Military service runs in my family. During almost every generation of my family going back to World War I, there have been members of both sides of my family who have served in the military. Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines and Coast Guard. (Yes, Sarah, the Coast Guard is part of the military.)
But, it goes deeper than that. Yes, I had relatives who fought in the Civil War, on BOTH sides. But, I also had relatives who fought in the War of 1812. And the Revolutionary War. While I don't know the names or specifics, I'm almost willing to bet that I had forebears on both sides of the Revolutionary War since I am descended from Irish, Scottish, English and Welsh bloodlines.
On both sides of my family, military service meant a lot. Not just the idea of getting education, having employment, etc., but the idea of defending the principles this country was founded on. The rights and freedoms that Americans have, not granted to us by the government, because we are the government. From Day One of this nation, the people have been the government. So, we grant and guarantee ourselves the rights and freedoms we cherish and defend.
Ours is a unique nation. Before the founding of these United States of America there had never been a nation founded on the principle of "government for the people by the people." Yes, there had been democracies before, and republics. But none were founded to be a democratic republic governed exclusively by the citizenry of the nation.
In 1797, President John Adams, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and was a devout Christian wrote into the Treaty of Tripoli, "As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion."
To bolster the fact that the United States was not founded as a Christian nation, the Name of Jesus nor the word Christian or Christ does not appear in any of the founding documents of these United States; not in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and not within the first few Amendments among the Bill of Rights.
The war of Independence was not fought on religious grounds. Inasfar as I can determine, there was no hostility from the King of England toward anyone's religious practices within the 13 colonies, so to declare that this nation was founded as a Christian nation escaping religious persecution is a distorting of the facts that brought about the formation of America.
I served in the USAF. During my oath I swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, and I asked for God's help in doing so, but I did not swear an oath to the Christian faith or any religion. When I read the Declaration and the Constitution I read about the God of Nature and the Creator, but I have never read the name of Jesus, the word Christ or Christian and I have never read where the foundation of this nation was based upon religious grounds. In fact, the first mention of religion comes in Article VI of the Constitution which states, "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
IF the United States were founded as a Christian nation, the founders would not have included that wording within the Constitution. America was most decidedly and purposely founded as a non-theocracy. A democratic republic which from 1791 has an Amendment to the Constitution, the FIRST Amendment, even, which states that the US shall not ever establish a state religion nor impede the free practice of any religion by the government. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion.
The saddest part of this whole argument, to me, is that those who want to declare this to be a "Christian Nation," are the very ones who refuse to obey the commands of the Christ. They don't love their enemies. They don't love all people. They do not feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, take care of widows and orphans. In fact, they are adamantly against doing anything to help those who are poor. How could they claim this is a Christian nation when they refuse to let this nation do what Christ commanded His followers to do?
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
The Scribes and the Pharisees
One of the first things Jesus says in The Bible is that the righteousness of His followers should exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. But, who were the scribes and Pharisees. What were their behaviors, their beliefs, their teachings? The scribes were the Lawyers. They were the teachers who interpreted the Law of Moses for the ordinary people of Israel. So, the scribes were the experts on the Law and the teachers of the Law. But, why did Jesus disparage them?
The scribes originated soon after the Law of Moses was given by God. They were the "Xerox" copiers of the manuscripts which were distributed to the synogogues and they became the teachers of the law because, as copiers, they knew the law better than anyone else. They were responsible for writing down the law exactly as it was written in the original manuscripts, so they were very well versed in what the Law said. Because of that knowledge, the scribes were the obvious choice to be the ones to teach the Law to the masses. They were given respect and honor by the Jews because of their knowledge of the Law. Because of human nature, the scribes began to be proud of their position and the honor and respect given them by the people, and they began to demand that honor and respect and acted like they were better than the general population because of their status as scribes, lawyers and teachers.
The Pharisees were a religious party made up of merchants and artisans, laymen in the synogogues, but powerful because of their strict adherance to the Law. Somewhere along the way, however, they began to apply oral traditions that expanded on how one was to observe and obey the Law. They influenced the rabbinic teachings with their oral traditions. And they felt they were set apart from the ordinary men of Israel, hence the name Pharisee, which literally means separation. The Pharisees demanded that everyone keep the Sabbath, maintain the purity rituals and conformity to the Law by outward appearance, yet they lacked inner righteousness. They did not walk the talk. The outside looked clean, while inside sin reigned.
