Political Articles

Funny - I just noticed this draft from November. So I'm posting it today anyhow! Please enjoy if you want to go back and read election stuff. I recommend Between Two Worlds. The post-election perspective was very encouraging.

I really disliked reading all the pre-election articles but I have really been enjoying the post election ones! Enjoy:

A Different Path OPINION: After 30 years of trying to transform culture through politics, conservative evangelicals would be wise to try a different, God-glorifying direction by Cal Thomas. I agree that the GOP needs help!

Between Two Worlds is a great blog I've just started reading. I really enjoy the guest bloggers posts about the election. The guest posts by African-American men are especially good. It's a point of view that I don't often get to hear living in Nebraska and reading conservative information. These men are conservative and black and I enjoyed reading how they viewed Obama and the election in light of their beliefs.
Specifically: eric redmond living soli deo gloria and other guest posts around early November.

Newsweek's Behind the Scenes Wrap-Up by Greg Pollowitz. This is creepy.

Winning PropositionMarriage success. By Jennifer Roback Morse. I am so happy this passed! But I think the battle is only beginning on this front.

Can We Agree? Post-election issues by Gerard Alexander. Some interesting points and facts.

No retreat. Election 2008: Conservative reaction to the GOP’s defeat by The Editors. This article is a compilation of comments from different conservative leaders. This is one of the first things I've read that is more negative and hints at some radical thoughts about Obama.

I Wish Wednesday

I wish I had something to write about.
I have some pictures on our camera that will post and write about eventually. But that might be awhile. :)
I have been doing a lot of reading recently. I will try to continue to share via the Google Reader feed in the sidebar. Enjoy.

Stem Cells

This is important information! It breaks my heart to read about the millions of babies that are murdered at the beginning of their lives. I've shared many more articles via Google Reader. Check them out.
This article is from BreakPoint Commentaries written by Chuck Colson.

Miracle Cells

The Real Success Stories

Many who listened to President Obama’s inaugural address believe he means to spend taxpayer money on research that destroys human embryos. Before he does, I hope somebody brings to his attention the story I’m about to tell.

A few years ago, a Texas teenager named Laura Dominguez lost control of her car when she hit an oil spill on the road. The accident left Laura paralyzed from the neck down. “You’ll never walk again,” doctors told her.

Laura refused to accept this prognosis. She and her mother met with experts on spinal cord injuries. They learned about an exciting new treatment being performed in Portugal. The procedure is known as olfactory mucosa transplantation. Surgeons take adult stem cells found in the nasal region and transplant them into the injured area.

Laura underwent this treatment—and her spinal cord began to heal. She gained upper body agility, and, in time, she learned to walk with the use of braces and outside help. Laura is determined to walk unassisted by her 21st birthday.

Miracles like this have been repeated many times as researchers bend their attention to the uses of adult stem cells. Writer Bradley Hughes describes many of them in his article “Real-World Successes of Adult Stem Cell Treatment.”

To date, Hughes writes, these “miracle cells” are providing hope for patients with Crohn’s disease, lupus, heart disease, blindness, Parkinson’s, and sickle-cell anemia. And according to biotech writer James P. Kelly, umbilical cord blood stem cells are already being used to treat 70 forms of blood and bone marrow cancers.

And just a few days ago, there was a report at Northwestern University. Twenty-one patients with multiple sclerosis were stabilized following treatment with adult stem cells removed from each patient’s bone marrow. In some patients, the disease was reversed.

But because much of the mainstream media refuses to report on this, many Americans remain unaware of it. Ignorance about these cures may be driving the public’s demand for embryonic stem-cell research, which kills human beings at the embryonic stage.

Americans also seems unaware that not a single clinical success has resulted from treatments using embryonic stem cells. None!

So why do researchers and the biotech industry push so hard for public funds for embryo-destructive research? Because science wants science for science’s sake and, incidentally, because they stand to make huge profits through potential patents. It’s potentially far more lucrative than research involving adult stem cells.

You and I need to spread the word about the miracle cures being found through the use of adult stem cells. They’re a far superior alternative to embryonic stem cells—and nobody is killed in the process of retrieving them.

As science demands unfettered research in the future, we need to be encouraging ethically challenged reporters, researchers, and politicians to take a look backwards for a grim reminder of what happens when science is divorced from morality—euthanasia, gas chambers, and Nazi experiments on children.

Do we really want to start down that terrible road again?

For Further Reading and Information

“Stem Cells 'Reset' Immune System in MS Patients: Study,” AFP, 29 January 2009.

