America's Capitalism is failing.................

Consumers, the backbone of the economy, are taking a beating from the worst economic crisis in seven decades. America's economy is being destroyed by human greed by executives.

Capitalism is failing and our government is gaining control in the new Stimulus package. With the avalanche of corporate corruption scandals that have rocked the markets over the years, people are getting fed up by the corporate greed in this country. This is the very integral part of free-market capitalism. Lack of internal control and lack of government over-sight to ensure that executives do not take advantage of the stockholders and customers. They do not accept the moral laws in their hearts: you will not steal; you will not bear false witness (lie, deceive, defraud); and you will not covet. Morality basically means a code of conduct held to be authoritative in matters of right and wrong. Money has given us more freedom, but we are unable to tell the difference between right and wrong. America's attitudes towards money should be in their conviction that money is a social good, not a private possession and that the economic main purpose is the welfare of everyone in society, not the personal pleasure of the person who happens to have control over it. Greed is one of the major flaws of Capitalism.

Business is based on the idea that self-interest and the desire for profit are moral and good. However there are those who make inappropriate ways to profit. Today, what we are seeing a major assault on morality in America. America is becoming morally bankrupt! Covetousness is yet another corruption of love that stems from a narcissistic desire for self-gratification. The pure in heart can see; but when covetousness gets into the heart, it makes the eye dim or blind.

All of us are going through this trial. Going through any trial of life for a Christian can be a joyous experience if perspective is right. Remembering the story of Job. A Christian can go through the severest imaginable trial of life if he or she really trusts God. And if he/she believes that God is on the throne, that God will keep His promise, that God never makes mistakes, that God always fulfills His word and that God will accomplish His purposes, it is that kind of faith that passes the test. Trials come to test the strength of our faith.

What's the main purpose of the trials? God doesn't have to test any of us to find out what's in our heart because He already KNOWS. God tests us so we can find out because sometimes, we are too blind to see them. He assists us in doing that spiritual inventory. He assists us in self-examination. I need to know and you need to know the strength of our faith. James says trials have a perfecting work. Peter says after you've suffered a while the Lord will make you perfect. God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual condition. Trials come to us to reveal what we really love.

We must realize that God allows trials in our lives, especially when we are blessed in places of spiritual service, to keep us humble, lest we think more confidently of our spiritual strength than we should and start to feel that we're invincible. Many Christians take sufferings with despair and despondency, others despise them, some feel God is far off.

Instead of trust, doubt comes.

Instead of quietness, turmoil comes.

Instead of contentment, resentment comes.

Instead of hope—knowing God is perfecting us, that the testing of our patience has a perfect work—instead of hope and giving of thanks, thoughts of bitterness arise toward God.

Sufferings attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).

Trials give us a greater affection for that which is eternal because they help us long for the eternal city in Heaven. We set our affections on things above through trials and that's a very important spiritual thing. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4, "For which cause we faint not, for though our outward man perish, the inward man is renewed day by day and our light affliction which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible only according to God's will, not our imagination. Real faith knows only one way and willing to allow God lead us as He did with great faiths in the Scriptures. True saving faith is not dependent on positive circumstances but negative circumstances as well. In the book of James, the entire letter is about living faith during trials and list the tests intended to reveal the legitimacy of someone's faith.

Trials cannot destroy true faith; they only put it to the test and strengthen it as in spiritual training. We know it takes true faith to perseverance because true faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the blessings for faith are to see what you believe. As this one well known verse says "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1).

We all have to remember God's GRACE. What we may not be aware is grace is working in our lives.

2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

2 Corinthians 12:9
God said: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Romans 5:15 "......how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!"

According to His grace, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit that being justified by His grace we might be made heir according to the hope of eternal life. In God's Grace that we have great spiritual and eternal freedom to grow.

Spiritual training which is forming spiritual fruits. In 2 Peter 1:5-9: make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

As we Christians are training for our spiritual growth, we look NOT AT our faith but in Christ of WHO we have faith in, who is THE author and finisher. "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1). The Holy Spirit tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus not on others who are also running the race! There are important things each of us should know and understand about our struggles as the faithful people of God.

Sufferings produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4) Suffering experiences may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17).

