July 30, 2004
DNC Convention: Day by Day
Now that the DNC love-fest has ended, here is a recap:
Ten Things You Won't Hear at the Cosmetic Convention
1. That The Unemployment Rate Today (5.5%) Is Lower Than It Was In 1996 (6.2%).
2. That The Inflation Rate Today (1.9%) Is Lower Than It Was In 1996 (2.6%).
3. That Mortgage Rates Today (5.86%) Are Lower Than They Were In 1996 (7.81%).
4. Jimmy Carter Bring Up Kerry's "Middle Class Misery Index."
5. Bill Clinton's Making Regime Change In Iraq The Official US Policy.
6. Criticism Of The Clinton Health Care Plan, Which Kerry Said Was A Major Cause Of The 1994 Democrat Losses At The Polls.
7. Al Gore Again Compare The Republicans To "Digital Brown Shirts."
8. Clinton Praise The Defense Of Marriage Act, Which Kerry Called "Gay Bashing," And Voted Against Before Clinton Signed.
9. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino Call Kerry's Campaign "Small Minded," And "Incompetent," Again.
10. Hillary Clinton Speak For More Than Five Minutes.
Things we did hear!
The Thin Man
by Fred Barnes
One of Edwards's favorite gimmicks is to insist discussions of "race, equality, and civil rights" should be included in speeches "everywhere," not just to targeted audiences. Then he quickly changes the subject without any serious discussion of the subject at all. The whole thing turns out to be a rhetorical device, nothing more. It's reminiscent of [Gary] Hart.
"I don’t really need Michael Moore to tell me about September 11th."
-- Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Kerry's answer is clear: "Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response." The Kerry Doctrine: Once we get clobbered, I'll try and figure out how to strike back.
If these lines --the most important of the speech by far-- get huge applause, America will know it's choice is clear: Wait to get slammed again, perhaps with tens of thousands dead this time, or continue to take the war to the terrorists.
Update:
Spiritual Journey: The Crutch of Belief
Blog inspired by a post by seadragon – “fAitH enVy (or the lack thereof)”
Maphet alerted me to this conversation and I recall reading a reference to it on eebmore’s blog as well. My spiritual journey really began when I came to the very real conclusion that God did not exist. This was for many of the same reasons that are echoed here in these comments, not needing/wanting a crutch of religion, there was no empirical scientific proof, ignorance is bliss is still ignorant, there can be no understanding of life except through science. This agnostic approach to life is something that I held to believe very strongly. I didn’t even like the term atheism because it still seemed to be subscribing to some order of religion, even if it was disorder. This was a passing feeling as I identified more and more with professing atheists than theists, and soon found myself in heated debates proclaiming, “There is no absolute truth and you are so weak minded to believe in a god!” I owned this statement. I lived this statement.
Anytime someone would bring up religion around me, my friends would cringe and plead for me not to get started. It was a feeling of immense power and control to have such a strong understanding of who I was and what I believed. That it was tangible and I could point to tried and true tests of the truth of my beliefs. It was also very lonely in my universe because I sat at the head of it and as far as I was concerned, I was god over my own perspective of the universe. This too brought about feelings of stress and despair that also seemed to be echoed in these comments. Thoughts like, “What happens if I lose control?” or “Is this really all there is to life, because it ain’t much?!”
I would agree with Colliculus, that all science is based on faith as well. How faith plays a role in jwer’s thoughts on the scientific method of hypothesis/testing is that once you have completed the test and found your hypothesis to be true or false, you must have faith (a belief) that the next time you complete the test without changing any variables your results will be the same. I would disagree with eebmore when he says, “us nontheists and those theists will never really ever get each other” because the agnostic/atheist/nontheist writing this post has become a professing Christian/theist/believer in God.
My conversion took place more than 3 years ago now and many of those struggles and those answers have become so clear to me. My fears of ignorant bliss melted away, my misconception of absolute truth vanished, my security and comfort in knowing there was a plan and purpose for my life washed away my despair. I was finally free of the necessity to be totally in control. The realization that my crutch in life was having a personal relationship with a loving Father, a forgiving Son and a renewing Spirit; this is what brought the triune God into such clear focus for me and changed my life so drastically.
