Month: November 2010

Politics

Repeal the 26th Amendment?

Karen

Warning! Political stuff.

If you don’t agree with me politically, then please skip this post. I do not publish these articles to provoke but to inform. Thanks.

Saw a link to this on Twitter today:

A question many of us are asking. Is this healthcare thing constitutional?

A retired Constitutional lawyer has read the entire proposed healthcare bill. Read his conclusions. This is stunning!

The Truth About the Health Care Bill
– Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney

Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.

To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.

The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.

However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.

The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.

The irony is that the Congress doesn’t have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.

This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures.. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide.

If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn’t work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the due process of law.

So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn’t stop there though.

[Read the rest of the article here].

Still think this law is a good idea? Let’s repeal this disaster and reform it RIGHT this time.

The Hill: Dejected Democrats wiped away tears on the House floor Monday night while Republicans congratulated themselves on winning back control of the lower chamber.

House members returned to the nation’s capital for the first time since Republicans captured the House two weeks ago.

Freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.), who lost her reelection bid, wiped away tears as she hugged fellow members of the class of 2008, many of whom lost on Nov. 2.

Less than three feet away, ousted Nevada freshman Rep. Dina Titus (D) appeared to brush away some tears in a less obvious manner.

Seriously?! Good grief.

Did you guys hear about the boy, Cody Alicea, who was told by his school that he had to take the American flag off his bike? Well, Cody received an impressive escort to school and an even more impressive welcome AT school after this incident went viral.

This story makes me shout for joy because it’s about DAMN TIME people started standing up for AMERICAN rights and stop being so politically correct. Tell me, WHY does the person(s) offended always win?

NEVER be ashamed to fly our country’s flag. Ever. This is sweet, sweet justice, I must say.

If we don’t start standing up and fighting for our rights, they will be taken away. Just think about that for a minute. It’s enough to make a person shudder, isn’t it?

Sarah Palin’s open letter to the freshmen members of Congress:

Some of you have asked for my thoughts on how best to proceed in the weeks and months ahead and how best to advance an agenda that can move our country forward. I have a simple answer: stick to the principles that propelled your campaigns. When you take your oath to support and defend our Constitution and to faithfully discharge the duties of your office, remember that present and future generations of “We the People” are counting on you to stand by that oath. Never forget the people who sent you to Washington. Never forget the trust they placed in you to do the right thing.

The task before you is daunting because so much damage has been done in the last two years, but I believe you have the chance to achieve great things.

Republicans campaigned on a promise to rein in out-of-control government spending and to repeal and replace the massive, burdensome, and unwanted health care law President Obama and the Democrat Congress passed earlier this year in defiance of the will of the majority of the American people. These are promises that you must keep. Obamacare is a job-killer, a regulatory nightmare, and an enormous unfunded mandate. The American people don’t want it and we can’t afford it. We ask, with all due respect, that you remember your job will be to work to replace this legislation with real reform that relies on free market principles and patient-centered policies. The first step is, of course, to defund Obamacare.

You’ve also got to be deadly serious about cutting the deficit. Despite what some would like us to believe, tax cuts didn’t get us into the mess we’re in. Government spending did. Tough decisions need to be made about reducing government spending. The longer we put them off, the worse it will get. We need to start by cutting non-essential spending. That includes stopping earmarks (because abuse of the earmark process created the “gateway-drug” that allowed backroom deals and bloated budgets), canceling all further spending on the failed Stimulus program, and rolling back non-discretionary spending to 2008 levels. You can do more, but this would be a good start.

…

In all this, you should extend a hand to President Obama and Democrats in Congress. After this election, they may finally be prepared to work with Republicans on some of these issues for the good of the country. And if not, we will all be looking forward to 2012.

Remember that some in the media will love you when you stray from the time-tested truths that built America into the most exceptional nation on earth. When the Left in the media pat you on the back, quickly reassess where you are and readjust, for the liberals’ praise is a warning bell you must heed. Trust me on that.

I and most Americans are so excited for you. Working together, we have every right to be optimistic about our future. We can be hopeful because real hope lies in the ingenuity, generosity, and boundless courage of the everyday Americans who make our country exceptional.

