Lessons on Faith

Once again I have a post that was inspired by one of my favorite commenters, the Griper. Here is the comment that has inspire it.

"He whispers down to her. These words he says;
'Just the touch of the hem of the frock, in faith.
That is all that is needed.'
Hear the words; 'Get up and walk',
And in faith, ye shall walk in peace.

'Come forth' be the words for the dying soul,
To live once more, if heard in faith.
All that we see and do are beautiful,
If seen through the eyes of faith.
All we do glimmer in beauty, if done in faith.

Look for the soul within us, that be where life be found.
Seek it there."

The Griper - May 22, 2008 - 4:40 AM

Well, I took the time to look up some of the stories in the Bible that Griper's poem is based on and each teaches it's own lesson. The first passage below is about the faith of the individual who was healed, but the next two are about the faith of the friends of those who are sick, especially the third one, in which they crawled up on the roof and lowered their sick friend down before Jesus.

“25) And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26) She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27) When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, 28) because she thought, ‘If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.’ 29) Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30) At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ 31) ‘You see the people crowding against you,’ His disciples answered, ‘and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?’ 32) But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33) Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. 34) He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’” Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)

“34) When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35) And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to Him 36) and begged Him to let the sick just touch the edge of His cloak, and all who touched Him were healed.” Matthew 14:34-36 (NIV)

“18) Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19) When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20) When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ 21) The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ 22) Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, ‘ 23) Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk?’ 24) But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . .’ He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ 25) Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26) Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’” Luke 5:18-26 (NIV)

Aside from the faith of the sick man's friends in the above story, this man was also forgiven of sins, which shows us that we do not have to be perfect in order to find healing and victory over that which we struggle with.

The key to the next story below is the question Jesus asks "Do you wish to be well. Often people become so used to their sickness, as well as weadnesses and handicaps that they don't even particularly want to be well, for after all, if we could actually overcome this or that, than perhaps in our health, we might actually be expected to do a little more than we've been doing. Now isn't that a scary thought?

"2) Now there is in Jerusalem, by the sheep gate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3) In these, lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame and withered, (waiting for the moving of the waters, 4) For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water. Whosoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with Which he was afflicted.) 5) A man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, 'Do you wish to get well?' 7) The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' 8) Jesus said to him, 'Get up. Take up your pallet and walk.' 9) Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk." John 5:2-9 (NASB)

The next story is pretty amazing because Jesus actually raises someone who is dead. And once again it is based on faith.

“32) When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34) ‘Where have you laid him?’ He asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. 35) Jesus wept. 36) Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’ 37) But some of them said, ‘Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’ 38) Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39) ‘Take away the stone,’ He said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’ 40) Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41) So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42) I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ 43) When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44) The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ 45) Therefore, many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” John 11:32-45 (NIV)

A study on faith would not be complete without the verses that relate to the Mustard Seed. We have all heard the common verse "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'” Matthew 17:20 (NIV), yet what I find interesting is the context which is rarely ever mentioned. The context of this verse is a situation in which Jesus' disciples were not able to do the healing and this shows us that faith, even though it is as small as a Mustard Seed, is not necessarily easy.

“14) When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15) ‘Lord, have mercy on my son’ he said. ‘He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16) I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.’ 17) ‘O unbelieving and perverse generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ 18) Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19) Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn't we drive it out?’ 20) He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'” Matthew 17:14-20 (NIV)

Let's take a closer look at what the Mustard Seed is and why Jesus chose this particular analogy to describe faith. From the next verse, we learn that the Mustard Seed begins very small, but grows into a very large plant. This implies a growing process, not something that is accomplished over night.

“31) He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32) Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.’” Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

Aside from the common "Moving Mountains" verse, Matthew 17:20, there is also a similar verse about the moving of a mulberry tree that is quoted less often.

"5) The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ 6) He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.’” Luke 17:5-6 (NIV)

Here is another of my favorites. I like this next story because it's about how Jesus healed even though the faith of the person involved was not perfect. The man was humble, though, and the Bible also teaches how God give grace to the humble. "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says; 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" James 4:6 (NIV)

"17) A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18) Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.' 19) 'O unbelieving generation,' Jesus replied, 'how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.' 20) So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21) Jesus asked the boy's father, 'How long has he been like this?' "From childhood," he answered. 22) 'It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.' 23) 'If you can'?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes.' 24) Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief!" 25) When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. 'You deaf and mute spirit,' he said, 'I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.' 26) The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, 'He's dead.' 27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up." Mark 9:17-27 (NIV)

The last verse that I want to share relates to Griper's closing statement in his poem, in which he says, "Look for the soul within us, that be where life be found. Seek it there."

“20) Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21) nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.’” Luke 17:20-21 (NIV)

3.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - Concluding Thoughts

When I first wrote and published what follows, it was submitted along with the two others that are now below it, yet when first published, all three of these posts were submitted in reverse order, so that they would appear in the correct order when scrolling down, in order to read them in the order in which they were written, whether than in the reverse order that they were written, as the computer has the tendency to do. I decided, though, to change the time in which this was submitted so that it now appears on the top, whether than the bottom, so that if this is the only of the three posts that you read, you will understand the conclusion. Naturally, though, you can feel free to also read the other two posts that go along with this one, for they are still here just below this one. Thanks.

