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances," http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53743

I wonder who he will vote for? Ralph Nader?

I invite you to watch Obama's speech, which is linked above, and decide for yourself. Whatever your choice, be sure to vote for someone. Might I suggest Tony Campolo as your write-in candidate.

Friday, August 8, 2008

One More Bit About Bono.....Why It Matters

James 2:18 (NIV) But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV)
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

There are three main points here:
1. Good works or belief in God do not qualify as faith
2. We can't please God without faith
3. We have to be careful that we are not deceived

Bono is doing something incredible through the ONE organization and DATA. He is uniting the political voice of the people to move policymakers in the US. He is uniting the world's wealthiest and most influential leaders - secular and Christian. He has also entered into partnerships with 161+ of the world's " leading non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations." * He is doing all this as a call to continue Christ's proclamation of jubilee, further charity, justice and to end "stupid poverty". Bono says, "A friend of mine, is a very wise man, somebody I’ve grown up with, he just says to me, He said ‘Stop asking God to bless what you are doing Bono, find out what God is doing because it’s already blessed.’” **

If God is not behind it and if Bono is falsely marching under the banner of doing God's will, then he is the most dangerous man on the planet.

If God is behind what ONE.org and DATA are trying to do, then it is the most important social movement of our time, perhaps all time. We as Christians should be compelled to promote and participate in it. If Bono is a follower of Jesus Christ, a true Christian, then we can safely join in with the email campaigns and promote ONE to everyone we know and beyond.

Food For Thought:

"Hybels told Christianity Today about his impression of the rock star: "After a two-hour private meeting in my office, I came away convinced that Bono's faith is genuine, his vision to relieve the tragic suffering in Africa is God-honoring, and his prophetic challenge to the U.S. church must be taken seriously." ***

"I'm a believer," Bono usually says when asked about his faith. "I don't set myself up as any kind of 'Christian,' " he said as his gleaming silver and chrome tour bus motored east from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Iowa City. "I can't live up to that. It's something I aspire to, but I don't feel comfortable with that badge."
It's no denial of Christ. And Bono is not trying to play hide-and-seek with his Christianity. He wants to avoid becoming an idealized poster-child for Christ when people should be looking to the Savior, not some rock star, for their example.
A few days later at Northeast Christian Church in suburban Louisville, Kentucky, he told reporters: "I'm not a very good advertisement for God. I generally don't wear that badge on my lapel. But it certainly is written on the inside, somewhere."
It's a self-deprecation, something he's fond of indulging in, whether the subject is his faith or his success as a musician." ***


* http://one.org/partners/
** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grBByc7t3Fs&feature=related
*** Bono's American Prayer "The world's biggest rock star tours the heartland, talking more openly about his faith as he recruits Christians in the fight against AIDS in Africa." Cathleen Falsani http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/march/2.38.html?start=2

For a list of the issues that ONE addresses click: http://one.org/issues/

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Well....I Am Convinced.....Bono May Be A Christian

http://home.alltel.net/twhite2112/u2/beliefs/quotes.html

I am still looking for the actual sources for these quotes and devouring video on YouTube so I can hear the words come out of his mouth, but I think I am convinced.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

More on Bono.......

http://www.worldmag.com/articles/10892
World Magazine
THOUGHTS "Superheroes strike again" August 06, 2005
Salty dogma
Bono gives an explicit confession of being saved by Grace, not Karma Gene Edward Veith

"At the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one," explains Bono. "And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that. . . . Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff."
The interviewer asks, Like what? "That's between me and God. But I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge," says Bono. "It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity."
Then the interviewer marvels, "The Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. I wish I could believe in that."
"The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death," replies Bono. "It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven."

Is Bono A Christian??? HELP!!!!

I am a member of the ONE organization. I click "send your congressman an email" every time ONE sends me a request to petition our government to do the right thing. What I am not sure about is whether or not Bono is a Christian or if he might possibly the anti-christ who will usher in world peace and world gov. I know those are strong words, but I also believe lots of conspiracy theories, like the Bible when it says that the anti-christ can even appear as an angel of light. I found this blog today:

http://achristian.wordpress.com/2006/08/24/is-bono-a-christian/

He is very thorough. I still haven't read the Bill Hybels interview with Bono, so I can't add that insight into my opinion. I will get around to it eventually.

I posted this comment on the Blog:

5 Debby August 5, 2008
I want him to be a Christian, but it seems like he avoids and obfuscates the issue. Please - just say something remotely like, “I asked Jesus into my heart,” or “I have a personal relationship with Christ.” Even, “I am a Christian,” or “am a follower of Jesus” ” PLEASE BONO!! We want you to be a Christian so bad….help us out dude!