True faith goes well beyond simply “wanting the benefits of a belief in God” or even lacking the “feeling of openness”. In fact, true faith is liberating and breaks us free of the bindings of this world. Faith does not constrain or restrict, though it may certainly seem that way for some. It believes that the variables of this world are not changing and that the hypothesis that God exists, is proved and evident throughout all creation. What is a simpler or more perfect (as Aristotle would put it) answer to receive?
1) Chaos & Chance - The big bang started all creation and we evolved from tiny organisms to the complex animals we are now through millions of years of evolution and Darwinism, thus when we die we have completed the cycle of life and it is all over.
OR
2) Plan & Purpose – God created this world and man in His likeness, redeemed us through His son and has an eternal afterlife waiting for all who believe.
Just ask William of Ockham, namesake to Occam’s Razor.
To learn more about my conversion feel free to read My Testimony.
Bubble Wrap
Fun with Bubble Wrap! This is for anyone that has an ungodly obsession with this stuff, which of course includes me.
July 28, 2004
This Land
JibJab gets some help from Atom Films
This Land Political Spoof - "G.W. and Kerry square off in song!"
Too Precious
Kerry 'Bunny' Photo Brings Back Memories of Dukakis
By Bobby Eberle
There is a rule in politics, almost as old as the profession itself, which states a political candidate should never be photographed wearing unusual clothing or hats. Sen. John Kerry apparently forgot the rule on Monday as he toured the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, FL.
DEMS CLAIM NASA LEAKED PHOTOS TO SMEAR
Brit Hume: Well, is there any concern that this photo might prove as embarrassing as the fabled tank photo did in 1988?
July 23, 2004
Axis of Evil: 1/3 Less Calories
Not that our work in Iraq is done, nor is the War or Terror complete, but the more the Iraqis take on themselves the more we can begin to turn our attention to their eastward neighbor. We will soon be able to count on Iraq as an ally and not a defiant member of the UN. They will play an important role as we begin to focus on Iran.
Rather than believing we went into the wrong “IRA*” country, we should be looking at the bigger picture of the War on Terrorism and cutting even more calories from our Axis of Evil diet. How far behind Libya can countries like Iran and Syria be with a significant coalition force in their neighborhood?
Hugh Hewitt believes this hinges on the re-election of President Bush and I couldn’t agree with him more.
July 23, 2004
The threat of a massive attack is growing again because the Islamists have a new --or an old but not discovered-- sanctuary from which to work. John Edwards on Larry King Wednesday night laid out so many tests for striking --the terrorist threat had to be significant, based on absolutely credible evidence, and imminent-- that we can conclude the Kerry-Edwards team will do nothing about Iran. Nothing. There's the campaign divide in a nutshell.
How imminent was the 9/11 attack on 9/10? It's not leadership to wait that long in our world today. That would mean we have learned nothing from the events of September 2001. While Kerry-Edwards can be proud of such “liberal” ignorance, our country certainly should not follow suit.
CIA points to continuing Iran tie to al Qaeda
By Bill Gertz
The commission report also said that captured al Qaeda terrorist Waleed bin Attash, known as Khallad, disclosed that Iran's government "made a concerted effort to strengthen relations with al Qaeda" after the October 2000 attack on the destroyer USS Cole in Aden harbor, Yemen.
According to the report, bin Laden rebuffed the offer from the Shi'ite regime in Iran because of fears that the cooperation would alienate Sunni supporters in Saudi Arabia.
"Khallad and other detainees have described the willingness of Iranian officials to facilitate the travel of al Qaeda members through Iran, on their way to and from Afghanistan," the report said.
Iranian border inspectors helped the terrorists by not placing travel stamps on passports, which allowed Saudi members to return to Saudi Arabia and not have their passports confiscated by Saudi authorities.
The report noted there is "evidence suggesting that eight to 10 of the 14 Saudi 'muscle' operatives traveled into or out of Iran between October 2000 and February 2001."
Intelligence information showed that senior al Qaeda leaders in Sudan during the 1990s "maintained contacts with Iran and the Iranian-supported worldwide terrorist organization Hezbollah," the report said.
