Yesterday was National PTSD Day, a day for the country to gain awareness about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a problem for SO many people (including myself), and it is very misunderstood.
Part of the problem is that the media doesn't it, and television writers don't take the time to check their facts. PTSD is the new buzzword, everyone wants to use it, but no one wants to take the time to learn about it. The cop dramas are the worst. For example, I was watching a show a couple of months ago and the police officer was quoted as saying " I showed up to the victim's house and she was showing signs of PTSD..."
Well, the victim had just been raped, she couldn't be showing signs of PTSD! PTSD is POST traumatic stress disorder. You can't be diagnosed unless the event is at least 30 days in the past. From day 1-29 it is ACUTE stress disorder. To learn this all anyone has to do is pick up the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, aka the Bible for psychologists and therapists) and look it up. Takes less than 5 minutes.
I know this is a small thing, but learning what PTSD really is is important. By learning about it we can learn how to help people, we can learn how to cope, and we just become better informed citizens.
-JLP-
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
I Can Only Guess...
I love to write and I have always dreamed of being a poet or a song writer, but those are not gifts that God has given me. I am more of a prose person. Yet, I can admire the words penned by the great song writers. One of my favorite songs is " I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe.
The truth of the song rings loud and clear. We can only imagine what Heaven will be like. God has given us glimpses of Heaven, but what we can imagine and glean from those glimpses is nothing compared to what Heaven is really like.
Heaven is where God has chosen to rule and reign, to make His home. When we get there we will first have to face judgment. Not for our sins, because being Christians we are forgiven and our place in Heaven is secure. But we will have to give an accounting for how faithful we were, did we live for Him, did we show Christ how thankful we were for our salvation, and how much we worked to help bring others to salvation?
After our encounter, where I fear we will all be humbled, we will enter the realms. We will see loved ones, meet the saints of history, walk past the crystal sea as we find ourselves drawn to the Throne Room to fall and worship our Lord. It is then that we will shout "Glory! Praise Jesus! Alleluia! Holy! Holy is the Lamb!"
There will be no more tears for us, we will be too busy for that. Too busy in the presence of our Lord.
I also think our questions will be answered in time. We will find out that God does indeed have a sense of humor, we will find out just what certain passages in the Bible mean, and we will know if Adam and Eve had belly buttons!
I can only imagine how we will fill the days, weeks, months, years, millenia. I can only imagine how amazing it will be. To be surrounded by the glory that is God, to be with the souls that love and serve Him, to meet the angels, to see unblemished, untarnished beauty, to get to worship my Lord and learn what true worship is. Heaven is a wonderful place!
I can only imagine a dim view of Heaven, but I know that someday my imagining will be over and He will call me home, till then I pray for help as I journey through life and try to earn a "Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome home!"
-JLP-
The truth of the song rings loud and clear. We can only imagine what Heaven will be like. God has given us glimpses of Heaven, but what we can imagine and glean from those glimpses is nothing compared to what Heaven is really like.
Heaven is where God has chosen to rule and reign, to make His home. When we get there we will first have to face judgment. Not for our sins, because being Christians we are forgiven and our place in Heaven is secure. But we will have to give an accounting for how faithful we were, did we live for Him, did we show Christ how thankful we were for our salvation, and how much we worked to help bring others to salvation?
After our encounter, where I fear we will all be humbled, we will enter the realms. We will see loved ones, meet the saints of history, walk past the crystal sea as we find ourselves drawn to the Throne Room to fall and worship our Lord. It is then that we will shout "Glory! Praise Jesus! Alleluia! Holy! Holy is the Lamb!"
There will be no more tears for us, we will be too busy for that. Too busy in the presence of our Lord.
I also think our questions will be answered in time. We will find out that God does indeed have a sense of humor, we will find out just what certain passages in the Bible mean, and we will know if Adam and Eve had belly buttons!
