Showing posts with label Not mine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Not mine. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thursday, July 29, 2010
In the blink of an eye~
It has been almost 2 months since I have been back here to write. Where in the world did that time go?! Every time I turn around its another month! Happy September to you all. I really need to finish up all these classes I am taking and get back to writing!
Here is something I read yesterday and I loved it so much I just wanted to share. Enjoy!
“If you’ve ever known the love of God, you know it’s nothing but reckless and it’s nothing but raging. Sometimes it hurts to be loved, and if it doesn’t hurt it’s probably not love, may be infatuation. I think a lot of American people are infatuated with God, but we don’t really love Him, and they don’t really let Him love them. Being loved by God is one of the most painful things in the world, it’s also the only thing that can bring us salvation and it’s like everything else that is really wonderful, there’s a little bit of pain in it, little bit of hurt.”
“So go out and live real good and I promise you’ll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you’re dead, you’ll be rotted away anyway. It’s not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn’t live.”
“We do not find happiness by being assertive. We don’t find happiness by running over people because we see what we want and they are in the way of that happiness so we either abandon them or we smash them. The Scriptures don’t teach us to be assertive. The Scriptures teach us – and this is remarkable – the Scriptures teach us to be submissive. This is not a popular idea.”
“Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won’t also cost you yours.”
‘The Bible is not a book for the faint of heart–it is a book full of all the greed and glory and violence and tenderness and sex and betrayal that befits mankind. It is not the collection of pretty little anecdotes mouthed by pious little church mice–it does not so much nibble at our shoe leather as it cuts to the heart and splits the marrow from the bone. It does not give us answers fitted to our small-minded questions, but truth that goes beyond what we even know to ask.”
“We were given the Scriptures to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing.”
“It’s so funny being a Christian musician. It always scares me when people think so highly of Christian music, Contemporary Christian music especially. Because I kinda go, I know a lot of us, and we don’t know jack about anything. Not that I don’t want you to buy our records and come to our concerts. I sure do. But you should come for entertainment. If you really want spiritual nourishment, you should go to church…you should read the Scriptures.”
“Bear in mind, children, that they listen to you because you are kids—not because you are right. That’s how our Father listens to us.”
“Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.”
“I am a Christian, not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity, but because there were people willing to be nuts and bolts.”
“I had a professor one time… He said, ‘Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway’.”
“It never fails. God will put people in your path that irritate you, especially if you’re prone to be irritated.”
“We never understand what we’re praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His wisdom.”
“Yes, it’s embarrassing to be born again, but imagine how embarrassing it must have been to be born the first time. At least this time you get to wear clothes!”
“It’s just that for so many people that I know, Christianity’s this matter of … it has everything to do with morals. Christianity is a religion about morals. And they will even talk about Jesus. And they will say kids need to know about Jesus so they won’t smoke, drink, or dance, or go with girls that do, and all that kind of thing. And I kinda go, ‘That’s not why people need to know about Jesus. The only reason–The only possible excuse for talking about Jesus is because we need a Savior.’”
“Whatever church you are in you should just stay there. They are all equally messed up.”
“I hear people say, “Why do you want to go to church? They are all just hypocrites.” I never understood why going to church made you a hypocrite because nobody goes to church because they’re perfect. If you’ve got it all together, you don’t need to go. You can go jogging with all the other perfect people on Sunday morning.”
“God did not give Joseph any special information about how to get from being the son of a nomad in Palestine to being Pharoah’s right hand man in Egypt. What he did give Joseph was eleven jealous brothers, the attention of a loose and vengeful woman, the ability to do the service of interpreting dreams and managing people’s affairs, and the grace to do that faithfully wherever he was.”
“[Speaking of legalism] I think it would be really easy to say, “I think what would really please God is if I don’t dance, I don’t chew, and I don’t go with girls who do.” It would be easy to say, “Oh gee I think what will really please God is if I become and evangelist and convert a thousand people.” It’s much more difficult I think for me to become who I am and who He created me to be.”
“Many people believe that if you give a tithe to the church, then God will make you rich. Why? If you tithe, you get rid of ten percent of the root of all evil! You should be giving ninety percent because God can handle money better than we can.”
“Growing up protestant, I always thought of a monastery as a place where cowards went, people who can’t deal with the world. When you really begin to research some of this stuff, you find that these are some of the bravest people. Anyone who decides to face themselves head-on is a very brave person.”
“We begin to see the wisdom of God, who gave us commandments not as a way of punishing us, or even testing us, but for our own good. God gives us His commandments because he wants to save us from being damaged.”
“[To a group of Christian writers] Stop thinking of what you’re doing as a ministry. Start realizing that your ministry is how much of a tip you leave when you eat in a restaurant; when you leave a hotel room whether you leave it messed up or not; whether you flush your toilet or not. Your ministry is the way you love people. You love people when you call your wife and say, “I’m going to be late for dinner,” instead of letting her burn the meal. You love people when maybe you cook a meal for your wife when you know she’s really tired. If you are a Christian, ministry is just an accident of being alive. I don’t know that you can divide up your life and say, “This is my ministry,” and “This is my other thing,” because the fruits of Christianity affect everybody around us.”
“Christianity is about a daily walk with this person, Jesus. The heart of Christian faith is a radical and reasonable trust and focus on Jesus, but for many of us our focus has shifted very subtly from love for Jesus and faithfulness to Him and obedience to Him to a set of doctrines. Life and living come from God – it comes from Jesus – not from doctrine or good morals. You can be an utterly moral person and not be alive. Jesus came that we might have life, not good morals. It’s not that I’m opposed to good morals at all; it’s just that sometimes I think we put the cart before the horse.”
“There is only one thing I know I am going to do in my life. I don’t know if I’ll be a success, a failure, married, single – but I do know that sooner or later, I’m going to die. The finality of that is kind of like God’s little joke. No matter how cool you think you are, you will decompose. Most people live most of their lives ignoring death. Anything that will remind us, we remove from sight. This obsession with immortality is a bizarre thing. What that tells me, though, is we must be immortal.”
