Sanctity of Human Life

Sorry for two videos in a row, but I saw this video a few years ago and then again a couple days ago.

In honor of Sanctity of Human Life Day today:

To Indiana and Back!

This weekend Sarah and I took a trip up to Indiana to take advantage of the long weekend for MLK Day. She went to visit her friend Jessica and I went to visit Amy and Pete.

I had a fantastic time and survived the sub-zero temperatures quite well, I think. We hung out, ate tons of junk food, went sledding, stayed up late talking, watched an NFL playoff game, and had a great time! Pete and Amy have been a huge blessing in my life and it's so neat how the Lord worked it out to have Amy and I be roommates during her senior year and my first year in Tennessee. She was mistakenly placed in the wrong dorm, which was the same one as me and we got to be really great friends during that year. Anyway, here are a few pictures from the weekend.

We went to watch the NFL playoff game and had a great time eating wings, potato skins, nachos, and tons of other greasy food. I was cheering for the Ravens, who lost, but we still had a really fun time! [Side note: After trying pictures with Amy on the right, me on the left, and the other way as well, we decided that we both look better when I am on the right and Amy is on the left. This is picture two of our little experiment and the outcome that we were both pleased with.]

We went sledding down Slayter Hill, which was the biggest hill I had ever sledded (is that the right word, English-knowing friends?) down. It was five degrees at this point and my hands got so cold in my non-waterproof gloves that I couldn't bend them or feel them at all. I had to go sit in the car for a little while and let them thaw. Then I borrowed some massive and incredibly warm ski gloves from Pete and it was much better after that. We didn't go down this section of the hill, but a section that was mainly pure ice and a little snow. It was terrifying yet exhilarating at the same time.

Not sure, really...

This is us making Freezer Bag Omelettes. It was fun and they tasted great. They are a cheap, clean, and unique way to make omelettes. I would highly recommend them! We made ours with two eggs, onion, green pepper, cheese, salt, pepper, and Pete used bacon.

Amy modeling her egg-in-a-bag.

On another note, tomorrow is inauguration day and Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President. Please join me in praying for him and our country as we go through many changes in the next four years.

Just one more thing about the election...

I promise this isn't going to be a political blog, but since all I hear about is politics and the election, I have a few more thoughts to share.

The question that has come up repeatedly over the last few days (since Tuesday night, to be exact) is whether God ordains all rulers. I really am not sure about that, but here are some things I know/have researched/have discussed with others:

God definitely ordain some rulers, although I am not sure if it's all of them. Here's an interesting blog about that topic that says simply "God ordains worldly leaders, but not every leader is ordained of God." You'll have to read it and decide for yourself.

Romans 13:1-7 says:

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

So whether or not we think our new leader is "ordained by God" or is the "right choice," Christians are commanded to honor and respect him. I fully understand how hard this is and I have been struggling with that realization all week.

And lastly, we shouldn't be worrying about things. I found this article of 4 reasons not to worry. Regardless of what happens in our country, if we are Christians, we belong to Christ and we have hope in Him!

I'll just throw in a couple of extra verses that were in Fellowship Church's bulletin this past Sunday regarding the government/election: I Timothy 2:1-2, Matthew 22:21, and II Chronicles 7:14.

Please join be in praying for our future leaders and our country!

Being Informed

Since I think it's very important for ALL Americans to be politically informed, I wanted to post these videos here. One is of John McCain's concession speech. I think he showed an incredible amount of dignity and class. The second is of Barack Obama's victory speech. He too gave a rousing speech that made great efforts to unite our country.

Watching History be Made...

Yesterday our nation elected a new president. Number 44. Senator (soon-to-be President) Barack Obama made history last night when he became the first black man to ever be elected to that office. What do I think about it??? Well, that answer is quite complex. Am I happy that he won? Hmmm...I'll have to go with no comment on that one. Are there things to celebrate? Absolutely. Here are a few things I am happy about:

1. I am blessed to live in a country where every person has the right to vote (well, pretty much everyone, barring felons).

2. I am excited that our country has stepped passed the days of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s into a time where we can look pass race and elect a black man to serve as president (and how cool that we get to watch this history unfold!!). It is my prayer that my future children will look back and wonder why this election was such a big deal.

3. I am grateful that Senator McCain made a valiant attempt to unite our country after what has been a bitter and divisive campaign. In his words:

"I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history."

4. I am humbled that men and women have given their lives so that we, as Americans, can have the freedom to live in a nation where we can say what we agree with and disagree with, we can challenge our president (hopefully with great respect) to responsibly lead our nation, and we can live free from fear.

5. I am thankful that this loooong election is over.

I am so fortunate to live in a country that is free. A country where we can be free to celebrate our differences.

And I am so grateful to serve a God who is sovereign and who will alway be there and who will never change.

I will be praying hard for Senators Obama and Biden as we make our way toward January 20th.

I will be praying for our nation, that we lay aside our differences and unite ourselves behind the man who will be running our country in just a few short months.