I am very frustrated right now. Maybe I should just deal with what is bothering me by saying that others have it worse. That is true but it does not make me feel any better. It just makes me madder and want to spit.
I am having issues at my job. I work every Sunday and miss church. First Baptist Dallas has many services but every single one of them is within the time frame that I am working. FBD broadcasts their sermons on the radio but its not the same. I don't get to attend Sunday school at all. I am lucky if I can take a couple hours off to make the evening service. I do not have much vacation time to take the day off. Another option is to do a day trade but no one else wants to work on Sunday. My coworkers are quite happy not coming in on a weekend day. So I have to get creative and take a couple hours off here and there and make them off on a day off. Its frustrating. I have mentioned this to my boss and his response is "this is what you get for being last on the list for the shift bid". Well thank you very much for pointing that out. Does he honestly think that was supposed to help? Not to mention that condescending tone of "Cant you just find a Saturday service?" Well yes and no. Yes I could because there are a few churches that offer that option. But the Lord called Ricky and I to serve and attend First Baptist Dallas. This means honoring it with our tithes, attendance, and service. I can only provide the first thing. I am unable to attend most of the time and getting involved in ministry is out of the question. So no I cant just go to a Saturday service just for a feel good time. Oh and then getting snapped at by a coworker for mentioning that our job could save money by closing on Sundays was the tip of the iceberg. No reason to snap! I just made a suggestion! The coworker said I need to just deal with it. So I am dealing with it. But I wont be giving up this fight. Its not happening. I am glad for my job but if the Lord calls me somewhere else then there I will go. I will not let my current employment keep me from that. Sorry. It is not happening.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Its been awhile...
Ricky and I joined First Baptist Dallas and wanted to follow in believers baptism. We scheduled it for January 25th. We chose Walter Guillaume to officiate. He has been a major force in getting us to join First Dallas. He was one of the main contacts that was making sure we were okay and was so good to us. We were excepting to be baptized on January 25th. However Rickys grandmother passed away that day. We had gotten the call right after our First Step class that she was not doing well. Ricky and I were debating whether to cancel our baptism. Ricky wanted to go through with it but his mom kept telling us we needed to cancel it. Ricky said "Granny would want me to go through with it" She kept saying we needed to go and that we were being selfish if we did not leave. I have prayed for my mother in law but it seems that she wants to cause conflict no matter what. My relationship with her is not the best right now. But that's okay because we rescheduled the baptism.
February 22nd Ricky and I were baptized. It was a wonderful experience. It was quite funny too because when Ricky was dunked he ended up ruining Walters microphone. Plus Walter is about 5'11 and Ricky is 6'7. If you saw the video you would see a short man try to wrestle a giant. Not really but Walters amazing strength earned him the nice name "Little Dipper". Plus I got a chance to meet Doran Bugg the music minister for First Dallas. He was so friendly and open. We talked for a few minutes. One of my favorite parts of the church service is when Doran leads us in worship. His voice is awesome and you can tell he loves his job. Not to mention after the service we had just about everyone coming up to congratulate us.
Now for some great news....Meri got saved and will be baptized!!!! I am so proud of her! She did this tonight! She accepted the good news! This was prayer that finally got answered. Thank you LORD! We are looking into ways for her to get the kids back as well. She wants to do better in life. She understands it wont be a cake walk but with God walking beside her she will be fine. The Lord is awesome and has blessed all of us.
Thank you Lord for being there for us during our tough times. Thank you for Dr. Jeffress, Reverend Guillaume and Dr. Bugg for them being Your faithful servants. I am so glad Meri knows You. In Jesus Name,
Amen
February 22nd Ricky and I were baptized. It was a wonderful experience. It was quite funny too because when Ricky was dunked he ended up ruining Walters microphone. Plus Walter is about 5'11 and Ricky is 6'7. If you saw the video you would see a short man try to wrestle a giant. Not really but Walters amazing strength earned him the nice name "Little Dipper". Plus I got a chance to meet Doran Bugg the music minister for First Dallas. He was so friendly and open. We talked for a few minutes. One of my favorite parts of the church service is when Doran leads us in worship. His voice is awesome and you can tell he loves his job. Not to mention after the service we had just about everyone coming up to congratulate us.
Now for some great news....Meri got saved and will be baptized!!!! I am so proud of her! She did this tonight! She accepted the good news! This was prayer that finally got answered. Thank you LORD! We are looking into ways for her to get the kids back as well. She wants to do better in life. She understands it wont be a cake walk but with God walking beside her she will be fine. The Lord is awesome and has blessed all of us.
