What's your Idol?

Back in Biblical days, idols had names ... names that described gods who were literally worshipped by pagans. Names like Baal (the Canaanite fertility god), Adremelech (god worshipped by child sacrifice), and Ishtar (represented fertility, so temple prostitutes were put into place for worshipping this goddess). And, when you read about these idols/gods, you tend to place an assumptive definition for the word idol - that an idol is a deity that you worship. And, the worship is similar to the worship that Christians would raise up to Yaweh (Jesus).

But, the truth of the matter is that there is a very lucrative idol that is worshipped in the United States that is under the disguise of "Education/Knowledge/Research". I have family members who are afraid to make a single move without fully researching a matter or thoroughly planning a matter but who don't really take the effort to pray about the matter. I understand that we have knowledge at our fingertips and that it should be used for our benefit, but where is the fine line between relying on our own smarts versus relying on God himself?

Did He or did He not create our entire galaxy and neighboring galaxies with nothing more than a Word? And, if that is true, then how is it that we tend to fall into the deceptive lie that our knowledge far exceeds the faith that is required to live our lives by trusting in God and God alone? When Abraham realized that his 'business' and Lot's 'business' could not survive in the same land, he did not do market studies to figure out where would be the next best move. Rather, he told Lot to choose which land he wanted! Abraham had enough faith to believe that regardless of how good the land conditions were or how bad, that his prosperity and his success lay in God - not in the wealth of the land.

How horrible that the very thing our parents sacrificed for (our education) has become the undercover idol in our lives.

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I TRIED.

I really did try to watch it.

We got tickets for the 3-D movie, found a baby-sitter for our baby, drove a distance to the 3-D theatre, walked all around to find somewhat decent seats (people had reserved seats an hour in advance!), ended up sitting seperately and put on the 3-D glasses to enjoy this new movie that everyone couldn't stop talking about! BUT....less than half-way into it, I had to walk out.

I had to walk out because my conscience wouldn't let me sit through this movie, no matter how good it was, and listen to the actors blasmphene God's name. When I first heard them use His name so casually, I let it go. Then a few scenes later, I heard 'Jesus', and that was a real bummer because there is sooooo much power in the name of Jesus (I doubt the writers have a clue). And, then...just as it started getting good, I heard a God-da***t....I actually sat there for a few seconds pondering my options; should I wait for another blurb or should I walk out now? I finally decided it was too important to let this go. My conscience wouldn't let me sit through the movie.

I was so upset! Why do they have to use God's name in vain? I mean, really...does it make any difference at all to the movie's flow whether they use it or not? I don't think so. And yet, so many movies, so many really good movies are so dissapointing because the blasphemous use of God's name is so rampant! I'm sooo upset. I really wish they would stop.

Heavy Marijuana Use Disrupts Brain Development In Teens

I found this article on the internet the other day; it was entitled "Marijuana Use Disrupts Brain Development In Teens"

NEWSFLASH! LOL. Do we really need a scientific study proving the destruction that comes with the use of marijuana? Can we not observe it ourselves by the behavior of marijuana users? I guess, though, for some this type of study is beneficial to 'scientifically' prove their exisiting arguments.

I wonder why marijuana is so readily available among teens? Do sellers target this group or is this group of people just more risky and more influential (a combination that's dangerous)?

HMMM...

Job Overseas

Would you consider taking a job overseas? I was considering this possibility and happened across this article that addresses most of the issues one would have with this idea.

For me, personally, I don't think I could do it...especially not with having my family settled here and all. I don't know how I could live in a place where I know no one and where the culture is completely foreign. And then, all of a sudden....I wonder....how the heck did my parents do it? How did their siblings do it? This is exactly what they did! They were in their 30s or so, with their future ahead of them and they had to make some tough decisions....where do they live, in India (where all of their family resides, where foods they like to eat are readily available, where the language they speak is familiar to all, where the climate is what they're used to and where the culture is one in which they grew up) or America...where EVERYTHING is foreign??!!!

My parents were pioneers, venturing upon the unknown, taking chances and risking everything. WOW. What bravery. How did they do it? THey were so bold. If only I had half of what they had....

WOW.

How do you even attempt to love the person you hate (or that irritates you) the most? You know...that person that gets on your last nerve. Everything he says is judgemental. Everything she says turns into a lecture. And, I'm not even asking how do you just get along with that person or put up with him/her....rather, how do you LOVE that person?

Is it possible?

Is it possible to turn tears into laughter? Is it possible to turn injustice into forgiveness? Is it possible to continuously overlook the disgusting nature and respond with love, with sensitivity?

"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Math 5:44)

Honor your mother and father

Honoring your parents can be tough. Especially honoring those parents that are absent or provoking or abusive or just plain does not see your point of view. But, I was thinking....the fifth commandment does not say to honor our parents IF they are righteous or IF they are holy or IF they don't annoy us. The verse actually reads like this:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12 NRSV)

I wonder if God declared this as one of his primary commandments because the relationship between parent and child represents the relationship between God and man; Parents created their children and God created man. If we cannot respect and honor those who gave us life (someone we can see with our physical eyes), how can we possibly respect and honor the ultimate Creator Himself (whom we cannot see)? We may not agree with everything our parents do and say, but our responsibility is to give them honor despite their position in life, their views in society, or their physical or mental absence from their child's life.

That sounds quite difficult, doesn't it? I struggle with this on a daily basis, but I also pray very hard that God would help me to view life from my mother's perspective. And, maybe that's what makes a parent the way he or she is - his/her perspective in life. Maybe that's why it's important to honor them regardless of the decisions they have made --- because their perspective may be skewed or just different from their child's. And, in the end it's about the relationship, not about the differences.

Hmmm...

DROID

Verizon will be selling its long-awaited DROID phone tomorrow! How exciting that iPhone finally has some competition. And, I absolutely loved the commercial for it!!...also Google announced a free, turn-by-turn GPS navigation application for the new Android 2.0 smart phone platform. Oh, and in case you're wanting to buy one of these phones, here's a list of all Android Phones