It’s Christian Carnival time!

The Carnival is hosted this week by Gary at The Secret Life of Gary. Drop by and check it out!

Canada: New Vacation Destination for Pedophiles

I read this post on the Cannuckistan Chronicles about a WND article. I take WND with a large grain of salt, however the basic facts are backed up in this CNN article.

In a landmark decision Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Canada lifted a ban on swingers’ clubs, ruling that group sex among consenting adults is neither prostitution nor a threat to society.

The WND article points out the not-unrelated fact that the age of consent in Canada is 14. Yes, that’s right - FOURTEEN. Not a typo. As long as alcohol is not sold on the premises, children 14 years old can legally engage in group sex with adults in Canada. Interesting that the MSM reports on this landmark decision don’t mention that. [I find it pertinent but then I guess I'm just a redneck wing-nut who is poor, uneducated and easy to command. I also find it fascinating that the same government that decrees my daughter cannot legally have her ears pierced without my consent is entitled to an abortion without even my knowledge, much less consent. The same liberals who promoted the meme since the war began that our military is largely comprised of children ripped from their homes by sneaky recruiters support these kinds of adult activities for actual children, too young to hold a job, legally drink or smoke, vote or join the military. In fact, too young to live without adult supervision of some sort. A 14 year old found living alone would be put in foster care, even in uber-liberal Canada.]

Lifesite has a good writeup of this decision. This is sad and sickening. And if the trends continue, we’ll be seeing a movement for this sort of thing here in America sometime in the next decade too. In the meantime, thanks to a court decision, pedophiles now have legal access to Canadian kids.

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Christmas - the REST of the story.

Amy Welborn had a great reminder for us on what was really going on when Jesus was born. It was a lot more than a cute blonde blue eyed baby in a manger being stared at adoringly by people from all walks of life.

The really traditional Christian remembrance of the Nativity is not about sweetness. It is about awe, fear, and trembling, and it is shot through with hints of suffering to come.

Mary, with a scandalous pregnancy. Joseph, courageous enough to take her on despite it. A birth among farm animals. The threat of death, from the very start, necessitating flight. Mary, told by the prophet Simeon that because of her son, her soul will be pierced by a sword (Luke 2:35).

We view the elements of the story in a nostalgic haze — how sweet to be born with the goats. But is it? Is it sweet? Would you want to give birth among goats?

How charming that Mary and Joseph had to wander before and after the birth of the child. Charming until you remember the reasons why, the doors shut in the face of a heavily pregnant woman, the threat of death from a jealous king.

Look at it closely, with clear eyes. At every turn in this story of this baby there is threat and fear and powers circling, attempting to strike at the light.

We might forget, we might wrap up Christmas in good cheer, but Christian tradition doesn’t. It’s striking that the next day — the very next day — after Christmas, the Church remembers not glad tidings, angels, and shepherd boys, but a bloody death by stoning. St. Stephen it is, the first Christian martyr.

St. Stephen is followed by St. John on December 27th, who may not have met a violent death, but who, the tradition tells us, died in a prison of sorts, in exile for his faith, far away from the “civilized” powers that had sent him there.

December 28th brings us back to babies, but with no relief — it is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, remembering the children Herod ordered slaughtered, according to Matthew’s gospel, in his rabid fear of the rival king.

The message is clear and hard: Following this baby, as he reaches to us from the resin manger, looking out at us with the soft-eyed cattle and docile sheep, comes at a price.

There is an edge to Christmas, a harshness, and a different kind of promise than that implied by the easy words of peace and glad tidings. It is a mystery, all of it. The Word made flesh indeed, but into a world that was from the beginning set against it, that sought with every bit of strength at hand to stay in the darkness. …

Glad tidings of comfort and joy, and Merry Christmas indeed. But without awareness of the risk of discipleship, and the reality that the baby in the manger ends up hanging on a cross, those words have about as little power to change the world as “Happy Holidays.”

