Sec. 102, (c)(2) SEPARATE, EXCEPT COVERAGE PERMITTED: Excepted benefits will be allowed (as per section 2791(c), which I regret I still have not found), but they are not included within health insurance coverage as is defined by this bill. Such benefits have to be offered and priced separately from health insurance coverage (I'm not sure, but I think this is saying that we would have to possess supplemental insurance).
Sec. 111. PROHIBITING PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSIONS: This section makes it sound as if no pre-existing conditions shall be excluded. I could be wrong, but that's my understanding.
Sec. 112. GUARANTEE ISSUE AND RENEWAL FOR INSURED PLANS: It gives the only reason for possible withdrawal of coverage from a recipient would be for the cause of insurance fraud and it cites sections 2712(b)(2) of the Public Health Service Act.
Sec. 113. INSURANCE RATING RULES: The following exceptions are given as a reason to change the premium rate:
(1) Age: The Commissioner will set the parameters, but variation by age will be permitted. However, as long as the highest premium does not exceed the lowest premium of 2 to 1.
(2) Area: A premium rating area will apply, which will be specified as by the Commissioner in conjunction with State regulators.
(3) Family Enrollment: The ratio for the premium for family coverage shall remain in uniformity with the individual premium, consistent with rules of the Commissioner (So does that mean when one premium goes up, the other must also be raised?).
(b)(1) Study and Reports, STUDY: "The Commissioner...with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of Labor, shall conduct a study of the large group insured and self-insured employer health care markets. Such study shall examine the following:
(A) (paraphrased) Different types of employers and what insurance products they purchase vs. those that self-insure;
(B) Similarities and differences between typical insured and self-
insured health plans;
(C) The financial solvency and capital reserve levels of employers that
self-insure by employer size (Okay, why is this ANY of their business? It would
sound as if they were doing this to set parameters that have to be met and if not, the public option would be forced upon certain employers);
(D) The risk of self-insured employers not being able to pay obligations
or otherwise becoming financial insolvent (Again, see my parenthetical comment above. I call this "micromanagement");
(E) The extent to which rating rules are likely to cause adverse selection in the large group market or to encourage small and mid-size employers to self-insure.
(b)(2) REPORTS: "...the Commissioner shall submit to Congress...a report on the study conducted after (1). Such report shall...ensure that the law does not provide incentives for small and mid-size employers to self-insure or create adverse selection in the risk pools of large group insurers and self-insured employers..."
Sec. 114. NONDISCRIMINATION IN BENEFITS; PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER BENEFITS.
According to subsection (a)(b), there cannot be a withholding of benefits or
benefit structures for qualifying health benefits plans in regard to such persons (my abbreviated understanding of these two subsections).
Sec. 122. ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PACKAGE DEFINED:
(b) Minimum Services to be Covered: hospitalization; outpatient hospital and outpatient clinic services, including ER services; professional services of doctors and other health care professionals; services, equipment and supplies in connection with the doctor's or health care professional's services rendered whether in the hospital, clinic, patients' homes or other settings, as appropriate; prescription drugs; rehab and habitative services; mental health and substance abuse services; preventive services; maternity care; well baby and well child care, oral, vision, and hearing services, equipment and supplies for children under 21 years of age.
(c) Requirements Relating to Cost-Sharing and Minimum Actuarial Value:
(1) NO COST-SHARING FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES - means exactly
that (I don't fully understand. I still think this means that it's not allowing
your secondary or tertiary coverage to pick up where your primary coverage
leaves off. If you have a greater knowledge of this, please clue me in).
(2) ANNUAL LIMITATION - As you all know, there are usual yearly
limitations with certain health care plans.
(3) APPLICABLE LEVEL - $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a
family. "Such levels shall be increased (rounded to the nearest $100) for
each subsequent year by the annual percentage increase in the Consumer
Price Index..."
(4) USE OF COPAYMENTS - "In establishing cost-sharing levels for
basic, enhanced, and premium plans under this subsection, the Secretary
shall, to the maximum extent possible, use only copayments and not
coinsurance.
Sec. 123. HEALTH BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: In a nutshell, this committee shall be a "panel of medical and other experts...to recommend covered benefits and essential, enhanced, and premium plans." It shall be chaired by the Surgeon General. The members shall be made up of 9 members who are not Federal employees or officers and will be appointed by the President. Nine members who are not Federal employees...appointed by the Comptroller General appoints members to the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee..." An even number of members (not to exceed 8) who ARE Federal employees and officers, will be appointed by the President.
These members will serve on the Committee in 3-year terms. The members ranks will be comprised of "providers, consumer representatives, employers, labor, health insurance issuers, experts in health care financing and delivery, experts in racial and ethnic disparities, experts in care for those with disabilities, representatives of relevant governmental agencies, and at least on practicing physician or other health professional and an expert on children's health." They claim that this broad spectrum of representatives is to ensure that no single sector unduly influences the recommendations of such Committee."
Okay, y'all, NO MAS! I can't handle anymore of this for now. I'll be back after sleep and much caffeine.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Universal Health Care Blogging - Part 2
Title I - Protections and Standards for Qualified Health Benefits Plan:
Subtitle A, Sec. 101: Requirements reforming health insurance marketplace:
(b) Requirements for Qualified Health Benefits Plans - On or after the first day of Y1 (Y1, Y2, Y3, etc. represent years beginning 2013 and subsequent years, respectively. Y1 will be 2013), a health benefits plan shall not be a qualified health benefits plan under the division unless the plan meets the applicable requirements of the following subtitles for the type of plan and plan year involved:
(1) Subtitle B (relating to affordable health care coverage);
(2) Subtitle C (relating to essential benefits);
(3) Subtitle D (relating to consumer protection).
*Folks, I have no idea how the the aforementioned Subtitles B, C, and D are defined. When you look up the link, it refers you to a Article section and provision which are not conveniently located in the physical bill.
(c) Terminology:
(1) Enrollment in Emloyement-Based Health Plans (You will be
considered "enrolled" with an employer if you are either a participant or a
beneficiary).
(2) Individual and Group Health Insurance Coverage - Individual and
group health care insurance mean health insurance offered in the individual
market as it pertains to Section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act (This is
the type of stuff I cannot trace down and define here at the house on my
own. I need to have access to the law firm's library at work before I can
figure out what this means. The authors of this bill were not kind enough to
put it in her for us, best I can tell).
Sec. 102: Protecting the Choice to Keep Current Coverage:
(a) Grandfathered Health Insurance Coverage - an individual health care coverage that is in force and effect before the first day of Y1 (2013) under these preconditions:
(A) IN GENERAL: One will not be considered enrolled if the first
effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of 2013.
