Consequences and a Bail-Out

Many would say that discipline for your child is essential.  Most would say that without punishment of some kind our children would be a disastrous mess.

We all know that when we do things that are wrong, there must be consequences for our actions.  We wouldn't expect our child to be able to rob a bank and walk away from court without having a consequence of some sort.  We wouldn't expect a grown man to rape and then brutally murder a young girl without paying for the wrong he has done.  And we wouldn't expect our child to lie without having to deal with the repercussions that come with lying.  

So when we think about all of these things, why do we then think it is unfair of God, the creator of the Universe and all that is in it, including mankind, to let us run about disobeying Him, doing whatever we want, without giving us a consequence?

We can call God unfair.  We can claim that God is evil.  We can call Him whatever we want, but that is not going to change the way things work.

How did we come up with the idea that people should be punished for things that people do wrong?  How did we decided that people have to suffer a consequence of their actions?  That is the way the world works, because that is how it has been from the beginning of time.  There is a need and desire for justice.

So when we see the need for justice on the small scale of life, why do when think there should not be justice for the bigger picture?

Think about it.

God is the judge.  You want to be innocent in His eyes when you stand before Him.  And the way to do that is to believe in Him.  Believe He sent His Son to take your consequences for you so that you don't have to by dying on the cross for you.  Jesus sacrificed His life so that you wouldn't have to suffer your consequence.    You have to believe that.  You have to understand that you deserve your consequence because you have disobeyed God.  But that He loves you more than you can fathom, and that's why His Son paid your way.  And because we believe in Him, and because we understand our sin and that we need Jesus to pay for it, we serve God for the rest of our lives.  He becomes the Lord of our life.  We obey Him because we understand His love for us, and we love Him in return.

If you want to look at some things for yourself, find a Bible and look up these verses:

John 3:16
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:8
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

Romans 3:23
"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard."

Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10:9-10
"If you confess with your mouth tat Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."

Romans 10:13
"For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'."

Game Over

I used to write poems all the time, but I haven't in awhile. So here is one to add to my collection. Enjoy.

I am here to proclaim,
I want no part in this theatrical game.
Putting a smile on someone's face
Just to wipe it away and leave them in pain.
You wear a mask everyday
To cover up the way you play.
You think you're lucky as a four-leaf clover,
But I'm here to proclaim: "Game Over".

I'm Going To Boycott Boycotting

I was just stricken with a thought.  After reading a link on facebook about boycotting Pepsi because of their patriotic soda can that leaves out the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, I realized how incredibly HATEFUL it appeared.

I understand standing up for your beliefs, but I was appalled at how awful I would have sounded had I re-posted that lash out against Pepsi. Don't get me wrong, if you feel the need to not support a company because of things they stand for, then don't! However, I believe Christians in America have lost touch of what it means to show grace and love towards others in the way Christ commands us to. For me, as a Christian, to have felt the unloving approach in that post, I can't imagine what it feels like for the opposing side to read it. It's no wonder why they call us hateful bigots! Our approach most of the time is just that!

For me, personally, I am not a fan of boycotting to begin with. I think it can come across wrong to others. Whether it's right or wrong, I really do not know. I try not to worry about it all that much. Instead, I try to focus on loving God and loving others.

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

 I believe that if we make these two things our focus, most likely we will change our approach to a lot of things and we will naturally become more loving towards others because of our love for God. When He is evident in our lives, that is what makes people take a second glance. Not our ability to speak hatefully about what we believe they are doing wrong. 

On a side note, I'm not sure there is much "Under God" going on in our country anyways, so I'm not sure it would really matter if the words were there or not. But I do believe we would be much more effective in this country if we worried about living out the life God calls us to and reaching souls rather than worrying about what our Pledge of Allegiance says. The work we do for the kingdom I believe is going to be more important that having God's name in the Pledge of Allegiance. I do understand the unfairness of it all, but I don't understand why there is need to fight the way we are fighting. Besides, there is really not much we can do on the side of justice. But we can rest assured that God is going to handle that. And justice will be made. 

Sometimes It's For No Reason At All

Do you ever have those days when you feel like you've lost your best friend, or like you've lost your puppy? Yep, I have those days too. This week, those days have been showing no mercy. 

This week I have been a bundle of "girly emotions". I have cried a lot. Sometimes for a good reason. Sometimes for a bad reason. Sometimes for no reason at all.

On a happier note, this week I discovered Golden Oreos Cookies and Cream ice cream! Ice cream always helps a person feel better when they are down in the dumps. :)

This song is of great help to me when I'm feeling this way. So I shall listen to it as often as it takes!

http://youtu.be/KmaBhMOXXHg

Sometimes You Just Have A Good Hair-day

This afternoon I began getting ready for my husbands return home. I have to say, it was the first time I have felt good about myself all week. I'm not entirely sure why, but it has just been a tough week for me emotional in every aspect. So to be able to actually look in the mirror and like what I see was a great relief and brought a tiny bit of sunshine with it. Maybe it was a simple as my hair actually cooperating for once. :)

A Simple Act Of Kindness Goes A Long Way

Today has been "one of those days."  Call it hormones, call it whatever, but I simply just felt incredibly overwhelmed with every little detail of the day; all the way down to changing a diaper.  In fact, it was a dirty diaper that just about unraveled the ball of yarn that is my mind and emotions.

*For the squeamish, please skip the next 3 paragraphs*

One poopie diaper.  That one poopie diaper was just about the icing on the cake, after a day of feeling completely overwhelmed with everything and every little task.  When I thought I was finished changing this diaper, I realized that somehow (even though I do no recall sticking my finger in the poop) that there was poop on my finger.......... So I grabbed a wipe to clean it off.  Viola.  Then noticed there was still poop on my finger. So I cleaned that off, only to realize that some had flung itself onto the floor in an attempt to escape the trash can.  And yes, the poop voluntarily flung itself on the floor.  It dove.  It was in a skydiving adventure (At this point, I can feel the tears beginning to well up).

So everything is now clean.  Think again!  I see there is poop on the changing table.  Okay, we can do this.  No big deal.  Once again, the baby wipes come to the rescue. All is well.  Good.  Now to go do what I came for in the first place.

I get to where I am headed, with Liam in tow.  He is minding his own business, entertaining himself by beating on the counter.  When, wait... what is that?  I see on Liam's hand,  there is a mysterious spot of something.  I look closer.  I sniff it.  YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!  Yep, you guessed it, POOP on his little hand.

After leaving Liam with the kind nursery workers, I go about my business, even though I feel like I am on the brink of having a meltdown of a breakdown right there in the middle of everyone.
And try to hold myself together for the rest of the evening.

When it was time to leave, I went to pick up Liam from the nursery, and standing there waiting is a dear, sweet friend.  She wanted to help me get Liam loaded up into the car in the nasty weather.  So very kind of her, when she could have already been in her car and halfway home to her own family.

It was this tiny little gesture of kindness and friendship that kept me from going over the edge.  In the midst of a day where I felt like the glue holding me together had just about vanished, I had a wonderful friend show me their love by helping me out.  With something as simple as holding my child while I pull the car under the overhang.  So simple, yet it affected me in such a HUGE way.

I thank the Lord in heaven for such a blessing to my day in this friend.  Without her act of love, I might very well have cried my way home.  Well, I did cry my way home, but it was out of gratefulness.  My heart was overflowing with love from a great friend.  Sometimes a person may not know just how of an impact they can have on another person's day.

So, to my friend, THANK YOU! You know who you are. :)