God bless you and your family this Christmas!

Islamic Terrorists Murder Missionary Couple

From the Christian Persecution Blog: Islamic Terrorists Murder Missionary Couple

A couple in their 60s, childhood sweethearts who have lived in Africa and served poor children there since 1963 were shot in the head for being infidels. Thanks to the adherents of the Religion of Peace™ for sending these martyrs home to their Savior. Please pray for their families and for other Christians who serve in dangerous countries.

Oh, man, I’m in trouble now…

I tell you what, in spite of my sins of visiting these illegal websites, I have to say how proud I am to live in a country where the FBI can work on the honor system like this. Sending out a questionaire to criminals like myself, so that the taxpayer is spared the expense of them having to pick me up and bring me somewhere to interrogate me… it’s just a great system. [choking up a little with pride] After I fill out the questionaire, I guess we can just go straight to arraignment and trial, unless I, overcome with guilt, decide to plead guilty. And I might… I just might. After all, my buddy Steve here is mine faithfully. How can I let a friend like that down, I ask you? America - what a country!

Dear Sir/Madam,

we have logged your IP-address on more than 30 illegal Websites.

Important:
Please answer our questions!
The list of questions are attached.

Yours faithfully,
Steven Allison

*** Federal Bureau of Investigation -FBI-
*** 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 3220
*** Washington, DC 20535

(Thanks to AVG Free Edition for stripping the attached virus and leaving me with this very amusing email. AVG has very generously made this program free to home users, and I have not had a virus in years. Just like the expensive anti-virus programs, it updates itself in the middle of the night, no fuss, no muss, no bother. Thanks to Cloudmark for blocking future emails like this one - their spam protection is the best I have ever tried.)

Tag, I’m it!

7 things to do before I die:
1. Stop asking God “why” and just say “thank you.”
2. Shoot a smilie face.
3. Learn Farsi.
4. Publish a novel.
5. Learn to juggle knives.
6. Pray with my mother, not just for her.
7. Travel to another country.

7 things I can’t do:
1. Waltz.
2. Sing well.
3. Make a lemon meringue pie.
4. Sleep well.
5. Tell jokes without laughing and messing up the punch line.
6. Take good photographs.
7. Know what is fashionable clothing and what is not. (Well, I don’t really care, so that does make it more of a challenge…)

7 things that attract me to blogging:
1. Writing helps me to clarify my thoughts.
2. When I’m doing a bible study that I know I’m going to blog about, I understand and retain it better.
3. I love the idea that it levels the publishing playing field - we’re no longer dependent on the approval of an elite few to put our own ideas out there to a broad audience.
4. Commenters who challenge me with new ideas and angles.
5. Commenters who agree with me.
6. Being part of the community of blogging - people from all over the country (and world) that I’d never interact with any other way.
7. Because everyone is entitled to my opinion!

7 things I say most often:
1. I love you.
2. Ummm……
4. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.
5. When did you tell me that?
6. Not yet.
7. I don’t remember you telling me that.

7 books I love:
1. The Bible
2. Anne of Green Gables series
3. The Lord of the Rings (all three volumes equally)
4. The Hobbit
5. The Trixie Belden series (yes I know it’s hokey but I loved them as a kid and re-read them sometimes for nostalgia’s sake.)
6. All of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books
7. Mary Stewart’s Merlin series: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment

7 movies I watch over and over:
1. True Lies
2. The Quiet Man
3. Independence Day
4. Twister
5. Father of the Bride (1 and 2, both the old Spencer Tracy versions and the new Steve Martin ones.)
6. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
7. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

7 people I want to join in too
1. Veritas Redux
2. Matt Jones
3. Northshore Politics
4. Free in Him
5 Out of the Bloo
6. In His Steps
7. Called Saints in Christ

1 Corinthians 13 - Christmas Version

1 CORINTHIANS 13 - A CHRISTMAS VERSION

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend myriad holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!

– Author Unknown

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