Category Archives: Relationships and Family

Topics related to how we deal with the people God has placed in our lives.

by | November 11, 2012 · 10:12 am

Family Resemblance

Wedding Update

Not long ago I wrote about how I hated weddings. Well, I might need to update that a little. If all weddings could be like the one I just officiated, I might be a little more excited.

Yesterday (11-10-12) I had the honor to unite Alicia, my step-daughter, and Josh Westbrook in marriage. It was a fun, sweet, and beautiful ceremony which brought both laughter and tears. At one point, unlike most any other time, I was almost sad it was over (and then I remembered how much cleanup had to be done).

One moment that I will always remember was my opening statement…”Wuv, Twue Wuv…” Yes, I actually said it.

Proud Father

Even though a professional photographer was taking pictures, I got Katie to take a picture of just Alicia and me. I wanted to be able to remember standing next to such a beautiful bride.

Of course, all dads think their daughters are beautiful, right? This is no exception. However, I can truly say she got her looks from her mother, not me. If you see any resemblance between us, then it is only coincidental, because remember, she’s my step-daughter.

But even though Alicia may not have gotten any of her physical characteristics from me, there were some other characteristics she did inherit, and they were made known through her vows to Josh.

The Vows

Instead of doing it the old-fashioned, traditional way, Alicia and Josh wrote their own vows (which made it easier on me). Josh actually said his by memory (or made them up as he went along, I don’t know), but Alicia had to read hers. She gave them to me to hold until her turn.

After Josh recited his vows, Alicia looked at me, which was my cue to give her the vows she had printed on piece of paper. Then, as she read those words, halted slightly by her tears, her relation to me became evident. The family resemblance was obvious. See if you can pick up on it.

I, Alicia, take you Josh, my best friend, to be my husband.

I give you this ring, my heart, and every part of me.

With it I vow to always: love, honor, respect, and cherish you forever.

I promise to always be open and honest, be there in good times and bad, and to be forever faithful.

I promise to always live first for our God and then for you as your helpmate as it is commanded in His Word.

I promise to always be your partner, your best friend, and your number one fan.

I promise to always listen to the words you speak, and listen even harder for the ones that you don’t.

I promise to embrace whatever changes life throws at us as it will only make us grow closer together.

I promise to always laugh with you, give you back scratches every night and to always give you those “madly in love kisses” no matter how old we are.

I promise all of this to you in front of God and these witnesses until death do us part because we WILL NOT FAIL!

The Promise

A lot of promises are made at weddings. Many times those promises are broken, leaving hearts and lives in ruin. But marriages in which the couple puts God first, then loves each other with the sacrificial love He modeled in Christ, are far more likely to see those promises kept.

And when it comes to promises, I am thankful for this one: “Train up a child in the way [she] should go: and when [she] is old, [she] will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

I am very proud of you, Alicia.

7 Comments

Filed under Christian Maturity, Defending Traditional Marriage, Life Lessons, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | November 1, 2012 · 12:30 am

Packing Heat?

In Harm’s Way

Pastor Danny Kirk, Sr., and family.

This week another pastor died. But he didn’t die from a heart attack, cancer, or just plain old age. He didn’t even die in an accident on some busy highway. No, Danny Kirk was beaten to death with an electric guitar in the sanctuary of the church he founded 18 years ago. (Click here for the full story)

Of course, this wasn’t the first pastor to die at the hands of an assailant. This wasn’t the first to die in a church building, either. No, there have been others. They have been shot, beaten, and stabbed. One was even found naked and spread-eagle in front of the altar, mutilated.

I’ve Seen It

When I was only in second grade (1973) my dad, a pastor, was threatened by those who wanted to physically remove him from the pulpit. They were stopped by a Marine who had just returned from Vietnam.

One time a man threatened to come shoot my dad at church. He had already shot at our house. Fortunately, some other men of the church found out. They stood around the church, armed with pistols under their coats. He came…and he left.

But it seems like attacks on ministers are becoming more frequent here in America. In other countries Christians are regularly mistreated, assaulted, and even killed. But here in this country, it is pastors that are being targeted. Why that is happening is up for debate. The question I am posing is whether or not a pastor should carry a weapon.

False Expectations

For the longest time people have thought that preachers, pastors, ministers, priests, etc., should be mild and mannerly…peaceful and placid…always turning the other cheek. Somehow, because of the Romantic perception of a wimpy, mamma’s boy of a Jesus, people think that His servants should be softies. They forget it was Jesus who vacated the temple with a whip (not something your average 90 lb. girly-man would do).

