Honor the King

The last few years in America have been rough. Let's face it. We have a President who totally disregards the wishes of the people. A man who fails to respect the laws of our nation. A man who supports socialism and homosexuality. Under the current administration, the value of the Constitution has been diminished. My tax money has been utterly wasted so that people who work less than I do, can live better than I live. Our allies have become our enemies. Our military personnel have been degraded. We have sat by and watched. While giving up our freedoms, our world has become more and more dangerous. Not to mention, the epic monstrosity known as the "Affordable Care Act." 

It is a sad day in America. My heart grieves for my beloved country. I regret that anyone believed the lie that a man would change our country for the better. 

It's hard to have a good attitude right now. My healthcare plan will be cancelled next summer. Any similar plan I choose will been over $100 more than I pay right now. And I have to choose to pay that extra $100 now, or I won't have insurance for several months. Don't even get me started on the nonsense of this world - I cannot go anywhere without being exposed to blatant wickedness. I can't even sit in the privacy of my home without hearing words or seeing things that I never intended to see... or even sought out… blurted out in commercials masked in humor and innuendos. It is just disgusting. And to top it all off, the people that we have "chosen" to lead our country in truth with honor and integrity are doing a terrible job! 

Somehow even though my faith has absolutely nothing to do with all of these changes. Somehow even though it is my faith that founded and established this nation. Somehow I am mocked because I believe in the one true God. Somehow I am the "bad guy" for expecting that all able-bodied, of-age persons earn their keep or for demanding morality and honesty. Somehow it is my fault when things go wrong. 

(Or is it just me who feels this? All Bible-believing Christians should understand what I am saying.)

I think Peter understood what we are going through today. He said this in 2 Peter 2:11-17 - 

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Here Peter reminds us that we really don't belong to this country. We are pilgrims just passing through awaiting a glorious, eternal country. Peter reminds us to keep our lives honorable in the eyes of the world. Yes, they might be speaking against us right now. Yes, they might accuse us of being the "bad guy" right now. But they know by our actions (if we are living out the principles of the Bible) that when it comes down to it, our God is real and true. 

So what do we do in the meantime? 

Obey those laws that we dislike. We are doing it to bring glory to God's name anyway, not our own personal pleasure or comfort. God put the king and governors (President and Senators) in our lives to punish the real bad guys anyway. 

And on top of it all... This is God's will. We are quickly approaching the day of His return. He has had this in the books since the beginning. He knows. He is aware, and He allows. In the end, He will receive the glory. 

So be obedient. Be submissive. Be silent. To quote Peter in verse 17, Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Dear Christians and fellow Americans, please don't use your knowledge of the truth as an opportunity to speak hate against these men that God. We don't need "educated" on the woes of our great nation, who has so obviously strayed from God. We get it. We are living it. Does it really honor God when we point out every obvious or minor flaw that our leaders make? No. Does it proclaim the name of Christ when we mock or offend the unsaved? No. So do we need to air our grievances on facebook for Christian and non-Christian friends to see? No. That is definitely "not honoring all men."

Yes, my heart breaks for the direction that our President has turned our nation. But I couldn't respect him more. The truth is, I don't envy his job. I do not desire the responsibility that he has. God will hold him accountable for the decisions that he has made. All of that sin that has multiplied as a result of his poor decisions, our President will have to give an account to God for. That means I really, really need to pray for this man. 

As I mourn the tragic decisions that our government has made, I have found myself praying more - and praying harder - for this man who does not know the power of my God. I find myself respecting the severe responsibility that leadership truly is. I find myself encouraging others to honor this man. He is our leader for two more years, whether we like it or not. We have to pray that he will make wise decisions. And most importantly we have to pray that he would choose companions and advisors who know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Pray that they would develop a healthy relationship with our President and show him our Savior. If our President doesn't know Christ, how could he possibly lead our country according the principles that it was founded upon and are laid out in our constitution?

As I mourn the direction we head, I find myself praying for the salvation of the lost. A Christian nation is determined by her people, not by the principles of her founding fathers. If we dwindle in numbers... if I fail to lead others to my Jesus... if I do not teach those younger than me how to live an honest and honorable life... how can I expect to live in a Christian nation?

