A Very Important Time in the Battle For Life

Life is precious. We hear that so often that maybe we have forgotten what those words really mean. Life is a gift from God. Children are beautiful, and they are blessings. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!" These words come from the book of Job as Job proclaims God's sovereignty over life. This servant of God lost his children to death, but he knew that it was God that gave them life, and God who took it. ONLY God has that right. He is the Creator of all that lives, and He is the only One who knows the right time for a person to die.

Yet, in our society, we throw away the message of life being precious. Sure, we preach "human rights" and "self worth". But have we forgotten that from the time a child is being formed in the womb, they are- in fact- a precious life that deserves rights and is worth soooo much?

Our society fights endlessly against child abuse. Yet, it seems we've forgotten the ultimate child abuse- abortion. What could be more abusive than brutally murdering a helpless child? And this abuse is excused and encouraged in the name of "choice"?? America, what have we come to?

The feminist agenda is alive and well. We hear that women deserve rights. The right to live and prosper just as much (and more than) men. But we turn a blind eye the the beautiful young women that God is creating within the womb...the young women whose lives are ended before they had a chance to live or prosper.

The suffering of people throughout the world is brought to our attention, as it should be. But our society wants to hide the fact that our very own children are suffering right under our noses.

What happens when a man with a loaded gun heads toward a public elementary school? I think you know what happens. But in American cities everywhere "doctors" murder our babies and no one does anything about it. This brings to mind Abort73's logo "Would it bother us more if they used guns?"

And what exactly CAN I do about it? Well, right now in Colorado we have a chance to do something BIG. This ammendment- http://www.coloradoforequalrights.com/ - NEEDS to pass. If you are a voter in Colorado, please vote "yes". If you aren't, we need your prayers at this crucial time.

Another way to help is to look on http://www.40daysforlife.com/ to see if you are close to one of the campaign spots. If you are, please volunteer for a few prayer shifts. Sadly, Fort Collins doesn't have a spot in this campaign. But I will be fasting and praying with 40 Days for Life. Please consider participating.
Also, consider purchasing one or more shirts/bags/hats from http://www.abort73.com/ . I have 3 shirts (love lets live, and 2 better off alive shirts). They were, imo, very reasonably priced and they're nice shirts. Already they've sparked some interesting conversations. And I pray that at least one person will see the website on my shirt and go to the site to see what abortion really is.

A Letter to Diognetus

This was read in a Bible class at camp. It is a portion of a letter written to Diognetus in the second century A.D. It was written by an anonymous writer, and I think it's incredible. This is how the writer describes Christians.

They live in their own native lands, but as aliens. Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and every native land as a foreign country. They marry and have children just like everyone else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives. They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich. They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor. Their names are blackened and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.

Are we, as Christ's people, living up to this amazing description? I hope so.

Kamp Koinonia Week 3

I just got back from another fellowship (koinonia) filled week- this time as a camper. I had a fantastic time, and I'll never forget my last year as a camper.

Daniel lookin' cool with the girls. ; )

My awesome date to banquet- Garret
Me and Megan (frizbeez) after the Jewel Hunt. We had TOO much fun!
Karl and his lovely banquet dates. ; )
Me and two of my awesomest guys. I love them! The beauty around us was incredible.
All of the Frizbeez!
The cheese chair. We smelled good, let me tell ya.
These are my two best friends in the world.
Me and my wonderful dad!!

Kamp Koinonia Week 1

I'm home from Kamp Koinonia until Sunday (I'll head back for another week). I had such a wonderful week. In fact, I think it was the best week of camp that I've ever been to. I had a cabin of 13 girls, which was so much fun. I spent a huge part of the week with one of my best friends- Talia. She was the other girl counselor, and we got to talk and hang out all week. I learned a lot from the lessons. The theme was "To Compete with Horses" which is found in Jeremiah 12:5.

My girls loved nail painting.

Week 1 Staff
Talia and me during reaping time (too fun!!)
With the lovely Hurt girls
Underground Church!
Jewel Hunt
Caleb, me, Isaac (wow, these boys grew!!!)
Kamp Koinonia Week 1

Off to Camp

Tomorrow I'm headed up to Kamp Koinonia- my first time as a counselor. Please pray for me. I'm so looking forward to this week, and I feel like I really need it right now. (I have an awesome life, but I feel like a little break is in order. : ) ) Camp is always such a great time of rest, in a different sort of way.

Pictures to follow. I'm hoping to get some good ones this year- shouldn't be too hard. There are lots of crazy things and awesome people to take pictures of at camp.

