God, History and You

...Coming Up Next...

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:03:00 +0000

It is now two days after Christmas. While lovin' the whole holiday scenario, still...glad it's over! (My work environment being of the retail genre' is probably the main reason for my sense of relief...) And I wish I could say that I am relaxed & focused now, but such is not the case. My mind, at this moment, reminds me of a kaleidoscope, with easily shifting shapes forming and re-forming various colorful images. Each of which (once I sort them out!) is prompting me to investigate, which means: to write about! Fortunately (or not, depending on how ya look at it), my hours at work have been cut, so I will actually have the time to do this...

The 'kaleidoscope' metaphor refers to the multiple impressions I'm carrying in my head from an earlier viewing of 'Meet the Press' this morning, plus a most intriguing &, I think, spot-on short segment about Moses on CBS' 'Sunday Morning' with Charles Osgood. ('Sunday Morning', btw - not a religious show). (The Moses bit might be a separate post, we'll see how it goes...) Then, starting to check out the 'Sunday Morning' website, I happened across an article I almost wish I hadn't. Segments from an interview with a former CIA operative have me headed back to the issue of terrorism, an issue with which we will not be finished anytime soon.

Speaking of which, by now most of us are aware of the attempted blowing-up of Northwest Delta Flight 253 on Christmas Day, on its approach to Detroit Metropolitan airport. Swift and heroic action on the part of passengers & crew averted horror in the skies and on the ground. The hand of God, through men, was strong and an ever-present help in time of danger, and I am deeply, deeply grateful. As should be all of America. But it was a close call, and perhaps we needed this reminder to remain vigilant & prayerful, to be concerned about & support our military men and women, and to understand that this evil is still attempting to spread to our shores.

Exercising American Power - the Missing Piece?

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:28:00 +0000

Educated, well-informed opinions regarding Middle East policy, procedure, & analyses abound, I am sure, and I recently read an excellent one. ( " I love it when a succinctly-put phrase, or a concise, hard-hitting sentence or two, breaks it all wide open..." - this is me, a few posts back, and it is exactly how I felt as this article unfolded.) My breath has almost been taken away.

With President Obama reaching his decision on Afghanistan strategy & troops deployment, and my supposed 'being done with' posts on that topic (for now, anyway), I had thought that I could take a break from such weighty fare. I've been telling people that...and I am, apparently, wrong!

Being still a sort of newborn to the entire spectrum of world events and US foreign policy, I realize that what has struck me like an anvil may have been rather obvious to those more aware, more knowledgeable. That being said, however...the following statement came as a shock to me, but the kind of shock that, like cold water in your face, wakes you up: "President Obama is uncomfortable with the exercise of American power." ( Marvin Kramer, "How Not to Fix the Middle East", p.3)

"Middle Eastern states bend in response to displays of power", Mr. Kramer asserts, and further stipulates that the Obama administration is trying to effect dramatic transformation in the Middle East without having yet to display any power. This senior fellow in the National Security Studies Program at Harvard cites, by comparison, actions taken by both Bush senior and junior, actions which provided those administrations with some "traction", some clout, which this one is, at present, lacking. (p.6)

In his Cairo speech, President Obama, I have heard, did a lot of apologizing. (I didn't read the text of the speech, I think I was having trouble tracking it down online.) I've heard that apologizing comment a number of times, and I have wondered, for what? This Middle East article quotes some of that speech, and what I might have, before, seen in a fuzzier, feel-good light, now...I'm wondering, hmmm...

"President Obama’s words are read as somehow confirming what many already suspect: that the United States has been wounded and weakened politically and economically, that it no longer punches at its weight, that its decline has begun, and that its President is trying to minimize America’s own shrinking in the world, by dismissing the very idea of dominance" concludes Kramer. He theorizes that, as the "middle powers" in the region (Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran) possibly hold such a perception of the country who should, instead, be a "guardian of the peace", they will and in fact have already begun staking their claims to fill that void. Survival of the fittest, in a phrase...but with dangerous consequences. United States determination to maintain a position of priority in this volatile area of the world is seen by Mr. Kramer as not a cause of crises but a "bulwark" against far worse.

...tis the Season !

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:44:00 +0000

Ah yes, it's that time of year once again - when just about all of America, one way or another, gets caught up in the rush, pressure and joy that is Christmas. Last year, I had published the below post, & had been thinking of a re-publish. I decided to go with that, when someone in my 'real life' (although I often prefer my blogging one!) commented negatively on Yuletide gift-giving. In its defense, I found myself reciting facts from...

...on the Giving of Gifts, etc. at Christmas

For those of you who may have read my recent Christmas posts, I direct this, uh, warning: my next words will make it appear that I'm doing a complete 180' on the whole 'keeping Christ in Christmas' theme. Be assured, that is not my intent at all! I just have a real problem with religiousness. Some don't realize, so did Jesus...

Years back, I listened to a Christmas Eve message, via radio, broadcast by Jack Hayford, at that time pastor of the Church Along the Way (I think that was the name) in California. 'Born-again' celebrities attended his church. I think he is a very cool guy.

Pastor Jack was saying something like this: he had a real problem with 'religiousness', too, meaning, persons who had a thumbs-down 'tude towards the celebratory aspects of the Christmas holiday, giving gifts, etc., and having parties. For the rest of my life, may I always remember what he declared next, with emphatic joy - Jesus BROUGHT the party!!!

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1)

This right here is a huge reason to celebrate, not only at Christmas but every time you realize that you are free. In Christ, under His blood, you cannot be legitimately accused before God. (And, for the record, I know what the second half of that verse says, and I also know that you'll find those words in italics in some Bibles. Which means that those words are not in the original manuscript. Bible scholars added them, over time.) (That's a story for another day.)

Now, some may say, the Magi ( the three wise men) brought gifts to the Christ at His birth. So,there is our example, proving that God intends for men to commemorate that birth in a solemn, holy way, etc., etc. Let me burst your bubble - Jesus the 'babe' was born in a 'manger' (Luke 2: 15,16) , everybody knows that - but the wise men brought gifts to the 'young child' in a 'house'. Time had elapsed. Not everybody knows that. Matthew 2: 9-11. Check it out. Also, the phrase 'young child' is used six times in that section of Scripture, so...it occurs to me, (and I stress that this is just my opinion) that the Lord, knowing future generations would condemn 'worldly' Yuletide tradition while insisting on religious custom, delayed the arrival of the Magi 'til well past Jesus' actual birthday, deliberately not setting a precedent. I don't see the Lord instituting this particular religious holiday, in any way, anywhere in the Scripture. Other than the magnificent, extraordinary appearance of the angels to the shepherds in the field, it seems like God the Father kept this whole event on the down-low. Other than the principle players, we have...let's see...cows? Sheep? Donkeys? And if there would have been any pomp and circumstance, it arrived way late.

Which is not at all to say, Christmas shouldn't be celebrated, in whatever fashion you choose. It is to say, however, (short of the ludicrous, dangerous or bizarre) don't condemn others for the fashion they choose! As stated in an earlier post, (link) I believe God has placed an awareness of Himself in the hearts of men, (regardless of their conscious belief or not in Him), so...one way or another, Jesus Christ is celebrated.

"I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)

Treading on our Heritage

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

I received this picture in an e-mail Forward recently. This new one dollar coin was received as change, given to the customer at a US Post Office. "In God We Trust" is missing.

I don't know the history of United States coinage, but I'm assuming this is the first time in over 200 years, the first time since the founding of America that such an abomination has occurred. It may seem like an innocuous omission, but it is no such thing. It is sickening, and I believe it is dangerous. Despite signs all around me to the contrary, I have not wanted to admit that it may be later than I think. I have continued, and perhaps foolishly still continue, to hope and look to the Lord for His best for my country, our country, because how could it be that just as I am seeing what America really has been and is, she should die?

The sender of this e-mail sounds a call to arms, so to speak, and asks Americans to refuse this coin when it is offered to them. I will be one of those Americans who do so. If you know the Lord, if you love your country, please consider doing the same. Let your voice be heard. Such godless action should not go unchallenged, and we should not just bow down to the one who seeks to set himself up as God, who is not God., and works to rob America of her heart and her very existence.

Staying out of Hell

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:11:00 +0000

As Christmas approaches, my thoughts have been turning towards an official 'Christmas post', but I doubt that will happen. My thoughts have also been turning towards the concept of loving others, forgiveness...that kind of thing. I'm wondering about the dynamics of spiritual realities, and wondering also, when I die & look back, will it be a case of, "Aw, man! I shoulda known! Jesus said (insert specific Scripture) and I didn't do it...!" A case of, too little, too late? I'm wondering, is there more of a - what would be the word, maybe 'metaphysical'? - essence to the instructions from our Saviour than we know?

I'm thinking about what we call 'hell'. I'm not saying it isn't a place, but I am saying that I consider the possibility that hell is a condition, as well. We use terms like 'a living hell'. Maybe your marital situation is such a hell, or you've spiraled so far downwards into drugs, or poverty...maybe your life is in danger...maybe you've served in Iraq or Afghanistan, or been captured as a prisoner of war...these are surely conditions. They exist in places, but they are, concurrently, conditions.

When Jesus issues certain commands/directions, through the living Word, I balk. I am concerned that I balk, but nonetheless..balk I do. I know that I'm saved by grace, not works of my own, so I feel relatively secure in that, but...still balking, and what will happen, in this realm and/or the next, if I don't get with the program?

Now, the key, as I see it, is love. Not my ability to love, but God's love. We love, because our Father loved first. Loved us first. And, let's not forget God IS love. Wow....imagine being love. There must be moments when you feel it, so much so that you are just about lost in loving someone, or so appreciating what a person has done for you...or you've created something, designed something, and it is close to perfect, in your eyes...that you are so absorbed by love, that for that instant, you become love. What you generate in that instant is love. It is a good and a healing place in which to be, for you and everyone/thing around you.