Read the entire letter here.

Let’s hope the Republicans remain strong and do what they were sent to do.

Speaking of Sarah Palin … did you see her reality show premiere on TLC the other night?

I think they’re saying over 5,000,000 viewers. I bet the left just LOVES that. lol

I thought it was sort of cheesy, quite frankly. And I cringe anytime anyone says anything with the words “reality show” in the sentence, but I have to give the woman credit – I think it’s actually a pretty smart move on her part.

The media has worked hard to vilify Palin over the past two years so that some on the left view her as some sort of plastic figurine, a mindless mouthpiece for the conservatives.

The purpose of this reality show is to show people that she is indeed human and that she puts her pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us. (I’m sure it’s also an attempt to make her more approachable, more relateable… 2012 anyone?)

I’m not a big Sarah Palin fan, and some of the things she says are just … embarrassing, (and when I say embarrassing, I’m referring to the awkwardness and timing – I think she tries too hard, not because I think what she says is stupid), I can take her, or leave her, but I do appreciate her willingness to be the face and hope of so many American people who need SOMETHING/SOMEONE to cling to right now because no one else is listening.

Honestly? I doubt I watch very many episodes.

https://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/3935100978864128

I thought Ann Coulter had an interesting point – if the kids aren’t responsible enough to pay for their own health insurance (as opposed to sucking off mom and dad’s policy), then perhaps they aren’t responsible enough to vote.

Thought provoking indeed.

More from Write From Karen

Book Corner

Books for Sale! Shop Now!

Karen

So I added 35 books to my Amazon book store over the weekend. Here are a few of them.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Check out Karen’s Book Korner for more selections.

https://twitter.com/#!/writefromkaren/status/4600226065158144

Coffee .. I need coffee ..

Getting into Shape

Think Before You Eat – It’s a Constant Compromise

Karen

Let’s talk about food. Not as in let’s swap recipes, but rather, how food affects your physical and mental well being.

There is no particular reason I’m writing this post, it’s just something I am forced to think about pretty much constantly and I go through phases when I eat more than normal and have to reign myself in and get serious about controlling my eating habits again – like now.

Before we get started, please note, I am not an expert, as in AT ALL. I can tell you my experiences, I can give you my observations and even my advice, but I in no way really know what I’m talking about. I’ve been battling weight issues my whole life (really, who hasn’t??) and I only NOW (I’m 45!) think I (sort of) have it figured out. Again, these are my views, this is what works for me. I hope it helps you, or at the very least, gives you an idea, or even encouragement to try and control your own eating habits.

Also? Eating is sort of psychological. If you’re eating all the time, it would be worth a look at WHY you’re eating. It probably won’t be an easy journey but if you truly want to conquer your eating demons, then beating them down will be more effective than if you try and shut the door in their face. You know?

I talked before about how we really MUST reach a point where we are comfortable with our bodies. Though we would all LIKE to look like Victoria Secret models (and the media knows this and of course quilts us into thinking it’s possible), get real. Though it’s certainly possible to lose weight and tone your body, the question is, is it HEALTHY for YOU to wear a size zero.

Personally? With my height? I’d look like a fence post, with breasts.

Thankfully, I have stopped aspiring to be a single digit size – I’m pretty comfortable hovering around the 10/12 size (and I say hovering because it truly varies from day-to-day. There’s the bloating/puffy factor that comes with being a female, and the sizes of clothes depends on who’s making them at what time of year and which style is hot at that time period. In other words, it’s never consistent so I end up trying on both sizes of everything I like because it’s a crap shoot. Tell me I’m not the only one this happens to).

But though I’m okay with this size, it’s not easy to maintain this size. My problem? Is I have a huge, as in GINORMOUS sweet tooth. If I could just curb my sugar cravings, I wouldn’t have to battle my weight so much.

But alas, I can’t control them.

Wait. Scratch that. I CAN control them, I just don’t want to.

Life is too short to deprive myself of what I enjoy. Though a little control IS called for here.

