'Tis The Season To Be Jolly'

But this year it's going to be a challenge for many Americans. A Washington Post survey this week reported two thirds saying they were being impacted by the current recession. In another poll, 57 percent said they'd be cutting back on their Christmas spending.
Nothing unsettles the human heart and mind more than the unknown. I think our general discomfort is compounded by a feeling of not knowing exactly what is causing this economic tsunami and how and when we will recover.
Maybe as we consider all this, and particularly at a time of the year when we think about the blessings we do have to count, we might ponder what produced all the prosperity we have to begin with. What's behind this great economic miracle -- the greatest of all time -- the United States of America?
If we listen to the news and our politicians, you would conclude it's all kind of a big machine. Like with a stalled car, they're all under the hood trying to figure out what went wrong. A busted hose? Distributor? Spark plugs? What needs to get fixed or installed to get the thing running again?
Or, alternatively, you'd think that we're like a bunch of white laboratory mice running around in a cage. The policy makers stand over us in white coats trying to figure out, "Well, do we need to give them a food pellet or an electric shock to get them to do what we want?"
Are we so lost today that we have forgotten that our great miracle has been produced by free people living in a free country?
Yet, now we hear from politicians that the problem is we're too free. We need more government, more regulations, more bureaucrats planning our lives and telling us what to do. Who is asking, given what made us great to begin with, if the problem is not exactly the opposite?
Consider that on the other side of the world the Chinese are now celebrating the 30th anniversary of the economic reforms that introduced private ownership and free markets into their communist country. Sure, China is still run by their communist party. But 30 years ago one hundred percent of their companies were government run. Today half have been privatized.
China has been growing at double-digit rates since they opened the door to economic freedom. Income per person is ten times higher today than thirty years ago. And 250 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty.
Now I read that another miracle is occurring in China alongside of the new prosperity which freedom has enabled.
The Economist magazine recently reported about what it called "China's fastest growing non-governmental organization." Christianity.
According to the report, there may be now 130 million Chinese Christians - some 10 percent of the population. It is estimated that maybe one percent of the Chinese population was Christian when communist China was founded in 1949.
It's particularly compelling to consider that this explosive growth of Chinese Christianity is occurring in a country that is still officially atheist and where the government remains hostile and opposed to religion. And that, according to this estimate, the number of Chinese Christians is now almost double the number of Chinese members of the Communist Party.
So why, when the Chinese are discovering both freedom and faith, is America abandoning both?
Why do we now think we need to turn to commissars in Washington to plan our economy and our lives to save our country? Is this really where we should be turning to be saved?
Let's remember, particularly now, that freedom is what made America great and that for that freedom, in the words of our first president George Washington, "religion and morality are indispensable."
This Christmas, let's remember who we really are and that the formula for American success is freedom, faith, family, and friends.
Merry Christmas to all.
Written by Star Parker and posted by Dog December 22, 2008

What's Your Perspective?

After hearing his father speak for months now on the importance of passing Proposition 8 and electing John McCain our next president, my son recently was surprised to discover that our neighbor was voting for Barack Obama. So surprised in fact that he felt it necessary to engage the neighbor in debate. “Don’t you realize that Obama wants to kill babies?” he asked. To which our startled neighbor, after composing himself replied, “He does not want to kill babies, he simply wants women to have a choice”.

Needless to say, our neighbors’ explanation was lost on my 7 year-old son. He knows that babies come from a mommy’s tummy but does not understand how a mother’s choice could possibly come into play. Once this political exchange with the neighbor had taken place I felt an obligation to further explain some things to both of my sons. I felt that they might be confused as to why their best friends dad had such a different viewpoint on the election as their own father.

This would be a “teachable moment”, I thought, if only I could handle it correctly and speak to them on their level and give them the right perspective. I thought about it some as I sat in our family room looking out at our backyard. After a while it hit me and I decided to speak to them separately, as I have discovered that one-on-one works better with 7 & 8 year-olds.

Both conversations were pretty much the same and went like this:
I asked Dylan to stand in front of the sliding glass door that opens out into our back yard.
I asked him to tell me, with out moving, everything he could see from right where he was. He proceeded to tell me a long list of items that our backyard contains:
Our pool & spa, the pool fence, the palm trees, the patio cover, tables, chairs, plants, our Siberian husky named “Aurora” and a variety of many other items made the list. I then held to his eye a cardboard tube from a used roll of paper towel and asked him to close his other eye and list what he saw when he looked at the backyard through the tube.

