Message to Millennials

Socialism and Communism are failed systems.

According to Shawn Langolis, Social Media Director of Market Watch 50% of Millennials—those born between 1982 and 2004— would rather live in a socialist or Communist country than in a capitalist democracy.  What!!!

“The survey, which was conducted by research and data firm You Gov, found that millennials are the least knowledgeable generation on the subject, with 71% failing to identify the proper definition of communism.”

Some millennials indicated their admiration of Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, and Kim Jong Un. Why have our high schools and universities failed to teach world history and indoctrinated these young minds with fantasies of utopia? I thought when the Soviet Union fell in the 1990s that the failed Communist system failed with it.

One hundred years ago in November, 1917, the Bolshevik revolutionaries led by Vladimir Lenin, took over the Russian government. Thus began five years of Civil War and a tumultuous period in which the workers, soldiers, and peasants took over the reins of government. The end result was a consolidation of power in which Marxism became the law of the land. All private property was nationalized by the government, and so were the banks.  All private bank accounts became the property of the state and all church properties were seized. Control of the factories was given to the soviets.

This revolution set in motion a chain of events that would murder 100 million people in Europe, China, Asia, and other places around the world. Communism not only took lives, but destroyed the dreams of freedom for millions more.

If I could talk to a Millennial who believes in Communism, the first thing I would say is,

“GIVE ME YOUR PHONE.”

Our phones provide freedom of information, freedom of association, access to bank accounts, and apps of every kind that make life entertaining and interesting. Communism will not allow that kind of freedom.

“GIVE ME YOUR BIBLES.”

There will be no religious freedom under Communism. Only the State Church will be legal and atheism will become the official religion. 

“GIVE ME YOUR PROTEST PLACARD.”

No longer will you have the right to protest and demonstrate against the government.  Your individual rights no longer matter and your freedom of speech will be squelched.

“GIVE ME YOUR LIFE.”

You will be required to fight for the fatherland—no voluntary service allowed. Your educational and career paths will be determined by social planners and you can forget about having the money to buy cars, technology, and cool clothes.  Cuba is a good example. Sure your health care might be free, but you will die waiting for quality care.

During this Thanksgiving week, I have much to be thankful for—my faith, my family, my friends, and my country.  The United States of America is not a perfect nation and our capitalistic democracy hasn’t always worked the way it should. Poverty and discrimination are still with us. 

But, I am thankful for a band of Pilgrims who risked life and limb to stake their claim in a new land. They were the original immigrants who came looking for religious and economic freedom. Immigrants still yearn to come to this country for the same opportunities.

I am thankful for the help the Native Americans provided that kept the settlers from starvation. Today we must do more to recognize all races and people who contributed to the success of our melting pot.

Above all let’s teach history—warts and all—to the upcoming generations. Schools need to present a realistic picture of Communism, Socialism, and Capitalism.  If we don’t understand and learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

A Time for Everything

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens …” 
Ecclesiastes 3:1

The writer of those words in the Bible goes on to explain the joyful and tough events that can occur in the journey of a lifetime. Our Thanksgiving week 2016 was filled with so many life events, I experienced mental and emotional whiplash before the end.

A time to mourn:  One week before Thanksgiving, I boarded a plane to head to Western New York State to attend my brother’s funeral. I visited my brother, Jack, in May and knew it would be my last time with him. His passing was not a surprise and I am glad he is not suffering anymore. It was good to spend time with his extended family and cousins I hadn’t seen in years. 

A time to rejoice:  My annual check in with the liver transplant doctors was very encouraging. After 18 plus years, my liver is functioning better than anyone expected. I remain amazed at my second chance to enjoy a longer and productive life.

A time to feast:  It was a day to enjoy family members and a table-full of turkey and all the fixings with enough leftovers for the weekend. It always amazes me that women have energy after all the cooking and clean up to hit the Black Friday sales on Friday.  I did my shopping online. 

A time to celebrate:  My late bloomer husband’s birthday is always on Thanksgiving weekend. He received birthday cards and gifts and spent enough time with several of our children to make him not mind turning a year older. I’m very thankful that he continues in good health and can enjoy these later years of life.