Can anybody out there find Bono confessing his faith in Jesus Christ? I am waiting to hear from you.........

Pregnancy Isn't A Disease - Alabama Needs A Birth Center

I moved here in 2002 and at the time UAB was closing their birth center/midwifery practice. My understanding of it was that in Alabama, a doctor must supervise all deliveries. The existing birth center had gotten money to pay interns - MD's - but still training in OB. As long as they had an intern at the delivery, the midwife could deliver babies. Their funding source dried up and so did the birth center.
I found this info at: http://www.natcheztracematernitycenter.org/article.html
"Across the state line in Alabama, the rules are much different. There are no birth centers operated by midwives. "It's not the best state as far as being a midwife," said Vicki Brooks, a Montgomery nurse and state chairwoman of the American College of Nurse Midwives. Brooks said state law prohibits planned births outside of a hospital. Like their neighbors in Tennessee, Alabama midwives are regulated by the state Board of Nursing and must be registered nurses and graduate from an approved midwifery program. However, the similarities end there. Midwives in Alabama must work under a doctor's supervision and are usually hired by physicians rather than operating independently. "Any patient that we take care of is going to be admitted under our M.D. sponsor," Brooks said. She said the midwives do offer natural alternatives during childbirth, yet the births must occur in a hospital under the auspices of a doctor. There are about 54 certified nurse midwives in Alabama, although Brooks estimates the number of practicing midwives is much lower."

My rule of thumb is usually - if the insurance companies will allow it, it's probably pretty safe. That goes for roller coasters and birth centers. I had my second child, Ian, at a birth center in Delaware. I was under the care of a midwife for the entire nine months of my pregnancy as well as my follow-up GYN care and annual checkups. All paid for by Blue Cross of Pennsylvania. It cost the insurer less money for the birth center and the center was located across the street from a hospital, in case of an emergency.

Add that to the list while we wait for constitutional reform in Alabama.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Fear and Trembling in Birmingham, Alabama

Philippians 2:12-14 (NIV)
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Well, that depends. It has always troubled me when people claim to have a handle on what being a Christian means. I also really don't like those billboards that put words in God's mouth, as if God has a pithy little quote for all occasions - mostly humorous or terrifying. I doubt

"You think it's hot here?"
-GOD
is going to get many nonbelievers saved.
To me, working out your salvation with fear and trembling means daily growing deeper in your relationship with God. Through Christ we have freedom. There is no condemnation. The problem we all have (even me) is thinking that God is calling all people to all things. For example, many of my friends feel like God has called them to home school their children. I believe it. However, we have a tendency to feel what is good for us must be right for everyone else, which leads to condemnation. I feel like God has called me to put my kids in public school. This is probably because He has given our family the gift of evangelism. I try not to force what God has called me to do on others and claim that I have the only way.
Another variation of that is what I have heard called, "gift projection." Some who have been given the gift of healing and faith, for example, and have had great success praying for the sick are operating out of their gifting. If, however, they were to claim that every Christian should be able to pray for the sick and get the same result, they would be mistaken. Yes, we are called to pray for the sick - and God may even do miracles of healing through us, but not everyone is "gifted" to do it. What happens is that we are told that we are somehow defective. If we only had more faith we would be able to heal (or be healed!) Who hasn't heard of a person who went for prayer for healing and were told that they must not have enough faith or they would already be healed. We are all called to share our faith with unbelievers, but I would be wrong to condemn anyone who isn't out standing on a street corner preaching the Gospel.
The point is - I can not criticize or condemn - I have to keep reminding myself that we are all living out Philippians 2:12. If I am yielded to the Holy Spirit - He will fix whatever is broken in my theology and faith.
Don't even get me started on the prosperity Gospel...............

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Disturbing Numbers and Class Reunions

20 Years, 30 pounds, 14 years of marriage, 3 babies and 1 miscarriage have brought me to the Garden City High School Class of 1988 20 year reunion. Will I still be recognizable? Will I recognize anyone else? I am convinced that this weekend will provide fodder for years of nightmares. You know the kind I mean? Like the ones where you can't remember your locker combination. Worse still - showing up for a debate tournament and I have no evidence or showing up for a final in a class that I haven't attended all semester (OK, that one really happened). Pop-quiz hot shot: Who is the girl with the long brown hair that keeps smiling at me?

