July 2016 – Write From Karen

Have you guys heard about the life-size Noah’s Ark??

If not, watch this:

ark-beyond-lake

I LOVE that there is potential for more Christian-based structures/museums/educational opportunities in their future. I just pray it happens.

And honestly, fellow Christians out there, we need to pray for this to not only happen, but to stay open. Because if you take the time to read some of the Facebook comments, or watch videos about this project either for/against it, they will make you both sad and alarm you.

The sheer hatred for this project is astounding, though not surprising, I suppose. Would the backlash be as severe if this was a Muslim-type structure? Why is Christianity such a BAD thing to so many people?

Because the Bible said this was going to happen. Are you really surprised? Christians and Christianity will only continue to grow more and more unpopular – this is exactly what happened in Noah’s day and age. And this is exactly WHY God flooded the Earth – to get rid of the evil and start over again. Only, we won’t start over with a flood, it will be Jesus Christ coming back to save us from ourselves.

In the meantime, there will be hatred. There will be insanely opinionated people who will try their best to make you feel stupid for believing in God, who will attempt to spout all sorts of nonsense about alternative beliefs and how they are so much smarter and believable than Christianity.

To which I say? YOU’RE WASTING YOUR BREATH. Go spew your ugly, hate-filled vile words to someone who cares what you think, because I don’t. You don’t like this Ark Encounter project? DON’T GO. You want to build a monument, or some historical project museum to your spaghetti monster or god(s), be my guest. It’s still a free country (somewhat). Will I like it? No. Will I care? No. You want to bow down to false idols and kiss Satan’s ass, I guess that’s your prerogative.

And how SAD would your life be if you DIDN’T believe in a higher power or have some hope to look forward to? I can’t even imagine how lost some people feel without Jesus Christ in their hearts.

But personally, I’m REJOICING in the fact that fellow Christians had the guts to build something like this and you bet your sweet tea we will go at some point. I’m tempted to wait until they build the Temple of Babylon and the other structures mentioned in the above video, but then again, I’m afraid that if I wait too long, something will fall through and they will be forced to close Noah’s Ark. I think it would be a fun road trip though – it’s eight hours East of where we live – doable but it will definitely take some planning.

Here are some interesting facts about the structure and hypotheses on how it might have logistically worked out.

I also found it highly interesting that the creator of the Ark Encounter, Ken Ham, invited Bill Nye “the Science Guy” in for a tour and together, with their own film crews, toured the Ark and had “lively” discussions/debates with lots of “regular” folks along for the ride. I bet that was interesting as all get out. Because if you’re truly looking for the truth, then you NEED to hear all sides of an issue before coming to a foregone/logical conclusion. And maybe Mr. Ham didn’t do a good enough job of convincing some folks there about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or then again, maybe he was able to save some lost souls, who knows, but I love the fact that two sides of an issue came together, spoke their piece and there was no violence, just mutual respect for the other person’s beliefs.

I wish that would happen more often in our country, but it’s all about shutting each other up – it’s all about “free speech” and “free thinking” even though if you don’t believe the same as the people who spout this nonsense then they work very hard to belittle you and sometimes, use physical violence to bully you and silence you and your beliefs.

Yeah. That’s what “free speech” and “free thinking” is all about. It’s free as long as you think like they do, otherwise, SHUT UP, PEASANT. *snort*

There’s also a Creation Museum about 45 minutes from the Ark Encounter. If/when we go, I would like to visit that museum, too.

I LOVE that this type of stuff exists in our country, especially nowadays when Christianity has been whipped so many times in the past decade. It gives me hope that maybe it’s not as bad as the lop-sided media portrays it and that there are still believers out there not afraid to stand up and be Soldiers for Christ.

May God bless everyone, both believers and non-believers, and if you’re not a Christian, I challenge you to visit these places, find out what Christianity is about then make up your own mind – don’t listen to the naysayers and the lop-sided media, God created your mind and granted you the gift of free will, exercise those gifts and decide for yourself.

Abundant Life

The Heart is An Idol Factory

July 10, 2016July 10, 2016 Karen

Idols – what do you think of when you read that word? Gold Academy Award statues? Stone structures that people bow down to and worship? Someone famous? Someone you look up to?

I mean sure, it’s all those things, but idols can mean anything that takes your focus, your energy away from God. I like when he talks about people’s reactions when they take something away that means something to them – I’ve seen what happens to people when you try and take something they highly value away from them – I’ve also experienced an unrealistic reaction in myself whenever we lose Internet, or something I’ve worked on doesn’t turn out the way I think it should.

For example, our boys. There was a time period when they were doing poorly in school, all they wanted to do was focus on their video games. We took their video games and computers away from them with the stipulation that they could get all of those things back after they brought their grades back up to an acceptable level. It was HARD. I felt so MEAN. And the boys HATED MY GUTS for about two months. But you know what? They brought their grades back up and they never allowed themselves to fall into that trap again.

