The Old Gray Uniform

Folded and tucked away in a wooden drawer
Lays an old tattered suit of gray
Blood and mud has long stained its color
From a battlefield where the soldier lay

Once he fought for his native land
To protect her purity from uncouth invaders
He battled courageously against blue bellies—
Men who were freedom-haters

Now his uniform lays forlorn
There's not much occasion to take it out
The sight of it usually brings tears
Memories of a bloody bout

The soldier's back was once young and strong
But now he's bent with age
He will never forget the Southern struggle
Of warring against a tyrant's rage

He was once the emblem of the South
Young, strong, and fervently proud
But now he's a forgotten old man
Whose voice is not so loud

Yet he is still just as proud
He still walks with a firm step
His old musket, though a mockery to some
Will always shadow his doorstep

His gray uniform once had a purpose
To fight Liberty's battle
But now—forgotten like its wearer
Is thrown into the mud by prattle

The old gray uniform is an emblem
Of a glory forever long gone
Of a day when the man was young
And his gun was drawn

The old gray uniform is still in battle
Of fighting evil invaders
Men who don't understand liberty
Wicked men who are God-haters

God is Good...All the Time?

Scene 1: A happy-go-lucky Irishman sitting in his fields of ripe, golden wheat with a huge smile on his face.  The sun is shining brightly, the sky is blue with white, puffy clouds lazing around, and birds are chirping gaily.  It is the perfect day.  "God, You are just absolutely amazing!  This day is perfect, my fields are ready to be harvested, and I feel so happy to be alive!  Life is grand, and God, You are so good to me!  Yep, God is good."  He nods his head in affirmation of what he just said as he looks about his beautiful wheat once again.  "Yes, God is good, all the time!"

Scene 2:  The puffy white clouds have tuned black and menacing, while the sun no longer shines.  The wind begins to pick up dangerously as storm clouds threaten to unleash their fury.  The happy-go-lucky Irishman now has a furrow between his brow as he gazes up into the sky and then back at his wheat.  Harvesting was to begin tomorrow. Thunder roars, startling the Irishman.  He runs for cover as the clouds suddenly open up and let loose torrents of pouring, gushing rain.  He ducks into his barn, soaked to the skin.  Worry lines increase on his forehead.  What had happened to his perfect day?  Stark fear springs into his eyes as he hears an unwelcome sound.  He prays his ears deceive him.  But no, his eyes confirm it.  It was hail.  "No, oh no, my wheat.  God, why are You doing this?!  What happened to doing what is best for me?  Don't You understand, that wheat is my livelihood!  What will I feed my family with if I haven't any money?  God, You're supposed to be good all the time!  No, please no.  God, if You truly do what is best for me, stop this hail before it completely destroys my crop!  God?  God!"



Just what is a fair-weather friend?  Someone who is not steadfast; able to be relied upon only when things are going well, much like the Irishman in the story.  When everything was going according to his plan, he trusted and relied upon God.  Yes, God was good then.  But as soon as things didn't go according to the man's plan, he lashed out at God.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28

To read the rest of this post, click here.

Hosted at Covenant Devotion.

The Eye-Catcher

 (True modesty and purity in action)

Adeline sighed and pressed her nose up against the glass of her upstairs bedroom window that overlooked the quiet streets of a small but picturesque, old-fashioned town.  It was the beginning of springtime in Texas, for the warm weather had already arrived and the wild flowers by the roadside had already been showing their faces for several weeks now.  Adeline's eyes watched teenagers from the local high school as they walked—some in groups, others in pairs—along the streets of her town.  School had just let out for the day, but Adeline was bored because she had finished her book work hours ago, being home-schooled, along with her chores.  Now there was nothing to do but take her usual place at the window seat and watch high-schoolers that she could only long to be friends with.

Adeline slowly raised the window, and a fresh breeze whirled her hair around her face.  Her eyes particularly watched the teenage girls.  They were so different from her, with their tight shorts that Adeline's parents had strictly forbidden, tank tops which exposed too much skin, and jeans that all-too-clearly displayed their small but curvaceous hips.  Adeline understood the importance of modesty, but she didn't know why the guys of her town always wanted to hang out with those girls.  Guys didn't give her a second glance as she walked by in her modest and feminine apparel.  She couldn’t help feeling maybe she didn’t have what it took to please a man.  She hated her insecurity, but it was always there, staring her right in the face.

Adeline's eyes followed a particular group of older teenaged girls—the bright and sumptuously beautiful girls—and the ones who wore the skimpiest clothing and most daring makeup. To Adeline, they looked great, with their toned and tan legs, even if their shorts were too short.  Why is it that guys only go after those sorts of girls?

Adeline sighed once again and turned back to her open Bible that lay on her bed.  She was envious.  She was coveting.  God, it's not fair!  Not fair?  Adeline could hardly believe she would say such a thing to God.  Tears began to rim her eyes.

Footsteps sounded on the staircase leading up to her room, and Adeline tried to dash away her tears as she turned to see her mother open her door.  Seeing tears on Adeline's face, her mother's warm smile turned into a worried expression.  She sat beside her on the bed and wrapped her arm around her.  "What's wrong with my Adeline?"

Adeline bit her lip.  She was afraid her mother wouldn't understand.  Who could?  Adeline couldn't understand herself most of the time.  She lowered her eyes in shame.  "Nothing," she whispered.

Adeline's mother cast a knowing look out the open window as loud, boisterous, girlish laughter sounded from outside. Living in town was not the best thing for a sixteen year old whose parents were trying to raise into a godly young woman, but their situation couldn't be helped.  She prodded her daughter again.  "C'mon, you don't just cry over nothing.  What's wrong?  I'm your mother and it is my job to help you.  So tell me what's wrong."

Short, jerky sentences finally came from Adeline's lips.  "It's just not...fair!"  She blurted out.  "Why are all the most beautiful girls the immodest, loose ones?  And what's worse, guys only seem to like those kinds of girls!  Every eye is drawn to them, but someone like me isn't even given a second glance.  Even the girls at church dress like that!  I want to be beautiful too!"  With this her sobs deepened.

Adeline's mother sighed long and heavily.  "Addy, how many times have I talked about this with you?  You are beautiful. Both your father and I have said so."

Adeline sniffed.  "Yeah, but you're my parents.  Of course I'm going to be beautiful to you. And besides, you would just say that to make me feel better."

Her mother raised an eyebrow.  "Then who do you want to be beautiful to?  Every man that looks at you?"

Adeline blushed.  "N-no, but I want to believe it.  I look at all those other girls and my confidence in myself is shaken.  I'm not beautiful compared to them.  They get to show off everything about themselves, while I have to hide beneath my frumpy old clothes.  I feel like I'm such a misfit."

