The nightmare before Christmas

America will be ours!

I was getting ready for bed for last night and was feeling very worried and afraid, after finding out that our Christmas Eve has turned into tyranny eve with the passing of the health care bill. I went to read my Bible as I do every night before I go to sleep, and I had intended on reading Luke's account of Christ birth but instead found myself reading the Psalms and found myself comforted and reminded that fear and worry is a sin and I serve a God who is sovereign over all creation, over all events and history, he is the God who holds the Kings heart in his hand and I don't need to fear man or what man can do to me.

Psalms 11:1 In the Lord put I my trust, how say ye then to my soul, flee to your mountain as a bird

PSALMS 10

Why standeth thou far off, Oh Lord and hidest thee in due time, even in affliction.

The wicked with pride doth persecute the poor, let them be taken in the crafts that they have imagined.

Fo the wicked hath made boast of his own hearts desire, and the covetous blesseth himself, he contemneth the Lord.

The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God, for he thinketh always there is no God.

His ways always prosper, thy judgments are high above his sight, therefore defieth he all his enemies.

He saith in his heart, I shall never be moved, nor be in danger.

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit, and fraud, under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

He lieth in wait in the villages, in the secret places doth he murder the innocent, his eyes are bent against the poor.

His lieth in wait secretly, even as a lion in his den, he lieth in wait to spoil the poor, he doth spoil the poor when he draweth him into his net.

He croucheth and boweth, therefor heaps of the poor do fall by his might.

He hath said in his heart, God has forgotten, he hideth away his face and will never see.

Arise O Lord God, lift up thine hand, forget not the poor.

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He saith in his heart, thou wilt not reguard.

Yet thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and wrong, that thou mayest take it into thine hands. The poor commiteth himself unto thee for thou art the helper of the fatherless.

Breaketh thou the arm of the wicked and malicious, search his wickedness and thou shalt find none.

The Lord is King forever and ever, the heathen are destroyed forth of his land.

Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poor, thou prepares their heart, thou bendest thine ear to them.

To judge the fatherless and poor, that earthly man cause to fear no more.

Twilight book review

There is a sensation going on right now with the young ladies around me. They are waiting in excited anticipation for the new Twilight film "New Moon" To come out in theaters today. Most of these young ladies are professing Christians.

I can remember last year when the first film in the series Twilight came out. The local schools around us were showing the films, vampire balls were planned. Some of the parents were very concerned about the message in this vampire love story, other parents joined along side their children with enthusiasm for the books and films.

With the permission of my father I have read all four books in the series and watched the first film. I read these books to review them, to be able to talk intelligently with the young ladies in my church about my concerns with them spending their time being discipled by the problematic doctrine of these books and the films. Just a little disclaimer, I do not recommend these books for reading to anyone.

There were several redeeming qualities and sound messages throughout the first novel, we find Edward Bella's Vampire boyfriend giving up want he really wants, which is to kill Bella and suck her blood, to save Bella's life. We see a functioning family in the Cullen's lead by the Patriarch Carlisle, in contrast to Bella's dysfunctional family. I won't spend a lot of time talking about the first book, you can read more about it in my review on the Movie and I recommend reading that first by way of introduction to this review. The first book is a hook to attach the reader to the characters, especially that of Edward, naturally creating the desire to read the remaining three books, I know it did with me, the first book was compelling and unique. The unselfish hero we find in Edward is rarely found in even Christian fiction, and is even harder to find in real life. Edward's sacrifice for Bella is the sort of heart that all woman desire in a man.

Unfortunately the positive elements that are within the first book are non existent in the following three books, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. All the character growth that Edward made (Bella makes no character growth throughout the entire series) seems to have disappeared and the underlining theme in New Moon seems to be living according to selfishness.

Broken families are portrayed as normal; Bella comes from a broken home, her parents divorced when Bella was an infant. Her mother left Charlie (Bella's father) because she was afraid to settle down, to be trapped in a small town. The relationship between Bella and her father is typical of the modern relationship between parents and teenagers. Bella is disrespectful, dishonoring and disobedient. There are several instances throughout the books where she deliberately disobeyed her father, at times to his face, and other times through deception. Bella's father is pictured as controlling, indifferent, and stupid. He is concerned that Bella is not acting like a normal healthy teenager. However his definition of normal seems to be the immature character that modern day teenagers are known for in our culture. Why would a parent not want to push their child beyond that into maturity? In one scene in the book Bella threatens her father, giving him ultimatums; the roles are reversed as she is acting like the typical screaming ineffective modern parent. While Charlie ends up slamming the door leaving the room, acting like a teenager. "I can't help myself when he gets all bossy like that my natural teenage instincts over power me." Bella says in one scene of conflict between her and her father in the books.

Bella is portrayed as the wise child. The child that raised her mother, she was the adult in the home. Yet her constant blatant disregard for her father's instructions shows a lack of maturity and down right evil in the eyes of God. From the very first pages of the first book we discover that Bella has little to no respect for either of her parents, and this attitude toward her parents remains throughout all four of the books, little to know growth is seen in this area, and her disrespectful behavior is never addressed or condemned. In one scene in the book she makes a comment about never putting much effort into Charlie's dinner. This is one small example of an area where she has an opportunity to honor and bless her father, but instead she reacts with dishonor. Edward's family on the other hand I found myself admiring. Carlisle is very clearly the head of the household, the family functions. The "children" obey Carlisle, they respected him, they speak highly of him, and find ways to honor him. They are a family that holds together and pulls closer in times of crisis.

A message that is hinted at a couple times in the book is that the end justifies the means. One example of this is when Alice commits grand theft auto because she and Bella need a car when they arrive in Europe to save Edward's life, yet the lesser of two evils is still evil.

The loss of human life is regarded flippantly, and unless it is a person with which there is an emotional attachment, then that person's life is regarded as not worth the risk of saving.

