ACORN

So recently the group known as ACORN has been caught performing voter fraud in multiple states. In Indiana they were caught because the state had 105% of its population registered to vote. They were caught in Nevada because they registered the entire Dallas Cowboys starting lineup. So this issue is extremely upsetting to me. This is a right many men have died fighting for. It is a right that other people in other places would die to have. Think about the people in Burma or other places that yearn for this right and would die for it. So in light of this I decided to add up the top 10 Wars in American History by deaths. You want to know what it adds up to?

Death Total: 1,308,244

The lives of these men is worth more than winning an election, but I guess not everyone thinks that way.

Parable of the Talents

So I've been spending some time reflecting on the Parable of the Talents. Not the whole parable, just a part, actually just part of a single verse. The part I have been reflecting on is found in Matthew 25:15. The part I've been reflecting on is "each according to his ability." Not really sure why this struck me but it has. I think we generally understand what the point of the parable is, that we are to be responsible with what we have and more will be given, but I keep thinking about this portion of a verse. As I think about this I wonder "what exactly does it mean?" So as I process this I am beginning to wonder what abilities he has given us that we often forget about and we often miss opportunities to use the abilities and therefore are unfaithful with them. Or if we don't know about the ability and we miss an opportunity will we have what is given taken away. I'm unsure if we are responsible for what we do not know.

This has also gotten me thinking about what abilities I have and I am not using. What do we do when we don't have opportunities to use our abilities? Do we search opportunities out or do we wait until we are given them?

Any how, just some random thoughts to get you thinking. Feel free to process in comment form if you like.

The Possible

So Purpose Driven Childrens Ministry Conference started today at Saddleback. The theme is Pipedream: Making The Impossible Possible. This got me thinking "What are the things my friends or myself might do if we thought it was actually possible?"

Here are some of mine (Feel free to post yours as a comment if you like):

Plant a church in Portland that ministers to the poor and the captives.
Start a retreat center that is a ranch.
Lead some long time friends to Jesus.
Write a book that brings people closer to Jesus.

That's it for now.