I'm on vacation!

I am currently in BA at my brother's house. I'm going to spend the next couple of days in the pool with my nephews and get ready for Chicago.

I got to talk to Alli-bear, K-Lai, Crumpy, Rita-frita all in the span of a couple days, so I am ready to get there. I miss everyone so much.

My mysterious itching is better. Thanks for praying for me. God also provided some extra cash through unexpected means and I am blessed!

Jesus is a liberal????

Thanks for praying. After about $120 I am much, much better. I slept 6 hours straight last night, and I am hardly itching at all. I am dealing with the usual allergies and a migraine today, but at least I'm not scratching too!

I was looking for some lyrics online today, and I happen to run across a couple of interesting Christian sites. One was a blog that was talking about Christian bumper stickers and the
like. This linked me to another site that I thought was "interesting" for lack of a better word. It reminded me (again) how completely complex Christianity is in our culture.

The site was for the "religious left" (with the "t" in left a cross) and sold bumper stickers and buttons like, "Jesus wants spiritual fruit not religious nuts!" "Do you think Jesus would be Republican?" or "Jesus is a Liberal."

What intrigued me about it was at the top it gave this disclaimer: "About This Site. I am deeply concerned that, to many, Christianity has come to stand for preemptive war, the death penalty, and social Darwinism. St. Francis once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” In our current political climate
where an anti-poor, anti-gay, xenophobic right-wing agenda is draped
with the cloak of Christianity, we need to use words to change the debate to promote our progressive social justice agenda."

Yet bumper stickers and buttons like "Jesus is a liberal" aren't promoting a specific social agenda draped in Christianity? Come on, really, isn't the liberal pot calling the conservative kettle black?

Look, my head hurts today and I really don't want to get into a political debate that stirs people up, but I felt moved to post on this. Honestly, politics isn't ever going to be win-win. Democracy is, by definition, going to cause division. Democracy allows for the majority to rule.....so the principles of social "equality" and "correctness" will depend on the majority. We will never see everyone happy! To me, politics has become so divided that democracy has become little more than slaves getting to choose and vote for their slave masters.

I hate that we have to drag Jesus into the mess. I know He wouldn't shy off from controversy or speaking His mind. And I think He wants us to be involved--take out understanding of the Bible and His principles and apply them to our lives. I just don't know if buttons and bumper stickers are the way to go....

Well, thanks again for praying for me--please continue to! My head is hurting pretty bad today, but my vacation starts at 5:00 pm! Woo Hoo!

It's my party....

Welcome to my pity party.

Okay, for over a week now I have had a mysterious itch. It started on the top of my legs and has gradually moved up to my arms and neck. I thought I had an allergic reaction to something, but I cannot think of anything that was abnormal. I also thought I might have slightly ODed on some allergy medicine, but I stopped taking it a week ago.

It got better over the course of last week, but now it is back. I haven't slept in about 3 days, and I am tired. Go to the doctor, you say? Yeah, one more day and I might. I am going to go get, bath salts, more anti-itch cream and some sleeping aids and try it one more night. If I am not better by tomorrow, I will fork out the 100+ dollars for the doctor. I am afraid, though, that might nip my trip to Chi-town in the bud.

So if you want me to come to Chicago, PLEASE pray that I am healed from this annoying and weird problem. I am generally sleep deprived, smell like an old person, and am generally uncomfortable all day. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper. I am poor to boot, so I really, really don't want to go to the Urgent Care Center!

American Idol

As I posted a couple of days ago, I have been working on Life Impact.. I love working on this side of things--seeing the ins and outs of putting a program together.

Yesterday we narrowed down the band choices, and we are going with Jeff Johnson who is out of Texas. He is billed to be the next big name on the Christian music scene. I remember when I first met MercyMe at Falls Creek and played volleyball with them one afternoon. I love their music and bought both of their CDs and have been a fan ever since. So, it is exciting to get to meet the possible next big thing!

Well, Jeff is cute to say the least! We were looking on his website yesterday and reading all the stuff about him. (Sorry, ladies, he has a girlfriend!) She talked him into auditioning for American Idol this past season. I so remembered him! I remember his audition, and he made it to Hollywood. I think he was cut because he was too "Christian" or not edgy enough. Something lame like that.

Anyway, he is most likely going to be our worship leader for Life Impact! How funny is that?

The Beginning of the End

I was thinking about the end times the other day. (Stay with me!) I am not an "end-times watcher" or anything, but I think we would all be naive to think that our days are not numbered. All our friends on summer trips can attest to the hunger out there.

But other things I've noticed is that the earth is beginning to show us signs. These "natural" disasters occurring all over the world--the tsunami, the earthquakes in California, the and even the unseasonable snowfall at Glorieta--are all speaking pretty clearly. Natural disasters have long been associated with end times, as are wars (see Matt. 24:6-8).

Every generation since Christ ascended has been looking for His return--expecting it in their lifetime. Generations have been reading the "signs." Books, newsletters, and lifetimes have been spent reading the signs. So, I am not saying anything that others much smarter than I have already said.

The thing that really got me thinking about this was a commercial on TV the other day. It was easily disguised in the midst of many other commercials. But there was something different--it was for a new laptop computer that had a biometric fingerprint reader that would log you onto computers instead of a password. To the left of the keypad lies the most important feature of this entire suite, the red, illuminated biometric sensor capable of recognizing any finger on either of your hands.

Hmm. Does this remind anyone else of Genesis 11? Anyone? Verses 5-6 say this: "But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, 'If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.'"

I just think of that phrase, "nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them" when it comes to this technology. We all know the result of the Tower of Babel. How long will God let us go this time?

I think of line from Jurassic Park (check it out, I am quoting a movie!) says it best when talking of man's ability to create....character Ian Malcolm say this: "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs..."

Yep. bio-technology is a scary thing. We continue to distroy God and re-create man.

What will we do with the time we have left?