"For These Times"

I was listening to a Martina McBride cd last night while trying to fall asleep. Sometimes I do that, turn music on because having it quietly in the background helps me sleep better than pure silence. Some people have to sleep with fans on, well I guess music is kind of like my "fan." Anyway I had just turned off the light when the song below came on. It really did make me think about my own job. There are so many different kids that come into the daycare. Some have had some very sad backgrounds before they started coming to St. Charles, parents abandoning them with their grandparents, watching parents go through a divorce, but too young to really understand the reasoning behind their parents splitting up..... other things like that. The nice thing about working at St. Charles is that the families who put their children at the daycare are the one's that are very involved and caring and affectionate with their kids. They want what's best for them. For the kids who had it rough before coming to the daycare we can tell by how they act that they've had it rough. They need a little bit more patience and attention from us teachers, and this song helped remind me that what I really need for my job is a "a heart full of tender mercy and arms I will open wide." It's the least I can do to help make these kids lives a little bit better by making their time spend in my classroom a happy and safe place for them to fall.

For These Times lyrics
Martina McBride

In these times in which we live
Where the worst of what we live
Is laid out for all the world on the front page
And the sound of someone's heartbreak
Is a soundbite at the news break
With a close shot of the tears rollin' down their face
Blessed be the child who turns a loving eye
And stops to pray
For these times in which we live

In these most uncertain hours
Where the balance of power
Is a fight that is fought every day
And freedom is a word
Some cry out and some whisper
And some are just too quick to give away
Blessed be the one who stands by the one
On the battle line
For these times in which we live

Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide

For these times in which we live
Seems like the only answer is
Givin' up on findin' one at all
And we hide behind unsure
Pull the blinds and lock the doors
And hang a pleasant picture on the wall
Blessed is the believer who knows love is our redeemer
And the only breath of life
For these times in which we live

Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide
Yeah give me words full of loving kindness
And hands ready to hold up a light
For these times in which we live
For these times in which we live

"Rader cornerback believes he was penalized for praying after a touchdown..."

I found this a little bit disturbing....

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

Raiders cornerback thinks he was flagged because of his religion

By Chris Chase

An Oakland Raiders cornerback claims he was penalized on Sunday for making a religious display while celebrating an interception.

After picking off a Matt Schaub(notes) pass in the end zone, Oakland Raiders cornerback Chris Johnson celebrated by dropping to his knees and raising his arms in triumph. He was instantly flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration.

Johnson later complained that he was whistled for thanking God:

"I'm just getting on my knees giving my respect to God. I don't see how that's a personal foul or anything like that."

He actually stated exactly why it's a personal foul in the first sentence and the reasoning has nothing to do with religion. A rule instituted in 2006 prohibits NFL players from celebrating in the end zone by "going to the ground to celebrate a touchdown or using the ball as a prop." The instant Johnson fell to his knees he violated the rule. After he did that, Johnson could have read scripture, done a silent prayer or helped an old lady across the street and it wouldn't have mattered. (And, incidentally, it looks a lot more like Johnson is asking the heavens to praise him, rather than the other way around.)

So, there is no religion controversy here (despite attempts to start one by some Bay Area bloggers), but there is still an issue, namely that the NFL's touchdown celebration rules are inconsistently enforced and completely hypocritical.

It's not OK for Johnson to go to the ground in celebration/prayer after an interception, but Jared Allen(notes) can fall to his knees during his lame sack dance? And the Lambeau Leap is fine, but players can't coordinate a touchdown high five? And what's the difference if a player raises his arms in triumph while on a knee but not while standing on two feet?

I'm loathe to defend a guy who obnoxiously celebrates an interception in a game in which his team is down by 13 points, but Johnson is correct in that there's no reason getting on his knees should be a personal foul. But it's not the fault of the official who flagged him, it's the fault of the NFL owners who voted three years ago to restrict celebrations.

Getting Theoretical While Watching House

I am a huge fan of the show House. Tonight's episode was very interesting. In it there was an African dictator that became extremely sick and came to America to find a cure for his illness. The interesting thing about this whole show was watching how the characters were dealing with trying to save one man's life, because by saving his life it would most likely help kill thousands of other innocent people through genocide by that dictator. It brought up a point a good point. Is it okay to kill one man to save thousands of others?
After watching that episode I have become somewhat very confused. Part of me feels like it is okay to kill a person to save thousands of others, but then another part of me totally disagrees with that. I mean do I think it is okay to kill a doctor that does abortions even though he is helping to kill thousands of innocent lives? It is all very confusing to me because I do not think it is right to kill an abortionist, so I suppose it is not okay to kill a dictator threatening genocide either. Then again I go through this inner battle with myself because isn't one death more preferred to losing thousands of innocent lives? It is a very fine line right there and I am thankful that the story in House was obviously something I hope I'd never have to encounter because I am not sure how I would act myself...

