Dear Hobby Lobby:

Sigh.  Once again, a “Christian” business is making headlines, and not necessarily in a positive way.  Like the Chic-Fil-A debacle of this past summer, people are upset with yet another Christian business…this time,  Hobby Lobby is resisting the Obamacare mandate of providing “the  morning after pill” to its employees as part of their insurance benefits.  Citing their Christian faith and the belief in the sanctity of human life, Hobby Lobby honchos say it is against their moral system of faith to provide something that could induce abortions.

OK.

But…it is not against their moral system of faith to sell–and profit from– millions of dollars worth of Chinese imports in their 400+ stores across America, is it?  The imports come from the same nation that abuses human beings every day in the slave labor /prison like factories…the same nation that jails people of faith….the same nation that forces abortions on their citizens.  That, somehow, is OK, because it nets them a profit.

Of course, everyone sells Chinese goods.  And that makes it OK.  Right?  Hmmm.  I don’t think so.   I don’t know what the Jesus who cleared the temple with whips would say about it.

Hobby Lobby is a for-profit business organization; not a church and not a ministry.   They may be closed to the public on Sundays, but they still make some of their employees work on Sundays and well after 8 pm.  So don’t be fooled into thinking they “honor the Sabbath and keep it holy” just because they are closed for business.

I also have issues with for-profit businesses run by Christians being called “ministries.”  I have no problem with Christians running businesses…but please, let’s call a spade a spade. If you are in it for profit, it is a business.  If you are in it to benefit others, it is a ministry.  Simplistic, I know but hey.

The fact that stores like Hobby Lobby, AC Moore, Walmart, etc. and the like have put small local Mom and Pop stores out of business, sell Chinese imports created on the backs of the abused and downtrodden without batting an eye bothers me, but it bothers me more when it is a company claiming the name of Christ in their business.  I think Hobby Lobby’s issues with the birth control would ring more true to me if they also made a pledge to sell more American made goods – or goods produced in countries that do not violate basic human rights.  Imagine what buying power a retail giant like Hobby Lobby would have if they say “no” to imports and look to domestic suppliers for their goods?

I might shop there if they did.  As it stands now, they just sicken me.  And it’s not about the birth control … it’s about their picking and choosing which moral issues to make a stand on.  A “possible” abortive pill…vs. profits off millions of dollars of products that have been made under deplorable conditions every day from a nation that forces abortions on its people on a regular basis.  OK. …sure.

Where Was God In Connecticut?

I am not going to look up any more info on the Newtown CT tragedy; nor am I going to engage in any more debates about God in schools, gun control, or pass along urban legends and/or guilt based chain-statuses (97% won’t repost this etc.) on Facebook.

I will continue to pray for ALL of the families involved, and continue to pray for safety for all of the children in our schools. Some are sneering – “Where is your God now? Why didn’t He save the innocent children?”

To that, many Christians answer rather glibly “God isn’t allowed in our schools anymore!” I see graphics of a sad, yearning Jesus looking at a school building as he says “I wish I were allowed in there…” or some other such drivel.  I’m sorry, that is not MY Jesus.

People want to lay blame in the wake of tragedies like this. Christians turn to blaming “liberals” and “atheists” who have campaigned to “keep God out of our schools” and NOW LOOK WHAT HAS HAPPENED!   The fact is – schools are not allowed to force any system of belief upon the students.  Jesus said “Lo, I am with you always.”   Another blogger wrote:

The ancient Israelite author never said “Where shall I go to flee from your presence? I know – a public school!”

(Note: I do not necessarily agree with the entirety of that particular blog post nor with other content on that site)

The Lord is not boxed in, nor is He boxed out by man made rules. I can’t answer for Him and why He allows human free will to harm innocents. Like Job, I can question Him and be found woefully ignorant should I find myself in His presence.

Could the Lord be rejecting us now that we’ve “rejected Him” for so long? Well, He came to His own people, according to John 1, and they received Him not – and yet, he still died to redeem them.  In fact, He came down, knowing full well He would be rejected! He was spat upon, reviled, crucified – and yet, He continues to welcome us into His bosom.  Jesus is not a Lord of Rejection – but a Lord of Redemption.    Jesus is not taken aback by the 1962 Supreme Court.