Rich Mullins
Here is something I read yesterday and I loved it so much I just wanted to share. Enjoy!
“If you’ve ever known the love of God, you know it’s nothing but reckless and it’s nothing but raging. Sometimes it hurts to be loved, and if it doesn’t hurt it’s probably not love, may be infatuation. I think a lot of American people are infatuated with God, but we don’t really love Him, and they don’t really let Him love them. Being loved by God is one of the most painful things in the world, it’s also the only thing that can bring us salvation and it’s like everything else that is really wonderful, there’s a little bit of pain in it, little bit of hurt.”
“So go out and live real good and I promise you’ll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you’re dead, you’ll be rotted away anyway. It’s not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn’t live.”
“We do not find happiness by being assertive. We don’t find happiness by running over people because we see what we want and they are in the way of that happiness so we either abandon them or we smash them. The Scriptures don’t teach us to be assertive. The Scriptures teach us – and this is remarkable – the Scriptures teach us to be submissive. This is not a popular idea.”
“Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won’t also cost you yours.”
‘The Bible is not a book for the faint of heart–it is a book full of all the greed and glory and violence and tenderness and sex and betrayal that befits mankind. It is not the collection of pretty little anecdotes mouthed by pious little church mice–it does not so much nibble at our shoe leather as it cuts to the heart and splits the marrow from the bone. It does not give us answers fitted to our small-minded questions, but truth that goes beyond what we even know to ask.”
“We were given the Scriptures to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing.”
“It’s so funny being a Christian musician. It always scares me when people think so highly of Christian music, Contemporary Christian music especially. Because I kinda go, I know a lot of us, and we don’t know jack about anything. Not that I don’t want you to buy our records and come to our concerts. I sure do. But you should come for entertainment. If you really want spiritual nourishment, you should go to church…you should read the Scriptures.”
“Bear in mind, children, that they listen to you because you are kids—not because you are right. That’s how our Father listens to us.”
“Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.”
“I am a Christian, not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity, but because there were people willing to be nuts and bolts.”
“I had a professor one time… He said, ‘Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway’.”
“It never fails. God will put people in your path that irritate you, especially if you’re prone to be irritated.”
“We never understand what we’re praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His wisdom.”
“Yes, it’s embarrassing to be born again, but imagine how embarrassing it must have been to be born the first time. At least this time you get to wear clothes!”
“It’s just that for so many people that I know, Christianity’s this matter of … it has everything to do with morals. Christianity is a religion about morals. And they will even talk about Jesus. And they will say kids need to know about Jesus so they won’t smoke, drink, or dance, or go with girls that do, and all that kind of thing. And I kinda go, ‘That’s not why people need to know about Jesus. The only reason–The only possible excuse for talking about Jesus is because we need a Savior.’”
“Whatever church you are in you should just stay there. They are all equally messed up.”
“I hear people say, “Why do you want to go to church? They are all just hypocrites.” I never understood why going to church made you a hypocrite because nobody goes to church because they’re perfect. If you’ve got it all together, you don’t need to go. You can go jogging with all the other perfect people on Sunday morning.”
“God did not give Joseph any special information about how to get from being the son of a nomad in Palestine to being Pharoah’s right hand man in Egypt. What he did give Joseph was eleven jealous brothers, the attention of a loose and vengeful woman, the ability to do the service of interpreting dreams and managing people’s affairs, and the grace to do that faithfully wherever he was.”
“[Speaking of legalism] I think it would be really easy to say, “I think what would really please God is if I don’t dance, I don’t chew, and I don’t go with girls who do.” It would be easy to say, “Oh gee I think what will really please God is if I become and evangelist and convert a thousand people.” It’s much more difficult I think for me to become who I am and who He created me to be.”
“Many people believe that if you give a tithe to the church, then God will make you rich. Why? If you tithe, you get rid of ten percent of the root of all evil! You should be giving ninety percent because God can handle money better than we can.”
“Growing up protestant, I always thought of a monastery as a place where cowards went, people who can’t deal with the world. When you really begin to research some of this stuff, you find that these are some of the bravest people. Anyone who decides to face themselves head-on is a very brave person.”
“We begin to see the wisdom of God, who gave us commandments not as a way of punishing us, or even testing us, but for our own good. God gives us His commandments because he wants to save us from being damaged.”
“[To a group of Christian writers] Stop thinking of what you’re doing as a ministry. Start realizing that your ministry is how much of a tip you leave when you eat in a restaurant; when you leave a hotel room whether you leave it messed up or not; whether you flush your toilet or not. Your ministry is the way you love people. You love people when you call your wife and say, “I’m going to be late for dinner,” instead of letting her burn the meal. You love people when maybe you cook a meal for your wife when you know she’s really tired. If you are a Christian, ministry is just an accident of being alive. I don’t know that you can divide up your life and say, “This is my ministry,” and “This is my other thing,” because the fruits of Christianity affect everybody around us.”
“Christianity is about a daily walk with this person, Jesus. The heart of Christian faith is a radical and reasonable trust and focus on Jesus, but for many of us our focus has shifted very subtly from love for Jesus and faithfulness to Him and obedience to Him to a set of doctrines. Life and living come from God – it comes from Jesus – not from doctrine or good morals. You can be an utterly moral person and not be alive. Jesus came that we might have life, not good morals. It’s not that I’m opposed to good morals at all; it’s just that sometimes I think we put the cart before the horse.”
“There is only one thing I know I am going to do in my life. I don’t know if I’ll be a success, a failure, married, single – but I do know that sooner or later, I’m going to die. The finality of that is kind of like God’s little joke. No matter how cool you think you are, you will decompose. Most people live most of their lives ignoring death. Anything that will remind us, we remove from sight. This obsession with immortality is a bizarre thing. What that tells me, though, is we must be immortal.”