(B) DEPENDENT COVERAGE PERMITTED: A subsequent dependent
of an enrolled person as in (A) is not subject to that subsection. (In my
understanding this would mean a new baby, adopted child, or spouse.
However, I am not certain of that).
(2) Limitation on Changes and Terms or Conditions: ...the issuer
does not change any of its terms or conditions, including benefits and
cost-sharing, from those in effect as of the day before the first day of
Y1 (2013).
(3) Restrictions on Premium Increases: "The issuer cannot vary the
...increase in the premium for a risk group of enrollees in specific
grandfathered health care coverage without changing the premium for
all enrollees in the same risk group at the same rate (if one is affected,
all must be)."
(b)(1) GRACE PERIOD (for Current Employment-Based Health Plans)
(A) IN GENERAL: The Commissioner shall establish a grace period
whereby, for the years beginning at the end of the 5-year period beginning
with Y1, an employment-based health plan in operation as of the day before
the first day of Y1 must meet the same requirements as apply to a qualified
health benefits plan under Section 101, including the essential benefit
package requirement under Section 121.
I'm signing off here, folks. This stuff will cook your brain like an egg after so long.
Subtitle A, Sec. 101: Requirements reforming health insurance marketplace:
(b) Requirements for Qualified Health Benefits Plans - On or after the first day of Y1 (Y1, Y2, Y3, etc. represent years beginning 2013 and subsequent years, respectively. Y1 will be 2013), a health benefits plan shall not be a qualified health benefits plan under the division unless the plan meets the applicable requirements of the following subtitles for the type of plan and plan year involved:
(1) Subtitle B (relating to affordable health care coverage);
(2) Subtitle C (relating to essential benefits);
(3) Subtitle D (relating to consumer protection).
*Folks, I have no idea how the the aforementioned Subtitles B, C, and D are defined. When you look up the link, it refers you to a Article section and provision which are not conveniently located in the physical bill.
(c) Terminology:
(1) Enrollment in Emloyement-Based Health Plans (You will be
considered "enrolled" with an employer if you are either a participant or a
beneficiary).
(2) Individual and Group Health Insurance Coverage - Individual and
group health care insurance mean health insurance offered in the individual
market as it pertains to Section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act (This is
the type of stuff I cannot trace down and define here at the house on my
own. I need to have access to the law firm's library at work before I can
figure out what this means. The authors of this bill were not kind enough to
put it in her for us, best I can tell).
Sec. 102: Protecting the Choice to Keep Current Coverage:
(a) Grandfathered Health Insurance Coverage - an individual health care coverage that is in force and effect before the first day of Y1 (2013) under these preconditions:
(A) IN GENERAL: One will not be considered enrolled if the first
effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of 2013.
(B) DEPENDENT COVERAGE PERMITTED: A subsequent dependent
of an enrolled person as in (A) is not subject to that subsection. (In my
understanding this would mean a new baby, adopted child, or spouse.
However, I am not certain of that).
(2) Limitation on Changes and Terms or Conditions: ...the issuer
does not change any of its terms or conditions, including benefits and
cost-sharing, from those in effect as of the day before the first day of
Y1 (2013).
(3) Restrictions on Premium Increases: "The issuer cannot vary the
...increase in the premium for a risk group of enrollees in specific
grandfathered health care coverage without changing the premium for
all enrollees in the same risk group at the same rate (if one is affected,
all must be)."
(b)(1) GRACE PERIOD (for Current Employment-Based Health Plans)
(A) IN GENERAL: The Commissioner shall establish a grace period
whereby, for the years beginning at the end of the 5-year period beginning
with Y1, an employment-based health plan in operation as of the day before
the first day of Y1 must meet the same requirements as apply to a qualified
health benefits plan under Section 101, including the essential benefit
package requirement under Section 121.
I'm signing off here, folks. This stuff will cook your brain like an egg after so long.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Universal Health Care Blogging -- Day 1
If you are breathing at all, this health care bill has an effect upon your future regardless of your age or social class. There will be places where I will quote some pertinent parts of the bill verbatim. In other places I will cite section(s) and/or subsection(s), but I will attempt to state them more clearly than they are written. Here we go:
This information is a beginning summary I read which will serve as a preview of what's to come.
The Universal Health Care Bill (H.R. 3200) states that its purpose is "to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth of health care spending, and for other purposes (emphasis mine)." I am concerned about what these "other purposes" are, and hopefully we can uncover that somewhere on down the line. I don't like that language because it's purposefully vague in what I think is an attempt to insert other taboo agenda items into the middle of this train wreck.
The total out-of-pocket expenses per person will be $5,000 and $10,000 per family. Employers will be required to offer health benefits to employees unless their payrolls are below $250,000.
An amendment to the Internal Revenue Code will cause taxes to be imposed upon: (1) anyone without coverage under health care benefits; (2) any employer who fails to provide health care coverage requirements for its employees. Also, anyone earning over $350,000 modified adjusted gross income will be charged a surtax.
Amendments to Medicare's title XVIII of the Social Security Act as they pertain to access, coverage, and payments are such: (1) payments to hospitals will be reduced to offset too many readmissions; (2) Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will have limited cost-sharing; (3) Medicare Part D, which is Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program, will reduce gap coverage (I've already witnessed this with my grandmother's meds going up by over $90 per month); (4) there will be increased payments to primary health care providers; and (5) cost-sharing will not be allowed for covered preventive services.
Medicaid's title XIX of the Social Security Act is set to be amended as follows: (1) Medicaid elgibility will be expanded to include low-income individuals and families; (2) coverage of preventive services will be included; and (3) primary health care providers will receive an increase in payments.
The summary says the health care bill aims to provide the following for health care employees:
(1) that it will address (whatever than means) the repayment of loans and training needs for workers; (2) that it plans to establish a "Public Health Workforce Corp" (which sounds scary to me--very socialist and "brownshirt"); (3) will "address health care workforce diversity" (sounds like elimination of equal employment to me); and (4) will "establish the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment" (sounds like an bureaucratic "ivory tower" position).
Finally, the summary wraps up by saying it plans to: "(1) provide for prevention and wellness activities; (2) establish the Center for Quality Improvement ("ivory tower" again); (3) establish the position of the Assistant Secretary for Health Information (ditto to point (2)); (4) revise the 340B drug discount program (a program limiting the costs of the covered outpatient drugs to certain federal grantees); (5) establish a school-based health care program; and (6) establish a national medical device registry (don't know what this is)."
That's all for now, people. I shall return. I would appreciate hearing from you all as to your understandings on any of these items.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
This information is a beginning summary I read which will serve as a preview of what's to come.
