Unlabelled

I am so glad that I am a grownup! My daughter is in middle school and has to deal with all of the labels that the kids give each other. Sometime over the past couple of years the friends from elementary school have separated into groups. They are labelled as brains, skaters, emos, preps, and jocks. She came home from school the other day very upset that her friends had now labelled her as a poser. Apparently they thought that she was a skater, but her new hair cut identified her as a prep. This meant that she must have been "posing". As she fumed over the immaturity of it all, Stacie Marie said, "Don't label me! I am not a can!"

I am so glad that grownups are past all of that... or are we? Long after our school days, aren't we still being labelled? We must fit into a group - conservative or liberal, Baptist or Methodist, white collar or blue collar, and on it goes.

Well, I am not a can! I don't fit any of these groups. I have my own unique set of beliefs that do not fit into the mold that others try to set. I do not pattern my political opinion after any party. I do not believe that the Church should be separated by denominations. I do believe that I can be anything that I want to be, just as at home doing manual labor as working in an office. There are no lines that should be drawn. No boxes that we should be put in.

Let's rise above the childish practice of labelling people and get to know the individual inside each one of us. Let's not follow the group, but set our own path.

Sunrise, Sunset

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

Yes, this is a wedding song, but it keeps going through my head as I think about my oldest child leaving home. Yesterday, he was just a little boy at play. Tomorrow, he will be a young man in the United States Navy. Where did the time go?

Jeffrey has been a blessing, a gift from God, throughout his life. He was born on April 6, 1992. God sent miracle after miracle as we survived a difficult pregnancy and then numerous surgeries during the first year of his life. It was just the two of us for the first couple of years, and even as a toddler he showed a deep level of caring towards everyone. A prophecy was spoken over him when he was dedicated to God that his feet would take him to the nations to share God's love.

At moments, though, I wondered if he would even live to do so. At the age of three, he had an asthma attack that nearly killed him. Again, at the age of six, he was hit by a mini-van when he ran into the street without looking. Although his body broke the windshield and dented the hood of the van, he walked away with only a scab on his elbow - looked like he fell off a bike. God has had his hand on Jeffrey's life from the beginning.

God has also given Jeffrey special gifts. Learning has always come easy for him - he graduated from high school with an advanced diploma and high honors. He has also been given the gift of leadership. From his fourth grade year, his teachers have nominated him for leadership roles in special programs. He was part of the Solomon Program at Hampton Christian Junior High. His friends look to him to lead the way. He has so much potential.

So, from the little boy who carried 20 matchbox cars in his pockets, to the young man who always has a hat to match his shoes, Jeffrey has grown to be a fine young man. I appreciate the respect and honor that he has given us as his parents. I look forward to the great things that God will do in his life. From the shy young boy who would not sing at his Kindergarten musical, to the young man performing on stage at music competitions, he has come a long way. I see now that God is preparing him to take His message to the nations.

I love you, Jeffrey, and am so proud of the decisions that you have made and the man that you are becoming!

Phillipians 1:3

I was sitting in my living room, enjoying the peace and quiet of a house with all of the children in bed, when suddenly I heard these words in my head, "I thank my God upon ever remembrance of you." I began trying to think of any people in my life that I could say this about... then I went to look up the verse...

What an awesome way to start a letter! Paul goes on to say that he prays for the church in Phillipi with Joy. Wow - most of us pray for people with deep moaning, crying, and tears. In fact, when I think back to prayer request time, it is a solemn occasion. So much bad news. What will we do?

Paul, however, prayes with Joy! Why? Because he is confident that the One who has begun a good work will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. There is no sorrow. The work is continuing. God will accomplish His plans.

We all have a list of people that we pray for, whether it be a spouse, a child, another family member, a friend, a coworker, or someone we know of. Next time you pray for these people, think of all of the reasons why you are thankful for them. Now pray for them as if (and it is true) God is completing a work in their life.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you!

No New Thing

I wrote this on April 16, 2007

The events that happened at Virginia Tech today are a true tragedy! Who could have ever imagined as they prepared to attend classes that something so horrific would happen on their quiet campus? Who could have foreseen the things that would take place?