This second list was noticeably shorter than the first, as his perspective had radically changed. Things he knew to be present in our backyard, like our dog, were not visible at all through the narrow view of the tube. I explained to him that my view of Obama and abortion was was different from our neighbor because, as he had just experienced, the neighbor and I had different perspectives regarding the subject.

Our neighbor could see the need for the women (the mother of the baby) to make her own decisions regarding her own life. He could see the expense of food and clothing and the inconvenience of having another child (to say nothing of the cost and mess associated with diapers). What our neighbor could not see, in his narrow view, I explained, was that there was the life of another human being, being thrown away, like yesterday’s garbage. He could not see the smile of a young child experiencing their first time swimming in a pool or on a swing set or bike ride. He could not see the couple, down the street or across town, which is desperately waiting for their dreams of adoption to come true. He could not see our God in heaven displeased with the abuse and destruction of His creation.

I encouraged both the boys to always seek to see the other people’s perspectives as well. I told them that we could often learn a lot from others and their life journey and that interactions and discussions with people that do not agree on issues can still be a very positive experience. That we need to find ways to remain respectful of those that think differently than us, even when the issues can be about ugly things. Such interaction stretches us and grows our perspective. I also encouraged them to always, in all things, above all seek and find the truth. I pray that my sons both understood and can apply what I was trying to teach them. I pray that I can apply it as well. I remain His. I remain ALL IN.

God's Top Ten Reasons Why We should Pay Attention

10. Take a look at this World. Ignoring Him does not work!
9. It did not work for Adam & Eve (the fall)
8. It did not work for Cain (cursed and banished from God’s presence)
7. It did not work for Sodom & Gomorrah (Poof! Gone in a flash!)
6. It did not work for Noah’s neighbors (how long can you tread water?)
5. Ignoring Him did not work well even for David
(a man with a heart for God)
4. Or Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived)
3. It did not work well for Jerusalem
(deported, slaughtered and enslaved)
2. Or the people of Judah either
(also deported, slaughtered and enslaved)

And the number one reason to pay attention to God…

1. He loves you, He created you & He wants a relationship with you

If at first you DO succeed, Lie, Lie, again!

The folks behind the movement to redefine marriage in the State of California and by default the rest of the nation have decided to not pull any punches. Apparently they truly believe that “All is fair in the political arena”. On the heals of the California Supreme Courts arrogant decision to ignore the voters (Proposition 22 in 2006) and “legalize” same sex marriage in May of this year, Proposition 8 qualified for the 2008 election Ballot. Over 1.1 million signatures were gathered to secure its position on the ballot when just slightly over 600 thousand were required.

The opponents of Proposition 8 then attempted several maneuvers to have it removed with a variety of frivolous lawsuits. Then, just two weeks ago, State Attorney General Jerry Brown re-titled the proposition from "limits marriage between one man and one woman" to "a constitutional change to eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry."

In another stunning move by the courts, the Sacramento Superior Court ruled August 8th, that Attorney General Jerry Brown may change Proposition 8's title to favor homosexual marriage. Once again, the people of California are held hostage by a tyrannical judicial system determined to implement a radical social agenda. Activist judges and politicians are throwing every obstacle they can in the way of restoring the true definition of marriage.

What is the latest maneuver, you may ask? Well believe it or not there are bumper stickers being made and distributed that twist the Truth and say:
“Protect Marriage – Vote No on Proposition 8”

Such an obvious and directly misleading strategy by the opponents of Proposition 8 should be expected. The Father of Lies is willing to do whatever it takes to destroy both marriages and families in his quest to capture souls. The battle continues and the siege works are being erected for a show down in November. Have no fear; we Christians know how the battle ends. Even if Proposition 8 is defeated in this November skirmish, Christ Jesus has already won the War and the Father of Lies is going down in flames!

When is enough, ENOUGH?

How easily do you give up? What does it take for you to throw in the towel and call it a day? When is enough, enough? I am ashamed to admit that it is far too easy for me to get to that point. I am afraid that patience and long suffering is an area that God still needs to grow me. Raising my children is a constant reminder for me that this is NOT one of my strengths. Gods Word paints a similar story, His patience is tried to the breaking point during Jeremiah’s mission and He has made the decision to bring His children to account for the way they have behaved.

King Hezekiah’s earlier reforms only lasted until his son succeeded him. Suddenly following the series of bad leadership that followed, a king of a different sort appears on the scene. His name was Josiah and like Hezekiah he too made sweeping reforms. He removed the offensive idols to Baal from the temple, the Asherah poles from the high places and burned them in the Kidron Valley. He cleansed and rededicated the Temple to the One True God. He also combed the countryside for unauthorized places of worship and killed hundreds of priests that served other gods like Molech (the vile god of the people of Ammon) & Chemosh (the vile god of Moab). He made serious efforts to “thin the herd”, separate the “wheat from the chaff” and get Gods people back on track.