I would theorize that hell is just the opposite. No love there, I'm thinkin'!

The commands & directives of our Saviour are designed to protect us, and keep us out of hell. He knows the dynamics of our nature, because He created us in the first place. He created all things, including the fallen Lucifer, who wants company in 'hell' and hellish places, and has a vast array of plots & schemes designed to lure us there. But Jesus is, may I say, 'One up' on him, and has His own designs for us. Those designs originated in love, and operate in that realm as well. They function as a safeguard, and can counter-act hostility, hate, & resentment, to name a few.

Neutralize those bad guys!! Stay out of hell!

(There may be a Part 2 on its way)

The Bad News is.....Getting Better?

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:45:00 +0000

So...picking up where I left off...

In Mr. Kagan's article, "Planning Victory in Afghanistan", he first makes clear the necessity of not allowing the country to become a terrorist haven, and that this necessity is a major reason for our military presence there. Achieving this goal will require, Kagan writes, "building an Afghan state with a representative government." Now, in my earlier exposure to this foreign scenario, I didn't get the connection. Why not just drive out the bad guys, right? Just shows I wasn't thinking it through. Thank God, our military planners, strategists, advisers & endless other involved persons do not make that error!

Following the thread of this idea of building a representative system of governance in Afghanistan expanded my vision. This country is not a stranger to political organization. In fact, the villages often have 'representative bodies', and/or elders, who manage local issues & tribal concerns. But there does not exist a strong tie to centralized government. In fact, even among themselves, many villages are 'highly localized', not connecting with other villages and possibly viewing Afghans from another area as outsiders. Multi-ethnicity and many years of internal warring added to the mix ensure a violent resistance to any form of government not representative of such diversities among the people. However, Kagan believes that "building local solutions that do not connect with the central government is the path toward renewed warlordism and instability."

(Talk about cliques!)

We can compare such a situation to our early history, during the times prior to the framing of our Constitution, when the Articles of Confederation were in effect. America lacked a strong central government, and though she had individually developed states, those states were at risk for becoming individual monarchies, of sorts. What was supposed to be one united nation was actually thirteen of them! basically doing their own thing. Not exactly the best of plans! Washington predicted 'the worst consequences' for such a government, which was fast becoming impotent, & ridiculed by other nations as well. (Wayne Coffey, How We Choose A Congress) So, as in the case of those thirteen United States, Kagan sees Afghanistan's hope as "develop{ing} local solutions that are connected to the central government but not necessarily completely controlled by it." Has a familiar ring to it...

However, if the government to which the people & their states are connecting is corrupt, stability will be hard to come by.

Bottom line, "...we must work hard to develop local solutions to local problems, but always with the goal of integrating those solutions into a loose but real central support-and-control system."

***

Let's talk about counterinsurgency.

"Absent a counterinsurgency and nation-building strategy that leads the population to reject the terrorists, killing bad guys will not defeat well-organized and determined terrorist networks."

In Iraq, during 2006, "...U.S. Special Forces teams had complete freedom to act against al-Qaeda...",with tremendous air and ground support, both US & Iraqi, killing "scores of key terrorist leaders", including al-Qaeda's head in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Yet, in a sense, it was to no avail, producing rather an increase in terrorist activity, violence and control. Not until a counterinsurgency approach was applied did we defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The proof is in the pudding, people...

***

Kagan discusses the concept of 'awakening', which proved so effective in Iraq in 2007, and caused the Sunni-Arab rejection of al-Qaeda as well as their turning to coalition goals. He specifies that this change of heart was the result of 'myriad local developments' (meaning, not a pre-determined, regulated movement, I'm assuming?) and that each grouping of Iraqis remained independent. From there, he extrapolates that, concerning the Afghanistan populace, "...we must allow and encourage local movements to grow organically—in accordance with local conditions and traditions, but moderated by Afghan and coalition forces that understand the local area." If memory serves, a major strategy change in General McChrystal's plans is just such a move - partnering our troops with the Afghan soldiers in a way that they will be not just fighting with them, but living in their midst, walking their streets, getting 'down with the people'. In other words, 'understand{ing} the local area' through exposure to the local dynamics. Mirroring McChrystal's thinking, Kagan believes that such understanding can be gained "...only by living among the people..."

Working from the inside out...

***

(Unless otherwise indicated, all quotes are from the National Review Online article "Planning Victory in Afghanistan" by former West Point professor and Yale graduate Frederick W. Kagan.)

Having Compassion for our Commander-in-Chief

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:05:00 +0000

It was a few minutes past midnight when I suddenly awoke & groggily switched on the TV. The screen was filled with the face of our newly chosen President-elect, Barack Hussein Obama, speaking to the nation that would soon be under his leadership and command. For reasons I still don't understand, I wept, deep, sorrowful tears.

The face I now see on that TV screen, or computer screen, or in magazines, has aged far more than one year. The tears I shed then are now replaced with a different strong, deep emotion - compassion. The face I see now looks far more like the face of a man in his late fifties, not forties, and the weight of his first year in office shows markedly in his countenance. 'Grim' would not be an inappropriate word to use in its description.

Most understandably so. President Obama is "...learning every day the challenges of a wartime presidency." ( Joel Achenbach, Washington Post )

You or I may not have voted for him, may be against some/all of his policies & decisions, but he is a man in a very hot seat that most of us couldn't endure for more than a few minutes, let alone a year...with more to come. Watching President Obama recently, I was struck with this realization. Yes, he chose to run for the office of President of the United States of America, he wanted the job...but like any job, or, in fact, any new situation, its reality often turns out to be a sledgehammer! And once you're in it, you're in it, and there is no reprieve. Can you imagine bearing the crushing burden of making the decision to send tens of thousands of young men & women to war in a foreign land? Knowing you are sending some of them to their deaths? And, that among the survivors will be many living the rest of their lives without an arm or leg(s), disfigured, perhaps blinded? Their entire perception & experience of life will be forever changed. Re-integration into civilian life may not be so easily accomplished, and some may not ever really recover from the after-effects of their wartime military experience.

Just writing about this, I am feeling sick to my stomach. How does one actually make this kind of decision without the gut-wrenching soul searching that ravages, leaving a person sick, and sick at heart?

Right now, for me, all of the 'Is Obama the Anti-Christ?' hoopla, and all the evil! terrorist! Muslim-connections-of-his-past, (and let's not forget his middle name!), the ruckus revolving around his Kenyan descent, and whatever else was/could be thrown into the mix of opposition to our President, is irrelevant at this point. At this point, he is the man at the helm of our nation, with gale-force winds & approaching tidal waves. (Just yesterday the ship was fiscally sinking, and there were so many holes & so much damage that one didn't know what to plug up first, where do we begin to fix it? But today one hears that it's possible the ship is being righted. Tentatively, and only once or twice, I've heard/read that signs are being seen that the economy has officially begun to recover. I work in retail, and here and there, I've seen prices actually dropping...however, America has not yet reached her safe harbor.) A tsunami called Iran's Nuclear Weapons program is not that far in the distance, with global repercussions, and there is mutiny & tragedy roiling in the belly of the ship. Within and without...

I can go to sleep at night, confident that others are manning the ship, and forget about all this. Obama cannot. I can wake up on my days off and savor a big mug of coffee, leisurely, while I ponder changing jobs, or what blogging activity to engage in that day. He cannot. He's in this to win this, and there may not be a truly 'leisure' time for President Obama for quite awhile.

Whether Democrat or Republican, or neither, have a heart of compassion for your President right now. If you are a Christian, pray for him. If you are not, pray anyway.

The Bad News is... (con'd.) - or, 'Hard is not Hopeless'

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:32:00 +0000

I love it when a succinctly-put phrase, or a concise, hard-hitting sentence or two, breaks it all wide open and I'm struck by genius. I really love that. (And of course I mean the 'genius' of another...my IQ isn't that high!)

In the process of re-reading, reviewing & organizing papers and notes, in order to begin this post, I read such a statement that I must've missed the first time around. Following the trend of thought & logic presented by former West Point professor and Yale graduate Frederick W. Kagan, concerning the necessary ingredients for victory in Afghanistan, I found this most enlightening (to me) conclusion: " That does not mean the problem lies with our overall “footprint” in Afghanistan, but rather that we should rethink where (emphasis mine) to put our feet......Understanding this principle is vital, because if we misinterpret the nature of the “footprint” problem we might come to the erroneous conclusion that success requires fewer forces rather than more—or, as some senior leaders are increasingly suggesting, that our presence is the problem." (Frederick W. Kagan, "Planning Victory in Afghanistan" )

Alternative viewpoints can be invaluable. Alternative viewpoints conceived our American democracy. Such viewpoints engender conflict, struggle and ultimately require compromise in policy, as was with our Constitution. These are good things.

ooo

This will probably be my last post on Afghanistan (for awhile, at least). (I hope I'm not hearing cheers out there!) Anyway...in my recent readings & writings, I've noticed similarities and/or parallels of sorts, between the above-quoted Frederick Kagan's viewpoints, and ensuing AfPak developments. My intent with this post is to point them out.

ooo

"Afghanistan is not now a sanctuary for al-Qaeda, but it would likely become one again if we abandoned it."

" Allowing Afghanistan to fail would mean allowing these determined enemies of the United States to regain the freedom they had before 9/11."

I continue to be completely unable to comprehend how so many Americans appear to not get this, as dwindling support for our military presence here would seem to suggest. With sharpened Taliban fighting skills leading to greater Taliban control (Bad News, Pt.1) of this critical area, it should be obvious that insurgency dominance is equivalent to a wide open door for al-Qaeda. "Birds of a feather...", right? Though all indications evidence al-Qaeda & its key leaders to be primarily Pakistani-based, as well as the removed head of the Taliban government, from these havens contacts are maintained between the two organizations, and insurgent activity is supported in both southern & eastern Afghanistan. Give up Afghanistan, and you're giving bin Laden free reign. Do that, and America will be looking at a disaster scenario far worse than 9/11.