And when it comes to being attacked, there is this notion among many that the Christian, especially the minister, should not try to defend himself, just “turn the other cheek.” They think that true faith dictates we lower our hands and let God fight our battles for us.

I actually heard a man defend passivity to the extreme. When asked what he would do if a criminal attacked his wife or children, he said, “If it is God’s will they die, then I am not going to stand in His way. His will be done.” I wanted to beat the guy myself! What kind of insanity is that? To stand and watch your family be molested because you think it is wrong to defend yourself?

God-Given Sense

Friends, God gave us brains. He also gives the believer the Holy Spirit. If you have both, then it should be pretty simple to discern that a man (or woman) has a responsibility to defend his loved ones, as well as himself. Even Jesus understood that there are times when we need to protect what is in our care. He said, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace” (Luke 11:21 NKJV). How much more should we guard our own lives?

And what about the idea of being a good shepherd? What kind of shepherd would have allowed wolves, bears, and lions to come and carry away his sheep? What did David do to the bear and lion (1 Samuel 17:36)? Was it not his duty to protect his sheep?

What if a gunman entered the church? Where does Scripture say that the only option is to stand (or cower under a pew) and pray that he will see the error of his ways, lay down his AK-47, then take communion? What would David do?

My Thoughts

This is how I see it. God is my strong tower (Ps. 61:3) and my shield, my fortress in time of trouble (Ps. 144:2). He is also the One who led Nehemiah to set guards as the wall around Jerusalem was being rebuilt. As a pastor, I believe that God has called me to a “great work” from which “I cannot come down” (Neh. 6:3). Therefore, I will keep in mind the instruction Nehemiah gave those who labored…

“Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. … Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. … They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.” – Nehemiah 4:9, 13-14, 17-18 KJV

I see nothing wrong with a modern-day wall builder having a modern-day weapon “girded” to his side.

What would you do if attacked? Would you defend your loved ones?

Related articles

27 Comments

Filed under America, Christian Maturity, Life Lessons, ministry, Relationships and Family, Uncategorized, wisdom

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | October 18, 2012 · 1:56 pm

I “_____” Weddings

“_____”?

I know what you must be thinking (I am a mind reader, you know; you have to be to survive around women), “what does ‘_____’ stand for?”

Do I really have to say? I mean, come on, I am a preacher, a pastor, a man of the cloth…I am supposed to be all about weddings, right? Right? If nothing else, it’s a good way to make a quick buck, right? Right?

Oh, you have no idea…no idea…

A Symbol

Don’t misunderstand, I love what weddings are all about. I believe in weddings. As a matter of fact, God loves weddings so much He uses them to describe the ultimate coming together of the Body of believers (the Bride) and His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:29).

God loves and promotes marriage, even to the point where He says that He “hates divorce.”

“For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.” – Malachi 2:16 NKJV

God hates divorce because, just as marriage symbolizes His love for us, divorce symbolizes unfaithfulness. He said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). So, don’t get me wrong – I totally LOVE marriage.

A Serious Pain

What I DON’T LOVE are all the practical realities of wedding ceremonies. The logistics. The non-logistics. You name it.

Have you ever noticed mothers and fathers crying when their children get married? It is not because they are losing/gaining children; it’s because they are relieved the nightmare is over! (My wife just said, “OH, Anthony!“)

Here, let me just provide you with a simple, ten-point list of things that irritate me, then you might better understand why I “_____” weddings.

  1. 4,937 peasants could be fed for two months and 4 days for what one wedding cake can cost.
  2. No matter how much pre-marital counseling I do, I know everything I say is going in one ear and out the other.
  3. There are always people who “have reason why these two should not be married,” but they are too cowardly to stand up and say something.
  4. Family members are just as likely to kill each other over the color of mints as the number of ruffles on a wedding gown.
  5. Wedding cake tastes like lard.
  6. Everybody always gets new clothes – except the preacher.
  7. Brides-to-be and their mothers are pickier than Eric Clapton on speed (Old Age Alert: Eric Clapton is an actual musician who plays a real guitar, not one attached to a game console).
  8. Shotguns are not allowed anymore.
  9. Daughters force their parents to watch episode after episode of Say Yes to the Dress, Four Weddings, and My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding. (Did I mention I have a daughter getting married?)
  10. If I mess up the vows, then I am responsible for ruining the lives of females who never forgive.