Rich Mullins
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Truth Project
I am currently taking The Truth Project at my church. I don't know if you have ever heard of it, but if you haven't you need to check it out!
It is a 12 week conference from Focus On The Family that asks the question: "Do you believe that what you believe is really real? And if so, why aren't we changing the world?"
It's amazing! It's all about how the world sees Christianity. Today's believers live very similarly to non-believers. A personal sense of significance is rarely experienced, we spend our money and time on things that fail to satisfy and we begin to wonder what life's ultimate purpose really is. We are, in short, losing our bearings as a people and a nation.
Dr. Del Tackett (your teacher in the videos) is former president of the Focus on the Family Institute and a former Senior Vice President of Focus on the Family.
I encourage you to take this class. If there is not one near you or at your church, start one!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Just A Mom
I was blessed by an email devotional today (thank you Jaime)
I just had to share bits and pieces! Enjoy~
Mom:
to create order out of chaos, ensure the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of her children, and shape the individuals who will contribute to what we are as a community and a nation
What exactly is her job description? She's a wife, mother, friend, housekeeper, interior decorator, laundress, gourmet chef, short order cook, chauffeur, painter, wallpaper hanger, seamstress, nurse, guidance counselor, internal affairs CEO, financial planner, travel agent, administrative assistant, disciplinarian, preacher, teacher, tutor, spiritual advisor, dietitian, lecturer, librarian, fashion coordinator, private investigator, cheerleader, manicurist, pedicurist, landscaper, hair stylist, psychologist, plumber, computer programmer, automobile maintenance expert, referee, and gift purchasing agent for both sides of the family. She may not get a salary, but the fringe benefits are invaluable: hugs, kisses, and buckets of love. And hopefully, one day a child who will call her blessed. A mother whose children rise up and call her blessed is much like lighthouses. She has a solid foundation in Jesus Christ. Her walls of faith are constructed to withstand the storms of life, and her primary function is to house the light of Christ. This mother is an immovable constant in her child's life, a landmark along life's journey and a guiding light that points her children to the safe harbor of home and eventually out to sea.
"Her children arise and call her blessed;" (Proverbs 31:28 NIV).
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving me the privilege of being a mom. I pray that you will help me be a beacon that shines the light of Christ to my children as well as the children that I come in contact with through the course of a day. You are the Light of the World and I pray that I will be a shining reflection of that light today.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
I just had to share bits and pieces! Enjoy~
Mom:
to create order out of chaos, ensure the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of her children, and shape the individuals who will contribute to what we are as a community and a nation
What exactly is her job description? She's a wife, mother, friend, housekeeper, interior decorator, laundress, gourmet chef, short order cook, chauffeur, painter, wallpaper hanger, seamstress, nurse, guidance counselor, internal affairs CEO, financial planner, travel agent, administrative assistant, disciplinarian, preacher, teacher, tutor, spiritual advisor, dietitian, lecturer, librarian, fashion coordinator, private investigator, cheerleader, manicurist, pedicurist, landscaper, hair stylist, psychologist, plumber, computer programmer, automobile maintenance expert, referee, and gift purchasing agent for both sides of the family. She may not get a salary, but the fringe benefits are invaluable: hugs, kisses, and buckets of love. And hopefully, one day a child who will call her blessed. A mother whose children rise up and call her blessed is much like lighthouses. She has a solid foundation in Jesus Christ. Her walls of faith are constructed to withstand the storms of life, and her primary function is to house the light of Christ. This mother is an immovable constant in her child's life, a landmark along life's journey and a guiding light that points her children to the safe harbor of home and eventually out to sea.
"Her children arise and call her blessed;" (Proverbs 31:28 NIV).
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving me the privilege of being a mom. I pray that you will help me be a beacon that shines the light of Christ to my children as well as the children that I come in contact with through the course of a day. You are the Light of the World and I pray that I will be a shining reflection of that light today.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Thursday, May 6, 2010
National Day of Prayer
May 6th 2010:
I wish I had something profound to say on this national day of prayer, but I don't.
I was browsing the news stories this morning while drinking my coffee and trying to wake up, and can I say news is not the way to start your morning. There is so much sadness and evil going on out there it is hard to comprehend. I know in my head the Bible said all these things would be in the last days, but it just breaks my heart to hear about them. All these stories of death and murder OVER NOTHING!! All the stories of abuse and rape, it's enough to bring anyone to tears.
“We ought to see the face of God every morning before we see the face of man.”
- Dwight L. Moody
Praise God for protecting my family from the evils they encounter. Praise God for giving us the good news and hope. Without it I can't even imagine the depression and hopelessness that would overcome the world. Thank God for Jesus and the light He shines through those who love Him. Without the love, kindness, thoughtfulness, friendship, and leadership, this home away from home would be unbearable.
Please pray for our country. Pray that God will intervene, heal our land and save us from ourselves. I pray that you all are healthy, safe, and full of peace.
“Prayer is not designed to inform God, but… to humble man’s heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, and to raise his soul from earth to heaven.”
- Adam Clarke
Monday, January 25, 2010
Necessary Changes
My pastor is the best!:
Do you know what is interesting? In today’s society, it’s harder for people to make changes than to stay in a terrible situation. Instead of working through change, some people would rather endure, put up with bad situations and settle for less than to work through change. The one constant in life is change and we have to prepare for it. Anybody who has been through change in their life, their habits or any other kind knows that it can be quite nerve-racking. In fact, what is important to note is that when under stress, we will go to whatever is familiar to us. That’s why some people will say, “I don’t know why I called this person,” or “Why did I go out and do this?” The reason? The thing that they did is more familiar than what they should’ve done to begin with.
Change is something we have to be dedicated to and we work at making the alterations until they become permanent in our lives. I ask you, what changes do you need to make so you won’t have to settle or live beneath what is possible for you? Whatever they are, I encourage you to begin to make them so you can realize your full potential.
Just a thought, God bless.