"But you are beautiful. Your beauty comes from the inside out.  Remember, 'Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised' (Prov. 31:30).  A woman's heart is the most important factor in beauty, not what she looks like on the outside and what she wears.  In fact, the Bible implicitly requires modesty in a godly woman."

Adeline bowed her head.  "I know, Mama, but why do I still long to be viewed as beautiful on the outside too?"

"Every woman does," her mother answered.   “We want to be admired, pampered, glorified, adored, and worshipped, and for some reason, Hollywood has portrayed women as only being 'beautiful' if they look and dress a certain way.  But if we are women who truly seek to firstly, glorify God in everything we do, and second, to be a godly woman, we must not fall into the trap that the world sets for women.  Each woman has a separate and distinctive unique beauty, and you only want one man to love and cherish you for it, not every bozo that sees you on the street.  Who cares what those kind of men think!  They are just seeking instant satisfaction from those girls.  You only want one man to see your true beauty, and it is your job as a Christian young lady to keep that for him until you are married."

"Let me ask you something," her mother continued.  "When the Bible talks about the whorish woman, what do you think of her?  Do you envy her, or do you scorn the very thought of her?"

Adeline blinked.  "Well of course I would not envy her.  After all, she seductively leads men on to destruction."

Adeline's mother smiled knowingly.  "Ah, so why would you envy those girls that you just saw out your window?  How are they any different from the woman talked about in Proverbs?"

Adeline's mouth opened, though she didn't speak right away.  "How...I mean...it's different...isn't it?  I don't want to entice or seduce men like the bad woman in Proverbs.  Those girls aren't wicked or rotten."

"There really is no difference, Adeline.  The clothes that you envy other girls wearing?  It is seductive and enticing to men.  The freedom that you long for?  It will cause a man to lust, even causing him to act upon his lust if he is not controlled by the Word of God.  'Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?' (Prov. 6:27-28).  When it comes down to it, Adeline, there is a dark though perhaps hidden reason behind your envy and longing to be like other girls.  A woman feels such exhilarating freedom if she knows she can entice a man with her beauty, and particularly her immodesty.  However, this is wrong, and more importantly, this is sin.  I know, because all women are the same.  We want to use our power, but always for evil."

"These worldly girls, they're just pleasing to the eye for a time.  They are eye-catchers.  Needless to say, they don't have the true beauty of the hidden heart that will keep a man enticed all his life.  Outward beauty fades, and one day they will have lost all manner of physical beauty that they flaunt right now.  One day they will be old women who have lost their girlish figures.  If it is your desire to dress like the world, you too will be admired by all men.  Because men are visually-stimulated, they are pleased by shapely legs and too much skin.  But that admiration will fade with time.  Do you want to win a man with your outward beauty, or the lasting beauty of a godly and pure heart?  The former never last, but with the latter you will keep a man until death do you part."

"You can be part of the world if you want to by dressing the same as other girls you see.  You can become an eye-catcher too, but I must warn you, God strictly forbids it.  Women want to exercise their independence from God by doing what they want and dressing how they want to dress, regardless.  This is sin, dear Adeline, and your father and I do not want a life like this for you.  It is a life that only leads to destruction and only unhappiness and disappointment is found there.  Do you want to be known as 'loose,' 'easy,' and 'floozy'?  Proverbs gives us many admonishments against the adulterous and seductive woman."  She picked up Adeline's well-worn Bible.

'For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.  Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.  Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.  Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.'  -Proverbs 5:3-8

'For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulterous will hunt for the precious life.'  -Proverbs 6:23-26

'For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, and beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house.  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: and behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.  I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.  Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: he hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.  Harken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.  Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.  For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.' -Proverbs 7:6-27

'A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.  For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, to call passengers who go right on their ways: whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.  But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.' -Proverbs 9:13-18

'As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.' -Proverbs 11:22

'For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.  She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.' -Proverbs 23:27-28

“Adeline, do not make the mistake of envying the immodesty and freedom of the world.  As I said before, and as Proverbs clearly shows us, it is a life that leads only to destruction.  Never doubt that you are beautiful just the way God made you (Psalm 139:14), and in fact, your modesty and the purity of your heart makes you ten times better than the girls of the world.  The man who wins your heart will have found more beauty in you than all other women combined, because you have beauty that lasts—beauty that can only come from God.  Don’t worry about being pleasing to the eye.  Any woman can do that with the right dress and makeup.  Work on becoming pleasing to the heart.  I’m not saying that you have to be frumpy and out of style, for God wants us to take care of our bodies so that we might bring Him glory (1 Cor. 6:19-20); I’m saying that one day a man will be captivated by not only your outward beauty, but also the beauty that shines from within.  Don’t worry about these other girls who receive all the attention because they know how to snare men.  Neither should you envy those of your friends who profess to be Christians yet dress like the world. Christ explicitly declared that we are not to be of this world in any form or fashion, including how we dress (1 John 2:15-17).”

“Dear Adeline, I cannot stress enough the importance of remaining pure, even in your heart.  If you waste your time longing and wishing to look like the girls of this world, you are compromising your purity of mind.  Think on what is true (Phil. 4:8).  The truth is you are a different sort of eye-catcher.  I’m sure those girls down on the street look at you and wonder why you don’t dress like they do.  After all, it’s the norm these days to flash off your body.  Girls and guys alike may sneer and scoff at the way you dress and behave, but I’m sure underneath all that false bravado they can’t help wondering why you dress and do what you do.  You are a mystery, because you are different.  Your difference sticks out like a sore thumb, but not in the bad way you think.  People stop and wonder, and maybe even think how pretty and quaint you look—something that just stepped out of an old-fashioned movie.  Men will treat you like a lady because you dress and act like one.  But if you look like all the other girls, you will be treated just like the ‘easy catch’ you portray.  You practically invite a man’s evil thoughts and actions by your dress, unless your dress declares that you are not out to gain their attention and perversion.  True men will respect and honor a true woman—a woman who acts and looks like a lady.”

“You have power, just like every other woman.  The question is, will you use it for your own self-glorification, or use it to glorfy God?  Think about that for a while.”

Adeline’s mother rose from the bed and patted Adeline’s shoulder.  “You are worth so much more that this world has to offer.  If you buy into the lie that the rest of the world has bought into, one day you will regret your decision because your life will not bring forth true happiness.  You can only have a wonderful and fulfilling life if it is lived according to God’s Word.  I know you don’t want to waste your life; therefore don’t waste your thoughts by wishing you were something different than you are.  Beware of the eye-catchers that tempt you with their allurement.  Nothing good comes of it.”

