Judge not?...

Have you been accused of, or have you accused anyone of 'judging' recently? I have noticed this word being used repeatedly, and for several weeks I have been compelled to write my feelings regarding it.

I am sure that what I am about to write will offend some. My intention is not to offend anyone. However, almost 46 years ago I was blessed to be born in the United States of America. Although in the last 46 years things have DRASTICALLY changed, I still very firmly stand on my inalienable rights as a Free American. My inalienable rights include freedom of speech and expression, and you might say that I am now launching both…courageously and proudly.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger said it like this, “I think the only people who don’t want you to make judgments are the people who don’t want to be judged, because they know what they are doing is wrong. They are defensive.”

I once heard a story of a man that was standing in a voting line one day, and overheard a woman justifying her foolish choice for president by saying, "Well, we aren't supposed to judge." Imagine that! Choosing NOT to judge a political candidate on election day! No wonder our nation is in such a horrendous mess!

Our society has indoctrinated us to be ‘politically correct’. Alcoholism, drug use, and continual immoral lifestyles are now ‘diseases’. Diseases? Excuse me??!! A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. A disease is something that YOU CAN’T CONTROL!! Cancer is a disease! Alcoholism, drug use, and immorality are NOT diseases!! People that practice them simply, have no discipline, conviction, or principles!

I suppose that some would say that I am guilty of ‘judging’ after reading that last paragraph. (Ironic observation...when accusing one of ‘judging’, aren’t YOU then guilty of the same?)

I have chuckled when I have heard self proclaimed heathens (or simply ones who live like heathens) quote the scripture “Judge not that ye be not judged’, as a rebuke or reprimand to those who live in this great Democracy, and are simply stating their beliefs or opinions.

These types of scriptures are sometimes thrown in the face of Christians to invoke feelings of guilt and shame, when said Christians whom I might add are ‘Free Americans’, state their opinions or beliefs. To that I say, unless you live by ALL of the Great Book, it is deceitful and fraudulent to use it’s sacred verses at your whim or convenience.

To those of you who frequently quote it out of context, and have no idea where it is found,….Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

Regarding Matthew 7:1-5. The context allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment!

A ‘holier than thou’ and prideful attitude is one I refuse to own, and I do not condone, nor do I practice a daily dose of ‘judging’ people. However, now that we have established first, that here in America our inalienable rights INCLUDE freedom of speech and expression, and I who have made it my life’s objective to live by ALL of God’s Word, do not feel guilt when having an opinion, nor will I keep silent when I hold true a belief that is sacred to me, and I feel it is being compromised.

A quote I found most interesting; "He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” Henry David Thoreau.

There are things that I don’t plan on ‘cooperating’ with. I humbly pray for wisdom and courage. Silence is not an option, and charity MUST always be a top ingredient…but, silence is not an option.

Before I end this ‘write’, I am obliged to be ‘politically correct’. (*Smile & Wink*)

Democracy is communication: people talking to one another about their common problems and forging a common destiny. Before people can govern themselves, they must be free to express themselves.

Citizens of a democracy live with the conviction that through the open exchange of ideas and opinions, truth will eventually win out over falsehood, the values of others will be better understood, areas of compromise more clearly defined, and the path of progress opened. The greater the volume of such exchanges, the better!!

Democracy thrives upon the energy of citizens who are sustained by the unimpeded flow of ideas, data, opinions, and speculation.

Free American, signing off.

Why the hate??

****I recently read something that rang so true, and I felt like it couldn't have been written with more clarity or improved on. I immediately contacted the author, and he so graciously gave me permission to put it on my blog.****

(( I might add....Sam Hassas is probably one of the best, **If not THE best!** photographers EVER. Take a look and be impressed! www.hassasphotography.com))

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Why the hate??

I am going to preface this post with this first, I was born in Kabul Afghanistan.

All the hate towards the U.S. is sickening. America has her ills but when it's all said and done, (feel free to plug your ears here) it is the GREATEST NATION in the world and I dare say the history of the world.

I find it so hypocritical to those that came here from other countries and cast stones about the U.S. You left your country for a reason. War torn, dictatorship regimes, lack of work/jobs, quality of life, the list can go forever. Whatever the reason it's clear that HERE is better then where ever it was that you came from. Yet you freely insult, tear down and mock the very thing that gives you the life. The life you could have never had from where you came. A good life. A protected life. A FREE life.

I won't even start with the unbelievable amount of foreign aid that comes from the U.S. when trouble hits. TOp givers in every category for ever crisis over and over again. Japan, Haiti, 2004 Tsunami..........and hundreds of others.

I come from a proud race of men and women with strong hearts. It was sad to see these same people, my people be lotted together with the monster that is Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban. That said, today is a great day. Not just for the U.S. but for the world.