These books are based on twenty first century teenage relationship, so it plays out like one. Because of Edward's overwhelming desire to drain Bella's blood, physical contact is limited between Bella and Edward in the beginning. However once they begin to get slightly physical, there is a lot of touching and some passionate kissing, Meyers spares us no detail as she describe these scenes, it often to the point of overwriting. I was wary as to what to expect when the couple became sexually intimate. To Meyers' credit she was very tasteful in describing these scenes. There are no details, and to her credit Edward and Bella are virgins on their wedding night. The books however most definitely do not give and abstinence till marriage message. One of the biggest reason's Edward and Bella wait is because Edward is afraid he will lose control and hurt Bella, because his physical strength is so much greater than hers, he wants to wait till Bella is changed into a vampire. In the third book Bella manipulates Edward into agree to have sex with her before she is changed into a vampire. In this chapter in the book we find out that Edward is still a virgin, at almost a hundred years old he was human in a time when young men and woman were still honorable and waited until they were married to be intimate. He admits that he has broken every other one of the Ten Commandments. Edward is convinced that he is going to hell and he is convinced that Bella is going to heaven and he does not want to mess that up for her. Bella grudgingly agrees to wait till after they are married, but is still insistent that they have sex before she is transformed into vampire. It is made clear that she has no qualms about having sex with Edward before they are married; she is only waiting because Edward because Edward refuses otherwise.

In the second book a Romeo and Juliet story seems to take place, and the theme of the New Moon seems to be selfishness. Bella is devastated when Edward leaves her; she spends her days in self destructive behavior, wallowing in self pity. Through a series of events Edward ends up believing that Bella has killed herself. He then sets out on journey of self destruction, as he travels to the Voltaire to ask them to end his vampire existence. (Commit suicide vampire style)

I have heard comments on the terrible writing abilities of Meyers. No she is not the best novelist, her grammar is poor, (but then who am I to judge that :grin:) My point is this review is not to pick on Meyers writing ability, but to point out the dangerous messages that these books are sending young ladies. Whether Meyers novelist ability is poor or superior her books have created a world wide stir and have world wide influence.

I have heard the comments about the "occult message" within these books, I assume because vampires are involved. While the vampire angle to the story creates interesting plot points, these books are more of a walk through the emotional world of a modern day teenager rather than a tutorial in the occult. I think however that the messages that these books carry for young ladies is just as dangerous if not more so than any imagined occult. Another concern that I have heard with these books is the obsessive behavior and relationships. This is absolutely a valid and correct concern. When Edward leaves Bella in the second book she complete shuts down, she cannot function, she is as a living dead person. She then tries to create adrenaline rushes to hear Edward's voice inside her head. When Edward believes that she is dead he tries to kill himself. Edward and Bella's world seems to be all inclusive only to themselves, and while Edward seems concerned with Bella and how to make her happy and what is best for her. Bella seems only to care for how Edward makes her feel; her relationship with Edward is based on what she can get out of it and the emotional needs that Edward fulfills in her. I read the books online so I was able to read the comments left by previous readers.

One reader says this.

"This chapter was beautiful; this is every girls dream, even if they deny it. We all want a romantic man who puts his love before himself, we all want a relationship based on emotions and passions, I again say this chapter is beautiful."

The chapter the reader is referring to was the most conflicting chapter in the entire series. This is the chapter that Bella tries to manipulate Edward into sleeping with her. This message is one of the two most dangerous messages and is the main theme that this entire series is created around, relationships are based on emotion. Emotions are fleeting, they are fickle, and they are wrong more often then they are right. Proverbs tells us that our hearts are wicked and deceitful above all else. So why would we trust our emotions and follow after them. Passions pass away, it does not last. Any relationship based upon emotion and passion will not last. Instead the Biblical relationship is based upon commitment, and covenant. These things are solid and firm when our emotions decide to take a different course. Ask any woman, or girl including myself. Our emotions are crazy, one minute we love someone the next we hate them for some stupid reason. No one should ever enter into a marriage because we are emotionally attached to the person; marriage should never happen for emotional satisfaction. If we cannot be satisfied in Christ than nothing and no man will ever satisfy us. Yet these books tell us that a relationship with between a man and woman can be all satisfying, can fulfill all of our needs, and if we cannot have this than life is not worth living. This is the great deception.

These books give the message that what we feel is always right, that we can trust our emotions as infallible, and if we follow after our emotions we can commit any heinous sin because emotional satisfaction is the lord and ruler of our lives. Bella and Edward obsession with each other is so complete that they cannot function without each other, they are lost without each other and they cannot live without each other. In the life of the regenerate there is nothing in our lives, not even our family or our spouses that we should not be able to function without, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Edward and Bella have set each other up in their own hearts as idols and gods.

One of the great allures to Bella in become a vampire is the fact that she would be immortal and incredibly beautiful. She is obsessed with being perfect physically and forever young in the perfect bodily form. Young ladies myself included live in a world that is obsessed about physical perfection, and is constantly pushing this message on us, making us feel ugly and worthless, to fat, to thin, our hair is to strait, to curly, we are to short, to tall. Expensive products that promise to be the cure are constantly pushed on us. But so far no one has tried to sell me vampire venom though (grin:).

In the fourth and final book Bella is transformed into a vampire, however coming to this point was one of the main conflicts throughout the entire series. Apparently Edward's problem with Bella becoming a vampire is his belief that when transformed vampires lose their soul and are eternally damned. Edward cares too much for Bella to wish this life on her; he doesn't want her to lose her soul. The theology I think is assumed throughout the books that good people go to heaven, which we know is not the case. Only those redeemed and regenerated by the Lord Jesus Christ go to heaven, we know that it is not by works but by faith. This aside Bella could care less about her soul; she sees it as a moot point, that to be with Edward forever is worth the loss of her soul. No affection for any young man is worth my soul, nothing, absolutely nothing in this life is worth losing my soul over, especially an emotional attachment for a young man.

