God Bless America (2)

“I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”

21 year-old Nathan Hale before he was hanged by the British in 1776 for his volunteer work as a spy during the Revolutionary War

God Bless America

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages." 

Benjamin Franklin in his Constitutional Convention Address on Prayer (petitioning the new Congress to implore the assistance of Almighty God through prayer every day before proceeding to business) delivered Thursday, June 28, 1787, Philadelphia, PA

How to Ruin Our Daughters

After my last post, I thought it would be appropriate to share a similar challenge for parents of girls. Since I am the blessed mama of only boys, let me refer here to someone more experienced and share this link to a recent post.

http://raisinghomemakers.com/2013/22-ways-to-raise-a-home-wrecker/

How To Ruin Our Sons

“If you want to ruin your son, never let him know a hardship. When he is a child carry him in your arms, when he becomes a youth still dandle him, and when he becomes a man still dry-nurse him, and you will succeed in producing an arrant fool.

If you want to prevent his being made useful in the world, guard him from every kind of toil. Do not suffer him to struggle. Wipe the sweat from his dainty brow and say, 'Dear child, thou shalt never have another task so arduous.'

Pity him when he ought to be punished; supply all his wishes, avert all disappointments, prevent all troubles, and you will surely tutor him to be a reprobate and to break your heart. But put him where he must work, expose him to difficulties, purposely throw him into peril, and in this way you shall make him a man, and when he comes to do man’s work and to bear man’s trial, he shall be fit for either.”     

~ Charles Spurgeon (England's "Prince of Preachers" 1834 – 1892)

I Can Only Imagine

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 

Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Lately, I have been asking the Lord to sanctify my imagination. I am praying God will renew and cleanse it so that my every thought (of things both real and imagined) would glorify Him and accurately represent Him. You see, my imagination has always been fairly vivid. I can invent crazy ideas and scenarios in my mind's eye, and even in my sleep, I usually experience outrageous dreams. It is so wonderful how God created the human mind with the creative abilities that we have, and our imagination is an incredibly important part of our lives. God's Word has much to say about our thoughts, and even human scientists, authors, and statesmen have acknowledged its power (Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "The human race is governed by its imagination".)

Yet, because of mankind's fall into sin, our bodies, our psyches, and our souls are broken and marred (the Bible uses such terms as "corrupt" and "depraved" to describe the sinful mind). Colossians 2:20 tells that that we were "once alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior". However, the good news is found in verse 21: "But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation". Our minds can be renewed and transformed. We do not have to imagine the worst that can happen. We do not have to imagine negative things about ourselves or others. We can be free from vain imaginations of situations or things that can never truly satisfy. Instead, by the power of His Holy Spirit that works in us, we can ask and imagine great things...great and wonderful things of spiritual truth and eternal value. The best part of all....our God is then able to do even immeasurably more than that! May our every thought today bring us closer to Him.