God Bless America

This post may be praised. Or met with scorn and hostility. Or, heck, it might even be ignored. But I've seen and heard a couple things recently (okay, "recently" being at LEAST the last decade or so) that kinda sparked me to just write my humble opinion.
What is wrong with people?! I guess everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame, their moment in the spotlight. When they suggest such things as taking down plaques off a school wall that's been there for twenty years or want to change the Pledge of Allegiance to take out "under God," all I can think is "What's the point?" It's been there for so long, why argue it now. If you don't like it or don't want your children to say it, then don't, and raise your children to do how you want them to do. If you don't like seeing it, don't look at it. If you don't want to hear it, change the topic, or the channel. This doesn't necessarily just include religious examples. People fuss about kids seeing too much violence on television. So program what your kids watch or don't let them watch TV. (*Gasp*) No TV?! You mean they'll have to...use their imaginations?! Noooooo! What's this world coming to?
Okay, sorry. That may have been a bit sarcastic. Just a tad. But seriously, people. I feel like these days EVERYONE has to complain about EVERYTHING (kinda like I'm doing now). And if it doesn't change to their way, it WILL be taken to court and publicized on every news station and tabloid in America. And sadly, I feel that religion is the main thing that takes a hit. Well, that and guns, but that could be another subject.
In my opinion, we NEED religion. Yes, I said religion. In fully reality, I truly feel we need God, but I'm trying to take baby steps here. Religion gives people something to believe in. If you don't have religion, what do you believe in? Hopefully at least you believe in right over wrong. But there's got to be a reason for everything. Yeah, I guess science can give reasons. But even science doesn't have all the answers. There are holes in science that have no explanation. If there's a hole in religion, it's filled with God. No, it may not be fully explained to you, but God knows the answer and maybe you're just not supposed to know it at this moment.
I know there's this whole thing of separation of church and state. And that may be some people's goal in throwing a snit about a little girl not being able to explain what her name Faith means in school. But I feel the majority of the pot-stirrers want everything religious removed just so they can fight the system and win. What is the point? Why is God so threatening to you? Why is celebrating Him and His Son so taboo? Does it hurt you to hear His name? Why are you so hell-bent on eradicating everything to do with religion? Yes, in a way I realize I'm coming off a little patronizing and sarcastic with these questions, but at the same time I really would like for someone to tell me the answers so I can better understand. I don't know that it'd necessarily change my opinion, but I'd like to know why a professional football player has to turn his Jesus shirt inside out. It doesn't reflect on the entire NFL. It shows HIS views. If you don't want your children to be around an etching in stone on the wall of the school, is it because maybe, just maybe, you're afraid they might believe? Is that so wrong?


*I know that this post is kind of all over the place, and I hope that you were able to follow along with my train of thought, even when it took a couple detours. This is a little rant that's been a long time coming, and I tried to put it down as comprehensibly as I could, but it was flowing out of my mind through my fingers and I kinda just went with it.

Let's Hear it for the Boy!

God is AWESOME!!!

Yeah, I could just leave you with that and it'd be enough, but I'll elaborate just a smidge more. No, nothing really remarkable has happened lately. I just had this strong urge to let y'all know this (if you didn't already!). Far too often I tend to turn to God when I need Him. I have my usual prayers, asking for the general "watch over us and bless us" every day kind of thing. And that's all well and good, but it kinda hit me that I don't do a whole lot of praising, except maybe in church. Which is sad, because He is so magnificent and DOES bless us every day, though we may not see it right away.
Example: if you've read my last couple posts, then you know my family has been going through kind of a crummy time. That's the big picture I look back at at the end of the day. But throughout the days I find myself thinking (sometimes forcefully if it's been a particularly bad day) of good things here and there. The sweet smell of honeysuckle along a country road, the sound of my son's laughter, a glimpse of the breathtaking mountains, my husband singing (somewhat off-key, but hey...). There's so many wonderful things to thank the Lord for, and though I may appreciate it at the time I experience it, I don't think to thank Him for it. Instead, at the end of the day I complain about our "big picture" issues and do a quick "thanks" for our health and carry on.
I don't know about each individual's situations, and maybe you're having a string of bad luck, but don't forget to thank and give praise to the One who loves you enough to give you the chance to experience little things, the One who loves you enough to give you food and clothes and a home and family, the One who sent His only Son to take our sins on his shoulders and pay the price. Don't ya think He deserves it?



(*Just a side note: if you've been reading my posts for a long while over the last couple years, maybe you'll wonder why all of a sudden I'm seeming so "Yay, God!" lately. Again, no real special reason. I've just felt really compelled to write about it.)

(*Another side note: I hope and pray God has a sense of humor because this is the only title I could think of for this post!).  ;-)

I Won't Give You More...More Than You Can Take

In light of recent events, there's a thought that has kept going through my mind. I've heard it many times; I'm sure you have, too. And after having heard this quote over the years, within the past months alone I've heard it...debunked, I guess. I've struggled with this, because it was sort of my mantra in troubling times. I'm nowhere near an expert. I'm learning new things each day. So bear with me as this is just my take on this.

"God doesn't give you more than you can handle."

I've seen and heard people now say that this isn't true. That He does occasionally give us more than we can handle. That some things are just too much for any mortal to take. But I don't think that is true and it really bugs me that people are beginning to think this way. Sure, God gives us a lot. He tests us. He tries us. He takes us on tedious journeys that seem to take the long way around to our destination. But He's always with us. People think that they can't go on, they can't do it, because they don't call on Him. He's the One to give us strength to get through. If you don't believe, have faith, then you don't know His strength is there.

