The importance of learning truth

My mom as a young woman, before I was born, worked at a large bank in Manhattan. As a bank employee, she was trained to recognize counterfeit bills. Down in the basement of the bank, my mother counted bill after bill, touching, feeling the money. She learned color, texture, weight of the paper.

My mom, and her fellow bank tellers, learned what was false by knowing first what was real.

Readers, do you see how this applies to us?

Never can we learn the ins and outs of all the false teaching in the world today. There is simply too much of it. Just go to your local bookstore, plug into the Internet, turn on your TV. It’s there.

Christian, be like my mom in the Manhattan bank. Recognize the lie, not by knowing what’s wrong with the counterfeit, but by knowing the truth.

Read your Bible. Get to know the words. Learn to combat the false by knowing first what is true.

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Photo: Eric Hauser

Why I’m voting for John McCain

I had no intention of writing about the presidential election here on my happy mommy book blog. Then my pastor had to go and preach a fabulous, hit-it-out-of-the-park sermon about Christian citizenship last Sunday. I sat in the pew, muttering to myself.

Drat. Now I have to be a political blogger too.

I didn’t watch the conventions, didn’t listen to any of the speeches. When Twitter was abuzz about the debates, I found other topics to tweet about. I’m probably the last person to meet Joe the Plummer and I don’t know all the names of Sarah Palin’s children. All those political emails and YouTube videos in my inbox – deleted, unread and unwatched.

It’s not that I don’t care. I do. I’ve just had enough of the American political machine.

The mudslinging, obnoxious ads, and the overall negative atmosphere of the campaign that started months ago in the primaries, it makes a girl want to move to Canada until it’s over.

I’m not even all that keen on sharing my political opinions openly because I’m not good at debating. I’m way too emotionally involved. My vote is tied directly to my convictions as a Christian, and when a friend, fellow blogger, or family member disagrees, I take it too personally. I know I need to toughen up, get a thicker skin, but this is who I am.

Book blogger mama stepping out of her comfort zone to jump last minute into the political debate.

Tomorrow I will vote for Senator McCain and Governor Palin because I believe they best represent my values as a follower of Jesus Christ.

As a Christian, I can’t vote for Senator Obama. And part of me likes the guy. He’s younger, well spoken and from what I’ve seen so far, not at all goofy. (In other words, the complete opposite of President George W. Bush). He talks about bringing change to our country. (Great idea, Barack. Change is good. Let’s change the law to protect the unborn! Hmmm. Somehow, I can’t see him agreeing with me on that one).

I know some of my brothers and sisters in Christ plan on casting a vote for Obama tomorrow. Maybe they like his views on tax cuts or education or the war. Maybe it’s George W. backlash. Maybe they don’t agree life begins at conception.

Or maybe they don’t think the issue of abortion is as important as the economy.

May God have mercy on our nation if it’s that last one.

As much as I would love more money in my pocket, cleaner air, a stable economy, and our troops home from overseas, I will not vote for a presidential candidate that doesn’t believe in the protection of human life.

Friends, this is an important election. Supreme Court justices will be selected by the next president. We need a president willing to protect the innocent, the unborn. How we vote tomorrow will impact laws in this nation for years to come.

Christian voter, I hope you say YES to Senator McCain and Governor Palin, because I believe it’s a vote to protect human life.

As I close this post, I just want to say I’ve never had to edit or delete a comment due to nastiness. Feel free to disagree with me, but keep it civil with no name calling, cussing or ungodly behavior. I’ve tried to speak my bold convictions with love. I hope you can do the same for me.

In love and humility,

Monica

More thoughts on church: I’ll not give up

Sunday wasn’t the happy Sabbath it could’ve been; you figured that out from Tuesday’s post. I didn’t write that snippet of life to stab my church. I love my church, that’s why it hurts much when it doesn’t feel reciprocal.

I realize this is a public forum for personal church problems. I have no intention of going into great detail regarding my church family and all it’s faults. And, oh boy, do we have our ups and downs. If you have attended a fellowship for any length of time, I bet we could swap stories. That’s the way it goes. Christians screw up.

Enough, Monica. Get to the point.

Yeah, why am I telling you all this?

Why share here? Why not just write this in a paper journal kept next to the bedside, in a book only I will ever read? Because I suspect there is another Christian walking this same road. Maybe she is a home school mom like me, home with kids all day, with little time for herself, scant close friends to lean on. She feels the same as I do.

This post is for her.

She feels a bit lost in the crowd, discouraged and maybe like church on a Sunday isn’t worth the hassle. Especially after a Sunday like I had.

I want her to know – I’m not quiting the church. As much as I want sometimes to stay home, or find a better, all-together church (Does it exist? Show me). I’m in it for the long haul.

I go to church to worship God, not make friends.

I attend my local church to learn from the Word, not to feel good about seeing friends. Even though it sure is a nice perk.

Church is to grow in Christ. And that’s why I won’t quit gathering together with other Christians. As imperfect as the church may be, I won’t give up on her. She’s imperfect, just like me. I’m glad one day we will be made new together.

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