Choices

Facebook is always a fruitful source of inspiration it seems. This post is to clarify lest I be misrepresented by other “ Christians” and their idea of “ Christianity”. You'll have to excuse the lack of precision. I have far to many things to do today however I knew that if I didn't post this now I never would.

Did not our God, the creator of the universe, give us free moral agency? The choice to accept Him or reject Him? What delusions of grandeur must we have to try and use a wicked and corrupt political system to bend others to our religious will? Do they not also have the right to choose?

If I remember correctly it was the pharisee’s that believed God was going to come back with a crown of gold riding a white horse to take back a Roman occupied Israel. But much to their dismay He did not change the world via vote or political petition. By gaining the favor of, or propping up some important world official. He didn’t rally an army or start a revolution. No. He brought us the morality to live through the example of his life. And he brought us the opportunity to know perfect freedom through His death. Note I said the “opportunity” to know perfect freedom. Jesus bled and died so that we can choose.

And yet so many people are caught up in the rigorous vacuum of trying to “protect” their religious freedom by legalizing their personal morality. Can’t people see that by making their own morality and religious code law then they are very likely crushing the religious freedom of someone else. It is impossible to make someone moral. We can threaten them with the use of force. We can strip them of their money, livelihood, and transportation in penalization to the point that they conform to our beliefs and morality. However this is a perversion of truth and anti Christ in every way. Christ does not say “Serve me or go to hell” He says “Love me for I am heaven”. Either you believe in religious freedom for everyone or you don’t believe in religious freedom at all. Now choose.

I know of a place...

"I know of a place where all is beauty and light. A place where ones mind is clear and heart is full. A place where we have need of nothing and yet have everything we could ever want. Where every question that ever plagued our minds in the dark hours of the night has been answered. Where all is just and right. This place is peace and perfection. It is heaven. I want to go home."

Very few times in my life have I passionately exclaimed my desire to "Go home". I'll admit those times were more often then not during material trials when life here on this earth was less then comfortable. I often couldn't help but wonder if I was wrong when so many wanted to flee to a heavenly home while I struggled with the urge to fight. Fight the injustice and the chaos surrounding me. Fight the religious hypocrisies that smear the name of my glorious Christ. Fight the temptation to curl up safe in my own beliefs and shut out the world around me.

The question in my mind was... Am I some how less of a Christian for my lack of heavenly longings? Is there something wrong with me because I don't ache to forsake what is around me for the end of turmoil that heaven affords?

Don't misunderstand me. I can't even fathom the joy I will feel the day I meet my Savior. Seeing face to face the one who held my life so tenderly will fulfill a longing in my soul that I don't even understand. A longing that He placed in me... And there is the explanation.

Just as Christ placed a longing for Him in my soul He also placed a compassion for the broken and wounded. Something that says, how can I long to flee this world when Christ himself chose to embrace the filth, pain, and exhaustion that we live in in order to offer me an escape? How can I literally say "to hell with this world" when I know that there is a peace and justice and morality that anyone could know if they just accept it.

"I know of a place where all is beauty and light. A place where ones mind is clear and heart is full. A place where we have need of nothing and yet have everything we could ever want. Where every question that ever plagued our minds in the dark hours of the night has been answered. Where all is just and right. This place is peace and perfection. It is Christ. I want to go home... And I want to take you with me."

Lovely

Lovely
Definition: Having such an appearance as excites, or is fitted to excite, love; (note it says "love", not "lust") beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.

This seems to be a word that has consumed my mind this week. Unfortunately it is not due to the necessity of it use, but rather the absolute lack thereof. Sometimes when I am exposed to certain situations it is in fact the antonym of the appropriate adjective that first jumps to my mind (for all of you wondering, I did brush up on my grammatical terms before writing this). This can be beneficial in two ways. One beneficial aspect of this phenomenon is that when normally I might find many other more negative adjectives to appropriately describe a situation, person, or thing, I instead think of the antonym. This helps me avoid the painful repercussions of mentally bashing someone with words I wouldn't dare say to them in person. Secondly, and I think more importantly, It offers an instant challenge to myself.

It is the law of contrasts. When faced with raging anger, composure becomes necessary. When faced with dishonesty we long to be seen as forthright. The sight of great anxiety makes us ache for serenity. And finally when I see the disagreeable and offensive behaviors of one functioning so completely out of their God given role as a lady, I can't help but to long for and morn for the cast aside, trodden down adjective... Lovely.