July 22, 2004
The Commish Speaks
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States has released its report on 9/11. This is something all Americans should take notice of, as we attempt to understand where we have been and where we are going. My hope is that this report will help to unite and strengthen our resolve to defeat evil.
9/11 Report: No One Person to Blame
By Liza Porteus
“On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 men armed with knives, boxcutters, mace and pepper spray, penetrated the defenses of the most powerful nation of the world. They inflicted unbearable trauma on our people and at the same time, they turned the international order upside down," Thomas Kean, co-chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, said in releasing the report to the public.
"On that September day, we were unprepared. We did not grasp the magnitude of the threat that had been gathering over a considerable amount of time," he added. "This was a failure of policy, management, capability and, above all, a failure of imagination … the United States government was simply not active enough in combating the terrorist threat before 9/11."
But not one president — George W. Bush or Bill Clinton — was blamed for his actions or lack thereof more than another.
Change Is Now Inevitable
The 9/11 Commission report calls for reflection and action
By Christopher Cox
(Republican Congressman, is chairman of the Select Committee on Homeland Security and chairman of the House Policy Committee)
The Commission report is not a lone voice but only the latest authoritative call for an intelligence overhaul. Several previous commissions and task forces, including the Bremmer, Hart-Rudman, and Gilmore commissions, recommended substantial reforms that went unheeded during the Clinton years. The Joint Inquiry of the House and Senate intelligence committees produced a highly critical report on pre-9/11 intelligence last year that got more, but not enough, attention. Far-sighted recommendations have yet to be implemented--in part because both the Executive and Congress have found them too hard to do.
It is certainly true that President Bush, a bedrock intelligence supporter, responded swiftly to the 9/11 attacks by sharply increasing the community budget and by establishing new units--such as the Terrorist Threat Integration Center and the Terrorist Screening Center--to fuse data, integrate foreign and domestic analysis, and force collaboration across the agencies. Likewise, the Patriot Act removed obstacles for intelligence and law enforcement agencies to pursue terrorists, and added to their authorities to do the job. The Department of Homeland Security offered hope to first responders that they would be trained and equipped to prevent terrorist attacks, protect infrastructure, and respond effectively to an attack should one occur.
Additional Reading:
Did you forget?
July 21, 2004
I Want My TUN
New Channel Challenges MTV
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
Move over MTV: The U Network is coming to college campuses this fall, boasting what it calls a more intelligent, "clean" alternative for today’s young people.
[T]he originators say they’ll cover the Bush presidential campaign to balance coverage by MTV and the Rock the Vote campaign, which they say tend to steer young adults to Democratic causes.
"We are trying to be less biased," said [Cass] Burt [coordinator of operations for TUN]. "We believe in the intelligence of our audience to rely on their own judgment and come to their own conclusions."
This new channel seems to fly in the face of the saying, “If you aren’t liberal in your twenties, then you have no heart. And if you aren’t conservative by your forties, then you have no brain.” I guess they are assuming you can have a heart and a brain in college, which I think any doctor, will tell you is possible.
I don’t know if this will make it to our local cable stations or not, but I know I stopped watching MTV long ago. Even if it wasn’t for all the gratuitous sex they inject into all that they touch, they lost their focus. The great thing about MTV was being able to watch music videos and see such great artistic talents. Like the dude that made that A-ha video, now that was cool.
I stopped watching MTV because I couldn’t watch or listen to music on it anymore and it served very little purpose to me. The humor was sophomoric at best and it just wasn’t entertaining. I can’t speak to what they are showing now because I haven’t watched it for quite sometime, but if Newlyweds and The Osbournes are any indication of what they are producing; I’m not missing much.
This article also mentions that MTV has “proudly” worked with Rock the Vote and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz). Of course they have no political bias there, especially when they tout programming that includes Jesse Jackson as a celebrity “stand-in” for a professor on one of their reality shows. Which on its surface appears to be balanced, but when you look at statements from Rock the Vote like, “Politicians who aren’t busy denouncing sex in the media, are busy opposing marriage for same-sex couples, even promising to write this bigotry into the U.S. Constitution.” And that’s a “non-partisan organization”?!