Thank you Lord for being there for us during our tough times. Thank you for Dr. Jeffress, Reverend Guillaume and Dr. Bugg for them being Your faithful servants. I am so glad Meri knows You. In Jesus Name,
Amen
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The most exciting day in American History???
Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the US. Many were excited about this event. He is the first African American president. He got ridiculous media coverage today. I felt he was being over hyped. It is a good thing when a country can get past bigotry and vote someone in regardless of color of skin. But I feel like this election Obama was voted because he was an African American. I feel he was voted in to prove a point. That is almost never a good reason to vote someone in. In my personal opinion had he been a white person with the EXACT same agenda he would not have received as much media hype or votes. This election was based on color of skin any way you look at it. Many people I know are pro-life but they voted for Obama because of the idea of a different colored person in Washington. I only know a few people who elaborated on why Obama got their vote. One friend gave me educated reasons why he voted for Obama. The issue of race never came up. We may disagree but I respect him for looking at the issues. But everyone else was so worried about getting an African American in office they put aside their own principles. Again I am not racist but I did NOT vote for him. I wanted to so bad because I am one person who said a few years back about how nice to see a black man in office. When I first saw Obama on Oprah 2 years back I was excited! I thought we had our candidate for president! But doing more research and listening to his proposed ideas I got crushed. Because he does not represent someone I want in office and in good conscious I could not vote for him.
I did not watch the inauguration today. In a fit of bad unchristian attitude I thought if I did not watch it, then he would go away. Yes that is not a good thing to think of but I had dread just knowing that he was about to be sworn in. But the Lord has been with me and has gently reminded me to pray for our new president. I plan on doing that and trying to get away from the negative thoughts that keep churning. If I continue to think horrible of him then I am no better than those who criticized Bush. Does this mean I will keep quiet when Obama makes a decision that could potentially be dangerous? No but I will try to disagree respectfully and not stoop to the level of those who brutally slandered Bush. Also when something goes wrong I vow not to automatically blame Obama.
I am going to miss George W. Bush in office. We have seen war and economy declines. But I will not pacify people and say he was horrible. He did some things I did not agree with but he protected our country. He made sure we did not get attacked. He made decisions that were unpopular but ultimately kept us from a second terrorist attack. Our military knew that Bush was on their side. He valued the sanctity of life and protected many babies from being aborted. He was not a perfect candidate but will always have my respect and admiration. I will pray for his transition to civilian life with Laura. Ricky and I will miss him in office.
President Obama has stepped into the role of commander in chief. I will pray that his heart will be changed on some issues and that he will protect the country the way we deserve. I will also remember that Our Lord and Savior is in control. That is where my faith will ultimately lie. May he have the Lords hand in all decisions that he makes.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your perfect Will. Please be with President Obama and work on his heart to preserve the sanctity of life. Its in the name of Christ I pray,
Amen
I did not watch the inauguration today. In a fit of bad unchristian attitude I thought if I did not watch it, then he would go away. Yes that is not a good thing to think of but I had dread just knowing that he was about to be sworn in. But the Lord has been with me and has gently reminded me to pray for our new president. I plan on doing that and trying to get away from the negative thoughts that keep churning. If I continue to think horrible of him then I am no better than those who criticized Bush. Does this mean I will keep quiet when Obama makes a decision that could potentially be dangerous? No but I will try to disagree respectfully and not stoop to the level of those who brutally slandered Bush. Also when something goes wrong I vow not to automatically blame Obama.
I am going to miss George W. Bush in office. We have seen war and economy declines. But I will not pacify people and say he was horrible. He did some things I did not agree with but he protected our country. He made sure we did not get attacked. He made decisions that were unpopular but ultimately kept us from a second terrorist attack. Our military knew that Bush was on their side. He valued the sanctity of life and protected many babies from being aborted. He was not a perfect candidate but will always have my respect and admiration. I will pray for his transition to civilian life with Laura. Ricky and I will miss him in office.
President Obama has stepped into the role of commander in chief. I will pray that his heart will be changed on some issues and that he will protect the country the way we deserve. I will also remember that Our Lord and Savior is in control. That is where my faith will ultimately lie. May he have the Lords hand in all decisions that he makes.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your perfect Will. Please be with President Obama and work on his heart to preserve the sanctity of life. Its in the name of Christ I pray,
Amen
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Many Thoughts
I have not been keeping up blogging. Mainly because I have had so much happen. Its just been a whirlwind the past few couple of months.