All I know is that we live in a world where darkness tries to reign – we live in a fallen world with fallen people who have been carrying out horrors against one another since Cain slew Abel.

Yet, there is a Light, shining in the darkness – the darkness will not overcome it – one day, when the time is right, the Light will shut out the darkness once and for all. Until then, in the midst of all this horrible darkness, we must be bearers of the Light, shining His love around us, not hiding it under a bushel, not throwing pearls before swine in useless arguments; but sharing His love, shining His light – comforting those who are hurting, mourning with those who mourn, weeping with those who weep, laughing with those who laugh.

Portions of John chapter 1 make up one of my most favorite bible passages, but there is comfort and hope woven throughout the entire Bible like a beautiful soothing tapestry.

John 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He existed in the beginning with God.3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it….

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became flesh [human] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John 1 – New Living Translation

May our Father in Heaven envelope ALL of the people who are damaged, hurting, and in despair tonight with His peace and presence.

FOOD MAKES ME CRAZY…Carageenan Woes

Many Silk  products have carageenan

Every time you turn around there is new chatter about this, that, or the other thing being bad for you.  The most recent thing to come to my attention is carageenan, a common food additive. If you pay attention to labels, which for years I did not, you will see it here or there.  I remember wondering what it was, doing a quick google search, finding it to be a seaweed product, and left it at that.

Sometimes I get so darn overwhelmed, and I just don’t want to have to *think so hard* about putting something in my cart and bringing it home.  I don’t want to be an Earth Momma making everything from scratch, but the more I learn about the food in the stores, the more I realize that I need to, for the sake of my family’s health.

A lot of foods have carageenan, including “plant milks” like almond/soy/coconut milk.  Carageenan, a seaweed product used as a thickening agent,  is considered by many to be inflammatory, causing gastric discomfort, and ultimately, a carcinogen at worst.  It is approved for use in organic food too.

I guess like everything else, even if it’s organic…read the labels.  This is too bad because I really like the SILK brand dark chocolate almond milk.  I have not experienced discomfort from drinking it, but who knows what it is doing?

This stuff gets crazier and crazier…all we’ll be left with to drink is water, fresh veggie/fruit juice, and green tea, LOL  (actually that’s not so bad, I guess…)  You can make your own almond milk if you feel up to it.

Here are a few links to info I have found about carageenan in foods, and lastly recipes for making your own almond milk and rice milk. It sounds easy enough.

• http://www.notmilk.com/carageenan.html  (anti carageenan article)
• http://blog.healthkismet.com/carrageenan-cancer-health-inflammation (anti-carageenan article)
• http://www.cornucopia.org/carrageenan/ (anti-carageenan article)
• http://www.stonyfield.com/blog/2012/06/01/carrageenan-safety/ (pro-carageenan article from a manufacturer that uses it in products; I find it interesting that they closed comments on that blog…their article is compelling yet we must remember their purpose: to sell food with this stuff in it.)
• Shopping Guide for Avoiding Food with Carageenan: http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/
• Making your own almond milk: http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-101-homemade-almond-milk/
• Making your own rice milk: (this is lengthy and has a few rants -which I agree with LOL- about Monsanto and big companies…if you just want the recipe scroll to the bottom)  http://www.veganreader.com/2009/05/17/how-to-make-rice-milk-and-stop-supporting-rice-dream/

Ultimately we must realize that food manufacturers, even “organic” companies (which often are owned by or have significant shares held by “mainstream” food companies) are in business for one thing, and one thing only: to make money. They are not interested in our health, they are not interested in the good of mankind, despite what they say or how genuine they were when they started out.  Profits are the most important thing to them.

As for organic and vegan items – again, manufacturers smell a profit…it is a market to corner…and they will do what they can to break into that market and make a profit off the people who want organic and/or vegan products, regardless of whether it’s really “good for you” or not.

Bottom line: anything you buy in the store, already made for you to consume,  is suspect.  More and more, if we want healthy food, we need to make it ourselves…not open a box.

Photo Credit: Silk product photo by TheImpulsiveBuy

Black Friday Deals: Give Hope Instead Of Getting A Steal

I was raised in rural northeast PA by my adoptive parents, who grew up during the Great Depression and the rationing era of World War 2.  Mom and Dad knew how to be frugal, to do without. Upon adopting me, Mom did not want me to have a childhood like hers; she sacrificed much in order to give me much. Every birthday, every Christmas…every holiday was a chance for me to become just a little more spoiled.

