Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Cute pics and funnies
I've been wanting to tell this story for a while, but I hope I can do it justice by typing it. About a month ago there was a bird stuck in our garage. It wouldn't leave and we were all out there trying to get it to go. So Lila is doing her part yelling LOUDLY "GET OUT OF MY GARAGE BIRDIE!!!! GET OUT OF MY GARAGE!!!" and then Haley, in her sweet, nasal-Cinderella voice sings "ah-a-aha-ahhhh, ah-a-aha-ah". She sings with such passion and concern, looking sweetly at the bird. I am thinking "What in the WORLD is she doing?" And then Alex, who knows her all to well, says she is "talking" to the bird, like the princesses do it. If you've seen Enchanted or Snow White, that is what she was doing. It was the cutest thing! Above are some pics from this last week. The girls helping me make a ice cream cake and then Lila with her candy.
10 Years
Vince and I celebrated out 10 year high school reunions recently. Mine was July 25 and 26 and Vince's was the 19th. We had such a good time seeing old friends and holding their babies!! At Vince's, we won for most kids (big suprise!) and Vince was voted most courteous and well-mannered! I married the best guy out of the Derby graduating class of 1998! I can't believe it's been ten years, but then sometimes it feels like "its ONLY been ten years???" I didn't take my camera to mine, but here are some pics from Vinny's. Our good friends (Vince's college roomate) Ben and Jenn from Dallas are pictured. Thankfully, Vince's parents went with us to watch our kiddos for the evening event--they visited their cousins who live in Wichita and celebrated cousin Angel's birthday! They had a blast.
Alex at Bible Camp
So my firstborn Alex, went to Nebraska for a week of Bible Camp. It was fun for her, hard for me. I missed her so much. I have never been away from my children for more than 3 days, let alone 7! She had a great time--it was hot, but they got to have plenty of splash time in the shallow, sandy river. It was in the middle of nowhere, about 10-15 kids total, and heat rash covered my girl, but that is better than ticks. Here are some pictures. The last one is of Alex's friend Isaiah--pooped out during craft!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Dossier News!
Hey all! Have so much to share with you, but I had to tell you that our dossier for our little "Titus" is in Ethiopia!!! Now we are just waiting for a referral. It is so exciting and such a relief to have it out of my hands. Now we also need to get our passports. I am also going to go on a getaway to Malibu with my "sister" Megan (the one who sang Jonah)!!! I am going the same week Vince will be gone in S.C. So we are going to be on different coasts with our kids in the middle! Got a free lodging deal and it will be relatively really cheap, so I am ecstatic! I haven't done anything like this ever! The above pics are random, recent ones. The one with Alex and her two friends are from Haley's and Alex's joint b-day party celebration at the local Holidome. More on that later!
Christians not caring about poverty
Sorry I haven't posted for so long. I have a lot to share with you all, but my hubby is sick and I am tired. I read this and thought it was convicting and sad. I hope you have a blessed week!
Julie
Posted in The Poor by Seth Barnes on 7/15/2008
In general, we Christians are too nice. We often don't say what we're thinking, preferring not to offend anyone. And that's one of the things I like about Tom Davis - he's not afraid to call out Christians. He calls 'em like he sees 'em. And, he puts his money where his mouth is as an advocate for orphans around the world. Here's an article he wrote on Beliefnet that is coming out later this week. His point: Christians need to care about the things that Jesus cares about.
Each Sunday, millions of Christians in America gather to worship the God who commands us to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” We belt out praises to the God who tells us that “pure and undefiled religion is caring for widows and orphans in their distress.” We kneel in pious prayer before the Almighty God of the universe who describes Himself as loving, gracious, merciful, and generous.
Then, we walk out the back door of the church, step into a world in need, and proceed to withhold the love, grace, and mercy that’s extended to us.
We might as well give God the middle finger. Outside of a tiny minority of Christians, we have become a self-centered group of priggish snobs.
In short, we s**k.
Before you pick up a rock and throw it at me, think about this: I could have used other words that aren’t as nice as “s**k.” Like “white-washed tombs,” “brood of vipers,” “fools,” or the ever ego-inflating, “Get behind me Satan!” Jesus used all of these choice phrases to describe religious leaders and some of his closest of followers.
But calling someone a white-washed tomb just doesn’t cut it anymore. "We s**k" is a much better choice for our cultural context. Poverty s**ks. Divorce s**ks. And, unfortunately, some Christians s**k, too.
Here are the facts:
Eighty-five percent of young people outside the church who have had connection to Christians believe present-day Christianity is hypocritical. Inside the church, forty-seven percent of young people believe the same thing.
And why wouldn't they? We’re pretty stingy with our money:
- 80 percent of the world’s evangelical wealth is in North America.
- Giving by churchgoers was higher during the Great Depression than it is today.
- Christians give an average of $13.31/week to their local church.
- Only 9 percent of “born-again” adults reported tithing in 2004.
And let's take a peek in on our neighbors:
- More than 1 billion people live in absolute poverty.
- 500 million people are at the edge of starvation.
- 200 million children are being exploited as laborers.
