And it is my birthday month. Ugh, and yay! I hate turning another year older, but it beats the alternative.... and I do like getting the gifts and cake :) A lady who was visiting the hospital recently said she makes the month of her birthday her birthday month, and celebrates all month long. I am not THAT excited about my birthday that I am going to do that.....but I wouldn't turn down gifts all month long :)
I don't always do it, but I requested my birthday off this year.
Now onto what is on my mind this month:
1) Alfie
The whole saga of this little boy is heartbreaking. It would seem the hospital staff was just too proud to give him up to his parents, whose rights were trampled. Italy would have taken him, so that hospital wouldn't have had to deal with him....but they refused. They claimed the boy wouldn't survive the trip, which shouldn't have mattered to them....they were intent on killing the child anyway. It is a travesty that the baby was held hostage from the parents who could do nothing to save their son, since the powers that be took away their rights.
The thing is, if they did this with an 18 month old child, what is to stop them from deciding the fate of a 4 year old......a 12 year old......a 30 year old......
I was glad their was so much outrage over this horrible travesty, yet we murder over 3000 babies a day in our country, and there is little outrage. We have grown apathetic about it.
2) Freedom of speech
I was very vocal against Barack Obama, but not until I became vocal against a so-called Republican did people try to squash my freedom of speech. It would seem that even Christians and conservatives aren't for free speech they disagree with, just like liberals.
I don't miss Obama at all....he was definitely the worst president we have ever had....but I do miss being able to openly and often criticize the guy in the White House.
3) Sinning daily
If a Christian sins, it should be rare. Many - possibly all - Calvinists believe Christians sin daily. But that brings up questions:
How is that better than non-Christians?
What sins are acceptable to do daily? And who decides that?
What sins are God powerless to deliver us from?
Where can I get a list of sins that it is OK to do on a daily basis and still be a Christian?
4) Arguing against Scripture
It is kind of funny......I used to be in a large Facebook group for bloggers, and was even a moderator for a while. We had a problem for several months of being infested with very liberal "Christians" who were constantly posting pro-gay and transgender stuff. Anyone who quoted Scripture about those issues was called a bigot, homophobic, etc....
I was reminded of that today. I was browsing in a Facebook group I am in, and one guy had posted a quote by some Catholic dude about us sinning daily. All I did was post a Bible verse, and it started a big argument. I posted a verse from John 3 - He that is born of God does not sin." It is kind of funny or sad when Christians argue against a Bible verse, but that is what happened.
5) Electoral College
Many liberals want to do away with the Electoral College, and for good reason - the last 2 elections Republicans - or a guy pretending to be Republican - won, and the Democrats had more of the popular vote. Of course they want rid of the EC. I and many other conservatives fear if we did away with the EC, that would be the end of Republicans ever winning again.
And another voice was just added to ending the EC.....Donald Trump. It makes sense, since the man has been a lifelong liberal. Hopefully his supporters won't agree with him on that. A part of me still believes Trump ran to destroy the Republican party, and his stance on the EC would support that.
6) Women's pants & shorts
Even though I am not attracted to women, I can't help but notice how they dress. And I have a couple of questions:
Why do so many women and girls wear their pants so tight?
Why do so many women and girls wear their shorts so short? Most women's shorts are shorter than the average guy's.
One could almost make the assumption that many women dress to attract male attention, yet women resent being a sex object. Ironic.
7) Mowing
I mowed for the first time last Thursday. I don't mind mowing, especially when most of it is on a riding lawn mower. I don't own one, but my sister and her husband have left theirs at my place for now.
While mowing, I found something that definitely doesn't belong to me, and if you know me well you would know that also: a football.
And as much as I like summer, I discovered it is going to cost me a lot more at the gas pump. I filled my car up today for $12 +, and then filled my large and small gas containers.....which put me close to $30.
8) The Korea peace
Everyone is so excited about the supposed peace treaty between North and South Korea, and are acting like Trump is some kind of hero......but I can't see it lasting. The North Korea guy is a lunatic, and anyone who has been paying attention to him lately should be suspicious. I am.
And this is not the first time the 2 Koreas tried peace. It obviously did not last the other times.
9) Buying screens
Some of my windows do not have screens, and I decided to buy a few of the adjustable kind as I don't want to put my window air conditioners in yet. I could not find them at Home Depot, and their website had shown them. I asked 2 young guys in the lumber department about them, and they had no clue what I was talking about. One of them finally remembered putting out what he thought I was talking about...... and he was right. I guess this generation isn't acquainted with those kind of screens.
And once he figured out what I was talking about, the kid was very helpful. It kind of made me feel old though.
I am making good use of them today, by the way. What a beautiful day.
