So, I went to the mall with the fam on Saturday and was taken aback/bamboozled/caught unawares by the lack of clothing on many of the ladies.
Luckily, a) my son, Sam, was more interested in his frappucino and b) Providence was not there, but at a friend's party.
HEY LADIES!!! Cover thyself,. . to not do so is not only questionable. . . .its also out of style, which is obviously, most important.
Don't believe me?
(HT: Josh Harris)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Gloves off
Well, we've officially reached the point in the presidential campaign where the gloves have come off.
John McCain compared Barack Obama to Paris Hilton, as if that somehow makes him unfit for President. And, today, Obama put out an add condemning McCain for owning 7 houses. . . as if that somehow makes him unfit for President.
whatever. . . . . . .
I love it how every 4 years we hear that "this will be a different campaign!!!!", etc. . . .
Maybe we'll move on one day. At least there will be a bit of a reprieve during the conventions (at least in the way of t.v. ads).
Aaron
John McCain compared Barack Obama to Paris Hilton, as if that somehow makes him unfit for President. And, today, Obama put out an add condemning McCain for owning 7 houses. . . as if that somehow makes him unfit for President.
whatever. . . . . . .
I love it how every 4 years we hear that "this will be a different campaign!!!!", etc. . . .
Maybe we'll move on one day. At least there will be a bit of a reprieve during the conventions (at least in the way of t.v. ads).
Aaron
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
From the mouth of Babes...
It's been too long!!!!!!!!
But, alas the people want their toddler-wisdom. I aim to please.
Sam: Did Jericho have chimney sweeps?
Good question, Sam,. . . I"ll take it up with Dick Van Dyke, Mary Poppins, and Rahab!
But, alas the people want their toddler-wisdom. I aim to please.
Sam: Did Jericho have chimney sweeps?
Good question, Sam,. . . I"ll take it up with Dick Van Dyke, Mary Poppins, and Rahab!
Get anything out of it?
Alot of us interact with "sermons" or bible reading with the over-arching question "Did I/you get anything out of it?". This is not an evil question, but I think it is a question that is used by the evil one that causes us to: 1) dismiss certain parts of scripture 2) dismiss the teaching of the pastor God has put in your life at this present time 3) put ourselves on the throne of accepting/rejecting the truth of scripture (i.e. we judge the bible's effectiveness)
There are a few things to help us here:
1) All scripture was not written TO you. There is an immediate context of scripture that may not be your context. But, all scripture was written FOR you. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all scripture is "useful" and much more importantly, all scripture is "God-breathed".
2) The "getting anything out of it" mindset is a consumeristic mindset that doesn't view God's word as always practical, the teaching of it as helpful, and ourselves as always sinful.
We don't know what we "need to get out" of any text or sermon. God knows that. We're not always aware of what we "need" spiritually. So, perhaps we "need" what God is placing before us, right now.
3) Many times we are pushing out all God-sent messages except the one we want to hear. We keep our minds, hearts, and worst of all, joy from God until he answers "THIS question!". Perhaps God does not want to address that issue right now. Perhaps there is a deeper heart issue that God is after that is underneath your question.
Perhaps that heart issue is what this particular bible passage or sermon is about. . . . . . . .
---------------------------------
I'm not saying we don't read the bible with personal application in view. We should. There are bible passages that speak to specific situations that we might happen to be in.
This might even happen often for us in a certain season. . . . absolutely.
But, let's not take a season of "in-direct-ness" in our bible reading or church life as God being silent, or our preacher stinks, or church is boring, etc. . . . . . . .
Perhaps it is us who has put the wall up ("God you must speak to me in THIS way") and us who are blind and deaf to what God is saying to us as we sit there, bored. I'm not trying to be harsh, I've been there, (I am there right now, . . .as we all are in certain areas,. . . .no one has zero blind spots).
God is working/speaking/using things with the goal of making us more like Christ.
Aaron
There are a few things to help us here:
1) All scripture was not written TO you. There is an immediate context of scripture that may not be your context. But, all scripture was written FOR you. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all scripture is "useful" and much more importantly, all scripture is "God-breathed".
2) The "getting anything out of it" mindset is a consumeristic mindset that doesn't view God's word as always practical, the teaching of it as helpful, and ourselves as always sinful.
We don't know what we "need to get out" of any text or sermon. God knows that. We're not always aware of what we "need" spiritually. So, perhaps we "need" what God is placing before us, right now.
3) Many times we are pushing out all God-sent messages except the one we want to hear. We keep our minds, hearts, and worst of all, joy from God until he answers "THIS question!". Perhaps God does not want to address that issue right now. Perhaps there is a deeper heart issue that God is after that is underneath your question.
Perhaps that heart issue is what this particular bible passage or sermon is about. . . . . . . .
---------------------------------
I'm not saying we don't read the bible with personal application in view. We should. There are bible passages that speak to specific situations that we might happen to be in.
This might even happen often for us in a certain season. . . . absolutely.