Please join me in making a concentrated effort starting today. Let us pray for our President every day. Let us continue to praise God for our freedoms while we still have them. Let us honor the men that God has appointed over us. And let us look forward to the day when we leave this kingdom and move to our eternal city with our Heavenly King. 

Study Hard

My sister and I are alike in a lot of different ways. I mean, we are sisters. So we have a lot of similarities. We look a like, we talk alike, we act alike. We like the same things. If we go shopping separately, we will pick out the same clothes. We have really similar personalities. As kids this meant that we didn't get a long too well, but now we are really good friends. 

There are just a few ways that we are extremely different. I am a facts and information and research kind of person. She is an artsy kind of person who likes to do things based on her emotions and feelings, whatever interests her at the time. I am not at all like that. I need to make a list and observe the options... Every time. 

One of the big things that we were very different in high school was that I liked school and she didn't. She hated school.... Hated school! But I loved school! It was right up my alley. She wanted to be outside painting a picture. We are totally different in that way! If I am outside, I want to be reading a book or doing something. 

So every once in a while, now that she is in college, she will call me and say, "Hey, I am really struggling with this class, can you give me some study tips?" There are so many different ways to study and we are not at all alike in this area, so the conversation goes nowhere. 

But like a good big sister I give her a tip (a different tip every time!!), and she says every time, "Oh, I can't study that way; I don't learn that way."

I then offer another tip and you know what she says? "Oh, I cant study that way, I don't learn that way."

 And then back and forth over and over again. We are just different. How I need to study to learn the material, is different than how my sister will need to study to learn the material. 

Studying is important, isn't it? When buying a house, or purchasing a car, or moving to a new area, it is important to study the facts, so that you make the wisest decision for your family. So you can know what to expect. 

Just like it is important to study for a test or study for life, it is equally important... If not, more important... To study God's Word. 

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

~2 Timothy 2:15~

There it says right in the Bible that we are supposed to study God's Word! Why? So we can correctly understand the truth. 

Consider this... you are listening to a guest preacher at church. The guest preacher suggests something that is really close to what is in the Bible. Maybe his thoughts are coming from somewhere else in the Bible. It sounds legit, but something doesn't sit right. Have you studied your Bible enough to know whether this man is speaking the truth or not? Can you discern the truth?

Not only do we need to be able to accurately discern truth, we also need to be able to intelligently answer the questions of others. 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 

~1 Peter 3:15~

Finally we study the Bible so that we can know God better. 

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

~Jeremiah 29:13~

Whether you study the Bible with a notepad and pen, your iPad, Bible study books, commentaries, or podcasts, the important thing is that you study.

Find your method and grow in Christ! 

Social Single

Recently I had the unfortunate opportunity to observe several friends attack each other via very public forums. It has been hilarious to watch because it is so immature, but at the same time wholly inappropriate. What is happening? A single friend with great influence and audience is upset with a quiet and mostly private older newlywed couple for posting online frequently that they are happily married.

I seem to remember that God gives each person different situations and different trials and different blessings. We are to rejoice in where God has put us. (And let me tell you, this disgruntled single lady gets to do many things that even we happily married pastor's wives secretly dream of.)

Things that I miss about being single:

1. The abundance of time I had to spend in my devotions. As a single person, I was able to spend hours studying my Bible, meditating on what I was learning, and doing this for as long as I wanted and as often as I wanted. Now as a married person, I have a set limited amount of time to spend in my personal devotions because I have a husband who needs my attention.

2. Being able to just up and go. As a single, I could go do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I didn't need to check in with my husband and his schedule.

3. Being involved in certain ministries. As a single I could choose to go on a missions trip as I felt led. I could whole-heartedly be involved in my own Sunday school class while teaching a Sunday school class. During Vacation Bible School, I could rush from work to church to be involved in picking up kids for VBS, taking them home after, without worrying about making dinner for my family or making sure that they get to VBS.

4. Finances. This is a big deal - As a single, I could save money like crazy. I was on track to have a sizeable down payment on my own home after only four years in the workforce. I probably would have saved for another year to have emergency funds secured. The point is my expenses were low and I could save as much as I wanted. At the same time, I was spending money on whatever I wanted. New outfit? Sure! Macbook Pro? Absolutely! (Best financial decision to date!) Shoes? Yep. Dinner out with friends? No problem.

