Prepare Ye The Way

Merry Christmas friends!  I hope each and every one of you have a blessed and joyous Christmas. 

Today is the last day of Advent.  Advent...the season of hope.  The season of anxious waiting.  The season of preparing for the coming of the Lord.  I love Advent.  It is filled with the hope of a promising future.  The end of Advent is the summation of one of the most awaited prophecies. The birth of the Savior.  The One.  The Great I Am.  He who will lead us out of the desert into the promised land and eventually fulfill the prophecy of dying for our sins and then the greatest prophecy of all...coming again to bring us home.

The world is truly messed up.  Things are crazy right now.  I'm sure my parents felt the same way in the turbulent '60's.  Sometimes I do wonder if we aren't traveling a fast road to the end times.  No one knows.  Which is why we have to always be ready.  We have to make way for the coming of the Lord...every day.  Advent, more than any other season, brings this home.  Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Even with all the ugliness in the world, I am still hopeful.  Hopeful that each of us in our own way can bring God's grace to this world.  That we can be that light, the candle in the darkness for those who have lost their way.  Through our actions we can fill the world with grace and peace.  It starts with each of us.  If we carry Advent in our hearts throughout the year we can fill a dark world with light.  We can prepare the way of the Lord.

If we choose to live in the Light we can change the world.  We can do it.  

The Lord is coming.  Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2: 8-14

Let Freedom Ring!

“America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.' You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.”   Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd in the movie An American President 

This is one of my favorite movie quotes.  Which may surprise those that know me well, considering it comes from what I consider a movie with a pretty liberal slant.  However, this exact sentiment is what I learned from my father, who was as conservative and patriotic as they come.  It says exactly what it means to be an American.  You have to stand up for what you believe in while respecting the views of those who believe what you abhor.  It’s tough.  Especially in the political climate we live in.  But instead of ranting and raving about that which you are opposed.  Use what you already have at your disposal.  Use wisely your voting power. 

America is advanced citizenship. 

Such a powerful statement and something we are sorely lacking in America today.  People don’t think for themselves anymore.  We live in a nation of lemmings.  People who listen to a 10 second sound bite, via some type of social media, and make decisions based solely on that.  We have people who vote for a person based only on the color of their skin or the political party they represent.  Both are wrong. 

We don’t value our voting privilege.  Because that is what it is in my mind.  A privilege.  A privilege that was bought and paid for by young men and women from the inception of this country to the present day.  They fought, bled and died for our privilege to vote.  Don’t you think that makes us responsible to use the privilege wisely ? 

I think it is incumbent upon us to be responsible care takers of this great nation.  We should cherish it as much as we cherish the lives that were lost defending and keeping it free.  We should vote responsibly.  Do the research.  Read about the candidates.  Research their back round, their values, and their vision for the country.   Voting is the most important tool we have as Americans, and as a group, we use it poorly.  It’s the most powerful tool we have to create change.   

So while you are enjoying the food, drink and fireworks this Independence Day, remember what the day is all about.  Remember that we are a free nation of free people with the right to choose their own leaders and live in that country without oppression.  And remember the price that was paid for the privilege to call yourself an American. 

I'll leave you with this quote as a little Independence Day food for thought:

"The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy."   ~Charles de Montesquieu~

Happy Independence Day my friends! 

Let Freedom Ring!!

 

Humankindness...Paying it Forward

Hi bloggy friends.  I'm not sure how many of you are still even reading my very infrequent postings, but I'm coming to you to ask for your help.


One of my daughters best friends is going through a very rough time right now.  She and her husband are fighting for custody of his biological daughter.  It's a very stressful and heartbreaking time for them.  I am asking you to please pray for this couple and their daughter.  They need your prayers desperately.  Please put them on your prayer list.  I appreciate it and I know they do also.


If you have received some humankindness recently and feel the need to pay it forward, I would be so appreciative if you could help them out monetarily. They are in desperate need of funds to further their quest to be reunited with their daughter.  If you are able to donate, it will be greatly appreciated by their entire family.  Here is a link to their story and you can make a donation there if you wish:
http://www.gofundme.com/bringhomemegan 


I am thanking you in advance for any help you can give.


Here are a couple of pictures of Josh, Amanda and Megan.












Hope everyone has a great weekend!  God Bless you all!