Life as a Christian Woman

When you read the above title, you probably start thinking about all the different versions of the Bible that you can buy at your local bookstore:

• King James
• New King James
• 21st Century King James Version
• New International Version
• New American Standard
• Amplified Bible
• New Living Translation
• American Standard Version
• New Life Version
• The Message
• English Standard Version
• Contemporary English Version
• New Century Version
• Young’s Literal Translation
• Darby Translation
• Holman Christian Standard Bible
• New International Reader’s Version
• Wycliffe New Testament
• Worldwide English New Testament
• Today’s New Internation Version

I could go on and on (and on and on!). The 20 versions I have listed are but a few available according to BibleGateway.com.

But while we may have dozens of interpretations to choose from, and the Bible continues to be the most translated book in the world, there are millions of people who have no translation of the Bible in their own language.

As of 2005, at least one book of the Bible has been translated into 2,400 of the 6,900 languages, including 680 languages in Africa, 590 in Asia, 420 in Oceania, 420 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 210 in Europe, and 75 in North America. The United Bible Societies are presently assisting in over 600 Bible translation projects.

Today my daughter brought home a newsletter from school, a magazine called God’s World News Early Edition, specifically written for younger children. As I thumbed through it, I found an article regarding the people of Jamaica. Most Jamaicans speak a language called patois (PA twa). And while many are Christians, none have ever been able to read a Bible in their language. According to the article:

The Reverend Courtney Stewart says that many Jamaican people have never read the Bible. He has hired people to translate it into patois. He wants all Jamaicans to hear God’s good news.

We may think that it is only in the deepest, darkest corners of the world that people don’t have the ability to put their hands on a Bible, but the reality is that this little island nation, where many Americans vacation, most don’t have access to a Bible in their native language.

There are many groups in the process of translating the Bible for different world populations. Pray for them. Pray that their mission will proceed with haste, that all may know the glory of our God!

One week ago Sarah Palin was introduced as John McCain’s running mate, much to the surprise of everyone. But that was only the beginning.

It was announced yesterday that Palin’s 17-year-old unmarried daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. She is keeping the baby, and will be marrying the father sometime in the future.

Added to this family scenario is five-month-old son, Trig, who has Down’s Syndrome.

You could see the journalists and political pundits salivating at the stories being laid at their feet. But here is the real story:

Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, chose to have their son, despite being informed of his condition in utero. They could have taken chosen an easier path, but knew that their son was a gift from God, just like their other four children. According to various studies in the late 1990’s, more than 80% of prenatal diagnoses of Down Syndrome end in abortion.

But the Palins, staunchly pro-life, never considered the alternative. On April 18, 6-pound, 2-ounce son Trig Paxson Van Palin was born.

“We’ve both been very vocal about being pro-life,” Palin told the Associated Press, speaking of herself and her husband, Todd. “We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential.”

The day after the birth, the Palins released the following statement: “Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed.”

Now, they are face the world with a pregnant teenager. Yet their answer to all of the questions is the same. Every baby is a gift from God. Yes, there will be challenges and we wouldn’t have chosen this road for our daughter. But these are our facts, we love our daughter and we will love and support her through this.

Conservatives have come out in full force, commending the family for “talking the talk and walking the walk.” No less than James Dobson of Focus on the Family has backed the Governor from Alaska. While Dobson is a proponent of mothers staying at home with their children, he has welcomed Palin’s candidacy and wholeheartedly endorsed her reaction to her daughter’s pregnancy.

“The media are already trying to spin this as evidence Gov. Palin is a ‘hypocrite,’ but all it really means is that she and her family are human,” Mr. Dobson said.

I don’t know where I stand on her candidacy, and that is not the discussion I am trying to start. I do wonder if any of this would even be an issue if a man was the candidate and the same issues were in his family. Sometimes it seems like women are expected to toe two different lines in today’s world. Supermom/wife and captain of industry.

For better or for worse, a dialogue has been opened regarding these issues. Our local tv station was on campus today interviewing female college freshmen for their opinions on the Palin family situation. My own step-daughter was interviewed, although I won’t know what she said until I watch the news at 11.

Take this opportunity to talk to your kids. Keep communication open on all fronts.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
words & music by Helen H. Lemmel, 1922

Turn your eyes up Jesus.
Look full in his glorious face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

There is so much evil in the world. It is heartbreaking and distracting beyond words. The evil that men do to one another has the ability to overtake our senses, overwhelm our ability to conceive of it.