5. Being responsible for me and accountable to me. Now I have to make sure that my husband is loved, well-cared for, happy, has access clean, neat clothes, and I don't even have kids! As a single, it was just me and I didn't have to worry about anyone else's well-being.

Not to say all of that without mentioning that married life is wonderful as well. I just want to point out that singlehood as some serious benefits.

For any lady out there who feels inadequate or un-blessed because she isn't married, please know that you have some pretty awesome privileges that many married ladies miss. Enjoy the moments that God has given you! Remember that He will use you where you are if you let Him. Keep in mind - we all go through varying stages of life. You don't know what the next step will be. Jealousy for the next phase is not necessary or appropriate. Just pray for God to work in your life....

... And please do not air your grievances on the internet against your married friends.

Thank you so much!

~ Kay

I'm Baaaaaack!

Poor blog! I have been away for far too long!

I promise it has been because of great reasons! As you know, the life situation has changed a little. I spent the majority of the summer working retail which was a totally new experience for me. There are a lot of things that you learn about people when you are working for them instead of with them. Wow! It is safe to say that I am now extra super-nice to all people in the service industry - waitresses, cashiers, grocery baggers, hotel clerks, gas station attendants. I know what it is like to be "the help."

Reason #2 - I started a full-time job! This is something that I just have to stop and praise the Lord about every day! When I worked full-time before moving South, I kinda took my job for granted. Now it is a totally different story. On top of praising the Lord for a full-time job, I am praising Him that it is in a Christian school. The classes I teach aren't what I want to teach forever, but they are certainly a foot in the door - and there have already been discussions about moving into my "field." This is a huge, huge praise!

Reason #3, Praise #2 - We moved to a suburban area and a different church. This move has changed my outlook on life! For real... My apartment is smaller (but more expensive). My grocery store is cheaper and has fresh produce! My church family is incredible. The city is nearby. I am totally loving this move. Today I actually finished decorating for fall. It is wonderful!

During this time of severe transition, there has barely been a moment to breathe. But it has been absolutely wonderful. Over the last ten months, I have learned so many unexpected lessons. You have heard about some of them. There truly is a shocking transition into ministry especially if it is a ministry that you aren't so familiar with. (If you have been there, you know.) So I have plenty to write about and plenty has been written. It is just a matter of posting.

So there is this big huge world of the internet and so many people have amazing, acclaimed, popular blogs. I paused in my writing overwhelmed with my life and overwhelmed with how so many better people than me can write a blog. Better voices spread to more readers. The fact is - if God puts something on my heart to write about, there must be one person out there who needs to read. If you are that one person, I hope my blog helps you in some way. I hope it helps me - to heal, to grow, to encourage. 

Tip of the Day

Today I received the most useful financial tip I think that I have ever heard in my entire life. Seriously! It kind of sounds weird, but it is really great.

Over the last couple of years certain things have happened to friends and family that made my husband and I realize that overall we didn't have enough insurance coverage. When we were first starting out, all we could afford was the most basic of insurance coverages. And to top it out, we really didn't know what we needed. Our agent was very kind, but not necessarily helpful.

Then a friend lost everything in a fire and didn't have enough coverage. A family member had huge medical bills not covered by insurance. And other similar situations, and we got to thinking... Do we have enough coverage?

Long story short since we just recently moved we decided to go meet our new agent and up our coverage. So glad we did!! Our agent was awesome. He answered all of our questions and helped us figure out what was best for us. Now don't just assume we got duped or sold a pitch. We had done research before and pretty much knew what we wanted. There were just some loose ends and unanswered questions.

One of our areas of discussion was life insurance for my husband. I have a tiny life insurance policy through my employer, but my husband had nothing. While the reality is that we would both really struggle financially without the other, I would be worse off than my husband.

We would really love to get a permanent life policy (meaning you pay a certain amount for a set period of time then have insurance for the duration of your life; it never expires and you never get disqualified) versus a term-life policy (meaning you pay for set period of time but the policy expires, you can be disqualified, and if you don't use it, you lose everything you paid into it). The problem is permanent life is more expensive and we cannot afford it right now. The other problem is it gets more expensive as you get older.

Note this - the younger you are, the cheaper permanent life insurance is!

So here is the most useful financial tip I think I have ever heard in my life....