As I grew older, I enjoyed shopping (with money given to me) to buy things for Mommy & Daddy. It  became a tradition for Mom to take me Christmas shopping on Black Friday. Back  in the 1980s, Black Friday was not the insanity that it is today. I’m sure there were sales, but we always went to the same local places: Grants (later to become Kmart), Murray Company (R.I.P.), McCrory (R.I.P.) and a few other shops in downtown Honesdale.  We used to get stuff for my dad at Sullum’s. (R.I.P.)  I’m happy to say Country Dawn, Wallflower, and Martin’s Hallmark remain from my childhood.  As time marched on,  Honesdale, has gained new charming places to shop.

On Black Friday we left the house in the late morning and spent only a few hours in town. My favorite place by far was McCrory, because I could get all sorts of GREAT CHEAP GIFTS for my mom and dad. While I was waiting for mom, I could go to the lower level and look at the hamsters, guinea pigs, parakeets, and fish on display.

On the way home we would stop at DONOMITE DONUTS (R.I.P.) – a family-owned log cabin donut shop across from the Rt. 6 Plaza (now the entrance to Walmart and Home Depot) and buy a dozen donuts. (Often we would bring our dogs with us in the car, particularly our German short-haired pointer named Casey. We learned the hard way to wait until we were on the way HOME to buy our donuts….Casey loved donuts too!)

Once home we would do tree & the Christmas lights, enjoying donuts, hot coffee and Christmas music on the record player.

It was somewhat crowded in Honesdale to be sure, but it was pleasant.  I am happy to see the same giant Christmas trees decorating Main Street, and we all look forward to the lighting of the Irving Cliff star.  Back then, there were no mad crowds vying for some incredible deal; no really long lines, nobody getting trampled to death, no people waiting outside stores days in advance to “get the deal away from anyone else.”  My, how some things have changed.

A New World…Still A Starving World

Tonight at supper, I noticed a catalog on the table from World Vision. I peered through the pages and began to cry as I pondered our collective American selfishness, greed, and materialism.  Here are pictures of children so impoverished, so hungry, always with us but invisible to me as a child….and the catalog shows that helping a family is amazingly affordable.

$75 for a Goat – goat milk supplies needed nourishment & protein; surplus can be made into yogurt & cheese and sold to support the family’s needs; goats also provide rich fertilizer for gardens.

1. $105 for a Sheep – milk for nutrition; wool for warm garments.  A terrific representation of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
   
2. $50 for a share of a Dairy Cow.  One cow gives up to 5,000 gallons of milk in its lifetime.
3. $30 for 5 Ducks – will produce hundreds of eggs for nutrition, and bring more ducklings to help feed & support a family year round.
4. $25 for 3 Chickens – again to produce eggs for nutrition and income, and to produce more chickens.
   
5. $60 for 10 Fruit Trees
6. $34 for drought resistant seeds for 2 families
7. $100 for $1,200 worth of life saving medicines
8. $35 – $140 to help educate a girl in a developing country
9. $25 – $100 for a clean water fund

So much of this stuff we take for granted! Clean water! Going to school! Food to eat!  Medicines – even over the counter drugs like Tylenol and cough medicine are a luxury to these people.  We Americans can take a day or two off work to go sit in a Black Friday sale line days in advance, in hopes of getting a deal on some electronic gizmo or a new flat screen TV!  It makes me sick!

World Vision is not limited to international children. Many people want “charity to begin at home” and want to help underprivileged people here in the United States.  Here are some options for helping USA families:

1. $115 Feed a Family of 5 For 5 Days –  15 nutritious meals
2. $16 Feed a Family of 5 for 1 Day
3. $25 – $100 for $300 – $1,200 worth of necessities like new clothing, blankets, personal care items and even toys
4. $25 – $50 for $300 – $600 worth of school supplies.

Feed the Hungry

Do not overlook local rescue missions for the homeless (such as the Scranton Rescue Mission) and local food pantries.

Contact your county to see if there is a local Children’s Christmas Fund like the one sponsored by the Honesdale  Jaycees).

Local Rotary groups  collect food and warm coats to distribute throughout the community.