When Jesus told us that our righteousness must be greater or better than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, He was telling us that the inside of our cup needs to be clean, not just the outside. The heart is more important than the appearance. Jesus was telling us that we have to walk the talk, not just speak the teachings of Jesus, but live them, as well. Others should be able to see by our actions, our behaviors that we are His children, not just us telling people we are His children.
The scribes originated soon after the Law of Moses was given by God. They were the "Xerox" copiers of the manuscripts which were distributed to the synogogues and they became the teachers of the law because, as copiers, they knew the law better than anyone else. They were responsible for writing down the law exactly as it was written in the original manuscripts, so they were very well versed in what the Law said. Because of that knowledge, the scribes were the obvious choice to be the ones to teach the Law to the masses. They were given respect and honor by the Jews because of their knowledge of the Law. Because of human nature, the scribes began to be proud of their position and the honor and respect given them by the people, and they began to demand that honor and respect and acted like they were better than the general population because of their status as scribes, lawyers and teachers.
The Pharisees were a religious party made up of merchants and artisans, laymen in the synogogues, but powerful because of their strict adherance to the Law. Somewhere along the way, however, they began to apply oral traditions that expanded on how one was to observe and obey the Law. They influenced the rabbinic teachings with their oral traditions. And they felt they were set apart from the ordinary men of Israel, hence the name Pharisee, which literally means separation. The Pharisees demanded that everyone keep the Sabbath, maintain the purity rituals and conformity to the Law by outward appearance, yet they lacked inner righteousness. They did not walk the talk. The outside looked clean, while inside sin reigned.
When Jesus told us that our righteousness must be greater or better than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, He was telling us that the inside of our cup needs to be clean, not just the outside. The heart is more important than the appearance. Jesus was telling us that we have to walk the talk, not just speak the teachings of Jesus, but live them, as well. Others should be able to see by our actions, our behaviors that we are His children, not just us telling people we are His children.
Monday, June 15, 2026
The Words in Red
I find it interesting that, when reading the Bible, the first words we have from Jesus are the Beatitudes. The first lesson we get from Him is a lesson on how to live. Meek, humble, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers. If we were to live our lives in this manner, how wonderful the world would be. We're told, right there in the Beatitudes, not to be puffed up, full of ourselves, pushy and bullying toward anyone. Giving mercy to those around us, making peace between parties, staying true in our heart to the teachings of Christ. Living our life to please Him, and only Him. Not involved in drama, backbiting, gossiping and the turmoil that others bring.
Can you imagine what our lives would be like if everyone behaved the way Jesus described in Matthew 5:3-12? We could totally be focused on the spiritual battles we're supposed to be fighting if we would surrender ourselves to live the way Jesus just told us to. There would be an end to denominational religion. There would be no hungry people on the streets. There'd be no homelessness. What a life we'd be showing to the lost and dying world. We could make them want what we have, even without saying a word to them. They would see peace, harmony, grace, concern, joy. Everything that's lacking in their world. Instead, they look at our lives and see the same things they're going through in theirs and they wonder, what's the point? It's the same thing.
For the next week or two, I'm going to be sharing The Words of Jesus from the four Gospels on my Facebook page. I'm not going to give commentary, not going emphasize anything, just going to put Jesus' Words on the page. As if Jesus, Himself, were posting. I wonder if anyone will see it that way? I wonder if someone's life will be changed by just hearing His Words. I hope so. I'm praying so.
Can you imagine what our lives would be like if everyone behaved the way Jesus described in Matthew 5:3-12? We could totally be focused on the spiritual battles we're supposed to be fighting if we would surrender ourselves to live the way Jesus just told us to. There would be an end to denominational religion. There would be no hungry people on the streets. There'd be no homelessness. What a life we'd be showing to the lost and dying world. We could make them want what we have, even without saying a word to them. They would see peace, harmony, grace, concern, joy. Everything that's lacking in their world. Instead, they look at our lives and see the same things they're going through in theirs and they wonder, what's the point? It's the same thing.