Do you know what is interesting? In today’s society, it’s harder for people to make changes than to stay in a terrible situation. Instead of working through change, some people would rather endure, put up with bad situations and settle for less than to work through change. The one constant in life is change and we have to prepare for it. Anybody who has been through change in their life, their habits or any other kind knows that it can be quite nerve-racking. In fact, what is important to note is that when under stress, we will go to whatever is familiar to us. That’s why some people will say, “I don’t know why I called this person,” or “Why did I go out and do this?” The reason? The thing that they did is more familiar than what they should’ve done to begin with.
Change is something we have to be dedicated to and we work at making the alterations until they become permanent in our lives. I ask you, what changes do you need to make so you won’t have to settle or live beneath what is possible for you? Whatever they are, I encourage you to begin to make them so you can realize your full potential.
Just a thought, God bless.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Halloween
Here are the origins of Halloween that I never knew before, and the reasons Christians should not celebrate this day shared by Ms Charlene:
http://a-voice-in-wilderness.blogspot.com/2009/10/hell-oween.html
SCARY!!! The only thing I did know are that little kids and animals get kidnapped more around this time for sacrifices. Please keep the kiddos in sight and the pets indoors!
And here is NON CHRISTIAN origins from Wikipedia shared by Ms. Martha:
http://flyawaybirdie.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween.html
http://a-voice-in-wilderness.blogspot.com/2009/10/hell-oween.html
SCARY!!! The only thing I did know are that little kids and animals get kidnapped more around this time for sacrifices. Please keep the kiddos in sight and the pets indoors!
And here is NON CHRISTIAN origins from Wikipedia shared by Ms. Martha:
http://flyawaybirdie.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween.html
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
State to mom: Stop baby-sitting neighbors' kids
Some people have way too much time on their hands. Why would a neighbor want to stir up problems? This kind of stuff drives me nuts!:
AP – Lisa Snyder, left, watches kids play at their bus stop, which is also her driveway, Friday, Sept. 25, …
By JAMES PRICHARD, Associated Press Writer James Prichard, Associated Press Writer – Tue Sep 29, 7:23 pm ET
IRVING TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Each day before the school bus comes to pick up the neighborhood's children, Lisa Snyder did a favor for three of her fellow moms, welcoming their children into her home for about an hour before they left for school.
Regulators who oversee child care, however, don't see it as charity. Days after the start of the new school year, Snyder received a letter from the Michigan Department of Human Services warning her that if she continued, she'd be violating a law aimed at the operators of unlicensed day care centers.
"I was freaked out. I was blown away," she said. "I got on the phone immediately, called my husband, then I called all the girls" — that is, the mothers whose kids she watches — "every one of them."
Snyder's predicament has led to a debate in Michigan about whether a law that says no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers needs to be changed. It also has irked parents who say they depend on such friendly offers to help them balance work and family.
On Tuesday, agency Director Ismael Ahmed said good neighbors should be allowed to help each other ensure their children are safe. Gov. Jennifer Granholm instructed Ahmed to work with the state Legislature to change the law, he said.
"Being a good neighbor means helping your neighbors who are in need," Ahmed said in a written statement. "This could be as simple as providing a cup of sugar, monitoring their house while they're on vacation or making sure their children are safe while they wait for the school bus."
Snyder learned that the agency was responding to a neighbor's complaint.
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said the agency was following standard procedure in its response. "But we feel this (law) really gets in the way of common sense," Boyd said.
"We want to protect kids, but the law needs to be reasonable," she said. "When the governor learned of this, she acted quickly and called the director personally to ask him to intervene."
State Rep. Brian Calley, R-Portland, said he was working to draft legislation that would exempt situations like Snyder's from coverage under Michigan's current day care regulations.
The bill will make it clear that people who aren't in business as day care providers don't need to be licensed, Calley said.
"These are just kids that wait for the bus every morning," he said. "This is not a day care."
Snyder, 35, lives in a rural subdivision in Barry County's Irving Township about 25 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. Her tidy, comfortable three-bedroom home is a designated school bus stop. The three neighbor children she watched — plus Snyder's first-grader, Grace — attend school about six miles away in Middleville.
Snyder said she started watching the other children this school year to help her friends; they often baby-sit for each other during evenings and weekends.
After receiving the state agency's letter, she said she called the agency and tried to explain that she wasn't running a day care center or accepting money from her friends.
Under state law, no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers. Snyder said she stopped watching the other children immediately after receiving the letter, which was well within the four-week period.
"I've lived in this community for 35 years and everyone I know has done some form of this," said Francie Brummel, 42, who would drop off her second-grade son, Colson, before heading to her job as deputy treasurer of the nearby city of Hastings.
Other moms say they regularly deal with similar situations.
Amy Cowan, 34, of Grosse Pointe Farms, a Detroit suburb, said she often takes turns with her sister, neighbor and friend watching each other's children.
"The worst part of this whole thing, with the state of the economy ... two parents have to work," said Cowan, a corporate sales representative with a 5-year-old son and 11-month-old daughter. "When you throw in the fact that the state is getting involved, it gives women a hard time for going back to work.
"I applaud the lady who takes in her neighbors' kids while they're waiting for the bus. She's enabling her peers to go to work and get a paycheck. The state should be thankful for that."
Amy Maciaszek, 42, of McHenry, Ill., who works in direct sales, said she believes the state agency was "trying to be overprotective."
"I think it does take a village and that's the best way," said Maciaszek, who has a 6-year-old boy and twin 3-year-old daughters. "Unfortunately you do have to be careful about that. These mothers are trying to do the right thing."
AP – Lisa Snyder, left, watches kids play at their bus stop, which is also her driveway, Friday, Sept. 25, …
By JAMES PRICHARD, Associated Press Writer James Prichard, Associated Press Writer – Tue Sep 29, 7:23 pm ET
IRVING TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Each day before the school bus comes to pick up the neighborhood's children, Lisa Snyder did a favor for three of her fellow moms, welcoming their children into her home for about an hour before they left for school.
