Breaking Chains

There was a time in the history of the world when people were sold for the value they could provide to the buyers.  Even children and teens were ripped from their childhood and sold.  Millions of souls were denied freedom, good health, and simply normal life.

 

This evil wasn’t hidden.  While both victims and buyers were a small part of the overall population, the evil could be easily seen.  But just as it could be easily seen, it was also easy to look away.  It must have felt like just a part of life.

Some raised their voices against this evil trade in souls.  Organizations arose to fight it.  Some of the victims were rescued, often at risk of death for the rescuers.    Legislative actions to stop the trade were proposed with little success. Those making fortunes from the trade had money and influence, and used that in legislatures, in the media of the day, and in the court of public opinion.

Capturing humans and selling them is an old and evil human practice.  The victims have come from every continent and race.

But the time in history I am writing about is today.

 

It is going on right here and right now in America, and elsewhere in the world.  In our country, millions of women and girls are captives of an evil industry that cares nothing for their lives except how well their bodies provide sexual release for their customers.

Many, many Americans are unwittingly contributing to this evil --pornography use is epidemic in our country. Consuming pornography can lead to paying for pornography, which can lead to demand for prostitution, which leads to more enslavement of women and girls.  The modern day slavers walk among us.

We Americans fought the bloodiest war of our history to free the slaves in the 19th century.  What will it take for us to metaphorically take up arms again today to fight for the women and girls who are enslaved right now? 

 

A noble rebellion against this darkness is rising to free them.  We can join the fight.

• We can inform ourselves
• We can quit using pornography 
• We can raise our voices against the evil industry that enslaves women and girls 
• We can join with or contribute to organizations fighting modern slavery
• We can advocate for changes in laws
• We can support organizations that offer loving pathways out of sex slavery.

I support Exodus Cry. There are other organizations doing good work. Whether we provide a monthly donation, prayer cover, or physically participate....we can all do be part of this.  Please add your strength in the fight for the daughters of Eve and the sons of Adam ensnared by the hellish forces behind the evil sex industry!

Sometimes Yelling at Alexa Isn't Enough

It is dark. We sleep. The electronics do not.

 

At 0600 precisely, the alarm starts loudly blaring a song.

 

“Alexa,” I say sharply, from a dead sleep. “Turn off alarm.”

 

Blaring continues.

 

“Alexa,” we both say commandingly, and almost in unison, “STOP!”

 

Unfazed, the song blares on. Loudly. Surely the neighbors can hear this?

 

“Alexa, turn down volume,” I order with my 500’ voice. The little blue light ring illuminates, but insolently, the song continues at its stentorian volume level.

 

“Alexa, turn on bathroom lights,” Linda says with her best teacher voice. Maybe with the little beast’s attention diverted to another task, it will thereafter be able to perform its actual duty.

 

Bathroom light goes on. Song continues. Loudly.

 

Feet hit the floor. “I’m just going to stretch your neck, you insubordinate little box of microchips,” my inside voice says.

 

I stride powerfully around the bed and as my hands come up to reach for its scrawny throat (well….power cord) I notice that it is NOT the little blue-ringed black troglodyte troublemaker that is singing that now even louder song.

 

It’s one of our mobile phones. Heh heh.

 

Stupid `Lexa.

 

#firstworldproblems

Apical Buds and the Intelligence of Trees

At first glance, there's nothing too remarkable about this small redwood tree growing near our house.

But I know something about its history. And there is a remarkable story here.

After I planted it, I discovered to my surprise that beavers will eat redwood trees. Dang. A couple of winters ago, a beaver turned my five -foot redwood into a six-inch stob.

But it lived, and because it had good root infrastructure, it started growing again. Now, it's again about five feet tall. And protected from long-toothed rodents that dwell in water.

Last year, the apical bud (the topmost, and dominant growth area) died somehow. I wondered what would happen to it, but I kept adding fertilization and water. By the way, redwoods are not native to the central valley of California where we now live. They need a LOT of water, and so are found naturally along the coasts. This redwood however, is not far from a year-round creek, and may have already discovered that water source.  It is growing happily.

Early this year, I began noticing the branch at right in the photo beginning to slowly bend upwards from nearly horizontal. As you can see, after about six months, it is almost vertical. The new apical bud is at the top of this branch.

That, to me, is remarkable.

How did the tree know to transfer apical dominance to one of its limbs? And how does it cause the limb to slowly bend until it is upright? And how does it know when that limb is fully upright?

There is an intelligence among trees. There is something going on within that allows them to be aware of their needs, and even aware to some extent of what is going on around them.

I suspect that intelligence is more significant than we yet imagine.

When I really "see" nature, my heart turns by habit to nature's God, and remember when my heart first knew Him as an adult. That happened in a plant ecology class in my university training, of all places. I remember the day sitting in class when I had become sufficiently aware of the massive interconnections of the plant and animal word.....and that was more than 50 years ago. Today, much more is known.