When I read a fiction book there is always a certain character that I subconsciously pick out and become in my mind, I am sure that not everyone reads this way, but I am also sure that there are many that do. Who is the character that as a young lady I find fascinating, it is Edward. (I completely understand where every young lady is coming from in their fascination with these novels, Edward is a man's man. He is a leader; he is willing to giving up his life and desires for Bella, he is constantly worried about what she needs and fulfilling those needs. His is strong and perfectly handsome with superhero strength and abilities. What's not to love right? I must point out he is by no means perfect, often given to anger, his unwillingness to fight for Bella against Jake's advances irritate me to no end.) Naturally I become Bella in my mind because subconsciously that is my way to interact with Edward, to have Edward, to obsess over Edward. One reader of the Twilight series made this comment.

"The other characters I have to admit are fantastic, but Bella is the epitome of the most pathetic female I have ever met in my life."

I agree with this reader, this is what I become when I read these books and my mind takes on Bella as my character, I become pathetic, obsessed, sinful, my mind goes places that I are wicked, thoughts cross my mind that should be taken captive immediately. Fiction allows me to escape and to become part of that world of fiction.

There is a very dangerous anti-marriage message in these books.

"Boyfriend… it wasn't the right word, not at all, I needed something more expressive of eternal." -Bella

At the end of the second book Edward asks Bella to marry him, Bella reacts by freaking out, Bella makes the above comment at the beginning of the first third novel just after she rejected Edward's marriage proposal. Bella wants something more expressive of eternal, husband sounds like the word she was looking for to me but marriage is something that Bella doesn't want to touch with a ten foot pole. Bella is absolutely appalled at the idea of marriage, a belief that her mother nurtured in her from a young age. Bella makes it clear that her culture and world feel the same way about marriage as she does, and she is convinced that her family and friends would be appalled at finding out she was to become a vampire rather than a wife. Bella desperately wants to be part of the Cullen family, but not as Edward's wife. She wants to spend forever with Edward, but not as his wife. One could argue what is the difference, the difference is that one is according to God's law, and the other is man's pursuit at being is own god and law and rejecting God's law. Bella finally very grudgingly agrees to marry Edward, and uses his desire to marry her as a tool to manipulate him into giving her sex before she is transformed into a vampire.

The problem with the twilight series is not the fact that there are vampires or massive amounts of occult, but the many other themes and beliefs that are pushed and emphasized and approved and passed over as natural and the way things ought to be.

While there are some good themes and messages in the Twilight series, there are a million more horrifying and wicked messages and themes. To some up, disobedience and disrespect to parents is expected and natural, relationships should be based on emotion, and emotion is the king and ruler of our lives, marriage is wrong, the modern teen dating relationship is right, manipulations and selfishness is required to make any relationship work, obsession is natural and healthy, only to name a few.

The good does not outweigh the bad and the good themes and messages in these book a are not something that a young lady could not learn somewhere else without having to fish through mud and mire to find them. These books are not worth the read and I would advice all young ladies and parents to keep these books away, far away. I personally had a hard time putting the books down, and keeping myself from getting sucked into the story rather than only reviewing it. When we let ourselves be blindly entertained and shut our minds down we are the perfect disciple to subtly subconsciously suck in the dangerous messages in these books and allow them to influence our worldview. I am certainly not the epitome of the mature Christian young woman, but I am more mature than the average teenager and young woman who are reading these books. I base my convictions on the word of God and I want to able to give a Biblical foundation for everything that I believe, while I cannot do this with everything I am in the process of examine what I believe and judging it against scripture, what I see in these books goes against God's law word. The average teenager believes what they believe because they were told to believe it, they do not have a scriptural foundation, it is not ingrained on their hearts they cannot back their convictions on scripture so why not allow their minds to suck in the messages in these books. They don't know it goes against the word of God because they don't know what the word of God says. To be entertained is not worth the damage to our souls and minds, lets not make the same mistake as Bella, leave Twilight on the bookshelf to stay, or better yet, remove it from your bookshelf altogether. It is that time of year when we will be lighting our fireplaces and wood stoves, I hear paper makes good kindling.

i

The Right Question

I'm to stupid to figure out how to post a video on my blog so here is the link to a clip from a Voddie Bauchum sermon on you tube as he answers the Question "If God is so powerful and good why do bad things happen"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1yv4J6ohE&feature=player_embedded

I knew that I was right…but it turned out I was wrong

I lost my temper today, and felt perfectly justified in doing it. But after a long run and walk I finally got emotions under control and realized though I was probably wronged I didn't have the right to lose my temper. Of course that meant I had to apologize, sigh, something I don't think anyone is good at. I know for me it means swallowing my pride and admitting I was wrong. Of course who in their right mind would want to admit they were wrong. Certainly not me, and to know it myself is one thing. But to admit to the other person involved is quite the other.

But what do I do when this type of situation comes up again, one of those circumstances when I just absolutely know that I am right and am the one being wronged, that I am being treated with injustice and unfairly.

Hopefully I've learned for the next time not to answer until I've allowed my temper to cool down a little bit, for me something physical like running is helpful. There is something about the physical pain of muscles screaming and concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other that gives me time to forget what I am so mad about, or to think things through and come to a conclusion in a rational state of mind.

A soft answer putteth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Yeah I guess I failed that one this time. Instead I used angry scornful words, and after just listening to a sermon on scorn and mockery…sigh. It wasn't even so much that what I said was wrong, but the spirit and attitude that was behind it.

While I do think there is a time when it may be appropriate for us to get angry, but not lose our tempers. I think the only justification that I can see from scripture is matters of God's principles, not my prideful feelings hurt. Even if falsely accused.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty man, and he that ruleth his own mind is better than he that winneth a city. Proverbs 16:32

An angry man stirreth up strife, but he that is slow to wrath appeaseth strife Proverbs 15:18

He that is hasty to anger commiteth folly Proverbs 14:17a

It is amazing what a little bit of self control can do, how many hurtful words would not have been said, how many angry feelings would have been checked and examined for what they are, sin. Once the damage is done it's hard to repair, and if I would just control my tongue and temper I could avoid ever having to apologizing. Did I mention I don't like to apologize?

Please excuse me while I go apologize.

