Monday, June 29, 2009

What's Happening To My Future?

I'm sure I'm not the only person my age that is looking around, wondering the same thing. This once great, once Christian nation has gone downhill so fast that to compare it's decline to an avalanche would not be doing it justice. Things that were once permissible are now prohibited and punishable to the full etent of the law, while things that were considered taboo are now being practised openly and some are even taught in our public schools.

For ninteen years I have been told that children are the future of our nation. But what do we, as the future generations, have to follow as role models and heroes? We have actors, actresses, singers, and models to look up to. But what kind of examples are they? Do you really want your sons addicted to various drugs because "It's the cool thing to do" or "Everybody's doin' it"? Would you want your daughters to be viewed inappropriately by millions or people or pedophiles?

As a nineteen year-old, I am becoming increasingly alarmed at the rate of under-age, single mothers, abortions, molestations, and kidnappings. All around me are kids my age who are already raising toddlers, or are hooked on drugs. But who can really blame them when they have such poor examples to follow?

If you are concerned about YOUR future, IT'S NOT TOO LATE!! We are the future. We have the power to shape the next generation. We are responsible to provide reliable and authentic role models for our children and grandchildren. We have the ability to give them the hope of a much brighter future. We have the ability and the responsibility to mold this nation into a great nation once again. But to do this, we have to wake up and realize that yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come, but WE are the future.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Let Your Light So Shine...

There I was.

Dressed from nose to knee to PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), holding a pitcher of ice water.

She was lying in the hospital bed, talking on the phone.

Then, all of a sudden, she stopped talking to the person on the phone and said to me,

"May I ask you a question?"

"Of course!" Was my reply.

"Are you a Christian?" she asked with her head cocked to one side.

Surprised, I answered, "Yes, I am."

Then again, "A born-again Christian?"

"Yes ma'am!" A bit more enthusiastically.

"I thought so. You just have that 'look' about you."

Once again, surprised, I asked, "What look?"

"You walked into this room, and your face was shining," she replied, "You have the brightest smile, you have a skirt on that is modest, and, if I'm not mistaken, your hair reaches to at least your shoulders."

She resumed talking to the person on the phone, telling her about me. "You ought to see this young lady," she said, "Her face, it just shines, and she's wearing the most beautiful smile..."

At this point, I took my leave, walked out into the hospital hallway where I just stood there for a moment and pondered what had just happened.

It was Sunday night, June 7th, around 11:45 pm. I was working the graveyard shift from 3pm to 1am. The day before had been a very discouraging day to say the least. I had fallen on my hurt shoulder, I had found out that I missed two days of work because I didn't know to check the schedule, and my car had broken down in the Wal-Mart parking lot after taking my brother to check his work schedule and then to Wal-Mart. It was almost 2:00 AM before I got to bed, plus I had to teach Sunday School. I left church after Sunday School to go home and get some rest. Two hours later, my brother calls and informs me that HIS car is now acting up and could I come follow him home? I do so, then bring him to work and meet dad in the parking lot. I also fixed the car which had had a computer chip knocked out of the lower side of the steering column.

All of this goings on had compiled a HUGE amount of stress, which would NOT help my testimony at work. So, before I went into work, I prayed. I want to make a difference for the Lord wherever I am, and I prayed that despite all the bad things that were piling up, the Lord would still be able to shine through me.

And God still answers prayer.

And that night, for the very first time, I truly understood what it meant to BE Matthew 5:14-16-"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."