Ever Passing Shadows...

In this Temporal Plane, time exists in ever passing shadows wasting away my countenance.

But, in that Forever Plane no shadow exists for the Light of All Existence envelopes so completely that time and age cease.

The light of the eye is oddly dim in seeing on this Temporal Plane. It does not see past even a moment so brief, and adds no wisdom of time in all its looking.

Yet, the Eye of the All-Seeing-One illuminates in one ordinary step the path of all Eternal moments to come on that Eternal Plane when corpse meets cross and shatters splintered-flesh to life.

Prop 8... I Stand Corrected...

I stand corrected... In a 6-1 decision, the California Supreme Court upheld the voters voice by staying the ban on gay marriage.

The ruling stated that it was the constitutional duty of the court to uphold the constitution and not to change the ruling based on a court decision.

Chief Justice Ron George said in the ruling that, "the people have a right, through the ballot box, to change their constitution." And he went on to say, though, "it is not a proper function of this court to curtail that process; we are constitutionally bound to uphold it."

Many gay activists took to the court before and after protesting the results, by hand-holding, sign holding and rainbow flag waving. The plaintiffs are not happy (pun intended) with the verdict and vow to continue their fight for gay marriage. To say the least, this fight isn't over. Check out the Fox News article.

Proposition 8...

Today the Supreme Court is going to hand down its decision as to whether or not Prop 8 is constitutional. For those of you who read my blog, there is no need for me to rehash the reasons why allowing Gay marriages is fundamentally wrong on so many levels. However, I do wish to comment on a thought that I had a moment ago while listening to the news on radio... yes, news on radio does still exist...

Depending on what the Supreme Court says, America may be the first civilized society to do what's not been done before... redefine the most ancient and fundamental institution created by God, the family. Think of this, to my knowledge, no other society has ever done this. Even Rome in its secular humanism did not allow homosexuality to be lawful, although it somewhat tolerated these types of so-called relationships.

Here's the irony... America was founded under the desire to worship God freely as a Christian nation. So in essence, as a "Christian" nation, we will be the first society... ever... to legalize gay marriage and thus redefine marriage. This will be an act of thumbing our noses directly at God. So, what our forefathers came here to establish and ensure, its sons will see undone completely.

Oh, and the Supreme Court today is going to rule in Prop 8's favor. It will declare Prop 8 unconstitutional opening the floodgate for gay marriage to be legalized in every state in the union. This will lead to changes in the public school system that has been begging to be made allowing gay marriage to be taught as a healthy alternative lifestyle.

America is no longer Christian, news flash, right? Muslim nations look upon us as the most decadent, sinful and immoral nation currently existing. Today is a day of reckoning. Our nation is not the nation of our fathers.

God remember the righteous... have mercy on the wicked...

Homo Volente...

Pastor: "So, what are you going to do with that motorcycle, son?"

Bike Guy: "Well, I'm going to ride it into town and sell the thing."

(The pastor has been intensly studying the book of James for the past 3-and-a-half months.)

Pastor: "Shoudn't you say, 'If the Lord wills it..., I'm going to sell my motorcycle'?"

(The Bike Guy is somewhat put off by the hyper-religious nature of the pastor and becomes excitedly agitated.)

Bike Guy: "Look, Preacher, I'm going to ride this here bike into that there town and God doesn't have anything to do with whether or not I sell this here bike!"

So the Bike Guy jumps on the bike, kicks the engine to life and slings dirt and gravel angerily into the air. The pastor just smiles, shakes his head slightly at young arrogance and goes inside his house to retrieve a cold glass of lemonade.

3 Hours Later

The Pastor sitting on his porch sipping a third glass of lemonade sees Bike Guys hobbling down the road, clothes torn to shreds, he's in a make shift sling and blood is staining through the legs of his torn jeans.

Pastor: "Well, what happened to you, son?"

Bike Guy: "Well, Pastor (in a more reverent tone than before) it started to rain and I had a nasty spill on my bike and slid for a hundred feet. I hobbled over to an old farm house to get some help. The old lady who lived there met me at the door with a shotgun, so I turned and ran and she fired spraying my backside with lead. I ducked behind an oak tree for cover and as I sat there picking lead from my backside lightening from the rain storm struck the tree sending voltage through my body, knocking me unconscious. When I came too, I hobbled back here."