Regulators who oversee child care, however, don't see it as charity. Days after the start of the new school year, Snyder received a letter from the Michigan Department of Human Services warning her that if she continued, she'd be violating a law aimed at the operators of unlicensed day care centers.
"I was freaked out. I was blown away," she said. "I got on the phone immediately, called my husband, then I called all the girls" — that is, the mothers whose kids she watches — "every one of them."
Snyder's predicament has led to a debate in Michigan about whether a law that says no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers needs to be changed. It also has irked parents who say they depend on such friendly offers to help them balance work and family.
On Tuesday, agency Director Ismael Ahmed said good neighbors should be allowed to help each other ensure their children are safe. Gov. Jennifer Granholm instructed Ahmed to work with the state Legislature to change the law, he said.
"Being a good neighbor means helping your neighbors who are in need," Ahmed said in a written statement. "This could be as simple as providing a cup of sugar, monitoring their house while they're on vacation or making sure their children are safe while they wait for the school bus."
Snyder learned that the agency was responding to a neighbor's complaint.
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said the agency was following standard procedure in its response. "But we feel this (law) really gets in the way of common sense," Boyd said.
"We want to protect kids, but the law needs to be reasonable," she said. "When the governor learned of this, she acted quickly and called the director personally to ask him to intervene."
State Rep. Brian Calley, R-Portland, said he was working to draft legislation that would exempt situations like Snyder's from coverage under Michigan's current day care regulations.
The bill will make it clear that people who aren't in business as day care providers don't need to be licensed, Calley said.
"These are just kids that wait for the bus every morning," he said. "This is not a day care."
Snyder, 35, lives in a rural subdivision in Barry County's Irving Township about 25 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. Her tidy, comfortable three-bedroom home is a designated school bus stop. The three neighbor children she watched — plus Snyder's first-grader, Grace — attend school about six miles away in Middleville.
Snyder said she started watching the other children this school year to help her friends; they often baby-sit for each other during evenings and weekends.
After receiving the state agency's letter, she said she called the agency and tried to explain that she wasn't running a day care center or accepting money from her friends.
Under state law, no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers. Snyder said she stopped watching the other children immediately after receiving the letter, which was well within the four-week period.
"I've lived in this community for 35 years and everyone I know has done some form of this," said Francie Brummel, 42, who would drop off her second-grade son, Colson, before heading to her job as deputy treasurer of the nearby city of Hastings.
Other moms say they regularly deal with similar situations.
Amy Cowan, 34, of Grosse Pointe Farms, a Detroit suburb, said she often takes turns with her sister, neighbor and friend watching each other's children.
"The worst part of this whole thing, with the state of the economy ... two parents have to work," said Cowan, a corporate sales representative with a 5-year-old son and 11-month-old daughter. "When you throw in the fact that the state is getting involved, it gives women a hard time for going back to work.
"I applaud the lady who takes in her neighbors' kids while they're waiting for the bus. She's enabling her peers to go to work and get a paycheck. The state should be thankful for that."
Amy Maciaszek, 42, of McHenry, Ill., who works in direct sales, said she believes the state agency was "trying to be overprotective."
"I think it does take a village and that's the best way," said Maciaszek, who has a 6-year-old boy and twin 3-year-old daughters. "Unfortunately you do have to be careful about that. These mothers are trying to do the right thing."
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Seriously???!!!
Yes even I can be rendered speechless:
75 Percent of Oklahoma High School Students Can't Name the First President of the U.S.
Only one in four Oklahoma public high school students can name the first President of the United States, according to a survey released today.
A thousand students were given 10 questions drawn from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services item bank. Candidates for U.S. citizenship must answer six questions correctly in order to become citizens. "They're questions taken from the actual exam that you have to take to become a U.S. citizen," About 92 percent of the people who take the citizenship test pass on their first try, according to immigration service data. However, Oklahoma students did not fare as well. Only about 3 percent of the students surveyed would have passed the citizenship test.
Dutcher said this is not just a problem in Oklahoma. He said Arizona had similar results, which left him concerned for the entire country.
http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=11141949
75 Percent of Oklahoma High School Students Can't Name the First President of the U.S.
Only one in four Oklahoma public high school students can name the first President of the United States, according to a survey released today.
A thousand students were given 10 questions drawn from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services item bank. Candidates for U.S. citizenship must answer six questions correctly in order to become citizens. "They're questions taken from the actual exam that you have to take to become a U.S. citizen," About 92 percent of the people who take the citizenship test pass on their first try, according to immigration service data. However, Oklahoma students did not fare as well. Only about 3 percent of the students surveyed would have passed the citizenship test.
Dutcher said this is not just a problem in Oklahoma. He said Arizona had similar results, which left him concerned for the entire country.
http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=11141949
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Black List Abercrombie & Fitch
Not that many of you shop there anyway, but maybe your teens do. If you are involved in a youth groupf of any kind pass it on. You can email them and let them know you are not shopping there until they clean up their act.
Abercrombie & Fitch pitches new trashy T-shirts to America's youth:
Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) continues its pattern of pushing pornographic-themed material into mainstream America. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has just begun offering their "New College" line of T-shirts.
The first A&F t-shirt pictures a young girl opening her blouse - exposing herself. A&F titles the image: "Show the Twins".The second picture is of a female running nude. A&F titles it: "Female streaking encouraged."The next Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt is entitled: "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research"
Abercrombie & Fitch does not merely sell a popular line of clothing – they sell a lifestyle. And because A&F clothing is popular among teens and college kids, the influence of their sex-as-recreation lifestyle is widespread.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reports that Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year— almost half of them among young people 15 to 24 years of age.
Abercrombie & Fitch pitches new trashy T-shirts to America's youth:
Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) continues its pattern of pushing pornographic-themed material into mainstream America. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has just begun offering their "New College" line of T-shirts.