I don’t diet, but I do balance my sugar intake on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. For example: If I’ve eaten a few donut sticks for breakfast, then I don’t eat anything sugary or fattening in the afternoon.

Or, if I eat something fattening after lunch, I don’t eat anything else fattening the rest of the day.

And I especially try not to eat anything really fattening after dinner where it will just sit and eventually turn into solid fat. (I’m not always successful though – especially when it’s getting close to Myrtle’s monthly visit. I CRAVE junk food for about four or five days before she comes knocking on my uterine walls).

I also try and eat a lighter dinner, (and by “lighter” I really mean smaller portion), again, because I’m less active after dinner and it doesn’t have a chance to fully digest.

Also? I AVOID soda. I don’t drink it, I don’t miss it. I’m pretty convinced that over half of our obesity problem is because people have substituted soda for water and drink WAY too much of it. Yes. It’s habit forming. Yes. It’s pretty delicious. And yes. It’s hard to kick the habit. But when you do, I promise you, when you break down and have that glass of soda at that party? You will gag because it will taste sickeningly sweet.

Look at this photo, people:

I want you to remember this photo every time you drink a soda – just think how much sugar you’re drinking. Now think how many sodas you have in one day. Then think about all of the sugary snacks you eat on top of that. Soda is liquid sugar. Soda is obesity’s secret partner. Is it no wonder you can’t lose weight when you’re drinking so much sugar??

Cut out the soda. Like I said, it’s an addiction and it will be tough to kick the habit at first, but you’ll see what I mean when you haven’t had one in a while.

I can barely stomach the thought of drinking soda anymore.

That’s pretty much my eating habits, in a nutshell. I don’t diet, I just try and balance how much I eat and when I eat.

I also avoid buying crap so that I’m not tempted to eat it – if it’s not around, then I won’t eat it, right? (Though I have been known to make special “junk food” trips now and again to the store).

Though this all sounds great, I get carried away. Like now. I’ve been eating like a cow. I am pretty much snacking all day long now because I have, once again, gotten into the habit of munching on something whenever I’m on my computer – and since I work and play on my computer all day long, well, there you go.

When that happens (I mentioned that it’s happening now, right?), then it’s time to hit the treadmill.

I’ll talk about exercising in my next post.

In the meantime, watch what you’re eating. Seriously. Balance when and how much crap you’re putting into your body every day.

  • 1. Eat breakfast. This one is really hard for me because I’m truly not hungry in the mornings. But I find that when I eat breakfast, and force myself to eat lunch, then I’m truly NOT that hungry at dinner and I naturally don’t eat bigger portions. It all evens out over the course of the day. Try it.
  • 2. Munch on dried fruit or granola bars instead of candy or pastries (that will help satisfy some of your sweet craving).
  • 3. Drink LOTS of water (stay away from the soda, seriously, it’s evil).
  • 4. And lastly, don’t have that crap in your house. Make it hard to obtain – like, if you really want some junk, then you have to physically leave your house to go get it. It won’t discourage you every time, but it will discourage you most of the time.

Look gals (and guys), if you want to lose weight, you’re going to have to change your eating habits. Will it be easy? Oh hell to the no, but how badly do you want to shed those pounds? How badly do you want to be able to fit into your clothes again? It’s EASY to overeat, disciplining your diet is HARD. But you just have to be stronger than your weakness. Don’t let your diet control you, take control of your diet.

Don’t be a weakling. Stop being lazy. Stop making excuses.

Start small. If you normally eat a few poptarts for breakfast, then stop. Eat cereal instead. If you normally have a Little Debbie in the afternoon, then have some crackers instead. If you normally eat a huge plate full for dinner, cut out 1/4 of that, then eventually cut it down to half. Eat more for breakfast and lunch then you’ll be less hungry for dinner.

It’s all about discipline. I’m tired of the excuses. I’m tired of the whining and the self-deprecation and “I feel sorry for myself so you should too,” lines. Get a backbone ladies (and gents) and start being PROACTIVE.

I will.

Will you?

And because I don’t want to end this post with me going all Army Sargent on you, watch this video and have a laugh – then get serious.

Because no one can stop you from over eating but you. Take charge.

