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| I'm learning that turning my will and my life over to God is challenging! I am gradually learning to do this daily, moment-to-moment, even. I am so thankful for what God has shown me now that I'm willing to turn it over to His care. It just takes a willingness. Willingness to do something goes a long way...
I read a passage in Hosea today. My friend mentioned this passage and how it had helped her. God is talking to the Israelites about their rebellion, and how he is always there, waiting for them to turn to Him. In this passage, God says to Israel,
"How can I give you up, Israel? How can I abandon you? Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah, or treat you as I did Zeboiim? My heart will not let me do it! My love for you is too strong. I will not punish you in my anger; I will not destroy Israel again. For I am God and not man. I, the Holy One, am with you. I will not come to you in anger."
Hosea 11:8-9
This was powerful to me. God was there in my rebellion. He was waiting for me to turn to Him again. He was always faithful to me, loving me all along, never giving up on me. | | |
| It's amazing how each moment I'm alive gives opportunity to turn it over to my Higher Power, my God. My nerves are shot, I've experienced a panic attack the other day....hmmm.....somewhere in my subconcious, I'm anxious and worried. It makes me think of the scripture that says, "Do not be anxious about anything..." and then another that says, "cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you." God has shown me how faithful He is. He is always here and "will never leave me or forsake me." I am comforted by that thought...by that promise. You know? I am so thankful that I have found God in the mucky place....not always in the joyful times....the rose-colored glasses I've had on for so many years have long since been smashed. I am meeting God in a real place in my life. In my own struggles, fears, victories, strengths. He is here through it all. I am realizing this now for the first time ever. And I believe that this faith I'm establishing will be long-lasting. This time it is real. | | |
| One day at a time, one moment at a time, I am gradually beginning to realize the bigger plan in all of this. That God DOES love me and wants good things for my life. It's been a season of trial and error, successes and failures, hope and despair. I really relate to the "Philosopher" in Ecclesiastes...his frustrations and questions....but also his realizations. That there is a purpose for things; that life isn't as meaningless as he once thought...as I once thought. He is here with me. He LOVES me. He FORGIVES me. How amazing! How amazing it is that I can carry my burdens to One who is faithful and true. That although they may not be taken from me right away, that He sees the bigger picture and has a reason why. That the testing of our faith and the trials we face will develop character and perserverance.
Thank you, God, for being my Teacher, for loving me regardless, and for developing me into the person you want me to be. Help me to trust in you. | | |
| HOW THE SALVATION ARMY DIDN'T STEAL CHRISTMAS
Okay. So. You're probably wondering why the heck I posted the last ACLU article, right???? W-e-e-l-l....let's just say that we are all getting frustrated out of our skulls over here with the many ridiculous people calling in complaining that we have taken away Christmas because our bell ringers are proclaiming "Happy Holidays" every now and again. Have you ever stood by a Red Kettle for The Salvation Army? Do you know what it feels like to stand outside in the cold, bundled up, looking ridiculously fat b/c you have a million layers of clothes on, smiling at a trillion people as they walk in and out of the store, trying desperately to enjoy yourself as you constantly ring a frickin' bell ALL DAY LONG??? Some of you do. It's a lot of fun for the most part, but I sure give our bell ringers credit for standing outside for 8 hours at a time....You HAVE to make life interesting and change up your comments to the bazillion people you meet all day long. SO-O-O...Merry Christmas is just one of the phrases you use, along with the Happy Holiday's, Have a Nice Day's, Thank You's, Seasons Greetings, that you manage to shoot through your numb lips.
Imagine this. People complaining that we don't say Merry Christmas ENOUGH. That we are taking Christmas away from the season. Yeah...I'm sure that's our very intent here at The Salvation Army. Whatev. So, we had a pep talk with our bell ringers...."Merry Christmas the heck right out of these people.... Rah! Rah! Rah! to combat the Bah! Bah! Bah's! You can do it!"
So sad. So sad that there ARE people out there who believe in their self-righteous liberties...that they are so deserving. That they won't drop money in the kettle until they get a "Merry Christmas"....or they won't drop money in the kettle until they hear everything BUT "Merry Christmas". Sheesh. You can't please them all.
The ACLU article just made me laugh. It made me see how blown-out-of-proportion people can get...how extremely hilarious this all becomes.
So, people, stand on your soap box and shout your complaints until your throat gets so raw that you SHUT UP! I'm tired of this drama. Save it fo yo mama. | | |
| How The ACLU Didn't Steal Christmas (12/7/2005)
By Fran Quigley
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| Fran Quigley, Executive Director, Indiana Civil Liberties Union |
When the angry phone calls and emails started arriving at the office, I knew the holiday season was upon us. A typical message shouted that we at the American Civil Liberties Union are "horrible" and "we should be ashamed of ourselves," and then concluded with an incongruous and agitated "Merry Christmas."
We get this type of correspondence a lot, mostly in reaction to a well-organized attempt by extremist groups to demonize the ACLU, crush religious diversity, and make a few bucks in the process. Sadly, this self-interested effort is being promoted in the guise of defending Christmas.
For example, the Alliance Defense Fund celebrates the season with an "It's OK to say Merry Christmas" campaign, implying that the ACLU has challenged such holiday greetings. (As part of the effort, you can get a pamphlet and two Christmas pins for $29.)
The website WorldNetDaily touts a book claiming "a thorough and virulent anti-Christmas campaign is being waged today by liberal activists and ACLU fanatics." The site's magazine has suggested there will be ACLU efforts to remove "In God We Trust" from U.S. currency, fire military chaplains, and expunge all references to God in America's founding documents. (Learn more for just $19.95 . . . )
Of course, there is no "Merry Christmas" lawsuit, nor is there any ACLU litigation about U.S. currency, military chaplains, etc. But the facts are not important to these groups, because their real message is this: By protecting the freedom of Muslims, Jews, and other non-Christians through preventing government entanglement with religion, the ACLU is somehow infringing on the rights of those with majority religious beliefs.
In truth, it is these website Christians who are taking the Christ out of the season. Nowhere in the Sermon on the Mount did Jesus Christ ask that we celebrate His birth with narrow-mindedness and intolerance, especially for those who are already marginalized and persecuted. Instead, the New Testament—like the Torah and the Koran and countless other sacred texts—commands us to love our neighbor, and to comfort the sick and the imprisoned.
That's what the ACLU does. We live in a country filled with people who are sick and disabled, people who are imprisoned, and people who hunger and thirst for justice. Those people come to our Indiana offices for help, at a rate of several hundred a week, usually because they have nowhere else to turn. The least of our brothers and sisters sure aren't getting any help from the Alliance Defense Fund or WorldNet Daily. So, as often as we can, ACLU secures justice for those folks who Jesus worried for the most.
As part of our justice mission, we work hard to protect the rights of free religious expression for all people, including Christians. For example, we recently defended the First Amendment rights of a Baptist minister to preach his message on public streets in southern Indiana. The ACLU intervened on behalf of a Christian valedictorian in a Michigan high school, which agreed to stop censoring religious yearbook entries, and supported the rights of Iowa students to distribute Christian literature at their school.
There are many more examples, because the ACLU is committed to preserving the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom for all. We agree with the U.S. Supreme Court's firm rulings that this freedom means that children who grow up in non-Christian homes should not be made to feel like outsiders in their own community's courthouse, legislature or public schoolhouse.
To our "Merry Christmas" correspondents and all other Hoosiers, we wish you happy holidays.
Fran Quigley is executive director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, www.iclu.org. As of January 1, 2006, the organization is changing its name to ACLU of Indiana.
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