The Universal Health Care Bill (H.R. 3200) states that its purpose is "to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth of health care spending, and for other purposes (emphasis mine)." I am concerned about what these "other purposes" are, and hopefully we can uncover that somewhere on down the line. I don't like that language because it's purposefully vague in what I think is an attempt to insert other taboo agenda items into the middle of this train wreck.
The total out-of-pocket expenses per person will be $5,000 and $10,000 per family. Employers will be required to offer health benefits to employees unless their payrolls are below $250,000.
An amendment to the Internal Revenue Code will cause taxes to be imposed upon: (1) anyone without coverage under health care benefits; (2) any employer who fails to provide health care coverage requirements for its employees. Also, anyone earning over $350,000 modified adjusted gross income will be charged a surtax.
Amendments to Medicare's title XVIII of the Social Security Act as they pertain to access, coverage, and payments are such: (1) payments to hospitals will be reduced to offset too many readmissions; (2) Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will have limited cost-sharing; (3) Medicare Part D, which is Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program, will reduce gap coverage (I've already witnessed this with my grandmother's meds going up by over $90 per month); (4) there will be increased payments to primary health care providers; and (5) cost-sharing will not be allowed for covered preventive services.
Medicaid's title XIX of the Social Security Act is set to be amended as follows: (1) Medicaid elgibility will be expanded to include low-income individuals and families; (2) coverage of preventive services will be included; and (3) primary health care providers will receive an increase in payments.
The summary says the health care bill aims to provide the following for health care employees:
(1) that it will address (whatever than means) the repayment of loans and training needs for workers; (2) that it plans to establish a "Public Health Workforce Corp" (which sounds scary to me--very socialist and "brownshirt"); (3) will "address health care workforce diversity" (sounds like elimination of equal employment to me); and (4) will "establish the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment" (sounds like an bureaucratic "ivory tower" position).
Finally, the summary wraps up by saying it plans to: "(1) provide for prevention and wellness activities; (2) establish the Center for Quality Improvement ("ivory tower" again); (3) establish the position of the Assistant Secretary for Health Information (ditto to point (2)); (4) revise the 340B drug discount program (a program limiting the costs of the covered outpatient drugs to certain federal grantees); (5) establish a school-based health care program; and (6) establish a national medical device registry (don't know what this is)."
That's all for now, people. I shall return. I would appreciate hearing from you all as to your understandings on any of these items.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Universal Health Care Blogging (H.R. 3200)
With Congress still tangling over stuffing this onerous 1,000 pager of a stinker down our gullets, I decided that my own righteous indignation would be uncalled for if I didn't read the proposed legislation myself. That way, I will be more dangerous to politicians everywhere. Never mind that it's NOT my job to read this pile of slop, but apparently people we have elected to do the job won't read it, so we as constituents NEED TO KNOW what's in the bill. I want to pass on to you what I learn and I will be posting pertinent parts of it here in piecemeal fashion. For that reason, I won't be blogging about faith and/or opinion matters for awhile. I'll be devoting reading and annotation time to reviewing this bill. I saw scary stuff while I was only putting it in the binder. Those are things that need to see the light of day, and I want you to know where all the boogie-men lurk.
My husband says Homeland Security will be sending someone to knee-cap me anyday now. Har-dee-har-har.
My husband says Homeland Security will be sending someone to knee-cap me anyday now. Har-dee-har-har.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Scared of My Own Shadow
When I was little, I used to hide behind my mama's or daddy's legs. I pretty much kept that state of mind for the first 40 years of my life. Back then, it was called being "bashful" or "painfully shy." I do remember the painful part. Today, they call it the high-falutin' term of social anxiety disorder/phobia.
Whether it was a piano recital during my elementary/junior high years or a presentation for a class during my high school years, I remember the agonizing beforehand, sometimes for weeks or months prior. I would get physically sick. I would have zero appetite, my stomach would churn, and I couldn't sleep in the period leading up to such events. I felt literally paralyzed by the fear.
So what was I afraid of? Perhaps I was afraid of mean-spirited criticism, being publicly humiliated, and extreme failure. Add to that the fear of knowing that other people know you're scared and you cannot conceal it because your body tells on you. Your knees knock, your voice quivers, and your hands tremble. Worst case scenario is that you actually faint from the dizziness caused by your racing heart. I have actually fainted twice in my life, much to my chagrin.
Here I am. Hi, my name is Tammy and I'm a recovering phobic of social anxiety. I did actually pull myself out of it. How? For starters, I got sick and tired of it and examined the problem to see if my fears were justified or irrational. Despite all the "cons" I could think of, my fears weren't rational.
Next, I learned to gain some control over the physical side of it by getting more sleep, learning relaxation techniques, making better dietary choices, and medication. I'm a Type-A personality, so this is an ongoing process.
As for the spiritual side, I had a "come-to-Jesus" talk with my inner self and told her that fear was a tool the devil used to hinder her in her faith and progress. Just remember:
1. Your audience is not your enemy. They're on your side and want you to succeed. Their attentiveness, comments, smiles and nods mean that they're pulling for you.
2. I am not to fear what man can do to me. God did not intend for His children to be constantly afflicted with fear.
A. Matthew 6:25-27 - Worrying is futile (in fact, it only makes matters worse);
B. Matthew 10: 28 - The only one I need to please is God Himself. I need not fear what others can or might do to me. Nor do I need to fear what they think of me because God esteems me. I'm very valuable to Him (v. 31).
It's very humbling to admit that I struggled with this for the largest part of my lifetime. If you do, I sympathize and I want you to overcome it as well. Talk to me. I'll hold your hand. Life is much more fun when you escape this self-imposed prison.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Whether it was a piano recital during my elementary/junior high years or a presentation for a class during my high school years, I remember the agonizing beforehand, sometimes for weeks or months prior. I would get physically sick. I would have zero appetite, my stomach would churn, and I couldn't sleep in the period leading up to such events. I felt literally paralyzed by the fear.
So what was I afraid of? Perhaps I was afraid of mean-spirited criticism, being publicly humiliated, and extreme failure. Add to that the fear of knowing that other people know you're scared and you cannot conceal it because your body tells on you. Your knees knock, your voice quivers, and your hands tremble. Worst case scenario is that you actually faint from the dizziness caused by your racing heart. I have actually fainted twice in my life, much to my chagrin.
Here I am. Hi, my name is Tammy and I'm a recovering phobic of social anxiety. I did actually pull myself out of it. How? For starters, I got sick and tired of it and examined the problem to see if my fears were justified or irrational. Despite all the "cons" I could think of, my fears weren't rational.
Next, I learned to gain some control over the physical side of it by getting more sleep, learning relaxation techniques, making better dietary choices, and medication. I'm a Type-A personality, so this is an ongoing process.
