Lesson Learned from Michigan State Football

As those who know me are aware, I am not a sports fan. Every now and again, though, I get caught up in a game my husband and/or sons are watching.  This fall, I became mildly interested in Michigan State football because my son attends school there and I was happy they earned a spot in the Big Ten Championship game.  I only watched maybe five minutes of the actual game, but I rooted  for them from afar as I worked on my computer and eventually laid myself down to sleep.

After the game ended, my son came to my bedroom and informed me Michigan State had won in the last 30 seconds of the game.  I wanted to see that last play, but sleep won over curiosity.  The next morning, I watched the clip of those final seconds.  What I saw brought tears to my eyes.  Seriously. 

Michigan State, up to those last 30 or so seconds was losing the game.  They needed to score.  The quarterback started the play and handed the ball to the running back, L.J. Scott.  Only a few yards, stood between him and victory.  He ran to the right looking for an opening.  However, as he ran, Iowa defenders blocked his way until eventually they caught him just shy of the goal line.  When it looked to me like he was not going to break through their grip, he spins around with Iowa’s defenders clutching his body and stretches his body and arm with the ball across the goal line.  Touchdown!  Game won! 

At that moment, I had nothing but love and admiration for the freshman running back.  His determination and strength blew me away.  But more than anything, his ability to focus in the midst of being surrounded by numerous Iowa defenders deeply moved me.  My perception was that he was not discouraged or distracted by the blocks in his way or the defenders holding his body.  His focus was on getting that ball across the line and winning the game.  He did not give in.  

What quickly came to mind is how many of us, in our efforts to succeed at whatever endeavor we are pursuing, fall into discouragement or get distracted by the obstacles, hindrances, roadblocks, and/or naysayers.  Some of us are so close.  So close to victory.  So close to winning.  So close to overcoming.  So close to grasping what we have worked so hard for.  Yet, just as in this game, the closer we get, the more intense the enemy gets.  He doesn’t want us to have victory.  He wants us to hold our heads down in defeat. 

Oh that we would be like L. J. Scott and just stay focused on getting across that line.  If only we would not give in to the opposition we are facing, but PRESS through it and do whatever we can to reach the goal. If only we would keep our eyes on the prize and not the obstacles.  We may have to stretch ourselves (i.e. be uncomfortable, do things we wouldn’t normally) to get there, but as this young man has shown us, it can be done.

Lord give us the strength, determination and focus to cross the goal line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ezV3e7uCoY

Visions and Dreams

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NVx6u1b0qIU

Anti-Abortion Is Anything But Anti-Women

“'Here we go again. It’s another battle in the war on women,’ said Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California after the House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to impose tighter restrictions on federal payments for abortions."

This excerpt is from a Wall St. Cheat Sheet article entitled, "Obamacare Abortion Coverage Faces Threats from House Republicans."  As usual, the misguided labeling of the battle against abortion in any form as a battle against women has stirred my ire.  I have grown so weary of this mindless, automated response to anything pro-life, I want to scream, "PLEASE, JUST STOP IT!  PLEASE!"

Is there a battle against women?  Absolutely!  No argument there.  However, the sad truth is abortion is a weapon in the battle AGAINST women.  I know it may be difficult to wrap a brain around this, but yes, abortion is designed to destroy women.  This bit of information is not coming from “men in blue suits and red ties determining what women should do”—the people who Democratic Rep. Louise Slaughter insinuates are the culprits fighting against women.  No, it is coming from me, a woman through and through who possesses a genuine love for people of my gender and has had an abortion.

What needs to be understood is that the battle lines were drawn against women long ago with the first woman, the mother of all living, Eve.  Genesis 3:15 states, “From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies.”  These words were addressed to Satan by God.  And so it began.  As I often say, history (as well as the present) is filled with horrendous acts of violence and oppression against women…and children.  It is obvious abortion is also a fulfillment of this prophetic utterance.  It is a horrific act of violence against women and their children with the sole purpose of destruction. 

Undoubtedly, there are men who hate women, just as there are women who hate men and even women who hate women.  Even so, no one hates us more than Satan.  I have described how abortion hurts women in other blog articles, in my book, Can’t Keep Silent, and in YouTube videos, so I won’t discuss it here.  I just want to give women pause as it relates to this utterly ridiculous notion that any efforts, large or small, to stop abortion, or, in keeping with the article, to block federal funding of abortions, are acts of war against women.  Abortion IS the war against you.  I can’t say every pro-lifer has pure motives in this fight, but I know there are many pro-lifers like myself--men and women--who are fighting FOR women, as well as their unborn children.  It’s a fight against death and destruction, not you.  Don’t buy the lies.  Your real enemy is one you cannot see.