I get it though, tall trees catch the most wind. My rant is far saying that we are perfect as a nation. We're certainly not. Just next time you decide to go on the attack about how bad things are here and how evil of a country the US is, consider what the consequences of you "speaking your mind" would have been if you were back "home".

Love it or leave it folks. Love the U.S.
Land o the free, home of the brave. Pass a cheeseburger.

***steps off soap box***

Sam Hassas

My April Fools Post.....(that some actually fell for!)

Just found out that I'm expecting my 4th child at 45 years old, and also celebrating the announcement of my first grandchild! Meanwhile, Chantal got accepted to Princeton, but is not accepting, as she is newly and happily engaged! I am writing all this while I sit in my brand new 2011 Mercedes Benz C-Class that my husband just paid cash for, and saying goodbye to my son David who just purchased a 5-star Hotel in Dubai, that he must immediately take possession of. #HappyAprilFoolsDay

In Response......

This blog entry is to respond to an 'anonymous' comment I received after writing a blog called 'The Debilitating Disease of 'Hypochondriasis''.

Dear 'Anonymous', I read your comment, and deleted it, as I felt that you totally misunderstood the context and spirit behind my writings. Although things are a bit busy right now, I felt compelled to sit down and write to you, because although I don't know you, you matter to me. I have immense empathy for you and your little daughter.

I'm assuming that you don't know me personally. I have been in the ministry all my life....I have worked with hundreds of people and held many hands in hospital rooms of people that in one day their life has taken a turn, and changed forever. THESE people are NOT the ones that I am referring to in my blog.

My post was referring to people that have nothing wrong with them, and try to conjure up sickness and affliction.

I am right now thinking of a girl that I won to the Lord that I have always described her as a 'Pentecostal Model'. An incredibly beautiful girl. Talented girl. She was very active and right in the middle of everything our church did. This girl is the same age as my oldest son, and has been like a daughter to me. At the age I think it was 21, one day she was helping her family with something, and all the sudden she couldn't walk or move. They took her to the Doctor and found out that the bones in her back were deteriorating. **I don't know all the medical details**, but to make a very long story short, she had a couple of very serious surgeries. (The first one, the Surgeon might have even done more damage than good).....This beautiful, talented, girls life changed in one day. She lives in pain like very few can relate to. She lives in an almost bedridden state. Her condition is not one that is 'conjured up' or the invention of a negative disposition. In fact she has never blamed God, and from her bed has made outreach calls and helped in organizational things.... from her bed. She has a debilitating situation, but it is NOT hypochondriasis.

I have also been in a surgical waiting room of someone that the doctor came out with dozens of 8x10 colored pictures (that he took during exploratory surgery), almost apologetically telling the husband that "as hard as I have tried to find something wrong with your wife,... I can't. I took these pictures as proof. Unfortunately, this is one time that I think my patient will be disappointed." He and the husband looked each other in the eye, both silently acknowledging the fact that this lady definitely was sick, but it was a different kind of sickness. Both shook their heads, and the doctor walked out.

Being able to discern the 'real' from the 'fake' is an asset when in the ministry. Although all need love and direction, there is only 24 hours in a day, and if we couldn't discern who really needed help, the ones who need it the most would be neglected.

I also must add that I have seen many a home broken because of this very 'Debilitating Disease of Hypochondriasis',.....if we don't address it, we really aren't helping anyone in the end are we?

My heart and prayers are with you and your daughter.

The Debilitating Disease of 'Hypochondriasis'

Do you know anyone with this disease? I’m sure we all have run into one or two in our lifetime. The problem is…..do they know it’s them?? Do they know that we all try to avoid all the talk about their aches and pains? Do they know that we are inwardly cringing when they seemly turn every conversation into a session regarding their latest doctors appointment?

How can they get so animated and excited when telling you about their gallbladder and feet problems for the umpteenth time? If it weren’t so pitiful, it would be hilariously funny!! What a miserable way to live!

I have often wondered, what motivates a person with ‘Hypochondriasis? Is it attention seeking, or merely an extremely negative personality? Do these same people find their self complaining about everything? It’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s too loud, it’s not loud enough….?

We have watched a girl in our church go through 4 years of stage 4 Cancer. She has had endless sessions of chemo, and radiation. A Stem Cell Transplant, and 3 brain surgeries, and 1 hip surgery later, she is a beaming light of joy and optimism. I have noticed that she would much rather talk about other things. Why? Because she knows what it REALLY means to be sick and to suffer. ‘Real’ illness is not ‘glamorized’ in her mind, for she has truly experienced the ‘shadow of death’ and unthinkable pain. If anyone had rights to complain or be consumed with ‘sickness’, this girl would. But she doesn’t.