Quotes:
“The very fact that faith looks to a power beyond itself means that it is continually subject to loss of control. So if you’re looking to get control of all your problems, forget Christianity. If you’re looking for success, happiness, or freedom from pain, forget Christ. The way of Christ is the cross, and the cross spells weakness, poverty, failure, death.” (Mason, Gospel According to Job, 418)

“Take away material prosperity; take away emotional highs; take away miracles and healing; take away fellowship with other believers; take away church; take away all opportunity for service; take away assurance of salvation; take away the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit... Yes! Take it all, all, far, far away. And what is left? Tragically, for many believers there would be nothing left. For does our faith really go that deep? Or do we, in the final analysis, have a cross-less Christianity? Unless the simple gospel has center-place in our faith, it has no place at all. Unless the cross is everything, it is nothing.” (Mason, Gospel According to Job, 210)

"The point of the Book of Job is not suffering: where is God When It hurts? The prologue (chapters 1-2) dealt with that issue. The point of the Book of Job is faith: Where is Job when it hurts?" - Phillip Yancey

"If a bird is flying for pleasure it flies with the wind, but if it meets danger, it turns and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher." Corrie ten Boom

"We human beings instinctively regard the seen world as the "real" world and the unseen world as the "unreal" world, but the Bible calls for almost the opposite." Phillip Yancey

When disaster comes into a person's life, it reveals what's truly in their hearts." Kimber Kauffmann - pastor College Park church

"If you love, you will suffer, and if you do not love, you do not know the meaning of a Christian life." Agatha Christie

"The deep meaning of the cross of Christ is that there is no suffering on earth that is not borne by God." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Why should the righteous suffer?" "Why not?" replied Lewis......"They're the only ones who can handle it." CS Lewis

"The most devastating effect of sin is that by it, we are blinded to it." Billy Graham

"Faith in God offers no insurance against tragedy." Philip Yancey

"Pure suffering has a consciousness, a tongue, a heart all its own and even the memory of it is but a pale unreality when compared with the actual experience." Mike Mason, The Gospel According to Job

"Suffering is not an elective, it is a core course in the University of Life." Steven J. Lawson, When All Hell Breaks Loose You May be Doing Something Right

"Adversity often produces an unexpected opportunity. Look for it ! Appreciate and utilize it! This is difficult to do if you're feeling sorry for yourself because you're faced with adversity." John Wooden

"Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has." Billy Graham

"Pain narrows vision. The most private of sensations, it forces us to think of ourselves and little else." Phillip Yancey

"What is the greatest deficiency among human Chrsitians? They have an inadequate view of human suffering." Helmut Thielicke, German pastor and theologian

"It is easy for us to tarnish God's character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate himself." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Our response to suffering is an accurate barometer of our soul, Steven J. Lawson, "When All Hell Breaks Loose - You May be Doing Something Right".

"I had to be healed of my desire to be healed." Joni Eareckson Tada

"If God is not in some sense responsible for bad things, then he is not responsible for good things either. If we do not "blame" God for death, we should not praise God for life. We cannot have it both ways." Joseph Hill

"How can you get to know God without suffering - - you can't ! - - Charles Stanley

"Just because we don't see a reason for evil and suffering doesn't mean there's not a reason for it.Consider the story of Joseph and the amazing conclusion in Genesis 50:20 - " You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." There are countless other stories, where suffering was not good, but with time and perspective, some see the good that resulted from the pain and tragedy in their lives." Tim Keller

"Real faith is refined in the fires and storms of pain". Eugene Peterson

"Every truth about suffering can be twisted into a weapon for or against God. Most often suffering speeds us in the direction we are already heading - whether toward or away from God." David McKenna, The Whisper of His Grace

Local Ballet Dancer hurt in assault and unable to dance tonight and tomorrow

One of my daughters is a dancer at the Columbus Dance Theatre and I have heard news that a local member of the Columbus Arts Community, a long standing Columbus dance and theatre artist, was assaulted last night while riding his bike near the OSU Campus area. He was attacked by four men in a car who threw bottles at him eventually knocking him off of his bike and was then assaulted. He was knocked temporarily unconscious and his jaw was broken. This dancer danced last night in Columbus Dance Theatre's production of Dancing Alone and performed an expanded version of his ongoing work, Autobiography. He will not be able to perform for the remainder of the run of our performances this weekend. For more information about the this weekend's performance, go to Columbus Dance Theatre's website listed below.

We will be seeing him back on stage very soon after he gets well. Like most dancers, they have several jobs to make a living. This dancer makes his living as a performer, electrician, and carpenter. Columbus Dance Theatre will be collecting donations to aid this dancer with his medical expenses and lost wages. If you would like to make a donation to assist him you may do so at this website: The Columbus Dance Theatre . Please note that the contribution is for David Krohn. You may also send contributions made out to Columbus Dance Theatre - David Krohn to 592 E. Main St. Columbus, OH 43215.

Still sick

Will be back when well enough.

Jim

Still not feeling well

Home again *pout*

Back to bed. :)

Pictures Lost

I dropped a film off last Monday and so far, the store can't find it. They lost my pictures of my granddaughter. I sure hope find my film soon.

I am not a happy man today.

Digital Camera is on my budget so that way I won't lose my pictures again.