A time to laugh: In the next few weeks our fourth great grandchild will be born.  Charles’ grandson Jesse and his wife will welcome their first boy after three girls. We laughed over some of the possible names they are considering for the little fella. I think they were teasing us and already have a great name picked out. 

A time to dance: My granddaughter said “Yes to the Dress” on Thanksgiving Day. Her family lives in Toronto, Canada and since they don’t celebrate the US holiday, they went wedding dress shopping. She’s been looking for months and finally found the right one. July 1, 2017 and that first dance seems more real than before.

What a week—A funeral, a potential wedding, a birthday, a future great grandson, a healthy report, and a national holiday. I am so thankful for the good health and the ability to participate in all these life changing events. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes sums it up in 3:11-12:

“He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”

Practice Thanks Living (Part 2)

I wrote in my last post that my goal for 2016 is to practice Thanks Living based on a familiar quote by Bill Keane.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God,

which is why we call it the present.”

It’s easy to be under the delusion that past hurts and circumstances can’t hurt me anymore. I tell myself that I’ve dealt with my past and it doesn’t control my life today. But, from time to time, the past rears its head and must be dealt with again. However, my greatest challenge is keeping a proper perspective on the future.

Tomorrow is a Mystery

I don’t like mysteries. When I am reading a mystery novel, I often turn to the back to see how it all comes out; then go back and read the rest of the story. Personality-wise I’m a realist, a planner, and a fixer which is not a good combination for dealing with an unknown future. Since I can’t grasp the future, do anything about it, or keep something from happening—I get frustrated and turn into a WORRIER. In spite of my Christian faith and growing understanding of what the Bible says about worrying—it’s an ever present DANGER.

Worry is caused by fear and our bodies and minds are not equipped to deal with being under a constant state of alert. Maybe that’s why the Bible speaks so clearly on the subject. “Fear not” is mentioned in the Bible more than 365 times—once for each day of the year, plus. So, I decided to make a list of the things in my future I tend to worry about—failing health, being alone, loss of a loved one, and financial problems.  SURPRISE!  I’ve experienced every one of those things and I survived. The God who provided for me in ways I’ve never imagined will provide for me in the future. My future may be a mystery to me, but God sees my life from the beginning to the end and it’s all in His hands.

One of the advantages of growing older is perspective. As I look back on things I worried about, I find that the majority of my worries never came to pass. Things that weren’t even on my radar screen became daily priorities instead. Think of all the time I wasted worrying about what never came to pass. Make this a true season of Thanks Living by memorizing the following verse and living by its message.

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, 

and thank him for all he has done.” (and what He will do).  NLT Philippians 4:6

My final post in this series will come in two weeks: Today is a Gift of God. Please comment below and share your thoughts.  If you post anonymously, please add your name at the end of your message. God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving. I love hearing from you.

Practice Thanks Living (Part 1)

Thanksgiving is one day or maybe a month during which we focus on feasting and being thankful.  Thanksgiving is also the first day of the holiday rush. I get so bogged down that by the time the holidays are over I’m worn out, and the idea of making New Year’s resolutions seems overwhelming. So this year I decided to determine my goals for 2016 early in connection with Thanksgiving.  My goal for 2016 is to practice Thanks Living. The following quote outlines the essence of Thanks Living.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God,

which is why we call it the present.” ― Bill Keane

Having the right perspective on yesterday, today, and tomorrow helps me practice Thanks Living. At first I thought I would put my ideas into one blog post but the more I thought and prayed about it, I decided to write three blogs dealing with what it means to experience Thanks Living.

Yesterday is History

What do we do with the past? We’ve all been through some tough times. We’ve been hurt by the actions of others. We’ve made some bad choices. Is it possible to make peace with our past? According to a youtube video called The Josh Speaks, the first step to dealing with the past is to remember it. In other words don’t stuff bad memories and paper over them with some addiction that only adds to your difficulties today. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim of your past.  Dwell on past events and wrongs and they grow bigger, more powerful, and destroy today’s potential for happiness. What you feed is what will grow.

Writing down past memories is very therapeutic. When I wrote my memoir Born Three Times, I examined my past in great detail. There were some things I enjoyed remembering and some painful experiences that I wanted to forget. But as I looked at the totality of my life, it became clear that the person I am today is the result of the good, bad, and ugly of the past. I saw how God has used all the details of my life to grow me in my Christian life. 

