So much to be thankful for....

I am so thankful today. Yesterday I was filled with things I was thankful for and I would like to share them today. Number one, I am thankful for my salvation and my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am thankful that He receives me and blesses me though I do not deserve any of His blessings and I am thankful that His favor and love does not depend on my performance, which is quite poor most of the time.

Next I am thankful that by God’s providence, I have a home to share with my Christian brother. I am thankful He has used it to expand on my brother’s already very generous nature, but also to refine and improve upon our friendship as well as encourage one another in our walk.

I am thankful to His answered prayer for me to have Christian neighbors that are wonderfully giving, uplifting and a joy to be around. Having a talented cook/baker/chef is icing on the cake (pun totally intended).

I am SO thankful for the Christian family that has ‘adopted’ me. Marc and Deanna have been like wonderful brother and sister to me that have provided fellowship, wisdom and council. Stephanie and Monica are like nieces that are a joy to be around and I am blessed to be a part of their lives and be able to witness as they mature into adults. Seeing the respect they have for their parents, the maturity they display at their ages are a testimony to the biblical parenting that Marc and Deanna have done and are an inspiration I hope to emulate when I become a parent.

I am thankful to have been able to go to school for the past year and all the learning I have been able to do, which means I am even thankful for Algebra. I am thankful I have been able to get certified in scuba, learn how to play golf properly (not that I’ve improved but at least I have some fundamentals to draw upon). I am thankful that my car is paid for, in my name and has consistently been reliable in getting me to and from school as well as anywhere else I would like to get to.

I am thankful that my old friend Melissa is cared for and is far away from her abuser. I am also thankful that she is open to the bible and sees the value of God’s word and that she has seen the change that He has wrought in my life.

I am thankful for the experience of the death of my dear mother in Christ because it was the first time I had ever had the assurance of someone being with the Lord after their death. I am so thankful to have known her and for the testimony and instruction she blessed me with.

I am thankful that I still have a relationship with some of my family and that a number of them know Christ. I am thankful that I was able to see my cousin Vickie and Fred and Karen last summer. I really hope the Lord will make a way for me to visit them next year.

I am thankful I was able to see more concerts than I’ve ever seen in one year before (three).

I am thankful for many other things but I must get ready for Thanksgiving dinner now. I hope what I’m thankful might remind you of things you may have forgotten that you appreciate and thank you for reading. :o)

God Bless America or Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth?

Weeping and gnashing of teeth. I’ve read that numerous times and while it meant something to me, it didn’t have direct, personal meaning for me. It does now. I was at the mall today and I was filled with a great amount of sadness. I looked at all the people going about their consumer driven lives, children who grew up in a ‘politically correct’ America and have no idea of the freedoms and liberty they are now losing. My weeping is not external but my heart has been heavy just the same. Ever since reading about the horrible airport experience of a dear friend of mine (I will provide the link upon request) I have been in mourning for the demise of freedom in this country – and it’s barely audible whimper as it dies. I understand gnashing of teeth as well now because I’m so angry as the shackles are put on us. And we had it coming. “God bless America” bumper stickers proclaim. Why? Why should He? He blessed us with the founding of this country – He blessed us RICHLY for over 100 years! And then we kicked Him out. We have taken His mandate to not murder and declared it to be a right. We do not punish those that murder, instead we let them live. We have allowed over the past 60 years to have the declaration of independence to be a “living document” that gets reinterpreted every few years to meet the agenda of whatever political majority wants. The first amendment which was adopted back in 1791 was enacted originally to protect religions has, since the 1900’s been used to systematically take God and His word out of America, from removing the posting of the 10 commandments in local courthouses, to the banning of public prayer on city, state or federal property. Don’t get me started on Christmas trees. We promote sin to nth degree – from our own Sodom and Gomorrah called Vegas – what’s it’s nickname? Sin City. SIN CITY! We’ve flagrantly ignored His mandates, His wisdom and called them outdated and say that things change. “I the Lord, do not change” it says in Malachi 3. No, the only change is how much people allow sin and the only thing that changes is their tolerance of sin until their consciences are seared to numbness. We do all this and even while under judgment as we are now, we still say “God bless, America”. It’s akin to Parents leaving for the weekend, the children burning half the house down with a party that they were told not to have, wrecking the car, and then when the parents get home, instead of being repentant or feeling an ounce of guilt – greeting the horrified parents with a 10 page Christmas gift list – “Here’s what I want”. Yeah….. I don’t think so. Weeping and gnashing of teeth.

My apologies for the scattered way in which I’ve written this – I hope to do a better job next time when I am perhaps just a tad less passionate….

Here we go...

I don't know how long I've had this blog now but months later I am finally making my first entry. I hope those that are following this will add their e-mail to be alerted when I update - as "often" as I have blogged, they should have no worries about spam ;o) (Stephanie - I may be asking you for help on setting that up)

I have a lot of Linux labs to get through this weekend but I wanted to at least get this started and I will be doing at least one full post during my Winter break.