Ricky and I were in an accident in December. It was an event that has in many ways changed our life. Our car was wrecked by someone who rear ended us and did 5000.00 worth of damage. Our routines were interrupted. We were without a car for a week before the other guys insurance came through. We were broke and struggling to pay the bills. Many inconveniences happened. One thing stood out through all of this. God was with us every step of the way. He provided what was needed for us to get through the next month. My boss was very understanding and allowed me to work from home. My dad was kind enough to let me use his truck while waiting on the rental. Ricky's mom and dad sent us money to get us through. I had friends and family who were there for us and it meant the world.
The Lord has been working on our hearts since then. We have joined a new church home. It was not where I thought we would end up. Especially since we joined First Baptist Church led by Dr. Robert Jeffress. I had mentioned his series on Politically Incorrect previously. We felt like the Lord wanted us in that church because Dr. Jeffress preaches the Word compassionately but is unapologetic. Some would consider him narrow-minded because he is uncompromising on Gods truth. But he is NOT brimstone and damnation either. I met Dr. Jeffress personally and he is a great guy. He is funny and has a sense of humor. He has been very warm and friendly to Ricky and I. His associate pastor Walter Guillaume has been the main person we have been in contact with. He has been really nice and always thinks to call Ricky. He knows about Ricky's ailments and prays with us. I had to say I had misgivings leaving University UMC because I swore I would never join a Baptist church ever again. However I don't have control on that one. That is in God's hand. I am being baptized on January 25th. I am a little nervous about this because in the Methodist church you did not do immersion baptism. So this will be a big step in my walk with the Lord.
Also I have been reflecting on my past mistakes. I have had so much anger and bitterness that has consumed me and affected my friendships and relationships. I have been snapping at Ricky for no reason, being distrustful and hateful. I am not proud of these mistakes and have asked God for help in controlling this. I have also hurt people with my actions. I now understand why people do certain things. I know its not to hurt me but its to help.
I made major mistakes that could have very well ended my relationship with Ricky. Instead of trusting in the Lord during my emptiness, I turned to temptation and destructive behavior. I had unhealthy attachments to men at work and almost would cross the line. I did get close to destroying my marriage because of one of those friendships. It grieves me to this day that I have hurt the other person and my husband. I want to give a word of advice to many who may be in a marriage that is in a rough patch. Please do not look for affection outside of marriage. I am not opposed to friends of the opposite sex but you would really want to be careful. Even if you and that other person go into the friendship with platonic attempts, anything can happen. Even if nothing physical happens, an emotional affair can be just as damaging. You start depending on the other person. That has damaging lasting effects. Please get counseling, talk to a trusted minister, friend, or counselor. Also please work at the marriage and never for a second suggest divorce as an option. In our society marriage has been treated so carelessly because people have the idea that if they don't like this model they can exchange it for something else. That was not what God intended. It grieves me to see how much the sanctity of marriage has been discounted. It may sound like I am trying to be self righteous and perfect. But that is not the case. I am speaking from experience.
Ricky and I are excited about the new year. We are hoping to get more involved in the church and grow even closer to God. We have believed but have been fair weather Christians. We are reading our Bible, getting educated in His word, and cutting many negative influences out of our life. We don't watch much TV. We are working on cutting bad words out of our vocabulary. This is not a quest for perfection. This is a step toward living the way Christ did. Knowing that we are sinners and we fall short of His Glory could grieve us but accepting Him as our Saviour is good news. We are not narrow minded. We don't stop being friends with someone just because they don't have a relationship with the Lord but we do constantly pray for them and just be there as a witness. The best way to witness to an unbeliever is through actions. One mistake that Christians make is they turn their back on their friends once they get saved and grow closer to God. That's not what God wants us to do. But He does not want us to do things that are not pleasing to Him either. So if you have a friend who is questionable in his/her beliefs pray about it. Don't assume you have to drop them like a hot potato. But if it is someone who is destructive and brings you down, you are not required to constantly be beaten down. Pray for that person but keep your distance. I have a good friend who has been telling me this for awhile. He says that being a good friend does not always mean hovering over that person.
