Rambling Thoughts - Mar 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone, even if you're not Irish!


I am both saddened and heartbroken over the loss of my dear friend. The memorial service at Richmond Hill Presbyterian on the 11th was good as good can be under the circumstances. I found myself smiling at the eulogy that the pastor gave. 'Sounds just like him' I kept saying to myself. I feel blessed to finally meet some of his family. Ian was a private man - as I am - so it was nice to meet his sisters Susan and Cindy. Funerals, like a wedding, does that to a family. The dynamic of a family dealing with tragedy or triumph is a marvel to behold.

On a personal note, my second career ambitions are moving along swimmingly. No confirmation from the school board yet. The process began on March 9th and it takes at least three weeks before the educrats look at your case. A bit of selfish prayer is indeed called for! God willing, I'll begin a full year of paralegal classes on April 20th at TriOS college Mississauga campus. June is the alternate start date. Soon as I get word, I'll post it here. I've not worked a minute since December and my funds are starting to dry up. My EI kicks in in May for 38 weeks. After that, Employment Ontario will hopefully bridge that 14 week gap for living expenses. It sucks being unemployed. Without working you feel like a dead weight.

I was pondering about this personal journey. Namely, you have to exercise patience to allow God's plan for you to unfold. Speeding it up leaves you vulnerable. Too slow and you miss out on God's best. This process of getting all you ducks lined up in a row is one that doesn't happen overnight. Yet like a cat with nine lives I've always somehow managed to land on my own feet. God's firm hand is guiding my situation. I'm now a licensed and certified security guard able to work anywhere in Ontario. Tomorrow I'll be dropping by three (or four) security companies in Toronto to drop off resumes. Wish me luck!

There's something to be said about keeping things simple. Simplicity equals sanity. Order over chaos. Today I went through every link in my sidebar. Faith Girl has not posted since May 2008 and so has been removed from my contributors list. I will try to contact her to see if I can get her back in the fold. Faith Girl's favorites, News Links and New World Order are no more. I am excited over my new addition 'Muslims Curious About Christianity'. I've noticed that I often get visitors from non-Christian countries such as India, Dubai and Malaysia (to name a few). What a tremendous gift it would be if a Muslim (or Hindu) chooses Christ as a result of my foresight. Islam is one of the major religions in the world and I believe it's vital Muslims hear about the promise of salvation that only Christ can offer. They may agree. They may disagree. But make no mistake! A face to face meeting with Biblical truth leaves one without excuse. Truth demands personal responsibility. No wonder so many despise it!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the new and improved X-Def. If you know of any relevant links you'd like me to add (or reinstate) please leave a comment. Be specific! Saying 'your blog sucks' isn't going to be highly regarded as an effective form of communication. I've linked the Canadian flag and Johnny Cash picture too. They now lead to cbc.ca and johnnycash.com respectively. Links that were off-topic, obsolete, unreadable or not up to date have been deleted. It's amazing how far behind you get when you don't update your blog on a regular basis. I hope you like the result.

Johnny Cash

Faith and Obedience

I have just had a truly amazing experience that I simply had to share with you. On Sunday, my Pastor preached a message that has proven to be life altering for me. He spoke about Saul in the book of I Samuel, and how he was chosen by Samuel to be the first King of Israel. However, we go on to learn that he was chosen largely because of his physical size and good looks. God gave Saul a number of jobs to do, and in the beginning, Saul was successful. Over time, however, he rejected God by relying on his own abilities rather than on God’s power and promises. In the end, Saul’s rejection of God resulted in God’s rejection of Saul and Saul’s ultimate failure. God had called Saul to simply be faithful and obedient to God and trust God to fulfill His word, not to try to do it all with his own brains and muscle. Saul trusted his own abilities over God’s. The battle is not ours.

As I drove home, I thought about some of the doubts I had struggled with in terms of my own ability to be a good youth leader. A few years ago, I had stood in church praising God and seeking His will in my life when He spoke to me. He told me to teach His children to fear Him and to love Him. I knew then that my life of service would be in the form of teaching the young people in our church. I was (and am still) profoundly honored. Yet as I prepare for my youth group each week and pray and study the lessons I will teach, I am always bothered by a small voice nagging me, telling me that I am not good enough because I am not a ‘pastor’. True, I never attended Bible College, so each week I would worry and study and try to memorize in the attempt to give my best to God and my youth. But just as Saul had been appointed to a position by God and then tried to do it with his own strengths, so was I. That path will lead to failure. The story of Saul showed me that God will make up for my lacking. He doesn’t need me to be the most learned scholar in the world, nor do I need to be a world class public speaker. I simply need to be faithful and obedient to what God had called me to do. The battle is not mine.