At the time Mr. Kagan wrote this article (2/09), I don't recall just how committed the U.S. was to success in Afghanistan. Apparently not enough, though - "The Pakistani leadership appears convinced that America will abandon its efforts in South Asia sooner rather than later...", resulting in continued Pakistani support for the Afghan Taliban operating in their territory. Such support ensures a certain level of control over the insurgents, which is desirable for the Pakistanis, especially if they are unsure of American reliability in this endeavour. " Until it is widely believed that the U.S. will remain in the fight until the insurgency is defeated, doubt about our commitment will continue to fuel the insurgency." Locally, the Afghanistan populace, fearing Taliban retaliation, may hesitate to commit to us if they doubt our commitment to them. Kagan concludes that "we must make it clear that we will do what it takes to win" in order to gain the trust and cooperation of the people of both countries.

Based on previous patterns of American retreat/abandonment in Middle East crises/attacks, from 1983 through 1992, Kagan also theorizes that, by duking it out in Afghanistan, a 'changed...global perception' of American fortitude would vastly improve our own security, homeland and abroad.

(All quotes are from F.W. Kagan's article "Planning Victory in Afghanistan")

ooo

I have a number of points yet to make here, and hope to publish another post or two in this vein of thought, before finishing up with AfPak subject matter. However, this may take awhile. For over a year I have been struggling in situations that have become, finally, intolerable, remaining in them for several reasons, one of which was to continue with 'God, History and You'. I can no longer do this. GH&Y is not shutting down, but it is necessary to let it go a bit, for a season, while I attend to other matters. Posting will be sporadic, if that...! (although that's nothing new, really, is it?!) I may be off the radar for a time. Hopefully, once issues are settled, I'll have a renewed focus.

Repairing the State of the Union

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:04:00 +0000

There is a rumbling, low like thunder, moving across the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I became aware of this movement, just barely, sometime during the past year. To the un- or newly initiated, it may sound like rebellion or anarchy, with all the attendant associations of turmoil. I said, let me keep following this trend, and I have. What at one time may have sounded like extremism now plays a different tune. (In my ears, at least.) Persons who might have appeared fanatical to me, before, I now understand are patriotic Americans who know their Constitution. They have put their hand to the plow and are not looking back, and many of them are going forward with God.

The issue is state sovereignty.

"There are clear limits to the power of the federal government and clear realms of power for the states."

"The national government has become a complex system of programs whose purposes lie outside {emphasis mine} of the responsibilities of the enumerated powers {of the Federal govt., specified in the Constitution}..." (State Rep. Susan Lynn- TN, 57th.)

Representative Lynn makes the above statements in a clearly explained letter to the other 49 State Legislatures, requesting their partnership in a ' joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government...' As of this posting, I am not sure if this invitation has actually been sent to the various states yet, but for sure it's on its way.

Some of the comments made regarding Rep. Lynn's initiative have encouraged and motivated me, expanding my understanding as well. I'm 'getting a grip'! Here are a few -

"Please go very public with this and allow the groundswell of support to build. We have truly found that the only thing the federal congress hears is the very loud stomping of the feet of the general population in this great country. They must hear us in this matter, before we become just another 2nd class country, {italics mine} torn apart by an egotist." - Jim, Oct.21, 4:44am

"... Let’s make this viral." - Wanda Gray, Oct.21, 6:24am

"This is a movement that will be the foundation of getting back to our founding principles. Implementing the Tenth Amendment and challenging the Sixteenth Amendment is the only way to stop the spicket {spigot? suggestion mine} of funding that enables the current trampling of our constitutional rights." - Rich Hand, candidate for Governor of Colorado, Oct.21, 6:41am, who also says

"This road is long but in honor of our founders and what they endured; well worth the effort."

"Our only hope to preserve this Republic is for all the states to come together and assert their Constitutional rights to reset our government back to its original intent and mandate. God speed." - Ralph Luciani, BGen,(ret.) USAFMC, Oct.21, 9:41am

Bringing it down to where we live, Ruth Ann Wilson says we need some action at more local levels: "SANCTIFY THE COUNTIES once again. Use the “Private Act” to restore our Counties. As we have a 10th Amendment, so we, the people, have a 9th Amendment..." - Oct.21, 7:37am

I've only read about 25% of the comments; so far, all in favor...(I'm sure there are dissenters, but I don't know that I'll be reading through all the rest. I'm using my time instead to write this! But, later...) (Actually, just glancing over some right now & think I'd better read more of them.)

One gets the sense of another Revolution of sorts, brewing in this great country, in this great democracy. That sense is underscored by Richard's potent insight, that we need today "the effort and courage of the Founding Fathers". No doubt...

Below is Representative Lynn's letter. Please read it thoughtfully, if you have time -

"We send greetings from the Tennessee General Assembly. On June 23, 2009, House Joint Resolution 108, the State Sovereignty Resolution, was signed by Governor Phil Bredesen. The Resolution created a committee which has as its charge to:

-Communicate the resolution to the legislatures of the several states,
-Assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship,
-Call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government, and
-Seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.

It is for those purposes that this letter addresses your honorable body.

In 1776, our founding fathers declared our freedom in the magnificent Declaration of Independence; our guide to governance. They established a nation of free and independent states. Declaring that the purpose of our political system is to secure for its citizens’ their natural rights. The Constitution authorizes the national government to carry out seventeen enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8 and the powers of several of the ensuing amendments.

At the time of the Constitutional ratification process James Madison drafted the “Virginia Plan” to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states’ accustomed role in selecting members of Congress. Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated. In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well.

There are clear limits to the power of the federal government and clear realms of power for the states. However, the simple and clear expression of purpose, to secure our natural rights, has evolved into the modern expectation that the national government has an obligation to ensure our life, to create our liberty, and fund our pursuit of happiness.
The national government has become a complex system of programs whose purposes lie outside of the responsibilities of the enumerated powers and of securing our natural rights; programs that benefit some while others must pay.

Today, the federal government seeks to control the salaries of those employed by private business, to change the provisions of private of contracts, to nationalize banks, insurers and auto manufacturers, and to dictate to every person in the land what his or her medical choices will be.
Forcing property from employers to provide healthcare, legislating what individuals are and are not entitled to, and using the labor of some so that others can receive money that they did not earn goes far beyond securing natural rights, and the enumerated powers in the Constitution.

The role of our American government has been blurred, bent, and breached. The rights endowed to us by our creator must be restored.

To be sure, the People created the federal government to be their agent for certain enumerated purposes only. The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying.

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves.

The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws. It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters. It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers.

With this in mind, any federal attempt to legislate beyond the Constitutional limits of Congress’ authority is a usurpation of state sovereignty - and unconstitutional.

Governments and political leaders are best held accountable to the will of the people when government is local. The people of a state know what is best for them; authorities, potentially thousands of miles away, governing their lives is opposed to the very notion of freedom.

We invite your state to join with us to form a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates."

Susan Lynn [send her email] is a member of the Tennessee General Assembly; serving on the Commerce Committee and Chairman of the Government Operations committee. She holds a BS in economics and a minor in history. She is the Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Commerce Task Force. Visit her blog at http://susan-lynn.blogspot.com/
ooo

In the course of putting this piece together, I've come across a number of relevant links, etc., that I am soon on my way to check out...and may include them later, or post on the site.

Thank you for taking the time to read this today.

Christina

The Centrality of our Constitution

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:30:00 +0000

Where do I begin?

If the passion hasn't gripped you , or America's early history at least presented intrigue, then my next statements will fall flat. Dudsville. If we were in a face-to-face, you'd be looking at me funny...it's happened before!! (Not that long ago, either...) In an apparently ill-chosen moment with a poorly-selected subject, I tried to express my vivid sense of the 'here & now' continued existence and presence of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln...men of destiny. They live on. There was an instant when I felt I was walking with them, invigorated, having fellowship. Having entered their heart's desire myself, and having found it to be vital & alive, still beating in the spirit, I found them there as well. Absence of their physical beings matters not. They are alive.

So today, this sense of connection & continuity appears again, as I'm gaining more understanding of the basic mechanics of government, (which understanding has begun to grow as a result of even small attempts to learn about, and the specifics of, our Constitution.) I know that I keep using words like 'amazing' and 'stunned', and I apologize for repetitiveness! (so I will refrain from their use right now) but they so make the point!!! Besides the Word of God, I cannot fathom any other written works, EVER, to be, or to have been, so priceless. Wrought with such wisdom and resulting in such enduring democratic governance. I think of the Genesis 1 description of the earth being 'without form,and void', and 'darkness was upon the face of the deep.' It occurs to me that, until recently, this would've been a pretty accurate description of my knowledge of our Constitution, and the structure of our nation's government. But just as God moved upon those dark waters, and started speaking shape & form & structure into existence, so is He now doing with me. Light entered. It is starting to make sense now...more than make sense, the power of God is exploding, and it is exploding in my personal Constitutional epiphany.

Talk about the 'Big Bang Theory' !

My point is that getting an understanding of the structure & function of government today underscores potently the words, plans & activities of the Founding Fathers, because this is what they produced. They are IN IT. We are co-workers with them! Americans can carry on the legacy of the Revolution. But they cannot do it by side-stepping or skipping over the Constitution of the United States of America. The answers lie therein.

ooo

"...citizens have evidently not been teaching the Constitution and its history to their children for many generations..." ( B.Johnson, comment on the subject of state sovereignty, a 10th. Amendment principle)

More to come...just getting started!

another Personal Note...

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:42:00 +0000

I know I've said this before, more than once, but the miracle in my heart continues & I am almost compelled to sound the trumpet yet again.