Now excuse me, I’m going to make fried chicken for dinner. (But I will drain the chicken, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess grease, take off the fried part on my breast and just stick to the chicken part. I will also give myself the smallest piece of chicken and only scoop about half portions of potatoes and veggies onto my plate as opposed to heaping the guys’ plates full. See? It’s a constant compromise).

Life

Officially Putting the Accident Behind Us

Karen

This has been cross-posted at Kevin’s CaringBridge web page.

Hello!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it!? Let’s see if I can catch you all up …
The last time I wrote, we were getting ready to leave for our family vacation (the vacation that we weren’t sure we would still be able to take but that Kevin insisted he could handle); we not only went to New York City back in July for our family vacation, I think it’s pretty safe to say Kevin completely conquered New York City.

I’ll be honest, the trip was terribly hard on Kevin. We took his walker, but the only time he used it was when we walked around Central Park. The rest of the time? He used his cane. Though we tried to find the wheelchair accessible entrances to the subway, more often than not, there wasn’t one close by so Kevin also climbed a lot of stairs.

A LOT of stairs.

Looking back at our vacation pictures, Kevin looks pale and gaunt and you can just tell he’s not feeling the best. And though we took frequent breaks so he could catch his breath, we still worked him pretty hard. But the man kept up our rigorous pace around the city and rarely complained. In short, he was a real trooper.

And do you know that ever since that trip, he’s continued to do his normal day-to-day activities (even getting into our crawl space to fix our sump pump!) so that now? You would never even know he had been in the hospital for five weeks, had three surgeries, had his pelvis completely restructured and in essence, had to re-learn how to walk all over again.

I know I’ve said this before, but I have to say it again, the fact that Kevin not only survived this type of accident (and we’ve learned over the months, from both police officers and doctors, that people who were in similar accidents most times don’t survive), but went on to walk and resume his life as if nothing traumatic had ever happened is truly a miracle.

God was walking with Kevin the day of the accident and has not left his side these past seven months.

SEVEN months.

On Tuesday, November 16th, it will have been seven months since he was hit head on and left for dead on the side of the road on a beautiful spring day.

Though I will never forget that time period, seeing him lying in the hospital bed, seemingly unhurt and then being shocked to the core of my being when me and the boys saw his x-rays and learned that he would not, in fact, be spending just one night in the hospital but in fact, weeks in the hospital, it doesn’t seem real now. Now that Kevin is back on his feet and doing all of his normal activities, I look at him and have a hard time remembering him lying in traction, pins drilled into his shin bones in order to force his body to remain immobile until they could schedule him for surgery.

Though I will never forget what we all went through the last half of April 2010, it truly is a blessing that time heals all wounds. For though Kevin still walks with a slight limp, and the tendons in his right foot still haven’t healed completely (he sort of clip-clops as he walks), he gets better week after week and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, he will soon conquer these small setbacks and be fully functional and ready to tackle whatever life throws at him.

Our family has changed, we’ve all been through a lot these past months, but I firmly believe that we are all stronger, both emotionally and spiritually as individuals and as a family because of that fateful spring day.

This will be the last time I update Kevin’s Caring Bridge page, the doctor’s have given him a clean bill of health and he does not have to go back unless he develops problems. We have once again achieved normalcy (thank you God) and I have faith that we will all continue to grow stronger.

It’s hard for me to put into words just how much we have appreciated all of your kind words, thoughts, prayers and help these past months. I pray that our journey has inspired you to work hard, never give up and to trust our wonderful Lord and Savior to help guide you in your personal journey.

And now, it’s only fitting to give this journal up to Kevin for a final word.

God bless,

Karen

_____________________________________
Hello everyone:

Sorry that there have not been any posts to CaringBridge about my progress since July. Karen wanted me to write the last post, and I have been procrastinating.

I just read the last few articles that Karen posted. Everything has really changed since that time. I am still improving every day and I have essentially recovered from my injuries. Sometimes I am a little stiff if I sit still for very long, but I have figured out a way to avoid the stiffness…just don’t sit still. I am walking, driving, playing music, causing trouble, and doing everything that I was doing before the accident. (Well, almost everything. Karen has prohibited me from driving any vehicle with fewer than 4 wheels or doing anything involving danger.)

