Sunday, July 27, 2008

Thinking...Again


Life in these United States is never boring. Right now my mind is football. Where else would it be for us cheese heads?!?

I'm still double minded on the whole Favre saga. I love watching him play, and I love the Packers. I think it is like the Joe Montana issue, but more so. Of course I'd love to see him put on his green and gold #4 for one more season and watch him lead the Pack to another Super Bowl win. Yet, I think if he wants to play than he should play, and if the Packer management is dumb enough to bench him, than he should fight to go to another team. It will be VERY hard to see him play for another team, but he is good enough that he deserves a starting a position. Still, it might be easier for me to move on and rally behind Rodgers 100% if Favre would stay retired. Right now it is just a mess and however it gets worked out is not going to be a perfect situation for everyone.

It was wonderful having my parents here. They brought my nephew with them, and that was a total blast and a half! Seeing them, showing Dad around my home, going down to NC to visit my Raleigh and Olin family, bonding with Carl. It all was a blast, but for those of you that know and love me, you can imagine that Carl was the highlight!

He is just such a sweet, creative, loving, fun, energetic 3.5 year old. I can't help but want to shower him with love all day long!

I just saw Prince Caspian yesterday, and I think the visit with my family was a lot like how Susan felt about being back in Narnia. It was great, but in the back of your mind you are cognisent of the fact that it isn't going to last forever and that casts a pall over the enjoyment. You try not to let it, but the thought still creeps in once in awhile.

So a lot of you may ask, if I put all my thoughts up here, why not talk about boys and what is going on in that area of my life. Well, the truth is when I get engaged I will tell you, before then if you want to know, e-mail me! This ensures that I get some e-mail in my life!!! =-)

I don't know why, but this summer I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be an American Christian in the 21st century. It is a great honor, and a hard duty as well. We live in a society that values personal freedom to believe as we want, and to choose to live in whatever manner we want, and other people better not tread on that freedom and shove their belief onto us. That makes evangelism tricky. Because we see the hurt that is going on, the fear of the future (in light of 9/11) and the need for Jesus, yet how to do you reach people that seemingly don't want to be reached, that want to live and let live? How do you show them that a decision to accept or reject Christ is the most important decision they will ever make?

I think that is why I'm so interested in apologetics. I think that we don't reach the world by shoving what we believe down their throats, but by rationally, intelligently and through love show them the errors and the lack of logic, reason and believability in what they believe. We need to show the world the holes in their belief systems. The holes that are so big a giant slips through.

I also think that it is imperative that Christians spend more time on their knees in prayer and that we learn to get along with each other. We are all united in our salvation- be it Baptist, Lutheran, United Methodist, Episcopal, or Pentacostal. We all have the same salvation, and we need to learn to be 1 in the Spirit. There is nothing that is a bigger turn off than dissension among the ranks, and the world sees our in fighting.

The world sees that we are no different than they are. Why be a Christian if it doesn't make a difference in lifestyle? What are really offering the world that is different than what we SHOULD be offering them? The world is starving for love, acceptance, security and a family. God offers that and much much more. Shouldn't we as Christians, as people called to be imitators of our God also offer the same?

Obama shouldn't be able to gain such a following, our prayer warriors should be on their knees day and night praying and then getting out there and educating the world on what he is really all about. We should have such a force behind us that good, strong Christians like Huckabee should be electable.

The military of America. So well trained and dedicated. And right now, so under appreciated. This war on terror, especially in Iraq is so decisive that we let our feelings about the justness of the war cloud our respect and gratitude and support for the men and women fighting the war, and training to go over there and fight for us. Our military should be made up of men and women that are celebrities, because what they are doing day in and day out and is worthy of acclaim.

Maybe going over like we did wasn't the best move. I don't know, I am not privy to all the classified intelligence, and neither are most of you. But I do know that we are doing a lot of good over in Iraq, and that the things are men and women in uniform are accomplishing are awesome, and that the liberal news people do not cover that. We hear the bad stuff- the numbers dead/injured, the bombings, etc. We don't hear about the schools started, the jobs offered, the homes/business repaired, all the advances going on. The wmd's that have been found (and there have been some). So next time you see a person in uniform, be thankful. Be thankful that we have men and women volunteering to do the unpopular and dangerous jobs. Because if we had to go back to the days of the draft our military would not be as well trained as it is today, and the dead/injured/MIA numbers would be a lot higher. We need to put aside our political views and start thinking about the people behind the numbers, and just what the effects of the news blurbs really mean.

Lastly I want to say that if you get a chance and need a show that helps you to just smile, watch Psych on USA network on Friday nights (10/9 central). It is about this guy (Shawn) who pretends to be a psychic to help the police solve crimes. It is smart, witty, fun, hallarious, just wonderful. It is in its 3rd season, and I love it!

Remember, that it is important for us to take time each day to just be with God. We don't always need to have something to say, because He reads what is on our hearts, but we just need to be with Him. Take time to fill up on the Holy Spirit, it is better for you than water or air, more refreshing than sleep. Take time to just be.

My love to all my brothers and sisters in Christ, and all my friends!

-JLK-

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