Get a permanent life insurance policy for your infant or toddler.

Seriously!

Yes, it is more expensive than term life, but it is cheaper for a child than for an adult. It will cost a nice chunk of money for my husband to have this type of insurance, but would be far less if he were a baby. So get it for your kid. When he gets older, he can adjust the policy to fit his needs and those of his family, but the life insurance is there. And the painful "start-up costs" of your 20s are taken care of at a much cheaper price as an infant.

Random I know, but something to consider.

Grandparents, if you are planning on leaving your grandchildren an inheritance, consider paying for this expense when your grandchild is born. That could be more valuable and give you more "bang" for your buck.

Life insurance is one of things that is really weird to think about. I didn't like sitting next to my husband and saying, "Well, if you passed away, I would like to receive enough insurance money to pay off any outstanding debts and put a chunk of money down on a house so I don't have to move in with my parents or bear the expense of renting." How awkward is that? But if you can fit it in your budget, it is definitely something to consider.

And think about it - how awesome would it be if you taught your kids to pay it forward? You set them up with a permanent life insurance policy, so they didn't have to worry about that as an adult. Then they in turn set up their children with permanent life insurance, then your grandkids set up their children.

Train 'em right! The financial things my parents taught me, I am implementing in my life right now.

Again I know that this is totally random, but I thought it was such a good tip I had to share it!

Sign of the Times

Do you have a ton of rewards cards in your wallet? Every last one of them is for a good cause, but... there are too many of them! Every store has their own card that you have to carry around. Which ends up taking loads of space in your wallet and has a tendency to be a little more frustrating than helpful. Money savings or not, there has to be a better way!

This is exactly the conversation I had with a customer this week. She had just signed up for my store's customer rewards card, adding yet another card to her already bulging wallet. Then she said something that totally threw me.

This normal lady said, "I would take a chip in my arm if it meant I didn't have to carry these cards around."

Wow!

So I was thinking an app on my phone or a single loadable card... not a chip in anyone's arm!

Talk about a sign of the times! Here is a lady who would gladly take a chip just to lighten her wallet load.

I mentioned to her that then anyone could track you at any time, if you had a chip in your arm. (Not to be argumentative, but as part of the discussion... that had now grown to include several employees.) She suggested that you can be tracked through your phone. But let's be honest, you can turn your phone off, destroy it, leave it behind. It is not permanently attached inside you!

For anyone who has grown up in church and studied the Bible, you know the impact of this woman's mindset really means. I assumed that this was something that the "evil" in the world had on their minds. This was the first time I encountered someone normal, who was just as for this as the presumed evil.

It was mind blowing to say the least.

For the record - I had continued to conversation with my fellow store employees. Several of the ladies I work with agree that an app or card would be awesome, but under no circumstances would they be implanting any microchips into any part of their body. One of the teenagers said that she could see this being something that is required, but she said that she is going to fight it, because she thought that it was wrong. Well, at least that was encouraging.

Being a Northerner

My life has been changing so rapidly over the last two months. It was a totally unexpected change and parts of me totally did not want it, but then part of me knew that it necessary for me to keep growing. So God brought some serious changes into my life. My job situation changed, my location changed, my apartment is changing. As difficult as it all seemed at the beginning, it has been so worth it! God brought such wonderful and necessary changes.

So I have a little bit of time on my hands, so I signed up for a free trial on ancestry.com. You know that family history website?

It has been so much fun! I just had to share. My husband's family immigrated to the US within the last 100 years. My dad's family has been really hard to track. I haven't gotten very far. But mom's family apparently has tons of records! Like, way too much information!! 

Interesting things about my mom's family - they were all faithful in church. They all worked hard. They weren't rich or famous or especially important to an American history book, but they lived and that makes them important! I am a true Northerner. My family is exclusively from the Northern colonies - we landed here shortly after the Mayflower and helped settle all of the major colonial cities. 

Prior to that I have traced the family back to the 1400s. It got easier when I found John the 9th, still carrying the family name. I have only tracked back to John the 5th so far. 

Before we landed in the colonies and became as Northern as Northern gets, we were about as European as European gets. I have at least one family member from every European country. 

But at least now I understand why I sometimes have such difficulty adjusting to the South. I am a Northerner to the core!