Think about Job. Job went through a lot. God allowed everything to be taken from him. His family, his wealth, his health. But he kept his faith. He did not turn away from God. And in return God got him through it. He rewarded him for his faith. If Job couldn't have handled it, well, it would have been a much different outcome. But how did Job handle it? Because of God. He gave it all to God. If it was God's will, then Job understood. This was just Job's test. And he passed with flying colors.

God tests us, too. Sometimes with little things. Sometimes with much, much bigger things. But do you ever think that maybe He gives us these tests so that we HAVE to call on Him or acknowledge Him? I guess, in a sense, maybe He does give us more than we can handle...if we try to handle it ALONE. But if we ask for His help and have faith that God is on our side then we CAN handle anything, big or small.

Remember: "If God brings you to it, He'll get you through it." (That's another mantra of mine!)

And I Just Want to Thank You

As I was talking to God last night, thanking Him for everything He has blessed us with, I started to tell Him about Jake. Now, obviously I know He knows ALL about Jake. But as I was going through everything, I just had to write it down. Before I write down my thoughts that I shared with God, I just want to explain something. I don't think I've ever really said a rigid prayer, other than the Lord's Prayer. I remember in Sunday school when I was younger we talked about prayer. I can't remember who was my teacher then, but some of us were asking "How do you pray? Is there a way to pray?" Part of the response was to in fact look back on the Lord's Prayer as an example. But then I remember the teacher telling us to just talk to Him like He's a friend, sitting right in front of us. He doesn't care how you pray, He just wants to hear from you. As often as possible. In the past year or two, I feel I've come closer to knowing God. And I'm not as uncomfortable saying it. Yes, I'll admit, though I'm a Christian, the act of talking about Him publicly made me want to change the subject. Psh...that was something done in church, right? I do still refrain at times, however, just because in certain situations I know there could be a debate. And it's not so much that I don't want to speak for Him and the Word, it's more that I know that I'm not educated enough on the subject to give a valid argument. But on here I can talk about Him all I want!
So back to the prayer. As I said, I don't go about it in a set "prayer." I kind of more, well, ramble...and let the thoughts of blessings and needs come. As I was thinking on how Jake was so sweet and cuddly yesterday, I began thanking the Lord for sending him to us and went on to thank Him for allowing me to have the privilege of watching him grow and develop. It really amazes me sometimes just watching him move about and learn. It seems every day he catches a new bunch of words out of no where and I think back and try to figure out where he'd heard them. You know the theory that if the children are quiet they're up to no good? Well, yes, a lot of times that is true here. But other times I realize he's quiet and I go and check on him, only to find him playing, usually talking to himself. I remember we used to hand him his phone and tell him "It's for you," and he might look at it then put it down. Then he began adding "hello" and "buh-bye!" to the conversation. Now he has whole conversations with "Papaw" when he's supposed to be cleaning up his toys! And speaking of, well, speaking...he's getting so articulate now and ALMOST has full sentences. He asks, "What's dat?" and if we don't know what he's talking about, he'll point to "dat" and say, "What's dat right dare?" to be more specific.
My little boy is growing up, and it's a bittersweet feeling. I don't like it, because he's becoming less and less a little boy I can cuddle and will fall asleep on my chest. Yet at the same time it is so astounding watching his mind work when he hears a noise and wants to know what it is or when he looks toys over to see how they work. It almost hurts to think about someone not getting the chance to experience all of this, and it's even worse when I hear of people who don't WANT to experience this. It is one of the greatest blessings God has given me...has given the both of us in this life and one that has forever made me grateful for each and every day.

We Found a Love in a Hopeless Place

I am completely and utterly a hopeless romantic. I loved the fairytales growing up...Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid (obviously the Disney versions, not the Grimm's Tales). The damsel in distress, the dashing Prince Charming coming to the rescue, true love's kiss...yep, I've fallen for it all. So is it any surprise that I hoped for this to happen in my life? Doesn't every woman to some degree want her white knight to come charging in on his noble steed? But we don't live in that world. We live in a world of hurt and lies and corruption at every turn. One has to wonder how we can even make it through.
Well, I stuck to my guns. Sure, I had a lot of letdowns and subsequent heartache. I mean, look at me...I don't have the petite figure and perfect features that were drawn by artists. I may have put on a happy face, but at the back of my mind I had my doubts my prince would ever come. I was going to have my fairytale, daggone it!
And I got it. I believed that there was someone out there for me. It took us a little while to find each other. Heck, my husband wasn't even really looking (not like I was, anyway). He had no intentions of ever marrying. But there's someone for everyone. I truly believe that. Soulmate is a mythical "being" that I believe is not quite so mythical. In a world where I think statistics show one out of every three or five marriages don't last, you have to believe that someone will take care of you when you're old and gray, even when they can barely take care of themselves.
I'm going to get religious on you (so atheists, don't read on!)...Noah took pairs of all the animals. They were the soulmates of the animal kingdom. Noah had his own soulmate as well on that ark. God made it that way.
Mike got me a new smartphone as an early Christmas present. As I was flipping through the apps I could download, I came across one that is a daily Bible verse (there's also devotions and more to the application, but for now I just use it for the verse to kind of give me something to think about each day). Today's verse? "1 Corinthians 13:7-8 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."
Certain recent events have hit me (and others) hard. And then this shows up on my phone. Some have given up on the situation, but I refuse to surrender. There is method to His "madness." We may not know what exactly, yet, but I can't give up on love. The Beatles had it right...all you need is love.

(Yes, I did end an entry referring to both God and the Beatles in one paragraph...)