But there is a peace and a sanity that exists in a mind that focuses on heaven. Why? Because we know the ending… eternal life in Heaven.

The song that I reference above, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, is a wonderful example of a life that faces Heaven, yet acknowledges this life is hard, that we face obstacles that may seem overwhelming.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Evil is a fact our our lives, and some Christians have to stare it more directly in the face that we can even begin to understand. Currently, there are Christians world-wide facing the threat of death just for being faithful to our God. Christians in parts of India are suffering greatly, with churches being burned down, and the threat of injury and death very real. But they stand tall in their faith. How? Because they know how their stories will end… face-to-face with our Father God, basking in His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

When we read of the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we pray. We pray for healing in a world that turns from God. We pray that our fellow Christians will be strong in the face of this evil. We pray that their tormentors will accept the forgiveness and redemption that God so willingly wants to give them. But we must also remember, and be comforted by the fact, that these saints on earth face those who want to destroy them with the courage and knowledge that what awaits them on the other side is a victory… a victory over evil, over evil-doers, and over death itself.

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Those Christians that face this horrible persecution rest on the words above. They are following the Great Commission. They are going to teach those who are lost of a God of love and light.

How many times have we all read of a persecuted Christian, facing death, who is so at peace, so calm? It never fails to confound those who spread evil. But Christians know what those who wish to destroy them cannot understand. What awaits erases what comes before.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, please visit www.yesugarden.blogspot.com. It is written by a wonderful sister in Christ, Amrita. Although I will most likely never meet her face to face on this earth, I look forward to the day that we stand together at the throne of God.

To listen to Alan Jackson sing Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, click here.

Every few days I check out a website called Christian News Headlines (ChristianNewsHeadlines.com). Headlines from around the world that pertain to Christianity or the Christian world can be found there, and a simple click will lead you to the full story.

Today a read a story that I wanted to make you all aware of. A few weeks ago I wrote an article on persecution of Christians in China (Christianity in China, August 11, 2008). While the nation of China put on a beautiful face for the world during the Olympics, and claims to have religious freedom, we know that is not true. For me, the story now has a face.

Two days prior to the start of the Olympics, on August 6, Pastor Zhang “Bike” Mingxuan (known affectionately as “Pastor Bike”) was arrested, along with his wife and a fellow pastor, Wu Jianghe. He was in a hotel getting ready to go pick up some medicine, when the electricity in his room was turned off. Using his cell phone, he called Bob Fu, president of China Aid.

“He told me that the electricity had been shut off, just in his room, nowhere else,” Bob Fu said. “He was talking to me when they came to arrest him.”

It is believed they are being held at Jing Ba Lu Branch PSB office in Zhengzhou City, the Capital of Henan Province.

Pastor Bike came to Christ in 1986, and immediately began doing missionary work in his hometown. But soon, his love for Christ combined with his love for the people of China pushed him to move beyond his hometown to minister to thousands. In 1998, Pastor Bike began riding his bike around China (hence the nickname!), spreading the word to all who would listen. He traveled 10,000 miles, and he passed out simple business cards that read, “Believe in Jesus. Be Granted Eternal Life.”

As you can imagine, he has been a constant target of the Chinese government. And despite opportunities to leave that country, he has turned them down, preferring to stay in his homeland to lead them to Jesus.

Pastor Bike is president of the Chinese House Church Alliance. You may remember that literally millions of Chinese Christians meet secretly in private houses all around the country. He is a bold force in that nation, and has never backed down in his desire to spread Christ’s name. He will cross borders to hand out Bibles. He will openly share the Good News with those under the age of 18, and has led thousands to be saved. In China, these are all crimes. He has also been a key to the creation of the China Prayer Bands, designed to let Christians around the world know of the persecution faced by their brothers and sisters in Christ in China.

The Voice of the Martyrs and China Aid Association have a website, “FreePastorBike.com” where one can sign a petition that will be forwarded to Chinese Ambassador Mr. Zhou Wenzhong. The message the two groups hope to send to the Chinese government is that the world is aware, and will not forget.