Adeline sniffled and wiped tears from her eyes.  She nodded and smiled through her tears up at her mother.  “Thanks, Mama.  I know better than to think this way, but sometimes it just gets me down and I start to believe the lies that deep down inside of me I know are not true.”  She rose and threw her arms around her mother.  “That talk was just what I needed.  I want to use my power for good.  It’s just so hard to not envy the world’s standards of what ‘beauty’ is.”

Adeline’s mother smiled against her daughter’s hair and hugged her tighter.  “That’s my girl.  I knew you didn’t really want a life like the girls you see.  All women are tempted with that lie, even me, and it is a daily battle to fight against our flesh.  But it is our duty as Christian women to protect not only our purity, but also the purity of the men who view us.  We have a huge responsibility, so we have to be very careful.  But you know what, men, and more importantly God, will honor us for it.  We have to faithfully purpose that we will not become a world’s eye-catcher, but instead be an example for women of this world to see and follow.”

Adeline smiled, finally at peace, and thankful for the wisdom of her mother.  “Yes Mama.”

The Depravity of the Tongue

"Lord, make me a channel of Thy peace

That where there is hatred, I may bring love,

That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness,

That where there is discord, I may bring harmony,

That where there is error, I may bring truth,

That where there is doubt, I may bring faith,

That where there is despair, I may bring hope,

That where there are shadows, I may bring light,

That where there is sadness, I may bring joy."

-St. Francis of Assisi

 

 

Let me begin with a story.

Once upon a time, in the schoolroom of an ordinary little home, there lived eight children: Temper, Impatience, Bossy, Anger, Hateful, Jealousy, Pride, and Conflict.  Unlike the happily ever after stories of fairytale books, these little children loved to quarrel and fight and argue and bicker amongst themselves.  Their names, as you can see, befit their character perfectly.  These eight children were constantly at war with one another—sometimes two against one, or seven ganging up against one, or five against two—and it seemed quite a hopeless case of self-love: each esteeming self above all the others.  What a horrible way to begin a story, aye?

 

You can read the rest of the post here where I was hosted on the lovely blog, Not An Average Girl.  Go and check it out, and enjoy!

Must I Continue?

Selfishness, self-love, self-righteousness, jealousy, strife, conflict, rivalry, competition, resentment, anger, hurtful teasing, harassment, intolerance of fault in others, quarreling, backbiting, impatience, self-pride, degradation of others, sarcasm, disunity, obstinacy, narcissism, autonomy, selfish ambition, bitterness, grudges, hatred, discontentment, cruel remarks, rebellion, temper outbursts, rudeness...

Must I continue?

There are many reason why I have decided to write this book, the first and foremost being for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom.  Secondly, I write this book for my seven siblings (nope, seven isn't lucky for me because I still have to deal with the same problems that everyone else has to deal with).  They are a rather lively and unique group of kids, with many different talents and personalities and characteristics and gifts.  Grace (16), Kirstie (14), Katie (12), Maggie (11), Reb (9), Clara (7), and Liberty (2) are all very intelligent and clever, but you know me: highly prejudiced when it comes to my family.  I will defend them to the death...even if we aren't exactly getting along very well at the moment.  I want to give them an inheritance from their oldest sister, a legacy of love that can be passed down to offer guidance, edification, and sanctification amidst a crooked and perverse generation (Phil.2:5).  I want them to know what it means to struggle, yet overcome those struggles and move on toward success.  This is my prayer.

I also write this book for my children in the future.  Being a kid once myself [humor inserted], I know what it's like to go through sibling rivalry, and I don't want my children wasting years of their lives as bitter enemies with their [many] brothers and sisters.  I want this book to be a part of the heritage that I pass on to my children in future years as a part of their mother's love to them.  I'm trying to keep a multigenerational viewpoint in mind as I write as a vision of hope for my children.

This book is furthermore for other struggling siblings.  I know that my siblings and I are not the only ones who struggle, for rivalry is a common problem.  Why?  Well, you'll just have to wait and read my book.

Must I continue?

My heart beats with intense delight.  I do not know how long or when, but I do know, and I can't tell you how joyous that makes me feel.  It will be a dream come true when I am finally able to hold a freshly-printed copy of my book in my hands.  Then I will read it all the way through and count how many mistakes I made.  Oh dear...

Maybe I won't.  It may be too much of a painful project.  Then you can read it all the way through and tell me how many mistakes I made.

As I continue on my journey, my quest-like answering-all-of-the-problems (well, not really; I don't have all of the answers), I have to remember that it is not all my siblings' fault that we don't get along as best friends.  Ultimately, I am to blame.  We each individually are to blame.  If we are the oldest then we have an even greater responsibility, but no matter our sibling station—whether we are the oldest, the youngest, or one in between—we are to be accountable for our actions.  We can't simply throw all the blame on our siblings' shoulders and get away with it, because that proves our selfishness, self-love, and immaturity.  Do we really love ourselves so much that we can't admit when we are wrong?

I don't want to dishearten you, I want to encourage you!  I have seen examples of siblings who rose above the standard "just get along and don't kill each other" mentality, and become the best of best friends.  As a matter of fact, they become best friends forever.  Those stories stimulate me.  I want my relationship with my siblings to become just like that, and then in turn, encourage others so that they want the same outcome.

You can be an incredible help to me, with your prayers, your encouragement, and even your input.  Everyone has questions that they want answered, and while I am not the best qualified, I know the best place to look (John 5:39)—a place that we all can access, thanks to the blood and sweat of martyrs and Church fathers.

Any daughter at home has great potential to advance the kingdom of Christ.  I want to use the rest of my unmarried years to the fullest extent possible, doing everything I can to further my father's vision, be a help to my mother, and become the best friend of my siblings.  Surprisingly, I think that I have lost my vehement desire to get married as soon as possible.  Like I have any control over that anyway.  I won't kid you, I still want to get married...someday, believe me.  But right now I have an obligation to fulfill, and it cannot be fulfilled unless I focus on it completely, without the interruption of sighs, longings, and dreams that distract and hinder me.  Dreams I will keep dreaming, but for now I am excited about being a daughter and a siblings.  With the glasses that I wear, the grass looks greener here than it does on the other side.

I don't think I need continue.

With summer almost gone and school almost beginning, my days will be very busy.  Plus finishing pocket college, I'll be doing more work for Daddy, HTML, lots of reading, and working with my younger-schooled siblings.  I won't officially graduate so to speak until this school year ends so that we can do things right for the formal proclamation, but I'm thankful for one more chance to study hard and learn all that I can.  One more year, then I will no longer be a schoolgirl.  I wonder how that will feel...