I “Like” Weddings

Is “like” the best word? It’s not what best describes my feelings, but I guess it will have to do. But may I suggest a few things that would help me “love” weddings more?

  1. Elvis actually showing up to say, “I did not look like that, thangya very much.”
  2. Grilled steak instead of cake (Dr. Atkins would be proud).
  3. No dancing. Period. None. People that don’t know how to dance should just sit in a chair and eat steak.
  4. Bags of money, instead of rice or bubble makers (Cleaning up would be much easier).
  5. A simple promise that the bride and groom will take their vows as seriously as their choice of cake toppers.

Seriously

Seriously, if you are getting married, God bless you! May your union be filled not only with love, but also the commitment it takes to show that love to each other throughout the years to come.

And if at all possible, I prefer my steak a nice, pink medium. I do.

6 Comments

Filed under Defending Traditional Marriage, Food, Humor, ministry, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | October 16, 2012 · 5:59 pm

“Freshly Pressed” High, then Reality

Woo Hoo!

I was so thrilled when I was told this blog was going to be featured on “Freshly Pressed.” I was literally ecstatic (well, let me make sure of the definition – a trance-like state of joy or delight – OK, that’s good), really I was.

Just the thought that this wee widdle bwog was chosen out of so many thousands was mind blowing. It was better than when I got the Perfect Attendence Award in 3rd grade! Or was it 4th grade? Or was it the spelling bee?

Anyway, on October 1st my recorded views gradually climbed and climbed, peaking out at 942 by midnight. Wow! Never in one day has so many people come to read anything I had ever written. Wow!

Woo!

Then October 2nd came. Wow! Several hundred views in one day. Not too bad, little camper!

And then all the other days came…and went…with gradually declining numbers. It was like watching Enron‘s stock prices fall. It was like I was watching my stats try to break the sound barrier after leaping from a record height.

But it was all right. I knew that going in. I knew there were no promises that I would become an award-winning blogger overnight, all because of some silly award-like gift from the blogging mega-minds at WordPress. I mean, after all, I did get a few followers and a whole lot of “likes” (to which I have not yet finished replying – sorry).

Oh Hooey!

No, the real problem was that once the initial high was over, I had to face reality. Only 1000 views in a day? Are you kidding? I was excited about nearly 1000 views in a day?

Do you realize that there are blogs out there that receive tens of thousands of views a day? Let me spell that out – Tee Eee Enn Thous Ain’t Nothin’. Whatever.

If getting thousands of views a day means I  have to become another Perez Hilton, forget it.

Oh Hey!

Thanks, though, for all of you who regularly stop by to read my nonsense. You are appreciated. All 15 of you.

Now back to writing about stuff that matters. My wife just told me, “You keep writing stuff like that, and if it were me, I would quit coming back to see what you wrote – all that ‘just to write‘ stuff doesn’t interest me. Just saying.”

Next Topic: How NOT to Encourage Your Spouse

19 Comments

Filed under General Observations, Humor, Life Lessons, Relationships and Family, self-worth, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | October 14, 2012 · 7:06 pm

A Dream Come True, Sadly

A Dream

It has long been a dream of mine to just lay (lie?) in bed all day. All day, all night, just chillin’ there in my Spongebob pants.

Part of the dream is getting phone calls with people asking, “Anthony, where are you?” In response I would say, “Oh, just laying in bed.”

“But it’s 3 in the afternoon!” they would exclaim, thinking I could be shocked back to reality. “Really?” I would say, “I thought it was much later.”

A Nightmare

Well, my dream became reality, only it was a reality far too real to be fun. Saturday morning, about 9 a.m., I began to feel ill. By 10:00 I was in full-blown stomach virus meltdown. I made it to my bedroom and didn’t leave until just before this post.

On Thursday and Friday our oldest daughter, Alicia, came to visit. She stayed in our bed, sick with whatever my wife and I both caught. Friday night my wife became ill, then I followed.

But hey, there I was, over 24 hours in bed (except for the multiple trips to the toilet and the occasional cooling off time on the bathroom floor).

Be Careful…

You know the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, be careful what you wish for.

Laying (lying) in bed all day and night is no fun, especially when you can’t do anything. I couldn’t read, watch TV, listen to music, get comfortable, or even enjoy crackers and water.