I can only imagine how we will fill the days, weeks, months, years, millenia. I can only imagine how amazing it will be. To be surrounded by the glory that is God, to be with the souls that love and serve Him, to meet the angels, to see unblemished, untarnished beauty, to get to worship my Lord and learn what true worship is. Heaven is a wonderful place!
I can only imagine a dim view of Heaven, but I know that someday my imagining will be over and He will call me home, till then I pray for help as I journey through life and try to earn a "Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome home!"
-JLP-
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Church and State in the USA
This Spring we heard much ado about high school graduates that wanted to mention the Christian God (the one true God) in their speeches and the speeches were censored by school officials, due to "separation of church and state" issues. The 21st century is a century in which Christians are not allowed to mention their religion, but if Christians are to cry "OFFENSIVE" when a Muslim, Humanist or Atheist mentions their beliefs, it is called intolerance. The censorship of God is NOT what the Founding Fathers meant when the clause was put into the Constitution.
Ammendment One (in the Bill of Rights) of the US Constitution states
" Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The fact of the matter is that Congress, (aka the government) can't force me to believe something. They can't come into my house and tell me that my belief system is wrong. That is it. The same amendment gives me free speech. I can say what I want where I want and the government (in all of its forms) can't stop me. That means that public schools shouldn't censor speeches.
Talking about Christ in a speech, posting the 10 Commandments, mentioning Heaven, putting crosses on the side of the road, NONE of that is forcing YOU to believe what I do. YOU are free to exhibit your religious artifacts. YOU are free to mention what you believe in a speech you give.
America is about freedom to be yourself. It is about pluralism. It shouldn't be about censorship because you don't like what I have to say. Hey, you probably own an iPod, use it if you don't want to listen, that is your choice. The 1st Amendment was penned to allow people freedom, just because you choose to not believe doesn't give you the right to take away my freedom and my right to talk about my beliefs, where and when I want.
-JLP-
Ammendment One (in the Bill of Rights) of the US Constitution states
" Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The fact of the matter is that Congress, (aka the government) can't force me to believe something. They can't come into my house and tell me that my belief system is wrong. That is it. The same amendment gives me free speech. I can say what I want where I want and the government (in all of its forms) can't stop me. That means that public schools shouldn't censor speeches.
Talking about Christ in a speech, posting the 10 Commandments, mentioning Heaven, putting crosses on the side of the road, NONE of that is forcing YOU to believe what I do. YOU are free to exhibit your religious artifacts. YOU are free to mention what you believe in a speech you give.
America is about freedom to be yourself. It is about pluralism. It shouldn't be about censorship because you don't like what I have to say. Hey, you probably own an iPod, use it if you don't want to listen, that is your choice. The 1st Amendment was penned to allow people freedom, just because you choose to not believe doesn't give you the right to take away my freedom and my right to talk about my beliefs, where and when I want.
-JLP-
Friday, June 17, 2011
Celebrating Passover
As Christians our heritage is that of Christ, and Christ's heritage is Jewish. It seems logical that we would not just celebrate Christ's birth, life and death, but we should celebrate what He celebrated. All the feasts of Judaism point to Him, point to God, and are instituted to teach us something, to help us grow in Him.
The most well known of the Jewish observances is probably Passover, and it is a very old observance, coming from the days when Egypt was a great empire. Even way back then God was working out His plan, God was working toward His ultimate act of salvation.
The Passover when understood and observed correctly clearly alludes to Christ and His work on the cross. It is no coincidence that Christ was crucified during Passover week. Just as in the ancient days a lamb was slaughtered and his blood painted on the doors, Christ was slaughtered the same time of year and His blood covers all the hearts that choose to follow, to do God's will.
Celebrating Passover is solemn and joyous. It shows us just how God protected His people, how God protects us. It shows us His righteousness and His mercy and love. The Passover is a Jewish celebration because it marks when God delivered them from Egypt and they began the journey to the Promised Land. It is also a Christian celebration because it shows how God was working out salvation, it shows us in a real, tangible way the price that was paid for each of us, for our sins.
