A "Few" Thoughts on the Subject

My husband and I were enjoying a leisurly evening last Sunday night, relaxing and watching television when our program was interrupted with news that Osama Bin Laden was dead.

Two things happened immediately. My heart and mind were reminded of that fateful day, almost ten years ago, when I was getting ready for work and news splashed across my television about the planes flying into the Twin Towers. I thought about the families of those victims in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. For them, I was glad. I was proud of our country. I was proud of our Presidents, both past and present. I was proud to be an American. I saw Twitter and Facebook explode with joyous exclamation of victory and celebration. And then something else happened.

Slowly, one by one. Comments started being made about the ungodliness of rejoicing in the death of the wicked (a portion of Ezekiel 18:23 was repeated over and over again). Christians starting faulting other Christians for their joy and I got angry, very angry.

I thought my anger was the response of my natural self and a bi-product of the emotion of the event and that it would pass. But the next day, as more and more of these "entries" started to pop up and believers started jumping on the proverbial bandwagon it continued to grow. Questions about the United States right to carry out such an action were posed. And the word "hypocrite" was being hurled at Believers who didn't "mourn over this lost soul".

We know that it is the Lord's will that none should perish, but that all would come to repentence and faith (2 Peter 3:9) and as followers of Christ this should be our loftiest goal. But there is nothing unbiblical about rejoicing in the victory of good over evil. I was stunned at the number of people saying how we should "Love our enemies". Indeed we should! We are commanded to. That's easy to do when your enemy is dead. I wonder how many of my brothers and sisters, who are so quick to call "hypocrite" were loving Bin Laden when he was alive. Love is an action, isn't it? Love isn't something you feel, but something you do. How many believers were combing the caves of Tora Bora searching for Bin Laden to minister to him while he was in hiding. How many Evangelism Explosion groups were pounding the pavement in Pakistan to lead him to salvation? How many Christians in the United States were on their knees daily over the past 10 years praying that Osama Bin Laden would come to faith in Christ Jesus? I don't know the exact number, but I'm certain, if anything, it was small. That's how you love your enemy. You don't wait until he is dead and then condemn others for having a smile on their face as a result. We need to be mindful of casting out the title of hypocrite. In my experience, it's those who choose to use it first that are the guiltiest of all.

Another thing that occurred to me was that, in all the discussion, there was no mention of the sovereignty of God. As if the United States acted outside of His will. Are we that naive, or dare I say arrogant, to believe that our country had any power to do this apart from God? Regardless of whether one thinks our country is honoring God, we must remember that God is in control. He sets up kings and deposes them (Daniel 2:21)He has determined the length of each of our lives. We will not live one day more or one day less than He, the Creator, has set. This included Osama Bin Laden. We have to consider the "possibility" (I say that tongue in cheek) that the omnipotent God, in his sovereignty, knew the depths of Osama Bin Laden's heart and the reality that while Christ indeed died for him, he would never accept that truth and turn from his wicked ways. (Don't bombard me with arguments for or against Calvinism at this point. Regardless of your own personal school of thought, not one person comes to Christ to the Father's surprise). Is it really so difficult to see that if God's purpose for Osama Bin Laden was to come to salvation through Christ and spend his remaining days leading lost, Islamic militant boys to the Lord that he would still be alive today? If that day was not his last day on this earth, no highly trained group of US Navy Seals, no predator drone, no nuclear device could have taken him out.

I agree that while the average American danced in the streets celebrating victory and revenge, that our hearts should have been aware of this poor man's fate and stirred by it. But we can still celebrate. We SHOULD still celebrate. Americans tend to have a very ego-centric world view. We are a super power. We are a force to be reckoned with. We can face any challenge and come through stronger. We are right and you are wrong. It is arrogance and I personally believe we will see in days and years to come exactly how weak and vulnerable we are. (But that's a post for another time) I am proud of my country. I love being an American and I thank God every day that I was blessed to be born here and have the life that I do, but Osama Bin Laden's death was not our victory. Yes, the United States was used as a tool and I am grateful to our leadership and commend our stellar military and intelligence community for their amazing work! But this battle is not ours to win.

In all the discussion of the "proper Christian response" to Osama Bin Laden's death, I've not heard one mention of the fact that he was first and foremost an enemy of the Jews. He hated Americans. Why? Because of our alliance with and involement with Israel. He despised us because of our presence in the Middle East and defense of a nation he was bent on destroying. He was an enemy of the Jews and of their God. America plays a supporting role in a battle that was waged in Genesis and the world has been fighting ever since. Those of us who are so quick to point the finger over the celebration of this man's death need to remember that this battle is the Lord's and he will come to the defense of his chosen people. We have been witness to this. The Sovereign God, the Creator of the Universe, who Was and Is and Is to Come intervened on behalf of his people and reigned victorious. For that we should take to the streets in celebration. Our God reigns!

