Afterwards

So you've opened up the gifts, eaten the treats from your stocking, now what? When I was younger, I remember feeling pretty empty after Christmas day had gone by in all its glory. My parents were always good about sensing this and explaining that there is so much more than the gifts and treats. Those will pass away and even when we've gotten so many good "things" there will still be an emptiness, an emptiness that only Jesus Christ can fill. I believe it is totally possible for even Christians to feel this void. And it doesn't only happen on Christmas! After some event we've waited a long time for is over, it's hard to not feel depressed--what do I have to look forward to NOW. I struggled with this for many years and still do, but I have learned a little bit, maybe, and that little bit I have learned is that things will never satisfy.

It's not an effortless activity to be filled with Christ. I personally must work towards that every day and not allow myself to be caught up in "life."

So how do you feel after this Christmas? Alive and filled with Christ and blessed beyond measure by the gifts given in his honor? Or empty and restless. I pray that everyone reading this would be filled with Christ either for the first time, or anew.

"Some still failed to understand it, so God spoke his final word; on a silent night in Judah's hills a baby's cry was heard..."

Love Has Come To Walk Among Us....

"In the space of the beginning
Was the living Word of Light
When this Word was clearly spoken
All that came to be was right

All creation had a language
Words to say what must be said
All day long the heavens whispered
Signing words in scarlet red

Some have failed to understand it
So God spoke His final Word
On a silent night in Judah's
Hills a baby's cry was heard

Glory!; sang the angel chorus
Glory!; echoed back the night
Love has come to walk among us
Christ the Lord is born this night

All creation sing His praises
Earth and heaven praise His name
All who live come join the chorus
Find the words His love proclaim

Find the words His love proclaim"

-Anthem for Christmas
Words: Gloria Gaither
Music: Michael W. Smith

We went to a Micheal W. Smith Christmas concert the other night and it was, to say the least, awesome. His piano playing is incredible, and his choice of music and putting instruments together is talented indeed... He's still got his touch, even is he is a grandfather now! Anyway, this is one of my favorite Christmas songs by him. He didn't play it at the concert, but it's good enough in his 1989 (the year I was born!) CD "Christmas." (Buy it if you don't already have it--no Christmas music collection is complete without it.)

The picture is sort of corny, but to hear this song, go to this link... Just close your eyes and listen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk_LdUyTPC0

Merry Christmas!

My Friend is Gone :)

That would be: the trial (see below post). :)

We had the carpets cleaned as planned and so far so good! I still have minor reactions every now and then, but am overall much mucho better! Praise God... I was honored to have the men pray for me at church not last week but the week before. God is good.

Thanks for all of you praying! Pray now that I continue to get better and better with eventually no reactions at all!

Life is good. We are settling into our new house just fine. We had two lovely huge snows on last Friday and Sunday! Snow is one of the prettiest things God created, I think. I am already praying for a white Christmas *wink* We had one last year and it was so beautiful and such a huge blessing. God knew how to comfort me when I was homesick last year after moving from GA! Stifle me in beauty *laugh*

Have a wonderful week. "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" (sorry all you Florida peeps!)

Trials are Friends...

Well, I have a new friend.

We moved into our new lovely house on Saturday, but I wasn't unpacking long before I began to have an allergic reaction. At first I thought I was coming down with a cold, but it felt just like my allergies to cat dander. To make a long story short, I have not been able to sleep in my new home for the past two nights (the only two nights we've been there) and can't even stay inside long. Apparently the former renters had cats and the carpets, though spot-cleaned, must still have dander in them. Today we had the carpets professionally cleaned and hopefully I will be able to sleep in my own bed tonight! But God is sovereign.... Thank God for kind friends who allowed me to sleep at their house the past two nights...

I am wondering at this, God's new little "plan," but trust in him. James says to count trials as friends, and that's what I'm trying to do! Haven't done it perfectly, by any means, but trying... After all, I DO have a bed to sleep in! And a warm house to go to! I am by far very blessed indeed... Perspective is very important :)

Your prayers are appreciated and I will keep you posted! Have a great night.

A Year Tomorrow...

A year ago tomorrow we moved to CO from Jefferson, GA. Wow, amazing... And what's especially amazing is that tomorrow we are moving from where we've been living for the past year (with my dad's very generous friend, Mike) to our own home in Aurora (about 40 minutes south-east). So we are moving on the same exact day we did last year! November 22nd... It is a rental, but it'll be "home" for at least a year and, hey, about eight months ago I felt like this house we're leaving was home. For that reason I am a bit sad. I am the type of person to get very comfortable really wherever it is that I'm living my life, and it's hard to "uproot." But this is definitely easier than GA seeing as we're only moving 40 minutes away, as opposed to 27 hours away! (by car). And the thing about me is that in four months, this house in Aurora will be home to me and I'll never want to leave :) I just get familiar with things how they are and never want them to change... Yeah, call me weird.

Anyway, the house is beautiful and very large. Four bathrooms! We simply won't know what to do with ourselves :) We have lived with one shower for a year and it's been a lot easier than I at first thought--this should be absolute heaven *wink* I will post pictures on our family blog soon! I know I am so behind, but patience!

Have a wonderful weekend and God bless you.

A New Subject in the Lesson of Life...

