This isn't just a blog about life issues... I promise. But read this:

So, while I do believe that bringing God into the equation of life is critical--it really is refreshing when someone who claims to not believe in God at all will de-politicize an issue and make a solid, morally based argument:

A pro-life atheist tells why the tides might be turning

I believe that drawing an arbitrary line in the sand determining when life starts or doesn't start in the womb is ludicrous. Life starts at conception. Ending life after that is the same 2 weeks after conception, 2 months after conception, or 2 years after conception. But even if you might disagree with my claims there, you might want to tread lightly just in case I might be right.

So, I don't really think there should be a question here. But let's say you have questions and you believe that one person's privacy is able to cover up another person's right to life--what if you are wrong? 

If I am wrong (and we stopped all abortions now) then the worst case scenario is more life. If you are wrong (even a little bit) then there are thousands and thousands and millions of deaths on your hands...

Couldn't have said it better myself:

"If you oppose selective abortions, but not abortion overall, I wonder why? How is terminating the fetus because it's the wrong sex any worse than terminating the fetus for convenience's sake? The fate of the fetus does not change, only the reasoning for its extinction does."

Hmmm... Thank you Denver Post reporter guy for this article.

Why is anyone worth anything?

CLICK HERE

I appreciate this post because the author is right on in not making his own argument, but in merely placing the facts right there on the table.

Can't argue with that (well, I guess some people would, but their arguments are based on fear, ignorance, and selfishly wanting to have their own way--no matter who gets in the way).

I know I don't have the ability to place, take, or otherwise move someone else's worth.

If you can't beat 'em...

Do you think we should join 'em?

Well, in one sense it can be a cop out. Take for example how all the major sports leagues, ticket agents, and concert venues have dealt with electronic scalpers: Rather than standing up for what was right, fighting price gouging, greedy ticket brokers, and allowing middle-class dads to take their sons to the ballgame for less than a month's salary--they have now become business partners and receive a portion of the proceeds... twice. And a $14 ticket to the game now costs $45 and climbing.

In another sense it might conjure up good sportsmanship. Take for example the loser of a political primary election. After spending months nitpicking at their opponents weaknesses, pointing out their flaws, claiming that they have no experience, etc. Then losing. And then joining forces to fight off a common enemy.

Well, neither one reeks of integrity. But we also don't want to just be sore losers.

Just some thoughts. Potential money and potential power often turn the best of people into the vilest of creatures. Or the vilest of creatures into even more vile creatures (is that possible)?

I'm glad God is in charge.

Guardian Angel

What do you think of when I write the term "Guardian Angel" up there?

-A puffly, winged creature hovering between you and oncoming traffic?

-A stranger who shows up at the exact right time, with the exact right something, only to never be heard from again?

-A prayer card with the etymology of your name on it?

While the notion of guardian angels is certainly very comforting, there isn't much biblical support backing up the claim that we each have a particular angel vigilante hovering in our midst (though there are a few passages that might suggest it: Hebrews 1:14, Psalm 91:11). 

Angels are God's creation, we need not forget that we serve an omniscient God whose Spirit is everywhere (John 3:5-8).

Guardian angels or not, God is the one in whom our trust belongs. Let's not forget it.

2 minutes

Perusing the Internet can waste a lot of time and can yield few results--or it can cause me to find this computer-generated reenactment of the US Airways plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River last month.

Basically, this pilot took everything he ever learned, all his thousands of hours of flight training, his years of experience and PERFECTLY EXECUTED this landing, without losing any cool (or lives), in less than 2 minutes.

I believe that humans (and men in particular) dream about this day of perfect execution. We dream about the perfect moment of trial, adversity, and certain doom--and rising above it. Perfectly.

Don't shrink back. Be someone who steps up to the plate.

³⁸But my righteous one will live by faith. 
   And if he shrinks back, 
      I will not be pleased with him.³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

(Hebrews 10:38-39, NIV)

Fiscal Responsibility Starts at Home

For the most telling chart on our current financial mess click HERE.

I find this most interesting primarily because I haven't seen it before.

Irresponsible buyers, greedy lenders, and a whole lot of money that never existed had caused people to think their homes were "worth" more than twice what they were actually worth. It's like my baseball card collection--just because a Barry Bonds rookie card is supposed to be worth $75, doesn't mean someone would actually shell out $75 for it.

So, the long and short of it is that since home buying and selling is such a big industry (real estate agents, lawyers, repair companies, lenders, etc.) and since most people couldn't get for their house what they paid for it, there's a lot of trouble... for anyone who bought a house in the last 5 years and wants to sell it in the next 5 years. 

If you bought yours before then or never want to move, and you can actually afford your mortgage (another problem all together)... then stop checking zillow so often.

Also, everyone should not own their own home... nor should everyone stay in the home they never should have bought in the first place. Save for a down-payment and rent please.

WD-40

I have a list of 5 tips on "Expanding a Household Brand" by a guy named Garry Ridge (he is President and CEO of WD-40) hanging above my desk.

Tip #5 goes like this: Invest in products that consumers will always need.

This makes good sense. And in order to understand what people will always need, we have got to understand what kinds of problems people will always have... and then, here's the key, we've got to invest in these products so that we can be a part of the solution

Problems people will always have (products they will always need to help with those problems):

-Squeaky hinges (WD-40)

-Sweet toothes (Twizzlers)

-Sore backs (hot pads, Icy Hot)

-Relational difficulty (books, seminars, teachings, classes to help)

-Desire to be a part of something greater than themselves (groups, churches, families)

You get the idea.

It is one thing to think of things like this in the context of good business. It's a whole other thing to think of what this might mean for our spiritual lives. What things will we always need? And what things are just extra/a fad/meaningless?

More later.