Simplicity

First of all, to a certain degree this post is going to be contradictory.  Why? Because in explaining simplicity, I am making it complex.  What I really want to do is make this post one word: Simplicity.  Sometimes, though, an explanation is necessary.

The Christian life is simple.
The Christian life is not easy.

The Christian life has one purpose: spread the Gospel.
That's it.

We each have our own paths which Christ has given us.

For some, simplicity is living and teaching, poor as dirt.
For some, simplicity is living and teaching with many riches, but knowing the riches amount to nothing.
There are many paths besides this.

What does God have planned for you?

To pursue Him with...

Constant Joy

Continual Prayer

Persistent Gratitude

He will guide you from there.

Spread the Gospel.

Speak the truth.

Whether you live to 100 or die young, life is short.

Love life while you live in the midst of strife.  Someday, in eternity, there will be no more strife. Just joy.

Be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best in people.

Sometimes all people need is someone to say "I think you can do it".

God is judge.
You are not.

You are alive.
In Christ, you will be alive forever.

Praise be to God forever!

Protecting the Innocent

"There's too many shootings! Increase gun control!"
"There's too many shootings! Get guns out to the people!"
"Quit bring politics into something as terrible as a shooting!"

How many times have you heard these statements recently? A lot, right?

Regardless of what side you're on, you want to keep people safe.  Here's my thoughts.

When I say the people need to carry guns, I don't say this lightly. It's not for everyone. It's a serious business and involves a willingness to kill another human being if it is necessary.

However, my view is not political, though it could be taken this way.  I want those who are emotionally (and spiritually) able to be able to buy and carry guns in order to protect human life. The police are great, but they don't always come in time.  A well armed, well trained citizen sometimes is what it takes.

I am not a crazy gun nut. I just want to protect those I love and the innocent.

Imagine this:

Your best friend, brother or sister, mother or father, or anyone else close to you is at gunpoint.  You have a way to take out the gunman. Would you do it? It's not about the fact that yes, you may have to end human life.  Unfortunately, it is the consequence of their actions.  I'm not saying your answer should be yes.  That is up to each of us to decide.  As for me, IF I had a way, I would. It is the protecting of human life.

Again, I am not trying to be political. I just want you to understand this perspective.  It's not about power. It's not about politics. It's not even about killing.

It IS about protecting the innocent. Yes, God is the judge, but remember King David, he was a warrior and a man after God's own heart.

My heart breaks for the families of the children, teachers, and administration of the Connecticut shooting as well as the Colorado shooting back in the summer.  May God heal their hearts.

Beauty Veiled with Beauty

Anna Walls

A beautiful girl on the outside, a beautiful girl on the inside.

Because of this Beauty, I know that every second counts.

Pursue your dreams even when they’re against all odds.

Put your everything into the things you do.

Get excited about the little things.

Never, ever give up. Fight.

Know God is in control.

Work hard.

Love.

Anna Elizabeth Walls

November 29, 1993-November 15, 2012

We The People

I'm going to add to the choir of election talk. However, though I am conservative, I am going to try to keep my opinions out of this. I may fail, but I will try. Also, I am talking about average citizens here, not politicians.

So if you're tired of election talk, move along with your life. I understand!

If you are wondering what an opinionated person like me is going to write about without inserting my opinion... read on!

As with every 4 years, someone wins, someone loses. A little more than half the country cheers, and the other less than half pouts.

However, I wonder if a lot of people in this country, Democrat or Republican, actually want the same thing.  Maybe we're not SO different. Warning: I am about to make some generalizations here. If you don't fit in the category - don't take it personally.

Let's start with a big issue: abortion.

Of course, Republicans are typically pro-life, and Democrats typically pro-choice. Republicans scream at Democrats "You're baby killers!", and Democrats scream at Republicans "YOU don't try to control a woman's body!".  Pro-lifers want to save lives. I think, though, so do a lot of people pro-choice. If you HAD to pick between not getting pregnant and all and getting an abortion, I am sure most would say not get pregnant at all. Neither is going I WANT an abortion. Both want people to be able to have children and have them in family settings. Though we see it from two very different angles, don't we sort of want the same thing?

Another issue: healthcare.

Democrats want, for example, Obamacare. They want everyone to be able to get access to healthcare.
Republicans want everyone to be actively working, and be able to get Healthcare through their job.
BOTH want healthy people. Again, though we see things differently, are we so different?

