Monthly Archives: March 2014

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There's a case in Michigan that just had closing arguments on Friday; the judge will rule within a couple of weeks on whether or not Michigan will become the next state to fall to this madness.

Part one:

In an article from February 24, this caught my eye

"Nothing says family like a marriage license," DeBoer told reporters before entering the courthouse hand-in-hand with Rowse, her partner of eight years.

I've worked in public schools for a number of years and I've seen many (politically correct) books say that this is NOT true.  We've been pushing the idea that "families come in all forms" - if a child is being raised by a single mom, that's a family.  If a child is being raised by a single dad, that's a family.  If a child is being raised by his or her grandparents, that's a family.  If a man and a woman (or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman, or a person and their cat) are living together without children, that's a family.  Mom and boyfriend/Dad and girlfriend...family.  You get my drift.

What a surprise to find out that it's a "marriage license" that says "family!"

What about faith?

The point of this madness is not to give gay folks the "right to marry" - it's not only to normalize that which has never been "normal."  It is to GLORIFY that lifestyle choice, and to force EVERYBODY to accept it, applaud it, normalize it.

remember the Borg?  "You will be assimilated."

People of faith who do not agree that "government sanctioned gay relationships" are wrong?  Via Tammy Bruce

Having been a liberal “community organizer” in my past, I immediately recognized the strategy being employed. This is an effort to condition the public into automatically equating faith with bigotry.

To make faith in the public square illegal and dangerous, you need legal cases and publicity. Voila, lawsuits against small business resting on the notion that acting on genuinely held faith is bigotry per se.

Under these rules, freedom of conscience is squashed under the jackboot of liberals, all in the Orwellian name of “equality and fairness.” Here we are dealing with not just forcing someone to do something for you, but forcing them in the process to violate a sacrament of their faith as well.

If we are able to coerce someone, via the threat of lawsuit and personal destruction, to provide a service, how is that not slavery? If we insist that you must violate your faith specifically in that slavish action, how is that not abject tyranny?

And now, we wait.

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I've heard it said that discernment is not being able to tell what is right from what is wrong, it's being able to tell what is right from what is almost right.

Are Mormons "on the same team" as Christians?

Do they portray themselves as right?  Or are they "almost right" - or sound almost right?

One of the core doctrines of Christianity is the doctrine of the Trinity.  If you can really nail a Mormon down...they deny it.

God as an eternal being - uncreated.  They don't believe that.

More later.

 

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Government sanctioned same-sex relationship edition (since I can't bring myself to call it "marriage") - we can shorten it to GSSR

BRUCE:Why the veto of Arizona’s religious freedom bill is alarming:

To make faith in the public square illegal and dangerous, you need legal cases and publicity. Voila, lawsuits against small business resting on the notion that acting on genuinely held faith is bigotry per se.

Under these rules, freedom of conscience is squashed under the jackboot of liberals, all in the Orwellian name of “equality and fairness.” Here we are dealing with not just forcing someone to do something for you, but forcing them in the process to violate a sacrament of their faith as well.

Refusing to Photograph a Gay Wedding Isn't Hateful:

Some opposition to same-sex marriage is rooted in bigotry and some isn't. Assuming otherwise is itself prejudice rooted in ignorance.

Thwarting the Wedding Cake Fascists Passive Aggressively

Maybe the response for florists, bakers and photographers is to tell gay couples if they hire their services for their weddings that they will be donating 100% of the profits to a sanctity of marriage group.

Drops the bomb right into the laps of those who for whatever reason want to force religious bakers to bake cakes and photographers to take pictures.

Religious Freedom Reframed So Gay Rights Trump Them:

“Freedom loses when fear overwhelms facts and a good bill is vetoed,” he said in a statement. “Today’s veto enables the foes of faith to more easily suppress the freedom of the people of Arizona.”

Business and Conscience:

Yet Christ's call to servanthood is for us to yield our desire to live for ourselves and instead submit to him, in doing so we live for others. But this is not a call for others to demand of us what they desire.