Important Things

But I can say that spending all that time in bed sick as a dog (although I have never seen a dog so sick) reminded me of what is most important – not being sick.

When one is puking his guts up, along with incurring the revenge of Montezuma, Facebook, WordPress, Twitter, texting, and any other form of modern communication is worthless. Relationships are even worthless if they are as sick as you are. The most important thing is to not be sick, unless you have other family who is willing to treat you like a spoiled baby and meet your every perceived need.

Thankfully, after coming home from a youth outing Saturday night, our other daughters were able to see the humor in two adults in misery. Considering how this stuff is so contagious, I wonder how important they will think it was to make fun of mommy and daddy in a day or two?

They’re just lucky they brought us jello and water when we asked. That was important, too.

Oh, One More Thing…

Years ago, when I was in Romania, I became similarly ill. Well, actually I was much worse, because that illness lasted for nearly a week – I almost died.

Do you know what I was given to make me feel better? Green tea, white rice, and goat cheese. Sorry, but it didn’t help.

What I wanted was Sprite (or something like it) over real, honest-to-goodness ice. You know, H2o that is frozen into little tiny cubes. My host family said, “Nu, Nu, Nu!” I said, “Da, Da, Da!”

Long story short, a U.S. Navy medic who was traveling with us agreed to find a carbonated drink (which ended up being mineral water with fruit syrup) and some bottle caps. We boiled some water, filled the caps, and snuck them into a tiny freezer. That night I had ice in my drink.

American ingenuity – what a wonderful thing!

6 Comments

Filed under General Observations, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | September 26, 2012 · 2:00 am

Appetite for Comfort

Comfort Food, That Is

There are some things in life that we always go back to when nothing else seems to do. It’s called comfort food.

Comfort food is the stuff that you want to eat when you’re depressed, when you’ve lost a limb, or when you’re girlfriend informs you that all along she has been an alien from Jupiter, and now she wants your brain to take back to her daddy.

Comfort food brings back fond memories of childhood and the “good-old-days” (unless you were a starving refugee), when Mom could make you feel better with nothing more than a spoonful of lard and some corn meal.

Comfort Central

Here in the southern United States we have a custom: when somebody dies, we eat.

Whenever a loved one passes away, bites the dust, or essentially assumes room temperature for an indefinite period of time, we trot them off to a funeral home, and then bring in every kind of unhealthy food imaginable. We all know that when one is suffering a terrible loss, comfort food will help dull the pain. And if nothing else, it will help you get to where your loved one is a little quicker than a salad will.

A typical southern funeral home has a dining area. This is where the family and friends can go when they are tired of standing around in the viewing room. They instinctively know that in that room is food which will make them feel better.

Serious Comfort

Well, not long ago my only blood-related uncle went home to be with the Lord. His body was taken to a funeral home in a place called Whitwell (pronounced “Wutwool“), Tennessee. And it was there that the funeral home staff did something that it does for all their families – serve homemade pinto beans.

Now, don’t be fooled, folks. These are not your ordinary beans. These are about the best pinto beans you will ever put in your ever-loving mouth! Served with some homemade cornbread, these beans made me tear up (no joke) as I remembered my granny, my dad, and a much, MUCH simpler life down on the river.

What makes these pintos so special is that they were soaked for 24 hours in water, then slow-cooked the next day in a crock pot with several slices of thick bacon. Of course, there’s more to it than that, but there are secrets to keep.

A Holy Command

Why do we prepare such food for funerals? Seriously? For one thing, sometimes it is hard to find the right words to say when someone is hurting. That’s when people do what they can, and many times the only thing they can do is prepare good food. Hurting people need to be cared for, and this is one way to show it.

Comforting one another is also something we are commanded to do. 1Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to “comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.” And speaking of the hope of resurrection we have in Christ, the Apostle Paul said in the same letter, “comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:8).

But what happens when words are hard to find? Make a pot of seriously savory pinto beans and cornbread. Tears of heartache may turn into tears of culinary joy.

Related articles

58 Comments

Filed under Food, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | September 3, 2012 · 11:46 am

A Little Time Off

Change of Plans

I was in the process of writing a post for today, a post dealing with the U.S national holiday, Labor Day. But then I got a phone call, and plans changed.

Not long ago I received a phone call from my cousin. He told me that my uncle, my father’s brother, had passed away. This was a terrible blow.