Next step: I prayed, “God, what do you want me to do to prepare? What is the next step?” I felt led to read the Bible. (I had really hoped He wouldn’t ask me to do that. Sometimes, I find the Bible a little overwhelming and confusing.) But where do I start? How do I know if I am understanding it properly without years of Theology? So many questions. Again and again, doubting my ability.
A spiritual hush.
Just be obedient. Have faith in Me.
So, I picked up my bible.
Where do I begin?
I Peter.
I began at the beginning. As I read my mind kept asking me, “Are you sure this is where God wants you to read? Why start at I Peter? Why not start at the beginning?” I kept reading. I read all of Chapter 1, and moved on to the reading of the notes on the bottom of the page. That is when I saw it. My notes for 1:17 began “Reverent Fear” and went on to discuss its meaning. Further on my notes for 1:22 began “Sincere Love” and continued to talk about its meaning. There it was in black and white. All those years ago I was told to teach His children two things, to fear and to love Him. I put my Bible down and wept. I felt like God was giving me a pat on the back telling me I’d finally figured it out. This isn’t my job I am doing, it is His. I am simply meant to be obedient and faithful to Him. If I do those things, God’s Will will be done. The battle is not mine, the job is not mine, the glory is not mine, it is His. Our job is not to figure it out and make it work. If we are faithful and obedient the battle will be won by God’s power and for His glory. Hallelujah!

Praise you Father God for Your faithfulness to us. Thank you that never expect more from us than we are able to provide. Thank you for Your word which is both Holy and trustworthy. You never fail to give help to those who ask for it and your love in unfailing. You do not grow tired of hearing from us and you will never leave of forsake us. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Amen.

Fear Not - May 7

Two weeks ago, I went for my physical. I had avoided it for 3 years and knew I really should go. So I booked my appointment and by the time I walked out of my doctor's office I had been informed that I would need to wear a heart monitor for two weeks to monitor what seemed to be an irregular heartbeat, an ultrasound of an abnormal thyroid and an ultrasound of a suspicious breast lump. I walked out of the office feeling a little old, and a little scared. We have a rather extensive history of cancer in my family, particularly breast cancer. As I made my way down to the lab for a roster of blood work and an ECG it hit me. The doctor thinks I might have cancer. Now, I am not one for crying in public, but the reality of it brought to mind thoughts of my three little girls growing up without a mom and the tears just came. I couldn't hold them back. I got my blood work and other assorted tests done and sought refuge in the car. I called my husband who offered some supportive responses and then I took a few deep breaths and pulled myself together. The other things I'd heard about didn't scare me like the chance of battling cancer. I sat in my car feeling small and alone and began to pray. God is the only One who is in charge anyways, so I figured I'd cry out to Him. As I sat there just thinking on Him, some words came to me. "Fear not, only believe." God was telling me not to be afraid. I took comfort in that and as I drove home, I thought about those four simple words. "Fear not, only believe." Did that mean I didn't have cancer? Maybe. That longer I thought on it the more I realized that it really held no clue as to my diagnosis. No promises that I would live to see 100. It simply meant that no matter what the outcome is, I don't need to be afraid. No matter what happens, God will be with me and ultimately, I will be with Him in eternal glory. Our God is a God of love, not fear. He loves my children even more than I do. His plan is perfect, and however this turns out, God will take care of His children, whether here, or in the eternity that follows. "Fear not, only believe. "..trust...have faith....smile...it will be alright...I am with you. I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. I will have more results in a few weeks, but God has filled me with peace and joy. I am no longer afraid of what lies ahead of me. God is in charge and He loves me and He holds all things in His hands. FEAR NOT, ONLY BELIEVE. Who am I to argue? I choose faith over fear.

The Ones Who Fall Through The Cracks - Feb 19

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

On Sunday we had the pleasure of hosting some people from Teen Challenge Ministries. We heard testimony from two men who have successfully completed the year long program for drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation. These men shared how they were in and out of jail. How they did anything to get their next fix. How they hated themselves for it, and knew they needed help. How they turned to Teen Challenge Ministries in their last moment of desperation and were taken in, counselled and saved, both physically and spiritually. Teen Challenge Ministries has a 70% success rate for their drug and alcohol rehab program. The stats are so high because it is a Christ centered program. These men come out of this experience cleansed and made whole on the most fundemental of levels. They truly are made new in Christ. Praise God!

But sitting there, listening to this I thought of how these men had gone from sheer darkness and despair to a place where they were surrounded by the perfect love of God. Don't get me wrong, it is amazing how changed they are, but I thought of the people who fall in between the two extremes. People who are caught up in the life of drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality and partying....and loving it. Those are the ones God has put on my heart. They have no idea how much they need God because they haven't hit rock bottom. Some of them never will. They will go on to get married, have children, maybe get divorced, manage to rise in the business world and live a reasonably functional life. These are the ones who slip through the cracks. These are the ones who never think they need help, therefore never reach out, and ultimately are lost. So often in life we forget there are only two sides. If you are not in God's kingdom, then by default you are in Satan's. There is no middle ground. Not believing in Satan doesn't make him any less real. As a matter of fact, the Devil's best cover is to have people not believe in him. If we doubt he exists, then we will not be looking for the ways he tries to destroy us and seperate us from God.

In light of this, I ask you to pray for those people who live their lives in the gray area that is every bit as much Satan's kingdom as that black emptiness. Pray for God to open their eyes to see the truth. There is only one way and one truth and one light. We all need Christ. Those party people who think they are happy, only think this because they have never experienced the true joy that Christ offers. Let's pray that God will give them something to compare their version of 'happy' to.