Shelley Anne Beattie, Deaf Body Builder and Gladiator

In the 1990s, I was part of the fitness movement and regularly attended Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic every year here in Columbus. The Arnold Classic is an annual bodybuilding and other sports competitions. The Arnold Classic includes three competitions for women: Ms. International, Fitness International, and Figure International. It has also been expanded to feature gymnastics, cheerleading, dance, fencing, table tennis, yoga, martial arts, strongman competitions, archery, wrestling, powerlifting and many other sports.

Arnold Classic will be happening this weekend (February 29th to March 2nd) at downtown Columbus, Ohio.

Anyway, back to Shelley Beattie, she died last week Shelley Beattie passed away on February 16, 2008. I saw her in person back in the 1990's when she was here in Columbus. Its sad that Shelley has died. She was deaf and she even made on the cover of DeafLife magazine twice in the 1990s. Shelley appeared on the American Gladiators TV show as "Siren" and stayed with them for several seasons until she retired from the sport.

They did not announce the cause of her death but there is rumor that steriods complicated her health in the last few years.

Conditionally and Unconditionally

To love and accept other people unconditionally means placing no conditions on the other as to how to behave or what to be in order to receive acceptance and love from you. I feel bad for my son, his wife and my granddaughter because my ex-wife's family (mostly ex-wife's mother) have been placing conditional requirements for them to give their love. The actions are controlling and manipulative because they are setting conditions which my son must meet before they fully accept and love him, his wife and their daughter is just very controlling and manipulative. My own family don't even do that even when we have our differences. We may be disappointed in some of our relatives actions but they are always loved and welcome at all family functions. Its just tough mentally and emotionally when these issues have surfaced.

Irrirtating Life

If knowing answers to life's questions is absolutely necessary to you, then forget the journey. You will never make it, for this is a journey of unknowables -- of unanswered questions, enigmas, incomprehensibles, and, most of all, things unfair. ------ Jeanne Guyon, in *Spiritual Torrents*

Life itself can be very irritating. I like when I heard a fellow Christian who said "God can be irritating". There have been times that irritations leads me to depression and I have been there. Daily life is an irritating game, and we’ve no choice but put up with them and play them in order to survive. Sometimes, it is my fault for having unrealistic expectations. One of my major irritated beef is people's ignorance. Most of the time, I am very tolerate and able to handle irritating people along who rub me the wrong way but ignorance bothers me the most. I try to remind myself that I was one of them once that I should understand how irritating they could be at times. At times, I just feel if I'm irritating othres like my family, friends and co-workers. AT times, being irritating cause me to feel down and wondering if I can continue to cope.

Along with "Humor", how do I build my confidence up and become less irritating so that I can really cope with my life? I read somewhere that I need to stop falling into the trap of over analysing everything, and pondering things too much. The subject of my human emotions and circumstances, God does not play with my emotions unless He was trying use my circumstances to improve my own character and faith. Whatever comes out of Him is all good and only good. The causes for my circumstances are often God-given opportunities for my spiritual growth.

Paul explains in 1 Cor. 10:13, "These has no testing taken you but such as is common to man; but God will, with the testing, also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

One of my favorite verses that I often use to remind myself is 2 Corinthians 12:9 says "God said 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." I love Marja's translation of that verse "My grace is all you need; for my power is strongest when you are weak." When I am most aware of my own weaknesses, I am more inclined to collapse into God's strength and experience His amazing grace who gives me peace. God's Grace is a wonderful feeling. God promised me that He will not to allow anything into in my life that will be too much for me to bear (1 Cor. 10:13), He will work out everything for my good in the end (Rom. 8:28), and "perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish" me in the midst of my sufferings (1 Pet. 5:10).

Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God's plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God's love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love. Eric Liddell

Pondering "Humor" when needed....................

PONDER: To weigh mentally; Think deeply about; Consider carefully Webster's New World Dictionary

Everyday, I ponder, contemplate, consider and thinking whatever that affects my daily moods, activities and life. Thinking back, I remember behaving childlike and actually enjoying life by being playfuln and enjoy the simplicity. I desire to have a day-by-day living of feeling carefree. This week, I am having struggles with my depression especially when my wife was asking me me if I was okay since we had not made love for a few weeks now and that she misses it. Last saturday, I was writing about Dealing with Disabilities and Depression because I was feeling it and today, I am still feeling it. I was reading somewhere that depressed mood in people with multiple sclerosis often changes more significantly over time than other stable depression symptoms. I am sure that is true. Sometimes, MS patients have every reason to be depressed when needed to.

I am taking prozac and it is working but what I need to do is to start having more "humor" in my life. I don't think I am doing it enough because experts says that humor is an excellent tool for combating depression. It is often known as a "Humor is a Natural Antidote for Depression". I might start having at least ONE post about "humor" and try to have a good laugh about "life".

I find this site very useful whenever I need humor. I have many bookmarks for humor. This is just one of them. You might like it too. Squiffy's House of Fun - Laughter for Multiple Sclerosis

Enjoy !!