I think the most damaging accusation against MTV is that Kurt Loder use to do the news for them and he now works on the Today Show with Katie Couric. I’m not really serious about that last accusation, but she is most definitely not non-partisan.
I just think it’s a great idea to have a clean, balanced alternative to MTV for young people, and I hope the message does not get lost. I know the message can resonate with younger people, as long as they are given the opportunity to listen.
Of course that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
July 20, 2004
I am Joe Citizen
I moved out of my parent's house about 5 years ago, but the move was only about 15 minutes away. Since then I had been voting at the polling location by their house because I never changed my address with the Board of Elections.
As anyone can tell from even a cursory view of my blog, politics and thus voting are very important to me. Amy lived in Bel Air and since her polling location was up there I urged her to submit a change of address form so that she could vote in Baltimore County. I figured I might as well do the same, so that I can vote closer to my house now.
When I filled out the form I noticed a check box to receive information on becoming an election judge. I thought that would be pretty neat and I checked it. A few weeks later I not only received my new voter registration card, but an application to become an election judge. I promptly filled that out and sent it back in.
Yesterday I received a phone call from the Baltimore County Board of Elections informing me that they were very pleased to receive my application and had an opening for me already. She was a very friendly lady and gave me some additional information about the program. She told me they were in desperate need of Republicans, to which I replied, "Yes I figured as much, we seem to be a minority in this state." I have lived my entire life here and that is no news to me.
A few interesting facts about being an election judge:
1) You have to be at your assigned polling location from 6 AM to 10 PM each election day.
2) You aren't allowed to leave the polling location at all. Not even for food, which you are instructed to bring enough of for the entire day. This apparently is a security precaution.
3) You get paid $150 each election to do this. I was willing to do it for free, because I looked at it as a civic duty.
I found all this very intriguing and would urge any Republicans/Independents/Constitutionalist/etc. in Maryland to get out there and do the same. Nothing against Democrats here, but I imagine they have enough of them already.
Be sure to register to vote too, if you haven't already!
59 days to go!
We are just under 60 days now until our wedding and have just recently sent out invitiations. Hopefully the mail men are doing their jobs as I speak!
Needless to say my To-Do list has grown considerably and I don't see an end in sight. I must admit though that my excitement is growing as well!
ABOUT THE BIG DAY
The most significant aspect of our wedding is that we want it to be pointing everyone who attends to Jesus Christ. He is at the focus of our relationship and it is important to us that everyone sees that. We also want everyone to witness the covenant relationship that we will be entering in with each other and with our Lord and God. The vows we make to come together in such a way are built on the rock of Jesus Christ and are not temporal. Our prayer is that we will be examples of Christ, His servants and always pointing others to Him.
Spiritual, but not out or (In, but not of)
Thanks to Joe Carter’s, The Evangelical Outpost, I discovered Hugh Hewitt several months ago. When I saw his book In, But Not Of linked on his site, I was very intrigued and immediately purchased it. Here was a book written by a man that is a professing Christian and worked in Reagan’s White House. How could I resist the opportunity to delve a little deeper into two subjects that interest me very much, religion and politics?
Below are some chapters that really struck a chord with my heart:
IN, BUT NOT OF: A guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World
Chapter 6 - LEARN HOW YOU GOT HERE
This is what you need to get down: the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, the English, and of course, the Americans
My New Reading List:
JEWS
Thomas Cahill – The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the way Everyone Thinks and Feels
GREEKS
Steven Pressfiled – The Gates of Fire
Steven Pressfiled – Tides of War
ROMANS
Colleen McCullough – The First Man in Rome (series of 6 novels)
ENGLISH
Winston Churchill – A History of the English Speaking Peoples (4 volumes)
AMERICANS
Paul Johnson – Modern Times
Chapter 43 – CONFLICT IS PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Jesus was very much the perfect example of love and forgiveness, but he was as blunt as anyone in the world, as clear as anyone in history, and uncompromising on the key issues.
…there is a personal gospel and a collective gospel; a gospel of how we are to bear injuries to ourselves and one how we are to react to injustice done to others. The cheek must be turned when injuries are done solely to you. But conflict has to follow whenever evil is done to the innocent.