Faith Girl

The X-Def: On To Year Three! - Feb 9

This February the 12th this humble little blog will be celebrating its second anniversary. I'm sort of jumping the gun here but its not every day I get to pat myself on the back. As you may have noticed, there's been a few changes. I've always liked the idea of sticking to 'The Man' and Satan's minions for the glory of God. Hence the new blurb under the title. It's shorter and more mature sounding. That to me is what Christianity is all about.

The X-Def Sidebar

I thought the Canadian flag was an addition that was long overdue. The title over Johnny Cash's picture and the Religion of Peace is gone too. I've deleted 'Fun Stuff' and re-distributed my 'Rogues and Scallywags'. The IRIS Seismic Monitor has been bumped around and so I finally gave it its own header in 'Mother Nature, Father God' along with three others. I've also changed the order around somewhat. I would recommend to those who visit this blog regularly is to check the sidebar frequently for new additions. I'm always looking to improve the X-Def both in terms of quantity and quality.

An Angel of Light

I would like to thank Faith Girl for her input as well. I curse the fact that she has a slow internet connection and is unable to post more frequently (no post as of yet in 2008). I always enjoy her insight. Thank you Faith Girl for your friendship.

My Friend the Anti-Semite

Sadly I wish I could say the same about dizzyfatplonka, my English friend with whom I had a falling out. When you start a relationship with someone and they don't turn out to be the person you thought they were there's a definite sense of betrayal. No person who hates the Jews and the land of Israel will have a place in God's kingdom. I don't hate the man, on the contrary I care very much about his eternal state. So I pray that DFP will one day find the true light of salvation in Jesus Christ and fall in love with God's people. Until then I have no use for him.

Let's get to some local news that's been burning a hole in my pocket.

Canada's Slide Into Oblivion

Under the Canadian flag on the sidebar I've written 'God keep our land glorious and free', a line from our national anthem. It's funny but in the bilingual version that line is curiously omitted. Don't want to offend French and secularist sensibilities! While God will always be God regardless of what we do, we still have an obligation to ourselves to keep vigilant. Call it 'death by a thousand cuts' if you will. However, the end result is still the same.

Here's one story that caught my eye. In Ontario, Muslim women in polygamous marriages are now receiving welfare benefits. What the....? This is unacceptable. This shows how far we've slid into a moral abyss. If there's one thing us good socialist Canadians care about is our commitment to a secular-progressive, godless nanny state. Onwards comrades! So if marriage is no longer a union of one man and one woman for life, then what is it? Thanks to gay rights, marriage is now a union of two people, any two will do. But why stop there? Why not three people? Why not four, five or six? Why stop at adult human beings? Bestiality as a 'right'? Why not? Just find a lawyer and a sympathetic judge to hear your case and away you go! If pedophiles simply cannot help themselves I suppose we have to recognize their rights as well. Anarchy in the streets and in the courts becomes the natural result. The assault on decency continues.


Let's be perfectly clear: Canada will always have enemies, be they foreign or domestic. We need to stop apologizing for being free. Once you abandon the Biblical standard of truth anything goes. Unfortunately for us, it's the elites that decide the truth for us and we'd better like it. Is this the kind of world you want to live in? Cause that's exactly where we're headed. Truth offends so let's get rid of it. Sacrificing truth upon the altar of expediency for the sake of some kind of illusory harmony is but sheer nonsense.

Johnny Cash

Enjoying Christmas While We're Still Allowed - Nov 24

Some prophetic warnings about the latter days:

They shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and kill you: you will be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Then shall many be offended, and betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets shall rise and deceive many. Iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold. But he that endures unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:9-13

Check this picture out:


Your eyes are not deceiving you. This upside-down Christmas tree (Sorry, didn't mean to use the 'C' word) is apparently being offered at Lowe's Hardware stores. Actually, Lowe's sells only 'Family Trees' and all references to Christmas (save two instances) in their catalogue have been removed. As Warner Todd Huston points out:

Christmas is still under attack if not by direct, anti-Christian design, then by the cultural neglect born of the legal department by many of our corporations. The fact that they are merely doing it for their own protection does not make it any less an erosion of our culture and traditions.

We should see this kind of attacks against Christmas traditions for what they are: Malicious and frivilous. What will be required to resist this cultural jihad? Leaders in the corporate world that have courage, fortitude, and a backbone for one. Judges who are more interested in upholding the law than 'judicial activism'. Finally, politicians (gulp!) who will fight for our Christian heritage. Participation in the Christmas season is optional and is left up to the individual. This is as it should be in a free and open society. But do not trample my right to participate in the holiday season because of your intolerance.

Do check out Faith Girl's latest post. I posted the same day so many of you might have missed it. See? Even the most devout amongst us get sidetracked by all the hustle and bustle. Sometimes it takes a child to remind us of God's great gift to humanity. You can also view my Christmas rant here.

I hope you enjoyed my endorsement of Mike Huckabee and his call for a 'Fair Tax'. I highly recommend Ian's comment that he left behind on my post. Thank you sir for your insight. Here's an update (pdf format only) answering some of the questions that've been raised.

