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LOVE is what matters the most...and the freedom that goes with it!



Home
is a constant place that continues to shine;
Its lights remain lit day and night;

Recent tragedies in Arizona make one wonder, “What is happening to the world that we live in?” (Click HERE for the news update.)







And all I can pray for is LOVE.

To remind our kids that LOVE is what matters the most.
Without LOVE our lives are bankrupt – empty!
Without LOVE, there will be no laughter.

And children have a way of reminding us of what matters the most!



I have 4 children – 21, 19, 15 and 9. The older ones are barely home. Every time they leave the house, I always say a prayer (asap) (thanks Ate M.)  . But sometimes, our prayers seem like they are not being heard because tragedies, accidents do happen. All I can do is pray for strength and understanding – reminding myself that there is always a reason for everything. We sometimes don’t understand why and for what purpose, but our lives are part of a bigger plan, a bigger purpose.
(Believe me, there had been plenty of times in my life that I couldn’t grasp the meaning of things.)







We are in the first year of the Decade of Destiny. In today’s reading from Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Connection, I was asked a question:
    “Where will your commitments take you this decade?
      Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your
      commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will
       define you. Tell me what you are committed to, and I’ll tell you what you will be at
       the end of the next ten years. We become whatever we are committed to. “

The recent shooting in AZ, especially the death of the nine year old who came to see the Congressman speak in order to see how our government works, led me to think more about what truly matters most. And for me, it’s LOVE.




My parents always remind me and my brothers that “we have to love one another. Love others as we love ourselves.” And as parents, we have to continuously shower our children with LOVE. Love is not about the material things – not wealth or accomplishments. Its how much love you put into the relationship. Love is lasting; it leaves an impact on someone else. When you share LOVE, you get more of it in return - and it shows in a child's smile!


Hug your child today. Tell and show them that you love them. Spend time with them. Give them your focused attention. Remind them of what's right and what's wrong, and hopefully as they get older and leave home, their perception of what's right remains in line with what you've taught and instilled in them.


“No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”
            - I Conrinthians 13:3b (Msg)


Please light a candle and pray for love, faith, hope, forgiveness and civility.

The political pundits on both sides started blaming one another. And I just don’t understand.


In voicing my concerns, my husband wrote this:

The compulsion among many to assign collective blame for the actions of a crazy person is a manifestation of the irrational thought process that constantly challenges human existence. Crazy people do crazy things and by definition their crazy behavior cannot be attributed to rational thought. Said simply, using the actions of a crazy person to justify one's hatred of a group is prejudice in the first order, irrational, and in poor taste.


 John Hinckley, who shot Ronald Reagan, watched Taxi Driver on a continuous loop. Martin Scorsese created a movie that arguably provided the catalyst which sent Hinckley on his mission. There were many others at the time who hated Reagan. To blame the Reagan haters and Martin Scorsese for Hinckley's actions would be irrational.

Freedom of speech is the most difficult freedom to maintain because the consequences of free speech are the most visible and annoying on a daily basis. To entertain thoughts which would logically conclude in the limitation of free speech is something to be wary of.

 During the period from 2003 - 2008 there were anti-Bush activists publicly calling for the execution of Bush, Cheney, and others on a daily basis. These calls were posted on HuffingtonPost, DailyKos, MoveOn, MSNBC, and other such forums. Many people who are quick to lay Gifford's shooting at the feet of Tea Party members are many of the same ones who empathized with calls for Bush's execution.










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Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    Very well written - To lay blame on others for the acts of a lunatic is crazy in and of itself.
    We have to pray for the victims of this senseless act of lunacy and their families.
    And yes, we have to love each other and I certainly love those pictures. Thanks for this post. Love you, Mom

    ReplyDelete

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