Previously, King Hezekiah was rewarded for reforms such as these, by being given an additional 15 years of life. By contrast, Josiah was he rewarded only by being spared from witnessing himself, the destruction of the kingdom he fought so hard to protect. Josiah’s reign is truly a high point in the history of Judah, but it will not be enough to atone for three centuries of sinning on the part of Israel. The apparent lesson is that sin sometimes sets in motion certain consequences, which even subsequent good intentions cannot forestall.
But for Jesus, we too would be feeling the full wrath of God, as He grows impatient with our wayward behavior and hearts. I lean on Christ to remain vigilant and ALL IN!

The Prophets Tears

My own personal bible study of late has been in the Book of Jeremiah. In this book, at a time of brief and relative peace, just prior to the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem, false prophets abound in Israel, preaching that all is well. Peace, peace, peace they preach. By contrast Jeremiah (the weeping prophet), is the sole source of God’s message of displeasure with his people. God has long endured the fickle backsliding nature of His chosen people and His sorrow is revealed through Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 8:18-9:2:
My sorrow is beyond healing,
My heart is faint within me!
Behold, listen! The cry of the daughter of my people from a distant land:
"Is the LORD not in Zion? Is her King not within her?"
"Why have they provoked Me with their graven images, with foreign idols?"
"Harvest is past, summer is ended,
And we are not saved."
For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken;
I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?

Oh that my head were waters
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
Oh that I had in the desert
A wayfarers' lodging place;
That I might leave my people
And go from them!
For all of them are adulterers,
An assembly of treacherous men.

Continuing on, the long period of idolatry just reads as if it builds to the preverbal “straw that broke the camels back”, prompting God to send a much stronger message of condemnation to his people:

Jeremiah 18:13-17:
"Therefore thus says the LORD,
Ask now among the nations,
Who ever heard the like of this?
The virgin of Israel
Has done a most appalling thing.
Does the snow of Lebanon forsake the rock of the open country?
Or is the cold flowing water from a foreign land ever snatched away?
For My people have forgotten Me,
They burn incense to worthless gods
And they have stumbled from their ways,
From the ancient paths,
To walk in bypaths,
Not on a highway,
To make their land a desolation,
An object of perpetual hissing;
Everyone who passes by it will be astonished
And shake his head.
Like an east wind I will scatter them
Before the enemy;
I will show them My back and not My face
In the day of their calamity.'"

The fall of Jerusalem and the Great Deportation of Israel, is of course, what results from God’s broken heart. It is very sad and difficult reading, especially in light of the wayward world we live in and the arrogant responses we hear all around us to God’s loving plans and the TRUTH revealed in His Son. In 2006, in a radio address on the National Day of prayer, John F. MacArthur revealed his own concern that God may have already turned his back on the United States of America for similar responsiveness. The Battle for defining Marriage in California following the recent California Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage may be reason to believe that John MacArthur was correct.

I fear that more than a weeping prophet is needed, I remain His. I remain ALL IN!

100 Days of Prayer - California - Proposition 8

As many of you know, the traditional, biblical definition of marriage has been challenged in California and currently same-sex marriage services are being legally performed in this trend setting state. A great opportunity to reverse this perversion of truth is being made available in this November’s election. Proposition 8 will amend our state constitution with new language so that “Only marriage between a man and a women is valid or recognized in California”. Christians throughout the state (and country) are being asked by the amendment strategists to “bath this effort in prayer” as the consequences of the outcome of this election will be felt far and wide for years to come. Monday July 28th was the first day of a Call for 100 days of prayer prior to the election. Won’t you join me in this important duty of daily laying this issue before our Lord?

I remain His, I remain ALL IN!

Obama-Nation?

Important Preamble:
It has occurred to me (actually it was gently pointed out to me)that some if not all of my blog postings may come across a little preachy. I apologize if they read that way. It is an unfortunate by-product of my passion for the subject matter. It is certainly not my intent to sound as if I know the condition of your heart and can, with but a few words address and direct you to solutions for all your problems.
The entries I make into this blog are MY STORY, my own journey of sanctification. This process involves me and my Savior and His plans for me. He is making His desires for my life known to me by gently molding me, as a potter shapes his clay. Chipping away the unwanted bits of my life, as a sculptor shapes his artwork. It is a messy process.
As He is whittling away the World in me, I am finding that I respond with renewed appreciation for who my Lord really is and what He has in store for me. In my life I have know a fair number of people who kept a journal or diary. I have never successfully done so, though I have tried a number of times in the past and have always valued the idea.
This blog is, I find, accomplishing that goal for me. Capturing my own growth process, in real time, is the intent, the goal, and the purpose of my entries into this blog. To a large extent, I am sharing the blog with the reader to admit my own shortcomings and my slow understanding of what God truly expects of me. I would be both saddened and discouraged if I, in any way, offended you the reader. I hope that you enjoy its contents and humbly ask that you pray for my spiritual growth.
That being said…