Birthday Trouble

In my last post, I mentioned something of a conundrum that I am in the midst of over the birthday of our youngest son, Isaiah.  Now, I realize that he is only going to be two years old and most likely doesn't give a rip what kind of birthday he has.  However, seeing as I am running out of time to make these decisions exclusively, I intend on making the most of them.

I decided on Sofia's birthday theme when I happened upon an adorable castle cake in a magazine I was thumbing through.  Much to my surprise, it looked "doable".  So, I went with it.  I purchased her party decorations from  Birthday Direct and decided to order Isaiah's party goods as well to save on shipping (seeing as their birthday's are little more than a month apart).  I spent quite a bit of time pouring over birthday themes and decorations- everything from Mickey Mouse to fire trucks and landed on monkeys.  Before making my decision, however, I had to figure out what kind of a cake I could make to go with our theme.  (Have I mentioned my OCD?)  After running a random search for "monkey cakes", I came across this masterpiece.  I fell in love and we were moving along full steam ahead.

However, in the last three weeks or so, Isaiah has absolutely fallen in love with Elmo, whom he lovingly refers to as "La La".  It took me a while to figure out why until this dawned on me one day as Zay freaked out about seeing La La on his diaper.  Elmo's Song 

How stinkin' cute is that?  But now, this obsessed little boy (no, I don't know where he gets that from) goes ballistic whenever he sees Elmo.

Therein lies the basis of my enigma.  Do I do what I feel is the selfish mom thing and go with the monkeys or do I bag the monkeys and start over fresh with a La La party.   Have I mentioned I already have an Elmo cake pan from Daniel's second birthday party?   Perhaps it's not the selfish mom thing.  Could it be it's the practical mom thing?  Anyone?  Anyone?

Christmas In the Air

Okay...it's not. The air is currently still flooded with pollen and each day becomes increasingly warmer as desert temperatures continue to rise and summer officially approaches. Tomorrow June begins- the hottest month of the year in Arizona when temperatures can reach in excess of 115 degrees during the day. Dreading. Dreading. Dreading.


In our household, we are still in the midst of our family "birthday extravaganza" that commences each year in April and lasts through the end of July. It sounds better than it is. That's just my way of saying we have a birthday every month in our home. I like to throw the word "extravaganza" out there periodically just because I can.


My husbands birthday was a success, as was Sofia's princess party. Next up, Zay's 2nd birthday which I am currently in a conundrum over. More on that later. But the lapse in time and the lack of preparation, based on the aforementioned conundrum, has got my mind wandering ahead several months to the holiday season.


It happens every year. The temperatures rise and I long for shorter days with cooler temperatures, for things like stew, oven-baked meats and creamy casseroles, for spiced candles and cozy sweaters.


In my traditional obsessive compulsive way, I begin planning for the holidays in August. Which despite criticism from skeptics has proved VERY successful and, may I add, is extremely beneficial to our budget. Faithfully, on July 25 each year, my mom and I take leftover Christmas cookies out of the freezer, light a deliciously scented candle, pour ourselves a cup of tea, and settle in on the sofa for Christmas in July on QVC. We buy very little, but it has become a beloved tradition and I don't intend on giving it up very...er...uh...okay...EVER!


Yet I cannot keep my mind from wandering there even now, almost two entire months early. There's so much to do and plan in the meantime, so I guess Christmas is going on the back burner...for now. It will arrive in due time. But don't judge me if I sneak a whiff of my Christmas wreath candle periodically or you catch me humming Carol of the Bells.

2011 Reads Update

It's Memorial Day weekend and we are nearing the half way point of the year.  With only a few weeks to go, I decided it was in my best interest to evaluate my reading progress and see what I need to do to maintain momentum.  That last sentence is code for "look at the list of books I was supposed to have read and have not and cram as many of them into the next four weeks as possible". 
 In my defense however (you knew that was coming), I have read books.  But like everything else in life, I've been distracted from my goal.  This is the result of a few things.  Number 1:  My children still live with me.  This will be the excuse I use for the next 12-16 years.  It is valid.  Get used to hearing it. Number 2:  My dear husband, after dealing with his inevitable remorse for the "You're not a reader" comment, did in fact buy me a Kindle for my birthday.  I am happy to say that I love it and use it often!  However, it posed a problem I didn't anticipate.  I now feel guilty reading anything other than my Kindle for fear that he will assume I'm not interested in it anymore and revert back to his previous opinion regarding my affection, or the lack thereof,  for literature.  Furthermore, I cannot bring myself to purchase Kindle books that I have sitting on my shelf.  Number 3?  Evidently I have guilt issues.  This is a topic for another time.


