"In the Name of Love??"

I am so totally miffed by an occurrence tonight. Not angry, just miffed, unsettled.
It makes me wonder just what is going on inside a persons head when on the surface, they seem so caring in their earth service and yet just under the surface, they are so caught up in the cause and their belief, they turn into raging judgmental maniacs. If you do not agree with their belief system..then hate reeks from their pours and hits everyone around!! all in the name of "love" to them...They hisssss angry words to condemn the non-conformers and yet in their own eyes are admirable..I have even seen them say a human should be killed because of a mistake that rubbed their belief the wrong way..Kill another?? of your own?? in the name of good?? What the heck is that??? I am always trying to stay positive and yet so many things (terrible things) have been done "in the name of love" and justified in the eyes of the believer. I am sure that is not what our Creator had in mind, when we are to love one another. I guess I am venting my thoughts, but People...We still have to respect all peoples views and treat each with dignity and kindness, even if they are different than our deep down convictions.If we don't we make love a placebo..it works sometimes and other time not.Wouldn't want that on my conscience..How about you??

"What Can You Do Without??"

It is moving day for us in 5 days. Ouch, can I get it all done? I have moved so many times it's not funny. Being in the military and buying and upgrading houses have put me in that situation.I have realized though as I go through my life, that I am automatically getting rid of "things" I have no use for. I guess I really didn't realize it until just recently during this move. I don't have a need to cling to "things" anymore. One by one they end up at a charity and in someone elses hands.
I am not quite sure why, but I have a feeling it has to do with growing spiritually.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy the best life has to offer and the blessings God provides, it's just, I don't have a need for all that luggage. Just because you don't have "stuff" doesn't make you poor, just the opposite for me..FREEDOM!!
We live in a throw away world. They make all things we buy that way now, so I guess I figure, if I buy it used, that is one less thing that will litter our earth in the big "throw away junk pile". I learned long ago from my dad, used is "better" than new on so many levels. I want to commit to using something till it is unusable, then it can be tossed, but I think it unkind to humanity to change your perfectly good new granite counter top just because you don't like the color!! That, to me, is nuts.
I am just a stickler for buying good used things and taking care of them and even giving them to someone else to use after me, a recycling in my mind.
The next time you go out to shop for a big ticket item, maybe entertain the idea of used and our dumps will decrease in size. Your effort in this can make a huge difference.
I mean what really do we "need"??
Dee Hall

"Don't Be Afraid"

Spring has Sprung and I am filled with new desire to GROW this year searching for the more perfect way!!!I have discovered most of my life has been filled with fear...fear of everything..but mostly fear that I may end up in a not so nice spiritual place..I know many of you struggle with that deep down inside,as we have been taught about "hell" since our first touch with Christianity..I have to admit, that at a few points in my spiritual walk..it was on my mind so much it destroyed the joy I know I am supposed to have.
Fear and respect are 2 very different things, and I think we get caught up in this dimension (physical) that we forget perfect love casts out fear...God is not in the business of lurking around walls to catch us at every failure...He is in the business of helping us up when we fall and clapping( so to speak) when we succeed..and smiling on us even when we mess up.If I had a physical dad that was as mean as some Christians make our God out to be..I would walk in FEAR and continually doubt myself..and therefor be no good to anyone at all.
Jesus is trying to enlighten people of His day to understand that to grow Spiritually we must look to Him as our example and think of God as a Father figure....Even though we know God is not a figure of any sort...but to the Jews..that "Father figure" was a big jump!!! They didn't even say His name...Jesus said now you can call Him FATHER..WOW.
When fear grabs you about the unknown..think of your children and the grace you would give them if they messed up and you are not far from from where God is..I know this.