Last week I went to my orthopedist. He was very happy with my progress and he released me. Basically he said don’t come back unless something is really hurting or falling off.

We have been keeping track of the lady that crashed into me on case.net. Since my accident, in August, she added yet another DWI to her list of offenses, which now total over 13. The prosecuting attorney called me last week to say that they were finally going to file the felony “Leaving the Scene of the Accident” charge against her for my accident. At this point I just want her taken off the road so that nobody else is hurt or killed. That reminds me. Please make sure that you have the best uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage that you can afford. Approximately 20 – 30% of drivers do not have insurance and the drivers that don’t have insurance are usually the really bad ones. I thank God that he gave me the thought to increase our UIM coverage a few years ago.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone for your prayers and support over the last few months. I couldn’t have made it without your help.

Kevin

_____________________________________
ADDED: How ironic is it that the moment we finish his CaringBridge page, he comes down with a WICKED flu bug. The man has been down and out for 24 hours now. He ran 102 fever all day today. His fever is gone now, but he’s exhausted. He even skipped dinner and if Kevin skips a meal? You KNOW it’s bad. 😦

Abundant Life

Teaching: The Importance of Character: A Matter of the Heart

Karen

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Numerous men and women throughout history have spoken at length about the importance of having an upright character, especially for those who serve in any type of leadership capacity. A simple search on the topic of character and leadership yields thousands of books, speeches, and quotes. Character is so important to us that we even recognize it as one of the principal requirements of trust, and trust is the essential prerequisite for all meaningful relationships.

Most people would never consider following someone with a past filled with dubious moral or ethical choices. Unfortunately, there appears to be a general incongruity in our society between what we say we value, and what people actually allow. Far too often the media is filled with sordid stories about the ignoble actions of people who are our society’s supposed “role models.” The daily media seems filled with scandalous stories that involve major sports figures, political leaders, religious leaders, and business executives. Stories such as a highly talented (and well paid) football player involved in illegal dog-fighting, a state governor accused of trying to sell a seat in the Senate, and even the former chairman of the NASDAQ stock exchange pleading guilty to stealing billions of dollars from thousands of investors in a “ponzi” style scheme. Even the highest office of our land is not exempt from disrepute when a sitting President of the United States admits to sexual improprieties with a young intern. Sadly, we far too often learn of sexual misdeeds and other immoral actions by Christian leaders once again resulting in discredit to the Body of Christ. It is almost as if the unspoken message has become, “It’s okay to do what you want as long as you don’t get caught.” Every one of the activities cited above is really nothing more than a character issue.

What is Character?

A person’s character is who they really are. We all think about a lot of things that are not godly, and things we would be ashamed of if they were available for all to know. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” My reputation is what others think of me, which may or may not be true, but my character is who I really am. Your character is the real you in the sense that you cannot separate what you do from who you are.

Everyone has a “public” face and a “private” face. Most of us tend to act with better behavior around others than we do in private. The other day I was at a major retail store when I noticed sophisticated video surveillance equipment. It’s not that I was going to do anything wrong, but just knowing the cameras were there resulted in my thinking, “I need to watch what I am doing because someone could be watching me.” Stories abound of people being caught on camera committing rueful acts. It is sad but true that video cameras reveal what we all know: that a person’s real character is who they are when they think no one is looking. The British writer and politician Thomas Macauly (1800-1859) once said, “The measure of a man’s character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.”

Character is the aggregate of a person’s ethical and moral qualities, and it is demonstrated through the choices we make. So a person of good character is someone who acts morally and ethically upright. Undoubtedly, we are all a mixture of both good and bad, so we are not saying that to have “good” character a person never makes any missteps. Rather, he is someone who is always striving to take the moral high road and, when he recognizes he has done something wrong, does what is necessary to get back on track.

