Yet more ramblings

This past Sunday was a blur. My family visited another church (for a second time ~ reference my blog from 20091012), DD3 had her last soccer game of the Fall U8 league, DS2 had a lot of homework over the weekend, my beloved was fighting both a cold and DS2 (his homework), etc. As a result i was not able to watch the Panthers and Redskins game until around 6:30. Do you know how hard it is for someone who LOVES the NFL to not watch football on a Sunday afternoon?!? What a game to watch (for me). For the first 35 minutes of game time i was not very fun as a Carolina Panther fan. But things got much better after that. I still have several concerns regarding how the Panthers will do for the rest of the season, but i am grateful to see that they will not go the way of the 2008 Detroit Lions (sorry Amy). The next few weeks is the "softest" stretch so i still feel the Panthers have to win the next two, and then be competitive against both Phoenix and New Orleans - preferably winning at least one of these two, before i really have hopes for anything better than a 7-9 season. Things i liked - it was good to see the defense so dominant again. They were in the backfield, they were sacking the Quarterback. That safty was sweet! What i am not liking is the offensive struggles they had. Jake Delhomme and the receivers seem to be a little out of synch. Also, the running game has got to improve if they are to change their fortunes for the foreseeable future. More specifics have escaped me now that this is two days history. Yesterday, on a whim, i entered "christian tin whistle", just to see what kind of results i would get. The one that intreagued me the most was for Robert Rife. I enjoyed reading his Bio on his website, and glad to hear that he still plays the bag pipes and performs within the region (the North West). He also has some samples from two CD's he has produced, but i was not able to figure out how to order them. I still may not get them, but i was really happy to find a Christian bagpiper and tin whistle player. I was hoping to find some examples of some kind of Christian hymns or 'regular' songs, played on the Irish Whistle. I've wanted to learn to play this instrument for a long time. Who knows... maybe i can learn after all three of my children go off to college. Interesting fact (to me): I was in a bagpipe band in High School. One that was sponsored and run by the school. I only played the tenor drum for a little while but i loved marching with them! 8) And now for something completely different... When i read my morning devotional the first scripture i read was:

And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. (Daniel 10:10-12, ESV)

It seemed like God was speaking to me and my doubts of late. "...your words have been heard..." is an encouragement. For me the verses "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" (Matthew 7:21-23, ESV) are sobering. Most Americans, if you ask them, would say that they are a Christian. But it says plainly here... not everyone who calls the Father 'Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Does that not strike fear into your heart! So what is the difference between those who will, and those who will not, enter the Kingdom on that last day?!? The key in these verses seem to be "...the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" and "‘I never knew you’". Of late i have really focused on the knowing, and being known, by Jesus. How can one be 'known' and not just 'known'... kwim? How does one get to know anybody? You have to spend time with them. Spend time not just talking TO them, but with them. Spend time listening. For me this was telling me that my words were not just be sent up, but that He was hearing them. While i need to work on my listening skills - it was a comfort to know that God has been hearing my prayers right where i am. Prayers may not be answered immediately, but to know that He is answering them in His timing is an incredible blessing. Especially since my prayers lately have been for me and my family to be drawn closer to Him and to know Him more.

Peace reigns

Well... things remain busy right now. It is hard to keep my thoughts straight. Speaking as a troop I can say that voting on "non-binding" resolutions do not support the troops. I know the motivation is our ultimate well being (i.e. wanting to bring them home ealier) but it does not help the morale or wellfare of the troops. The troop in the field sees that as a lack of support. (S)He sees that as an undermining of what they are working for. Such public displays of dissention actually motivate those seeking to harm them. To tell a soldier how much you disapprove of the very thing they are getting ready to head into is not helpful. A soldier/sailor/airman heading into such situations needs to keep their head on striaght - 100% focused on the tasks before them. A distracted or disheartened soldier is either a dead soldier, or a ineffective one. When I sent out an e-mail to friends and family requesting prayers for what may be before me - it was not the most helpful thing to receive an e-mail lecturing me on politics and their personal view of the war. All it did was undermine my focus. I fully support this person's point of view in that they are entitled to their opinion. But I am not really in a position to change policies. I cannot just say wuch-and-such and make things happen. I am in the position that I am being told to do (or might be told to do) certain things that obviously this person disagrees with. There is not a king, president, shiek, etc. that was not allowed by God. (Psalm 148, Daniel 4) There is time for debate. There is room for disagreement. It is a part of what America is founded on. But there are times when it is used of the enemy to prevent good things from happening. To be honest I am not sure of the why's and wherefor's on when America has done what it's done. But what has been done cannot be undone. We need to focus on moving forward and doing the best that we can for those involved. If we can focus on that the end result will be better for all involved. The end result will come about more quickly. Then, once the troops are out of harm's way - then is the time to be expressive against the policies. I realized I've rambled on long enough. And I am sure many will not agree with me. I just ask that those who do read realize that their perception and ideas may not be the right ones either. Only God knows the end from the beginning. I know God does not desire war, but ever since sin entered the world, the ideal is no longer possible until our Savior's return. We will trip over our (man's) sin everytime. Pride, selfishness, jealousy. Ecclessiasties 3 puts it pretty well:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

When I stand before God I know there will be a great many things that I believed fervantly - but will be mistaken about. But when I do stand there I want my heart to be pure. I want to run the race well. I want to hear "Well done".