As for the spiritual side, I had a "come-to-Jesus" talk with my inner self and told her that fear was a tool the devil used to hinder her in her faith and progress. Just remember:
1. Your audience is not your enemy. They're on your side and want you to succeed. Their attentiveness, comments, smiles and nods mean that they're pulling for you.
2. I am not to fear what man can do to me. God did not intend for His children to be constantly afflicted with fear.
A. Matthew 6:25-27 - Worrying is futile (in fact, it only makes matters worse);
B. Matthew 10: 28 - The only one I need to please is God Himself. I need not fear what others can or might do to me. Nor do I need to fear what they think of me because God esteems me. I'm very valuable to Him (v. 31).
It's very humbling to admit that I struggled with this for the largest part of my lifetime. If you do, I sympathize and I want you to overcome it as well. Talk to me. I'll hold your hand. Life is much more fun when you escape this self-imposed prison.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Hating the Lord's Church
"He who hates me hates my Father as well." (Jno. 15:23 NIV)
I have never actually heard anyone come out and flagrantly say that they hate the Lord's church. Maybe some have said it out loud. Probably. Most likely. What does it mean for someone to "hate the church"? I really believe it's directed more at the people who choose to try to live their faith. It's really speaking against God's adopted children and Jesus' brothers and sisters. It is Jesus talking in the Scripture at the beginning of this post. He is clearly stating that one who hates Him also hates God and His church. His "church" is not a building. It is a body of believers. I have often wondered if one doesn't want to spend time with people who are trying to live right in this life, then where do they expect to live for all eternity?
The two extremes of accepting and rejecting Christ, and His subsequent crucifixion, are represented respectively in Matthew 21: 1-22 and 27:27-44. When it comes to serving Him, there's no fence-sitting. It's an either/or decision (Hos. 4:6; Matt. 6:24).
It is not uncommon for those who claim to love God to reject His plan for salvation through Christ. He's given us the perfect way out of sin, but not everyone will choose to take it or continue to walk with Him after being saved (Matt. 7:13-14; Eph. 3:10-11). Why?
Some act out of ignorance like Paul once did (1 Tim. 1:13). He was reared a Pharisee and thought he was doing God's work by persecuting Christians. Some just choose to worship their own chosen way (Prov. 14:12; Amos 4:4-5; 1 Cor. 3:11-14). While the scribes' and the Pharisees' religion was only pretention, Jesus' own disciples at times turned them backs on Him too (Matt. ch. 23; Jno. 6:66).
I once lived sinfully and then decided to truly dedicate myself to living faithfully for Him. Living with Him in my life is so much better than living without Him. I've experienced far more love, joy, and blessingsfor it--not just of a spiritual nature, but of an earthly nature as well. I just want the same for everyone else.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
I have never actually heard anyone come out and flagrantly say that they hate the Lord's church. Maybe some have said it out loud. Probably. Most likely. What does it mean for someone to "hate the church"? I really believe it's directed more at the people who choose to try to live their faith. It's really speaking against God's adopted children and Jesus' brothers and sisters. It is Jesus talking in the Scripture at the beginning of this post. He is clearly stating that one who hates Him also hates God and His church. His "church" is not a building. It is a body of believers. I have often wondered if one doesn't want to spend time with people who are trying to live right in this life, then where do they expect to live for all eternity?
The two extremes of accepting and rejecting Christ, and His subsequent crucifixion, are represented respectively in Matthew 21: 1-22 and 27:27-44. When it comes to serving Him, there's no fence-sitting. It's an either/or decision (Hos. 4:6; Matt. 6:24).
It is not uncommon for those who claim to love God to reject His plan for salvation through Christ. He's given us the perfect way out of sin, but not everyone will choose to take it or continue to walk with Him after being saved (Matt. 7:13-14; Eph. 3:10-11). Why?
Some act out of ignorance like Paul once did (1 Tim. 1:13). He was reared a Pharisee and thought he was doing God's work by persecuting Christians. Some just choose to worship their own chosen way (Prov. 14:12; Amos 4:4-5; 1 Cor. 3:11-14). While the scribes' and the Pharisees' religion was only pretention, Jesus' own disciples at times turned them backs on Him too (Matt. ch. 23; Jno. 6:66).
I once lived sinfully and then decided to truly dedicate myself to living faithfully for Him. Living with Him in my life is so much better than living without Him. I've experienced far more love, joy, and blessingsfor it--not just of a spiritual nature, but of an earthly nature as well. I just want the same for everyone else.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Overrun With Stuff!
This posting has nothing to do with modern Christianity. At least, I don’t think so. This is just a stupid thing that made me scratch my head in wonderment.
Sometimes dreams are just irritating and mess up my night’s rest. Sometimes they’re very curious and cause me to mull them over the day after (that is, if I remember the details). Last night was one such occasion.
In my dream I became aware that I had a whole empty bedroom full of cosmetics and all sorts of beauty and bath products. It looked like I had looted an Avon lady or something. I got to going through it and saying, “What was I thinking!? Why do I need all this STUFF!?” I told my husband that we needed to have a garage sale right away to move this mess out of the bedroom as it was taking up space that could be put to better use. Also, there was no way I could use it all and it would go to waste. He got the word out that I was having a garage sale to move these things. Subsequently, I’m contacted by someone else I can’t recall who told me that I had all sorts of household possessions (both appliances, home décor items, etc.) that HAD to be moved out of this warehouse immediately because they had a need for that space. I had to have everything gone by the next day. This presented me with a dilemma. I was having to run both of these events on the same day. I tried to cancel the garage sale I had planned earlier, but realized I had already advertised it, so I had to do both.
I didn’t recall what I was supposed to have had stored in the warehouse. I thought I would do a walk-through to examine the contents. I recognized none of it as being my own. I didn’t recall buying it, inheriting it, or just how I came to own it. Some of it was very attractive and some of it I could have cared less about. The first area of the warehouse I walked into was roughly the size of a mom and pop grocery store with high ceilings. Everything was neatly displayed and went from the floor to the ceiling. I said, “Wow! Where did I get all this stuff!?” The person told me to wait a minute; that that wasn’t all of it. There were rooms both to the left and right of me full of all MY STUFF. I was dumbfounded. I started being attracted to some of it and made a mental note to keep certain things for myself. I walked back into the main area and a lady wanted my attention. There was a large but rather worn-looking dining table there and she asked me who much I wanted for it. I had no clue what to tell her because I didn’t recognize it as belonging to me. I told her that I didn’t know, but to make me an offer. She offered me $250 and I took it. She was overjoyed and acted as if she had just gotten the best of me because she had priced one similar elsewhere for $520. I didn’t really care, but was happy that I had moved that piece of furniture.
