Louder Than Words

How do you know when someone means what they say? I believe there is only one thing that proves it: their actions back up their words.

One does not have to say anything. One simply does (or does not).

I care not for empty words. In fact, I do not care much for spoken words at all. Actions speak so loud that words are unnecessary.

Life Song

It is a dreary day out. I am tired and pensive -- good moment for some tea and writing.

"Life is a song to be sung."

Those words reverberated within me when I heard them in a short play this afternoon. My own life song has been filled with loss, loneliness, disappointments, betrayals, struggles, periods of deep sadness and grief, and lots of tears. But it has also been punctuated with joy and laughter, fun, happy times, relief, and gratitude. Together, they will make quite a masterpiece by the end of my life. Kind of like Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (aka. Sonata Pathétique) -- one of my many favourite pieces of music.

At the moment, my life song matches the dark and wet weather outside. Due to recent events, my emotions have been fluctuating between P.O.D.'s Satellite album and Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor. Friends, I am not at liberty to disclose what is happening, but I really would appreciate your prayers for wisdom. I want to get back onto the happy movement of my life symphony, and I know it is all in God's timing. He is writing the score of my life and He will determine when it is time for the next step, whatever it is.

Ethics

I remember a story told by John C. Maxwell, the world's foremost leadership teacher. He was once asked to write a book on business ethics. To which he replied, "I can't write [a book on business ethics]..." When asked why not, John stated, "There is no such thing as business ethics. You either have ethics or you don't."

John's statement pretty much sums it all up.

By the way, I am happy to learn about Rick Green's run for Texas Supreme Court. He is a stand-up man with integrity, persistence, and a very good head on his shoulders. He has a great passion for the history of this country, and even greater passion for passing it on to future generations. His children can quote The Declaration of Independence from memory -- I was there at the business conference where the following video was recorded.

Any time some person of excellence sticks their head above the crowd or does something the crowd doesn't, he is bound to get tomatoes in the face. Clint Eastwood, Albert Einstein, even Mother Theresa! So in spite of the nasty stuff that is coming, go for it Rick!

Something to enjoy

I was wondering which thought I wanted to post tonight until I saw this. These guys created an awesome video!

What an honour!

I became acquainted with a great man today. Mr. B is a soft-spoken, gentle man born in the early-/mid-1920s. He obviously grew up in the Great Depression. When he graduated from high school, he served in World War II fighting the war in Europe. He told me that they waited in Ireland and England until the invasion -- he was involved in the invasion at Omaha Beach. From there, he eventually moved on into Germany. After his return, he met and married his bride of now 50 years. He has also served in a school district for a decade or two. He is actively involved in the lives of his descendants spanning 4 generations.

Folks, if you ever have the honour of meeting someone from that great generation, make sure you at least shake their hand if you can't spend the time to hear their stories. That great generation is fast disappearing and it will be a loss for society if we don't take some time to learn from their lives. I have the utmost respect for them -- how they have lived, what they have done, and just the class of their distinguished lives. It is a tremendous honour to meet a WWII veteran -- it is by their blood and the blood of their fallen comrades that set the world free from tyranny. Their sacrifice have enabled generations to grow up in a much difference world. Do not take it for granted -- freedom is never free.

To all military veterans of all ages: Thank you! **Salute**

To College Or Not To College

I'd love to add the video here, but I can't. Probably because of copyright issues and I don't pay advertising... Still you can access the video and the full article here.

One of the things I struggle with -- Part 2

So along similar lines as my previous post, I continue to struggle with The Right Thing To Do vs. How To Do It in the sensitive subject of abortion. My personal beliefs cannot and do not condone abortion or even certain methods of birth control, yet when it comes to legislating abortion, I do not know if that is the right way to go about it. Regardless of your right to choice or right to life, should the Government be the one deciding what is acceptable and laying it down as law? Can and should the Government have the power to tell you what to do or what not to do? Does and should the Government have the right to do that?

I have been struggling with this for many years. I am unashamed and unabashedly pro-life. I believe in the sanctity of life. Whether you take the life of a person with a knife/gun/bare hands/car/etc. or you take the life of a fertilised cluster of dividing cells, it is still the taking of a life. (And there is always a price to pay.) Yet should these beliefs be forced upon someone else who has less of a conviction in the sanctity of life?

Let's flip it around. What if the government mandates abortion, making it "mainstream"? Oh wait, we know a country that does that... but let's imagine that happened here in America. How would pro-lifers as "rebels" feel and what would we do?

My struggle ultimately comes back to the issue of government -- to what extent do we allow its power to dictate our life? As I quoted an excerpt from The Declaration of Independence in my previous post, life and freedom are unalienable rights. So I leave you with the following quotes to think about:

John Adams

Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Second President of the United States

[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . . Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

(Source: John Adams, The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Charles Francis Adams, editor (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co. 1854), Vol. IX, p. 229, October 11, 1798.)

John Quincy Adams
Sixth President of the United States

There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.

(Source: John Quincy Adams, Letters of John Quincy Adams to His Son on the Bible and Its Teachings (Auburn: James M. Alden, 1850), pp. 22-23.)