People have all different things in their life that they cling to that help them to feel Ok about themselves and about life. For some, it may be the fact that they have a good job and some money in the bank. For others, it may be because they are involved in some meaningful activity that gives them worth. For others, it may be because of their position at work that causes others to look up to them with respect. Some may feel Ok because they have a cold beer in their hand and this helps them to relax and, at least for awhile, forget about their struggles.

And then should I dare to mention the obvious vices such as drugs, sex, pornography and the like. There are all sorts of options of things that can help to dull the pain of life.

Another really common thing that helps us feel Ok is having a significant other in our life who loves and accepts us just the way that we are and a little romance is always nice.

All of this sounds really sweet, yet there's only one problem. Quite apart from the obvious pit falls of drugs, alcohol and sex; we can also lose our jobs; tragedies can occur that drain our bank accounts; we can be demoted and we can get to the point in our marriages in which we don't get along so well anymore and don't feel all that accepted anymore.

When things aren't going well in life and in marriage, we can sometimes find friends who make us feel Ok, yet no matter who or what it is that we cling to that helps us feel Ok, we can lose it and people are continually letting us down.

This is why I keep returning time and time again to the only truly reliable source of strength, security and basic Okness and that is God and Jesus Christ.

Since we know that Christ loves us and died for our sins and that we can be forgiven for all our many flaws and imperfections, we can feel totally and completely Ok in Him, for the Bible says...

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (KJV)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (KJV)

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelations 3:20 (KJV)

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (KJV)

“28) Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your soul; 30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)

“16) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 (KJV)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, 9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9 (KJV)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (KJV)

“6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6 (KJV)

1.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - A Touch from God

She reaches out into the darkness, hoping some kind soul will reach back and take her hand. Then she looks up at him and continues to wish and hope that maybe if she's really lucky, he will pull her close and squeeze her really tight, engulfing her with all the warmth and acceptance that she could possibly need in order to feel like life's Ok.

There have been times in her life in which the Lord has blessed her with a whole slew of supportive friends and she feels so blessed and loved, yet as is true for everyone, there are also the dry times in which no one seems to care.

Once again she reaches out, across a very deep chasm of dreary, lonely and barren emptiness. Into the dark she reaches, yearning..........., longing.........., but this time there's no one there. So she bows her head and drops her hand. Her heart is utterly famished with despair and grief.

With tears in her eyes, she cries out. With her arms stretched up to the heavens, she sings praises to God. From the very depth of her being, and with every part of that last one small ounce of strength that she has left within her, she embraces the gratitude and deep affection towards God that is expressed in the words of the songs. Tears flow down her cheeks. Her voice cracks as she sings. She is frail and broken and weak. Her heart yearns for the warm touch of her great Father in heaven.

This goes on for quite awhile..........., and then suddenly, a strong rush of warm wind bursts upon her and she is so over taken by it that she falls to her knees and releases a very deep sigh and breaths deeply. Filled with awe and wonder, she becomes speechless and fully amazed. The wind becomes hot as the heat of it engulfs her with sweet comfort and incredible strength and that is when she realizes.....................the real reason why she's Ok.

2.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - From Song of Solomon

I guess what I've just written in the post above this one could pretty much stand by itself, yet I wanted to also share a few more things with you. I've been involved in a ladies Bible Study that is studying a most interesting book from the Bible. We've actually been studying the Song of Solomon. This is a book that doesn't usually get that much attention because is seems almost sexual in nature, yet the main message that's contained in the book is truly amazing and once fully grasped, it sort of makes one speechless.

The symbolism is truly precious. The theme of the book is not sex really. It is the relationship between the Bride and the Bride Groom. The Bride is the Church and the Bride Groom is Christ and to better define "Church", I should probably say that it is the people, not the building. The Song of Solomon is about all the love and affection that is felt between the Church, (God's people) and her Savior (Jesus Christ). As we begin to understand this concept, it helps as to realize how truly deep our relationship with Christ can actually be. Not everyone in the Church realizes how very deep and intimate our relationship with Christ can be. Our relationship with Jesus Christ is not just a casual empty thing. It is a love affair; an intense spiritual romance with such depth that it's breath taking.

Let me just quote a few verses for you and explain what they mean. I will include the mention of who it is who is talking. Remember the Bride is the Church and thus, every believer.

From the Bride to the Bride Groom or From the Believer to Christ
"My beloved is mine and I am His. He pastures His flock among the lilies." Song of Solomon 2:16 (NASB)

Interestingly, the lilies represent purity, so purity is where the Bride Groom (Jesus) "pastures His flock". Some Bible translations just say "He feeds amonst the Lilies", but this is not the best translation of the Hebrew word, which is ra'ah, and means either to tend a flock, as of sheep, or to keep company with, or make friendship with.