The inauguration is Monday for President Elect Obama. I have taken my own advice and prayed for him. I am not going to stoop to the level of the Bush-bashers of the last 8 years. I don't agree with his policies but I wont be bad-mouthing him and calling him names. That is not the way to proceed. I still have mixed feelings about him in office. It has nothing to do with race either. If you know me, you understand I am not racist or judge on skin color. I felt like some of my coworkers took the election too personally. On election night there were people who acted very unprofessional. I know Obama is glad he won but I would like to think he would not approve of the racial behavior. I am glad I am not working tomorrow or I would probably lose it. I pray for unity and that we can see each other the way the Lord sees us. In Gods eyes we are all His children.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your presence during our tough times. Please forgive us where we fall short. It is in the name of Christ I pray,
Amen
Ricky and I were in an accident in December. It was an event that has in many ways changed our life. Our car was wrecked by someone who rear ended us and did 5000.00 worth of damage. Our routines were interrupted. We were without a car for a week before the other guys insurance came through. We were broke and struggling to pay the bills. Many inconveniences happened. One thing stood out through all of this. God was with us every step of the way. He provided what was needed for us to get through the next month. My boss was very understanding and allowed me to work from home. My dad was kind enough to let me use his truck while waiting on the rental. Ricky's mom and dad sent us money to get us through. I had friends and family who were there for us and it meant the world.
The Lord has been working on our hearts since then. We have joined a new church home. It was not where I thought we would end up. Especially since we joined First Baptist Church led by Dr. Robert Jeffress. I had mentioned his series on Politically Incorrect previously. We felt like the Lord wanted us in that church because Dr. Jeffress preaches the Word compassionately but is unapologetic. Some would consider him narrow-minded because he is uncompromising on Gods truth. But he is NOT brimstone and damnation either. I met Dr. Jeffress personally and he is a great guy. He is funny and has a sense of humor. He has been very warm and friendly to Ricky and I. His associate pastor Walter Guillaume has been the main person we have been in contact with. He has been really nice and always thinks to call Ricky. He knows about Ricky's ailments and prays with us. I had to say I had misgivings leaving University UMC because I swore I would never join a Baptist church ever again. However I don't have control on that one. That is in God's hand. I am being baptized on January 25th. I am a little nervous about this because in the Methodist church you did not do immersion baptism. So this will be a big step in my walk with the Lord.
Also I have been reflecting on my past mistakes. I have had so much anger and bitterness that has consumed me and affected my friendships and relationships. I have been snapping at Ricky for no reason, being distrustful and hateful. I am not proud of these mistakes and have asked God for help in controlling this. I have also hurt people with my actions. I now understand why people do certain things. I know its not to hurt me but its to help.
I made major mistakes that could have very well ended my relationship with Ricky. Instead of trusting in the Lord during my emptiness, I turned to temptation and destructive behavior. I had unhealthy attachments to men at work and almost would cross the line. I did get close to destroying my marriage because of one of those friendships. It grieves me to this day that I have hurt the other person and my husband. I want to give a word of advice to many who may be in a marriage that is in a rough patch. Please do not look for affection outside of marriage. I am not opposed to friends of the opposite sex but you would really want to be careful. Even if you and that other person go into the friendship with platonic attempts, anything can happen. Even if nothing physical happens, an emotional affair can be just as damaging. You start depending on the other person. That has damaging lasting effects. Please get counseling, talk to a trusted minister, friend, or counselor. Also please work at the marriage and never for a second suggest divorce as an option. In our society marriage has been treated so carelessly because people have the idea that if they don't like this model they can exchange it for something else. That was not what God intended. It grieves me to see how much the sanctity of marriage has been discounted. It may sound like I am trying to be self righteous and perfect. But that is not the case. I am speaking from experience.
Ricky and I are excited about the new year. We are hoping to get more involved in the church and grow even closer to God. We have believed but have been fair weather Christians. We are reading our Bible, getting educated in His word, and cutting many negative influences out of our life. We don't watch much TV. We are working on cutting bad words out of our vocabulary. This is not a quest for perfection. This is a step toward living the way Christ did. Knowing that we are sinners and we fall short of His Glory could grieve us but accepting Him as our Saviour is good news. We are not narrow minded. We don't stop being friends with someone just because they don't have a relationship with the Lord but we do constantly pray for them and just be there as a witness. The best way to witness to an unbeliever is through actions. One mistake that Christians make is they turn their back on their friends once they get saved and grow closer to God. That's not what God wants us to do. But He does not want us to do things that are not pleasing to Him either. So if you have a friend who is questionable in his/her beliefs pray about it. Don't assume you have to drop them like a hot potato. But if it is someone who is destructive and brings you down, you are not required to constantly be beaten down. Pray for that person but keep your distance. I have a good friend who has been telling me this for awhile. He says that being a good friend does not always mean hovering over that person.