James P. Kelly, “Stem Cell Politics: Divide and Conquer,” Weekly Standard, 5 September 2006.

Bradley Hughes, “Real-World Successes of Adult Stem Cell Treatment,” Family Research Council, 1 December 2004.

“No God Condones What?: The President and the Innocent,” BreakPoint Commentary, 10 February 2009.

“The Proper Role of Science: Exposing Scientism,” BreakPoint Commentary, 29 January 2009.

“'Your Own Stem Cells Work!': Carron Morrow's Story,” BreakPoint Commentary, 22 August 2007.

Marriage Musings

My thoughts in past months...

Why is marriage so hard!!? You start with such excitement and so many hopes. How does it change to frustration and dashed hopes so quickly? There are days where hope fills my heart – but is it worth it? It only makes the fall harder and the cracks in my heart deeper. Maybe I’m depending too much on the wrong person. I had finally figured out how to be an independent adult when it all changed – I fell in love and we decided to share our lives instead. Now I had to learn to be dependent again. But the roller coaster is too much. Jesus, help me to be more dependent on You. You are the only One who keeps all Your promises!

I wrote these thoughts in my journal recently and have written them in other forms multiple times over the past almost 4 years of marriage. I never could have anticipated the changes marriage would bring to my life. I have been slowly learning that even though I love Justin dearly, he is not my everything. This was an expectation I sometimes placed on him without realizing. I see now that's definitely an influence of the world and those foofy romantic books I read in high school when I dreamed of falling in love. My mind knew that wasn't a correct view of marriage but my emotional heart didn't quite catch on. I am so thankful that God never gives up on me. He keeps reminding me that He is the lover of my soul. He is my everything. He is always there! As I learn to depend on God first and my husband second, my marriage grows and my heart is encouraged even on the frustrating days.

Just in case... For those of you that worry about me, there's nothing wrong I'm just expressing my thoughts about life. :) I'm sure you can relate to the fact that the down turns of the ups and downs of marriage can be blown in to emotional heart breaks if I let my emotions get the better of me rather than focusing on what is true. This is more a reflection of my own failure of expectations as a wife. I would never blog about my hubby in a negative way, I love and respect him too much as my husband! I hope my conclusion is encouraging. I have no desire to wallow in my discouragements or cause anyone else to do the same. We have such a faithful God who is always there for us!

Love

I found this very thought provoking.

Is God's Love Unconditional?
February 20, 2009 By: John Piper Category: Commentary

There is such a thing as unconditional love in God, but it’s not what most people mean by it.
It’s not a saving love that he has for everybody. Else everybody would be saved, since they would not have to meet any conditions, not even faith. But Jesus said everybody is not saved (Matthew 25:46).
It’s not the love that justifies sinners since the Bible says we are justified by faith, and faith is a condition (Romans 5:1).
It’s not the love of working all things together for our good because Paul says that happens “to those who love God” (Romans 8:28).
It’s not the love of the most intimate fellowship with the Father because Jesus said, “He who loves me will be loved by my Father” (John 14:21). And James said, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
It’s not the love that will admit us into heaven when we die because John says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). And faithfulness is a condition.
How then does God love unconditionally? Two ways (at least):
He loves us with electing love unconditionally. “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world . . . for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5). He does not base this election on foreseeing our faith. On the contrary, our faith is the result of being chosen and appointed to believe, as Acts 13:48 says, “As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”
He loves us with regenerating love before we meet any condition. The new birth is not God’s response to our meeting the condition of faith. On the contrary, the new birth enables us to believe. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been [already!] born of God,” (1John 5:1). “[We] were born, not . . . of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
Let us pray that thousands of people who speak of the unconditional love of God would discover the biblical meaning of what they say. If that happened many would find their feet on solid ground.

Fun Day!

I'm so excited to spend the day with my sister!
Last night I drove to the Omaha airport to pick her up at 11:40. Soo late. So the first order for today is lunch - we plan realistically. :)
I will try to take pictures of some of our fun and share them later. I always need new pictures with my favorite sister!

I Wish Wednesday

I wish I actually had time to do this post.

Here's one... I wish that my co-workers didn't complain about their spouses. It is so hard for me to hear and hard to know what to say. I love my hubby. We don't always get along but that does not mean I'm going to tell everyone at work that he's scum and he'd better shape up or I'll leave him. How would you respond to your co-workers in a loving, truthful way?

Check out my Google reader feed to the left. I've been reading a lot about Obama's stance on abortion and how we can pray for our president. It's post inauguration stuff - I'm a little behind.