Wrapped in Tears, Heartache and Pain( tied with a Ribbon of Selfishness)

The mom looked tired and stressed. The little girl was probably three years old.. smiling and  laughing and talking and singing. Innocence and joy danced in her voice as she belted out the words," Away in a Manger". .. my wife and I were in the booth behind them...enjoying our meal and our serenade .. It was almost Christmas and our little friend in the neighboring booth was our early gift..  a gift that was wrapped in tears, and heartache, and pain... the bow was a ribbon of selfishness.. but for a moment, our little friend boldly and bravely cast off that ugly wrapping.. and shined the Light of a Christmas Star..

I saw the wrapping of selfishness and sadness from the start.. it was the aura that hovered over their booth like a fog... it was all around them.. .the mom was doing her best to encourage her little singing star..her affirmations were uttered between sobs and tears as she talked with the man that was with them. The conversation told me that he was NOT the little girl's Father. He was NOT the Step-Father.. He was the Boyfriend...the one who tied the bow..while the mom held her finger on the ribbon.

" I just want you to know. Mama said she is cooking and we can get there anytime we want.. I told her that you like to sleep late on Christmas Day.." as the mom spoke these words the little girl continued to sing...." No crib for a Bed".......

" mama just said we can't spend the night there together.. you know how mama feels about that..."

" the little Lord Jesus lay Down His sweet Head".....

I glanced at the boyfriend who sat there eating his food in silence....as if he were a million miles away... but he was there.. he was busy.. sharpening a sword...

" the Stars in the sky...." before the little girl could finish the line.. a cruel fist pounded the table.... the connected booths vibrated as the boyfriend's anger was felt by all of us... he looked at the little girl and barked," let me tell you what YOU are going to DO. you are gonna sit there and shut up... ".. the words that spewed forth were vulgar and angry.. Evil was speaking.. berating innocence .. inflicting eternal wounds upon an already scarred and aching heart..

the little girl quietly cried... a "whimper" was faintly heard from time to time as they finished their meal in silence... My wife and I finished our meal in silence .. we left the restaurant before they did... on the way home we prayed for a miracle for this "family"... NO.... really we did'nt...  ACTUALLY we prayed that a MIRACLE would occur... and that they would BECOME a FAMILY..


Christmas is about family.. it's about children... it's about giving and love and all the good things... ALL the "GOOD" that is found in the Story of God's Love for Mankind...When that LOVE finds a home in the heart of any man, woman, or child .the wrappings of tears , heartaches and pain are cast off... the tight ribbon of selfishness is broken... the shroud of death and darkness is discarded... and the LIGHT SHINES...


Shine His Light this Christmas. Pray for the Children.EVERYWHERE..!.

THE DEMOCRATS, C.S. LEWIS, and EPISTEMOLOGICAL SELF- CONCIOUSNESS.

" If you dip into any college,or school, or parish, or family- ANYTHING you like- at a given point in it's History, you will always find that there was a time before that point when there was more elbow room and contrasts weren't so sharp; and that there's going to be a time after that point when there was even less room for indecision and choices are even MORE MOMENTOUS, good is always getting better and bad is always getting worse, the possibilities of even apparent neutrality are always diminishing."

                                                                                                            C.S. Lewis-
                                                                                                        That Hideous Strength

Down here in the country we heard that the Democrats decided to take the word " GOD" out of their platform... and I also heard there is a CLEARER, STRONGER support for abortion.... The quote from C.S. Lewis explains WHY this happened... there WAS a time in the Democrat Party when there WAS "more elbow room"; " contrasts were'nt so sharp"..... there was a time when PRO-LIFE , orthodox Jews and theologically conservative Christians could pull up a chair at the Democrat Party .... and let their voices be heard... that TIME HAS PASSED.... there is " Less room for indecision", "choices are even more momentous" ,"the possibilities of even apparent neutrality " have disappeared... The VOICES of the extreme left are dominating.. they have shouted down the blue dogs, the yellow dogs, or what ever you want to call them... It is a cry thats loud and shrill..." Choose YE this DAY who Ye will SERVE"....

The Christian Apologist Cornelius Van Til insisted that as time marches on... People will begin to be epistemologically self concious.. They will begin to act on what they KNOW( or what they THINK THEY KNOW)... they will begin to live consistently with their presuppositions.Now I am just an old goat barn cleaner.. so I have to break these jaw breaking words down a little.. I did a little thinking... consulted Mr Webster... and the best I can tell... all that means is this:   PEOPLE WILL START LIVING AND ACTING ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY SAY BELIEVE.


The Democrats believe that " God" has NO PLACE in political life or in Government.... they acted according to what they believe... they "voted Him out"

The Democrats believe that the baby in the Mother's Womb is NOT a person... They acted according to what they believe... they voted to proclaim their total support for abortion...


The time for sitting on the fence is over for the Democrats, the" Half hearted ", the "moderates", the "blue dogs", "yellow dogs" ;all those who believe in absolute standards of morality and ethics must now march in lock step with those of the extreme left.. those who adhere to a philosophy of situational ethics and relativism. This is the "PLATFORM" they stand on.... this platform is built of such weak and frail material-. the dregs and remains of societies and cultures long since passed.; Societies and Cultures that were built on the shifting sand of relativism and a rebellion against a culture of Life...

The Democrats are living and acting according to what they SAY they believe...

what about US??? what about those of us who claim to believe in absolute standards of morality?? those of us who SAY we believe in a culture of life...

will WE have the courage to really LIVE OUT what we SAY we believe???

May we be so blessed, so bold, and courageous...

                                       

I know that JESUS loves the Little Children- but He wants ME to LOVE THEM TOO???.