I think about the days of Revolution more & more. I realized today that I want to go back in time & be a part of it. What it must have been like in those days is barely conceivable! Can you imagine the excitement of shaping a nation?? I feel a discernible sense of camaraderie with the men who met in Philadelphia in 1787 to forge & frame a new Constitution for a young America. I remember reading that Jefferson was not present and wanted, so wanted! to be...he was living in Paris, our ambassador to France, an ocean away, and felt left out, being in a sense excluded from what he termed "the assembly of demi-gods". (Lerner, Max - Thomas Jefferson: America's Philosopher-King) And god-like it was, I can see that now, to have been in such a place at such a time, such an amazing, amazing time in history!

This afternoon, I began reading a book entitled "How We Choose a Congress" . Every word came alive. It was almost as if I was there, on Capitol Hill, somehow involved. The saga continues, the dream lives on. The pricelessness of what we have here in America stuns me. The moments when I realize this are the moments of reality clear, true and brilliant. By stark contrast, the many other moments of my day & life, the humdrum, uneventful or so-so times that make up the fabric of a day or week...are causing me to wonder, how long have I been asleep? What am I doing with this gift of life & Liberty? I am coming late, way late to an awareness of the miracle, and find myself re-assessing priorities.

A Living Vision

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Earlier today, I was checking out the Department of Justice's 'snappy new Web site' (according to Washington Post columnist Al Kamen) -- Justice.gov. Not too long ago, I visited the White House website, and awhile back, I had reason to look into Congressman Andrews homepage. In each case, to my surprise & delight, I found a riveting interest commanding my attention. I say, 'surprise & delight' because it wasn't that long ago that I would've had to put out some serious effort to absorb anything on any of those pages! The information contained on them would've seemed distant, dry and unrelated.

But, for me, it's different now.

The timelessness of the Revolutionary spirit, the passion of our Founders' vision has gripped me. Though I am sure it is barely a glimpse, it is enough to change everything.
Having been far more than touched by the selflessness and nobility of our first commanding General and President, George Washington, I remain today and forever in awe of him and that for which he fought and sacrificed. Having been beyond delighted and intrigued by the scintillating mind and personality of the author of our Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, I am indelibly marked with his imprint. And having found that for which I did not even know I was looking, for the second time in my life it can be said that, as the Scripture records, "...I am found of them that sought me not..." (Isaiah 65:1 KJV)

And because of these things, when I see the heading 'The United States Department of Justice', or an official Congressional heading, on a website homepage, they come alive. A living dynamic and a continuous, ongoing process shows itself, and through it the heart of our Founding Fathers and all the first Patriots yet beats, strong and true. I see the vision through their eyes, and it remains untarnished.

ooo

Jeremiah & Contradictions

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:20:00 +0000

As I’ve made my way back & forth from the days of Revolution past to today’s revolutionary conflicts and crises, on numerous occasions I have been guilty of promising a Part 2 and not delivering it, or starting a topic and fading away from it. I am definitely aware of that, but, yet again…here I go. Very good chance I may not return to Afghanistan and its revised war strategy, though my interest in that is strong. ‘Out of the blue’ the other day, I had this thought about the taking captive of Jerusalem way back in time, and one thought led to another…

Early on in my then newly birthed relationship with God, (and to my dismay I might add!) I found myself identifying with the prophet Jeremiah. Now, if you have even a little knowledge of the man, you know that his was not a joyful mission. His burden was heavy. To me, his way seemed sorrowful, and his responsibility was great. Imagine being “set…over the nations and over the kingdoms”! (Jeremiah 1:10) Authority from the Most High over whole countries! Personally, not wantin’ that kind of power! Especially when it involves bringing bad news! And, as if that wasn’t enough of a buzz-kill, Jeremiah was also called “…to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down… (v.10) He was given the horribly awesome task of proclaiming to Israel the coming invasion of King Nebuchadnezzar, and his 70 year captivity of Jerusalem. In this task he had to persevere for decades. Not an easy life…

What appears as a very intriguing twist to this plot is found in Chapter 32. By now the invasion has taken place, and Jerusalem is being besieged by Nebuchadnezzar’s army. Jeremiah is imprisoned for declaring his message from God; frankly, the king of Judah at that time didn’t want to hear it! (As can often be the case, ya do the right thing & end up getting kicked to the curb.) So, the prophet is “shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.” (I think I see a whole other message right here, in this one sentence! Maybe another time…) And he gets a word from God to buy land (v.7-9, 25). What? Jeremiah has got to be thinking, huh? What am I going to do with land? I’m in prison, and You’ve shown me there will be a 70 year exile for my people!

Jeremiah buys the land, which was located just north of the besieged Jerusalem. He has the transaction witnessed & documented, and the evidence sealed for a future time. And herein lies the kernel of hope – ‘for a future time.’ In days to come, though they be yet far off, “houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.” (v.15) Though at this time, “the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans {enemy}” (v.25), there comes a time when, through His processes, God turns it all around. When He does, not just this one field shall be possessed by an Israelite, but “men shall buy fields…in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south.” (v.44)

Because, as it is written, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (v.27)

Israel made wrong choices, and she crashed & burned. But a plan for a return to health and prosperity was always in place. I am hoping that this same principle holds true for America today.

ooo

Another interesting aspect to Jeremiah’s story: God’s intention of having the prophet buy land was not hindered by the fact that Jeremiah was incarcerated. In verses 7 & 8, we read how the LORD told Jeremiah that his cousin was going to show up, offering the prophet a real estate opportunity. Which is what happened. It took no effort on Jeremiah’s part to bring God’s word to him to pass. God brought the manifested word to Jeremiah. True, he had to act on the offer (which he did), but my point is that your physical & circumstantial obstructions don’t stop God. He will show up. With His promise to you.

ooo

And one more tidbit before I finish this: Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that are anywhere from unpleasant, difficult & inconvenient to downright painful. And we want out! That's normal, understandable, & perhaps the path to take is to get out if you can...but in Jeremiah's scenario, surprisingly, that table was turned!

In a chat with Jeremiah regarding the coming exile, the LORD showed him 2 baskets of figs. One basket, healthy, fresh figs; the other, figs so rotten they couldn't be eaten. Now, you would think the bad figs would represent the captivity of Jerusalem. I mean, being basically kidnapped and dragged out of your home and your country, by an invading army no less!...how can that be a good thing (good figs)? But not so fast, my friend..."Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive...whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good." (Jeremiah 24: 5) The prognosis for those remaining in the land was not so good...really not good. (Check out v.8-10)

Sometimes that which we would escape, if we could, will prove to be our salvation.

The Bad News is... (Part 1)

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:45:00 +0000

"The point is that the Taliban, who have had a very clear aim and means from the very beginning, have been able slowly and steadily to get better at what they're doing." (Washington Post)

This remark was recently made by an unnamed European official, whose country's armed forces are combating the Taliban alongside U.S. troops. Concurring with this statement, top U.S. commander in the AfPak arena General Stanley McChrystal evaluates the situation as 'serious'. The Taliban are fighting smarter.

They have shifted their focus of attack to small bases and checkpoints, manned by Afghan forces, isolated and easy to infiltrate, thus obtaining intelligence. Gone are the more large-scale confrontations with American troops, from several years ago, which resulted in large numbers of insurgent fatalities. And the confrontations themselves are more sophisticated in method, observed to be similar in style to U.S. Army Rangers training, which equips soldiers for small scale engagements in 'austere' surroundings. They are considered by one U.S Army general to be developing into a more 'disciplined force'.

Among their newly acquired skills - being able to estimate response times for U.S. fighter jets, helicopters, and artillery cannons. "They know exactly how long it takes before . . . they have to break contact and pull back," one Pentagon official said. Sounds like split-second timing in a hair trigger situation... Using our own tactics against us, the Taliban is taking full advantage of the recent restraint (for the purpose of protecting Afghan civilians) ordered on the use of U.S. air power and also night-time attacks. They have increased their night-time operations, and apparently feel much safer gathering in more populated locales now, perhaps blending in like chameleons, knowing air strikes are much less likely to occur.

Not only has the Taliban fighting style evolved, their geographical areas of control have expanded as well, providing the insurgency with more training ground, and that ground being closer to the actual combat. It has been considered, as well, that the services of professional fighters from Central Asia & other Arab countries are being used.

Opinions differ, though, as to the reason(s) for Taliban ascendancy in the area. The deputy commander of Marines in the Helmand province believes that increased usage of roadside bombs plays more a part in insurgent victories than tactics of any other sort. Playing to their strengths... And the effects of corruption in public office, ethnic tensions, unemployment and the absence of state justice systems in rural regions are strong contributing factors to increased Taliban control, creating unrest & dissatisfaction to which the extremists can offer "solutions'. In neighboring Pakistan, "there is widespread hope that adopting a strict code of law based on the Koran will transform a society where corruption is rampant." (link) The Islamic militants offer a 'Robin Hood' approach, according to Amnesty International, even gaining trust at first, and initially seem to be defending the weak & poor, but that defense soon becomes 'quick...harsh justice', and with the 'defending' comes increased Taliban dominance.

Possibly more potent to Taliban victory than any sharpened skill or evolved strategy, however, is the simple fact of morale. Said one senior official, "The number one indicator we have out there now is that they think they're winning (italics mine). That creates an attitude, a positive outlook, and a willingness to sacrifice."

(Source)

ooo

Sooo....as I was reading my source article, and writing the above, the following statements from my post "Afghanistan - a New Approach?" came to mind.

"...an intensified military effort to root out corruption among local government officials..." is a large part of its aim...

"...considers corruption at local government levels to be as much a threat to Afghan peace and freedom as any top Taliban commander." (Seeing as how corruption in government has been cited as a prime factor in the Taliban gaining influence, the wisdom of the goal to uproot it is readily apparent.)

