Complicated?

This may be one of my most unprofessional posts yet. But that fits rather well with my post...

It has always been a storm for me that the shallow, glitzy, glamorous is so...well, Glamorous! Maybe it's inferiority, or worldliness, or jealousy, or---ouch, let's stop now...

It is so easy to base one's own value on our opinion of our self; which, by the way, is all too often defined by others opinion, or a comparison we've made by others.

Why is it so complicated to turn on my heel?
To leave it all behind?
To lift my face to the only One who's opinion MATTERS?

Why is it so hard to live in such a way that Heaven will be glad,
Knowing that my efforts are not wasted?
They will last longer than any name, remembrance, talent or reputation
If only I dedicate them to the One who's opinion really Matters!

Why is it so tempting to ignore what the Almighty says I am?
His princess, His bride, the one He delights in?
Formerly forbidden, now restored to His presence by the Blood He shed!

And so... why is it important whether or not I live who I am--rather, who He made me to be?
Because, (as I tell the kids) if you can be awesome being you, doing it like nobody else can,
Why be second-rate at acting like someone else?

My worth is not in what you think.
It's not in what I think.

It's in what He thinks.

Perfect Democracy?

Breaking news reads:

Supporters of the main election challenger to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clashed with police and set up barricades of burning tires Saturday as authorities claimed the hard-line president was re-elected in a landslide. The rival candidate said the vote was tainted by widespread fraud and his followers responded with the most serious unrest in the capital in a decade.

So what's the big deal? Why can't these people pull off an election without childish
"You cheated!"
"DID NOT! YOU DID!"
"UH-UH! YOU DID!"

Actually, why can't the US pull that off anymore?

Two reasons:
1. Some people aren't strong enough to lose, but mainly
2. No one trusts anyone, because few are trust-worthy.

Mainstream media tries to guide us to believe that
democracy is perfection,
democracy is our goal,
and perfect democracy will solve our problems.

Meanwhile, when the people are blind enough to think they are in control, they take more power under the guise of provision.
BUT this is not (or was not intended to be, anyways) a post on the role of government.

FIRST, we were not founded as a democracy.
We are a democratic republic.
Which basically means
-among other things-
that there is a check on the people as well as on the other branches.

Second, if the people have "power," they will do as they see fit.
They will make laws as they see fit.
They will prosecute as they see fit.

How will they do this? Will they do it well?

The answer is fairly cut and dry.

Blackstone's Commentary on the Laws of England make mention of two types of law.
I'm paraphrasing, but here they are:
Man's law: usually written. You know, 45 mph or "No spitting on the sidewalks!"

Moral (GOD'S) Law: Don't murder, commit adultery,
or slip wages under the table to avoid taxes.
ETHICS.

ALL of mankind is under the former law, no matter what governmental system he is under.
If the government is godly, it's laws will match up.
If it's not...
people have bonfires with tires, buildings, (God forbid) human bodies.

Which begs the question: How do bad governments come about?

The people are bad. Rocket science, isn't it?

God instituted government from the beginning. He gives power to every authority.
So...
If the people are unlawful, they will require heavier-handed government
(where America is headed, by the way...ever heard of socialism?)
Yes, if the people are unlawful, they also have unlawful government.
WAIT! Would God give power to an evil government?

Remember the Israelites? God would hand them over to their ungodly enemies for a while. They would get tired of their wickedness, repent of their ways,
and God would restore Himself as their DIRECT government.
(Of course, He governed through prophets, judges, and kings--some Godly, some not.)

Good relations require trust, which requires morality.

Godly people who persevere in affecting their countrymen and government will have a less-involved, less-restrictive ruling body.

Bad people
(or Christians who bury their heads in the proverbial sand, not doing more than voting
--if that at all--
and never voicing opposition to unethical behavior in their workplace)
will have over-involved, Marxist, and probably corrupt tyrants to deal with.

Bottom Line:

Morality is VITAL to Freedom.

Weed Eater, Anyone?

I had full intentions of finding that special place. True, I missed it the first time I passed, but only because I failed to watch for it. I was more careful the second time--but the path eluded me again.

I knew that place very well...once. Once, I frequented the cool but welcoming shadows, the quiet stream, the incredible serenity. Yes, it existed.

But now it is lost to me! Has it left? Or have I simply lost the path?

I suppose it was a subtle thing, this hiding of my path. (Plants rarely explode into a forest overnight!) But sly nature has a way of filling deserted places with her own visitors.