To be continued...perhaps...

Proof

Yes, it did happen. Yes, we all survived!

Arias very first picture. Just a few moments old.


Look at those blue feet!


First picture with Daddy


Mommies happy on the inside I promise.


First family photos









Time to go home!

Speechless? I think not.

During my morning perusal of facebook, gmail, and google news I came across something that you could say “struck a cord”. There, nestled comfortably between the troubling news stories about healthcare coercion and political puppeteering, is the story/advertisement of Justin Biebers new album and single. What caught my eye is the name of his new album. “Boyfriend”. After reading through the article I instantly opened my facebook to post about this disturbing information. However I soon realized that I had a little more to say and it was time to once again break out the soapbox.

I don’t know why I still wonder at the cunning of money minded people. I’ve seen too many times (as you will if you occasionally read the news) how money can motivate one to proceed with an action no matter how injurious it will be to other people. So I suppose in this situation what really stirred up the “fire in the belly” was when I realized that the the people who this astounding act of cunning will ultimately injure are young innocent girls.

How many a young girl, with her fluffy pink slippers and hello kitty pillow, tucked herself in at night with Justin Bieber playing on her ipod and thoughts of “If he was my boyfriend” dancing through her head. It is inevitable that when you feed on something long enough sooner or later a dependency will be formed. And eventually it will take all of your effort and time to try and satiate that hunger. Luckily for the starving Bieber fans he has thrown them a rather decadent morsel in his latest hit “If I was your boyfriend”. Unfortunately the rule of lust still applies and those young girls will never be satisfied.

It pains my heart to use the words “lust” and “young girls” In the same sentence but alas, this is where we are. As I’m writing this my baby girl is asleep on my lap so content in absolute innocence and unawareness and it makes me wonder. At what age do parents look at their child and stop seeing the innocent baby girl? When did we forget the meaning of “formative years”? They are called “formative” for a reason and just as we parents are responsible for our child’s health in what they physically eat we are also responsible for what they feed on mentally. Until a child is of an age of maturity and awareness to make these decisions for themselves parents are tasked to be guardians over their innocence. Not to create naive automatons, blind to world around them, but rather to disclose the evils that surround them, showing them the difference between right and wrong and making the right choice for them until they are able to make it for themselves.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTCm8tdHkfI

Thirteen, fourteen, ten, six, These are ages when innocence can be so beautifully represented in our flawed human race and yet no one is taking qualms at the fact that there is a direct effort weaseling its way into your home to seduce the minds and hearts of your little girls. What started as a “harmless” bieber craze has now morphed into something much more insidious in nature and now the thoughts of many a young girl have been made manifest in this new single “If I was your boyfriend”.

I wish that this post could end on a happy note. Unfortunately I see this situation as too dire to easily resolve a single blog post. If nothing else a closer perusal of this topic has instilled in me an even stronger desire to champion the innocence of my daughter and protect the purity of her mind until she is able to do so herself. By God’s mercy and grace may I be victorious.

Borrowed Angel

This tiny being
face of dew and milk
causing heavenly visions
with wings of softest silk




The delicate touch of cheek
the grasp of hand so tight
speaks of one who wrought you gently
despite His awesome might




What is this whispered heart song
that tugs upon my soul
you sing in silent voices
the song that makes me whole




Can it be this tiny being
indeed has captured me?
or rather through her life
I am made more free




Once hidden loves
have finally claimed their place
inside my very being
I now can see their grace




Grateful for this precious gift
to God my heart will sing
I give You back my angel
the one who gave me wings

Three months later

Okay so, I understand it has not been three months since my last post as my title might suggest. It has however been three months since one of the most momentous events of my life. Just three months ago our baby girl entered this world. God answered my prayers and made her arrival a calm, peaceful event and thus far her personality has followed suit. They always say the first child spoils you so that you are tricked into having another one. Though I am not racing to take that plunge again any time soon I have indeed been spoiled these three months with a pleasantly, plump, and placid bundle of joy who's temper only rarely finds occasion to surface. Tummy time and clipped finger tips being a few of those rare occasions.

Therefore with no further adieu I am going to celebrate these three months with a baby-bomb blog. This way I can satisfy eager family members without blowing up facebook's feed with pictures of my admittedly adorable Aria.

Here are some pictures from her 3 week shoot. Thanks Jennifer Hamilton!