I don’t know if an online petition can help. But I do know that we can all join in prayer for Pastor Bike, and for the millions of Christians in China and around the world who are persecuted, who do not enjoy the freedom of worship that many of us take for granted. Christians who risk their lives and the lives of those they love to worship our risen Saviour.

Please take time to say a prayer today…

YouTube/BBC video in which Pastor Bike is featured about 1 minute in Click Here

As I told you yesterday, I am a big fan of the Olympics. Tonight I was watching the men’s gymnastics team event. The underdog U.S. team led midway through the event, and ended up with the bronze medal. The team was not expected to perform well, as they had lost two of their top performers just days before leaving for Beijing.

But perform they did. At one point the team was huddled up. Gymnast Jonathan Horton spoke up and said, “No fear, no regrets.”

That phrase has stuck with me the rest of the evening. What if we could live every single day of our lives with no fear and no regrets.

What would it feel like to be unafraid of what others thought about us and speak freely of the love of Christ? To be unafraid to express our devotion to Him? Even in the free society that we live in here in the United States, we are “afraid” to offend others by speaking of our faith. Somehow it is easier to imagine crossing the seas to spread the Good News than to cross the street and invite our neighbors to worship with us.

And what would it be like to live with no regrets? To look back at yesterday and beyond, and know that we had done all we could to bring others into the Kingdom of God? That we had left no stone unturned in our desire to spread His message of love?

How amazing that would be!

Daily we live with that fear of offending the unsaved, yet by ignoring them we are condemning them to a life eternity apart from God, in Hell. And when someone we know dies apart from God, we regret never having taken the time to speak. When someone passes away, we are so programmed to say, “They are in a better place now.” But are they really? How do we know? Did we ever speak to them about our faith? Share our Jesus with them.

As Christians, let’s make our motto No Fear, No Regrets.

I love the Olympics, I love everything about them. If my family wants to find me anytime over the next two weeks, they know that I will be parked in front of the nearest television, watching everything from fencing to equestrian to basketball to swimming.

In fact, sports I would never dream of watching any other time take on a life of their own during the Olympics!

This Olympics takes on a bit of a different meaning, though. The host, China, has one of the world’s worst records in human rights and oppression of it’s people. And religion is a very touchy subject in the Middle Kingdom.

In China, those over the age of 18 are allowed be be involved with officially sanctioned Christian meetings through the “Three-Self Patriotic Movement” (TSPM) or the “Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association” (CCPA).

The TSPM is non-denominational, and preachers receive instruction at one of 13 sanctioned seminaries, which are Marxist-oriented. The TSPM is widely viewed as a wing of Communism.

Lest you think the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association is a branch of the Catholic Church, read on. The CCPA is an association of Chinese established in 1957 by the People’s Republic of China’s Religious Affairs Bureau to maintain state supervision over mainland China’s Catholics. In July of 1958, Pope Pius XII declared the bishops who participated in consecrating new bishops selected by the Association to be excommunicated. Pope Benedict XVI called agents of the CCPA “persons who are not ‘ordained’, and sometimes not even baptized”, who “control and take decisions concerning important ecclesial questions, including the appointment of Bishops.

But many Chinese Christians also meet in unregistered house church meetings, despite the reports of sporadic persecution. In fact, while the government estimates there are four million Roman Catholics and 10 million Protestants, independent estimates range from 40 to 54 million Christians in China. Most of the growth has taken place in the House Church movement.

The House Church movement began in 1949, following a Communist edict that all religions must register. The registry forces groups to join one of the state-mandated religious organizations, which opens the door to government interference and control. Risking jail and persecution, these groups meet in homes, often in secret, to protect those involved.

On Sunday, President George Bush and his wife Laura attended church in Beijing. They attended the Beijing Kuanjie Protestant Christian church, one of the “official churches” under Communist control. Afterwards, the President made a statement in support of religious freedom in China, a sentiment he has shared with Chinese President Hu Jintao on numerous occasions.

China is at a crossroads. It wants to be a major player in today’s world, and is well on it’s way. Many American companies have set up manufacturing plants in China (General Motors, for instance). With this influx of “foreign” workers, China will have to make decisions very soon about it’s future.

As you watch the festivities and competition, say a prayer today that the leaders of that far away land will have their eyes opened, that Christianity will continue to grow and be able to move out of the shadows and into the bright light of God’s world.