"Strong emphasis is being placed on partnership, Afghan and U.S/NATO troops living, training and carrying out missions together, throughout every level of rank." (Akin to fighting fire with fire, this tactic of partnering mirrors the Taliban working in tandem with 'professional fighters' from other countries)

ooo

So we're seeing, then, some better news here. Seems to me that McChrystal is right on the money in his strategic assessments & plans. I know he's got my vote.

ooo

In Part 2, a little more along these same lines. Then, I'm hopping the time capsule back to the days of our Founders to see what's going on...lately I swear I'm hearing Jefferson quietly reminding me I've left him in the dust, I just got a rather antiquated-looking letter from a John Adams, & Ben Franklin actually somehow faxed me! I must get back to my true loves, the Founders! They are calling!

Don't Wanna Say 'I told you so' but...(OK, Yes,I do!)

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:05:00 +0000

I'm in the middle of working on another post, and have also been offered some blogging help by fellow blogger AndyD, who will be guest-writing in the near future (once we decide on a topic) - BUT - while backtracking this AM to a piece I'd bookmarked back in February, I came across this Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde comparison to our President in a NRO article.
Because it so *totally mirrors & confirms my early-on suspicions, I feel vindicated. Yet, at the same time, sorrow tugs at my heart.

I left this comment on reddit.com over a year ago:

"I am not an Obama supporter, but am not antagonistic towards him. So far, anyway. The media and money aspect certainly do tend to power, but people who will vote for him in Nov. aren't going to necessarily be voting for him b/c of this power. He can, as LanternBearer says, 'wing a speech' very well. His presentation of himself will win voters, in large part, I think."

In 'Dr. Barack and Mr. Obama', Victor Davis Hanson, in National Review Online, writes the following:

"People assumed that his easy rhetoric was not a result of studied preparation or superficial style, but a natural reflection of honesty and sincerity."

and

"Now nearly half the country is not merely distrustful of him, but increasingly viscerally angry at him as well."

"...it took millions of Americans months of fair and judicious examination to conclude that Obama’s real weaknesses were his once-advertised strengths:... The present Mr. Obama looks and sounds like the old Dr. Barack, but he surely does not act anything like the candidate who persuaded America."

Check out the NRO article.

* not necessarily referring to my being 'simpatico' w/every detail in this article by Mr. Hanson - rather the general principle indicated by the details.

Soldier in Transition

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:39:00 +0000

'Support our Troops'...'Honor our Fallen Heroes'...'Thank a Veteran'...these phrases speak for themselves. Instinctively, in our hearts and in our guts, we feel pangs of pride, of sadness or anguish, of gratitude for sacrifices made in the cause of freedom. But unless we have been there, we really cannot know...

I have had the inestimable honor of working with an Afghan/Iraqi war vet these last few months. Words cannot adequately describe my response to being in this young man's presence. I have felt that I have been visited from on High, that God has graced me with a word in the flesh, the very topic about which I 've often written, alive, in my space. Often, I've felt stupid, not knowing what to say, or how to help.

I went against my better judgment, and asked this young soldier if I could interview him at some point, because I wanted to know, first-hand, how a soldier felt about this war. We all sit over here and expound on this & that, we bloggers, sounding off in posts, forums, etc., but how do they feel? What are a soldier's thoughts on the kind of brutal experiences that most of us will never know?

The red flag that was gently waving in the back of my mind, warning me that it might be too soon for Ethan (not his real name) to re-live combat events by speaking of them, proved accurate. Ethan still had trouble sleeping, though he'd been home over a year. He is still trying to fully recover. I backed off, and promised not to mention my request again. And I haven't. But in some of our conversations, I learned bits & pieces about this soldier's life now, and then. I don't feel that I should go into details, but what I want to convey is that, when one of our warriors comes home from the Middle East theatre of war, it isn't that fairytale, balloons-and-parade-with-flag flying! and now everything is OK! that we might mistakenly think. These men and women are forever changed.

As a civilian, I was most certainly deluded. But watching and working with one of our nation's heroes has opened my eyes. You don't just ease back into society after fighting jihadists, or having your vehicle blown up by a roadside bomb. You carry it with you, and it can take a long time to regain at least some of your former mentality. On top of that, most people around you are clueless. Nobody gets it. The only reason I got any of 'it' is because God had been at work, expanding my awareness, so that every time I see Ethan, or speak with him, I'm so affected that I feel like a fish out of water. I am humbled, speechless, and, like I said, I feel stupid.

Ethan is returning to Afghanistan. Though he served three years already, he will return for at least six more, and may opt for a military career. A soldier is who he is, it seems to me, not what he's done.

I will miss him.

Tackling the Economy...

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have ever imagined myself watching a program about business journalism (if I actually had dreams about such topics!). And not only watching, but watching with interest - avid interest. But such has been the case The paths down which I find myself wandering, all leading back to my Revolutionary War studies, are a constant source of amazement to me, and whole new worlds of learning, from then to now, continue to unfold.

ooo

Steve Pearlstein, business columnist for the Washington Post, 'guess-timates' that Americans have been living about 6% beyond their means (p.12) for some time now. As most of us know, the culprit is credit. It became very easy to spend $1.06 for every $1.00 earned. Taking into account the size of this country, and its vast population, it's easy to see this runaway horse galloping across the land, leaving a wide trail of debt in its wake.

Though information was out there, it has been suggested that many Americans were not really aware of our impending economic crisis until later in 2008. I remember hearing radio broadcasts predicting the disaster lasting until the first quarter of 2010, and I still hadn't really felt the pinch of it yet. In fact, it was news to me! It seemed to come out of nowhere. I wasn't that worried, as I've never had alot of money and am used to counting my pennies, tightening my purse strings fairly often. But I wondered, how did this happen? Where did it come from? Why didn't more of us see the signs? Pearlstein compares the apparently sudden manifestation of this financial malady to Wile E. Coyote, when he runs off the cliff, moving so fast that he just keeps going & going, still in mid-air, then suddenly - Whoops!! "That’s the dynamic, because there’s so much built in momentum, that it appears that that which should be happening isn’t,"Pearlstein explains. Looking back, I think my first indication of a coming economic meltdown was a subtle but startling change in the size of my favorite super-large Hershey's chocolate bar. Seriously. The price didn't drop, but the size did. Sometimes, it's in the small stuff...

Articles warning of the coming financial crisis appeared in the New York Times, as far back as about seven years ago, according to its senior financial writer Diana Henriques. Newspapers nationwide reported on troubling mortgage industry issues. But not everybody reads the New York Times, or the finance pages. The average American's interests are focused elsewhere, not on high finance. More street level, let's say. As for business moguls, supposedly very knowledgeable in their areas of expertise "...people were buying things in the financial world that they didn’t fully understand, and they were paying a great deal of money for them." (Ali Velshi, chief business correspondent, CNN)

Author of Give Me My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis, Ali Velshi (quoted above) explains how such an 'overheated' financial environment was initially created by the repeated reselling of mortgages,resulting in a handful of organizations holding multitudes of them. When homeowners couldn't make the payments...down, down, down came the 'house of cards', as Velshi calls them. Now, as we all know, rebuilding is necessary, one way or another, throughout our society.

So, I'm thinking, why were homeowners unable to make their mortgage payments? Well, why do any of us not make a payment, for anything? Clearly, not enough cash to go around. (And though there are many reasons this can be true, one of them is buying too much.} So we opt for - credit. (Even as I write this, I must confess that for the first time in many, many years, I was forced to avail myself of a credit card. I am grateful for it. Without this little piece of plastic, I'd be eating even less than I already often do. But food is essential...so even though, as a rule, I personally am against using credit cards, buying on time, there are exceptions. I try to live by grace, not law, so in faith I took the plunge and signed up. So far, so good...)

But overdoing the credit routine can result in disaster.

"The American dream made you feel that it was always going to be better and always going to be more. And, by the way, that better and more was available through credit," says the CNN correspondent. Your payments go up, you become strapped for cash, so you charge more, the payments go up...and the cycle continues. Well, here's a novel idea - "think of the way we spend money as maybe having it first, and prioritizing what we spend, " he continues, suggesting: "I think to bring it to its most basic terms, we need a society where you save for two years to buy a TV, not buy a TV and pay for it for two years." (See my post "What We Need")

I keep seeing the term 'unsustainable market' popping up. Makes sense. Eventually you reap what you sow, and things catch up to us. We're in this together, not only as a nation but as a worldwide community. Months back, at the World Economic Forum, discussion pointed to the belief that the United States has caused international economic crises, and that the United States is needed to remedy them, as well. (Alexis Glick, vice president of business news at the Fox Business Network.,p.14) As a nation, we are the problem and we are its solution, apparently. As America goes, so goes the world. Whether or not we individually contributed to the downfall, we feel its impact. It's to all our benefit to seek & implement solutions to this economic disaster, when possible. Ms. Glick, who has a staggeringly impressive business & economics background, sees the political risk of continuing financial instability to be 'incredibly dangerous', so, again, it behooves us all...

Quoting the CEO of General Electric, Dick Gregory, host of Meet the Press, said this past winter, "The economic crisis doesn't represent a cycle; it represents a `reset.' It's an emotional, social, economic reset...." I'll wrap up this post with the response of one of his guests that week, leaving you with a wonderfully practical, hopeful outlook -

"...I love that he said "reset," because--I am actually glad that we had this recession because we were on a path that we couldn't get off, and we did need that reset. We need, we needed people to step back and stop taking on so much debt and really go back to the basics. The basics are the basics because they always work no matter what the economy is. Live below your means, don't take on so much debt and save.

But, you know, there's hope. This, too, shall pass. And if people do the right thing, take the message that you can't keep on the same path that you were before, we will be OK." -Michelle Singletary, Washington Post financial columnist (source)

Source: The Kalb Report

Afghanistan - a New Approach?

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0000

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees..." (Luke 3:9. KJV)

We continue in our seemingly endless battle against the Taliban in Afghanistan, a force that at present is reported to be gaining ground, a "growing...insurgency" in that area. (I am reminded, as I write, of the Biblical account of Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord, 'til the dawning of a new day, and how he would not let go until he got the blessing. Not to compare the Taliban with the angel of the Lord, rather to emphasize persistence unto victory. A new day dawning...)