I like this quote: Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them. Leo Tolstoy

Often, I am reminded by Christ's definition of Beatitudes (Matthew 5) which really contradicts the world’s definition of happiness. I have had a lifelong struggle with the question of being happy as a Christian.

A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite Christian authors who often reminds me of my relationahip with "life". "If there's anything necessary to your eternal happiness but God, you're not the kind of Christian that you ought to be. For only God is the true rest." Attributes of God,pg.30

Today.....our car got broken into

This morning, after I got out of the shower, my wife came in and told me that our van's window got smached and messed up our car. They didn't take anything because we don't keep anything valuable inside. I had to go to work so my wife took of everything by calling the police and insurance company. Glass repair service will come tomorrow and fix it up.

Why I had to go right to work this morning? Because I had to get ready for class tomorrow which I am teaching. I am not looking foward to do this. I don't like public speaking.

Also, I had to go to a store to get something and I was waiting in line with other people to pay when a woman in an electric wheelchair came by cutting us and went directly to the cashier. I got by her and tried to say something, she ignored me. This is ONE example of why the public gets disgusted by those who abused the laws. I stand in line like everyone else, waiting for my turn and she should too. People in line was swearing, complaining and I was dumbfounded.

When I see negative comments in Karen's blog about her situation, this is probably one example of why the public gets disgusted by certain group of people with disabilities. We need to educate our fellow people with disabilities about this situation because their actions and attitudes are NOT helping our causes.

How can one fellow with disabilities handle this when he or she something like that happen? What do you think?

Disabilities issues within Politics and Christianity

I have studied political history relating to disabilities that I came to conclusion that disabled people in Western society were poorly treated and often the victims of religious superstition and persecution. Years ago, many people had ignorant assumptions about the capabilities of disabled people. I am not sure if many people were aware that Nazi policies on disabled people have received relatively little scrutiny in the 1940's and 1950's. Hundreds of thousands of disabled people ranging from those with intellectual disabilities to blind and deaf people to those with psychiatric disabilities were sterilized, died or even were used as objects to be tested for dangerous science reseaches. The extermination of disabled people was largely ignored. No compensation to families of disabled people was paid and the cases were not prosecuted as a distinct group that was targeted by the governments around the world.

In the United States, we have wonderful laws that protects the disabilities however those laws have not changed "able" people's attitudes towards them. I believe the laws were mostly useful for raising the level of awareness and consciousness. However, the disability rights movements are still educating people about the structural and attitudinal barriers in the United States and similar industrialized countries that are the fundamental cause for the discrimination and oppression faced by disabled people.

I also have similar conclusion within the Christian community. Even though, I truly believe that most Christian churches are doing BETTER than the average American citizens regarding people with disabilities. However many churches often still treats people with disabilities, as 2nd or 3rd class citizens. I believe as Christians that the churches must remove physical, emotional and spiritual barriers in order to bring in people who are suffering with disabilities. We live in a world which places great emphasis on beauty, wealth and power. People with disabilities are often a symbol of the opposite – they struggle with physical or mental imperfection, powerlessness and often poverty. This only adds to the stigma which isolates them, separating them from the mainstream of life. Discrimination is a problem faced by disabled people and their families around the world. However, James 2:1-4, 9 reminds Christians “...don't show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?... But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” The fear generated by bad theologies was a problem that disabled people faced in Jesus’ day as today’s Christians with bad theologies. In John 9:2-3, Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man. “His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” A solid and sound theological framework is needed to understand disabilities and God's sovereignty over suffering.

The burden of loving help which we are admonished to give to others: "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2) which never harmed a soul. Another area of burden is the moral responsibility which no one can shift to another: "For each one should carry his own load" (Galatians 6:5) which is a source of comfort if our hearts are right. The only way the spiritual gifts are going to operate is love. Love is the key. God is love. He gave us two commandments. We are to love God and others. With the Holy Spirit and love, I will walk in the Spirit, Christ produces the fruit. It is Christ through the Holy Spirit produces power, love, a sound mind through us. Christ helps us. Without Christ, we are nothing. I believe that the church are commanded by God through Scriptures to train and equip people with disabilities in order to help them exercise their Godgiven gifts in building the Body of Christ.

Disability allows the life of Christ to be manifested to others through the flesh. God builds strength, virtue, compassion, faith and sacrificial love into His children “to become conformed to the image of His son.” (Romans 8:29) A disabled Christian believer can enrich in a Christian community, Christians with disabilities – especially those in positions of leadership can serve as God's best examples of His power being made perfect in weakness. The Bible also teaches us to bear the burdens of someone with disabilities. 2 Samuel 9:3-4 tells the story of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, modeling the way the church should minister.

MS sufferers' woe as thieves drive off minibus

A local newspaper from England

Feeling sick again

With having MS, I just can't recover fast like most people can. :(