What will be the terms of our surrender?

Douthat is right. What unfolded last week reveals that this latter scenario is the most likely outcome. Gay activists and gay marriage supporters seem to have very little interest in a live-and-let-live diversity of opinion on the issue of marriage. They are making sure that the government imposes coercive sanctions on anyone who fails to affirm the moral goodness of gay unions. As last week revealed, the press has been happily passing along the propaganda of gay marriage supporters without any thoughtful consideration of the other side of the argument. They are backing us into a corner.

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Indeed, Jesus, you’re an engaged Shepherd, not an absentee landlord. Even as we make plans in our hearts, you are actively ordering our steps (Prov. 16: 9). Oh, the freedom and peace this brings! You are the Lord who “opens doors no one can shut” (Rev. 3: 8). And the converse is just as true; you also shut doors no one can open.

 

Our future is tied not to making the right decisions but to trusting the right Lord.

From "Everyday Prayers"

These days, all around us is the cry, "We worship the same God!"

But we don't.  Christians belong to a sovereign God who is in control of the universe.  Our future belongs to Him.

There was a time when I felt that - yes, there was a God, but I wasn't sure that He wanted me.  Coming from where I am now, I know that if I want HIM, He wants me.

For those of us dealing with job changes, financial stresses, and health issues, show yourself to be both merciful and mighty, Jesus. May your mercy keep us gentle and your might trump our impatience. For those of us having to make important decisions for the people we love, be huge and present. Long-term care for aging parents, the “right” education for our kids, the best treatment for family members and friends in the destructive whirlwind of addictions—make the way clear, Lord. As Prince of Peace, give us your peace as we wait upon you.

Huge changes are coming in my life.  Good changes, but hard changes also.  I'm leaving a great church, I'm leaving my kids (although I think I'll see them a lot.)   I hate moving.  I'm moving.  Addictive behavior of family members, all sorts of choices.

I pray for my family members, and my future family members.  Help me be patient, and pour Your mercy on us all.

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I once was fatherless,
A stranger with no hope;
Your kindness wakened me,
Awakened me, from my sleep

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Your love it beckons deeply,
A call to come and die.
By grace now I will come
And take this life, take your life.

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Sin has lost it's power,
Death has lost it's sting.
From the grave you've risen
VICTORIOUSLY!

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Into marvelous light I'm running,
Out of darkness, out of shame.
By the cross you are the truth,
You are the life, you are the way

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My dead heart now is beating,
My deepest stains now clean.
Your breath fills up my lungs.
Now I'm free. now I'm free!

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Lift my hands and spin around,
See the light that i have found.
Oh the marvelous light
Marvelous light
Lift my hands and spin
See the light within...

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Duh...TULIPS!

😉

Because my move from Arminianism to Reformed Theology has been such a formative thing, as well as a very formative thing in "our relationship" - it makes sense.

(well, it will be in October, so we'll have millions of mums also)

Short Primer:

T - Total Depravity

U - Unconditional Election

L - Limited Atonement

I - Irresistible Grace

P - Perseverance of the Saints

 

 

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I determine to blog a certain number of times per week, or per month.

Here we go again.

Usually, I make a sort of rough "schedule" so that I have a target topic for the day.

Here we go again.

In the past, this is been a "life blog" - including family, theology, life, work, diet, exercise, pretty much everything.

I'm a Reformed woman, that can be the focus of my blog...that's a good thing.  Faith informs all parts of my life, all parts of my life that are informed by faith can be written about, as informed by faith, right?

I'm narrowing it down...but there will still be "life" stuff.  Blogging helps me work through things - I think I'm determined to work through a couple of theological issues that don't worry me a whole lot, but I'd like to understand them, so that will be a topic.

I'm moving into a different stage of life and my online presence will also be a little different, with a different "area" that I'm active in.  That's a good thing.

I've been moderator on a specific topic forum that has taken up time, time I'm planning on spending blogging...that's a good thing.