A pastor

October is pastor appreciation month, and as a Pastor's daughter let me encourage you to encourage your pastors and let them know that you appreciate them. Your prayer and gifts and words and gestures of gratefulness are such and encouragement to your pastor. As someone who is in the know on what goes on inside a pastor's home, head and heart, it is a hard life to live, and all the more harder when you feel unappreciated or worse. Of course no pastor is perfect but then neither is any congregation. My father is not perfect but as his daughter that does not make void the fact that God in his word requires me to honor him regardless. So let me step up to the plate and say to the world dad I appreciate you as my father and my pastor. You are incredibly slow to anger and patient. I have never met a more selfless man that you. I don't know how you do it, but it amazes me. So here is to your honor dad…love you.

Who is this man on his knees

Seemingly small and humble

Trying his best his Father to please

While he hears the people grumble

Who is this man who for years

Has wearily tried to change

The people through his Father's tears

In a place unfamiliar and strange

Who is this man the truth he's spoken

A soldier prepared to fight

A fire inside his bosom has woken

Shining a radiant light

Who is this man worried with care

Wounded a broken apart

He's always tried to give and share

The vision buried within his heart

Who is this man tired and tried

He has risen on eagles wings

He's rested in peace by heaven guide

And now in the fire he sings

Who is this man brave and strong

But not in his own power

He runs the race though it is long

Looking forward to life final hour

Who is this man leading the sheep

Harvesting ripe golden fields

Gathering all for his Father's keep

Teaching other to love and to yield

Who is this man on abyss of hell

Pleading the case for you

He says in his soul all is well

When it seems that his dreams are through

Who is this man showing the way

Willing to faithfully run

Hear a voice from heaven say

I am well pleased with my son

Who is this man willing to stand

To push against the tide

He's lead by an invisible hand

The Spirit of God is his guide

Who is this man who is never alone

A warrior reaching for the prize

Chosen to be his father's own

Beautiful in his Father's eyes

~melody varney~

The maid to my mind

I found this poem in a Ladies magazine I have from 1776, enjoy!

I'm a youth in my mind and if people say true

Have virtue sufficient good manners my due

Content in my station, such graces combined

Might sure render happy, the maid to my mind

If my choice should be granted, I freely confess

I ne'er could like one who's a slave to her dress

Though pleasing her beauty, her whit unrefined

Would prevent her from being the maid to my mind

Nor she that doth practice the patch and the paint

Whose heart is deceit though she looks like a saint

If ever so rich, since to nature unkind

I never would choose her for the maid to my mind

Above all the fair sex my contempt would set

On her who is surely a finished coquette

For as pride and conceit keep fair virtue confined

She could never please me as the maid to my mind

Then to banter no longer, but to end your suspense

I like one of prudence, good nature and sense

And coy to a fop to sincerity kind

In peace then I'd live with the maid to my mind

Her age and the size in her person should be

In neither superior, but equal to me

Her dress not to rich, yet to neatness inclined

The this and no others the maid to my mind

Her shape should be handsome and graceful her air

So charming her features both lovely and fair

With these a fair portion by fortune entwined

Would make her completely the maid to my mind

Sound heaven but attend to my prayer and request

To make her my wife I should be so blessed

That the world might see hence that I never once repined

At choosing for life the fair maid to my mind

Twilight, a movie review

The book series Twilight by Stephanie Meyers has become a sensation for the majority of the teen girls in our church. I haven't heard much of anything good about these books about vampires, but it all seemed to be based upon speculation.

I asked my father's permission to read the books to review them in hopes that I could engage the young ladies in church in conversation about the danger of certain things we take into our bosom to entertain ourselves.

I borrowed the movie from the library this week.

The plot

For those unfamiliar with the film, The story is of Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks Washington to live with her dad, the rainiest cloudiest place in the entire United States. What she anticipates as a terrible move turns out to not be so bad and in fact wonderful from the first time she sets eyes on Edward Cullen. The problem is that Edward from the beginning seems to hate her.

Bella soon finds out that this is due to the fact that Edward is a Vampire, and although he is attracted to her, his attraction manifest itself in an intense desire to eat her.

The two fall into an emotional infatuation, (I wouldn't call it love especially on Bella side). A tracker vampire makes Bella the object of his pursuit that Edward and adopted family of Vampires band to save her.

In the climax of the film Bella is bit by this vampire and Edward must make a choice between allowing the poison to turn Bella into a vampire or sucking it back out. Although he wants to stop the poisons course he is afraid that if he starts to suck the poison out of her blood he won't be able to stop. He makes the choice to stop the poison and resist the temptation to kill Bella and instead saves her life.

The Bad stuff

First off let me say that Bella is an idiot and no one for young ladies to admire or fashion themselves after. From the moment she sets eyes on Edward she thinks she is captivated and obsessed by him, even though she doesn't know him at all, and then even when he snub her in absolute rudeness. She does not take every thought captive as the Lord commands us, she does not guard her heart but instead follows after it blindly, which the Lord warns us is wicked and deceitful above all else.

When she finds out that Edward is a vampire, it doesn't change the way she feels about him.

Edward confesses that everything about him is designed to kill, but Bella says she doesn't care. He confesses that he has killed people before, and once again Bella says it doesn't matter.

"I wanted to kill you, I've never wanted a humans blood so much in my life." Edward says.

"I trust you." Bella says.

WHAT!!?? I would be running for the nearest gun, and she says she trusts him. This trust seems to be based on the beauty of his face, the sweetness of his voice, and raging hormonal surge that he is sending coursing through her body. Like I said, she is an idiot.

The entire feel of the movie is sensual to me from the music to frequent an long scenes where Edward and Bella are basking in each others presence silently with music in the background that encourages the sensuality. From the beginning the looks that Bella gives Edward suggest she is desperate to rip her clothes off and crawl in bed with him.

There is a scene where Edward and Bella are kissing and groping in bed, but Edward puts a stop to it, not because he has a sense of abstinence, but because it increases his desire to eat her.

And of course the movie has to end with the Hollywood kiss.

Bella's father encourages her juvenile behavior with her friends. Bella deceives her father and hurts him, when she should be confiding in him and going to him for protection.

Edward want to formally introduce himself to Bella's father, and informs him that he is taking her out, there is no permission asked.