Yeah, I know this is a stupid post. However, it could mean something, so I thought I would toss it to any of you who fancy yourselves able to interpret dreams. I thought some of you might give me your take on it or accuse me of smoking left-handed cigarettes. HA!
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Sometimes dreams are just irritating and mess up my night’s rest. Sometimes they’re very curious and cause me to mull them over the day after (that is, if I remember the details). Last night was one such occasion.
In my dream I became aware that I had a whole empty bedroom full of cosmetics and all sorts of beauty and bath products. It looked like I had looted an Avon lady or something. I got to going through it and saying, “What was I thinking!? Why do I need all this STUFF!?” I told my husband that we needed to have a garage sale right away to move this mess out of the bedroom as it was taking up space that could be put to better use. Also, there was no way I could use it all and it would go to waste. He got the word out that I was having a garage sale to move these things. Subsequently, I’m contacted by someone else I can’t recall who told me that I had all sorts of household possessions (both appliances, home décor items, etc.) that HAD to be moved out of this warehouse immediately because they had a need for that space. I had to have everything gone by the next day. This presented me with a dilemma. I was having to run both of these events on the same day. I tried to cancel the garage sale I had planned earlier, but realized I had already advertised it, so I had to do both.
I didn’t recall what I was supposed to have had stored in the warehouse. I thought I would do a walk-through to examine the contents. I recognized none of it as being my own. I didn’t recall buying it, inheriting it, or just how I came to own it. Some of it was very attractive and some of it I could have cared less about. The first area of the warehouse I walked into was roughly the size of a mom and pop grocery store with high ceilings. Everything was neatly displayed and went from the floor to the ceiling. I said, “Wow! Where did I get all this stuff!?” The person told me to wait a minute; that that wasn’t all of it. There were rooms both to the left and right of me full of all MY STUFF. I was dumbfounded. I started being attracted to some of it and made a mental note to keep certain things for myself. I walked back into the main area and a lady wanted my attention. There was a large but rather worn-looking dining table there and she asked me who much I wanted for it. I had no clue what to tell her because I didn’t recognize it as belonging to me. I told her that I didn’t know, but to make me an offer. She offered me $250 and I took it. She was overjoyed and acted as if she had just gotten the best of me because she had priced one similar elsewhere for $520. I didn’t really care, but was happy that I had moved that piece of furniture.
Yeah, I know this is a stupid post. However, it could mean something, so I thought I would toss it to any of you who fancy yourselves able to interpret dreams. I thought some of you might give me your take on it or accuse me of smoking left-handed cigarettes. HA!
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Political Correctness Is Evil
I've said many times that I am not politically correct and don't care to be. I make a point not to keep it a secret and don't particularly care how anyone else feels about it. As it turns out, my instincts have been proven correct; that I should call things as I see them. Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying not to incorporate tact. That's an art acquired with practice.
I used to think political correctness was merely stupid and annoying. Now I have come to realize it has a very sinister agenda attached to it. Marxist father, Georg Luckas (no, not Mr. Star Wars) taught his followers to incorporate it as a tool against both civil and religious America to provoke it in a socialist/communist direction. It also begets a postmodernism mindset. Like the deadly ebola virus, our nation is already in its clutches. Don't believe me? Let me shore up my opinion with the following points:
* It all starts with the indoctrination of children. Make them praise-addicted. Never critique anything they do, no matter how gently you might deliver the constructive criticism. Don't give real grades. Don't help them discover their strengths and weaknesses. Tell them everything they do is fantastic even if it isn't and you know they're capable of much better. Congratulations! You just created an egocentric individual.
* Ask a young person, teen or adult, a hypothetical question. Ask them for a proper, moral solution to the proposed dilemma. While there can be and are exceptions to the rule, many young people will either give you a situational ethics answer or complete silence. The silence would signify that the young person feels it's wrong to express moral absolutes. What you're seeing and not hearing is postmodernism's hold on that person. R. Scott Smith said, "In a postmodern world there is no objective, universal truth. Indeed, all is relative."
Postmodernism tears apart doctrine and absolute moral laws. Every person gets to decide for himself or herself what THEIR own definition of what's moral or immoral is.
Postmoderism considers Christianity harsh, intolerant, and judgmental. They consider Christians to be stupid, superstitious knuckle-draggers.
* Political correctness leads to mediocrity and kills intellectual creativity. How many movie sequels can you name off the top of your head? When and if you do watch television or movies, do you find the scripts as unflavorful and lame as a rice cake? That happens when people become lazy and refuse to THINK. This goes back to the kid thing--not trying to polish their strengths and help them to excel (I do watch television, but not much of it. It bores me if it's not scary or funny).
* A socialist/communist or dictatorship/totalitarian regime will seek to control America's highest producers by confiscating the fruits of their labor, relegating them to a life of servitude, and redistributing it to those who believe they shouldn't have to work for a living. It is not, nor should it ever be, the government's job to babysit and spoon-feel such people. The private sector which is comprised of intelligent and wealthy individuals, is responsible for the employment of millions of American citizens, present company included. When the best and brightest are squelched, so is their ability to produce, grow larger, and hire more. Unfair redistribution will put the final nail in industry's coffin.
This same mindset will also seek to abolish American democracy's First and Second Amendment rights. You can't say what you please because you might offend someone; and I believe that the real agenda of gun control supporters is to eventually be able to exert total, malicious governmental control over us and they don't want us to be able to defend ourselves.
Brave service personnel have fought and died over the centuries so that you and I could enjoy our precious freedoms. Freedom allows each individual dignity and is made up of beliefs and values that bring about a just, moral, and beneficient society. Anything less is substandard and produces extreme depravity (Rom. 1:18- 21; 24-32).
Friends, be on guard and stand up for your beliefs (Rom. 1:16). Call evil by its name when you see it (Mt. 7:15-19; 1 Thess. 5:21). Speaking for myself, I'll be mule-headedly clinging to my guns and my Bible. Peace out.
Love ya,
God Bless!
I used to think political correctness was merely stupid and annoying. Now I have come to realize it has a very sinister agenda attached to it. Marxist father, Georg Luckas (no, not Mr. Star Wars) taught his followers to incorporate it as a tool against both civil and religious America to provoke it in a socialist/communist direction. It also begets a postmodernism mindset. Like the deadly ebola virus, our nation is already in its clutches. Don't believe me? Let me shore up my opinion with the following points:
* It all starts with the indoctrination of children. Make them praise-addicted. Never critique anything they do, no matter how gently you might deliver the constructive criticism. Don't give real grades. Don't help them discover their strengths and weaknesses. Tell them everything they do is fantastic even if it isn't and you know they're capable of much better. Congratulations! You just created an egocentric individual.