Differences of Christianity, Judaism, and Islamic beliefs

Last night at my parish we had a speaker come and talk a little bit about the history and communication between the Church and Muslims. I found the talk interesting, but I felt as though I did not get enough information about all the different differences between what us Christians believe and what the Muslims believe. I know that all three religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Muslims all believe in God, but other than that there are quite a few differences in all three religious beliefs. I found the chart below somewhat helpful in learning more about where all three religions stand on certain important points in the faith.

Comparison of Religious Beliefs

	Islam	Judaism	Christianity
type of theism	strict monotheism	strict monotheism	Trinitarian monotheism
ultimate reality	one God	one God	one God
names of God	Allah (Arabic for God)	Yahweh, Elohim	Yahweh, the Holy Trinity
other spiritual beings	angels, demons, jinn	angels and demons	angels and demons
revered humans	prophets, imams (especially in Shia)	prophets	saints, church fathers
identity of Jesus	true prophet of God, whose message has been corrupted	false prophet	Son of God, God incarnate, savior of the world
birth of Jesus	virgin birth	normal birth	virgin birth
death of Jesus	did not die, but ascended into heaven during crucifixion	death by crucifixion	death by crucifixion
resurrection of Jesus	denied	denied	affirmed
second coming of Jesus	affirmed	denied	affirmed
divine revelation	through Muhammad, recorded in Qur'an	through Prophets, recorded in Bible	through Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in Bible
view of sacred text	inspired, literal word of God, inerrant in original languages	views vary	inspired, some believe inerrant in original languages
human nature	equal ability to do good or evil	two equal impulses, one good and one bad	"original sin" inherited from Adam - tendency towards evil
means of salvation	correct belief, good deeds, Five Pillars	belief in God, good deeds	correct belief, faith, good deeds, sacraments (some Protestants emphasize faith alone)
God's role in salvation	predestination	divine revelation and forgiveness	predestination, various forms of grace
good afterlife	eternal paradise	views vary: either heaven or no afterlife	eternal heaven
bad afterlife	eternal hell	views vary: either eternal Gehenna, reincarnation, or no afterlife	eternal hell, temporary purgatory (Catholicism)
view of fellow Abrahamic religions	Jews and Christians are respected as "People of the Book," but they have wrong beliefs and only partial revelation.	Islam and Christianity are false interpretations and extensions of Judaism.	Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation. Islam is a false religion.

"The Prediction"

This is a video I found somewhat entertaining.... if you're interested to see it, click here. Very interesting. I think I have it sort of figured out, but not all the way....

All About Faith and Experience

To lose one's faith surpasses

The loss of an estate,
Because estates can be
Replenished, - faith cannot.

Inherited with life,
Belief but once can be;
Annihilate a single-clause,
And Being's Beggary
~Emily Dickinson~


I stepped from plank to plank
So slow and cautiously;
The stars about my head I felt,
About my feet the sea.

I knew not but the next
Would be my final inch,-
This gave me that precious gift
Some call experience.
~Emily Dickinson~

Narrowing it down

Today I was blessed to have a free evening. Since today was a teacher in-service day at work I got off at three instead of five. When I got home and checked my e-mail an even nicer surprise awaited me... my teacher for my class tonight apparently came down with the stomach flu so she canceled class and gave us some homework that will be turned in over the internet. Tomorrow will be another quick day at work because we still have some training to do, but should be done by around twelve, so in a way it will feel kind of like a three-day week-end, which I am not at all complaining about.
With my free time I decided to look over the talk outline for my retreat talk about prayer. I am also supposed to be picking out two really good reflection songs that will to first lead into my topic and then help reflect about it afterwords. You would think that since I am a huge music fan that this would be a no brainer for me, but the truth is there are too many good songs I can use and I am having a hard time narrowing them down.... I am tempted to use the song "Anyway" by Martina McBride mainly because the chorus helps relate to everyone easily because it says "God is great, but sometimes life ain't good. When I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should, but I do it anyway. I do it anyway." The rest of the song does not necessarily fit with the topic though.... The other song I would love to use is called "Here I Am" by Leona Lewis. I feel as though that song could easily be from God's own point of view... I used to have that song on my playlist, but I took it off for a little bit of a change... There are other songs that I could use as well is "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden.... too many great songs and I can only use two. This narrowing down thing is not at all as enjoyable as I thought it would be.... I am praying the Holy Spirit will help me find the two most perfect songs for this talk that will reach these kids the best. I guess I have no other choice, but to keep praying....