Deserted? Why, I never deserted the place! I held it near to my heart! Of course, the other distractions may have kept me away for, oh, 2 or 3 months--but it was not intentional, my friends!

Now, if I am to find my way again, I must crash through the underbrush and dodge branches. Hm, sounds violent...maybe painful. I may get scratched. I wonder--is it worth it?

It's been so long. SO long. The memory is nearly hazy...was it a dream? Did it happen?

Does it exist?

"Where is your faith?"

The quiet place of prayer grows sweeter with visitation.
You can fool yourself with hypocrisy...you may call yourself a Christian,
But if your path is getting weedy, you are in grave danger.

Your attitude will show it.
Your priorities will show it.
Your life will be empty, though you stuff the gaping cavern with all you can get your hands on:
Excuses, anger, materialism, hate, and always--Selfishness.

How can we?
We've know the sweetness of intimacy with the Power of the Universe!

But, when distractions are closer to our hearts than that quiet place,
our path will become overgrown.

How do Christians become Atheists?

The path "disappeared."
It takes too much energy, too much effort, to crash back through.
They forgot how important it is, and now it's not worth it.

Keep your hedge trimmer handy.

PAR-TAY!...in continuation

No doubt you thought my graduation celebration posts were through. "Nay Nay," I say, "Nay Nay!" LOL

My charming family came to visit me this last weekend to celebrate my graduation. We ate, played games, took ridiculous amounts of pictures, ate, went to the pops, ate, watched a movie, and ate. Other than for my being sick, we had a lovely time.

The whole group

moi?

Myra

(...ok, when can the eating begin?)

Bro. Brown

some of that wonderful food...

Joy and Jeffrey
(She took the pic, so they can't kill me for putting it on...XD )

Sis. Betty Brown helping out.

The wonderful Mommy doing my cake.

The bro and me.

So, that's all for now! Much Grass!

Storytime:

Once upon a time--a very long time ago...Marjorie made that last post. Wow, it's been a while! I guess that means I have some catching up to do!

dum-dah-dah-DUM!

I'M GRADUATING!
HOORAY!

We also had our last day at the home school co-op...we got really cool T-shirts. (I may get pics on of them later.) We also had a neat little celebration.
Also graduating were Philip and Deborah (she wasn't there).

We got pinned, hatted, and (me, anyways) embarrassed.
For those of you that don't know who he is, this is Phil, and he would rock your socks off!

Mrs. Kristen, my teacher and Phil's mom.
She is the total awesomeness!

Hunter

Meagan and Lindzy

There was also a trip to Lake Winnie,
a.k.a. the most fun place to get crisped to a lovely shade of red...

Andrea and I hung out a lot...
btw, you can see our school shirts in this one!
fun, fun, fun,
the burn has just begun...

behold the craziness...

Andrea's brothers--she was supposed to be in the picture, but...
Meagan and Lily
Camera War!

I also went on a very fun trip to P.A. for Campus Days at PVBI. Martha and I braved the highways...and more highways...and lots of Virginia highways...and anno---nice Virginia cops...in unmarked cars. Cheese.
We did see this neat truck.

You can tell I didn't take a lot of pics, huh?
Ryan!

We had some cute little robins in our yard!

Ummm...cute?gross!

and flowers...

As well as a friendly little squirrely outside my window!

My family and I also had an extrememly unique, memorable, and fun experience recently. We went to a Brazilian restaurant in Indianapolis.
FOGO DE CHAO
Our host was David Wilson...he's pictured with us later.
After we ate from a salad bar with many unusual things on it (yummy cheese), we turned over our little cards. As long as you wanted more meat on your plate, you put your card on the green side.
Gentlemen (in traditional outfits) came around with different types of meat on their silver spears. If you wanted what they had, they would ask you how done you wanted it. (After several times of telling them how you like it on different meats, they remembered on their own--which is amazing because they are serving tons of tables at the same time!)
When you had enough on your plate, you turned your card over till you wanted more.
We ate.
and ate.
and ate.
oh boy...


A looong time ago, Leah had her B-day party, and it's time I got those pics up too!

She and her brother William.

The bunch of us.

Andrea and I
(someone always has to be in the picture with her--she hates cameras--and since I'm always taking pictures--thus, the ones of us.)

We had a photo shoot!
(Angie was leaving for the mission field.)

We went to a neat Greek restaurant...I had caviar. mmmmmm...


Well, gtg now!