United in Grief

I haven't turned on the news since December 14.
I refuse.
But, see, I am lucky enough to have that option.
I have the luxury of closing my eyes and living my life without the constant reminder of the tragedy that took place on the opposite coast.

No words I could come up with and nothing I could say could ever help. It could never make anything make sense.

At first we were united in grief. We as Americans and as human beings felt a collective, gut-wrenching sadness and an intense anger for the unimaginable. And then the arguing began as panic swept the nation. Giving guns to teachers? Metal detectors? Taking guns away? Is it God's punishment?

To me, these are things that need to be worked out. I have my opinions about them. But right now, I don't think this is the time to discuss them. Right now, our focus needs to be elsewhere. Our focus needs to be on these beautiful babies and heroes who lost their lives for absolutely no reason. There are families who will spend Christmas, birthdays, and the rest of their lives without their babies, moms, sisters, daughters, sons, brothers, nephews, cousins, friends... Now, more than ever, they need our prayers. They need us to be united as a country for them.

R.I.P.

A Message From Mr. Stein

He Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as “Holiday Trees” for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. He says it so much better than I can, so I will let him do that talking.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary:

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said: “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

 

 

Grato

Thanksgiving was a bittersweet holiday for me this year.

My family is amazing. I am so blessed to have a family who loves God, enjoys being together, and loves one another. We play games, eat enough food to feed a small army, and laugh until our sides hurt.

Growing up, this is how I thought most people spent Thanksgiving. This is what families did, and everyone had a family, so this is normal. As I grew up, I realized this is not the case. Most families are not this way and not everyone has a family.

For some reason, this was on my heart specifically this year. I felt so blessed to be in a room full of people who God gave me and loved me and I felt very thankful. But I felt very sad. I realized how many kids, teenagers, adults, elderly were spending it alone or in the midst of brokenness. I thought of the widows, the parents, the children, the siblings who had to spend their first holiday without their loved one.

And so I sent a prayer up to my God and I told Him thank You. Thank You for my life, thank You for my family, thank You for everything. And then I prayed for those who were hurting on this day. I prayed for those who were broken, sad, lonely.

I learned a lot about being thankful

...Or, as the Italians say it, grato...

I do hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.

Game

It is only a game.
It is only a ball.
It is only a sport.

But it is more.

It builds character.
It creates friendships.
It nurtures the body.
It is common ground.
It provides hope.

It is a part of me.

From a young age, my love began.
And it has only grown as time has gone on.
It has connected a father and a daughter, a sister and a sister, a cousin and a cousin.
It has given me a passion.
It has made me deeply happy.

And now I go from player to player/coach.
And I am truly happy.

The Great Tragedy of the Election 2012

I found this blog that a friend posted on Facebook and it was written so well that I felt I should share it instead of try and rewrite it with my lack of skills. So here it is, from author Garrett Kell:

The Great Tragedy of the 2012 Election

There was a great tragedy that occurred on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

The tragedy was not found in the celebrations of elected officials or the concessions of defeat. It was not colored red or blue, and it wasn’t wrapped up in useless campaign promises.
The tragedy of the 2012 election is that in this land of the free and home of the brave, many people were not allowed to vote. Their voices were silenced. Their votes were not cast. Their opinions not expressed. Why?

Because they were dead.

The great tragedy of the 2012 election is that roughly 33 million would-be voters were not with us, because they had been murdered. From 1973-1994 roughly 35 million babies were aborted. That’s roughly 35 million 18-39 year-olds who did not vote because they were dead.

That is an unspeakable tragedy.

They did not have the chance to explain to their children about what makes our nation so great. They did not have the chance to watch the results come in with their friends and family.

They did not have the chance to rest their heads on a pillow in the land of the free. That is a great tragedy.

But this story of tragedy is not over.

In 2016, roughly 5 million more voices will be unheard. Why? Because over 3,500 babies will be killed today. And each day leading up to Tuesday November 8^th, 2016. In the 3 minutes it takes you to read this post, 7 babies will have been aborted in the United States of America. Their voices are silenced. Their freedom not experienced. Their opportunity to be brave not known. Their lives taken from them.

This is a tragedy that hits close to home for me. When I was 19 years old, I chose to end the life of my first child through an abortion. My friend and I were in a scary place, we didn’t plan to get married, and we had nowhere else to go. So we chose to end the life of our child.