That new subject is... Real estate! I am excited to say that two weeks ago I started a job in a real estate office doing administrative things. God totally brought this job to me--I was not actively seeking a job in the least. But, I was seeking to grow my knowledge of (1) accounting and (2) real estate in general. I bought a college level accounting book (actually used by our local community colleges) and have been teaching myself its contents. And three days a week I work at the Nelson Group office. My friend Melissa (who had a big hand in getting me the job and works there as well) is a great teacher and Don Nelson (my employer) is a Christian and a pleasure to work for. I think it's really neat that we pray before we start work in the morning...

Anyway, I just wanted to share this as a praise. The Lord saw my frustration and provided two answers at the same time to BOTH my thirsts for knowledge. And I observe that it was only when I gave up my efforts to FIND something that he brought these solutions... He does that a lot :)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Vote for Grumpy

At Disney the other day, I noticed a shirt. You may be like, Who cares. Well, this is a really big deal for me because I am usually horrible at noticing people's clothing (which can be a good thing these days). *wink* OK, so I noticed this shirt that said "Vote for Grumpy" with a big picture of Grumpy on the front. In little letters underneath Grumpy it said something along the lines of, "Dopey's cuter, Doc is funnier, etc etc" Basically naming how all the other dwarfs were so much better. That got me thinking...

I am sure that if all the seven dwarfs had an election campaign, Grumpy would be one of those to NOT win. It's obvious! But like I said, that shirt got me thinking about something I've been thinking a lot about anyway. When I start sending emails and newsletters in my support of Chuck Baldwin for president, I am in essence saying, "Vote for Grumpy." Now please don't think that I consider Baldwin and Grumpy alike in any way and am trying to make a joke. It just occurred to me that my support for Baldwin is similar to supporting someone as unpopular as Grumpy.

So it comes down to the facts of my heart. Why vote for someone who will probably not win? Because of my last post: conscience. How can I vote out of fear for someone whom I don't think God would want leading his people (and that goes for McCain AND Palin)? And why would God bless that? God is not going to bless something just because it's better than something else. He's going to bless something that honors and glorifies him and his ways.

So, I'm voting for "Grumpy" :) And maybe now you understand why...

You know, now that I think of it, McCain DOES remind me of Dopey... *wink*

Vote your Conscience--It's NOT a waste!

A Wasted Vote

by Chuck Baldwin
October 10, 2008

When asked why they will not vote for a third party candidate, many people will respond by saying something like, "He cannot win." Or, "I don't want to waste my vote." It is true: America has not elected a third party candidate since 1860. Does that automatically mean, however, that every vote cast for one of the two major party candidates is not a wasted vote? I don't think so.

In the first place, a wasted vote is a vote for someone you know does not represent your own beliefs and principles. A wasted vote is a vote for someone you know will not lead the country in the way it should go. A wasted vote is a vote for the "lesser of two evils." Or, in the case of John McCain and Barack Obama, what we have is a choice between the "evil of two lessers."

Albert Einstein is credited with saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. For years now, Republicans and Democrats have been leading the country in the same basic direction: toward bigger and bigger government; more and more socialism, globalism, corporatism, and foreign interventionism; and the dismantling of constitutional liberties. Yet, voters continue to think that they are voting for "change" when they vote for a Republican or Democrat. This is truly insane!

Take a look at the recent $700 billion Wall Street bailout: both John McCain and Barack Obama endorsed and lobbied for it. Both McCain and Obama will continue to bail out these international banksters on the backs of the American taxpayers. Both McCain and Obama support giving illegal aliens amnesty and a path to citizenship. In the debate this past Tuesday night, both McCain and Obama expressed support for sending U.S. forces around the world for "peacekeeping" purposes. They also expressed support for sending combat forces against foreign countries even if those countries do not pose a threat to the United States. Neither Obama nor McCain will do anything to stem the tide of a burgeoning police state or a mushrooming New World Order. Both Obama and McCain support NAFTA and similar "free trade" deals. Neither candidate will do anything to rid America of the Federal Reserve, or work to eliminate the personal income tax, or disband the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Both Obama and McCain support the United Nations. So, pray tell, how is a vote for either McCain or Obama not a wasted vote?

But, back to the "he cannot win" argument: to vote for John McCain is to vote for a man who cannot win. Yes, I am saying it here and now: John McCain cannot win this election. The handwriting is on the wall. The Fat Lady is singing. It is all over. Finished. John McCain cannot win.

With only three weeks before the election, Barack Obama is pulling away. McCain has already pulled his campaign out of Michigan. In other key battleground states, McCain is slipping fast. He was ahead in Missouri; now it is a toss-up or leaning to Obama. A couple of weeks ago, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida were all leaning towards McCain, or at least toss-up states. Now, they are all leaning to Obama. Even the longtime GOP bellwether state of Indiana is moving toward Obama. In addition, new voter registrations are at an all-time high, and few of them are registering as Republicans. In fact, the Republican Party now claims only around 25% of the electorate, and Independents are increasingly leaning toward Obama.

Ladies and gentlemen, Barack Obama is headed for an electoral landslide victory over John McCain. John McCain can no more beat Barack Obama than Bob Dole could beat Bill Clinton.

