Shake Rattle And Sift

Finally I'm back; sorry it has taken me so long. There has been some issues with computer sharing in the household.
I have a lot of things rattling around in this mess of mind I have. I will try to sort some of them out here. Firstly I have been thinking a lot about the situations in Iraq and Syria.
I am dumbfounded at the disparity of the news coverage compared to Ferguson MO. James Wright Foley's execution finally caused the attention to come back to what is going on in Iraq. I can't imagine the pain Mr. Foley's family is going through right now but neither can I imagine the choice all those family's in Iraq are having to make just because they don't believe the same way a small group of people think they should. I am also puzzled as to why many Christians weren't saying much of anything about Iraq until they heard about other Christian's dying for their faith. How is it worse that Christians were beheaded and such those who are Muslim etc.? It seems to me it would be worse the other way around because at least the Christians have real hope beyond this life. I guess I am just plain disgusted with human beings right now.
Let me preface my next rant thusly; I try really hard not to be racist; I don't judge people based on what they look like or where they come from but prejudice is; I believe an inescapable human condition.
The situation in Ferguson has finally turned a corner. Last night was; at last, peaceful. I just find it odd and irksome that what made the difference seems to be that Attorney General Eric Holder came to town. Mr. Holder is black. I just have a hard time believing that a white Attorney General coming to town would have had the same impact as Mr. Holder's did. I also saw a poll on the news that 60% of black people approve of President Obama's response to what was going on in Ferguson. Really? He refused to come back from his vacation in an act of support until a white journalist was beheaded in Iraq; but that's okay. Why? Because he is a black president? Why was it okay for Obama to basically ignore what was going on in Ferguson; yet so a previous administration to be vilified for the failings of FEMA during hurricane Katrina? Why do people rage about inequality and then partake of it with the same mouth? Why is it okay to vote for someone on the basis of race alone then cry about racism?
See I think all of these things and have all these questions I am afraid to say or ask for fear that I will be criticized for these thoughts. I just don't understand the way people think. I know I can't understand what it is like to be black; to have the color of my skin be who and what I am before anything else. But does that mean I have no right to say anything? Does that mean I have no right to an opinion?
See, the way I see what happened in Ferguson wasn't " look what those black people are doing" it was " look what those angry people are doing". My concerns were for the families trapped in their homes and businesses that were unable to open or damaged or both. My fear was that the violence would begat more violence; that the anger would give birth to more anger. My fears were realized all to truly and my heart weeps for this country that our communities can so easily be divided and torn apart. In the depths of my being I mourn for the Michael Browns of this world. But even more my heart mourns each man, woman and child whose lives were brutally taken from them by ISIS. My heart is torn in pieces over the parents who had to watch their children starve to spare them torture and beheading. I can't fathom how a world can sit by and so little in the face of these things. How often we as humans bemoan what is wrong with the world rather than reaching out to do something about the things we can change.
I shake my head in sorrow and confusion as these thoughts rattle around in my head and in writing I am trying to sift out all the prejudice and hurt. I cry out to God for patience with my fellow man and especially my brothers and sisters in Christ when I see a lack of empathy for those who don't know the redeeming power of grace through Jesus Christ. My spirit bleeds a little each time I see a professing Christian judge another's sin rather than lift them up. My spirit mourns when I replay in my head things I have said in anger rather than understanding. How easily we spout Bible verses to condemn but forget the words of our Savior that He did not come into the world to condemn it but to save it. I cry out to God to help me see through His eyes and I as I do all the stuff I wrote above no longer matters.
I hope I have not offended any one; it is not my intention.
Grace and peace CAC