The obstruction of truth and justice has always been something that I was passionate about. Even before I became a Christian, I was always searching for truth and regularly angered by unfairness. Of course my compass was off a bit then, but it is always pointed at the true north now, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD , the LORD , is the Rock eternal.
The perfect peace that is spoke of here happens on a personal level, when we rely on the Lord to be our rock and our hearts are fixated on Him always. This is much like the personal gospel that Hewitt speaks of in this chapter. While the perfect peace of the nations will never fully be realized until Christ’s return, we are to practice the collective gospel and preach the personal gospel to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20).
Chapter 44 – CHRISTIANS ANGER ONLY RARELY AND ONLY RIGHTOUSLY
Politics, for example, is really controlled mental combat, and like the real thing, mental combat brings forward anger on a regular basis.
Better never to display anger than to display it too often. Ask your friends and spouse: “Do you recall any occasions on which I was really angry?” If everyone has a story or two to tell, and all the stories are different, you have overplayed anger and have a problem that needs correcting.
But if no one can recall your ever being angry, ask yourself whether you are really engaged in any pursuit to which you are passionately committed.
This is an area I believe that I regularly struggle. As I noted above, anger over injustice is something that stirs my heart greatly. I have not asked my friends or family this question, because I believe I already know the answer. My life is full of things that I am very passionate about and I rarely am left sitting on the fence. I regularly need to remind myself of the need to show my gentleness (Philippians 4:5) and be slow to anger (James 1:19-20).
Chapter 48 – THE OBLIGATIONS OF A BELIEVER
The keys to influencing the world are discipline, persistence and patience. The key to influencing the world in the right way is the gospel.
This is exactly what I believe the Jollyblogger has been driving at with his posts of late. I could be wrong, of course, but Hewitt adds to this message below.
Christians are called to defend the church, and that means politics. That means voting and campaigning and contributing – at a minimum. A politically inactive Christian in the United States is turning his or her back on the church in the world, especially its most persecuted parts. This uncomfortable fact obliges you to get involved in the often repellent work of politics.
This is something I held to be true even before reading the book, but I just couldn’t have put it into these words. This happened often while I read In, But Not Of, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I would encourage anyone to read this book. Whether you are Christian or not, there are many valuable lessons that can be applied to your life.
July 19, 2004
Conservative Values
Where does John Kerry stand?
• War against terrorism
• Same-Sex “marriage”
Who knows?!
Kerry and homosexual marriage
Sen. John Kerry's flamboyant flip flops — like voting for the war in Iraq and then against the $87 billion to fund it, courting conservative Sen. John McCain for vice president before turning to liberal Sen. John Edwards and taking both sides on the first Gulf War in separate letters to the same constituent — have garnered substantial attention in recent months. But lost in the turmoil are more subtle, but no less baffling, flip flops on the issue of same-sex "marriage."
What does he stand against?
• Small Town America
• The Economy
• Family Values
 |
| "Family Priorities" |
Who is your father?
"Bush's God" by Robert Reich
The true battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernists; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that human beings owe their allegiance and identity to a higher authority; [primacy of God]
Clearly the left leaning individuals have a different set of priorities and a very different world view than the president or me. They are consumed by the power of the individual on social issues, but not on economic issues (see definition of communism). In contrast, the right leaning individuals would be concerned about the moral community on social issues (see definition of morality) and taking personal economic responsibility. Of course across the board the motivations for this world view are not the same.
However, my motivation for this world view does flow out of my faith and my allegiance to not only “Bush’s God”, but my own Lord and Savior who are all one and the same. First and foremost, I am a citizen of the City of God, of a holy nation. I would never put my citizenship to America above this and I would never put my president above my God. This is something that a non-believer, someone who denies the existence of God or does not believe in His sovereignty would find to be a rather misguided world view.
While this is the basis for my priorities and I would not equate conservative or republican with Christianity, I do support our president as a Christian man. While not a perfect man, he does have a core set of values based on Scripture as truth that he adheres to. In contrast, his opponents do not adhere to any set of core values.