I ask, therefore, Are not conservatives and Christians who vote for John McCain guilty of the same thing that they accuse people who vote for third party candidates of doing? Are they not voting for someone who cannot win? Indeed, they are. In fact, conservatives and Christians who vote for John McCain are not only voting for a man who cannot win, they are voting for a man who does not share their own beliefs and principles. If this is not insanity, nothing is!

So, why not (for once in your life, perhaps) cast a vote purely for principle! Vote for someone who is truly pro-life. Someone who would quickly secure our nation's borders, and end the invasion of our country by illegal aliens. Someone who would, on his first day in office, release Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean and fire U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton. Someone who would immediately, upon assuming office, begin leading the charge to dismantle the Federal Reserve, overturn the 16th Amendment, expunge the IRS, and return America to sound money principles. Someone who would get the US out of the UN. Someone who would stop spending billions and trillions of dollars for foreign aid. Someone who would prosecute the Wall Street bankers who defrauded the American people out of billions of dollars. Someone who would work to repeal NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT, the WTO, and stop the NAFTA superhighway. Someone who would say a resounding "No" to the New World Order. Someone who would stop using our brave men and women in uniform as global cops for the United Nations. Someone who would stop America's global adventurism and interventionism. Someone who would steadfastly support and defend the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

"Who is this person?" you ask. Go here to find out:

BALDWIN '08

As John Quincy Adams said, "Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."

The Trouble on Wall Street Began with Congress sticking its nose where it wasn't belonged (again!)

'THE PRIVATE SECTOR got us into this mess. The government has to get us out of it."

That's Barney Frank's story, and he's sticking to it. As the Massachusetts Democrat has explained it in recent days, the current financial crisis is the spawn of the free market run amok, with the political class guilty only of failing to rein the capitalists in. The Wall Street meltdown was caused by "bad decisions that were made by people in the private sector," Frank said; the country is in dire straits today "thanks to a conservative philosophy that says the market knows best." And that philosophy goes "back to Ronald Reagan, when at his inauguration he said, 'Government is not the answer to our problems; government is the problem.' "

In fact, that isn't what Reagan said. His actual words were: "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Were he president today, he would be saying much the same thing.

Because while the mortgage crisis convulsing Wall Street has its share of private-sector culprits -- many of whom have been learning lately just how pitiless the private sector's discipline can be -- they weren't the ones who "got us into this mess." Barney Frank's talking points notwithstanding, mortgage lenders didn't wake up one fine day deciding to junk long-held standards of creditworthiness in order to make ill-advised loans to unqualified borrowers. It would be closer to the truth to say they woke up to find the government twisting their arms and demanding that they do so - or else.

The roots of this crisis go back to the Carter administration. That was when government officials, egged on by left-wing activists, began accusing mortgage lenders of racism and "redlining" because urban blacks were being denied mortgages at a higher rate than suburban whites.

The pressure to make more loans to minorities (read: to borrowers with weak credit histories) became relentless. Congress passed the Community Reinvestment Act, empowering regulators to punish banks that failed to "meet the credit needs" of "low-income, minority, and distressed neighborhoods." Lenders responded by loosening their underwriting standards and making increasingly shoddy loans. The two government-chartered mortgage finance firms, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, encouraged this "subprime" lending by authorizing ever more "flexible" criteria by which high-risk borrowers could be qualified for home loans, and then buying up the questionable mortgages that ensued.

All this was justified as a means of increasing homeownership among minorities and the poor. Affirmative-action policies trumped sound business practices. A manual issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston advised mortgage lenders to disregard financial common sense. "Lack of credit history should not be seen as a negative factor," the Fed's guidelines instructed. Lenders were directed to accept welfare payments and unemployment benefits as "valid income sources" to qualify for a mortgage. Failure to comply could mean a lawsuit.

As long as housing prices kept rising, the illusion that all this was good public policy could be sustained. But it didn't take a financial whiz to recognize that a day of reckoning would come. "What does it mean when Boston banks start making many more loans to minorities?" I asked in this space in 1995. "Most likely, that they are knowingly approving risky loans in order to get the feds and the activists off their backs . . . When the coming wave of foreclosures rolls through the inner city, which of today's self-congratulating bankers, politicians, and regulators plans to take the credit?"

Frank doesn't. But his fingerprints are all over this fiasco. Time and time again, Frank insisted that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were in good shape. Five years ago, for example, when the Bush administration proposed much tighter regulation of the two companies, Frank was adamant that "these two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis." When the White House warned of "systemic risk for our financial system" unless the mortgage giants were curbed, Frank complained that the administration was more concerned about financial safety than about housing.

Now that the bubble has burst and the "systemic risk" is apparent to all, Frank blithely declares: "The private sector got us into this mess." Well, give the congressman points for gall. Wall Street and private lenders have plenty to answer for, but it was Washington and the political class that derailed this train. If Frank is looking for a culprit to blame, he can find one suspect in the nearest mirror.

Doug Phillips on the Palin Issue VS the Council of Biblical Womanhood and Manhood (CBMW)

Question One:

Is it now your view that God can call a woman to serve as president of the United States? Are you prepared to renounce publicly any further claim that God's plan is for men rather than women to exercise leadership in society, the workplace and public life? Do you acknowledge having become full-fledged egalitarians in this sphere at least?