Last month, the top U.S. commander in this particular theatre of war, General McKiernan, was replaced by General Stanley A. McChrystal, who has espoused a different approach to dealing with the insurgents. Rather than a primarily outward thrust, with the intention of locating, uprooting & capturing Taliban forces from their mountainous strongholds, U.S. and NATO troops would focus more on protecting the more populous locales from enemy invasion. McChrystal's strategy is now becoming even more defined and specific, and will be requiring more troops, both U.S/NATO and Afghan.

As a person who almost can't help but analyze, war--time strategy has begun to intrigue me. This particular strategy appears solid, to me. With a dose of genius. "...an intensified military effort to root out corruption among local government officials..." is a large part of its aim, and calls for "more unconventional methods" in its implementation. A strategy assessment team, comprised of expert advisers and national security specialists from Washington 'think tanks', considers corruption at local government levels to be as much a threat to Afghan peace and freedom as any top Taliban commander. Consequently, as stated above, US/NATO involvement in exposing and removing such elements is also to be a prominent aspect of General McChrystal's plan. A writer on FiscalRangers.com, a site dealing with the corruption issue in Iraq and the rest of the world as well, VJtraveler says, "I have reported several times about the lack of serious actions by the State Dept or other donors in fixing fraud and corruption problems before dumping lots of money into "developing or conflict" countries." VJ cites diplomacy not being used "to ensure corruption cases are actually prosecuted, which is a major deterrent."

Falling in line with McChrystal's 'inward rather than outward' push, "commanders will be encouraged to increase contact with Afghans", actually living inside the towns, and spending more time on foot patrols, as opposed to in heavily armored vehicles. Climbing out of their trucks and interacting with the locals puts our soldiers in more of a position to identify the tribal "power brokers" and connect with them, influencing policies and decisions. Strong emphasis is being placed on partnership, Afghan and U.S/NATO troops living, training and carrying out missions together, throughout every level of rank.

A less than enthusiastic response is expected from the Obama administration regarding the increased troops request.

(Source - Washington Post)

ooo

I particularly like the idea of getting to the root of corruption in the local and/or otherwise Afghan government. In the Scripture cited above, I see the concept of 'rooting out the truth'. The 'axe', I believe, represents the Word of God, the One who also identifies Himself as the Way, the Truth, & the Life. I've always understood that verse to be an illustration of the truth of God's Word being applied to any school of thought, teaching, process, practice, etc - you name it! and exposing fallacy & falsehood, that which deceives, corrupts and eventually kills, should it get that far.

Having checked out a little bit of FiscalRangers.com, it is becoming clear to me that the pursuit of corrupt government officials & practices is far more essential to peace than had ever occurred to me before. Knowing this now, it seems that it should have! Benjamin Franklin, in expressing his concern over America's possible return to monarchy, declared that such an event could at least be long delayed. His solution? Not making "our posts of honor places of profit", thereby sowing "seeds of contention, faction, and tumult." (A.H. Smythe, ed., The Writings of Benjamin Franklin).

That old love-of-money problem is always rearing its ugly head, isn't it? Many will do whatever it takes to satisfy their lust for it, at the reckless expense of every and anyone else's well-being, welfare, safety and/or liberty. I applaud this new strategy being considered, and am excited about the possibilities inherent in its successful operation.

ooo

An afterthought - Regarding the partnering of our Troops with the Afghanistan soldiers, I was reminded of the Greek word 'parakletos', which is translated into the English word 'Comforter', in the New Testament, and refers to the Holy Ghost. Breaking this word down into its separate components, 'para' (Strong's #3844, Greek) and 'kletos' (Strong's #2822,Greek), rather than just the idea of comfort or consolation, the concept of being near, beside, and/or in one's area is also presented. Or, in today's lingo, "getting in one's space"!

And I'm also reminded of the Saviour, who came to where we were and became what we were so that we could, by degrees and over time, become what He is, so that our 'station in life' (this one, and the next!) could be vastly improved.

Brooks & Dunn meet Isaiah & Co.

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:29:00 +0000

"When the day comes that I don't love you

every star will fall out of the sky

every mountain will tumble down

and every river run dry."

- Every River

(Kim Richey/Angelo/Tom Littlefield)

-BMI/ASCAP

Listening to Brooks & Dunn perform their heartfelt rendition of this song, earlier today,(Steers & Stripes, Arista-Nashville) (besides being deeply touched by the serious intensity of it), my brain patterns registered a similar expression of eternal commitment. Now where?...oh, right...

Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night...

If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, the seed of Israel also chall cease from being a nation before me for ever."

(Jeremiah 31: 35, 36 ,KJV)

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

(Psalms 89: 34, KJV)

and, lastly, even though those unthinakble and presumably impossible events actually should come to pass -

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be

removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD..."

(Isaiah 54: 10, KJV)

ooo

Who is my Brother?

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Around the world, peoples of all ages and from all walks of life, have taken up a hue and a cry against governmental oppression of Iranian activist citizens. Protesting the outcome of Iran's recent election, which once again placed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power, these people have been beaten and arrested, and in at least twenty cases, death was the result of police crackdown.

In London, a reported 600 protesters gathered outside the Iranian embassy. Several hundred people demonstrated near Times Square in New York City, and a small group of Iranians living in New York have formed protests outside the U.N."to call on the world body to investigate human rights abuses in Iran." In Brussels, Amsterdam, and Geneva people carrying placards, listening to speakers or wearing green headbands symbolic of this protest movement have gathered for the cause of freedom. The Eiffel Tower bore silent witness to several hundred rallying at Trocadero Square in Paris. Vienna, Rome, Norway, Copenhagen...near 3000 demonstrators showed up in Stockholm. The list goes on, people - and is this giving anyone else chills?

In smaller yet nonetheless potent groupings, the Australian cities of Sydney, Melbourne and others hosted the voices of protest, as well as Tokyo and Seoul. Activists outside the Iranian embassy in Prague denounced the brutal treatment of Iranian dissenters of the election results.

I have never, in my lifetime, been aware of such an international gathering & outpouring of public support for oppressed citizens of another country. (Although it is true, not that long ago I wouldn't have been paying attention to events on a larger scale...so I may have missed it.)

Here is what I'm seeing - because the world has witnessed the liberation of Iraq from the tyranny of a Saddam Hussein, and the inception of a democracy, and because the world is now witnessing a powerful helping hand being extended to the people of Afghanistan, that their lives may be freed from the threat of Taliban control, citizens around the globe have taken heart. The cause of freedom is just, and they know it. Some will not be silent. "...Iranian Nobel Peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi urged the international community to reject the outcome of the Iranian election and called for a new vote monitored by the United Nations." (USAToday)

To Shirin Ebadi, I say, "Rock ON!!!"

The Iranian people and their com padres worldwide are crying out against killing, imprisonment, mistreatments and abuse of rights, against dictatorship and injustice. Thomas Jefferson's prediction of over 200 years ago (link) that "this ball of liberty...is now so well in motion that it will roll around the globe..." stands true yet today.

It has not stopped rolling.

(Source)

They wanted a King !....or, The Evils of Monarchy

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:32:00 +0000

"And ye have this day rejected your God...ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us." (1 Samuel 10: 19, KJV)

It almost breaks my heart to read through the eighth chapter of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament. It was so not in the heart of the LORD to place an earthly king over the people of Israel. He could not have been any more clear, nor more specific, in His warnings to the people regarding such a form of 'leadership'. But "Nevertheless the people refused...and they said, Nay, but we will have a king over us:" (1 Samuel 8: 19, KJV) Eerdman's Handbook to the Bible (p.235) points out that, in those days (and I point out, in days yet to come!) "having a king mean{t} conscription, forced labour, taxation, and loss of personal liberty. But even this does not deter them."

Now wouldn't you think such dire consequences as outlined in 1 Samuel would stop Israel dead-in-their-tracks, so to speak, as concerns demanding a king? Plus, the LORD spoke his warning through the prophet Samuel, a man of God well-known by all, and a force to be reckoned with. If the people would've listened to any human, it surely would've been Samuel. But Biblical history tells us otherwise. The elders of Israel "said unto him, Behold...make us a king to judge us like all the nations." (1Samuel 8: 5, KJV)

ooo

We see here the tendency of man to progress towards 'kingly government'. It may surprise you to learn that this concept was expressed by Benjamin Franklin, during Revolutionary times!

His concerns for American liberty seem to mirror those of the ancient prophet of Israel. "I am apprehensive, therefore...that the Government of these States may in future times end in a monarchy." (Albert H. Smythe, ed.,The Writings of Benjamin Franklin) Franklin believed that the American citizenry might eventually fall under the illusion of 'kingly government' providing equality among all. (W. Cleon Skousen, The 5000 Year Leap) In a word, security? Which engenders survival, promotes happiness and makes possible liberty and its enjoyment. (Another way of phrasing "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"?) Author Michael Novak writes "liberty needs the sunny warmth of culture and ideas and the nourishing rain of favorable institutions of politics and economics." (The Universal Hunger for Liberty) Conditions must be right, as with the blossoming of any planted seed. Franklin and other Founders shared with the prophet Samuel a great concern for the manner in which those conditions were courted.

In this lure towards 'kingly government' which so troubled Ben Franklin, and the clamor of ancient Israel for the same, I see the deceitfulness of law (as opposed to grace) wreaking its havoc. I see in the physical world the demonstration of a spiritual dynamic. Many people seek a structured formula (Old Testament law, or just plain law, period!) which, by adhering to it, will let them rest assured that, before God, they are 'okay'. In similar manner, 'kingly government' will guarantee 'security', or equality. Everything will be 'okay'.

Wrong. On both counts.

In God's realm, "...by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." (Romans 3:20, KJV). Doesn't work. Not gonna happen. Worse than a waste of time, because "the letter {of the Law} killeth." (2 Corinthians 3:6, KJV). Conditions are not only NOT 'okay', they deteriorate into destruction.