I realized then that the intricacies of creation could not possibly have happened by chance.  I realized that God was, and as I opened my heart to that reality, that He is.

And in time I my heart came to know that He loves me. The transference of apical dominance and self-bending a limb is pretty amazing.  But a God that loves me and communicates with me: THAT'S a real miracle.  😃

Losing Weight With Friends: A Better Way

This isn't a brag. It's a strategy that has worked for me. I'm sharing this in hopes it will help others.

After being overweight for decades, at 178 lbs (81 kg) I am now in the normal weight range for my height, as my body mass index (BMI) is now under 25. 

 

My wife tells me I look good and feel good. That's an even better motivator than BMI

Here's the strategy: On a camping trip in early June, two friends and I decided to lose weight. Each of us was overweight. It showed and we felt it. 

 

The next day, we sent our beginning weights in a text thread. Almost every day since then, we have continued to share our weights. Many days, it's just a number. Other days, it's a number and something humorous or encouraging....or a bad excuse for a small weight gain. 

 

We're men, so there's an element of competition here, of course. But honestly, the most valuable part of this is that we are each invested in the success of the other two. And it has worked: between the three of us we have already lost more than 60 lbs (27 kg). Each of us is approaching his goal weight. I'm down 16 lbs (7 kg) with 3 lbs (1.3 kg) to go. All of us feel better, and all are seeing health benefits.

 

How did we lose weight? Simple: we ate less and exercised more. There's all kinds of ways to go at this. I have been using Weight Watchers, and I find as a side benefit that it helps me understand good portion size and the caloric content of my usual foods. I also try to walk 8,000 steps a day.

 

But in my heart, what really made the difference was the encouragement of two friends!

University Education: Why Would We Pay for Leftist Indoctrination?

My university experience was a great time in my life. It is where I met my wife, it prepared me for a rewarding career, and it opened my eyes to new knowledge, new ways of thinking, and new ways to learn. The University of Alaska in the 1990s was very valuable to our adult children as well. 

But today, as I think about our two granddaughters, I am seriously doubting the wisdom of their future attendance at nearly any of the colleges and universities in the United States or even abroad. Most of these have left their honorable purposes to become leftist indoctrination camps. 

I am not concerned about exposure to ideas from both ends of the ideological spectrum. That’s healthy. What I AM concerned about is the overwhelming preponderance of leftist faculty and staff and a smothering teaching of “correct think”. 

Our family has poured years into our granddaughters’ healthy emotional and spiritual growth, and much money into excellent private education. For them to lose that would be a disaster for them and their family, and those that follow after them. 

Clearly, not everyone coming out of America’s colleges and universities today is steeped in neo-Marxism and nihilism, but many are, to the great dismay of their families, and to the diminishing of America. The massive college debt of many young Americans is bad, but the educational outcomes are worse. 

And speaking of debt, is a university education in many disciplines really worth what people are paying? 

So…..American colleges and universities: are you listening? I am one American father and grandfather and financial supporter of education who views you with massive distrust.

An Ordinary (But Deeply Powerful) Sunday Family Lunch

We did something ordinary today.  We ate our Sunday lunch together, the three generations of us here.  It's ordinary because we do this almost every Sunday.  We started this pleasant habit about four years ago -- now around 200 times.

But ordinary does not even begin to describe the deep human value of this simple activity. Sharing food is deeply woven into humanity. There is a bonding that happens each time we sit at table together. It feels like silken threads added layer upon layer binding us together.

Not only are we sharing food, we are sharing ideas, hopes, and dreams. While sometimes we have important subjects to discuss as a family, mostly it's just happy talk, the casual conversation of people who know each other well. Plans are hatched for other activities we do together. Sometimes we ask for help with a project or a need. We often talk about the church meeting we were part of earlier in the morning. And we're Americans, so we talk about politics. :) We often find that two or three hours slip away before it is time to go our separate ways.

I believe what is happening at a superconscious level is even more profound. In these regular gatherings, we are each teaching each other who we are as a people in a family, how we respond to life, and how we communicate and connect emotionally with each other. Family history is shared in little pieces, and the younger learn from the older who they are and where they come from.

And there is a simple profundity at the spiritual level as well. We begin our meals together with a simple grace. It's a habit, but habits are powerful, and this one reminds us each week that we live our lives with attitudes of gratitude and a recognition of Jesus, who is at the center of all. This is what we have sung together for many years:

Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus

For this food, for this food

And our many blessings, and our many blessings

Amen amen amen

So......today, I'm deeply grateful for this ordinary thing we do, and the extra-ordinary family of which I am a part. 

 

 

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America Is A Racist Nation, but.....

 

America is a racist nation.

Just as every nation is a racist nation.

But America is one of the least racist multi-racial nations on earth.

We have fought so hard and come so very far.

Yet, we are not done.

The problem is that every human is racist at some level.

Laws and regulations may help, but will never alone suffice.

Only changed hearts can right the wrongs.

I will never wear the label "racist" because of the light color of my skin.