What do you do when your Christian spirit goes numb, disappears? I don’t mean a crisis of faith. Your faith is still strong, but something is missing in your soul.

It happens to all of us. It sneaks up on us and catches us unaware. Suddenly we realize that we feel apart from God, despite our constant search for Him.

Mother Teresa, who spent her life in God’s service, felt separated from Him so deeply that she wrote her mentors letters that begged for answers. She felt lonely and alone. It appears from her letters that her period of pain began shortly after her mission in the slums of Calcutta in 1948 (a mission she had begged, pleaded and nagged her superiors for over a period of years). As she dove into the underbelly of the world, a darkness overtook her spirit, a darkness that lasted through most of her ministry

In a book entitled Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (Doubleday), she expresses through letters to her superiors, confessors and spiritual confidants that she is suffering from God’s perceived silence.

Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.
— Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979

Many non-Christians have called Mother Teresa’s agony proof that there is no god. But note that she says that Jesus has a special love for the reverend. She is not denying in any way God’s existence, but longs to hear His voice.

A feeling a separation from God does not negate His existence. The Catholic Church has long had a term for this period in one’s faith-walk, called the “Dark Night of the Soul.” St. John of the Cross coined the phrase in the 1500’s, and it describes a period of darkness within the faith… not from outside, not from unbelief, but from within the faith.

We all face this at one time or another, on varying scales. In my own period of doubt and hurt, I struggled to see the light that Christ brings us. The light was still there, but my vision was blocked. A friend of mine likes to say that when we feel set apart from God, we need to check our compass and make sure that we are not so enmeshed in the horizontal (this world) that we are missing the vertical (God in His Heaven).

We are human. We will have these “dark nights.” But even in our darkest hour, our Holy Father is there. Even when we feel empty and alone, the Holy Spirit is in us. When we become so mired in the sins of the world that we feel there is no way out, Christ is sitting by the Father, interceding on our behalf.

The final words of the Great Commission, from Matthew 28:16-20, says it all, and are the words where we find our comfort in these times:

And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Matthew 28:20b

There is no easy way to understand evil. Even our guidebook for life, the Bible, can’t begin to explain the evils that we can do to each other, that Satan inflicts on this world.

Sunday there was a shooting at a church. The sanctuary at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., was packed with more than 200 folks, there to see a children’s production of the musical “Annie.” Two people were killed: 60-year-old Greg McKendry, and 61-year-old Linda Kraeger. Seven others were injured.

The day began innocently. The production was taking the place of the normal service, and was the “grand finale” to a summer workshop at the church. At 10:18, 58-year-old Jim David Adkisson of nearby Powell entered the sanctuary and began firing his 12-gauge shotgun. Eyewitness accounts say that he apparently didn’t attempt to shoot the children, as he walked past a staging area where kids were gathered, but took aim at adults in the pews.

Accounts say that McKendry stood in front of the shooter and took a bullet, attempting to protect others. His 16-year old foster son, Taylor Bessette, who was a member of the cast, said he wants to make sure that everyone knows that his stepdad died a hero. (watch teen describe foster dad as hero)

Members sprung into action and tackled the shooter, binding him with belts. Witnesses say that children were within just a couple of feet of the killer.

My first thoughts jump straight to the children. How will they get through this? I can’t imagine the horror they feel, the things they witnessed in a place that is supposed to be safe. One small girl is described as being “covered in blood.” How does a parent explain what happened in a way to make the child feel safe again?

And I think about the rest of us. This is an ugly illustration of how we are not safe from evil anywhere. Evil will seek us out, Satan wants to do us harm, and will use any agent to push through an agenda, his agenda, of sowing the world with fear, hatred and doubt. I’m sure at this moment Satan is relishing the people who are saying, “How could any God let this happen?” He is laughing at us, as he marches on in his battle against God.

But here is the truth. He will not win. Our God is an awesome God! Through this sadness, this evil, He is there. He preceded this event, and He will be there when the cameras leave. He will give the parents the right words, if only they will ask. He will be a comfort to the children.

We must hang on! We must cling to God, no matter what.

I don’t know much about Unitarian Universalism. The Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church describes itself as promoting freedom of expression, tolerance, reason, the search for truth and the dignity of each human being. According to the church’s website,

“TVUUC has a long and rich history of taking stands for social justice. Since the 1950s, our congregation has worked for desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights.”

