Tuesday, June 24, 2008

In Search of Trust by Darrell Scott

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.

They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

'Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

'The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

'In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defen d the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question 'Why?'
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

'Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational
systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount o f gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

'As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your
own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!'

Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech.. Please send this out to everyone you can.

God Bless

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Exactly The Right Words

"A grandfather was walking through his yard when he heard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in a tone of voice that sounded like a prayer. He asked her what she was doing. The little girl explained: 'I'm praying, but I can't think of exactly the right words, so I'm just saying all the letters, and God will put them together for me, because (God) knows what I'm thinking.'"

Susan Diamond-Montgomery, AL

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

God is wondrous!

I get a daily dose message from Elice McNeely. They are usually short and to the point but they had been missing for several days and yesterday she caught up.

It is wondrous how God works this all out for our good, in his timing, as we have had an 'interesting' season here lately. Yes, that's code talk but I'll let you figure it out.

Anyway, let me share the six doses I received yesterday, in order of my receiving them, notice that they are not in the order that they were sent. Let me confess to you that I read the first two then started deleting them, thinking that I was receiving duplicates, an email snafu of sorts, plus, I was 'very' busy, but then realized that God was deliberately encouraging me through these messages, at a very important time, so I retrieved them. So, here they are:

10:56 am sent; received at 11:14 am

God sends trials not to impair us, but to improve us.

11:00 am sent: received at 11:16 am

God may conceal the purpose of His ways, but His ways are not without a purpose.

11:01 am sent: received at 11:55 am

God guides us...He leads us step by step, only when we look back do we realize that He was always there...leading us.

10:57 am sent: received at 11:58 am

To defeat Satan, surrender to Christ.

11:15 am sent: received at 12:01 pm

Our best friends draw us closer to Christ.

11:02 am sent: received at 12:03 pm

While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside us.

I am blessed indeed!
Rhonda

A side note: as I was typing this today, Abbey the cat has snuggled up next to me on the sofa and is laying her cheek at my left elbow and is purring.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

First Tomato of the Season


My first ripe tomato of the season came from an unexpected place. Not from the big whiskey barrel planters I carefully set my best tomato transplants and cages in. No, from the small compost pile at the edge of my lawn. I had some scraggly looking transplants left over and a pile of grass clippings. As I recall, I just scooped out a hole in the grass clippings and stuck a couple of tomato plants in them and watered. Yep, first ripe tomato came from there.

Sinking my teeth into that ripe tomato was a joy. Memories of many ripe juicy tomatoes came flooding back. This is a taste you just don't find at the big box store it seems, and never in the off season. Anyway, as I was enjoying that first moment of tomato joy, I realized that I needed a picture for my Dad. He's been asking me if I have any tomatoes yet ever since we completed the construction of the backyard greenhouse in January. I started from seed and Monday I picked the first tomato. A few more are now on the counter riping up for me but here's a picture of the first one, minus a big bite, taken with my cell phone.

Yep, summer has come to Alabama:)

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Waiting

Have you ever been tired to the bone? So tired your face hurts? I've had a nagging headache for about three days now. I think it is stress related.

It seems the times are trying and some answers that I need are not coming along too quickly. I think waiting is a very hard task. Maybe you have it mastered?

Perhaps I will wonder out to the greenhouse and piddle with my plants. It seems to be a good place to be to get reminded of the One who has all the answers. Perhaps in the quietness of it all my headache will ease in the company of the One.