American History

I woke up early this morning with my husband and had the opportunity to watch Joyce Meyer. This was one episode I am glad I got to see. Her husband, Dave Meyer, and author/speaker Star Parker were her special guests. The topic? The loss of our American History. This is an issue that has been making itself more and more known to me over the past several years.

Growing up in public school I just hated history class, most of all U.S. History. I had a terrible teacher. What a shame. Fortunately, my dad was a lover of history and a great historian in his own right. Of course, this was something I did not appreciate as a youngster. It became more and interesting to me as I got older, and then he was gone. Now, my youngest son is following in his footsteps. He loves to give me pop quizzes, especially ones with trick questions! It is obvious that remembering history is a gift for him, and he already knows more than I will likely ever learn.

Through the lovers of history that are around me and the realization that I was spoon fed half truths and downright lies growing up, I have become fascinated with history. It is more and more apparent that we as Americans do not know our history. Citizens of other countries know more about us than we do! Honestly, if you want to even get a good take on U.S. news you're better off to watch a Canadian broadcast. Sad, I know.

Today's discussion on Joyce Meyer Ministries was based on a book that Dave Meyer read years ago titled, America's Providential History by Mark A. Beliles. Reading this book was a life changing experience for Dave. It is being offered through Joyce Meyer Ministries for a gift of any amount. I plan to get this book and read it with my boys. There is another resource that she is offering at a special price that I plan to look into as well. It is a DVD series titled, The American Heritage Series, that she is offering at a special price of $80. It is a 10-DVD set that is bound to be a valuable resource for any family for years to come.

Personally, I believe in history education second only to biblical studies. As we celebrate our nation's birthday, what better time to make a commitment to learning our history, educating our youth, and getting involved? Karl Marx said, "Take away the history of a nation and they are easily controlled and easily deceived." It couldn't be more evident in the United States that it is now. We are a nation living in ignorance. Our country was founded on Godly principles, and God has all but been removed from everything. The founding fathers fled to the Americas for freedom that we don't understand, don't appreciate, and are more and more rapidly giving away. Now is the time to take a stand. What price are you willing to pay for your freedom? How about taking the time to learn a little bit about the land that you call home? What have you got to lose? What are the consequences of ignorance?

May God bless all of you on this holiday that celebrates freedom. May you grow and learn and share with the next generations it's beauty and fragility. Have a safe and blessed July 4th!

The Message Bible

Several months ago I started reading the Bible beginning in The New Testament. I have always preferred the traditional King James version. One morning I awoke and reached for my Bible, but it wasn't there. I had left it downstairs. My husband's new Bible, The Message , was there, and I picked it up. I have been reaching for it ever since.

The Message is a wonderful version done in the modern vernacular. It is so easy to read. I thoroughly enjoy it and often find it humorous. It is kind of funny to think of those from Bible Times speaking our language.

I was watching Joyce Meyer this morning, and she was discussing how God loves us and accepts us for who we are. He actually chose us. He is not angry with us. He loves us unconditionally. Verses from Ephesians kept coming up, so I thought I would share some of The Message Bible here with you.

Introduction to Ephesians taken from The Message:

What we know about God and what we do for God have a way of getting broken apart in our lives. The moment the organic unity of belief and behavior is damaged in any way, we are incapable of living out the full humanity for which we were created.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians joins together what has been torn apart in our win-wrecked world. He begins with an exuberant exploration of what Christians believe about God, and then, like a surgeon skillfully setting a compound fracture.
sets this belief in God into our behavior before God so that the bones-belief and behavior-knit together and heal.

Once our attention is called to it, we notice these fractures all over the place. There is hardly a bone in our bodies that has escaped injury, hardly a relationship in city or job, school or church, family or country, that isn't out of joint or limping in pain. There is much work to be done.

And so Paul goes to work. He ranges widely, from heaven to earth and back again, showing how Jesus, the Messiah, is eternally and tirelessly bringing everything and everyone together. He also shows us that in addition to having this work done in and for us, we are participants in this most urgent work. Now that we know what is going on, that the energy of reconciliation is the dynamo at the heart of the universe, it is imperative that we join in vigorously and perseveringly, convinced that every detail in our lives contributes (or not) to what Paul describes as God's plan worked out by Christ, "a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth."

Ephesians 3:14-19 from The Message:

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit-not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength-that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. ~ Eph. 3:14-19

Do you do as Paul advises? What a challenge it can be for some of us to see God as, "Father". Is God your father? Do you call him, "Daddy"? Have you opened the door to Christ and invited him to live within you benefiting from His glorious inner strength? Have you planted both feet firmly in love and taken in the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love? Are you living the full life offered to you through God?

Does it seem a tall order? Again, I come back to how we start our day. Is yours started in The Word? Have you tried it? Did you notice a difference? Feel free to share your experiences here. I'd love to hear from you the difference shifting your focus from self to God and the service of others has made in your life.

Stinkin' Thinkin'

I was watching Joyce Meyer this morning while I ate my breakfast, and she was talking about how important it is to have an attitude of hope. In my experience this makes such a difference in our day to day living and our overall health. The power of thought is just amazing, and we can be unaware of the impact of our thought process on our daily lives.

Joyce calls negative thought stinkin' thinkin', and I think she's right on. One point that was made in the airing I viewed this morning is that it is better to live a miserable life with the benefit of hope than it is to just live a miserable life while being miserable in it. What would be better: being broke and happy, or being broke and sad? Happy trumps misery all the time.

Unfortunately, we can get caught up in our stinkin' thinkin' very easily. Does your perspective need some tweaking? This is when we really need each other. It is important to surround ourselves with positive, hopeful people. Again, I find myself back to the idea of a support system. We all need a circle of friends that are uplifting and real. We need people to remind us of the good things in our lives when all we can see are the bad.

Today, if your focus is a little out, spend some time re-framing your thoughts. It may help to make a list of all the positive things in your life. If it is difficult at first, list a negative. Then, counter with related positive. There is ALWAYS a positive side to everything. Sometimes we just need to look a little more closely.

As suggested previously, don't forget to start your day with conversation with God. It pays great dividends to start out in the right direction. With God on our side, who can be against us?