At church last week for the service they did this thing that I thought was kind of cool. Anyone who wanted to could participate, but they had people write on one side of a piece of cardboard something that represented their life without Christ, and on the other side, the wrote how Christ had changed that. Then everyone who'd written something took a turn on stage and showed the first side and flipped the cardboard and showed the other side. There were a lot of things written:
Addicted - Freed
Dead in sin - Alive in Christ
Wanted control - Allowing God to be in control
Things like that. So it got me thinking what I'd write. I mean, I don't really have a "before" Christ because I asked Jesus to be my Lord when I was really young, and I've always loved Him and tried to follow Him. So I don't have a testimony like my dad's (and praise the Lord I don't), but I always feel like I don't have much to say at all when people get to talking about that. I know what I'd be if I'd never known God, but it doesn't seem to tell the same story to say "I probably would have been a bitter loner who wrote depressing poetry and hated most everyone". I know that God still sought me out and saved me, and the same redemptive work was done, which is all I really need to know. But I like having more to say, because He's done so much for me.
I know that God continues to work in us even after we get "saved", so I thought about it on those terms, realizing the things He's changed in me as I've grown in Him and known Him better. So, I'd probably use one of these if I were going to a cardboard testimony:
Know-it-All - Knowing HIM
Lonely - He is all I need
Self-Righteous - Made righteous by His blood alone
I'm sure there's more. What would yours be?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation
This is taken from the collection of Lincoln's papers in the Library of America series, Vol II, pp. 520-521
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessing of fruitful fields and healthful skies. TO these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while the theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence, for our nation perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferings in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consisted with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and union.
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessing of fruitful fields and healthful skies. TO these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while the theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence, for our nation perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferings in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consisted with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and union.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Ugh.
Well, since it looks like the popular thing to do, I guess I'll put in my two cents about the election.
I'm glad it's over. I'm really upset that "right wing Christian conservatives" thought it useless to go and cast their votes because they disagreed with the presidential candidates. Thanks for screwing over congress too. I'm not worried about the future because I know that God's in control. I'm mostly just annoyed at how ignorant people (on both sides) decided to be, and the mockery these elections make of our political setup. But at least I won't be getting more ads to contribute to my wallpaper collection, and won't have to answer the phone in the middle of nap time to listen to a robot tell me I should vote or take a loaded survey. That'll be good.
I've been having weird dreams lately. Sort of reminesent of that old end times movie "Thief in the Night". They're sort of laughable, though. I guess it's the subconcious trying to weed out everyone's prophesies about the future with Barak Obama as president.
Anyway, I guess my opinion hasn't changed through it all, though. I'm glad that we live in a great country and I'm glad for the freedoms we have, but I certainly haven't placed any sort of hope in political ventures or ideals. And I'm pretty glad I haven't. "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus".
Here are some lyrics that express what I think many people are trying to say today.
Crave - Shaun Groves
No magistrate can legislate
Peace and love and hope
No song can end or sermon mend
The fatal flaws in our souls
Pen and paper, Whitehouse won
Will never do what we need done
Chorus:
Can’t give me
What I crave-
Can’t give me
What I crave-
The end of tears and fears and war
Is what I’m craving in my core
Can’t give me
What I crave
What I crave
No millions spent can pay the rent
And get us into kingdom come
No atom bomb could right the wrong
Inside the veins of everyone
All the glitter, tanks and guns
Will never do what we need done
Nothing here beneath the sun
Can make us holy make us one
Only Spirit, second birth
Can satisfy my constant thirst
To spill out heaven here on earth
I'm glad it's over. I'm really upset that "right wing Christian conservatives" thought it useless to go and cast their votes because they disagreed with the presidential candidates. Thanks for screwing over congress too. I'm not worried about the future because I know that God's in control. I'm mostly just annoyed at how ignorant people (on both sides) decided to be, and the mockery these elections make of our political setup. But at least I won't be getting more ads to contribute to my wallpaper collection, and won't have to answer the phone in the middle of nap time to listen to a robot tell me I should vote or take a loaded survey. That'll be good.
I've been having weird dreams lately. Sort of reminesent of that old end times movie "Thief in the Night". They're sort of laughable, though. I guess it's the subconcious trying to weed out everyone's prophesies about the future with Barak Obama as president.
Anyway, I guess my opinion hasn't changed through it all, though. I'm glad that we live in a great country and I'm glad for the freedoms we have, but I certainly haven't placed any sort of hope in political ventures or ideals. And I'm pretty glad I haven't. "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus".
Here are some lyrics that express what I think many people are trying to say today.
Crave - Shaun Groves
No magistrate can legislate
Peace and love and hope
No song can end or sermon mend
The fatal flaws in our souls
Pen and paper, Whitehouse won
Will never do what we need done
Chorus:
Can’t give me
What I crave-
Can’t give me
What I crave-
The end of tears and fears and war
Is what I’m craving in my core
Can’t give me
What I crave
What I crave
No millions spent can pay the rent
And get us into kingdom come
No atom bomb could right the wrong
Inside the veins of everyone
All the glitter, tanks and guns
Will never do what we need done
Nothing here beneath the sun
Can make us holy make us one
Only Spirit, second birth
Can satisfy my constant thirst
To spill out heaven here on earth
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