"It's A Free Country!"

Unfortunately, it's not...at least not anymore.

Do we have freedom to carry our guns to church? Do we have freedom to share the gospel openly in public schools? Do we have freedom to drive down the road without being "checked" by the local police? Do we have freedom to preach on the streets without being arrested? Do we have freedom to peacefully protest without a "go-ahead" from authority? Do we have freedom of speech? Of religion? Do we have freedom from "unreasonable searches and seizures", free in our "persons, houses, papers, and effects"? Do we have the freedom to handle State affairs without the federal government "butting in"? Do we have freedom from attack - not from other countries - but from those in the White House? Do we have freedom from immigrant invasion? Do we have freedom of the press? Of the media? Of perversion from Hollywood? Do we have freedom from communists who have snuck in behind the scenes and are now the ones at the very top of government power? Do we have freedom of property without unjust taxes?  The freedoms we don't have anymore are astonishing. Every freedom that I just listed, plus many more, openly contradict our Constitution. You see, we are no longer ruled by constitutional and biblical law; rather by the whim of whoever stands in office.  The correct terms to use would be totalitarianism and dictatorship.  In other words, tyranny.

No, this is not a free country. Some may call it a New World Order.  We aren't a nation anymore.  Instead there are communists who are working to make all nations of the world one.  Considering the diverse population of the United States, I'd say we are a conglomeration of nationalities, fooling ourselves we are still a nation.  As Barak Obama said, we are no longer just a Christian nation, but a Muslim nation, a Jewish nation, a Hindu nation, etc.  I would also add, "a communist nation and a socialist nation." 

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities..."

He spoke prophetically as if he knew what America would be like in 2011.

We are no longer a nation.

Bearing in mind the fact that there are people who would like a new Constitution, or even a revision of the present one, I'd say we won't have biblical constitutional standards for long, if we continue to let the wrong people lead us.   The Left is adamant that every Christian law and principle be smashed into the dust.  Including gun rights.  Especially gun rights.  They want the people to be left defenseless in the face of the enemy (themselves).  They understand that the right to bear arms is a biblical demand; otherwise they wouldn't be so obdurately against it.   As Luke 11:21-22 says:

"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils."

A bill, H.B. 54 that has been presented here in Georgia, has that biblical principle in mind. This is what Bobby Franklin realizes, as does Georgia Gun Owners: a people cannot be truly free unless they have the right to bear arms.   Citizens of Georgia, this ought to be a call to bring us to our feet.  Surely we can see the hidden danger in a society that doesn't have the right to carry their guns to church.  We are then left open to attack, defenseless in the face of the enemy.  However, we are to be prepared at all times.

Another thing we ought to realize is that crime rates plummet downward when God-fearing, responsible citizens have the right to carry guns, and defend life against murderous marauders and molesters.  If the law forbids us to carry our guns to church, eventually the law (or actually the people behind it) will take away our right to carry guns anywhere.  Once that happens, we will be attacked more aggressively from every side.  Our children will grow up in an exposed and vulnerable society where thugs parade the streets and no one is safe.  Are we going to allow ourselves to be backed into a corner with no maneuvering room?

The right to bear arms goes back to the founding of the New World (1600s) when colonial settlers carried their guns to church for the protection of their families (Listen here to find out more information).  People in history have always understood that it is a duty, a God-given right, to protect, families.  It should never be just a consideration or a choice - it is a command.  Americans today deem the usage of weapons as less essential compared to those in past history who considered it necessary.   In this day and age, so many places prohibit guns.  In view of all the crime that rampages our fair country, we never know when we might be attacked, which is why we must always be ready (1 Peter 3:15).

Because there are men out in the world who would like to destroy our families and churches, it is even more vital that citizens who are accountable have the right to carry their guns wherever they go, including church buildings.  If not, crime and corruption will burst out bolder than ever.

Will you join us in supporting gun rights?  Will you take a stand for liberty?  Sometimes we complain that there isn't anything we can do!   Here is your first step.  Uncle Sam doesn't want you; instead God wants you to join His army, one that stands for liberty and justice for all.  Our Constitution is being trampled upon.  Our lives are being surrendered to a Utopian, socialistic dream.  Our very country is at stake.  Don't we want to live in a "free country" once again?

 (Another "checking" device of our so-called justices of the peace. Can we really believe this is security?)

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”  -George Washington

“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light.”  -George Washington

“If we are not governed by God, then we will be ruled by tyrants.”  -William Penn

“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”  -General Douglas MacArthur

“Two choices are set before a nation. Either God is the ultimate authority or man is.”  -Gary DeMAr

“No man can escape the problem of authority. Every man will consciously or unconsciously appeal to some authority as basic and ultimate to life. Most authorities revered by men today are human authorities: the individual, the people, the elite thinkers and planners, science, reason, or the state. These are all humanistic authorities.”  -R.J. Rushdoony

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  Edmund Burke

“I charge you, citizens of the United States, afloat on your wild sea of politics, there is another king, one Jesus: the safety of the state can be secured only in the way of humble and wholehearted loyalty to His person and of obedience to His law.”  -A.A. Hodge.

“When a man is secure in the possession of his property, he has an area of liberty and dominion which is beyond the reach of other men. If no man and no state can reach in to tax and confiscate his property, man can enjoy true liberty and great security, whether he be prosperous or poor. Every attack on private property [and guns] is, therefore, an attack on man’s liberty.  Man’s freedom and security in the possession of his property is not only basic to man’s independence, but it is also basic to his power. A man has power if he can act independently of other men and the state, if he can make his stand in the confidence of liberty. Every attack on private property therefore is also an attack on the powers of free men as well as their liberty.”  -R.J. Rushdoony

A video James Brown of Covenant Commission (pastor of Covenant Baptist Church) speaks on H.B.54

The Importance of Womanhood

What woman understands the definition of courage?  Who has experienced real hardship?  When life is put to the test, when wealth is stripped away, and love seems forsaken, would we still rise to the height of our calling?

Womanhood is an essential important factor in life.  Although we are more frail and weak than men, the strength of our hearts can overcome even the greatest obstacle; then we are strong.

Such a caliber of womanhood is unheard of today.  In a society where women are men and men are women, we don't see motherly and wifely zeal.  Wives and mothers are no longer wives and mothers.  Instead, they are smokers, drunk drivers, and workmen all rolled into one.  They aren't submissive unto man, and especially not unto God.  Most women don't even know what femininity is.  Have godly feminine women ceased to exist?