All that being said, I am happy to report that I have finished the following books:
Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff (frighteningly accurate, but did make me laugh out loud on more than one occasion)
Crazy Love by Francis Chan (not funny in any way, shape, or form, but completely alters the way you look at your relationship with God and will challenge you to change the way your faith looks to others)
So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore (about 1/3 of the way through this one- Wow!  Dealing with some issues I never knew I had and some I did.  Tough stuff)


I've also begun  reading Extravagant Worship by Darlene Zschech, which is on my original list and am working my way through Fearless by Max Lucado.   I'll tell ya, it's not like tackling J.I. Packer or Charles Spurgeon, but that's some heavy reading right there.  I think I'm going to need to take a break from the soul-searching next and read Calvin and Hobbes or something equally mindless.

Short-term goal?  To finish So Long, Insecurity and Extravagant Worship by the mid-year point.  Which means, it's time to get off the computer, grab a cup of coffee and get reading!

Today

In the words of my sister, "I'm a little sad today".  Can't think of a better way to put it.  It was a year ago, today, that my precious grandma went to be with the Lord.  And although, I am confident in that, it stings a bit today.  Therein lies the ultimate dichotomy of the human soul.  Hope and promise of what is to come amidst the pain and anguish of loss.

I don't think I'll ever forget the call I received on May 26th, 2010.  Fortunately I was up  and ready for the day, knowing I'd be heading out at some point.  My aunt and uncle were already in town and we were all anxious to spend as much time at my grandma's bedside as possible.  My cell phone rang and sweet Doris from my grandmother's home told me I wanted to get there as soon as possible.  I called a friend to watch the kids and almost literally threw them in the car.  I was not a quarter mile from my house when Doris called again.  "Sweetie, she's gone."  Those three words, spoken is such love and compassion, ripped a giant-sized hole in my heart and I'll never forget the exact moment I heard them.

I'll also never forget what happened over the course of the following hour and the overwhelming peace that flooded my wounded heart.  For the tears of sadness and joy that my family was able to share as we cried and laughed our way through the morning, rummaging through pictures that characterized my grandma's life.  We grieved with hope.

I've done that a lot over the past 12 months and even found myself smiling at the thought of what both my grandparents have experienced.  This year that has seemed so long at times and yet so short at others, has not bound them.  They've not once looked at a clock or wondered what's taking so long.  I'm sure neither one is thinking, "has it already been a year?"  My finite mind cannot grasp what they see, hear, and feel.   I'm beyond thrilled that I know they are together and that I will see them again- whole and perfect.  I cannot wait for that moment!

But, I'm a little sad today...

Praying for Martha

It was a quiet evening at home Sunday when I picked up my phone and began reading reports of a devastating tornado that ripped through the town of Joplin, Missouri. A town, that until that moment, I had never heard mention of before. After our brief stint in "Tornado Alley", my heart breaks for those who suffer such tragedy. The sound of tornado sirens piercing the black night is terrifying and the destruction left behind horrific. We were blessed to remain out of the path of destruction but I remember the sights, driving down the I-30 through Benton, AR, after a tornado touched down in the Spring of 2008- cars mangled, billboards shredded, houses destroyed. As a result, my sensitivity to victims of tornadoes has heightened considerably and I began to pray for the safety and recovery of all those in Joplin.

The following morning was busy as usual, breakfast, laundry, cleaning. I sat down for a stint in front of the computer to check my Facebook page and got curious. In typical Facebook stalking fashion, I began searching for random friends and distant family members. As I searched for one such friend, named Martha, a result quickly appeared on the screen. Not only did it appear, but somehow how the link opened and I was taken immediately to her page. I noticed little more than her name, which was identical to the gal I was searching for. But underneath it is what caught my attention. Her location? Joplin, Missouri.

You don't have to have a relationship with God long to realize that he moves in ways that, while they may not make sense to you, are purposeful. And I believe with all my heart that this was a God-given appointment. There I was, virtually face to face with someone I'd never met in a town ravaged by a tornado only hours before.

I don't know Martha personally. I don't know if she is alive, if she's injured, if she lost a loved one, or if she is among those aiding victims. I may never know. But I will continue to lift her up in prayer as often as her name comes to mind. Please join me in praying for Martha.

Best. Purchase. Ever

As mentioned in our Year in Review post, at the beginning of December, my sister and I took our mom to New York City for her birthday. It was something we had been dreaming about our whole lives and planning for over a year and half.

My mom grew up and worked in and around the city. As a child, her parents would take the family out to dinner and to Radio City to see the Rockettes as part of her birthday celebration. This was our goal and it was FANTASTIC!

In addition to our show at Radio City Music Hall, we had several other "must dos" on our list which included afternoon tea at The Plaza, Christmas shopping at F.A.O Schwarz, pizza in Little Italy, and of course Bloomingdales!

I wanted so badly to come home with a "Brown Bag" even if it was only a little one.  But, we did better than that.  Not only did I come home with a "Little Brown Bag", I came home with what is now one of my favorite purchases of all time...

My Bloomingdale's mug!

Now, as I sip my coffee each morning, I am reminded of our wonderful trip and the special time spent in an amazing city with my even more amazing family!

Best.Purchase.Ever.