* Ask a young person, teen or adult, a hypothetical question. Ask them for a proper, moral solution to the proposed dilemma. While there can be and are exceptions to the rule, many young people will either give you a situational ethics answer or complete silence. The silence would signify that the young person feels it's wrong to express moral absolutes. What you're seeing and not hearing is postmodernism's hold on that person. R. Scott Smith said, "In a postmodern world there is no objective, universal truth. Indeed, all is relative."
Postmodernism tears apart doctrine and absolute moral laws. Every person gets to decide for himself or herself what THEIR own definition of what's moral or immoral is.
Postmoderism considers Christianity harsh, intolerant, and judgmental. They consider Christians to be stupid, superstitious knuckle-draggers.
* Political correctness leads to mediocrity and kills intellectual creativity. How many movie sequels can you name off the top of your head? When and if you do watch television or movies, do you find the scripts as unflavorful and lame as a rice cake? That happens when people become lazy and refuse to THINK. This goes back to the kid thing--not trying to polish their strengths and help them to excel (I do watch television, but not much of it. It bores me if it's not scary or funny).
* A socialist/communist or dictatorship/totalitarian regime will seek to control America's highest producers by confiscating the fruits of their labor, relegating them to a life of servitude, and redistributing it to those who believe they shouldn't have to work for a living. It is not, nor should it ever be, the government's job to babysit and spoon-feel such people. The private sector which is comprised of intelligent and wealthy individuals, is responsible for the employment of millions of American citizens, present company included. When the best and brightest are squelched, so is their ability to produce, grow larger, and hire more. Unfair redistribution will put the final nail in industry's coffin.
This same mindset will also seek to abolish American democracy's First and Second Amendment rights. You can't say what you please because you might offend someone; and I believe that the real agenda of gun control supporters is to eventually be able to exert total, malicious governmental control over us and they don't want us to be able to defend ourselves.
Brave service personnel have fought and died over the centuries so that you and I could enjoy our precious freedoms. Freedom allows each individual dignity and is made up of beliefs and values that bring about a just, moral, and beneficient society. Anything less is substandard and produces extreme depravity (Rom. 1:18- 21; 24-32).
Friends, be on guard and stand up for your beliefs (Rom. 1:16). Call evil by its name when you see it (Mt. 7:15-19; 1 Thess. 5:21). Speaking for myself, I'll be mule-headedly clinging to my guns and my Bible. Peace out.
Love ya,
God Bless!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Line is Down
I haven't been on here for some time due to my having internet connection problems. I got to thinking about how I felt "cut off" from my info line and from my friends. Also, I got to thinking how this is applicable to our prayers. We can have connectivity problems to God as well. We know that as long as we walk in the light (meaning, not living in an openly rebellious attitude toward God) as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other and Jesus' blood cleanses us from our sins (1 Jno. 1:7). However, even a child of God can decide to walk away from Him; and our prayers will have no more merit than an alien sinner's until we are willing to repair the breach.
A child of God can fall from grace so as for God not to hear their prayers. Psalm 66: 18 says, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." John 9:31 says, "We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will." Proverbs 15:8, 29; and 28:9 reinforce this message.
I am not willfully sinful, but I do sin. I try my best to keep that all important prayer connection line operable with the Father. I usually know wherein I've failed and repent immediately because I wouldn't want my prayers hindered. I don't just pray about my own matters. I have others that I love and care about that I want Him to help as well. I also have my long list of thank yous to go through because I want Him to know how grateful I am. He listens when I have no one else to talk to and sometimes my petitions are lengthy. I'm glad He doesn't bill me for the time because I wouldn't have the money to cover it.
Love ya,
God Bless!
A child of God can fall from grace so as for God not to hear their prayers. Psalm 66: 18 says, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." John 9:31 says, "We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will." Proverbs 15:8, 29; and 28:9 reinforce this message.
I am not willfully sinful, but I do sin. I try my best to keep that all important prayer connection line operable with the Father. I usually know wherein I've failed and repent immediately because I wouldn't want my prayers hindered. I don't just pray about my own matters. I have others that I love and care about that I want Him to help as well. I also have my long list of thank yous to go through because I want Him to know how grateful I am. He listens when I have no one else to talk to and sometimes my petitions are lengthy. I'm glad He doesn't bill me for the time because I wouldn't have the money to cover it.
Love ya,
God Bless!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
What if...
Do you ever play this game in your head and ask yourself 'what if' about certain matters? I do it all the time. It is probably the singlemost thing I do that keeps me on my toes as far as how I treat others, my husband most especially, and how seriously I take my commitment to the Lord. It has everything to do with my not wanting to live with regrets.
What if I never got to see my husband again? Not to sound like the Garth Brooks song, but did he know how much I love him? Was I as good a wife as I could be to him? Was I an encourager to him? Did he love spending time with me or did he dread being in my presence?
What if I never got to see my friends and family members ever again? How did I treat them? I know I'm not perfect, but was I a good example to them or a bad one? Did I cause their faith to stumble? Was I hateful to anyone? Do I need to apologize to anyone? Was I fun to be with? Did they enjoy having me around?
Finally and most importantly, if this were my last day on earth, am I ready to meet the Lord? As for right now, am I where I would want Him to find me if He were to come this very instant? Have I been as faithful as I could be to God by putting Him first in my life? Is my name still in the Book of Life or has it been blotted out because I just couldn't be bothered when it came to spending time worshipping Him?
I decided some time ago that it's best to just act as if TODAY is my last day on earth; that the Lord is coming TODAY. If you preface your decision making with that in mind, you'll make the right choices. Anyway, we can't know, can we, if we'll ever see our loved ones again or if we'll have time to make things right with God.
To my husband, I should always be his wife of noble character (Prov. 12:4).
To my friends and family members I must remember: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Heb. 3:13
To my Lord, I must seek him first (Mt. 6:33) and be faithful to the point of death (Rev. 2:1) because He will come when I least expect it (1 Thess. 5:2; Rev. 16:15).
Friends, I hope you will do the same and not live with regrets.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
What if I never got to see my husband again? Not to sound like the Garth Brooks song, but did he know how much I love him? Was I as good a wife as I could be to him? Was I an encourager to him? Did he love spending time with me or did he dread being in my presence?
What if I never got to see my friends and family members ever again? How did I treat them? I know I'm not perfect, but was I a good example to them or a bad one? Did I cause their faith to stumble? Was I hateful to anyone? Do I need to apologize to anyone? Was I fun to be with? Did they enjoy having me around?
