Let's See If I Have This Straight

    It is my understanding that Muhammed, leader of Islam, has stated that most of the inhabitants of hell are going to be women.  He also states that they will be there because they are not as intellectual as the men, plus they have a tendency to be NOT submissive enough to the men.  Now that sounds like a war on women.
    Having said that, the progressives in our country devote quite a bit of time saying that it is the conservatives who are waging a war on women.  The reasons are numerous.  Conservatives, especially those who are Christian, are opposed to granting free contraceptives, especially abortifacients.  Conservatives are said to be responsible for inequal pay for women in America.  Conservatives are opposed to pro-choice policies. 
    Many of  these stances are based on Biblical principles.  The progressives have been way too successful at marginalizing the Bible.  It is said that Biblical principles are no longer relevant.  Just look at what has happened to the perception that our culture has towards homosexuality.  So those who maintain their belief in the Bible have also been marginalized, even demonized.
    So the perception is that progressives are the tolerant ones, and the conservatives are not.
    Do I have this straight?

A Letter to my Grandchildren

My dear grandchildren,

    I am writing this letter to you mainly because I want you to know how much I love you.  You are so precious to me.  I know Grandma also loves you more than you’ll ever know.  As I write this, I know that you either are not able to read this, or you are not able to understand what it means.  In fact, when you eventually read this, it is possible that I may already be in heaven. 

    I don’t think you have ever seen me cry.  Just because I don’t often cry does not mean I don’t care about things.  There are times when I am crying on the inside.  That is happening more often these days because of what is happening in our country.  I know that because of what my generation has done, your lives are not likely to be as pleasant as mine has been.  We have allowed the Federal government to get way too big, and it has been spending way more money than it has.  The national debt is already so big that it is not likely that we will ever get it paid off.  What I fear is that you will be the ones who have to suffer from our mistakes.  The Constitution is in shreds.  It was meant to put limits on the Federal government, but we have allowed the government to intrude into so many aspects of our lives.  I’m afraid we haven’t been able to protect our liberties, and you may not be able to live with the freedoms that we have had.

    Although I have been trying to do what I can to stop this from happening, I should apologize for not working hard enough.  I am so sorry that my generation has selfishly decided to spend money foolishly and leave the bill for you to pay.  We should not have done this.  We had chances to work on this problem, but we decided to kick the can down the road, and now you are going to have to live with problems which are our doing.  We have lost our way.  We have not had the passion to defend our American values, and have let you down.  We are now even condoning things which are contrary to God’s Will.  I just want to cry.

    I pray that I am wrong.  I pray that you continue to have the liberties that our ancestors fought for.  I hope and pray that your generation will be able to overcome these difficulties and will be able to pass on the legacy of American greatness to your descendents.  I pray that our country finds its way back to being a nation under God.  I pray that God continues to bless this nation.

    I do have some advice for you.  Pray and read your Bible every day.  Go to church every week.  Don’t miss out on the important things that are offered you in worship.  The only real solution to our country’s problems is for its people to renew their trust in God and their faith in Jesus who died on the cross to forgive their sins.  I pray that you remain faithful and that you do everything in your power to make sure your family is raised in the Christian faith.  Always appreciate your mom and dad.  They love you dearly, too.

    Make sure you know the story of how some really great heroes founded this country by their sacrifice.  Make sure you know the true story about how these great men of faith managed to work out a framework for government that was successful for so many years and became a great blessing for this country.  They understood the evil in sinful people’s hearts and attempted to put limits on a government to make sure it did not become too powerful.  It’s just shameful that we have wandered away from that ideal.  Teach these things to your children.  Be responsible citizens. 

    There will be a time when I will no longer be with you here.  I look forward to my time in heaven.  Just remember this.  When I get to heaven, I will be waiting for you to get there too, and when you do, you can expect some great big hugs from me.  Grandma may get to you first though.  She’s much faster than me.