God's warning to us still rings true today. From the GFA, a story about anti-Christian extremists attacking two GFA missionaries in Haryana, India. I'm deeply moved by the fact that all this suffering that these missionairies endure is counted as 'privilege'.

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:36-39

Johnny Cash

Wii Wish You a Merry Christmas

It was Monday morning, the kids were in school and I was on a mission. I was hunting for a coveted Nintendo Wii system. It was at the top of all three of my children's wish lists... and as I was about to find out, it was apparently at the top of many other people's wish lists too.

I sat at my desk at 9:30 in my PJs (the joys of a stay-at -home mom) with my second cup of coffee and pulled out the good old fashioned phone book. My attack plan was to look up all the numbers of stores that may sell the system.

By 9:45 I had about 20 different numbers. I made the first call, "Yes, good morning. I'm calling to see if you have any Nintendo Wiis in stock." The kid on the other end of the line informed me that they'd received a shipment on Saturday but were sold out in a couple of hours. They didn't know when the next shipment was coming in. They couldn't hold any. They couldn't put me on a call or waiting list. During the next 15 minutes I ran through all my numbers with the same results. The best advice they could give me: Call every day and be prepared to jump in the car and get down to the store before they sold out.

I hung up the phone with one number left to try. To be honest, I really expected the same response from the last place, but I dialed anyways. "Good morning, I was wondering if there was even a remote possibility that you might have a Nintendo Wii in stock." A lady with a wonderful southern accent answered, "As a matter of fact we just got a shipment of 12." I nearly fell off my chair. "Can you hold one for me?" I asked. "No, I'm sorry we can't do that." She replied. "I can give you my VISA number." I offered. "I'm sorry ma'am. It's strictly first come first served." She replied.

Well, in a panic I dressed, skipped the teeth brushing and the hair brushing and the make-up and tore off in the car. I was a half hour drive from the store... I made it in fifteen minutes. The whole time I was driving I had this vision of me running into the store just as the last Wii was being packaged for someone who was two minutes ahead of me. I swung into a parking spot and ran full tilt into the store - I nearly bowled a sales associate over in my haste- ran up to the lady at the counter and panted, "I called. Do you still have any left?" They had eight left. She kindly agreed to put one aside for me (I wasn't allowed to put it into my cart until I payed for it) while I picked up extra nun chucks and Wiimotes so all three kids could play. Ten minutes later - with the crazy panic madman glint starting to leave my eye - I was being checked out. There was one Wii left. The man behind me asked for it, but he needed a nun chuck and the shelves were empty. "I'll just run upstairs and get you one." the sales girl said and ran off.

As I was paying for mine, a second man came in and asked for a Wii. The lady behind the counter took the last one out of the box and began to ring it through just as the sales girl came back with the nun chuck. "Excuse me." the first man said to the second one, rather aggressively, "But that Wii is mine, I was just waiting for a nun chuck." The lady behind the counter jumped in, "I'm sorry sir, but we can't hold Wiis." Then the sales girl tried to explain that he was just waiting for her to come back before he paid for it.

Well, I paid for my Wii and left as the argument got worse. I walked away from a couple of grown men who looked ready step over their own mother to get their hands on a gaming system. As I stepped out into the fresh air I had a paranoid moment where I pictured someone tackling me from behind and running off with my Wii.

I smiled to myself as I settled into the car as I thought about how crazy people can get during the holiday season. The smile didn't last as I drove home and my thoughts changed. How sad that we are willing to go so crazy for material things. I was suddenly embarrassed by my desperation. I preach to my children, "Christmas isn't about what you get under the tree. Jesus was the best gift of all." But I had to admit, that Monday morning, the only thing on my mind was getting a hold of a Wii. At that moment, a Wii seemed like the most important thing on Christmas morning. I felt like without it, Christmas would have been a disappointment.

That afternoon when my kids got off the bus, they saw the list I'd left on my desk with the list of stores and a note next to each saying 'Wii sold out' . My youngest came up to me and slipped her little hand in mine. She looked up at me with her big brown eyes full of love and she smiled. "Don't worry Mommy. I saw your note and I know you tried your best." She assured me. My eyes filled with tears as I swept her up into a big bear hug. I laughed to myself as I realized I had put more importance on the Wii than they had. I came first in their hearts. People before things. "Besides, the best gift ever was from God. He gave us Jesus." She finished. The wisdom of a child.

Faith Girl

Our Hope - Sep 18

Nearly two weeks ago my grandmother died.

She was 87 years old and in the last 2 or 3 years her health and mental state took a rapid downward spiral. She passed away in the presence of her 7 children and their husbands or wives at home in bed. Her final words to each of them was a whisper that required all of her final energy. 'I love you'. She told them with a tremulous, yet peaceful smile. What more perfect last words are there?

A service was held for her on the weekend. The first five rows were for family - children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I sat in the fifth row looking out at her legacy and thought, 'Wow, look at what you started!'. Many of her children tearfully went to the podium and with great effort managed to speak of her life and what she meant to them. The theme was always one of love. How loved she was as a mother and how she loved them as her children and grandchildren. Precious memories shared by many of us.