In the earthly realm, government by a 'king', or monarch, has never worked, either. Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to George Washington ( from Paris in 1788), wrote this: " I was much an enemy to monarchies before I came to Europe. I am ten thousand times more so so since I have seen what they are. There is scarcely an evil known in these countries which may not be traced to their king as it source... " (Edward Dumbault, ed., The Political Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Ch.3, The Blessings of Free Government) Previously, in the spring of 1785, Jefferson had strongly urged James Monroe to visit him in Paris, for the express purpose of gaining a sharper, more clarified view of the American system of government compared to that of monarchical Europe. He wrote "My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of and which no other people on earth enjoy. I confess I had no idea of it myself." (Ibid.) Though Jefferson was fully aware of defects in the American system, as is true today still, his belief was that government of and for the People could be repaired and improved by the People - "whereas the evils of monarchical government are beyond remedy." (Ibid.)

A single human ruler wielding all power is the formula for tyranny. And if you think about it, why would an individual even want to be all powerful? To dictate concerning the lives of others? The answers do not bode well for those under that individual's rule. Reinforcing a god complex is one answer that occurs to me. Which brings to mind another Old Testament event, when Lucifer (which means 'day star', btw - interesting...) made this determination in his heart : "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:13, 14, KJV) Intending to exalt one's self as God, however, has this result: "...thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14: 15, KJV). God complexes are not healthy. They do not bring health to the people.

ooo

Power and authority are with God, and come from Him (Romans 13: 1). Our use of it, when it is in our jurisdiction to do so, whether in the family, on the job, or in the governing of a nation, needs always to be to protect and serve. The temptation is to abuse power, applying it to meet one's own needs/desires - the challenge to effectively handle it requires His grace, which as its pre-requisite requires in turn our willingness to receive it.

on a more Personal Note...

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Now that the Fourth of July has come and gone, I'm thinking it's time to get back to my writing here...well, I'm vacillating as to what direction to take. I'd 'scheduled' myself to publish a follow-up post to my Israel piece, one focusing on the Palestinian perspective. I just can't seem to muster up the focus & discipline needed to actually do that!

Here's what happened:

After being immersed in such topics as slavery, Guantanamo, terrorism & counter-terrorism, and diving into other topics such as Presidential issues, earmarks, the Middle East wars, U.S torture policy...and so on and so forth...I needed a break from it all. I needed a break from serious reading and research of any kind, on any topic!! So I did something I haven't done in awhile: I rummaged through my piles on never-read fiction novels, with only one goal in mind, finding something all light and fluff! No serious reading for me, not for awhile. Nothing current events-y, no Revolutionary fare, either. Maybe some Patricia Cornwell, some kind of murder mystery or perhaps a romance with a suspenseful twist...

So that's where my head has been lately.

But as it turned out, I did come across a 'twist'. Just not a suspenseful one - and I found, for me, there really is no escape! Any of my readers familiar with C.S.Lewis will perhaps recall that Lewis referred to God as the great Hound of Heaven, may I say 'doggedly' (?) pursuing him, unrelenting in His quest. Well, in a rather humorous version of such Divine determination, I found myself most surprisingly confronted with the very thing I was (so I thought) escaping - and smack dab in the middle of my escape route too!

I'd unearthed a novel I'd completely forgotten I had, about a subject I rarely read. Its title was two-fold, a kind of lead-in mini novel called "Enchantment", followed by the meatier "Bridge of Dreams". Long story short, we're talking two hundred year-old ill-fated loves & unsolved murders, an ancestral English manor, and its guardian ghost. Not my customary fare. believe me, but I was looking for something different, and let me tell you, this was it! Set in Kent, England, I found the tale most absorbing. The scenarios switch back and forth, from the late 1700's to the present day.

So, the tale is weaving its magic, and I'm ensconced in it, when unbelievably...seriously, folks, unbelievably ! who do you think steps into the room? (the 'room' being Adrian Draycott's study, in 18th. century England) Let me give it to you verbatim -

"...From now on I trust no one." (Adrian speaking.)

"Not even me, Lord Ashton?" The fluid, cultured male voice had something foreign about it as it drifted from the doorway. The speaker was a tall man, with a high, arched nose and eyes of keen, cutting blue.

Gabriel stared at the American statesman who had already made a name for himself in England and France. "Is that you, Jefferson?..."

Just knock me over with a feather at this point! For the next two pages, and sprinkled here and there after that, our Founding Father briefly engaged with the hero and heroine of the novel, racing against time, flying through the night in a horse-drawn carriage, desperately trying to reach safety and save the heroine's life!

Despite my 'need for a break from it all', I was delighted! The story plot actually involved an element of the French Revolution, and that was in part how Thomas Jefferson made his appearance. I didn't see it coming, though! What a treat! Jefferson's time 'on stage' was well-handled, and actually very believable.

So now, I have no gumption at all to pursue Palestinian issues, yet am also loathe to not do so. I don't want to leave the subject unfinished.

Compounding my reluctance to stay 'current', I have begun reading 'The 5,000 Year Leap', (after reading AndyD's review (Political Friends blog) of it & then getting the book!) and the pull to sink back into things Revolutionary is gaining momentum!

So I'm hoping to work this quandary out over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Independence Day, 2009....by His grace!

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:09:00 +0000

"...My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke 1: 46,47, KJV)

As Americans across the nation, from purple mountains' majesty to the congested streets of New York City, celebrate the Fourth of July, as indeed peoples from countries worldwide know of this our great commemoration of freedom, I find myself moved by this freedom as never before in my life.

How precious is our liberty.

How can that which is purchased by blood be anything less? What can compare to freedom?

How great our God, He who designed this plan and He who also brought it to pass. He, the firstfruits, and now we, the favored ones who daily partake of that which has been provided for us. It is true, we yet fight for freedom on foreign soil. But we did not have to fight in that unprecedented American revolution that necessitated the drafting and signing of our Declaration of Independence on this day, two hundred and thirty-three years ago. We, my friends, are the heirs to Liberty! We have been born with that silver spoon in our mouths!

Are we worthy? Only because He has so declared it. More and more, I marvel, why did God place me in the great United States of America? Who am I, or, as King David so eloquently wrote in the Psalms, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? It is essentially the same question I ask. My only answer dwells in God's sovereignty, and His Word. He hath done, and He hath said, Amen.

"..this ball of liberty...will roll around the globe...for light and liberty go together. It is our glory that we first put it into motion." ( Thomas Jefferson, June 1795 )

God bless America.

My fellow Americans, may your Independence Day be a favored one.

Israel's Rights vs. "Cast Out the Bondwoman" ?

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:52:00 +0000

In recent days, we've learned that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has agreed to a limited Palestinian state. (I myself was taken aback somewhat when I read this, as Mr. Netanyahu has been repeatedly described as 'hawkish'. I'm assuming that his reversal of position here was a result of United States influence/pressure (?) experienced in his latest meeting with President Obama.) One of the conditions is that the Palestinians agree to remain un-armed. Not surprisingly, this is not going over too well on the Palestinian front, last I heard.

Having recently posted on viewing a situation from the opposing side (see article), thus getting a differing perspective from my earlier one, I'm more prone to attempt that same approach in other matters now. I can't say I enjoy doing this, and I believe real caution is in order when so attempting, but in search of truth and justice, such investigations become mandatory. Issues can weigh heavy with me, even if I myself am not immediately involved. Or ever involved ! But sometimes I am compelled, as the apostle Paul wrote in Acts, to "search these things out for yourselves".

President Obama's Cairo address included the topic of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I believe. In posting about that speech, therefore, my thoughts turned in this direction. As a Bible-believing Christian, I pretty much had the basics down pat, I thought, regarding Israel's right to its land. Numbers 34 opens with a clear and definite description of the boundaries of the land (Canaan) promised to the Israelites by God. It's right there, in black and white. In fact, if you back up to Genesis 12, we see that Abraham (called Abram at the time) and his posse "went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came." And at that point the LORD informed him that "...Unto thy seed will I give this land..." All you Bible students out there know the simple math of Abraham, Isaac, then Jacob - whose name was changed to Israel. Biblically, it was in the Divine cards, so to speak, for specific lands to belong to the Israeli people. And if you check out a basic map of this clearly-outlined-by-God territory and overlay it on a map of the Middle East today...do I really need to tell you where we find ourselves? (map)

About two years ago, I was thrown a curve.

Reading an article entitled "American Apocalypse" , I was presented with a perspective on 'Biblical prophesy' and 'end-time events' that seriously contradicted anything I'd ever heard, or been taught. The thing of it was, the article made sense to me. Still, I would've balked, kicked and screamed my way out of it, if relevant Scripture hadn't been included. But it was. Now, I can't quite accept the cut-and-dry version of evangelical, mainstream Bible teaching concerning certain events anymore. And one of those events is the outcome of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

It took a little doing to backtrack and locate this article, but I've done so, and am re-reading it. I'd forgotten the whole thrust of dispensationalism factoring into my newly-considered end-times position. I used to work in a Bible bookstore, and I remember seeing that volume (by Clarence Larkin, was it?) about dispensationalism. Never got into it, though. All things are summed up in Christ, and I've always felt that it's all about Him. Other areas of Scriptural study just have never really appealed to me all that much. Too many charts or something, in this one. Plus, don't call me a dispensationalist, or a Methodist, or a Baptist, or any other 'ist', thank you, I believe in Jesus, and Him alone. When it comes to Christ, why do we need to subscribe to the tenets of various movements, organizations, and denominations? Some form of identity security or what?

As I see I'm heading off on a tangent, let me rope myself back in. Because I really, really get aggravated when it comes to 'religious organizations', and rules, thou shalt's and shalt not's, and any other form of structure that can turn a living organism into an organization. Yeah, it's the rebel in me, the wild child, but I want to be free! And when the Son sets you free...you don't need an 'ism' or an 'ist'. His grace is sufficient. (Too scary for some, I know, but He can help you get over that.)