The inauguration is Monday for President Elect Obama. I have taken my own advice and prayed for him. I am not going to stoop to the level of the Bush-bashers of the last 8 years. I don't agree with his policies but I wont be bad-mouthing him and calling him names. That is not the way to proceed. I still have mixed feelings about him in office. It has nothing to do with race either. If you know me, you understand I am not racist or judge on skin color. I felt like some of my coworkers took the election too personally. On election night there were people who acted very unprofessional. I know Obama is glad he won but I would like to think he would not approve of the racial behavior. I am glad I am not working tomorrow or I would probably lose it. I pray for unity and that we can see each other the way the Lord sees us. In Gods eyes we are all His children.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your presence during our tough times. Please forgive us where we fall short. It is in the name of Christ I pray,
Amen
Monday, November 24, 2008
Politically Incorrect
Recently I have been listening to a great sermon series called Politically Incorrect. This was a series that First Baptist Dallas preacher Dr. Robert Jeffress has been preaching on every Sunday. So far I have heard 4 sermons and they shout the unchanging Word of God. Its weird that I would listen to him because he is a Southern Baptist. If you know me you know those two words usually have me running and hiding. Until recently I thought that Dr. Jeffress was very closed minded and lacked compassion because of some of his stands he takes on issues that cause controversy. Also the fact that the media painted him as a bigot played a part because I bought into that mess. But if you listen to him you will realize that he is only preaching Gods Word as the Truth. He wants us to know the Good News of Jesus.
I have started to admire Dr. Jeffress because he has stood his ground on his convictions during this series. The messages have not been without uproar and outcry from those who do not agree. Dr. Jeffress and I are very similar on most views except one and that is the role of women in the church. But that is for another time. He has gone through verbal attacks, protests, and slander on news because of his series. I want to speak about a couple of the topics more clearly and give my input.
I listened to "America is a Christian Nation" the day of the election. Dr. Jeffress goes through the American history and expounds on the values that our country was founded on. I had to hear about horrifying accounts of how much our country was shifted for the worse. Rulings of the past 50 years have discounted the purpose of what the founding fathers were trying to accomplish. We have went from a nation founded on the gospel of Jesus to one that is divided. It is a sad state when our president-elect said during his campaign that the US cannot be a Christian nation because its filled with Muslims and Hindus. I am certainly not speaking out against any other cultures but it is disheartening that the person who is supposed to take an oath to protect our country is in danger of doing the opposite. I also have a problem with our continuing restrictions expressing our beliefs. We are unable to have a "Christmas" party anymore at schools and work. It will offend a non-believer. However if I were to speak out against Hindu or Islam I would be considered intolerant. Why is that? Today I called into "Live from Criswell" on KCBI because the host Dr. Barry Creamer was speaking about the constitution. He would ask what part of the constitution are we thankful for or what is endangered. I had said that I am thankful for freedom of religion but feel its in danger at the same time. In recent years if you say "Merry Christmas" or "God Bless you" it is cause for a lawsuit or worse. Also I had a friend who took her Bible to work and her boss told her it was offensive and not to read it in front of other people. What really takes the cake is a young 12 year old boy named Ernest called in on the same show I did. He told Dr. Creamer that you will get written up for bringing your Bible to school. ARE YOU SERIOUS!! I can understand if you were reading a book or drawing during class. You get correct disciplinary action for that. But if you are seen with Gods Word in your hand you get written up? That is not cool at all. As a side note I have to mention that after my call in to "Live from Criswell" just about every other caller spoke about freedom of religion. I feel like I struck a nerve in our believers to stand up for Jesus. When an elementary school is having a presentation on Islam and marquees and ads are saying "Happy Fall Festival or Happy Winter" that shows just how much we have slipped. Oh and I am not exaggerating on my last statements. One caller spoke about the Islamic presentation and the other caller spoke about the marquees. Also if you don't believe me go to www.barrycreamer.com and listen to the archived show. You will hear me and other callers speak about the sad state of our freedom of religion being imposed.