The Oddities Surrounding the Murder of George Tiller

In May, 2009, the shooting of George Tiller was a tragic event.  A man lost his life, and others lost a husband, a father, friend, brother, and co-worker.  My hearts grieved for his natural family and his church family.

I cannot presume to know what Scott Roeder was thinking, but looking at his actions and reported history, it appears he somehow reasoned it was acceptable to kill a man, but unacceptable to kill babies.  Odd, isn't it?    One would think murder is murder.  Equally as odd is the outrage and disgust expressed over Dr. Tiller's murder by those who support abortion.  These folks have somehow reasoned it is acceptable to kill babies, but unacceptable to kill a man.  I don't get it.

One statement I read regarding Dr. Tiller's murder bemoaned the fact that Dr. Tiller was killed in what is considered to be a "safe place"--a church.  I agree.  God's house should be a safe place, and I am distressed whenever I hear of a killing in a church.  Dr. Tiller must have considered the church a safe place as well since it appears while there, he lacked his usual bodyguard protection.  When I read this statement, however, another "safe place" came to mind--the womb.  One would think this would be one of the safest places on earth; a place of nurturing, growing, peace and rest.  Unfortunately however, the womb has become the setting for a shocking number of violent murders.  

I am truly saddened by what happened to Mr. Tiller, but I am also saddened by the fact that Mr. Roeder and abortion supporters are blinded to the incongruity of justifying one violent murder while disdaining another. 

President Obama said, "I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."  Ya think?  That is exactly what abortion is--a heinous act of violence.  Can't wrap my brain around this.

The "Rights" of Christians

I am amazed at how in America, seemingly everyone except Christians have rights (even animals).   As an example, if a Christian disagrees with the homosexual lifestyle, he/she is deemed a bigot and intolerant.  I am not talking about harrassing or hurting anyone; I am talking about just stating one’s opinion about it.  However, if someone condemns Christianity, I don’t usually hear the terms “bigot” or “intolerant” thrown around.   It seems tolerance of views other than your own often flows in one direction…away from Christians.

Recently, the responses regarding the issue of President Obama’s health care reform requiring religious institutions to provide birth control coverage in their health insurance plans contribute to my sense of amazement.   These comments state religious institutions should not be allowed to “force” their contraception beliefs on their employees.  But is it acceptable for President Obama to “force” his contraception beliefs on religious institutions? 

Who exactly is getting hurt by these religious institutions’ contraceptive beliefs?  Well, according to the commenters, their employees.  They say the insitutions should incorporate birth control into their insurance plans, and employees who share the beliefs can opt not to use it.  That’s nice.  However, I say, if employees want birth control in their health insurance plans, they can opt to work for a company that offers it.  They have a choice.

As I see it, the only ones truly at risk of hurt are religious institutions.  First of all, their conscience and beliefs are being violated.  Second, by not providing covered birth control, they could potentially lose good employees.  However, I am assuming their health plans do not currently cover birth control, yet they still have employees.

Are You Really Free?

Freedom. What a glorious word! Simply reading or hearing it triggers an intuitive sense of justice; an internal knowing that it’s a right and must be possessed at all costs. Throughout the ages, this innate instinct has thrust even the gentlest souls into fierce conflicts and has resulted in countless lives being lost on battlefields, plantations, prison grounds, borders, and in defiant marches and protests.

Many of the freedoms we currently enjoy were obtained through courageous battles against injustices like governmental oppression and slavery. The price of these freedoms, which are often taken for granted, were paid with a valuable currency - blood.

Thank God for America, the “Land of the Free” and its many freedoms. Foreigners eagerly migrate to America to quench their thirst for freedom and its benefits. However, as wonderful and enviable as these freedoms may be, unfortunately, they are limited to the external realm.

If we could steal a glimpse of America from the inside of its citizens, a totally different picture would emerge. We’d see grim images of oppressive bondage: hearts, minds, wills, and emotions bound in burdensome chains and fetters; dreams, visions, and untapped potential locked away in jail cells with unknown keys.

Who will pay the price and fight to liberate those whose minds are held captive by oppressors like torment and/or negative self-image? Who will wage war against the unseen enemies who ravage men and women’s emotions with fear, depression, and rage? Can the power of the United States’ armed forces fight and win this battle for freedom? Can police restore order to this internal chaos? Can protests on the steps of governmental headquarters buy freedom for the spirit and soul?