CBMW Answers:

The Bible calls women to specific roles in the church and home, but does not prohibit them from exercising leadership in secular political fields. Therefore we must be careful to not go beyond the teaching of the Bible. A president is not held to the same moral standards as an elder of a church. While it is a blessing from God to have ethical or even Christian political leaders, the Bible places no such requirements on secular governments. Even though the Bible reserves final authority in the church for men, this does not apply in the kingdom of this world.

Vision Forum Ministries Responds:

1. Dr. Gushee has identified a genuine inconsistency in the position of our semi-complementarian/semi-egalitarian friends. In our view, this inconsistency cannot be justified on the grounds of Scripture, nor of sound reason.

Also, I think it is important to begin by observing that our friends at CBMW have not provided clear answers to several key points raised in the five questions by Dr. Gushee. The question was asked: "Do you acknowledge having become full-fledged egalitarians in this sphere at least?"

No answer is given by CBMW. Yet it seems clear that this is exactly what has happened. At this point, there is no clearly distinguishable difference between the feminist understanding of male/female distinctions and civil leadership and the position of CBMW. As to their view of the jurisdiction of the state, both are full-blown egalitarians. If substantive differences exist between the two positions, they are not immediately apparent, and the burden of proof is on CBMW to explain to us what they are.

2. CBMW responds by making four assertions: (1) the Bible does not prohibit women from serving as civil magistrates: 2) Presidents are not held to the same moral standards as pastors; (3) The Bible does not establish any ethical standards for the leadership of "secular governments."; and (4) the leadership distinctions between men and women which apply in the Church do not apply in "the kingdom of this world." In this blog post, I will address the first claim.

First, the claim that the Bible does not prohibit women from serving as civil magistrates is false. In fact, the Bible has a great deal to say about the requirements for civil magistrates, which you can read about here, here, and here. It is true that there is no verse that says, "a woman may not be a civil magistrate," but it is also true that there is no verse which says "a woman may not be an elder." The case for the biblical requirements for elder and civil magistrate are both based on: (1) the doctrine of the creation order distinctions between men and women; (2) the positive commands about the distinctive role differences between men and women; (3) the negative commands and warnings directed against those who would violate this creation order principle; and, importantly, (4) the positive commands which specifically require that both civil magistrates and elders be male.

Second, the undefended assertion that the Bible does not prohibit women from being civil magistrates is irresponsible in light of the fact that such a perspective is inconsistent with the majority view of orthodox Christianity throughout Church history articulated by such great Reformers as John Knox and John Calvin, the former of whom write that: "To promote a woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion or empire above any realm, nation, or city, is repugnant to nature, contumely to God, [and] a thing most contrary to his revealed will and approved ordinance. . . ."^[9]

Third, to get around the many commands of Scripture found in the Old Testament, semi-complementarians must argue that the general precepts and patterns found in the Old Testament are largely obsolete and inapplicable to modern society. (The one exception to this rule is that they want to be able to cite the Israelite prophetess Deborah as an example of a civil magistrate, an argument which: (a) shows their inconsistency, and (b) has been defeated by Reformers and present-day theologians like William Einwechter)^[10]

3. The arbitrary restriction of the doctrine of complementarianism and the creation order to the realm of church and family is not only illogical, it is a departure from CBMW's position in the past in which they formally opposed women in combat, freely citing extensive precepts from the Old Testament, building their argument around the doctrine of the creation order itself, and showing the clear link between complementarian responsibilities in the home and those of manly civil responsibility through military service.

Below are segments from their position paper on "Women in Combat: A Resolution From CBMW," which was adopted on November 23, 1996:

WHEREAS, God created male and female with specific and complementary characteristics (Gen. 1:27), declaring them "good" (Gen. 1:31) so that male and female in relationship constitute a complete expression of the divine order for humanity, yet without blurring or denying the meaning or significance of gender-based distinctions established by God in the created order; and

WHEREAS, The equality of male and female as to dignity and worth, following from their creation in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), is fully consistent with and is in no way contrary to gender-based distinctions as to roles and responsibilities which are also established in the created order; and

WHEREAS, God, by creating Adam first (Gen. 2:18; 1 Cor. 11:8) and also by creating woman for man (Gen. 2:18,20,22; 1 Cor. 11:9), has set the gender-based role and responsibility of males in the most basic unit of society (the family) to be that of leader, provider and self-sacrificial protector (also cf. Eph. 5:25; 1 Peter 3:7), and likewise has set the gender-based role and responsibility of females to be that of help and nurture (Gen. 2:18) and life-giving (Gen. 3:20) under male leadership and protection (cf. 1 Peter 3:7); and

WHEREAS, Intentional rejection of the connection between male headship in the family and the male protective role that defines and justifies service as a soldier in military combat necessarily strikes at the complementary nature of male and female relationships established in the order of creation, and unavoidably undermines the order, structure, strength and stability of families within any society that determines to ignore, deny or erase this gender-based distinction; and

WHEREAS, The pattern established by God throughout the Bible is that men, not women, bear responsibility to serve in combat if war is necessary (Gen. 14:14; Num. 31:3,21,49; Deut. 20:5-9,13-14; Josh. 1:14-18; 6:3,7,9; 8:3; 10:7; 1 Sam. 16:18; 18:5; 2 Sam. 11:1; 17:8; 23:8-39; Ps. 45:3-5; Song of Sol. 3:7-8; Isa. 42:13); and

WHEREAS, Biblical examples that record women serving in combat (Jud. 4:4-23) are presented as contrary to proper and normal gender-based distinctions between male and female roles and responsibilities, and as caused by a failure of male leadership that is worthy of shame (Jud. 4:9-10); and . . .