I appreciate the need for balance between living in this world and not being of this world. I appreciate the view that we need to preach the Gospel more and that God’s word is ultimately the answer to the world’s woes. However, I also believe that Christians need to be significantly engaged in this world, in order to bring the Gospel message. I believe we need to support and defend Christian leaders in all scopes and spheres of this world that God has created.
I do not see that great of a difference between the words Reformation and Revolution, at least not in the context of Christendom and politics. I see any godly reformation as being a revolt against that which is ungodly.
Jesus said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:32-39)
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17: 11-23)
If we are to believe these words, then we need to be prepared to defend that which is Christ-like while not replacing Christ himself. We need to remember that this world is only temporary and no government is greater than God. We are in this world, but we are of Christ. This means that we are a new creation in Christ, that being born of the spirit has justified ("just as if we had never sinned", Rev. Kidwell) our birth in the flesh. God’s purposes for us are greater than this world that we see, but He has still placed us here for very specific reasons, so we live out our lives here, with a look to that greater purpose.
Robert Reich doesn’t understand this.
“…between those who believe in science, reason, and logic and those who believe that truth is revealed through Scripture and religious dogma. Terrorism will disrupt and destroy lives. But terrorism itself is not the greatest danger we face.”
He sets science, reason and logic apart from Scripture and the truths found in God. He believes that he can remove God from our lives. How foolish is it to try to remove that which is our parents from that which is us?
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Additional reading: FAITH UNDER FIRE
July 16, 2004
BUSY BUSY BUSY
Needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway; I have been rather tight lipped on my blog lately. July has brought about a busy time at work, a reminder that my September wedding is getting closer and closer and I’ve been thinking through things going on my life. Quite frankly I’m not one to whine about my life here or how unhappy I am, so I haven’t had much to say. This doesn’t mean that I am unhappy now, in fact, I’m quite happy now and still just haven’t had much to say here.
Furthermore, I have been reading through some of the Jollyblogger’s posts on Christians & politics and have yet to reach a clear conclusion to what I think of it all. Since I’m still dealing with that, I have refrained from posting any politically motivated entries. I will say this, he has me reflecting upon my eschatological views and for that I am thankful.
A simple prelude to my struggle is that I don’t disagree with what he is saying, but I do not particularly like how he is saying it or I don’t believe he is giving the whole picture. This is by no means a criticism because I know that my theological background is quite stunted in comparison to his, but there is just something about his posts that stir within my heart a discontentment. I’ll get my finger on it soon enough or at least have more to say another time.
July 07, 2004
The Neverending Story of a Hopeless Romantic
Genesis 29:20
So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
This has been a very important verse in my life and has stuck ever since I came upon this nugget of truth and love. Why has it struck me with such force? Is it because I am a hopeless romantic at heart and this is a story of true love? That is only part of it because the other part is that I relate to this story. I am Jacob and Amy is Rachel.
When you compare my conversion a few years ago to Amy’s conversion almost two decades ago, and then couple that with her father being a pastor; the issues at hand come more into focus. Amy grew up in a Christian home and was nurtured spiritually her entire life. While I was off drinking, getting drunk and doing a number of unspeakable things, she was at youth group growing in her understanding of the Lord. These differences in our pasts and the character of my newness to Christianity did not make her family very comfortable with me.
I had many issues of pride and ignorance to overcome. There were many lessons to be learned in my heart and a lot of growth to take place. Amy’s parents wouldn’t be satisfied with just anyone for their daughter. They were looking for a very particular man and I certainly did not fit that molding. The changes that were taking place in my life, the growth, the battles of my heart, the struggles, the falls I took were all for the glory of God. They were all made possible by my Lord, Jesus Christ. How is it that a drunken, prideful buffoon could have been transformed into a man seeking only God’s pleasure? I tell you that this is not an easy road to plow and this is not something I would have done on my own.
I had no real reason to change. I was seemingly happy; I had a lot of friends and led a pretty full life. I was always having fun and never at a loss for a good time. So why on earth would I choose to make such a radical change in my life? Was it because I wanted to have Amy in my life and knew there was no other way? Was I willing to work seven more long years to be with this woman? Well considering I didn’t even know that passage at the time, I severely doubt it. Furthermore, I was having relationships with other woman and was having certain desires filled by them, that I knew outside of marriage was never going to fly with Amy. Why on earth would I choose to change for Amy? The fact is that I didn’t change for her, but it was God, it was the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ that came into my heart and completely transformed my life.