Pastor: "What are you going to do now?" (In a bit of unbelief at the plight of the disheveled young man.)

Bike Guy: "I'm going to go straight home now..., if the Lord wills."

End Scene

The early church when writing letters to each other, often would end their letter with these initials... D.V. These initials stood for the Latin phrase Deo Volente, meaning "God willing". This to them wasn't the equivalent to our bumper sticker theology where we ascribe our Christianity to trite sayins such as, "Burn Now or Burn Later," or "If God is Your Co-Pilot, Swap Seats," and on and on. This seeming insignificant set of letters, D.V., stood for something much more profound than a popular phrasing of some theological pop culturesque, iconic blathering. This to them meant Life and often resulted in Death.

Deo Volente was a statement of their allegiance to Christ in life and death. It was an encouragement to others as they read these initials to know they were connected in community to someone else who had cast their life's lot with Christ and would be united together in a martyr's death for the sake of the cross. The church under the pretense of these two letters D. V. was an astonishing organism that was a contradiction to everthing in their culture around them. Their resolve to die for Christ dumbfounded and fascinated the wicked world around them who cheered in the colossal coloseum of Rome as these faithful were torn to bits by ferocious animals and gladiators... much the same these two are.

The cancer ridden church today signs its letters with a slightly different set of initials... H.V., Homo Volente. Homo being the original Latin for human being or better person. Homo Volente is writ large upon the hearts of modern Christians who are put out now, not by blood lusting mobs, but tiresomely long sermons and carpet colors of new building projects. No longer is D.V. writ large on the hearts of Christians, but our godless way of going about life and in moments of trouble, we then crank up the prayer phone tree or whatever human method we've devised to get in touch with someone who can get a prayer through to the Almighty. It has become our way (homo volente) or the high way.

We go and do and plan without the slightest consideration of what God's plans might be for us. We devise and scheme and study trends to discern what will increase the size of the crowd so that our resumes are fattened for the successful gauge of the godless organizations who exist under the banner of religion, yet scoff at the site of the true presence of God because it came packaged in lepersy instead of the flashy expensive suit of some celebrity preacher.

Oh, God... that the church still signed it's letters of life with the heart rending Deo Volente than the self glorifying Homo Volente that brings judgement soon upon our land. This might have been avoided... if God's will was the common denomenator in all our Earthly doings...

Indianapolis Continued...

Okay, so we came, we saw, we left... It was a quick trip to Indy, leaving on Friday and coming home late Sunday night. And, as they say you can't go back home.

We had a great time with my aunt, uncle and cousins. It was so great to see them and they were so gracious to put us up and then also to feed us. But the trip was surreal in a sense.

There was this notion that this place had once been woven into my fiber, but now seemed oddly disjointed from ever having been real. As we drove around showing my family some of the old sites, it wasn't as I had remembered it. Everything had changed. My old high school had been completely rebuilt and didn't resemble the place that once brought so much anxiety as it had the day I walked the halls not knowing a soul. The township where we lived had changed tremendously. New stores were everywhere and the familiar ones all but gone the way of the dinosaur. The two houses where my family had lived now seemed so old and so small. Everything was completely not how I remembered it.

We ate in a restaurant I used to go to all the time and I had a flash back where I thought, "Little did I know that ten years later I would be bringing my family of six here to this place." That was a neat moment. It was almost as though I got to hit fast forward on life's remote and see how things turned out.

The thing I truly discovered on this little adventure was a statement my wife made to me as I lamented the woes of change. She said, "Home is where you make it." (and, no she didn't say it with a Cajun accent as in the "Waterboy") But, she is right. One of my cousins made the comment that - after having lived in Alabama most of her life - she didn't think she could ever live in Alabama again. She seems to likely be a permanent transplant. And on Sunday, as we drove home, I came away with the notion that is sure is good to headed back home to the South.

It wasn't that we had a bad time or didn't enjoy ourselves; it's just that life goes on if you will let it and most of your living can be missed if you're living in the past and hanging on to regret.

Nominal Christianity...

Sitting in the pews looking around at all the stained glass, there became a sense to me that this is all the church has become. The speaker then droned on and on about goodness and I was instantly reminded about Christ's response when called "good".

"Why are you calling me good? No one is good except for the Father," says Jesus.