If you have read even one of my blog postings, you will likely come away thinking that I enjoy the use of creative titles. This posting is no exception. When this title first occurred to me is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that my original intention in writing it was to paint a rather horrible portrait of one of our presidential candidates, Barack Hussein Obama. Like a lot of conservative Christians, I receive much e-mail regarding the presidential race and the character of the Democratic hopefuls. So often, claims of wrong doing or supposed exposure of hidden agendas are the central focus, with little or no proof to support the allegations.

I too have read the following about Barack Hussein Obama:

· Not placing his hand over his heart when reciting the pledge of Allegiance.
· That he was sworn into Congress on the Quran because he is Muslim
· That his book “Audacity of Hope” stated he would stand with the Muslims if the political winds shift.

With just an hours worth of real research into these claims, I discovered that quite a bit of injustice is being done the man. He does indeed place his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance (but perhaps not during the singing of our National Anthem); he was sworn into Congress with a Bible (unlike the Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison) and his book “Audacity of Hope has been misquoted more than once.

We all are aware that virtually every political campaign is negative. It is far easier to tear a man (or woman) down that to build one up and it is very easy to believe the worst about someone you already have differences with. We can also get so caught-up in the issues that divide us that we can forget our humanity and start treating people with disrespect and indifference.
Christ’s message of love would have us treat our political adversaries with love and in doing so, win them over. As His ambassadors to the world we have quite a responsibility to carry out the ministry of reconciliation given us. I know that I am committed to do my own research and as best I can, be a voice for Christ. For if I claim to be His and have not love, that would be an abomination.

My journey continues and I chose to remain ALL IN!

At times our self examinations can go too far!

The Long Road Home

If you are like me, you have some form of commute to your place of work. You likely take the same roadway or combination of roadways to and from work each weekday. When traveling to work, have you ever been so completely on “automatic pilot” that you are unaware whether you stopped at traffic lights, you know commute must go through? Do you find your self double-checking whether you have accomplished simple tasks, like locking the front door? Have you ever turned your car, so you could return home because you are wondering whether you lowered your garage door? Have you ever tried to start you car, when it was already running? Sure you can blame it on age, we’re all getting older. But, perhaps it is just the mundane nature of these mindless tasks in life. Lets face it; nothing is very exciting about closing our garage doors.

How much does this “Automatic Pilot” mode affect our spiritual life and walk with the Lord? Has going to church become another task? Has our worship become as ordinary as shutting our garage? What must we do to make sure our spiritual journey does not fall victim to this “rut routine” and our complacency spread to infect this most intimate relationship of our soul? Searching out the presence of God is, of course, the most obvious answer. If we are always with Him and our work is accomplished on His behalf, even our most mundane tasks become worship and communion with the creator of the universe. We three dogs refer to this as being ALL IN.

The process is well described in the classic Christian text, The Practice of the Presence of God. In this work, maintaining a close relationship with God is modeled for us by, Brother Lawrence (1614-1691), a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery. Brother Lawrence was born Nicholas Herman in the region of Lorraine, located in modern day eastern France. He entered the priory in Paris as a lay brother, not having the educational background to become a cleric. He spent most of his life within the walls of the priory, working in the kitchen and later repairing sandals. His character attracted many to him, in spite of, or perhaps because of, his lowly position, He was know for his profound peace and many sought guidance from him.

The wisdom he shared was assembled for us after his death by one of those he inspired, Father Joseph de Beaufort, later vicar general to the Archbishop of Paris. For Brother Lawrence, “common business,” no matter how mundane or routine, was opportunity for praising our Lord. The important issue was not the task at hand, but the motivation behind its accomplishment.

We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for the love of Him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself myself in worship before Him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.

He admitted that his path to this level of communion with God was not easy. He spent years disciplining his heart and mind to constantly search for Gods presence.

As often as I could, I placed myself as a worshiper before Him, fixing my mind upon His holy presence, recalling it when I found it wandering from Him. This proved to be a exercise frequently painful, yet I persisted through the difficulties.