Note that the 1996 statement by CBMW wisely reminds the Church that those rare and non-normative examples of role reversals in the Scripture such as Deborah (Jud. 4:4-23) are reminders of male abdication "worthy of shame." They are not meant to be examples for emulation, CBMW argues, nor does their inclusion in Scripture justify the suspension of the duty of men, not women, to lead. Yet this is precisely what semi-complementarians such as CBMW's Executive Director David Kotter are attempting to do in 2008 by excluding the numerous patterns and precepts found in Scripture that demonstrate the complementarian mandate for male leadership in the civil jurisdiction while attempting to justify support for Sarah Palin based upon the non-analogous and non-normative example of the Israelite prophetess Deborah.^[11] CBMW has done an about-face on Deborah by using her example to justify Sarah Palin's bid for the vice presidency while stating in 1996 that it was a sign "worthy of shame."

Note also that, in the 1996 Resolution, the Old Testament patterns and precepts are widely invoked to build the case that gender distinctions apply to the civil responsibility of military service. Why in 2008 are the Old Testament passages on qualifications, male responsibility, and civil jurisdiction ignored or dismissed as irrelevant? Has the Word of God changed over the last twelve years?

Furthermore, if CBMW was correct in their 1996 Resolution that these principles apply to non-elected representatives of the United States military serving the federal government, how much more should these same principles apply to an elected Commander in Chief who would preside over all of the military?^[12]

Finally, note that in 1996, CBMW was willing to reach the conclusion that it is the duty of men, not women, to lay their lives on the lines in military service because: (a) women are to be nurturers and helpers "under male leadership and protection," but not leaders; (b) God requires men to be leaders, providers, and self-sacrificial protectors. In fact, CBMW even argued that placing women in combat "unavoidably undermines the order, structure, strength and stability of families within any society that determines to ignore, deny or erase this gender-based distinction."

We believe that excellent organizations like CBMW cannot reasonably argue that having women serve in military combat "unavoidably undermines the order, structure, strength and stability of families within any society that determines to ignore, deny or erase this gender-based distinction," but that promoting a mother of young children to rule over a nation (including her husband) as Chief Executive and Commander in Chief of the military does not. The argument strains credulity.

Yes on Amendment 48 in CO

http://vimeo.com/1155490

Amendment 48 defines life as happening at conception--and if the amendment passes, that definition will be added to the Colorado Constitution! This video is amazing...

Update +

This morning began a three hour flight to Atlanta, followed by a one hour flight to Orlando. So, yes, we're in Florida! It's our annual Family Vacation and a lot of our family members live here. Anyway, that's what we'll be up to! I will update the family blog www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com while we're here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04B3Wl2qouw
This link is an interesting YouTube on Ron Paul predicting the bail out! I am a fan of Ron Paul for his ultra conservative ways. You NEED to read his book: The Revolution: A Manifesto. I wish he was the republican nominee... *sigh* God is sovereign!

Prayerful, or Pragmatic?

Why Sarah Palin Inspires Us
Posted September 6, 2008, by Elizabeth Botkin

The nation is aglow over the manifold triumphs of women over the last century, reaching their climax during this years’ election. Women have never been so close to holding the “highest” position in the country, that of Chief Executive, and woman’s collective journey has been a major political theme this month. In Senator Hillary Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, she made an impressive statement, putting a face on how far our nation has come: “My mother was born before women could vote. My daughter got to vote for her mother for president.”

Powerful women on all sides are taking big strides — and will be bequeathing quite a future to their daughters. That means us. How should we see this future, and how should we respond to their example?

In the opinion of just two of these American daughters, this picture is troubling, and brings with it promises of more trouble. Part of the tragedy, as we see it, is that it’s not just secular feminists who are excited about this future. Christians across the nation are cheering the entrance of Mrs. Palin, forgetting that, according to the biblical qualifications for a civil magistrate, she as a woman is not qualified to hold this office (Ex. 18:21, Pro. 31:23, 1 Tim. 2:12).[1] We believe that Mrs. Palin’s appointment as civil ruler, and indeed the feminist strides that made it possible, are a judgment from God (Isa. 3:12). We’re already suffering from one consequence of this judgment more severely than America realizes.

An exultant Ann Coulter scored a bulls eye in (unwittingly) identifying this judgment in the title of her first piece on Palin: “The Best Man Turned Out To Be A Woman.”

To be honest, we’re impressed with Sarah Palin. She is a remarkably talented, well-spoken woman. She has many fine policies. And we like her practical, moose-hunting style of femininity. But it is not a day to rejoice when the best man in the room happens to be a woman — nor is it a cause for cheer when men can’t compete with women in doing their own job. During this year’s unprecedented election, the key players have been strong women and flaky men. This is a sign of judgment. The scenario is reminiscent of Gloria Steinem’s boast, “We are becoming the men we wanted to marry.” Men have been stepping into the background — women are trying to become the men they wish existed. We challenge any young woman to see this as a happy prospect. It’s hard to be inspired by the abdication of real men and the subsequent rise of pseudo-men. (Interestingly, Gloria Steinem has little confidence that American women will go for Palin, who, in Steinem’s words, “opposes everything most other women want and need.”[2] We believe she underestimates the inconsistency of Evangelical feminists. Ms. Steinem, on the other hand, remains one of the most consistent men in the room; she will not compromise her radical left-wing principles just to support another woman.)

