Who Really Cares!?

I almost had to be excused for the title on this one. A Marine once said in front of me as a youngster "Who shives a get," to another Marine. You know the military has a code for everything. I didn't think that would be appropriate for a family show, so I cleaned it up for the kiddies.

It's 9-11 a day that most of the world will not soon forget, and a day that some will not think twice about until something of a greater magnitude happens to remind them. 9-11 reminds me of 12-7, it reminds me of people falling hundreds of feet to escape something that they felt they could not bear. It reminds me of pain and grief. It reminds me of some that went through crisis conversion, only to fall away from God once the smoke cleared. However, as crucial as it may be, it also reminds me of a nation that is stronger than any fear. A nation resilient enough to bounce back, and a nation that has overcome more than one tragedy, and does not lie down, but gets up dust off and just keeps getting better. We grow, in size, strength, love, and spirit! We have a president that is bi-racial y'all. Honestly how many would have believed it possible in our life time? I saw American Indians laughing with Asian Indians, White, Black, Latino, humans all gathered together in one place. Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, and Christian, even this imperfect one all gathered in one place to help assure that the world would not view us as a self righteous nation with a self righteous leader. Which brings me to this: if we can overcome the racial hate, religious barriers, and status quos then can't we overcome the arrogance? Not confidence, but arrogance. Racial tensions, and hatred have not gone away, they have just succumb to the greater power of love. Which leads me to believe that the cause of the attacks on our nation was due to arrogance, and ignorance.

I will follow up on the ignorance and arrogance in the next blog, as for tonight, I must meditate, and leave everyone w/ this thought when is it cool to call someone out in public, and when should we pull someone aside as not to offend or unnerve? When should we make a bold stand and when should we just be still? Think on it, pray on it, and make a difference. Love, peace and hair grease, or is it love, grease, and hair piece? At any rate grab your thinking caps and meet me at the forum. Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J

Danger Keep Away!

Have you ever watched City of Joy with Patrick Swayze? It was a movie about a doctor (Swayze) visiting Calcutta, India. He went on vacation for a spiritual enlightenment, and wound up in the poorest sector of Calcutta, and becoming a hero of sorts. He was an advisor, defender of the people, and a doctor to a lepers colony. It was a very sad, but an aw inspiring movie that everyone should see!

Those that were not leper's condemned those with leprosy. They would not allow those stricken with leprosy to go outside of their own sector more or less. Treated them like they were not human, and were just down right disgusting in some of their actions toward the poor, and disadvantaged people. Until you've been treated like a leper you usually do not think much about it. I have never had any diseases, or disfiguring that made people not want to be near me. However, some people see skin color as a deformity, and some see deformation as a horrible thing.

As a child I was afraid of people with handicaps. I was afraid until I learned that they needed to be loved just like me, and wanted to give their love just as much as they wanted to be loved. I grew out of my fear with knowledge. But with increasing knowledge also comes increasing sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:18) I learned that not everyone cared for other people only themselves and what they believe in. Now I am not going to get on my political soap box, because I am not a politician, but an imperfect Christian that is an American Citizen. My ethnicity like all branches back to some ancient Hebrews, my detour takes place on every continent, until it stops right here in the good ol' US of A. Nothing presents my feeling like the lepers feel more than when I have someone tell me above all other things that they are not prejudice. Not a "Hey man that's a nice jacket," or "Hey that's an awesome haircut," just "Now I don't have a prejudice bone in my body! You know that, how you been doin'?" I have bit my tongue nearly in two attempting to prevent asking how many times they have said that to a person that was not connected to African descendants.

Every time someone speaks about our President not being a US Citizen like they were the doctor that delivered him, it gives me that same feeling. When they say that he's not a Christian, like they are God Almighty themselves it gives me that feeling. I didn't get worked up over John McCain saying, "That one." But I got that same nasty feeling, when others tried to make a huge race war out of his comment. We could talk abortion, genocide, right vs. wrong all day long, and it still does not remedy the problem that we have. Bridging the communications gap peacefully and rationally would be nice, rather than barking out you're not like me, you're going to hell! I do not hate Muslims, Buddhists, or Jehovah's Witnesses, in fact I am going to invite a non-Christian to have lunch with me in the very near future. Wow, wonder how it will pan out when we eat lunch together and realize that we both need nourishment, that we are both human, and we can sit together peacefully, and not worry about our differences, but find the common ground that allows us to be civil!? I'm praying that our nation comes to that conclusion also. When we can celebrate the day that we allow our President to speak to our children and not have the school officials treat him like the strong arms of India treat the lepers!