                                                                                                Much love to you,

Grumps

Lessons from a Mint Plant

Recently, my wife bought a mint plant.  When she bought it, I advised her that it should be planted in a container.  You see, if a mint plant is not planted in some sort of container, it will become a weed.  It is an invasive plant.  It can quickly take over an area, choking out other plants and requiring constant efforts to keep it under control.  That mint plant was placed in a pot and is doing marvelously, but it looks as if it would love to escape its container and go wild.

Our Federal government is like that mint plant.  Our Founding Fathers wisely placed its newly formed government into the container of the U.S. Constitution, knowing full well that if the government managed to get outside that Constitution, it would grow out of control.  The Constitution was intended to limit the size and scope of the Federal government.  Unfortunately, our Federal government has become a weed.  It has escaped its container.  It has become invasive.  Folks like me are working hard to keep it from becoming worse, but we are apparently outnumbered by those who simply do not care, or they actually like the weed.

We hope to enjoy our mint plant.  Its aroma is terrific, and it can be used in many delicious recipes.  I also have been told that well-placed mint plants can help prevent ants from entering your home.  However, the really important object that will make that plant remain useful to us is the container.  The same is true in our country.  The government will only be a blessing if it remains within the confines of the Constitution.

Think about this the next time you go to the polls.

Just Suppose....

Consider this scenario:  A fence is constructed to divide our country into two areas.  On one side all liberals are placed and are directed to govern themselves.  On the other side all conservatives are placed and given the same instruction.  Independents are permitted to watch this scenario for a while before deciding on which side to live.

Two questions:
1.  Eventually, on which side would most independents choose to become residents?
2.  Which direction would people go as they climb the fence to get to the other side?

Is Culture Driving the Church?

    Let me start this rant by stating that since the bad decisions made by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, all people (with only one exception) have been born into sin.  People have been sinning ever since.  They continue to sin today.  And sin will continue until Jesus returns on the Last Day.
     I believe with all my heart that the writers of our US Constitution knew this fact and wrote that document with that fact in mind.  They knew that a government which would not limit the power given to the people who run it was doomed to fail.  Therefore, the powers that are necessary in a government are separated into different branches.  The Constitution was also designed to limit the Federal government in terms of what areas of people's lives were to be controlled by them.  This Constitution has been the most successful one in world history. 
    I also believe that those framers thought in the back of their minds that someday this document would be misused and could eventually end in failure.  There are countless quotes from these men which warn us to this day about ways that the Constitution could be ruined.  Those warnings have been ignored, and now our Constitution is not only being misused and ignored, but there is even talk of getting rid of it.
    I believe those framers, through prayer and study of God's Word, were guided by God in their writing of that Constitution.  I believe our country was started as a "nation under God" and it continued that way until recent history.  There is much evidence these days that a rather large portion of our country would just as soon be not "under God".  That evidence can also be seen in the way our government is operating now.
    Not only has our country abandoned our Constitution, but there is also evidence that our nation is abandoning God's Word.  That includes many of our churches.  I have come to the conclusion that the culture is guiding many churches in determining their beliefs.  In a reversal of God's intentions, people are justifying their beliefs by saying that the words written in Scripture were meant for a different time and a different culture.  You can easily see how several behaviors which are described in Scripture as being contrary to God's Will are now not only tolerable, but they are condoned, even by our government.
    Our Founding Fathers did not want this to happen, and certainly God is not pleased.  Not enough Americans are familiar with their Constitution, and not enough Americans are familiar with God's Word.  Because God's Word is not allowed in our government schools these days, our children must learn their Bible stories from their parents, their church, or a Christian school.  And since many churches are modifying their doctrines to accommodate what is going on in the culture, our children are not taught God's pure Word.
    The whole situation should be reversed.  God's Word should be guiding the culture, not the other way around.  Is there hope?  We need to remember that God is in control.  That will not change, and for that we Christians can rejoice.  However, that does not guarantee the future of America.  As America drifts away from God's Word, we must rely on God's longsuffering.  God may just need to teach America a lesson, teaching us to return to Him only after He allows some pain into our nation.
    In this climate, I think we are no longer in a position to say "God Bless America".  Why should He?  Instead, I think we should pray words like "God Guide America".  I am a firm believer that when we sincerely give God the honor and praise that we know He deserves, He is very ready to bless us richly.  The same thing goes for our country. 
    God, we need you.  Please guide us.