To expound on "America is a Christian Nation" Dr. Jeffress also speaks about the voting criteria when going into the booth. He speaks about 3 questions. 1. Is the candidate a Christian? To me that is important. Because if he/she is then that person is respecting the values that our country was founded on. Also with the presence of the God in our leader there is hope for us. If he/she acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior and applies those principals to how the decisions get made we are more likely to stand united. Proverbs 29:2 says "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice and when the wicked rule the people groan." 2. Does the candidate embrace biblical principal? To go deeper what does he/she say about the sanctity of marriage? What does he/she say about abortion? Does he/she stutter and stumble and make comments about it saying its below their pay grade? By the way what does that mean anyway? That's for another time though. 3. Does the candidates private faith influence public policy? That means do they keep faith separate from their decisions? Do they trust in God to guide them? I will say that my candidate did not get into office but he and his running mate answered all 3 questions with a resounding yes. Whoever you voted for I pray that he/she had those principals. Because those 3 things will work out in the social issues that our country is experiencing.
So on to the controversial 2 part sermon I heard over the past few weeks. Dr. Jeffress preached 2 sermons called "Gay is not OK" and "What to say to those who are gay". This country has grown more tolerant of homosexuals in the past 20 years. I have nothing against gays and lesbians. I am just not into relations with someone of the same sex. I have to admire Dr. Jeffress because he took a very courageous stand on this issue. He preached it knowing that this topic would meet with some objection. The two part message spawned protesters outside of the church each weekend. It was a very peaceful demonstration. These people were speaking out against his message because they felt it was hate speech. They felt he was being cruel and bigoted. If they really listened to Dr. Jeffress's message they would have realized it was one of the most loving, compassionate, caring sermons on the subject. He gave intelligent insight to why homosexuality is wrong. He quoted straight from God's Word. He did not make this up just to make a certain group of people wrong. He did not sit in his office and say "Hmm how should I make them mad today?" No he felt the call to spread God's Word on this subject. Go to www.firstdallas.org if you want to listen to the message. He is unlike any other person who has preached on this subject. Anybody I have heard before has been rude, condescending and not Christ like. Dr. Jeffress emulates Christs love even when he is preaching about something this serious.
There are more sermons in the series. They are insightful and expose us to the truths us Christians should know about. I thank the Lord for opening up my eyes to Dr. Jeffress and not buying into media negativity.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your servants like Dr. Jeffress and Dr. Creamer. We are thankful for Your service through these fine men. I also want to thank You for Your unending love and grace. In Jesus name I pray, Amen
I have started to admire Dr. Jeffress because he has stood his ground on his convictions during this series. The messages have not been without uproar and outcry from those who do not agree. Dr. Jeffress and I are very similar on most views except one and that is the role of women in the church. But that is for another time. He has gone through verbal attacks, protests, and slander on news because of his series. I want to speak about a couple of the topics more clearly and give my input.
I listened to "America is a Christian Nation" the day of the election. Dr. Jeffress goes through the American history and expounds on the values that our country was founded on. I had to hear about horrifying accounts of how much our country was shifted for the worse. Rulings of the past 50 years have discounted the purpose of what the founding fathers were trying to accomplish. We have went from a nation founded on the gospel of Jesus to one that is divided. It is a sad state when our president-elect said during his campaign that the US cannot be a Christian nation because its filled with Muslims and Hindus. I am certainly not speaking out against any other cultures but it is disheartening that the person who is supposed to take an oath to protect our country is in danger of doing the opposite. I also have a problem with our continuing restrictions expressing our beliefs. We are unable to have a "Christmas" party anymore at schools and work. It will offend a non-believer. However if I were to speak out against Hindu or Islam I would be considered intolerant. Why is that? Today I called into "Live from Criswell" on KCBI because the host Dr. Barry Creamer was speaking about the constitution. He would ask what part of the constitution are we thankful for or what is endangered. I had said that I am thankful for freedom of religion but feel its in danger at the same time. In recent years if you say "Merry Christmas" or "God Bless you" it is cause for a lawsuit or worse. Also I had a friend who took her Bible to work and her boss told her it was offensive and not to read it in front of other people. What really takes the cake is a young 12 year old boy named Ernest called in on the same show I did. He told Dr. Creamer that you will get written up for bringing your Bible to school. ARE YOU SERIOUS!! I can understand if you were reading a book or drawing during class. You get correct disciplinary action for that. But if you are seen with Gods Word in your hand you get written up? That is not cool at all. As a side note I have to mention that after my call in to "Live from Criswell" just about every other caller spoke about freedom of religion. I feel like I struck a nerve in our believers to stand up for Jesus. When an elementary school is having a presentation on Islam and marquees and ads are saying "Happy Fall Festival or Happy Winter" that shows just how much we have slipped. Oh and I am not exaggerating on my last statements. One caller spoke about the Islamic presentation and the other caller spoke about the marquees. Also if you don't believe me go to www.barrycreamer.com and listen to the archived show. You will hear me and other callers speak about the sad state of our freedom of religion being imposed.