To find such aforesaid women, we have to jump back into the 1700's.  Our country (then only 13 English colonies) was in the midst of a war with Great Britain.  The Continental Congress was desperately struggling for the right principles to lead a new nation.  55 men signed the Declaration of Independence.  But what was happening behind the scenes?  On the home front, how were the families of these men living?  Were they living in peace, or did they sacrifice much?

The women of yesterday were strong, brave, proud, and ultimately courageous in all that they did.  They too sacrificed their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  Many had to flee from house to house, always a step ahead of the British.  Many lost their homes, wealth, and livelihood.  Some even lost their lives.

Benjamin Rich, a signer of the Declaration, said this about America's women of that time:  "The women of America have at last become principals in the glorious American controversy.  Their opinions alone and their transcendent influence in society and families must lead us on to success and victory."   You see, the women didn't cower down in fear when they heard the tramp pf British feet or the thundering sound of cannons and musket fire.  They weren't "sissies."  Their lives and the lives of their families were at stake.  If the small 13 colonies had lost the War, the signers would have been hanged or beheaded.  As it was, during the War, their lives were forfeit.  What self-respecting women would wish such a cruel fate upon her husband?  That's why the women had to fight back.  They weren't wimpy crybabies.

Without firing musket, and without marching into battle, the women of colonial America did something even more valuable.  Their purpose was simple yet strong: to uphold the spirits of their men, support them in every action, take care of their families, love, honor, and obey till death did part them, and remain strong and passionate in the cause they were fighting for.  When they had to flee for refuge, when they kissed their husbands goodbye, not to see them for months upon months, when they prayed without ceasing...that took courage.  Yet one thing must remain clear: their courage came from Jesus Christ.

America would have lost the War if not for her faith and prayer.  God was with the little colonies, and eventually made them big and great states.  Everyone understood the power of prayer, which explains why George Washington would kneel down in the cold and snow of Valley Forge to cast his every care upon the Lord.

The women behind the Declaration of Independence are patriots not fully recognized by historians and people today.  If not for the women, the men would have fallen under the weight of all they had to bear.  However, the women readily shared the burden.  They weren't going to resign their posts, for they too longed for peace and freedom.  All they had to do was succeed.

David Barton said this:  "These women, although not pledging their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" in writing, nevertheless willingly sacrificed all for their country, their families, and their posterity.  We are that posterity, enjoying all the benefits of their sacrifices."

To recount the lives of each woman would be impossible. (For a summary, read Wives of the Signers, by Harry Clinton Green and Mary Wolcott Green.)  Each woman was important and took drastic steps toward freedom.  For example:

Mary Bartlett: forced to flee with her family from her burning home.

Elizabeth Adams: supported her family with needlework.

Elizabeth Lewis: imprisoned for months by the British, and suffered great hardships that eventually led her to her death.

Mary Morris: driven from her beautiful home.

Annis Stockton: homeless after the British burned her home.

Deborah Hart: driven from home, watched anxiously as her husband was hunted as a criminal, and finally died from exposure and anxiety.

There are countless others.  Take Abigail Adams for example, wife of John Adams, mother of John Quincy Adams, and the first lady of the White House.  She was constantly separated from her husband, yet she remained patriotic and cheerful.  She taught her young children at home, and wrote to her husband frequently.  She was strong in spirit and influential in life.

Every woman from that period deserves high praise for the sacrifices they made.  From their lives we see the pattern we are to follow.  Instead of following the world's model of "womanhood," we can learn better from the past.  Only, we have to realize one intrinsic detail.  It takes courage.

A Change in the Wind

Hello all my adoring fans and readers! (Hey, I can dream, can't I?)

My blog posts have been pretty sporadic over the year that I've been blogging.  Apparently I can't stick to a specific schedule.  I've tried that several times.  I know that I'm not rhetoric, but what would you, my loyal fans, like to hear from me? (Please don't tell me you'd rather I shut my big mouth...unless you really mean it.)  What would you like to gain from this blog?  My purpose is threefold: to help fellow brothers and sisters (as well as myself!), show forth God's glory, and to convince y'all that there's a dork out there who makes plenty of mistakes...just like you and everybody else.  There's only one thing - we can conquer those things, whether petty or considerable in size.  I want to be effective in what I do, but I need some feedback.

My random (and sometimes sloppy) writing style is going through some major changes. (I have several articles on the horizon, but don't expect too much too soon.)  I'm going to write more often (something I love to do, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, considering the business of life...we'll see.), and more worthwhile.  What are your major concerns?  What do you struggle with most?  What are your dreams, hopes, thoughts, and expectations for the future?  What are your tastes, passions, pursuits?  As for mine, they're practically endless.  We'll not go into them just right now.

What do young women struggle with the most?  That's easy: acceptance.  Many different things fall under that category.  But what about young men?  For that I haven't an answer. (After all, we are different.)  We all struggle with many things, but since God created us male and female, there are hundreds of differences between us.  Surely you've noticed that if your household contains each gender.

What are your worries relating to America?  Do you now fully realize that she is sinking steadily?  Do you see the Constitution being torn apart into little pieces by the ones who have sworn to uphold it?  That's too much irony for me.  What would our founding fathers say?

Every life has a different story.  Is it beautiful or mournfully lonely?  Is it overflowing with happiness or perhaps full of trials?  Is it a victory that overcomes the world?  Just like a writer struggles with different styles for each character, so we live day to day with different characteristics in our lives.  What's your story?

I'd love to hear from you anytime at rachel@covenantdevotion.com with questions, comments, or perhaps a word of encouragement.  Hey, I'd even welcome criticism! (Give it a try.)  Feedback could also help me decide what to write about.  I'm not saying that I'll have all the answers (heaven forbid!), but with lots of study, and principle help from our Lord Jesus Christ, the major issues of life can be fought and won!  "I have not yet begun to fight!" said John Paul Jones.  Let our words be the same.

Lord, we give this day to You,

Bless it - come what may.

Guide us in what e'er we do,

Love us day by day.

Lord, we lift our hands to You in praise,

Bless us - come what may.

Grasp us as to You our hearts we raise,

Love us day by day.

Although many issues in our day and age are desperately serious, hope also remains.  Jesus Christ has promised that one day all the kingdoms of this world will be the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. (Revelation 11:15)  We don't know if America will be vanquished or not.  While hope remains, we are to fight and press on.  Christ will come out victorious in the end and all enemies will be His footstool.  Because we have something to live for, why not live?

Only A Fool Will Edit His Own Writing

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  ~Proverbs 1:7

A long time ago, some very sound advice was given to my dad from a wise friend and mentor.  That same advice was passed along to me.  I like to think that I take after my daddy in many ways.

Only a fool will edit his own writing.