For the next week or two, I'm going to be sharing The Words of Jesus from the four Gospels on my Facebook page. I'm not going to give commentary, not going emphasize anything, just going to put Jesus' Words on the page. As if Jesus, Himself, were posting. I wonder if anyone will see it that way? I wonder if someone's life will be changed by just hearing His Words. I hope so. I'm praying so.
Monday, June 8, 2026
When A Battle Rages High
When you're hit with a massive battle, don't lose hope and don't give up. The reason the devil is hitting you so hard is that there is something really good coming down from Heaven, just for you. The devil wants to block you from receiving God's gifts, so when he learns that something really good is coming, he wants to defeat you, distract you, make you doubt. Don't let him! Stand up and shout God's glory and praise. Because even though the battle is surrounding you, as long as you are wearing the armor of God, nothing is going to touch you.
You've got to put on the helmet of salvation. It protects your mind from worry, doubt and fear. Strap on and tighten the belt of truth. You're protected from the lies of the enemy while you are wearing it. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. It protects from all the arrows that the enemy throws your way. Put on the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. They will carry you where God needs you to be. Above all, grab your shield of faith to deflect all the darts that the devil has designed to bring you down. Pick up the sword of the spirit, which is God's Word, and tells you every promise that He has made for and to you. With this armor on you boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel to all those who are in need of salvation and hope.
So, remember: when the devil starts throwing bigger weapons, that just means there's a HUGE blessing coming your way! Stand up and praise God with all your might and let Him battle the devil because He's assured you that the victory will be yours!
You've got to put on the helmet of salvation. It protects your mind from worry, doubt and fear. Strap on and tighten the belt of truth. You're protected from the lies of the enemy while you are wearing it. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. It protects from all the arrows that the enemy throws your way. Put on the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. They will carry you where God needs you to be. Above all, grab your shield of faith to deflect all the darts that the devil has designed to bring you down. Pick up the sword of the spirit, which is God's Word, and tells you every promise that He has made for and to you. With this armor on you boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel to all those who are in need of salvation and hope.
So, remember: when the devil starts throwing bigger weapons, that just means there's a HUGE blessing coming your way! Stand up and praise God with all your might and let Him battle the devil because He's assured you that the victory will be yours!
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
All My Hopes
I finally figured it out: I pinned all my hopes and dreams on the wrong people. Time after time, person after person, I pinned my hopes and dreams on people who could do nothing to make my hopes and dreams come true. I should have pinned my hopes and dreams on me!
I went to L.A. to be a writer. I knew I had talent for both song writing and script writing or short stories and novels. I knew I had the talent, and I believed in myself, but instead of pinning my hopes and dreams on myself, I pinned them on others. Hoping one of them would see my talent and give me the break I was looking for. But, it was always through someone else, not me going to the source and presenting my talent for them to see. I pinned it all on friends, actors, stage hands, directors, producers. But I never went to the ones who could make my dreams come true. Because I never pinned them on me.
I came to Nashville because someone heard me singing and told me I belonged in Nashville. I could never make it in pop or rock because my voice is too country. I was once told my voice was too country for country music. My southern accent has always been strong. But, again, I pinned my hopes and dreams on others. Producer, singers, managers. I pinned people who could never have made my dreams or hopes come true. I never put myself fully out there.
I know it's not too late, as long as there is breath in my body, there's still hope, still a chance. Yes, I'm a bit older, but I'm also a lot wiser than I was back then. I know things, and people, that the younger me only dreamed of knowing, so there's still a chance. And this time, I know where to pin my hopes and dreams.
I went to L.A. to be a writer. I knew I had talent for both song writing and script writing or short stories and novels. I knew I had the talent, and I believed in myself, but instead of pinning my hopes and dreams on myself, I pinned them on others. Hoping one of them would see my talent and give me the break I was looking for. But, it was always through someone else, not me going to the source and presenting my talent for them to see. I pinned it all on friends, actors, stage hands, directors, producers. But I never went to the ones who could make my dreams come true. Because I never pinned them on me.