Edward casually jokes that he is going to hell.

The Good stuff

Now I must confess that I understand why girls love this film and the book. Edward despite the fact that he want to suck Bella's blood is a gentleman. He opens doors for her, helps her with her jacket, saves her life and ultimately gives up what he really wants (which is to eat her) and faces his greatest fear and selflessly saves her life. This climatic scene is what I am sure every sat waiting for in the theaters, and why because this is what we want in a man. Girls are tired of the superficial, selfish, and weak men that our culture has encouraged and eagerly assisted in making. Here we are presented with a real man, and it stirs a desire inside a girls heart if she is not careful to guard it.

Not only are we presented with a an example of this gentleman, (sort of) in Edward, but in Edward's adopted father, Carlisle. Carlisle is quite obviously the leader of his family. He commands his family with authority, ease, and respect. When Bella's life is endangered he is the one who thinks clearly and directs the family as to how to keep Bella safe and stop her pursuer.

Despite the Cullen's nature as Vampires to kill and eat humans, they resist this temptation and are a family of vegetarian Vampires, eating only animals blood. A parallel can be seen between this and our sinful human natures.

My conclusion

The film ends with Edward being the hero, and Bella's not growing any wiser, ever the idiot resenting the fact that Edward didn't allow the poison to take its course and turn her into vampire

And of course the film concludes with every American girls dream ending to their perfect love story, no they didn't get married and live happily ever after with a quiver full of children. No they go to the prom and kiss in the gazebo.

This film is one of those movies that you hate but you love. A film that you would love, but should feel guilty about watching. Why? Because there are good points and themes in the movie, but they are surrounded by a thousand bad aesthetics and messages.

What we take into our hearts to entertain ourselves reflects what we truly love, so dear ladies please let us be careful and avoid things that allow our mind to linger where it shouldn't go and condone things that we know are wrong. Just because it it classified as entertainment doesn't make it ok.

Multigenerational consequences

I was listening to a sermon about the sin of David and Bathsheba that got me thinking about multigenerational consequences.
David's sin did not only effect himself, and not even those immediately surrounding him. His sin affected his future generation and those that were not in any way involved. The prophet Nathan comes to David and lays before him the consequences of his sin.

Wherefore has thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thous hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and thou hast taken his wife to be your wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house, because thou hast despised me, and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus said the Lord, behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and will take thy wives and give them unto they neighbor and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of his sin. Thou thou diddest it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.
Then David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. Howbeit because by this dead thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born unto thee shall surely die.
1 Samuel 12:9-14

No sooner we find in the next chapter that David son has raped his daughter and another of his sons kills this son, then tries to take over David's kingdom, lies with David's wives before all of Israel and eventually loses his life.

Another excellent example of multigenerational consequences is Abraham. Abraham impatient for the Lord's promise decides the Lord needs a little help and take Sarah's maid and conceives a child through her. The child that comes out of this relation is Ishmael, the father of a large group of Muslims, whom we are still waring against several thousands of years later.

Yet another example and the most devastating of them all is that of Adam. Because of his sin, the entire race of man kind has fallen into sin.

I think often times we don't (I know I don't) consider or realize the consequences of our sin. There tends to be this mind set among Christian today that we can just ask the Lord to forgive us and he will. And yes this is true if we repent he will forgive us, but there will still be consequences to our sin.
Maybe we will never live to see the consiquences, but will be that selfish, as to have our children, and our children's children suffer from our mistakes.

A violation of any magnitude great or small can produce large consequences for generations and possibly centuries to come.

A Thank you to my Aunt

I am anxiously awaiting my Uncle and Aunt along with my two little cousins from Maine to come and visit this week.
When my Aunt was first married, several years ago, I can remember my very feminist attitude toward her and the sort of relationship she had with her husband.
Family members could comment to me on the way she did whatever my Uncle wanted her to, that she never stuck up for herself. I can remember my foolish comments that if I were her I would tell him right where to shove it.
Oh the foolishness of my feminist ways then. Now I can look at the relationship of my Aunt and Uncle and find something to greatly admire.
I cannot recall ever hearing my Aunt complain about my Uncle, she supports his mission and comes along side him in his mission. She is very supportive of his music band that my Uncle is a part of. I have never heard her complain about the long hours that it takes my Uncle away from her and their children.
rarely if ever have I heard her raise her voice toward my Uncle. She joyfully submits to him.
I am so blessed to have them as part of my life as an example to me the roles of husband and wife as God ordained them to be in his Holy Word.
Only a couple of short weeks ago I had a wonderful phone conversation with my Aunt about the family, the church and culture today. It was so encouraging to talk to someone who shared my beliefs on the subject.
So I want to say thank you Aunt Martha for the example that you are setting not only for me, but for your daughters and future generations. I hope your children someday rise up to call you blessed.

In loving memory of Twika

Jan 2007- Aug 24th 2009

John Wesley on education

“Let it be remembered, that I do not speak to the wild, giddy, thoughtless world, but to those that fear God. I ask, then, for what end do you send you children to school? “Why, that they may be fit to live in the world.” In which world do you mean, — this or the next? Perhaps you thought of this world only; and had forgot that there is a world to come; yea, and one that will last for ever! Pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes. Otherwise, to send them to school (permit me to speak plainly) is little better than sending them to the devil. At all events, then, send your boys, if you have any concern for their souls, not to any of the large public schools, (for they are nurseries of all manner of wickedness,) but private school, kept by some pious man, who endeavours to instruct a small number of children in religion and learning together.” ~John Wesley

Read the full article at Voddie Buacham ministries web site by clicking on Wesley's name

