I used to restrict my daughter from listening to certain types of music – a fact that still rankles her today. My theory then – as now – is that I didn’t want her marinating her brain in certain lyrics and attitudes.  Teenage girls already have enough emo tendencies – why aggravate the situation?  And to the argument that teenagers should be allowed to express themselves by their choices of music and clothing, I say – if they want to express themselves, they should write an essay.

But of course that brain marinade philosophy applies to everyone, not just to young people. There is plenty of entertainment out there which is not sinful or bad in and of itself, but which still has a tendency to draw us away from what’s more important.  This morning Randy Alcorn posted on the need to invest time in God’s word -

The fact is, you and I will become the product of what we choose to delight in and meditate upon. Psalm 1 says: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

We all meditate, and we’re all shaped by the object of our meditation. We take our attitudinal and behavioral cues from it. This week, will I be shaped by situation comedies, soap operas, and newspapers, or will I be shaped by Isaiah, Luke, A. W. Tozer, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon? It depends on how I choose to spend my time.

My bible study and devotional time has been sporadic lately.  I’ve always been like that – my faith has a pattern of ebb and flow where I’m constant and enthused and then I’m disengaged.  The more I mature as a Christian, the more the pattern resembles ripples in a pond rather than waves on the ocean shore; it’s just a shorter, less dramatic cycle.  Still – any lengthy absence from my devotional time leads me to thoughts that I know are wrong, even as I think them.  It actually occurred to me this morning what a hypcrite I am to pray. Who am I to speak to God, after I’ve been ignoring him and actively evading him lately?  What entitles me to bother him? Why on earth would he want to hear from me?

Now, I know, I know, that he will welcome me back as a prodigal – not as a servant, but as his child.  Not only have I read that and studied that parable repeatedly, not only have I experienced that as a parent myself, where I was joyous and thankful to have my child come home, but I have experienced that reunion in my own relationship with God after particularly long periods of “ebb.”   So I know in every possible way that God loves me and will welcome me back. And yet, I still entertained that thought.  Because I’ve been marinating my brain in the wrong things.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
- Phillipians 4:8

I’m still getting a lot of search engine traffic on this topic, and more than ever now that AOR completed it’s investigation the SGM panel completed it’s review.  So I’m posting what will probably be my last word penultimate word on this train wreck. It’s below the fold because let’s face it, this really is only of interest to SGM members.* [Read more...]

I vaguely know about this guy – wasn’t he a New Kid On The Block or something? And I loved his movie, Shooter.  But his comments about faith, starting at the 2:25 mark, really struck me. He seems like a pretty down to earth guy, which is impressive, considering what his job is.

“I pray to be a good servant to God, a father, a husband, a son, a friend, brother and uncle, a good neighbor, a good leader to those who look up to me and a good follower to those that are serving God and doing the right thing, people I can look up to and try to emulate.”

I read a quote today that reminded me of how my views on abortion changed.

The bottom line is this. If the unborn is not a human being, have as many abortions as you want, whenever you want. It doesn’t matter. No justification is necessary. If, on the other hand, the unborn is a human being, no justification is adequate unless another human life, that being the mother, is in danger.

Until I was 21, I was heartily in favor of a mother’s right to kill her unborn baby.  For one thing, I did not accept that it was, in fact, a human life being taken. It was “cells” or a “mass” or “the product of conception.”  I bought the Planned Parenthood line – hook, line, and sinker.  Then I got pregnant. Although I was married, the circumstances in my life at that point were… less than ideal. Several people pressured me to have an abortion. And I, Ms. ‘Safe and Legal’ Prochoice, heard my baby’s heartbeat and suddenly understood how incredibly stupid I had been.  So flippant, so closed-minded.  I was very blessed to discover that in time.