Yet the minister droned on and on as though the concept of good could be attained. So, after the message and many affirming nods we - the congregation - plodded off to be "good".

My first stop was lunch. I ate much as usual for Sunday dining. I required many refills and, frankly, wore out the legs of my waitress. Nothing at the restaurant was quite right. The food was cool, the food was bland, the food simply was not to my liking. And being the good steward I am I demanded the kitchen staff redo the meal because I aim to get what I pay for. This seemed to perturb the waitress and I felt a bit snubbed for the remainder of the meal. So, upon my leaving I decided to teach her a good lesson, so instead of a tip I left her this good little tract about hell, damnation and fire for those who aren't good. I was sure that would keep her up at night pining over how rude she had been to me. I knew this was a good thing to do and the Word of God now in her hand would go much further for this waitress than my money. "She now is surely saved," I said to myself with a skip in my step.

My next stop where I would put the ministers message of goodness to work would be Tuesday at the voting booth. This is our good duty and in so doing I was sure to pick the candidate who would guarantee that the poor and helpless would be taken care of. Right? Isn't this a good thing to do? So I voted for the candidate with the greatest sense of helping the working man. At that precise moment, however, there was this slight tug and reminder that this candidate was openly for abortion and voted consistently on making it easier for teens to get abortions without notifying their parents, etc. "But, what about the economy?" I thought. It's in the tank after all and it would be good if our economy rebounded so the rich would pay their fair share and the poor wouldn't be so poor anymore. So my good vote was cast and my civil duty served.

"Good Master, what must I do...?"

The question posed to Christ was in an attempt to secure eternal life in one, resounding action that would echo his soul into eternity. But, what resulted was a decried attempt to circumvent Christ. And, if you look at Christ's response he actually told the young man what to do. "Go sell all that you have and give it to the poor and follow me."

Was this not the good deed that the seeker sought? What we humans want is to have our cake and eat it too. We want to live and thrive in this world and by it's systems, yet when we check out of this Temporary Plane we want to live and thrive in that Eternal Plane as well. Here we are wanting our cake...

Christianity has modernly become nominal - meaning in appearance only. Another term I've heard is stained glass Christianity. These both communicate the idea that people want to be Christian so as long as they can do whatever it is that they still want to do. This is no Christianity at all. The right to become Christian is only given to us by Christ and He has set the parameters. We - in coming to Christ - are not free to do whatever it is we like, it is actually the freedom to follow Christ. We freely forfeit our rights as fallen humans and then become defined in existence by His will- not ours.

In our feeble attempts to attain the "good" we miss the perfect. The Greek phrasing Christ used for "follow me" is the same phrasing He used to call the twelve disciples to Him. The phrasing is more than just a "here, boy... come on, here, boy," as one might call a dog to follow. It was a recognizable Hebrew call to come and be a disciple. It was a call to come and learn from the Master Rabbi. The young man might have been remembered for millenia to come as the thirteenth apostle, or the one who replaced Judas after his betrayal. But, in seeking the good... he missed the perfect... Christ. The ancient text says that the young man went away sorrowfully because many goods possessed him. And, yes, I said that correctly.

It is one thing to be involved in politics and to assert our political persuasions, but it is an altogether different thing to place those persuasions and policies above the founded truths of God's word. To pull for a politician, or any person for that matter, because he or she promises to fatten our pockets with money is chosing again to miss the perfect for the seemingly good. The temporary has replaced the eternal and there's no justifying this no matter the argument that is made.

We as Christians are first and foremost citizens of that Heavenly Plane. Those guidlines set forth by God's Word cannot be disregarded for culture's sake. When this is done we move from ipso facto Christianity to nominal Christianity. Which one do you suppose will stand? The stained glass we've painted or the stained cross from which he was hanged?

Credit When It's Due...

Okay, I firmly believe that one should give credit where credit is due. And, frankly President Obama needs to receive credit in listening to his military advisers at the Pentagon.

In a somewhat shocking reversal, President O. decided not to have the photos of abuse by some of our military released to the public. Great move Mr. President. Releasing the photos does nothing to forward the cause of stopping abuses that are perpetrated in war. The rogue military men - as this isn't a systematic practice - have been punished for their crimes. To release the photos would only cause further danger to our men and women in the armed services of our nation.