The first A&F t-shirt pictures a young girl opening her blouse - exposing herself. A&F titles the image: "Show the Twins".The second picture is of a female running nude. A&F titles it: "Female streaking encouraged."The next Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt is entitled: "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research"
Abercrombie & Fitch does not merely sell a popular line of clothing – they sell a lifestyle. And because A&F clothing is popular among teens and college kids, the influence of their sex-as-recreation lifestyle is widespread.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reports that Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year— almost half of them among young people 15 to 24 years of age.
You can send them an email here: https://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/TakeAction.asp?id=358
Additional information:
Michael Jeffries, Chairman Abercrombie
6301 Fitch PathNew Albany, OH 43054
Phone: 888-856-4480, opt. 2 or: 614-283-6500
Fax: 614-577-6710
E-Mail: Michael Jeffries, at abercrombie@abercrombie.com
Thursday, July 30, 2009
American Family Letter
By Ben Stein
We've Figured Him Out
Why is President Barack Obama in such a hurry to get his socialized medicine bill passed?
Because he and his cunning circle realize some basic truths:
The American people in their unimaginable kindness and trust voted for a pig in a poke in 2008. They wanted so much to believe Barack Obama was somehow better and different from other ultra-leftists that they simply took him on faith.They ignored his anti-white writings in his books. They ignored his quiet acceptance of hysterical anti-American diatribes by his minister, Jeremiah Wright.
They ignored his refusal to explain years at a time of his life as a student. They ignored his ultra-left record as a "community organizer," Illinois state legislator, and Senator.
The American people ignored his total zero of an academic record as a student and teacher, his complete lack of scholarship when he was being touted as a scholar.
Now, the American people are starting to wake up to the truth. Barack Obama is a super likeable super leftist, not a fan of this country, way, way too cozy with the terrorist leaders in the Middle East, way beyond naïveté, all the way into active destruction of our interests and our allies and our future.
The American people have already awakened to the truth that the stimulus bill -- a great idea in theory -- was really an immense bribe to Democrat interest groups, and in no way an effort to help all Americans.
Now, Americans are waking up to the truth that ObamaCare basically means that every time you are sick or injured, you will have a clerk from the Department of Motor Vehicles telling your doctor what he can and cannot do.
The American people already know that Mr. Obama's plan to lower health costs while expanding coverage and bureaucracy is a myth, a promise of something that never was and never will be -- a bureaucracy lowering costs in a free society. Either the costs go up or the free society goes away.
These are perilous times. Mrs. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has given Iran the go-ahead to have nuclear weapons, an unqualified betrayal of the nation. Now, we face a devastating loss of freedom at home in health care. It will be joined by controls on our lives to "protect us" from global warming, itself largely a fraud if believed to be caused by man.
Mr. Obama knows Americans are getting wise and will stop him if he delays at all in taking away our freedoms.
There is his urgency and our opportunity. Once freedom is lost, America is lost. Wake up, beloved America.
We've Figured Him Out
Why is President Barack Obama in such a hurry to get his socialized medicine bill passed?
Because he and his cunning circle realize some basic truths:
The American people in their unimaginable kindness and trust voted for a pig in a poke in 2008. They wanted so much to believe Barack Obama was somehow better and different from other ultra-leftists that they simply took him on faith.They ignored his anti-white writings in his books. They ignored his quiet acceptance of hysterical anti-American diatribes by his minister, Jeremiah Wright.
They ignored his refusal to explain years at a time of his life as a student. They ignored his ultra-left record as a "community organizer," Illinois state legislator, and Senator.
The American people ignored his total zero of an academic record as a student and teacher, his complete lack of scholarship when he was being touted as a scholar.
Now, the American people are starting to wake up to the truth. Barack Obama is a super likeable super leftist, not a fan of this country, way, way too cozy with the terrorist leaders in the Middle East, way beyond naïveté, all the way into active destruction of our interests and our allies and our future.
The American people have already awakened to the truth that the stimulus bill -- a great idea in theory -- was really an immense bribe to Democrat interest groups, and in no way an effort to help all Americans.
Now, Americans are waking up to the truth that ObamaCare basically means that every time you are sick or injured, you will have a clerk from the Department of Motor Vehicles telling your doctor what he can and cannot do.
The American people already know that Mr. Obama's plan to lower health costs while expanding coverage and bureaucracy is a myth, a promise of something that never was and never will be -- a bureaucracy lowering costs in a free society. Either the costs go up or the free society goes away.
These are perilous times. Mrs. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has given Iran the go-ahead to have nuclear weapons, an unqualified betrayal of the nation. Now, we face a devastating loss of freedom at home in health care. It will be joined by controls on our lives to "protect us" from global warming, itself largely a fraud if believed to be caused by man.
Mr. Obama knows Americans are getting wise and will stop him if he delays at all in taking away our freedoms.
There is his urgency and our opportunity. Once freedom is lost, America is lost. Wake up, beloved America.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
“Ordinary or Excellent?”
I just love our pastor!:
Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” To get ahead in this life, we must be willing to work at it. Most successful people will say they did whatever was needed to succeed.
People with a mindset of mediocrity will only do what is necessary to get by. Whether it’s work, church or marriage, mediocrity breeds frustration, not success. The word mediocrity is defined as: “neither very good nor very bad; not good enough or inferior.” But for those people who live this way, they are always upset about the results. It’s interesting to note that no one can really do the work for you.
You’ll have to reap what you sow, so why not sow excellence and to leave behind the victim mentality. We have to live with our attitude. Start today. Turn things around, make a commitment and do the work.
Just a thought, God bless.PSS
Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” To get ahead in this life, we must be willing to work at it. Most successful people will say they did whatever was needed to succeed.
People with a mindset of mediocrity will only do what is necessary to get by. Whether it’s work, church or marriage, mediocrity breeds frustration, not success. The word mediocrity is defined as: “neither very good nor very bad; not good enough or inferior.” But for those people who live this way, they are always upset about the results. It’s interesting to note that no one can really do the work for you.