Don’t try to make sense of the attack… there is no sense to be made. It was a violent attack against a congregation that promotes peace and equality.

At this point, there is no known connection between the church and Adkisson. The Church is not close to his home, just over 12 miles away. There are many churches between Adkisson’s home and the church. What made him choose this one?

Adkisson is being held on a $1 million bond.

All that we can do at this point is pray… pray for the families of those who were killed. Pray for those who are injured. Pray for the children who witnessed this horrible tragedy.

And pray for Jim David Adkisson. This agent of evil is a child of God. Pray for healing of his soul, of whatever hurt drove him to commit this heinous crime. He is a child of God. He deserves our prayers.

We are in the midst of a long election season here in the United States. Now that we have narrowed the field to two primary candidates, Barack Obama (Democrat) and John McCain (Republican), we are inundated every day with stories on the two men… their likes, dislikes, spouses, children, education. And most importantly, their beliefs.

But how important is what they believe, really? The short answer is, very. As Christians we need to do all we can to make sure that we are voting for the man we feel God has chosen to lead this nation. But the reality is that by the time candidates make it to the national stage, they have become well-versed in what to say and how to say it. Their job is to get the most votes, to “court” the different communities that make up this nation. To that end, they will say what they need to say to get the votes.

John McCain

So we open magazines and newspapers and read statements that the candidates make about their faith journeys. We turn on television and see commentators debate whether the “religious right” is willing to back one candidate or will turn to another. And not only to we get to hear each candidate espouse their beliefs, but we get to hear the “dirty little lies” that the candidates will plant about each other (oh sure, THEY don’t do it, but their operatives do. Enough said).

But here is the sad truth. We can’t know the heart of any candidate any more than we can know the heart of the stranger sitting next to us on a bus. We can’t know another’s heart, only God can. So what is a Christian to do?

Pray.

Seems simple enough, but once again, the greatest tool that a Christian has, and the easiest one to use, is the one needed for this task. We may not know John McCain or Barack Obama’s heart, but we can pray and follow God’s direction. We can pray that He will lead us in the direction we should go.

Barack Obama

But it doesn’t stop, or even start, there. We should start praying now, not just for God’s guidance in who to vote for, but that God is preparing the man who will win this election to lead. And by lead, I mean follow God’s leadership. We need to pray for our future president to have the heart of a servant, the ears of the faithful, and the discernment of the saints. We need to pray that God will provide him with honorable men and women to assist him, and that his family will be strong and up to the task.

And once the election comes (finally!), no matter who is elected, we need to continue in prayer for the man that is chosen to lead. It sure is easy to slap a bumper sticker on your car that says, “Don’t blame me, I voted for the other guy,” but it doesn’t do anyone any good. Prayer does.

We need to come together as one and pray for our leaders. And not just our national leaders, but our local and state leaders, as well. All these men and women need our prayers, too.

So let’s all come together in prayer for the men who are running for our highest office. Pray that whoever is elected, God will be in control.

South Carolina is proposing a license plate that says, “I Believe” with a Christian cross and stained glass window on it. But not everyone is happy about it, including some Christians.

In fact, a group called Americans United for Separation of Church and State, based in Washington, D.C., has filed suit in Federal Court to stop the plate from seeing the light of day. The suit was filed on behalf of two Christian pastors, a humanist pastor, a rabbi, and the Hindu American Foundation.

Retired Methodist minister Rev. Thomas Summers, who has joined the lawsuit, believes that the plate provokes discrimination.

“I think this license plate really is divisive and creates the type of religious discord I’ve devoted my life to healing,” according to Summers.

Rev. Robert Knight feels the plate “cheapens” Christianity. “As an evangelical Christian, I don’t think civil religion enhances the Christian religion. It compromises it,” Knight said. “That’s the fundamental irony. It’s very shallow from a Christian standpoint.”

This has created a firestorm in South Carolina. Some decry “bumper theology” while others believe this is a blow for Christians against those who have sought to remove God from virtually every area of life.

The case is based on the fact that the bill is moving through the state house. However, in South Carolina, any group can create a specialty plate, as long as they have 400 prepaid orders, or collect a $4,000 deposit.

My opinion? Drop the bill and I guarantee the churches in the state will come up with the money. What will those who are so offended by the license plate do then? Demand a repeal of the state law?

Probably.