Aside from the Bride Groom/Bride metaphor of Christ and the Church, the other metaphor to describe the relationship is the Shepherd with His sheep. Just as in the 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 (KVJ) and in the gospel of John, Jesus says "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11 (NIV)

Getting back to the lilies, though, the lilies represent purity. In Song of Solomon 2:16, Christ feeds us in our purity. He fills us up and makes up for what ever it is that we have had to sacrifice for the sake of remaining true to Him.

From the Bride to the Bride Groom or From the Believer to Christ.
The other verse that I want to mention from the Song of Solomon is "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, for Thy love is better than wine." Song of Solomon 1:2 (KJV). Once again, without the symbolism explained, this just sounds sensual, yet the meaning of it is truly precious.

The kisses of His mouth is referring to God's Revelation and the Wine is not just an alcoholic beverage, but represents all that this world has to offer. In other words, what this verse means is that when God comes down and touches us and speaks to us and reveals things to us, the experience is so precious that it is "better than all that this world has to offer".

It is really hard to explain these things. People pretty much have to experience it for themselves before really understanding all that this means.

A Break - Non- Political/Non-Religious Comment Thread

There are times in which I just feel like starting a lighter page and I don't know what to write or say. It doesn't matter, though, what I say, because all I really want is a new comment thread, for the previous ones are becoming quite long and well, though I do know what I'd like to post next, I need to break out of this discouraged and gloomy mood before I'm going to get the inspiration out of my head and onto the page, so what I am asking for right now is for someone to simply make a comment and say a friendly hello about anything other than politics. Say something light and non-stressful and then in just a little while, I'll get past this mood and move on.

This page can also be used at any time for the sake of taking a break from any of my other posts that are too much for you when you just don't feel in the mood to think so hard.

Why do we Blog?

Before I get into the above question of "Why do we blog?", a few other questions come to mind; "Why do I keep coming back to the subject of blogging?", "Am I trying to figure out something myself or am I hoping in the process that someone out there will be challenged to evaluate their own blogging goals and then perhaps we can all become more effective bloggers?" I guess it's a little of both.

So any way; "Why do we blog?"

Some may do it just for the challenge of seeing how many hits they can get on their blog. Others may do it because it makes them feel like they have a little more of a voice, for in our current situation, it appears that our government isn't listening to what any of us are saying and the media is so darn biased that it appears that there is no such thing as freedom of speech any more. Still others may blog because they feel that it helps them get their feelings out and alleviates and relieves their stress. Perhaps too, blogging could be used as a temporary escape from the real world outside of the net. And then there are some of these idealists like myself, that are actually hoping that maybe by some amazing miracle, we can actually make an impact on our world. Let's look at some of these.

To Get as many Hits as Possible

You know, this reminds me of something that happens in churches. There are some churches that are highly evangelistic and are able to increase their attendance by amazing numbers, yet they have so many new believers among them that there is not enough leadership to keep up with it and though their numbers are impressive. These new Christians are not being discipled in order to grow as Christians. The focus from the pulpit is so often basic evangelism, or how to receive Christ and become a Christian, that they are never taught how to grow as Christians. The numbers are impressive, but the depth of growth and faith among them is not and some even fall away.

So what does this have to do with blogging? Well, sometimes I think that just because a blog has impressive hit numbers does not mean that the masses that are visiting the blog are touched deeply in a way that changes their life in some way. Hits can be shallow. Even if we can be sure, due to the fact that the visitor stayed awhile, that he or she must of read completely quite a few of the posts, even so, this still doesn't offer proof that the heart was deeply touched. Wouldn't it be preferable to deeply touch a few, than to touch large numbers, yet not very deeply?

I've even asked myself sometimes "Which is better; frequent posts that are done quickly without much thought or less frequent posts that require more thought, time, effort and energy to produce? Which has more of a chance of not just briefly touching, but actually Impacting those I touch? I guess a person could try and make daily posts of such a nature, but why add additional stress to our lives in order to keep up with such a demanding goal as this.

More of a Voice

This is a neat goal, yet in a way, it rises more questions, such as; "What does this voice hope to accomplish?" and "Even if this voice is both read and heard, has it changed anybody's heart and mind?" "Aside from just increasing the number of hits to our blog, how can we make our voices more effective?"

Alleviates Stress

That's nice and I suppose even worth while even in and of itself, yet is that all that we hope for, or is there more?

Make a Significant Impact

This is the real goal and if such is even remotely possible, perhaps even a little reasonable stress might be worth it.

Concluding Thoughts

Now, I realize that all people have a different voice, different styles and different gifts. There are some high energy types that have no trouble posting daily and have fun doing so. Each blog touches all of us in a slightly different way and I'm not so sure that the message in this post is for everyone, yet for those who are occasionally discouraged in their blogging, listen in and take heart. We each have a voice and yes, we can make a difference.