But what I found most disturbing was their utter devastation when we took their stuff away from them. I had destroyed their worlds. They walked around like zombies for DAYS after we took their stuff – they simply didn’t know what to do with themselves when their entire (virtual) world was taken from them.

We had LONG talks about becoming obsessed with things, with STUFF, and the importance of forcing yourself to step back, take a breath and a break and to rejoin the human race.

They are both still very heavy into their virtual worlds today, but they aren’t quite AS obsessed as they were when they were younger. I would like to think some of our lectures sunk in but it’s most likely they have matured and grown and realized they have to participate in real life if they want to make a living and/or possibly, maybe, hopefully, some day acquire girlfriends/wives.

I find myself at an absolute loss when the power goes out and we lose Internet connection. I’m not into games like the boys, but I am pretty obsessed with my computer. I love to watch YouTube videos and spend an unhealthy amount of time watching videos. I do it for a few reasons: I like to shut my brain off and simply EXIST for a bit without having to think, two, they are entertaining and make me laugh and three, I love to people watch and watching videos is the perfect people-watching activity without coming off as creepy. lol

I have to FORCE myself to shut off my monitor and step away from my computer so I can get my chores done, cook dinners for my family, spend time with my family.

And that bothers me – when you have to FORCE yourself to stop doing something that’s a pretty good sign that that thing has taken on far more importance in your life than it should.

I’m a person who likes to be in complete control of my life and when I realize that some new hobby, or event, or activity has control over me, the stubborn part of me jumps out and I MAKE myself either stop doing that hobby, event, or activity or at least stop participating as often. It’s just not healthy to put all of your energies into one or two things.

Especially when it takes your time and focus away from God. Nothing is more important than God and if you can sit there and honestly list things that you do that takes your attention/focus/time away from God, then it’s time to reassess your priorities.

*Update: I found out today that the boys have been without Internet for four days now. Apparently, their Internet provider got struck by lightening and they lost their server, or whatever Internet providers have/do. I was surprised the boys were without Internet for so long and not over at our house mooching off our connection. In fact, when they came over for Sunday dinner, they both seemed very calm about the whole thing – accepting, in fact. I’m weirdly proud of them because to me, this means they are growing up.

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.

Thanks for watching.

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More from Write From Karen

Work Stuff

Four Weeks of More Work and More Stress

July 5, 2016July 4, 2016 Karen

How do you react when you hear something bad has happened to a person you dislike intensely. You feel guilty and pray. What else?

I like to think I get along with everyone – and I guess I do, on the surface. I try to get along with everyone, but I would be lying if I said I liked everyone I work with.

I do not. In fact, there is one person at work I pretty much despise. She is everything that I can’t stand in a person.

She’s loud.
Rude
Obnoxious
Callus
Ignorant
Clueless
Self-centered
Egotistical
A little crazy
Lacks empathy
Lacks a filter
Short-attention span
Turns conversations back to her – every – single – time
Insecure

She reacts instead of interacts.

Everything about this person grates on my every last nerve. Just breathing the same air as her make me want to punch something.

But here’s the kicker, I have to work with her. And she has a sense of humor, and she makes me laugh.

And I feel a bit sorry for her – her life is not perfect. She has made bad/difficult choices in her life and she’s living with those consequences now.

I grit my teeth and get along with her. What choice do I have? I try and see the good in her, I try to be patient with her. I try and set a good example when I’m around her by being patient with people, with trying to point out that patients are not black and white, that you have to read between the lines with people and sometimes it’s more about what they DON’T say rather than what DO say.

She will sometimes speak to me like I’m an idiot. Or beneath her. And believe it or not, I’m not a confrontational person – I tend to just let it slide off my back, but this chick? Not so much. We have been called into the office numerous times to air out our differences with our manager as witness because listen here, chicka, you’re not pulling that “I’m better than you” ‘tude with me. It’s not gonna happen. Those conversations have been awkward and have made this girl cry, but BUCK UP SISTER – it’s time to grow up.

It’s not easy burying my thoughts and quelling my words. There are days I have to literally walk away and take a breath because her harsh attitude makes me crazy. Her priorities are not right because when I’m at work, that is what my sole focus is, to do my job to the best of my ability. It’s not to make friends, it’s not to crack jokes and be funny, it’s not to put stuff on the back burner and constantly say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” It’s not to text friends and family even though I get there is family drama to sort out.

When you’re at work and you’re working with me, do your damn job.

Period.

End of discussion.

Can we have some laughs? Sure. That picture above is proof that I can be a nutcase with the best of them, but by the end of the day – is the job done?