American Christians may be turning their ears from the plain teachings of Scripture to harken to what they believe is “the crying need of the moment.” They may decide our desperate need for a conservative VP trumps the teachings of Scripture. But we know from Scripture that we are to fear God, and not men — not even liberals. It has been rightly noted that people usually get the government they deserve. If we continue to make pragmatic compromises based on fear of man, God may see fit to continue chastising us with the government we deserve. God is on the Throne, regardless of who is in the White House, and He declares: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Psa. 3:6)

The people are right that America has desperate, crying needs. However, Mrs. Palin’s nomination for the Vice Presidency is not answering the cry — it is making it louder. Looking back over the last year, what’s glaringly obvious is that what America needs is more qualified male leaders. The real cry of the moment is: Give us men!
Seeing women in leadership does not inspire men to be better leaders. We believe Sarah Palin’s example will not inspire men to be men — it will inspire them to make way for more Sarah Palins.

So how are strong women supposed to respond when men are not being men? The example of the prophetess Deborah, though set in a time of more severe judgment than ours, gives interesting insights. She was living in a time when “the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 4:1), “Village life ceased” (Judges 5:7), and the leaders had not been leading (Judges 5:2). Despite the desperation of the time, Deborah clearly did not become a civil magistrate or “judge” in the modern sense of the word, nor did she run for any kind of office, nor did she sit in the gates (Judges 4:5). Even when pushed toward positions of leadership, Deborah never actually took the reins of authority, but rather extended them to Barak and stood supportively behind him (Judges 4:6, 4:14). Deborah succeeded in bringing a man into leadership, rather than take the leadership herself.

So why are we inspired by Sarah Palin? Because her example puts a stronger fire in us to answer the cry, the way we believe God intended. We are more inspired than ever to help our father, brothers, husbands and sons to fill the role we are not called to fill. It has rightly been observed that women have already been elected to the highest position they can hold, and that any “promotion” in the civil sphere would be a step backward. Their womanly sphere is where this hurting nation needs them most.

So let us resolve to give the world what it really needs, in the way that only women can give it. We have our work cut out for us, building strength into our men; It will call out every gift and talent within us. In doing so, we’re not just answering the cry — we’re obeying God, Who holds our first allegiance.

Mrs. Palin, you have inspired us to take stronger action for our God and for our country.
As for us, we don’t aspire to become the presidents we wish we could vote for. We aspire to raise them.
____________________________

Footnotes:
1. Many excellent, timely articles have already been written on the qualifications for civil magistrate and the role of women — go here for a directory.
2. “Palin: Wrong Woman, Wrong Message,” by Gloria Steinem

This article was from the blog www.visionarydaughters.com The Botkin sisters have written a book and helped their father make a couple worldview movies. I really appreciated their style of writing and how Elizabeth Botkin chose to explain and expound on this issue. Your comments and opinions are welcome!

Joy

"If life is water, I was dry as the tucson dirt
If it's a gamble, I'd already lost my shirt
If it's a journey, I was dazed without a clue
I flipped a U back to the first love I ever knew

You give me joy that's unspeakable
and I like it
Your love for me's irresistible
I can't fight it
You carried the cross and took my shame
I believe it
You shine your light of amazing grace
I receive it

If life's a battle the invasion is complete
If' it's a rhythm I have found the perfect beat
If it's a renaissance I've got a new birthday
The world don't give it and the world can't take it away

You give me joy that's unspeakable
and I like it
Your love for me's irresistible
I can't fight it
You carried the cross and took my shame
I believe it
You shine your light of amazing grace
I receive it"

-Joy by Newsboys

I've been singing and praising the Lord with that song a lot lately. I really like Newsboys lately--they have super godly lyrics. Have you heard their new CD go? I love the song "That's where the Party's at" or something like that... Very creative.

Anyway, I've been trying to be more joyful :) I am a naturally unsocial and focused/intense sort of person (I've been told I'm like Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice--except a female version). I really do enjoy doing things with people. But when it comes to just "chatting"--small talk alludes me and trivia is so, um, trivial. But I'm trying to become "all things to all people" as Paul says in the New Testament. And by God's grace, I will succeed!

I've been blogging on our family blog, so take a peek! www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com

God bless!

Puppies!

Elizabeth and I are in Ohio right now visiting our dear relations (my mother's sister and her family) and their golden doodle dog recently had eight adorable puppies! Words cannot describe the delight with which I watch them, play with them, and clean up after them (well, maybe not that last one!). They are about seven weeks old and being sold for $600.00 each. Believe me, if they weren't so expensive, I would somehow find a way to get one--that's how cute they are. Well of course you want to see them! I will be posting pictures on our family blog sometime soon, maybe in a couple days to a week, so you can check there www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com

I hope and pray you are as happy and content as I am in the Lord! Actually, I hope you are even more so than me *wink* God bless and have a great weekend! Oh, and Happy Fourth of July!