Now the transformation, the conversion was easy because that was as simple as submitting myself to God and asking for forgiveness. When the Holy Spirit grabs your heart and grips your soul the submission is easy. The tough part was maturing, was my continued sanctification. I had been justified through the blood of Christ on the cross when I was called out by him to be one of his flock. But this sanctification, this continual transformation into the character of Christ was no easy road ahead.
It was this hard work, though not seven years that I toiled for several reasons. First of which was my commitment to God, that if I were to truly love him with all my mind, with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my body, then there was nothing to leave behind. I had to give my entire life into his hands, trusting he would take care of me. And he certainly has delivered me through some very tough times. Secondly, I had made a commitment to Christ’s church. I had made a commitment to be involved in the building up his church and the spreading of his word. I am serving now in his church and it is one of the most fulfilling and most time consuming aspects of my life. Thirdly, I had made a commitment to God’s people to be an example of Christ to them, to encourage them and lift them up to the Lord continually. To be a true friend and to be there for them in times of need. Finally, I was making a commitment to Amy to be a godly man and to encourage her as well, as more then just a friend, but as a helper, as a partner and as a confidant. This commitment to partnership was a golden nugget in my life. It made all the trouble of the last few years melt away and seem like only a few days.
There was still an uphill climb with her parents and asking for her hand in marriage was absolutely without a doubt the hardest thing I have had to do in my short life. It was one of the scariest moments in my life because of the judgment of her father that I knew was impending. But this love I had for her, and my trust in the Lord’s help carried me through it. After a grueling conversation, a night’s sleep, and a conversation with her mother; her father finally gave me permission to marry his daughter. I had asked him for permission, I had asked him for her hand, but I had not asked him for his blessing. And that was my fear, my sin creeping into the situation. Permission can be given begrudgingly, but blessings come only from a heart of joy.
Human love is so fragile and can so easily be broken, but human love coupled with the blessing of God and the foundation in Christ lasts forever. There are no illusions of life being all peaches-n-cream, but the foundation of Christ and the union of two hearts fixed upon him coming together to complement one another is a beautiful and blessed union indeed.
Amy recently commented on my blog and said this of me, “He is my example of chivalry, my knight on a white horse, not because he is perfect, and not because I depend on him for my survival (the Lord is first in my life, and He is my ultimate Strength), but because he is a warrior for me in the battle of life. He is the one God has created to be my helper, my friend, and my intimate ally through the amazing journey God has prepared for us both.”
Yes I am a hopeless romantic and yes I love the Lord with every ounce of who I am. Yes I adore Amy and yes her love returned to me makes all my troubled past seem like a few days in the journey to her heart.
July 06, 2004
Balanced Ticket?
GOP caught completely off-guard by announcement of Kerry's running mate, Edwards.
This is quite a "friendly" ticket says, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAWG).
| State | Name | Party | 2003 | Lifetime | Rating toward taxpayers |
| Massachusetts | KERRY | D | 22 | 25 | Unfriendly |
| North Carolina | EDWARDS, J. | D | 13 | 13 | Hostile |
Declaration of Independence
A reminder as to what Independence Day is all about for the United States of America.
The Declaration of Independence
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The tyranny of one man must never be replaced by the tyranny of many. This is true for our elected legislature and leaders, but is also true for the tyranny of terror that exists in Iraq. Just as July 4th rings of pride and liberty for our country, so too will June 28th in Iraq. They must declare their independence from terrorists, that unjustly seek to control their country like an iniquitous King.
President Bush said of June 28th, “[It was] a day of great hope for Iraqis, and a day that terrorist enemies hoped never to see. The terrorists are doing all they can to stop the rise of a free Iraq. But their bombs and attacks have not prevented Iraqi sovereignty, and they will not prevent Iraqi democracy. Iraqi sovereignty is a tribute to the will of the Iraqi people and the courage of Iraqi leaders.”
As we celebrate our own independence, let us also support those that are in need of alliances to conclude peace.