The demand that I do is itself naked racism.

I will never bear the wrongs of generations past.

Americans of earlier generations made their own mistakes just as does ours.

I am not responsible for the evils of the past.  All I can do is try to lessen the evils of today.

 

I am proud of our history.  We are a noble nation and a noble people who out of many have become one.  But I am not proud of every part of our history.

Our historic wrongs do not define us.  Our noble impulses and behaviors define us.

Fools who attempt to erase or re-write our history will only cause future generations to make similar mistakes.

May God bless America, and all the peoples that are here

who make us who we are today and who we will become tomorrow!

It's NOT Too Late: We Can Rebuild America the Beautiful

America is in desperate need of awakening and revival. Better political representation at all levels will help, but government will never be more than a partial solution to our deep-seated problems. We have a heart problem, and only hearts healed and reshaped by the Healer will suffice. 

Founding father John Adams wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." 

For 245 years we have been among the freest and most blessed people on the planet. But as many devolve into the "any other" Adams wrote about, one possible future is that we find his words prescient. 

I reject that future! 

Nehemiah said, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” His words ring clear even today. 

• You and I were born into this season to fight for all that is noble and pure and holy in America. 
• We were born to fight for a shining future for our sons and daughters and grandchildren. 
• We were born to fight this battle on our knees, living lives of holiness before the Lord. 
• We were born to fight by demonstrating the beauty of the Kingdom of God with our lives and our love.

It is NOT too late. We can rebuild America the beautiful.

Beating Nighttime Wakefulness with Peace: A Strategy that Works

A few months back, I shared a strategy for filling nighttime wakefulness with peace rather than the usual half-wakeful thoughts of the evils afoot in the world today.  This is an update: it not only works, it works REALLY well.

The strategy originated in a casual comment from the leader of the Bethel movement, Bill Johnson.  In the midst of a sermon on something else, he remarked that when he is awake at night, he will go over in his mind scriptures that he has memorized.

I thought to myself, “I can do that,” and I was motivated because at that time, I was plagued by wakefulness on and off during the night hours.  Often I would lay half-awake for a half hour or more.  Anyone else identify with that?

Anyway, I dove into it.  I started off with the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd.  I shall not be in want….”  That helps my peace.   I branched off into Colossians 3:1-3 and Romans 12:1-2 to remind myself to guard my eyes and ears and to renew my mind.  I will add more going forward.

Today, more than 6 months later, I can tell you that this practice has brought about a revolution in my sleeping patterns.  I ALMOST NEVER lose sleep these days.   I typically fall asleep again after only a few seconds…...and I know that because when I awake, I sometimes remember where I left off in my meditation on this or that scripture.  If I have trouble, I just switch scriptures.  Boom.  Back to sleep.

AND, while I typically sleep within a minute or two of my head hitting the pillow, if I have trouble, I just start reciting my memorized scriptures, or think on the scriptures I read just before I put my head down.  

Here’s another thing: I learned that my brain has figured out a way to do this.  It’s almost as if the 23rd Psalm has a structure.  I can almost touch it.  I believe with practice, I could learn much longer sections.

One last thing: this is renewing my mind.  I am no longer wasting mind share on things that spin me up that I cannot change.  I am thinking more on things above.  I don’t ignore what is happening in the world; I spend a little time each day looking at current events locally, nationally and internationally.  But that’s not where I keep my mind.  It’s just not profitable for me or my family or my calling.

Do I recommend it?  Sure!  Not everyone wants to memorize scripture, of course.  I would think that favorite lines of peaceful poetry would also serve well.

How do you manage your thoughts in times of mid-night wakefulness?

Image by wisconsinpictures from Pixabay

Following Jesus: Benefits in this Life, Too

The point of the Jesus-following life has always been and will always be love: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  (Luke 10:27)

 

Jesus constantly demonstrated love, even for undervalued women and children as shown here.  
He is portrayed here by Jonathon Roumie in the brilliant and sensitive series, "The Chosen".
See below for information about how to watch the series free.

 

While love is the point, there are undeniable benefits of following Him. Jesus told us, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

 

And in the two thousand years since He walked the Earth, "more abundantly" has been the reality for Christians, and even society at large. Social science confirms it.

 

John Stonestreet and Kasey Leander wrote recently about this in a recent blog article, Is Religion the Opium of the People, or the Ladder?

 

The wrote, in part,  "Regular attendance at religious services consistently correlates with longer life spans, stronger immune systems, and lower blood pressure, as well as decreased anxiety, depression, and suicide. Kids raised in religious households have a lower incidence of drug addiction, delinquency, and incarceration. They’re more likely to graduate high school. In short, the nearly unanimous scientific consensus is that religious belief is good for you."

 

And if that wasn't enough, Jesus also said "for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

 

In short: the Jesus-following life = better life + better life after life!

 

 

[You can watch the series The Chosen for free.  You will be invited to "pay it forward," but there is no obligation.]