However, as I listened through the tears and the sniffles, something stuck me. Though all of her children were grieving, some were truly broken. The eulogies went on and near the end, it occured to me why some were more devastated than others. My grandmother was a follower of Christ and all of her children were raised in the faith, but not all of them had stayed close to the Lord in their adult years. To most of my aunts and uncles, this was not goodbye, this was 'See you in Heaven'. For them there is hope in the promise of Christ, that through Him we will not die but have everlasting life. We all knew where my grandmother was. She was safe, in the arms of a God whom we love, trust and are in a relationship with. To those of us with faith, she was not truly gone. She is simply waiting to see us again.

Then there were her other children. They sobbed and were overwhelmed by grief, believing that they had lost their mother forever. It broke my heart to see they had no hope, no promise. To them she was simply dead. Gone forever... and it crushed them.

During the time of gathering afterwards we had a chance to minister to those who were without faith and hope. But on my way home I was still in awe of the difference. God is so good and He offers us such hope and promise. He is just so loving and faithful. In truth, we spend very little time on this earth compared to eternity in Heaven. Those we love who go before us into Heaven wait but the blink of an eye to be with us again. And once we are together again, we stay with each other and Christ forever.

To me, just as my grandmother's last words to her children were 'I love you'. When God gathers us to Him as we leave this world, I believe His words will be the same. 'I love you'.

Lord, thank you so much for the priceless gift of hope you give to us. I can't imagine grieving without the promise of being reunited with our loved ones again. You are so full of love for us, and you always love us no matter where we are or how we feel about You. I pray your hand upon those who mourn without you. Please comfort them, and help us to be truly grateful for the gift of each day. All good thing come from You. Amen.

Faith Girl

The Poem of a Child

Living
is like flying a
kite. There is a beginning and an
end to the journey and
lots of obstacles will try to stop
you. But I will
never turn back. My self-confidence will never
end. It
shall pick me up when I fall and give me
strength so I can finish the journey.

My 10 year old, Emma, showed me this poem. It is word for word the way she wrote it. I cried when she read it to me. The depth of it touched my heart and spoke to me of a child who knows she is valuable, she matters and she is able. It spoke to me of hope, and a bright future. It told me that all of the times I have said, "God made you special. He loves you and wouldn't change a hair on your head. You matter to the one who created the Heavens and the Earth." She listened.

I was reminded of a message from our Pastor. He spoke of the shooting at Virginia Tech where a young man went into the Science area and opened fire killing many innocents and then himself. He had released tapes to the news, and in them he said he did it so he would matter. Pastor went on to say that he couldn't help but wonder if this boy had been told the message of Christ's love for us, and His gift of salvation things might have turned out differently.

I thought of all the kids who come out to BG Club, many of whom do not go to church. Every single one of those kids gets told that they matter. They matter to us, they matter to God. They matter so much to God that He sent His only Son, Jesus to die for them. That's the kind of love we tell these kids they are worthy of. That's the kind of love that inspires the self-confident hope that I saw in Emma's poem.

Lord, I am honored to be used by You to reach these lives and tell them You love them. Such a simple yet powerful message. Life changing. Please let this sink in to their minds and hearts. Let it affect their actions now and for the rest of their lives. Thank-you for the chance to make a difference.

Faith Girl

You can also find the same post at Belinda's Whatever He Says blog in it's original form. JC

Remember Canada Fitness Day?

On Wednesday, I spent the afternoon baking in the sun, timing races at my children's' school. It was track and field day.

When I was in grade school, it was called Canada Fitness day. I hated it, especially the endurance run. I was never overweight, but it was the 80s, and lets face it, you can't pull off the teased hair, miniskirt-with-hot-pink-leg-warmer look and still be cool doing the 100 meter dash. I was always last in every race. I never made it over the high jump more than once, ball throw was a write-off, and during triple and long jump I'd swear someone put lead in my sneakers. All in all, I dreaded it.

As do my children. By the end of the day, they were physically ill from the heat and sun. I lathered them up several times with SPF 40, but being in full sun from 9 - 3 proved to be too much. Thursday they were home sick. Sunburned and suffering from heatstroke - mild, but still unpleasant.

I was reminded of a news story I'd seen several months ago about an 8 year old boy who was running up and down the stairs at school as part of the new government recommended DPA (Daily Physical Activity) who dropped dead of a heart attack. This boy was a healthy - and slightly overweight - 8 year old. When I was in school we had phys-ed teachers who were trained in things like CPR. Now, due to cut-backs gym teachers are just regular classroom teachers with little training should a child pass out or have a heart attack from overexertion.

Fortunately, Wednesday's track meeting was without incident, but that was pure luck. Those poor kids looked like boiled lobsters by the end of the day. I can't help but think that with the number of obese children on the rise, the number of deaths like that 8 year old boy will also rise. When will the government stop looking at the dollar and start looking at the faces of the children who are affected by it? Could that little boy have been saved by timely CPR or even the use of a defibrillator? These are the questions we should be asking in to those in charge of school funding.