You’ll have to reap what you sow, so why not sow excellence and to leave behind the victim mentality. We have to live with our attitude. Start today. Turn things around, make a commitment and do the work.
Just a thought, God bless.PSS
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
It's Official and It's not good!
I know we are not suppose to be shocked by anything that happens in these last days but once in a while I still get angry even though the bible tells us these things will be so.
The National Education Association has thrown its full support behind homosexual "marriage."
The NEA recently held its annual convention in San Diego, California, where members voted on two issues of importance to those involved in the culture war. One of those issues was whether the union would support same-gender marriage. According to Jeralee Smith, co-founder of the Conservative Educators Caucus, the resolution passed by roughly a two-thirds majority. "There are quite a few items where the NEA absolutely puts its political muscle behind taking down any legislation in any state that they consider to be discriminatory to homosexuals," says Smith. "And some of the language in the resolution also hints that the NEA will try to take down the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] on the federal level."
Smith told Baptist Press that when a representative of the Conservative Caucus spoke against the resolution and mentioned the words "marriage should be between a man and a woman," the speaker was booed. Also up for a vote was a resolution for the NEA to take a "no position" stance on the issue of abortion. That proposal was voted down 61 percent to 39 percent.
During the meeting, the organization's retiring general counsel, Bob Chanin, complained that "conservative and right-wing bastards" are after the NEA and its state affiliates. Smith called that statement "refreshing honesty" on Chanin's part about how he feels about conservatives. (See related article from LifeSiteNews.com)
The National Education Association has thrown its full support behind homosexual "marriage."
The NEA recently held its annual convention in San Diego, California, where members voted on two issues of importance to those involved in the culture war. One of those issues was whether the union would support same-gender marriage. According to Jeralee Smith, co-founder of the Conservative Educators Caucus, the resolution passed by roughly a two-thirds majority. "There are quite a few items where the NEA absolutely puts its political muscle behind taking down any legislation in any state that they consider to be discriminatory to homosexuals," says Smith. "And some of the language in the resolution also hints that the NEA will try to take down the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] on the federal level."
Smith told Baptist Press that when a representative of the Conservative Caucus spoke against the resolution and mentioned the words "marriage should be between a man and a woman," the speaker was booed. Also up for a vote was a resolution for the NEA to take a "no position" stance on the issue of abortion. That proposal was voted down 61 percent to 39 percent.
During the meeting, the organization's retiring general counsel, Bob Chanin, complained that "conservative and right-wing bastards" are after the NEA and its state affiliates. Smith called that statement "refreshing honesty" on Chanin's part about how he feels about conservatives. (See related article from LifeSiteNews.com)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
False Prophet?
WASHINGTON, DC – Defying some of his fellow conservative Christian critics, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that "the two largest faiths on the planet" must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.
"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy.
Warren, founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California, is the author of The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His willingness to show support for U.S. Muslims is a huge gain for the community, which has endured intense scrutiny since 9/11.
A Southern Baptist, Warren has a record of upsetting fellow Christian conservatives by calling old-guard evangelical activists too partisan and narrowly focused. Ahead of his speech Saturday, bloggers who follow Warren had already denounced his appearance at the convention as cozying up to extremists.
Warren acknowledged the controversy during his 20-minute speech.
"It's easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you," he said. "But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you'll get criticized for it. So will I."
In his speech, Warren also urged Muslims and Christians to speak out against stereotyping of any group and to respect each other even while disagreeing. Addressing Muslims who "have been in America for many generations now," he urged them to help "the newcomers learn what it means to be American."
Based in Plainfield, Indiana, ISNA is an umbrella organization for Muslim groups across the country. The annual convention, now in its 46th year, regularly draws more than 30,000 people for lectures, prayer, and socializing.
Many in the crowd were drawn to the session by prominent Muslim scholars such as Sheik Hamza Yusuf of the Zaytuna Institute in Berkeley, California.
Ann Zahra, 42, said she had never heard of Warren before Saturday but agreed with much of his speech. "The basics are the same," said Zahra, of McLean, Va. "No religion teaches cruelty or disrespect or hatred."
But aren't the Muslims the ones who teach their children to chant "Death to America" as soon as they can talk??? Plus last time I checked, they did not worship the same God.
"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy.
Warren, founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California, is the author of The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His willingness to show support for U.S. Muslims is a huge gain for the community, which has endured intense scrutiny since 9/11.
A Southern Baptist, Warren has a record of upsetting fellow Christian conservatives by calling old-guard evangelical activists too partisan and narrowly focused. Ahead of his speech Saturday, bloggers who follow Warren had already denounced his appearance at the convention as cozying up to extremists.
Warren acknowledged the controversy during his 20-minute speech.
"It's easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you," he said. "But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you'll get criticized for it. So will I."
In his speech, Warren also urged Muslims and Christians to speak out against stereotyping of any group and to respect each other even while disagreeing. Addressing Muslims who "have been in America for many generations now," he urged them to help "the newcomers learn what it means to be American."
Based in Plainfield, Indiana, ISNA is an umbrella organization for Muslim groups across the country. The annual convention, now in its 46th year, regularly draws more than 30,000 people for lectures, prayer, and socializing.
Many in the crowd were drawn to the session by prominent Muslim scholars such as Sheik Hamza Yusuf of the Zaytuna Institute in Berkeley, California.
Ann Zahra, 42, said she had never heard of Warren before Saturday but agreed with much of his speech. "The basics are the same," said Zahra, of McLean, Va. "No religion teaches cruelty or disrespect or hatred."
But aren't the Muslims the ones who teach their children to chant "Death to America" as soon as they can talk??? Plus last time I checked, they did not worship the same God.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Taking A Stand
What a person believes and why they believe it is very important to them, their families and for society. Society, as a whole, has cast off all restraints to the point where there is no right or wrong. It’s about doing what you feel is right and don’t concern yourself with how it affects anyone else.