Happy Birthday Daddy

Happy Birthday to my wonderful father who the Lord sovereignly chose for me

Learning to love where I am at

at twenty three years of age it can be easy to find myself daydreaming about Mr. Right, and finding myself brooding over the fact that it is taking him to long to find me. But I am learning to love where I find myself right now.
As a wise woman in her elderly years once told me, "You will be married many more years than you will be single."
I am learning truly what a blessing singleness is, and when I stop to let myself contemplate it I truly enjoy being single. However it needs to be more than a time of enjoyment, more then a time to go wild, and have fun, and enjoy and pursue independence before the ball and chain of marriage is tied around my neck.
My single years need to be a time of industry, and learning. When I am married, the time will not be there to study theology and history the way I am able right now. Right now is the perfect time to read a plethora of books, to learn Russian and sign language, to spend hours in the saddle improving my riding skills, to write, and a whole slew of other things.
While I do desire to marry someday and I desire to have children, I am not going to pine away at it, I am not going to panic that Mr. Right will never find me hidden in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Instead I will redeem the time because the days are evil. I will love the station in life that the Lord had placed me in here and now, and I know that if I should ever marry that the way I spent my time in these single years has helped to prepare me for marriage, to be an asset to my husbands estate, to train our children, and so much more.
So young ladies please don't spend your single years in mini pretend marriages in dating relationships, or daydreaming about that Mr. Right, planning every detail or your wedding as we tend to do.
Instead I think it is more prudent of the Christian young lady to prepare for her marriage, not her wedding, by using this time to study God's word, and to develop skills.

John Hancock on Independence

Let us convince our enemies that as we are entered into the present contest for the defence of our liberties, so we are resolved with the firmest reliance on heaven for the justice of our cause never to relinquish it, but rather to perish in the ruins of it. Of we do but remain firm I am persuaded that under the gracious smiles of Providence assisted by our own strenuous endeavors we shall finally succeed and thereby establish the Independence, the happiness and the glory of the United States of America.

Valerius Poplicola

Is it not high time for the people of this country explicitly to declare whether they will be free men or slaves.

It is an important question which ought to be decide. It concerns us more than anything in this life.

The salivation of our souls is interested in the event, for wherever tyranny is established immortality of every kind comes in like a torrent. It is in the interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice.

For they cannot live in a country where virtue and knowledge prevail. The religion and public liberty of a people are intimately connected. There interest are interwoven they cannot subsist separately and therefore they and fall together

For this reason they rise and fall together, for this reason it is always observable that those who are combined to destroy the peoples liberties practice every art to poison their morals.

How greatly does it concern us at all events to put a stop to the progress of tyranny.

~Samuel Adams~

A tribute to my father

Dad building dogs houses for Timothy and Cindy

several years ago when the Lord started to turn my heart back to my father I wrote a list in my journal of qualities and little things that I admire and love about my father.

He his an incredibly patient man

He is a kind man

He is a good cook

He is good with children, they flock to him and look up to him, he enjoys being with children

He is fun

He has a good singing voice

He is musically talented, being able to play the guitar, clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone, I love to hear him play jazz on the sax

He is inventive and creative

He is a good story teller and creator, (Ralph and Herman when I was kid=)

He is considerate and sacrificial

He is hard working and a faithful provider

He is a good pastor

He is poised and confident

He is handsome

He is my protector

He is spontaneous

He is a kind considerate husband

He understands the importance and relevance for us today. He knows the truth of America's Christian history and instills his love of it into his children

He is sweet and romantic toward my mother

He votes for godly statesmen

He is teachable

He seeks out Godly men to be his mentors

He has chosen to home school his children

He is slow to anger

He makes the best no back oatmeal cookies in the world, there are no rivals

He is intelligent , a quick study, a fast learner and excellent at memorization

He had a tender heart toward God

teaching Nathanael how to shoot

Happy Birthday Sherah

Nineteen is a wonderful age, but then maybe I am biased, nineteen is age I was when the Lord began to change my heart from a radical autonomous feminist to I hope and pray a woman humbled and serving my Savior and chasing after God's design for what a woman ought to be. Sherah I pray this year be as amazing for as my nineteenth year was for me

My summer reading list

Seems like most young ladies my age are looking forward to summer for the warm weather, which I most certainly do. For the opportunity to spend more time outdoors, same here, there will be more horseback riding, more running and walking with my dog, hopefully some fingernails getting dirty in a garden, and fence fixing. Maybe chickens, I'm hoping.
But while most young ladies that I know anyway are looking forward to the time of work, or just the joy of summer, to get back into their bikini, to go on vacation, to hang out with friends, to go to beach, to hang around the house and be lazy.
Summer is always a very motivating season for me, a time to accomplish things, a time to set goals and work hard for them.
So here are the books that I would like to get read this summer, and I'm doing good cause I've finished one and it will be two by the end of my long weekend.

The Russian Revolution
Why the end of the world is not in your future-Dr. Gary Demar
The institutes of Biblical law volume one- R.J. Rushdoony
The copper scroll- Joel Rosenberg
The nature of the American system- R.J. Rushdoony
Dialectical Imagination- Martin Jay
Do hard things- Alex and Brett Harris
The American Revolution-R.J. Rushdoony

I will be spending much time outside, on the porch swing, or lying in the grass reading.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Mother of seven, she homeschooled all seven of us, with three more to graduate.

Thank you Mom

Happy 11th Birthday Siah

Goose the white baby Bison

driving in Virginia

Driving school in Virginia

Supper Saturday

A foot for the carriage or "truck" which helps slow the wheels down when traveling down hill

A dog cart, the dogs, go underneath the seat, and the horses pull the carriage, and everyone arrives in fashion for the fox hunt.

A horse drawn carousel, I got to ride it! One of only two in the world that still works, the other is owned by the Queen of England.

A horse drawn cement mixer

Myself driving Bob and Tom

Fred Scott, our instructor

Alone

I posted this poem quite a few months back but thought it was appropriate for today, as a reflection on good Friday an what Christ suffered for our sins.

