Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Eagles

I've been watching the Decorah Eagles again this year as they are, once again, working to hatch their offspring. This year they have 3 eggs, which the female laid in a 3 day period.  They are vigilant about those eggs, fiercely protecting them from potential predators, the weather, etc.

But, they are just eggs.

Last year, they fought against an owl that tried to swoop in and steal lunch. They screamed at the owl and readied their talons to strike if necessary.  That owl was not getting those eggs!

But, they are just eggs.

People chatting in the side bar express concern if the eagles leave the eggs for more than a few minutes, worried that the eggs are vulnerable, or cold, or maybe have already died. Would they, themselves offer to protect those innocent eggs if given the opportunity?

But, they are just eggs. Aren't they?  Aren't they just eggs filled with undefined tissue that doesn't matter?  Isn't that what they are?

Hmmm.

Those of us who battle against abortion are no different than the eagles.  They are fierce protectors of life and will go to extreme measures to protect the unborn eagles inside those eggs. They are vigilant to keep the eggs warm and safe, knowing that what is inside must have time to grow and develop properly. They are fully committed to making sure they do everything they can to protect and care for all those eggs so they can reach maturity so those baby eagles can be born.  All we pro-lifers want is for life to be safe, for babies to be allowed to grow and be born and given a chance at life. We want the exact same thing as those eagles. They would never even think to kill their own offspring.  My word.

No, I don't protest on the legislative floor, nor do I threaten action against abortionists. I do work to educate people about abortion so they can know the truth. I do council women facing unwanted pregnancies so they understand the life within them.  I do not vote for pro-choice candidates.  I've been accused of being a one-issue voter, and if that's the case, so be it.  That one issue could mean the difference between life and death for one human baby who might be given the chance to live.

I do share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people facing unwanted pregnancies, as the Gospel is the only thing that will make an eternal difference.

So, as I watch the eagles, and realize the world also watches the eagles, I am struck by the contrast of how people in this world embrace these eggs.

After all, they are just eggs.  Aren't they?

If only the humanists embraced human life as passionately.

~Tricia

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Whitney....Dead/Whitney.....Alive!

Whitney Houston's funeral was today.  I cannot listen to her song, I Will Always Love You, without tears. Her voice was a powerhouse of talent - talent she knew God gave her and she gave Him credit.  How sad to watch the world say goodbye to her!

Whitney is not dead.  The testimony of her life was Jesus Christ.  How do I know this?  I know this from the fact that the Gospel of Christ was presented again and again at her funeral.  The Gospel was preached and mainstream media broadcast it all over the world, streaming live as it happened.  The Gospel that the media scorns, tries to hush-up by categorizing it with lunacy and makes fun of.  The Gospel. They broadcast the Gospel and I am so thankful!  Thanks to Whitney Houston and the talent God gave her, and the fame He gave her and the friends He gave her, the Gospel was broadcast around the world by people who would otherwise spit on it.

I don't know what killed Whitney.  Some say she was troubled...........who isn't?  If we are real with ourselves, we are all troubled. If we don't think we are capable of certain sins or certain ways of life, we are not in the same camp as Jesus Christ, since He came to save us from ourselves. He knows how troubled we are; there is no fooling Him.  Whenever I hear a so-called Christian making comments like, "I would never do anything like that..." I have to ask myself what level of sin they do allow themselves. Certainly, as displayed by that attitude, they let their pride run rampant. That is no better than those who struggle with more unacceptable sins.  Shame!

Anyway, I am sad that Whitney Houston is dead.  But, we are all going to die. Are we going to live in eternity with Christ?  That is the question.  Whitney's testimony of salvation was clear.  She openly believed that Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose from the dead.........and the mainstream media broadcast it, unedited!  Praise be.

~Tricia

Monday, February 13, 2012

Living the Dream

Thanks to Facebook, I'm back in touch with a young woman who used to come to our house while her mother worked.  She's in many of our family pictures from that period when I babysat her, and I remember her so fondly.  She was a true delight in our lives and seemed to fit into our family seamlessly whenever she came.

Now, because of Facebook, I get to see her as a young mom herself and her children, even though I've never met them in person, are delightful to see in the pictures she often posts.  She's living the dream!  When I see her pictures, I also see the setting. Sometimes it's the park. Sometimes it's the living room. Sometimes it's a relatives's house. Sometimes it's a museum or a pumpkin patch.  Every time I see those pictures, I realize she's living the dream and I smile.

And, I realize I lived the dream when my kids were little, too.  I'm still living the dream.  Home with my kids, contentment abounds.  I have time to contemplate, time to feel what I'm doing, time to enjoy pictures of a family living the same dream and I rejoice.

Young moms, embrace and live the dream to its fullest.  You are not wasting your time, energy and education by staying home with your kids.  You are living the dream and it's truly remarkable to see children grow.  The dream changes over time, so be prepared.  I still have 3 kids at home and still love watching them grow, but now that I have 5 kids out of the house, I'm very acutely aware of the pace in which these last 3 will also leave home.

