following politics, pursuing holiness
From the Christian Persecution Blog: Islamic Terrorists Murder Missionary Couple
A couple in their 60s, childhood sweethearts who have lived in Africa and served poor children there since 1963 were shot in the head for being infidels. Thanks to the adherents of the Religion of Peace™ for sending these martyrs home to their Savior. Please pray for their families and for other Christians who serve in dangerous countries.
I tell you what, in spite of my sins of visiting these illegal websites, I have to say how proud I am to live in a country where the FBI can work on the honor system like this. Sending out a questionaire to criminals like myself, so that the taxpayer is spared the expense of them having to pick me up and bring me somewhere to interrogate me… it’s just a great system. [choking up a little with pride] After I fill out the questionaire, I guess we can just go straight to arraignment and trial, unless I, overcome with guilt, decide to plead guilty. And I might… I just might. After all, my buddy Steve here is mine faithfully. How can I let a friend like that down, I ask you? America – what a country!
Dear Sir/Madam,
we have logged your IP-address on more than 30 illegal Websites.
Important:
Please answer our questions!
The list of questions are attached.Yours faithfully,
Steven Allison*** Federal Bureau of Investigation -FBI-
*** 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 3220
*** Washington, DC 20535
(Thanks to AVG Free Edition for stripping the attached virus and leaving me with this very amusing email. AVG has very generously made this program free to home users, and I have not had a virus in years. Just like the expensive anti-virus programs, it updates itself in the middle of the night, no fuss, no muss, no bother. Thanks to Cloudmark for blocking future emails like this one – their spam protection is the best I have ever tried.)
7 things to do before I die:
1. Stop asking God “why” and just say “thank you.”
2. Shoot a smilie face.
3. Learn Farsi.
4. Publish a novel.
5. Learn to juggle knives.
6. Pray with my mother, not just for her.
7. Travel to another country.
7 things I can’t do:
1. Waltz.
2. Sing well.
3. Make a lemon meringue pie.
4. Sleep well.
5. Tell jokes without laughing and messing up the punch line.
6. Take good photographs.
7. Know what is fashionable clothing and what is not. (Well, I don’t really care, so that does make it more of a challenge…)
7 things that attract me to blogging:
1. Writing helps me to clarify my thoughts.
2. When I’m doing a bible study that I know I’m going to blog about, I understand and retain it better.
3. I love the idea that it levels the publishing playing field – we’re no longer dependent on the approval of an elite few to put our own ideas out there to a broad audience.
4. Commenters who challenge me with new ideas and angles.
5. Commenters who agree with me.
6. Being part of the community of blogging – people from all over the country (and world) that I’d never interact with any other way.
7. Because everyone is entitled to my opinion! 
7 things I say most often:
1. I love you.
2. Ummm……
4. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.
5. When did you tell me that?
6. Not yet.
7. I don’t remember you telling me that.
7 books I love:
1. The Bible
2. Anne of Green Gables series
3. The Lord of the Rings (all three volumes equally)
4. The Hobbit
5. The Trixie Belden series (yes I know it’s hokey but I loved them as a kid and re-read them sometimes for nostalgia’s sake.)
6. All of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books
7. Mary Stewart’s Merlin series: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment
7 movies I watch over and over:
1. True Lies
2. The Quiet Man
3. Independence Day
4. Twister
5. Father of the Bride (1 and 2, both the old Spencer Tracy versions and the new Steve Martin ones.)
6. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
7. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
7 people I want to join in too
1. Veritas Redux
2. Matt Jones
3. Northshore Politics
4. Free in Him
5 Out of the Bloo
6. In His Steps
7. Called Saints in Christ
1 CORINTHIANS 13 – A CHRISTMAS VERSION
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend myriad holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.
Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!
– Author Unknown