The list of “high value” character traits (those virtues we esteem) is extensive, and includes such things as integrity, courage, honor, honesty, and fortitude. In addition to the many noble traits there are, we Christians would also want to make sure that we are pursuing those virtues that God espouses. Certainly this list for us would incorporate the distinguishing qualities of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and humility. In fact, it has been said that the fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 and 23 represent the character of Christ.

Galatians 5:22 and 23a
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
(23a) gentleness and self-control…

The type of character you have is your choice. This is why it was once said that, “Your character is the sum total of your life choices.” If you make poor choices, such as stealing, lying, or laziness, then you have poor character. I may not have a choice regarding the situations I am confronted with, but I always have a choice concerning how I respond to those situations. When dealing with frustrating or disappointing circumstances, I can respond with anger or with patience. The choice is always mine to make, so my character is always a matter of my choice, and thus it is my responsibility. [1]

What does God Say about Character?

God absolutely cares about character, so much so that it could be said that the Bible is a character textbook. It is filled with instructions on what it means to live righteously, that is, in a “godly” and upright manner. The Bible is also filled with stories of men and women who have done it right, and many who have not. These are for our learning so we can benefit from the examples of others.

One of the very first records in the Bible is about a man (Adam) who failed to heed God’s instructions, resulting in calamity and pain that is reverberating even to this day.

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-

Adam’s story is filled with numerous character lessons. When he sinned, Adam’s character demonstrated rebellion and rejection of God. Although Adam was created physically and morally perfect, he chose to disobey God, and character is always the result of choices. Adam’s actions included disobedience, and a lack of submitting to God, which is what we call P-R-I-D-E. One of the most important traits of godly character is humility, which is the polar opposite of pride. The words of the prophet Obadiah, written thousands of years later, ring as true for Adam as they do for us today.

Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you…

Since that day of moral failure, God has been directing man back to the path of moral high ground through various means. The Ten Commandments include directives that show people what to do to have godly character. These include, “Thou shall not” lie, steal, commit adultery, covet, or murder (Exod. 20:7-17). Clearly, God’s Word is filled with instructions concerning how a person with godly character is to both think and act.

In the New Testament Paul instructed the first century Christians to put off their ungodly pagan lifestyles and “…become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation…” (Phil. 2:15). It is not news that the world will always be in conflict with God’s ways. God even tells us that “…friendship with the world is hatred toward God…” and “…Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

In contrast to the way of the world, we are to pursue the higher and nobler path.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

And, not only are we to think about these things, we are to put them into practice, that is, to do them, and character always involves the doing!

Philippians 4:9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

In the Old Testament, Boaz, speaking about Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David, said she was a woman of “noble character” (Ruth 3:11). The word translated “noble character” in this verse is the Hebrew word “chayil” which generally refers to strength and might. In this instance it applies to her inner strength of character. From the record about this wonderful woman we learn many character lessons from her interactions with her mother-in-law. Ruth shows herself to be faithful, kind, merciful, steadfast, industrious, and humble, all of which are wonderful and godly character traits.

Just as there are examples of people with great character in the Bible, there are also records of those who did not do quite so well. King Saul, although looking like the right choice as a king, had some serious character flaws. The prophet Samuel delivered some great promises that should have inspired and encouraged him. Yet despite this, from early in his kingly career he demonstrated fear. In one of the first accounts about him we find that “…he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship” and then later that “…he has hidden himself among the baggage” (1 Sam. 10:16 and 22). Saul’s failure to address this deep issue of his heart continues to show up throughout his royal career, resulting in numerous acts of disobedience, murder, deceit, and pride.

The life of Christ teaches us great practical character lessons. In spite of difficult circumstances and times of severe difficulty, he always responded in a godly manner. He was the epitome of love, kindness, and gentleness. Yet, at the very same time, he was a man of great passion, strength, and fearlessness. And now, we too are told that this is how we can, and should, live.

Character, a Matter of the Heart

One of the great lessons Jesus taught his followers is that a man’s or woman’s character is always a matter of what is in his or her heart. If a person commits adultery it is because that is what he has living in his heart, and a person’s heart is always his responsibility. This is why God tells us that we are to guard our hearts, to protect them with the greatest of care.

Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

A wellspring is a source of water that bubbles up and comes forth from the ground. In a similar way, what we do is the result of what we hold and think upon in our hearts, the wellspring, or source, of our actions. When I lie, steal, or act immorally, it is because that is what I have fostered and nurtured in my heart. God will not only judge us concerning whether we do wrong or evil deeds, but also if there is wickedness in our hearts. A person may choose not to actually commit a wrong only because the evil in the heart merely lacks the opportunity to express itself. A person may have adultery in his heart, but lacking the opportunity, may never have been able to act upon it. This is why Jesus told his disciples that a man committed adultery even if he lusted after a woman in his heart.

Matthew 5:27 and 28
(27) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
(28) But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If a person with evil in his heart is presented with the opportunity, he will act on it. This is why we are often surprised and dismayed when we hear of someone doing a serious wrong, having no idea that he was that “type of person.” It is because we had no cognizance of the “evil” that was in his heart. Sinful behavior often happens because people fail to guard their hearts, so when presented with the opportunity to sin, the temptation is too strong for them to resist. They have not trained their hearts to do good, but have instead harbored evil. Above all else, we must guard our hearts because it is our hearts that will be judged.

Proverbs 21:2
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

1 Corinthians 4:5b
…He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts…

In the parable of the sower in Luke 8, Jesus makes the point that the “good soil” stands for those with a noble and good heart. A person who has a noble and good heart is a person with upright character. Throughout the Scriptures there are hundreds of lessons about a person’s heart because it is our hearts, our character, which will be examined before his throne, judged and rewarded accordingly.

With the exception of random thoughts and instinctive reactions, everything a person thinks about and does is an issue of the heart. When we speak (which is an action) we are merely vocalizing a thought, and our character is always a matter of our thoughts and actions.

Matthew 15:18 and 19
(18) But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’
(19) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Every evil action Jesus listed above is a character issue, which is why God weighs (will judge) our hearts. Each of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, where our hearts, our character (all of our thoughts and deeds), will be exposed.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

We do not believe, as some teach, that Christians will only appear at the judgment seat to receive rewards. [2] Rather, the word “appear”, which is “phaneroo” in the Greek text, should properly be translated “made visible” or “exposed” here. What will be exposed? Our heart, our character, will be revealed and known for what they are. This is why it is so important for us to guard and purify our hearts (James 4:8).

The great news is that because character is a choice, you can choose to change it! I have a younger sister who once said, “If you don’t like who you are, then reinvent yourself.” That struck a chord deep inside me the minute she said it. There was a time in my life that I made some seriously wrong choices. As I reflect back on those times, I realize now that bitterness and other nasty things were brooding in my heart. I decided I did not like who I was, so I began to address the issues of my heart, and changed. The transformation did not happen overnight, and it was not easy, but I changed, one step at a time. I held a picture in my mind of the kind of person I wanted to be and then I began to behave in a manner consistent with that picture. Over time I changed my heart, and my character. Helen Keller once said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” We can change our character, but it takes work (effort), a lot of hard work (persistence), and time (perseverance).

Read the rest of the article here.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page, their YouTube Channel, or follow them on Twitter.

Thanks for reading.

(Comments have been turned off. The information is here to inform and bless you. God granted you the gift of free will – take it or leave it).

More from Write From Karen

Saturday Stuff

Empty Promises

Karen

“So, you’re leaving your wife, right?”

“I told you I would, didn’t I?”

Sheila watched her married lover hurriedly pull on his pants and shrug into his t-shirt. He kept glancing at the clock.

“I’m going to be late,” he mumbled.

She tucked the sheet under her chin. “But you’re gonna do it this time, right?”

He shot her an impatient look, “Where’s my wedding ring?” he asked, his voice tinged with panic.

Something shiny caught her eye next to his pillow.

The early November sunshine cast golden rays onto the diamond chip.

Reaching out, she curled her fingers around the ring and assumed an innocent expression.

.

.

.

*************************

Write up to 100 words, fact or fiction….

This is a themed writing meme hosted by Jenny Matlock. The goal is to write something that does not exceed 100 words (not including said prompt). The prompt this week is in bold.