Eyes Up

Oh what a mistake to think that certain tolerated guests can behave in a civilized and controlled manner. What folly to ascribe discipline to inherently undisciplined wantons.

I thought that allowing a little lone dismay to cozy up with my heart for an afternoon might be harmless, but dismay rarely travels alone. Before I knew it, dismay had opened wide the door to fear and despair, who tramped all over my heart and mind with their muddy boots, gobbling up my soul in great slobbery bites and leaving me gasping at their insatiable appetites.

"But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped." (Ps. 73:2)

To focus on the wind and the waves of circumstances whistling about my head and blowing up a storm is sheer foolishness when the Lord of Creation has called me to travel in his lifeboat. He has saved me from an eternity of torment, invited me into His family and called me His own. How can I not gaze upon Him with the trusting eyes of a child when I know that He has come to my rescue time and again in the past, and will continue to be my refuge in the future?

What perfect timing to spend a weekend at a conference on Reformed Theology where my Savior is continually exalted and honored with the glory due only to Him. What a glorious blessing indeed to hear message after message preached on the supremacy of my Lord, who left His throne in Heaven in order that I might be rescued from not only an eternity apart from him, but a lifetime of selfish dependence on the idols of this world. Only in Christ can I find life, and that in abundance.

Not an abundance of worldly possessions and pleasures, but,

..."the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!" (Rom. 11:33)

The preaching this weekend by Philip Ryken and Steve Lawson focused on the excellencies of Christ and how belonging to Him should draw our hearts and minds upward out of the mire in which we live. Knowing that He died that we might live ought to inspire us to such gratitude that we in turn die to our own sinful desires that we may live wholly for Him as living sacrifices. One of the messages focused on Romans 12:1-2 in which we are exhorted not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds, which is only possible as the Holy Spirit works in us through the Word of God.

In a breakout session led by Steve Lawson in which he taught on the life of Jonathan Edwards I was personally convicted of my own slothful wastefulness of the time and blessings which God has granted me. I focus overly much on my own selfish desires and comforts when I know that God's plans for me are superior to any that I have for myself. While His way to perfecting me may be painful at times, it is nevertheless for my good and more importantly, for His glory.

I have long been an enthusiastic fan of good preaching and excellent exposition of the Word, but walking away from a weekend of sermons such as these without an inner conviction of needed change would prove that a mere heart of stone resides within my chest. I have been cut to the quick and shown from God's Word that I am not as transformed as I thought. Yet, far from being discouraged by this vision of my plight, I am greatly encouraged in knowing that it is God who is at work in me, and what God begins, He finishes.

Soli Deo Gloria.

House Call on Congress

Thursday, Jim and I were able to go to Washington D.C. with a busload of local Patriots that we found by a frantically quick search of the internet at the last minute on Monday night. This had come about after an announcement of the idea by Congresswoman Michelle Bachman on the Hannity show Friday night. We heard about it as we watched Glenn Beck Monday evening.

Now, to be clear, I do believe that our Health Care System is in need of reform- very much so. What we are protesting is this monstrous overhaul pending in Congress which will bankrupt our Nation and remove freedoms that we cherish. Why must this reform be done in one giant, sweeping measure? Why can't the complexities of the problem be addressed individually, in incremental steps, beginning with tort reform? And why must those in Congress who feel that this must be passed at all costs- oops, no pun intended- treat those of us who disagree with such patronizing disregard? Why?

So, early Thursday morning, Kate drove us to the meeting point for the bus. I wore a t-shirt representing the "Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots", (asamom.org) over a turtleneck and was thrilled that the weather was mild enough that no coat was needed. Our arrival at Capitol Hill was right on time as the rally was beginning. Already there were ten thousand or more gathered in front of the building, with buses lined up depositing their passengers as far as the eye could see. Jim and I went with our busload until the group found a place on the sidewalk as close to the front as they could get. We then broke away on our own, hopping over a wall to get onto the lawn and more toward the center of the crowd.

We were able to move through a lot of the crowd, stopping to listen, and taking LOTS of great photos. The variety of people who all agree on this issue impressed me greatly. Young and old, families, many races and professions, every walk of life, were represented. People from as far away as California and Oregon. We actually ran into old friends from Florida in line to get into the Cannon Office building!

After the rally ended we, and approximately 30,000 others, (depending on who is reporting) headed to the office buildings. I saw and greeted many others from the Sisterhood network who were wearing the t-shirt. "Hi Mommy"! was always received with a great big smile. Others asked me where I got my awesome shirt, so I was able to direct a few to the network and hope that after all of the excitement they remember to check it out!

Our Representative, Jim Gerlach, is on our side on this issue, and had refreshments waiting in his office. It was standing room only as he answered questions and engaged the discussion with his constituents. Even his aides and interns were ready with smiles and discussions. Our Senators, however, were nowhere to be found. The aides and interns in Senator Casey's office were rather annoyed that we interrupted their day. I heard that Spector's office was even worse.

While in the Cannon Office Building we tried to get to Nancy Pelosi's district office, but the hallway was closed off by the police after a crowd of protesters tore up pages of the bill and threw them on the hallway floor. A bit unruly for my taste- but I wish I had been there with my camera. As it is, I got photos of the police and the paper being swept up...

Overall it was an invigorating day, being surrounded by so many like-minded Patriots in our Capitol. My husband and I are a team, he talks, I shoot- the camera. I hope that my photos tell the story. (Please follow the link below to enjoy the photos, but do not publish or distribute them without my express permission. Thank you.)

House Call on Congress, 11/5/09

I realize that what we did on Thursday was momentous and should be headline news. What happened at Ft. Hood however, has taken, rightly so in so many respects, the forefront. While we focus on Congress today let's not forget to pray for those people and families whose lives have been tragically shattered in the wake of the massacre. Moms well know how to multitask, juggling big issues as they come flying at us from every direction. Our Nation is hurting in many places, being attacked in others. So let's cradle those in need while not taking our eyes off of those who threaten our freedom and our children's future.

God Bless America.