Only after he reconciled himself to the thought that this long struggle was his destiny did he find peace, his soul finally had come home and found a place of rest. He spent the rest of his 80 years in relative obscurity, pain and perfect joy. Brother Lawrence paints a picture of the sancification process not unlike that of Paul of Tarsus. Paul too understood that this process was a long difficult one. In his farwell address to the Ephesian Elders (Acts 20:24) Paul had this to say:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

And (likely Paul) in Hebrews (12:1):

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Also consider: God has given us clear testimony in His Word concerning the reasons why He humbled Himself and "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philipians 2:7)

Are we being asked too much? Perhaps you feel we are. Too many of us have lost the ability to focus our attention for very long on anything, let a lone anything worthwhile. Consider the words of the song “Always on My mind”, made famous by Willie Nelson:

Maybe I didn’t treat you quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn’t love you quite as often as I could have
Little things I should have said and done, I just never took the time
You are always on my mind, you are always on my mind

Sadly this attitude is all too common in this day and age. It is unfortunate that such self-absorption has kept most of us from investing ourselves in things we claim to be important. Priorities have been shuffled and far too often we are merely in response mode to the “tyranny of the urgent”. We keep all the plates spinning as best we can without ever even asking whether the plates are worthy of our attention at all. How do we turn this around? How can we begin or regain our focus on what is important?

It starts, I believe, with an understanding of what should qualify as important. A understanding of this can always be found in Gods word (his specific revelation). Daily reading Gods word, reveals Gods character and nature to us each and everyday. Daily communing in prayer, helps in maintaining that all important relationship. Our days can fill-up rather fast with the world coming at us full bore. Beginning the day with the proper focus, provides the all important reminder, that we are here for His purpose. We can't expect to finish strong, if we have not started strong.

Next time you find yourself muddled in the mundane or spinning the wrong plates, ask yourself how you got there and next time chose a different path. Best part is, you can start all over right there and then. God promises his grace to a repentant believer and a contrite heart. You do not have to become a cleric or the next Paul of Tarsus to make a difference for the kingdom. Find ways to be in His presence in your daily chores, when your day is lived for Him, you are worshiping Him. It is a Long Road Home, take it one step at a time, focused on Him.

Raising Cain

My folks raised at least one “Cain” in our family. Growing up, I was a boy with a handful of wild ideas dressed in a dirty T-shirt and jeans wearing PF Flyers, Blue Canvas Vans , Wallabee's or Work boots depending on what decade you might be talking about. I had always felt that there must be a God, but I had no understanding of his plans for me, how accessible He was or how He wished to have relationship with me. In many ways, which I will not explore here, and in this sense, I was a “Cain”.

Note: The subject of my own predetermination is a bit to lofty for discussion in this brief blog, but suffice to say, I made it into the family of God. Thanks to my dear Sister and a number of dear friends, that prayed regularly for my very soul.

I now enjoy the task of raising “Cain” as a father. You might say I am raising several “Cains” in differing states of “Cain”-dom. (I know that sounds strange, but hang in there). The raising Cain process is a bit like separating the wheat from the chaff. When raising “Cain”, the trick is really to raise the “Cain” OUT of that person. To this end, as a father and head of my household, I have committed myself to rear my children and make them more ABLE.

More able to: Know God, Love God, Listen to God, Follow God and Share God. To all you parents out there, I wish you the best of success in raising your own “Cain”

Ever feel Sucker-Punched?

Ever feel sucker-punched? Ever had your legs pulled out from under you? Ever been totally blindsided? Ever had that feeling that everything was going along pretty good and then WHAMO! (and I don’t mean Frisbee), Life happens and you’re down for the count? I am sure you have, we all have had those experiences and yet we still are surprised by them time and time again. Looking back, these are the times when, once we are on the other side of the crisis, we take stock of what really matters most, we focus in on what our priorities should be instead of what they default to be. We get back to the heart of things, we are thankful to our Lord and Creator for pulling us through and tell ourselves that we are going to live differently from then on, with a fresh new set of priorities and a renewed focus and determination to walk in a manner that honors our Father.

How are you doing with that? Is it working for you?

Or are you more like me, regularly brought back to your knees again and again, thankful for God’s daily attention, provision and protection. Oh, the helpful regular reminders are nice, but do they have to come in the form of: 3:00AM Emergency rooms visits, painful Parent-teacher conferences, disappointing doctors appointments, unfair traffic tickets, unexplainable x-rays, dead pets, broken appliances and uncontrolled vomiting? It can be rather painful to “fall on your knees in prayer”, perhaps that is because we made the mistake of ever getting up from that position of prayer, from laying our life at His feet, from yielding our will to His.

