Random things

First, I should note that I put a small update on the Baby page – and in a week or so, we’ll have NEW baby pics (in utero, of course)!  If you’re one of the many following that… check back soon!

I also posted some links on the Nations page. 

 Next: A Quote.  Because this stirred me so, I feel I must share: 

From Story of a Soul (l’Histoire d’une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux Just as a torrent carries into the depths of the sea all that it meets on its way, so, my Jesus, does the soul who plunges into the shoreless ocean of Thy Love bring with it all its treasures. My treasures are the souls it has pleased thee to unite with mine; Thou hast confided them to me, and therefore I do not fear to use Thy own words, uttered by Thee on the last night that saw Thee still a traveller on this earth. Jesus, my Beloved! I know not when my exile will have an end. Many a night I may yet sing Thy Mercies here below, but for me also will come the last night, and then I shall be able to say: “I have glorified Thee upon earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. I have manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou hast given me out of the world. …” - St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), from “Chapter 6: A Canticle of Love,” in Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux

Read this classic at the CCEL.

The phrase that rocks my world: ”the shoreless ocean of Thy Love”.  C’mon – think about that!  What does a shoreless ocean look like?  Ha!  Well – that is the love of God!  You gotta dive in and never look back!   It’s about abandon.  Who says following Jesus (aka “Christianity”) is for the weak and faint of heart??  

Thinking about God’s love. . . .  He is full of love, and fiercely JEALOUS for what He loves!  And God will not change His mind.  He can never love us more than He does right now and He will never love us less that He does RIGHT now — regardless of wether we are good or bad today….  are you IN the shoreless ocean . . or just looking at it now and then?

 

VOM

So, I was in the apartment workout facility, with CNN on the TV today, and was SO excited [not exactly the right word] and surprised to see a commercial from Voice of the Martyrs!!! 

Voice of the Martyrs is an organization dedicated to helping, and exposing the horrendous persuction that is perpetrated against Christians in many parts of the world.  The stories they share of real life believers, suffering for following Christ TODAY on another part of the planet will shock you, in a very needed way. 

It’s inconceivable to me that the things happening right now (torture, imprisonment, death) in some countries are so NOT well-known to us in the “free world”.  We say we believe in human rights . . .but suddenly if “religion” is involved, nobody wants to touch it — what’s that about?!?  A life is a life, right?

Anyhow, I won’t rant about it.  I was just VERY glad to see that they were able to make a commercial that tells the TRUTH, and get in on a national station that so many look to for news.  That’s what I call REAL NEWS.  Maybe we’ll all wake up a little bit. 

I encourage you to get informed.  and PRAY.  If you’re a believer in Christ, these are your FAMILY members!  If you’re not, they’re still human, like you, who deserve the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of what nation they live in.

love to all — J.

 

We all long for freedom

“There is hope, but we fear to hope,” she said. “We still dream of rearing our children in a country where everybody would have equal chances at opportunities.”

This is a quote from an article I just read about Myanmar’s current unrest (Yahoo news got  this one right, thanks to the AP).  Pray for the Christians in Myanmar/Burma, too.  The media like to focus on the monks, but they are not the only ones terrorized by a militaristic government.   

And, don’t be fooled.  Although North Korea finally admitted to having nuclear reactors/plants (who did they think they were kidding anyway?) and have agreed to “cooperate” with peace-seeking nations in a disarmament plan, they are not suddenly good.  I hardly consider this breakthrough.  While thier loftly leader Kim Jong Il is trying to look good in the face of the global pressure, the people of North Korea are literally dying every day!  Oh, you didn’t know?  I’m not sure why the media doesn’t tell us about the fact that there are many in prison workcamps, and that there’s been a country-wide famine in North Korea for many years, causing the death of thousands every year.  . . . .  [if you didn't notice I linked to several of the words above, if you want to find more info on any of this stuff, just click them and follow the link] . . .

I could go on for a while about the burdens that many counries carry, but I won’t belabor the point – we all want to be free!  Our founding fathers were right (not that America is perfect or that those men were, either):  ”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” 

So, what is the solution to all the ills and burdens in the world?  Should we come in with military might and fight for the freedom of those who are oppressed?  Maybe.  Or, we could appeal to the High Court of Heaven . . .

Because “if the Son [Jesus Christ, the Son of God] sets you free, you will be free indeed.” From the Bible, book of John, chapter 8:36. 

Sounds simple.  that’s because it is.  Real freedom — freedom of the soul and spirit– is paid for already,  and can’t be regulated by any human government.  and, it’s what we were all made for, and it is what we all long for — to truly be free.