Everything is silent
The world is still
As evil contends
with the greater will
The air is black
the sky is dark
A silhouette cross
upon a rock
One man struggles
for every breath
His enemies cry
for his death
The sins of forever
placed on his soul
Each moment he nears
closer his goal
A flash of light
across the sky
The empty void
consumes his cry
Broken and beaten
He tries to pray
His reply is nothing
His father turns away

Happy 14th Birthday Nathanael

Gouverneur Morris: Why voters should be property owners: debate during the Consitutional convention

it was the thing, not the name, to which he was opposed, and one of his principle objections to the Constitution as it is now before us, is that it threatens the Country with an Aristocracy. The aristocracy will grow out of the House of Representatives. Give the votes to the people who have no property, and they will sell them to the rich who will be bale to buy them. We should not confine our attention to this present moment. The time is not distant when this country will abound with mechanics and manufacturers who will receive their bread from their employers. Will such men be the secure and faithful guardians of liberty? Will they be the impregnable barrier against aristocracy? he is a little duped by the by the association of the words, "taxation without representation." The man who does not give his vote freely is not represented. It is the man who dictates the vote. Children do not vote. Why? Because they want prudence, because they have no will of their own.The ignorant and dependent can be as little trusted with the public interest. He did not conceive the difficult in describing freeholders to be insuperable. Still less the restriction could be unpopular. Nine tenths of the people are at present freeholders and these certainly will be pleased with it. As to the merchants and etc. If they have wealth and value the right they can acquire it. If not they don't deserve it.

Raccoon dog

I love our raccoon, Fern, at work, she is such an amazing creature. While inquiring into my brothers science today I discovered a creature I never knew existed. The Raccoon dog, a dog that is native to Japan and looks just like a raccoon. God has truly created incredible uniquie creatures.

Fern ( a real raccoon)

Raccoon dogs

Quotes on amusment and liberty

"One of the first duties of a sovereign us to amuse his subjects of all ranks."
King Louie Napoleon of France

"So long as parishioners were amused there is less probability their thoughts dwelling on political slavery."
1862 English journal

"If his subjects could be entertained perhaps they would fail to notice or to care about the fact that most of their liberties had vanished."
Ross King- The judgment of Paris

Congratulation's The Widow's Might

The Widow's Might, won best of Festival at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival Yesterday.

For more information on the widow's Might, go to widowsmightthemovie.com
To find out more about the festival go to Independentchristianfilms.com
To find this years winners in ever catagory go to christianfilmmakers.org

My reply to woman's role in the church

Great discussion, and this is a much better way for me to
discuss, via the written word, as I am not very elegant at taking what
is on my heart and mind and making it come out clearly from my mouth.
Let me start out with the question of woman evangelizing. The two
"Great Missions" so to speak that the Lord gives us in scripture is
the Dominion Mandadte (Gen 1:28) and the Great Comission (Mark 16:15).
The Dominion Mandate tells men to be fruitful and Multiply to fill
the earth and subdue it. To be fruitful is to have children, to
multipy is to have many children. Unless you believe this passage is
refering to us planting trees =).
God wants the Family, in particular the Christian family to control
the earth.
As for the Great Comission, read the verses before Mark 16:15.
Jesus has gathered his disciples around him at the table in fellowship
and he gives this mission to his disciples.
Notice though in both these mission, God gives the mission directly
to the men, in Genesis Eve is not even created yet when God gives Adam
this mission, yes the mission is for both of them, as the scripture
uses the word "them" refering to two. But the mission is giving
vocally to Adam. Then God creates Eve, a helper unto Adam, to help him
fulfill this mission.
You see this is what woman is particularly designed to do, be a
helper. It is in our makeup, what we were created for. We cannot
escape it no matter how hard we try.
Perhaps I am wrong but it seems to me that you are seeing woman as
a lessor creature if we cannot have this role of leadership over men.
Submission is not a dirty word, just as patriarchy is not. Sumbission
is to be humble, obedient, with a servants heart. All great, valuable
praisworthy virtues. We are different indeed, but does different mean
lessor. Men need helpers, you cannot, you cannot fullfil your God
given mission without us. We can do things you can never do. You
cannot bear children, therefore you cannot fulfill the Dominion
Mandate without us, the first great mission that the Lord gives.
Woman are particularly suited for hospitatlity, sure men can do it,
but woman can do it better. Just as woman can lead, but men can do it
better.
Consider your presupositions, why do you presupose the
things you supose? Could it be because our culture, our families, even
our church's have fead us lies. No longer looking toward what scriptue
says as all sufitiant, but to the example of the world.
Consider for example the church's model of Sunday and youth groups,
and seperating the families by age and maturity. This is not based on
scripture, but on evolutionist theory. In the late ninteenth century.
G. Stanley Hall considered to himself and then began to explore
darwinism. He considered that child growth is like evolution, he based
the different stages of our childrens life on evolution theory,
larvae, and ect. Therefore if our children are in different stages of
evolution we cannot mix them together in the class room, because it
would mess up the evolution process. He published his theory in 1904.
The school began to change and the churches followed. Tell me has this
helped the children mature? Or are children more immature now then
they have ever been. Children no longer get to learn from the example
of their elders, they don't get to see maturety in action, fathers no
longer disciple sons. Messages are watered down to a level we think
they can understand.
Our time in history right now is the abortation. For 2000 years,
indeed 6000 years before us woman were not pastors. Father lead
households not mothers. Woman submitted to men. Daughters followed
their fathers athority until it was transfered to a husband.
Are we progressing, is the evolution finally working, is what you
call progress? No this not progress towards a greater spiritual state.
After 2000 years of Christindom we were the generation that finally
figured it out, all the men who have gone before us just did not have
the capabilities to understand these things. No society and the church
even is a mess now. Families are screwed up, Christian families are
screwed up.
Our roles and views of woman in society today come not from
scripture but from feminism which is a product of marxism.
You see even feminist are helping a man, Karl Marx fulfill his
vision of tearing down the families.
Let us turn to the example of scripture and prove these things.
First let us take scripture as a whole, the word of God when speaking
is speaking to men. Why because men are supose to take these things
and teach them to their family. That is the man's responsibility to be
the spiritual head of the home. The geanelogies are traced back
through the father's family, not the mother's not even both, whith the
exeption of Christ.
When speaking of Pastors the old Testament a new referes to men,
using words such as he and him. When the New Testament and Old gives
the Criteria for pastors and leaders of Countries it says they must
clearly be men. 1 Timothy 3:1-14 Husbands of one wife, not husbands
of one wife or wife's of one husband.
Look to the examples of the widows in 1 Timothy 5. What are the
good deeds that widows indeed must have done, they must be bearers of
children, lodged strangers, (hospitable), helped those in adversity,
and washed the saints feet. It speaks nothing of being a preacher, of
evangalizing by standing on their soap box on the street. What does
the scripture tell the young widows to do. Marry, have children,and
govern the house.
You sight 1 Timothy 2:12, it speaks planly enough to me, but what
of the verses that follow, verse 13 and 14 and 15.
What of 1 Cor 14, verse 34 says we ought to keep silent as the law
say. This is something that woman had know for centuries, it is
written in God's Law.
Ephesians 5:22-24. wives are meant to submit to husbands, for the
husband is the wife head, just as Christ is the head of the church.
Are woman not meant to teach, yes we are meant to teach. Titus 2:
3-5, we are supose to teach honest things, to whom, to younger ladies.
We are suppose to teach younger ladies to do what, to be sober minded,
to love their husbands and children. That they may be chaste keepers
of the home, good, and subject to their husbands. Why are we woman
suppose to do this, that the word of God is not spoken evil of, what a
great duty.
Also look to the example of 1 peter 3:1-7. Read this passage
carefully. Bu us obeying our husbans, verse 1 says that without
speaking the word to men, as is not permitted to us, that the men may
be won by our example. By watching us be dutiful towards our husbands.
Verse 7 says we are the weaker vessel, weaker not lessor. To think
that something weak is lessor is not a Biblical idea, but a humanist
evolutionist idea. Yet because we are weaker we need men to lead us.
verse 7 says men give HONOR to us because we are weaker. It is a thing
of honor.
As for the ladies you mentioned in Philipians it says they labored
with Paul, indeed but how? As helpers, it does not say they preachd
along side him. As for the ladies mentioned in Romans 16 Pheobe is
comended for her hospitality, as for the Greek words I don't know
anything. But to my naked eye it seems she was a helper. My mother did
mention to me that her Greek prophesor in College one of the top in
the Country mentioned that many things had been purposfully changed in
passages such as these.
As for the other woman in Romans 16 Prisiclla and Aquila are called
fellow helpers. Mary bestowed much labor, Salute Thryphena and
Tryphosa and Persis which labored much in the Lord. What sort of
labor? Perhap the sort of labor that scripture says woman ought to be
doing? Loving husband, keeping the home, bearing children.Being
hospitable.
Notice in scripture the great blessings God bestows on the
Shumenite woman 2 Kings 4: 8-37, she is hospitable and the Lord
blessed her baren womb with a son.
What of the career woman in Exodus 1:15-21, they obeyed and feared
the Lord therefore he gave them families.
What of he female prophets in the scripture. In 2 Chronicles
34:21-29 we find a female prophet, notice that the king sends the man
to come to her for the message she does not go to the King. Notice the
same also takes place with Deborah the Prophet. The people come to her
she never goes out to them, the same is true of Miriam and Anna.
Yes at times the men Prophets would have the people come to them,
but often they would go out, yet never do we see that among the woman.
I believe perhaps we could make a Biblical argument that woman can
speak to men, when the men come ask them to do so. However it is a
clear violation of scripture as I understand it for a woman to lead
over men, to be a pastor.
I pray that I have addressed this using scripture and history as a
whole. I hope I answered your questions. For further resources I would
sugest the CD woman's role in the church which you can download from
Behemoth.com Also you could go to the ladiesagainstfeminism.com or
visionarydaughters.com also ladiesagainstfeminism has links to many
similar website you may find helpful.
Thanks for bringing this up, I really enjoyed discussing this with you.