We can’t have our legs pulled out from under us if we are kneeling, we can’t be blindsided if we don’t have a side that’s blind and we can’t be sucker-punched with our eyes on Him. We need to remain ALL IN.

Three Dogs Slideshow

Happy Memorial Day 2008

Let us remember, as we enjoy this long weekend, that the price of the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted, came at great cost to many who came before us and many who, even now, are engaged in their defence. The American soldier still stands as a beacon of freedom on the increasingly darkening world stage.

Here are several inspired quotes to consider:

Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes - Remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth. ~W.J. Cameron

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored. ~Daniel Webster

The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots. ~Randy Vader

Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations, that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided Republic. ~John A. Logan

June 2008 Ballot Initiatives

Propositions on the June Ballot


There are two very important ballot initiatives Californians will consider this summer: Propositions 98 and 99. Similar to Proposition 90, the 2006 initiative that sought to protect homeowners and churches from eminent domain abuse, Proposition 98 will prevent government from taking private property and then giving it to another private party.

Unfortunately, property developers and tax revenue- hungry local governments have also placed an eminent domain measure on the ballot that is much weaker. Proposition 99 does not include protections for churches and other types of property. Voters should be aware that if both initiatives pass, Proposition 99 has a "poison pill" provision that will nullify the protections for churches include in Proposition 98. That is why it is so important that voters vote "YES" on 98 and "NO" on 99.

A Salute to the "Y" Chromosome

These days with so many disappointing things in the news it is wonderful to find yourself laughing at something. This week I found my funny bone tickled by one of my favorite artists, Brad Paisley. On his latest album "5Th Gear" he points out the God ordained differences between man and women in a humorous salute to the "Y" chromosome.

Brad Paisley’s “I’m still a guy!”

When you see a deer, you see Bambi
And I see antlers up on the wall
When you see a lake you think picnics
And I see a large mouth up under that log

You're probably thinkin’ that you're gonna change me
In some ways well maybe you might
Scrub me down, dress me up
Oh but no matter what,
Remember, I'm still a guy

When you see a priceless French painting
I see a drunk naked girl
You think that riding a wild bull sounds crazy
And I'd like to give it a whirl

Well love makes a man do some things he ain't proud of
And in a weak moment I might
Walk your sissy dog, hold your purse at the mall
But remember, I'm still a guy

And I'll pour out my heart, hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around, knock some jerk to the ground
'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by

I can hear you now talkin’ to your friends
Sayin’ yeah girls he's come a long way
From draggin’ his knuckles and carryin’ a club
And buildin’ a fire in a cave

But when you say a backrub means only a backrub
And you swat my hand when I try
Well now what can I say at the end of the day
Honey, I'm still a guy

And I'll pour out my heart
Hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around
Knock some jerk to the ground
'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by

These days there's dudes getting’ facials
Manicured, waxed, and Botoxed
With deep spray-on tans and creamy lotiony hands
You can't grip a tackle box

Yeah with all of these men linin’ up to get neutered
It’s hip now to be feminized
But I don't highlight my hair, I've still got a pair
Yeah honey, I'm still a guy

Oh, my eyebrows ain't plucked, there's a gun in my truck
Oh thank God I'm still a guy

California Supreme Court Forces Homosexual Marriage on California

Activist Judges Defy Will of People and Overturn Proposition 22
In a 4-3 decision, the California Supreme Court ruled today that homosexual marriage bans are unconstitutional. California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 22 in 2000, defining marriage as between one man and one woman. California's highest court decided the law was unconstitutional.

"This is a very sad day for our nation and the democratic process," stated Karen England, executive director for Capitol Resource Institute. "The people of California decided eight years ago that marriage in our state will be defined as between one man and one woman. 4 arrogant, elitist, activist judges decided that they know better than the people how marriage should be defined."

"It is a blow to our government system that activist judges would use the judicial system and baseless constitutional arguments to push their radical political agenda on citizens," stated Meredith Turney, legislative liaison for Capitol Resource Institute.

Assemblyman Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) commented, "Eight years ago with the passage of Proposition 22, the voters of California agreed that marriage is 'between a man and a woman.' PERIOD. The court's decision today is further proof that some activist judges value their own beliefs over the will of the people."

"We now must focus our energy on passing the Protect Marriage Initiative and place traditional marriage in the state constitution," stated England. "This outrageous decision will electrify voters and we are certain they will once again choose to protect traditional marriage."

The above was reprinted from a Capitol Resource Institute alert e-mail sent out today. The cosmic battle between Truth and Lies continues. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we are prepared, for it is time to rally the troops. Keep your powder dry!

