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Reflect

Light From Above *

Take the time to reflect on the hard work you have done today.

Take the time to reflect on the many blessings you have received through your hard work.

Take the time to reflect on the All Mighty that gives you the opportunity to work, the ability to work and the blessings you receive from that work.

In His name, have compassion for those who do not have the opportunity to work, have not been taught to work, or do not have the ability to work.  In His name, all things are possible, but without compassion, in other words – charity, nothing good is possible.

Take the time to reflect…

* For more from the artist, visit Ayla’s Allegories.

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There Must Be a Better Way

I am deeply saddened that during a time when our youth are being bombarded by so many ill winds, good organizations with a desire to help our youth are under attack.  Sadly too often the attacks come from politically driven individuals who have done little to inform themselves before slandering the organizations.

This, I believe, is the case in the recent attacks on the Girl Scouts of America.  In my blog Entitlement is a Symptom, I discuss the benefits of having a community of loving adults aiding in the development of our youth.  I believe that this is a role in which organizations like Girl Scouts can play a beneficial part.

To read one account of some “scary” activity or association should not make us publicly condemn the whole. Nor should we read an account of something “disagreeable” happening in a worldwide organization with similar name, and assume it applies to our local group.  While everyone has a right to develop their own opinions, it is irresponsible to do a small bit of research, and then publicly criticize and condemn the whole.

When a public leader or politician lashes out at a group like Girl Scouts, the consequences can be far reaching.  In just a few unkind or under-informed words, long term damage can occur.  How sad is it then, when the effects trickle down and a young person in need no longer has available resources to help mold their futures in positive ways.

We are not a nation of “one size fits all” and this especially applies to ideological beliefs.  We do not have to agree with every belief or principle of our neighbor.  Our neighbor should not be labeled as someone evil just because they don’t vote the same way we do.  There is enough real evil in the world without creating the perception of more.

The desire to slander an individual or a group based on our own precepts does not make us good people.  Politicians need to remember that while calling names and slinging ideological mud might temporarily rally supporters, it does not make them likable.  Worse yet, they are acting and sounding like lunatics and giving credibility to hatemongering.  So in the end, their politically driven tirade results in a negative effect on the youth who need the resources provided by Girl Scouts and similar organizations, as well as in the encouragement of the radical ideology of hate.

There must be a better way.

Note:  I considered adding links to articles detailing the nature of these attacks, but there were just too many of them.  If you would like to read them, search “Girl Scouts Under Fire” and you will find many from which to choose. 

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Christian’s not Acting Christ-like

It appears to me that a lot of Christians aren’t reading their scriptures and taking Christ’s message to heart, as there is way to much fear and loathing going around especially in the political world.

Here are two of my favorites scriptures from the King James version of the Bible.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  John 14:27

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34

You notice that the second scripture does not specify which “type” of people to love, but instead infers to love all.

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Political Spew – Who cleans it Up?

It is a sad state of affairs that in a time when there is so much information available so few politicians take the time to seek a balanced understanding of the issues they choose to use as sound bites, before they spew them.  In the past when news took days to travel the nation, a politician could arguably spew crap and not have a wide spread stink fest.  There was time to retract, dispute and rebut before the masses became aware of the crap and absorbed it as truth.

In a time when it takes minutes, if not seconds for news to travel, it is important for politicians to do more homework, have their staff do more homework, and be more informed before they speak.  In a good debate you always know your opposition’s standpoint.  You never go in with only half the argument.  If you really want to win, you really have to be prepared.

When a politician spews crap, who is responsible to clean up the crap?  When the sound bites and election is over, who will instruct the masses that the political rhetoric is just that – rhetoric and not reality?

In the good old days of politics, the candidates bashed each other, spewed misinformation, spun webs of confusion, and appeared to really dislike each other.  In some cases they may truly have been adversaries, but in most cases once the campaigning was finished, they returned to respectful associates, if not friends.

This was how politics worked.  Once the newspaper was thrown into the trash, and the world moved on, the masses went back to worrying about their own worlds and forgot most of the spew of the election.  This is not the case now.  When a candidate spews crap, it sticks around.  Others add to it, littering the internet and cable channels with more crap.  The piles become so large that they remain long after the election is over.

Over time and with more experience, the candidates become better educated on specific issues and often change to a more moderate stand, thereby becoming flip-floppers.  It is then up to them to clean up, not just their previous spew, but all the crap heaped on top of it. Sadly the more they work to clean up the mess, the more they are painted as wishy-washy.  So they often just let the crap stand, leaving us all to wither in the stink.

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Attack the Test or Change the Culture

I read an article claiming presidential candidate Rick Santorum does not believe that health insurance should cover amniocentesis because the results often lead to abortion.

Yes amniocentesis has led to abortions, but it has also given parents an opportunity to prepare for children with special needs months before the child comes home from the hospital.

I have been blessed to know a couple mothers who truly valued this time to prepare.  In one case, the mother was able to research her baby’s condition, prepare her home and family, sell her car and buy a minivan, and most especially prepare herself for the complications that might take her baby’s life.

She was encouraged to have an abortion many times during her pregnancy; her decision against abortion was questioned and often condemned by those in association with her.  However, she stood firm. Her child was given a very slim chance of making it to full term and she prepared herself. Once he made it to term, he was given a very slim chance of survival and again she prepared herself.  The well prepared mother took each day as a blessing and cherished every moment.  She rallied her family around her and continued to educate herself and her family on what might come next.  After nearly three years of being told her child might not survive, she invited all her supporters to her son’s second birthday party.  He was a joy to watch, a blessing to all.  He still is.

If insurance companies do not pay for this procedure, women are much less likely to undergo it.  As with any procedure, it should be the woman’s choice.   Comprehensive insurance should be comprehensive.  It should leave the decision of which procedure is needed up to the doctor and the patient, not up to bureaucrats and accountants.

The discussion of abortions being linked to amniocenteses should not be centered on whether the procedure is covered; it should be centered on changing the medical community’s feelings that they should encourage abortion when the chances of “normal” life are slim for the child.  This is what needs to change.

Abortion may be legal and may be in some cases be in the woman’s “best” medical interest, but to encourage it for the goal of limiting possible emotional suffering or struggle later on, should not be the outcome of amniocentesis.  Amniocentesis is a test and while warring against it is easier than changing attitudes, it is not the solution but the cop-out.

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To News or Not To News

I have been pondering the idea of reading my Facebook News Feed on news.

It is a dilemma, do I read the news and chance getting irritated, thus needing to blog about the irritation, or do I go to bed believing that for the moment there is no irritations in the world?

I chanced a peek at the news feed and immediately saw an article about The Simpsons.   If that is tonight’s big news story, then the world must be at peace for the moment and I can go to sleep.

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Tit for Tat

During the recent congressional hearing on the issue of the whether President Obama had violated the first amendment by requireing Catholic hospitals to cover services such as birth control,  Rep. Darrell Issa was reported by ABC News to have “pointed out that Democrats barred Republican witnesses when they were in the majority.”*  This was his argument for why the panel was so one sided.

Well kudos to him for lowering the bar to kindergarten level politics.  It is no wonder the public has such a low opinion of the Congress.

 

*Quoted from the ABC article Rep. Darrell Issa Bars Minority Witness, a Woman, on Contraception by Tom Shine

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/rep-darrell-issa-bars-minority-witness-a-woman-on-contraception-2/