Testosterone Deficit Disorder

   A few years ago, I sat with a group of school administrators during a teachers conference.  The question was asked of those in the group about what quality each of us uniquely added to the schools where we served.  In my usual sarcastically humorous way, I decided to go for the laugh and said, "Testosterone".  I was serving at a school at which, other than the pastor, I was the only male on the staff.  Although I was going for a chuckle, and did indeed get several, I do believe that there is what I will describe as a testosterone deficit disorder in American schools....public, private, and parochial.
   There is a disturbingly low percentage of male teachers in our schools.  One report I read said that over 80% of teachers in public schools are women.  Before I proceed with my thoughts, let me say that there are absolutely wonderful ladies teaching in classrooms all over the country, and our children need the motherly, nurturing kind of care that only women can give.  However, the miniscule number of men in the classrooms is problematic. 
   When I began teaching in the 1970's, I served at a school that at one time had five men teachers on a staff of seven.  We even had a male Kindergarten teacher, which in those days was almost unheard of.  I have great memories of those days.  In today's schools, such a proportion is extinct. 
   Later in my career, I was one of two sixth grade teachers at a school.  Many single moms would request that their child be placed in my class, not because of any superior teaching on my part, but because they wanted a father figure for their children that was missing at home.  It was an understandable.
   I have a few thoughts about how this testosterone deficit disorder may have impacted the horrible events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  I believe that it is especially male students who are affected by the shortage of male influence in the schools.  Without that male influence, I think boys end up without some of what I would describe as manly traits.  They experience a world where most of the authority comes from females.  Men as authorities have been marginalized.  To be honest about it, I think a lot of the blame for this goes squarely on the male population which in a great part has abandoned the leadership responsibilities they should have.  To many, there is also confusion over the gender roles they should play in society.  I really have to wonder whether this killer in Connecticut was influenced negatively because of the lack of positive male role models in his life.  After all, he was apparently from a broken home.
   It is not hard to figure out why more men do not enter the teaching profession.  Society does not exactly hold the male teacher in high regard.  If the teacher is single and cares very much about children, they can often be perceived as being gay.  I know.  It has happened to me.  There are also so many other occupations out there which would provide a much larger salary as well.  Also, it has become increasingly true that all it takes to ruin a male teacher's career is the mere false charge of sexual impropriety with children.  I understand why we are not getting men to become teachers.
   I have looked at the list of staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary.  There is only one male listed on the staff, that being the custodian.  ALL of the educators in that school were women.  And I might add that they were unarmed women.  It just seems to me that a place which is known to be a gun-free zone, populated by almost all women and children, would be an incredibly soft target.  And it was.  There are stories coming out of this tragedy that indicate those women acted in incredibly courageous ways to defend those innocent children.  They are heroes.  However, I have to think that had there been knowledge of that school having some imposing male figures present on a daily basis, this young killer may have made a different choice.
   I know that if there is such a thing as testosterone deficit disorder, it was not the only factor leading up to this horrific event.  I also know that the biggest factor in events like this is sin, and it does not help to have schools that go out of their way to make sure that God is not talked about there.  Our country needs a cultural restoration....a spiritual restoration.....a moral restoration.   In conclusion, I would also add that what is needed with regard to testosterone deficit disorder is to get back to the gender roles as described in God's Word.  But, you see, those are not considered politically correct nowadays.  Alas.

Socialism in our Schools

This article provides support for the statements I have made about our government school.  It shows that there is indeed a connection between teachers, labor unions, and socialism.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/11/11/Teachers-flock-to-Northwestern-University-Marxist-Conference-journalist-booted