He is a Song

The loneliness is bitter
The tell me you have known
No parents and no children
No one to call you home
I pray for you a family
Within the Father's plan
But even more I pray that you will come to understand

That He is a light in the deepest shadow
And the wings of a spirit in flight
He is a spring in the dry burning desert
He is a song in the longest night

There is a holy kinship
You tell me you have known
But in the rush of serving
You wonder where it's gone
I pray you will remember
A younger heart's desire
I pray that He will breathe upon the embers of this fire

He is a light in the deepest shadow
And the wings of a spirit in flight
He is a spring in the dry burning desert
He is a song in the longest night

He is the dearest friend
While others come and go
He is the dearest friend
That you will ever know
May you ever know

That he is a light in the deepest shadow
And the wings of a spirit in flight
He is a spring in the dry burning desert
He is a song in the longest night

-He is a Song by Twila Paris from her album Cry for the Desert

Spin

I got sent this movie about six months ago and just watched it again... It's really good and could have a couple of different significant meanings (which I'll let you figure out on your own). It is about eight minutes long, but worth the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP59tQf_njc

U-Turn

How life changes... My dad has been working at Dove Christian Academy. but he's changed his profession to fix and flips! Fix and flips are houses one buys, fixes, up, and resells (hopefully for a profit). It's been an interesting transition, but God is good. So he's been working with Mike (who already does this) and hopefully will buy his own home sometime in the near future...

I'll admit that sometimes I wonder why God moved us out to Colorado. So here is the Cochran family, way out in Denver, CO, missing their old church and friends in Georgia, and beginning to wonder why about a lot of things. Well, I know Mike loves having us living with him, and has even said we're the best thing that happened to him since he's been in Colorado (he's never had a family) so I guess that could be one reason we came out here (ie: to bless him). And I know we've blessed some other homeschoolers in the area. But the best part to me is that God has tons of other reasons--we just don't know them yet. Oh, and another one is that my dad can make more here doing construction than he could ever make in GA. So it goes... My mind begins to question God, and then he shows me all the blessings he's given us.

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. God bless!

Another Year...

Yep, I am now arrived at the ripe old age of 91, oops, I mean, 19 :) On March 27th (my BD) I was actually being an honorary judge for speech and debate competition. It was a lot of fun and I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my birthday *wink* But seriously, this year has been incredible. This time last year I would never have in my wildest dreams predicted a move to Colorado, yet here I am! So much has happened this past year, changes for the better most of the time, praise God. He is so good and it's by his grace alone that I make this confession... Part of a song by Michael Card comes to mind:

"There are times in your life when you're really in between
there's people telling you from every side
And the pain of growing up is almost more than you can bear
and all you want to do is run and hide

Don't you know that He loves you?
Don't you know that He cares?
Don't you know that He died to save your soul?
And don't you doubt for a minute that he will"

That song describes how I've felt (off and on) for the past, well, six years! But this last year God has matured me so much that the "pain of growing up" is beginning to subside and I'm finding that I AM grown up. It's rather scary, and there are definitely new pains waiting to take the place of the growing pain, but it's not really like I have a choice. I reiterate that God is so good and I praise and thank his Holy Name for all he's done for me. May he bless you as abundantly as he has blessed me!

I blogged on our family blog with some pics if you are interested. www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com

Our Wonderful English Language--who's for re-awakening Latin?

The Chaos

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it's written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation's OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
And enamour rhyme with hammer.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,
And then singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.
Though the differences seem little,
We say actual but victual.
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.
Foeffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;
Dull, bull, and George ate late.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,
Science, conscience, scientific.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the differences, moreover,
Between mover, cover, clover;
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police and lice;
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.

Petal, panel, and canal,
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor.
Tour, but our and succour, four.
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, Korea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion and battalion.
Sally with ally, yea, ye,
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.
Say aver, but ever, fever,
Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.
Heron, granary, canary.
Crevice and device and aerie.

Face, but preface, not efface.
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.
Ear, but earn and wear and tear
Do not rhyme with here but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation -- think of Psyche!
Is a paling stout and spikey?
Won't it make you lose your wits,
Writing groats and saying grits?
It's a dark abyss or tunnel:
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wight,
Housewife, verdict and indict.

Finally, which rhymes with enough-
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?
Hiccough has the sound of cup.
My advice is to give it up!!!

-Gerald Nolst Trenite (1870-1946)

Laugher, Tears, Fights, Elations (and much more = LIFE

I feel very comatose and, well, for lack of a better word, blah lately. Maybe lethargic is a good word... I don't know. Life seems to move so slow, and yet amazingly fast. Some minutes seem like hours and some weeks like days. I'm in a rambling mood so bear with me.

The other day I was reading Proverbs and something really incredible dawned on me: You know how in Proverbs 1 the last part of the chapter is all about Wisdom "calling in the streets" etc? (yes, you should know but if you don't--look it up!). Well, for some reason I had always thought, well, let me pull in my horses here, and let you read the verses for yourself first (yep, you don't have to look it up after all).