Hey Ya'll.. its time again for some crumbs from the poor goat barn cleaners table. but let not your heart be troubled.. I love sharing...

can you believe that Summer is almost over and school will be starting soon??? It's been a great summer for Church Activities.. you know.. Vacation Bible School.. Mission Trips.. Maybe you got some letters from folks asking you to "partner with them in sharing the Gospel and building relationships".. Maybe you supported with your financial gifts and prayer.. what a Blessing.. The Lord will Bless that GIVING...

I always enjoy the thank you letters from friends that I have "partnered with".. Lots of times they will include photographs of the children they blessed with God's Love.. Sometimes... I want to send a letter back to them.. and say.." I want YOU to join me in sharing the Gospel and building relationships... not just for a few days for the summer.. but for year-round.. -enclosed are pictures of the children we will be working with.. I have enclosed YOUR CHURCH  PHOTO DIRECTORY- You recognize the children??? Yep... Thats right.. they are the children who run past you in the Church Lobby while you are talking to your friends... they are the CHILDREN OF YOUR CHURCH...and they NEED YOU and YOU NEED THEM...


In our Church, we baptize our little children- Other churches have "baby dedications" No matter what YOU do... ALL Faith communities PROFESS to be just that: a COMMUNITY... there is Privilege and Responsibility that is goes along with it...

when we baptize a child- the Minister asks the congregation if THEY will promise to assist the Parents in raising the child in the" nurture and admonition of the Lord"... Hmmmm..???. Now I am just a feeble minded Goat Barn Cleaner... but I think I can think of some ways to HONOR that VOW...

NURSERY( rocking chairs are fun... and reading books with BIG LETTERS and Pictures is EASY)

Sunday School- I really love the CREATIVE excuses that people give for NOT wanting to teach Children's Sunday School: I am too old, I don't have the gift of teaching, I really need to be in the Adult Sunday School.. blah blah.. ok.. I have heard ALL the Excuses for people NOT WANTING TO HELP OUT IN CHILDREN'S MINISTRY and as the YOUNG PEOPLE say, I am gonna break it down for ya brother.. here's what they REALLY MEAN:

      1.) I really enjoy arguing about Supralapsarianism for the 6789th time...it gives me chill bumps when I slap down a sub-lapper...

      2.) I have been reading lots of stuff from the confessions, Calvin, Luther.. the adults NEED me to enlighten them.. I am way above teaching children...

     3.) I  don't like being around children

     4.) I do'nt want to be around children(.. Yep... I think I found an itch.. so I will keep scratching)


      The SAD thing is... EVERYONE says AMEN.... everyone raises their Hand... and says they will help nurture the children in the Faith... there is NO ASTERISK in the Book of Church Order...

     The Saddest thing is... and this is a little secret.. psssttt. I ain't supposed to tell ya this.. but I will... IT's EASY to get folks to TEACH ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL... after all... lots of folks been studying greek and hebrew and Calvin and Luther... they can't wait to lay it on ya....


    But the children of your church run past you in the Hallway. you don't notice them.. you are busy talking with your friends., you are arguing about supralapsarianism for the 8765th time, or....
planning your mission trip to some other state... or some other country... to share the Gospel and build relationships.. with OTHER children....

  

NOT COUNTING STEPS( NOT LOOKING AT THE FLOOR)

My wife and I got bit... yep... it's true. It does no good to pretend it didn't happen.. We have been infected... we have a FEVER and the ONLY PRESCRIPTION is MORE...... DANCING...!! Yep.. we are now OFFICIALLY part of this sub-culture that at one time seemed so mysterious and frightening .. not "scary movie" kind of frightening... but  the " I could NEVER do THAT" kind of frightening...and THAT kind of FEAR is the WORST.... it held us back from so much JOY.. .. and I am going to tell you how it all started....( ok... now the picture gets blurry and wavy ... cuz I am going back in my mind to the past- stay with me on this....)

I am part of an Alumni group that started getting together for dancing and fun a few years ago... Maria and I have always LOVED dancing.. but we did'nt know how...and the GOOD thing is... THAT HAS NEVER STOPPED us from getting out on the floor.. My lovely Mexican Bride grew up with lots of music and dancing in her home.. FIESTA was a priority in her family.. so... She has always been ready to have a good time- FIESTA does a foxtrot in her heart every time she hears music.. no dance floor ever frightened her...

as for me....

I started performing when I was a teenager in rock bands, and  in local shows here in our little town. it did'nt bother to me to be on stage... and yes.. I was the resident Elvis impersonator..and ya know what that means... I was never afraid to move around and look  totally RIDICULOUS while in the spotlight.. I really was'nt afraid of a dance floor either...

So what was the FEAR....???


We were AFRAID of what it would take..... to LEARN HOW TO REALLY DANCE.... we had lots of EXCUSES.. here's a few of  'em... in no particular order:

              Excuse # 367- we do'nt have time- we work too much
              Excuse # 287- we are old
              Excuse# 78  -   we are old( yeah... that one kept popping up over and over)


the Excuse Recliner was kinda comfortable... it was safe... and it did'nt require a lot of effort to enjoy it... so there we sat... in our  His and Hers Excuse Recliners... every Friday and Saturday night.. TV remote and lap top on the Lamp Table... THEN... we met "THEM"....


The " THEM" was a group of  special Friends who are REAL DANCERS...many years ago they decided to be disciplined... to learn how to REALLY dance.. and because of that... They dance with REAL JOY- they do'nt have to look down at the floor, they do'nt have to count their steps... Joy and FREEDOM are in every Twirl and step.. Maria and I want that... and we are on our way...we are growing every week...

we have a long way to go in this pursuit.. but we are blessed ... sometimes... every so often.. that magic happens... and we don't have to count our steps... we don't have to look down...

and it's PURE JOY... and for that we are forever grateful to our Dancing Friends...

Cha Cha Cha....