If

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

~Rudyard Kipling~

What I do on my Day Off

Yesterday I actually had a day off (something that doesn't occur frequently). I was desperate to fill all the free time on my hands (not really). I went to extreme measures to entertain myself....

Are We There Yet?

"The Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart." ~Deuteronomy 8:2~

If there is any such thing as a universal question, it may be this: "Are we there yet?" Generations of children have asked it. They have then grown into adults who have to answer the same question when their children ask.

Whenever I read the books of Moses, I wonder how many time he heard that question from the Israelites. Before rescuing them from slavery and leading them out of Egypt, Moses told them that the Lord would lead them "to a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). He did, but first they spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness. This was no ordinary wandering, however. They were not lost; they were wandering for a purpose. After 400 years of slavery, the children of Israel need to have their hearts, souls, and minds reoriented toward God. This was accomplished in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2, 15-18), but not before an entire generation died because of their disobedience (Numbers 32:13).

In life, it sometimes seems as if we are wandering in circles. We feel lost. We want to ask God, "Are we there yet? How much longer?" At such times it helps to remember that the journey, not just the destination is important to God. He uses it to humble us, to test us, and show us what is in our hearts.

All God's testings have a purpose--

Someday you will see the light;

All He asks is that you trust Him,

Walk by faith and not by sight. -Zoller

It's the journey, not just the destination that's important.

Copied from, Our Daily Bread, March 9, 2011

Decision Making

When it comes to making big and exstremely important decisions, it seems that most people my age are making the most important decisions of their lives. We're figuring out where to go to college, what to major in, what to do after college, which grad school to go to, who to marry, where to live, and on the list could go. We live life in a pretty confused and often topsy-turvy way. One day we're going here doing this thing, and the next well, we've done a complete 180-degree turn and we're doing something completely different. Our lives are on a constant roller coaster ride of emotions and uncertainty. We are in a process of discovering who we are and what our purpose is.

I happen to be at a crossroads of decision. One way would be a lot easier and honestly makes more sense. The other choice is much more difficult and humanly speaking doesn't make nearly as much sense. I'm torn between the two because neither is a bad decision. Unfortunately this is not a decision that I can take several months to make, in fact I must make it in the next two to three weeks max. My plans for the next few weeks are to do a lot of praying, reading my Bible, and getting counsel from people I trust about what to do. I know that God will lead me the way that is best.

"Receive [wisdom's] instruction, and not silver,

And knowldege rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things that one may desire cannot be compared with her.

~Proverbs 8:10-11~

If You Don't Work, You Don't Eat

I am a firm believer in the rights guaranteed by the Constitution as well as a strong supporter of capitalism. However, the other day I was chatting with a friend in the UK, we had quite the debate about free governments like the US versus socialistic governments like the UK. This discussion caused him to write a blog post about it and challenged me to write a rebuttal of sorts. (You can view his post here.)

While I agree with his point of everyone sharing for the common good of man, I also strongly disagree. Let me explain, as a Christian I agree, we should be doing our best to look out for and take care of others. Jesus Himself said that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Luke 6:38). However, I feel like I should be the one to choose how, where, and the amount that I give to others and whether that be a gift of money, time or both. I do not think that the government should be doing this for me, for many reasons, but from strictly a Christians view point, it is because my government does not always support causes and charities that I agree with. They support gay rights, abortion clinics, embryonic stem cell research and on the list could go. If I can help it, I don't want my money going to those things.

I think in its purest form communism is the best economic structure (and yes, I do know that Sam said he didn't believe in communism, I'm just using this for my point), but sadly it is terribly tainted by sin. Socialism is a weaker form of communism, and capitalism is its exact opposite. Capitalism gives people the ability to move from the bottom to the top if they are willing to work. Capitalism encourages growth and work. It gives rewards for effort and punishment for laziness. It applies a very biblical principle, that of, "if you don't work you don't eat." (II Thessalonians 3:10) Pretty much, if you want something you've got to work for it, the government isn't going to give you anything. I'm not against homeless shelters, food pantries, soup kitchens, etc., but only if they are privatized and run by individuals, churches, or companies, NOT the government.

The best American example of failure that I can think of in the regard is that of the welfare system. My tax dollars go to support people, most of whom are perfectly capable, yet too lazy to get a job. So while I'm out working two jobs trying to pay my way through school, others are sitting at home watching TV while being paid by me. Yes, I understand, some people really do need the welfare, but not most, and those who do need it could get help from other organizations than the government if they needed to. Most people simply need to get out and try to work.

While I'm all for sharing, I'm also all against the spreading of wealth and most socialist ideals. Most people are wealthy for a reason -- they actually worked hard and spend years earning it. The people who are receiving government help are usually too lazy to try, and because they've been given everything all their lives they expect to get it for the rest of their life. "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." ~Proverbs 10:4