Faith Girl

Government Favoritism In Our Schools - Mar 30

True, high school is still 3 years away for my eldest daughter, but as a mom I want to be prepared. Most of her friends will graduate grade 8 and start grade 9 in a huge (and poorly rated) secular high school. They'll be taught the theory of evolution as fact. They'll be taught how to put a condom on, how to protect yourself from STDs, how having a homosexual relationship is okay and even acceptable forms of birth control. As a matter of fact, those kids will be taught every form of birth control with one exception: Abstinence. Apparently it's unrealistic. Young Christian teens will have to wade through all kinds of unbelievers in hopes of finding someone to date who loves the Lord like they do. This is why secular school is NOT an option for me.

Catholic School. There's one close by. I can only assume they will not be exposed to so much in their Health classes, and it is paid for by the government..... but we aren't Roman Catholic. I called the school and was amazed to learn that not all the students were Catholic. Turns out they didn't need to be. "Great!" I thought as I hung up the phone, "Kind of defeats the purpose of Catholic school." Since the government decided to give the Catholic school board public funding, their numbers have gone up dramatically. Parents with troubled teens seem to think that 'A good Catholic school will straighten them out.' Okay, so now Catholic school is out too.

Homeschooling? Well I'll be honest, that's about as far as that idea went.

Last choice: Christian school. I called the principal. Nice guy who loves God and teaches abstinence as the only acceptable form of birth control. The school was full of Christian kids, Christian teachers and a Christian principal. It offered a good group of kids for my girls to interact with. I hung up the phone and smiled to myself. "At last, a choice I could live with." That was until I looked up the fees on the internet. Long story short, I'm looking at around $12, 000.00 a year to send my daughter to a Christian high school.

Here's my beef: Why are Catholic schools paid for by the government and not Christian ones? Are they really so different? Where does the issue of equality fit into all this? My taxes go to the two schools that don't represent my beliefs, and then I have to pay to a third school (Christian) on top of all the taxes in order to find one that does.

I guess the irony of it all is that if the government DID pay for the Christian high school, it wouldn't be full of exclusively Christian kids. It would be very much like the Catholic schools have become.

I can only assume that this is yet another example of government favoritism.

To Bubble Wrap Or Not To Bubble Wrap - Mar 7

I'm back! I haven't posted in a few weeks. Time seems to slip away so quickly some weeks. I was watching an interesting program on CTS last week and it really made me think. It was about how we 'bubble wrap' our kids. The man was comparing how we lived as kids to how we let our kids live now. Children simply aren't allowed to take the risks we did as children - and for the record, I just turned 32, so we're not talking all that long ago. He said that this is one of the reasons that children are experimenting with drugs and other dangerous activities as teens. They want to feel that sense of adventure, the rush of adrenaline that they were sheltered from as children.

I turned off the TV and thought about it. I live in the same house I did as a child. We have 11 acres and a forest behind our house that is in all honesty no more dangerous than it was 25 years ago. When I was 10 - maybe even younger - my younger brother and I would play for hours back there - all alone. We'd climb trees, build forts, catch frogs in the pond, I can even remember getting lost and finding my way home on more than one occasion. We'd walk a quarter mile down the road - alone - to a friend's house. We'd ride our bikes around the sideroads for hours - alone. My brother was once given a pocket knife when he was 9 or 10. He got cut and needed stitches but he learned to treat it carefully after that. There would be bumps and falls and sometimes - in retrospect - dangerous situations, but parents didn't worry unless you weren't home for suppertime. Were they bad, irresponsible parents? No. It was just the way most kids were raised at the time.

Then I had to ask myself why there wasn't a single thing on that list that I would allow my 10 year old to do. Some I could justify. "There are some bad people out there who could abduct my girls if I let them near the road alone. Times are different." Okay, so I convinced myself that kids on roads are less safe. But there's no way my 10 year old would be allowed in my forest for hours without a grown up. Why? The forest is not near the road and is simply NOT more dangerous now than it was 25 years ago. Am I guilty of 'bubble wrapping' my children? Have I doomed them to a future of adventure seeking activities? Where do you draw the line, and what makes you an overprotective parent as compared to an irresponsible parent?

Any one from my generation and before me, I'd love some input. I know God's hand is over them, but He's given me a responsibility too.

Faith Girl

The Christian Defender - One Year Later - Feb 12

Go ahead and try to blow out THIS candle. Preferably without spitting on your computer screen of course.

Yes friends, it's time to celebrate! The Christian Defender is now officially one year old! You can view my first post here and Faith Girl's first post here as well. Keep in mind the X-Def wasn't nearly as polished as it is now. Fact is, I'm still working on it! I'd also like to thank many of you, especially my English friend DizzyFatPlonka (still have no idea what that is) who has been with me from early on. DFP my friend, I hope to one day meet you face to face. I'd also like to thank Belinda, Concerned, Joe S. at JihadiDuJour, CottShop at Sacred Scoop, Gareth at BNP and Me and all the rest of you who have dropped by and left a comment. Hey, even if you didn't leave a comment but still enjoyed my posts I would also like to thank you for your time. My special gratitude however is reserved for none other than Faith Girl. This wonderful Christian woman is not just a contributor here at the X-Def, she is also a true friend of mine. Thank you Faith Girl to you, your three little ones and to your parents for showing me warmth and kindness.