The answer is, “No!” Absolutely not. It’s a battle that cannot be won with man-made weapons. Who then is able to pay the price which liberates captive, hurting souls?

The good news is that One has already shed His blood, fought the battle, and won our freedom. Who is He? He is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. His death, burial and resurrection have freed us from the hard bondage of sin, and have given us the legal right to walk as free men and women in our hearts and our minds.

Jesus has paid the price for our freedom, but many are yet bound in various areas of their lives because they do not know or understand the liberty available to them in Christ. Others know, but don’t comprehend the power they possess through Christ’s victory to break free from their tormentors’ snare.

The blood has been shed and the battle won. Now it’s time for the real you—the you God intricately and meticulously designed--to emerge from the chains and dark prison of spiritual and emotional bondage and fulfill your God-given purpose and destiny.

It’s time for you to truly go free!

You Can't Vote on Just One Issue!

Well, the 2008 election is over, and I am relieved - not so much because of the outcome, but because the decision for whom to vote was nothing short of agonizing.  So allow me to exhale a great big WHEW!

I know, I know. . .  You are probably thinking what some of my peers were thinking (and saying for that fact).  That is:

"I don't understand why you are having a hard time with the decision.  Isn't it obvious who should be the President?  You must not have looked at what he stands for, and what he can do for this nation?"

Quite to the contrary, I did look.  As a matter of fact, I looked at both sides.  Mr. McCain struck a sour note with me for many reasons.  Yet, when I researched Mr. Obama, it was kind of refreshing to see that several of his plans reflected my own desires for what I would like to see happen in our nation.  So, like my peers, you may ask, "So what's the problem.  What would keep you for voting for him?"

The problem stemmed from a few issues on which we disagree, and one in particular that became the looming mountain that precluded me from jumping on the Obama bandwagon.  I really wanted to jump on that bandwagon.  I mean, as a biracial black woman who did not think I would see any possibility of a black president in my lifetime, I wanted to contribute my vote to making history and putting him in office.  And from what I could tell, he seemed to be a man with a plan who could possibly unite our sorely divided nation.  Not only that, but I knew in my heart he was going to win. Still, what became the reins around my volition yanking me to a grinding halt whenever I thought I may have reasoned myself into supporting him with my vote was that ONE ISSUE.  To vote for him would be a violation of my deeply rooted personal convictions.

Now if someone had said to me what I'm saying here, I would probably say, "Well, do what you think you have to do."  Unfortunately, though, I didn't hear that.  Maybe if I had, the decision-making process would have been easier.  However, what turned it into sheer agony was the the statement that I heard repeated seemingly in surround sound from friends, the pulpit, and co-workers-- "You can't vote based on just one issue!"  I was instructed by those whom I highly respect to consider all of my values when making the decision, not just one.

While attempting to heed this counsel, I learned something about my values that was not obvious to me before--my values have different "values."  Maybe others' values carry equal weight, so the quantity of issues which a presidential candidate promises to positively impact becomes their deciding factor.  But that is just not the case with me.

My conviction that it is wrong (not to mention inhumane, horrible, savage) to take the lives of innocent unborn children through abortion weighs heavily on my heart.  These are lives who receive a death sentence, not for a heinous crime, but just for existing or for not being perfect.  They cannot run and hide; they cannot appeal the decision, plead their case, ask for help, beg for mercy, or seek a pardon.  Child Protective Services cannot rescue them.  They possess no voice and receive no protection.  This makes it difficult for me to vote for a man who vehemently supports denying these children their right to live.  But what makes it nearly impossible for me to vote for him is that he does not stop there.  No, he takes it to a whole other level.  He is willing to have medical care denied for babies who survive an abortion (research the Born Alive Act).  That's just cold.  I have heard it said that support for Obama is evidence that we are now in the midst of fulfilling Martin Luther King's dream of a time when people would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.  Mr. Obama's stance on abortion and babies born alive after an abortion strikes serious concern in me about his character.   How hard your heart must be to think it is just to leave aborted babies born alive to die.  It is scary.  It is also ironic seeing how one of his most popular platforms is health care for everyone.  Obviously, he did not mean everyone.

As I stated before, I knew he would win.  However, now I must do as the Bible commands and pray for him.  And I do.  I pray that God's will be done in him and through him and that his heart would be pliable in the Lord's hands.

So, can you vote based on just one issue?  It depends on the issue.