If you are reading this, God has so graciously given you the gift of life. In fact today, God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds! He also fearfully and wonderfully made YOU. Instead of being so fascinated with the negative and infatuated with sickness, why don’t you take a deep breath, smile as wide as you can, turn on some high-steppin’ music that gives glory to your incredible creator, and just simply sing…..Thank You.

Thank you for each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends….for everything Thy goodness sends.

Here’s my prescription,…..Thankfulness!!

Parenting, kids, influence....Rambling!

When raising our kids, many times we shielded them, or maybe a better way of saying it is; 're-directed' them from spending time with certain peers. These 'peers' many times were 'somebodies'. These peers many times were 'THE' ones to be seen with. I know that others watching from the outside probably thought we were crazy. After all, doesn't everyone want their kids to be seen with 'them'?!

I must admit that there were times that I would second-guess myself. "Can these kids REALLY negatively affect my kids?? After all, we're talking about the growing up years when they weren't doing horrible things-why be SO careful?............I can't explain it. It was always just a feeling I would get. An intuition. At those times I would pray that I was doing the right thing for my kids, and just keep on trucking, and re-directing, with my fingers crossed, and my heart holding its breath.

Our kids never knew it. In fact, very recently my husband and I, Chantal (17), and David (20) , were sitting across the table from a minister who asked us to give him some of our parenting philosophies. At this moment, just a few months ago, my kids heard for the very first time our ideas and feelings on this subject. (Our reasoning for not telling them what we were doing, was that we didn't want to raise kids that felt like they were 'superior', or 'better' than others. Had that happened, WE would have been the ones hurting them.) They listened quite captivated and somewhat surprised.

During all this time, and still to this day, we teach our kids that GOD gives them their identity - not people. GOD elevates them - people don't.

I'm so grateful to God for His help. I've seen my kids grow up to be very secure in who they are. I have seen them love people regardless of their 'status'. I see in them a real depth. The 'cool' thing to them is living for God.... so if you do that, no matter who you are, what you look like, how much your daddy makes a year, ....you're accepted, and they'll love you.

In looking back, I can truly say that those 'intuitions' (that I truly believe are God given), never steered us wrong. My kids were shielded and protected from influences that would have harmed them, not physically, but spiritually. In the end, there's only one that can elevate them, .....and He knows their name, He knows their every thought, He sees each tear that falls, and He hears them when they call!!!!

Family

What is going on in this head of mine tonight? I’m thinking about a word that means the world to me. Family.

What makes a great family? What makes a close family? What makes a strong family and keeps a family together?

I have been in the ministry all my life, and have observed many families. What stands out the most to me when I see a family that has that extra ‘specialness’ is one thing. Love. There is a little plaque that I put in a very conspicuous spot right out side our front door. Everyone that enters our home sees it. It reads, ‘Love is Spoken Here’. I’m really big on this. Our family not just ‘speaks’ love, but ‘shows’ love. To some who have not been raised this way, and look at our ‘way’ as ridiculous, or unnecessary, ....I don’t feel intimidated or in the least bit daunted…I just feel sorry….for you.

There have been times over the years when we felt immense pressure and had to take stands regarding the way we raised our children. We were ‘over-protective’, or ‘over-bearing’, …..etc….. Peer pressure comes outfitted a whole lot of different ways, and from a whole lot of different kinds of people. However, to this, we would stand tall, square our shoulders, smile, and, do it our way.

The ‘over-bearing’ mantra has never intimidated me. Proverbs…”She watches over the affairs of her household.” It is my job before God! (And when she does), “Her children arise and call her blessed.”

Love causes you to do a lot of things you didn’t think you were strong enough to do. One of them is sometimes standing up to people, and not always taking the easy road.

We are not finished raising our kids quite yet, but we are already blessed with little rewards that mean the world to a loving mom and dad…..

One of them happened just a couple of nights ago, when my beautiful daughter approached me, and trusted me with her heart. These are times that I stop and reflect, and thank God for the bond that we share.

Other rewards are when one of David’s clients (whom I have never met) sent me a 2 page letter giving me honor and thanking me because of the quality son I have raised. **David does her Pest Control.

Other rewards are when your own children call you blessed. A few years ago Jonathan left a message on our answering machine thanking us for the way we have raised him, and how much he appreciates us and loves us for it. The message was so heartfelt and touching that I have saved it to this very day, and listen to it frequently….it just makes my day so much brighter.

Although a little fragmented, I hope my rambling thoughts encourage a parent today. Don’t be lazy. Don’t be easily intimidated. Pray and ask God for guidance, wisdom, and direction. After doing that, just simply STAND. Stand and Love.

I have all the faith in the world that when you do this, you will have a great family, a close family,…a strong family that stays together through everything that life brings your way.

***I could go on and on!!!! Maybe I will....There just might be more to come!! =D