But then this girl got some bad news, potentially life-changing news, and I felt like an asshole for disliking her so much. We still dislike each other, but I’m not cruel – I’ve listened as she vented and worried and I tried to offer her some solid advice.

Again, I’m not an asshole.

And I’ve prayed for her. This potentially life-changing news was borderline dangerous and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Though I intensely dislike this girl, she’s a human being with responsibilities and she doesn’t deserve potentially life-changing circumstances.

We have a grudging respect for each other, (well, I think she does for me because I’m pretty much the only person who stands up to her and her bullying personality, I still can’t stand her), but we talk. Or rather, she talks and I listen, (I rarely tell anyone I work with much about my personal life – it’s my personal life, butt out). She’s young enough to be my daughter, but only just, and I suppose her immaturity and self-centered personality is something her generation has grown up with, but I am trying to “train” her, if you will, into seeing life from other perspectives – it’s not all about her. I know that’s shocking, and I think it’s been shocking to her, but I feel like I’m making progress, I guess.

She has gone to a few appointments and thank God, her news is not as bad as it was first made out to be. It’s something that can be fixed. I’m glad for her. I’m glad that she will have her surgery and it will work out to include her vacation so she will be out of the office for four weeks to recuperate. And I hope she comes back to work with a new attitude – though I’m not holding my breath.

Again, it’s someone I work closely with so her being gone will directly affect me and normally, I would be stressed out by this news. But you know what? All I feel is relief. It will be a breath of fresh air not to have to listen to her brash voice and deal with her piss-poor people skills. It will put more pressure and work on me, but I’m ready for it. In fact, I’m embracing it.

I would rather deal with more stress and more work than deal with this individual.

How sad is that?

Life

God Bless What’s Left of America

July 4, 2016July 4, 2016 Karen

(This post was actually published July 4th last year, but it bears repeating).

We have our American Flag hanging outside our house and I can’t help but wonder, will someone report us? Will someone in our neighborhood be offended that we proudly display our American Flag?

To which I reply: Tough shit.

I’m so SICK of people being offended by everything nowadays.

Get over it.

People are offended because some whack-job worshiped a confederate flag and was high on anti-psychotic drugs and shot a bunch of people in a church (notice I said PEOPLE – we’re all PEOPLE, color is irrelevant), and now the confederate flag offends people so we’re going to go completely berserk and obliterate every last trace of the confederate flag from the face of the Earth.

Idiots. The confederate flag didn’t MAKE that nut-job shoot those people, it was simply a trigger for his crazy delusions. What if his trigger had been a black cat? Would we suddenly want to eradicate black cats from existence? If you need to be “offended” by someone, be “offended” by the act and the person who committed the act, not an inanimate object.

Geez louise people …

You have the right to dislike the confederate flag – I’m not crazy about that flag, either. I think it represents a sad, mixed-up time in our history. I have never understood people who buy that flag and then proudly display it. Why? Do they wish they could go back to those times? Well too bad, it’s not happening. We learned our lesson the first time. Right?

Right??

But I’m not offended if they choose to fly it. It’s their right to do so. And it does serve to remind of us of the mistakes we made during that time period. This isn’t about me and my feelings, it’s about other people’s CHOICE to make bad decisions.

People need to grow a backbone and stop being such emotional cry babies.

The only thing I think of when I see that flag is slavery. And how that’s bad. And I’m truly perplexed that we thought, at one time in our history, that having one set of human beings serve another set of human beings was somehow acceptable. And then I roll my eyes and shrug my shoulders. I wonder more about the people behind these “offenses” than about anything else. People are idiots. What are you going to do?

Anyway, back to the American flag and our country.

I can’t get into this 4th of July. What, exactly, are we celebrating? Our freedoms? Our freedom to do what, exactly? Abide by the rules? Live under a supreme dictator or a group of tenured lawyers who have been given the right to make our decisions for us?

Freedom to “ignore its own laws and tear its Constitution to pieces?”

Freedom “to dismantle the institution of marriage in favor of legitimizing sexual perversion?”

What, exactly, are we celebrating nowadays? Our freedoms are slowly being taken away with each passing law and government decree.

If so, what’s so great about being great? Where is the optimism in that miserable greatness? Where is the hope for the future if moral bankruptcy, selfishness, confusion, stupidity, deviancy and failure are “great”?

This is why I’m surprised liberals are still out burning American flags. What are they upset about? This country has been reshaped in their image. They won the culture, the government, academia, the media, even the churches. This is their America. They own it. Yet they aren’t satisfied because liberalism, like its father Satan, is intent only on destruction and consumption. It will never be satiated.

You might say most of the examples I provided have to do with America’s people, not America herself. But the distinction is irrelevant because a democracy is only as great as its people. Meanwhile, our government is corrupt and feckless, and our political leaders are cowardly and self-serving. Yes, the Constitution is great, but it’s still just a set of laws. If laws are ignored, they might as well not exist. The Bill of Rights can’t make us great if we don’t follow it, just like your running shoes can’t make you fit if you don’t put them on and go for a jog.

