I have been thinking about this for awhile and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. I don't think Christians should treat Jesus' death on the cross as a shocking or surprising event. I think we should be amazed at the love God showed for us in that act but not amazed that it transpired. I'm not saying this because of the many prophetic messages spoken concerning Jesus' death and resurrection in the centuries leading up to the first Good Friday. I am saying this because this is what a loving God does. Yes, God is just and holy and I suppose some would say that He would have been completely within His right to just let us be lost for eternity. God is sovereign and in that sense...yes...He could have allowed that.
However...God is love (1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16). Should we really expect God to turn His back on those He created in His own image? After all, since God is omniscient, He knew before He even created us that we would fall away. He knew the consequences of giving us free will. So why would He create a people that He loved unconditionally only to see every single one of us lost for eternity with no hope of "life to the fullest"? Was the Father not going to rescue His children? Was the groom not going to come for His bride?
Even if not one resurrection prophecy had ever been uttered, we should have expected this to happen. Sure, we might not have expected it to transpire in exactly the manner it did but the fact that God came for us is perfectly in line with who God is and what God has done since the beginning of creation. Even today, I think most of us don't completely expect that God will come through for us. That is why we are reluctant to give over control of our lives 100%. But the cross stands as the most vivid reminder in the history of this world that God DOES come through...and we should continue to expect nothing less.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"It's a piece of junk"
This is my favorite commercial right now. I know the kid's line is probably scripted but I like to think it is a spontaneous comment.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Didn't Obama say something about there being room for all opinions?
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is firing back at Sen. Jon Kyl for calling for an end to economic stimulus spending, and they're aiming for where it hurts the most - at home in Arizona.
The White House on Tuesday released letters from four cabinet secretaries to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, citing Kyl's comments and outlining transportation, housing, Indian education and other projects in his home state they said would be eliminated if the senator has his way.
Kyl, the No. 2 Senate GOP leader, has said the stimulus spending hasn't succeeded in boosting the economy and that it's adding to the deficit. He's suggested on his Senate Web site and in interviews that spending not already allocated be halted.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, one of two Republicans in Obama's cabinet, made no attempt to conceal his needling.
Kyl "publicly questioned whether the stimulus is working and stated that he wants to cancel projects that aren't presently under way," LaHood wrote Brewer. "If you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to your state, as Senator Kyl suggests, please let me know."
LaHood noted in the letter that at least $520.9 million of the $48 billion for transportation projects under the economic recovery act are intended for Arizona projects, including transit projects in Phoenix.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Arizona would lose $45 million for 500 single-family housing loans if projects not already under way were canceled. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said the state would forfeit $73 million his department oversees, including $22 million for homeless programs.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a Westerner who formerly served with Kyl in the Senate, didn't mention the Arizonan by name in his letter, but referred to "some key Republican leaders in Congress." He said the state would lose $60 million for Bureau of Indian Education schools, among other money.
Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman said the governor wants Arizona taxpayers to "receive their fair share" of any stimulus dollars.
"We certainly hope that they're somehow not threatening Arizona's portion of federal funding based on their disagreement with Senator Kyl," Senseman said.
Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon, a Democrat, said he called Brewer's office requesting that the governor continue to accept stimulus money. He also sent letters to cabinet officials volunteering Phoenix to act as a fiduciary for all Arizona stimulus funds if Brewer were to turn them down.
"The Senator is 2,000 miles away," Gordon said at a news conference Tuesday. "We're here trying to build roads and put people to work."
Kyl didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
The president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry came to Kyl's defense, however, posting a column Tuesday on the chamber's Web site under the headline: "Don't Bully Arizona."
"It is one thing to joust with Senator Kyl over his position, but it is an entirely different matter for Cabinet secretaries to write letters to the chief executive of a state and threaten funding if support isn't provided," wrote Glen Hamer.
On Sunday, Kyl said of stimulus spending that "the reality is it hasn't helped yet." He said it may be years before all the money gets spent and that the economy could recover before then.
"Only about 6.8 percent of the money has actually been spent. What I proposed is, after you complete the contracts that are already committed, the things that are in the pipeline, stop it," Kyl told ABC's "This Week."
Last week, Kyl argued in a column posted on his Senate Web site that the economic stimulus program has been a failure. He said he agreed with those who "want to cancel the rest of the stimulus spending."
The White House on Tuesday released letters from four cabinet secretaries to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, citing Kyl's comments and outlining transportation, housing, Indian education and other projects in his home state they said would be eliminated if the senator has his way.