Finally and most importantly, if this were my last day on earth, am I ready to meet the Lord? As for right now, am I where I would want Him to find me if He were to come this very instant? Have I been as faithful as I could be to God by putting Him first in my life? Is my name still in the Book of Life or has it been blotted out because I just couldn't be bothered when it came to spending time worshipping Him?
I decided some time ago that it's best to just act as if TODAY is my last day on earth; that the Lord is coming TODAY. If you preface your decision making with that in mind, you'll make the right choices. Anyway, we can't know, can we, if we'll ever see our loved ones again or if we'll have time to make things right with God.
To my husband, I should always be his wife of noble character (Prov. 12:4).
To my friends and family members I must remember: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Heb. 3:13
To my Lord, I must seek him first (Mt. 6:33) and be faithful to the point of death (Rev. 2:1) because He will come when I least expect it (1 Thess. 5:2; Rev. 16:15).
Friends, I hope you will do the same and not live with regrets.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Post #100! -- But I'll Admit It's Stupid
I didn't mean for this to be a brain-damaged post. I really didn't; but have you ever had so much goofy stuff rolling around in your head that it keeps getting in the way of constructive, rational thinking? I'm so there. Junk, I tell ya! Dumb stuff like this eventually has to be vocally expressed or put on paper, so here it goes:
1. I have a theory that you can silence a teenager by duct-taping their thumbs down so they can't text. I wonder if any of you moms out there will test my theory and get back to me on your findings.
2. I was reading the account of the births of Jacob and Esau. It said Esau was the firstborn and that he was covered all over with reddish hair. What a strange thing to say about an infant. Did that mean he was such an ugly baby that you had to hang meat around his neck just to get the dog to play with him? Or, did he have hypertrichosis--like Jo Jo the Dog Boy that used to be in the circus? Reddish hair too. Bet he looked like Chewbacca. Instead of crying, did he do that Chewie "Aaaauuuuggghhhh" sound? Esau was a wookie!!
I've got more, but I'll dump those on you later. Thanks for indulging my silliness.
Love Ya,
God Bless
1. I have a theory that you can silence a teenager by duct-taping their thumbs down so they can't text. I wonder if any of you moms out there will test my theory and get back to me on your findings.
2. I was reading the account of the births of Jacob and Esau. It said Esau was the firstborn and that he was covered all over with reddish hair. What a strange thing to say about an infant. Did that mean he was such an ugly baby that you had to hang meat around his neck just to get the dog to play with him? Or, did he have hypertrichosis--like Jo Jo the Dog Boy that used to be in the circus? Reddish hair too. Bet he looked like Chewbacca. Instead of crying, did he do that Chewie "Aaaauuuuggghhhh" sound? Esau was a wookie!!
I've got more, but I'll dump those on you later. Thanks for indulging my silliness.
Love Ya,
God Bless
Monday, February 16, 2009
SHHHHHH!!
Psa. 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
At some point this past weekend, I simply shut down. Whether it was brought about by stress or fatigue, I cannot say; but outwardly I went mute for awhile. I couldn't tolerate noise pollution and didn't want the TV or radio on. I may have been quiet on the outside, but on the inside I was processing data and my brain was screaming out loud. This often leaves me unable to fall asleep at night because I cannot shut off the chatter in my head. I've discovered this happens when I've suffered a media overload on issues about which I have very strong opinions which may not be acceptable to others. Also, it happens when I have too much on my plate mentally to deal with. Anxiety sets in and vexes my spirit.
During this time the I came across Psalm 46:10 in my Bible study. Talk about timely! I read it silently, but it was as if I could actually hear God's thundering voice behind it--His majesty and omnipotence. The passage is both powerful and quietening to me. Mentally, I said, "Yes, Father." He was reminding me that I shouldn't let things get under my skin so; that He is still in charge no matter what mankind thinks.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
At some point this past weekend, I simply shut down. Whether it was brought about by stress or fatigue, I cannot say; but outwardly I went mute for awhile. I couldn't tolerate noise pollution and didn't want the TV or radio on. I may have been quiet on the outside, but on the inside I was processing data and my brain was screaming out loud. This often leaves me unable to fall asleep at night because I cannot shut off the chatter in my head. I've discovered this happens when I've suffered a media overload on issues about which I have very strong opinions which may not be acceptable to others. Also, it happens when I have too much on my plate mentally to deal with. Anxiety sets in and vexes my spirit.
During this time the I came across Psalm 46:10 in my Bible study. Talk about timely! I read it silently, but it was as if I could actually hear God's thundering voice behind it--His majesty and omnipotence. The passage is both powerful and quietening to me. Mentally, I said, "Yes, Father." He was reminding me that I shouldn't let things get under my skin so; that He is still in charge no matter what mankind thinks.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Babies--Eight at Once!!
The birth of a baby is a wonderful occasion. Although I haven't wanted any myself, I'm ecstatic for friends and family that have successfully conceived and carried a baby to term. I have friends and family who are fertility impaired. They're all in happy marriages and deserve to be parents. Some were eventually successful. Others were not.
Skip to the news story of the last couple of weeks. A 33 year-old unmarried, unemployed woman who already has 6 children and lives with her parents had 8 embryos implanted in vitro and gave birth to all of them. According to one report I read, the prenatal-care, births, and post-natal care of these children, pending their eventual release from the hospital, will already be 1.3 million dollars, to be borne by the taxpayers, of course. How's that for a jaw-dropper!? I am personally repulsed and incensed by this. This was done on purpose. The doctor who implanted these babies in this irresponsible woman should lose his license. He's no different from Dr. Mengele. The babies should be adopted to people who are able to support them and give them good homes. God cemented this woman's fallopian tubes shut for a reason, apparently, but science found a way around it. People have multiples implanted on purpose, it would seem. It's unhealthy both for the woman and the babies. They're usually low birth weight babies and prone to birth defects. I believe abortion is morally wrong because it is murder. When these women are told they should selectively abort some of these embryos, they say they don't want to play God. Well, excuse me, but how is implanting several fertilized eggs not also playing God? I would really love for some of you to comment. I agree with the Scriptures that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa. 139: 13-16), but human insanity never ceases to amaze me. Please, please, weigh in on this matter and tell me what YOUR take on this is.