With all those accolades out of the way, I want to make a belated mission statement here. You see, when I started this blog in February of 2006 I had no idea it would still be up and running a year from that time. Indeed, we have come a long way from total obscurity to at least some recognition. The focus of this blog has always been centered on the person of Jesus Christ. Without Him and my previous military experience I would in all likelihood be either dead or in jail. I don't think I'm exaggerating either. I truly believe that God has blessed me with His grace and wisdom. It is my solemn vow to you, my dear reader, that His name be lifted up and glorified above all other names for the duration of my blogging efforts.

For me, blogging was never about being a show-off or being some kind of smart-ass (although I'm still guilty of that charge from time to time). All this B.S. about Liberal vs. Conservative, Republican vs. Democrat, Right Wing vs. Left Wing (politics, not hockey!) is pure nonsense. It's always been about getting it Biblically correct, not politically correct. My sole concern was getting the whole picture and to see things from God's POV. A tough task to be sure, but a much-needed one in this day of confusion. We live in a dangerous time my friend, where telling the truth can get you hurt, black-balled or just plain old-fashioned dead. We also live in a time where true Biblical love is in some serious short supply. Lots of lust and expediency to be sure, but little in the way of love that Jesus practiced and preached. To wit:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Mt 22:37-40)

You see, Christ's message still resonates with the hearts and minds of men and women today. God's command to us is to love one another as we would want to be loved. That's it. It's not a difficult concept really if you think about it. So many are seeking love through fame and fortune, yet few celebrities, the so-called 'beautiful people' of this world, seem to be able to find it. Love is in short supply all over, from entire regions like the ME and certainly in places like Iraq. It's in demand in churches and in homes, in love-starved marriages and in strained relationships. So my 'thing' is this: Love God with your whole heart and don't hold back. When you do so you'll find it much easier to forgive and forget past slights. That's where the whole 'loving your neighbour' bit comes in. Show mercy and mercy will be shown unto you. Hatred, bitterness and resentment has no place in a Christian heart. That to me is what it's all about. Always has been and always will be. I hope you enjoyed this first year as much as Faith Girl and I did. Here's hoping Year Two will be even better.

Johnny Cash

Politically Incorrect - Feb 6

I was watching CTS TV earlier and I saw something that disturbed me as a Christian parent. Apparently, British Columbia is the test case for a new spin on the sex-ed in high school. They are introducing gay and lesbian lifestyles as a normal, acceptable choice for teens. This is being done in relative secrecy. They are making a point of NOT asking the parents what they think and just teaching the kids what they want. They are also NOT ALLOWING PARENTS to excuse their children from this section of the curriculum. This makes me angry. Since when are parents no longer allowed to impose their moral or religious beliefs at public school? Okay, so they took out the Lord's Prayer, they made it really hard for Christian clubs to function in school, and you need a signed form from parents to listen to the Gideons and get your own free Bible....All this not to step on toes...But what about OUR toes?

As a Christian mom I believe that Homosexuality is wrong. Politically incorrect or not. The Bible says that a man should not lie down with another man and a woman should not lie down with another woman. Plain and simple. I believe that if God says "Don't do it" you don't do it. It's not rocket science. What other people want to believe or teach their children is up to them, but I want the right to teach my children my beliefs, NOT the world's.

If the school want to teach something, I can't stop them, BUT let the parents know and give them a choice! I have no problem with homosexuals -after all, Jesus died for them too - but that doesn't mean I agree with their lifestyle, and that doesn't mean a teacher should be teaching my children to accept it as 'right'.

Single Christian Woman Seeks Single Christian Man

The title is sure to attract attention. What if it went on to say that she was 31, never married, attractive and well educated? Sound even better? How about including the fact that she loves God and is looking for a serious relationship that could lead to marriage?

I can imagine that the ad would attract men mostly from the same age group who also had a love for Christ and were looking for something serious.

Okay, so what would happen if I added this: Mother of a 10 year old and a 6 month old, both of whom have different fathers.

Does it make a difference? Let's be honest, of course it does. But should it?

I have a friend who accepted Jesus last year when she was six months pregnant. As a result, her life changed. She stopped living with the father of the baby who had no intention of ever marrying her. She started coming to church, quit the bar scene and cleaned up her life. No one could pick her out of a congregation and know that she led an unsaved life up until last year. Well, except for the fact that she has two children sitting next to her. But where does that leave her? She comes to a small church with an almost non-existent supply of single Christian men. Where can she go to meet single Christian men? They certainly don't hang out at bars and it's really hard to get to know someone in the two minutes you see them before and after service.

My second question is: Will a single Christian man care about the children? Let's be honest, if not for the grace of God a lot of women could find themselves in her boat. She's a wonderful woman who would make a great wife but wonders if that'll happen. Does God intend for her to be alone? I don't think so.

Jesus forgives. Jesus loves. Jesus lifts us up. Jesus gives us a new life. Where do kids fit into this?

Any suggestions or honest thoughts would be appreciated. Here is the sum-up question: Is there hope for women who turn over a new leaf and want to make a fresh start under God... but not end up alone?