So in what way is America great at the moment? Are we a moral beacon for the world now? Where is the rest of the world supposed to locate that shining light of moral clarity? Is it somewhere buried under the dead children and the perversion and the porn and the divorce and the drugs and the disease and the dependency and the Nanny State socialism? What about leadership in government, or education, or the home? Is American culture great in these respect

No, America Is Not a Great Nation. Not anymore.

I dare you to read Matt Walsh’s entire article. Read it completely through and tell me you don’t disagree. This country is slowly being flushed down the crapper. With every flush, we compromise another belief and/or ideal. Like a stone sculptor, decency is being chipped away, slowly, oh so slowly, and then suddenly, we see the finished product and wonder, what happened? How did we get here? What happened?

Like sleep walkers, we are suddenly shaken awake.

We got here by being outraged over the confederate flag. We got here by being distracted by Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner. We got here by not paying attention to what our educational system is doing to our children. We got here by being too busy playing with the newest and coolest electronic gadgets. We got here by putting all of our energies and time into being offended by the stupidest, most insignificant things.

It’s like people don’t WANT to really know what’s going on. It’s like people purposefully look the other direction in order NOT to see and/or deal with the bigger issues. Because talking about big changes is too uncomfortable, it’s too hard. And now we’ve reached a point of no return – can you IMAGINE trying to cut benefits to people who now solely rely on the nanny state to take care of them? Can you IMAGINE overhauling an education system so that we get back to teaching children and not indoctrinating children?

We’ve dug our grave, it’s time to lie in it.

Why should we celebrate the mess we created?

I think Matt summarizes this hopelessness best:

Here’s what I do know, and here’s the hopeful part: Our priority has to be our families and our souls. The fate of the country or the globe has not been put entirely, or even mostly, in our individual hands. But we have profound jurisdiction over the fate of our families, the spiritual state of our children, whether our households serve the Lord, and whether we serve the Lord. That’s our hope for the future. Right there.

We can find greatness if we strive for holiness. We have to. We are entering an age where only the great Christians will spiritually survive. It’s a scary time, but if we heed the call to holiness, we can find immense joy. That’s what I want for my children, though I fear for them quite a bit these days. I can’t imagine what this country will look like in 30 or 40 years. Maybe things will have turned around, but honestly I really doubt it. So all I can do is hold them close, try to be a better father to them and a better husband to my wife, and equip them as best I can for what comes next.

I believe strongly that real persecution awaits us down the road. I think my children will face hostility and opposition and maybe even violence on a level I haven’t yet seen. We are heading into very challenging times, but if we keep our families together and our hearts with God, we’ll be OK. No matter what happens, we’ll be OK. And, by extension, if we pour ourselves into our families and into our faith, we might be able to rescue this culture and this country from the clutches of progressive annihilation. It won’t happen quickly, and I don’t know if it will happen at all, but I know there’s a chance. America is not lost completely. Not yet.

So find strength in the Lord. Love your spouse and your children like Christ loves the Church. Be a leader in your home. Be willing to sacrifice everything for your family. Be unwilling to sacrifice your soul for anything. Confront the reality of our current state and accept that you will be asked to endure a lot of pain and persecution. Pray. Remember what America was. Remember who God is. Remember who you are and why you’re here and that you were put here in this time for a reason.

God bless what’s left of America.

And may God have mercy on your soul.

Amen.

Abundant Life

Heart Disease is a World-Wide Problem

July 3, 2016June 18, 2016 Karen

“The prescription for heart disease is to love the way God intends us to love. Heart disease, the lack of love, causes us to be cold hearted, hard hearted.”

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 NIV

God asks you to love Him with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your strength – do not put your faith in idols, tokens that you assign meaning to – like a lucky rabbit’s foot, or a lucky hat, or choosing to put all of your energy into a video game, or a relationship … anything that takes your focus away from God.

This is why I have dedicated Sundays to God on this blog – to force myself to take a step back from my personal life, my work life, my hobbies, my distractions and remind myself there is a bigger picture here – and it’s wonderful, and loving and gives me hope, especially when bad things happen, like wild animals attacking small children.

Your happiness, your peace of mind, starts with your heart. What do you believe? How compassionate are you? Do you stop and make yourself see the other side to a story? Do you try and put yourself in the other person’s shoes for a minute?

Having the ability to empathize with people goes A LONG WAY toward feeling more compassionate about your fellow man.

So I ask you, take a moment and examine your heart. If you’re not happy, if you have little peace in your life, look to God. He’s there waiting for you to reach out to him. What do you have to lose by trying?