Bias to...

The other day, I posted something God was teaching me--going from knowledge to bias.  And the next day, I had a unique experience.  I was talking to a young person about some issues going on in their church with which they vehemently disagreed.  I was so shocked to see bias---in someone so young!  You kind of expect it in older people because they've got their minds made up about a whole lot of issues.  But it's just a little disconcerting to see it in a young adult.
And of course, God doesn't let me see it in someone else without pointing it out in my own life.  And this is what I discovered through that experience...
You can start out with bias--not just end up there.  And then you gather facts to support your position.  After your fact-gathering,  you are able to justify your bias.  From the platform of your bias, you are able to shoot down anyone opposing you because you are well-fortified with facts--and pride.  You no longer hear what anyone else has to say.  Then I'd pretty much say...no one likes you because you've become arrogant, boastful and full of the "right way" of doing things.
God loves to supply me with visual aids to teach me.  (He knows I'm a visual learner!)  And then insists on touching that place in my life that needs changing.  Ouch!!

Stressful Days

Last Friday, I was a little stressed over a grandson who'd had diarrhea for 10 days...and we were waiting that afternoon for a phone call to get the doctor's report on his blood test.  I was a little stressed over a son who has a rare parasite which will require a colonscopy to see if said parasite has done any damage to the colon.  I was a little stressed over staying at Hoffbrau long enough to see our third-born before our passenger for the day decided she'd had enough and needed to be home.  I was also a little stressed over getting  a casserole made for Saturday morning.  That was Friday.  And then Sunday came...

Sunday afternoon is when I got a phone call from Zach telling me that he, Shanna (his pregnant wife) and Lindsey (David's wife) were in a car accident.  A man had been going to get donuts for his wife and exited the ramp going about 40 mph and he bent down to pick up a coupon from the floor--and rear-ended my family who was stopped at a red light.  Zach told me Shanna & Lindsey were on their way to the hospital to get checked out.  Shanna was having contractions and Lindsey's neck was hurt.  Fortunately, Shanna's contractions stopped (after a shot), and Lindsey's x-rays were ok.  Zach said he was able to brace himself because he saw the guy coming but he didn't have enough time to warn the girls.  It was a stressful day.
But you know what?  It could have been much worse.  I have friends who've experienced much worse.   One of those friends (whose pregnant daughter was killed in a car accident the day after Christmas) told me her husband said this when he learned of our kids' wreck, "We need to go back to the horse and buggy days."  I'm game.
Amy said it best recently (and I couldn't find her exact quote), "God is good...whether our circumstances are good or bad.  He's still good."

Judgment Day by Wanda L. Dyson

Judgment Day by Wanda L. Dyson is a Christian fiction book.  Suzanne Kidwell hosts a cable television show called Judgment Day where she exposes the corruption around her---except she doesn't do her homework very well and has made lots of enemies.  Of course, she's close to the truth on many of her stories, so not only are politicians and businessmen angry--but they're scared of Suzanne finding out the truth of what they're doing.
One of those people is her future father-in-law.  That is, if Suzanne will finally say yes to her boyfriend's proposal.   Suzanne is driving her car and talking to her boyfriend, Guy, when her car starts doing weird things like accelerating all by itself.  So Guy insists that she take his Porsche while he takes her car to a mechanic.  Little does he know his own father is behind that little car problem--he's afraid of their venture being uncovered and exposed by Suzanne.  While Guy is driving Suzanne's car to the mechanic and talking to his father on the phone, the car accelerates and Guy is killed in the wreck that follows.  And Suzanne discovers a file in Guy's car that uncovers even more secrets.
Suzanne finds her life to be in danger and she needs help--fast!  So reluctantly, she calls her old boyfriend (whom she jilted) and who is now an investigator.  She hires Marcus Crisp, a partner with a woman investigator, Alex Hawthorne.  Marcus and Alex enter a world of underground danger and put their own lives at risk to help Suzanne--who is slow to understand she has any responsibility for a lot of people being angry with her. 
I love a good mystery book.  Even though this book was a little slow and almost unbelievable at the beginning (who doesn't grieve the death of a boyfriend?), it picked up and I enjoyed the action the further it went.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to WaterBrook Press  for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Knowledge to Bias

God revealed something to me this morning...
It's so easy to move from knowledge to bias.  What is bias?  Dictionary.com says this:  "–noun  a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice."
How does it happen?  It starts out with me being teachable. And then it goes like this:

teachable>knowledge>conviction>strong conviction>bias

The end result of having bias is that we feel like we know it all.  We have reached a prejudice.  We're no longer teachable.  We have become our own god.  What's the antidote?  I think it goes like this:

teachable>knowledge>teachable>conviction>teachable

We must remain teachable.  Do you know any old people (or young people, for that matter) who are know-it-alls?  Not very pretty, is it?  Please dear God, help me to always be teachable!

*Amendment
I woke up this morning with a different formula:
teachable>knowledge of Truth>teachable>conviction>teachable
IT'S KNOWING TRUTH THAT SETS US FREE!  (John 8:32)

Ryan Elijah

Please pray for my almost-7-year-old grandson, Ryan Elijah.  Read all about what's going on here.  And...thank you!
Becky

The Borrower is Servant to the Lender

We owe money to China.  (Do you remember how you spent your stimulus check in 2008?)  China came to visit the U.S. this week---many thought to call in the loan(s) they'd made.  But as you can see here, a lot of pomp and circumstance took place with subtle jabs made.  But it seems to me, we did a lot of sucking up!  We'd better sit up and take notice.  God's Word doesn't change.  "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."  Proverbs 22:7 
We owe China.  My cousin just posted this article--more evidence of China's rising.  I think what Glenn Beck has to say in this video is worth listening to.

*A good friend challenged me that these problems aren't due to the current president---and I totally AGREE!  (In fact, it was President Bush who borrowed for the stimulus!)  I didn't want anyone to assume I believe we're in debt to China because of a president.  I believe we are servants of China because of  our greed, gluttony, and complacency.

A Golden Glow

I happened to glance outside after washing dishes this evening and saw this golden glow in the sky.  I ran and grabbed my camera to see if I could catch it.  Earlier today, I happened to see rain falling--from a clear sky.  Both were amazing sights!