I came to Nashville because someone heard me singing and told me I belonged in Nashville. I could never make it in pop or rock because my voice is too country. I was once told my voice was too country for country music. My southern accent has always been strong. But, again, I pinned my hopes and dreams on others. Producer, singers, managers. I pinned people who could never have made my dreams or hopes come true. I never put myself fully out there.
I know it's not too late, as long as there is breath in my body, there's still hope, still a chance. Yes, I'm a bit older, but I'm also a lot wiser than I was back then. I know things, and people, that the younger me only dreamed of knowing, so there's still a chance. And this time, I know where to pin my hopes and dreams.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Islam and the Quron
Let me say this clearly: the true, right-minded, Muslims do not want to kill Christians. The Quron does NOT tell Muslims to kill Christians. Just as there are people who want to take a single verse, out of context, from the Bible, there are those, both adherents to Islam and Christians, who want to take a verse out of context from the Quron to state that all Muslims want to kill Christians and that the Quron commands them to do so.
Just as there are extremists who have twisted the Muslim faith, there are extremists who twist the Christian faith. There have been plenty of Muslims who have stood up and said that Islam, like Christianity, is a peaceful religion. But, there are those Christians who don't want to hear that, they want to believe that all Muslims are out to kill all Christians and anyone who isn't Muslim, because they feel the need to make Muslims out to be some sort of violent, extremist, twisted people so they can judge them inferior and prevent them from practicing their religion or living within the borders of this country.
Let us not forget, those who are Believers and followers of Jesus Christ, that our Holy Bible also tells adherents to kill people in some situations. It's right there in the Law of Moses. And, I might add, that those who want to say that Believers are bound by the Law of Moses only want to make others obey the Law of Moses, and only certain parts of it; they want to forget about the parts they want to break or the parts that command adherents to stone others to death. Even within the New Testament, there are verses that can be taken out of context and made to sound contrary to the teachings of Christ.
I am not Muslim; I am not Jewish; I am a Jesus Believer, a follower of God Almighty. I do my best to behave the way Jesus teaches me to behave. I don't always measure up, but I get up and keep trying. I don't judge anyone. Well, I work hard to not judge others. I try to treat every person I meet with love, kindness, grace and mercy. I don't try to force anyone to believe the way I believe, or to force anyone to behave the way I think Believers should behave. I don't try to force anyone to stop practicing any religion they may want to participate in. Or believe in. That's not my job here on earth. My job is to tell each and every person I meet about Jesus Christ, Son of God, Prince of Peace, Lord of Grace and Mercy, child of Bethlehem, Savior of the world. I'm also to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, water to the thirsty and help anyone who asks, if I am able.
The problem, as I see it, is that we've become too focused on what others are doing. We are supposed to be focused on what we're doing. Our only focus on others should be: are they in need, are they Believers? End of focus.
Just as there are extremists who have twisted the Muslim faith, there are extremists who twist the Christian faith. There have been plenty of Muslims who have stood up and said that Islam, like Christianity, is a peaceful religion. But, there are those Christians who don't want to hear that, they want to believe that all Muslims are out to kill all Christians and anyone who isn't Muslim, because they feel the need to make Muslims out to be some sort of violent, extremist, twisted people so they can judge them inferior and prevent them from practicing their religion or living within the borders of this country.
Let us not forget, those who are Believers and followers of Jesus Christ, that our Holy Bible also tells adherents to kill people in some situations. It's right there in the Law of Moses. And, I might add, that those who want to say that Believers are bound by the Law of Moses only want to make others obey the Law of Moses, and only certain parts of it; they want to forget about the parts they want to break or the parts that command adherents to stone others to death. Even within the New Testament, there are verses that can be taken out of context and made to sound contrary to the teachings of Christ.