P.S. - Once I got thinking about what I had written, I realized that there is at least one commenter that writes on my blog occasionally that does not have a blog and I do not at all want him to feel left out. If anyone out there does not have a blog just give us your feed back. What do you look for in a blog? What do you think are the characteristics of a really good blog?

Equations we Live By/Gen./Evolution v. Intelligent Design

This post was inspired by one of my commenters, Soapbox, who started to wonder off the subject on another post, yet I found the subject interesting enough, I thought it merited further discussion, so instead of the normal urging to "Get back to the subject.", I decided to make a whole separate post, so that the discussion on this subject could continue and there is indeed an interesting discussion that follows.

Here is the basic comment that has inspired this post...

Soapbox
"Once we know the equation(i.e., the process, one's own internal compass) by which we are guided and by which we acquire knowledge to proceed forward in life, it becomes more and more of an involuntary sort of action. We need not ponder on them for as long as we may have once before."

I responded with "Once in awhile, we find new information that causes us to rework the entire equation."

The rest of the conversation follows in the comment section below, so please do read on.

If you want to get to the Evolution Theory vs. Intelligent Design Theory discussion, just click on the title of this post and then type either Darwinism or Intelligent Design into the find in this page area of your browser.

All of my Posts Organized by Category

A couple of things happened when I posted yesterday. Since it was the the first post that I did this month, all the previous posts were archived and sense it was my 11th post, the last post moved to a new page. I have had a little concern about the older posts that are being buried further back in my blog. Since what I write is not necessarily dated the way news events are and since I feel that what I wrote awhile ago is really still both current and interesting; that is why I figured that maybe now would be a good time to try and organize my blog in a way that will make it easier to find older posts, so here they all are organized by category. Please do click on the ones that interest you.

Also, just in case you are new to this blogging thing, I'd like to make you aware that if you want to see a list of post titles from the previous month, click on the arrow next to the month on the right. Please do check out my earlier posts. Maybe a couple of the titles will interest you.

Abortion
Abortion & State Sovereignty - May 6, 2008
Abortion/Fetal Development - April 19, 2008

Allegories
The Sculptor/Part 2 (Fall of God's Creation) - June 13, 2008
The Sculptor (A Mime Presentation) - June 10, 2008
Comments about Blogging and Another Word Picture - April 27, 2008
An Allegory - The Mural on the Wall - April 2, 2008

Blogging Frustrations, Concerns, Comments and Questions
Having Fun with my Hit Counter - June 27, 2008
The Unending Search for Blogging Balance - June 14, 2008
A Growing and Evolving Blog - June 2, 2008
Why do we Blog? - May 12, 2008
Blogging, Priorities and Dealing with Stress - April 30, 2008

Change
The Sculptor/Part 2 (Fall of God's Creation)- June 6, 2008
The Sculptor (A Mime Presentation) - June 10, 2008
A Little Humor Regarding Change - June 6, 2008

Evolution Vs. Intelligent Design
Equations we Live By/Gen./Evolution v. Intelligent Design - May 12, 2008

Fire
California Fires - God Answers Prayers - July 17, 2008
Summing it Up - July 17, 2008
Finally, Some Encouraging News - July 12, 2008
Things I'm really Getting Tired of - July 12, 2008
Smoke Kills - July 12, 2008
Still Here, While Sleeping Giant Creeps - July 10, 2008
Northern California Fires Still burn - Now Round 3 - July 8, 2008
Impressive support to fire Fighters - June 30, 2008
Northern California Fire Stress & Our Lost Friend - June 30, 2008

Inspirational Stories
Shey's Day - Inspirational Story - July 8, 2008

Jokes/Humor
On the Lighter Side - A few Jokes - June 14, 2008
A Little Humor Regarding Change - June 6, 2008

Misc. Politics
Just a few Questions - April 30, 2008
Lessons for the Strong and the Weak - April 10, 2008
How Long Does America Have? - April 9, 2008
Quotes from Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan - April 6, 2008

Our Dog, Casper
Northern California Fire Stress & Our Lost Friend - June 30, 2008
Our Dog Casper - Photos - June 26, 2008
The Gradual Loss of Man's Best Friend - June 17, 2008

Poems, Lyrics and Prayers
The Girl in the Glass (Poem) - July 3, 2008
Let's just Talk and Say a Prayer - April 22, 2008
Poem - Life is not all Roses - April 13, 2008

Psychology
The Girl in the Glass (Poem) - July 3, 2008

Spiritual Writings (See also, Word Pictures, Allegories, Poems, Etc.)
Lessons on Faith - May 28, 2008
3.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - Concluding Thoughts - May 20, 2008
1.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - A Touch from God - May 20, 2008
2.) The Real Reason I'm Ok - From the Song of Solomon - May 20, 2008

The Strong and the Weak
Shey's Day - Inspirational Story - July 8, 2008
Lessons for the Strong and the Weak - April 10, 2008

Misc.
Gone on Vacation - July 19, 2008
A Break - Non-Political/Non-Religious Comment Thread - May 18, 2008
All of my Posts Organized by Category - May 7, 2008

Abortion & State Sovereignty

I was just getting ready to hit the "Publish Your Comment" button to submit a response to Griper's Post entitled "Principles of Government Corrupted", but than I realized that I was due to Post on my own blog and that what I had just written might actually make a half way decent Post. The basic thesis in the Post I'm now responding to is that the way our government was originally set up offered a greater level of Sovereignty to the States than is currently happening today. The Federal Government has accumulated too much power and more of it should be returned to the states.