Kyl, the No. 2 Senate GOP leader, has said the stimulus spending hasn't succeeded in boosting the economy and that it's adding to the deficit. He's suggested on his Senate Web site and in interviews that spending not already allocated be halted.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, one of two Republicans in Obama's cabinet, made no attempt to conceal his needling.
Kyl "publicly questioned whether the stimulus is working and stated that he wants to cancel projects that aren't presently under way," LaHood wrote Brewer. "If you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to your state, as Senator Kyl suggests, please let me know."
LaHood noted in the letter that at least $520.9 million of the $48 billion for transportation projects under the economic recovery act are intended for Arizona projects, including transit projects in Phoenix.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Arizona would lose $45 million for 500 single-family housing loans if projects not already under way were canceled. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said the state would forfeit $73 million his department oversees, including $22 million for homeless programs.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a Westerner who formerly served with Kyl in the Senate, didn't mention the Arizonan by name in his letter, but referred to "some key Republican leaders in Congress." He said the state would lose $60 million for Bureau of Indian Education schools, among other money.
Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman said the governor wants Arizona taxpayers to "receive their fair share" of any stimulus dollars.
"We certainly hope that they're somehow not threatening Arizona's portion of federal funding based on their disagreement with Senator Kyl," Senseman said.
Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon, a Democrat, said he called Brewer's office requesting that the governor continue to accept stimulus money. He also sent letters to cabinet officials volunteering Phoenix to act as a fiduciary for all Arizona stimulus funds if Brewer were to turn them down.
"The Senator is 2,000 miles away," Gordon said at a news conference Tuesday. "We're here trying to build roads and put people to work."
Kyl didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
The president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry came to Kyl's defense, however, posting a column Tuesday on the chamber's Web site under the headline: "Don't Bully Arizona."
"It is one thing to joust with Senator Kyl over his position, but it is an entirely different matter for Cabinet secretaries to write letters to the chief executive of a state and threaten funding if support isn't provided," wrote Glen Hamer.
On Sunday, Kyl said of stimulus spending that "the reality is it hasn't helped yet." He said it may be years before all the money gets spent and that the economy could recover before then.
"Only about 6.8 percent of the money has actually been spent. What I proposed is, after you complete the contracts that are already committed, the things that are in the pipeline, stop it," Kyl told ABC's "This Week."
Last week, Kyl argued in a column posted on his Senate Web site that the economic stimulus program has been a failure. He said he agreed with those who "want to cancel the rest of the stimulus spending."
How can you NOT call the Democrat Party the party of death?
The Senate HELP Committee continued its markup of the Kennedy healthcare legislation yesterday. Several amendments were offered to protect conscience rights and to prevent funding or mandating of abortion. Sen. Orrin Hatch's (R-Utah) amendment to prevent funding of abortion failed. Sen. Michael Enzi's (R-Wy.) amendment to prevent the healthcare bill from mandating abortion coverage was defeated. Since there is nothing in this legislation to prevent mandating abortion as a covered service, it would be mandated--the Obama Administration health bureaucracy will see to that.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) also offered several amendments to the Kennedy legislation. His amendment to codify the Hyde/Weldon conscience protection law was defeated. His amendment to prevent the healthcare bill from preempting state laws on abortion was defeated. With the exception of Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the HELP Democrats voted against it. They opposed preventing this legislation from trumping various state laws, such as parental consent laws. One bright note, Sen. Coburn's amendment to protect healthcare workers' conscience rights with regard to euthanasia passed by a voice vote. The amendment ensures that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, including healthcare plans, are not forced to violate their conscience on the issue of euthanasia.
Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) amendment supposedly protecting conscience rights on abortion passed by a voice vote. This amendment says that no one should lose a contract with the healthcare Gateways because they refuse to perform abortion except in the case of emergencies. Given that the Democrats voted against the Coburn conscience amendment on abortion, which mirrors current conscience law, this amendment is a deceptive and even dangerous substitute for real conscience protections on abortion.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/new-york-legislature-votes-to-protect-roe-legalize-abortion-up-to-birth
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) also offered several amendments to the Kennedy legislation. His amendment to codify the Hyde/Weldon conscience protection law was defeated. His amendment to prevent the healthcare bill from preempting state laws on abortion was defeated. With the exception of Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the HELP Democrats voted against it. They opposed preventing this legislation from trumping various state laws, such as parental consent laws. One bright note, Sen. Coburn's amendment to protect healthcare workers' conscience rights with regard to euthanasia passed by a voice vote. The amendment ensures that doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, including healthcare plans, are not forced to violate their conscience on the issue of euthanasia.
Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) amendment supposedly protecting conscience rights on abortion passed by a voice vote. This amendment says that no one should lose a contract with the healthcare Gateways because they refuse to perform abortion except in the case of emergencies. Given that the Democrats voted against the Coburn conscience amendment on abortion, which mirrors current conscience law, this amendment is a deceptive and even dangerous substitute for real conscience protections on abortion.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/new-york-legislature-votes-to-protect-roe-legalize-abortion-up-to-birth
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tired
It's just one of those times when I am tired...mentally, emotionally and physically. It's not totally a bad tired though. It was a challenging week but I think I came through it in a strong fashion. I finished the week strong with an intense work day on Friday. It's always a good feeling to feel like you gave it your all and held nothing back. In those times you feel like you have honored your employer and yourself...and most importantly God. Running cross-country in high school taught me to finish strong because if you really kick it into high in the last 200-300 yards you can pass a lot of people who have nothing left in the tank. It also jibes well with Paul's analogy of running the race with perseverance. So, I try to take the idea of "finishing strong" and make it a part of every area of my life.
I tend to be hard on myself because God has given me a lot of abilities and I don't want them to go to underutilized in my life or in the lives of others. However, I think I have also become better at giving myself a break. I'm not chastising myself too much for just wanting to sit in the recliner and zone out a little...listen to some tunes...maybe write a blog. Piper doesn't have a TV because he wants to make the most of every moment of life that God blesses him with. I am sure he knows how to relax as well but I find that kind of internal pressure rather daunting. Yes, I want my life to matter as much as possible but I can't be as useful to others if I don't recharge the batteries now and again.
It was a week that brought with it a lot of deep conversations with friends. I met with two guys from care group one-on-one on Monday and Tuesday night. Those times are always blessed but can be challenging in that you want to ask the right questions and offer the right words to help them walk right with God. I found out that another friend's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Another friend lost his job this week - on the same day that his wife was quitting her job to go back to school. So there are lots of things swirling around my head and the prayer list grows.
I think I am weary of the news. Cap and trade...hate crime laws (I typed lies the first time...seems more appropriate to my subconscious I guess) that include sexual identity and behavior...health care reform...Pennsylvania's attempt to remove Jesus' name from legislature prayers...the list goes on and on. Some of that is necessary for my job and some is necessary to be aware of the ongoing spiritual battle for the souls of this nation. But it can become overwhelming at times and doesn't always seem terribly productive. I can't know everything and can't be involved in everything so where do I draw the line? Maybe I will get rid of my TV at some point...thought I would miss sporting events which is one of the most wholesome escapes I have.
The good news is that God has granted me solid sleep lately with the aid of generic cherry-flavored Ny-quil. Praise the Lord for that. You can't put a price on peace.
I tend to be hard on myself because God has given me a lot of abilities and I don't want them to go to underutilized in my life or in the lives of others. However, I think I have also become better at giving myself a break. I'm not chastising myself too much for just wanting to sit in the recliner and zone out a little...listen to some tunes...maybe write a blog. Piper doesn't have a TV because he wants to make the most of every moment of life that God blesses him with. I am sure he knows how to relax as well but I find that kind of internal pressure rather daunting. Yes, I want my life to matter as much as possible but I can't be as useful to others if I don't recharge the batteries now and again.
It was a week that brought with it a lot of deep conversations with friends. I met with two guys from care group one-on-one on Monday and Tuesday night. Those times are always blessed but can be challenging in that you want to ask the right questions and offer the right words to help them walk right with God. I found out that another friend's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Another friend lost his job this week - on the same day that his wife was quitting her job to go back to school. So there are lots of things swirling around my head and the prayer list grows.
I think I am weary of the news. Cap and trade...hate crime laws (I typed lies the first time...seems more appropriate to my subconscious I guess) that include sexual identity and behavior...health care reform...Pennsylvania's attempt to remove Jesus' name from legislature prayers...the list goes on and on. Some of that is necessary for my job and some is necessary to be aware of the ongoing spiritual battle for the souls of this nation. But it can become overwhelming at times and doesn't always seem terribly productive. I can't know everything and can't be involved in everything so where do I draw the line? Maybe I will get rid of my TV at some point...thought I would miss sporting events which is one of the most wholesome escapes I have.
The good news is that God has granted me solid sleep lately with the aid of generic cherry-flavored Ny-quil. Praise the Lord for that. You can't put a price on peace.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wow...what a sham
When you are a Democrat administration and HELEN THOMAS is calling you out...you know something is terribly, terribly wrong.
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