In listening to the news and commentaries on what took place – on the gunman who took the lives of over thirty people – people are already trying to figure out why this happened. Questions exist such as what made someone do such a thing and what can we do to keep this from happening again? People are asking why and commenting on the worst mass killing to ever take place in our history. What is wrong with our society today that would create such a tragedy?

I would pose a different question: Is our society today really that much different than the generations that have come before? Is evil something new to the world? Are people behaving differently than they have since the beginning of time? Or are we simply looking to find a new reason for the evil and tragedies that have occurred through the centuries?

People have chosen to forget the reason that evil is in the world. In trying to take God and His truth out of society, they have chosen to forget that this world is an evil place and will continue to be so until Jesus’ return. Bad people will continue to do bad things. Unlike the humanistic view that man is basically good and circumstances (such as TV shows, music, or bad homes) make people do bad things, the truth is that man is born evil.

Only a generation past, evil people bombed a church in Birmingham, killing four young girls. Bad people slaughtered a family in California under the influence of a cult leader. Students were killed on and off college campuses across the country in protests and civil rights demonstrations. Assassinations of those who dared to speak up were rampant.

Less than a century ago, Americans lived in dread fear for their life because of the color of their skin. A teenage boy was pulled out of his home during the night and brutally murdered for daring to talk to a white woman. Lynching took place throughout the South; and yes, even the north, because people refused to stay “in their place”. Evil ruled the night in white robes and hoods.

Going back even further in time, Indian women and children were massacred by the white man for refusing to leave their land. An entire people were kept as slaves for the profit of the landowners. Mothers could not know if their children would be safe, or if they would even grow to become an adult, in a country that hated them.

And even further back in time, one brother killed another because of jealousy.

In the coming days, people will try to decide what made this tragedy happen and what we can do to prevent this from happening again. Yes, there may be temporary solutions in the increase of security or in changing the laws. However, the fact remains that man is evil and will continue to do evil. Not because of something bad that he saw or heard; not because of a bad childhood; but because man is born into sin.

The only hope lies not in the creation of tougher gun laws or locking our children safely behind barricaded doors and windows. Our hope lies in changing the hearts of man in the only way that works. Our hope lies in prayer and in changing man from the inside out. Our hope lies in the salvation of our God. Our hope lies in breaking the curse of generations and in turning as a people to the only real peace, the Prince of Peace.

What was true from the beginning of time is still true today. Evil exists. God’s Salvation exists. Which will you choose?

Ecclesiastes 1:4-11(NIV)
4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets and hurries back to where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. 11 There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

A Different Kind of Tea Party

As we near another election, people everywhere are excited by the Tea Party movement. This grass roots effort of ordinary people has become something to talk about. People are devoting their time and money, not to mention their energy, on becoming involved and "making a difference". They are fed up with the politics in Washington and want to put new people into office. "Take us back to the way things were," they cry! "Politics have ruined our government and the very core of our Constitution is under attack!"

Like them, I am concerned with the way that our government has been run. I am an American! I love the Constitution! I want to see our country go forward as "One Nation Under God". I have sent my husband off to war for this country, and now am prepared to send my son. I, too, am concerned with the direction that the country is going.

However, I am a citizen of another kingdom! My King reigns eternal, not just four years. Jesus has the power to bring about real change, change of the heart, eternal change. This kingdom includes people from all nations and all backgrounds. It makes no distinction between rich or poor, black or white, Democrat or Republican. Jesus only calls for His Church to love Him with all of their heart, and all of their soul, and all of their mind.

The Church, though, has turned away from its foundation. It's people seek politicians to solve their problems. They cry to be fed, but do not feed others. They cry for riches, but do not share with the poor. They cry for someone to love them, but do not share their love with the orphans and widows. They have become religious, squabbling over the law and the holy days. This, too, is the wrong direction.

What if the people of the Church found the time, money, and even the energy, to spend on the Kingdom of God? What if a Tea Party were to form of people who really love Jesus? These people would be concerned that we have changed from "the way things were." They would see that religion has ruined our Church and threatens the very core of our Covenant with God. They would understand that by changing hearts, all other changes will fall into place.

We need a Tea Party in the Church - something that will matter in eternity!