I’m appalled! I was on Google today trying to find the lyrics to “Gladly the Cross I’d Bear” and you know what I found? Google results were absolutely cluttered with sites on “mondegreens,” “homonyms,” “malapropisms,” and “misheard lyrics,” all of them saying how that one line in the hymn was heard to say, “Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear.”
Have we all gone mad? Is there not even one serious lyrics site that has posted the words to this hymn? I certainly couldn’t find any.
And so He has the right to govern it. And when He says that it took six days, it took six days. I’ll be happy to discuss this with anyone.
Compared to most people’s Thanksgiving celebrations, ours was kind of scant this year. This year was a lean year for my family, but we could still thank the Lord for what we had, home and family, and basic needs supplied, and a good God who takes care of us. How about you? Are you thanking the Lord for what you have, not complaining about the lack of something you want?
The title refers to a feeling a typical person gets after having done something physical that they never meant to do. Sometimes it’s another’s fault; but often the action is voluntary. The words “guilt,” “dirty,” “shame,” and sometimes “violated,” are some of the words used most commonly to describe this type of feeling. Without wanting to step on anyone’s toes here, let me share my personal opinion: guilt and shame are not societally determined. They are an intrinsic function of every person’s conscience.
I may have just offended more than a few of you out there, but just think about it a second, OK? All societies, even the most wicked ones, have norms and taboos. This implies that it is natural to feel “wrong” about certain behavior, and though the norms differ from society to society, the feeling is quite consistent across cultural barriers.
Please don’t take me for a judgmental, self-righteous jerk. I’m not condemning anyone. I’m simply trying to explain that God made us wired to feel guilty. The fact that we were born in sin is not our own fault, but that’s why Jesus came, to die in our place as a “sacrificial lamb” and be raised to life again so that we could be forgiven.
What you do with this information is your own choice. I love you all.
(Paraphase of Galatians 5:22,23)
Whatever you need, God will supply it. Whatever you have trouble with, either He will fix it, or He will use it to conform you to His image. This Thanksgiving, try thanking the Lord that you’re in His hands. Happy Thanksgiving!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is... longsuffering, gentleness,... faith, meekness, temperence...” (Ephesians 5:22,23)
God is convicting me lately about areas of my own character that I must improve: patience, kindness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control, just to name the really big ones. In the past I have been impatient, rude, selfish, proud, and quick to anger. My prayer as Thanksgiving approaches is that God will give me gratefulness towards others, as well as graciousness and deference to their wishes.
I’ve decided not to let what has happened in the past hurt me in the future. I’ll just trust God and continue to cultivate godliness and character in my own life, and I’ll stop worrying about myself. God will supply what I need, and in the mean time, ♬He’s still working on me, to make me what I oughta be...♬
It’s not what we do in Jesus’ name, but what we do for Jesus, that matters. It’s not how well we’re received, but how we give, that matters. It’s not the things we do for ourselves, but the things we do for others, that matter. Don’t live for the moment; invest in eternity.
I’m so sorry. I guess I just have to say what’s on my mind, and one day that could get me into deep trouble. Most of my friends have deeply held views on issues, and I do, too; the problem is my views and theirs don’t agree. Now I know why I have the viewpoints that I do. But there’s a very fine line between persuasion and coercion, and I have crossed that line many times in the eyes of those whose opinion I seek to redirect. Jesus would have loved the sinners and judged the religious zealots. Please forgive me for getting it backwards.
εγω αγαπω υμας.
They said that no one has ever come back from being behind 3 games to none in the Major Leagues. Then the Red Sox showed it could be done. Then they said they couldn’t win against New York, because they never had since Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees. Wrong again. Then they said that in every World Series since the curse when they were up against the Cardinals, they lost in game 7. Well, they not only didn’t lose, but there was no game 7!
Said all that to say this: the conventional wisdom is that, every home game right before a Presidential election, if the Redskins lost, the incumbent party was always defeated. George W. Bush has made history by breaking this pattern. Late last night, Ohio was called for the President. He not only won Ohio, but Nevada as well, putting him over the top. At the end of the day, when all the votes are in, he may have gotten 285 or more Electoral votes! He has also won the popular vote by a decisive margin.
So much for sport politics!
Update: With all the votes counted, the President has New Mexico and Iowa, for 286 Electoral votes!
If you are registered to vote, you have a moral obligation to do so. I agree with Jerry Falwell: every Christian who’s registered should vote, and if every Bible-believer voted, we’d have good men and women in office. It’s a sin not to vote.