Is your past so painful you can’t overcome its negative effects? Consider getting the help of a friend or a professional that can help provide you with positive coping skills. Being able to put the past behind us is also good for our health. Carrying grudges or hurts leads to stress and high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and other negative side effects that hurt our minds and bodies.

Learning how to forgive the past is also good for us spiritually. The Bible tells us how important it is for us to forgive.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15

Wow! I want to be forgiven by God, don’t you? I don’t want to have to give an account for every ugly word, or action, or thought I’ve had. So I must ask God to help me forgive those who hurt me in the past. We just recently cleaned out our bedroom closet. It had been way too long and the collection of dusty boxes and dust bunnies was a little overwhelming. It was also time to sort clothes and discard what no longer fit. Now that it’s done, I enjoy going into the closet to choose what to wear for the day. Forgiving the past is like cleaning out a dirty and dusty closet. You don’t like to stir things up, but once it is clean and you let stuff go, you find freedom.

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” ~Jean Paul Sartre

Begin practicing Thanks Living this month as you prepare for the holiday season and stay tuned for my next blog post “Tomorrow is a Mystery.”  

Count Your Many Blessings

During this Thanksgiving week a song has been stuck in my head.  It was written by Rev. Johnson Oatman in 1897, but it is still very relevant today. All of us have so much to be thankful for.

From time to time I have shared an update on our new Towne View Baptist church building. Our congregation finally moved in the first week of November and shared our first Thanksgiving meal in our new facility last Sunday. We were all asked to contribute to a Thanksgiving Tree. Scattered on each table were colorful leaves and markers. Everyone was asked to write something they were thankful for on each leaf—not just generic stuff like food or family, but something specific. 

The children gathered the leaves and taped them on the tree as a reminder of all our many blessings. I wrote on my leaf “organ transplants and donors.”  I wouldn’t be here without that second chance at life.

So my challenge to you is to find something specific in your life that is a unique blessing to you and take time to thank God for that blessing not only at Thanksgiving but all year long. Here are a few words from the song chorus that inspired this blog and a UTube link if you would like to sing along.

“Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
 And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fMjgS4vu4o

Here are photos of our new church building and our Blessings Tree. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Our Far Flung Family

It’s the time of year when many families are planning large family gatherings and times of celebration. Since Charles and I have only a few family members who live close by, our holiday events are usually small. This year Christmas came early and all before Thanksgiving! Frieda’s son, Stuart and his family visited from Toronto, Canada on Veterans’ Day weekend.  His wife, Ruth, along with granddaughters Rose and Belle, really enjoyed the Atlanta area shopping and filled their suitcases to the limit of their customs’ allotment. Then they filled their bellies with Chick-Fil-A, barbecue, and Mexican food which are not available in Toronto. They safely flew home before the first major blast of winter hit their area. 

Four days later my niece Sally, from Rochester, New York, came for a visit since her husband was in Atlanta for a convention. We had lunch with my other niece, Sandy, and enjoyed travelling down memory lane. They left Monday just as the lake effect blizzard was crossing the Great Lakes. They have been stranded in a Motel 6 ever since with their car buried under massive mounds of snow. They are staying warm, but food for two days was limited to the contents of a vending machine. I just received word that a McDonald's in the area opened with walking distance of the motel. With no winter clothes between them it was a very cold trek, but at least they got some hot food. It’s probably two more days before they can travel.

Today Charles’ grandson, Jesse, flies in from Hawaii to join his wife and three girls. He was able to get leave from the Air Force and, hopefully, can stay through Thanksgiving. They are staying elsewhere, but will visit with us this weekend.

Then Frieda’s college-age granddaughter, Marcella, takes a break from her studies at Texas A&M and arrives here a week from today. We will have a great time catching up with her life and doing some Black Friday shopping. 

It’s an exciting time for us to be ground zero for so many family members. This is one year I will sail through the Christmas season very thankful to have been so blessed by the presence of our far flung family.

During the holidays there is a special joy in sharing with those who hold a special place in our hearts.  Psalm 128:5 (TLB) “May the Lord continually bless you with heaven’s blessings as well as with human joys.”

                                    Nieces Sandy DuVall, Sally Weidert, and Frieda enjoying lunch