The health care reform issue seems to make many Christians AFRAID. 

AFRAID!

Many seem to be under these impressions:

That this is a Christian nation.  It's not. 
That we will lose our freedoms.  If the Son has set us free, we are free indeed.
That Socialism is on its way.  "Give to Ceasar what is Caesar's, to God what is God's."
That the poor deserve poor health.  "You will have the poor always." "As you have done to the least, so you have done to Me."
That the undocumented don't deserve health care and should go back to wherever they came from.  He came to His own and they knew Him not.  "As you have done to the least, so you have done to Me."
That our President is a ______________.  (fill in the blank with any epithet)  "...and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court [and] shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell."

Jesus said "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."  Good things:  to be, to receive...  We want mercy--and get it--and yet are so reluctant to give it out!!  (See the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant). 

Our faith has been compromised only by ourselves.  We have fought for our rights.  We have sought to be right, to be the Right, forgetting that the Christian faith thrives when pressed down.  We have weakened our witness all on our own.

We have sought the first place at the banquet. 
We have sought our own.
The harvest is corrupt.
We reap what we sow. 

James, my oldest son--at 26 man now--decided to join the Navy a few months ago.  On Wednesday he began the first leg of his journey there, going to the Bay Area where he caught a flight Thursday to Chicago, Illinois.  He called to say he had arrived safely and was about to board the bus to Naval Station Great Lakes... 

The last week has been about doing little, hopefully special, things.  I borrowed Jeeves and Wooster because he loves them.  We got together with family on Sunday.  I got a steak for him ("What?  My last meal?") and let him slack on certain things.

On Monday we went to the mountains to our old camping places, but the road was closed because of snow, so we hiked back about a half a mile.  James and Nathaniel threw snowballs at each other.  Brodie (the dog) experienced snow for the first time.  Then we went into the local town up there to get some eats and continued our little excursion driving around a lake, then home.  It was a beautiful day.

Remembering things: 

• an excited 3 year old who liked the "Wolf!" at Disneyland (it was really the Fox from Pinocchio)
• a nervous 5 year old who said he couldn't go to school--he didn't know how to read or write--but on his first day of kindergarten nonchalantly waved good-bye and walked into his classroom
• an adventurous 5 year old who helped his grandpa put up the tent at our camping place before anyone else arrived and saw "kangaroos"  (deer?)
• a 6 year old tap dancer who loved Fred Astaire and performed in front of hundreds of people
• an energetic 10 year old who could talk for 20 minutes straight yet could floor his mom with his wisdom and insight
• an outgoing 12 year old who spent a transatlantic flight talking with people on the other side of the plane instead of sitting in his seat with Grandpa
• a 13 year old Boy Scout who canoed to a lake island with his scout buddies and slept the night under the stars
• a 14 year old, experiencing the presence of God at a retreat and being baptized
• a 15 year old skateboarder (NOT a poser)--need I say more--who built or begged ramps, quarter pipes, and rails and put them in our yard
• a 16 year old guitarist who learned all his mom knew and far outdid her
• an 18 year old doubter of God's existence
• a broken-hearted 20 year old who brought home the cutest puppy from the pound
• a young man, lost, adrift, angry, depressed:  talented, intelligent:  homeless, jobless

He's been so different these last few months.  Such a turn around in attitude.  He knows he has a tough journey ahead of him.  He's determined to do well in basic training and then A-School and then C-School where he will be trained in Advanced Electronics.  Please pray for him!

This song is my song over James' life these past years, when things were dark and my faith wavered.

Ride The Wind To Me 
written by Julie Miller

I've seen your dreams get broken
I've heard your words unspoken
And sometimes hope is layin' low
Hidden in the ashes left after the fire
In my heart I see you run free
Like a river down to the sea
All the chains that held you down
Will be in pieces on the ground
You'll drink the rain and ride the wind to me

I've seen a faithless lover
Take you down to deep water
And I have watched a fragile wing
Tangled up in longings get broken in the struggle

In my heart I see you run free
Like a river down to the sea
All the chains that held you down
Will be in pieces on the ground
You'll drink the rain and ride the wind to me

Someday your tears will turn to diamonds
With a kiss you'll wake up to see
That you're strong at the broken places
I know someday you'll go free
In my heart I see you run free
Like a river down to the sea
All the chains that held you down
Will be in pieces on the ground
You'll kiss  the rain and ride the wind to me...

dreaming of you

again... you're just out of reach

in the next room

but i sensed you there

elusive

where have you gone?