So, if you, my readers, wouldn’t mind, I would like to step away from The Recovering Legalist for a little while. I will still work on preparing posts for ProverbialThought.com, however, being that it is a daily devotional.

William (Don) Baker

Most of you may have never met my uncle Don, but you would have liked him. He was a very gentle, Jesus-loving man. But this wasn’t always the case. Just like my dad was before his conversion, my uncle was a tough-as-nails, hard-living, straight-shooting outdoorsman with a proud moonshine-running past. He was a man without fear, considering at one point he kept in his living room nearly 200 deadly snakes (Rattle Snakes, Copperheads, etc.).

My father, Terry Baker, was my uncle’s younger brother. Terry became a believer in the 1960’s, and then accepted the calling to preach. He always prayed for Don and invited him to church, but to my knowledge only went with him one or two times. My dad never gave up on my uncle.

Then, just a few years ago, the man who wouldn’t have anything to do with God or church found himself at death’s door. Beside a hospital bed he gave his heart and life to Jesus, and the change in that old sinner’s life was dramatic.

The Mission Field

My uncle lived on a hill just above the Tennessee River in an area called Suck Creek. Our family had lived there for several generations. And it was there on the river that my uncle spent most of his time fishing and conversing with not only the Lord, but anyone who passed by.

The river was his “mission field.” He told me how that once his health declined to the point he couldn’t get around, about all he could do was ride his 4-wheeler down to the river bank. There he would sit and fish, feed the ducks, and witness miracles.

On more than one occasion, as he told me, he would be sitting there fishing when a total stranger would walk up to him. Many times the people would be feeling hopeless, considering divorce, or even suicide. Without having to go anywhere he would tell these people about how God changed his heart and gave him a love he never knew existed. He would tell them how Jesus loved them and could give them the same kind of peace he experienced. And in one case, even the town drunk came by – and got saved.

Shouting Down the Roof

One thing my uncle Don told me a couple of years ago was this: “The thing I regret most is that I didn’t get saved earlier…I could have heard Terry preach, and we could have shouted the roof down together.”

I sent my uncle cd’s of my preaching and singing. I know that he listened to me when I preached on the radio. But I know that it wasn’t the same. I am not my dad.

Joy Comes in the Morning

But all is not lost. Because of the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ we have Hope.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. … That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Rom 5:1-2, 21 KJV

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1Cr 15:51-57 KJV

I am looking forward to the funeral service this week. I don’t look forward to it because I have lost a loved one, but because of the hope we will all share. It will be a time to be reminded that this life is short and that tomorrow is never guaranteed. But it will also be a reminder that when the dark night is over, along with all the pain, “joy comes in the morning.”

8 Comments

Filed under Future, Preaching, Relationships and Family, Theology, Uncategorized, worship

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 31, 2012 · 3:46 pm

Anthony’s Appetite #9 (Home Made Icing)

Store vs. Home

There are some things that are better bought from a store than made at home. I know saying that will make some people angry, but it’s true. I can think of a few things right off the bat…

  • Captain Crunch Cereal – I especially like Crunch Berries.
  • Peanut Butter – sure, you can make it at home, but it gets nasty after a while.
  • Crackers – has anyone ever made a cracker better than a Nabisco Saltine?
  • Nilla Wafers – another winner from Nabisco. Put peanut butter on these and it’s the closest thing to manna from heaven.
  • Instant Coffee – have you ever tried to freeze-dry your own?

Birthday Cake

Last week we celebrated the twelfth birthday of our little Kung Fu queen, Haley. For her party she wanted a cake to coincide with her selected “Ip Man” theme (Ip Man was famous for introducing Wing Chun to the world). We had her picture made on rice paper for decoration, but the best part was the icing.

Icing

When it comes to cake icing, my wife makes the best in the world. And so do I – ’cause I used her recipe. She baked the cake for the party, but I mixed the icing.

Included in the recipe is butter, shortening, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and flavoring. This time the flavoring consisted of a mixture of almond and vanilla extract.

Because the cake was fairly large, I had to make a large bowl of icing, part of which needed to be colored pink.

Home Made vs. Canned

You can buy decent cake icing from a store, but it doesn’t even come close to the flavor and quality of what can be made at home. My wife’s cream cheese icing is smoother, creamier, tastier, and moist-ier. As a matter of fact, her icing can even make a bad cake taste better, saving the baker from embarrassment.