So...back to dispensationalism.

The prodigy of John Nelson Darby's theology, dispensationalism became more widely known through the publication of Charles Ingersoll Scofield's Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. A key element of this teaching is that all Scripture, especially prophecy, is to be interpreted literally, and Scofield taught that a prophecy may never be 'spiritualized'. With this in mind, then, the land promised by God to Abraham and Israel must ultimately come into their (Israel's) physical possession, exactly as detailed by the LORD. Additionally, it is a Scriptural statement that God's Word will not pass away, and that He never changes, nor lies. So, Scofield and Darby notwithstanding, most Christians would see things this way anyhow. As did I.

"Christian leaders are zealous to ensure that U.S. foreign policy continues to be dictated by the interests of Israel without regard for the consequences in terms of Islamic reaction," writes Stephen Sizer, the above-mentioned article's author. He adds that dispensational belief in the futility of peace treaties between Israel and its Middle Eastern neighbors, and God's blessings on America while she supports Israel in all endeavors, is "deeply destructive" to American interests worldwide.

I remember being floored when I read these statements a couple of years ago. They fly in the face of everything I've ever believed. Yes, they sound logical but are they spiritually accurate? How could I even dare to consider...but as I've moved on in my life, I try to squelch knee-jerk reactions. Give things time, let them marinate a bit...so, bug-eyed and in mild shock, I filed this in the back of my mind, to be re-examined at a later date.

Which seems to have arrived...

No doubt, the world appears to be heading towards an eventual Armageddon. John Hagee made a comment during one of his televised sermons that a weapon has never been developed that wasn't eventually used. (I haven't researched that, but he's an intelligent man, and seems to know what he's talking about. So I'm goin' with, he's right...) And Israel is the hot spot of the world. It's not lookin' good. When all nations converge on Jerusalem, right?

But I've often been unwilling, even unable to concede to what seems obvious to many, if not most. Those twelve spies sent out by Moses judged according to the obvious, and their demise was swift (Numbers 14:37) - but Caleb had a different spirit (v.24), speaking and believing in faith, and lived, entering the Promised Land with Joshua (v.30). (Now, these Scriptures do refer to obtaining the land promised, against all odds - they could be used to in fact disprove the point I'm trying to make. The angle from which I'm approaching this scenario is, not judging according to obvious circumstances. Daring to see a different way.) So I wonder, with the Lord a day is as a thousand years...there may be more time than we think, and it may be that events transpire in a manner other than what we have heretofore believed, or thought. I know this sounds blasphemous, and I am not saying anything other than, I wonder...either way, God's plan and purposes will come to pass, of a surety, know this.

ooo

Now, one thing we all do know is that there exists an old and a new Covenant, Biblically speaking. We are told, in Galatians 4, that Abraham's two sons, one by a bond woman and one by a free woman, represent these two Covenants. The son of the bond woman Hagar was in the same rank with the Jerusalem that then existed, the physical, earthly city, and a type of the old Covenant "...which gendereth to bondage" (v.24). Now that old Covenant was struck on Mt. Sinai, and gave us law. Not grace, people, law...! Be clear on that! "...which gendereth to bondage." Scripture records here, "...Cast out the bondwoman and her son..." (v.30) (as was done to Hagar and her child {Genesis 21:10} ), because the slave child shall not inherit along with the child of freedom, the child of grace and promise, which is the new Covenant, the "Jerusalem which is above" (Gal.4:26).

There are two Jerusalems.

What I wonder is, when the bondwoman and her son were cast out, what they stood for was cast out as well - and since what they stood for was old Covenant, and the physical Promised Land description resides in old Covenant 'territory' language - is it possible that the temporal fulfilment of such language has also been invalidated? If this is so, then perhaps there really is a New Day for the Middle Eastern countries. Perhaps there will be another answer, a different and unexpected door that will open up.

ooo

I had never understood exactly what 'Zionism', or 'Christian Zionism', was. Now, Zion itself, I understand, with rejoicing! But this other...wasn't sure, but figured it must be good...right? Now, I question that cautious conclusion.. Mr. Sizer has this to say: "Increasingly, Dispensational Christian Zionism is being perceived as a deviant heresy which is subservient to the political agenda of the State of Israel." The Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism denounces the movement as 'extreme', 'detrimental to...peace' between Palestine and Israel, and as reducing the Gospel of the grace of God in Christ to an ideology of empire and militarism. It rejects the teachings of Christian Zionism where they facilitate such action and attitude.

The good part is, and my heart thrills to this next - the Declaration doesn't stop at just refuting Christian Zionism, but presents to us the better way. We are urged to pursue the 'healing of the nations' through the 'gospel of universal love, redemption and reconciliation taught by Jesus Christ.'

ooo

I suspect that I sound naive and uninitiated. This may be. But truth bears looking into, and one has to start somewhere. In the course of my doing so, I happened upon a site on which a statement was made about the disregard for the plight of the uprooted and homeless Palestinians. Considering this crisis from that perspective, I've began searching out information and articles relevant to this subject. Next on my agenda, approaching from the Palestinian perspective...

Having said all the above, I ask my readers to bear in mind that I'm only putting it out there - thoughts, ideas and questions. And if backed up against a wall, my only response, if one was required, is that I believe that Jesus Christ is the great I Am. He holds the future in His hands.

This Moment in Time: Obama in Cairo

garnetgirl@netzero.net (Christina) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Tomorrow, President Obama will touch down in Cairo, Egypt, to meet with the Egyptian president and address the issue of U.S.-Muslim relations. (By the time you are reading this, the 'tomorrow' of which I speak will be at least yesterday, or the day before...) I had an entirely different set of plans for today, but as I read an online article in USA Today, reporting on Obama's four-nation Middle East tour, a sense of profound import weighed upon me. I have never experienced anything quite like it before.

History in the making, and far more than many, involved in the daily business of life and survival, are cognizant.

This moment in time is engaging me in a way such as I have never been. Though I did not vote for him, from the moment of President Obama's victory, I knew something was different, for me personally, as concerned this new Commander-in-Chief. Though supporting our former President George W. Bush, and though that President was in my heart, I was not engaged with him in the way that I realized immediately I was and would be with Barack Obama. Something has changed. Perhaps it is the man himself, but I tend to think it is just as much, the times. "To everything there is a season, and a time..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1. KJV) We, as Americans, as people, and as a world community are standing at a threshold, about to step over it. We are at a moment when anything, when all things are possible.

***

"What's new here is that people are listening to this president," said Shibley Telhami, a professor at the University of Maryland. "They heard him empathize with their issues. They heard him express an understanding not only of their religion and culture, but their issues." (source)

***

We, too, must be willing to listen. Not carelessly, nor without caution. Not forsaking the call of our heart, nor our God, but I tell you, I read once that the attitude of the Savior is a listening attitude, and New Testament Scripture tells us as well, through the words of the apostle James, "...let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath..." (James 1:19, KJV). This Greek word translated into the English 'hear' involves the element of understanding. (Strong's Concordance, Greek #191). Listening in order to understand, while we hold our tongue and let anger take a hike for quite awhile. These instructions are presented to us in connection with the 'word of truth', from God the Father of lights, the Giver of "Every good gift and every perfect gift..." (v.17). He may have something to say to us, something other than what we expect. We may need to be willing to reconsider previous attitudes and approaches.

President Obama's approach to the Muslim world has spoken to me. I was surprised to learn that "people in Egypt and across the Islamic world want a better relationship with the United States", according to vice provost Ali Hadi of the American University in Cairo. Hadi said that"the entire world, including the Arab and Muslim worlds, was very sympathetic," after the September 11 attacks on the United States. And 76% of the respondents to a recent Gallup Poll indicate the importance to Americans of US-Muslim relations. (The monkey-wrench-in-the works here may be that too many Americans think 'extremist' when they hear the word 'Muslim', and don't realize that only 2-3% of the Muslim population fall into that category. Though the carnage wrought by this percentage is and has been great, the numbers of such violent men and women are relatively small, and we as Americans need to make it a point to remember that.) With American standing improving somewhat in the Middle Eastern world, and hopes in some of those countries rising as concerns our new President's making a difference for good, this may be the time in history when a door is opening that we cannot afford to shut. We cannot shut it with closed minds.

***

"We are a growing minority, and we are misunderstood and misrepresented," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "The president is helping to undo and break down stereotypes of Muslims and also break down stereotypes of Americans." (source)

***

About a year ago, a man showed up at my place of employ, with whom I one day got involved in a conversation about then-candidate Obama. This man told me that Barack Obama would win the election, which I already believed anyway, so that wasn't so unusual, except for the certainty with which he said it, and what else he added to his prediction. He told me that Barack Obama was 'from above', and was sent to fix America's problems.

After this conversation, I never saw the man again. No one else that worked with me recalled seeing him. He hadn't been there that long, so perhaps that wasn't so unusual either, but...I think it was.

Like many, I have also heard that President Obama is the Anti-Christ. Around the same time as the above incident, I was given a print-out of an email, sent by a pastor's wife, declaring absolutely that this was so. The message had an alarmist quality to it, frantically calling all to prayer. I was wary of the message, and essentially disregarded it, but kept it on a 'back burner'. There have been moments when I've thought, Hmmm...I can see how this may be true. If it is, I don't think any amount of praying will stop such an event. I don't think. However, I do think that the best course of action at this time is to heed the Scripture that tells us to "...judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts..." (1 Corinthians 4:5, KJV) There comes a moment when God shows up, and you know.

In the meantime, I wonder if it might not behoove us to avail ourselves of this declaration from the celebrated 1 Corinthians 13, that love (charity) "...believeth all things, hopeth all things..." (v.7). This may be the only way America can be restored, and move forward. It may seem foolish to some, but God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

***

Thank you for stopping by....please return for my next post, in which I will address, briefly, the Israeli-Palestinian situation.