Here's my response...

You know, Griper, you've actually got me thinking about State Sovereignty in relation to the Abortion issue. The center I work at, counseling Pregnant Girls, is very highly pro-life and I have read a lot of pro-life materials and seen a lot of things that have been quite an education to me in relation to how Abortion often hurts the women too and not just the babies.

Since I've been working there, I've moved my position, at least on this issue, from a Moderate, to a more Conservative, less willing to compromise one, yet to be really honest with you, even on this issue, I do from time to time remember why I was originally a Moderate. On a personal level, I'll never be torn between pro-life and pro-abortion. I will always be pro-life, yet your Sovereignty of State idea, Griper, has reminded me again of my original more Moderate position. Though I'm still pretty conservative in my thinking on this, maybe we should at least take the time to talk about it.

My original, more moderate thoughts, mostly had to do with the distinction between holding a position personally, as an individual, and holding a position politically, thus imposing it on the group.

You see, here's the thing. Though it's best "Not to Compromise one's Convictions", when we push our "Convictions" too strongly politically, sometimes it back fires.

When I think about this, I remember that all McCain actually said about this issue is that he thinks it should be decided by the states, not the Federal Government.

Sometimes it seems that it's been the Pro-Lifers who push their ideas on a National level, wishing to eventually overturn Woe vs. Wade, or worse yet, make Abortion totally illegal. Living in such a liberal state makes me feel tempted to do the same. In California, there are virtually no laws protecting either the baby or the mother. By the baby, I mean that Abortion is allowed right up until the due date. By the mother, I mean that there are no Informed Consent Laws, forcing Abortion Clinics to be honest with the mother and tell her about all the possible complications that can occur as the result of this operation. Any other operation has this requirement, but Abortion does not. I guess it’s probably not going to surprise you too much when I tell you that there are no Parental Notification Laws either.

Is it any wonder really, that people who live in states such as this will plead with Washington to help their cause?

We need to be careful, though, to not create a situation that backfires into a "You reap what you sow."' issue. As Pro-Lifers continue to push their ideas on a National level, Liberals have been doing the same and now we are faced with Socialism also being pushed on a National level, so what can I say? "We reap what we sow." Maybe we should take more time to think before getting so carried away with our political passions.

In the comment section below, Griper, suggested that it is Ok to rewrite a Post occasionally, or as he put it, "edit a Post from some comments made". Because of his comments, I have done some slight editing of this Post and am now adding this paragraph and the next one.

It has not been the Pro-Lifers who first "pushed their ideas" on a National Level. The first offense in this regard was the very Roe vs. Wade case that imposed Pro-Abortion ideas on the states and forbid them from making their own decisions on whether of not to ban Abortion. Later when the Supreme Court finally gave in with a ruling against Partial Birth Abortion, it was about time that a Pro-Life idea was imposed as well. After all, if there are going to be restrictions imposed on the sovereignty of the states, than it's only fair that both sides have some say in what's allowed and what's not and that the situation is not fully dominated by one side or the other.

On a Constitutional level, though, we need to be reminded that the other issue is the Baby’s Rights, because the Constitution does protect the rights of all people, which brings us back to the discussion we were having in the comment area of my other Abortion Post, entitled "Abortion/Fetal Development", about whether the Baby in the womb is a person. To be honest and fair in our positions, we need to look at both sides of any issue before deciding which side we are on, so please do read my other Abortion Post and the resulting comments. Thanks.

Sorry I'm late again in posting. I keep trying to post about once every 3 to 4 days and keep missing it. I am going to try and do better, yet for now, I guess I'm heeding the advice of most of my commenters who have told me that I should just post when I feel like it, so I guess for now, I'm just taking their advice and giving myself a break.

Just a few Questions

Well, I'm going to shock everyone and do two posts in one day, yet this one is short. This one is nothing more than the asking a few questions in order to stimulate conversation, so here they are...

1. What is it that makes you feel proud of America?
2. What is it that makes America great?
3. What is it that makes individuals great?
4. What exactly is the American Dream?
5. What does it exactly mean to have the Freedom of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?
6. What is the Pursuit of Happiness?
7. What is it that really matters?
8. What is it that you really want deep down?