America does not systematically abuse our enemies. In fact, we are a very humane nation putting our enemies' human rights in their proper priority. Most of our enemies who are captured get to sleep in air conditioned facilities with three hot meals a day. A far cry from the conditions most of the are used to existing in. However, we fight an enemy that does not place this same priority on the rights of our service men and women. The Islamic terrorist make it a terror practice to decapitate enemies and civilians, by hand and with hand held weapons. It doesn't get anymore gruesome than that. God forbid that we water board known terrorist to coerce information from them while an attending physician is standing by. And, this information has proven to have saved hundreds if not thousands of lives in foiled terror plots. If only our enemies were so humane to our men and women. This is not the wars of our fathers. We are engaged in a new warfare where the Geneva Convention is completely thrown out the window by those who wish to exterminate us from the face of the Earth.

President Obama did a good thing here, no he did a GREAT thing here. He put the lives of our troops above ideology, even to the detriment of being attacked by his far left backers - like the ACLU - who still want these photos released. Great job here Mr. President, you did a service to our country! Now about socialism... :)

If Again... Yet No More...

Tomorrow we leave for Indianapolis. We are excited to make the trip and to be with a long time friend on his wedding day. Even in my excitement to go back to one of my many hometowns, I have a bit of a question or notion that this trip will also carry with it disenchantment. There is such the tendency in humanity to memorialize the past and leave out everything the past lacked - as the discontented humans we are and can be.

I wonder how many of my fond memories of today will be put in their proper context of yesterday? Was it actually as great as I recall it to be? As adults going back to once enormous play-places we find them now oddly small. Being just as human then as now, however, the struggles I had then are the same as the struggles I have today yet something makes us long for times ago. Although, then I had more slimmer spiritual-maturity-material working within me than I do now, we still long for those days.

I go back now ten years later, beautifully married and with four children. I go back changed by time and turmoil, but with also wisdom that God has continued to give me each day since as I further learn to trust Him. I too must think of those days fondly as I was an adventurous adolescent always venturing some romance or its woes. Emotionally, it was a charged time vibrant with an energy of expectancy of what may come of this life. Now I meet those places of my adolescence with a bit of the curtain unfurled and a sort of settled knowing of how things I once wondered did become. I do not return as a teen but as a thirty-something with whom a bit of the magic of what could be removed by what actually is.

Cheney the Defender...

Democratic Pundit(1): "Why won't he leave?"

Democratic Pundit(2): "Yeah, why won't you leave?"

Democratic Pundit(1): "Can't we buy him a one-way ticket back to Jackson, Wyo.?"

Democratic Pundit(2): "Yeah, send him back to Jackson!"

Democratic Pundit(1): "He's living in the past... Party of the Past! Party of the Past! Party of the Past!"

Democratic Pundit(2): "What he said! What he said! What he said!"

Former Vice-Pres Dick Cheney has been making the rounds defending the former administration and it's anti-terror policies holding that nothing illegal was done. However, his voice of defense hasn't went without much heated criticism by the majority on the Hill. In a Fox News article published May 12th, 2009 Cheney defends his defense of their administration and the policies they set in place to protect Americans from further terrorism.

The Democrats decry his voice stating that Cheney is further establishing the party's label of being a "Party of the Past, giving no room for up and coming Republicans to redefine the party." Like the Dems are so worried and concerned over the image of the GOP, right?

W. has taken the "high road" of retiring presidents in doing just that... retire. Much like the retirement of former president Clinton. Remember his retirement? Oh, wait he didn't retire. He spoke his mind as well often criticizing the Bush administration and then in last year's election, campaigning to be First-Man.

Cheney is a thorn in the current administrations side. He's not just rolling over and allowing them to slam the policies of the former administration. As with the current administration, they love to cry, "We inherited this problem," while sticking it to W. all the while creating much buzz in trying members of the former administration for war crimes. The Dems quickly forget that there was a Democratic congress for the last two years of the Bush Administration. Where's their responsibility in the matters of the day? And, isn't this the party of Change... changing the way politics have been done for the past forever? There has been more partisan division in the last 100 days then in all of the last 8 years.