That child would be 16 today. They’d be excited about driving a car and in just a couple years, they’d be excited about voting. But, they won’t be doing any of that. I won’t be sitting down with them and explaining how to think about policies and the candidates that represent them. I won’t be able to tell them about freedom and justice for all. I took that freedom away with my injustice.

I cannot undo what I’ve done in the past. None of us can. Only Jesus, who shed His blood for sinners like me can heal those wounds. Jesus gives us great hope in the midst of this tragedy, and all the other tragedies we face in this life.

If you have committed an abortion, I want you to know that there is a refuge in Jesus. He will heal your wounds. There is no sin so great that He cannot forgive and no sin so small that does not need to be forgiven. If you will confess your sins and turn to Him in faith, He will wash away all your guilt and all your shame. Come to Christ.

If you support abortion, I encourage you to spend time in prayer and ask God to show you if abortion is something that pleases Him or not. Ask a Christian to help you see what God’s Word says about this. I’m under no assumption that you don’t already have deeply rooted ideas, I did too. I encourage you to take the time to read what God says about life and who has the right to give and take it away. I encourage you to start with Psalm 139.

If you are a Christian, be patient with those who view things differently than you. But don’t just be patient, speak truth in love to those who are in need. Find ways to help those who are struggling through unplanned pregnancies. Investigate options for adoption and invest in the lives of those who are facing difficult choices.

I have on my wall a picture of a 3 year old boy in cowboy boots. He’s a 3 year old boy who nearly wasn’t with us today because of the difficult place his mother found herself in. She was not married and pregnant and scared. But my wife met with her and prayed with her and took her to a Christian doctor who showed her the baby in her womb through a sonogram. That young mother had the courage to keep her child.

That young boy’s smile reminds me that God can save children, one at a time. But God does this by using His people to come alongside those who are struggling and lovingly showing them the Christ who can walk them through any terrifying situation, even an unplanned pregnancy.

I believe that the only hope to turn the trend of this tragedy around is for people to turn their hearts toward the God who made them through the way paved by His Son Jesus. Jesus changes hearts, and changed hearts changes a nation. May God give grace to us as a country, and may God give us courage to stand up in the midst of this tragedy so that, if the Lord tarries, there will be many more people casting votes in 2030. Lord Jesus, we need your help.
 

I Pledge

I pledge prayers for my President, Barack Obama.

I pledge prayers for my nation, the United States of America.

I pledge more effort towards seeing the people in my homeland come to know the loving and saving grace of Christ Jesus.

I pledge less of me and more of Him.

Today, I pledge these things, put my hope in my God, and pray that He heals my land.

Today is it.

Today is the day. Today, America's future is decided. This election is seen as one of the most important elections ever, and one of the closest as well. My facebook has been a place for much discussion and debate. And I am ok with that, because although I do not enjoy politics, I understand their importance.

As Christians, we have not done our job in voting. Our not voting is a vote and we have let it get out of hand. We have a responsibility to God first, America second, our loved ones third, and ourselves fourth to vote. And to vote Biblically.

Both candidates are human. Both are not perfect. But we have to vote who is closest to Scripture. I stole this from my friend, Sarah, but this is 100% true for me:

I voted for the most pro-life candidate, because God hates the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17).

I voted for the most pro-Israel candidate, because God blesses those who bless Israel and curses those who don't (Genesis 12:3).

I voted for the most pro-debt reduction candidate, because the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).

I voted for the most pro-marriage candidate, because God is for marriage as defined in Genesis 2:24.

I voted based as closely as I can on God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16)

[SIDENOTE: Simply the right to vote is a privilege. My travels in the few third world countries I have been to has proven to me that the fact I get to vote without paying someone, fighting for it, dying for it, or not having the option at all is something that most of the world cannot say. Today, I am grateful I get to vote.]

As today plays out and (hopefully) you vote, join me in praying for our nation. God already knows who will be the next POTUS and He is the one who places them there.

"He controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars." -Daniel 2:21

"Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity." -1 Timothy 2:2

"Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader..." -Ecclesiastes 10:17a


"When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability." -Proverbs 28:2

Ok, ok I am done. Well almost.. I will end with this statement and one last verse. It is hard for me to trust God, but we must. We must do our part and then trust Him. 

"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." -Romans 13:1

God Bless America.