Don't take this as me rationalizing on side or the other. I already said I'm conservative, so you can probably guess what I believe. What I am saying is WE THE PEOPLE are not all that different. WE THE PEOPLE are what make this country great. WE THE PEOPLE have a right to vote and speak our minds. As long as WE have that right and others, we are still living in the great, diverse, opinionated, and wonderful country of America.

~~~~ EDIT~~~~

If your candidate did lose as mine did...
http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/how-to-cope-if-your-candidate-lost-the-election :)

Fish are friends, not food.

Well, Betta fish aren't food.

Anyway, I got a fish! His name is Peanut.

Odd name? Maybe. I was riding back from the store with my friend Grace eating peanut m&m's and I said, "Hey! I'm gonna name him Peanut!" At first I thought it was silly, but it has stuck.

Nonetheless, here is a picture of my new friend!

A lot can happen in 116 years

1896. That's a long time ago, right? Well believe it or not there's still someone living who was born in that year: Mrs. Besse Cooper. She even lives in the state of Georgia. I approve.

I was looking at some posts about her on facebook and an article on msn.com and wondered how much has changed in her time here on earth. Let's explore together. (Also, I am getting all my facts from Wikipedia so if something seems wrong, that's why. If you want to see more go to en.wikipedia/wiki/[YEAR you want here])

In 1896...

The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens
John Philip Sousa composed "Stars and Stripes Forever"
William McKinley became President of the United States

In 1900...

New century
Hawaii became a U.S. Territory
Max Planck sparked the birth of Quantum Physics
Mr. Hershey introduced America to the wonderful Hershey's bar
Oscar Wilde, a popular writer, born

In 1914...

World War I began
Woodrow Wilson is President
Ford company continues to grow

In 1929...

Martin Luther King, Jr. born.

In 1930s...

Great Depression

In 1939...

World War II began
Manhattan Project goes underway
Batman appears in a comic book

In 1948...

Israel becomes its own country
Harry S. Truman becomes President

In 1954...

Civil Rights Movement begins to stir in the United States
Dwight D. Eisenhower is President
The first Burger King opens

In 1963...

Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his famous "I Have a Dream" speech

I'm going to stop here with the dates cause I think you get the point and I'm frankly tired of looking them up. At least I'm honest, right?
You get the idea. Women get rights. Colored people get rights. We go through many technological changes that I am sure I don't have to remind you of: computers, CD players, mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, etc. In addition, more tragedy has come upon us such as 9/11 and Katrina.

This woman has lived to see all that - the good and the bad.

Today is August 28th, 2012. 116 years from today is August 28th, 2128.

Imagine a child born today. Say they live 116 years and 8/28/2128 the world is celebrating their birthday. Imagine what changes and what all that person would have seen: good and bad. What are you doing to do to affect what that person knows and remembers when they are 116? How are you going to affect the world?

Oh, and Happy Birthday Miss Cooper.

Ready, Aim, Fire

Sin.

What does this word bring to mind for you? Going against what God wants? Doing something wrong? Or maybe the term seems antiquated and irrelevant.

In the original Greek the word sin means, "to miss the mark".

This past semester I took an archery class.  For those that don't know, I have horrible hand eye coordination.  The class was fun, but quite a challenge. It took weeks for me to actually hit the target! I tried and tried and tried. One thing I had to learn was how to aim. You hear people say "Ready, Aim, Fire", but sometimes when I shot it was more like "Ready, Fire, Aim"! Oh wait... Maybe I should aim BEFORE I fire...

Through the course of the class I did learn to aim and how to be in control of what I was doing. Am I a perfect shot? No. Not by any means. But I did make an A in the class.

Our life as a Christian is kind of the same way. We keep trying and trying to do the right thing, however, we keep missing the goal. The good news is the problem of sin is already taken care of. Jesus already died for my sins and yours and thank goodness he did! We, though, must keep in mind what Paul says in Romans, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (6:1-2 ESV). 


So what does that mean? What are we to do? Simply live. Don't allow yourself to be bogged down by sin because Christ has freed you from it! Keep standing your ground and be ready to shoot. Sometimes, yes, you will miss.  However, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.  So simply be the person God called you to be. Make sure to be ready and aim before you shoot. You are bound to miss if you don't keep that in mind.


So?


Ready.


Aim.


FIRE.