New Year's Eve Is Overrated

I am aware that many people realize that it is just another regular night. Nevertheless, many among us are stressing out about where they are going to go, what they are going to do, who they are going to see, (who will see them) what they are going to wear, how much they will drink; and the list goes on. I have one piece of advice in three parts:(1) Don't worry about anything (2) Relax and have fun (3) STAY SOBER. Please remember: New Year's Eve is overrated. I remember asking a woman many years ago, several days after the New Year holiday: "Did you get drunk?" She answered: "Are you kidding me? It was New Year's Eve!" I know, I know. Not everyone gets drunk at New Year's celebrations. However, New Year's celebrations are celebrations with too many unfulfilled expectatations and aspirations. Why? Because New Year's Eve is overrated. It is overrated because so many of us have, for decades, been "sold a bill of goods." I have one question for you: Don't you know how to have fun? New Year's Eve is just another night. If you must celebrate; then celebrate life. Don't be satisfied with celebrating just one night or one day. Celebrate every day and every night. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate. Celebrate with friends, food, refreshments (that don't kill your brain cells) conversation and games that stimulate. Watch some movies, sing some songs, recite some poetry. Don't be afraid. Alright; stay up late if you like. Go to a New Year's Eve service at a Church that preaches the love and power of Jesus Christ. Give God thanks for another year of blessings. If you think it is timorous or insipid; think again. The party or "package deal" you might be planning to attend, may be full of people trying really hard to impress others. They will be trying real hard to prove to you that they are witty, good looking, intelligent and avant-garde. Of course this can happen just about anywhere. Just please remember: a function that is motivated for profit, self-aggrandizement, and titillation is different than a function that is motivated by an attitude of gratitude. Happy New Year.

James Bain

Today, James Bain was released in Bartow, Florida after spending 35 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. ( a rape accusation) New DNA evidence exonerated him.
He was 19 years of age when sentenced. He is now 54 years of age. He says that he is not angry with anyone. "I'm not mad at anyone. I have God. He is the most important thing in my life." Those are his words. The world needs to know what he said. Why? Because it takes a miracle not to be angry if one spends 35 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Bain declares the source of that miracle and the peace that he has within him. It is God, and the world needs to know. The media, most likely, does not consider this newsworthy. But I sure do.

The Tiger Woods Scandal

Some of the things I say in this entry; you have probably heard before. Nevertheless, I am sure that these realities of life and their consequences tend to be based on expectations. I really do not want to drive this whole issue into the ground. Everyone has opinions. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone is tempted. But here lies the difference. Not everyone is the best golfer in the world. Not everyone has wealth and income that approaches one billion dollars. Not everyone is young, healthy, educated, talented, famous and wealthy. Everything of value obviously has a price. Privacy is something that we all value. Tiger Woods makes his living via the viewing public. Because of this, he has relinquished a certain amount of his privacy. How much he has relinquished is of major importance in this matter. He is a celebrity. This status comes with a cost. Most people do not care that Tiger woods had an affair. Nevertheless, the media has an agenda. The agenda consists of monetary profit. The media wants to "make us care." They have the power to attempt it. From another point of view: What does God say about adultery? "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Gen. 20:14) Does it make a difference what God says? Does it make a difference what the wife of Tiger Woods thinks about the situation? Does it make a difference what anybody else thinks? Why is it a scandal anyway?

Little Gangster (Part 10) The Confession

Jet felt a certain comfort and peace as he walked into the spacious living room. However, it did not allay his tension or feelings of guilt. He saw Tiffany's mom. He felt a respectful warmth inside of him. She approached him and gave him a big hug. Tiffany was upstairs; when she heard noise she came downstairs. Tiffany was a reserved, studious, conservative, quietly attractive young woman. But when she saw Jet; she screamed a scream of joy mixed with some other emotions. She cried. She broke Jet's heart. She loved him. He loved her. He was hurting inside. He had some very serious unfinished business to take care of. It wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. He started this way: "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Olson, please allow me to share some things with all of you that need to be shared. The first thing I want to say is I love you Tiffany. I love you with all of my heart. But I need to tell you something that really hurts. I have been seeing a young woman from East L.A. for about 4 weeks now and I don't want to see her anymore. I want to be with you. I don't want to see you just a couple times a month. But I am really concerned that I have probably seriously messed up our relationship. Please, please forgive me. I cannot begin to tell you how bad I feel." Tiffany was softly sobbing. She knew that her dedication to her studies and her pursuit of high academic achievement took up a great deal of her time. She knew that there were sacrifices to be made toward getting a high caliber education. She actually felt a certain amount of guilt for not spending enough time with Jet. obviously however, she was not pleased with the words she had just heard. She was astonished, angry, and hurt. She felt really betrayed. She was Jet's girlfriend. But it was kind of a strange relationship. Jet felt that if he did not see Tiffany too much that it would be a sign of respect. He missed the mark. It gave him too much extra time. Now, he was trying to pick up the pieces. He was actually trying to save the relationship. He was determined. He was driven. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving it a serious try.

If Laziness Could Talk

Wait a minute: Laziness can talk. It usually makes 10 statements:(1)I had something else in mind.(2) I don't want to be bothered with it.(3) I don't have time for that. (4) I don't want to be seen doing that. (5)Its' not my job. (6)Somebody else can do it. (7) Somebody else will do it.(8)I don't want to get sweaty/dirty. (9) It is just not my style to do that. (10) What if I mess something up?

Biblical Health Care

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8) I have absolutely nothing against the science of medicine. Nevertheless: how can I reject something that has worked for centuries for millions of people. As already stated: I have nothing against medical doctors and those who practice in that field and it's related technologies. I will just say this: Faith works. I have seen it work too many times to discount it. I know a man who passed away at the age of 106 years. He died a natural death. He was a healthy man for most of his life, and he did not go to doctors. I am a witness of the power of God. For Him; absolutely nothing is impossible. I know people who have been healed from serious diseases; including cancer and AIDS. No disease or health malady exists that God cannot heal. My own nephew was healed from blindness. Many people have been healed from alcoholism and/or drug addiction. What about depression? Is depression a disease? Let me put it this way: whether or not it is a disease is beside the point. It is simply something most people do not want to be experiencing. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehem.8:10) Simply stated: With God's help; a person can be joyful EVERY SINGLE DAY. It is available. That is just the way it is. Have faith in the promises of God. He is not a Liar. "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14,15) Go for it. Be healthy. It may not be part of Obama's health plan; but it certainly is part of God's health plan.

Abraham Lincoln's Most Famous Letter

On November 21, 1864; Abraham Lincoln wrote a letter to a widow named Lydia Bixby upon learning that she had lost 5 sons in the Civil War. The letter was published in the Boston Transcript on Nov. 25, 1864; the same day she received it. There has been a great deal of controversy over this letter. Some even say Lincoln did not write it.
I believe part of the controversy stems from the fact that in the letter he states his belief in God by stating: "I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement..." Many Lincoln scholars attempt to downplay, ignore or discredit Lincoln's faith in God. I, as a life long student of history, the American Civil War and the life of Lincoln; continue to be persuaded that Abraham Lincoln's faith in God and in God's Word has contributed greatly toward Lincoln being the greatest American President. Here is the letter:

"Dear Madam, I have been shown, in the files of the War Department, a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously in the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice on the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln."

"To Mrs. Bixby, Boston, Mass."