Nah, this isn't a wake-up call; I've been acutely aware of this for a long time.  But, today, I saw pictures of this young woman's children again and I was struck with the joy on their faces and the background of their home in the picture and it reminded me of myself, snapping pictures when my kids were being silly or performing a great feat of jumping over a bucket or some such activity.  

How I rejoice with and for this young woman, whom I have the privilege of knowing now, and also had the privilege of knowing when she, herself, was a little girl.  Keep on living that dream!

I see the same joy and dream in the faces of my 2 oldest daughters, who are now mothers themselves. My heart aches with longing as they are half a continent away and money is too tight to make enough trips to see them....(not to mention I can't just leave these other 3 kids home and take off like that).  So, I depend on pictures and Skype and frequent conversations via phone or text to keep up on what and how they are doing. And I'm ever so thankful that my daughters get to live the dream of raising kids and experience the joy of motherhood.

One never, ever gets over being a mom, no matter how old her kids get.  It's a lifelong joy. Right now, I'm on both sides of life with this one.  I have 5 kids grown and on their own, but I still have 3 at home. It's pretty cool to get to experience both phases at the same time, and it gives a perspective that I'm finding unique and fascinating.  

~Tricia

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Why I Don't - and Won't - Boycott

There seems to always be a call for fundamental Christians to boycott this or that in this world.  Recently, there's a call to boycott JC Penney because they hired Ellen DeGeneres to promote their stores.  There's been a call to boycott Starbucks because they support gay marriage rights.  The list goes on.  People who claim to be fundamental conservatives are calling for the boycotts, hoping to change the companies' minds so they can continue to consume their products.  Home Depot was recently targeted for a boycott for one reason or another.

Quite frankly, choose your sin.  These so-called fundamental Christian conservatives have chosen which sins they will "tolerate" and which ones they won't.  What is the overall goal?  To change the companies' behavior so the consumer can feel more comfortable?  Ridiculous.  To enact legislation that will force a retailer to donate and support only those causes we agree with?  Ludicrous.  Look at any retailer and you will likely find something you deem "wrong" about their lifestyle, what they do with their money, etc.  Do we boycott every retailer who does not meet the standard of living we have determined is acceptable?  Do we boycott those who support a gay lifestyle but support the retail giant whose CEO drives while drinking?  Or is into child porn?  How do we decide?   Which sin is worse?

The focus is off in my opinion. I don't boycott. I won't boycott.  Legislation has never won a soul to Christ. Boycotting might work - it might force a retailer to stop (openly) supporting a cause the protesters have deemed inappropriate.  But, they will be legislated straight to Hell because legislation does not win souls.

Jesus Christ, not boycotting, is the Answer to the world's issues.  Jesus did not ask the boy with the fishes where he got them or how his mother paid for them. She may have bought those fish with money she earned through prostitution.  They boy, himself, may have stolen them.  His father may have gotten them by cheating someone or by trading a sex act.  Jesus didn't care. He took the fish and He made them what He wanted them to be. He fed the people.  Their source was irrelevant.

If even half the people took the energy they put into promoting boycotting into sharing the Gospel instead, the world would be transformed and the behavior issues so many Christians are hung up on would no longer be an issue.  We would see revival like has never before been known.  It's the Gospel. It, alone, changes lives. And God has chosen to manifest His Word through preaching (Titus 1:3) - something the world deems foolish. We are the fools if we neglect this great calling to go and preach the Gospel to every creature.  He never told us to go and protest the world's laws.

~Tricia

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Dilemma for Doing Right

Doing the right thing often causes a dilemma, hence people don't always do the right thing.  Some people do the right thing without thinking of consequences because they live by principle.  Some people do the right thing outwardly, expecting an outcome that is often self-serving.  Still others do the right thing after careful consideration of the consequences, then deciding they can live with them.  Some even do the right thing, then are puffed up with pride for doing it.

The right thing is not often clearly visible, either.  We easily become confused about what's right when it affects us, or our family, directly.  Sometimes we simply don't know what the right thing is!  I think this challenge can be something we face daily.  I face this challenge daily.  Do you?

So, how do we know what is right?  The recent pile up on I75 in Florida presents an interesting dilemma.  Many of the people killed were illegal aliens from Brazil.  Being here illegally, they were traveling illegally since they didn't have valid drivers' licenses.  That's a dilemma.  In the comments following an article I read on this, some people were very pointed and actually indicated they were glad the people died, and it served them right, etc.  I totally understand that some people are upset by illegals not being challenged; that's a valid concern.  However, to indicate they got what they deserved and they are glad they died is over the top. The people saying that are as wrong as the illegals.  Lack of compassion for a fellow human being is intolerable.

So, what is right in this situation?  As individual citizens, we can't control all illegals.  We can work to pass appropriate legislation to address the overall issue, but we can't control who comes and what they do when they do come.  The right thing to do is to show compassion to our fellow human beings, even if they are in the wrong in their own behavior.  Hard to do?  Yes, indeed.  But, no matter what people do, compassion must be at the forefront of our response to them.

Why?  Because if not for the compassion of Jesus Christ in our own lives, we would not have a prayer even for ourselves.

Do right, even in the face of wrong.  Show compassion.

~Tricia