To expound on "America is a Christian Nation" Dr. Jeffress also speaks about the voting criteria when going into the booth. He speaks about 3 questions. 1. Is the candidate a Christian? To me that is important. Because if he/she is then that person is respecting the values that our country was founded on. Also with the presence of the God in our leader there is hope for us. If he/she acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior and applies those principals to how the decisions get made we are more likely to stand united. Proverbs 29:2 says "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice and when the wicked rule the people groan." 2. Does the candidate embrace biblical principal? To go deeper what does he/she say about the sanctity of marriage? What does he/she say about abortion? Does he/she stutter and stumble and make comments about it saying its below their pay grade? By the way what does that mean anyway? That's for another time though. 3. Does the candidates private faith influence public policy? That means do they keep faith separate from their decisions? Do they trust in God to guide them? I will say that my candidate did not get into office but he and his running mate answered all 3 questions with a resounding yes. Whoever you voted for I pray that he/she had those principals. Because those 3 things will work out in the social issues that our country is experiencing.
So on to the controversial 2 part sermon I heard over the past few weeks. Dr. Jeffress preached 2 sermons called "Gay is not OK" and "What to say to those who are gay". This country has grown more tolerant of homosexuals in the past 20 years. I have nothing against gays and lesbians. I am just not into relations with someone of the same sex. I have to admire Dr. Jeffress because he took a very courageous stand on this issue. He preached it knowing that this topic would meet with some objection. The two part message spawned protesters outside of the church each weekend. It was a very peaceful demonstration. These people were speaking out against his message because they felt it was hate speech. They felt he was being cruel and bigoted. If they really listened to Dr. Jeffress's message they would have realized it was one of the most loving, compassionate, caring sermons on the subject. He gave intelligent insight to why homosexuality is wrong. He quoted straight from God's Word. He did not make this up just to make a certain group of people wrong. He did not sit in his office and say "Hmm how should I make them mad today?" No he felt the call to spread God's Word on this subject. Go to www.firstdallas.org if you want to listen to the message. He is unlike any other person who has preached on this subject. Anybody I have heard before has been rude, condescending and not Christ like. Dr. Jeffress emulates Christs love even when he is preaching about something this serious.
There are more sermons in the series. They are insightful and expose us to the truths us Christians should know about. I thank the Lord for opening up my eyes to Dr. Jeffress and not buying into media negativity.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your servants like Dr. Jeffress and Dr. Creamer. We are thankful for Your service through these fine men. I also want to thank You for Your unending love and grace. In Jesus name I pray, Amen
Post election frustration
When it was announced that Barack Obama was going to be the new president, many reactions happened throughout the country. At work people were cheering and hugging each other, at home a different story. I was home when I heard the news. I was dissapointed. Not because I think horribly of Obama but because naturally McCain lost and I was a supporter. Now I understand that Obama is our president-elect and I pray that the Lord will guide him on how to lead the country.
However I am very unhappy with the way people have been acting when they found out Obama won. There has been hate bulletins on myspace proclaiming that McCain supporters are jerks. I have also witnessed gloating attitudes at my place of business. I feel like that this election has caused a war on who's better and has generated an "in your face" attitude from some people. Also when someone has asked me who I voted for I get a laundry list of reasons why my choice sucks. I hate that nasty attitude I get. Then accusations about how much of a racist I am because I did not vote for Obama really hurts. I don't accuse someone of voting for Obama because they are racist. Why should I be attacked?
When I go to the polls I place my vote on whoever I feel could do the job. At that time I had faith in Senator McCain. He has served our country for 30 years in the military. He has had experience in the Senate. I DO NOT place my votes on skin color. Do you know why that is a fact? Because I wanted Condeleeza Rice or Colin Powell to be on the GOP ticket. They have done well for our country.
I am also tired of hearing President Bush getting slandered. Granted he made some mistakes but he kept our country protected from terrorists. He needs to be left alone. Quit blaming him because things arent just rosy. It seems that we want to blame others when we arent happy.
Another thing that has made me mad is why people dont vote. One excuse I heard was "I have trust issues". Yeah so do I. But I am casting a vote for someone to lead our country, not a husband. Trust is a hard thing for people to earn but when you use that as an excuse to be silent, that bothers me. Another excuse was "I shouldnt have to". Why do you say that? Then do not complain when things did not go your way!!!! Also if you voted then maybe the person YOU wanted would be in office!