Blogging, Priorities and Dealing with Stress

Introduction

Well, I can't seem to stop making comments about my blogging experience, so maybe I should just make a post about it. In fact, I've decided to move some of what I've said earlier on the subject over to this post, so that my comments on the subject can appear all in one place and I can better evaluate where I'm at on the subject.

Perhaps what I say can help some who are already blogging or those who might be considering starting a blog to evaluate their priorities and I'm also hoping for a little help from those who have found solutions to some of the things mentioned.

My Goal

My goal was to make a post about once every 3 to 4 days. Occasionally, I'm late. For awhile, one of my commenters was telling me that I should just post when I want to, yet there are reasons why I keep pushing myself. One is that I, at times, can have motivation problems and I've found that if I wait until I feel "Moved", sometimes this results in me never getting anything done.

Another reason is because I desire a certain result, for sometimes we do things because we want to, sometimes we do things because we have to and sometimes we do things because we are hoping for a certain result. The result I desire is to give my readers some level of consistency so that the ones who have decided to follow my blog will know what to expect and will not lose interest.

I suppose that I'll always have a few followers who are really loyal no matter what I do and for those I am truly grateful. Thank you.

Indecision

There have been times in which I have found my blogging experience to be a little frustrating. I've discovered that this is because I have trouble making decisions. I don't want to pick and choose. I just want it all.

Deciding what to post has not always flowed as nicely as I would like it to. I've always got several options to choose from and the indecision in itself can cause a delay and then when I do finally decide on something, I start doing it and realize that if I really want to do this particular post right, I really should look up something in a certain reference that I don't happen to have here at the house.

Dealing with Stress

I keep thinking about these people who have these programs that count hits. Their goal is to get as many hits as possible and they post DAILY, at least in part because apparently this increases the number of hits. That sounds really neat, but I don't think I'd have the energy for that.

It's not just the continuous posting that seems hard for me, but I also think that I'd have trouble keeping up with all the continuous comments. I'd be on the computer for hours and hours a day and probably wouldn't even find the time to leave my own blog and visit anyone else's. I don't know how you guys do it. I guess I just have to learn to ignore some of the comments until I can get a few other things done.

I've got a number of impossible goals that I seem to feel the need to keep striving for. There is a part of me that wants to read every post, on every blog, of all my friends. Another even more impossible goal is to respond to every comment, on every blog, of all my friends. Is it any wonder that I feel stressed at times, but God says, just wait on Me and I will show you what's important to do and what is not.

I guess I could just put the blogs I visit on a schedule. For example, if I have 7 blogs to visit, I could assign each one a different day of the week. Unfortunately, it doesn't flow quite as neatly as that. Instead, I seem to go through blog phases in which I'm particularly interested in one of the blogs for a period of time over all the others, yet I don't want to let too much time go by in which I'm ignoring anyone. It's weird. Oh well.

A Few Questions to Find Answers to

In a few of my previous posts, I've been combining my comments about blogging with other thoughts and inspirations, such as a Word Picture or a Prayer. I've done this instead of creating two separate posts mostly because I realize that as I do more and more posting, some of my earlier posts will eventually disappear onto an additional page and may not be read as often. When I think of this, it makes me feel just a little reluctant to keep posting because I really do like some of my earlier Posts.

I've noticed that some blogs include the ability to Categorize the Posts and this keeps more of the Posts on the first Page, depending on what Category the reader is interested in. I'm not sure how to get this "Category Option" to work on my blog, or even if such is available to those who use blogspot.com. Another thing that I may need to do soon is add some kind of a feed. I don't know how to do this either. Perhaps some of my readers can help. Thanks.

Comments about Blogging and Another Word Picture.

Posting to my Blog.

I keep mentioning my goal of posting every 3 to 4 days and yet occasionally miss in this quest. I'm a day late. One of my commenters, Beth, keeps telling me that I should just post when I want to, yet there are reasons why I keep pushing myself. One is that I, at times, can have motivation problems and I've found that if I wait until I feel "Moved", sometimes this results in me never getting anything done.

Another reason is because I desire a certain result, for sometimes we do things because we want to, sometimes we do things because we have to and sometimes we do things because we are hoping for a certain result. The result I desire is to give my readers some level of consistency so that the ones who have decided to follow my blog will know what to expect and will not lose interest.

Deciding what to post has not always flowed as nicely as I would like it to. I've always got several options to choose from and the indecision in itself can cause a delay and then when I do finally decide on something, I start doing it and realize that if I really want to do this particular post right, I really should look up something in a certain reference that I don't happen to have here at the house.

A Picture that the Lord Gave me.

There is one thing that I was considering that I can do right now off the top of my head and that is a picture that the Lord put in my head recently. The explanation of it is incomplete, but it will do Ok for now for me to just introduce it and the rest can come later.