I have seen the schools allow DSS officials to interrogate grade school children with no questions asked. Take a frightened child into a room alone with one (DSS Worker) adult, no aide (legal or otherwise), neither parent present, no family member present, not even a guardian ad litem, and not make one phone call. They will however, send a personal message home for the parents to sign, or call every home concerning our President speaking with our children. I have not yet to this day that I am aware of witnessed that before. It is also a first that a President has taken time out of an overloaded agenda to address every child in the country with a positive non partisan, no political gain involved, "National" message to my knowledge as well. So what did the schools message say to me? It said in my interpretation: "Parents we don't want to be held responsible for what your child hears from the President, we prefer to make it appear that we are giving you a choice to speak up before the event takes place in hopes that you will keep us from law suits by sending petitions of disapproval against our President. However, with no warning and not caring about a law suit we will allow an individual to request that a DSS worker intervene, and tell you how to discipline, feed, and raise your child. Tell you what they can, and will not learn because we are not above the law, we are the law! We have thrown out all moral and rational dealings because what we say stands, this is not the NBA, NFL or any other league, group or democracy there will be no review, you will just have to get over it. Thank you." What they do not tell you is that they will do this until enough people stand together and override their ignorance. So why are you still sitting here reading this? Go make plans to be at the next Town Hall meeting, and boycott whomever, has no sense. As Mix-A-Lot used to say, "If you help get the fool hired, help get him fired." If you sat and did nothing, now it is time to take a PEACEFUL stand! Be heard, and be seen, don't be in the herd and make a scene!

"It's not because he's Black, African American, what term should I use here? It's because he supports Pro-Choice!"

Again the imperfect Christian does not support abortion, especially partial birth abortion. I also do not support the belief that legalized abortion is the only or leading cause of death, I believe ignorance is.

I Can't Breathe!

I have heard two people within the last month say, "I can't breathe!" I said it back in January when I had pneumonia. It's like drowning, you want to get to the surface, but the surface seems so far above you. You want to get to the surface, but there is a tremendous weight that is holding you down. Your chest feels heavy, your extremities are weak, you just feel like giving up! The struggle is too great, so what do you do?

Yes we all need our "own" time from time to time. No one likes to be smothered. There are times when I am grateful to have a good looking woman trail me, or have my kids on my heels, and at others, I just need to chill. Let that Ox have a few days off, give him some meadow to roam in as long as he's roaming alone. He can't have calves if you don't make him mad enough to go through the fence, or if you don't open the gate and push him out, give him some room. And again on the other hand, sometimes he needs to be shadowed, makes him feel important. Mama is the same way fellas! When the yoke is on it should be light, not tight! Then the burden will be easy when you work together in the Lord!

Ready for the soap opera? How many husbands put their wives out of their home, and leave them hanging? For those women, I have a little Madea anx built up in me! If you helped turn that house into a home, then you should be entitled to your share. If you deserve to be put out, then he should at least give you ample time, and help you even if you are totally wrong! To each their own, but somethings just do not make sense! People should be more civil.

I have had more friends divorce this year, or speak of divorce, than I have heard of through my entire years as an adult! Why all of a sudden this surge in die-vision? Well it's not all of a sudden, it's just that I am noticing it now, and more people viewed me as good imperfect Christian husband. My wife is saying wow, if you only knew! Well the lack of vision, the lack of appointment, and focus as one have all gone away! If you are married you cannot look at your future, and future agendas with just your eyes, and one set of eyes in mind! You cannot look through the one set of physical eyes, but instead you must look through the spiritual set that is now a trifocaled univision! WHAT? Yes a trifocaled univision...Three sets acting as one! Each spouse must look at the greater vision that God has given them. That vision must connect with your partners vision, to ultimately bring forth the ultimate vision, and that is how to please God as a UNION! You see this Union is not just between you and spouse! You put two pieces of toast together and hold one piece up, what does the other piece do? It falls to the floor or the plate. If you put some adhesive (smooth jelly, or some spicy mustard depending on the sandwich LOL) on them what happens!? They stay together. You are one slice, and he is home slice! God is the adhesive in case some of my imperfect Brothers and Sisters are slower than I am. This is why the Word says to be "equally yoked." You can't go one way, and have your partner going another. When we do this good people we drag or get dragged! So what is your vision?

And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels] and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances), and your old men shall dream [divinely suggested] dreams.
Yes, and on My menservants also and on My maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels and]predicting future events pertaining especially to God's kingdom]. (Acts 2:16-18 Amplified Version)

God declares that He will pour our His Spirit first of all, so whom is it that we should be waiting for? Our spouse? No, no! You first lady of the house are a prophetess! You young man of the house shall be a visionary, and you aged and experienced shall dream, and see the next generation do greater things, you are the pathfinders, and the trailblazers, the pioneers! Wow, that almost sounded like an ad for a used car lot! At any rate, I ask as the imperfect Christian, why is it that you imperfect brothers and sisters are not moving? You are not moving for fear of failing! You have heard it a million times...you only fail, when you fail to try! But we (conviction poured on the imperfect one first) are afraid of what someone might say, we are afraid of the spouse being displeased, we are afraid of what society will do with us! If you have to separate then do so! How many people have or could do this:

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. (1Corinthians 7:10 & 11 NKJV) OK is this the chauvinist God again, or does this apply to men as well? Well in ancient customs the man had to put his wife away, and the woman was not to leave. But again I use an old cliche` "Absence or Distance makes the heart grow fonder..."

Can we seek the civility in Christ and be reconciled to one another just as He reconciled us to God the Father? He redeemed us, but for what? So, we could slap Him in the face and say thanks but no thanks! I don't know what weight you are dealing with, I don't know what sea it is that you are drowning in, but I know the Lifeguard that can save you.

Oh and try some PB&J for that toast up there! Peace, Blessings, and Joy my imperfect brothers and sisters!