Even "big-shot" writers need an editor.  As my dad has taught me, everyone makes mistakes; we can't expect anyone to be perfect - even good writers.  We all need a little help.  Especially we who aren't as good as X.

I had to learn that lesson in a not-so-easy way.  Not that I consider myself better than any, I would write and edit my own stuff.  Needless to say, there were times when I could have given my articles a better shot.  Perhaps a little help?  Yeah, that's it.  I'd scribble my thoughts down on paper, type it up on the computer, paste it to my blog, and presto!  Completed.  That's me.  Impulsive.

Eventually, Daddy kindly but firmly told me that things needed to change.  And he was right!  Running my articles past Mom or Dad helps me see my mistakes so I can better them.  Besides, a second opinion is always a nice requirement.  Especially if one wants better success.  Honestly though, I could have responded to his kind rebuke with a prideful attitude and thought I knew better than my own papa. (Heaven forbid!)  Or I could have burst into tears and given up writing altogether, especially since I'm not perfect and can't do anything right!  (That's a laugh.  No one is and no one can.)  Emotional dramatic extreme is just too common for girls.  We can flood the house with tears over the silliest things.

Isn't life pretty precarious at times?  One minute we're dancing among the clouds...

...The next we feel lower than a worm.  I guess that's the way human beings were created.  Living in an imperfect world, in a flawed body, with a sinful heart, we must expect some things to seem like...unfair.  Others seem more blessed than we.  Others have different skills and gifts.  I can look around and find things that I'm at a disadvantage with compared to other people.  I can wish and cry and complain all I want, but I'm unique in my own way.  On the plain and unfashionable side maybe, but I can still live passionately for what I believe is right.

One thing in which we all measure up to is foolishness.  Remember the time you blurted out something incomprehensible and everybody just stared?  Or maybe when you tripped down a flight of stairs, walked into a wall, or stood awkwardly in the middle of a room and felt utterly lost, confused, and foolish?  We all do silly things, and we all feel uneasy at some point or another.  I myself used to be terribly shy.  I haven't conquered that obstacle completely, but I used to be much worse.  I would not initiate any conversation unless I was specifically engaged.  Even then I was short and to the point.  Some people may call that dull.  Yet no one knew the inner longing of wanting to be like so-and-so who was outgoing and a great conversationalist.  But I've always been that way.  Honestly, I've wished so many times that I could hold all of my conversations on paper.  Maybe that's unusual?  My pen has always been stronger than my tongue.

I'm not one who (literally) voices my opinions forcefully.  Although, if you were given a glimpse into my brain, the force of the thoughts might drive you hundreds of miles away.  I need drawn out somehow.  But just because I bottle everything up inside of me doesn't mean it’s the way I should be.  Too many times I want to say something and don't.  Life comes at each of us in different angles sometimes.

Rebuke can be given in many ways.  But no matter the tone of voice or display of feeling, we should always be as the wise son that Proverbs talks about, who "heareth his father's instruction."  (Proverbs 13:1)  "A scorner heareth not rebuke."

As human beings, we all want to "show-off" our goodness.  For "the way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that harkeneth unto counsel is wise." ~Proverbs 12:15.  Wouldn't life be fuller in every sense if we behaved in a wise manner?  Instead we are usually prone to foolishness.  Will we be as the wise man who built his house upon a rock; and the rains descended and the floods came, yet he remained fast and secure; or as the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and was left homeless, destitute, and helpless after the rain and floods washed his house away into the sea?  Which choice will it be?

Remember, only a fool will edit his own writing.  Are we foolish enough to edit the pages of our lives, or are we wise enough to leave that to God?  Only He holds the future.

Remaining Content in the Home

I love working in the kitchen.  The joy of cooking, the delicious aromas, and the fun of working alongside Mama and my sisters.  Some of my fondest memories will be the laughter and jokes shared during good times in the kitchen.  Then there is also the fact of the whole family gathering together around the dinner table after our thirty to forty minutes of sweat-work over the stove.  The happy times families can have together!  A family either pulls together through the good and bad times, or it will fall apart.  We see it across America today.  But that is another topic entirely...

How easy it is to remain content as a daughter in the home while the way is easy!  But then how hard it is to remain content in the home when the way becomes difficult!  Most people want to give in when things begin to look bleak and dreary.  Just like defeatism, this is a tragedy.  Defeatism can make young women look longingly at the world's independence.  "If only..."  runs through our minds.  But no, we shouldn't be thinking in "if only."  It will just get us into trouble.

Striving with contentment while the heart longs for "independence" (so-called) is practically impossible.  We can never be content until we root out of our hearts the longing and rebellion that remains.  Once it is removed, then we can begin practicing our contentment and patience.

Here I am, fifteen years old (although so close to sixteen I can begin to say "almost"), and I'm talking about remaining content while still at home?  You've got to be kidding!  Most stay-at-home daughters who might be getting impatient are in their twenties...so why me?

Let me share a secret with you about a young woman's heart: she longs desperately for the day when she will have that love and a home of her own.  A young woman dreams of the day that she will fall in love with the man who will remain hers forever.  However, is our desperate longing so desperate that discontentment will overtake our hearts?  Are we so desperate that all we ever think about is "love"?  Are we so desperate that we are constantly looking for "love" in all the wrong places, and at the wrong times?  Are we so desperate that any interest a young man displays (even the friendship type) sets our hearts to fluttering with giddiness and romance?  Are we also so desperate that we eat up romance novel after romance novel?  I'd say we're pretty desperate.

Romance novels.  A treacherous enemy.  In today's distorted world, we also have a distorted view about true love.  Fairytale romances certainly don't help.  Young girls nowadays are lost in an imaginary world of young men and women falling head-over-heels in love, and living happily ever after with the perfect marriage after a beautiful whirlwind courtship.  That isn't reality.

I admit: I've read plenty of romance novels in my day.  In fact, I have a bag of them in my closet.  I'll confess to an eager hunger to get my hands on those books, but what does it profit me?  A distorted view of love?  I don't need any more of that.  All that arises is discontentment with my position in life.  Even Christian romance is pretty twisted. (Can't we trust anything anymore?)  Most romance novels just feed our discontentment.

I thought I'd make a small point here: Jane Austin is one of my favorite authors.  Yes, I love her work, and yes, her books are Victorian novels of love, romance, strength, honor, integrity, and showing how to overcome difficulties in the world.   Am I going to throw the books out the window? No, but I'm not going to read them everyday...nor ever week...nor every month...

There is nothing wrong with reading a good fiction book once in a while, but not going overboard.  I don't want to become "hooked" again. (So no, I'm not giving up Mr. Darcy for good.)