If you’d like the recipe, just email me. I’d love to hear from you. Then, come back here to let everyone know how good it actually is.

Leave a comment

Filed under Food, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | July 22, 2012 · 12:05 am

Give Me Samoa

Population

As best I can tell, I have gotten only one visit from someone in Samoa. But if I were to compare Samoa to the United States, then person-for-person, that one visit would be worth at least 20,000 views in the States! Of course Samoa is tiny compared to the U.S.A., and only has a population of 196,000. But who’s counting?

Location

Located half-way between New Zealand and Hawaii, this little island country is a literal paradise. Up until now the only thing that I could associate with Samoa was big wrestlers and Girl Scout cookies. But now that I have seen the pictures…and read the history…I want to go there! You can keep the cookies.

Make My Reservation

The thing that most amazes me is this little country’s blatant, uncompromising, unashamed acceptance of Christianity in daily life. Unlike so many in the rest of the Western world, Samoa makes no apology for the faith that plays a major role in its society. As a matter of fact, just check out this quote from the Samoa Tourism Authority:

Christianity has been one of the few western influences that has been accepted into Fa’a Samoa.

John Williams from the London Missionary Society arrived in Savaii in 1830 with eight Tahitian and Rarotongan teachers to spread the word. Today the motto on Samoa’s crest reads, Fa’avae I Le Atua Samoa – Samoa is founded on God, and found in every village are churches of various denominations. Samoans are devote Christians and Sunday is a day of worship and spending time with family and no physical work is done (emphasis added).

I may be going out on a limb, here, but my guess is that the ACLU isn’t very big in Samoa. Can you imagine if something like that was written on an official American tourism website? You have to admire these people.

Read Samoa

I could go on and on repeating what I have read, but why don’t you check it out for yourself. Go read about the Samoan Way. Read about a people who aren’t ashamed of their heritage. Read about a little country that could be an example for the rest of us to follow. Ever wonder how to deal with gang crime, illiteracy, the break down of the family? Samoa might have some suggestions.

A Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the people of Samoa. Thank you for their unashamed proclamation of faith in Christ. Thank you for the missionaries who bravely went to share with these people back in the 1830’s. Thank you that there is still a place in the world where family is not defined and re-defined on a whim.

God, bless this little nation. Keep them safe. May they grow in grace and be a beacon of light in a dark world. – Amen.

Related articles

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Living, Countries, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | July 14, 2012 · 12:20 am

Evil Pants

The Old Days

Do you remember the old days? No, I’m not talking about when there were only three channels on TV, or when telephones were anything but mobile. I am not even talking about the old days when cartoons were reserved for Saturday morning, providing a distinct break between school day and weekend. I’m talking about…

…when it was forbidden for women to wear pants.

What? You don’t remember those days? Well I certainly do! I remember them very well. I even remember culottes (which is a memory I try to drown with anything short of alcohol – because I don’t want to die and go to H.E. Double Hockey Sticks).

Must be Liberal

I remember the old days when one could easily determine who was spiritual, and who wasn’t. There use to be a day when a godly man could look at a woman (without lusting, of course) and know right off the bat if she was a God-fearing, fundamentalist catch. Now it’s getting hard to judge by appearances.

Once, when our pastor gave us the freedom to visit another church (it was a special occasion – we were visiting family), we went to what we thought was a very conservative Independent Baptist church. I was only a young boy at the time, but I can still remember the words my daddy said as we looked down from the balcony, “Evidently, this church has gone liberal…look there…isn’t that sad?…the pastor’s wife is wearing pants.”

The Uniform

Seriously, I am a firm believer in modesty. And if it is your honest, heart-felt, full-of-faith conviction that a woman should only wear dresses, then hallelujah! However, I am not going to make my little girl wear a dress as she learns how to kick the you-know-what out of the first boy who tries to touch her.

How many black belts (or sashes) have you ever seen wearing a dress instead of a traditional uniform? I’ve never seen one. Oh well. I guess that may pose a problem for some that are still living in the old days.

But on a different note, a Wing Chun uniform isn’t exactly a white shirt and polyester pants, either. So, you guys (especially the one in the video with the long hair) might ought to consider what you are wearing (insert winking smiley face, which is meant to inform the reader that the last comment was in fun).

Haley Get’s Her First Promotion

Click here to find out more about Dojo Chattanooga and Trevor Haines.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Do not judge, fitness, General Observations, Humor, legalism, Relationships and Family, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,