Melody

woman's role in the church

I recently recieved this email, from a someone close to me, we have been discussing the role of woman in the church.

I have been wondering a lot lately about the role of women in the church. While there are passages such as 1 Corinthians 14:34-36 which state that women should remain silent in the church, and 1 Timothy 2:12 which say women should not teach or usurp authority over men. However, these verses do not sit right with me when I think about the message of the Bible as a whole. When it says that women should not teach of have authority over men then what about the great commission? Does this mean that women cannot spread the gospel to men as they cannot teach them? What about a man that is teaching false doctrine; can a women full of the Holy Spirit and using scripture not refute him? Does God really want women to remain silent in the church or is it simply a ploy by domineering men or those who misinterpret scripture? What about Euodia and Synyche who are mention in Philippians 4:2.3 as fellow workers of the gospel? What about Philip's four virgin daughters who prophesied? What of Phoebe? In the original Greek the word used to describe her is diakonos, a term which Paul used to refer to ministers or leaders of a congregation and a word that he used to describe Jesus? Also the original Greek also used the name Junia in Romans 16:7. However, interpreters changed the name to Junias refusing to believe that there could be a women apostle. Is the women's ministry in the church really limited or are we imposing our will on God's word? Also the word that is used to describe women as helpers in the original Hebrew does not have a subordinate meaning? 17 out of the 20 times the work kenegdo is used it is used to describe God as our helper. This does not mean that the passages in 1^st Corinthians and 1^st Timothy are not applicable or contrary to God's word. If you read through the whole passage in 1^st Corinthians 14 it appears that when it says women should remain silent it is referring to them being disruptive in services. And a complete review of 1^st Timothy shows that the church there was filled with false doctrines and that there were many problems among the women. It could be that because of these problems Paul is prohibiting women from having a leadership role. This would fit with the rest of scripture passages where women do have a teaching or leadership role. These passages could simply be instructions on how to deal with specific problems. Could it be that as Peter says in 2 Peter 3:15,16 that people are having a hard time understanding Paul's writings and that they are distorting them? Is the church had problems understanding Paul over 1900 years ago then how much more all these years later. I believe that when studying God's word, before forming opinions and beliefs we must refer to the Bible as a whole and consult with the Holy Spirit for guidance. So it is my opinion that the role of women in the church is not restricted in any way except for in certain situations where the women as a whole are having severe spiritual problems. If I were to be persuaded that the role of women in the church is limited then I would need answers on the questions I posed above.

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