What I don’t get is the high and mighty attitude of the theologians in the AUSCS who are so violently against the plates. No, I don’t think that having a Christian license plate is going to save the world, but if a Christian wants to have one, who cares? How can this plate be offensive?

The real problem I have here is that free speech seems to apply more and more to others, and less and less to Christians. When I read headlines from around the world about the persecution of those who merely want to meet in fellowship, I can hardly believe it. But now those headlines are coming from western Europe, England, Australia. Preachers in parts of London are being warned that their sermons and outreach can be construed as a hate crime.

So what was once unthinkable is now becoming reality, right here in our own backyards.

I guess I sound like an alarmist. I don’t mean to be. But I do think that our rights are being taken away without so much as a whimper. And when we do speak up, we are branded “fundamentalists.”

No, folks, we are just Christians.

Bills aimed at strengthening the right to free speech for those who wish to teach the full range of views on evolutionary theory are currently making their way through several state legislatures, and a documentary may be the driving force. The film “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” examined claims that professors in the fields of science (including biology, chemistry and astronomy) have suffered at the hands of colleagues and higher ups. In some instances, the professors have been denied tenure, been censored, and a few have even been fired, all because they questioned Charles Darwin’s theory that life forms are nothing more than random mutations that have survived the wars of natural selection.

The bills aim to protect those teachers and students who believe that there is evidence of intelligent design (ID).

In Louisiana, the Louisiana Science Education Act passed by a vote of 35-0 in the state senate, and support has crossed party lines. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ben Nevers, does not allow for the teaching of any religious belief, but only science. Nevers, who has not seen the documentary, brought in Caroline Crocker, a biological scientist who appears in the film, to testify before the Louisiana House Committee on Education.

“The freedom to think and consider more than one option is part of what has given America her competitive edge in the international marketplace of idea,” said Crocker. “The current denial of academic freedom rights for htose who are judged politically incorrect may put this in jeopardy.”

In addition to Louisiana, legislation has been introduced in Alabama, Florida (which did not pass the bill), Michigan, Missouri and South Carolina. While all the bills vary, all have the same intent… to protect the right of free speech and allow the discussion of a full range of scientific topics in the classroom.

The Discovery Institute, a non-partisan “think tank” in Seattle, Wash., has posted a model academic freedom bill on its web site, designed to provide educators and students at all levels of academia protection (elementary, high school and graduate school levels).

Let’s take a deeper look and see what this means for Christians, and those who believe that God truly created the universe as is told in the book of Genesis. These bills absolutely do not allow for the teaching of religion, or different religious theories as to how life began. However, they do allow for other scientific theories beyond Darwinism to be taught, including intelligent design.

I don’t claim to be a scientist or theologian. However, on the surface these bills seem to be a victory. Rather than Darwinism being taught as fact, it will be taught as theory… and only one of several theories. In my perfect world, God’s creation would be taught as the true story of the beginning of life (as it is!). And that is why many of us have chosen to either home school our children or send them to private Christian schools. But those options are not available to everyone. Now, perhaps, we at least have a fighting chance to include other opinions, so that Darwinism can truly be exposed.

I would like to end with a joke (I know, kind of odd, but I think it fits the story):

A scientist says to God, “We no longer need you. We can create life without you. We know how to do it.”

God replies, “Really? Show me!”

The scientist begins, “First, we take some dirt…”

God interrupts: “Get your own dirt!”

There is a wonderful website that I have stumbled across, and I think many of you will enjoy it as much as I have… but be warned, it can be addicting!

The site is called freerice.com. A word appears on the screen, along with four definitions. You click on the one you think is correct, and if it is right, you have just earned 20 grains of rice. The game constantly adjusts itself to your skill level, so it gets progressively harder (or easier!). And it grades you as you go, giving you a vocabulary level. Each correct answer adds another 20 grains of rice to your total.

Sponsor banners appear at the bottom of the screen, and the money generated by those banners ultimately is used to buy the rice. So, by playing the game, you raise money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people.

Free rice is not a registered non-profit, but is run entirely for free and makes no money. All money collected by the site goes directly to the United Nations World Food Program. The WFP is the world’s largest food assistance agency, and also helps people learn to become self-reliant so that they can escape the culture of hunger permanently. Food is purchased locally, which supports local farmers and the community. Click WFP to learn more about the organization.