To live life with no rules is treacherous. Just imagine driving on our streets and highways with absolutely no rules at all. It would be complete chaos and risky. Well, it’s no different for our society at large. We are trying to live with no rules of morality or ethics and look where it has landed us.
We now live in a society that has tossed aside any limits and are now living in utter chaos. Anything goes. Has it made us any better or worse as a people? Think about it. Is it any wonder that our country is in such an economic mess?
Today, people call good evil and evil good. We need to get back to basics and call it like it is: good or evil. If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. Stop believing a lie and stand up for what is right, stand up for morality and stand up for truth!
Just a thought,
God bless.
PSS
To live life with no rules is treacherous. Just imagine driving on our streets and highways with absolutely no rules at all. It would be complete chaos and risky. Well, it’s no different for our society at large. We are trying to live with no rules of morality or ethics and look where it has landed us.
We now live in a society that has tossed aside any limits and are now living in utter chaos. Anything goes. Has it made us any better or worse as a people? Think about it. Is it any wonder that our country is in such an economic mess?
Today, people call good evil and evil good. We need to get back to basics and call it like it is: good or evil. If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. Stop believing a lie and stand up for what is right, stand up for morality and stand up for truth!
Just a thought,
God bless.
PSS
Friday, June 5, 2009
Teacher satisfaction: Public vs. private education
This is kind of an old story but I thought it was interesting:
A new study shows that despite a much lower salary, private school teachers are happier than their public school counterparts.
The study was conducted by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and utilized the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education's Schools and Staffing survey. Christian D'Andrea worked on the study. "As we went through, we found out that public school teachers on average make about 50 percent more [in salary] than private school teachers do," he points out. "
But as far as career satisfaction goes, the private school teachers are much more satisfied with their careers -- and even more satisfied with their salaries, despite the huge disparity in pay." D'Andrea notes private school teachers had to deal with fewer disciplinary problems and threats of violence than did public school teachers. He adds that public school teachers also experienced a higher level of burnout and were unlikely to teach past retirement age. According to D'Andrea, private school teachers are also more satisfied with their jobs because they typically have to contend with fewer bureaucratic restrictions.
Less bureaucratic restrictions....hmmm
You can find this on One News Now
A new study shows that despite a much lower salary, private school teachers are happier than their public school counterparts.
The study was conducted by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and utilized the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education's Schools and Staffing survey. Christian D'Andrea worked on the study. "As we went through, we found out that public school teachers on average make about 50 percent more [in salary] than private school teachers do," he points out. "
But as far as career satisfaction goes, the private school teachers are much more satisfied with their careers -- and even more satisfied with their salaries, despite the huge disparity in pay." D'Andrea notes private school teachers had to deal with fewer disciplinary problems and threats of violence than did public school teachers. He adds that public school teachers also experienced a higher level of burnout and were unlikely to teach past retirement age. According to D'Andrea, private school teachers are also more satisfied with their jobs because they typically have to contend with fewer bureaucratic restrictions.
Less bureaucratic restrictions....hmmm
You can find this on One News Now
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I'm with ya girl!
The fantastic writer Tracy Keck at Seed Thoughts writes All About America every Wednesday on her blog. What she has on there today just gets me so stirred up and I agree with it 100%. My little picture pretty much sums up how I have felt since the election.
Thanks Tracy!
Check it out:
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Serving others
This is the weekly "Just a thought" that our pastor sends out. I thought I would share this one.
Serving or helping others is something our society has lost. Our society is quickly moving more and more towards socialism. The government basically runs everything and is in charge of everything. Today, the desire to be helped far surpasses the desire to help. We now have a generation that is more than willing to put their trust in an institution that creates a sense of dependency.
Statistics show that more than one out of 10 people over the age of 18 are treated for depression. Pre-schoolers are the fastest growing market for anti-depressant drugs. Why is that? Maybe because we are so focused on our problems, our needs, and our wants that it becomes emotionally unhealthy. What we should be doing is helping and serving others, which, in our day, seems to have been lost. We, as a society, are so willing to give up freedom because the desire to be taken care of outweighs the desire to care for others.
If we want to be healthier, maybe we should try giving some of our time in helping someone who is a little less fortunate than ourselves. Or, we can serve others in some capacity. There are so many things you can volunteer your time to: places like homeless shelters, or, if you have kids in sports, be the coach or team mom. Community centers offer you expert advice on how to assist someone else. Churches have so many opportunities to serve. Let’s focus on others and maybe, just maybe, we would have a sense of fulfillment instead of self-indulgence.
Serving or helping others is something our society has lost. Our society is quickly moving more and more towards socialism. The government basically runs everything and is in charge of everything. Today, the desire to be helped far surpasses the desire to help. We now have a generation that is more than willing to put their trust in an institution that creates a sense of dependency.
Statistics show that more than one out of 10 people over the age of 18 are treated for depression. Pre-schoolers are the fastest growing market for anti-depressant drugs. Why is that? Maybe because we are so focused on our problems, our needs, and our wants that it becomes emotionally unhealthy. What we should be doing is helping and serving others, which, in our day, seems to have been lost. We, as a society, are so willing to give up freedom because the desire to be taken care of outweighs the desire to care for others.
If we want to be healthier, maybe we should try giving some of our time in helping someone who is a little less fortunate than ourselves. Or, we can serve others in some capacity. There are so many things you can volunteer your time to: places like homeless shelters, or, if you have kids in sports, be the coach or team mom. Community centers offer you expert advice on how to assist someone else. Churches have so many opportunities to serve. Let’s focus on others and maybe, just maybe, we would have a sense of fulfillment instead of self-indulgence.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Get Back Up
This goes along with what my pastor was saying this week. He said no matter how much you dislike your life at the moment, there is someone worse off than you. So quit complaining.
While this man in this video is such an inspiration and he is content, he still does not have what most of us take for granted every day.
While this man in this video is such an inspiration and he is content, he still does not have what most of us take for granted every day.
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