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

Wisdom is always calling out to me, all day long. I can either choose to ignore her, or gain from her knowledge. The point of this part of Proverbs 1 is this: Wisdom will call, but eventually she'll STOP. If I ignore her long enough, she'll stop attempting to help me and instead ignore me as I have ignored her. But there's more than that. Not only will she ignore me when I WANT her to ignore me, but when I actually want her, she may not be there. This is tough stuff here! And it scared me the other day... To think that Wisdom would "mock" and "laugh" when we needed her most... Haven't you ever seen a family or individual who has made many many bad choices and now has a genuine desire to do better, yet seems to only make worse mistakes (out of ignorance, or what-have-you)? Now I understand why that happens... I'm not saying it's ever too late to change and God can definitely do anything; but this took my attention and I've made a renewed commitment to listen to Wisdom as opposed to ignoring her. I am pleased to find that throughout the day I realize that I'm internally telling myself (within different situations) "Wisdom is crying out--come on, Katie, LISTEN!" I am still a long way from listening even half the time *sigh* But with God's help I will never become insensible to what Wisdom has to say to me... Now read that part about Wisdom again (above) and put it within those little circumstances when you have choices all throughout the day... It's incredible and hard, but so good... God bless and thanks for reading my ramblings :)

PS I put a few pictures on our family blog, if you're interested. www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com

Year 2007

Hello friends! I just posted a ton of pictures on our family blog www.cochranfamily101.blogspot.com if you'd like to see a storyboard of our lives this past year... I meant to do it in January but you know how life is :)

We're doing great and loving Colorado (or at least, I am). The other day we were driving somewhere and everywhere I looked, mountains towered to the sky; I nearly cried with awe--they're so beautiful. And I can't capture it properly with a camera so you'll have to come visit to see what I mean *laugh* I know I know--that's called bribing. But I miss you Georgians (and relatives) very much... I wish you all could move out here and then we could have everything! I personally have started a part-time job for Mike doing his personal accounting for him. It's kind of a sad story because I was going to start online college this month but I'm still considered a non-resident of Colorado because we haven't been here a year yet so the classes cost nearly triple for me what they would cost a resident and it's too much. So we are waiting on the Lord :) Your prayers would be great because it seems like God has just shut this door...

Anyway, God bless! Have a wonderful weekend.

A New Perspective on The Civil War

My mom is on several homeschool e-loops and this one lady had an interesting opinion on Lincoln's reason for the civil war. She does use some direct quotes so I am finding myself leaning this way... Definitely NOT a popular opinion, but could it be true? Your thoughts are welcome...

"Perhaps, however, the idea that the abolition of slavery was the cause
of this war is historically inaccurate.

Lincoln was not fighting to free slaves but to promote and secure his
idea of a strong, central government that would control the states. By
bringing in the slavery issue, *after* the start of the war, Lincoln
was hoping to encourage the slaves to revolt in the South and to make
the Southerners look like cruel slave-holders. It was nothing more
than a political foil to keep England and France from joining the
Confederate ranks, which they were seriously considering, having even
sent delegates to the South. Lincoln's claim that Southerners hoped to
irreversibly establish slavery was completely false. Both England and
more recently Russia had peacefully freed their slaves through a
gradual process that intrigued the Southerners greatly. They were very
interested in doing likewise, and had begun to implement a similar
program years before the War.

Also, contrary to popular belief (fueled by modern-day history
revisionists) the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves or
outlaw this abominable institution. It simply "freed" the slaves
living in the Southern States, leaving their Northern brethren in
chains. It is interesting to note as a little aside, that many
Unionists protested this change in the war's "cause." Many were
indignant at the idea of dying for a "negro" and many even deserted at
this point. Even after the war, the 13th amendment that actually
abolished slavery was not ratified until 1901. Why? Because Delaware
- a northern state - absolutely refused to ratify it (December 1865).

Although Lincoln (and the Union position) are considered "The Great
Emancipator(s), their introduction of the slavery issue in promoting
their cause had little to do with good-will or moral principles. It
was instead a desperate - and may I say clever - move calculated to
sully the Confederate cause. As a matter of fact, Lincoln himself said
in 1862 that: "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the
union ... If I could save the union without freeing any slaves, I would
do it; if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I
would also do that."(1)

In the end, he chose the latter as the more politically expedient way.
Unfortunately, most history textbooks summarily describe the war as one
fought over slavery - with the Union army representing the
abolitionists and the Confederates representing the cruel slave owners.
A study of the original writings, however, will prove that nothing
could be further from the truth."

-Daisy

(1) Abraham Lincoln in a letter to Horace Greeley, editor of the New
York Tribune, dated August 22, 1862.

Knitting in the New Year

Well I guess I ought to say HAPPY NEW YEAR! May you all have a blessed season this 2008...

Mike expressed a desire to learn how to knit, so I gave him knitting needles and yarn for Christmas, plus a "coupon" for a "free knitting lesson from his fellow lefty" (like me, he's a lefty and, trust me, only a lefty can teach a lefty how to knit--I tried for the longest time to learn from a righty and got so messed up...). So on New Years eve day, he tells me had had a bad dream the night before that the knitting coupon had expired and that I wouldn't give him a lesson *laugh* So he wanted to get right on it. We did, and here are some pictures that Ellie took. Let me tell you that there's nothing like teaching a 50-year old GUY how to knit!

I'm holding the scarf I've been working on (and have currently finished) and he's holding up three fingers for the three rows he's accomplished. Not to put a damper on the picture, but he got revenge on me for laughing at his style by messing up shortly after this picture. He goofed so badly that we had to start COMPLETELY OVER. I'm kidding when I say he did it in revenge--he was as frustrated as I was--but still... :)

Let me tell you that it was an experience I will never forget...