10) e-books
I really, really dislike e-books. How much? I recently won one, and never bothered to claim it. When I entered to win it, I didn't realize it was an e-book. Give me a real book any day.
Of course, e-books don't take up much room......and real books do.
11) Examples of the anti-Christ
When Obama was in office, I was shocked at how so many were willing to ignore his background. He had ties to terrorists, hated white people, and seemed to hate America...yet none of that mattered. There was an over the top adulation of him that bordered on worship, if not outright worship.
I had the thoughts that were echoed by others: Obama was proof of how easily the anti-Christ will fool people and have even professed Christians following and accepting him.
And then Donald Trump came along and did the same with the Republican Party. As with Obama, his past didn't matter - or his present. It doesn't matter how vile and vulgar he is and was, Christians defend him and call you a liberal, judgmental, etc if you dare criticize him.
And now many are praising him for bring peace to the Koreas.......as with Obama, Trump has shown how easily the anti-Christ will rise to power and be accepted by even the Church.
12) Sarah
Everyone is outraged about how Sarah what's her name was treated by a comedian. A couple of thoughts on that:
No matter your party, you should find it offensive.
It could have been worse....Sarah's boss likes to grab women by their genitals....at least that didn't happen to her.
She can't be that innocent and good if she is working for a man like DT. To make him look good, she has to lie consistently,... and her boss has treated people just as badly or worse as she was treated...but that is OK with Trump supporters.
That said, it was still wrong.....I just hope the same people are offended when liberal women are treated that way.......
13) The Trump effect
I know, I know.... I have talked about him a lot in this post. This is the last one, I promise. I'd have an easier time keeping quiet if so many Trump supporters didn't constantly go over the top with their praise and adulation of a guy I can't stand.
I honestly don't say much about DT on Facebook these days. People can't handle it. I have noticed something though: There are a lot of Trump supporters who never interact with me anymore...no likes or comments on any posts I do. I'm not dumb..... I know there are many who ignore me because I occasionally bash their president.....but isn't that kind of pathetic for a Christian to do that? If they can't handle a man criticized they support, how on earth will they stand up to persecution if it ever comes? I bet the Christians in Muslim countries would love to face just criticism of a politician......
And another Trump effect: there have been a few well known people/celebrities who we have always taken issue with, but now that they praised Trump, suddenly conservatives like them. Uh, they are still the same despicable people they always were, people.
14) 3 day weekend
There are 3 people who do the same job I do... and both of them needed to trade days with me this week. The plus of that: I now have Friday off, which gives me a 3-day weekend..... and I can't wait. Hopefully the weather is nice.
15) Choirs
Since I have had other negative things to say in this post, I may as well throw this out there: I don't like choirs. Why is that relative? The choir from our local Bible College will be at my church Sunday. The major problem I have: I am always done listening long before they are done singing.
16) Graduation
My youngest niece is graduating next month from high school...... and I can hardly believe it. It seems like only yesterday I was an uncle for the first time, and now all 3 of my nieces are done with high school. I love them all a lot, and am proud of all three of them. Thankfully, the nephews still have a ways to go before all 3 of them are done with school. Time does go too fast, and kids grow up before you can blink.
One of my biggest regrets in life was never having kids of my own, but I am very thankful God gave me 6 nieces and nephews I could be this close to.
17) Losing weight
Now that the weather is getting nice, I am hoping to work on losing weight. I somehow lost 6 pounds between doctor appointments in January and April, so if I work at it surely I can lose more. I am trying to snack more healthy, as that is one of my pitfalls.
18) The balance
A lady recently commented on a post of a mutual friend, and was of the persuasion that we shouldn't talk about hell, but focus on God's love. Among other things, I pointed out Jesus talked about it, and so should we.
We need a balance. I mentioned it before on here, but I grew up hearing way too many messages on hell and God's judgment. Revival meeting and camp meetings especially were bad for it, as preachers were intent on getting more notches on their belts by scaring as many people into going to the altar as they could...... God's love was rarely, if ever, the focus.
There must be both: people need to know there is a hell to shun, but they also need to know how much God loves them. Too many churches lean more to one or the other.
19) Don't blink
May and nice weather is here, but don't blink.....or summer will be over and cold weather and winter will be right around the corner, which brings me to my last thought.....
20) Slow down
Life is a roller coaster/merry go round, and we all need to pause and take it easy. It isn't always easy to get some spare time, but try. Read a book, take a walk, go shopping or out to eat, sit on the porch, set the cell phone aside, take a nap. Life is more than working and paying bills, and we won't wish we had worked more at the end of our life......but we will wish we had enjoyed life more, and taken time for what matters.
Happy May.
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