President-elect Obama has a tough job. I will not be like those that slandered Bush. I will pray for guidance and protection for our country. I will also hope that maybe his heart will be changed on a few issues that he supports that I don't agree with.
I pray that our country will be lead in the right direction. The Lord only knows whats in store for us.
However I am very unhappy with the way people have been acting when they found out Obama won. There has been hate bulletins on myspace proclaiming that McCain supporters are jerks. I have also witnessed gloating attitudes at my place of business. I feel like that this election has caused a war on who's better and has generated an "in your face" attitude from some people. Also when someone has asked me who I voted for I get a laundry list of reasons why my choice sucks. I hate that nasty attitude I get. Then accusations about how much of a racist I am because I did not vote for Obama really hurts. I don't accuse someone of voting for Obama because they are racist. Why should I be attacked?
When I go to the polls I place my vote on whoever I feel could do the job. At that time I had faith in Senator McCain. He has served our country for 30 years in the military. He has had experience in the Senate. I DO NOT place my votes on skin color. Do you know why that is a fact? Because I wanted Condeleeza Rice or Colin Powell to be on the GOP ticket. They have done well for our country.
I am also tired of hearing President Bush getting slandered. Granted he made some mistakes but he kept our country protected from terrorists. He needs to be left alone. Quit blaming him because things arent just rosy. It seems that we want to blame others when we arent happy.
Another thing that has made me mad is why people dont vote. One excuse I heard was "I have trust issues". Yeah so do I. But I am casting a vote for someone to lead our country, not a husband. Trust is a hard thing for people to earn but when you use that as an excuse to be silent, that bothers me. Another excuse was "I shouldnt have to". Why do you say that? Then do not complain when things did not go your way!!!! Also if you voted then maybe the person YOU wanted would be in office!
President-elect Obama has a tough job. I will not be like those that slandered Bush. I will pray for guidance and protection for our country. I will also hope that maybe his heart will be changed on a few issues that he supports that I don't agree with.
I pray that our country will be lead in the right direction. The Lord only knows whats in store for us.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Election day post from myspace
The fate of our country will be decided in about 24 hours. It has come down to the wire and I don't know who to vote for. What are the good things about each candidate? I can't base my vote on negative energy and frustration. I hope we can get back to voting because the person is an asset. I want to hear what they can do. I hope we all make a decision due to the candidates issues. I don't want to base it on the mudslinging.
This was my post on November 1st 4 years ago regarding the election. This years mudslinging was some of the worst I have seen in the past 8 years of presidential elections. There are accusations, negative adds, and talk. I am so ready for it to be over because I have had enough listening to people bad mouth. I fear for our country because if the person I don't want to win makes it in we are in trouble. For my own sake I am keeping my vote quiet and not publishing who I am going for. If anyone wants to know they can ask. But to save negative comments and feedback I would just rather keep it close to me. The talk of politics has frustrated me to the point where I have wanted to scream. People have a right to their opinion and beliefs. However before we start criticizing each other on our choice, make sure we get the facts. Don't base your opinion on media or hearsay. I have noticed that this election particularly has been based on those two things. The media wants to put a negative spin on one candidate. Hearsay comes from people pulling stuff out of thin air just to make the candidate look bad so maybe someone would actually listen and believe everything they hear.A few of you know where I stand. Some of you know I am not much for politics. What really bothers me is when the presidential race is brought up at a 3 year old's birthday party! I was getting frustrated because I thought it was not the time or the place.
My husband and I have similar views on who should run the country. If you ask him he has no problem telling you. Sometimes he is so animated on the subject he will get off on a tangent. You have to pull him back because this election has gotten to him really bad. Oh yeah I am not revealing who he is voting for either. You can ask him yourself. I won't stand for any rude remarks on our choice of candidate. So I give the same respect to those who vote for someone that I don't agree with. Ricky is not that nice. He doesn't mind sharing his opinion. Everyone has a right to how they feel but this election has stressed me out to the point that I keep my mouth shut when it comes to opposing views. Not because I am afraid of what people think, its because I don't want to hear it. I don't want a laundry list of why my choice sucks. I sure don't want you trying to talk me out of my choice. That will just make me even more mad.
The election is coming up. This time I know who I am voting for and I can't wait until its over. The negative feedback and mudslinging is enough for me to pull my hair out. May the best candidate win.
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