About 25,000 people die each day from hunger, according to the U.N. The rice that you can donate will make such a difference in lives around the world. It is a gift of life.

And remember, while you are earning 20 grains of rice at a time, there are thousands of others playing as well, and the numbers add up. In the first five months of it’s existence, freerice.com generated enough rice to feed one million people!

As of June 1, more than 35 BILLION grains of rice have been donated!

I am sure that you will enjoy this site as much as I do. And for those of you on facebook, you can put the application on your profile and invite your friends to play, as well.

Please pass the word about this great website. I’m going to add it to my blog roll, and I hope those of you with blogs will do the same.

Many of you have commented on the blog I did regarding Adam Race, the 13 year old autistic boy in Minnesota who’s church took out a restraining order to keep him from attending services there (Church takes out restraining order against family in Minnesota). You may remember that The Church of St. Joseph argues that Adam, who stands over six feet tall and weighs more than 225 pounds, presents a danger to others and has had to be restrained by his parents. In court papers, The Rev. Daniel Walz claims that Adam has hit a child and nearly knocked over elderly parishioners, has spit and urinated in the church.

Carol Race denies the allegations. “He’s never actually injured anyone,” she said. “He’s never knocked down anyone. He’s never urinated on anyone or spit on anyone.”

Carol Race will appear in court today (June 2) for violating the restraining order. She contends that, as Catholics, it is a sin for her family to not attend Mass on Sundays and every holy day of obligation. When the church offered a video feed to the basement, the Race family refused, saying that would not fulfill their obligation of attending mass.

Others have taken up the cause of the Race family. The Rupps, a family from St. Paul who has an autistic daughter, made the drive to St. Joseph’s on Memorial Day weekend, and sat in the pew where the Races normally sit, in a show of support for the family.

A lay mediator is scheduled to meet with church officials and the family on Wednesday, in what has become a very contentious battle. On the one hand, it can be said that no one should be denied attending church. But on the other hand, members have the right to expect to be safe when they attend. Many Christians face health reasons that keep them from attending mass… that does not preclude them from heaven. The service can be brought to them, or other arrangements can be made for observance of the Eucharist. There are provisions for those who cannot attend mass.

I will continue to provide follow-ups as they arise to this story that has touched so many in different ways. But let’s all be praying that this situation will be worked out without further animosity between the two groups, and that, in the end, God will be praised.

And please remember, beyond the sound bites and headlines, there are people on both sides who are both hurting and looking for answers.

I encourage you to click the following link for an interesting look at both viewpoints. The first is a letter from a priest who knows the mother, Carol Race, while the second is from a mother who also has a severely autistic child. Both opinions are heartfelt and informative.

Two informed viewpoints on the situation

Pictured above: The Steven Curtis Chapman family.
L-R, Will Franklin, Maria (on Steven’s lap), Steven, Shaoey,
Mary Beth, Stevey Joy, Caleb and Emily)

I can’t explain much in this world. There is so much pain and suffering everywhere. Earthquakes, tornadoes, terrorism, war. It is so easy to see it on television, but then relegate it to the back of the mind and move on. Frankly, that is probably a good thing, because it can be so overwhelming to deal with the horror and tragedy that this world can bring.

But now and then something happens that cuts a little bit close to home. Something that takes your breath away, and leaves you hollow and wondering, “Why, Lord?”

I had that feeling as I read about the tragedy that has occurred to Grammy award-winning Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. Chapman’s youngest daughter, Maria (5), was killed in the family’s driveway on Wednesday when she was hit by a car driven by her teenage brother. The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway, where several children were playing. He apparently did not see Maria in the driveway.

The accident occurred just south of Nashville, at the Chapman home. Maria was life-flighted to Vanderbilt, where she was pronounced dead.

The Chapman family have six children, including three daughters adopted from China. Maria is the youngest. The family has given so much to so many, and were in the midst of celebrating the engagement of Emily, their oldest daughter, and the upcoming high school graduation of son, Caleb.

This is a double-tragedy for the family. Not only must they deal with the death of their beautiful daughter, but they must find some way to comfort their son. (The family has not released the name of the son involved in the accident).

How their hearts must be breaking tonight! I cannot imagine the pain of that family.