But, let's not take a season of "in-direct-ness" in our bible reading or church life as God being silent, or our preacher stinks, or church is boring, etc. . . . . . . .
Perhaps it is us who has put the wall up ("God you must speak to me in THIS way") and us who are blind and deaf to what God is saying to us as we sit there, bored. I'm not trying to be harsh, I've been there, (I am there right now, . . .as we all are in certain areas,. . . .no one has zero blind spots).
God is working/speaking/using things with the goal of making us more like Christ.
Aaron
Monday, August 18, 2008
Abortion facts
So, I know most people don't want to talk about abortion these days. But, unfortunately there is some mis-information out there. So, I thought I'd bring some facts into the conversation.
There is an assumption being made that GWB has done "nothing" for the right-to-life issues over the last 8 years. Although perhaps not huge headlines, G-dub has been a part of some great decisions in that regard. . .here are some examples:
(HT: Joe Carter)
PROMISE: Prohibit federal funds for international family-planning groups that provide abortion-related services. (YES. By a directive issued Jan. 22, 2001.)
PROMISE: Sign legislation banning a late-term procedure opponents call "partial-birth" abortion. (YES. Nov. 5, 2003.)
Also, the "Born Alive Act" went through both houses of Congress. This act states that you cannot "finish off" an abortion if the child is fully outside the womb (conceivably because some mistake was made during the abortion).
As well, it should be noted, that abortions have gone down under President Bush. I'm not sure he deserves most of the credit for that, but with the "Freedom of Choice" act on the table right now, its important to note that a Pro-life president does have some influence over public policy/judicial decisions on this issue. By the way, if the "Freedom of Choice Act" gets passed in the future, I would have to think that abortions would undoubtedly rise.
-----------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Those numbers may seem a bit numbing. But, basically there were 400,000 less abortions in 2005 than there were in 1990 (and a decline from 2004 to 2005).
It's still reprehensible, . . but that's 400,000 lives.
Here's hoping and praying these numbers continue to decline until this is an unthinkable procedure.
Aaron
There is an assumption being made that GWB has done "nothing" for the right-to-life issues over the last 8 years. Although perhaps not huge headlines, G-dub has been a part of some great decisions in that regard. . .here are some examples:
(HT: Joe Carter)
PROMISE: Prohibit federal funds for international family-planning groups that provide abortion-related services. (YES. By a directive issued Jan. 22, 2001.)
PROMISE: Sign legislation banning a late-term procedure opponents call "partial-birth" abortion. (YES. Nov. 5, 2003.)
Also, the "Born Alive Act" went through both houses of Congress. This act states that you cannot "finish off" an abortion if the child is fully outside the womb (conceivably because some mistake was made during the abortion).
As well, it should be noted, that abortions have gone down under President Bush. I'm not sure he deserves most of the credit for that, but with the "Freedom of Choice" act on the table right now, its important to note that a Pro-life president does have some influence over public policy/judicial decisions on this issue. By the way, if the "Freedom of Choice Act" gets passed in the future, I would have to think that abortions would undoubtedly rise.
-----------------------------------------------------
(HT: Theologica)
USNews.com has an article on research from the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit group that focuses on reproductive issues. These findings were published in the March 2008 issue of the Institute's journal, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The actual number of abortions dropped to a new low, with 1.2 million abortions in 2005, compared to a high of 1.6 million abortions in 1990.[HT: Alex Chediak]The report does not include an analysis of why the levels have continued to decline. "We don't regard [the findings] as good or bad," Jones said. "It's a descriptive study."
The abortion rate for 2005 was 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. In comparison, the rate was 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 1981, 21.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 2000, and 19.7 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004.
------------------------------------------------------
Those numbers may seem a bit numbing. But, basically there were 400,000 less abortions in 2005 than there were in 1990 (and a decline from 2004 to 2005).
It's still reprehensible, . . but that's 400,000 lives.
Here's hoping and praying these numbers continue to decline until this is an unthinkable procedure.
Aaron
Saddleback Forum
Did anyone get to watch the Saddleback faith forum on Saturday night?
I thought it was 1) a great idea 2) executed well and 3) they should do it again. . . perhaps every 6 months :) (during the president's term in office) .
I must say that I came out of it liking John McCain more than I did before.
I still think that Obama is the superior orator, politician, and perhaps, thinker. . . . . But, I thought McCain got out of "robot mode" for a few minutes and shared his heart, and his beliefs in a clear and distinct way. I still think he needs to lose the "my friends" thing. But, I think he took a good step at this forum.
Anyone else have thoughts?
I thought it was 1) a great idea 2) executed well and 3) they should do it again. . . perhaps every 6 months :) (during the president's term in office) .
I must say that I came out of it liking John McCain more than I did before.
I still think that Obama is the superior orator, politician, and perhaps, thinker. . . . . But, I thought McCain got out of "robot mode" for a few minutes and shared his heart, and his beliefs in a clear and distinct way. I still think he needs to lose the "my friends" thing. But, I think he took a good step at this forum.
Anyone else have thoughts?
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