Skip to the news story of the last couple of weeks. A 33 year-old unmarried, unemployed woman who already has 6 children and lives with her parents had 8 embryos implanted in vitro and gave birth to all of them. According to one report I read, the prenatal-care, births, and post-natal care of these children, pending their eventual release from the hospital, will already be 1.3 million dollars, to be borne by the taxpayers, of course. How's that for a jaw-dropper!? I am personally repulsed and incensed by this. This was done on purpose. The doctor who implanted these babies in this irresponsible woman should lose his license. He's no different from Dr. Mengele. The babies should be adopted to people who are able to support them and give them good homes. God cemented this woman's fallopian tubes shut for a reason, apparently, but science found a way around it. People have multiples implanted on purpose, it would seem. It's unhealthy both for the woman and the babies. They're usually low birth weight babies and prone to birth defects. I believe abortion is morally wrong because it is murder. When these women are told they should selectively abort some of these embryos, they say they don't want to play God. Well, excuse me, but how is implanting several fertilized eggs not also playing God? I would really love for some of you to comment. I agree with the Scriptures that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa. 139: 13-16), but human insanity never ceases to amaze me. Please, please, weigh in on this matter and tell me what YOUR take on this is.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
EXCUSES!
Excuses are a personal pet peeve of mine. I've learned not to offer them for my own shortcomings because they sound so lame, and I don't like hearing them from anyone else. I appreciate a person's candor much more than I do some story they might concoct as to why they did or didn't do something. Even silence is better.
I know many teachers, and I wonder, on the average, how many excuses they hear from their students in the course of a work week. I expect young children and teenagers to try excuses because their character is still under construction. I'm sure some of the responses they give are very amusing. Excuses from adults are not funny though. They're a character flaw. It's far better just to man-up or woman-up, tell the truth and soldier on. It's a sign of maturity. I came to the realization many years ago, and although it can make you initially uncomfortable to tell the truth, you will gain respect from it in the end because people will know that you're being straight-up with them.
I did have one occasion on which my honest response angered someone. She was a telemarketer. I tried to interrupt her before she started her spiel, but she shouldn't let me get a word in edgewise to tell her I wasn't interested. I let her ramble on for what seemed like ten minutes and at the end she asked, "Are you ready to take advantage of our offer today?" By that time I was already irritated she had used up my time and hers and I simply replied, "no." "NO!? What not? Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of this offer?" She sounded angry and incredulous. I said, "because it's my prerogative to say no." Wow! That really set her off. She launched into a tirade of expletives and I simply hung up on her. I don't have to listen to that.
I recalled this while I was reading my daily devotional this morning. I noticed that excuses don't carry truck with the Lord either. In Luke 14: 16-24, Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet. In the Middle East in those times it was customary to send out an initial first invitation for a response--much like we would send out an RSVP today. The invited guests in this parable had already accepted the first invitation and committed themselves. However, by the time the second invitation arrived summoning them to the banquet, they reneged because they had changed their minds. They didn't tell the host they had changed their minds, but they all gave excuses. The host was furious! He cut off any future invitations to those people and called others to enjoy his feast.
There are no good enough excuses for not serving God, and verses 25 through 27 of that same chapter tell us that our commitment to the cause of Christ supercedes all other relationships--even those with our family.
Are we offering God excuses rather than our service? There are no "yes, buts" with Him. There's no straddling the fence. Jesus says in Luke 11: 23, "He who is not with me is against me...." Joshua urged the Israelites in Joshua 24: 15 to commit either way to whom they chose to serve. He declared that he and his house would serve the Lord. Be honest with Him and yourself and make a choice to go either direction.
Love ya,
God Bless!
I know many teachers, and I wonder, on the average, how many excuses they hear from their students in the course of a work week. I expect young children and teenagers to try excuses because their character is still under construction. I'm sure some of the responses they give are very amusing. Excuses from adults are not funny though. They're a character flaw. It's far better just to man-up or woman-up, tell the truth and soldier on. It's a sign of maturity. I came to the realization many years ago, and although it can make you initially uncomfortable to tell the truth, you will gain respect from it in the end because people will know that you're being straight-up with them.
I did have one occasion on which my honest response angered someone. She was a telemarketer. I tried to interrupt her before she started her spiel, but she shouldn't let me get a word in edgewise to tell her I wasn't interested. I let her ramble on for what seemed like ten minutes and at the end she asked, "Are you ready to take advantage of our offer today?" By that time I was already irritated she had used up my time and hers and I simply replied, "no." "NO!? What not? Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of this offer?" She sounded angry and incredulous. I said, "because it's my prerogative to say no." Wow! That really set her off. She launched into a tirade of expletives and I simply hung up on her. I don't have to listen to that.
I recalled this while I was reading my daily devotional this morning. I noticed that excuses don't carry truck with the Lord either. In Luke 14: 16-24, Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet. In the Middle East in those times it was customary to send out an initial first invitation for a response--much like we would send out an RSVP today. The invited guests in this parable had already accepted the first invitation and committed themselves. However, by the time the second invitation arrived summoning them to the banquet, they reneged because they had changed their minds. They didn't tell the host they had changed their minds, but they all gave excuses. The host was furious! He cut off any future invitations to those people and called others to enjoy his feast.
There are no good enough excuses for not serving God, and verses 25 through 27 of that same chapter tell us that our commitment to the cause of Christ supercedes all other relationships--even those with our family.
Are we offering God excuses rather than our service? There are no "yes, buts" with Him. There's no straddling the fence. Jesus says in Luke 11: 23, "He who is not with me is against me...." Joshua urged the Israelites in Joshua 24: 15 to commit either way to whom they chose to serve. He declared that he and his house would serve the Lord. Be honest with Him and yourself and make a choice to go either direction.
Love ya,
God Bless!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Sound of Silence
Wasn't that a Simon & Garfunkel song? Anyway, I'm sort of bummed. Okay, no, I'm a lot bummed. I'm going through a valley right now--a valley of discouragement. The sound of silence I'm referring to is that I've yet to hear God's answer to a long held prayer. I'm undecided about whether I should continue praying about the matter or just stop altogether mentioning it.
I know that I'm not the only person who has ever become discouraged. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah was disheartened after fleeing from Jezebel after her death threats. He was hiding in the Kerith Ravine. He felt abandoned but God had not left him. God sent the ravens to sustain him with food. In Genesis 21, Hagar felt she had been abandoned with her son and left to die in the Desert of Beersheba. God provided her answers there.
I'm hanging on. I've examined myself and tried to repent of everything I'm aware of that could be hindering my prayer from being answered. Hopefully, He'll send word (through results) soon.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
I know that I'm not the only person who has ever become discouraged. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah was disheartened after fleeing from Jezebel after her death threats. He was hiding in the Kerith Ravine. He felt abandoned but God had not left him. God sent the ravens to sustain him with food. In Genesis 21, Hagar felt she had been abandoned with her son and left to die in the Desert of Beersheba. God provided her answers there.
I'm hanging on. I've examined myself and tried to repent of everything I'm aware of that could be hindering my prayer from being answered. Hopefully, He'll send word (through results) soon.
Love Ya,
God Bless!
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