I encourage all Christian families to look into the Jewish celebrations, to celebrate and observe what Christ, and thereby getting to know Christ not only as Savior, but Christ the man, the Jew, the only one without blemish, without sin.
-JLP-
The most well known of the Jewish observances is probably Passover, and it is a very old observance, coming from the days when Egypt was a great empire. Even way back then God was working out His plan, God was working toward His ultimate act of salvation.
The Passover when understood and observed correctly clearly alludes to Christ and His work on the cross. It is no coincidence that Christ was crucified during Passover week. Just as in the ancient days a lamb was slaughtered and his blood painted on the doors, Christ was slaughtered the same time of year and His blood covers all the hearts that choose to follow, to do God's will.
Celebrating Passover is solemn and joyous. It shows us just how God protected His people, how God protects us. It shows us His righteousness and His mercy and love. The Passover is a Jewish celebration because it marks when God delivered them from Egypt and they began the journey to the Promised Land. It is also a Christian celebration because it shows how God was working out salvation, it shows us in a real, tangible way the price that was paid for each of us, for our sins.
I encourage all Christian families to look into the Jewish celebrations, to celebrate and observe what Christ, and thereby getting to know Christ not only as Savior, but Christ the man, the Jew, the only one without blemish, without sin.
-JLP-
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Pregnancy Surprises
So, I'm not all that far along yet, just a couple of months, but pregnancy is already surprising me! It was amazing to go to our first ultrasound, and to have D along. We could see the heart beating. Our baby had a strong heart beat, that we could see! Modern technology at its best!
What I should have been prepared for, but wasn't was "morning sickness". M.S. is a CRUEL name that I'm sure was given by a MALE! For the past 10 days I haven't been able to venture much beyond the master suite. It has been awful, and it lasts ALL the time! Finally, I am starting to feel more like myself, and I am even going to head back to work this evening for a short shift.
It just took me for a loop and surprised me how pregnancy sickness (my term) can strike and take hold. I know I have a compromised immune system already, but gee whiz! Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end when in early January (new due date) I get to hold our baby.
Another surprise for me is just how scary and humbling it is to become a parent. WE are in charge of this little life. It is OUR job to raise the child to be a good citizen, but most of all to love and serve the Lord. No longer will I get to just be the Aunt, Nanny, Teacher or Friend. D and I are going to be PARENTS. For better or worse, our wisdom, our choices will affect this little child.
WOW!!! Thank you Lord for trusting us with this little life, with one of your beloved children. Help us to raise the child to love and serve You. Help us to surround our child with love, space, creativity and everything that he/she deserves as one of yours.
-JLP-
What were your reactions when you learned that you were pregnant for the first time? Were they as jumbled as mine are???
What I should have been prepared for, but wasn't was "morning sickness". M.S. is a CRUEL name that I'm sure was given by a MALE! For the past 10 days I haven't been able to venture much beyond the master suite. It has been awful, and it lasts ALL the time! Finally, I am starting to feel more like myself, and I am even going to head back to work this evening for a short shift.
It just took me for a loop and surprised me how pregnancy sickness (my term) can strike and take hold. I know I have a compromised immune system already, but gee whiz! Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end when in early January (new due date) I get to hold our baby.
Another surprise for me is just how scary and humbling it is to become a parent. WE are in charge of this little life. It is OUR job to raise the child to be a good citizen, but most of all to love and serve the Lord. No longer will I get to just be the Aunt, Nanny, Teacher or Friend. D and I are going to be PARENTS. For better or worse, our wisdom, our choices will affect this little child.
WOW!!! Thank you Lord for trusting us with this little life, with one of your beloved children. Help us to raise the child to love and serve You. Help us to surround our child with love, space, creativity and everything that he/she deserves as one of yours.
-JLP-
What were your reactions when you learned that you were pregnant for the first time? Were they as jumbled as mine are???
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