I was standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking out over it to the North/East. I was taken in by the beauty of it and also by the vastness of it. Than I looked across the canyon, directly to the East, where the closest edge was on the other side of the canyon. I was thinking about how wide and deep the canyon was and of how difficult it would be to get across it to the other side. It was like a big divide; a deep canyon, separating me from the other side and it seemed so impossible for me to ever get across it to reach the other side.


Aside from this picture, there were two verses that came to mind.

“28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29) Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29, KJV.

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31, KJV.

Next, I pictured myself as an eagle taking off and flying across the canyon. I didn't even fly directly East, across to the other side of the canyon. Instead, I flew North/East along the canyon and even as I did eventually reached the other side, I did not land, but just kept going.

Like usual, there is more than one way to interpret this word picture. In this case, there may be quite a few ways of interpreting it, including many that I haven't personally thought of, so please do not be afraid to take a stab at interpreting it.

Let's just Talk and Say a Prayer.

Since the number of comments on the previous post is already up to 25, I feel that it's time for me to make another post. Not that I'm implying that you shouldn't keep commenting on the previous post. Go right ahead and comment away.

My goal was to make a post about once every 3 to 4 days and that would make the due date either today or tomorrow. My previous post is about Abortion and Fetal Development. There's a lot more I could say and will eventually say on the subject of Abortion, yet at least one of the people who has been commenting on my previous post has expressed a desire for a less stressful topic, and to be honest with you, even I could use a break.

One thought I had was to post about something that I was a part of over the weekend but I was looking for the program so that I could copy something off of it, but couldn't find it. I've called around and found a copy, but am not likely to get my hands on it until Thursday night. That's two days off and I should post at least a little something sooner than that.

This may seem a little odd to some of you, but when I run out of things to say, sometimes I just pray, so that is what I'm going to do.


Lord Jesus,

Please be with all those who have been commenting on my blog and even with those who have been reading and not commenting and also with those who are reading this prayer. I really do pray that everything that I say will be a blessing in some way and as we discuss certain issues, we can all go away feeling like we've learned something. Draw us closer to you, Lord God, and fill us with your peace. Dry all of our tears. Help us to better communicate with each other in a way that will help us to be understood. Be with all of our marriages, family and friends and always guide our steps in the way that we should go. Fill us with Your peace, Lord God! Fill us with Your love and fill us with Your joy! Help us to learn how to be better people and to treat each other with respect and love. Thank you, Jesus, for all that you do for us in our lives. Thank you, Lord, for life itself. Help us to see the good in this world and also the good in people. Help us to always love and not judge and help us to always reach up to You for Your help in everything that we do. Thank You, Lord, so much for all that You are and all that You do. I love You so very much. Thank You so much!

Amen.


On this post, you can either comment on this prayer or if you would like, you can just answer one of several non-political questions; How was your weekend? How is your week going? or How was your day?

Abortion/Fetal Development

There is a lot I could say about the subject of Abortion. In one of my comments on my "Lessons for the strong and the Weak" Post, I made the statement; "The fact that what’s killed is definitely alive and definitely a baby is only the tip of the ice berg." I've got so much to say on the subject of Abortion that I don't hardly know where to begin, yet perhaps "the tip of the ice berg" is an Ok place to start, so here it goes.

The information below was taken from a pamphlet put out by Focus on the Family entitled "The First Nine Months". I copied most of it word for word, but have added a few comments. When I added my own thoughts, I have printed them in italics.

Perhaps you've already read about the Fetal Development of Babies, yet the comment section of this post contains some interesting discussion about whether or not the Fetus/Baby is a "Person".

Here are the scientific facts.

DAY 1 - Sperm joins with ovum (egg) to form one cell-smaller than a grain of salt. This new life has inherited 23 chromosomes from each parent, 46 in all. This one cell contains the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development; the child’s sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone, etc.

From the very beginning, even the very first cell is NOT a part of the "mother's own body", but instead has his or her own unique genetic identity, so the statement that the mother should have the right to decide what to do with "her own body" is not based on the facts.

DAYS 3-4 - The fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where the lining has been prepared for implantation.

DAYS 5-9 (1 WEEK) - During this time the fertilized egg implants itself in the rich lining of the uterus and begins to draw nourishment.

DAYS 10-14 (2 WEEKS) - The developing embryo/Baby signals its presence through placental chemicals and hormones, preventing the mother from menstruating.

DAY 20 - Foundations of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are already established.

DAY 21 (3 WEEKS) - THE HEART BEGINS TO BEAT.

This is when the mother is just barely beginning to realize that she has missed her period.

DAY 28 (4 WEEKS) - The backbone and muscles are forming. Arms, legs, eyes and ears have begun to show.

DAY 30 - (1 MONTH) - At one month old, the embryo/Baby is 10,000 times larger than the original fertilized egg and developing rapidly. The heart is pumping increasing quantities of blood through the circulatory system. The placenta forms a unique barrier that keeps the mother’s blood separate while allowing food and oxygen to pass through to the embryo/Baby.

DAY 35 - Five fingers can be discerned in the hand. The eyes darken as pigment is produced.