I'm apt to make a fool of myself more times than not.  Talking over internet, or worse, talking in person, I always seem awkward and dumbly ignorant and unintelligent.  I've often sat staring around the room just because I can't think of anything to say.  (Like I've said before, my mind flows more clearly on paper than with my mouth.)   Or, I decide to take a stab in the dark, but blurt out something utterly incomprehensible.  Talk about remaining cosmopolitan.   My mind becomes immobile, or so it seems.  Most people don't know that 99.9 % of the things I'd really like to say are jumbled up inside of me.  Is it embarrassment?  Shyness?  Pride?  Fright?  Afraid of ridicule?  Perhaps all five?  Maybe.  But what does this have to do with remaining content in the home?

Just as I remain unsatisfied with my lack of conversing skills, so it is with discontentment, in anything.  The more I remain afraid, the more I sink into my little turtle shell, daring not ever! to come out into the sunlight.  My incompetency becomes deeper and deeper, and I grow weaker and weaker.  My discontentment grows, and I'll never rise to the occasion to deal with the situation.

Our problems have the same solution: shake off the shackles of discontentment and begin to live vivaciously with joy in our hearts.  Being shackled to the ground only hinders us from flying.

The next time discontentment rises in your heart, take special effort to remain loyal and kind.  Our families need us.  Do we really want to desert them to sow a few "wild oats"?  Those "wild oats" of independence only result in ruin.  Look at young women today.  Going off to college for four years after completing government school institutions.  Many lose more than just freedom.  Many give of themselves freely.  Many lose their virginity and purity.  Many go into careers that take over their whole lives, never enjoying the blessings of Daughterhood or Motherhood.  Do we want to give up our freedom for those shackles?  For we daughters are the ones with true freedom.  True freedom is taking responsibility and acting mature. True freedom is obeying what God has commanded.  What the world has may look like fun, but it is only "enjoyable" for a season. (Hebrews 11:25)  Whatsoever we sow, that shall we also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

Our twisted view of love will only set us off looking for that "perfect man" who will one day fulfill our every desire.  Isn't that ironic?  We know down deep there isn't any such perfect man, yet we're willing to search high and low for him endlessly.  We also know that we ourselves are far from perfect; how then can we think that a "perfect man" would marry an imperfect woman?  Utterly illogical.

I say we totally remove so-called "love" out of our minds.  After all, true love will one day be brought to us, if it is God's will, and in His timing.  Why do we want to be bogged down in the despair of discontentment and unsatisfaction?  We women are at our best when happy and ready to serve, not waiting for Prince Charming to ride along.  So put a smile on your face.  Grin at your reflection in the mirror if need be to boost your morale.  Give your sisters a kiss and your brothers a hug.  Share some laughter in the kitchen with your mother.  Show your support to your father by meaningful gestures.  Show your love.  Show your care.  Show your willingness to be a servant. (Mark 10:31,44; Luke 22:24-27)

Much better results will result from a proper attitude. And you know what?  God will one day reward our patience and fortitude.  Whether it is His will for you and I to marry or not, our perseverance will bear forth fruit. (Galatians 6:9)

Live every day as it were your last, for all too soon this life will be past. Kiss all your loved ones with tenderness and care, and show the whole world Christ's love which we should share. Make the most of your time with well-worth fruit, only what's done for Christ will one day take root.

The Tragedy of Defeatism

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." ~1Corinthians 15:57,58

Defeat is such an easy thing to give in to, but such an ugly word.  If every Christian gave up in defeat, where would the world be?  In an even bigger mess than we are today! (which is hard to imagine.)

What would have happened if our Pilgrim forefathers gave up in defeat?  They would have remained in religious shackles in England.  If they would have given up, our freedoms which we enjoy so leisurely today would not exist.  Their children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would have suffered in chains their whole lives.

Let's go back even further.  Imagine yourself as Christopher Columbus.  31 days on the open sea, with no sight of land whatsoever.  The men are tired and restless, uneasy with fear.  They want to return to Spain, to give up the whole voyage altogether.  Columbus had doubts himself.  Was this really God's will for him?  His undaunted and intrepid courage he once had left him now feeling empty and forlorn.  He decided three more days they would press on, and if land was not sighted, they...would...turn...back...

How tears of defeat must have smarted his eyes!  His glorious vision of finding new lands for the furtherance of the gospel had come to a bitter end!  What went wrong?  Columbus felt sure it had been a dream sent directly from God.  Oh the shame and defeat of lost hopes!

But, behold!  On the early dawn of the third day, a cry of  "Land!"  rang forth.  Every foot must have raced to the deck, every eye eagerly peering into the horizon.  It was land!

Columbus' heart must have swelled with joy and praise!  Upon reaching shore, he knelt in humbleness and offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the God "which giveth us the victory."  

What would have happened if Columbus had given up totally before the three days were up?  Our flourishing land of America would have been left undiscovered.  Columbus would have returned to Spain in defeat, his chance lost forever.

Take a look at the American Revolution.  The small army of the colonies was very meager, and supplies were scarce.  Men shivered in the cold of winter, their bare feet leaving bloody tracks in the snow.  Yet they marched on, fearlessly into battle.  They grew thin and weak from lack of food, but their bravery overcame their gnawing stomachs.  They marched boldly behind their intrepid leader, the great General George Washington.  What would have happened if they had given up in defeat and surrendered to England, the mightiest nation of that day?  England's army was well-trained and well-fed.  They had more muskets and gunpowder than did the colonists.  They were proud--no one could defeat them!  However, something turned the tide for the American soldiers, a tide the British did not expect.

The American colonists placed their wholehearted devotion and faith in Jesus Christ.  They knew it was only He who could give them the victory.  Though their army was small, though they were weak, in God they were strong.  George Washington is a prime example.  For his faith, trust, and courage, God protected him, and gave the colonists victory over England.

But if defeat had conquered, if fear had overtaken every heart, England would have been victorious...and we would still be in bondage today. (from England, not our federal government.  Yeah, I know, now we have a similar problem today, only from our own leaders!)

Every Christian in history has to be future-oriented.  Our forefathers knew this.  They were willing to sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, for liberty and the pursuit of happiness for generations to come.  They placed their complete faith in Jesus Christ.  They knew He was the supreme Ruler of all.  No country or nation can survive without God's law.  "As is the religion, so is the nation."  ~Charles Galloway.

Our forefathers, from Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrim settlers, the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Huss, William Tyndale, John Knox (all the Reformation leaders), the Southern army of the Confederate States of America, every soldier of America who has suffered and labored tirelessly for freedom, including countless others, all could have given up in hopelessness.  But the only important factor is this: they didn't.