Faith Girl

Love - Jan 15

Love. Such a small and yet complicated word. The love that is on my heart today is not romantic love or even friendship or family love. It is more the power of loving someone consciously. I know it sounds weird, but bear with me. There is a person in my life who I don't like to be with. I don't dislike them, but I do dislike many things about them. When you feel like this about someone, I find your words and thoughts about them tend to be somewhat unkind. God recently showed me some goodness in this same person and I felt a spark of liking toward them. The more I saw them, the more I decided that I was wrong to judge them. I began to make an effort to bless them, to love them. I spoke kind and encouraging words to them, went out of my way to do nice things for them...To show love for them. As I did this, I realized that the love I was showing them became a truly genuine expression. It was both a blessing to them and to me. The love made the little irritations I'd disliked before seem so much smaller, and the less I focused on them, the more I liked the person.

This love that I am referring to is Christ's love for all of us. It makes a huge difference to not only the other person, but also to what kind of person we are. There is an intoxicating joy that comes from blessing someone for no other reason that to show them love. I challenge everyone to try it with someone...Let's face it, we all have people in our lives we aren't crazy about. But lets get crazy about them...After all, God is!

Faith Girl

The Power of Words - Dec 7

It has been a while since my last post. I've been down with a cold and have taken on a new job, so I've been trying to get my life back on track.

This particular thought today is a very personal one, but one that I feel is worthy of examination. Words hurt! Do you ever notice that the Devil kicks you when you're down? It never ceases to amaze me how he can use the people close to you to attack you. My husband is not a church attender, or a pray-er or someone who feels God takes an active, personal interest in people's lives. He doesn't feel the kid's club I run out of my church is of any real value, and when I come home, with my 3 kids in tow at the end of a Friday night, he laughs when I tell him how tired I am. He tells me the program I run isn't real work. OUCH! I know he works hard, but working for God's purpose is the most rewarding and importance thing to me.

In any relationship, communication and staying close is essential. I was forwarded on of those Christmas survey things from a friend where they ask your favorite Christmas tradition, carol, gift etc. You fill it out and send it back and to your friends as well. I've been feeling a little distant from my husband lately, so I put some nice remarks about how important he is to me in it and sent it to him. I was hoping he'd read what I'd said about him and feel loved and appreciated. But he didn't even read it. He was mad that I'd sent it to him. "I don't answer junk mail" He replied in a chastising way. "Did you read it?" I asked. "No." he replied, "I told you I don't read junk mail." OUCH! Again, I was hurt by his thoughtless words.

Being a young woman, I want what I thing most of us do. Simply to be loved and made to feel valuable. For a woman without God in her life, where does she turn? Unfortunately the answer is obvious by looking at our divorce rate in this country. Each time I was hurt, I stopped and closed my eyes and sought God. He filled me with His love. A perfect love that never hurts. He really filled me with all I was missing and so desperately seeking from my husband. He loves me. He thinks I'm special. He wants me to spend more time with him. As I mentioned earlier, relationships need communication... just as my relationship with God. All the hurt pushed me one way... back into His open arms.

In a funny way, because of these harsh words and my need for love I wasn't getting, I have drawn closer to God. The Devil didn't plan that one I bet! If only more people put God first and let Him faithfully fill us with love and joy, how would that effect our divorce rate? To every one out there, if you have a bad day, you're in a bad mood, things just aren't working out for you, please guard your words. They can pack a punch to those who love you and care what you think about them. And to every one who has been hurt or rejected... run to Jesus. He loves you and He is waiting to embrace you and fill you with joy!

Faith Girl

Giving Our Children To God - Oct 3

My biggest challenge as a mom has been this simple prayer, "God, I give my children into Your hands." It may sound strange, but think about it. My plans - my 3 girls grow up, healthy whole and untouched by the evil in the world. Marry a successful, Christian man, bear many perfect children. Then live to a ripe old age and die peacefully in their sleep. God's plan - well, lets face it, only He knows. So I'm giving my children into the hands of one who's plans are unknown to me. They will likely include pain of one kind or another. This is the hard part.

On the news yesterday they were talking about the Amish school in the States that had an armed man storm in and kill several students. This is one of many examples of how the evil in this world is touching parents lives in areas where we have no control. Once those kids wave goodbye out of the bus window in the morning, they are no longer in our hands until we help them off at the end of the day. We don't really know what goes on in the in-between hours. We have no power to protect them from the evils that may befall them. We simply aren't there.

But God is. He knows and He can protect them. Does that mean that putting God in charge will keep your kids well and whole and safe? No. We are such a tiny piece of His puzzle that we often have no idea of the big picture. We have a place and a part in His plan. It may be small, and it may be humble or even brief. But never forget that God loves us and He loves our kids even more than we do. Even if they have pain or suffer, they are never alone. God is with them. And those children who lost their lives, they are with God now. There is no more perfect ending then this.

Giving our Children to God? Well, in the hours we are not with them, in the spiritual world, if we haven't place them in His perfect hands, then whose hand have we left them in? The Bible tells us that we do not battle against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of this world's darkness. And so, each day, my children are placed into the hands of a God who loves them, and has perfect plans for them...And whom I trust.

Faith Girl