Cheney needs to be a defending voice of the administration to which he belonged so as long as the Dems want to take their cheap shots at that administration. I hope Cheney continues to use his voice to defend an administration that was key in the 7+ years of relative peace we've experienced since September 11th, 2001 taking the fight off our shores onto the shores of the terrorist regimes and governments. The current administration is surely putting us on a fast track to Terrorville.

Abandoned... God's Folly

"Where are you?" asked in frantic whispered pants, the realized abandonment
sinking in. Not wanting to accept the chilling reality, he cries out just a
bit louder, "Where are you?", the cry becoming more desperate yet amazingly
still hushed.

He began to search and to call out looking behind every tree, every turn
stall of racked clothings. The surreal moment made it seem as though he
stepped outside himself and became an onlooker to the whole mess.

Then the flood of failure thoughts began to wash over him. "Wasn't I good
enough to keep them? Why have they left me?" The words came more as
accusations than questions.

Turning to six-winged creature he asked, "Why do I call them and they don't
answer me? Why have they left me?" His question fell upon stunned silence.

"I gave them everything; they no longer need me. I listened to every cry of
theirs; now it's I who cries." Still the only reply in that Forever Plane
was further silence.

"I wipe my eyes dry now. No further tears will drip from my cheeks. I will
take back their stuff. That will cause them to seek after me again. Their
eyes will flow as the fountains."

Six-winged creature turns, lays down his harp beside the shore and fills his
emptied hand with sword... two wings stretched out to fly with fevered fury
from that Forever Plane.

No Prayer in the White House

Thursday May 7th marks the annual National Day of Prayer. According to a White House statement, president Barack Obama will not host a prayer event as has been the tradition of W. for the past eight years. Presidents H.W. Bush as well as Reagan also held events to commemorate the National Day of prayer, but not this administration. They will mark the day but not observe it.

Here's the thing... President Obama isn't the first president to ever campaign as a Christian and then run an administration that reflects everything but Christian moral values. The Cross has become a campaign vehicle that politicians ride because it provides a key component to electability... Christian votes. Even if in decline, Christianity is still the predominate faith group in America. So, if one lusts for the power of the highest office in the land it must be through the channels of the church. Although, this too is decreasing because the definition of "Christian" has become muddled. Anyone who shows up to Mass on Easter or darkens the door of a church for the annual Christmas cantata claim Christianity today. Therefore, it has become ever so increasingly easy to campaign without flying a flag of Christianity over ones campaign because Christians have lost their identity.

Soon America is going to be devastated by total economic collapse and a terrorist attack, or multiple attacks. When the country is standing in the smoke and ruins of secular failure to whom will they turn? Will the administration then seek God? They will seek Him yet not be able to find Him.

One day this administration will seek a National Day of prayer borne from ruined and failed ideology, as will all of America's politicians who have repeatedly forgotten our Maker and pressed their Mammon driven doctrines. A sad day is coming... Prophets ready your pens when you will write dirges for the passing of such a nation and people as this.

That Forever Plane...

I hate the disconnection that exists between God and humanity. I hate the disconnection that exists between God and myself. Although I pray and read His word and worship and belong to a community of believers and serve as His minister, none of these succeed in fully connecting me with Him in a way that I desperately long for.

I cry out to God and He speaks, yet they are muted whisper on my heart. I long for the moment when we can talk face-to-face... when we see each other reflected in the pupils of each others' eyes.

I listen to hear from Him and He does speak His words upon my heart, yet those words fail to touch my hearing. Hearing has become a metaphor for our hearts longing to feel His breath upon our auricles as He speaks whispers to us in embraced conversations. I cry out for a touch from God and His touch is noticed as my heart's beat is increased as my spirit is stirred by His. Yet this touch is an empty hand stretched out for a rescued pull from His own yet not felt in the palm but only in perceived trust. It is a good touch but it is not perfect; it lacks yet still in substance of realized feeling.

It is having Divinity always at arms length plus a fingertips gap - always remaining constant, yet never can the distance be spanned while housed in homes of fleshly reminders that we once walked in gardens but now trudge in deserts of distance. Only when we are made to dwell in houses rebuilt on Heavenly planes will gazes be full-faced held, or whisper felt upon ears, or touches that hands and chests can only discern.

Now we are only allowed metaphors embracings but one day on that Heavenly plane when the journey from desert to garden is made will our faith become sight, and taste, and touch... I am longing for that forever plane when my house has been rebuilt.