Have a great week!

Materialism

I just finished reading a wonderful article in Think Magazine. This article was written by Brad Harrub. The bolded parts are his words, the unbolded parts are my thoughts.

"You can't parent if you are never home." Parenting is a high calling- a truly blessed calling. I love reading Ps. 127:4-5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. A quiver full of children is a blessing, according to God's Word! FYI, a quiver=12!
Our society is extremely materialistic. This has flooded into the church. At camp one year I heard a lesson that I'll never forget. The speaker said that as the world becomes more immoral, so does the church. The only difference is that as long as the church is 3 steps behind the world on the immorality scale, we feel like we're holy enough. What does that mean? What the world was doing 10 years ago, the church is doing now.
When it comes to materialism, it seems we're quick to follow the world. We're willing to hand our children to the world in order to keep up with the people around us. Oftentimes two parents work all day, leaving their children to daycares and schools (and Bible class on Sunday morning- hoping that will be enough Bible for the week.)But this goes completely against God's Word. Deut. 6:5-6 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." How can we teach the children to love the Lord their God with all of their hearts souls and might- as we sit in our homes, walk along the way, lie down, and rise up- if we're never at home? Even more amazing, what is being taught to them as they sit, lie down, rise up, and walk along the way? Can we even know if we're hardly ever with them?

The time has come for Christians in America to turn away from materialism and embrace lives of contentment. AMEN!!! I am so thankful for my family. I love my parents, and daily I'm reminded of their non-materialistic world view. I'm so thankful that my mom gave up the thought of a career, and never looked back, when I was born. I'm thankful that she was with me all day as I grew up in order to teach me the things of God. She has placed my soul higher on the scale of worth than riches, fame, new cars, vacations, etc. We've never owned a new car, but we were always able to go where we needed to when we needed to. We don't own a house, but we have always had a rather spacious roof over heads. We haven't taken a whole lot of expensive vacations, but we find so much joy in our day to day lives.

You know what's funny, and somewhat ironic? My parents have never been materialistic. But I have never hurt for anything. In fact, I have far more than I need. Sometimes I look in my closet and wonder why any human would need so many clothes. This applies to every area of my life. Yet my parents never compromised with the world in order to have more money, and more things. They're not in debt, they can happily know that their children are headed to Heaven, yet they are blessed abundantly with material things.

Are the children in the church- in Christian homes- worth giving up for a few years of riches on this earth?

True success is teaching our children the way to Heaven in such a manner that they stay on that path even into adulthood!
Christian parents must stop using worldly parameters for measuring success.
Do you know what doesn't impress me? That new boat or house at the expense of a child's soul. But it doesn't really matter what impresses me. What do you think God is impressed with? Yes, true success is raising Godly children to go out into the world and convert more to the Kingdom. If you gain the world, the riches, the "toys", the fame, the titles...yet you lose your children's souls to Satan- what was your life worth? True success is raising Godly children. Children are the only things you have on this earth that you can take to Heaven with you. Don't compromise with the world and leave them behind.

An Excellent Article

This is one of the best homeschool articles I have ever seen. But get this- it was written for a secular newspaper, and I'm not even sure that the person who wrote it homeschools. In fact, if I had to take a guess, I would say that he doesn't.

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=274594&pub=1&div=Opinion

SONNY SCOTT:Home-schoolers threaten our cultural comfort
6/8/2008 9:39:01 AMDaily Journal
You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store.It's a big family by today’s standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frills shopping list.There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. The older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task. You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children being home schooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their reputation for academic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you consider that these families pay taxes to support public schools, but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the public.Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and are more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned for their children’s safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement.Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and the parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming under increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California. Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around the home schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around the teetotaler. Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and an indictment of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render unto Caesar the things that Caesar’s be, but they draw the line at their children. Those of us who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, and we reject them in return. Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king upon the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state’s bureaucrats on these “trouble makers.” Their implicit rejection of America’s most venerated idol, Materialism, (a.k.a. “Individualism”) spurs us to heat the furnace and feed the lions.Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care and day school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "A family just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.) "It just costs so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing, pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend half the cost of a house on the daughter’s wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a 2,800-square-foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim “our right” to pursue a career for our own "self-fulfillment."Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. We lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our 401k’s. Credit cards are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising hell again, demanding the latest Play Station as his price for doing his school work … and there goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn’t you just love to wipe that serene look right off her smug face?Is it any wonder we hate her so?Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw County and his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com.