The Deadliest Month….

October is America’s Deadliest Month of 2013 Unless we pray and work to change things, 8 people are set to be killed in October. Marshall Gore on October 1 in Florida – KILLED LAST NIGHT BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA Michael Yowell on October 9 in Texas Edward Schad on October 9 in Arizona William Happ on October 15 in Florida Larry Hatten on October 16 in Texas Allen Nicklasson on October 23 in Missouri Robert Jones on October 23 in Arizona and Arthur Brown on October 29 in Texas http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/upcoming-executions SOURCE: Shane Claiborne: October Executions | Red Letter Christians Since this data directly relates to this mornings … Continue reading The Deadliest Month….

Being Poor In Texas or Florida…..

It is a fact that when you look at Texas and Florida they are first in many areas. They are the execution capitals of the world. They do the most to inhibit the vote. They are two of the most radically conservative States.  But, now I learn that they  also have the highest uninsured rates in the country. It seems that Texas and Florida just don’t like poor people very much. They have the highest uninsured rates and they are determined to remain so by not producing a Statewide exchange.  That fact does not really surprise me at all as … Continue reading Being Poor In Texas or Florida…..

Love Without Agenda….

Why have so many Christians forgotten how to love? Have we missed much of the point of Jesus because of our obsession with Heaven and Hell? We’re forever arguing, theologizing, systematizing and evangelizing–all with the agenda to get ourselves and others into one place and avoid another. Yet, Jesus steadfastly shows us a different set of spiritual goalposts. He shows us a Whole Pattern and invites us to mature into whole spiritual humans by imitating His work. He shows us how to discover our purpose by doing deeds that most reflect God in our every moment–and realizing that love can … Continue reading Love Without Agenda….

LOL Moment….

Just a quick note to say I just watched a video of a town hall meeting opposing Obamacare. There was an elderly lady who ranted on and on about it. She was totally convinced that if we allow it to be implemented that it would certainly cause the downfall of the entire country.  She finished with the following statement. “I realize that Obamacare does not directly affect me but I just want to make sure that we keep the government out of my Medicare!!” They didn’t show if anyone had bothered to tell her that Medicare is a single payer … Continue reading LOL Moment….

Willing To Change….

Be Willing to Change: I don’t expect to fully understand God by the time I’m done with middle school, high school, college, or when I retire—faith is a Pilgrim’s Progress, a journey of continual growth and maturity. God is too big and glorious to completely understand within a set amount of time, so my ideas, opinions, and understanding of God—my theology—will change. But why do you remain static in your belief systems? Why do you spend all of your time and energy promoting your theology as being exclusively correct? In the real world, people change. We learn, we grow, and we … Continue reading Willing To Change….

Jesus… One of “Those” People….

  What do we do as Christians when confronted with these harsh realities? The Bible urges us to “remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself!” (Hebrews 13:3).  Jesus knew what it was like to have a loved one incarcerated. His cousin, John the Baptist, was falsely accused and arrested (and eventually executed).  Perhaps this is why Jesus, in Matthew 25, tells his disciples “when I was in prison, you visited me.”   As a victim of false imprisonment and injustice, Jesus entered into solidarity with the incarcerated and exposed the flawed justice system of his day.  Of all … Continue reading Jesus… One of “Those” People….

5 Best Back-to-School Cars???

Another academic year has begun, and if you (or your child) need a good set of wheels for college or high school, here’s a look at Kelley Blue Book’s five top picks for Best 2013 Back-to-School Cars. KBB editors compiled the list by looking at all available 2013 and ’14 models starting at $20,000 or less, then choosing the cars they believe offer the best combinations of style, safety and other qualities key to young drivers. SOURCE:   5 Best Back-to-School Cars to Buy in 2013: Fidelity. And here I thought everyone was struggling to put their kids through college … Continue reading 5 Best Back-to-School Cars???

Roadtrip Nation…

Roadtrip Nation is a public television series and grassroots movement that encourages young people to hit the road in search of interviews with leaders who have defined their own distinct routes through life. The search for eclectic individuals who have resisted pressures to conform and who have become successful by following their own paths is what drives Roadtrip Nation. This remarkable movement documents these journeys of self-discovery in a free-spirited, adventurous series that encourages people all across the globe to move outside their comfort zones and explore the world SOURCE:  Roadtrip Nation | PBS. I recently discovered a very eye-opening … Continue reading Roadtrip Nation…

Egypt No Longer Matters

“They kept saying, ‘What do you think of the Muslim Brotherhood? What are the Egyptian military officers telling you about [Mohamed] Morsi?’” the general recalled, shaking his head in frustration. “I told them, ‘We had our own Arab Spring, now we have a democratic government, we have acute poverty, civil wars and al-Qaeda. Can you please stop talking about Egypt and start talking about Yemen?’” As for Egypt, it seems now that its main relevance in regional and global affairs is as a potential source of trouble. Its combination of instability, corruption and ineptitude makes Egypt fertile soil for radicalism … Continue reading Egypt No Longer Matters

We all want to change the world

It’s my honest opinion that we all want to leave our mark on this world. Some of us may not recognize this urge, but we all want to change something, to alter things, to create something that will last longer than us. Even if it is a scar. Yes, there are plenty out there who just want to inflict pain, because that’s the only thing they can do. Or the only thing they think they can do. SOURCE:  We all want to change the world « Cristian Mihai. Once again my young Romanian blogging friend got me to thinking on … Continue reading We all want to change the world

Just Here For A Spell…

We are just here for a spell and pass on. . . so get a few laughs, do the best you can. . . Live your life so that whenever you lose, you are ahead.” – Will Rogers, 5 July 1931 I have been reading some new blogs lately. One is supposedly among the top twenty in the world, and I see much in the way of despair and futility. One makes the claim that since the universe is billions of years old and we humans only manage to live less than a century in it so anything we might … Continue reading Just Here For A Spell…

Tolstoy & Christianity…

It is terrible to think what the churches do to men. But if one imagines oneself in the position of the men who constitute the Church, we see they could not act differently. The churches are placed in a dilemma: the Sermon on the Mount or the Nicene Creed–the one excludes the other. If a man sincerely believes in the Sermon on the Mount, the Nicene Creed must inevitably lose all meaning and significance for him, and the Church and its representatives together with it. If a man believes in the Nicene Creed, that is, in the Church, that is, … Continue reading Tolstoy & Christianity…

Trickle Up…

“The money was all appropriated for the top in hopes that it would trickle down to the needy. Mr. Hoover was an engineer. He knew that water trickled down. Put it uphill and let it go and it will reach the dryest little spot. But he didn’t know that money trickled up. Give it to the people at the bottom and the people at the top will have it before night anyhow. But it will at least have passed through the poor fellow’s hands.” – Will Rogers, 4 December 1932 Continue reading Trickle Up…