Ferguson Missouri; My Humble Opinion And Prayer

I live about 130 miles south of Ferguson so I offer this disclaimer; I am not in the middle of this only watching from afar. I also want to point out to anyone who may happen upon this that I am white and don't know first hand what it is like to be black. I talked to someone who has a tumbler account recently and she said everything she is seeing regarding Ferguson makes it sound like the police are bullying a bunch of peaceful protesters. Though there has been a lot of overreaction on the part of the police in the area; that is not he whole story. What happened to Michael Brown was wrong, awful, and possibly criminal. I would like to know how taking to the streets and burning down small businesses that individuals not involved in what happened is an appropriate response. How does all of this violence do anything to bring peace and comfort to Michael's family? Michael's mother has called for calm from the very beginning of this and if she can be patient and wait for an investigation; why then can't everyone? Many of those protesting don't even live in Ferguson; making crowds even harder for the police to handle. I get solidarity, I do. What I don't get is what looting and violence do to further solidarity. Surely there are other things we could be doing to speak to the injustice we see and feel. Prayer services and/ or letter writing campaigns come to mind. Yes, racism and discrimination exists and it is wrong. But I can't think of one example from history that the kind of behavior we are seeing in Ferguson right now has brought about positive change. Malcolm X abandoned his violent stance as did Nelson Mandela. Martin Luther King never approved of this kind of behavior and though he was murdered his family has carried on with that message because it is still a valid message. We cannot respond to ugliness with more ugliness. Peace begins in the heart of the individual who says " I will rise above the darkness, not become a part of it". There is so much that can be said on this topic, so much is wrong with what is happening right now. I urge all to withhold judgment until more is known. I do believe an independent investigation is a good idea so that the results will be believed by everyone. I found this video; he says things I think only a black man can say on the subject. Pardon the swearing here In closing I pray for peace and justice in Ferguson MO. I pray the truth will come out quickly and that somehow we will learn from this madness and tragedy. Grace and peace CAC

So This Is Why I Stopped Eating "Regular" Food!

I went to a Home Party for a popular kitchen gadget company last night and I decided to live a little and just eat what was being prepared instead of eating at home and refraining as usual. The demonstration dishes were a fake lasagna dish made with tortillas, canned sauce, etc. and a dessert pizza; which used a sugar cookie dough crust, whipped topping with cream cheese, pineapples, bananas, and strawberry ice cream topping. I only had a little slice of the dessert and a small serving of the main dish. I didn't even eat all the dessert. I felt like I had just poured a bag of sugar down my throat afterwords and today? Today I feel awful! OK part of it is the chair I sat in, and part of it is the weather changing but still- I feel like a giant slug, moving through freshly poured cement! I don't think I will be tempted to "cheat" again anytime soon, if ever. I don't like feeling this way!

On a diffrent note, I found this messing around online earlier today.
If you insert Jesus Christ where she says inside it is pretty right on. The direction our nation has taken is certainly scary, and if we stay on this course our future looks pretty bleak. If you don't regularly pray for our nation and our youth, I hope you will consider changing that. I know I will.
Yet still I praise God, for He is Worthy and He is our Hope and Help.

Did you vote? I did!

I have chosen to exercise my right as as citizen of the United States of America to vote my conscience. I am praying that every one else does the same.
There is a lot of smack talk going on out there and sadly much of it is coming from Christians. The message at our church this week was a continuation of I Corinthians chapter 13, explaining what love is. It was not and has never been a message on voting, candidates in the elections, issues, or anything else related to politics; as I believe is best for all churches. Your pastor has no business using the pulpit to proclaim anything other than God's Word. Does this mean I think Christians need to stay out of politics? It most certainly does not; it does mean I think we need to first understand that politics is a world issue, not an issue of the Kingdom of Heaven of which we are first and foremost citizens of. We have a kind of dual citizenship, and our citizenship in Heaven takes precedence over our citizenship in the world.
If you live in the United States you have the right to vote and with that right you have an obligation to use it. But you also have a power above any political figure to answer to, to ask for help and to count on in all times, hard, good or otherwise. I like the way John Piper puts it in the latter part of this video. He says some sort of controversial things in the beginning, but for the most part he is spot on.
. God is sovereign, and I'm sorry if you are one those people who would say this means God elected Hitler. God doesn't elect people, but His Word tells us in Romans 13 that He appoints the authorities that exist. Do I claim to understand why someone like Hitler was allowed to gain power and murder countless innocent people? No I do not understand, but I can find nothing in God's Word that tells me I must understand. I am only told to know He is God, and believe.
So vote, relax and trust that God is in control no matter who wins the election and lets refrain from rude comments and accusations to those whom we find didn't vote the same way we did, for as it was pointed out to me recently love is not rude.

New Presidential Candidate...

Subject:
New Presidential Candidate... It's someone we know!

Hi,

There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=52383&altf=Nbsjb&altl=Dbsexfmm

Jot back a note to let me know what you think!