DAY 40 - (2 days prior to 6 Weeks) - BRAIN WAVES can be detected and recorded.

Since a person is considered dead when brain waves cease, the presence of brain waves is a sign of life.

WEEK 6 - Liver takes over the production of blood cells and the brain begins to control movement of muscles and organs. The mother is about to miss her second period and has probably confirmed that she is pregnant.

WEEK 7 - The embryo/Baby begins to move spontaneously. The Jaw forms, including teeth buds in the gums. Soon the eyelids will seal to protect the embryo's/Baby's developing light-sensitive eyes and will reopen at about the seventh month.

WEEK 8 - (2 MONTHS) - At a little more than an inch long, the developing life is now called a “Fetus”; Latin for “Young One” or "Offspring." EVERYTHING IS ALREADY PRESENT THAT WILL BE FOUND IN A FULLY DEVELOPED ADULT. The heart has been beating for more than a month (5 weeks). The stomach produces digestive juices and the kidneys have begun to function. Forty muscle sets begin to operate in conjunction with the nervous system. The Fetus'/Baby body RESPONDS TO TOUCH, although the mother will not be able to feel movement until the fourth month.

WEEK 9 - FINGER PRINTS are evident in the skin. The WILL CURVE ITS FINGERS AROUND AN OBJECT placed in the palm of its hand.

WEEK 10 - The uterus has not doubled in size. The Fetus/Baby can SQUINT, SWALLOW AND WRINKLE ITS FOREHEAD.

WEEK 11 - At this time, the Fetus/Baby is about two inches long. Urination occurs. The face has assumed a baby's profile and MUSCLE MOVEMENTS are more coordinated.

WEEK 12 - (3 MONTHS) - The Fetus/Baby now sleeps, wakens, exercises its muscles energeticcally, turning its/his or her head, curling its/his or her toes and opening and closing its/his or her mouth. The palm, when stroked, will make a tight fist (RESPONDS). The Fetus/Baby BREATHS amniotic fluid to help develop its/his or her respiratory system.

WEEK 13 - Fine hair has begun to grow on the head and sexual differentiation has become apparent.

4 MONTHS - By the end of this month, the Fetus/Baby is eight to ten inches in length and weighs a half pound or more. The mother will probably start to "show" now. The ears are functioning and there is evidence that the Fetus/Baby hears quite a bit; the mother's voice and heartbeat, as well as external noises. The umbilical cord has become an engineering marvel, transporting 300 quarts of fluids per. day and completing a round-trip of fluids every 30 seconds.

5 MONTHS - Half the pregnancy has now passed and the Fetus/Baby is about 12 inches long. The mother has definitely began to feel movement by now. If a sound is especially loud or startling, the Fetus/Baby may jump IN REACTION TO it.

6 MONTHS - Oil and sweat glands are functioning. The delicate skin of the growing baby is protected from the fetal waters by a special ointment called "vernix." If the baby born were born in this month and given proper care, he would survive.

7 MONTHS - The baby has uses the four senses of vision, hearing, taste and touch. He can recognize his mother’s voice.

8 MONTHS - The Skin begins to thicken, with a layer of fat stored underneath for insulation and nourishment. Antibodies increasingly build up. The baby absorbs a gallon of amniotic fluid per. day. The fluid is completely replaced every three hours.

9 MONTHS - Towards the end of this month, the baby is ready for birth. The average duration of pregnancy is 280 days from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period, but this varies. Most babies (85 percent to 95 percent) are born somewhere between 266 and 294 days. By this time, the infant normally weighs 6 to 9 pounds and his heart is pumping about 250 gallons of blood a day. He is fully capable of life outside the womb.

This concludes the information taken from the Focus on the Family pamphlet entitled "The First Nine Months".

Does this sound like “No Life” or "Just a Cluster of Cells" to you?

Poem - Life is Not all Roses

Lyrics by Lista

Life is not all roses.
Even God has no such guarantee.
Tear drops touch the earth every day,
But life is not all thorns.
Even Satan can't make the whole world bleed.
Roses fill the earth with sweet perfume.

Can you not see the love present here,
Among the ones who believe?
I thank the Lord for helping me see,
Above the thorns are roses.

Life is not all cherries.
Even God has no such guarantee.
We have all felt down in the pits,
But life is not a pit.
Even Satan can not destroy the seed.
One day it will grow to a tree.

Can you not see the love present here,
Among the ones who believe?
I thank the Lord for helping me see,
That the pit's a seed.

Grass in not all green.
Even God allows some brown to heed.
Struggle though we may, there still are flaws,
But grass is not all brown.
Even Satan can not destroy the green.
Watered in God's love it grows and grows.

Can you not see the love present here,
Among the ones who believe?
I thank the Lord for helping me see,
That there is much green.

Can you not see the love present here,
Among the ones who believe?
I thank the Lord for helping me see,
Above the thorns are roses,
And the pit's a seed,
And there is much green.