But what I do know is this. The Chapman family loves God. They know Him intimately. He led them to China to adopt, and it is no mistake that Maria is their daughter. She was meant to be their daughter before she drew her first breath on this planet. Before this pain entered their lives, God was already there, preparing to comfort and heal the Earthly pain and hurt. God was not surprised.
His love will see them through the days and weeks to come. And one glorious day, this family will be reunited at the throne of God.

Please pray for this family, and all those in this beautiful, horrible world, that all may receive peace and rest at the throne of God.

Please click on the link below to watch a lovely video of Maria and her dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn8ajucsXr8

This is probably going to be a pretty random blog today… kind of my rant against the world. Hang in there with me!

Non-believers, and those who would love to portray Christians in a negative light, are always on the lookout for examples to prove that we are all hypocrites.

Most recently, I have seen subtle comments made regarding the photos of Miley Cyrus, particularly the one taken by Annie Leibovitz that appeared in Vanity Fair.

In case you haven’t seen it, the photo shows Cyrus with what appears to be a satin sheet held over her chest, bare-backed, looking over her shoulder. Somewhat of a “come hither” photo, as my mom would say. There is no nudity, but it is implied.

Now, since Cyrus is a stalwart of the Disney Family (”Hannah Montana”on the Disney Channel), the media were quick to jump on the story. Oh, Disney’s sweetheart and current top-money maker is going down the Britney/Lindsay path to destruction.

Fair enough comparison, considering that path is pretty well-worn by now. And inappropriate photos which appeared online, where Cyrus is shown showing off her bra (while wearing it) added fuel to the fire, as it were.

People Magazine covered the “scandal,” alluding to the Cyrus family’s strong Christian faith… breathlessly wondering what went wrong… could she and her faith be phony? This is the same magazine that applauded the Cyrus family and their values a few short months ago.

Parents of her fans are being quoted as being “disappointed,” “saddened,” and worried about how this will effect their daughters

OK, I have a few problems with this whole thing.

First of all… we should all know by now that if we are allowing “personalities” to serve as the primary influence in our children’s lives, then we aren’t doing our jobs as parents. Sure, they will naturally want to imitate and emulate these “stars,” but our duty is to keep it in perspective for our children, and not let them become so involved that they are willing to give up their character to copy a “character.”

Second, if we want to raise morally-responsible, strong Christian children, we need to give them less Hannah Montana and more of Christ. When was the last time you had a devotional with your child? Knelt at the side of their bed at night and prayed? Went as a family to church? Those are the difference makers. Hannah Montana is here today, gone tomorrow. Christ is forever, and our children need to know that!

But here is the kicker, at least for me. I agree that the photos are inappropriate. I agree 100% that they should have never been taken, much less published. But I have seen worse. And not in Hollywood.

This past weekend my four year old daughter and I went to a dance competition. My friend had a four year old in the competition, which was for all ages and included all types of dance (ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, show as well as solo, group, and duet and trio). Emilee was so excited, and we had a blast. But my friend warned me when one category was about to start that it might not be appropriate. I poo-pooed her. Heck, they were four and five year olds, how bad could it be?

Bad.

Very Bad.

Moves that strippers would be proud to do, in fact. We headed out of the auditorium pretty quickly, coming back when that category was over. But it turned out that creative dance instructors and parents can work questionable dance moves into any type of routine (ok, ballet seemed immune). Even tap. TAP, for goodness sake!

Now, here is the amazing part (to me, at least… and I promise I wasn’t raised in a cave).

I didn’t see very much of this suggestive kind of dance out of the older kids or young adults. In fact, it was almost entirely performed by the 4-8 year old dancers. And when they would “bust a move” the moms and dads in the audience would go wild. These children were performing very sexually suggestive moves.

I wondered how many of these same moms and dads would have their children in church the next day. If so, talk about a mixed message. If not, are these the same parents who were so “disturbed” by the Miley Cyrus photos?

Here we are, as Christians, with the greatest example of parenthood in the world, and we forget to use Him. That’s right, God. He is our Father. Our relationship with Him should be the one we use to model our relationship with our children.

A comment you hear a lot in this world is how children don’t come with an instruction book. Yes, they do… The Bible. God’s word. You may have to study it, pray over it. But can you think of a better book to lead you in parenting?

Who is setting an example for your children? And is it the right example?

For wonderful insights into Christian parenting, visit Parenting and Religion