Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thanksgiving in the Midst of THIS world!
You bet I'm thankful!
I have no trouble being thankful this Thanksgiving Season even in the midst of the wackiest stuff that could ever go on in one's world! Not that my world's that wacky! But when I look at the the world we live in right now, I question whether it can all hold together much longer.
Seriously. Forget for a moment that we are in a REAL war, a war on terrorism with terrorists who want to kill us. And forget for a moment that the radical, religious, ideology that fuels such destructive forces is the fastest growing sociological group in the world. Those two facts would be enough to depress the most optimistic among us. But add to them the shaky world of Political Correctness that we are forced to deal with, and on top of that, the hypocritical politics of the moment, and you've got a real Malox moment going on this Thanksgiving!
Political correctness is just about to get my goat. I've just about had it. The absurdity of the PC movement to get rid of any and all expressions of God in our society usually hits it's fever pitch around Christmas time. Now, to be fair, there have always been those who have tried to water down the reality of Christmas. Maybe it was nothing more than the brave soul or two that would put up the "X-mas" signs at their stores. Or maybe it was the one or two organizations that fought feverishly to promote the "other" observances that come up at this time of the year as if there was some sort of rabid jealousy with all the attention that Christmas was getting. But last year and now already this year, the PC movement has reached the completely ridiculous.
Did you hear about the Pensacola College that was banning Christmas songs at this year's Christmas celebration? Or how in New Jersey you can't sell Christmas "trees"; they have to be called "Holiday" trees?
I don't like it, but I truly understand it! I do! They don't want anything with the name of Christ or Jesus in it at all. And I understand why. The Bible says that there is no other name given among men that has the saving and life changing power that the name of Christ Jesus has. If they hate God the living Savior, His Son Jesus, then they had best keep His name out of the public eye as much as possible! They're scared of Him. They are afraid that His name might change someone to the point that might think clearly for themselves and begin to understand just how crazy and stupid the PC police are!
The hypocrisy of the Democrats is about to get me, too. They have executed an offensive campaign against President Bush that claims that he manipulated and lied about the pre-war intelligence in order to deliberately mislead the American people so that he could wage an "illegal and illicit war". (Can you believe it? Alan Combs of Hannity and Combs on the Fox News Network actually used those terms in describing the war last week! An Illegal and Illicit war? How can that be? Did not the majority of both houses of Congress give him the ok to execute it? So how can it be illegal and illicit?)
It kills me to listen to the actual news clips of the likes of Ted Kennedy, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry among others in the Democratic Party, saying exactly the same things that President Bush said before the war, quoting and promoting the same pre-war intelligence. If President Bush lied and mislead the American People, don't they understand that they would have been guilty of doing the same thing? No, they don't understand that or if they do they're too stupid to even care that their own words point them out to be hypocritical and misleading the American People themselves in the very accusations! I just get tired of it!
However.....
I have MUCH to be VERY thankful for and about!
I am grateful that my God, somewhere back there in the eons of eternity past, chose to draw me to Himself. I'm grateful that Jesus took away my sins and gave to me the gift of everlasting life when I took Him up on the promises in His Word. I placed my faith in His death, burial and resurrection on my behalf, and He gave me forgiveness and life. I'm grateful for that.
I'm grateful for my beautiful wife of 30 years - yes, 30 years!!! She has put up with an awful lot, far more than any woman should be expected to put up with. She bore me two of the most precious young women/daughters that I have grown to be increasingly proud of. I'm grateful for my family.
I'm grateful for the church, the occupation, the calling that God has placed me in. I love my church family and am motivated daily by the vision that God has given me to accomplish in His Name and by His power. I actually have a purpose for living and a reason to get up each morning. I'm awfully thankful for that!
I've much to thank my God for, even in the midst of the wackiest of worlds. Whatever the politics, the culture wars, the terrorist war, the PC battles or the struggles as they may come from any direction. I have found my purpose for life; His Name is Jesus; I am thankful!
God bless you and may you have the greatest of CHRISTMAS holidays ever!