Free Picture with Santa @
Weichert Paupack Group 12/9/12 10:00-5:00 pm

On Sunday December 9, 2012, all of us at Weichert Realtors Paupack Group will be offering Free Pictures with Santa for  the entire community.

We also are sponsoring a coloring contest for all the children – win one of 6 $50 gift cards!

At the same time, we will be collecting donations of food for the local food pantries, warm blankets, sweaters, and winter coats, as well as toys for Toys for Tots.  While we ask people to bring a donation of something – a can of soup, a pair of gloves, anything…it is not required! Only bring if you can afford.  This is our chance to THANK  the wonderful people of Wayne and Pike County PA and to help everyone help our neighbors.

Every child receives:

A free picture with Santa

A Candy Cane

An Ornament

Please pass this on!

Political Faith

Throughout the 2012 Presidential election, I have made it very clear that I loathe – simply loathe – most politicians, especially Republicans and Democrats. I’ve lived long enough and observed enough to become very aware of their two-timing ways…saying one thing to get elected and doing nothing to follow up on that later…and doing very little of any substance to fix the real problems.

I have made it no secret that I am no fan of President Obama, and I was even more against  Mitt Romney.  The more I read about that man, the more my skin crawled, for many reasons. What upset me the most about Romney, however, was how evangelical Christians embraced him as a “biblical choice.”  It is one thing to embrace him for his particular stand on any issues (if you could nail them down with any certainty, that is…) but to claim that he is the “more biblical” choice is blasphemy.

The Mormon church teaches a different gospel, teaches about a different Jesus, and believes that our bible is not complete.  Apparently the Mormon church is still completing and perfecting their belief systems…shape-shifting to be more appealing….they’ve phased out polygamy (some sects cling to it however) and it only took them until 1978 to phase out some of their racism (they always felt black people were the descendants of Cain and their dark skin was a result of that curse).  More can be found here regarding the Mormon faith.

Hypocrisy surrounding this issue disturbed me as well. The same people who condemned President Obama for not being a Christian (in spite of his claims to be one) also embraced– wholeheartedly–Mitt Romney, who is definitely not a Christian, from an evangelical point of view, that is.

I was ashamed of myself last night, for posting some things on Facebook that were probably less than charitable.  I was disturbed by both candidates having the backing by the same big banks.  I am also disturbed by both candidates being so friendly with Monsanto, as I am adamantly against GMO food and am so disgusted that the FDA is controlled by the Big Food Industry and thus, fighting the movement to require labeling of GMO food. I am saddened and disgusted by what is happening to our food supply and to our environment and neither candidate is going to do anything about it. But last night, after the election, was no time to bring it up.

As Evangelical Christians, we have always claimed to honor scripture as God’s infallible holy word.  We also claim to believe that God is sovereign, and in control of all things.  We also believe:

Romans 13:1-2 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

If we believe this, how dare we think we can control who is in office, how dare we say rude things about those who support him, and more importantly, how dare we speak disrespectfully of the one who is in office? Did we put him there? Did our free-loading welfare loving fellow citizens put him there? Did our baby killing neighbors put him there?

No.  If we truly believe what this scripture says, GOD PUT HIM THERE. For a reason or reasons unknown to us.  HOW DARE WE shake our fist at God, and how dare we spew bitterness toward our brothers and sisters who did vote for him?

For those who are angry about our government and the control they want to have over us:

1 Peter 2:13 -25

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

¹⁸ Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate,but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. ²⁰ But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹ To this you were called,because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^[e]

²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” ²⁵ For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[f]but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

These two verses actually have something to say about the very founding of America, if you ask me…America was born out of disobedience to these very scriptures! But that’s for another day….

Of course this discussion can naturally follow 90 million rabbit trails of other important issues…I’ll admit right now I’m not going there and am not prepared to go there.   I’m just disgusted by two things: the ease of which Christians were willing to embrace a false gospel in the name of politics, and the complete utter lack of charity and respect that many have displayed following the election.

President Barack Obama is our President, put in place by….Whom? Scripture says God. Therefore, let us turn to God now instead of a politician.  Perhaps we are going to learn the very same lessons that the Israelites had to learn back in the day when they demanded a king “so they could be like the other nations around them.”

I close with 2 Chronicles 7:14

 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.