A Chilling Mothers Day Story

I guess raking in a staggering $1.017 billion in income (including $300 million from taxpayer money) isn't enough for the world's largest Abortion business--Planned Parenthood.

In what really is a chilling irony, Planned Parenthood, used Mother's Day for a fundraising platform. Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards wrote, "This Mother's Day, I'm honoring that legacy with a Planned Parenthood Federation of America Mother's Day gift. Join me."

Asking for Mother's Day donations in honor of mother's and daughters? It is as sickening as it is appalling. To verify the horric truth behind this story you can follow this link to the Planned parenthood website: https://secure.ga0.org/02/mothersday08?qp_source=mothersday08%5fpphp

What about the lost legacies of the millions of babies that have been slaughtered for profit by Planned Parenthood. Who is honoring their legacy? Hopefully it is the Family oriented Christian organizations diligently working to protect the sanctity of life. I would like to suggest the obvious, that the best way honor Mothers Day is to honor motherhood, birth and life itself.

Happy Mothers Day 2008

This year, May 11, 2008 is set aside to celebrate Mom and all the other mothers whom impact our lives: wives, grandmothers, mother-in-laws, sisters, aunts and even daughters for some. Most of these mothers deserve to be celebrated each and everyday and should not have their praise songs limited to only one day or weekend a year. As Gods designed, uniquely gifted, nurturing care givers they play an important role in raising children, caring for aged parents and fulfilling the heavenly commanded position of helpmate to their spouses.

The manner in which various mothers wish to be celebrated is a varied as the individual. Some mothers enjoy spending a relaxing day, free from all the trappings of their normal responsibilities. My bride is one of these types. A trip to the spa to indulge in a day being pampered, instead of putting on pampers, suits her to a tee. Other mothers would rather attend an exciting event, like a NASCAR race or a day of shopping at the Mall.

Knowing who mom is and what mom likes is, of course, the key to making mom happy. As you prepare to celebrate the mothers who impact your life and the lives of your loved ones, take special care to consider their unique composition. Thank the Lord for His work in molding them to uniquely impact your life. Remember the Christ our Lord could have come into this world in any variety of ways. He chose, however, to be presented to the world in the loving arms of a woman of faith.

May you and all the mothers you choose to celebrate this weekend be richly blessed. Happy Mothers Day 2008

Expelled! - Is it really happening, like Ben says?

This year, Ben Stein goes for the jugular that supplies all the false ideology that fuels today's rebellion against God and truth. He is taking on the establishment enslaved by Darwinism and exposing not only its improbability, but its dangerous intellectual suicide that refuses to follow the evidence where it leads, and that of course is back to God our Creator. Take a minute and watch.

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playgroundvideo3.swf


Ben Steins "Expelled" movie paints a pretty unbelievable picture of our Educational System. Does such prejudice exist? The Institute of Creation Research is currently engaged with the State of Texas in a battle for the Truth. Go to http//www.icr.org/neverstop to find out more

The Institute for Creation Research

Our friends from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) always have very interesting articles that increase our understanding of our Creator His Wonderful Creations and the battleground we as Christians face in defending our faith. By “actually following the scientific evidence” they time and time again confirm that our faith in the Genesis account of creation is solid. Consider the following:

Interesting article on Sand Injectites as Strong Evidence for The Flood:
http://www.icr.org/article/3862/
Also: Great review of the new Book The Genesis Factor by Frank Sherwin, M.A.
http://www.icr.org/article/3866/

National Day of Prayer

Greetings! Happy Druid Festival of Beltane, Roman Festival of Floralia, regaled by the Puritans as a day of observing ancient fertility rights, Maypole dancing, International Workers Day and yes, the National Day of Prayer.

The National Day of Prayer is a day designated by the United States Congress as a day when all Americans regardless of faith are asked to come together and pray in their own way.

After spending time briefly this morning with my own family in prayer, I dropped off my sons at school and arrived at work to discover the following message e-mailed company wide:

Please join us in Charlenes office at 12:45 today where we will ask Mr. Thompson to pray us up for the coming year. All are welcome!

I must admit that I was, at first, alarmed that I had been volunteered in such a manner. My shock resolved to honor however, when I quickly realized that I am having some impact in my workplace to be trusted by my fellow workers to lead them in this way. Our weekly Bible studies, which I facilitate, have enjoyed sporadic attendance at best, but continue to meet, when work allows.

I have found that it is part of my own nature to evaluate our Bible Studies “success” in human terms alone. This morning’s e-mail was a reminder to me that God sees things differently and is always at work, mostly behind the scenes.

The National Day of Prayer is a great day to be reminded of that Truth!