Oliver Ellsworth

Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court

[T]he primary objects of government are the peace, order, and prosperity of society. . . . To the promotion of these objects, particularly in a republican government, good morals are essential. Institutions for the promotion of good morals are therefore objects of legislative provision and support: and among these . . . religious institutions are eminently useful and important. . . . [T]he legislature, charged with the great interests of the community, may, and ought to countenance, aid and protect religious institutions—institutions wisely calculated to direct men to the performance of all the duties arising from their connection with each other, and to prevent or repress those evils which flow from unrestrained passion.

(Source: Connecticut Courant, June 7, 1802, p. 3, Oliver Ellsworth, to the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut)

James Wilson

Signer of the Constitution

Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other. The divine law, as discovered by reason and the moral sense, forms an essential part of both.

(Source: James Wilson, The Works of the Honourable James Wilson (Philadelphia: Bronson and Chauncey, 1804), Vol. I, p. 106.)

Robert Winthrop

Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives

Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet.

(Source: Robert Winthrop, Addresses and Speeches on Various Occasions (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1852), p. 172 from his "Either by the Bible or the Bayonet.")

Disclaimer: I did copy those quotes from a great organisation called Wallbuilders.

Ps. As uncomfortable as I am with government legislating moral values, I have to give my support towards sustaining a moral society. Separation of Church and State was for the protection of the Church from the influence of the State, not vice versa.

One of the things I struggle with -- Part 1

Tonight, I read about the lone senator who is "single-handedly blocking more than a million Americans from receiving unemployment and COBRA health insurance benefits... when their benefits funded under the 2009 stimulus law run out [today]." (Quoted from my oh-so-solid source of Yahoo News...) Before you go ahead and condemn him for such a dastardly act, realise that the source of his reluctance to comply has to do with the funding of such programmes -- his concern is from where the money is coming. Whether it be budget-cuts elsewhere or increased taxes or whatever other creative suggestions people may come up with, someone has to pay for it so it is really a question of fiscal responsibility. You cannot promise (money) when you don't have (money to give).

So my struggle is: I understand where this courageous senator is coming from and I applaud the sane thinking he demonstrates, yet is it the right thing to do in the face of mass struggle? How do you decide something like that? And how do you support the intention without supporting the means if they do not agree?

To use another example of something remotely similar, allow me to "pen" my thoughts on the subject of gay rights. The following words are penned in The Declaration of Independence:

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.

(On a tangent, take note that it does state "the pursuit of happiness", not "the right to happiness"...)

That being said, I believe that regardless of one's sexual preference or beliefs of it, every person is a human being and is entitled to certain rights. Even though my personal belief does not condone the homosexual lifestyle, I still believe that homosexuals should not be treated as second-class citizens. Yet how do I support gay rights without appearing to condone the lifestyle?

Million Thoughts Part 2

On the recommendation of Dad, we finally rented "Gran Torino" and watched it the other night. In the first 10 minutes, I looked at my husband and repeatedly said, "Dad recommended this??" The profanity and anti-Catholic sentiment from the main character (played by Clint Eastwood) just did not mesh with what I know of Dad. The profanity did not lessen over the 2 hours of the movie though Kowalski (Eastwood's character) evolved. However, I was crying by the end of the movie.

If you have not yet watched "Gran Torino", and if you can put up with colourful language for 2 hours (not recommended for the chronologically-challenged though), I would recommend that you do. It is a good movie, and I do not say that lightly -- we have not had good movies in a very long time. (I do not believe that "Titanic" or "Star Trek" fall in the good movie category.) This movie spoke volumes about life and death, human character, relationships, modern and urban challenges, generational differences, the importance of a male role model, and so much more.

I do not wish for a father like Kowalski, but I respect a man with principles and honour. I respect a man who understands that sometimes, the right thing to do is to give up his right (to himself) and sacrifice for the sake of others. I respect a man who realises that at the end of the day, relationships and a life of significance are all that matter.

Million Thoughts Part 1

Ever have a million things you're thinking about? That's me the last couple of days. I keep wanting to post it all, then I forget, then I remember but am nowhere near something to post from, then I forget again, then I wonder if I can/should post them all -- all my jumbled, rambling, running-on thoughts...

This week has really been a blessing to me. On two separate days, I was apparently a blessing to several people. I just spent some time with them and talked with them. We really connected over our mutual faith and deep convictions. It really is neat to see God pour out His blessings and encouragement to others through me, and I didn't really even realise it until much later! And I was blessed through it!

As a result of our time together, one elderly couple insisted on giving me a grocery bag full of frozen produce from their garden, a bag of chestnuts from their trees, and a cheque for my time! They would not take "no" for an answer so I went home with extra food and the cheque. Of course I convinced them to make it out to my church instead of me. (D-uh! Is it even a question of the right thing to do?)

Whether you and I have the same beliefs, I think we can agree that everyone can make this world a better place, one person at a time. It may be as simple as a smile or holding the door open for the next person. Let's not forget the power of hugs -- I believe that everyone should get at least 7 hugs a day! For brothers and sisters in Christ, we are indeed called to lift up each other, to encourage each other, to "spur one another on towards love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24) What can you do today? What are you willing to do?

For all the bad stuff going on, one can still see the blessings of God if he/she so chooses. In spite of us and the bad choices we make, God wants to pour out His blessings on us if we would only accept the key to unlocking them. There is a God in this world, and He is good. The results of Man's choices do not negate the character of this holy, perfect God, and He is the God I serve. Who are you serving?