Once America was great.  Our Founding Fathers created this nation to be for the people, under God.  Christianity was the supreme law of the land.  Alexis de Tocqueville said this about Christianity in America:

"There is no country in the whole world in which the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and freest nation of the earth...Religion in America takes no direct part in the government of society, but it must, nevertheless, be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country, for if it does not impart a taste for freedom, it facilitates the use of free institutions.  I am certain that the Americans hold religion to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions.  This opinion is not peculiar to a class of citizens or to a party, but it belongs to the whole nation and to every rank of society."

Professor James Bryce of England shows agreement:

"It was religious zeal and religious conscience which led to the founding of the New England colonies two centuries and a half ago--those colonies whose spirit has in such large measure passed into the whole nation.  Religion and conscience have been a constantly active force in the American commonwealth ever since."

In 1787, the Continental Congress said that "Religion, morality, and knowledge are necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind."   When America was founded, no one could deny the major influence of Christianity in our nation.  Today, everything is different.

America has endured a long road, one of bumps and hills, ruts and ditches, obstacles and failures.  Our great nation has crumbled into a tiny portion of what it once was.  Socialism has entered past our guard.  Wickedness and vile roam the streets.  Infidelity and lust play games in front of our children.  Evolution and murder are common.  Have we given up in defeat?  Where is America?  Most importantly, where are the Christians?

The land we see today is no longer the nation of old.  Our forefathers would be horrified if they could see the country today.  Even the secularism of old cannot be compared with what it is today.

America has progressed like Israel of old.  Once they were the glory and splendor of the entire world as they followed God's laws.  But false gods wormed their way into the lives of God's people.  Idolatry and infidelity reeked the land.  Because His people turned away from Him countless times, and though He gave them numerous chances, God eventually unleashed His curses upon them.  Every curse listed in Deuteronomy 28 will fall upon the heads of those who seek any god other than the Most High.  Yet, if God's people will turn from their wicked ways, God will heal the land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Today, most Christians have given up in defeat.  Bold, courageous hearts have given in to fear and doubt.  Not many are future-oriented. (However, there are those out there who are. Thank God for those who are making a difference!)  The children growing up today will live in a land flowing with dirt and slime, all because their parents have no thought to the truth.  Many Christians of today have mellowed out.  In fact, many even eagerly participate in the world's wickedness!  What about the verse which says,  "Love not the world, neither the things which are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." ~1 John 2:15

Defeat should not be an option for God's people.  Christ will one day overcome death.  Will we who live now forget His promises, and continue to follow the pattern of the world?  What will we say when we meet Jesus face-to-face?  "Sorry Lord, but I thought Satan was too powerful.  He, he tricked me!  Yes, that's it! He tricked me!"

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  ~James 4:7

As America becomes deeper and deeper into socialism and sin, will we Christians continue to tolerate such?  But we have Christ on our side! And one day He will make His enemies His footstool. (Hebrews 10:13) 

In the end, Christians will be victorious.  But before the end, it is our choice: do we give in to defeat, or will we keep fighting for Christ?  

Never let defeat conquer!

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."  ~Colossians 2:8

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."  ~Galatians 6:9

The Myth of Perfection

I recently came across a very interesting article by Jasmine Baucham, authoress of Joyfully at Home.  It perked my interest extremely.  It was not a fortuitous circumstance that I happened upon the article--no, I was meant to read it, for a very special purpose.

But, before I give you the link, listen for just a moment.  Girls, we all know that there is no such thing as perfect beauty, remember? (Hey, I just came up with a title for another post!)  The media distorts true beauty (watch this to believe) and makes girls out to be beauties with perfect naturalness.  Whatever.  Throw that out of your mind.  We all have flaws; there is no denial.

Now that we girls should know the truth (if you are still having trouble, I can recommend other great articles to read), let's take a different step.

I love how well Jasmine writes her articles. She says this about young women: 

"For so many of us young women, our ideal man might look like [insert wildly attractive movie star's name here] on the outside, but, on the inside, his identity comes from making us happy. He is fine-tuned to meet all of our desires -he caters to our every romantic whim. He never disappoints us. He never aggravates us. He never falls short of our expectations, even though they hover somewhere in the stratosphere."

Does that stun you?  It hit me like a lightning bolt.  My mouth gaped open, my eyes grew wide, and I was left dumbfounded.  Do I really do that?  I wondered.  Yes, ye I do!   Shocking.  Here I don't want my future husband expecting me to look like a movie star (slim, trim, and dazzlingly beautiful), but I will actually compare him to the perfect Prince Charming, or any other famous movie stars (you know, the one with the cute dimples, the tanned skin, the flashy smile, and the deep, dark eyes?)!  How presumptuous is that?!  We girls are hurt when any men place such high expectations upon us, but we'll go as far to expect perfectness from the man we marry!  How preposterous!

We are all guilty, men and women.  You may do so consciously or subconsciously.  Men automatically expect women to look like the actresses and models they see on TV, and vice versa.  We are all expecting lies.  Perfection is not real.  True, movie stars may seem different and unusual, but they are still flawed human beings.

What are your expectations for your future spouse?  Are they supposed to be a certain height and weight?  Are they supposed to have even, white teeth; full lips; certain eye and hair color; flawless skin; perfectly shaped nose? (insert any physical attributes.)  You'll be searching your whole life without success!

What is wrong with the people of our society?  Why is truth so distorted?  Walking through town we can see the diversity of man and woman: short ones, tall ones, skinny ones, large ones, black ones, white ones, and all the ones in between.  Why then do we automatically dismiss those images from our minds and presume that our future spouse has to be special?

Dear men, young men, and boys who read my posts, I just wanted to apologize for my fellow womankind and myself.  We expect y'all to display perfect behavior and gallantry, not to mention perfect physical attractions.  We girls have messed up, but an important reminder: we all are flawed. Y'all must be patient, just as we must be.  No one is a real Prince Charming, or even Mr. Knightly or Mr. Darcy.  Although fictional characters like they had flaws, we girls still measure men to meet such standards, because they seem to be such perfect examples of manhood.  We should all know that no one is perfect except our Savior, and we as humans can never be.

Jasmine Baucham is a highly perceptive and zealous young woman.  I relate to so much of her writing, although my tastes are quite different from hers. (*smile*)  If I had not read her articles, I might have continued on in my ignorance (of which I have a lot.)  I thank God for her influence in many aresa.  Now that you have listed to my incompetency, please read her article.  She expressed herself much better than I.

She is also going through a series on her blog called Joyfully Content.  You can read the introduction here, the first post here, and the second post here.  The series continues on Monday.  Please read with an open heart.  I know I've given y'all much to read, but it will be worth it, I promise.

You don't want to believe a lie, do you?