All In

After life deals us our cards and with the odds stacked against us, we confer with our brothers, push our chips to the middle of the table and utter, "All in for Christ." Such is the essence of the Band of Brothers.

Chan

Polishing the Brass?

The question of the appropriate application of “Separation of Church and State” seems to constantly be in focus these days. In this presidential election year, as with previous ones, the television news, talk radio and even grocery store magazine racks are filled with speculation and likely misinformation regarding the various presidential front-runners, their faith & spirituality. Does it Matter? Just where do we draw the line between personal and public?

Nothing can start a fight faster than Politics or Religion so mixing the two is simply unthinkable, right? For the Bible believing, Bible reading Christian it is very easy to see that the future is going to be filled with persecution and tribulation. Read your Bible, it’s in there! Because of this I thought for a long time that getting politically involved was tantamount to “polishing the brass on the Titanic”. But is it, really?

The Bible speaks about being both Salt and Light.
Matthew 5: 13
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it become salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

Ephesians 5:8
“…for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.

How can we be salt and light if our flavor or brilliance is indistinguishable from those around us, who know not the truth? We can not! The work that Christ has done within us needs to be proclaimed!

Our light needs to shine! Our salt needs to be flavorful!

Yes, we know how the story goes. Persecution is coming; perhaps it is already here, as many believe. But we have a job to do for Him who gave it ALL on our behalf!

The best part is…we know how the story ends too…Perhaps engaging in the political process as messy as it can be, on Christ’s behalf, through the leading of the Holy spirit, is the best course of action in these uncertain times.

I’m willing.... Lord use me!

What would Jesus do?

The phrase "What would Jesus do?" (often abbreviated to WWJD) became popular in the United States in the 1890s and again in 1990s as a personal motto for thousands of Christians who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief that Jesus is the example to be followed in daily life, and to act in a manner which Jesus would approve. The inquiry can be found on Tee-shirts, bumper stickers and even jewelry too. "What Would Jesus Do?" all started with a youth group from the Calvary Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan. As members of "Generation X," they wanted to influence their community for Christ. Inspired by the 1896 Charles Sheldon Book, "In His Steps" (which asked the same query), these youths were moved to apply this question to the daily choices that they all faced. As a tangible reminder, they had simple cloth bracelets made that used the abbreviation, WWJD. The bracelets caught the attention of friends, classmates, parents, and town's people. Soon, almost everyone was wearing one of these bracelets. As their popularity grew, the bracelets were mass-marketed, causing the retail revolution that we see today.
Some find the inquiry trite, some overly manipulative, but this writer hopes most found it to be a question worth answering. “What would Jesus do?” a very powerful question when asked with pure motives and answered honestly.
The power of the question is derived from the “established, yet unspoken” Standard that the mere mention of Jesus’ name brings with it. Whether you believe that Jesus was Lord, Liar or lunatic, it is generally assumed that He did things right, He treated people right and He both taught and brought a message of Love.
The beauty of the question is that those presented with it may, for the first time ever, begin to look for answers that are based upon more than just their own selfish desires
Before we can answer the question "What would Jesus do?" we must ask ourselves whether we know Jesus. Knowing Jesus begins with reading about His life, teachings and claims in the Bible. However, reading the Bible as literature alone only helps us to learn ABOUT Jesus. To truly KNOW Him requires a personal, spiritual relationship with Him.

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

This process of coming to know Jesus is a lifelong commitment and journey called sanctification. In our little circle of friends, we call this being ALL IN. This idea of being ALL IN is a process, none of us has yet attained.

Consider the following: If you had someone over to a pool party and they came late, stayed briefly and only dipped their feet in the pool or maybe just viewed it from afar, you might really question whether they had a complete experience or enjoyed the pool party at all. Does Christ wonder if you enjoy your life as a Christian? We desire to be ALL IN, fully immersed in Christ. To that end we meet weekly with each other to pray with and for each other. Our desire is to follow Him and assist each other in that unifying goal. Jesus invites all of us to join in this party.

Through God's inerrant Word, we know what Jesus did and continues to do....so now the question we ask you is…..What will you do?

We wish we could be there...

Our dad and his friends always go out without us on Thursday night and we wish we could go because it sounds like they have fun, especially when they jam to Third Day. ROCK ON!

Dogs sons,

Skyler & Dylan

3dogblog

Thanks for setting this up Dog. Looking forward to see how it goes.

Dogs First Blog

This Blog has been created for the free exchange of ideas that will lead to the renewing of minds and ultimately to the expansion of the Kingdom of God. It is also dedicated to the two good friends that accompany me on this journey of sanctification, this process of refinement, namely: Keent and Mr. Chan

Dog