I wrote a blog but I lost it, and I don't feel like writting it again...sorry.

and then my lips parted....and I was doomed

Ok, I did it again. My lips parted and allowed speech to penetrate the air that my brain had not the opportunity to censor. A friend and I were driving back from a movie we had seen with two of her friends. The topic had shifted from a variety of subjects, and somehow drifted to a confession. She feared her dentist appointment that was a few days away, nervous that the dentist might decide that her wisdom teeth must be removed. As we were pulling up in her driveway, I affirmed her fears, and than stupidly said ?yeah, you don?t want your cheeks to swell up any more?. As she was putting the car in park, she looked at me with question marks in her eyes, ?What you mean, ?any more??, the statement was almost a challenge as much as it was a question. I looked at her and paused?.?Uh?um?.I like you as a person!? and on that note I jumped out of that car like my faded blue jeans were on fire. The goodbye was awkward to say the least. On the drive home I searched for some explanation in my brain why I would try to amend the situation with the statement, ?I like you as a person?. For the record, she is a very attractive girl, and I have a bad, mouth. Bad mouth, no food for you!

Poverty is not created by the poor. It is created by the structures of society and the policies pursued by society. Change the structure as we are doing in Bangladesh, and you will see that the poor change their own lives.
I also believe that providing unemployment benefits is not the best way to address poverty. The able-bodied poor don't want or need charity. The dole only increases their misery, robs them of incentive and, more important, of self-respect."
Muhammad Yunus from the book banker to the poor

Muhammad Yunus has quite the room too talk since he is the one who invented (or at least pushed) micro loans. Micro Loans have helped free millions from poverty. Perhaps simply giving to the poor is not always the best idea? On a similar subject, maybe we should rethink this idea of social security? I do not change soon though, for ideas like that don't get you elected.

It's all been said before, and better than I could...

?The Christian life is more than difficult; it is humanly impossible to live. Only Jesus Christ can live it through you as He dwells within you. The Christian life is not a person imitating Christ; rather, it is Christ imparting His life to and living His life through the person. The Christian life is not what you do for Him; it is what He does for and through you. He wants to think with your mind, express Himself through your emotions, and speak through your voice, through you may be unconscious of it.? ? Bill Bright

I think once we truly understand this concept that Bill presents to us, daily time with God will no longer be a struggle; for we will see that like breath is to life, prayer & scripture is to the believer. Any person saying he is saved by the blood of Christ and no longer needs to pray is like the idiot who says he is alive and therefore no longer needs to breath. We breathe so we stay alive, and the same is true of prayer and our spiritual lives. It wasn?t until I grasped this that my relationship with Christ really deepened, and I will confess that I still have to be reminded of it.

Innocence...

I watched a movie the other night called ''the end of innocence" with Michelle Pfeiffer & Daniel Day Lewis (I think he is a great actor by the way and yes, I do enjoy a good chick flick now and then). The movie was a PG romance genre, and to my delight had no sex in it whatsoever. No sexual jokes, and nothing that would prevent me from watching it w/ my parents. The movie itself did not threaten one?s innocence. On a side note, I recognize that the previous statement is a minimalist question. A better question to ask would be does this help me glorify or better my Walk with Christ. So many times I catch my self asking minimalist questions like I am trying to walk the fence or something. One?s faith is a lot stronger when they ask maximalist questions. Anyway, back to innocence. The word seems almost obsolete in Americans vocabulary today. I feel that I am so far from innocence. Is innocence important? In Matthew 10:16 Christ says to His Disciples, "I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves.? Can innocence be regained? Philippians 2:13-15 " It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him. Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God's children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world " Isn't that Interesting? Not through our trying do we please Him, do we be innocent, do we obey him. It is God at work in us that enables such innocence, He has the power to give innocence back to us. It makes sense, for how can dead flesh (our old self) produce anything living or qualities that living beings share.? It cannot, and that is why we need the life of Christ within us to produce life. It is so simple yet I still keep trying to pray more and read more. Without his strength it just doesn?t happen. Allow me to encourage you today to ask God for Innocence. Such a quality will enable Christians to stand out amongst a world where innocence is considered a negative connotation, and then you may get more opportunities to ?give a reason for this hope that you have (in Christ)?.

what are the points at which satan temps us?

My lifestyle has changed this summer. I believe that we as believers have so much more responsibility than just hanging out with friends and socializing. We have such a greater calling on our lives. Our pleasure can not be the only answer to life, for pleasure is fleeting. Lenord Griffith in his book titled ?God?s time and ours? states that ?Satan Temps us at the point of our physical needs. Not that we might gratify them to excess, but that we may think of nothing else and gratify them at the expense of our usefulness in this world. Satan temps us at the point of our ambitions. Not that we might engage in positive evil, but simply except the fact of evil, learn to live with it, come to terms with it and maintain a discrete silence in the presence of it. Satan temps us at the point of our religion. Not that we might disbelieve in God, but that we might demand certainty, that kind of certainty that leaves nothing to faith, nothing to God Himself. These are the moral struggles that have reality for people such as we are. The subtle temptations to renounce our duty in favor of what is attractive, that insidious allurement to a kind of a half goodness which is the essence of everything bad. And which is more productive of suffering and hatred, war and misery in this world than all the desires of wicked and greedy people combined?. Isn?t that statement challenging? I love it!

Thoughts on other religions...

When Gahndie was asked what he thought about Christianity, he responded, ?I like their Christ, but I don?t like their Christians. When I think of a Christian I see a mug of beer in one hand and a gunboat under their feet?. In context, Gahndie was referring to what he thought of the missionaries of his day in age. In all seriousness, this statement has certain implications that I want to draw out. One is the issue of drinking. I have friends of different faiths, and some of them (Hindus and Muslims in particular) refrain from drinking. Since I have been home, I have had no problem with a beer here or a glass of wine there (to put your fears at rest, it?s never in excess). The bible does not preache alcoholic abstinence as some in my past have lead me to believe, but it does preach against excess & impairment of the body (keep in mind that our Savior not only drank wine, but he made it as well, that was his first miracle.) In order to reach my friends though, perhaps abstinence is something I should consider (just as Paul became all things to all people so that they might be saved). Along a different religious thought, we are approaching Ramadan very soon. This is a muslim?s time of fasting and trying to be a better person (learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan) . I am considering joining the Muslim faith in this fast. I do not join to desire try to become a better person person, Only Christ through me makes that possible. Instead I join to share in their emphasis on the poor and hurting in our world. The fast lasts every day in September from sunup till sundown and is supposed to continually remind the person of the plight of the poor. I feel that this issue is something I could definitely continually be reminded of. Last thought, if you are witnessing to a Muslim or a Hindu, please remember that you are going to have to convince him that you love him for who he or she is and not for something your trying to manipulate him or her into. A lesson learned you could say. Rememberm, the only way to overcome others stigma is with genuine Christian Love.