Come on people, are we still in High School?

I have seen comments like, "R.I.P. America! July 4, 1776 - January 20, 2009", and "Welcome to the Socialist States of America". Has it really come down to adults calling each other names (note: I didn't post those kids of quotes on purpose) and declaring that the sky is falling? I know many of these are rhetorical over stated sarcasm - BUT - do we resort to such things when it doesn't go our way? I mean, really? A look at some numbers showed that registered Democrats went to the polls in record numbers while registered Republicans attendance was way down. It sounds like they had given up before the votes were even counted. Without everyone participating it's hard to tell if the outcome would have been any different - but to not even show up. Those of you who didn't vote really have no right to complain about the outcome. Now, that does not mean you don't have a voice. You can make sure your elected officials know your opinions on the legislation that comes up. They may not vote the way you want to as an individual, but don't remain the silent "majority" because a "majority" that is not heard is irrelevant. You will have a another chance to change things in two more years when 34 seats will be coming open in the Senate. Considering the slide of the Republican party of late... it would be a good idea to get started on cleaning some things up. Stop just pointing out what the other guy is doing wrong or incapable of and start taking care of business. During this campaign I did hear some valid points about how the Republicans had tried to reign in Fannie and Freddie. I especially liked a commentator on CNN Tuesday night, "One of the primary jobs of the President is the protection of the United States. Can we at least acknowledge that security is not one of the top concerns of the American public"? After that man left the stage the Democratic supports among them continued to make "points" about what the exit polls were saying about this or that. The IQ and the ability of those who get in front of the cameras, especially in politics, is considerable. These are smart people. Intentional or not - they have an agenda, just like their opponents on the other side of the aisle. As a Christian we need to stop listening to such rhetoric. We need to get our noses back into God's word. We need to quiet our hearts to the noise of the world and seek first the Kingdom of God and listen for His voice. As God places things on our heart (whether it's abortion, or national security, or moral standards regarding local laws) and vote accordingly. For us it's not about how much money the government takes in taxes, or even how welfare is distributed (at least not directly). If we, as God's people, take care of the business He has for us - the rest will be taken care of. Yes we need to participate. God has given us the privilege of living in this time and place (whether the reader of this lives in the United States, the United Kingdom, Asia, Africa, wherever). We all have our limitations that we live in and under. We need to seek out how to make such 'limitations' can be worked, how we can best work within them, and if we have the God given ability to make a change to such things - we should do that. I have my concerns about where this country is headed. My ability to affect change on a national scale is quite limited, but the ability to affect change within myself (with the help of the Holy Spirit) and my community is not. Stop you complaining America - and roll up your sleeves and get back to work! Verse for today: 2 Chronicles 7 : 12-22, Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

“But if you [2] turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck you [3] up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’”

Red in the morning...

The old sailor's legend says, "red in the morning, sailors take warning", but what may be true out at sea does not necesarrily mean danger here on land. At least, I've never been one to be very superstitious. That does not mean my day did not get off to a rough start. I've been trying to work on my self discipline. Get up, have some time with God (also known as a quiet time), hopefully get in a little exercise, but the bed is so warm, and sleep so inviting... Today I actually got up when the alarm went off (well, I did hit the snooze once), but I didn't hit the shower running. I strolled in, checked e-mail, casually got a shower, and then realized that it was a school morning and DS1 and my beloved were not awake. As a result I was not able to walk downstairs and open up my Bible. I did, however, get DS1 to school on time, and as a result, to work a tad early. While I was coming in to work I glanced to my left and I saw one of the most incredible sunrises. The sky was a pristine blue (the kind only a really sharp cold can produce) with just wisps of clouds. Lower towards the horizon there was one cloud that was a burnt orange that extended for about one half of the visibile horizon. But what made this one so incredible was what looked like a thick beam of an orange red straight up. It originated from the upper edge of the sun, that appeared to be exploding in light as it 'broke forth' from the horizon. Since I was driving it was niegh impossible to stop and enjoy it, nor did I have a camera with me. I was encouraged instead of being disappointed about not actually doing what I had hoped to (quiet time, exercise). But I am concerned that my focus the past six to twelve months has not been all that great. I really need to exercise my self disicpline. My view on it is this, discipline is like a muscle. It only gets stronger when exercised. :-) Verse for today: 2 Chronicles 11-16, ESV Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

Are there any real answers out there?

Last night I stayed up WAY too late to watch the movie Bobby (2006) with my beloved. It was an interesting movie. I liked the way it followed the various charecters, and the variety of their lives and stories. But that is not the point of my post today. :) Somewhere in the middle it struck me. When exactly did our trust in politicians and the political process really start to wain? I am not really sure a finger could be pointed at JFK or his brother - I mean not at them personally, but at what happened to them. When did it become ok to wink at indiscretions of our political leaders (and I don't really care which side of the aisle your on) and just let them go on with a smack to the back of their hands? It's not just the morals of the leaders that we now doubt (I say this in an overly generalized way), but it is the system as well. Cover ups, scandals, misrepresentation, and just a general sense of distrust between her citizens and her government seems to be simmering. The tools of the enemy of our soul is distrust, etc. and he seems to be at work within the United States. And lately the endless bicering between those who are supposed to be working together for the greater good of the people they are supposed to represent. I don't have the answers, and I still believe that President Bush really has the best interest of the United States. I believe he makes good decisions in very difficult circumstances. Even when those decisions are not the most popular. I'm sure the decision by Moses to not enter the promised land, despite the reports from Joshua and Caleb, was the popular one. But in the end they people of Isreal did not get to see the promised land. I have no idea how all this will play out in the years to come. There is a long road ahead of us as a Nation. I just pray that those who are called according to the Lord's name get on their knees to march. Because, unless the Lord is Lord of this land... I don't want to think about it. I want this country to be a proud and strong place to be for my children, and their great-grandchildren. Verse for today: 2 Chronicles 7:11-22, ESV Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’ “But if you [2] turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck you [3] up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’”