Things start out pretty good. I see a few faces I recognize - maybe this won't be as scary as I imagined. It is actually kind of nice. I am so relieved that I know a few names and that people are actually calling me by name that I am having trouble remembering which ones I hung out with, who were the "popular" kids and who belonged to "other cliques". It is a sweet grace that lasts for the night. Eventually, though the old walls close in on me and my capacity to keep milling through the crowd and chatting with newly familiar faces evaporates.

I am different in many ways, but it is almost more than I can deal with just orienting myself with the past. I have changed so much in the past 16 years. The seven years before that - three years of high school and four years of college - are like a dream. Back then I was living as a rational hedonist - and why not? If it felt good, why not do it? If there is no objective standard for human behavior, beyond the minimum standard of the laws of civil society, why not do what serves us and our own desires? Inside, I feel like I left a path of destruction on everyone and everything I was involved with. Hopefully the damage wasn't as bad as I imagine. All I have to say for myself is, "I am so sorry."

In 1992, I was confronted with the indisputable power of the Holy Spirit, and became a Christian. As an intellectual, I had to ask myself, "What have I gotten myself into??" As a debater, radical thinker, environmentalist, pacifist, antiestablishmentarian, chemical imbibing, independent Ayn Randian, I had to reconcile what I thought was true with what I now know is TRUTH. Big problem solved. Now I can live a philosophically consistent life. I just can never go home again.

So, here I am, a born-again Christian, stay-at-home mom. If America had a caste system, I would be an untouchable. It has taken me years to stop saying things like, "I used to be a...." or "When my kids are older I am going back to law school." I have even stopped coloring my hair - what's the point - it is just going to keep growing out grey. I am being "refined like silver" - it says so in the bible. God is starting with the top of my head. If it wasn't so hackneyed I would pierce my nose or get a tattoo or something. For now I will enjoy growing my kids and look forward to the day when I will be free to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I can't change the 20 years, but maybe I will lose the extra 30 pounds. The 14 years of marriage, the pregnancies and miscarriage have marked me, but I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The Challenges of a Hyphenated Lifestyle

Dear Compass Bank,

I just set up a checking account for paying my Compass Visa online. When I registered my account, it asked for my name as it appears on the account. My last name is hyphenated, but the field would not accept a hyphen. This is a bit distressing to me, as my husband and my legal names include a hyphen. Hyphenating a last name is an old practice and millions of people have a hyphen in their last name. My name appears with a hyphen on my credit card statement and on my credit card. Maybe it would be easy enough to pay a programmer to code this field to accept a hyphen, in addition to alphanumeric characters.

I know it is a minor issue, but those of us with hyphenated names will really appreciate this consideration.

Sincerely,
Debby Howell-Moroney

Here is their reply:
Thu 7/31/2008 12:53 AM

You should be able to get registered without the hyphen. If there is anything else we can assist you with do not hesitate to contact us again.

Thank You
Compass Card Financial Services
1-800-239-5175
1-205-297-6086 fax

I had something to say about the difference between American and European Cities, but I forgot what it was....

Seriously....

Sometimes, when I am bored or can't get to sleep, I search the vast wasteland of the web for a community of like-minded thinkers and discover that I may just be the only freak out here that thinks like I do. For example, are there any other Christians who feel that saying the "Pledge of Allegiance" to the flag is idol-worship - or just plain weird? I mean - it's a piece of cloth - representing an earthly kingdom. Also, if I hear another person refer to the situation in Iraq as "the war on terror" I am going to spit. How about calling it what it really is - fueling continued terror for many generations to come. I have many soapboxes and I am going to stand on them, these are only a few:
Is Bono actually a Christian?
War in Iraq - WOMD? Right....
Should Christians pledge allegiance to the flag?
Should Tony Campolo run for president?
Can it be true....the National Forensic League's national tournament is going to be in Birmingham? How cool is that?
Could class reunions be any scarier?
How can we allow genocide in our own country?
Is it possible to be a republican AND a Christian?
Will the jubilee ever work as a system of economic redistribution?
Why do some Americans think it is ok to malign illegal immigrants?

I also want to blog about:
Why we celebrate the Passover;
Can three-year-olds really ask Jesus into their hearts?
Correcting Myopia with +strength lenses
The ills of Soy (estrogen)
Formula company conspiracies
Conspiracies in general

Ok, so you may be thinking, "What in the world is she talking about? She sounds like an idiotic, anti-America, thiry-something who is just babbling on and on and on and on and on........

Well.....I am just getting started...............