- Half of the human beings on the planet live on less than $2/day.
- 1.5 billion people do not have enough money to buy food.
This is information that anyone can collect from the Internet, just as I did. Any reasonable person could make this simple conclusion: Most American Christians do not care about what God says in the Bible.
We pick out the scriptures we like, as if we were dining at a five-star buffet. We conveniently ignore the scriptures that talk about caring for the poor, giving away material possessions, and loving money. Scriptures like:
Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” (James 1:26-27)
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (James 2:15-17)
"If you have two coats, give one away," [Jesus] said. "Do the same with your food." (Luke 3:11)
When Christians care about their political views, what sexual preference someone has, or their bank account more than they care about the millions of people who die in the world because they don’t have five dollars to buy the medicine that would cure them, something has gone drastically wrong.
These kinds of Christians s**k.
What can we do to stop s**king? I think the answer is relatively simple. It's found in the Bible: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
Want ten simple steps? You got it.
Give away material possessions to those in need, love the unlovely, take care of the widow and orphan. This is not rocket science. It just takes a heart committed to doing the things God said to do.
Christians, listen up: People are tired of being criticized, judged, and listening to the lip service we are so great at giving. Instead, why don’t we commit to making the changes we can make?
Christianity needs a renewal of the principles that made it great. It needs to be more like Jesus—compassionate, self-sacrificial, unconditionally loving, and caring for those who are most in need.
That kind of lifestyle allowed twelve men to change the world. It will help you change yours, too.
Julie
Posted in The Poor by Seth Barnes on 7/15/2008
In general, we Christians are too nice. We often don't say what we're thinking, preferring not to offend anyone. And that's one of the things I like about Tom Davis - he's not afraid to call out Christians. He calls 'em like he sees 'em. And, he puts his money where his mouth is as an advocate for orphans around the world. Here's an article he wrote on Beliefnet that is coming out later this week. His point: Christians need to care about the things that Jesus cares about.
Each Sunday, millions of Christians in America gather to worship the God who commands us to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” We belt out praises to the God who tells us that “pure and undefiled religion is caring for widows and orphans in their distress.” We kneel in pious prayer before the Almighty God of the universe who describes Himself as loving, gracious, merciful, and generous.
Then, we walk out the back door of the church, step into a world in need, and proceed to withhold the love, grace, and mercy that’s extended to us.
We might as well give God the middle finger. Outside of a tiny minority of Christians, we have become a self-centered group of priggish snobs.
In short, we s**k.
Before you pick up a rock and throw it at me, think about this: I could have used other words that aren’t as nice as “s**k.” Like “white-washed tombs,” “brood of vipers,” “fools,” or the ever ego-inflating, “Get behind me Satan!” Jesus used all of these choice phrases to describe religious leaders and some of his closest of followers.
But calling someone a white-washed tomb just doesn’t cut it anymore. "We s**k" is a much better choice for our cultural context. Poverty s**ks. Divorce s**ks. And, unfortunately, some Christians s**k, too.
Here are the facts:
Eighty-five percent of young people outside the church who have had connection to Christians believe present-day Christianity is hypocritical. Inside the church, forty-seven percent of young people believe the same thing.
And why wouldn't they? We’re pretty stingy with our money:
- 80 percent of the world’s evangelical wealth is in North America.
- Giving by churchgoers was higher during the Great Depression than it is today.
- Christians give an average of $13.31/week to their local church.
- Only 9 percent of “born-again” adults reported tithing in 2004.
And let's take a peek in on our neighbors:
- More than 1 billion people live in absolute poverty.
- 500 million people are at the edge of starvation.
- 200 million children are being exploited as laborers.
- Half of the human beings on the planet live on less than $2/day.
- 1.5 billion people do not have enough money to buy food.
This is information that anyone can collect from the Internet, just as I did. Any reasonable person could make this simple conclusion: Most American Christians do not care about what God says in the Bible.
We pick out the scriptures we like, as if we were dining at a five-star buffet. We conveniently ignore the scriptures that talk about caring for the poor, giving away material possessions, and loving money. Scriptures like:
Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” (James 1:26-27)
Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (James 2:15-17)
"If you have two coats, give one away," [Jesus] said. "Do the same with your food." (Luke 3:11)
When Christians care about their political views, what sexual preference someone has, or their bank account more than they care about the millions of people who die in the world because they don’t have five dollars to buy the medicine that would cure them, something has gone drastically wrong.
These kinds of Christians s**k.
What can we do to stop s**king? I think the answer is relatively simple. It's found in the Bible: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
Want ten simple steps? You got it.
Give away material possessions to those in need, love the unlovely, take care of the widow and orphan. This is not rocket science. It just takes a heart committed to doing the things God said to do.
Christians, listen up: People are tired of being criticized, judged, and listening to the lip service we are so great at giving. Instead, why don’t we commit to making the changes we can make?
Christianity needs a renewal of the principles that made it great. It needs to be more like Jesus—compassionate, self-sacrificial, unconditionally loving, and caring for those who are most in need.
That kind of lifestyle allowed twelve men to change the world. It will help you change yours, too.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
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