I am not Muslim; I am not Jewish; I am a Jesus Believer, a follower of God Almighty. I do my best to behave the way Jesus teaches me to behave. I don't always measure up, but I get up and keep trying. I don't judge anyone. Well, I work hard to not judge others. I try to treat every person I meet with love, kindness, grace and mercy. I don't try to force anyone to believe the way I believe, or to force anyone to behave the way I think Believers should behave. I don't try to force anyone to stop practicing any religion they may want to participate in. Or believe in. That's not my job here on earth. My job is to tell each and every person I meet about Jesus Christ, Son of God, Prince of Peace, Lord of Grace and Mercy, child of Bethlehem, Savior of the world. I'm also to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, water to the thirsty and help anyone who asks, if I am able.
The problem, as I see it, is that we've become too focused on what others are doing. We are supposed to be focused on what we're doing. Our only focus on others should be: are they in need, are they Believers? End of focus.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Life As An Afterthought
Let me first state that I am in no way trying to place blame, cause guilt or otherwise shame anyone. What I'm writing about is just the way it feels to live as "an afterthought" in the community of my family. I know it's not intentional, I doubt anyone has actively chosen to treat me as an afterthought, but the fact remains that I am one.
First, let me explain what "an afterthought" is. This is the person in the family or some other type of social group, who is not thought of when something like an illness, a death, a birth or some other major event happens within the family or the group. This person is either not thought about for months afterward, and someone wonders if anyone contacted this person to inform them of the event, or the person learns of the event after a long period of time by asking about the person the event happened to.
Within my family, I know I'm loved, but there have been major events, like deaths, that I only learned about much later; my great-uncle is an example, I didn't know he passed away until over a year after his funeral. My uncle, by marriage, passed and it was six weeks after the funeral that someone asked, "did anyone tell him?"
These types of things will cause the person who is the afterthought to question if they're loved. Or they begin to think that they're just not considered part of the family for some reason that the person dreams up out of nowhere because they weren't told some bit of news. And the things they think of are nowhere near the reality of the rest of the family, but when you're left out of the loop, your heart and soul try to think of a reason you were left out in order to make sense out of it. When, in all reality, there is no sense to it.
It nags at the person who is the afterthought. They question their worth. They question their importance. They feel like they are unloved, unwanted and unappreciated. It causes doubt, fear, depression and a feeling of loneliness like no other. Even knowing it's not intentional cannot cover the multitude of negative emotions that come about when they learn that they are an afterthought.
Think about your family, your social circle, is there someone that doesn't get told things until they ask or until long after the major events happen? If so, consciously reach out to that person and assure them that they are loved, they are appreciated and they are thought of. And work a little harder to make certain they are notified when major events happen. Maybe make them a little more of a priority than you have been. It's hurtful to be an afterthought. Even for those who know it's not intentional, they realize they're just not so important.
First, let me explain what "an afterthought" is. This is the person in the family or some other type of social group, who is not thought of when something like an illness, a death, a birth or some other major event happens within the family or the group. This person is either not thought about for months afterward, and someone wonders if anyone contacted this person to inform them of the event, or the person learns of the event after a long period of time by asking about the person the event happened to.
Within my family, I know I'm loved, but there have been major events, like deaths, that I only learned about much later; my great-uncle is an example, I didn't know he passed away until over a year after his funeral. My uncle, by marriage, passed and it was six weeks after the funeral that someone asked, "did anyone tell him?"
These types of things will cause the person who is the afterthought to question if they're loved. Or they begin to think that they're just not considered part of the family for some reason that the person dreams up out of nowhere because they weren't told some bit of news. And the things they think of are nowhere near the reality of the rest of the family, but when you're left out of the loop, your heart and soul try to think of a reason you were left out in order to make sense out of it. When, in all reality, there is no sense to it.
It nags at the person who is the afterthought. They question their worth. They question their importance. They feel like they are unloved, unwanted and unappreciated. It causes doubt, fear, depression and a feeling of loneliness like no other. Even knowing it's not intentional cannot cover the multitude of negative emotions that come about when they learn that they are an afterthought.
Think about your family, your social circle, is there someone that doesn't get told things until they ask or until long after the major events happen? If so, consciously reach out to that person and assure them that they are loved, they are appreciated and they are thought of. And work a little harder to make certain they are notified when major events happen. Maybe make them a little more of a priority than you have been. It's hurtful to be an afterthought. Even for those who know it's not intentional, they realize they're just not so important.
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